In the past, it had always been His Majesty who remembered what she liked and served her dishes. She had never paid special attention to his preferences. Looking back now, she realized she had taken his kindness far too much for granted, rarely thinking about repaying him.
Earlier, when she made little clothes for Xizi, it was only after he mentioned it that she thought to make something for him too. Clearly, she could think about what Muqin liked, what Xizi liked, but she rarely considered what His Majesty liked.
Most of the time, she was always being difficult with him, demanding this and that, knowing full well he indulged her limitlessly, so she was utterly fearless.
She really had lived too audaciously.
“It’s enough.” Feng Jue placed a piece of fish, carefully picked free of fine bones, gently into her bowl. “You should eat more too.”
He gazed at Xiangyi’s delicate, pointed chin. After her coming-of-age ceremony, the baby fat on her face had gradually receded, revealing a bright, radiant beauty like a flower just beginning to bloom. When she smiled, two shallow dimples still appeared on her cheeks.
But in his heart, he still felt Xiangyi would be better with a bit more plumpness. That would show she was healthier, more vibrant.
“Oh.” Zheng Xiangyi obediently opened her mouth and ate the fish he offered, while secretly observing him from the corner of her eye.
Truly worthy of being His Majesty. Even his posture while dining was more elegant than others’. His long fingers lightly held the jade chopsticks, seeming to flow with the warm, lustrous glow of jade.
Those hands had gently stroked her cheeks and ruffled the top of her head, always carrying a comforting warmth. If these hands were placed elsewhere, illuminated by faint candlelight…
“Xiangyi, what’s wrong?” Feng Jue suddenly looked at her with concern, noticing her inexplicably flushed cheeks. Could it be he hadn’t picked the fish bones clean enough earlier and she was choking?
“Cough…” Zheng Xiangyi wasn’t choking on a fish bone; she was choking on the images that had surfaced in her own mind, her face flushed crimson, burning all the way from her earlobes to her neck. She coughed incessantly, clutching her chest, almost unable to catch her breath.
Feng Jue immediately put down his jade chopsticks, strode swiftly to her side, one hand gently patting her back, while calling out to those outside, “Go quickly and summon the imperial physician!”
“No… no need to call the physician!” Zheng Xiangyi hurriedly grabbed his sleeve, finally catching her breath. She lifted her moist eyes, quickly glanced at him, then immediately lowered her head again. Her thick eyelashes trembled slightly, a tiny teardrop hanging at their tips.
Feng Jue felt his heart jolt under that glance of hers. He only felt that the body under his hand suddenly felt startlingly hot. The temperature burned through the fabric against his palm, making him almost afraid to continue touching her.
He pressed his lips together, unconsciously drawing back slightly. Yet their sleeves were still hooked together, intimate yet distant under the candlelight. The fabric rubbed against each other, as if invisible threads entangled them, wanting to break yet still connected.
Zheng Xiangyi kept her head lowered but could clearly feel His Majesty’s gaze. That gaze seemed no different from usual, yet she felt as if a fire had been kindled in her heart, slowly burning in her blood, making even her breathing a little difficult.
Just as she felt she was about to be scorched by this silent scrutiny, Muqin’s voice suddenly broke the stillness, “Princess, have some water.”
That gaze finally shifted away from her. The heat on her cheeks also faded bit by bit. She took the teacup and drank a mouthful of cool, warm tea, finally feeling the fire in her heart gradually extinguished.
When she looked up, His Majesty had already returned to his seat. The small bowl before him was still piled high, as if he hadn’t taken more than a few bites.
“Does Your Majesty not like these dishes?” she couldn’t help but ask softly.
Only then did Feng Jue pick up his jade chopsticks again, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly as he smiled at her. “Of course I like them. This shredded eggplant, its flavor is especially good.”
Zheng Xiangyi was instantly happy. “Then in the future, Xiangyi will accompany Your Majesty more often, and have the imperial kitchens regularly send over some delicious dishes for you.”
A trace of a smile flashed in Feng Jue’s eyes, and he said gently, “Then I’ll trouble Xiangyi.”
Zheng Xiangyi pressed her lips together, saying nothing. She hadn’t lifted a finger at all, just gave a few instructions to the kitchens with her mouth, yet His Majesty felt this was her toiling.
She already lived better than most people in this world, yet His Majesty always felt he hadn’t done enough for her, not even willing to let her suffer the slightest grievance.
How could she be blamed for being unable to leave His Majesty?
After that, the dining table grew quiet, only occasionally hearing the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
Zheng Xiangyi naturally understood the principle of ‘too much is as bad as not enough.’ Moreover, even though she had resolved to marry His Majesty, she still had no clue about how exactly to proceed.
In her previous life, though she had married Feng Yu, it was mostly Feng Yu who actively courted her, showing all sorts of attentiveness. She only needed to enjoy it peacefully.
Now it was her turn to pursue His Majesty… She couldn’t help stealing another glance at His Majesty. His Majesty had always been indifferent toward the rear palace. In the ten years she had been by his side, she had never seen him show the slightest concern for any woman. From her memory, it had been nearly a decade since he last summoned a consort for the night.
Either His Majesty was truly ascetic and dispassionate, or… there was something lacking in that department.
Zheng Xiangyi absently poked at the meatballs in her bowl, her brow unconsciously furrowing.
His Majesty… was he capable or not? His health was already on the weaker side. Coupled with not having visited the rear palace for so many years… even Feng Yu looked much more robust than him.
Her thoughts wandered wildly, her gaze drifting toward him again. His Majesty’s complexion did seem somewhat pale, his vitality not very abundant. Another day, she would have to secretly ask the imperial physician and find a way to brew some nourishing medicinal soup for him.
Anyway, she felt quite capable herself. If His Majesty really wasn’t very capable, then she would just be more proactive and enthusiastic. She could definitely conceive a little imperial prince soon.
Earlier, she had secretly worried that now, with both imperial princes under His Majesty’s knees being inadequate to assume heavy responsibilities, he might choose other consorts to bear more children. But now, she needn’t worry about that at all.
She was so intelligent, personally taught by His Majesty. If she had a child with His Majesty, it would definitely be a hundred times better than those two brothers, Feng Qin and his sibling.
In her previous life, she had been Empress. In this life, she still wanted to become Empress Dowager—that would be true, boundless glory!
“Xiangyi.” Feng Jue naturally noticed her frequent glances and asked with a soft sigh, “Is there something on your mind?”
Zheng Xiangyi hurriedly retracted her gaze, playing dumb as she shook her head. “No, nothing. I was just thinking… if Xizi has eaten yet.”
She couldn’t exactly tell the truth, could she? Tell His Majesty she was planning to secretly add some tonic medicine for him? That would be far too disrespectful.
Feng Jue could easily see through her act, but couldn’t bear to expose her. He just went along with her words, “Xizi is being looked after by the palace servants. You should focus on eating properly first.”
“Got it. I’ll go see it after I finish eating.” Zheng Xiangyi finally spared the meatball she had poked full of holes and took a bite. Mmm, the imperial kitchens’ skills are indeed good. The meat is tender, and the sauce is just right.
Feng Jue stayed with her until after the evening meal before rising to leave. Zheng Xiangyi, holding Xizi, saw him all the way to the palace gates, leaning against the door frame, gazing longingly at his retreating figure.
Actually, she didn’t live far from His Majesty; her bedchamber was practically right next to Zichen Hall. She remembered before the age of ten, she had always lived in the side hall of Zichen Hall. Only as she grew older did she move out.
Thinking back now, the last time she stayed overnight in Zichen Hall was on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony, when she accidentally got drunk…
Right—alcohol! A drunk, incoherent person wouldn’t seem strange no matter what outrageous things they did, right?
Suddenly, inspiration struck. She had an idea.
“Muqin,” she turned and asked, “Is there still some of the wine Princess Da sent over last time for the coming-of-age ceremony?”
Muqin was a bit surprised. “Yes, there’s still some left. Does Princess Jun want to drink?”
A faint smile touched Zheng Xiangyi’s lips. “Keep it properly stored for now. In two months, it will be His Majesty’s Imperial Birthday Celebration. We’ll bring it out then.”
Unless it was a major celebration, His Majesty normally never allowed her to touch alcohol. If she suddenly presented wine to him, it might arouse suspicion. But on the grand occasion of the Imperial Birthday Celebration, her toasting His Majesty would be perfectly normal; she could even show her filial piety then.
When the time came, she would pretend to be drunk, throw herself into his arms, cling tightly to him, and then whisper some heartfelt words she wouldn’t dare say soberly into his ear. Even if he found it hard to accept for the moment, he couldn’t very well hold it against a “drunkard.” After she “sobered up,” she could continue playing dumb.
Persistent pursuit wears down even the most virtuous maiden; the reverse is also true. Moreover, she was beautiful and had been personally raised by him, so she must naturally suit his tastes in every way.
“Xizi, oh Xizi,” she happily lifted the cat high, twirling lightly within the hall, “You must bless your master to get her heart’s desire!”
Xizi, though clueless, still cooperatively let out a “meow,” its tail swaying gently.
Perhaps because she had harbored too many improper thoughts during the day, after night fell, Zheng Xiangyi once again sank into a hazy yet feverish dream.
Hot, fragmented breaths tangled by her ear. A scorching hand gripped her waist tightly, sending fine tremors across her skin. Unconsciously, she raised her slender legs, toes slightly curled, pressing against his broad shoulders. Her pale pink skin glistened with fine beads of sweat, shimmering with a lustrous glow under the flickering candlelight.
“Your Majesty…”
Her eyes reddened at the corners. She lifted her face, eagerly seeking his lips. Once found, she greedily captured them, unwilling to part for even a moment.
A soft chuckle escaped his throat. Those gentle eyes gazed deeply at her, granting her every move, indulging her clumsy, greedy nibbling, one hand gently cradling her face.
Adhesive, clinging, entangled, unwilling to part.
Until a flash of white light swept through her mind, her gaze unfocused. Only then did she finally jolt awake from the dream.
Daylight already streamed through the window.
Subconsciously, Zheng Xiangyi touched below. A tingling numbness lingered, with a hint of dampness. Her cheeks instantly burned as if on fire.
Unlike the blurred outlines of the previous time, this time she had seen clearly.
The person in her dream was indeed His Majesty.
She felt a bit ashamed, yet also a sense of finality. It really was His Majesty. Perhaps the one I dreamed of last time was also His Majesty; I just didn’t dare think of him that way then.
It stood to reason—how could she possibly still harbor lingering feelings for that scoundrel Feng Yu? The mere thought of having had intimate relations with him in her past life made her nauseous.
Feng Yu had taken advantage of her for nothing. Once she became His Majesty’s Empress, she would definitely make him kneel and offer her tea, respectfully addressing her as “Empress Mother.”
And she would be the wicked stepmother, tormenting him properly. When his legs were weak from kneeling and his face pale, she would magnanimously tell him to rise.
And that Consort Shu of Feng Qin’s, those ministers from the previous reign who were always glaring at her—in the future, they would all have to bow respectfully to her. Whoever dared upset her, she would have them severely caned, all of them caned!
Being a Junzhu wasn’t a proper excuse to act domineering and arrogant; she still had to act coy and complain to His Majesty. But being Empress would be different. His Majesty was the sovereign, and she would be the deputy sovereign, truly second to one, above ten thousand.
And His Majesty doted on and loved her. He definitely wouldn’t be like Feng Yu, always trying to assert dominance over her. Maybe she could even get on top of His Majesty instead.
“Muqin, prepare water. I want to bathe,” she called out towards the door.
Once she was clean, she would officially start striving towards her goal of “becoming Empress.”
Muqin felt the Junzhu today was exceptionally spirited and radiant. Her whole person was vibrant like a peacock spreading its tail, even the corners of her eyes and brows shimmered with bright, dazzling brilliance.
“This makeup is too plain, not eye-catching enough. Change it!” Zheng Xiangyi examined herself in the mirror, always feeling her face still looked childish, not seductive enough. She remembered herself two years from now in her previous life, when she had fully blossomed—beautiful enough to be called a peerless enchantress.
Now, she was going to “seduce” His Majesty. She couldn’t go with an innocent, naïve face, lest he always saw her as a child.
She pointed and directed at Muqin, “Put on more rouge, tilt the outer corners of the eyes higher, and draw a floral design on my forehead too.”
Though a bit puzzled, Muqin still carefully painted according to her instructions. In just a moment, a face of dazzling beauty was reflected in the mirror. Especially those eyes—the outer corners slightly upturned, long lashes like fans casting shallow shadows, with just a slight shift of her gaze, it was like a mountain spirit fox descending to the mortal realm, a moonlit enchantress appearing for the first time. Every glance could captivate hearts.
“Prin… Junzhu…” Muqin was momentarily stunned, her breath unconsciously held, almost unable to recognize this as the Junzhu she had cared for since childhood.
Zheng Xiangyi blinked at the mirror, then lightly pouted her vermilion lips. The more she looked, the more she liked it, almost wanting to lean in and kiss her reflection in the mirror.
Even she was enchanted by her own appearance like this. Let’s see how His Majesty could withstand it this time.
“Go get that newly made pomegranate-red skirt for me,” she said, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, a bright smile blooming in her eyes. “Today, I’m wearing it.”
…
Eunuch Gui spotted a bright, vivid cloud of red moving this way from afar and hurriedly bowed to greet it, smiling cheerfully, “Junzhu, you’ve come.”
Zheng Xiangyi lightly lifted her chin, her voice crisp and sweet. “Is His Majesty still busy?”
Eunuch Gui took a proper look and nearly failed to recognize the stunningly beautiful woman with the graceful figure before him as the usually sweet and charming little Junzhu. With this appearance, this attire, calling her a peerless enchantress capable of toppling cities and kingdoms was no exaggeration.
The late Emperor’s Consort Zhuang was once hailed as the “Number One Beauty.” But he felt their own Junzhu truly deserved that title. He wondered which young nobleman would be lucky enough in the future…
“His Majesty just finished handling state affairs and is resting inside.”
Zheng Xiangyi’s eyes flickered, a radiant smile appearing. “Then I’ll go in quietly, so as not to disturb him.”
When he opened his eyes, she would throw herself right in front of him, giving him a nice surprise. This face, this body—they were all raised by his own hands.
She wanted to ask him—did he like it?
Naturally, Eunuch Gui didn’t dare stop her and hurriedly stepped aside.
Zheng Xiangyi lightly lifted her skirt, carefully pushed the door open, and stepped in softly, her footsteps extremely light. Rounding the screen, she finally saw his figure.
Perhaps he had been truly exhausted lately. He was leaning on the desk, propping his head with his hand, resting with his eyes closed. A faint shadow under his eyes did not mar his appearance; instead, it added a rare touch of weariness, softening one’s heart.
Zheng Xiangyi had come with “intentions,” but seeing him like this, those thoughts instantly vanished beyond the clouds.
Actually, just being able to watch him quietly and closely like this was already very good.
She tiptoed closer, stopping about an arm’s length away, greedily gazing at his sleeping face, even counting his lowered eyelashes one by one.
His Majesty was truly beautiful… In the future, it would all be mine.
Her gaze secretly drifted downward, skimming over his closed eyes, scanning his high nose bridge, finally landing on those lips with their pale hue. Her cheeks gradually grew hot, her gaze becoming unsteady, her thoughts in turmoil as they lingered there.
When she was little, His Majesty would occasionally kiss her forehead. But as she gradually grew up, he never did that again.
She actually… missed it. In her memory, his lips were always very warm, soft like newly blooming petals.
Zheng Xiangyi gazed at the lips so close at hand, an inner battle raging. In the end, she couldn’t resist that stirring desire and slowly leaned forward, trembling slightly as she drew near.
Anyway, His Majesty was sleeping. If she secretly stole a kiss, he wouldn’t know.
When he woke, she wouldn’t tell him either. Perhaps one day he would find out, perhaps never. But at this moment, this place was entirely her territory, under her control.
Closer and closer, she could almost feel his even, warm breath brushing against her cheek. The scent surrounding her was entirely his—elegant and pleasant.
What was that scent? Not like flowers, not like sandalwood. She had only smelled it on him alone. It was the scent of a mountain breeze, unique to him.
Unconsciously, she held her breath, her heart pounding so fast it felt like it would leap out of her chest. Finally, her lips were just a hair’s breadth from his, lightly, almost imperceptibly touching.
Then, gathering all her courage, she pressed against them for real.
Mwah.