Chapter 38 What a mess! His Majesty wants to condescend to be his wife's mistress?
The following evening, as the moon rose, Fangru was gazing out the window, lost in thought, when she saw that familiar figure stroll leisurely into the courtyard once again.
Her anger flared, and she pushed open the door, coldly saying, "Does Your Majesty find my little courtyard more interesting than the Imperial Garden?"
Zhou Ling smiled slightly: "There are no stray cats that can scratch people in the Imperial Garden."
Fangru was furious and deliberately taunted him: "If Your Majesty is so bored, why not concern yourself with the border war? Why bother getting involved with a married woman?"
"A married woman?" Zhou Ling chuckled. "Your husband is currently at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, composing poems with someone. Should I send someone to invite him back to enjoy the moon with you?"
Fangru knew that Yan De's whereabouts and what he did were none of her business, but she absolutely could not let Zhou Ling see this distance.
She immediately raised her voice slightly, with a hint of offended anger: "Your Majesty, please watch your words! My husband is a virtuous gentleman, and he knows his place. But Your Majesty, you deliberately choose to appear in the dead of night. How are you any different from a thief?"
"At least a thief can get into a house, unlike some people who pretend to be ice even when they have fire burning inside them."
Fangru was startled, instinctively thinking that he had seen her body's secret reaction to him, and was immediately filled with shame.
But when she met his mischievous gaze, she realized he was referring to the anger she felt from Yan De.
Fangru cursed herself for overthinking, and hated him even more for his ambiguous words that led to misunderstandings. All the pent-up grievances and resentment surged up at once, making her push him away without thinking: "Go away! Go right now!"
Zhou Ling seemed rooted to the spot, letting Fang Ru exert all her strength. He simply retreated slowly, his deep voice full of mockery:
"Is this how Madam Yan treats her guests? If I am not in good spirits at the court meeting tomorrow, I will hold you responsible."
"Your Majesty came uninvited, is that considered a guest?" Fangru was both anxious and angry, and pushed harder, but it felt like she was pushing against a warm wall.
"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow and easily caught her wrist as she pushed him away again. "When this 'guest' came last night, although the lady was also embarrassed and angry, she wasn't as... aggressive as she is today."
He lightly brushed her wrist with his fingertips, sending a shiver down her spine. "Could it be that you're upset that I left early last night?"
"You...you're talking nonsense!"
Fangru's face flushed instantly. She abruptly pulled her hand back and used both hands to brace against his back, wanting nothing more than to push this scoundrel out the door as quickly as possible.
Zhou Ling followed her force and moved forward, letting her push him toward the courtyard gate.
His compliance only made Fangru angrier, as if a heavy punch had hit cotton.
As soon as she "chased" the person out of the courtyard, Fangru immediately turned around, not wanting to stay for even a second longer.
"Shen Fangru".
His voice sounded behind her, not loud, but with a peculiar penetrating power, causing her to pause in her steps.
She turned around reluctantly, her face still showing lingering anger, but her gaze met his unfathomable eyes in the moonlight.
He didn't speak immediately, but took a step forward, stepping back into the shadows of the courtyard gate, closing the distance.
He reached out and, slowly but firmly, grasped her wrist.
The warmth of her fingertips contrasted with the coolness of her skin, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Don't move."
He spoke in a low voice, his tone a mixture of command and coaxing.
With his other hand, he took out the string of purple jade prayer beads.
The purple jade prayer beads, shimmering with a faint light, came into view, and Fangru's breath caught in her throat. This was not only a gift from her father, but also the key to her rebirth in her previous life!
After her marriage, she sent her trusted maid to search all the pawnshops in the capital, but to no avail.
She once despaired, thinking that she had lost her connection with different times and spaces and would never be able to glimpse the mysteries between them again.
At this moment, this divine object that concerned her fate appeared perfectly intact in Zhou Ling's hands!
He didn't put it on her immediately, but instead rubbed the cool jade with his fingertips, his gaze fixed on every subtle tremor on her face, as if admiring a beautiful work of art.
Then, he carefully slipped the prayer beads back onto her slender wrist.
A cool touch came over her, but he used his fingertips to gently hook her palm in an extremely ambiguous way. The intense stimulation of the interplay of hot and cold made her tremble all over.
Overwhelmed by shock and the joy of regaining what she had lost, she momentarily forgot to struggle, staring blankly at the radiance on her wrist, her heart pounding.
Just as she was wavering and completely unprepared, Zhou Ling leaned closer.
His warm breath brushed against her earlobe. He didn't kiss her lips, but instead placed a gentle yet incredibly hot kiss on her temple.
They parted after a brief touch, but the lingering burning sensation remained.
“Return it to its rightful owner.” He murmured hoarsely. “It took me some effort to find it.” He paused deliberately, his breath brushing against her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. “As for the reward… let’s see if you dare to send me away again next time.”
After saying that, he let go of her hand, turned around, and disappeared into the night.
Fangru stood alone, her wrist adorned with cool Buddhist prayer beads, while the spot on her cheek where he had kissed her burned like fire.
His last words, less of a threat and more of a tender invitation, stirred her emotions, leaving her unable to calm down for a long time.
She returned to her second-floor bedroom in a daze, bolted the door, leaned against it, her heart still pounding erratically.
Raising his hand, he gently stroked the string of purple jade prayer beads by candlelight. After the initial ecstasy, a profound emptiness and bewilderment quietly welled up in his heart.
She once cherished these Buddhist prayer beads that could give her a new life.
But what about now?
She tried her best to escape Zhou Ling, but ended up marrying Yan De by mistake; she longed to stay with Gu Lang, but when they met again, she found that their feelings had been completely exhausted in the cycle of reincarnation.
Now, Yan Deyu gives her respect and freedom, and she can live a peaceful life, visiting her father often. It seems that she lacks nothing.
What meaning does this string of Buddhist beads, which can open the cycle of reincarnation, have for her?
Does she need to be reborn?
This thought made her feel flustered.
After a long silence, she ultimately did not remove the prayer beads.
Perhaps... it's just a habit, or perhaps it's a final tribute to those years of frantic struggle.
She clutched the prayer beads tightly in her palm; the cool jade pressed against her skin, but could no longer warm her empty heart.
Shortly after Zhou Ling quietly left that night, an imperial edict was issued, and to everyone's surprise, Gu Zhou and Yan De were promoted again.
This sudden favor caused quite a stir in the court. When Fangru heard the news, she felt a sudden tightness in her heart, vaguely feeling that this matter was inextricably linked to the uninvited guest that night.
On that day, a highly respected senior official hosted a banquet to celebrate the promotion of several newly promoted officials, and Fangru, as Yan De's wife, naturally went along.
At the banquet, she met Su Wanqing, who had been invited to join in the festivities.
Su Wanqing took her hand and congratulated her with a smile, "You married a wonderful husband. General Yan is so kind and gentle. You are truly blessed."
Fangru smiled and responded politely.
While he was talking to Su Wanqing, Yan De pushed his wheelchair over with a displeased expression and said to Fangru in a low voice, "Madam, may I speak to you in private?"
He led Fangru to a quiet room next to the banquet hall, closed the door, and his gentle expression suddenly vanished, replaced by suppressed anger: "Madam, you had a very pleasant conversation with Miss Su today. Did you ever consider my reputation? I haven't seen you by my side all night. What will outsiders think?"
At the beginning of their marriage, Yan De and Fang Ru, though not deeply in love, treated each other with respect.
However, as time went on, Yen Teh seemed to gradually lose patience and began to show some emotions he had never shown before.
The confusion that had arisen from the Buddhist prayer beads in recent days, coupled with Yan De's inexplicable accusations, stirred a rebellious spirit within Fangru. She said coldly, "What face does the general want? I was merely exchanging a few words with someone, what wrong have I done? Does marrying you mean I've lost even the freedom to talk to others?"
"You!" Yan De was furious and about to retort when the beaded curtain of the inner room was suddenly lifted by a hand with distinct knuckles.
Zhou Ling walked out slowly, a half-smile on his face, but his gaze was sharp as a knife, fixed directly on Yan De.
"Yan Qing, what a show of power." His voice wasn't loud, but it made the air in the room freeze instantly.
Fangru's heart skipped a beat, almost leaping out of her chest. She didn't dare look at Zhou Ling and hurriedly made up an excuse: "I...I'm going out for some fresh air."
Having said that, he practically fled in panic.
Zhou Ling watched Fang Ru's hurried departure until the door closed, then turned his gaze back to Yan De.
The fleeting, almost imperceptible glint in his eyes when he faced Fang Ru had completely vanished, leaving only the icy chill unique to an emperor, a chill that left no room for argument.
“Yan De,” he said in a low voice, but each word struck Yan De’s heart like a hammer, “I promoted you not so that you could restrain her.”
He took half a step forward, and although he did not raise his voice, the invisible pressure made Yan De almost unable to breathe.
“Remember,” Zhou Ling’s gaze swept over Yan De’s pale face as if examining an insignificant object, “If she wants to find a confidant outside the manor to talk to and relieve her boredom, you may let her; but if you dare to let her suffer the slightest grievance, I will not spare you!”
These words were like a thunderclap to Yan De's ears!
Your Majesty makes "seeking a soulmate" sound so natural... And thinking back to Your Majesty's almost forced marriage, an absurd and terrifying thought rises up uncontrollably: Could it be that Your Majesty himself harbors such despicable thoughts, wanting to condescend to be his wife Yan De's... "concubine"?
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Yan De felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, and cold sweat instantly soaked through his inner shirt.
He lowered his head even further, his throat tightened, and he couldn't even utter a proper "Your subject dares not," only managing a timid "Yes."
Zhou Ling took in Yan De's fear but had no intention of pointing it out.
His earlier remark about "finding a confidant" was intended to draw Yan De's attention to Gu Zhou, the fiancé who had been acquitted, who was an indispensable part of his plan to win back Fang Ru.
Seeing Yan De's cold sweat-drenched appearance, a calculating glint flashed in Zhou Ling's eyes.
However, if this fool truly misunderstands things this way, it seems... not so bad. At least, this twisted relationship can act as a strong shackle, ensuring that no one within the Yan family will dare to mistreat her again.
As for whether Zhou Ling is truly content to be just a "concubine"?
A barely perceptible smile curved his lips as he turned and left the room.
His gaze swept across the dimly lit courtyard, and soon pinpointed the figure gently swaying restlessly beside the swing set not far away.
The moonlight shone on her, as if gilding her with a layer of gentle radiance.
Zhou Ling walked slowly away, a near-obsessive possessiveness quietly surging within him.
A mistress? No, what he always wanted was her whole self.
Fangru noticed his arrival, stopped what she was doing, and looked at him warily.
"What's wrong? It seems Madam Yan isn't having a very pleasant time?" Zhou Ling's tone was laced with his usual sarcasm, but his gaze was like a fine net, taking in every subtle expression she had.
Fangru turned her face away and stared at the swaying tree shadows on the ground: "Your Majesty need not trouble yourself. Fine clothes and delicacies, surrounded by servants, are all you need."
"Oh?" Zhou Ling chuckled lightly, casually leaning against a pillar in the corridor. "I thought that a woman who could write such unruly verses as 'Heaven and earth are the furnace, and creation is the craftsman' would not only seek fine clothes and delicacies."
Fangru's heart skipped a beat.
This poem was a work of resentment she wrote on the wall with half a piece of dry grass to pass the time while she was imprisoned in the woodshed of Baiyang Society. How could he remember it?!
A panic gripped her, as if she had been completely seen through and had nowhere to hide, as if he had suddenly illuminated the most secret corner of her heart.
She forced herself to remain calm, her nails digging into her palms: "Your Majesty actually believed the wild words I uttered when I was trapped? Now I understand that nothing is more real than living a peaceful life."
"A peaceful life?" Zhou Ling seemed to have heard something very interesting, her voice rising slightly at the end. "Do you mean the kind of life where you're dutiful, like just now, being pulled aside by your husband to be scolded? Or the kind of life where you have to be mindful of others' moods even when chatting and laughing with old friends at a banquet?"
His words grew sharper with each one, shattering the calm she had been barely maintaining.
Fangru suddenly turned her head and glared at him, two flames igniting in her eyes: "Your Majesty is busy with countless affairs of state, yet you have the leisure to pry into my family affairs?"
“I am not spying,” Zhou Ling met her gaze and slowly corrected her, “I am concerned. After all, Madam has played a significant role in Yan Qing’s promotion.”
He deliberately emphasized the phrase "made a great contribution," subtly alluding to the entanglement that night.
These words were like ice water poured over Fangru's head, instantly calming her down and replacing it with a feeling of humiliation and powerlessness.
She tugged at the corners of her mouth, revealing a bitter sneer: "Should I then kowtow and thank His Majesty for his great favor in granting the Yan family this 'face'?"
“No need for that.” Zhou Ling took a step forward, getting closer to her, his voice low and carrying a dangerous intimacy, “I’m just curious, are you getting used to living in this cage of the Yan residence? What if you get tired of it one day…”
He left his words unsaid, but the silence he created was more chilling than a direct threat.
Fangru was forced to take a half step back, her back pressed against the swing chain, the icy touch bringing her back to her senses.
She took a deep breath, then suddenly looked up and gave a very distant and polite smile: "Your Majesty is overthinking it. The general treats me very well. This 'cage' is made of gold and jade, but I... am completely content with it."
Zhou Ling stared at her forced composure, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, seemingly anger, or perhaps... admiration?
The moonlight was as clear as water. Zhou Ling finally stepped back, regaining his unfathomable imperial demeanor, and chuckled lightly, "Is that so? Then I'll wait and see how long Madam Yan can keep up this act of 'sweetness'."
These words were like a needle, precisely piercing Fangru's forced composure.
She suddenly remembered Yan De's recent promotion, which was so abrupt and illogical.
A terrifying thought flashed into his mind: Could this be Zhou Ling's conspiracy? First, use high-ranking positions and generous salaries to appease Yan De, then...
Fear spurred a desperate courage; she couldn't let him see the slightest flaw in her defenses.
Fangru raised her chin and said resolutely in an almost defiant tone, "It's not an act! The general treats me very well, my husband and I are very happy, and I don't know how fortunate I am! Please, Your Majesty, be lenient and don't do anything rash!"
"Reckless behavior?"
Zhou Ling repeated those two words, his gaze sweeping over her forced composure as if admiring a treasure about to be obtained.
He suddenly chuckled softly, his laughter carrying an indescribable meaning: "Alright, I promise you, I won't 'act recklessly'."
He made a promise, but took a step closer.
Fangru suddenly remembered that in her previous life in the palace, every time she swung on the swing, he would take advantage of her by pulling her into his arms just as the swing was about to fall.
At this moment, that familiar fear and secret expectation intertwined once again, and she subconsciously swung the swing high, as if that would allow her to escape his control.
Zhou Ling looked at her childish resistance, a knowing smile flashing in his eyes.
He did not wait below as he had in his previous life, but seized the opportunity and suddenly reached out and precisely grasped the swing ropes.
A clever force came, instantly neutralizing the swing's momentum, and it slowly came to a stop.
"Ah!" Fangru exclaimed in surprise. Before she could regain her balance, Zhou Ling had already leaned in and pressed close, one hand on the back of the swing chair, trapping her in a small space.
The familiar scent of ambergris enveloped him, and he lowered his head, his warm lips irresistibly pressing against hers.
“That’s what you call ‘messing around’.”
As soon as the kiss ended, he pressed his forehead against hers and whispered, his breath slightly ragged.
Fangru pushed him away abruptly, her cheeks burning hot, and she fled back to the banquet hall in a panic.
Zhou Ling stood still, his fingertips lightly tracing the corner of his lips, watching her hasty retreating figure, a glint of determination flashing in his eyes.
At this moment, Fangru, clutching her wildly beating heart, kept hearing the terrible guess echoing in her mind: Was Yan De's promotion a favor or a carefully designed trap? What exactly was Zhou Ling plotting?
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