Chapter 21 Gift "Only a dance to celebrate a triumphant return."...
Just then, a firefly bumped into the window frame and shattered into a few fleeting green lights.
Just like Shi Wan's mood at this moment, it was uncertain and unsettled.
Before she could even begin to explain, the man went straight to the point, clearly wanting to ask but having patiently held back.
In that case, she certainly couldn't refuse.
"Your Majesty is about to embark on a campaign, and you have come to visit me in a special way. I am overjoyed."
Jiang Xu interrupted, "Overjoyed?" He chuckled, "Then you should be more self-aware and do something about it, shouldn't you?"
These words were completely different from his usual refined manner. Perhaps he had just finished training, because a bandit-like aura emanated from him and permeated his breath.
Shi Wan has always been a sensitive person; she can feel the burning gaze directed at her from the other side even with her eyes closed.
"What do you mean?" she asked, following Jiang Xu's question.
As soon as she finished speaking, the man suddenly moved closer and hugged her. Due to the significant height difference between them, Jiang Xu had no choice but to curl up and bury her head in Shi Wan's neck, inhaling her fragrance.
After the impulse in his heart had subsided considerably, he continued, "Give me a kiss."
Shi Wan's eyes were misty, as dark as the night sky outside. "Your Majesty... have you been drinking?"
"No." Jiang Xu suddenly moved, gently rubbing his nose against Shi Wan's neck, not even sparing a few strands of her hair that were scattered to the side, his expression extremely greedy.
Shi Wan couldn't see Jiang Xu's expression, but it was obvious that the man was losing patience.
She quickly answered the question she had been asked when she entered, "This servant is willing."
Jiang Xu had only acted indirectly because he saw that she was shy. Now that he had gotten the answer he wanted, he stopped what he was doing and looked up at her.
He was backlit, and the bright moon outside the window seemed to outline his outstanding features, shimmering with tiny rays of light that made Shi Wan dizzy.
She must be unconscious, Shi Wan thought, and couldn't help but stare at the person in front of her again.
Otherwise, how could one see a faint hint of joy in Jiang Xu's eyes?
Joy? Has the goal been achieved?
"Kiss me."
This is something that needs both.
Shi Wan felt annoyed, but she had no choice but to lean closer and kiss his thin lips.
At first, she only wanted to skim the surface, but how could Jiang Xu let her have her way? On a whim, he casually slipped his tongue inside. Shi Wan had been nervous and had drunk two cups of cold flower tea early on, so her mouth was not as warm as usual, but rather a little cool.
In an instant, it neutralized the scorching heat emanating from Jiang Xu's body.
After the kiss, the man's mood improved considerably. Shi Wan dared not say more, only saying, "With Your Majesty about to go on a campaign, I haven't been sleeping well these past few days."
"Not quite at ease?" Jiang Xu looked at her and asked in return, "But I've also heard that you've been strolling around the manor with Liu Ying these past few days, and you seem quite at ease."
His tone was somewhat sarcastic, "They seemed like a perfect couple."
A match made in heaven? Does this person even know how to choose words?!
He was even more illiterate than she was.
Shi Wan remained unmoved, seemingly oblivious to the subtle sarcasm in her words, and smiled gently. "There's a reason I left the manor." She coaxed, "Would Your Majesty like to guess?"
Jiang Xu naturally wouldn't refuse his woman's request to indulge in some romantic gestures.
He casually remarked, "Could it be for my sake?"
"Your Majesty!" Shi Wan exclaimed, seemingly extremely surprised, "You are truly a prophet!"
"That's right, I went out of the palace to buy things for the King."
"Didn't you go to the women's clothing store?" he asked, unmoved.
How could such a place have anything to do with him?
That's nonsense.
Jiang Xu hesitated for a moment, but still didn't discourage Wan'er. He simply followed up on the topic, saying, "Could there be things related to me hidden inside a woman's clothes?"
Shi Wan smiled sweetly and said softly, "Your Majesty, please close your eyes."
Close your eyes? These are just some of those little thoughts of young women.
Oh well, in the end...
It's about putting effort into him.
Jiang Xu closed his eyes as instructed. After a short while, he felt a coolness on his wrist, and then heard Shi Wan's voice, "You can open them now!"
Opening my eyes, what I saw was a piece of misty blue ribbon, like a girl's hairband.
The fabric is soft and fits the skin well; it must be somewhat expensive.
But a belt, no matter how expensive, can't be that much more expensive.
A subtle sense of imbalance welled up in Jiang Xu's heart, and he asked, "Is this the thing?"
Shi Wan nodded obediently, "Yes."
Seeing that she answered affirmatively, Jiang Xu felt even more uncomfortable. "I gave you so many things, and you only returned this one belt?"
“That’s too much…” He chuckled and then fell silent.
"This ribbon can be tied around the wrist, or used as a hairband or forehead band. I think the misty indigo color suits Your Majesty very well. I saw it by chance while shopping and thought of Your Majesty, so I bought it for you."
The woman's voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of pleading in her tone.
Jiang Xu listened silently, and unsurprisingly...
I enjoyed listening to it.
He unconsciously straightened up so that the distance between them wasn't so close, "...Hmm."
"If that's the case, then you've put in quite a bit of effort." He said calmly, "After all, it's a token of your goodwill, so... it's fine to wear it."
Seeing Shi Wan's smile, he continued, "But calling it a gift is still a bit of a stretch." His words were loaded with meaning, "What do you think?"
What does she think?
This person is truly insatiable.
Fortunately, Shi Wan had spent so much time with him that she had anticipated this.
She hurriedly replied, "Of course, this servant has also prepared other gifts for Your Majesty!"
Jiang Xu had only intended to make a few accusations, but he hadn't expected to actually be tricked into revealing something. Upon hearing this, he paused for a moment, then asked, "Oh? What gift?"
Seeing this, Shi Wan gently removed the hairband from his wrist, intending to tie it around Jiang Xu's eyelashes. Unfortunately, for some reason, the man's body was stiff, and since there was already a height difference between the two, she couldn't tie it properly.
"Lower your head," Shi Wan said unconsciously, but then quickly and pitifully corrected herself, "Your Majesty is so tall, this servant... can't quite reach you."
Almost immediately after she finished explaining, Jiang Xu lowered his head obediently and let her tie the strap without even asking why.
Realizing this, Shi Wan's heart skipped a beat, and seeing the man's handsome face so close to hers, the tips of her ears unconsciously flushed slightly.
After fastening the sash, she quickly stepped back and took Jiang Xu's hand, saying, "Your Majesty, please follow me."
The door opened, and a night breeze swept in, ruffling the hems of their clothes.
The moon, not yet full, hangs high in the sky, and night frost covers the blue brick floor.
The guards on duty had just changed shifts and were working diligently when they suddenly saw their king being led this way.
The guards' alarm bells rang, remembering the king's earlier instructions, and they quickly and silently retreated into the shadows.
Shi Wan led Jiang Xu to a courtyard.
In the courtyard, the locust tree was in full bloom, and moonlight filtered through its feathery leaves, casting a series of shimmering shadows on the ground.
The treetops rustled in the night breeze, and soon a few tiny locust blossoms, no bigger than grains of rice, drifted slowly down from the branches.
Once they reached the center of the courtyard, Shi Wan removed the veil from Jiang Xu's eyes. "Your Majesty, this is the place."
Jiang Xu slowly opened his eyes and looked around. "So, what is the gift?"
Shi Wan gracefully bowed and said, "This servant has been learning skills at Willow Terrace since I was eight years old, and it has been more than seven years now."
"This servant has no other skills, but I am particularly good at singing and dancing."
Jiang Xu's heart stirred slightly, and he couldn't help but stare at Shi Wan closely again. Only then did he realize that she was wearing a long robe today, with extremely long wide sleeves, like some kind of dress worn by a dancer. It was probably made of silk or brocade, and under the moonlight, it shimmered with a pearly white luster, which was quite beautiful.
Just like Wan'er herself.
Her waistband was adorned with tiny pearls and jade, and with the slightest movement, her eyes sparkled with tiny glitters, just as he had expected.
That waist is so thin.
It's so small that he could probably easily hold it with one hand.
Even... you can't use any force.
Under the full moonlight, he heard Wan'er's soft voice, "The king is about to go to war, there is nothing this servant can do."
"Only one dance can celebrate our triumphant return."
After speaking, the wide sleeve suddenly came out from the wrist, waving in a long arc, while the other sleeve flipped up and shot straight into the air, bringing with it a gust of wind.
Wan'er's hands were folded together, and her waist was slightly bent downwards. Jiang Xu saw this and couldn't help but soften his breathing.
He seemed to feel even hotter now.
The woman's waist formed an astonishing curve, incredibly supple, and the beads hanging from her waist emitted a crisp, melodious sound.
As the dance came to an end, Wan'er's toes landed precisely, and she knelt on the ground. Around her were locust blossoms that had somehow fallen around her. From a distance, it looked as if she were surrounded by clusters of flower buds.
The moonlight shines down, making her look like a fairy from heaven.
Jiang Xu's breathing almost stopped instantly.
After a long while, he finally found his voice. "Is this the gift you wanted to give me?" Before Shi Wan could answer, he continued to murmur, "...I like it very much."
As if afraid of disturbing the person in front of him, this time he lowered his voice to a very low tone, and after a moment, he said again, "Come here."
......
Since settling in the prefect's mansion, everything inside has been repaired by Jiang Xu's men, including this courtyard.
The newly transplanted banana trees swayed in the wind, seemingly unwilling to disturb the peaceful and serene scene.
It had just rained when we woke up. The wet raindrops on the broad leaves pattered against the stone bench. Jiang Xu led Shi Wan to sit on the bench and half-embraced her.
In the center of the stone table was apricot blossom wine that the guards had been instructed to place in advance. As soon as the lid was lifted, the sweet aroma of the wine quickly spread.
Shi Wan had just finished strenuous exercise and was still a little out of breath. She didn't have much strength left. When Jiang Xu held her, she just obediently lowered her eyes and showed no intention of resisting.
This appearance undoubtedly pleased the other party greatly.
Overjoyed, Jiang Xu even became more talkative, gently calling her, "Wan'er." His voice was like a hook, "I am delighted with everything you have done today."
This was the first time he had admitted his joy to her. Similarly, Shi Wan could clearly sense the unspoken desire beneath that joy.
The man's body temperature was alarmingly high; at that moment, it was almost scalding her.
Returning to her senses, Shi Wan softly replied, "If Your Majesty likes it, that's good."
"I've been feeling so bored and troubled these past few days, so I've been running around trying to find a better gift," she said coquettishly. "Your Majesty, please don't be angry with me."
"I am not angry."
“This gift is the best.” Jiang Xu replied with a smile, seemingly genuinely delighted, his laughter barely concealed. “If you’re feeling down, you can always go out and explore more in the future.”
Does this mean you agree to let her leave the mansion and wander around more?
Having achieved her goal, Shi Wan blushed even more, gently leaning into Jiang Xu's arms. Her gaze lingered on the apricot blossom wine on the stone table, and she asked, "Would Your Majesty like to have a couple of drinks with me?"
Apricot blossom wine is sweet and refreshing, making it perfect for relieving fatigue. It also has a low alcohol content, so it won't cause any problems.
Jiang Xu remained noncommittal, then poured two cups and handed one to her. The glass cup shimmered under the moonlight, looking quite dreamy.
Shi Wan was overjoyed to have achieved her goal and to have Jiang Xu leave the next day. She took the cup and drank it down in one gulp, but she choked a little because she drank it too fast.
Jiang Xu, suppressing his feverishness, said, "Don't drink so hastily." He then personally poured wine for Shi Wan. The two had their own thoughts, but they were on the same page and their intentions were quite good. So, after a few rounds, Shi Wan had drunk several cups.
By the time Jiang Xu realized something was wrong, the person in his arms was already slightly tipsy, calling him "Your Majesty." It was a tone different from usual, with a hint of cloying sweetness.
Jiang Xu's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he let out a soft "hmm." After a moment, his gaze shifted to Shi Wan's lips, which were pale pink, slightly moist, and filled with the fragrance of apricot blossoms.
Jiang Xu, as if possessed, moved closer again, wanting to taste her beauty.
But as soon as he got closer, he saw Wan'er open her eyes wide in a daze, smiling at him. Her drunken voice was somewhat alluring, and for a moment, he couldn't hear the sound of the wind around him.
The two were only inches apart.
At this moment, it feels like a dream come true.
A note from the author:
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I suddenly had a new idea when I woke up this morning. I think if I work on the details, I can post it on my column in a few days, hehe [milk tea] (slumps in happiness)
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