The Empress's eyes were vivid and bright. In her gaze, the Emperor could always sense something unique—a bold and open attitude, as if in her world, there was nothing that could not be faced, and nothing that could not be lost.
This attitude made the emperor feel both admiration and a strange sense of loss.
she……
The emperor suddenly stopped thinking.
He realized that his exploration might touch on things he shouldn't, and might disrupt the existing balance and harmony.
He gently shook his head, putting those chaotic thoughts behind him.
"never mind……"
The emperor silently said to himself,
"You're thinking too far ahead..."
As the ruler of a country, he cannot allow himself to be swayed by personal emotions; he must always remain clear-headed and rational.
The emperor closed his eyes briefly, no longer pressing Rong Yang for an answer, and instead asked, "What did the empress say to you?"
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is concerned about my health and has told me to eat well!"
"Hmm..." The Emperor nodded. "The Empress is right. Always eat well. You don't need to pay attention to those rumors from the court; I will handle them slowly. You don't need to pay attention to anything you hear in the inner palace."
The Empress governs the palace with extreme strictness, and any signs of trouble are quickly suppressed. The palace is very peaceful now, so don't be afraid. Go out for walks whenever you have time.
The women in my harem, including the Empress, are all very easygoing and considerate. You should move around more often and not stay cooped up in Minghua Palace all day, or you'll get bored.
"Don't worry, I will protect you, and the Empress will protect you too."
The emperor's voice was deep and powerful, sounding like a command or a promise.
Rong Yang could tell that the emperor trusted his empress, even if there wasn't necessarily much love between them.
At the very least, the empress did not love the emperor. The way she looked at the emperor was the same way the imperial concubine in the Southern Dynasty looked at her father.
Their relationship resembled a contract.
While she was in a daze, she suddenly felt a hand tighten around her waist, forcing Rong Yang to pull herself out of her thoughts. "Consort Xian, I have finally come to the harem, and all I think about is you. You mustn't mistreat me."
He then kissed her.
Caught off guard, Rong Yang felt a warm breath instantly envelop her. Her heart raced, and a blush crept onto her cheeks. She tried to struggle, but found that the hands around her waist were like iron hoops, locking her tightly in the emperor's embrace.
"Your Majesty, this...it's still broad daylight..."
Her words were tinged with panic and shyness, her voice so soft it was almost swallowed by the surrounding silence.
The emperor chuckled softly, his voice deep and magnetic, seemingly able to penetrate the heart. "What's wrong? Is my virtuous consort shy?"
His tone was somewhat teasing, yet gentle. Rong Yang was momentarily flustered and loosened her grip on his chest.
He deepened the kiss, with an undeniable domineering force. Rong Yang gradually gave up resisting, letting herself immerse herself in this sudden intimacy.
Her hands unconsciously wrapped around the emperor's neck, responding to his passion.
The world around them seemed to stand still at that moment, leaving only the sound of their heartbeats and their intertwined breaths.
Time seemed to stretch out and become sweet at that moment, as if the whole world existed only for the two of them.
Finally, the emperor released Rong Yang, and the two touched forehead to forehead, still panting.
Rong Yang had learned excellent manners since childhood and never dared to imagine that one day she would be so bold.
She lifted her eyelids, glanced at the emperor, sat up, and said irritably, "Your Majesty... calling for water in broad daylight is too embarrassing!"
The emperor, however, did not take it seriously. "Don't worry, the people in Minghua Palace are all personally trained by me and the empress. They are very disciplined and won't talk nonsense."
“Well… alright then…” Rong Yang had no choice.
The emperor looked at her and said, "Don't you think that the empress and I arranged for these people to spy on you?"
Upon hearing this, Rong Yang quickly thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, what are you joking about? When I entered the palace, I only brought A-Ye with me. I am not familiar with the palace and my status is special. Your Majesty and the Empress are here to protect me."
"Hmm...that's the right way to think!" The emperor reached out and pulled her back, no longer dwelling on the issue. "Sleep a little longer, you've been quite tired these past few days."
Rong Yang tried to move, but found she couldn't break free, so she gave up and asked, "Isn't Your Majesty going back to the former dynasty?"
"I'm not going back... Go to sleep..."
The inner palace was very large, but there were only a few people inside and out. The news that the emperor had entered Minghua Palace early in the morning and did not come out all day could reach the empress's ears without being spread many times.
Several women, having nothing to do, gathered together to play cards. When they heard this news, they couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Your Majesty is... full of energy!"
Consort Shu is becoming increasingly outspoken; despite her innocent and pure appearance, she uttered a suggestive remark.
Consort De glared at her, glanced at Xia Yun, the maid who had been dragged over to play cards with them because there weren't enough people, and said, "Don't talk nonsense in front of young girls. Xia Yun isn't married yet, she can't stand hearing these things."
Xia Yun, whose name was called, chuckled, placed the card down, and said, "Your Highness, Consort De, you are overthinking this. I have been following Her Majesty the Empress for so long, what haven't I seen? These are just small matters."
Upon hearing this, the Empress feigned a change in expression and pointed at Xia Yun, "You little hussy, you think you're all talk? If you say another word, I'll dock all your monthly allowance and see how arrogant you can be!"
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