Chapter 12
The warm sun had set, and the snow was gradually covering the ground in the twilight. The gates of Zhihe Palace were tightly closed, and drag marks could be faintly seen under the door.
The man kicked open the palace door with an exceptionally domineering force, his cold palm gripping her slender, fair wrist until it turned red, holding it tightly and refusing to let go.
She stared blankly at Shao Sizhi's familiar yet unfamiliar face.
"You are my concubine, yet you dare to flirt with court officials in my plum garden! What do you think this place is!"
He roared from the depths of his chest, his eyes filled with a ridiculous murderous intent.
Qi Nian'an's peach-colored dress was soaked through by the pool water. She looked up at the man whose chest was heaving violently, and tried to get up but couldn't muster the strength.
Water dripped down her hair to her neck and shoulders, then flowed over her shapely upper body, soaking the entire bed in a striking way.
She let out a soft moan and shook off the increasingly hot, iron-like hands.
"Get lost! Look at the wet bed, how am I supposed to sleep now!"
Like a sheep that has strayed into a pack of wolves, she was completely unaware of the ruthlessness that flashed in Shao Sizhi's eyes.
He gazed directly at the woman's flushed cheeks, at her breathtakingly beautiful eyes, and at the man who wanted to kill her, as he spoke words full of hope.
She is like a piece of fine Xuan paper, as thin as a cicada's wing, which can be destroyed with the slightest tear.
So fragile, so foolish...
Yet it is also so tragically moving.
Shao Sizhi's expression gradually became blank. He stood there like a rooted log, staring blankly, seemingly lost in thought.
She sighed.
Neither of her words were kind. He was thoroughly disgusted with her, and seeing her embracing Li Xiaoyi like that today, how could he possibly tolerate such humiliation?
He's probably thinking about how to kill her.
The wet clothes clinging to her body were suddenly pulled tightly. Shao Sizhi, with a gloomy face, slowly untied her soaked top, removed the tangled belt, his expression serious, not giving her any glances.
This is the first time I've seen foreplay done so meticulously. Just say you want to sleep...
Qi Nian'an clicked her tongue impatiently, snatched the ribbon from Shao Sizhi's hand, turned away and ripped it herself, the sound of the silk tearing through the air sharp and piercing.
She said, "Are there any dry bedding and clothes? It's so uncomfortable, they're all sticking to my body, especially when they're half-dry... Ugh!"
His warm lips pressed against hers without hesitation. Qi Nian'an stared wide-eyed at Shao Sizhi, then pushed him away abruptly.
"Depend on!"
She almost raised her hand to slap him. Shao Sizhi's heavy breathing hit her neck and shoulders, making her feel itchy and unable to resist, but Qi Nian'an had no desire for it—after all, her feelings for him had dropped considerably today.
He didn't even agree to sleep with me!
Shao Sizhi looked at her healed hand with amusement, then chuckled softly.
He said, "This morning you were so affectionately leaning against Li Xiaoyi's neck, but now you're so resistant to me."
“Consort An, look at this ridiculous situation for yourself.”
"What's absurd about it? You question me without distinguishing right from wrong, and not out of any sense of the exclusivity of love—you're just too ashamed to come to me to prove that I'm frivolous, not that you lack authority. But you've never asked me what I'm thinking!"
Qi Nian'an tore off the bed curtains and wrapped them around herself. Barefoot, she grabbed her wet clothes and headed towards the charcoal fire.
Suddenly, she felt dizzy and her waist was tightly wrapped around him. Shao Sizhi's heavy, dark figure swayed and pressed her onto the bed. He approached her menacingly, pressing down on her.
His heavy breaths sprayed onto her earlobe, his nose touched her coolly, and he whispered questions in her ear over and over again.
"Why are you so presumptuous? Why are you so unscrupulous?"
"Why do I always give you a chance to explain?"
He brazenly traced his way up her slightly trembling waist, glancing over her softness, his fingertips mischievously increasing the pressure, listening to the woman's soft moans.
She will no longer resist.
She was nothing more than a plaything, a cunning and ambitious dog offering herself up to curry favor. How could she possibly keep attracting his attention and disturbing his peace within the tranquil harem?
Snap—
The palm strike brought a chill that hadn't been warmed by the blow. He was knocked to the side, his head turning red. Looking back at her slightly red eyes, his chest heaved even more rapidly.
She refused to say a word.
How dare you—
Snap—
An even louder slap echoed throughout the hall. Qi Nian'an stood up, buried her face in her arms, and then slowly raised her head.
She dared not admit that a thin layer of sweat covered her body, and even less did she want to admit that she was the one who had fallen in love first.
If she continued, it would be a heartless indulgence, which she didn't want.
"Why are you crying?"
Those hands, no longer offensive, instead gently wiped away her tears and caressed her tenderly.
Shao Sizhi said in a deep voice, "I have never seen such an unruly concubine as you. Do you really think that Consort Ling can protect you for the rest of your life?"
"She's much better than you."
Qi Nian'an let out a deep breath, slowly stood up, tilted her head and carefully examined Shao Sizhi's slightly flushed cheeks and his eyes that were already tinged with lust, and suddenly laughed.
Never mind, she hasn't done it in a long time anyway.
Since he wants to play, she has nothing to lose.
As Shao Sizhi watched the red veil flutter and fall to the ground, settling beneath the slender, fair legs, the leg stepping onto his knee and suddenly applying more force.
He groaned and frowned abruptly, but then two hands, unusually restless, reached out and touched his chest; she slowly pressed herself against him.
Her eyelashes trembled as she carefully closed them, and a blush quickly rose as she gasped for breath.
She was about to continue when Shao Sizhi suddenly stood up, his expression changing.
Those hands brazenly lifted his chin, clumsily mimicking his manner of provocation.
“Look, you feel ashamed.”
Qi Nian'an said softly with sorrow, "Then why are you willing to treat me like this? Is it because you've made up your mind that for the rest of my life, I can only be your puppet, your pawn, and not even your wife?"
"Then let's continue to look down on each other like this."
Candles had already been lit inside the hall, the flames leaping and dancing, sometimes rising and sometimes falling.
There was nothing here that Jinjiang (the platform) would not allow, because the author did not want to fail the review before starting the business.
The heavy woody scent gripped their hearts, leaving only scattered, gradually weakening breaths interspersed with sighs.
The next day, sunlight slowly shone through the first windowpane.
Qi Nian'an lay sprawled out, drooling, his messy hair, like a feather duster, was sticking to his forehead with sweat.
She felt light and refreshed, and couldn't help but cheer herself three times in her heart.
The first sound came from outside when she was jumping in the pool and getting some cold air; she didn't catch a cold!
The second tone, resisting the temptation of the handsome man, did not strain the relationship and peacefully reached an agreement with Shao Sizhi to go to sleep first and let everything else go to hell.
Third tone —
"Mysterious~"
Qi Nian'an tiptoed to Li Xiaoran like a ghost, then gave her a bear hug and swayed her back and forth.
“We didn’t break up, we made up, and Shao Sizhi isn’t the kind of person who can’t be communicated with at all. He’s quite gentle, and…”
"An'an, are you really stupid or just pretending?"
Li Xiaoran's expression was neither sad nor happy at this moment. She pulled a letter from her sleeve, and an atmosphere of extreme resentment surrounded her.
"Do you know that before Shao Sizhi rushed to deal with the situation, he had already taken control of all the salt merchants in the Yunyang area? Now, rumors are circulating among the people that you are a wicked concubine. Do you know why he hastily favored you?"
"Do you know what? While my best friend was partying and having a good time every night, I was struggling to control public opinion, working through the night to sift through the snowflakes of secret messages and intelligence from the palace, and even intercepting a letter from Prince Yun to you, his spy! I'm more stressed than even Thomas the Tank Engine!!!"
Qi Nian'an suddenly realized.
I see.
"It's alright, I slapped him twice, that's my way of avenging you."
She gave Li Xiaoran a mischievous grin, then patted her reassuringly.
Li Xiaoran was puzzled.
ah?
“You know what? I touched Shao Sizhi’s… size.”
"My God."
"Seriously, there are pectoral muscles and abs, and below that... you get punished."
Li Xiaoran instantly perked up. Seeing that no one was around, she quietly asked, "Weren't you guys still awake?"
“We didn’t sleep together. He took the initiative first, but I didn’t really want to.” Qi Nian’an propped her chin up and sat cross-legged on the bed. “I felt that if we slept together now, our relationship would definitely stop at this level. I don’t know how he would feel, but I would definitely feel awkward.”
Li Xiaoran hummed in agreement and asked, "Are you still infatuated with him? Just yesterday, Consort Ling was dragged away, and then I don't know what her family said to Consort Yi, but Consort Yi was waiting at your palace gate before dawn today, and Shao Sizhi even got angry, but after he finished, he released Consort Ling. It's really strange."
“This kind of man is all talk and no action. An’an, you’re not very bright and you’ll be easily fooled by him. Stay away from him. To be honest, he’s really no good.”
Li Xiaoran sighed and pushed herself onto the bed.
"But I touched him all over here yesterday..."
"My God."
In despair, Li Xiaoran jumped up and scurried back onto the stool, staring at the bed with disgust.
"Is there any part of me that hasn't been defiled by you? I don't want to be part of your play, thank you. I'm going to throw up."
"Don't worry, don't worry," Qi Nian'an said apologetically, lifting the bed sheet as she sighed.
"What's the situation with all this public opinion? Is it that lively this morning?"
“You’re sleeping like a log. I shook you and you wouldn’t wake up. I thought Shao Sizhi had done something to you…” Li Xiaoran said angrily, punching her.
“Recently, there have been many rumors outside the palace that you have been acting arrogantly and domineeringly in the harem because of your favor with the emperor. You have used your methods to drive two concubines mad and have also bewitched a young nobleman who came into the palace, namely Li Xiaoyi. Li Xiaoyi’s affair with Consort Jia has also been brought up. Now, the public is indignant and wants to imprison you or even kill you to rectify the fate of the country.”
"Moreover, that bastard Shao Sizhi directly ordered the army to march north. The victory report came this morning. Do you remember Consort Yi? She's already been released. The general who won the battle is her own brother. He pleaded for her release based on his military merits. Shao Sizhi released her on the spot after dealing with Consort Yi. Damn it!"
The two men angrily swung their fists at the air, spitting out a barrage of insults at Shao Sizhi.
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