Chapter 3 Transaction Plot: Trade yourself in exchange...
"I will personally serve wine at tonight's Xuanji Banquet."
Zhou Ling's deep voice boomed like thunder, causing an uproar in the audience. The music and dance stopped abruptly, and all eyes were fixed on the red figure on the stage.
Fangru remained in the final spinning position, her chest rising and falling slightly, and fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.
"Who is this dancer? How could she have won His Majesty's favor!"
"I couldn't see clearly because she was wearing a veil, but now that I look closely, her appearance is truly as beautiful as a fairy."
Fangru slowly straightened up, feeling the burning gazes coming from all directions, some shocked, some jealous, and some unable to hide their envy.
Those noble ladies who had just been mocking her now gripped their handkerchiefs tightly, their eyes practically spitting fire.
Zhao Minglan stared intently at Fangru's bright and beautiful face, and the fan in her hand snapped with a "crack".
Lin Yueyao's face was ashen. She hadn't even had time to fix the broken hairpins she had just thrown away. Her hair was half-undone, making her look like a madwoman.
“Miss Chen, please follow me.” A maid dressed in crimson palace attire stepped forward respectfully and bowed to Fangru in full view of everyone. “His Majesty is waiting for you in the Glazed Flower Hall.”
"The Glass Flower Hall?!"
A collective gasp filled the air. Everyone knew that the Glazed Flower Hall was built by the late emperor for the daughter of the former prefect—his favored concubine, Lady Liu—and ordinary people were not even allowed to approach it!
Fangru lowered her eyes, forcing herself to remain calm as she followed the nanny away. She could feel the piercing gazes behind her. Those noble ladies had meticulously dressed up for months, hoping to catch the emperor's eye at the banquet, but they hadn't expected that she, a "dancer," would beat them to it.
The Glass Flower Hall.
Moonlight filtered through the multicolored glass, casting dappled shadows on Fangru's still-shaken face. She stood in the center of the flower hall, the purple jade prayer beads on her wrist slightly warm.
"Miss Shen has excellent dancing skills."
A deep voice suddenly came from behind her. Fangru turned around abruptly and saw Zhou Ling standing by the window. He had taken off his black dragon robe and was only wearing a moon-white casual dress, which made him appear even taller and more elegant, as handsome as an immortal.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
Fang Ru bowed gracefully, her skirt spreading out like flower petals on the bluestone ground.
Zhou Ling leaned against the soft couch, toying with a glass cup between his fingers; the amber wine shimmered in the moonlight.
"Miss Shen's dance reminds me of the flamingos that were presented as tribute from the Western Regions." He smiled slightly. "However..."
Before the words were finished, a loud "thump" suddenly came from the depths of the garden.
This was followed by the woman's panicked screams and the man's disheveled choking sounds.
Water splashed everywhere in the lotus pond. Du Heng, the son of the Vice Minister of Rites, was frantically dragging Cheng Jinse, the daughter of the Minister of Works, towards the shore. Both of them were soaked, and a few strands of water plants were still hanging from the pearl hairpin in Cheng Jinse's hair.
"What's going on?!"
"Quick! Go get some clean clothes!"
Guests rushed over at the sound, and maids busily handed out handkerchiefs and cloaks.
In the chaos, Fangru seized the opportunity to approach Zhou Ling's side, a subtle fragrance wafting from her sleeve: "Your Majesty, I've heard that Zuixianlou has recently acquired wine from the Western Regions, aged for ten years before being opened..."
Zhou Ling's eyes darkened, and the glass cup in his hand clattered as he placed it on the table.
As he rose, his robes brushed against Fangru's fingertips, carrying a wisp of agarwood fragrance: "Then... let's go and try it."
The second floor of Zuixianlou.
In the private room, a luminous pearl gleamed softly. Shen Fangru knelt before the table, her slender hands holding a teapot, pouring Zhou Ling a cup of amber-colored nectar. The wine rippled in the glass, reflecting her slightly trembling fingertips.
"Your Majesty," she took a deep breath and bowed deeply, "Gu Zhou is innocent. He and Zhou Jun were complete strangers; he merely donated some incense money. How could he be considered an accomplice? I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"
Zhou Ling leaned back on the soft pillows, his slender fingers toying with the wine glass, but his gaze was fixed on her lowered neck. That section of snow-white skin gleamed with a lustrous sheen in the candlelight, reminding him of the glimpse of her waist that had been so captivating during her dance at the banquet earlier.
"The evidence is conclusive." He sighed softly, his tone regretful, but his eyes held a hint of amusement. "Even as the emperor, I cannot bend the law for personal gain."
Fangru suddenly looked up, meeting his unfathomable phoenix eyes. Zhou Ling's eyes seemed to hold a hidden current, his fingertips lightly caressing the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“Your Majesty,” she said, forcing herself to remain calm, she withdrew her hand and took a half step back, “I have come here to seek justice for Gu Zhou.”
Zhou Ling's eyes darkened, and he slowly straightened up: "Oh? Miss Shen, are you going to accuse my officials of dereliction of duty?"
"The Dali Temple has detained Gu Zhou for three days, yet it has yet to hear the case." Fangru clutched the complaint in her sleeve. "I have evidence to prove that he has no connection with Zhou Jun whatsoever."
Fangru's fingertips trembled slightly as she gripped the petition in her sleeve even tighter: "Your Majesty, please be wise. Gu Zhou and Zhou Jun are complete strangers. This case is clear..."
"This?" Zhou Ling suddenly pulled a scroll from his sleeve and waved it in front of her. "I have already read Miss Shen's testimony."
The candlelight on the table suddenly flickered, illuminating the words on the document so clearly that they were the testimony she had submitted to the Dali Temple that day!
Fangru's heart trembled violently. Before she could react, she saw the document being casually thrown onto the table with a soft "thud".
“These…” Zhou Ling slowly smoothed out the wrinkles on his cuffs, “proving nothing.” He suddenly leaned down, his clothes gleaming dimly in the candlelight, “Your Gu Lang has kept more than just this one thing from you.”
Fangru suddenly looked up, only to meet those unfathomable, starry eyes. The candlelight flickered in his eyes, like will-o'-the-wisps in the dark night, making her heart race with unease. His gaze was so blatant that she unconsciously took a half-step back, her lower back hitting the cold table.
"Despicable!" she cursed inwardly. What conclusive evidence? He was clearly deliberately making things difficult for her!
Fangru froze, and Zhou Ling suddenly reached out his finger, his fingertip lightly caressing the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist, a faint smile playing on his lips.
The string of purple jade prayer beads twirled between his fingers, making a soft clinking sound. His movement seemed casual, yet it carried an irresistible force, forcing her to look up and meet his gaze.
"Your Majesty..." She suppressed the surging anger in her heart, but her voice still trembled slightly, "The Gu Zhou case..."
"Shh." Zhou Ling suddenly pressed his fingertip to her lips, the touch making her stiffen. "Miss Chen, your dance today was exactly to my liking." He leaned closer, the scent of ambergris instantly enveloping her. "Especially that last glance back..."
Fang instinctively stepped back, but there was nowhere left to retreat. Zhou Ling took the opportunity to move closer, his slender fingers tracing her taut jawline: "People say I'm fond of handsome men..." He chuckled softly, "That's not entirely untrue."
Moonlight streamed through the colorful glass window, casting dappled shadows on his handsome face.
Those deep, starry eyes were so close, their gaze seemingly tracing her features with a tangible quality.
Fangru's breath hitched. She could clearly see herself reflected in his eyes: her slightly trembling eyelashes, her tightly pursed lips, and the unconcealed panic in his eyes.
"Scared?"
Zhou Ling's deep voice, accompanied by warm breath, brushed past her ear. His slender fingers slowly moved down from her chin, gently pressing on the throbbing pulse on the side of her neck, sending a shiver through her body.
"Besides Gu Zhou..." His fingertips lingered on that inch of skin, feeling the sudden acceleration of his heartbeat beneath his fingers, "Don't you have anything else to say to me?"
Fangru held her breath; the spot on her neck where he had touched felt like it had been branded with a hot iron, burning and painful.
The distance was too dangerous; she was close enough to count the shadows cast by his eyelashes, close enough to smell the scent of agarwood mixed with ambergris on his clothes, close enough... that she could finally see clearly what kind of undercurrents were surging in the eyes of this tyrant.
"This humble woman..." she tried to remain calm, but couldn't stop her ears from turning red, "I only beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly..."
“Insightful?” Zhou Ling suddenly stopped, leaning back lazily in his chair, his eyes growing increasingly deep. “Miss Shen, do you know that the last person who dared to scheme against me like this is now buried with grass growing three feet high on his grave?”
Fangru's heart trembled, but then she saw him suddenly lean forward, his slender fingers picking up a strand of her loose hair: "However..." he slowly twirled the strand of hair between his fingers, "I am in a good mood today."
His gaze was so intense it almost melted her, and Fangru finally became certain that this tyrant had indeed taken a liking to her. The rumors of his atrocities—forcibly taking wives of his subjects and abducting women—flashed through her mind, causing a sharp pain in her stomach.
Fangru took a deep breath and dug her fingertips deep into her palm.
"If Your Majesty is willing to show mercy..." Her voice was slightly hoarse, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth, "This subject is willing..."
Zhou Ling suddenly raised his hand, his icy fingertips touching her lips: "Think it over before you speak." His eyes were deep, but his voice was so gentle it was almost seductive, "What I want is not some petty service."
The hall was so quiet you could hear the candle flames popping. Fangru looked up and met his burning gaze. His eyes were like deep pools, reflecting her pale face.
"This humble woman..." Her throat tightened, but she finally whispered, "I am willing to exchange my life for Gu Zhou's."
Before he finished speaking, Zhou Ling suddenly pulled her into his arms. His lips brushed against her earlobe, his voice low and husky: "Remember what you said."
Fangru leaned against his chest, listening to his strong and powerful heartbeat, and felt a chill in her heart.
She knew she had stepped into an abyss, but she had no other choice.
Zhou Ling's lips were pressed against her brow, his hot breath mixed with the scent of ambergris, making Fangru tremble all over.
His long, slender fingers ran through her loose, dark hair, and he suddenly pressed her against the carved screen.
"Your Majesty..." Fangru's protest was swallowed up by his hot breath.
Zhou Ling's lips roamed along her neck, biting hard at her collarbone. She winced and tilted her head back, giving him an opportunity. His burning tongue pried open her teeth, advancing with an irresistible imperial force.
Just as his hand slipped inside his clothes, a woman's piercing scream suddenly rang out from the alley: "Help! Robbers!"
The dull thud of a sharp blade piercing flesh was clearly audible.
Fangru suddenly woke up and pressed against his chest: "Someone has been murdered! Your Majesty..."
Zhou Ling remained motionless, his thumb cruelly grinding against her swollen lips: "Gao Xuan." He said coldly without turning his head, and the leader of the secret guards immediately appeared like a ghost, "Go and deal with it."
As the hurried footsteps faded into the distance, he pressed forward again.
The flickering candlelight illuminated the intertwined figures on the table.
Zhou Ling's slender fingers untied the ribbons of the apricot-colored bodice. As the silk slipped down, her fair and jade-like skin trembled slightly in the cool air.
"Your Majesty..." She turned her face away in shame and anger, but then heard the sound of the door being violently kicked open.
"Report! Urgent situation in the North—" The guard's voice abruptly stopped.
The candlelight flickered violently, casting two overlapping silhouettes on the wall. The emperor's robes were half-open as he pressed the woman in his arms against the rosewood table. Fangru's moon-white silk skirt had already slipped down to her waist, and her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, making her snow-white back even more dazzling.
"roll!"
Zhou Ling angrily grabbed a teacup and threw it, the sound of the porcelain shattering and the door slamming shut almost simultaneously.
Silence returned to the room, and a tear finally slid down Fangru's cheek.
"Now you know how to cry?" Zhou Ling's rough fingertips brushed across her moist eyelids, but his pressure suddenly softened when he touched the beauty mark. He abruptly took her small earlobe into his mouth, grinding it lightly between his teeth: "Too late..."
Warm breath traveled down her neck. Fangru bit her lower lip, but couldn't suppress the slight tremor that escaped her throat. Zhou Ling chuckled softly, then maliciously increased the pressure.
"Since you're going to offer yourself in return..." His lips were almost touching hers, "Let me see Miss Shen's sincerity."
A note from the author:
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