Chapter 39 Stealing the Fragrance Pei Qing, do you...want a child...?
Two hours ago, in the East Warm Pavilion of the Diligent Governance Hall.
The light and cheerful sounds of string and bamboo instruments drifted in through the long, red-lattice carved window. On the long table of golden sandalwood below the window were two jars of Tusu wine and several plates of exquisite and delicious snacks. Next to the table, a small red clay stove was burning with bright red silver charcoal, and a jar of wine was being warmed on the stove.
The aroma of the wine was rich and mellow, like the mist that permeated the night, and soon filled the entire warm room.
King Liang disliked using delicate, small glass wine cups, so he ordered the palace servants to replace them with large bowls. He picked up a piece of sizzling, oily charcoal-grilled mutton, put it in his mouth, then picked up the bowl, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp. The hideous scar under his eye immediately smoothed out.
“I remember when we celebrated the New Year in the palace, Father would bestow Tusu wine upon us brothers, and we would drink it in order of age. Ninth brother, you were the youngest, so you were always the first to drink.”
There are specific customs associated with drinking Tusu wine on New Year's Eve. The order of drinking wine is reversed from usual, with the younger generation drinking first and the older generation drinking last. This is similar to the ancient saying: "The young gain a year, so we celebrate them; the old lose a year, so we punish them."
The meaning is that the young gain a year in the new year, so we should celebrate their safe growth, and the elderly lose a year, so we should pray for their longevity.
Pei Muwei also switched to a large bowl and poured himself a bowl of wine.
King Liang stared at the man opposite him and saw that he had a noble temperament and elegant movements. Even when he was drinking and eating meat from a large bowl, he did not have the vulgarity of an ordinary military general. Instead, he had an indescribable refined and elegant demeanor.
The boy was exceptionally talented from a young age, with extraordinary intelligence and outstanding abilities. Both the scholars in the Zishan Hall and the martial arts instructors in the martial arts arena praised the Ninth Prince highly.
In fact, the ninth prince was the one among his brothers who resembled their father the most.
Unfortunately, it's hard to see clearly when you're caught up in something; smart people, when trapped in a situation, are often more stubborn than ordinary people.
After several rounds of drinks, King Liang revealed the purpose of his private invitation to meet Pei Muwei.
“I know that my ninth brother has great ambitions and I am willing to lend you a hand. There is only one condition: before you become emperor, you must acknowledge your ancestors and change your surname back to Xiao, and swear that you will never change the name of the Great Qi.”
"As long as you are willing to swear an oath, I am willing to offend those relatives and submit a memorial to the emperor to abdicate in your favor at the morning court tomorrow."
"If you insist on usurping the throne in the name of the Pei family, then there will be no more brotherhood between us. Even if my Liangzhou army dies on the battlefield, I will fight you to the bitter end, even if it means our mutual destruction!"
As he spoke his last sentence, King Liang suddenly raised his voice, straightened his back, his face flushed, and his eyes flashed with determination.
He knew he lacked great talent and the ability to govern the world, but he had a heart that was determined to protect the Great Qi with his life.
The third and fifth brothers both desire the throne, but they are of questionable character. To achieve their goals, they resort to extortion and tyranny, disregarding the lives of the people. No matter which of these two ascends the throne, the people of Great Qi will only have an incompetent and foolish ruler.
This is why the King of Liang ultimately switched sides to Pei Muwei.
With the situation about to be settled, all he asked for was a promise from the other party.
The candlelight flickered inside the small red clay stove, bathing the man's deep-set face in a soft, warm light. His dark eyes were so clear that they seemed impenetrable to any warmth.
Pei Muwei took a small sip of the warm wine, his well-defined fingers gently swirling the bottom of the bowl. The crystal-clear wine slowly slid down the sides of the bowl, releasing an increasingly rich aroma.
Instead of directly responding to the King of Liang's words, he asked, "Was the palace maid who testified against me on the day of the palace coup dealt with by my elder brother?"
Prince Chen went to great lengths to find the palace maid who had served in Chonghua Palace many years ago, just to prove to the officials that Consort Pei had personally admitted that Pei Muwei was not the late emperor's child.
King Liang's gaze was calm, and he answered crisply, "That's right, it was exactly what I did."
Pei Muwei put down the porcelain bowl and said in a calm tone, "Did my elder brother kill her because she told the truth?"
King Liang frowned and pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "I killed her because she thought she had heard the truth."
Pei Muwei scoffed: "How do you know that what she heard wasn't true, brother?"
The King of Liang remained steadfast in his opinion, refusing to budge an inch: "What my father said is true, and what she said is false!"
A gust of cold wind howled through the window, the silk gauze curtains rippled like waves, the flickering candlelight in the stove went out in an instant, and the bubbling sound of boiling water gradually subsided, plunging the room into a deathly silence like a still pool.
Two figures sat cross-legged on the embroidered bird screen. One of them picked up a wine pot that was still warm and slowly poured wine for the person opposite him on the table.
The man's voice was calm and devoid of any emotion: "Eldest brother just said something wrong. The prince who drank Tusu wine during the New Year in previous years was not me, but my seventh brother."
Upon hearing these words, the King of Liang's expression changed slightly, and his originally straight back suddenly collapsed like a crumbling mountain ridge.
Yes, how could a prince of questionable lineage, a bastard whom people mock, deserve to receive blessings during the New Year?
He was unworthy every year.
People always tend to quietly erase the unpleasant aspects of their memories, and then fabricate another perfect and harmonious story to distort the truth.
At this moment, King Liang finally remembered that he was no different from his princes, and had also looked at the young boy with cold eyes and even said harsh words to him.
He lowered his head in shame, his hoarse voice pleading: "Ninth brother, even if you resent Father and us brothers, you have what you deserve. You can't take the foundation of the Great Qi as revenge."
Pei Muwei's thin lips curved into a faint smile: "Why not? You inherited your mother's surname, so you should naturally ascend the throne and establish the country under the name of Pei. I will not confiscate your 100,000 troops, but if you insist on making a pointless struggle and wasting the lives of these soldiers, I will not hesitate to send troops to wipe out Liangzhou."
He pushed the full wine cup toward King Liang and said calmly, "Tusu wine should be drunk while it's hot. I have other matters to attend to, so I won't accompany you, brother, to reminisce about the past."
After speaking, the figure that had been on the embroidered bird screen stood up. Just as the figure was about to leave the screen, King Liang suddenly raised his hand and smashed the wine cup heavily on the ground.
His eyes were bloodshot as he said, word by word, "You're the one who's been stubbornly going your own way!"
"You're the one who's been engaging in pointless arguments all along!"
"Ultimately, you just don't want to admit that you are a member of the Xiao family. What if I had evidence to prove that you are the Emperor's bloodline?"
Broken porcelain littered the floor, cups and tables were in disarray, resembling a chaotic game of chess with no winners.
Pei Muwei stopped in his tracks. He turned his head, and his tall figure, projected onto the screen, gradually distorted in the flickering candlelight.
Now that the truth had been laid bare, King Liang no longer had any reservations and simply revealed the truth that had been concealed all those years ago.
"Eighteen years ago, you were poisoned and fell into a coma, your life hanging by a thread. You were kept alive only by the thousand-year-old ginseng. At that time, the head of the Imperial Hospital searched through ancient books and finally found a prescription that could counteract the poison in your body. However, there was an indispensable ingredient in this prescription, which was the heart and soul of Zhiyang's blood relative."
"Father is the supreme ruler, and his body cannot be harmed. However, in order to ensure that the medicine could be fully effective, he still cut off a piece of his own chest as a medicinal ingredient, which saved your life."
“Damaging the emperor’s health is detrimental to the nation’s fortune. Back then, when the Great Qi was at war with the Western Qi, my father went to the front line to boost morale before his injuries had fully healed in order to cover up the matter. This left him with a chronic illness.”
"After Consort Pei passed away, everyone in the palace wanted you dead. Not to mention others, just think about how powerful the Second Prince's maternal family, the Langya Wang clan, was in court back then. You were still young and had no ability to protect yourself, so your father had no choice but to send you to Beiting..."
King Liang was agitated and kept recounting old grievances.
The veins on the back of the man's hand, which was gripping the sandalwood frame of the screen, bulged. Pei Muwei's face remained calm, but a coldness lingered in his deep black eyes.
I do not believe it.
“Ninth Brother has connections everywhere. If you don’t believe me, you can send someone to find that retired headmaster and ask him.”
King Liang grabbed the wine jar and took a big gulp. He wiped the wine from the corner of his mouth and mocked, "Ninth Brother, what you despise and hate from the bottom of your heart is deeply engraved in your bones. So what if you insist that your surname is Pei? The blood flowing in your veins will forever be that of the Xiao family!"
“If you have any resentment, then resent your heartless mother. If she hadn’t threatened to kill herself, how could Father have sworn not to acknowledge your identity? She went to great lengths to raise you, just to sow discord between you and your father, and to send you to take revenge on Father and the entire Great Qi!”
Pei Muwei expressionlessly released his hand from the screen frame, his long fingers sliding towards the dragon and snake patterned dagger at his waist.
The King of Liang, slightly drunk, looked up at the man high above him, smiled dismissively, and said in a mocking tone:
"Does Ninth Brother intend to kill me so he can continue living in self-deception?"
Pei Muwei remained silent as he walked forward step by step. The figure on the floor-to-ceiling screen, slowly bending down, resembled a bow poised to be drawn, ready to release an arrow that could take a life at any moment.
King Liang smiled, closed his eyes, and looked relieved.
A moment later, the vermilion-lacquered doors of the building opened to both sides, and the man's figure gradually disappeared into the dark night.
King Liang opened his eyes and looked at the empty long table made of gold-threaded sandalwood. His eyes flickered slightly, and a gratified smile appeared on his lips: "Father, Ninth Brother is indeed the most like you."
———
Pei Muwei wandered through the vast palace like a lost soul, his heart and body nowhere to go.
He once thought his final destination was the dragon throne in the Golden Palace, symbolizing the supreme position.
He took the throne in the name of the Pei family, and with a flick of his wrist, he destroyed the Xiao family, reducing those who considered themselves noble to the lowest of ants.
In the end, it turned out to be a complete joke.
He carried the blood he once loathed most.
How absurd and ridiculous!
The sounds of zithers and lutes drifted from the distant palace. Pei Muwei's steps were heavy. He was like a wounded wild beast, avoiding the hustle and bustle, wanting only to find a quiet place to heal his wounds alone.
He rarely drinks alcohol. Living amidst deceit and treachery, he needs to remain absolutely sober and rational.
But the more sober and rational he became, the more pain he felt.
In his lucid state, he pondered why his mother had concealed his true identity from him. Did his mother hate him as much as she hated Emperor Wu? Did his mother give birth to him simply to ensure that hatred between him and Emperor Wu would remain forever?
Perhaps the root of her mother's pain was not Emperor Wu, but him.
Perhaps he was also the one who confined his mother to the palace for her entire life, causing her to wither away day by day.
Pei Muwei leaned against the swing rattan couch, seemingly oblivious to his drunkenness, and numbly gulped down a mouthful of strong liquor.
The uncooked Tusu wine has a spicy and intense taste, like a raging fire, gradually extinguishing his sobriety and rationality.
When he was young, his mother gently stroked his eyebrows and said that if he felt wronged or sad, he should swing on the swing and the clouds of sorrow covering his heart would drift away with the clouds in the sky.
Pei Muwei closed his eyes, like a lone boat bobbing up and down on the waves.
Just when he thought he would drift away alone forever, a woman as soft as a cloud appeared.
She had a unique scent, like fruit glistening with dew on a tree at dawn—an alluring sweetness and a refreshing coolness that not only made him feel relaxed and comfortable but also provided solace to his soul.
The fragrance wafted closer, and the soft footsteps on the fallen leaves sounded like a cautious young deer tentatively approaching him.
Pei Muwei sensed her standing beside him, curiously observing him.
Then, she reached out her restless little hand and poked and prodded at his chest. Her hand was warm and delicate, like a soft feather gently brushing against his heart, sending shivers down his spine. Unintentionally, she left her mark on the deepest part of his heart.
A rustling sound came as a cloak, carrying the fragrance of a woman, was draped over him.
The young empress dowager gave a soft hum, her gentle voice tinged with a hint of reproach: "Fine, if you live to be a hundred, my days will be more comfortable..."
The implication was that she regarded him as her only support.
A fragrant sleeve gently brushed against his cheek, the soft touch like a gentle cloud. As the fragrance faded, Pei Muwei grabbed the drifting cloud without hesitation, greedily and eagerly pulling it into his arms.
He opened his eyes wide and saw the little empress dowager's surprised face.
Under the moonlight, the woman's skin was as smooth as porcelain, and pale golden osmanthus petals, like scattered stars, were embedded in her black hair, making her autumn eyes sparkle and her red lips as red as blood.
He reached out and plucked a osmanthus petal from the woman's hair. His phoenix eyes deepened with a drunken glint, and his voice seemed to carry a hint of intoxication. "Sister-in-law, you do good deeds anonymously. How will I ever repay you in the future?"
Chu Yueyuan disliked the Regent calling her sister-in-law.
Every time the man called her "sister-in-law," his low, husky tone lost its usual coldness and became more intimate and entangled, and even his bright eyes held an inexplicable playfulness.
The repeated, ambiguous calls of "sister-in-law" not only failed to bring the two closer, but also disrupted the hierarchical relationship between the ruler and his subject.
Chu Yueyuan turned her head, grabbed the edge of the rattan couch with one hand, and pressed the other hand against the man's warm chest. She took a deep breath and said calmly, "It's just a cloak for keeping warm. Pei Qing doesn't need to worry about it. It's freezing cold. Now that Pei Qing is awake, let's find a warm place to rest."
Glancing at the row of imperial guards kneeling three zhang away, she adopted the majesty of the empress and ordered in a deep voice: "The regent is drunk. Why don't you come over here quickly and help the prince to the side hall to sober up?"
The imperial decree had been issued, but the Imperial Guards kneeling not far away remained motionless, like clay statues.
Chu Yueyuan frowned, about to say it again, when she heard the man beside her speak calmly:
"Step back."
With just two light words, the clay figures sealed within the Imperial Guards shattered, and the guards respectfully accepted the order and retreated without even raising their heads.
Seeing the Imperial Guards disappear into the woods like ghosts, Chu Yueyuan felt a mix of emotions.
Having been a fox relying on the tiger's power for so long, she eventually mistook herself for the tyrant of the mountains, unaware that in front of the tiger, her commands as a little fox were utterly insignificant.
Chu Yueyuan raised an eyebrow, her tone displeased: "Why did Minister Pei tell them to leave?"
The man's long eyelashes, glistening with moonlight, seemed to be covered with a thin layer of frost, making his dark eyes appear even deeper and more profound.
"Your Majesty, I wish for the Empress Dowager to stay."
Chu Yueyuan almost laughed out of exasperation at the drunken tiger, and replied irritably:
"Pei Qing abandoned the civil and military officials at the victory banquet, found a place where the palace servants couldn't find him, and under the bright moon, with a wine cup in hand, he was having a great time. Meanwhile, I was busy cleaning up your mess. I'm tired and sleepy right now, and I just want to go back to Fengqi Palace to rest. I won't join you in raising a cup to the moon..."
As she spoke, she used her hands to support herself on the rattan couch, trying to get up.
Pei Muwei was over eight feet tall. He lay lazily on the rattan couch with his long legs hanging out. When he saw that the little empress dowager was about to slip away, he did not stop her. He simply put his legs down and lightly touched the ground with his black boots. The rattan couch, which had stopped swaying, suddenly started swaying again.
Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Chu Yueyuan let out a short cry of surprise and quickly let go of the hand holding the edge of the rattan couch. In her panic, she grabbed the phoenix-winged belt around the man's waist.
The swing went higher and higher, as if it were about to swing to the sky. The intense feeling of weightlessness made Chu Yueyuan feel that she would fall from the sky at any moment.
"Stop! Pei Qing, stop now! I'm going to fall..."
Seeing that she couldn't reason with the drunken tiger, she could only patiently stroke its fur, pleading repeatedly, "Pei Qing, please stop, I'll stay with you..."
The petals that had just stopped falling started falling again, the fragrant scent of osmanthus filling the air, mingling with the man's cool, intoxicating aroma of alcohol, creating an exceptionally intoxicating atmosphere.
Chu Yueyuan awkwardly loosened her grip on the ribbon, gracefully raised her hand to smooth the stray hairs that had been blown out of place by the wind, and casually said, "Just now I saw Minister Pei and Prince Liang leave the banquet together, but why is Prince Liang nowhere to be seen now?"
The swing rattan couch wasn't big; two people were sitting in the space that was originally meant for one person to rest in. When they were talking, she was almost half-embraced in the man's arms.
Pei Muwei calmly downed a sip of wine, then lowered his gaze to the docile-looking Empress Dowager beside him, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Did Your Highness find the acrobatics at the victory celebration banquet entertaining?"
Chu Yueyuan nodded: "It looks good."
"Since it's so beautiful, why would Your Highness be distracted by my whereabouts?"
Chu Yueyuan was taken aback at first, but quickly calmed down.
Was Pei Zei drunk or not?
If he wasn't drunk, then why did he unusually insist on her company, resorting to tantrums and unreasonable behavior that even Xiao Yun would have to admit defeat? If he was drunk, he could even logically set a trap for her to fall into.
She smiled gently, meeting the man's sharp gaze directly, her bright, watery eyes sparkling with a teasing smile: "Because Pei Qing is more handsome!"
To be fair, the Regent was indeed more entertaining than any theatrical performance.
Under the soft moonlight, the man's brows were high and his nose was straight. His face was full of cold, hard lines. When he drank from the spout of the pot, his movements did not show any decadence. Instead, he had a touch of the elegant and refined air of a banished immortal under the moon.
Pei Muwei chuckled softly: "It is my honor to have the Empress Dowager's favor."
When the man is not smiling, his eyes are cold and fierce, like a sharp sword gleaming with a cold light. But when he smiles, it is like snow melting in a mountain stream, with spring water flowing gently, which is extremely deceptive.
Chu Yueyuan was briefly captivated by the man, but then she suddenly remembered the secret that Princess Liang had revealed to her that night.
The more beautiful something is in the world, the more dangerous it is.
Chu Wanxi was initially captivated by the man's flawless appearance, and was willing to risk the extermination of her clan to have an affair with him, only to be discarded like trash after their brief encounter.
A sense of sorrow, like that of a rabbit mourning the death of a fox, welled up in Chu Yueyuan's heart.
Her body reacted first, subconsciously moving quietly towards the edge of the bed, wanting only to get away from the bewitching man. However, this rash action caused the rattan bed to be subjected to uneven force, and with a "creak", the entire bed suddenly tilted to one side.
Unable to escape, she fell straight into the other person's warm chest.
Chu Yueyuan's nose bumped into the man's hard chest, and she winced in pain, covering her nose as she heard a few laughs escape from his chest.
"Your Highness, are you throwing yourself into my arms to get a closer look at me?"
Pei Muwei narrowed his long eyes, a playful smile curving his thin lips, as if he had seen through the little empress dowager's little trick of playing hard to get.
Chu Yueyuan: ...
"Pei Qing has misunderstood. I only... I only..."
The woman blinked her alluring peach blossom eyes repeatedly, racking her brains before finally finding an excuse: "I just want to taste the wine in Minister Pei's hand."
To prove her words were true, Chu Yueyuan snatched the white jade wine pot from the Regent's hand. In her panic, she disregarded propriety and took a big gulp from the spout where the man had drunk.
"Cough cough, it's so spicy... What kind of wine is this?"
Chu Yueyuan felt as if she had swallowed a mouthful of scalding hot chili water. Her throat was on fire, and her body felt like it was on fire. It made her eyes water. She quickly loosened the tightly bound embroidered collar and felt a little more comfortable breathing.
Pei Muwei looked at the young empress dowager who was trying her best to please him. The dark and fierce aura in his eyes was blown away by the breeze, revealing a gentle and bright light. He gently patted the young empress dowager's slender back and said in a calm voice, "Your Highness is drinking Tusu wine."
"Tusu wine?"
Chu Yueyuan looked up at him, her tone surprised: "This isn't the wine that children drink during the New Year. Hmm... no, the Tusu wine I drank when I was a child wasn't this strong."
The woman tilted her head slightly, revealing a section of her fair and delicate neck beneath the collar of her blue silk dress. Her eyes, still misty with moisture, were clear and bright, with a blush spreading at the corners, adding to her alluring charm.
Pei Muwei took the white jade wine pot from her hand, tilted his head back and took a sip, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, displaying his masculine strength.
"The Tusu wine that the Empress Dowager drank when she was a child must have been mixed with honey water."
"So that's how it is..."
Chu Yueyuan nodded, thinking to herself that it was no wonder the Regent had sneaked into the woods to swing in the middle of the night. After drinking this wine, his body felt like it was on fire, and he shouldn't be exposed to a cool breeze.
Each lost in their own thoughts, the two fell silent for a moment, with only the white jade wine pot passing between them.
Chu Yueyuan gradually got used to the spicy taste of Tusu wine. Perhaps it was the words of the Princess Consort of Liang that made her believe that the man in front of her was Xiao Yun's biological father, or perhaps it was the wine that emboldened her. She was no longer willing to be a tree hole spirit.
As the saying goes, people speak the truth when they are drunk.
She thought, why not take advantage of this good opportunity to drink and chat with the Regent and ask the question that has been bothering her for days?
Having made up her mind, Chu Yueyuan mustered her courage and tremblingly reached out to grab the exquisitely embroidered dragon-patterned hem of the sleeve.
"I have something I'd like to ask Minister Pei."
Pei Muwei lowered his eyes, looking at the delicate pink fingers tightly gripping his sleeve. His gaze followed the woman's slender wrist to her beautiful face, slightly flushed from intoxication, and he spoke in a flat tone:
"What does the Empress Dowager want to ask?"
Chu Yueyuan took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, but her slender fingers tightened even more, causing ripples to appear on the smooth, flat black-backed sleeves embroidered with gold dragon scales.
"Pei Qing, do you...want to have a child?"
Silence fell between the emperor and his ministers once again, but there seemed to be something more to it than just silence.
Chu Yueyuan was drunk, but not to the point of losing her senses.
In her heart, it was the heartless regent who abandoned Chu Wanxi first. But even a tiger doesn't eat its own cubs. For the sake of blood ties, the man might accept the child that suddenly appeared.
So she tentatively asked him if he wanted a child. If he answered yes, she could then reveal the truth naturally. If he said no, she would have a way out and could find another opportunity to gradually move forward in the future.
A gentle night breeze carried the faint scent of osmanthus blossoms. A strand of dark hair that had fallen from the woman's temple brushed against Pei Muwei's hand, inexplicably sending a shiver down her spine.
His heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by an invisible hand.
Pei Muwei was unaware of when he had developed feelings for the young empress dowager.
Aside from her exceptionally beautiful appearance, the young empress dowager was no different from the other women who deliberately tried to please him; she was just as prone to tears, just as jealous, and just as eager to possess him.
Pei Muwei subconsciously denied that he had fallen in love, just as he denied that he was not the blood of Emperor Wu. He did not have the despicable blood of the Xiao clan flowing through his veins, so how could he have feelings that violated human ethics?
He believed he had the ability to remove poison from bones, so he gradually distanced himself from the young empress dowager, no longer seeing her, thinking about her, and trying to forget her.
However, the emotional ties that were simply and brutally severed disappeared on the surface, but in reality, they secretly burrowed deeper and lay dormant. The moment the truth was revealed, they were like weeds that grew wildly after the rain, instantly swallowing up his clarity.
He was the son of Emperor Wu, and with that vile blood flowing through his veins, he was destined to do all sorts of despicable things.
At this moment, he no longer wanted to be sober and composed.
I just want to drag her down with me.
Pei Muwei smiled with relief, his eyebrows like ink, his thin lips slightly curved, and his voice hoarse: "Your Highness wants a child?"
Chu Yueyuan was taken aback. She didn't seem to have said that just now! But before she could explain, the man suddenly reached out and grabbed the back of her head, and then... leaned down towards her.
By the time she realized the danger, it was too late.
A burning sensation on my lips, accompanied by the strong liquor, came a strange and intrusive feeling.
Chu Yueyuan's pupils trembled, and her mind went blank.
The man's kiss was like a fine wine that had been sealed for many years. Once opened, it was so intense that it could intoxicate anyone. As their lips and teeth rubbed together, he stole her breath inch by inch, making her almost drown in his cool, refreshing scent.
After a moment, he finally gave her a chance to catch her breath.
"Pei Muwei, you...you're insane!"
Chu Yueyuan snapped out of her shock, her cheeks flushed pink, like a drop of vermilion ink falling onto a piece of white Xuan paper, slowly spreading into an extremely alluring rouge color.
Her hair was already disheveled, and her clothes were slightly open to the sides, revealing a honey-colored embroidered blouse with gold butterflies and flowers. The two lifelike embroidered butterflies seemed to be dancing among the flowers as her chest rose and fell.
The man's dark eyes reflected the fluttering embroidered butterflies, and he seemed even more intoxicated: "Didn't Your Highness ask me to give you a child?"
"How dare you! I am your sister-in-law, how... how could I have a child with you!"
Pei Muwei sneered, a hint of ferocity flickering in his dark eyes. He stretched out his hand, his tone carefree: "Since you've already gone too far, then go all the way."
Chu Yueyuan was terrified, and said in a trembling voice, "You...you dare..."
The man's warm hand gripped the back of her neck again, and the rest of her words turned into incoherent sobs.
Although Chu Yueyuan had been married for half a year, she was a widow and did not know the taste of a kiss.
Shen Zizhan treated her with courtesy, and the most inappropriate thing the two did was to secretly hold hands on the crowded streets during the Lantern Festival.
That innocent feeling of fingers touching, heart palpitating and palms slightly sweating, still makes her cheeks flush whenever she recalls it.
Therefore, this kiss, which felt forced, was something she couldn't handle.
The man's thin lips pressed against hers, easily prying open her lips and teeth. At the same time, the most delicate flesh was grasped by him, and their disordered breaths intertwined. The intoxicating smell of alcohol was gone, replaced by his cool and refreshing scent.
Chu Yueyuan pounded on his chest with all her might, but her wildly waving fists were as futile as if they were sinking into cotton.
Compared to their first kiss, he had improved and become more forceful, like a storm ravaging a delicate flower, or a greedy beast biting its helpless prey.
Chu Yueyuan felt weak all over from his kisses and felt like she was about to suffocate.
After an unknown amount of time, the kiss, which was full of predatory intent, finally ended.
With her last bit of strength, Chu Yueyuan pushed the man off her. Like a stranded fish, she lay on the edge of the wicker couch, panting heavily. Her cheeks, which had been a pale pink, turned a bright red, and her eyes were filled with tears.
After a struggle, the gauze dress that was barely hanging on her shoulder finally fell off.
Pei Muwei's breathing was also erratic. His eyes were red at the corners, and his dark gaze fell on that fair and rounded shoulder. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he leaned down again.
Sensing his approach, Chu Yueyuan decisively pulled out the white jade hairpin from her hair and turned to stab him.
Madman!
That dissolute scoundrel Pei!
She fought him to the death!
Unfortunately, her fancy footwork was no match for his iron arms. After a few haphazard thrusts, her wrists were bound, and she fell into his arms once again.
Unwilling to be restrained, Chu Yueyuan struggled and twisted her body, even lunging forward to bite his wrist.
"Your Highness, please do not move again..."
Pei Muwei almost bit her earlobe, his husky voice suppressing some indescribable emotion.
Chu Yueyuan then felt a chill in her chest. She looked down at her disheveled and open front, and half of her anger dissipated instantly.
Pei Muwei lowered his eyes, his long fingers gathered together, lifting the layers of gauze piling up around the Empress Dowager's waist to cover the waning moon that seemed to be about to emerge. However, the moonlight appeared even more alluring under the hazy gauze shadows.
Just then, a series of three watch-day drumbeats sounded from outside the woods.
It was already midnight.
Chu Yueyuan frowned. She hadn't returned to Fengqi Palace yet. Would Granny Xu and Jin Tong become suspicious? Was Xiao Yanzi leading the palace servants around looking for her with a sheep horn lantern?
She didn't want Xiao Yanzi and the others to find her.
After all, she is no longer a clean widow.
Chu Yueyuan had no intention of remaining chaste for Emperor Shang for the rest of her life. If she had the chance to leave the palace and retire to the countryside, she might even raise a few handsome and obedient young men and live a fulfilling life.
But love between men and women requires mutual consent, and Chu Wanxi was unwilling to touch any more men she had been with.
Even though he will soon become the ruler of the world, wielding power and enjoying the highest honor.
She still refused.
Chu Yueyuan sat up, gathered her long hair, and said calmly, "Since I haven't returned yet, the palace servants in Fengqi Palace are probably in chaos. It wouldn't be good if this got out. As for what happened just now..."
She took a deep breath: "It was my slip of the tongue when I was drunk that caused you to misunderstand, you don't need to take it to heart."
The woman's eyes were still misty, and her voice was soft; her words were clearly the result of careful consideration.
As soon as spring breezes blew, she couldn't wait to draw a line between them.
Pei Muwei's pupils gleamed with a dark light, and his smooth facial features hardened slightly under the moonlight. His voice was low and hoarse: "This humble subject was disrespectful to the Empress Dowager just now. Will Your Highness hold it against me?"
Chu Yueyuan remained outwardly calm, but her fingers tightened their grip on the white jade hairpin.
The faint smell of alcohol lingered between her teeth, and her lips were numb and sore, a testament to the absurd things he had done to her.
She wished she could stab the lewd man who had taken liberties with her with several bloody holes.
But one cannot fight against another. Just as a young widow in the countryside cannot bring down a tyrannical landlord, she, a royal widow, could not bring the regent to the Censorate.
Well then, the closer he gets to the throne, the further she gets from the position of Empress Dowager. Before long, the two of them will be separated by the ends of the earth and never see each other again.
At this critical juncture, we must not allow any scandals to arise, such as a subject deceiving his ruler's wife or an uncle and sister-in-law engaging in incestuous relations.
Chu Yueyuan glanced at him, her dark eyes sparkling, and her dimples shallow: "Pei Qing got drunk at the palace banquet tonight, and I got drunk too. What we said and did while we were drunk... doesn't count."
Her hair was a terrible mess, so she tidied it up and casually twisted it into a simple bun at the back of her head.
Unfortunately, her hands were sore and weak, and she tried several times but failed to get the hairpin in place.
Pei Muwei took the white jade hairpin from her hand and slowly inserted it into her black hair. The jade hairpin had excellent luster and, when placed among the woman's dark hair, resembled a pure white pear blossom.
His long fingers slid down her cheek, lifting her delicate chin. His gaze fixed intently on her, he said in a hoarse voice, "Since Your Highness doesn't blame me, then please allow me..."
His dark pupils reflected the woman's increasingly panicked face. He emphasized, "Don't be so abrupt again."
Belatedly realizing what was happening, Chu Yueyuan quickly covered her mouth, but the moonlight in front of her was still blocked by the man who had bent down.
The third kiss landed on her forehead.
His warm, thin lips licked away a pale yellow osmanthus petal stuck to her forehead, stealing a bit of its fragrance.
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