Chapter 84: Quitting the game too hastily; the Regent's behavior is truly...
The murmurs in the hall subsided somewhat as everyone's attention was drawn to the topic. The Marchioness immediately perked up and began to recount the story vividly:
"Five years ago, the Ministry of Rites arranged an autumn hunt. The late Emperor, accompanied by several empresses, stayed in a large tent in the hunting grounds. One night, as the campfire blazed brightly, a tiger's roar suddenly echoed through the forest, startling the roosting birds into flight and causing all the beasts to flee. Fearing an attack from wild animals, the late Emperor returned to the palace. Not long after, news spread that one of the empresses accompanying him was pregnant. Later, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau observed the celestial phenomena that night and declared that the white tiger that appeared in the hunting grounds that night was a sign of the Kui star descending to earth."
"Your Majesty, I have also heard of this matter. It is evident that Your Majesty is the reincarnation of the Kui Star, destined by Heaven. With such a wise ruler, our Great Qi will surely prosper and the world be at peace!"
At this point in the conversation, the ladies in the warm pavilion rolled their eyes and praised the young emperor for his auspicious appearance. With the Empress Dowager and the Regent Prince assisting him, he was truly a blessing to the Great Qi Dynasty!
Hearing these flattering words, the young Empress Dowager on the phoenix throne did not show any joy on her face. Instead, she frowned slightly and stared at the teacup in a daze.
The audience ended half an hour later.
The noblewomen walked out of the Phoenix Perch Palace in groups of three or five. Some glanced at the disheveled Marquis's wife, a gloating smile playing on their lips.
"Madam Ma is incredibly foolish. What foster mother in the world would be happy to hear people mention her child's birth mother? Her attempt to flatter has backfired, and she's bound to get a scolding from the Marquis when she gets back."
"Hey, I was close by and I saw right when Her Majesty the Empress Dowager heard what Madam Ma said. Her little face fell. Look, she didn't even invite us to have lunch in the palace this time."
Inside the East Warm Pavilion, no sooner had the noblewomen left than Chu Yueyuan sent Xiao Yanzi to the Ministry of Rites to retrieve the roster of the autumn hunt from five years ago.
She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and fell into deep thought.
Five years ago, she was not yet of marriageable age. Her mother had just passed away, and she was in a daze all day. She remembered that one day she heard the sound of gongs and drums outside. The palace eunuchs came to the Chu residence to announce that Chu Wanxi had given birth to a prince.
Hearing the story of the Marquis's wife today, she suddenly realized that among the concubines who accompanied Emperor Shang on his autumn hunt, there was actually her sister, Chu Wanxi.
Chu Wanxi conceived during the hunting season, which means that Xiao Yun's biological father is most likely on the roster of those who accompanied him on the hunt back then.
Judging from her repeated tests of Chu Shuheng's reactions, he should still be alive and in the imperial court.
Since the Regent took power, the court has undergone several changes, with old officials falling by the wayside and new nobles rising. If the list were to be reviewed again, only a handful of people would remain, but they would all be prominent scions with distinguished family backgrounds.
Chu Yueyuan suddenly opened her eyes, her thick eyelashes trembling slightly. The truth was within reach, and the mystery that had puzzled her for so long was finally about to be revealed. But for some reason, it made her hesitate and feel a little lost.
Is she really going to kill Xiao Yun's biological father for her own and Xiao Yun's future?
———
The court assembly had just ended that day, and Jiang Yunzhou, the Vice Minister of Revenue, was walking up the stone steps with three or five colleagues when he suddenly heard a call from behind.
"Minister Jiang, please wait."
Jiang Yunzhou turned around upon hearing the sound and saw a young eunuch dressed in blue robes with a whisk draped over his arm walking towards him. He recognized him as Eunuch Yan, the eunuch serving the young empress dowager.
He was taken aback and quickly bowed respectfully: "I wonder what business Eunuch Yan has with me?"
Xiao Yanzi grinned, revealing two tiger teeth: "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager accidentally obtained a broken chess manual and has been trying to solve it in the Phoenix Perch Palace for days, but still cannot find a solution. Hearing that Lord Jiang is the last disciple of the chess master Master Yu, she specially ordered me to invite you to the Imperial Garden for a chat and to help you figure out how to solve this broken chess game."
The two officials beside Jiang Yunzhou exchanged a glance, their faces showing envy.
Not long ago, the Regent went to inspect the camp outside the capital, and the administration of the court was handed over to Chief Minister Lin and Prime Minister Shen.
As soon as the regent left the palace, the young empress dowager would set up an elegant banquet in the imperial garden, inviting handsome young officials to the banquet every few days to enjoy tea and discuss philosophy, or to play the zither and paint.
After returning from the banquet, these officials remained tight-lipped about what had happened and became even more diligent in their official duties, as if hoping to be summoned by the Empress Dowager again.
Jiang Yunzhou said solemnly, "Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, sir."
Xiao Yanzi raised the whisk in his arm and smiled warmly: "Lord Jiang invites you."
The two officials watched with envy as Jiang Yunzhou and Eunuch Yan departed. One of them couldn't help but sigh, "Alas... if only I had known this would happen, I would have devoted myself to studying chess back then..."
Another person taunted, "Wake up! With your appearance, even if you were the personal disciple of the Chess Saint, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager wouldn't dare to look at you twice..."
"Hmph, your pockmarked face isn't much better than mine."
The two were engrossed in their verbal sparring when they unexpectedly bumped into a figure. Upon regaining their senses and recognizing the person's cold, stern face, they were so startled that their legs went weak, and they hurriedly bowed in respect.
"This humble official is blind and did not intend to offend the Regent."
Under the clear autumn sun, a man stood with his hands behind his back on the white marble steps, his long fingers slowly stroking the translucent Buddhist beads on his wrist. His narrow phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed, and his hawk-like gaze was fixed on the direction of the Imperial Garden. It was as if an invisible gale was swirling around him, cold and intimidating.
Just as the imperial palace is never short of beautiful women, the imperial garden is never short of blooming flowers all year round.
Inside the octagonal pavilion surrounded by camellias, a woman in a jade-colored embroidered phoenix-tail dress with folded branches and flowers, her black hair tied up high, adorned with fragrant purple silk flowers, made her skin appear fair and radiant, making all the fragrant flowers in the garden pale in comparison.
Jiang Yunzhou lowered his head, the tips of his ears peeking out from under his official hat slightly red, and respectfully bowed, saying, "Your subject—Jiang Yunzhou greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
The woman's gentle voice was like a breeze whispering in my ear: "Lord Jiang, you've come at the perfect time. Come quickly and help me take a look at this unfinished game of chess. Is there any way to break it?"
"Your subject... obeys."
Jiang Yunzhou lowered his head and walked into the pavilion. He saw a chessboard on a round bluestone table and was immediately attracted by the black and white chess pieces crisscrossing on the board.
Chu Yueyuan smiled slightly: "Please give Lord Jiang a seat."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Jiang Yunzhou sat down, intently studying the situation on the chessboard. He quickly came up with several solutions in his mind and then said, "Your Highness, there are three ways to solve this endgame. One is to act like a hero cutting off his own arm, sacrificing a few pieces here as bait to lure the enemy deeper, and then forming an encirclement in the heart of the territory..."
When discussing his expertise in chess, his eyes gleamed. His voice was not loud, but his speech was clear. He was no longer as reserved as before, and exuded the refined air of a young master from a prominent family.
Chu Yueyuan rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the radiant man, and smiled faintly: "Jiang Qing, what a talented man!"
"...Your Highness flatters me."
How old is Jiang Qing?
The Empress Dowager's question came abruptly, and Jiang Yunzhou almost dropped the chess piece he was holding between his fingers. He looked up and was caught off guard by the woman's bright and sparkling peach blossom eyes.
He had always admired the young empress dowager from afar in the Golden Palace, finding her beauty unparalleled, like an unattainable hibiscus flower in the Nine Palaces. Now, standing so close, smelling her faint fragrance and gazing at her radiant face, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he momentarily forgot to respond.
Chu Yueyuan patiently asked again.
Jiang Yunzhou's face flushed red, and he stammered, "Your Highness, I am twenty-eight years old this year."
She blinked her bright eyes and said gently, "I didn't realize it. I thought Jiang Qing was only in her early twenties."
"Your Majesty... I am unworthy of such praise..."
Chu Yueyuan's gaze fell on the man's bright red earlobes that were exposed outside his official hat, and a faint smile appeared on her lips: "I have heard people say that people with protruding ears are intelligent and blessed. Jiang Qing is young and has already become a vice minister, and is also well-versed in chess. It seems that this saying about physiognomy is indeed somewhat true!"
Jiang Yunzhou's prominent ears turned even redder.
His protruding ears, which had been criticized by many, transformed into an auspicious sign under the woman's gentle words. A warm current seemed to flow through his heart, and his whole body felt warm.
Jiang Yunzhou's cheeks flushed red, and a fine layer of sweat glistened on his forehead in the autumn sun. He stammered, "Your Highness is too kind. I am truly humbled. I am willing to devote myself wholeheartedly to repay Your Highness's kindness."
Chu Yueyuan looked up at Xiao Yanzi, who immediately understood and took out a plate of taro pastries from the food box.
"Jiang Qing has been studying this chess puzzle with me for a long time. You must be hungry. Why don't you try some pastries? These are the special recipes of my dowry nanny. They taste quite good."
"Your Highness, I thank you."
Without any hesitation, Jiang Yunzhou reached out and picked up the taro cake that Xiao Yanzi had brought over, covered his face with his sleeve, and ate two pieces in a row.
Upon seeing this, Chu Yueyuan's delicate brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
She smiled gently: "I can not only read faces, but also palms. Would you be willing to let me see your palm, Jiang Qing?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yunzhou trembled and nearly bit his tongue. A blush spread rapidly from his ears to his neck, redder than the camellias outside the pavilion. He knew in his heart that this was inappropriate, but when he met the captivating eyes of the young empress dowager, he still reached out his hand as if possessed.
Chu Yueyuan cradled the man's hand, her voice clear and melodious: "Jiang Qing's palm is broad, with fine lines stretching like mountains. People with this palm line are often gentle and humble. Also, this jade pillar line is straight and becomes more and more obvious towards the end..."
The woman's slender fingers, as light as a feather, brushed across his palm, tracing the lines of his destiny, and finally gently touched the veins on his wrist. Jiang Yunzhou felt as if his heart was being held in the woman's soft hand, his blood surging, and even his breathing became heavier.
Chu Yueyuan casually lifted the man's bamboo-patterned sleeve, her gaze falling on his smooth wrist, a look of disappointment in her eyes.
Although the protruding ears match, Jiang Yunzhou does not fit the description of being allergic to taro.
Her voice softened: "Judging from your palm, Jiang Qing is blessed with long-lasting fortune. As long as you maintain integrity, are diligent in your duties and love the people, you will surely rise to a high position in the future."
After all that effort, it all came to nothing. Frustrated, Chu Yueyuan was about to tell him to leave when Jiang Yunzhou suddenly grabbed her wrist.
The man's fair cheeks were flushed, his eyes were burning, and his voice was excited: "Your...Your Highness...I have actually had feelings for Your Highness for many years..."
Having been summoned by several hot-blooded young officials in recent days, Chu Yueyuan was used to such scenes and was about to respond when a cold voice rang out above her:
"Your Highness, I have been serving you for so long, and I never knew you could read palms!"
Chu Yueyuan raised her head, meeting the man's dark eyes blazing with anger. She was slightly taken aback at first, then smiled calmly and said softly:
"Pei Qing is back."
Jiang Yunzhou hurriedly released the woman's soft hand, his face quickly turning from red to white. He quickly rose from the stone stool and bowed deeply to the man who had suddenly appeared.
"Your subject is here to serve as regent."
Pei Mumu didn't even glance at Jiang Yunzhou. His gaze was fixed on the composed Empress Dowager. He slightly parted his thin lips and said, "If I don't return to the palace soon, I'm afraid Your Highness will have worn calluses on the palms of all the officials."
Chu Yueyuan naturally sensed the sarcasm in the man's words, and she spoke gently to Jiang Yunzhou, who had been caught in this undeserved misfortune:
"Jiang Qing, you may step down for now."
"Your subject... obeys."
After Jiang Yunzhou's staggering figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, she asked Xiao Yanzi to remove the chessboard and taro cake from the stone table, and then took out a plate of candied kumquats from the food box.
Chu Yueyuan used a silver fork to pick up a piece of candied kumquat, savored it slowly, and then looked up at the man with a tense expression, explaining:
"Confucius is getting old. Not long ago, he submitted a memorial to me, saying that he wanted to retire and return to his hometown to enjoy his old age. So I thought I would select a few capable officials from the court to fill the vacancy."
She glanced at him and pouted her red lips: "Pei Qing rushed over in such a flurry, as if I had done something shameful."
Seeing the young empress dowager falsely accuse him, Pei Muwei almost laughed in anger.
"Your Highness, when choosing a husband for the Emperor, why not select a senior Grand Secretary with experience, instead of focusing on those young and handsome officials, and even looking at their palms? Could it be that Your Highness can discern their talent for governing the country from their palms?"
Chu Yueyuan recited her prepared statement with conviction: "While palmistry cannot reveal their talents, it can reveal their character. Those with impure intentions, I naturally cannot allow them to remain by the Emperor's side. As for why I specifically choose those young and handsome officials, I... don't find them handsome at all..."
She picked up another piece of candied fruit with her silver fork, rose, and brought it to the man's lips. Her alluring eyes blinked gently, and she deliberately drew out her words: "I see Pei Qing's face, renowned throughout the capital, every day; other ordinary beauties are simply unappealing..."
Pei Muwei took the silver fork offered by the woman, but instead of enjoying it, he put his arm around her waist and used the candied fruit to trace the shape of her full lips until her rosy lips were moistened with honey and looked incredibly luscious.
He narrowed his dark eyes, staring intently into her bright black pupils, his sharp gaze seeming to penetrate the depths of her soul.
"Is there anything Your Highness is hiding from me?"
Chu Yueyuan's long eyelashes trembled slightly. Meeting the man's burning gaze, she almost blurted out her words for a moment, but the sticky honey water sealed her lips like paste, and she finally shook her head slowly.
"Young Master Pei is suspicious and paranoid. What secrets could I possibly have from you?"
She leaned closer to him, her red lips slightly parted, her breath sweet as orchids, her soft voice tinged with a hint of reproach, making one's bones feel weak.
Pei Muwei's gaze lingered on those glistening lips. He lowered his head and fiercely kissed those lips, which were sweeter than candied fruit.
Chu Yueyuan let out a soft moan and went limp in his arms.
The midday sun in autumn was warm and bright, a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of flowers. The man cradled the back of her head in his large hand, licking away the honey from her lips, then delving deeper into her teeth to suck the sweetness from her tongue. The tender, lingering kiss was even more intoxicating than the fragrance of flowers carried on the wind.
She closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the sweet, floral kiss, comforting herself that this was the last time she would lie to him. Xiao Yun's background involved too many lives, and she didn't want to use their relationship to challenge a man's desire for supreme imperial power.
Or perhaps, she didn't dare.
After the kiss, Chu Yueyuan nestled weakly in his arms, listening to the strong heartbeat in his chest. Her disordered breathing gradually calmed down, and her hazy eyes regained their clarity.
She was certain that Chu Wanxi had become pregnant during the autumn hunt five years ago. However, after checking seven officials in succession, Jiang Yunzhou was the last person on the list who met the criteria.
Could it be that Xiao Yun's biological father was not a high-ranking official in the court, but some unknown guard in the palace?
The idea had barely popped into her head when Chu Yueyuan immediately rejected it.
Given Chu Wanxi's proud nature, even if she was heartbroken after being rejected by Pei Muwei, she wouldn't stoop so low as to seek solace in a guard. Besides, if Xiao Yun's biological father were of low status, Chu Shuheng would have eliminated him long ago to prevent future troubles.
Chu Shuheng has not eliminated this person for a long time, either because he cannot touch this person, or because his existence is beneficial to Xiao Yun.
Where exactly is this person hiding?
The man's deep voice brought her back to her senses: "Your Highness?"
Chu Yueyuan nodded in response, "Hmm?"
Pei Muwei lowered his gaze to the person in his arms who was as docile as a kitten, the corners of his lips curving into a deeper smile. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, then cupped her small, palm-sized face in his hands, and whispered in a hoarse voice:
"Imperial Physician Zhao said that my health has been restored."
Chu Yueyuan looked at him blankly, not understanding the meaning behind his words at first. But when she saw the undisguised lust in his dark eyes, her heart, which had just calmed down, began to pound wildly again. She avoided his burning gaze and coughed lightly, pretending to be calm.
"Hmm...then tonight I will send His Majesty to the Zichen Palace to rest."
"Very well, Your Highness, I will go and pay my respects as soon as possible."
The man, having gotten the better of her, deliberately emphasized the words "greetings" in a blatant teasing manner. Chu Yueyuan, feeling both ashamed and angry, plucked a camellia from a branch and threw it onto his chest.
"If you tease me again, I'll... I'll punish you by making you stand outside the palace all night."
Pei Muwei took the flower branch and placed it in the woman's hair. The delicate flower reflected her pink cheeks, making her look beautiful and charming. He smiled and whispered in her ear, "Your Highness, how about changing the punishment? Let me... stay with Your Highness for one night."
Chu Yueyuan's dark eyes widened as she cursed the man for his increasingly unrestrained swearing after spending more than ten days in the military camp.
————
As night fell, a rustling wind sounded outside the window, which soon turned into a torrential downpour. The wind, carrying raindrops, pounded against the windowpanes. In the short time it took for the palace servants to close the window, their clothes were soaked by the rain pouring in.
The dormitory room was warmly lit by candlelight.
Jin Tong carefully twisted the woman's thick, seaweed-like black hair and laughed, "It's fortunate that Your Highness sent the Emperor back early tonight, thus avoiding this downpour."
The woman, who had just bathed, had her black hair loose and her skin fair with a pinkish hue. She scooped out some fragrant ointment from the porcelain jar with her slender fingers, gently dabbed it on her cheeks, and rubbed it in. The candlelight then danced across her face, as if a craftsman were applying the final glaze to jade porcelain, the glaze seeping into her skin and giving it a lustrous sheen.
Chu Yueyuan gave a faint "hmm," looked up at the swaying shadows of the trees outside the window, and thought that with the rain falling so heavily outside, the Regent probably wouldn't come.
The man wasn't poisoned, so there was no reason for him to brave the storm to kick down the widow's door, as if he couldn't survive the night without her "antidote."
Jin Tong brought over a bowl of bird's nest and papaya milk soup.
Right now is the season when papayas are at their sweetest. The chefs in the imperial kitchen select the most perfectly shaped papayas, peel and remove the seeds, use the papayas as bowls, and put in milk, bird's nest, red dates, goji berries, rose petals and rock sugar. They then steam them over high heat. The resulting milk pudding is sticky, sweet and fragrant, and is nourishing and beautifying when eaten in autumn.
Chu Yueyuan loved the taste of milk pudding and would eat a bowl before going to bed.
After finishing the milk pudding, she glanced down at her clothes, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. She sighed, "Alas... I can't be greedy anymore. I feel my clothes are getting tighter."
Jin Tong gazed at the woman's slender waist, her eyes drifting to the sudden curve of her hips. As a woman herself, she couldn't bear to look away and couldn't help but sigh, "Your Highness's flesh really knows where to grow; not a single bit is wasted in any unnecessary place."
Chu Yueyuan was amused by her words and began to examine herself in the full-length bronze mirror.
Because her bust had become much fuller recently, she didn't wear a regular blouse under her nightgown. Instead, she wore a strapless, waist-cinching peony-patterned blouse. The peonies embroidered with gold thread on the starfruit-colored satin were stretched taut, and even the colorful butterflies fluttering among the flowers seemed about to take flight, casting trembling shadows in the candlelight.
This appearance is hardly that of a celibate young widow.
She decided to start dieting tomorrow and lose some weight so that it wouldn't be so obvious.
Jin Tong shook her head upon hearing this: "Your Highness is wasting such a precious resource!"
The rain continued to fall outside the window. Chu Yueyuan picked out a book from the antique shelf and leaned against the chaise lounge to read it. She was so engrossed in reading that she did not hear the door opening and closing.
Suddenly, Jin Tong, who was standing to the side, bowed and said, "This servant greets the Regent."
She lifted her eyelids and saw the man standing under a carved sandalwood canopy. His black robe with gold embroidery was soaked by the rain and clung to his tall, upright figure, shimmering in the candlelight.
Raindrops clung to the man's brows, dripping down his high, straight nose. Far from looking disheveled, he possessed a stunning, post-rain beauty, like a dragon emerging from the storm.
Chu Yueyuan got up from the chaise lounge, took a clean cotton handkerchief and walked forward: "It's raining so hard outside, I thought Minister Pei wouldn't come tonight."
Pei Muwei took the handkerchief offered by the woman. He was tall and from this angle, he could just see the rounded curves of her body, which were tightly bound by the fabric. The woman exuded a warm fragrance after her bath, making her exceptionally alluring.
His eyes darkened. After so many days of vegetarianism, he was starving. Even if it were raining knives, he would still come over wearing his phoenix-winged helmet to enjoy the delicious meat he had been craving for so long.
Chu Yueyuan's cheeks flushed under the man's intense gaze. She turned to Jin Tong and instructed, "Go and boil some hot water and bring it in."
Pei Muwei waved his hand and said, "No need, Your Highness can just use the remaining water to rinse it off."
Jin Tong wisely withdrew and closed the door. She couldn't help but shake her head and sigh: "Too hasty! The Regent's manner is far too hasty!"
Hearing the rushing water coming from the bathroom, Chu Yueyuan's heart inexplicably quickened, and a faint blush rose to her face.
This wasn't the first time the two had made love, but because they hadn't been together for several months, they felt a strange flutter in their hearts.
When the man, dressed in a moon-white, cross-collared undergarment, lifted the curtain and entered, Chu Yueyuan only glanced at his muscular chest before turning her head to blow out the candle on the table. But a large hand pressed down on her shoulder, and she fell into the warm, fragrant bedding. The embroidered butterflies fluttering among the flowers on her peony-patterned undergarment instantly came to life, their spring-like beauty almost leaping out.
Pei Muwei's dark eyes reflected the intensely blooming peony. He lowered his head, his nostrils filled with its delicate fragrance.
Outside the window, the wind and rain suddenly intensified, pounding against the window paper and drowning out the faint whimpering sounds.
Even though he had just taken a cold shower, the man's chest was still exceptionally hot. Chu Yueyuan was held tightly in his arms, and his lingering kisses traveled down from her brows. Unlike his usual tenderness, it seemed as if he wanted to take back all the restraint he had shown in the past few days, and even his breathing was urgent, as if he were conquering territory.
Knowing that tonight would be a fierce battle, Chu Yueyuan accepted the thought that whether she faced danger or not, she would still be killed, and silently thought that as long as she got through the initial discomfort, things would be better later.
Before the red lips could even leave a mark, a faint scent of musk filled the warm tent.
The candlelight on the desk was bright, clearly reflecting the surprise in the woman's watery eyes.
Pei Muwei frowned slightly, a look of astonishment flashing across his face.
The emperor and his minister looked at each other, their breathing still uneven.
The war drums had just sounded, and what was expected to be a protracted battle turned into an instantaneous stalemate.
Pei Muwei suddenly regretted stopping the young empress dowager from turning off the lights. For the first time in his life, he avoided the woman's gaze, released his hand from her slender waist, and pulled the brocade quilt over her again.
"Would Your Highness like some water?"
"Hmm... I'll send it later."
Chu Yueyuan's slender fingers gripped the edge of the peacock blue quilt, obscuring most of her rosy face, leaving only her large, watery eyes peeking out as she secretly observed the man beside her.
The man sat calmly, his handsome features showing no sign of anger. His long fingers seemed to casually twirl the sandalwood prayer beads, but the speed at which they spun was clearly much faster than usual.
She turned over in the brocade quilt, resting her chin on his firm, textured belly, and said in a soft voice, "Perhaps... it's because of that medicine. Perhaps you should stop taking it, Pei Qing."
Chu Yueyuan had heard of the contraceptive soup for men when she was young. It was usually used by noblewomen from high-ranking families in the capital to keep male lovers or frivolous men, thus eliminating the risk.
This contraceptive soup is not like the kind for women that can be drunk after intercourse. It needs to be taken every day until the medicinal properties penetrate the vital essence, so that there will be no hidden dangers after lovemaking. Although Zhao Qiming carefully prepared the prescription, all medicines have some toxicity, and long-term use will inevitably damage the body.
Men are destined to become monarchs who change dynasties; only by having many offspring can an imperial family last for thousands of years.
If she were to undermine the foundation of the new dynasty for her own selfish reasons, wouldn't she become an even more heinous empress than Daji and Bao Si?
The woman's hair was slightly disheveled, her face was flushed, and a deep sorrow was evident in her bright and delicate eyes.
Pei Muwei stroked her soft black hair, a hint of crimson still lingering in the corners of his narrow eyes, his voice low and deep: "It was this humble subject who coveted Your Highness, wanting to possess both Your Highness's body and heart. Then this humble subject must bear the bitter consequences of it all."
Chu Yueyuan's expression changed slightly. She stared intently into the man's sincere dark eyes and suddenly felt a warm sensation rising in her heart.
"When will Your Highness's heart finally have room for this humble subject?"
She lowered her eyes, tilted her head, and leaned against him, her slender fingers tracing circles on his abdominal muscles. Her red lips parted slightly: "Almost there, Pei Qing, please wait a little longer..."
Once she has completely resolved all her worries and there are no more secrets between them, she will try to open her heart to him.
The woman lay prone like a docile cat, her fair and smooth back gleaming in the candlelight, her slender waist, beautiful collarbones, and long, seaweed-like hair cascading over her shoulders.
Pei Muwei's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. The woman's slender fingers casually brushed across his skin, like a spring breeze sweeping across a barren plain, instantly turning the dormant spark within him into a raging inferno.
But he knew he couldn't rush things or be impatient, because his earlier defeat was due to his hasty military campaign.
Chu Yueyuan, unaware of the man's ambition to conquer cities and territories, thoughtfully protected his dignity and gently suggested, "There is a court assembly tomorrow, Minister Pei, why don't you rest early?"
She looked up, her gaze meeting the man's deep, wolf-like phoenix eyes. Her heart felt as if struck by hot iron; her cheeks flushed instantly. She tried to get up and move away, but the man pressed her shoulder down, his voice low and husky, coaxing her:
"Your Majesty, I have suffered a crushing defeat and am deeply disheartened. I implore Your Majesty to personally lead the army to boost morale."
Chu Yueyuan's heart pounded wildly, her eyes unsure where to look. She simply closed them, her face flushed, and whispered, "I don't know how to fight..."
Pei Muwei cupped her rosy cheeks in his hands, his fingertips gently caressing her full, red lips. His eyes deepened as he coaxed her gently, "It's alright, Your Highness is exceptionally intelligent and will be a good student..."
Outside, the wind and rain continued unabated. The raindrops flowing from the eaves wove a crystal curtain, which, when blown by the gale, violently lashed against the window paper, making a rustling, mournful sound.
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