Chapter 45
Qi Yu tried to pull her hand back, but Wu Shiyan simply pressed down lightly, rendering her unable to move.
She poked him hard, her anger reaching its peak, and it took her a while to regain her composure and confront him.
Qi Yu raised her chin and moved the bracelet on her wrist: "What's going on?"
As she swayed, the chain swung.
Qi Yu wished she could take scissors and cut it up, then throw it in Wu Shiyan's face.
Wu Shiyan's pupils reflected a golden luster: "These are a pair of bracelets that I personally designed and ordered to be made. Ayu gave me a colorful rope, and I gave you these bracelets. However, these bracelets originally did not have this chain. I had the craftsmen specially make it today because I always felt that Ayu would fly away like a bird."
Qi Yu's face hardened: "So, it was originally a gift, but because I upset you, you added a chain?"
She earnestly advised, "I'm not a bird, and you can't hold me back."
Originally, she was reluctant to part with Wu Shiyan, well, not really reluctant, just a little regretful that such a person could only be together for a short time.
But now that Wu Shiyan has been exposed, she felt an indescribable disappointment. Facing him, she no longer felt the joy that used to make her smile when she saw him; instead, she felt listless and just wanted to leave quickly.
Wu Shiyan gripped Qi Yu's wrist tightly and said clearly, "I have absolutely no such intention!"
He panicked. He wasn't afraid that Qi Yu would ignore him; he could keep pestering her anyway. What he was afraid of was Qi Yu taking it seriously, especially with her understanding and comforting tone.
After a moment, he softened his tone and lowered his posture considerably: "It is to keep me tied to Ayu's side."
Qi Yu did not believe Wu Shiyan's nonsense.
She replied dismissively, "Your Majesty, I need to get out of bed to get a drink of water. Could you please make way for me?"
Wu Shiyan followed Qi Yu off the bed, since they needed to stay close together to move around properly.
He moved his wrist, and Qi Yu noticed it.
Wu Shiyan thought to himself, how could the chain be useless? Look, because of this chain, they can sense what the other is doing. If it weren't for what happened during the day, it would only make them closer.
We need more chains.
Wu Shiyan did not regret his recklessness during the day; he only regretted not cleaning up the mess and revealing the truth to Qi Yu.
Qi Yu ignored Wu Shiyan; Wu Shiyan was very different from before.
He used to be very gentle in front of her, allowing her to paint a picture of a wise and virtuous ruler and his consort. But now, the gentleness on his face is more like a mask, and he is plotting something else every moment.
Although the scars on his face had faded, his demeanor had become strange. If others saw him like this, they would surely be terrified.
Qi Yu's drowsiness was dispelled by Wu Shiyan, and after returning to bed, she began to think about how to take off the bracelet.
She soon discovered that the bracelet had a clasp that fastened it, so the opening was only slightly larger than her wrist, making it difficult to take off; she had to find the right mechanism.
Qi Yu was not discouraged. She found a long, thin, and sharp hairpin and used the end of the hairpin to pry open the clasp hidden under the bracelet.
With a crisp sound, the bracelet's opening widened, and Qi Yu was able to easily remove it.
Wu Shiyan watched this scene without saying a word. He originally intended to give it to Qi Yu as a gift, but the mechanism was not very sophisticated. Seeing this, he took off his own bracelet and put it aside.
Since they're not a pair, there's naturally no need to wear them.
Wu Shiyan decisively tackled Qi Yu to the ground: "Ayu is so clever. Ayu has untied the bracelet. I should serve Ayu well."
"This is a reward."
Qi Yu was not as strong as Wu Shiyan, which was obvious just now, so she was forcibly pushed down. She was so angry that she lost her composure and angrily bit Wu Shiyan's chest.
No matter how hard she bit, Wu Shiyan didn't feel any unbearable pain. Instead, the corners of his lips curved upwards, and he sighed.
Upon hearing this foul voice, Qi Yu had no choice but to release her grip. She was panting, her forehead was damp, her eyes were dark and bright, and there was still a bit of Wu Shiyan's blood mixed in with her mouth.
It's as fierce as a small animal.
Wu Shiyan took this scene to heart and kissed her without hesitation.
...
The next day, Qi Yu woke up twice. Once she got into Wu Shiyan's carriage, and the second time she woke up she saw Wu Shiyan sitting next to her with a booklet in his hand.
After Qi Yu saw what Wu Shiyan was looking at, she was so angry that her face turned red.
A blatant provocation.
Hearing the noise, Wu Shiyan closed what he was holding and looked at Qi Yu: "Ayu, you're awake. Are you hungry?"
He touched Qi Yu's abdomen and said, "Although you drank a bowl of porridge last night, you haven't eaten anything this morning. I have already ordered someone to warm up the fish and meat porridge. It's ready to eat now. Would you like some, A Yu?"
Qi Yu had a poor appetite last night and only ate a little bit of dinner. She was exhausted in the middle of the night and her hands were trembling. Wu Shiyan then ordered someone to cook porridge and bring it to her, saying that if she didn't drink it, he would feed it to her himself.
In fact, she had already picked up the bowl before Wu Shiyan said those words, so Wu Shiyan really didn't need to worry that she would treat him badly.
Later, as Wu Shiyan put the bowl down, she turned over and fell asleep.
At first, she was pretending, but when Wu Shiyan stopped moving, she fell into a deep sleep.
Qi Yu asked, "Doesn't Your Majesty need to attend to state affairs?"
Wu Shiyan: "The ministers I support are not just sitting around doing nothing. I have plenty of time to spend with you."
Qi Yu understood his implied meaning and turned her head away: "Your Majesty, please go first, so that I may get up."
Wu Shiyan looked at Qi Yu's red eyes and knew that it was because she had shed too many tears last night.
Qi Yu initially refused to shed tears for him, only gritting her teeth and staring at him. He couldn't stand her like this and held his breath. In the end, her eyes were full of tears, and she refused to look at him with tender eyes. He regretted it first.
But it was too late. Wu Shiyan knew that Qi Yu harbored resentment towards him.
It's not hatred, but resentment.
Wu Shiyan stroked Qi Yu's hair: "There are no palace maids here, and you are used to being served. I will do it."
Qi Yu did not refuse. Wu Shiyan was willing to serve her, so why should she go against his wishes?
She didn't want to argue with the puppies, because the end result would either be being held down and kissed, or Wu Shiyan wanting to have sex again.
Qi Yu was tired and didn't want to argue with him.
Wu Shiyan's cooking skills were really not good, but he was patient enough. Qi Yu was served by him to wash up and comb her hair.
Since she wouldn't be staying for the next two days, Qi Yu wore a light purple dress that allowed for easy movement.
Finally leaving the area behind the screen, Qi Yu was starving because of the long delay. Without Wu Shiyan's persuasion, she picked up the fish porridge and drank it spoonful after spoonful.
Even though she drank quickly, she did not behave in the slightest.
Like a lady raised in a noble family, she has dining etiquette ingrained in her very being.
Wu Shiyan thought about Qi Yu's background. She appeared suddenly and no parents or relatives could be found, but her behavior made it clear at a glance that she was not simple and was very intriguing.
Wu Shiyan had also suspected that Qi Yu was a lost noblewoman, but after investigating all the suspected families, none of them matched up.
The past decade has been turbulent, with some families being destroyed in an instant. Qi Yu may very well have come from one of these families.
I just don't know... whether he was behind all these destructions.
Wu Shiyan suddenly hugged Qi Yu.
"What's wrong?" Qi Yu frowned, adjusting the hairpin that was about to slip off.
Wu Shiyan: "I will not let you go."
"Mmm-hmm-hmm."
Is it your place to make the decision?
Wu Shiyan sensed Qi Yu's perfunctory attitude. He said nothing, but simply hugged Qi Yu even tighter.
He somewhat regretted his past actions of eliminating certain families outright. When he first came into contact with imperial power as a teenager through his father, he was far more radical than he is now. He saw things in black and white and felt that aristocratic families were hypocritical, eroding imperial power, influencing the court, and yet trying to maintain a facade of elegance.
The contrast highlights how the royal family only knows how to fight for power and profit—which is indeed the case.
Even now, he has toned down his spending considerably, but he remains stingy with established families and prefers to promote newcomers rather than scions of established families.
-
The southern tour group did not stop again. It seems that Wu Shiyan has the idea of repairing the waterway, and the officials he has summoned recently are all interested in this.
Qi Yu did receive the gift from Wu Shiyan, but after seeing what it was, she just wanted to throw it at Wu Shiyan.
More chains.
Wu Shiyan seems to have a grudge against these things.
But Qi Yu had it put away. After all, it was gold, and she wasn't exactly flush with cash right now. She planned to melt it down into gold ingots and spend it later.
That night, Qi Yu returned from outside, and Pei Jiu helped her take off her cloak.
The further south you go, the more different the scenery becomes from that of the capital.
It was already late at night when Qi Yu saw Tian Wenshan and some imperial eunuchs outside the house, and knew that Wu Shiyan was inside.
The palace maid lowered her voice, and Qi Yu went in. Sure enough, she saw Wu Shiyan sitting by the bed, reading a book.
Wu Shiyan knew she had gone out today, but he didn't stop her; he simply assigned guards to follow her as usual.
Wu Shiyan particularly likes to use this method of alternating between tightening and loosening.
Qi Yu could see it clearly, and she didn't soften her attitude towards Wu Shiyan much. Her face was cold more than smiling, and she remained calm even when he got close.
As a result, Wu Shiyan, who was naturally sullen, was more often than in recent years. His temperament was unpredictable, and even though he did not show his emotions, the people in front of the emperor noticed something about him.
When facing Qi Yu, Wu Shiyan is much more straightforward and will continue to play the victim, but he can't hide his wicked intentions. Every time the night is quiet, he makes no attempt to conceal his gaze on Qi Yu.
On one hand, Qi Yu felt that Wu Shiyan was dangerous, but on the other hand, she couldn't help but be dragged into his vortex.
I felt tired on one hand, but also great on the other.
Torn between these conflicting emotions, she could only devote more time to practicing calligraphy and reading, trying to stop thinking about Wu Shiyan.
Qi Yu went to take a bath first, then went to find Wu Shiyan: "Your Majesty, I would like you to help me dry my hair."
Drying hair is a tedious and troublesome task, especially since Qi Yu's hair is thick and long, requiring two or three palace maids to wring it dry at the same time.
Wu Shiyan was undoubtedly a good helper. After half an hour, even the most scheming person calmed down.
Today, Qi Yu's hair bun got caught on a tree branch, and that's when she had this idea.
How could Wu Shiyan refuse? His eyes lit up: "Okay."
Qi Yu sat on a round stool, and Wu Shiyan stood behind her, bending down and concentrating on wiping her hair again and again, then combing it smooth, and stroking her long hair with his fingers.
Qi Yu got sleepy after sitting for a while, and by the time Wu Shiyan dried her hair, she was already drowsy.
Seeing this, Wu Shiyan picked the person up and carried them to the bed.
Her smooth, black hair cascaded down, spreading out before her. The more Wu Shiyan looked at her, the more he liked her. His intense gaze made Qi Yu quickly close her eyes and pretend to be asleep.
The night passed peacefully.
The next morning, Qi Yu indeed found a new chain on her wrist, connected to Wu Shiyan's side.
Wu Shiyan's treacherous intentions remain undiminished.
Qi Yu skillfully unfastened the gold chain, as well as the one in Wu Shiyan's hand, and then put them into a box for safekeeping.
Wu Shiyan woke up when Qi Yu made a move.
He said, "Does Ayu like these things so much?"
If you like, you could get an anklet made.
"Your Majesty, I only regret the loss of the gold."
No one would throw these away, okay?
Wu Shiyan tackled Qi Yu to the ground: "Ayu, you're just saying one thing and meaning another."
Qi Yu: "..."
Naturally, Wu Shiyan wasn't allowed to do anything early in the morning; even when he tried to kiss her on the cheek, Qi Yu dodged him.
As usual, the procession moved forward a little further during the day.
Wu Shiyan received a memorial delivered by fast horse. He saw that it mentioned Pei Jin's disappearance. He secretly sent people to search for him while keeping it a secret.
He thought that he would be under Pei Jin's jurisdiction in two days, and he would never give Pei Jin another chance to see Qi Yu.
When he had a good relationship with Qi Yu, he would naturally use that to thwart Pei Jin's delusions. However, now that he was in danger, he dared not take any further action.
But unexpectedly, Pei Jin disappeared. Considering that the remnants of the rebels had run rampant again halfway through their southern tour, Wu Shiyan was certain that Pei Jin's disappearance was related to this.
However, they would only want to kill him. If they couldn't kill him, they would probably turn their attention to Qi Yu.
It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. Even if Wu Shiyan can guarantee that he can protect Qi Yu, he now has to ask himself if he is really absolutely certain.
After all, this place is not like the capital.
That very night, Wu Shiyan asked, "Ayu, if there is any danger, would you like to stay by my side, or would you like me to find a manor and send you there? There will be guards and palace servants accompanying you at the manor, and I will also allow you to bring enough secret guards."
Qi Yu looked at Wu Shiyan with a puzzled expression.
Before, she would have stayed by Wu Shiyan's side at all times, as there was no one safer by his side, but now she decisively said, "Zhuangzi."
Seeing Wu Shiyan's face darken, Qi Yu took a step back and awkwardly added, "Your Majesty, I would rather see the garden and experience its natural charm."
"It's too late."
Wu Shiyan held Qi Yu's waist to prevent her from retreating any further.
They retreated further back, until they were all inside the house.
Qi Yu considered whether she could act pitiful like Wu Shiyan and make him handle her gently, but she really couldn't bring herself to be subservient. In the end, she just pursed her lips and frowned at him.
Wu Shiyan placed a kiss on the corner of her eye: "I like Ayu like this."
Qi Yu: "..."
Tonight, Wu Shiyan brought an anklet. Qi Yu thought she was very well-mannered, but seeing this still made her curse Wu Shiyan in her heart.
Because this chain, inlaid with purple gemstones, also has a small bell on it.
It's very sensitive; it started ringing as soon as it was taken out of the box.
Someone like him should just pretend.
Wu Shiyan said helplessly, "Ayu, don't curse me in your heart."
He did indeed let Qi Yu make the decision. If she stayed by his side, he would definitely protect her. If she chose the latter, although he would be annoyed, he would still follow her wishes.
He will hide Ayu in a very, very good place, where no one can find her.
However, there are naturally consequences to choosing to leave him without hesitation.
Wu Shiyan firmly grasped Qi Yu's ankle and helped her put it on.
“Ayu didn’t like playing with those chains, and I never forced her to. In the end, she wore them on me, and I gave in.”
"Ayu, I just want to hear your voice this time."
The bell rang on Qi Yu's ankle; wasn't that her voice?
Upon hearing this, Qi Yu's thoughts began to drift.
They did indeed make the most of each other; she was driven to the point of rudeness by him and said something very offensive:
His Majesty only treats me like a toy. Otherwise, why would he give me these things? Why don't you use them on yourself?
And then it was actually used on Wu Shiyan.
Qi Yu seemed less resistant to the thing on her ankle. No matter how possessive Wu Shiyan was, wanting to devour her, he didn't touch a single hair on her head.
Even the traces left are very light and will disappear the next day.
However, Wu Shiyan had quite a few teeth marks, scratches, and nail marks on his body.
Qi Yu felt a pang of pity and reached out to gently stroke him, wanting to kiss him, but under Wu Shiyan's gaze, she still hesitated.
Tonight is destined to be an eventful night.
Wu Shiyan's punishment lasted longer than usual and involved more bedridden conditions.
It makes one wonder if the bed can withstand the strain.
Qi Yu gritted her teeth and looked at Wu Shiyan with teary eyes countless times, but Wu Shiyan remained unmoved: "Ayu, remember tonight. If you abandon me again next time, it won't be just like this."
Wu Shiyan reached out and covered Qi Yu's eyes, saying gently and tenderly, "Ayu, don't cheat."
We must not disturb his peace of mind like this.
Qi Yu was internally frantic; she was about to come to hate Wu Shiyan because of this.
Pei Jin is a hundred times better than him in this respect.
If Wu Shiyan asked her ten thousand times, she would still give the same answer.
Go! Go! Go!
Flee far, far away from Wu Shiyan!
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