Chapter 143 The Emperor Dies, Desiring Her to Bear a Child
He gently pinched her soft belly, his fingertips sinking into the delicate skin. He pulled the blanket down a little and kissed her. Her snow-white belly was without a single wrinkle.
Ji Shu was startled by his sudden action and hurriedly tried to get up.
What happened next made her scalp tingle; her underwear, scattered on the ground, was ignored.
Stirred up by this stimulation, she couldn't help but want to make a sound, and turned her face away in shame and indignation.
A faint fragrance wafted through the tent, lingering around his nose. After a long while, he finally lifted his head from under the covers.
Gazing at her flushed face, he asked, "Are you still feeling comfortable?"
Ji Shu felt a cramp in her lower abdomen, and her gaze fell on the wound on his forehead. The untreated wound had already begun to swell, and if it wasn't treated soon...
Ji Shu bit her lip. "Go and treat your wound."
Pei Yanzhi raised his hand to touch it and saw that the bleeding had stopped, but it felt somewhat stuffy to the touch.
Knowing it was just a superficial injury, he said calmly, "Apply the medicine to me."
Ji Shu turned her face away, unwilling to answer, but ultimately she was in the wrong, so she had no choice but to sit up and hastily wrap a garment around herself.
Just as she was about to get off the bed, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the low cabinet by the window. With one hand, he opened the drawer, took out a box of ointment, and handed it to her, silently gesturing for her to come over.
Helpless, Ji Shu squeezed the ointment onto a handkerchief and gently wiped it onto his wound, bit by bit.
Pei Yanzhi looked down at her and saw that her hair was slightly disheveled, and her body was still permeated with his scent, but her expression was exceptionally focused. He couldn't help but think: If I had known that this would make her feel sorry for him, I should have done it a few more times.
After years of marching, this injury was nothing to him.
After she finished applying the medicine, Ji Shu shoved the medicine box into his arms, turned around and walked back to the bedside, no longer looking at him.
The series of sexual encounters left her feeling weak, and all she wanted to do was get a good night's sleep.
She had agreed to meet him five times a month, and this had already happened several times. She knew she wouldn't be able to be with him for the rest of the time. With that thought in mind, she soon fell asleep.
Pei Yanzhi watched as she quickly got onto the bed, gazing intently at her features. He thought to himself, "If I can't get rid of Pei Xingjian, who knows how he'll seduce Shu'er if things continue like this."
She is still young, and Xingjian is even younger than him. He has no advantage in any aspect, so we can't let them continue to interact like this.
When Ji Shu woke up, it was already dark, and she found that she was already dressed in her undergarments.
After getting up, she found that candles had been lit in the study, so she grabbed a dress from the screen and put it on.
Hearing the rustling sounds inside, Pei Yanzhi knew she had woken up. He put down his wolf-hair brush, got up, and went inside.
Ji Shu heard the noise but ignored it. Pei Yanzhi smiled awkwardly and asked softly, "Are you hungry?"
Before Ji Shu could reply, Wu Yang urgently reported from outside: "My lord, urgent report!"
Pei Yanzhi's gaze sharpened as he looked at Ji Shu. Ji Shu wisely lowered her eyes, unwilling to get involved in military and political secrets, and said, "Military affairs are of utmost importance, so I shall take my leave."
He nodded slightly, and as she turned away, he added in a deep voice, "You don't need to wait for me tonight."
Ji Shu seemed not to hear, lightly brushing a few stray strands of hair from her temples with her fingertips, then quietly left after putting on her cloak.
As soon as she left, Pei Yanzhi's aura suddenly turned cold: "Come in and tell me what it is."
Wu Yang strode in, his face grave, and lowered his voice: "My lord, a secret report from Hanzhong... the Emperor has passed away!"
"What?" Pei Yanzhi suddenly stood up, his sleeves flipping over the teacups on the table, causing them to sway slightly.
At this critical juncture, Emperor Xie suddenly passed away, which completely disrupted his entire plan.
With Emperor Xie dead, how can the Crown Prince, still an infant, take control of the court? Power will inevitably fall back into the hands of Empress Dowager Song, leading to turmoil in the court and chaos throughout the land.
The abuse of power by the imperial relatives had long aroused dissatisfaction among various feudal lords.
Now that the balance of power has been lost, and surrounded by wolves, everyone wants to pounce and get a piece of the pie. Even if they can't get the fattest meat, they'd be happy to have a sip of hot soup.
Pei Yanzhi's eyes were sharp as knives, instantly suppressing his turbulent emotions: "Immediately summon the military advisor and all the generals to come for a meeting!"
He paused briefly, then said, "Let the Crown Prince come too."
"Yes, my lord." Wu Yang accepted the order and hurried away.
Half an hour later, the study was brightly lit, shutting out the gradually darkening night.
All the generals and strategists gathered together, and upon hearing the bad news, everyone's face showed surprise and doubt.
Although Emperor Xie had always neglected state affairs and the power was entirely in the hands of Empress Dowager Song, at least he had a title to keep them in check. This made those who aspired to the throne think twice before acting rashly, even if they wanted to "purge the court of corrupt officials."
This sudden turn of events has truly disrupted everyone's expectations.
Gongsun Li stroked his beard and pondered, "At this moment, Empress Dowager Song is thinking about how to make the Crown Prince become emperor in order to stabilize Hanzhong and continue her Song family's power."
Pei Yanzhi stood with his hands behind his back by the window, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger: "We have received definite news that Ding Wei has secretly sided with Empress Dowager Song. Emperor Xie's poor health is probably not a coincidence."
He turned around and glanced at everyone present: "Most of the officials in the court are now under the control of Empress Dowager Song, who has supported the crown prince to succeed to the throne and is effectively ruling from behind the curtain."
The impatient General Meixun immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute: "My lord! While the situation in Hanzhong is still unstable, let us immediately assemble our troops and catch them off guard!"
At this moment, Pei Xingjian hurriedly stepped into the study. He had obviously learned the news on the way, and his breathing was slightly rapid.
Pei Yanzhi only glanced at him indifferently and did not say anything more.
Gongsun Li said, "My lord, General Mei is right. If we wait until Empress Dowager Song stabilizes the court and integrates the various forces, it will be much more difficult for us to take any action."
The study was immediately filled with discussion, with those advocating for war gaining the upper hand.
Pei Yanzhi listened quietly for a moment, then raised his hand to quell the noise. His gaze finally fell on Lu Changming, who had been silent all along, and he suddenly said, "Changming, you must immediately use all your undercover agents to do your utmost to find out what is happening in the capital, especially the reactions of Empress Dowager Song and the various feudal lords."
"Yes!" Lu Changming immediately accepted the order.
Pei Yanzhi's gaze slowly shifted to the location marked Hanzhong on the map, a turbulent undercurrent surging deep within his eyes.
As night deepened, the candlelight in the study grew ever brighter, illuminating the solemn expressions on everyone's faces.
The parties inside the hall were locked in a dispute. Some said to wait until spring to fight, as sufficient provisions needed to be prepared. Others said it was better to start sooner rather than later.
After receiving the order, Lu Changming quickly left, and the study fell into a brief silence. Pei Yanzhi's gaze slowly swept over everyone, finally landing on Pei Xingjian.
"Xingjian, what are your thoughts?"
Pei Xingjian was slightly taken aback, then stepped forward and said cautiously, "Father, I believe that it is not the best policy to send troops at this time. The Emperor has just passed away, and if we are the first to raise troops, we may become the target of everyone's criticism."
General Meixun immediately retorted, "Your Highness is mistaken! This is a golden opportunity. If we wait for Empress Dowager Song to stabilize the court, we will lose the initiative!"
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