Autumn Hunt
Peng Xuan'an doesn't know how to cherish opportunities. It's only the beginning of the month, and he's already had two chances. Now there are only zero left, and he's still not satisfied; he wants more.
He left court early that evening and returned home in a cheerful mood.
The night was quiet.
Pang Linqiu was handling some business at her desk when Peng Xuan'an pushed open the door and entered. Seeing her busy, he felt inexplicably happy, perhaps because he had seen her.
He approached, his long, curved eyelashes drooping, his gentle gaze carefully examining the words she was writing.
Bei'an lacks water resources; the search for water requires traveling hundreds of miles... A canal must be dug to bring water...
She stopped writing, closed the folded book, and looked up with displeasure.
Have you seen enough?
Peng Xuan'an smiled faintly, "Just curious to take a look."
"..." He tidied up impatiently.
Peng Xuan'an walked around the table and sat down beside her, his hot hand pressing down on her right hand as she sorted through her papers. She turned to look at him, but Peng Xuan'an seemed only capable of smiling, staring straight at her like a dog.
"Madam, would you like to discuss something?" he said softly.
"Say it." It's definitely not a good thing.
Peng Xuan'an didn't speak, but instead picked her up, the candle still burning and the gauze fluttering in the wind. Pang Linqiu was frighteningly calm, as if she was used to his behavior.
Peng Xuan'an gently placed her on the bed, supported himself on the bed with both hands, and looked down at the person beneath him.
Pang Linqiu frowned. She was covered in old and new wounds; if she continued like this, it was uncertain whether she would be able to get out of bed tomorrow! She pressed one hand against his firm chest. "What must we say in bed?"
Peng Xuan'an took her hand, kissed it, and then pressed it against the headboard. He lowered his head, gently leaning closer, greedily inhaling the fragrance emanating from her body. He whispered in her ear like a child, "Madam... I have a favor to ask of you."
His breathing was slightly heavy, as if he had endured a lot of "torture".
She tilted her head, trying to avoid his hot breath. "What is it?"
"Please, my lady, have mercy on me." He was pleading, begging, requesting, and demanding of her.
His face was close to her collarbone, the tip of his nose lightly tracing the bone, sometimes breathing in cool air, sometimes exhaling warm breath. He pressed down on her, and she felt utterly powerless and helpless. He looked up, gazing at her expectantly, as if waiting for her consent.
She scoffed as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world, tilting her head slightly and narrowing her almond-shaped eyes as she looked at the person pressing down on her.
"Do you love me?"
Peng Xuan'an nodded.
"I'm the one who's in pain, why are you in pain?"
He chuckled softly, burying his head in her neck again, his eyes hazy and tender, his young voice slightly magnetic and seductive, "Of course it hurts my heart."
She was like a cat, pinned down by her owner, her whole body being sucked hard, unable to move.
She smiled speechlessly: "Stay away from me, that way neither of us will feel pain."
"Madam... I want to..." Chu Chu looked up and pleaded.
"If you don't want to, get out of here." Despairing of life, he pushed hard, but could only move a little.
"But I feel so awful..." (The rest of the text is cut off.)
"Didn't we find you two concubines? You can go to a brothel or you can stay put." Fei Jin pushed Peng Xuan'an away, sat up, and looked at him.
"But holding it in... will make you sick."
"You're sick, not me." She straightened her clothes.
"Can't you help me solve this, Madam?" he asked, looking at her with a wronged expression.
She raised her index finger, pointed it at his face, and warned him sternly, "Don't push your luck!"
"If my wife is unwilling..." His breathing grew heavier, "aren't you afraid that I will force you?" His sharp eyes were consumed by desire.
Pang Linqiu sneered. How dare they threaten her? She calmly replied, "Then I don't mind letting Lord Peng find a new wife."
She was willing to gamble, betting that he wouldn't dare to force himself on her. Even if he did, she wouldn't hesitate to slash his neck again.
Peng Xuan'an instantly sobered up a bit, biting her lip in frustration, then turned her head and put on a gentle expression.
He pinned her down again.
She fell silent again. Did he really have to make her lie down to talk? Was he only satisfied when he was up there watching? What kind of fetish was this? Where was the Peng Xuan'an who used to be so unyielding?
"Then I'll just stay outside and promise not to go in, okay?" He was very sincere, raising his hand to swear.
He still shook his head.
"Just this once," she coaxed gently.
He shook his head with a resolute look in his eyes.
"No."
He pleaded softly, "Quietly."
"There is only a difference between fast and slow, not between light and heavy."
He pleaded softly, "Please, madam..."
He felt unbearably hot all over.
Handsome + Powerful + High-ranking official in the court + Clingy + Two-faced + A record of great achievements + Devoted + Actively seeking...
Looking across the entire city of Kyoto, which woman could resist? Except her.
Such a beautiful scene of seeking pity is hard for anyone to resist. When the superior shows affection, she, as the inferior, chooses A: to watch with her eyes open without making any move, or B: to ignore it and immediately give him a good scolding.
If resistance is out of 10, Pang Linqiu would definitely give him 7 points, and the remaining 3 points are for wanting to slap him to death three times.
Of course, she chose to tell him to get lost.
"Get out! Peng Xuan'an, get to the private room right now to deal with this! If this happens again, I won't let you off easy!"
...
Forced to leave the master bedroom, he felt extremely frustrated and went to the cubicle to deal with it all by himself.
It was so hot, so "thirsty" for the kiss of water, but in the end, it was met with calloused hands...
After finishing, I returned to the master bedroom.
Peng Xuan'an embraced her into the bed, but his heart was still uneasy.
He lay on his back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. "Madam... next autumn, there will be an autumn hunt. Would you like to go with me?"
"..." She remained silent for a long time, and Mo He's face appeared in her mind. Her heart ached with pain and sorrow. She wanted to know if he would go.
Why? She keeps thinking of him unconsciously, even though she's buried all her thoughts in her work. Exhaustion should be draining her energy for thinking, not causing these sudden flashbacks of his image to surface.
She couldn't bring herself to ask Peng Xuan'an.
She knew that as someone else's wife, if she mentioned other men, he would probably hate Mo He...
"Okay," she replied with a hint of resignation.
They shared a pillow, with her back to him.
Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his embrace and gently bringing his face close to hers. Feeling the warmth of her face and cherishing every moment of her presence, he softly kissed her cheek.
Speaking softly, as if afraid of waking her, "Yes, Madam..."
She felt a strange pang of bitterness, and the hatred in her heart was inexplicable. Why did she hate him? After being married for several years, what had grown over time was not love, but a little bit of hatred.
She vaguely saw him in her dreams, but he was a stranger then. He didn't love her, and she didn't love him. Unable to have the one he loved, he took many concubines, leaving her alone in her room. It seemed they had made some kind of pact... and that's how hatred arose...
Before we knew it, it was mid-September, and Pang Linqiu was twenty years old that year.
The wind scatters fallen leaves, and the bleak autumn wind blows through waves of half-yellow and half-green grass. The autumn sky is azure, and the sun shines brightly but not scorchingly.
The emperor was overjoyed and held an autumn hunt in Xiling, which was attended by many high-ranking officials, nobles, and young men and women.
The chosen location is exceptionally beautiful, with dense forests of golden and orange hues intertwined, creating a dazzling and breathtaking spectacle. Numerous animals roam the woods, and beyond the colorful foliage lies a rolling grassland, its peaks undulating, sometimes verdant, sometimes shimmering…
The emperor was delighted, and the autumn hunt lasted five days, with different activities held each day, including riding, archery, poetry, and more.
(Bonus chapter added! Bonus chapter added! Bonus chapter added! Let's get straight to the point and move the story forward.)
On the fifth day of the autumn hunt, Peng Xuan'an no longer cared about the event itself. The sky was clear and the azure sky was pristine. Without hesitation, he pulled her up, saddled the horse, and headed to the edge of the woods.
There, the bright green grass swayed in the wind, white clouds drifted in the blue sky, and wild geese flew south.
The simple color scheme of white, blue, and green creates a beautiful scene. Against this backdrop, the colors of the two people's clothing are clearly out of place, with the white horse grazing with its head down.
The two lay down in the rolling waves of grass, and the grass embraced them gently into this land.
The two looked up at the blue sky, saying nothing yet seemingly conveying a thousand words. He rested one hand on the back of his head, glancing at her with doting affection as she looked up at the blue sky.
He desperately wanted to hide her away, not wanting anyone to see her these past few days. She'd been interacting with many men, and he felt a pang of unease. She disappeared during his competition, and afterwards, she was gambling in the crowd… The crucial point! She wasn't among the crowd betting on him to win; she was betting on Mo He to win…
The thought of this made him angry. Clearly! Clearly, he was her rightful husband! Not Qin Mohe!
He wrapped one arm around her waist, pulled her over, and flipped her over. She was on top, pressing down on him, while he held her firmly from below, restricting her movements…
Pang Linqiu was startled by this action and tried to get up, but his hands, which were like iron chains, locked her waist and she couldn't move away at all.
"Linqiu... let's talk, okay?" He felt a pang of sadness as he pressed her head down, drawing her face close to his.
Pang Linqiu wanted to break free; she didn't like this.
"Do you hate my touch?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with fear.
Pang Linqiu's eyes were innocent. She blinked her round, almond-shaped eyes at him for a moment, then lowered her head, her hair brushing against his chin, behaving herself obediently.
Peng Xuan'an cherished this woman who belonged only to him, who obediently accepted his touch—perhaps that's what a true couple should be...
He loved her deeply, a love that ran through his very bones. He held her tightly, wanting to bury himself entirely in her embrace. His voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Linqiu, do you... know?"
She nestled against his chest, "..."
His heart was beating faster and faster, as if telling her, "My heart beats for you, and surges with uncontrollable emotion for you."
"Marrying you is the greatest happiness and the most correct choice I have ever made in this life." His heartfelt words were filled with indescribable emotions, a mixture of gratitude and fear.
He was afraid, afraid that one day he would lose her. The thought of her contact with that group of people made him feel terrible.
"Please, never leave me." He pleaded with her.
"..." She paused for a long while, not understanding what he meant, and replied calmly, "But all good things must come to an end, and we all have to part ways..."
His face turned pale, and he bit his lip, tightening his grip on her arms. His tone remained calm: "Madam, please don't mention separation. The word 'separation' is inauspicious, and I don't like to hear it."
She said helplessly, "I'm just stating the facts." She just wants a quick divorce, and now she has fewer and fewer things to do.
"Linqiu...can you please stop making me take a concubine?"
She remained silent.
"I only want to love you well for the rest of my life, and you are the only one." His face rested against her hair, and he raised his hand to stroke it.
Seeing that she didn't answer, his heart ached even more, filled with despair. He should have thought of this sooner.
He said sadly, "You still only have him in your heart... is that right?"
She knew who he was referring to: Qin Mohe.
She turned her head away, seemingly unwilling to answer the question, and Peng Xuan'an gave a wry smile and sighed softly.
"Really?" he pressed.
She replied coldly and guiltily, "You've misunderstood. Mohe and I only have a past relationship. Don't overthink it."
"Really?" He didn't believe it.
He said tactfully, "But it seems that your feelings for him... haven't been completely severed. You never really wanted to be my wife, did you?"
"You're overthinking it. Even without him, I would still be your husband."
Even without him, she would still have to marry him according to the marriage contract. Even if they divorced, her father would still marry her off to him for his own benefit... She couldn't escape... and she couldn't escape!
"But you seem to dislike me."
Why do you say that?
He recalled her behavior a few days ago, "Your attitude towards Mohe is completely different from... your attitude towards me."
"?"... It's just that I didn't bet my chips on his side, it's not worth making such a fuss about.
“I regard him as my elder brother, so my attitude is naturally different.”
Peng Xuan'an laughed, but it was a heartbreaking laugh: "A hidden expression of affection?" He put one hand to his forehead, his brow furrowed in worry.
Pang Linqiu was instantly displeased upon hearing this, wondering what was wrong with him? Had he gone mad?
"I don't know what you're talking about." A hasty denial only convinced him.
Peng Xuan'an realized she had said something she shouldn't have, and changed the subject, "Can you please not hate me?"
"...I don't hate you..." I don't know what he's up to.
"Is that so?" He lifted Pang Linqiu's face with both hands, forcing her to look directly at him, so that he could observe her expression.
"Then why do your eyes and your expression tell me that you hate me... loathe me?" His voice trailed off, as if he was afraid she would hear him, yet he desperately wanted to know the answer.
Pang Linqiu lowered her eyes, not wanting to meet his gaze. "Perhaps you've been spending too much time together and you're feeling annoyed, mistaking that annoyance for hatred."
She finally understood what he meant; he was trying to get information out of her.
He chuckled and whispered, "Is that so?" He found it absurd, but didn't call him out on it.
"Mm." He nodded.
"Did you ever love me? Linqiu... no, Zhichun."
After thinking for a moment, she replied with a gentle smile, "Mm," instead of "I loved you."
"Then can you prove it with your actions?"
...Is this supposed to be done? This is utterly absurd.
"How do you want me to prove it?"
"Give me a kiss." He wanted her to take the initiative this time.
Pang Linqiu fell silent, and the two locked eyes.
Peng Xuan'an smiled slightly, "Want me to kiss you?"
Pang Linqiu was in a state of turmoil. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes tightly, and lowered her head to kiss the corner of his lips. She dared not let him kiss her; she couldn't forget the feeling of suffocation.
Peng Xuan smiled contentedly. That was enough, this was enough, even if she hated the kiss. He wasn't greedy; perhaps he would wait a little longer, just a little longer.
Perhaps she will discover that she is the best one and thus give up on Qin Mohe.
He cupped the back of her head with one hand, pressed it down, and gave her a light kiss, then nestled her head against his chest.
"I love you."
"Your love is so inexplicable..."
"That's what love is."
Pang Linqiu's feelings were complicated: Is that so...?
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