Chapter 34 A vibrant pulse emanated from where skin touched…
noon
Pei Xuanlin was summoned to the palace. Ling Zhenli had already heard the ins and outs of what happened last night, and also heard that Princess Wuyang's plea to the palace had failed.
Princess Roujia was temporarily detained in the palace, and Xiao Chongheng was too lazy to pretend anymore. When Ling Zhenli asked him to meet, he directly arranged to meet at the Duke of Yan's mansion.
The servants of the Duke's mansion could more or less sense that their Duke had feelings for the Crown Princess, so they treated her with utmost respect. The servant who led the way even escorted her all the way to Jiyue Pavilion, where Xiao Chongheng was staying.
This time, Ling Zhenli did not linger at the door for long, but chose to push the door open and go in directly.
The moment the door hinges clicked softly, Ling Zhenli was pulled into an embrace as if bound by iron hoops, and the door was immediately closed.
The next moment, Xiao Chongheng's lips brushed against her hair, his trembling breath burning her ear tips: "You actually took the initiative to see me, it seems you need my help again."
Ling Zhenli sensed his arousal, broke free from his embrace, turned around quickly, pressed her fingertips against his approaching chest, lowered her eyes, and fluttered her long eyelashes.
She shook her head.
"My Chongheng, I was almost killed last night..."
Her eyes were reddened, her cool fingertips touched his sleeve, her voice was sweet as honey, but a hint of cunning flashed across her eyes as she lowered them.
Xiao Chongheng knew exactly what she was thinking. He chuckled and said, "Ali is getting better and better at using me."
Ling Zhenli's sweet smile suddenly froze, her fingertips still clutching Xiao Chongheng's sleeve, the feigned brilliance in her eyes instantly turning to ice.
"I want everyone who has wronged me to die."
"Then wouldn't I be able to survive too?" Xiao Chongheng's gaze towards her was bitter yet tender.
They at least have some self-awareness.
“You know I don’t intend for you to die immediately.” Ling Zhenli raised her head, a hint of hesitation in her eyes. “I need your help. The Emperor intends to change the title of Crown Princess to Princess Jin’an. I need you to persuade your mother to help Pei Xuanlin secure his position as Crown Prince.”
Xiao Chongheng was displeased as soon as he heard the name Pei Xuanlin: "Ali, you came to find me because of him."
“Yes.” Ling Zhenli replied without hesitation, her gaze no longer daring to dodge. “If it weren’t for Pei Xuanlin, I wouldn’t have come to you.”
Xiao Chongheng tried hard to suppress his anger and said calmly, "Ali, since you need my help, can't you say a few nice words to coax me?"
Ling Zhenli was speechless, lost her patience, and changed her attitude, directly stating her conditions.
"If you are willing to help Pei Xuanlin ascend the throne, once I become empress, I will ask him to grant you a title of king. At that time, you will be granted high-ranking official positions, generous salaries, wealth and honor, and all your requests will be fulfilled."
"Okay, that's enough."
Xiao Chongheng didn't want to hear her continue speaking cold and heartless words, so he grabbed Ling Zhenli's wrist and pulled her into his arms.
He lowered his head and kissed the side of her neck, then down her neck. She bit her lip to suppress her gasps, her fingertips gripping the hem of her clothes tightly.
Xiao Chongheng's lips lingered on her neck, sending shivers down Ling Zhenli's spine, but she still forced herself to turn her head away: "What exactly do you want?"
Her voice was so soft it was almost incoherent. Xiao Chongheng smiled with satisfaction, then picked her up and carried her in his arms.
The sudden movement made Ling Zhenli dizzy and disoriented. In her confusion, she wrapped her arms around Xiao Chongheng's neck.
Xiao Chongheng lifted her up with one arm and carried her towards the bed, chuckling, "Don't you know what I want?"
Ling Zhenli regained some of her composure and forced herself to say, "What if I don't give it to you?"
Are you sure you don't want me, and only want Pei Xuanlin?
Ling Zhenli did not answer.
For Hsiao Chung-heng, no answer was the best answer.
Inside the brocade tent, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood. His fingertips, like a spring breeze brushing against a willow branch, traced the curve of her back inch by inch.
Ling Zhenli's skin shone with a pearly luster, and a slight tremor ran through it as his palm moved over it. With his gentle kisses, a string of plum blossom marks bloomed on the snow.
Ling Zhenli was both ashamed and angry by the series of actions.
"We've already moved on."
Xiao Chongheng chuckled softly, his expression full of deep affection.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me, are we really over?"
make life difficult for.
Xiao Chongheng's palms traced along her waistline, like climbing vines, inch by inch wrapping around her trembling skin.
Ling Zhenli's hairpin had fallen out at some point, and her black hair was scattered on the pillow, like willow branches ruffled by the spring breeze, entwining around his aggressive fingers.
The breath was like a sudden rain, aggressively moist, seeping into every inch of her resistance.
Ling Zhenli's consciousness was in disarray. She tried to grasp at something—the blanket, the bed curtains, or even her own crumbling reason. Anything would do. The dried-up riverbed was etched with pain that no one knew.
She arched her head like a dying crane, the sobs escaping her throat were silenced by his lips. Amidst the mingling of sweat, Xiao Chongheng lifted Ling Zhenli's neck and whispered, "I can help you secure your position as Empress, but..."
Xiao Chongheng gently stroked her lower abdomen with his trembling fingertips, "I want this place to nurture our bloodline."
A vibrant pulse emanated from where skin touched; whose heartbeat was deafeningly loud?
Xiao Chongheng's words and body temperature were scalding, like midday sand and gravel, leaving her nowhere to escape.
Ling Zhenli exhaled a breath of hot air, her remaining rationality telling her that Xiao Chongheng was being rebellious.
"No...I don't want to, I can't get pregnant...this is the only thing I can't..."
Ling Zhenli's fingernails dug fiercely into his back, like thorns piercing his flesh, as if retaliating against his greed.
The line between pain and pleasure has blurred, like ink dripping into clear water, spreading into a chaotic gray.
"You will be willing someday, and I can wait."
...
Do you love Pei Xuanlin?
After it was over, Xiao Chongheng's first question was to find out where Ling Zhenli's heart lay.
He believes that Ling Zhenli may have a tiny bit of affection and liking for Pei Xuanlin, but she definitely doesn't love him.
Sure enough, he heard what he wanted to hear.
"I don't love you," Ling Zhenli replied without the slightest hesitation.
After secretly rejoicing, Xiao Chongheng pressed on, "Am I better or is he better?"
"you."
Although Ling Zhenli spoke casually, she was expressing her true feelings. Xiao Chongheng understood her body far better than Pei Xuanlin. The year they spent together hadn't been wasted; they were now even more compatible.
But then, Xiao Chongheng was struck dumb.
Ling Zhenli's breathing gradually calmed down: "But I will soon fall in love with Pei Xuanlin, Chongheng, give up. I am now the Crown Princess Xue Yingyue, not Ling Zhenli whom you can control at will. We will be over sooner or later."
"I just want that day to come later."
Xiao Chongheng looked dejected, absentmindedly tugging at a strand of Ling Zhenli's hair.
“…What’s the difference between you now and me back then?” Ling Zhenli smiled bitterly.
Xiao Chongheng smiled and said, "Yes, there is no difference. We will do anything to keep the other person. So, Ah Li, we are a match made in heaven."
"Stop talking nonsense."
Ling Zhenli rolled her eyes and laughed speechlessly. Xiao Chongheng really could connect everything to feelings.
"The reason I kept you here was more because I didn't want to stay in Zuixianlou. If I truly loved you to the point of doing anything, I would have killed myself when you abandoned me. The fact that I'm doing well now means it doesn't matter whether you're here or not."
"Ah Li, I know I was wrong. Please give me a chance to redeem myself."
Xiao Chongheng felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. Although he had his own difficulties back then, he had indeed abandoned Ling Zhenli. He couldn't imagine how Ling Zhenli had survived the days without him. It was only right that he make amends to her now.
When Ling Zhenli heard Xiao Chongheng say that he wanted to redeem himself, she said calmly, "Then I will give you a chance. You should have your mother support Pei Xuanlin. Not only that, I want her to take the initiative to surrender to Pei Xuanlin."
Xiao Chongheng went all out: "Okay, I promise you."
"And your wife, Princess Roujia..."
"She's not my wife; she and my older brother are the real couple."
Xiao Chongheng buried his head in Ling Zhenli's neck, the strands of his hair tickling her, as if he were being coquettish.
Ling Zhenli rolled her eyes: "Then why would she marry you if she's already married to your older brother?"
"Who knows what's gotten into her? She threatened my older brother and my mother, saying that if I didn't marry him, she would reveal that my older brother had forced her into this situation. Your husband is already at odds with the Yang family. If my older brother has something on him, he will definitely seize the opportunity to make trouble. After all, he is my older brother, and I can't just watch him die..."
"If you feel so sorry for your older brother, then you should spend your whole life with him."
Ling Zhenli didn't want to hear Xiao Chongheng's excuses about the past anymore. She didn't care how many difficulties he had, because only she, Ling Zhenli, would be hurt.
If she still has the compassion to pity others, then who will offer incense to the children she lost because of this?
No sooner had she stood up than Xiao Chongheng scrambled over and hugged her waist, pressing his forehead tightly against her back, his voice trembling with anxiety:
"Please, Ahri, please don't go."
Ling Zhenli was taken aback, her raised hand trembling slightly, unsure whether she should pry Xiao Chongheng's hand away.
After a long while, she lowered her hand and sighed.
“I was just about to ask Princess Roujia why Prince Gao’an took the blame for her after she harmed me. Now I have the answer. Why don’t you leave?”
Seeing that he hadn't been rejected, Xiao Chongheng knew there was hope, so he quickly said, "Pei Xuanlin will definitely stay in the palace for lunch. Since you're already here, why don't you stay for lunch and keep me company?"
Xiao Chongheng feigned a pitiful state, knowing that Ling Zhenli was easily swayed by emotions. Sure enough, Ling Zhenli agreed to his request.
"Ah Li, just tell me what you need, and I'll do my best to do it."
“Princess Roujia harmed me, mostly because of you. I don’t want to care about her grudges with you two brothers. I just want her to stop disgusting me. Either you live a good life with her and stop bothering me, or you return her to your brother and cut ties with her. The choice is yours.”
Xiao Chongheng was afraid that Ling Zhenli would misunderstand that he had something going on with Pei Chanlian, so he quickly explained: "I have never consummated my marriage with her. Ah Li, you have always been my only woman."
Ling Zhenli chuckled: "Later, it wasn't that I actively wanted other men; it was that you didn't want me anymore, and I had no other choice."
"Ah Li, I don't care how many men you have. I just hope that one day, you will only have eyes for me. That's enough."
Seeing the sincerity in Xiao Chongheng's words, Ling Zhenli couldn't bear to disappoint his kindness.
"It depends on your performance."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
