After everyone left, the main hall became quiet.
Yan Beimo glanced outside, but there was no movement. His brows furrowed slightly, and he threw down the folded document in his hand, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.
Night Hawk stood to the side, silently taking a few steps back, not daring to utter a sound.
For several days in a row, His Majesty has been staying in the sleeping quarters behind the Imperial Study. His temper is unpredictable, and those who serve him have been scolded quite a bit.
Is anyone coming today?
Nighthawk whispered, "No—"
Yan Beimo lowered his narrow eyes slightly, and after a moment, he got up and went to the inner palace at the back.
The night was cool and still, and a deathly chill permeated the entire palace.
He emerged from his bath, draped in a thin black robe, and stood by the window.
The Imperial Study is very close to the Emperor's bedroom; just past the archway is the Xuanming Hall.
Yan Beimo stared coldly at the archway, his eyes dark and unreadable.
Chu Changning tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Lying on the luxurious brocade quilt, he cursed the person a thousand times in his heart.
She gripped the blanket tightly, biting her teeth fiercely. If she were here, she probably could have bitten off a piece of flesh.
No wonder he's an emperor; he can ignore her whenever he wants and even dare to give her the silent treatment.
She refused to believe he could be handling court affairs all night without a single spare moment; it was obvious he was putting on that arrogant young master act, hoping she would humble herself and coax him.
He argues with his son every day; what a petty and wicked person.
The thought had barely crossed his mind when the palace doors creaked open.
Chu Changning shuddered, pulled the blanket over herself, and closed her eyes.
Yan Beimo approached, lifted the gauze curtain, and saw the person sleeping soundly. A surge of lust rose up instantly.
He took off his outer robe and threw it on the screen shelf, then bent down and turned her around, biting her lip.
A short, soft gasp escaped his lips. He saw her open her wet eyes, and a sudden impulse struck him. He pressed her head down and thrust his penis inside her.
Chu Changning had been ignored by him for several days, and she was burning with anger. She wasn't about to let him take advantage of her so easily, so she pushed him away with both hands and feet, panting heavily.
"Get up--Get out of here---"
Yan Beimo's eyes darkened. He grabbed her hands, tore open her clothes, and reached inside to touch her.
Their breaths mingled, and memories of past absurdities flashed through their minds in an instant.
He restrained himself; after holding back for so long, he couldn't resist when he saw her.
Chu Changning was panting heavily from his kisses, her body weak and limp. In a fit of anger, she pinched his waist and abdomen hard a few times.
"Don't touch me."
Yan Beimo paused, turned over and sat down on the edge of the couch, and said arrogantly in an annoyed tone.
"I can't touch my queen?"
Chu Changning kicked his leg without hesitation, sat up wrapped in the blanket, and glared at him, "You think you can touch me like that? What gives you the right?"
"---"
Yan Beimo had never been subservient in his life, but he had to admit it to Chu Changning.
He was about to speak when he heard her sternly say, "Go back to your study and sleep. There's no place for you here."
"---"
"Chu Changning, do you still respect me?"
Chu Changning looked at him and said, "Your Majesty is a proud son of heaven from a noble family. If you can't stand it, you can depose the Empress."
Yan Beimo was angered by her words and kept mentioning divorce or deposing the empress.
He exuded a deep, chilling aura, his dark, unfathomable eyes fixed on her, the moonlight reflecting in them, creating a sense of solitude.
Chu Changning was completely unfazed. If she dared to ignore her today, would she dare to have a harem tomorrow? Her temper was too fiery!
"go out."
"---"
Yan Beimo has always had a bad temper, but he only pretends to be good in front of others. However, since meeting Chu Changning, he has really restrained himself a lot.
He didn't move, suppressing his fierce aura, and reached out to pull her.
Chu Changning kicked him without hesitation, and said angrily, "Don't you like sleeping in the Imperial Study? Don't touch me. You can spend your whole life in that Imperial Study."
"Three days, a full three days, and you haven't come to see me even once---"
He forcefully pulled her back and held her tightly in his arms.
Chu Changning bit him hard on the shoulder, the pain making Yan Beimo feel like she was tearing flesh off him. He held her tightly and didn't move.
Perhaps fearing she might actually hurt him, she let go and angrily punched him.
"Don't hug me---"
He didn't speak, but buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply.
Chu Changning's eyes were red, and she refused to let him hug her, twisting and turning in a struggle.
Yan Beimo was also enraged. He tore open her clothes and leaned down to kiss her.
The two were so perfectly matched that she couldn't help but feel a burning sensation in her eyes. She lay on the quilt, whimpering, but still kept spitting at him under her breath, which made Yan Bei Mo so angry that he wanted to shut her up.
He lifted her by the waist and bent down to fiercely entwine his lips with hers.
Broken moans escaped her lips, sending shivers down Chu Changning's spine. Her eyes grew increasingly hazy as she wrapped her arms around his neck in response.
Yan Beimo was aroused by her appearance. Thinking that he didn't know how long he would be gone this time, and that she refused to accompany him, he became furious and tormented her.
The moonlight outside the window was lush and bright, and inside the tent, spring tides surged. The cool light shone on the two graceful figures entwined, and the air seemed to be filled with the delicate, lingering pull of hooks.
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Chu Changning subconsciously touched his side, only to find it empty.
She woke up instantly and opened her eyes.
The lingering intimacy within the tent had not yet dissipated, and the air was thick with the sweet afterglow of their passionate encounter. She was momentarily dazed, then quickly picked up the robe from the foot of the bed, put it on, and called out to the outside.
"Frost Moon."
Hearing the noise, Shuangyue gently pushed open the door and entered. Seeing the Empress's face, which was flushed and rosy, she dared not look at her for long and lowered her head.
"Your Majesty."
Has His Majesty left?
Shuangyue respectfully replied, "His Majesty has already left and instructed me not to wake Your Highness."
Chu Changning gritted her teeth. She had wasted all her time in bed last night because of him, and she hadn't even had a chance to tell him anything.
Seeing that her complexion was not good, Shuangyue poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to her. "His Majesty wanted to take the Empress with him, but the battlefield is dangerous. It would be better to stay in the palace for peace and quiet."
"Who wants to go with him?"
She took the tea and muttered something uncomfortably under her breath.
Shuangyue chuckled softly but didn't reply. She could sense that the lady's attitude towards His Majesty was different from before, and she would unconsciously reveal her girlish charm from time to time.
Chu Changning grew angrier the more he thought about it. He left without calling her, and the two of them had just had a fight. They parted ways with a belly full of anger.
She felt uneasy, and when she glanced at the main hall, it felt even more empty.
"Your Highness, shall we call them in to serve us?"
Chu Changning, with her long black hair loosely wrapped in her robe, put down the teacup.
"Come in."
As dawn broke outside, Ayu walked out of the warm pavilion and went straight into the main hall.
"Mother~"
Chu Changning was sitting in front of her dressing table when she heard the noise and turned around. When she saw it was him, her eyes lit up.
Why did you wake up so early?
Ayu replied, "Father went to see me, and after he left, I couldn't sleep."
A pang of melancholy flashed through Chu Changning's heart; this parting meant he had no idea when he would return.
She suddenly remembered the words he had whispered in her ear in her drowsy state, got up and walked to the bedside, turning over the pillow.
Sure enough, there was a brocade box underneath.
She opened it with suspicion and discovered that it was a token to mobilize the Imperial Guards.
Seeing that she was lost in thought, Shuangyue said respectfully, "His Majesty left Commander Ye behind before he left. Your Highness can give him any instructions you may have."
All the dragon soldiers in Jiankang will obey the Empress's orders.
Chu Changning snapped out of her reverie, hummed in agreement, put down the brocade box, and took her son's hand as they walked out. "Serve the meal."
She still had to take Ayu to the Wenhua Hall for a lesson later, so she needed to keep a close eye on her son.
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