A gentle breeze blows in through the window, and occasionally you can hear the sound of magpies flapping their wings and flying away.
The two on the bed were entwined, Chu Changning was covered in fragrant sweat, and her eyes were flushed like ripples.
She couldn't stand his wild and unruly behavior any longer, so she kicked and punched him.
But Yan Beimo hadn't eaten meat in a long time. He hugged and kissed her, but it wasn't enough. He couldn't get enough of her.
He heard her soft moans and picked her up, sitting her on his lap and holding her tightly against his waist.
"You always put in all the effort alone, what's the point of getting tired?"
His teasing voice echoed softly from inside the bed curtains, sending a shiver down her spine.
Chu Changning's eyes were glazed over, her plump arms hanging limply over his, as she muttered curses at him.
"lecher."
Yan Beimo was amused by her words. Seeing her eyes flushed and alluring, he reached out and grabbed her neck, kissing her domineeringly.
He kissed her fiercely, tracing her lips, chin, and neck down, his kisses and bites lingering inside her loosely clad bodice.
She took a breath, her breathing becoming increasingly labored and disordered.
The atmosphere around them was ambiguous and romantic, and the two embraced and kissed passionately.
Chu Changning sat in his lap with seductive eyes, her slender fingers touching the scar on his chest. She paused, then snapped out of her daze.
"Does it still hurt?"
Yan Beimo lifted his head from her embrace and saw the tenderness in her eyes. He deliberately said, "It hurts, be gentle."
"You're so irresponsible."
She snorted and twisted her waist.
He raised an eyebrow, cupped her cheeks, and said in a sarcastic tone, "You haven't thought about coming back for more than two months, Chu Changning, you are really heartless."
The red candle on the table was half-burned, illuminating his profile and revealing a captivating charm.
Chu Changning was afraid that he would bring up old grievances, so when he heard him say it again, she hurriedly mumbled and hummed in response.
He was so strong that she couldn't take it anymore and leaned on his shoulder to push him away, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Eating and living together, you must be very happy."
A sarcastic voice rang in her ears, and she wanted to retort, but he pressed her head down and silenced her with a kiss.
Have you ever thought about being alone?
"---"
Chu Changning's forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat, and she was panting softly, "Of course I've thought about it---"
"fraud."
Suddenly, he slapped her on the buttocks, lifted her up, and pressed her down against the window.
The starlight filled the entire hall, casting shimmering shadows on the golden glazed tiles. An indescribable tingling sensation washed over her, and she immediately clung tightly to him with her legs, calling out to him with hazy, dreamy eyes.
"What's your name?"
He leaned down, displeased, and bit her lip.
"Husband~ My dear husband~"
Chu Changning was tossed and turned all night, and finally couldn't take it anymore. She cried and begged for mercy before he let her go.
The next morning, just as the sky began to lighten, Yan Beimo carried the sleeping person in his arms down from the high-rise building and returned to his palace.
Inside the Xuanming Hall, the busy palace servants saw the emperor, dressed in a black robe with gilded dragon patterns and carrying a woman in his arms, stride towards them. They all stepped aside and respectfully prostrated themselves on the ground.
Chu Changning was sleeping soundly and had no idea where she was.
She tried to turn over, but found herself tightly held. She groggily lifted her eyelids, saw a familiar figure, and, clutching his clothes, fell asleep again.
Once inside the hall, Yan Beimo placed the person on a soft couch and led them to the bathing pool for a bath and washing.
He changed his clothes and came out. Seeing her curled up in the blanket, sleeping soundly, he leaned down, grabbed her chin, and kissed her deeply before turning and leaving.
Wang Hezhan had already returned to Jiankang last night. After Yan Beimo finished his court session, he went directly to the Hall of State Affairs.
Upon entering, one sees a man sitting high on a dragon throne, with a crowd of people kneeling on the ground below. The atmosphere inside the hall is oppressive and somber.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."
Yan Beimo tossed aside the memorial in his hand and said calmly, "Sit."
The adults kneeling on the ground exchanged glances, remaining respectfully kneeling without daring to say anything more.
The emperor was furious when the matter of the Northern Expedition was discussed in court. The military affairs of Jiaozhou had just been discussed and involved the powerful families in the north. They were secretly plotting and colluding with the northern frontier, resulting in the loss of twelve cities along the Yan River, which angered the emperor.
"If we lose the battle of Jiaozhou, then Minister Li won't need to return to Taiyuan. Do you understand?"
"Your subject understands."
The war in Jiaozhou in the north is at a stalemate. The powerful families are two-faced and deceiving the emperor. They guess that the emperor is just waiting to make an example of someone, and they don't want to run into him at this time.
Yan Beimo looked at the ministers below, toying with two black beads in his hand, and said calmly.
"With Hu Qing dead, what are your thoughts on the general guarding the Yan River area?"
A minister stepped forward and said, "In my opinion, General Lu has been stationed in Yanzhou for many years. With Lord Hu dead, General Lu is the best candidate."
"I have heard that General Lu lost an arm in the battle of Huhe and is no longer fit for a great task. I recommend General Xiao An of Southern Liang."
After the Southern Liang dynasty was destroyed, it submitted to the Great Qi dynasty, and many of its generals were former members of the Southern Liang.
Yan Beimo listened to the ministers below speaking one after another, his dark eyes narrowing slightly.
The atmosphere inside the hall grew increasingly strange, and the officials, realizing something was amiss, all fell silent.
These ministers were all important officials in the Ministry of Personnel, but each of them colluded with powerful families behind the scenes. Yan Beimo had long wanted to get rid of them.
"Xu Qing, please stay. Everyone else, you may leave."
Xu Ling, kneeling on the ground, was slightly startled. Hearing the ministers take their leave, he lay prostrate on the ground, sweat rolling down his forehead.
Unexpectedly, after the man left, His Majesty paid him no heed and instead discussed matters with several generals from the north who were sitting on his right.
He swallowed hard and knelt respectfully.
In order to deal with Northern Liang, Great Qi and Beidu joined forces to divide Northern Liang's territory, and the northern countries were all defeated and rendered powerless.
Currently, the Nine Provinces are divided into three, and various warlords are vying for control of the Central Plains to end the chaos. The Emperor of Great Qi wants to launch a northern expedition to take over the north, and a battle with the Northern Capital is inevitable.
Wang Hezhan slowly put down his teacup and said, "His idea is to first join forces to drive the Western Regions out of the Central Plains."
Shen Yan had a backup plan. He colluded with the Li family of Longxi, took over Northern Yan and Western Liang, declared himself emperor in Beidu, destroyed many small countries, and temporarily unified the north.
However, at present, the Western Regions have taken over the Northern Yan and are heading south from Tuling Pass, intending to attack the Great Qi. The Northern Capital can hardly stay out of it. Once the Western Regions' attack is successful, the whole world will fall into chaos.
Yan Beimo sneered, "He's quite ambitious."
Xuan Yao had just returned from Libei when he heard this. He immediately told Yan Bei Mo about the war in the north, and several generals also spoke up.
Wang Hezhan said in a deep voice, "His Majesty was cautious back then and took over Beiyou first. Beiyou has an excellent geographical location, spanning the entire Endless Sea in the north. If he wants to unify the north, he can only do so by destroying Beiyou. Do we still want to fight him?"
Yan Beimo scoffed, his arrogance as an emperor inadvertently showing in his eyes.
"What are the other countries compared to him? What is Chen Yan compared to him? If I fear him today, how will I rule the world in the future?"
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