Chapter 43 Why is he the only one to be consumed by desire...?
After the emperor slowly and methodically covered the incense burner, he smiled and looked at the person by the window.
The young lady was also extremely beautiful today, wearing a smoky purple silk dress that trailed on the ground like a flower bud. A peony was tucked into her hair, which complemented the flower ornament on her forehead, sparkling and shimmering.
Outside the window behind her, the mountain mists swayed gently, and the wind ruffled a few loose strands of hair at her temples, adding to her wild and lively charm.
Xiao Zhuo said, "Close the windows first."
Yuan Chaolu got up and did as she was told, then sat down at the table and asked, "What brings Your Majesty here?"
Xiao Zhuo, carrying a zither, slowly walked towards her. "Didn't I say that I treat you as my younger sister? You can call me Third Brother. I've been busy and haven't had a chance to play before. I need to review memorials this afternoon, so you can play the zither here and let me see how you're progressing."
The musical instruments were placed on the table. As he bent over, his sleeve brushed against the surface, and wisps of the fragrance of bamboo wafted out from his robes, reaching the tip of Yuan Chaolu's nose.
Unable to avoid the question, Yuan Chaolu lowered her eyes to look at the zither in front of her and said softly, "Your Majesty is magnanimous. It was I who was presumptuous and reckless in addressing Your Majesty as my third cousin. I have now repented and will respectfully address Your Majesty from now on."
The emperor remained silent until he rose and left, at which point Yuan Chaolu finally raised her eyes.
On the main table facing the palace gate, memorials were piled up in layers, obscuring most of his tall figure as he sat down.
He played the zither, and could his music truly calm him down enough to review official documents?
Yuan Chaolu stopped thinking about it. The summer air was really hot and humid, and even with the windows closed, the oppressive heat lingered in the hall. In no time, fine beads of sweat covered Yuan Chaolu's neck.
Her arms were trembling slightly, and she could no longer maintain the fingering for playing the zither; the music was about to go out of control.
The music stopped abruptly the next moment. Yuan Chaolu raised her head and said, "Your Majesty, may I open the window a little?"
The emperor held his brush, not even glancing at it.
Yuan Chaolu turned to open the window, and then heard someone behind her say, "No need."
Yuan Chaolu paused, then returned to his desk. After a moment, he resumed playing the zither, but this time, the music was not as smooth as before, with occasional abrupt notes.
Yuan Chaolu was restless. The fragrant mist that filled the hall intensified the heat in her body. She had never known that the emperor liked such a sweet fragrance. She had difficulty breathing, and the heat intensified. She felt her hands and feet gradually weaken, and ripples spread through her heart. A soft, tingling sensation flowed into her limbs.
She glanced at the incense burner emitting its fragrance, then looked at the emperor behind the altar. His face was as beautiful as jade, his eyebrows and eyes were handsome, and he was not affected by the heat at all.
Several dishes of paint were placed on the emperor's desk. He was not reviewing memorials, but painting.
A sudden thought flashed through her mind, instantly clearing her mind from its near chaos. Yuan Chaolu stopped playing the zither, lifted her skirt, and stood up.
She couldn't even remember how she got to the emperor's side. When she came to her senses, she was already sitting behind the table, facing the emperor's cold and dark eyes.
Is Your Majesty painting?
Her smoky purple silk skirt brushed against his hem and draped over the corner of his snow-white robe. Yuan Chaolu's cheeks were flushed, as if he were drunk, and his gaze was fixed on the painting.
On the scroll: a man and a woman sit at a table, their clothing and the elegant furnishings perfectly mirroring the scene before her. The painting depicted the very moment before her, yet it was not as explicit as she had imagined.
Yuan Chaolu turned her head, her pupils flickering slightly. "Your Majesty is painting my daughter?"
Even she herself didn't notice that her breath had become incredibly hot.
Xiao Zhuo said, "I'm painting you."
Xiao Zhuo snatched the scroll from her palm, and when he looked down, he saw the veins throbbing on the back of his hand.
Without his permission, she stopped playing the zither and walked to his side as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Her voice rang out beside her, "Your Majesty, I have something I'd like to ask you, it's about Lord Pei."
She slowly approached, "Lord Pei used to serve under His Majesty, so His Majesty knows his character better than anyone. Could you tell me more about him?"
Xiao Zhuo said, "Shouldn't you have inquired about these things before the engagement? Why are you asking now?"
She suddenly frowned, her hand supporting her on the table as if suppressing her discomfort. After a long while, she forced a smile and looked at him: "I want to know more. Besides, he and I haven't even reached the point of betrothal yet. This matter naturally needs to be decided by our elders. However, my parents are both dead, and my uncle and aunt are unkind. If Your Majesty doesn't mind my fate, could you help me make the decision? Your Majesty might as well tell me about Lord Pei."
"In my memory, Your Excellency is calm and composed, and extremely meticulous in your actions. What about in His Majesty's eyes?"
As she approached, the sash of her skirt draped over the back of the man's hand, and the delicate, cool touch of the silk seemed to soothe the heat emanating from his body.
Xiao Zhuo slowly twirled the belt with his fingertips and said, "Do you know why the Pei family has dwindled in numbers?"
Yuan Chaolu gently shook her head.
Xiao Zhuo said, "When the previous dynasty was on its last legs, armies from all over the country rebelled, and the capital was in a state of panic, with everyone on edge. To prevent the powerful families in the capital from rebelling, the royal family took all the relatives of various clans hostage. Under the circumstances at that time, Pei Xi made a decision—"
"Now the court is praising Pei Xi for joining the Xiao family, saying it was a desperate act and a move to abandon darkness for light. But they don't know that when he came to me alone that day, his entire clan was slaughtered. Of the vast Pei clan, only this direct descendant survived, because Pei Xi, to prevent any trouble, never told any member of the Pei clan that he had secretly left the capital."
As he finished speaking, the corners of his eyes lifted, and his voice was so persuasive that it coaxed her into opening her mouth.
"Cousin, tell me now, what kind of person is he?"
Yuan Chaolu asked, "Does Lord Pei truly disregard his clansmen who will remain behind him?"
The treacherous nature of power can turn people into twisted monsters, fighting, bloodthirsty, weighing pros and cons, and making decisions in the arena of power. Only by being cold-blooded, invulnerable, and impervious to weapons can one always gain the upper hand in the struggle for power.
“It’s not entirely that they abandoned everyone,” Xiao Zhuo chuckled. “At least the entire Pei clan brought out his parents and sister.”
The Yuan Dynasty's desolation is palpable.
Such a person, so adept at political maneuvering, must be a master of calculation and weighing pros and cons, capable of even abandoning one's own blood relatives.
If one day her career interests conflict with his, how could he not distinguish which is more important?
She would inevitably have to deal with the Lu family in the future. Pei Xi, on the other hand, was cold-blooded and sharp-witted. He had risen to such a high position with the blood of his clansmen on his feet. How could he possibly give up his future for her?
Her mind was in turmoil, and waves of heat surged through her abdomen. Her fingertips involuntarily gripped the table tightly, her chest heaving, and the heat radiating from her body had nowhere to escape.
She said, "Your Majesty, I seem to have a fever."
Xiao Zhuo stretched out his palm and placed it on her forehead, saying, "You have a fever."
His face drew closer, so close that his breath almost brushed against her skin. "Tell me, who are you thinking about right now?"
His deep voice lingered in my ears, full of the magnetism of a mature man, so pleasant that I wanted to avoid his voice.
At this moment, Yuan Chaolu's mind was filled with only this one face. She should have kept her distance from him, but as if controlled by something invisible, she did not reject his approach.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Zhuo asked with a slight smile.
His hand moved down her forehead and down her cheek, and he said, "You're so hot, it looks like you got caught in the rain yesterday."
Yuan Chaolu exhaled a breath of hot air, "Yes."
Xiao Zhuo was extremely pleased to see her reaction.
Why is it that only he is consumed by lust, while she can remain unaffected?
He wanted her to experience the same torment and unbearable pain caused by desire.
She said that all she could think about right now was herself, right?
The girl's eyes were like autumn water, reflecting only Xiao Zhuo's face.
Rarely, a surge of heat flowed from his heart and into his lower abdomen, making his limbs and bones feel relaxed.
The pleasure brought by the desire rising from his belly and being suppressed was even greater. Xiao Zhuo's fingertips touched the sash of her skirt that hung to the ground, stroking it repeatedly, feeling the delicate touch as if it were gliding on her skin.
Xiao Zhuo said, "You asked me about Pei Xi, does that mean you've already wavered on this marriage?"
The man's fingertips touched her hand hanging by her side. His thumb and forefinger, calloused from years of holding a bow and sword, moved slowly along the back of her hand, sparking an invisible flame wherever they touched. Yuan Chaolu's body trembled slightly.
“You are extremely clever. No matter what, you first drag Pei Xi into this mess, promise him benefits, and get him to help you deal with Lu Yu’s body. At this point, even if you break off the engagement with him, he will have no way to use this against you.”
His low, husky voice sounded in her ear, as if his fingers were stroking her earlobe: "Tell me, how does Pei Xi compare to the Prince of Yan?"
Yuan Chaolu pounded her chest heavily and said, "This humble woman does not know how to answer such a question. His Highness the Prince of Yan is of noble birth..."
Her voice trailed off as Xiao Zhuo slowly placed his fingertips on her lips. "I'm used to these high-sounding words. Why don't you open your heart and tell your brother what you truly think?"
Yuan Chaolu felt the caress of the fingertips on her lips, her breathing becoming heavier and more uncontrollable.
The overly sweet atmosphere in the hall made her feel suffocated, while the fresh bamboo scent emanating from him was like an antidote for her; the closer she got, the more relief she received.
She used to be afraid of him because of his status, but she couldn't deny that the emperor's fragrance was extremely pleasant, and she wanted to get closer to him.
Xiao Zhuo took in her reaction: "If you don't want to say, then your third brother will say it for you, how about that?"
Her gaze fell on his thin lips as she listened to him say, "The Prince of Yan is capricious, sometimes as childish as a teenager, sometimes as reckless as a brute. You don't like him, but you can only flatter him because of your status. Even if you marry such a person, you will find it difficult to obtain satisfaction beyond romantic love."
Yuan Chaolu's eyes shimmered, initially filled with disapproval, but he was stunned by the second half of what she said.
“Pei Xi holds a very high position and wields great power, but he is not someone you can control. In fact, when necessary, he might even sacrifice you and ignore your requests. You are already considering giving up and feel that you can never wholeheartedly spend your life with such a man.”
Yuan Chaolu felt a chill run down her spine, realizing that he had already seen through her thoughts. She said, "But these two are both outstanding individuals."
"Is that so?" He seemed to hear something ridiculous. "Your temperament is too difficult and too spoiled. You rarely tell the truth in ten sentences. How can a man accept your true self, tolerate you, and forgive you? Pei Xi simply cannot accept the former, and the Prince of Yan cannot be the latter. I advise my cousin to find a better man."
She breathed softly and said, "But who in the court can compare to Prince Yan and Lord Pei? I really can't think of anyone. Who else do you think there is, Third Brother?"
Her cheeks were burning hot. When Xiao Zhuo raised his fingertips and touched her cheek, she felt as if she had touched something cool and breathed out deeply.
She finally said, "Third Brother criticizes my fiancé. What kind of person is Third Brother? He seems to be the same as Lord Pei."
Xiao Zhuo chuckled lightly: "He is busy pursuing power and building his faction. If he doesn't know how to navigate the political landscape and weigh the pros and cons, he will be constrained everywhere. For him, nothing in this world is more attractive than power."
“But this supreme authority is already firmly in my hands.”
"With all corners of the world submitting and all directions yielding, free from all constraints, for me, nothing in this world is more attractive than—"
He didn't speak, his burning gaze fixed on her, just like the look he had given her in the woods yesterday. Yuan Chaolu finally realized what was happening—
This is the look in a man's eyes when he's eyeing his prey.
This dangerous and ambiguous atmosphere made her tense all over, and every inch of her skin became unusually sensitive.
"So, Miss Yuan, do you really think I'm the same as Pei Xi?"
Xiao Zhuo took an exquisite box from the table beside him, and when he opened it, he found a pair of earrings inside.
"It's a wedding gift for my sister." He picked up the earring with his fingertips, removed the old one for Yuan Chaolu and put on the new one. His fingertips traced her cheek, and the next moment, she looked at her hand, but couldn't help but touch her neck.
She did not resist; as Xiao Zhuo's palm tightened, her throat choked slightly.
Such a slender neck made one involuntarily want to press it down, to see if, as in that dreamlike bedchamber, when she was choked, her reaction would be extremely strong, her eyebrows and eyes becoming even more vivid and alluring, and she would cling to him even more tightly.
At this moment, Yuan Chaolu grasped his hands with both of hers.
Yuan Chaolu's throat tightened. "Your Majesty, this humble woman must depart."
She got up to leave, but Xiao Zhuo grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to his side. She was almost kneeling in front of him, her hands forced to rest on his thighs. Her slender fingers made his muscles tense up.
The stronger the desire in Xiao Zhuo's heart burned, the heavier the grip became. He smiled and said, "Pei Xi helped you dispose of the corpse, and you agreed to his marriage. Shouldn't you also do something to repay me?"
Yuan Chaolu tried to pull her hand away, saying, "What does Your Majesty desire?"
"Would you like to go hunting together tomorrow?"
Yuan Chaolu turned to the side to avoid him, her back already pressed against the table. Just as she was about to refuse, he leaned in, his breath enveloping her.
“But I… already have a prior agreement with Lord Pei.”
Yuan Chaolu's lips trembled slightly, her voice carrying a hint of struggle. She clearly wanted to back away, but her body burned under his burning gaze, her slender fingers gripping the hem of her skirt as if fighting against her body's instinctive reaction.
"Then let's cancel it, okay?"
Xiao Zhuo gently lifted her chin with his long, slender fingers, forcing her to look directly at him.
"Second Miss, you won't agree? Then tell me, what's on your mind right now?"
Her lips were luscious and alluring, and her eyes were tinged with desire, making her face even more beautiful, making one want to trample on her cruelly. He touched her trembling lips with his fingertips, soothing and caressing them in a subtle way.
His warm breath brushed against her lips, and he asked again, "Who are you thinking about?"
Yuan Chaolu's eyelashes trembled slightly. How could she put it? All that came to mind was that scene from just now, a scene of exquisite beauty: she and he were entangled together in this palace at this very moment, their clothes nowhere to be found.
His scent lingered around her nose, mingling with the sweet fragrance emanating from the incense burner, making her thoughts increasingly chaotic.
"It is Your Majesty." Pressed by his gaze, she finally parted her lips slightly and murmured these words.
Xiao Zhuo tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "Speak more clearly, I can't hear you clearly."
She seemed to have gone through immense torment before saying "Your Majesty" again.
The smoky purple skirt hugged the woman's waist, making her appear exquisite and shapely. She leaned against the table, her shawl slightly loose, with his waist pressed against hers. Xiao Zhuo looked down at her gracefully, feeling her waist rise and fall with her breath. It was so slender, so supple, that it was unimaginable in his dreams.
If I were to press down on the table right now, I could force her to do that kind of thing here.
And this is what he wanted to express with his paintbrush on the scroll.
But now is not the time; he has plenty of patience to take things slowly. Xiao Zhuo smiled and said, "Then meet your cousin in the hunting forest tomorrow afternoon. Try to avoid your fiancé."
Yuan Chao, his chest bobbing up and down, said, "Good."
Tears welled in her eyes, her body unable to withstand the heat emanating from within. Her eyes were misty as she looked at him, murmuring "Your Majesty."
"You really do have a fever." Xiao Zhuo raised his hand to touch her forehead and smiled gently. "I'll call the imperial physician for you."
Yuan Chaolu's limbs felt weak, and somehow she ended up leaning against his chest, her fingertips tightly gripping his robes, her nose lightly inhaling the scent of his clothes.
The Emperor is right; neither Pei Xi nor the Prince of Yan can be trusted.
She really needs to find a suitable fiancé again.
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