The snow fell heavier and heavier, and when it got completely dark, the snow in the unattended corners was already ankle-deep.
Qian Shengyan had no choice but to stand up, put on her cloak and carry a hand warmer, and arrange for people to clean all the palace paths. The front court also needed to be cleaned up to prevent ministers from accidentally slipping and falling while entering the palace, which would delay the work.
On a snowy night, even the guards seemed to relax a bit, and Shan Xiu nervously welcomed Hong Shi.
Hongshi brought a set of eunuch clothes, helped Shanxiu change into them, then pulled her around and laughed, "You really look good in this."
"Really?" Shan Xiu looked at the unfamiliar version of herself with a hint of shyness, not noticing the fleeting lewd look in Hong Shi's eyes. She happily hugged Hong Shi's arm. "Are you going to take me out?"
"Okay, I've arranged everything. Let's go." Hongshi helped Shanxiu climb over the windowsill, then led her quietly along the wall to the "mouse hole," gesturing for Shanxiu to crawl through.
Shan Xiu: ...
She was initially unwilling, but... thinking that Hongshi, a prince, always came to see her via this route, Shan Xiu suddenly felt that she could do it too!
After struggling to squeeze through the hole in the wall, Shan Xiu looked up and, although it was still red bricks and green tiles, her heart leaped with joy.
She came out of Chengqian Palace!
This cage that imprisoned her for two years! This place that ruined the best years of her life!
Hongshi brought her out of this cage!
At this moment, Hongshi was like a savior to Shanxiu! She turned around, ignoring the dust on their bodies and faces, and threw herself into Hongshi's arms, pouting her lips as she tried to kiss him.
"Hey, shh." Hongshi covered her red lips, looked around first, then laughed, "Come on, I'll take you to a nice place where no one's around."
"Didn't you say you'd take me to your yard?" Shan Xiu asked as she ran alongside Hong Shi.
Hongshi paused slightly, then turned around and smiled: "I'll take you to the most exciting place."
Stimulate?
Dan Xiu was puzzled, but the palace was still very unfamiliar to her. Apart from Chengqian Palace and Yangxin Hall, she had only been to the Imperial Garden and escorted Nian Gengyao to Donghua Gate.
The evening glow watched over her like a prisoner; Shan Xiu couldn't go anywhere, and she didn't know where she should go.
Led by Hongshi into a palace, Shanxiu had no idea where she was. She blindly followed Hongshi, believing he wouldn't harm her.
However, Hongshi led her to the north gate of Fengxian Hall.
Fengxian Hall is usually sparsely visited, and the guards don't pay much attention to it during patrols, let alone in such heavy snow. Hongshi continued to lead Shanxiu, turning left and right, until they finally arrived at a small courtyard on the east side of Fengxian Hall. There was a small hall with three rooms, originally built by Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houcong, to honor his father, Prince Xingxian, Zhu Youyuan. Now it was also abandoned.
He was slightly out of breath, raised his hand to brush the snow off Shan Xiu's head, and leaned down to kiss her forehead with a soft laugh.
Shan Xiu was a little embarrassed. She looked at the small courtyard with three rooms, not knowing where she was, but—it didn't matter.
She tremblingly raised her hand to hug Hongshi's neck, her face flushing red: "Third Prince..."
"Call me by my name." Hongshi's lips lingered on Shanxiu's forehead, and seeing that she did not object, he began to move downwards.
Dan Xiu's heart was pounding, and her voice was trembling uncontrollably: "Hong... Hongshi..."
Hongshi chuckled softly and lowered his head to kiss her lips.
What happened next seemed natural, yet also somewhat abnormal. Outside, the wind and snow raged, but inside the Fengxian Hall, the candles burned brightly, and if you listened closely, you could occasionally hear the crunching sound of palace servants and guards walking on the snow.
But in this secluded, seemingly isolated courtyard, Hongshi finally got his wish and pinned his father's beloved concubine to the bed.
"Hongshi, Hongshi..." Shan Xiu was both ashamed and afraid. Although she had read the booklet repeatedly, she had never done anything like this before. The courtyard was deserted and there was no charcoal fire. As her clothes were untied layer by layer, she couldn't help but tremble.
She felt cold, fear, and excitement, but Shan Xiu had regretted it once before, so this time she couldn't bear to push Hong Shi away and just closed her eyes to endure it.
Hongshi was very experienced, and soon Shanxiu felt herself burning up. She couldn't help but hook her arms around Hongshi's waist and burst into tears with a soft moan.
"I'm here." Hongshi whispered this in her ear with infinite ambiguity, and then forcefully entered her—
It hurt, but it was also exhilarating. As Shan Xiu cried, she thought to herself that she had finally become a normal woman, and that she had finally been a woman for once.
Hongshi hesitated for a moment when he entered, sensing something was amiss, but after a while he assumed it was just Shan Xiu being too nervous. Coupled with the satisfaction in his heart outweighing the physical pleasure, he became emotional and whispered, "Empress Hua, how do you feel? Did I make you happy? Hmm? Your Highness, am I more powerful, or is Father Emperor more powerful, hmm?"
Dan Xiu was so disoriented that she couldn't hear Hong Shi's words clearly anymore. His sentences were incoherent and she felt ashamed. She covered her lips, but tears streamed down her face.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but Hongshi was already dressed properly when Shan Xiucai shakily came to her senses. She clutched her slightly torn clothes at her chest, called out "Hongshi," and tears fell again.
She should have been happy, but she felt more bewildered and flustered. She mumbled "Hongshi" again, wanting to ask if they could be together forever, but then she found it funny and started crying even harder.
Hongshi was satisfied, but when he looked back at her, his gentleness was tinged with impatience. He wiped away her tears with his thumb and said insincerely, "Don't cry. Aren't you happy being with me? Hmm? Are you uncomfortable? Don't worry, I'll come to see you again on New Year's Eve. Then, we'll have sex in your palace, okay?"
Dan Xiu looked at Hong Shi blankly, slightly parted her lips, but didn't know what to say.
"Tsk, you look at me like that..." Hongshi chuckled teasingly, and pressed down on him again...
As dawn approached, the snow stopped. Supported by Hongshi, Shan Xiu limped along the wall, trying to avoid people as she quietly returned to the back wall of Chengqian Hall.
Hongshi was too lazy to go through the hole in the wall with her anymore. He just told her to be careful on her way back, and then casually left with the words, "I'll come find you on New Year's Eve." He turned and walked briskly along the wall.
Dan Xiu turned around and looked at the gray figure, her heart pounding with panic.
Was she wrong?
No, that's impossible. She did nothing wrong. What did she do wrong? She just wanted to find love.
Besides, Hongshi is so good to her and so gentle with her, how could that be wrong?
Despite her discomfort and aches, Shan Xiu carefully crawled through a hole in the wall and returned to her bedchamber. Not daring to be discovered by Wanxia, she forced herself to clean herself with cold water, then stuffed her eunuch's robes under the bed. Just as she lay back down, she heard the sounds of palace maids moving about outside.
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