Xia Xueyi's eyes were red.
Her voice sounded extremely aggrieved.
"Sister Wan is beautiful and has a gentle personality. Many men like her."
"Aren't Uncle Thirteen and Gu Ziyu vying to bring her home?"
"I'll keep her in the palace, and we'll become best friends."
Lu Xingjian casually said:
"You're overthinking it. She doesn't want to stay in the palace."
Xia Xueyi's heart skipped a beat.
It's because she doesn't want to.
It's not that he doesn't want to.
Xia Xueyi bit her lip, her voice trembling as she unleashed her ultimate weapon:
"If... she covets the position of Empress, I can give it to her."
"I'd do anything to stay by your side..."
As she spoke, large tears rolled down her cheeks like pearls from a broken string.
Lu Xingjian was looking down at the wet spot on his clothes when he heard her words. He slowly turned his head and his gaze fell on Xia Xueyi.
He looked at Xia Xueyi expressionlessly.
His eyes were extremely cold.
Xia Xueyi's heart was pounding, and her eyes were filled with panic.
Did I guess what he was thinking?
Or did you notice something unusual about the tea?
She was on the verge of collapse, yet she still risked making the most dangerous attempts.
"My sister is proud and arrogant and refuses to be a concubine. If you depose me from my position as empress, can you then make her empress?"
No matter what, she had to coax him into consummating their marriage tonight!
The air grew quiet.
It was so taut it sent chills down my spine.
Lu Xingjian suddenly chuckled softly, his eyes softening with tenderness.
"Is it so difficult for me to have a cup of tea?"
Xia Xueyi was taken aback for a moment, then quickly asked the palace servants to serve tea again.
...
A man wearing an oil-paper raincoat and a knife at his waist walked out from the other end of the corridor.
"Sister Wanwan."
Su Wanwan looked up.
Gu Ziyu walked up to her, holding an oil-paper umbrella and an oil-paper raincoat.
"Can't walk anymore? Let me carry you." His smile was radiant in the night.
"You're still a palace guard?"
Su Wanwan saw the guard's uniform under his oiled raincoat.
At this time, the only adult men who could appear in the imperial palace were probably the highly trusted guards and eunuchs.
In fact, his appearance in front of Kunning Palace at this moment is quite impolite.
If one were to incur the emperor's wrath and be accused of having corrupted the palace, that would be very dangerous.
"They were originally going to transfer him to the 3,000th Battalion, but then they changed their minds."
His gaze fell quietly on her face.
Their eyes met, and he looked away, noticing that she had her arms crossed. He then handed her the oil-paper raincoat.
"Wearing it will keep you warmer."
Where are you going? I'll take you there.
A wave of warmth welled up in Su Wanwan's heart.
Did he come here to help her?
Gu Ziyu is always so gentle and considerate.
"But I don't know where I should go." She smiled helplessly.
"Why don't you go to the guards' quarters to warm up first, and I'll take you to the East Palace?"
Su Wanwan's face stiffened slightly, and she felt a pang of pain in her heart.
Last time, Gu Ziyu personally escorted her to the East Palace, and then she slept with Lu Xingjian.
This hurt him deeply.
She didn't want to involve him anymore: "No need."
Gu Ziyu didn't allow her to refuse and carried her on his back without saying a word.
"Sister Wanwan, you're too light, you should eat more." To avoid making her feel awkward, Gu Ziyu naturally found a new topic.
Su Wanwan: "..."
"Put me down."
"And then watch you freeze to death here?" Gu Ziyu didn't listen to her.
The guards' duty room is located in the southwest corner of Qianqing Gate, and it's not far to walk there.
However, Su Wanwan's left leg was in severe pain, and she hissed in pain several times along the way.
Gu Ziyu was afraid of hurting her again, so he walked very slowly and carefully.
When he arrived at the duty room, he broke out in a sweat.
When the other guards on duty saw him carrying a woman back, they wisely moved to other rooms.
Gu Ziyu put her on a chair and brought her a clean blanket and hot tea.
"Don't worry, no one has ever used these things."
As he spoke, he turned around and went to find some snacks.
Su Wanwan held the hot tea, watching him bustle about with a dazed look in her eyes.
When Gu Ziyu brought over the snacks, their eyes met, and she paused there.
"Thanks."
She lowered her eyes, looking at the steaming teacup, her vision filled with mist.
I didn't realize that my voice had a slightly nasal quality.
Gu Ziyu placed the snacks on the small table in front of her and sat down a short distance away.
After a long silence, he simply said, "You never need to thank me."
...
Lu Xingjian picked up the teacup from the tray and presented it to Xia Xueyi with a gentle and charming smile.
"I offer tea instead of wine to celebrate the Empress's birthday and to wish her a happy birthday."
Xia Xueyi was extremely grateful and tried to accept the teacup.
Since the Emperor is willing to personally serve me tea, it seems that Su Wanwan's matter is now over.
Lu Xingjian showed no intention of letting go.
She had no choice but to take a sip from his hand.
Lu Xingjian frowned: "Why is the Empress's face so red?"
"Someone, summon the imperial physician to examine the Empress."
Xia Xueyi leaned against him, her eyes as gentle as water.
"Your Majesty, I am fine. I will help you to rest."
Before she finished speaking, she reached out to unbutton Lu Xingjian's clothes.
Lu Xingjian grasped her wrist: "Your Majesty has worked hard; you must take care of your health."
A flicker of panic crossed Xia Xueyi's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
