Chapter 65 Chapter 65 "Brother Jing!"
Inside the hall, Shangguan Xu stopped moving and his eyes met with another person.
The man spoke first: "Your Majesty, did you come here tonight just to bring me a bowl of porridge?"
Shangguan Xu asked in return: "Isn't this reason enough?"
"Maybe it's a little thin."
The strength in his hands was not great, but it was enough to hold her firmly. However, the temperature in his palms was extremely hot, which was completely different from his indifferent tone.
Shangguan Xu smiled and said, "Then let's add another heart-to-heart."
"Open your heart?" The moment Xu Qing'an heard this, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "I wonder how Your Majesty wishes to open your heart to me?"
If she wanted to disarm him and achieve her purpose of coming to see him tonight, she had to proceed step by step, gradually opening his heart. Shangguan Xu said, "How about we talk about our ideals, about the future?"
She began by saying, "You've only spoken of your ambition to rise to the top, but after that, what do you want to do?"
"After that..." Xu Qing'an pondered and suddenly smiled, "After becoming the prime minister, second only to the emperor and above everyone else, do I still need to consider my plans after that? Since I've been aiming for the highest position from the beginning, then what I'm pursuing is naturally supreme power. So, once I achieve my goal, I should enjoy the feeling of holding that power."
"Just like that day in the hall, could it be that Prime Minister Su's new policy is really, as he said, for the sake of grain reserves in the Great Jin Dynasty? And not for his own selfish interests?"
Xu Qing'an curled his lips and asked again, "Your Majesty, do you think I'm right?"
Shangguan Xu took his words to heart. Yes, she had known his ambition for a long time. So she was not surprised to hear it from his mouth. Instead, she was a little surprised that he was so frank and relieved that her expectation was confirmed.
That's exactly what he thought.
Xu Qing'an stared at her deeply, and when he saw the corners of her mouth curved up and a knowing smile on her face, he couldn't help laughing at himself.
That's what she thought...
Shangguan Xu said, "Everyone has different desires, but you do have a point."
"Since Your Majesty has said that she wants to open her heart, may I ask You a few questions?" Xu Qing'an said leisurely, looking at Shangguan Xu.
It is certainly a good thing that he can take the initiative to talk to her more during the "heart-to-heart" process.
Shangguan Xu naturally wouldn't refuse: "Of course, just ask."
Xu Qing'an: "When did Her Majesty begin to harbor murderous intentions towards Prime Minister Su? And what was the reason for this? Since we've been colluding, I've observed Her Majesty and can sense that Her Majesty's murderous intent towards Prime Minister Su must have arisen long before Lord Shangguan was falsely accused. But what was the reason for this?"
Shangguan Xu frowned. She never expected him to ask this question, but he was looking at her intently, obviously not allowing her to avoid him.
Shangguan Xu lowered his eyes. "What else could it be? Didn't you just say that once one reaches the highest position in the government, with power second only to the emperor, one begins to desire the pleasures it brings. Desires grow, and the better the pleasure, the more one desires. So, as his desires grow, what role did I play in his journey? And what role did he play in my life?"
"So, Your Majesty will kill me? Just like how you treat Prime Minister Su now, you can't wait to get rid of me."
Shangguan Xu turned his head to look.
Her palms were already warm, and he let go of her hands, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable from staying in the same position for too long.
But such an action had a different meaning in her eyes - he was now going to break the window paper between them.
In an instant, the room fell silent.
But he looked at her quietly, his eyes calm, and even with a faint smile, as if he was not the one who asked the sharp question just now.
Xu Qing'an raised his eyebrows slightly and gave a soft "hmm" to indicate that he was asking further questions. Thinking that she might just brush it off as abrupt, he smiled and continued, "After all, my ambition is also to be a prime minister, the same position that Prime Minister Su holds now. If that happens, will Your Majesty also regard me as a thorn in your side? Will you kill me the same way you used against Prime Minister Su? Your Majesty must have had murderous intentions towards me, right?"
Their eyes met and merged, and Shangguan Xu's eyes gradually became deeper.
"What about you? Have you ever had the same thought?" She suddenly asked back, "Since you have the same ambition as Su Wang, then when you reach that position, I will be to you just like I was to Su Wang, a stumbling block on your road. Have you ever thought about getting rid of me?"
"No." He replied in a split second, "I never had that thought."
He answered too quickly, and his eyes were so calm that Shangguan Xu couldn't find any trace of disguise in him.
This seemed to be the answer in his heart.
But before she could react, he smiled again, tilted his head, lowered his eyes and smiled: "It's my fault. I shouldn't have asked such a question in the first place."
"But you still want an answer in your heart, right?" Shangguan Xu said softly.
He looked at her again: "You don't have to give it to me, Madam."
"But what if I insist on giving it to you today?"
He clicked his thumb on his index finger.
"But how does Your Majesty intend to answer? Even if I give you an answer in words, will Your Majesty be able to rest assured even if I say I believe it?"
Regarding the fact that both of them knew the truth but pretended to be ignorant, he thought that instead of giving an answer that would only increase suspicion on both sides, it would be better to continue to pretend to be oblivious.
But the light and shadow beside him moved slightly, and he noticed that she stood up.
He looked up and saw her coming towards him.
She leaned over and sat down next to him again, her hand touching his cheek: "What if I can give you and me an answer that will make us both feel at ease?"
There was a hint of doubt in his eyes at first, but in just a moment, he understood her intention!
My heart suddenly tightened.
He was a smart man, and when she saw that he didn't say anything, she knew that he agreed.
"Yan Rong... do you like me calling you by your given name?" Her gaze flickered between his lips and eyes. "We shouldn't have delayed the children we promised to have until now. Ultimately, you and I are meant to be one. Unwarranted suspicions will only create a barrier between us and become a tool for others to use against us. Shouldn't we give them that opportunity?"
Thinking back to when he had held her in his arms and whispered to her to call her by her name in his house, Xu Qing'an was speechless for a moment, feeling sad in her heart.
"So, what is it that Your Majesty is seeking? Is it simply absolute honesty between you and me?"
Such promises are too empty, and all words are just the result of human modification. How can we know that the so-called honesty is not just a disguised answer?
Of course, she wouldn't ask for such a thing. He was ambitious and cunning. Even if the gentleness she offered him briefly tempted him to be attracted to her, how could she be sure his feelings would remain unchanged after the novelty wore off? If he was determined to reach his desired point, she would be an unavoidable obstacle on his journey, and she wouldn't be completely sure she could control him then.
Fortunately, looking at his attitude towards Zhang Fan this time and his previous handling of the A Zheng incident, she realized that he still had humanity in him and was still a man who would keep his promises.
Shangguan Xu smiled, not knowing whether to be happy or sad. "Besides the imperial court, you have considerable influence in the martial arts world, right? When A Zheng escorted the witnesses in the Liu Chang case to the capital, the guards who followed her on the way must have been arranged by you. So, what I want to ask is that no matter what the outcome of my fight with Su Wang is, or what the outcome between you and me is, I hope you can protect the people around me."
She turned his face and said softly, "Yan Rong, are you willing to help me?"
Su Wang's offensive is now getting more and more intense. What happened in the court that day undoubtedly sounded a wake-up call to Shangguan Xu.
What she is doing now is full of dangers. Even though many things are within her plan, there is no guarantee that there will be no accidents, just like what happened on that day in Shuo Chao. She is not afraid of life or death, but she cannot ignore the people close to her.
Xu Qing'an is a good choice.
He is not a completely heartless person. He kept his promise regarding A Zheng. Even if they have conflicts in the future, the people around her will not hinder his progress, so it is feasible for him to protect their lives.
Xu Qing'an let her hold his face, looking at her with complicated eyes: "Your Majesty, are you only praying for others? Not for yourself? If you don't pray for yourself, will there be a way out?"
"But where can I retreat to?" Shangguan Xu smiled bitterly. "I am the Queen Mother. My status is here. Can I still run away with others? Of course, if you, Yanrong, are willing to protect me in the future, then I will be happy."
She looked up and smiled at him.
But he felt that he could no longer understand her.
People say she is heartless, but she has been negotiating terms with him only out of consideration for the people around her. But if you say she is affectionate, she acted so ruthlessly back then, leaving no room for negotiation.
So what is her real reason?
He really didn't know what to think of her.
Shangguan Xu had no idea what he was thinking, but just by looking at his reaction now, she knew that what she wanted was going to happen.
She didn't give him time to respond, but instead held his face and kissed him deeply.
Soft lips pressed down, sealing any possible words.
He had been angry countless times because of her inappropriate behavior towards him, but when the final step was about to come, he could not feel any anger, and even felt more heartbroken.
He couldn't explain where that sadness and tenderness came from. He just felt uncomfortable and inexplicably felt that he had missed a lot.
This contact was just the beginning of all the intimacy. He put his arms around her waist, brought her close and began to respond.
Shangguan Xutong was surprised by his reaction.
She remembered that every time they were about to reach this point, he would be furious and rude. She thought it would be the same this time, but it wasn't.
She was held in his arms, surrounded by the fragrance of orchids and feeling his deep and flowing kisses, her body couldn't help but soften.
The air was gradually taken away, and when the black and white light appeared again in front of him, he finally left her lips temporarily and rested his forehead against hers.
Look at her slightly parted red lips and feel her hot and moist breath.
"My Lady, how should I treat you?"
Shangguan Xu swallowed hard, closed his eyes, and said, as if to let everything settle down: "Go to the couch."
——
The bed curtains fell down, and Shangguan Xu was carried horizontally onto the couch.
She hugged his neck and accepted his kisses all the way. She felt the solid touch on her back, and he gently placed her on the couch.
His lips never left hers, so she could only grope her way to help him undress.
However, as soon as they touched, he pulled her fingers, paused for a moment, and murmured hoarsely: "I'll do it..."
Didn't he want to be angry? Didn't he want to be resentful? But what was the point of all this?
Or perhaps it was because of her repeated attempts and transgressions that he had already known that this day would come, and he slowly came to terms with it in his heart. After all, he could not defeat her in these matters, and even at these times, he was always the inferior whose heartstrings were always moved by her.
This was what he realized when he injured his eye that day and she was trapped in his small space.
He took off his clothes and then untied her belt quite skillfully.
He never forgot the action in his memory.
He remembered exactly where he started to caress her and where he started to mobilize her.
He endured the sourness and pain, yet savored a hint of sweetness and continued with her.
Outside the window, the moon hangs high in the sky, and a gentle breeze blows through the bamboo leaves in the courtyard.
Inside the tent, the sound of breathing came one after another, sometimes like a gentle spring breeze, sometimes like a violent storm.
Shangguan Xu's face was heaving with mixed emotions.
The sound of her breathing could not be ignored in her ears, and her neck was constantly covered by the hot breath.
She had tried her best to suppress the familiar feeling that arose in her heart when this happened. She really didn't want to confuse the two people.
However, this time he was extremely gentle, giving her every experience in meticulous detail. Even when he really lost control at the end, he only increased the strength slightly and bit her neck lightly. Perhaps because he was afraid that he would hurt her by being too reckless, he held her tighter with his arms, hoping to release the uncontrollable desire.
His uncontrollable breath sounded disorderly, and the orchid fragrance became wet.
Shangguan Xu opened her misty eyes, wanting to see the face of the person in front of her clearly and not let herself fall into those unrealistic illusions, but he leaned on her neck, and as he spoke, she could only see the movements of his shoulders and neck, and her ears turned red.
Shangguan Xu closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks.
She hugged him a little closer, her lips and teeth falling on his shoulder, from shallow to deep.
Never mind, that's all...
——
Time seems to have returned to the Shangsi Day of that year.
Under the warm sunshine of March, his face was extremely handsome, with a smile on his face and a gleam of light flashing between his eyebrows.
Shangguan Xu's eyelashes twitched slightly and his brows furrowed in disbelief.
His eyes were gentle, and he smiled at her: "Xu'er."
Shangguan Xu didn't blink, and approached him step by step: "Are you... willing to come and see me?"
"Silly, when did I stop wanting to see you?"
"Okay," he stroked her tearful eyes, his fingertips stroking her hair and then letting it flow down, his voice like the water of a lake in early spring, "You won't look good if you cry, or do you just want me to draw your eyebrows and put on makeup for you?"
Shangguan Xu forced a smile, then choked up, "Of course. Tell me how long it's been since you last drew my eyebrows?"
He stroked her ears with his fingertips, and smiled with a hint of helplessness and apology: "It's my fault. Tomorrow, tomorrow I will draw it for you, okay?"
In the bright sunshine, his eyes were particularly clear.
Shangguan Xu was puzzled: "Why tomorrow?"
"Did you forget?" He laughed. "Tonight is Shangsi Night, and we have to go to Qujiang soon."
Shangsi Night, Qujiang...
Shangguan Xu panicked for a moment, his eyes filled with fear.
No...no!
"You can't go!"
However, another burst of white mist filled the air, and he seemed to ignore her words, and his figure gradually moved away.
She immediately took a step forward to chase after him: "Don't go, don't go..."
“Brother Jing!”
Shangguan Xu tilted his head and opened his eyes as he shouted.
The person next to her was lying sideways, looking at her, his hand moving on her hair.
His eyes were gloomy and cold: "Who are you calling?"
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