Chapter 74 Mao Sui Recommends Himself: The Regent has mistaken me for someone else. My name is Nian…
Chu Yueyuan had never slept so soundly before. When she opened her eyes, it was already dusk the next day.
She propped herself up on the bed and sat up. A wave of dizziness washed over her, as if someone was hammering her Baihui acupoint on the top of her head.
Hearing the noise coming from the dormitory, Jin Tong quickly carried a basin of hot water inside.
"Your Highness has finally woken up. Before the Regent left last night, he specifically instructed me not to wake Your Highness, and also said that Your Highness does not need to attend the court assemblies for the next few days..."
Chu Yueyuan's long black hair was disheveled. She clutched her aching head from a hangover, her expression slightly dazed: "Last night, the Regent came?"
Jin Tong poured a cup of warm tea and handed it over: "Yes, His Highness got drunk and insisted on climbing up to learn how kites fly... We servants couldn't stop him, and coincidentally, the Regent came to visit His Highness..."
Chu Yueyuan recalled fragmented memories, images flashing through her mind of a sky full of emerald green starlight, the man's handsome yet affectionate eyes, and the burning warmth of his lips...
She raised her hand and touched her slightly swollen lips.
She felt no regret or shame about what happened last night. After all, their ambiguous relationship had been going on for a while, and she was prepared that one day she would become his woman completely and end his obsession.
In her mind, however, the regent was the one who actively broke the established norms and ethics.
However, last night... she took advantage of the alcohol and acted that way, and the man actually acted like a saint.
Chu Yueyuan suddenly couldn't understand him anymore.
She accepted the tea from Jin Tong and sipped it gently from the jade cup with both hands.
"Huh? Why is Your Highness wearing a purse on your wrist?" Jin Tong exclaimed in surprise, her eyes wide.
Chu Yueyuan lowered her gaze and saw a gold-embroidered dragon pouch wrapped around her wrist. A low, husky voice rang in her ears:
"This humble subject desires a purse embroidered by Your Highness yourself..."
"Your Highness, please remember to embroider your nickname on the purse."
Her watery eyes flickered slightly; it seemed that subduing the treacherous minister would require some effort.
However... as long as she can sever the karmic ties binding her, she is willing to give everything—her body, her soul, and the rest of her life.
Chu Yueyuan removed the purse from her wrist. Her voice, clear after being moistened by tea, was bright and clear, and her eyes shone with a radiant light. She smiled slightly and said, "Jintong, go to the Imperial Household Department and fetch some satin and needlework. The colors should be light and elegant."
After thinking for a moment, she said, "Never mind, I'm afraid you won't choose well. I'll go with you."
Having lived a life of luxury in the palace for a long time and not having picked up a needle and thread, Chu Yueyuan hoped that her embroidery skills had not become rusty.
———
The position of Minister of Works has been vacant for many months, and no one has yet been chosen.
When Chu Yueyuan stepped into the Imperial Study, she saw Chief Minister Lin arguing with Grand Secretary Qian.
Lin Sizhou said firmly, "Minister Ma of the Ministry of Works, recommended by Grand Secretary Qian, is fifty-seven years old this year and will retire in just three years. The repair of the Grand Canal will take decades. I am worried that Minister Ma will have to vacate the office before he has even gotten to know everyone in the department!"
Grand Secretary Qian sneered disdainfully: "Minister Ma is vigorous and has spent ten years in the Water Department of the Ministry of Works. He is knowledgeable, experienced, and prudent, unlike that greenhorn recommended by Chief Minister Lin, who boasts about diverting water from the Yangtze and Han Rivers with just a few self-made drawings. Humph, what a pipe dream!"
"Chief Zhan is not entirely inexperienced; he has already tested several rivers in Jingzhou..."
"The national treasury has just become full; the taxes collected by the Ministry of Revenue with great effort are not meant for you to squander..."
"Hmph, no matter how much money the Ministry of Works and the Water Resources Department squander, it can't keep up with the expenses of the seventeen beautiful concubines that Grand Secretary Qian keeps in his private residence..."
"You two-faced, hypocritical bastard! How dare you slander this old man..."
Chu Yueyuan walked around the magnolia and parrot glass screen and coughed lightly.
The cabinet ministers, who were arguing heatedly and turning red in the face, turned to look and immediately shut their mouths.
The young empress dowager stood beside the painted screen in a light blue palace dress. Her skin was fair, her hair was styled in a high bun, and her clear eyes sparkled. She was even more fresh and beautiful than the magnolia flowers in the painting.
"Your Majesty, we pay our respects to the Empress Dowager. May Your Highness be well!"
Chu Yueyuan nodded slightly: "I am late, sirs, please continue."
Two palace maids lifted the jade beaded curtain, and the young empress dowager moved gracefully behind it, leaving only a faint, elusive silhouette.
With the young empress dowager, a delicate widow, present, the arguing ministers could no longer utter foul language. After a few words of debate, they submitted their memorials one after another and filed out after the court session ended.
Lin Sizhou walked out of the Chuigong Hall in a huff, his fair face flushed. It wasn't until his colleague reminded him that he realized he had been so caught up in his anger that he had forgotten to present the memorial to the Regent.
When he returned to the Imperial Study, he found that the palace servants who were guarding outside were gone.
Lin Sizhou didn't think much of it. Just as he was about to knock on the door frame, he suddenly heard the Empress Dowager's sweet and soft voice coming from inside.
"I haven't touched a needle and thread in a long time, and it took me three whole days to finish this purse. I even pricked my fingers several times..."
The lattice window was slightly ajar, and through the two-finger-width gap, one could see the woman's slender figure leaning against a sandalwood desk with dragon patterns. As she gently raised her wrist, the red coral bracelet revealed made her skin appear even whiter.
Seated in his armchair, the Regent took the woman's delicate hand in his, his thin lips kissing each of her fingertips, his deep voice filled with doting affection:
"Your Highness has worked hard."
Lin Sizhou's ears burned as he listened, and he quickly looked away. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he heard the Empress Dowager say in a sweet voice, "The position of Minister of Works has been vacant for so long, so... may I recommend someone to Minister Pei?"
Lin Sizhou was startled!
In the study,
Pei Muwei lowered her eyes to examine the exquisitely embroidered purse in her hand. The crimson brocade purse was edged with silver thread, and two irises were embroidered on it with colorful silk threads. The stitches were delicate and lifelike, and even the dew on the petals was clearly visible. Two translucent jade beads hung from the end of the ribbon.
He raised a slight brow: "Why doesn't Your Highness embroider mandarin ducks?"
Chu Yueyuan blinked her bright eyes and said confidently, "When Minister Pei receives the homage of all the officials, it would seem too sentimental to wear a mandarin duck pouch at his waist. Therefore, I chose an elegant pattern."
Pei Muwei turned the purse over and examined it carefully, then pointed out, "Why isn't His Highness's maiden name on the purse?"
In the Great Qi Dynasty, there was an unwritten custom that if a woman loved a man, she would give him a hand-embroidered purse as a token of their love. Sometimes, married women would even embroider their maiden names on the purse.
Chu Yueyuan took the purse from his hand, poured out a few gold melon seeds, turned over the lining to reveal two words embroidered in light pink silk thread at the bottom: "Nian Nian".
Her ears were flushed slightly as she said softly, "It's not right to embroider it in the open. They say you shouldn't give someone an empty purse, so I'll put a few gold melon seeds in it for you."
Pei Muwei's long fingers traced the two small characters "Niannian," his phoenix eyes shimmering like clear water, and he smiled.
"Your Highness's return gift is very appreciated."
Chu Yueyuan put the gold melon seeds back in her pocket, stuffed the purse into his arms, her cheeks puffed out slightly, and said in a reproachful tone, "Pei Qing traded a bottle of fireflies for a purse I embroidered myself and a few gold melon seeds. I feel like I got ripped off in that deal..."
Faced with the Empress Dowager's demands for an explanation, Pei Muwei smiled through his phoenix eyes. He leisurely hung the purse on his waist, then spread his arms and pulled the woman onto his lap.
He gazed intently at her, his expression focused, his voice clear and crisp: "What reward does Your Highness desire?"
Chu Yueyuan lowered her eyes under the man's burning gaze, her delicate fingers fiddled with the sandalwood prayer beads on his wrist.
After a long silence, she parted her red lips slightly: "My father served in the Ministry of Works for twenty years. He was diligent, studious, humble, upright, and clear-headed. He was also quite accomplished in drafting and was impartial and unbiased in the court... If Minister Pei were to appoint him as Minister of Works, I think neither of the cabinet ministers would object."
"And then there's my half-brother. Since Minister Pei implemented his new policies, he's been doing nothing in the Chu household for two years..."
As soon as she finished speaking, her chin was lifted by the other person. The smile in the man's eyes faded, and his unfathomable dark eyes stared at her quietly, as if he were pondering or scrutinizing her.
"Your Highness has never mentioned Lord Chu to me before..."
Chu Yueyuan's heart skipped a beat, her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, but her tone remained calm:
"We didn't mention it before because there wasn't a suitable vacancy for my father."
She knew that these high-sounding words could not persuade the Regent, so she softened her voice: "From the flower arrangement banquet to the deer banquet, I have observed that the attitudes of those ladies towards Princess Nianyi have changed from cold indifference and ridicule to flattery and fawning. The change is faster than turning the pages of a book. The root cause is that Prince Chun has taken over the seal of the Ministry of Personnel."
Meeting the man's gaze, she gently bit her rosy lips: "It's a little selfish of mine. I envy Princess Nianyi for having such a capable older brother, and I also wish I had a Minister father to rely on."
Pei Muwei pinched her soft cheek with his other hand, his voice low and deep: "Your Highness can rely on this humble subject."
Chu Yueyuan's breath hitched, as if something had touched her heart, but she still pushed his hand away, feigning displeasure and putting on a stern face:
"My father is the Emperor's maternal grandfather, yet he only holds the rank of a third-grade vice minister in the court. With his qualifications and abilities, why can't he be promoted further?"
Pei Muwei stared at the young Empress Dowager's tense face, his tone becoming indifferent: "I have already made up my mind about the selection of the Minister of Works. I can agree to all of Your Highness's other requests, but this is the one I cannot agree to."
Although Chu Yueyuan was flatly rejected by the Regent, she was not discouraged.
Countless officials in the court fought tooth and nail for this position. If she could simply take it with a single word, she wouldn't be a phoenix, but a female dragon!
The woman's soft arms wrapped around the man's neck, like a nimble snake coiling around a cold Buddha statue. Her shimmering peach blossom eyes gazed at him, her breath sweet as orchids.
"Then... what if I add some more chips?"
Pei Muwei's eyes darkened as he stared with interest at the woman who had captivated him. Her beauty was stunning, like the most precious peony among all flowers, dignified and bright in the spring breeze, and alluring and enchanting in the drizzle.
Every smile and frown of hers possessed a bewitching allure.
He leaned down, his nose brushing against her rosy cheek, and whispered in her ear, "Your humble servant is all ears."
Chu Yueyuan felt a tingling sensation all over her body from the breath that landed on her earlobe. She wondered if it was just her imagination, but she seemed to see a fleeting mischievous glint in the other person's narrow phoenix eyes.
She was about to speak when a loud knocking sounded at the study door, interrupting her.
"Your humble servant, Lin Sizhou, has an urgent matter to report to the Regent!"
Chu Yueyuan frowned slightly, but still rose from the man's lap and said softly, "Since Lord Lin has urgent matters to discuss with Minister Pei, then I will return first..."
She glanced at the mountain of memorials piled on her desk and said, "Today's affairs are heavy. I will send someone to bring you dinner. I hope you will not overwork yourself."
Pei Muwei leaned back lazily in his chair, watching the young Empress Dowager eager to steal a moment of leisure, and a slight smile played on his lips: "Will Your Highness come to help me share my burdens?"
The Hall of Diligent Governance is located in the central part of the imperial city, connecting the outer court and the inner court. At the beginning of the founding of the Great Qi Dynasty, in order to prevent the empress dowager from interfering in politics, the First Emperor issued a special decree: after the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), the concubines of the empress dowager were not allowed to leave the inner court without permission.
Although Chu Yueyuan was the Empress Dowager, she was reluctant to go out late at night due to the recent rumors between the emperor and his minister, lest she be noted down by the court official.
She smiled gently, her eyes sparkling, but her tone showed no remorse: "I promised the Emperor I would tell him the Classic of Mountains and Seas, and I was unable to spare the time. I can only trouble you, Pei Qing, to shoulder the burden of the country alone."
Chu Yueyuan walked out of the study and bumped into Lin Zhuguan, who was waiting outside.
Lin, perhaps still reeling from his argument with Grand Secretary Qian, had a flushed face and spoke with a sharp tone: "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
She was preoccupied and didn't notice the unfriendly tone in the other person's voice. She simply nodded slightly and walked past him.
————
For days, there has been no rain, and the scorching sun has baked the earth, making it unbearably hot. Even the koi in the lotus pond are hiding in small groups under the lotus leaves.
Beneath the pavilion, Chu Yueyuan gently waved a light blue silk fan embroidered with peonies and butterflies, one slender arm resting on the railing. Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, and her gaze was fixed on the lotus flowers blooming on the pond.
The enormous lotus leaf was larger than the washbasin, and a shallow pool of water had accumulated in the center, trapping a small fish inside.
Under the scorching sun, the water accumulated in the lotus heart gradually dried up. The small fish seemed to sense the danger and struggled to get out. It kept twisting and turning, but once it got out of the puddle, its movements slowed down. Its gills opened and closed rapidly, and it moved inch by inch toward the edge of the lotus leaf. But no matter how hard it tried, it was still half a palm's width away from the pond.
Gradually, the little fish stopped struggling, and its glossy scales slowly lost their luster.
Chu Yueyuan couldn't bear to watch, so she leaned forward. But before her fingers could touch the lotus leaves, the motionless little fish suddenly leaped, drawing an arc in the air before splashing into the pond, creating crystal-clear water droplets.
She gazed thoughtfully at the little fish swimming happily in the pond.
Perhaps the reason she can't get out of her predicament right now is because she lacks the courage to take the plunge.
"May the Empress Dowager be well..."
Chu Yueyuan snapped out of her reverie and turned to look at the person who had spoken.
Lin Zhuguan's complexion had returned to normal, and his skin was as white as if it had been powdered. No wonder Grand Secretary Qian had cursed him so harshly.
She raised her fan and waved it gently, smiling as she greeted him, "Lord Lin, you've already finished discussing state affairs with the Regent so quickly."
She was only responding politely to the previous remark, but unexpectedly, the official opposite her frowned, his tone carrying a hint of admonition: "The Empress Dowager has been quite concerned about court affairs lately. I would like to advise Your Highness that you should interfere less in court matters in the future..."
Initially, Lin Sizhou looked down on the sycophantic Empress Dowager, but after the Seqiu Incident, his impression of her changed drastically.
The young empress dowager acted decisively, confronting the rebel army's attempt to seize power. Her composure and dignified demeanor surpassed even that of the officials who trembled with fear.
What's even more commendable is that the young empress dowager was very self-aware. She always remained aloof from the affairs of the court and never had any private dealings with those royalists. She focused solely on raising the young emperor.
Therefore, when Lin Sizhou learned what the Regent was going to do, although he still had some reservations about the young Empress Dowager's status as a widow, he was determined to give his full support.
Unexpectedly, the young empress dowager's ambition was so deeply hidden. If he hadn't overheard the woman's words to the regent by chance, he would have been fooled by her innocent appearance!
Fortunately, the Regent was not a man blinded by lust and resisted the Empress Dowager's honey trap!
Thinking of this, Lin Sizhou's fair face flushed slightly with excitement, and his tone became a bit more serious:
"Lord Chu appears to be a man of integrity in court, but in reality, he has already secretly pledged allegiance to Prince Anxian. I have already investigated this matter, and if Your Highness wishes to see the evidence, I can present it to you. Throughout history, concubines who interfere in internal affairs have never had a good end. If Your Highness wishes to live peacefully with the Emperor, you should stay away from treacherous officials and keep yourself in check!"
After listening calmly to Lin Sizhou's admonitions, Chu Yueyuan guessed that he had overheard her conversation with the Regent in the study, which was why he had come in such a huff and reprimanded her in a blaming tone.
Lin Zhuguan was an upright and honest person. He was wholeheartedly planning for the Regent, which is why he was so indignant when he discovered that she was trying to interfere in domestic affairs.
However... she absolutely has to interfere in this internal affair!
Chu Yueyuan lifted the porcelain lid containing fish food, scooped it up with a silver spoon, and gracefully sprinkled it into the pond. After watching the koi scramble for the food, she raised her bright eyes and smiled gently.
"Lord Lin is learned and knowledgeable. Can you tell me what the fate of women who have been married to two husbands has been throughout history?"
Lin Sizhou was speechless for a moment, his handsome face turning even redder.
Chu Yueyuan raised her eyebrows slightly and said calmly, "Since none of them will end well, why can't I scheme for my own people? I don't care who Lord Chu has served. We are father and daughter, bound by blood, and of course we should rely on each other."
"As for the vacancy of the Minister of Works, it can only be said that it depends on one's own ability. Whether it is my seductive methods or Lord Lin's honesty and loyalty, whoever is better will be able to occupy this position."
Seeing that the young empress dowager, revealing her true colors, was not only not intimidated but also arrogantly swaying her beautiful fox tail, Lin Sizhou was so angry that he stammered:
"You...you...you, relying on the Regent's favor...you actually dared to abuse your power for personal gain...and disrupt the court..."
Chu Yueyuan took the damp cloth handed to her by a palace maid and wiped her fingers clean. Ignoring the almost livid expression on Lord Lin's face, she calmly said:
"I am tired. If Lord Lin has not finished scolding, you may save it for tomorrow's court meeting."
She turned and left, followed by the indignant shouts of Commander Lin:
"Does Your Majesty know how much effort and dedication the Regent has put into welcoming... His Highness? This has caused resentment among many of his long-time followers, yet the Prince has borne all of this alone. If Your Highness persists in your ways and offends these people, you will surely suffer the consequences in the future!"
Lin Sizhou tried to persuade her with his emotions and reason, hoping that the young empress dowager would change her mind, but the woman was as indifferent as the clouds in the sky, and her departing figure did not even pause for a moment.
————
At midnight, the eunuch on duty outside the Hall of Diligent Governance was so sleepy that his eyelids were drooping.
While massaging his aching shoulders with his whisk, Eunuch Wang sighed inwardly: "He's getting old after all. Back in the day, Emperor Shang would indulge in revelry every night. No matter where he went astray or how late he went, he could always handle things properly and would never let the emperor's mood be ruined."
Just as I was struggling to stay awake, I heard a series of light footsteps in the distance.
Eunuch Wang peeked out and saw Miss Jin walking towards him carrying an ivory food box, followed by a young palace maid in palace attire. Under the moonlight, her figure was slender and graceful.
He quickly flicked his whisk and greeted her warmly, "Miss Jin, you're still the same as before, are you here to bring tea and snacks to the Regent?"
Jin Tong's eyes flickered, and she nodded absentmindedly: "Please trouble you to go in and inform them, sir."
Eunuch Wang smiled, his eyes narrowing. "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager's people don't need my notification. The Regent Prince just complained that the tea was bland; he must be thinking about the snacks the Empress Dowager bestowed upon him..."
Jin Tong's expression relaxed slightly: "Then we servants will go in."
Eunuch Wang opened the carved door with great enthusiasm and said with a smile, "Miss Jin invites you... and this one too..." His high-pitched voice stopped abruptly, like a duck whose throat had suddenly been grabbed.
The young palace maid who had been blocked by him raised her head and gave him a dismissive glance.
Eunuch Wang shuddered and quickly moved his plump body away. After the woman's graceful figure disappeared behind the door, he composed himself, immediately beckoned to his young apprentice, and said in a low voice, "Be quick and prepare hot water."
The young eunuch looked puzzled: "Master, didn't the Regent just finish his bath?"
Eunuch Wang smacked the young eunuch's hat hard with his whisk: "Go when I tell you to, don't delay, and keep your mouth shut, or you'll be carried out sideways before you even climb up the ranks!"
"Master, stop knocking! Your disciple will go and prepare right away!"
A moment later, Jin Tong came out of the palace and met Eunuch Wang's meaningful smile. Her face turned red instantly, and the two of them tacitly avoided mentioning the whereabouts of the other maid.
Jin Tong curtsied: "Then... I will return to attend to the Empress Dowager as she retires. The rest... I'll leave to Eunuch Wang..."
Eunuch Wang smiled broadly: "Miss Jin, please rest assured..."
In the study,
Behind the sandalwood desk with cloud patterns, a man who had just bathed was dressed in a light blue undergarment. He had removed his imposing purple-gold crown and loosely tied his hair with only a plain jade hairpin. The lamplight reflected his profile, and the scroll in his hand was half-open. Although he had suppressed the sharp aura he exuded in the court, he was still surrounded by a cool and refreshing aura.
The carved lattice door creaked open, and Pei Muwei knew that the Empress Dowager had sent a palace maid to deliver tea and snacks. Without raising his eyebrows, he stroked the delicately embroidered iris on the purse with his long fingers and said in a calm voice, "Put it down."
The young palace maid responded softly, stepped forward gracefully, opened the food box, took out the celadon stew pot inside, and placed it on the table.
She lifted the porcelain lid, and a faint smell of blood wafted from the rising steam.
Pei Muwei's gaze shifted from the book to the dark red blood soup in the porcelain bowl, his brows furrowing slightly: "What is this?"
"This time, the deer blood soup was prepared by the Empress Dowager herself, without the need for Granny Xu."
The woman stood beside him with her head bowed, deliberately lowering her voice. The fragrance emanating from her body was masked by the bloody smell in the porcelain cup, but Pei Muwei still caught that familiar scent.
Without hesitation, he pulled the person beside him into his arms.
The candlelight on the desk shone brightly, illuminating the bright, sparkling eyes of the woman in his arms.
The young empress dowager wore a pale blue, narrow-sleeved, round-necked palace dress. The dress had no exquisite floral patterns or luxurious gold phoenix patterns. Her black hair was styled into double buns, each side adorned with silk flowers woven from brocade. Although the palace dress was dull and lackluster, the woman's fair skin and beautiful face somehow gave it a bright and lustrous appearance, like unpolished jade and pure gold.
Especially the hairstyle of the young girl who had not yet reached the age of marriage, which made Pei Muwei's eyes light up.
"Your Highness disguised himself and secretly met with me late at night, and even personally cooked deer blood soup..." Pei Muwei glanced at the deer blood soup on the table, his eyebrows lowered, and his voice was lower than ever before:
What does that mean?
Chu Yueyuan blinked her bright eyes lightly: "Your Highness has mistaken me for someone else. My name is Niannian, and I am a palace maid who admires Your Highness's handsome appearance. Tonight, I mustered up my courage and volunteered myself, hoping to gain Your Highness's favor..."
The woman's voice was soft and gentle, like a honey-coated hook.
Pei Muwei lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, cooperating with the little empress dowager's performance. He lifted her delicate chin with his long fingers, his gaze lingering on her fair and rosy cheeks.
"She's quite beautiful, but I wonder how good she is at serving people?"
As Chu Yueyuan met the man's unrestrained and burning gaze, her ears gradually flushed red. She pursed her rosy lips, gently turned her body, and straddled his waist.
"Then this servant will... dare to give it a try."
The woman's delicate hand, adorned with nail polish, caressed the man's dark ink plum blossom pattern on his light blue undergarment. Her slender, pale fingers traced the winding lines of the pattern, intentionally or unintentionally touching his muscular abdomen, strong chest, and broad shoulders.
The man gradually tensed up, and his steady breathing became erratic.
Chu Yueyuan pressed her advantage, raising her arm to hook around his neck. She stared at the man's Adam's apple, vaguely remembering the last time she kissed him there when she was drunk, and received a very strong reaction.
She parted her red lips slightly and kissed his Adam's apple, her tongue lightly sweeping over it.
Pei Muwei's eyes suddenly darkened. The young empress dowager under his gaze tilted her head, revealing her slender and fair neck. As she moved closer, a sweet fragrance wafted from her slightly open collar.
As that soft, moist tongue gently glided across his Adam's apple, a bone-chilling, tingling sensation surged through his veins, as if igniting a wildfire in his mind, nearly consuming his reason.
His five fingers, resting on the armchair, clenched tightly, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged slightly. He could hardly resist pinching the woman's gently swaying waist.
Chu Yueyuan kissed him for a long time, her body covered in a light sweat, but the man remained unmoved.
Frustrated, she released her grip on the man's neck, panting heavily, marveling at how difficult it was to seduce a man.
It's all because of this ugly outfit that her strength has been greatly diminished.
Pei Muwei looked at the sullen Empress Dowager, gently patted her buttocks with his large hand, his voice hoarse but calm:
"Your Highness, have you had enough? Go back now. The candidate for Minister of Works has been decided. I will promote Lord Chu to Grand Master of the Palace and bestow upon him a noble title. Is Your Highness satisfied?"
Chu Yueyuan's eyes flashed slightly. The rank of Guanglu Dafu was a second-rank official. For Chu Shuheng, who had spent most of his life in the Ministry of Works and was still only a third-rank official, this was a meteoric rise.
However, the Grand Master of the Palace was a mere civil official with a title but no real power.
No, waiting for this opportunity would take far too long; she couldn't afford to wait any longer, and Xiao Yun's secret couldn't be kept hidden for that long either.
Suddenly, Chu Yueyuan's mind flashed back to the image of the koi carp leaping into the water. Perhaps she was just a hair's breadth away from success, as long as she was willing to go all out.
The palace maids' attire was simple and convenient. Because they needed to get dressed quickly in the morning, the entire dress consisted of a large cloth bag with two sleeves, which was tightened by a ribbon at the waist.
Chu Yueyuan unbuttoned her collar and loosened the ochre ribbon around her waist. In just a few breaths, her dusty clothes slipped off her shoulders, revealing her fair and smooth skin. Her cheeks were flushed with a faint pink blush, a beauty that even the most precious rouge could not match.
Pei Muwei's cold, dark eyes reflected that snow-white figure, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
The young empress dowager tilted her head back, trembling as she reached out her soft, fragrant arms to hook around him, her eyes, moistened by tears, shimmering with light.
She said, "Your Highness, please have mercy on me..."
Pei Muwei's eyes darkened completely, and his reason snapped like a bowstring stretched to its limit at the woman's casual remark.
He picked her up and strode towards the screen.
Since Chu Yueyuan last took a short rest in the study, the narrow huanghuali chaise longue behind the screen has been replaced with a wide zitan lotus-shaped couch.
Her back sank into the soft bedding. Chu Yueyuan struggled out of the man's lingering kiss, and in a brief moment of breathlessness, she reminded him, "The vacant position of Minister of Works..."
Pei Muwei roughly sealed her lips with his, his long, narrow phoenix eyes shimmering with passionate red, like a ravenous beast, greedily sucking the sweetness from her tongue, the fragrant sweat on her skin, the tender buds between her first snowflakes, his words muffled: "As Your Highness wishes..."
Chu Yueyuan felt relieved and responded to his movements. Suddenly remembering something, she quickly pressed her knee against his lower abdomen and reminded him, "You haven't drunk that bowl of deer blood soup yet!"
Pei Muwei narrowed his phoenix eyes, a dangerous glint flashing in them: "Why does Your Highness think... this humble subject needs to consume deer blood?"
Chu Yueyuan felt weak all over from his kisses, and mumbled dazedly, "Last time...didn't you give up halfway through..."
Pei Muwei chuckled softly. He parted the woman's knees, leaned down, and kissed her snow-white earlobe with his thin lips, his throat sounding as if it had been scorched by fire.
"This time, I will definitely not disappoint Your Highness..."
The carved incense balls with sesame and bee patterns hanging at the four corners of the bed curtains swayed incessantly, the light pink incense balls inside rolling around with the movement. Each time they hit the copper wall, a layer of incense shavings would fall off, filling the entire bed curtains with a sweet and cloying fragrance, which would then be swallowed up by the strong and domineering musk in an instant, and so on... until the incense balls released their last trace of fragrance.
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