Chapter 44: The End of the Year
In the evening, Xuan Yi walked into the warm room with a somewhat uneasy look on his face.
"Why don't you have dinner?"
The temperature in the warm room was moderate. Su Ci was only wearing a thin light green long skirt. She sat cross-legged in front of the easel, glancing at the celadon round-bellied vase on the low table in front of her from time to time, carefully drawing shadows with the charcoal pencil in her hand.
"I don't eat staple food at night because I want to stay in shape."
Xuan Yi took off his outer garment and sat down beside her, taking a towel to wipe her forehead which was stained with charcoal dust.
"It's pretty enough, no need to maintain it."
Su Ci raised her head with a clear conscience and let the king serve her, while pouting and muttering.
"You think being a beauty is easy, but you accidentally become a fat woman with thick arms and waist. I don't think you still want it."
Xuan Yi pondered for a moment, then couldn't help but curl his lips in laughter.
"I can't imagine it."
"So, I'm a favorite concubine, and it's my professional ethics to maintain the appearance of a favorite concubine."
Su Ci smiled and reached out to pinch his chin, but was grabbed by the wrist.
"Nonsense."
Xuan Yi wiped her black fingers and asked with a frown, "Do you think being a concubine is a profession?"
"Isn't it?"
Su Ci blinked innocently. "Your Majesty is the boss, the Empress is the shopkeeper, and the concubines each have their own positions and receive monthly salaries. Every day, they are responsible for looking beautiful and pleasing His Majesty. It's similar to the civil and military officials. Isn't it considered a job?"
"you…"
Xuan Yi pursed his lips slightly. "You're talking nonsense again. Get up and eat something with me. Nanny Qin asked the imperial kitchen to make your favorite vegetarian soup. It won't make you fat."
"oh…"
**
At night, after a passionate lovemaking, Su Ci leaned on his sweaty and hot chest, panting.
"Men's mouths are deceitful. We agreed once..."
Xuan Yi breathed out his breath, his whole body clear. He lifted the limp figure up and pulled the quilt to cover the wet snow-white back.
"I didn't lie to you, just once."
Su Ci rolled her eyes and pinched the flesh around his waist in anger.
It was indeed once, but this thing also slowed down and took a breather in the middle, which lasted more than half an hour each time.
"hiss…"
Xuan Yi frowned, and reached down with his palm to pinch the perky and soft breasts: "Don't provoke me."
“Who hired you…”
Su Ci's butt was still hurt by the bite marks, so she quickly retracted her legs.
In fact, Xuan Yi came every day for the past half month, but he didn't do it every day, otherwise her small body would have been destroyed by his brutal hands.
"Your Majesty, why don't you ever summon me to spend the night at Funing Palace?"
Xuan Yi paused slightly.
"There are palace rules that concubines cannot stay overnight in Funing Palace."
"ah?"
Su Ci was surprised: "Why didn't I know there was such a rule? So you always slept with the concubines and then sent them back home, you are so heartless..."
“…”
Xuan Yi narrowed his black eyes slightly and looked down.
What did he hear?
Su Ci also reacted, baring her teeth in embarrassment and rubbing against his shoulder.
"Would you like to hear a bedtime story~"
Xuan Yi rubbed his little head helplessly and closed his eyes contentedly.
"explain."
"A long time ago there was a mountain, on the mountain there was a temple, in the temple there was an old monk, the old monk was telling a story to a young monk. The story goes that a long time ago there was a mountain, on the mountain there was a temple, in the temple there was an old monk, the old monk was telling a story to the young monk..."
Xuan Yi opened his eyes.
“Puha…”
Su Ci suppressed a laugh and shook her shoulders. "The story goes that once upon a time there was a mountain, and on the mountain there was a temple. In the temple there was an old monk, and the old monk was telling a story to a young monk..."
"It seems my beloved concubine is not sleepy yet."
"Eh? Ber, I'm very sleepy. My beloved is super sleepy!"
"Whoa, don't come over here, help!"
…
The year-end palace banquet was held in the Guanghui Hall next to the Imperial Garden. It was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns inside and out, and it was dazzling.
Bright red lanterns hang all over the corridors, reflecting the glazed tiles and vermilion palace walls, creating a festive and peaceful atmosphere.
Inside the main hall, musicians sit on both sides, gently stroking the strings of the harp or striking the chimes. The beautiful notes are like the gurgling of water. Dancers in brightly colored costumes dance gracefully, their graceful figures swaying with the melodious music.
The royal family, ministers and their families sat on both sides in order of rank. The tables were filled with delicacies and people were drinking and chatting.
On the main seat, the king sat upright, with the queen mother on his left, and the queen who had been under house arrest for many days, the virtuous concubine and the good concubine on his right.
The most eye-catching person was Concubine Shu, who was sitting next to the Empress Dowager and was highly favored by the Emperor.
She was wearing the ceremonial uterine skirt of Concubine Zi of the Ming Dynasty, with a slender and graceful figure. The hairpins and step-shakes in her black hair were luxurious and eye-catching, but they could not compare to her naturally beautiful face.
No wonder even the usually austere emperor broke his vow...
Everyone was looking at Su Ci, but Su Ci stiffened her heavy neck and looked frequently at the seats of the royal family.
In the original novel, Emperor Xuanyi did a pretty good job.
He was born as the eldest son and received imperial education since childhood. He was very talented and was granted the title of Crown Prince of the East Palace when he was in his teens. After the death of the previous emperor, he naturally ascended the throne. He made outstanding achievements in his life and was loved by his subjects. He died of natural causes with many descendants.
The only setback is the regret of not being able to love the heroine.
But the second male supporting role in the original novel is Xuan Yi’s half-brother, King Xuan Chen of Thailand.
Since he is the second male supporting role, he naturally has more roles.
The biological mother of the King of Thailand was born into a palace maiden and was neglected since childhood. Therefore, she is deep-minded, sinister and cruel. She regards the kind and virtuous heroine as the light of salvation in her life.
But as the heroine and the hero Chu Yunzhou fell in love later on, the King of Thailand was unable to get her love, and turned love into hatred, thus giving rise to the regrettable and heartbreaking villain in the original work.
She remembered that later when Xuan Yi helped the hero and heroine return to Beijing, the King of Thailand had planned a rebellion, trying to use his supreme power to take back the heroine, but the heroine cleverly discovered it and helped Xuan Yi quell the war.
But she is not a virgin heroine, and she has greatly changed the plot. I wonder if the King of Thailand will rebel again...
"Your Majesty, I offer you a toast."
Xuan Yi nodded slightly and took a sip of wine, then tilted his head slightly to glance at the girl who was looking around.
Who are you looking for?
At the table where the clan members were seated, two men in fine clothes stood up and walked in front of the emperor.
"Your Majesty, I offer you a toast."
My younger brother?
Su Ci looked up at the two of them.
The Tian family has good genes, both are handsome men, one is gentle and elegant, the other is handsome and feminine, the latter should be more suitable for the character of the villain...
After the two men toasted the king, they toasted the queen mother.
"Haha, okay, King of Thailand, King Ning is only two years older than you, and now he has a son and a daughter. Isn't it time for you to get married?"
Sure enough, the feminine and handsome man was King Xuanchen of Thailand.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. However, I don't have anyone I like yet. If I do, I will let you know."
Su Ci took a sip of the sweet and sour plum wine, her eyes met the King of Thailand's. She blinked and then looked away, but accidentally met another pair of eyes.
“…”
Chu Yunzhou nodded slightly, and Su Ci had no choice but to nod in return, lowering her eyes to drink.
There was obvious surprise in the eyes of both of them.
Damn, the heroine is too beautiful and has attracted too many romantic debts. What should I do?
On this side, the king, who had seen the subtle eye contact between the three people throughout the whole process, slowly frowned.
…
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