Chapter 38 I can keep you tied up forever
This time, Xiao Shenjing stared at Yunxi for quite a while.
Knowing it was impossible, she had said it on purpose. But seeing that he didn't react, just as she was about to say something more to provoke him into protecting himself, Xiao Shenjing suddenly chuckled and then slowly called out, "Yunxi."
Knowing she wouldn't hear anything nice, she didn't respond.
"If you think that binding you like this is how I show my affection, then I can keep you bound like this forever." The smile on his lips spread to the corners of his eyes and eyebrows, as if this were truly a wonderful suggestion.
He even gentlemanly asked for her opinion, "What do you think?"
Yunxi smiled slightly at him, revealing a standard eight-tooth smile.
It's more like mockery than mockery itself.
Whether it was Yunxi's docile submission at this moment, or something else, Xiao Shenjing seemed to be in a good mood, completely different from when he was in the main hall earlier.
He lay down and adjusted to a comfortable position. When covering himself with the blanket, he completely ignored Yunxi's wary and vigilant gaze, and even kindly shared half of it with her.
Yunxi twisted her body in disgust.
"Do you know how many women in the world want to climb into my bed?"
"What does this have to do with me?" Yunxi's disdain became even more obvious.
She shifted her body again, but seeing that she couldn't get rid of the thin blanket, she simply gave up struggling.
Her expressions were so vivid and varied that Xiao Shenjing didn't even miss her rolling her eyes, which was quite unseemly.
Even bound like a dumpling, she refused to surrender, even crumpling the neatly laid-out mattress.
He is truly a rebellious soul.
"All the land under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people within the four seas are his subjects." Xiao Shenjing turned his head and looked at her. "Yunxi, you know that if you obey me, you won't suffer these hardships. As long as you are obedient, I can even grant you the wealth and glory that others envy. This is something that many people can only dream of in their entire lives."
"Summer insects don't speak of ice." Yunxi only threw these few words at him.
No matter how many people outside were desperate to enter the palace, how much effort they put into currying favor with Xiao Shenjing, or how much wealth and power they wielded, it had nothing to do with her.
In her life, she only loved those she liked, drank the strongest liquor, rode the fastest horse, and traversed mountains and rivers with unbridled passion and vengeance, seeing red flowers bloom everywhere and snow-covered mountains.
If one is confined to the small space of the palace, wasting one's entire life vying for a man's favor, then one has truly wasted this life.
"Your knowledge has certainly increased," Xiao Shenjing said deliberately as he watched her clumsily turn over, leaving him with her back to him. "It seems you haven't wasted your time in this palace."
Yunxi found it really hard to bear hearing this sarcastic remark.
She turned her head and glared fiercely at Xiao Shenjing. "Only someone with a screw loose would like this lousy place." She sneered, "Anyone living in here is destined to be a lonely loner for life!"
Unusually, Xiao Shenjing was not angry at her rebellious words. Instead, he remained silent for a while before suddenly saying, "Then everyone in the world is probably sick."
Yunxi didn't want to say more to him.
To avoid him making sarcastic remarks and upsetting her again later.
I might as well close my eyes.
It was already very late at night.
Not hearing Yunxi's voice, Xiao Shenjing turned his head to look.
She had a stubbornly styled back of her head.
In this quiet place, which was finally not like a tomb, he soon fell asleep.
Xiao Shenjing was woken up at some point, without anyone noticing.
He turned his head and saw Yunxi speaking from the other side.
Subconsciously, I focused my attention and found that she spoke very quickly and her voice was mumbled, making it impossible to understand anything.
He was about to close his eyes.
She said something else, and this time he heard her name clearly.
Out of curiosity, Xiao Shenjing moved closer.
I finally heard her clearly when I was less than half an inch away from her.
"Xiao Shenjing is a bastard."
Even in my dreams I want to curse him?
Xiao Shenjing almost laughed out of anger.
Just as I was about to lie back down, I noticed that her hands, which were bound behind her back, were somewhat bruised.
When Yunxi woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
A shower of golden light streamed in through the crack in the door, and she rubbed her eyes.
Um?
I belatedly realized something was wrong.
She looked down in a daze and realized that the rope on her arm had been untied at some point.
Why would Xiao Shenjing be so kind?
Yunxi couldn't figure it out, and was too lazy to think about it anymore.
I slept soundly, but my stomach was growling with hunger.
Yunxi got out of bed, straightened her clothes, and was about to go back when the door to her bedchamber was pushed open.
She looked up and saw Xiao Shenjing walking in against the light.
Light and shadow swirled around him, sculpting his features even more beautifully.
The phoenix eyes naturally carry a hint of coldness, and the corner of the eye slants towards the temple, adorned with a beauty mark that resembles a splash of cinnabar when a meticulous painter finishes his brushstrokes.
Even though Yunxi disliked Xiao Shenjing, she had to admit that he was indeed good-looking.
He has a pair of naturally serene phoenix eyes that seem to hold a sense of impending doom even when he is not angry. When he smiles slightly, it gives people the illusion that he is filled with boundless affection.
Below, her nose bridge was high and straight, and her thin lips, though pale in color, looked as if they had been coated with a thin layer of rouge, softening her cold and sharp demeanor.
Even her hands are as beautiful as jade carvings.
It exudes an air of superiority from the inside out.
They are so expensive that people dare not approach them.
Yunxi pursed her lips.
Xiao Shenjing glanced at the lingering redness on her cheeks, then ordered the palace maids behind him to bring hot water for her to wash up. He then had a maid help him remove his dragon robe.
Xiao Shenjing chose a moon-white Taoist robe.
Eunuch Fu asked, "Your Majesty, shall we serve the meal at this time?"
"pass."
After Yunxi finished washing up, she turned around and saw eunuchs filing in and placing plates of delicacies on the table.
Xiao Shenjing sat upright at the eight-immortal table made of golden nanmu wood, his black hair, which was not adorned with a crown, was loosely tied with a hairband embroidered with cloud patterns in silver thread.
Morning light slanted in through the openwork carved window lattice, and twelve blue-and-white covered bowls with lotus scroll patterns were scattered on the table.
A vermilion-glazed porcelain dish with a nine-dragon design holds thumb-sized jade crystal dumplings. The thin, cicada-wing-like wrappers reveal the bright green shepherd's purse and scallop filling inside, while white steam still rises from the steamer.
Xiao Shenjing glanced sideways at Yun Xi, noticing that the latter was staring at the food on the table without touching it.
At this moment, the serving eunuch approached with a mother-of-pearl inlaid food box. In the glass cup, the trembling cherry cheese, with its deep red berries nestled in the creamy goat milk, resembled red plum blossoms fallen on snow.
"Your Majesty, this cherry jelly uses the finest blood cherries, the 'Rouge Blood Cherries,' which are cut one by one with bamboo scissors before the morning dew dries. When they are delivered to the Imperial Kitchen by express courier, the stems are still exuding a green fragrance. This curd is made from the colostrum of doe deer that have not yet given birth at the Southern Mountain Palace. It has been preserved in lychee honey from Lingnan for three days and three nights, and then filtered through nine layers of gauze to achieve its jade-like color. The Imperial Chef has specially carved the cherry flesh into the shape of a peony."
A clear, tinkling sound suddenly came from the bottom of the cup, revealing a layer of crystal jelly. The old eunuch smiled, his face crinkling with wrinkles: "This agar water is made from snow collected from plum blossoms last year on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, mixed with ginseng juice from Changbai Mountain and simmered. The head of the Imperial Medical Academy said it's the best for replenishing qi and nourishing the body."
It just sounds delicious.
Yunxi was so hungry that she couldn't help but lick her lips.
No wonder everyone wants to be an emperor. Not only do they have three thousand concubines to choose from, but they also eat the finest delicacies.
Seeing that His Majesty had left this dish, just as the eunuch was about to test it for poison, Xiao Shenjing stopped him and turned his head to say, "Yunxi, come here."
Yunxi walked over reluctantly.
I was already hungry, and then I had to look at a table full of delicious food. It was torture.
When she reached the table, Xiao Shenjing said, "Let her test the poison."
Yunxi "?"
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Eunuch Fu immediately advised.
Xiao Shenjing didn't speak, but only glanced at Eunuch Fu indifferently.
Grandpa Fu lowered his head and dared not say anything more.
Unlike other emperors who inherited the throne, Xiao Shenjing seized it through sheer force.
He held absolute power, unlike other emperors who were constrained by various rules and regulations.
He even dared to let Yunxi, a palace maid without any rank, stay overnight in his bedchamber, completely disregarding ancestral rules.
Yunxi was too hungry to fight against Xiao Shenjing.
Without saying a word, he picked up the spoon and took a bite.
Tsk.
It's delicious.
So she took another bite.
The eunuch Fu, who was standing to the side, frowned and wanted to speak up to stop him, but Xiao Shenjing silenced him with a look.
Yunxi took a few sips and asked, "Your Majesty, do all of these need to be tested for poison?"
"Hmm?" Xiao Shenjing raised an eyebrow.
"This servant is willing to share your burdens." She spoke respectfully, but her actions showed no restraint as she devoured her food.
She ate communal meals with the palace maids and eunuchs every day, purely to fill her stomach and survive. Her diet was completely different from Xiao Shenjing's.
She ate without any politeness, and her manners were far from refined.
Xiao Shenjing casually stirred the bird's nest and chicken porridge. His high nose bridge cast a sharp shadow, and when his phoenix eyes were half-closed, his eyelashes blurred with ink marks on his eyelids, revealing a languid and carefree demeanor that was different from his appearance in the court.
He didn't reprimand Yunxi for her uncivilized eating habits; instead, his gaze would occasionally fall on her before casually looking away.
After Yunxi finished eating and drinking, she wiped the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief.
Finally remembering Xiao Shenjing across from her, she respectfully said, "Your Majesty, none of these are poisonous. This servant will take her leave now."
This time, Xiao Shenjing didn't stop her.
Yunxi was secretly delighted.
Just as she was about to reach the door, her voice came from behind her again: "Continue to serve tonight."
Yunxi paused for a moment, then strode away.
She couldn't be bothered to waste words with him.
Anyway, there's no point in saying more. Once the ink gets spilled on his dragon robe a few times, he won't dare to look for her again.
Not long after Yunxi left the Qianqing Palace, Cen Yuwei in the Chengqian Palace received the news.
With a "clatter," all the teacups on the table were swept off the table.
Her expression was one of distress and pain. "She actually stayed overnight at the Qianqing Palace again last night!"
"Princess, please don't be angry." Aunt Xueyu immediately stepped forward to comfort her, then glared at the palace maid and asked, "Did she sleep with you last night?"
"No." The palace maid was so frightened that she immediately prostrated herself and replied, "I have not summoned any female officials from the Imperial Bedchamber Bureau or the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department."
Aunt Xueyu waved her hand.
After the palace maid bowed and withdrew.
“That means he did not serve the emperor in bed.” Aunt Xueyu gently stroked Cen Yuwei’s back and comforted her, “His Majesty is only feeling guilty and trying to make amends. After all, he did not choose her when he was at Snake Mountain.”
Cen Yuwei coughed suddenly, which startled Aunt Xueyu, who immediately poured her a cup of hot tea.
Once she calmed down, her worried brow relaxed.
"Princess, your health is of utmost importance."
Cen Yuwei, clutching her handkerchief, suddenly said sadly, "Last night, Brother Yin'an took her away first, disregarding me and all the concubines. I understand that he was in a bad mood yesterday, but why could she stay with him all the time, even disregarding ancestral rules and the impeachment of officials for her sake?"
The more she spoke, the more frustrated she became. "This isn't the first time. Why doesn't Brother Yin'an just take her as his concubine?"
In this palace, Cen Yuwei never paid any attention to the other concubines.
She and Xiao Shenjing were childhood sweethearts, and their relationship was absolutely unmatched by anyone else.
But Yunxi's appearance made her realize an unprecedented crisis.
Despite repeatedly making mistakes and talking back, he has managed to live a carefree life until now.
Although favoring Yunxi must be related to the mulberry and rice harvesting, even if he had no ulterior motives, such prolonged sleeping together would inevitably lead to trouble sooner or later.
The more she thought about it, the more upset she became.
Aunt Xueyu was well aware of this, but as an elder, she naturally knew what was important and what was urgent. She earnestly advised, "Princess, you must be patient. It's not too late to reorganize the harem after the wedding."
Cen Yuwei was well aware of this.
So, despite being angry, I forced myself to suppress it.
Not only her, but also Consort Xue and the other concubines were the same.
None of the concubines expected that Yunxi would be summoned to serve in the palace again that night.
When she returned to her residence during the day, she found that some of the palace maids who stayed in the room would come to talk to her from time to time.
He even shared various things with her.
It's a very obvious attempt to curry favor.
Yunxi wasn't good at rejecting girls, so she pathetically ran away.
He took another nap in a secluded spot and practiced martial arts for an hour.
She rushed to the main dining room for dinner, her face covered in sweat, as darkness fell.
As a result, they were intercepted by palace maids halfway there.
It turned out that she hadn't returned for a long time, so all the palace maids from the five palaces in Gan Dong were sent out to look for her.
Upon seeing her, these people acted as if they had seen a Bodhisattva. "Eunuch Xu has been waiting for you for a long time. Please go back quickly."
Yunxi was very annoyed and really didn't want to see Xiao Shenjing.
But the palace maid said mournfully, "Eunuch Xu has given a death order: if we can't find you, each of us will be given twenty strokes of the cane."
“Yunxi”
This man-eating, wretched place.
Yunxi had no choice but to go to the Qianqing Palace with Eunuch Xu again.
When they arrived, Xiao Shenjing had already finished his meal and was reviewing memorials in the East Warm Pavilion.
Upon seeing her being brought in by Eunuch Fu, the man threw two words at him: "Grind the ink."
Yunxi pursed her lips and walked silently to the imperial desk.
The ink stick made a loud clanging sound as it was ground.
Xiao Shenjing turned his head and looked at her.
Ink splashed directly in my face.
He had no time to dodge and landed on the sky-blue round-necked robe.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I didn't mean it," she said respectfully, her eyes lowered.
"Not on purpose?" Xiao Shenjing glanced at her and said indifferently, "Fine, then wash this robe clean for me. You can only rest when it's clean!"
Yunxi threw the ink stick into the inkstone.
Her movements were resentful, but her tone became increasingly submissive as she said, "Your Majesty, I am merely a lowly palace maid whom you have enslaved. How could I possibly touch Your Majesty's clothes?"
Without giving Xiao Shenjing a chance to speak, she continued, "This servant does rough and heavy work during the day, and is really incapable of doing such delicate work. Please, Your Majesty, allow this servant to go back to farming."
Despite feeling resentful, she had no choice but to endure it.
Xiao Shenjing naturally knew that she must be cursing him in her heart at this moment.
He deliberately suppressed the corners of his lips and said, "Then I will learn it."
"Xiao Shenjing!" Yunxi suddenly braced his hands on the imperial desk, tilted his head, and frowned.
Xiao Shenjing remained seated in his chair, not moving an inch despite her sudden approach.
Instead, he raised an eyebrow and glared at her.
Yunxi deliberately lowered her voice and threatened, "You're really bold. You should know that I could easily kill you if no one else is around."
Xiao Shenjing chuckled, raising his sharp eyebrows.
An aura of authority from someone in a superior position swept over them.
"If I were afraid of even your meager threat, I might as well not rule this country."
Yunxi stood up, feeling bored.
The price she paid for killing Xiao Shenjing was too high; in fact, everyone connected to her was destined to be beheaded and their entire family executed.
Although she disliked him, she did not want to involve anyone else in her feud with Xiao Shenjing.
Trade her life for his?
Unless it becomes unbearable, it's really not worth it.
If you have a weapon, you can try to coerce Xiao Shenjing into escaping from the palace.
Looking around the entire room, there wasn't a single usable sharp object. The porcelain was usable, but if it were to be smashed, the Imperial Guards outside would likely flood in like a tidal wave.
Moreover, being in the inner palace grounds, surrounded by imperial guards and secret agents, it would be difficult for her to escape even if she coerced Xiao Shenjing.
Only when the emperor and empress get married can we wait.
Seeing that she remained silent, Xiao Shenjing was about to call a palace maid in to change her clothes when Yunxi suddenly spoke up, saying, "I have no connection with the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion anymore."
Xiao Shenjing was taken aback for a moment when he heard her say that.
Yunxi thought he hadn't heard her clearly, and emphasized again with a firm expression, "I am no longer the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Jiangyuan's mansion. You should know that."
"So?" Xiao Shenjing narrowed his eyes, a shadow falling over the corners of his eyes.
"So, you've clearly made a mistake by using me to show your stance to the court officials," Yunxi said with a slight smile.
This time, Xiao Shenjing stared at Yunxi for a long while without saying a word.
The candlelight flickered, making those phoenix eyes appear dim and unclear.
As the emperor of the world, he sat on the dragon throne for many years.
Even if it wasn't intentional, his aura was intimidating enough.
Looking across the entire world, no one dares to look directly into those eyes.
These eyes represent supreme imperial power, capable of taking your life in an instant, or even in the blink of an eye, the lives of your entire extended family.
No one could stand on equal footing with him, and no one dared to look the current emperor in the eye.
Except for Yunxi.
She met his gaze without flinching, her resolve unwavering.
Xiao Shenjing suddenly chuckled softly.
"Yunxi, I underestimated you."
In the past, when he said this, it was always with anger, and punishment would inevitably follow.
At this moment, the smile on his lips even spread to his phoenix eyes.
"So?" Yunxi didn't care whether he was genuinely praising her or not. In any case, his thoughts were irrelevant to her. She just wanted an answer.
"What do you mean, 'so'?" Xiao Shenjing had already looked away and slowly picked up the calligraphy brush.
His nonchalant manner made Yunxi really want to hit him, but she held back. "So, can I go back now?"
She didn't want to ask him.
But if that bastard Xiao Shenjing disagrees, he'll have to call her back again soon.
It would be better to explain things clearly once and for all.
She thought he would agree this time, but to her surprise, he stared at her with a strange look and said matter-of-factly, "I have ordered you to serve me, so you should stay put."
"Xiao Shenjing!" Yun Xi's brow twitched violently. "If you want the court officials to see your attitude, why don't you use other means? Can't you promote the Fan family? Can't Fan Zishi's success bring prosperity to his entire family?"
She had said that she would never have any connection with the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion again in her life, and that meant she couldn't have even the slightest connection.
This time, Xiao Shenjing gave her a look and reminded her, "Do not discuss politics!"
Yunxi also got angry and completely ignored him, saying, "If you won't promote the Fan family, then you should marry someone with the surname Fan."
"Yunxi!" The deep voice already carried a strong warning.
"Doesn't Fan Zishi have a younger sister?" Yunxi glared at him. "You should make her a concubine and shower her with favor every day."
"Shut up!" Xiao Shenjing suddenly interrupted her.
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