Chapter 48 "My heart aches terribly too"
The palace servants glanced at them and then respectfully lowered their heads.
Ji Qingwu stepped onto the steps and entered the pool one by one. The water temperature was just right, and the water quality was soft and smooth. The palace servants then spread the prepared flower petals all over the water.
A palace maid holding a white silk handkerchief was about to step forward to wipe her body when Ji Qingwu quickly said, "Give it to me."
This was, after all, the palace, not her own private quarters. She had no intention of enjoying herself. She simply soaked in the water, then dried herself with a clean long silk handkerchief and changed into her brand-new clothes.
The sky-blue silk skirt, delicate as spring silk, is paired with a Xiangfei-colored underskirt. The skirt is very wide, and when she moves, it seems as if it can bloom flowers on the ground.
Holding a plain handkerchief, she dried her hair until it was half dry. Since she was going out, her hair was disheveled, so she casually tied it up with a jade hairpin.
When Ji Qingwu went out, he found that someone had entered the hall at some point and was kneeling in front of it.
The man was shocked when he saw Ji Qingwu emerge from the west side hall, her hair half-dry, without makeup, and with a rosy complexion.
Emperor Wusu's voice was deep and powerful.
"I have already stated that this matter will be discussed again tomorrow."
Shi Xi, the chief palace servant by the Empress Dowager's side, knelt on the ground, respectful and humble.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is concerned about the princess's health and has been by her side. She has not had time to come in person, so she sent me here again to convey the Empress Dowager's decree that the Fifth Miss only needs to go to Cining Palace. There is no need to trouble Your Majesty."
When the Empress Dowager learned that Qingyun had been pushed into the water by Ji Qingwu, she was furious. Upon learning that Ji Qingwu was still in the palace, she sent Shixi to take him to Cining Palace for punishment.
Emperor Wusu asked, "How is Qingyun?"
Shi Xi replied, "After Her Highness fell into the water, she caught a chill and was affected by the cold. The imperial physician prescribed medicine to dispel the cold."
She knelt on the ground and said, "But the princess is too frightened to sleep well. The Empress Dowager is very distressed. Please, Your Majesty, understand the Empress Dowager's motherly heart and allow me to take the Fifth Miss back to Cining Palace."
This was originally the Empress Dowager's family matter. Shi Xi thought the mission would be easy to complete, but the Emperor disagreed with her with a stern face. She could only appeal to his emotions.
Emperor Wusu waved to Ji Qingwu, who was standing there dumbfounded.
She quickly stepped forward.
But then someone next to me suddenly pulled me down into a warm but hard, uncomfortable embrace.
Ji Qingwu leaned against his arm, staring at the emperor's chin with trepidation.
Emperor Wusu then used his other hand to slowly stroke her hair, his tone unusually gentle, a stark contrast to his previous demeanor.
"She was also quite frightened and hasn't fallen asleep yet."
Ji Qingwu was indeed frightened, but only by the person in front of him.
A storm raged within me, and my eyes widened in shockâI wasn't asleep yet.
Emperor Wusu lowered his gaze and said, "I am also heartbroken."
Every word was etched into her heart.
But every word was clearly a response to what Shi Xi had just said, and the Empress Dowager felt sorry for Princess Qingyun.
Emperor Wusu followed suit and returned everything...
The words were affectionate.
But Ji Qingwu didn't see any tenderness in his eyes. Instead, they felt like needles pricking her.
Upon witnessing this scene, Shi Xi dared not linger her gaze and immediately lowered her head to the cold ground, her heart trembling.
"Go, and report back to the Empress Dowager whatever you see."
Shi Xi hurriedly retreated from the hall.
He almost bumped into a pillar as he was leaving, but Li Yuzong stopped him in time, preventing him from making a fool of himself.
After everyone left, Emperor Wusu pushed Ji Qingwu away, decisively got away, parted the layers of gauze curtains, and returned to his bedchamber.
Ji Qingwu stared blankly at his retreating figure.
She was filled with mixed feelings. It was obvious that the emperor's actions were to help her, since Shi Xi had come at the Empress Dowager's behest.
Even the emperor couldn't directly stop the empress dowager from handling matters in the inner palace.
This action, though a bit excessive, was surprisingly effective.
The effect was that the Empress Dowager had always wanted to place a woman of the Ji clan on the Emperor's bed, but had never succeeded. This time, she finally found someone the Emperor took a liking to.
But it was Ji Qingwu who pushed Princess Qingyun into Taiye Pond.
Shi Xi needed to hurry back to Cining Palace to report this special situation to the Empress Dowager.
Ji Qingwu pondered.
This only solved her immediate problem; she couldn't stay in Zhaoyang Palace indefinitely.
Li Yuzong led a line of palace servants in to attend to the emperor as he went to bed. Ji Qingwu stood in front of the desk, unsure whether to leave or stay.
Once the noise inside subsided.
Li Yuzong bowed and withdrew. When he walked to her side, he said in a low voice, "Miss Ji, you said earlier that you could temporarily take over the position of the night watch maid, but it is too late and the dew is heavy outside, so it is not appropriate for you to stand outside."
"There is a soft couch in the side room of the bedchamber where you can rest. If His Majesty wants water or anything else at night, you can pass it to him."
After saying that, seeing that she frowned as if she was about to speak, Chief Steward Li ran off as fast as the wind, regardless of whether she agreed or not.
Ji Qingwu: ......
Why run? She just wanted to ask if there was a thick set of bedding for her...
The light in the bedroom was already dim.
Ji Qingwu quietly lifted the two gauze curtains and walked to the soft couch in the side room.
The old rosewood couch inlaid with marble features a carved dragon pattern in the center, a soft cushion on top, and a pillow on one side. Ji Qingwu reclines on it.
As far as the eye could see, there was the dragon bed, separated by a layer of gauze curtains.
The person on the bed had changed into a thin nightgown and seemed to be fast asleep, lying flat without moving.
He was robust and broad-shouldered, unlike the burly generals of ordinary military men, but rather like a jade tree in a forest.
Thinking that the palace maids on night duty also had to prepare to serve the emperor, Ji Qingwu's gaze slid to his waist, where his nightgown was a bit loose, and she couldn't help but look down...
He possessed the imposing and majestic presence befitting a heroic man, with long yet strong and powerful thighs.
Ambergris has a deep and mellow aroma.
Ji Qingwu thought she would toss and turn all night, but as soon as she touched the pillow and looked at that person, she fell asleep with long, even breaths.
And you can hear the soft breathing sounds, and the occasional sweet fragrance that is neither flower nor fruit wafting over.
The person on the dragon bed suddenly opened his eyes, his mind filled with torment.
......
When Ji Qingwu woke up, he was still on the soft couch.
Although the bed was only big enough for one person to sleep on, and she would fall off if she turned over, she didn't feel tired at all, and slept very comfortably.
Not to mention that she got up to serve the emperor when she heard him coughing in the middle of the night, she slept soundly all night.
So she didn't even know when the emperor called for water at night.
She looked toward the dragon bed, but the figure that had been lying there was no longer there.
It was just dawn outside; he must be off to court. She sighed, thinking that being an emperor was no easy task, requiring him to work tirelessly day and night for the sake of the nation.
The palace servants came in to tidy up the bed and discovered that the bedding on the dragon bed still carried that sweet fragrance.
But the woman was clearly sleeping on the soft couch.
The palace servants glanced at the woman who was staying overnight in Zhaoyang Palace with surprise.
A sliver of morning light shone through the window, illuminating Ji Qingwu's profile and his clear, bright eyes.
The palace has never seen such a clean color.
Ji Qingwu suddenly frowned.
Oh no, it's dawn, and her beating is coming.
Now that the emperor is away, her backside is in serious trouble.
A palace maid whispered, "Miss Ji, His Majesty left a note on your desk before leaving for the morning court session."
Her eyes lit up, and she hurriedly ran to the desk, picked up the paper under the inkstone, and glanced at it.
The eunuch's shrill voice came from outside the door.
"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"
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