Chapter 48: The Golden Cage Can Also Fly
The nights in Fengyi Palace were always exceptionally quiet. It wasn't completely silent—in the depths of the palace, there were the occasional soft footsteps of night watchmen, the jingling of iron horses under the eaves, rustled by the breeze, and even the faint sound of clappers from beyond the palace walls.
But all these sounds seemed to be filtered by a thick veil called loneliness. When they reached the bedroom, only a suffocating emptiness remained.
A single candle remained in the hall, burning faintly beside the soft couch by the window where Dongfang Qiwu usually sat. The dim glow barely outlined her cold figure, her moon-white nightgown blending into the night. Only the profile of her face, delicate yet cold, revealed in the light and shadow, a jade-like outline.
She held a book in her hand, but her eyes were not on the words. She was just staring at the night sky outside the window, which was cut into squares by the palace walls and had no stars or moon.
Golden cage. These four words, ever since she saw the fire of hope burning in the eyes of those women in Yujifang, have been like a brand, deeply engraved in her heart.
What she once thought was honor, responsibility, and destiny, when she peeled off the gorgeous brocade, she found that the inside was so cold and hard that it imprisoned her for half her life.
The palace door was silently pushed open a crack and then closed very gently.
Dongfang Qiwu didn't turn around. Only one person could arrive so late at night without being informed. The aura around her suddenly grew colder, even the faint candlelight seemed to shudder.
Nangong Yu stood at the door, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the candlelight. He looked at the cold figure by the window, almost blending into the night. His heart felt like it was being tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and the pain was so dull that he could hardly breathe. How many times had he come?
How many times had he been turned away? Even he couldn't remember. Every time he came with hope, he left with deeper despair and regret.
Tonight, the secret report of the Yujifang selection, especially the secret guard's description of Qiwu's cold sneer and the fickle eyes of men in the world, were like poisoned ice spikes, piercing through his last bit of self-deceiving fantasy.
He knew he couldn't wait any longer. If he waited any longer, he would soon lose sight of the cold lake light in her eyes.
He took a deep breath, suppressed the difficulty in his throat, lightened his steps, and slowly walked towards the light source, towards the most desired yet most unattainable existence in his life.
He didn't sit across from her as usual, but carefully sat down on the other side of the couch, half an arm's length away from her. This distance, neither too far nor too close, carried a deliberate, humble temptation.
The soft couch sank slightly, and Dongfang Qiwu's body stiffened imperceptibly for a moment. She still didn't turn around, her gaze not even wavering, as if the person sitting next to her was just a ball of air.
Silence stretched between the two of them, with only the occasional subtle crackling of the candle wick as if to illustrate the stagnant atmosphere. Time slipped away bit by bit, each breath feeling anxiously long.
Nangong Yu watched the candlelight dancing on her perfect profile, the faint shadow cast by her long eyelashes, and her tightly pursed, bloodless lips... The words he had accumulated for countless days and nights were stuck in his chest, but they were so heavy that he didn't know where to start.
Finally, when the candlelight dimmed even further and the darkness in the hall deepened, Nangong Yu spoke. His voice was deeper and hoarser than ever before, carrying a sense of desperation that had abandoned everything, even... abandoning the self-proclaimed symbol of supreme power.
"Wu'er..."
It wasn't "Queen," nor was it "Qiwu." It was a call unique to his youthful, passionate years. The moment those two words left his mouth, Dongfang Qiwu's fingertips tightened around the scroll, their knuckles turning slightly white. Her breathing seemed to pause for a moment, but she didn't turn back.
Nangong Yu's heart began to beat violently at this tiny reaction, as if he had seen a glimmer of light in the endless darkness. He continued speaking, each word like it was ripped from the tip of his heart, carrying with it boiling blood and bottomless regret and pain:
"I know...I've hurt you before."
He uttered the word "hurt" with difficulty, as if it carried a thousand pounds of weight.
"Deeply, deeply. Those so-called priorities, those equal treatment, each time, it cut a knife into your heart. Back then, I was blinded by power, bound by the imperial mindset. I foolishly believed that by balancing the imperial court and the harem, I was fulfilling my duty to the country, doing you good."
His voice was choked with pain that could not be concealed:
"I was wrong, so wrong. I personally extinguished your trust in me and your passion for you, bit by bit, in the most cruel way. I thought I could control everything, but I only...only lost you. Seeing you like this, my heart...is more painful than being tortured to death."
Dongfang Qiwu's back was straight, like a jade sculpture frozen in ice. But Nangong Yu keenly noticed that her long eyelashes trembled slightly when she heard these words. This gave him the courage to continue.
"Now that I've abolished the Six Palaces, I know it's too late. It can't wash away the hurt you've suffered. It's more like a belated, ridiculous confession on my part, only to make you see more clearly my selfishness and meanness. You hate me, blame me, even... think I'm no different from those scum who hurt your sister and those female workers. It's all deserved."
He pulled the corners of his mouth bitterly.
"These days, watching you smile at Ning'er, watching her bring you life, watching the light in your eyes rekindle, I'm both delighted and almost crazy with jealousy. That light should have been given to you by me... I lost it with my own hands."
He paused, his chest heaving violently, as if gathering his last bit of strength. Then, he raised his head, his gaze no longer filled with the majesty of an emperor, but with a nearly humble plea. He fixed his gaze intently, unblinking, on the half of Dongfang Qiwu's face that had finally turned slightly:
"Wu'er, I know... you hate this Fengyi Palace, you hate the shackles of being the Queen. You want to go out, like Ning'er, do what you want to do, help those you want to help, and live out... the glory that belongs to Dongfang Qiwu, not the shell of the Queen of Yan Kingdom."
Dongfang Qiwu's breath suddenly stopped! He... he actually saw through it? No, guessed it? Or... did he really understand? This thought suddenly stirred a ripple in her icy heart.
She finally turned her head slowly and completely. Her eyes, as silent as an ancient well, clearly reflected Nangong Yu's figure for the first time in the candlelight late at night. Her eyes were filled with shock, scrutiny, and disbelief, but there was no immediate rejection.
Nangong Yu's heart was beating wildly because of her action. He knew that the most critical moment had arrived. He met her gaze with an unprecedented solemnity and sincerity, and threw out the biggest bait he had carefully considered and dared to throw only at this moment:
"I don't object! Wu'er, do whatever you want to do! If you want to venture out with Ning'er, then go ahead and venture out together! If you want to open a bigger workshop, if you want to help women all over the world, you can do whatever you want!
In the name of the Queen, in your own name, it's all fine! I will support you with all my strength and will never restrain you in the slightest!"
He saw Dongfang Qiwu's pupils suddenly shrink, and the frozen lake surface seemed to crack into a larger gap.
Nangong Yu's voice became even softer, but with a decisive force:
"Cheng Qian is not experienced enough now, and he is not yet able to bear the burden of the entire Yan Kingdom. Give me some time and teach him well. When he can truly shoulder the responsibility of this vast country and become a qualified emperor..."
He took a deep breath and spoke each word clearly, with a kind of sacred promise:
"I, Nangong Yu, will abdicate immediately! I will pass the throne to him, and then—"
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes burning and sincere, as if he wanted to open his soul to her:
"I'll accompany you! Wu'er, I'll accompany you to see all the scenery you want to see! The misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River, the wind and snow in the north of the Great Wall, the yellow sand in the western region, the red sun in the east China Sea... wherever you want to go, we'll go there!
We'll do whatever you want! No court disputes, no harem shackles, just you and me... just like we dreamed of when we were young!"
"Give me a chance, Wu'er,"
His voice was so low and hoarse that it was almost pleading, with a desperate determination.
"Give me a chance to stay with you and spend the rest of my life making amends, okay? Not as an emperor, but... as Nangong Yu, as your husband."
"boom--!"
Dongfang Qiwu felt as if something exploded in his head!
Freedom! Real freedom! It wasn't about being trapped in the magnificent cage of Fengyi Palace as a queen, but rather... completely and legitimately stepping out of this deep palace and embracing the vast world!
Go do what you really want to do! Go help those women who are struggling to survive like Xiaocao and Wang Liushi!
And the person accompanying her... was Nangong Yu, the man who had hurt her so deeply but now had put aside all his imperial dignity and was as humble as an ordinary man begging for forgiveness in front of her?
He used the most secret and most unrealistic yearning in her heart as bait, and accurately and domineeringly pried open a crack in her frozen heart!
"you……"
She finally uttered a sound, her cold voice trembling with a barely perceptible tremor.
"Are you serious? Abdicate? Wander?"
Every word seemed to be squeezed out from under the ice, filled with great shock and disbelief.
Could she really escape this golden cage? This promise was too good to be true, like a dream that would shatter at the slightest touch.
"It's true! It's absolutely true!"
Nangong Yu was resolute and decisive, his eyes showed no evasion, only sincerity and determination to burn his boats.
"I can swear to heaven! I swear to my ancestors! If I break this oath, heaven..."
“That’s enough!”
Dongfang Qiwu interrupted him abruptly, his voice still cold, but beneath the coldness, something seemed to be quietly melting.
She looked at him, the man who was once full of vigor and ambition but now had a look of humility and regret in his eyes in front of her.
The eagerness, sincerity, and the desperate hope in his eyes were so clear and heavy.
Hatred? Resentment? Of course. The coldness that penetrated deep into my bones couldn't be dispelled overnight.
But...freedom. The word "freedom" he threw out carried an incomparable allure, like a key dangling in front of the door of her cage.
And his words, "It's just as Nangong Yu, as your husband," accurately touched a corner in her heart that had long been desolate but not completely dead.
The longings of youthful love... those blurred images of holding hands across the world, buried by power and betrayal, suddenly became strangely clear.
Her silence, her hesitation, and the cracks in the ice in her eyes were all captured by Nangong Yu very clearly.
This man, who has been up and down in the power field for half his life and is best at understanding people's hearts, now uses all his keenness to focus on the slightest emotional change of his beloved.
He knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! It was a sign that the ice was beginning to melt!
While Dongfang Qiwu was still immersed in great shock and complicated thoughts and had not yet built up new mental defenses, the master's instinct in Nangong Yu's heart instantly took over.
All the imperial dignity and caution were now overwhelmed by a more primitive ecstasy and desire that had been lost and regained.
He no longer hesitated, his body moved faster than his thoughts, and he stretched out his long arms, with an unquestionable yet trembling tenderness, and suddenly hugged the cold person beside him into his arms!
"Wu'er..."
A sigh filled with endless longing, pain, ecstasy and loss and recovery fell hotly on Dongfang Qiwu's neck.
Dongfang Qiwu's body instantly stiffened like iron! This sudden close contact made her almost instinctively want to retreat and release her icy sharp thorns!
However, the complex emotions contained in that sigh, and the slightly trembling strength and scorching temperature of the arms embracing her, actually made her efforts to push him away slow down.
"open……"
She tried to remain cool, but her voice was hoarse and flustered, a tone she wasn't even aware of.
“No!”
Nangong Yu hugged her tighter, as if he wanted to rub her into his bones and blood. His voice was muffled, with a stubbornness that was almost like playing tricks.
"I won't let you go even if I die! Wu'er, give me a chance... please..."
His lips, with a burning warmth, touched her forehead tentatively and reverently, with a cherishing attitude that bordered on worship. The scorching touch was like sparks splashing into an icy lake.
Dongfang Qiwu shuddered, as if her soul had been burned by this sudden kiss. She exerted force, trying to break free from the restraint that made her panic.
However, Nangong Yu's embrace was like an iron hoop, motionless. He lowered his head, and with an irresistible strength and deep-seated desire, he accurately captured her lips!
“Hmm…”
All resistance, coldness, and resentment were sealed in this hot and domineering kiss at this moment.
It was a kiss full of plundering intent, yet filled with endless regret and longing. Nangong Yu seemed to want to convey to her through this kiss the long separation, endless regret, and the ecstasy of regaining what he had lost.
His breath invaded forcefully, with a familiar yet unfamiliar aggression of a mature man, instantly breaking down the defense that Dongfang Qiwu had struggled to maintain.
Her mind went blank. Her cold rationality was clamoring to push him away, but deep inside her body, something that had been buried for too long quietly awakened in this domineering and desperate kiss.
That primal throbbing belonged to Dongfang Qiwu, not the Empress. Her body's instinctive memory seemed to have recognized this person who had once been so close to her even before her heart did.
The initial stiffness and resistance melted and disintegrated little by little in the hot breath of lips and teeth, like ice and snow under the sun.
The hand that had been pushing him away had, at some point, weakly pressed against his solid chest, fingertips curling slightly. Her tightly clenched teeth, however, quietly opened a crack under his persistent, painful licking.
This slight loosening is like a spark that ignites dry wood!
Nangong Yu's breathing suddenly became heavy, and the deep desire was like a beast released from the cage! He was no longer satisfied with the grinding of lips, and his dexterous and fiery tongue penetrated forcefully, greedily absorbing her breath, and entangled with her jerky and evasive clove tongue.
One hand tightly embraced her slender waist, while the other hand, with its scorching temperature, caressed her graceful neck, his fingertips caressing her delicate skin, bringing waves of thrilling electricity.
"Wu'er...my Wu'er..."
Broken, lustful whispers kept flowing out from between the two people's tightly pressed lips.
Dongfang Qiwu felt limp, as if all her strength had been drained away by the kiss. The unfamiliar tide of emotion surged like surging waves, crashing into her frozen heart.
She was forced to raise her head, enduring his violent assault. The long-lost, powerful aura of a man completely enveloped her. Her mind was screaming, but her body was sinking.
A complex emotion of humiliation, anger, and secret pleasure almost tore her apart.
An unknown amount of time passed, but just when Dongfang Qiwu felt she was about to suffocate, Nangong Yu finally loosened his grip on her lips slightly, but still held her tightly in his arms.
Their foreheads touched together, their rapid breathing intertwined, and their hot breath sprayed on each other's faces.
There was a raging fire in Nangong Yu's eyes, which was the lust that had been suppressed for too long and the ecstasy of regaining what had been lost.
He gazed deeply into the blurred eyes of the person in his arms, her lips that were swollen and sparkling from being kissed, and her cheeks that were stained with a charming blush - this was the first time she showed such a vivid, womanly charm after being frozen for so long.
He was no longer satisfied with the entanglement of lips and teeth. The scorching kisses were like dense raindrops, filled with pious worship and eager desire, and moved all the way down, branding her sensitive earlobes, slender neck, delicate collarbone...
"No...Nangong Yu...you..."
Dongfang Qiwu's broken voice tinged with tears, yet it was more like a moan of passion. She tried to struggle with her remaining sanity, but her body betrayed her. She trembled slightly under the man's skilled teasing, even... responding awkwardly.
"Call me Ayu...Wu'er..."
Nangong Yu was panting, his voice hoarse and surprisingly sexy. While kissing her, he picked her up and strode towards the phoenix bed that symbolized the queen's honor but also carried countless lonely nights.
The veil was roughly torn off, covering up the spring scene in the room.
The candlelight had burned out at some point, its last glimmer lost in the darkness. But the chambers of Fengyi Palace were hotter than ever.
The longing that has been suppressed for too long, the regret that has accumulated too deep, the physical and mental fusion that has been longed for for too long, at this moment, it is like a volcano that has been dormant for many years, and finally found an outlet for venting.
In the darkness, all that was left was the man's heavy breathing, the woman's suppressed and unbearable whimpering, and the blushing and ambiguous sound of the quilt rubbing against each other.
The phoenix bed, which symbolized coldness and loneliness, was now bearing an unprecedented impact. The curtains were shaking violently like a small boat in the raging sea.
The quilt was crumpled, kicked open, and then yanked back in. Occasionally, a few broken moans and satisfied sighs leaked out, weaving together into a most primitive and moving nocturne.
The frozen lake of the heart was impacted and melted by the scorching tide of emotion. Resentment seemed to be temporarily forgotten in the fierce collision, leaving only the most honest reaction of the body and the long-lost throbbing awakened in the depths of the soul.
The night was still long. Crimson waves rolled, spring surged. Deep within Fengyi Palace, silent for so long, finally welcomed its own, belated spring.
When the first faint morning light timidly shone through the carved window lattices, trying to awaken the sleeping palace, the intense music in the Fengyi Palace's bedroom had already stopped.
Nangong Yu was the first to wake up. He almost immediately felt the soft, sweet scent of someone in his arms. Looking down, he saw Dongfang Qiwu sleeping soundly, resting her head on his arm.
The usual coldness and aloofness faded away, and her sleeping face appeared exceptionally peaceful and gentle, even with a hint of rare fragility.
Her long eyelashes cast a faint shadow under her eyes, and her swollen lips were slightly pouting, still showing the grievance of being overly pampered last night.
A few strands of black hair were messily stuck to her smooth forehead and cheeks, adding a touch of laziness to her look.
Looking at her like this, Nangong Yu's heart felt like it was gently brushed by the softest feather, filling him with an unprecedented, almost sour sense of satisfaction.
He gazed at her sleeping face cautiously, almost greedily, and even breathed very softly, for fear of disturbing this lost and found treasure.
His eyes swept over the ambiguous red marks on her fair neck, left by his loss of control last night, and a feeling of heartache mixed with pity and pride surged in his heart.
He couldn't help but press a feather-like kiss on her smooth forehead very gently. The action was so light that it was almost weightless, but it was full of endless cherishment and ecstasy of regaining what he had lost.
Dongfang Qiwu seemed to be disturbed by the subtle touch. She moaned unconsciously, her small nostrils twitched, and she rubbed against him in his arms, found a more comfortable position, and fell asleep again.
This little action of complete dependence made Nangong Yu's heart melt. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise up, and he smiled foolishly.
He didn't stand up immediately, but just looked at her quietly, as if he wanted to carve this beautiful picture into the depths of his soul.
Until the sound of the chief eunuch Gao Dehai's deliberately suppressed, inquiring cough came from outside the hall - the time for the morning court was approaching.
Nangong Yu then reluctantly and extremely slowly withdrew his arm, carefully placed her head on the soft pillow, and meticulously tucked in the corners of the quilt for her.
He lay down barefoot on the bed, picked up the clothes scattered on the ground with swift movements, and dressed quickly.
Before leaving, he couldn't help but look back and take a deep look at the beauty who was still sleeping on the bed, with deep tenderness and satisfaction in his eyes.
Walking out of the bedroom and closing the heavy door, the world inside and outside was cut off. The tenderness on Nangong Yu's face was instantly replaced by a high-spirited and spirited look.
Last night's thrilling heart-to-heart and passionate lovemaking seemed to have swept away the accumulated darkness in his soul. He felt completely relaxed and refreshed, even walking with a breeze.
"His Majesty?"
The head eunuch looked at his master's face, which was clearly different from his usual gloomy look and was now radiant, and at the curve of his lips that he couldn't suppress, he knew in his heart that something "earth-shattering" must have happened in Fengyi Palace last night! He suppressed his curiosity and bowed respectfully.
"Um!"
Nangong Yu responded in a very good mood, his voice was full of lightness.
"Get ready and go to court!"
The Golden Throne Hall is solemn and dignified.
However, when Nangong Yu, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, looking refreshed and smiling, tried hard to hold back his smugness but unable to hide it, stepped onto the imperial steps and sat on the dragon throne, the sharp-eyed ministers below instantly noticed something was wrong!
Your Majesty, something is wrong today! Something is very wrong!
Look at that complexion! It's so rosy, as if she's ten years younger! Look at those eyes! They're sharp and luminous, completely wiping away the gloom and doom of the past few days!
Look at the corners of his mouth again! Although he was trying hard to purse his lips, the slightly upward curve clearly showed that he was trying hard to suppress the huge joy in his heart!
The most terrible thing is the smell that comes from the bones, as if it is full and lazy... It's like a cat that has successfully stolen some fish and its tail is about to reach the sky!
This… this is clearly… a long drought finally ending in a downpour! Old tree… cough cough!
Several experienced and prudent ministers were still able to manage their expressions, but the younger or more quick-witted officials had begun to glance around uncontrollably and exchange tacit glances with each other.
Zhang Yushi's inner crazy OS:
[Oh my goodness! Your Majesty's face is so... so rosy! So full of energy! So smiling! Yesterday... Fengyi Palace?! The Empress?! Hiss—could it be that the clouds have finally parted and the moon has finally appeared?!]
Minister Wang pinched his thigh hard:
[Hold it in! Don't laugh! His Majesty's eyes are sweeping over me! But... this complexion is so good, isn't it? It's more nourishing than after drinking the Ten-Herbs Tonic Soup! It seems that the Empress... ahem, has profound skills!]
General Li was so straightforward that his face turned red:
Oh my god! Your Majesty's smile... why is it exactly like the day after I got married?! Your Majesty is so majestic! You finally pulled your Majesty out of this icy hole!]
Dongfang Linyuan, standing in the front row, naturally noticed it too. He quietly glanced up at the emperor's brother-in-law, who was clearly in a state of "extreme satisfaction" on the throne. Then, remembering that his sister Qiwu had been left in the palace last night and usually returned to her own bedroom, he suddenly understood what was going on.
The corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch, and he quickly lowered his head, his shoulders shaking suspiciously.
Dongfang Linyuan laughed wildly and complained in his heart:
[Hahaha! Nangong Yu, you old bastard! Are you feeling pent up? Look at you, you look so smug after eating and drinking to your heart's content!]
Tsk tsk tsk, my tail is about to wag! But... well done, brother-in-law! You finally managed to warm up my icy little sister? It wasn't easy! Hahaha!]
The atmosphere in the entire court became extremely strange because of the emperor's undisguised "satisfaction".
Although they were discussing the serious issue of river repair, the ministers' attention was always involuntarily drawn to the emperor on the dragon throne who exuded a strong aura of "happiness", and then they began to imagine the battle situation in Fengyi Palace last night.
"Your Majesty,"
The Minister of Works stepped forward and reported the lengthy project budget.
"...In summary, this renovation will require 1.2 million taels of silver and 30,000 laborers. The estimated construction period is..."
"Yeah, okay, it's settled."
Nangong Yu was in a very good mood. He waved his hand with great enthusiasm and even added a rare sentence.
"Thank you for your hard work, my dear minister. Please ensure the quality of the project so that the people living along the coast can benefit from it as soon as possible."
Minister of Works: “???”
So smooth? And he even cares about the people? Your Majesty is being too easy on the eyes today! He thanked the Emperor and left, feeling dazed, like he was dreaming.
Next, whether it was the Ministry of Revenue crying poor, the Ministry of War demanding pay, or the Censor impeaching an official for misconduct, Nangong Yu showed unprecedented patience and...tolerance?
The faint smile on the corner of his mouth never faded, and the word "准" he marked was written in an exceptionally elegant and powerful manner.
Ministers: "..."
Your Majesty, if you've been kidnapped, just blink! Or... have you been completely "conquered" by the Queen?
In this strange and somewhat inexplicably funny atmosphere, Dongfang Yuning, the Princess of Fuxing, who was standing at the foot of Emperor Dan, was lowering her head, seemingly listening respectfully to the court discussion, but in fact, the little drama in her heart had already been staged for eight hundred rounds with System 118!
Dongfang Yuning screamed madly in his heart:
[118! 118! Look! Look at my cheap brother-in-law! That expression! That look! That violent aura emanating from him!]
Oh my god! He absolutely! Absolutely! Absolutely ate my sister up last night! Ahhh! This old man! An old cow eating young grass! No, my sister isn't young anymore... but he's an old cow! Absolutely an old cow!]
System 118's electronic voice carried a subtle hint of "eating melon" excitement:
[Host, we have detected that the target person, Nangong Yu, has severely elevated levels of dopamine and endorphins. Adrenaline levels have returned to a stable range. Comprehensive hormone profile analysis is required...]
Confirmed as "extremely satisfied" and "physically and mentally happy" state. Combined with the micro-expression analysis (mouth corners upturned 15.3 degrees, eye corners relaxed, pupils slightly dilated),
Conclusion: High-intensity, prolonged, and highly pleasurable intimate behavior occurred last night. Your inference accuracy is 99.8%.
Dongfang Yuning gritted his teeth:
[99.8%?! What's that 0.2%? Could he be masturbating in the Imperial Study... ahem! Impossible! Look at him! He's barely scratching his forehead with the words "I'm full"!]
Humph! So proud! Too proud! Look at that rosy face! He walks with such a breeze! He even looks at the minister with such a kind look! Even if the old house is on fire, it won't burn as fiercely as him!
How long has he been holding it in? Tsk tsk tsk, pitiful thing, once he starts eating meat, he gets carried away!
System 118:
[Host, according to the database, human males experiencing their first sexual satisfaction after a long period of abstinence are indeed prone to experiencing physiological and psychological reactions such as 'overexcitement', 'increased desire to perform', and 'heightened awareness of their surroundings (everyone seems to be pleasing to the eye)'. This is commonly known as 'feeling full and warm and thinking... ahem, feeling refreshed'.]
Dongfang Yuning rolled his eyes:
[Holy crap! He's radiant! 118, scan his neck! Around the collar! Any scratches? Any hickeys?]
My sister is such a pure and innocent person. If she is attacked by a hungry wolf like him, she will definitely resist! I will definitely leave evidence!
System 118:
[Scanning... Two minor epidermal damages were found on the left side of the target person 'Nangong Yu's' neck, approximately 1.5 cm above the clavicle. These were parallel short strips, approximately 0.8 cm long, consistent with human fingernail scratches.
Freshness of the marks: Approximately 8-10 hours. Additionally, a subcutaneous microecchymosis approximately 0.3 cm in diameter was found on the edge of the hairline below the right ear, consistent with... a sucking kiss mark.
Dongfang Yuning screamed like a groundhog in his heart:
[Ahhhh!!! It's confirmed! Scratches! Hickeys! This old scoundrel! He took advantage of my sister while she was feeling touched! He's an expert! Absolutely an expert!]
My sister is such a cold and aloof person, yet she actually...actually... (covering her face) It's over, it's over, my pure and innocent sister! She's been taken!
He's been pushed around by this old cucumber! Look at him, beaming with joy! So proud and triumphant! I think he's like 'an old dragon with a phoenix's tail raised high'!
System 118:
[Host, your emotions are fluctuating dramatically. Deep breathing is recommended. Also, based on energy point fluctuation monitoring, the target person, Nangong Yu, is currently emitting an extremely pure and intense emotional energy of 'happiness'. If this person can be guided to continuously generate similar positive emotions, it may be converted into high energy points. Would you consider...?]
Dongfang Yuning is furious:
[Conversion bullshit! 118 Don't even think about it! I don't want to earn energy points by selling my sister's 'happiness'! Humph! But... (slyly)
118, do you think he's particularly sensitive right now? Is he particularly afraid that others will know what he did last night? Is he particularly...guilty?]
System 118:
[Analysis of the target's micro-expressions and physiological indicators: Pleasure remains high, but when being watched (especially by the host), their pupils momentarily constrict, their Adam's apple slightly rolls, and their heart rate briefly increases by approximately 5%. Overall judgment: There is a certain degree of 'guilty' and nervousness of being 'seen through'.]
Dongfang Yuning smiled like a fox:
[Hehehe... That's right! Just feel guilty! Watch how I tease him!]
Just as Dongfang Yuning was complaining to 118 in her heart and couldn't help but curl up a sly smirk at the corner of her mouth, Nangong Yu, who was sitting on the dragon throne, happened to glance at her sister-in-law.
Nangong Yu was originally in a very good mood, and he thought the ministers below were all beautiful. However, when his eyes fell on Dongfang Yuning's delicate face, especially the familiar, slightly mischievous smile on her lips, and her overly bright, all-seeing eyes... Nangong Yu's heart suddenly "skipped"!
Damn! This little ancestor!
Others might just be guessing, but this quirky, calculating (in his opinion) sister-in-law most likely "saw" it! Looking at her eyes and her expression, she must be making crazy plans about him in her mind!
Maybe even the details... Nangong Yu suddenly felt the scratches on his neck and the kiss marks behind his ears getting a little hot, and a chill inexplicably rose on his back.
I thought the ministers were cute just now, but now seeing Dongfang Yuning's half-smile, I feel that this little bastard is more difficult to deal with than all the censors in the court combined!
He tried to maintain his imperial dignity, cleared his throat, and tried to change the subject:
"Ahem, regarding the new regulations for the Northern Territory's trade, do you have any additional comments?"
However, his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Dongfang Yuning again.
Dongfang Yuning seemed to have a telepathic connection with him. When he looked at her, she immediately raised her little face, revealing an extremely innocent, extremely pure, and extremely "sincere" smile, and even winked playfully!
Nangong Yu: “!!!”
Nangong Yu roared inwardly, but tried to hold himself together on the surface:
"Little bastard! What's that look in your eyes?! What do you mean by blinking?! I...I...I'm your brother-in-law! Really! Can't you just stop making up stories about me in your mind?"
Isn't it just... isn't it just the relationship between husband and wife? It's natural and natural! Is that why you should look at me with that 'I get it, I get it all' look?!
Is there still some etiquette between the emperor and his subjects?! No, it's the etiquette between brother-in-law and sister-in-law! It's so frustrating! So frustrating! How could there be an emperor as aggrieved as me?! Last time, I was publicly punished by my sister-in-law's voice!]
He was complaining madly in his heart, but he tried to keep calm on his face. However, the slightly twitching corners of his mouth and his suddenly sharp eyes (trying to intimidate his sister-in-law with his imperial majesty) completely exposed his guilty conscience and madness at the moment.
Although the ministers below could not hear the thoughts of the emperor and the little princess, the eye contact between the two of them, the silent flash of lightning, was so exciting!
His Majesty the Emperor: Tries to be dignified → his eyes fall upon the little princess → he feels guilty for a moment (his eyes flicker) → he pretends to be calm → his defense is broken by the little princess’s “pure” wink → his mouth twitches, his eyes try to “silence” him → after failing, his eyes reveal a deep sense of frustration and powerlessness.
Princess Fuxing: Seemingly bowing her head respectfully → suddenly looking up → showing an angelic smile → with a wink that says “I know everything” → admiring her brother-in-law’s expression → laughing wildly inwardly.
This silent pantomime is a hundred times more exciting than any memorial!
“Puff—”
Finally, a young editor from the Hanlin Academy who couldn't hold back his laughter couldn't help but burst out laughing when he saw the emperor's aggrieved look, who was obviously guilty but still trying to maintain his dignity, and was finally completely undone by a blink of the little princess!
Although he immediately covered his mouth tightly, the sound was still very clear in the silent hall (everyone was watching the show)!
This laugh was like lighting the fuse of firecrackers!
"Puff—cough cough cough!"
Someone quickly covered it up with a cough.
“Hmm…”
Someone bit his lips tightly and his shoulders shook violently.
Some people tried their best to lower their heads, wishing they could stuff them into their official hats, but their shaking shoulders betrayed everything.
Some people (such as Dongfang Linyuan) simply covered their faces with their hands, but the eyes that appeared between their fingers were curved into crescents due to smiling.
The entire Golden Throne Hall was engulfed in an atmosphere of both strange and joyful excitement. The solemn court was now filled with silent joy and a tacit sense of mirth.
The ministers lowered their heads, their shoulders shaking wildly, like a wave of wheat shaking in the wind.
Nangong Yu, sitting on the dragon throne, turned green! He glared fiercely at the editor who had laughed first (the latter was so scared that he almost knelt down), and then swept a death stare over the group of ministers below who were madly trying to hold back their laughter. Finally, his eyes fixed fiercely on the culprit - the sister-in-law who was trying hard to maintain an "innocent" expression, but her big eyes were shining with the light of a successful prank!
Nangong Yu roared in anger:
[Dongfang Yuning! You little bastard! Just wait for me! After the court session, I'll show you how I'll deal with you! No, I can't! Wu'er will protect her!]
Wu'er... If Wu'er knew I was mean to her sister... I'd be finished! Hold it in, hold it in... I feel so aggrieved! I'm the most aggrieved emperor in the world! No doubt about it!]
He was filled with anger, looking at the shaking wheat waves below, and felt that he could not stay in the morning court for a moment longer!
"Withdraw from the court——!"
Nangong Yu almost gritted his teeth and squeezed out these two words from between his teeth, with a hint of barely perceptible anger in his voice.
Then, he stood up suddenly, the sleeves of his bright yellow dragon robe stirred up a gust of wind, and without even looking back, he almost "fled" as he strode out of the Golden Palace, leaving behind the ministers in the hall who finally couldn't hold back their suppressed laughter.
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