If line (six) That's his stuff. ...
After that, Chan Zhen carefully observed his expression. Fortunately, His Majesty had only lost control for a moment. Now that he had returned to normal, he had not done anything inappropriate again.
Chen Dingyao was also secretly observing her. In his thirty-plus years of life, this was the first time he felt a stirring of affection. On the one hand, he wanted to immediately bring her into the palace and keep her before his eyes day and night, but on the other hand, he was worried that his impulsive actions would displease her again. He could only find a casual way to say, "I recently acquired a pot of red coral. I wonder if Chanzhen would be interested in seeing it?"
Zen really didn't know what to say to break the silence, so when he suddenly mentioned red coral, he nodded.
In fact, she wanted His Majesty to let her go, but His Majesty was in a good mood right now. If she angered him again, he might just issue an order and force her into the palace. It would be a waste of time and effort.
Seeing that she was interested, Chen Dingyao quickly ordered someone to move the newly tributed red coral from the Zichen Hall.
"Zhenzhen, look, do you like this pot of red coral?"
Chan Zhenyuan was just responding casually, but when someone brought up the pot of red coral, his eyes couldn't help but be drawn to it.
Born into a noble family, she had seen many rare treasures, but the beauty of this pot of red coral was beyond her imagination.
This pot of red coral has a very rich color and lush branches, like a blooming fire tree.
It's truly a royal tribute, Chan Zhen sighed, looking away and saying, "This is the first time I've seen such beautiful coral. It's truly an eye-opener."
"You like it?" Chen Dingyao stared at her intently. "Then how about I give it to you?"
After saying this, he waved his hand and asked someone to pack up the pot of red coral.
Chan Zhen declined, "How can a servant like you accept such a rare item?"
Chan Zhen knew the principle of being grateful for what one has received, and this was a royal tribute. If she accepted it, how would she be able to establish a relationship with His Majesty in the future? So she firmly declined.
"What's that?" Chen Dingyao's heart was filled with emotion. He said to her affectionately, "As long as you like it, I will give it to you."
Guo Kai felt a lump in his teeth as he listened to this. In the past, the concubines in the palace loved jewelry and were severely criticized by His Majesty for being extravagant and wasteful. Now, in front of Miss Song, their behavior was completely different. After hearing this speech, if the censor was there, he would definitely take note of it.
"This is something your Majesty loves. How can a minister take something away from someone else?" Chan Zhen couldn't stand his gaze and silently took a step back.
Chen Dingyao was thinking about how beautiful it would be if this coral was made into jewelry and worn on her. He smiled and said, "You are the one I love most now. How can a mere dead object compare to you? Please don't refuse, Chanzhen."
"Your Majesty, you said before that you would not force your subjects." Chan Zhen really knew that if she accepted the basin of red coral, she would never be able to talk to him again.
He frowned and gave up when he saw the resistance on her face. He immediately lost interest and asked someone to take Hong Shanhu back.
The eunuch looked miserable. It was so troublesome to carry such a large red coral back and forth, but he had to obey the emperor's order.
Chen Dingyao sat back in his chair, slowly skimming the tea foam in his cup. Seeing her silence, he couldn't help but ask, "Chanzhen, what exactly do you like?"
She didn't want to be a concubine, and she didn't want Hong Shanhu either. It was a pity that he had the whole world but couldn't use any of his power in front of her. It had always been others who had to please her, and this was the first time he wanted to please someone, but he didn't know where to start.
Chanzhen wondered if he would give her something again if she said she liked His Majesty. After pondering for a while, he said, "Your Majesty, I have no other wishes. My greatest blessing is to live in peace and contentment with my mother, brother, and family."
"Is your brother Song Ge, the captain of the Jinwu Guard?" Chen Dingyao had some impression of this young guard. Jinwu Guard General Lu Hong had recommended him to him.
"It's my brother." Zen Zhen nodded.
Chen Dingyao already had an idea in mind and said, "Then I will have to examine him carefully."
Zen Zhen was very confident in his brother and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, please feel free to investigate. I will definitely not disappoint you."
Chen Dingyao saw that her eyes were very gentle when she mentioned Song Ge, and he couldn't help but envy her. When would Chan Zhen trust him so much?
Afterwards, the two sat face to face and exchanged pleasantries for a long time. Chen Dingyao pretended to be casual and asked her about her hobbies. When he learned that she was good at music and dance, he thought about asking the palace's skilled craftsmen to make her a set of musical instruments and to use the newly arrived silk to make her beautiful clothes. She was so beautiful, and her dance would surely be a sight to behold.
At dusk, Chan Zhen bid farewell to him and got on the carriage to go home.
When she got home, her mother asked her why the eldest princess summoned her. Zenzhen couldn't say that it was actually His Majesty who summoned her in the name of the eldest princess, so she could only make up an excuse.
Her mother was still warning her not to let the eldest princess down. Chan really thought that if you knew that it was actually His Majesty who wanted to take his daughter into the palace, you would probably scold her severely by now.
"My daughter knows. I will bring a thank-you gift to Your Highness tomorrow." Chan Zhen was worried that she would not be able to accept the truth, so he could only accompany His Majesty to maintain the illusion in front of them.
Madam Wei frowned: "Are you going to enter the palace tomorrow?"
Chanzhen sighed. She wanted to refuse, but she was afraid that His Majesty would be forced into a corner and issue an order to force her into the palace. She could only pretend to be submissive to keep him at bay.
"Don't worry, mother. Her Royal Highness the Princess treats her daughter very well."
His Majesty? As long as he didn't touch her, it was actually quite nice to get along with her. After all, His Majesty was quite open-minded. No matter what she talked about, he could always catch up immediately, which also gave her a lot of insights.
If he was treated as just an ordinary elder, Chan Zhen wouldn't actually be disgusted.
When Chanzhen entered the palace again the next day, His Majesty simply stopped pretending and waited for her in the eldest princess's palace early in the morning, taking the initiative and treating this place as his own territory.
Zenzhen gritted his teeth and sent out the thank-you gift his mother had prepared for the eldest princess.
"Is this a gift from Chan Zhen to me?" Chen Dingyao unfolded the "Chao Zhen Tu" and admired it carefully from top to bottom, then solemnly ordered Guo Kai to put it away and keep it safe.
Seeing him naturally put away the map he had painstakingly searched for, Chan Zhen hesitated for a moment before saying, "Actually... this is a gift for Her Royal Highness the Princess."
The smug smile on Chen Dingyao's face froze instantly, and he stared at her dimly, "What about me?"
Chan Zhen slightly avoided his gaze and said, "Your Majesty, you rule the world. How can a subject like you have the nerve to embarrass yourself in front of you?"
The implication is that there is no place for him.
Chen Dingyao stared at her face motionlessly for a long moment before he chuckled. He put his hands behind his back and said calmly, "I'll accept this 'Chao Zhen Tu' on behalf of Yu Zhen."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zen Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Your Majesty did not dwell on this matter anymore.
The two sat down opposite each other. Chen Dingyao ordered someone to set up a chessboard and asked her, "Can you really play chess?"
"I know a little." Although he was not proficient in all of the three arts, he had learned some basic skills. At least he could show them to others to impress them.
Chen Dingyao smiled and said, "Why don't you play a game of hand-to-hand with me? If Chan Zhen wins, you can make a request of me."
Zen Zhen raised his eyes, "Your Majesty, are you willing to agree to any request?"
"That's right," Chen Dingyao said with a smile in his eyes, "no matter what Chan Zhen asks."
"What if I lose..." Zen Zhen asked him tentatively.
"If Chan really loses," Chen Dingyao said slowly, noticing her nervous expression, "how about drinking three cups of wine as punishment?"
Zen Zhen's anxious heart suddenly relaxed, "This is not fair to Your Majesty."
Compared to the price His Majesty would have to pay for her victory, the price she would have paid for losing was really too small.
Chen Dingyao's eyes were gentle. "If I want to gain Zen Zhen's true heart, I must always pay more."
He thought about it for a long time last night. Chan Zhen's nature was pure and she didn't care about fame or wealth. If he forced her blindly, it would only backfire. He didn't just want her as a person, he wanted her heart, so he should pursue her with sincerity.
He had conquered cities and territories all his life, but he didn't believe that he could not even conquer a woman's heart even if he tried his best.
Hearing such sweet words suddenly, Chan Zhen couldn't help but feel moved. She lowered her head and thought to herself that he was talking nonsense. She didn't know how many women he had said such words to. Humph, she would not be fooled easily.
"Since Your Majesty is willing to give in, why not be more sincere?" Chan Zhen picked up a white stone and looked at him with a smile, "How about giving me five more stones?"
There was a cunning look in her eyes, as if she knew his attitude and was fearless. Chen Dingyao's eyes became even darker, and his heart was filled with excitement.
"good."
Maybe he was really screwed. If someone else had been so aggressive in front of him, he would have been furious. However, the person in front of him was her, and no matter what she did, he only felt that she was cute and pitiful.
Zen Zhen's eyes curved, and he raised his hand and placed five pieces on the chessboard without hesitation. Then he stopped and looked at him: "It's your Majesty's turn."
Chen Dingyao couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as he watched her set up the chessboard. "Zen Zhen is truly a hidden talent."
"I'm sorry to present my humble service." Chan Zhen slightly raised her pointed chin.
She had been learning Go from her brother since she was young. He once said that the Go board was a battlefield without the smoke of gunpowder. To defeat the enemy on the battlefield, one must first break through their defenses psychologically. Although she did not know His Majesty's strength, she did not dare to underestimate him. So she took the opportunity to ask him to let her pass five stones, so that she could gain an advantage.
As long as I can defeat Your Majesty, it doesn't matter if I use some tricks.
Seeing her smug look, Chen Dingyao couldn't help but smile and shook his head, then raised his hand and dropped a black piece.
Time passed slowly, and Chan Zhen's expression gradually changed from confidence at the beginning to nervousness. The intervals between his moves became longer and longer, and his brows became more and more furrowed.
Chen Dingyao calmly took another of her pieces and said gently, "Have you figured out how to break the deadlock, Chan Zhen?"
Hearing this, Chan Zhen bit his lip, raised his eyes and glanced at him in embarrassment, "Your Majesty, are you deliberately bullying me?"
Hearing that she had forgotten to call herself "subordinate daughter", the smile in his eyes deepened, "So what if I did it on purpose?"
He found that he really enjoyed seeing the various vivid expressions on her face, whether it was pride or shame, which immediately calmed his violent emotions.
Chanzhen frowned. His Majesty had already given her five pieces. She couldn't ask for more, so she could only bite the bullet and move forward. She pondered over the chessboard for a long time before finally finding a place to place a piece.
We have temporarily resisted your Majesty's attack, and now it depends on where your Majesty will make his move.
"I'm fine." She stared at the hand opposite her nervously, not daring to breathe.
Chen Dingyao slowly picked up a piece from the chess box. Feeling her eyes following his fingers closely, he wanted to tease her, so he looked around the chessboard for a long time before stopping at the position he had already set. Just as he was about to place the piece, he suddenly heard a gasp. He looked up and saw that the little girl opposite him was so nervous that her breathing was almost stagnant.
That's all. A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and his finger suddenly changed direction, dropping the black piece in another place, leaving a flaw for her.
Zen Zhen's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but laugh. He said to him proudly, "Your Majesty, I won this round."
She picked up a piece and it landed right on the hole he had deliberately left. Although the game was not over, the outcome was already clear.
Chen Dingyao admitted defeat calmly, "Have you thought about what you want from me, Zen Zhen?"
The smile on Chan Zhen's face suddenly faded, and his expression was no longer as proud as before.
She wanted to win this game, so she asked His Majesty to let her go, but when she thought of the pleasant hand-to-hand conversation with His Majesty just now, and faced His Majesty's gentle and tolerant eyes, she couldn't say the words when they came to her lips.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to think about it. Could you please keep this request for me?"
Chen Dingyao noticed her hesitation and smiled slightly: "Of course you can."
Chanzhen, I have given you the opportunity to reject me.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Chan Zhen struggled in her heart. She had to wait a little longer. She had just rejected Your Majesty yesterday. If she said it again today, it would inevitably hurt Your Majesty's face. Anyway, Your Majesty no longer had the intention of forcing her.
"After playing a game of chess, Chanzhen must be exhausted." Chen Dingyao noticed that her lips were dry, so he ordered the palace servants to clear the chessboard away and poured her a cup of tea to quench her thirst. "Hurry up and drink some water and take a rest."
His attentiveness made Chan Zhen feel even more guilty about his previous thoughts. He took the water and said, "Your Majesty, please rest for a while."
"Zen really feels sorry for me?" He said and saw her face immediately turn red.
Zen Zhen nearly choked again and glared at him, "Your Majesty!"
It was really infuriating. She didn't feel any guilt at all now. She regretted so much that she didn't refuse him just now, and now she couldn't find the opportunity to speak up.
Chen Dingyao stopped teasing her and poured himself a glass of water. He caught a glimpse of her face still with a hint of anger, her eyes were smart and lively, and the love in her heart deepened.
How wonderful it would be to have her by my side every day.
After Luo Ri saw Chan Zhen off, Princess Yu Zhen, who had never appeared from beginning to end, walked into the palace.
Seeing the usually cold-hearted emperor brother holding the cooled teacup in a daze, I couldn't help but sigh that there is always someone better.
She had originally thought that her brother was simply attracted to Chan Zhen's beauty, but judging by his behavior over the past two days, he was genuinely interested. It was just that this marriage had come too late. A full twenty years had separated her from her brother, and Chan Zhen was young enough to accept this belated affection.
"I heard that Chanzhen brought a gift for my sister today. I wonder where your Majesty has put it?"
Chen Dingyao raised his head and said calmly, "My royal sister, you heard wrongly. That was a gift from Chan Zhen to me."
Zenzhen would be his one day, and everything she gave him would be his.
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