Chapter 314 The Library, A Kiss
Emperor Zhaoheng looked at the narcissus, his deep gaze filled with anticipation for her.
Narcissus slowly lowered her eyelashes. "As the Empress, it is my duty to consider the royal offspring."
"I am truly sincere about the talent show."
The smile on Emperor Zhaoheng's face gradually disappeared.
In the end, only a cold, calm remained.
He withdrew his hand, slowly stood up, and looked down at her.
"Okay." He only said one word.
Then he turned around and walked out of the hall.
With steady steps and an upright posture, he was once again the emperor with natural majesty.
But when he reached the door, he stopped and did not turn around.
Finally, when Shui Xian looked over, he quickly left the Qianqing Palace.
The bright yellow imperial boots struck the gold bricks together, producing a crisp, cold sound.
Emperor Zhaoheng pushed open the door and came out.
The morning light streamed in, stinging the daffodils' eyes.
She closed her eyes and slowly leaned back against the headboard.
Three days later, Narcissus was much better.
After her morning sickness subsided, she finally regained some energy.
That afternoon, as the heat subsided slightly, she decided to take a stroll in the Imperial Garden.
Yinzhu hesitated for a moment: "Your Highness, you've only just recovered, why don't you rest in the palace?"
"It's alright."
Narcissus changed into a light summer dress. "I've been cooped up for days, so I'm going out for some fresh air."
The lotus flowers in the Imperial Garden are in full bloom, and the cicadas are chirping incessantly.
Narcissus walked slowly along the edge of the lotus pond, with Yinzhu and two palace maids following three steps behind.
She stopped when she reached the carp pond.
Schools of koi carp, red and white in color, dart among the emerald green lotus leaves in the pond.
She stared at it, somewhat lost in thought.
The bluestone path underfoot was still damp from the rain the night before, with a thin layer of moss growing on its edges.
Just as she was about to turn around and walk back, her shoe suddenly slipped...
"Your Majesty, be careful!"
Silver Pearl exclaimed in surprise.
However, due to some palace servant's negligence, the moss beside the koi pond was slippery, making it difficult to stand steadily.
Narcissus swayed and looked like she was about to fall towards the edge of the pond!
In a flash, a figure in black darted out from behind the artificial hill!
The next second, the narcissus landed steadily in a solid embrace.
The scent of ambergris filled the air, a fragrance unique to Emperor Zhaoheng.
He held her so tightly that she could clearly feel his heart pounding violently in his chest, like a drum beating loudly in her ear.
Clearly, she wasn't the only one still shaken.
Narcissus looked up and met his unfathomable eyes.
Emperor Zhaoheng looked down at her, his thin lips pressed tightly together, his arms around her waist tightening as if he wanted to embed her into his embrace.
"you……"
Narcissus opened her mouth, her voice a little hoarse.
"I just happened to be passing by."
Emperor Zhaoheng had released her, his expression returning to calm, only the clenched fists hanging at his sides betraying the panic he had felt just moments before.
He helped her steady herself, then stepped back half a step, pursing his thin lips to create some distance.
The man's movements were very calm, as if he had just happened to be passing by and offered a helping hand.
But the daffodils saw it.
The moment he released her, she caught a glimpse of a patch of her lush, green clothing peeking out from behind the artificial hill.
That's the color of the bodyguards' uniforms.
He was definitely not "just passing by".
He remained hidden in the shadows.
Follow her.
Look at her.
That's why he rushed out without hesitation the moment she almost fell.
Narcissus stood there, suddenly feeling breathless.
This silent gaze made her more uneasy than any argument.
She would rather he be angry, rather he be cold, rather he walk away like he did that day.
Instead of that.
Instead of silently protecting her from where she can't see him.
"emperor……"
She heard her own voice, as soft as a sigh, "Your Majesty, I am alright... Thank you."
Emperor Zhaoheng hummed in agreement, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment before shifting to her lower abdomen.
"Now that you're better, it's time to put the talent show on the agenda."
He spoke in a calm tone, as if he were discussing a routine government matter.
"Three days later, I will have the Imperial Household Department send over the preliminary list of candidates. You can decide what to do."
After saying that, he turned and left.
His back was straight, and his steps were composed.
It was as if the person who had rushed out in a panic to hug her just now wasn't him at all.
Narcissus stood there, watching his figure disappear into the path of the Imperial Garden.
After a long while, she slowly lowered her head and looked at her hands.
The warmth of his embrace still lingered in my palm.
It was scalding hot, burning you raw.
Like the midday sun in midsummer, it makes people feel uneasy.
...
That night, Narcissus suffered from insomnia again.
That hug during the day kept her tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
She got up, put on an outer robe, and said to Tinglu, who was on night watch, "I'm going to the library to find a chess manual."
Hearing Lu hesitate, but ultimately didn't stop her. She simply picked up a palace lantern and followed.
The palace path was quiet on a summer night, with only the chirping of cicadas and the sound of footsteps.
The library is located on the north side of the palace garden. It is a three-story building that houses books from previous dynasties to the present.
Aside from the eunuchs on duty, few people come here on ordinary days.
Shui Xian told Ting Lu to wait downstairs, and then took the lantern and went up to the third floor.
She remembered that the chess manuals were stored on the east side of the third floor.
As the candlelight flickered, she searched through the rows of bookshelves until she finally found the book she was looking for.
The book was on the top shelf, and she had to stand on tiptoe to reach it.
Narcissus placed the lamp at her feet and reached for it.
But someone else took it for her first.
His slender fingers, with distinct knuckles, appeared exceptionally strong in the dim candlelight.
Narcissus froze, then slowly turned around.
Emperor Zhaoheng stood behind her in only casual clothes, his dark robes almost blending into the night.
Only those eyes, unfathomable in the candlelight, were quietly watching her.
"emperor……"
She heard her own voice, slightly hoarse, "Looking for books too?"
"Looking for peace and quiet."
Emperor Zhaoheng leaned close, his breath brushing against her ear, carrying a faint scent of alcohol. "The Imperial Study is too cold."
He had been drinking.
The narcissus scent was detectable.
She took a step back, her back pressed against the bookshelf behind her.
Emperor Zhaoheng took the opportunity to move closer, bracing his arm on the bookshelf beside her, trapping her in a small space.
The candlelight flickered on his face, outlining his deep features.
He looked down at her, his gaze lingering on her face with an almost brazen intensity, unlike his previous aloofness. It was as if he wanted to devour her whole.
"Why are you hiding?"
He chuckled softly, his voice hoarse from the alcohol, "Weren't you supposed to be selecting concubines for me? Aren't you supposed to be my good empress, and all of this is just the empress's duty?"
"Now that things are like this... the Empress should handle it calmly."
Narcissus looked up and met his gaze.
In the candlelight, she could see the dark circles under his eyes.
Those were the marks left by days of restlessness.
Being so close, she could see the deep, unyielding pain in his eyes.
She suddenly reached out her hand.
My fingertips gently touched the dark circles under his eyes.
Cool fingertips touched his warm skin.
Emperor Zhaoheng suddenly froze.
Shui Xian seemed to have been caught off guard by her own actions. Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, Emperor Zhaoheng grabbed it.
He wouldn't let her break free, and intertwined his fingers with hers!
He stared intently at her, his eyes churning with turbulent emotions, something was spiraling out of control.
Then, he lowered his head and kissed him.
It was neither gentle nor probing.
Instead, filled with burning anger, long-suppressed pain, and a possessiveness bordering on despair, he fiercely kissed her lips.
"Hmm..."
Narcissus groaned and tried to push him away, but he held her even tighter in his arms.
His kiss was savage and fiery, as if he wanted to devour her whole.
The scent of alcohol mixed with ambergris enveloped her, and his burning heat scalded her lips.
The narcissus struggled, but he held her firmly in place.
The bookshelf swayed slightly behind me, and several books slipped to the ground with a dull thud.
The candlelight flickered violently, casting two overlapping, swaying shadows on the wall.
After a long while, Emperor Zhaoheng finally released her.
Both of them were panting.
He pressed his forehead against hers, his breath hot, his eyes a deep red.
"Xian'er".
His voice was terribly hoarse, with a hint of brokenness, "What exactly do you want from me?"
The burning heat of his kiss still lingered on Narcissus's lips, and her chest heaved violently.
She looked at him, at this usually calm and composed emperor, who was now completely out of control in front of her.
She opened her mouth, as if to say, "Your Majesty, I dare not."
I wanted to say, "The Emperor is drunk."
In the end, she said nothing.
She simply closed her eyes slowly, and a tear slid down her cheek without warning.
It was scalding hot, and it hit the back of his hand.
Emperor Zhaoheng trembled.
He watched her close her eyes and shed tears, watching her eyelashes tremble slightly.
All the anger, all the pain, vanished in that instant, turning into a helpless blankness.
He slowly released her and took a step back.
Then he turned around, without looking back, and staggered away from the library.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the empty stairwell, gradually fading into the distance.
Narcissus leaned against the bookshelf and slowly slid down to sit on the floor.
She hugged her knees and buried her face in her arms.
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