Chapter 36 Yuchi
"Please go back, Concubine Qing. His Majesty is busy with government affairs today and has no time to see you."
Wen Yao waited in the night wind for two quarters of an hour, only for Cheng Shouzhong to come and drive the guests away on behalf of the emperor.
She tightly grasped the handle of the food box, her face pale, "Why on earth does Your Majesty not want to see me?"
Cheng Shouzhong smiled and said, "Didn't I tell you that Your Majesty is busy with government affairs?"
"Don't try to fool me with such perfunctory words!"
Wen Yao interrupted him with a grim expression: "When Your Majesty was reviewing the memorials yesterday, I was the one who was writing ink and serving you! How could you not see me today because you are busy with government affairs?"
Cheng Shouzhong seemed to be stumped by the question. He looked at her guiltily, as if he wanted to say something but didn't dare to.
Baoqin took out two gold ingots from her sleeves and stuffed them into Cheng Shouzhong's pockets. "Our queen is too impatient. She didn't mean to scold you. Please tell us the truth!"
Cheng Shouzhong pretended to refuse, weighed the weight in his hand, and stuffed it into his arms. This time, the smile on his face was much more genuine: "Oh, Madam, it's all because of General Wen!"
Wen Yao was stunned: "Father?"
"Yes." Cheng Shouzhong sighed, "During the Northwest War, General Wen was worried about his mother's illness and was unwilling to lead the army. Your Majesty had no choice but to appoint Minister Guo as the commander. However, Minister Guo is young and impetuous. How can Your Majesty trust him to lead the troops? Look, he has been planning in front of the map all afternoon. He has been resting after taking a bath just now. He really has no energy to see the Queen."
Wen Yao's heart tightened, and she thought of something, frowned and asked, "Why didn't you tell the truth just now?"
Cheng Shouzhong looked as if to say, "Your Majesty, don't you understand?" and sighed, "This is not about General Wen. Your Majesty, are you afraid that you will blame yourself?"
Wen Yao understood.
Your Majesty is exhausted because your father did not go to the war, and you are afraid that you will feel guilty if he knows about it.
My grandmother has been ill all year round. It is impossible for my father not to go to the war because of this. What does it mean? Why do you want to make things difficult for Your Majesty?
Over the years, rumors about her father colluding with foreign enemies and being disloyal to the emperor have been flying all over the capital. Wen Yao has always thought that it was just a rumor spread by villains. Could it be that her father really...
She was a little confused. She wanted to go in and tell His Majesty that her father was able to go to the war so that he wouldn't have to worry about the war. But she was afraid that her father would insist on going against His Majesty's will. After hesitating for a moment, she finally decided to go back to the palace first and write a letter to her father to ask for clarification.
*
There is a bathing pool behind the Qianqing Palace, with the floor paved with white jade and filled with mist. Being in it is like entering a fairyland.
Jiang Shuyi had only come here once with Pei Yan in her previous life. Under normal circumstances, the two of them were served and cleaned by palace servants one after another afterwards, and they did not bathe together.
Perhaps she cried too hard today and didn't want to leave Pei Yan for a moment, so Pei Yan ordered the palace servants to prepare hot water in the bathhouse and carry her over for washing.
Jiang Shuyi soaked in hot water, staring at Pei Yan not far away with her red eyes without blinking.
Pei Yan: "...If you can't wash yourself, call the maid in."
Jiang Shuyi immediately shook her head and refused without hesitation: "No, I don't want them to see Your Majesty like this."
Pei Yan looked down at himself.
They were just naked, and the palace maids were no different from any other decorations in the palace, so what was the big deal?
But seeing that Jiang Shuyi was trying hard to protect her beloved treasure and didn't want others to see it, Pei Yan felt a little happy and agreed to her request.
"Okay, then you wash it yourself."
He had been to the military camp for training when he was young, and could take care of himself without the service of servants, but Jiang Shuyi was first a daughter of an official family, and later became his concubine, so she never had to do these things herself.
Pei Chen felt that she wouldn't be able to clean it.
Jiang Shuyi didn't do it at all.
Even though they were very close, she still couldn't clean herself up in front of Pei Yan.
Jiang Shuyi looked at him with red eyes and flushed cheeks.
Pei Yan didn't care at first and just washed himself, but he was being watched, so he couldn't help but look over and said, "If you keep looking, I won't be able to help you wash."
That’s not what Jiang Shuyi meant!
She felt a little ashamed and angry. In her previous life, she was not happy when Pei Yan helped her wash!
After Jiang Shuyi complained in her heart, she hesitated for a moment and walked towards him.
The sound of water was splashing, and Pei Yan kept looking at her.
"His Majesty......"
Jiang Shuyi stood in front of Pei Yan, called out to him eagerly, and groped for his hand underwater.
Pei Yan didn't pull it away, but just told her: "It's useless to act like a spoiled child."
No emperor would serve his concubines.
"I didn't mean that." Jiang Shuyi still had some tears in her voice as she spoke. She shook his hand and begged with trembling eyelashes, "Your Majesty, I won't go back tonight, okay?"
Pei Yan: "It's getting late, where do you want to go back to?"
Jiang Shuyi was immediately delighted when he said that. She hugged him and said in a cheerful tone, "I thought your majesty was afraid of being discovered and wanted me to wear the palace maid's clothes and go back quietly."
Pei Yan had no choice but to lean back against the pool wall and calm down: "Didn't Cheng Shouzhong tell you that you are the new imperial maid? As long as you don't make any mistakes, I will keep you."
Jiang Shuyi opened her eyes slightly wide in surprise and raised her head in his arms: "So as long as I don't make any mistakes, I can stay in the Palace of Heavenly Purity forever?"
Pei Yan lowered his eyes and repeated meaningfully: "Your Highness?"
Jiang Shuyi paused, knowing that this meant that she was asked to change her self-proclaimed name. It was strange, just now in the bedroom, she was very excited to call him a slave, but now that their skins were touching, soaking in the warmth together, under Pei Yan's gaze, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed to speak.
It seems like she has really become a little palace maid who secretly seduces the emperor while he is bathing...
Pei Yan was not in a hurry and just waited for her.
Jiang Shuyi paused for a while and found it even harder to speak than before. She hesitated for a long time and said in a mosquito-like voice: "It's your servant..."
Pei Yan chuckled and praised: "Not bad, you learn the rules very quickly. Say it again what Cai Cai said."
Jiang Shuyi wanted to lower her head out of shame, but a wet, bony hand grabbed her chin and lifted her head without allowing her to argue.
"Say it again."
Pei Yan's tone was still gentle, and his eyes were calm, but Jiang Shuyi felt that the moisture from all directions was oppressive, steaming her and forcing her to speak.
Her legs were a little soft from being soaked in the water, and so was her heart. Jiang Shuyi took a deep breath, and finally spoke with a trembling voice: "Is it... Is it that as long as I don't make any mistakes, I can stay in the Palace of Heavenly Purity forever..."
After Pei Yan saw her say this, the tips of her ears suddenly turned red, and her soft neck like white jade was also stained with a faint crimson color.
The delicate jade was so soft that it seemed as if it could not bear it anymore and melted into the pool water.
Under the candlelight in the hall, the scene is extremely charming and should be the most beautiful scenery in the imperial city this spring.
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