Chapter 108: Used to Being Grievanced
The room was quiet, with only the slight sound of the pen tip touching the paper.
Lan Ying asked softly, "My Lady, the birthday gift sent by His Majesty was burned. Is everything alright?"
Shen Yuning raised her eyes, her expression calm, and said calmly: "It's just a skirt. Your Majesty has no idea what the birthday gift for me is. He even said before that he would not set foot in Yaohua Palace. Why would he care about the damage of this skirt now?"
After she finished speaking, she turned her gaze back to the table, staring intently at the glass cup, the brush in her hand moving non-stop, sketching something on the paper.
Seeing this, Lan Ying stopped talking.
Xitong walked in at this time and stood beside her watching her paint.
"My lady, this colored glass cup sent by General Ye is the most beautiful. You have always been fond of colored glass products. Just looking at this colored glass cup, you can tell that General Ye must have spent a lot of effort to find it for you."
Shen Yuning paused slightly for a moment with the brush in her hand.
Xitong came in, which meant that person had arrived.
When it comes to plotting against Quan Minghe, Shen Yuning only cooperates with Xitong. Lan Ying and Bai Hua have always been Quan Minghe's people.
She sighed, "Only things that are loved and worth cherishing need to be preserved in paintings. I didn't understand it in the past, but now... I understand."
Xitong asked doubtfully, “Huh?”
Shen Yuning sighed.
"In the past, I had too many extravagant expectations. When I saw something I liked, I would ask for it. But I never thought that if it wasn't mine, even if I owned it, it would be an illusion."
"Your Majesty took the initiative to paint for Concubine Yan, which shows his love for her."
She paused.
"But the only two gifts I treasure are the painting I begged for after dancing, and the glass mirror I tried so hard to get."
"Everyone in the palace says that this is the favor that His Majesty has bestowed on me, but... on my birthday, Concubine Yan actually asked His Majesty to paint for me. Isn't that ridiculous?"
Lan Ying couldn't bear to see her sad.
He began to comfort her: "Your Majesty, Concubine Yan must have deliberately shown off in front of you. In His Majesty's heart, you must be more important than Concubine Yan."
Shen Yuning shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore."
"Please lock the painting that Your Majesty painted for me in the cabinet."
"Jieyu Yan really likes that glass mirror. If she comes to ask about it next time, give it to her."
Xi Tong was immediately dissatisfied: "Your Majesty, Concubine Yan has been favored recently. She often comes to Yaohua Palace to show off, mocks you, and even says that you are not worthy of the glass mirror. Even if you don't want it, you can't give it to her!"
“No problem…”
Before Shen Yuning finished speaking, a cold voice suddenly sounded from outside the door: "My Concubine Shen is really generous."
The pen in Shen Yuning's hand trembled, and then he put it down immediately.
Kneeling, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
Lan Ying, who was standing by, was so frightened that her face turned pale. The Empress and Xi Tong had just said a lot of outrageous words, so she quickly knelt down.
Quan Minghe glanced at the other people in the hall and said coldly: "Everyone retreat."
Everyone retreated.
For a moment, only Quan Minghe and Shen Yuning were left in the hall.
Quan Minghe lowered his eyes and stared at Shen Yuning for a long time.
After a moment, he walked around her and paced to the table, his eyes scanning the glass lamp and her unfinished painting one by one.
She treasured the gift from Ye Jinshu so much that she even drew a picture to commemorate it.
The gifts he gave her were either burned in a fire, or were about to be casually locked deep in a closet by her, or even given to others.
"Concubine Shen, do you know what crime it is to destroy the things bestowed by the emperor? Do you know what the punishment for deceiving the emperor is?"
Quan Minghe came over today, originally wanting to forgive her for being disrespectful to him last time, because it was indeed he who casually asked Li Ming to send the gift over.
But what he just heard from her aroused the anger in his heart again.
"I know my crime, and I am willing to be imprisoned in Yaohua Palace for the rest of my life, and never again cause trouble to Your Majesty."
Quan Minghe's heart suddenly felt blocked, as if being pressed by a huge rock, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.
Was she so eager to get away from him?
But he was an emperor, and he had always treated all his possessions like worn-out shoes, so how could he allow others to leave on their own initiative?
Quan Minghe walked a few steps to Shen Yuning, stretched out his long arm, pulled her up, and brought her straight to the table.
"You are my woman. Even if you don't like the gift I give you, you have to pretend to like it."
As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed the painting she had just drawn in front of her, exerted force with both hands, and with a "hiss", the painting was torn into two pieces.
Shen Yuning's face turned pale instantly, and she wanted to reach out to stop him, but it was too late.
After tearing up the painting, Quan Minghe's gaze fell on the glass cup, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
Shen Yuning was startled and reached out to take the glass cup without thinking.
That was Ye Jinshu's intention, how could he let it be damaged?
However, Quan Minghe was one step faster than her. He reached out and picked up the glass cup, preparing to throw it to the ground.
"No, Your Majesty, please!"
Shen Yuning was extremely anxious, her voice was filled with tears, and her eyes instantly turned red.
Kwon Myung Hyuk's hand stopped.
She actually begged him for a birthday gift from another man?
Quan Minghe suppressed the inexplicable bitterness in his heart and asked coldly: "Shen Yuning, do you still remember what you said when I gave you this name?"
Shen Yuning's eyelashes trembled a few times, and she murmured weakly, "Remember, from now on, I am Shen Yuning, your majesty's only one."
Shen Yuning raised her eyes and looked at him. She could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes and they fell down.
"So... Your Majesty can treat me as you please, as a thing, or as a pet that Your Majesty can summon and dismiss at will?"
"Object? Pet? After you entered the palace, weren't you my favorite? What did I not give you that you wanted?"
Shen Yuning raised her hand and brushed her cheek with her fingers to wipe away the tears.
"Your Majesty, have you really given me what I want? Does Your Majesty know what I like and what I don't like?"
She let out a light laugh, bitter and self-deprecating: "Yes, Your Majesty is the emperor, and you need to worry about everything in the world. Why waste your time on someone as insignificant as me?"
She paused, as if she had mustered up her courage.
"But it is clear that your majesty likes and favors Concubine Yan the most. If that is the case, why does your majesty still use me as a cover?"
Quan Minghe stared at her with his deep black eyes.
"How do you know that I favor Concubine Yan the most?"
If he doted on Yan Xin, would he let Yan Xin stay in Ganquan Palace for two years?
"Before that, on Shan's birthday, Concubine Yan showed off her majesty's favor in front of me, but your majesty remained indifferent."
"Jieyu Yan doesn't have to do anything. Your Majesty will take the initiative to paint for her."
"I have to ask for everything I want, but you have warned me not to expect things that are out of reach. But I don't know if your majesty is willing to give me what I want..."
When she said this, her eyes turned slightly red and there was a glimmer in her eyes.
Quan Minghe just felt his throat was very dry.
"There is a hidden reason for painting for Concubine Yan, and it is not what you think."
As for why he let her ask for what she wanted, it was just because of Kwon Myung-hyuk's own desire for control and possessiveness.
It was as if everything she had was given by him and she was his property.
Shen Yuning smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"It doesn't matter. I don't dare to ask for it, and I won't ask for it again. From now on, whatever Your Majesty wishes to give me, I will gladly accept it."
Kwon Myung Hyuk held her in his arms, and his voice became much gentler.
"Don't say those angry words. It was indeed my fault on your birthday. From now on, I will be by your side every year on your birthday and prepare the best birthday gift for you."
Shen Yuning pushed him away, and the tears she had been holding back finally flowed down after being touched by his words.
Quan Minghe felt a pang in his heart and stroked her tear-stained cheek.
"Don't cry."
Shen Yuning's wet eyelashes trembled, and her voice was choked with sobs: "I don't want to be sad, nor do I want to feel wronged, but since I entered the palace... I seem to have gotten used to it."
Quan Minghe was stunned.
Habit?
Are you used to being wronged?
These words were like a heavy hammer, hitting his heart hard.
On the day she entered the palace, she went to Ganquan Palace by herself.
Later, she was bullied by Liu Shihan and punished to copy scriptures. Although he found someone to help her copy, she had to endure it silently.
When Concubine Wang framed her, Concubine Liu made her kneel down as punishment. She felt so wronged that she didn't even dare to tell him.
Recently, on her birthday, he went to paint for Yan Xin...
For the first time, Quan Minghe felt an indescribable sense of guilt and heartache.
He always thought that he had spoiled her enough, but he didn't expect that he had inadvertently caused her so much grievance.
Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Shen Yuning calmed down.
"These past few days, I have been thinking over and over again why I felt wronged. Now that I think about it, it was just because I had expectations in my heart, but the expectations were not satisfactory."
She paused, a look of desolation flashing in her eyes: "Your Majesty has already warned me, so this is all my own fault."
Shen Yuning took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound steadier.
She said affirmatively: "Your Majesty, I will do it in the future."
However, Quan Minghe lowered his head and blocked her mouth.
His kiss was somewhat domineering and eager, as if he wanted to swallow all her words.
He would never allow her to push him away easily.
Every word that came out of her mouth was like a high wall, standing between them.
He wanted to let his heart be free, but he selfishly wanted to win her heart. When she retreated, Quan Minghe's heart couldn't help but panic.
Shen Yuning accepted Quan Minghe's domineering kiss while sneering in her heart.
Don't be anxious. I'm just pushing you away step by step now. Later, you will find that I will fall in love with Feng Moheng and Ye Jinshu again, but not with you.
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