Very soft, with a hint of coolness. Zheng Xiangyi felt as if she were kissing a newly bloomed petal. The elegant fragrance unique to him lingered at the tip of her nose, intoxicating her, making her dizzy.
This feeling was completely different from when His Majesty kissed her forehead as a child. It wasn’t just reassuring; it carried a lingering heart-flutter and a hazy, intoxicated sensation. She even couldn’t resist wanting to extend the tip of her tongue, gently pry open his lips, and taste the flavor deeper within.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t. This action was already far too outrageous. If she lingered any longer, His Majesty would surely wake.
Reluctantly, she pulled away. Before leaving, still unwilling, she very lightly licked his lips with the tip of her tongue—Mmm, sweet.
Zheng Xiangyi’s cheeks were burning, the corners of her eyes flushed red, gazing infatuatedly at his sleeping face with a mix of shyness and bashfulness.
He still hadn’t woken, his eyes closed, maintaining his original posture without moving an inch. But she didn’t know if it was her imagination; she always felt that his warm breath had momentarily stilled just now.
However, her own heart was pounding like a drum, her consciousness hazy, even her breathing almost forgotten. How could she clearly discern whether it was an illusion or not? Moreover, if His Majesty was truly awake, how could he have allowed her to act so wantonly?
Zheng Xiangyi unconsciously bit her lower lip, as if she could still feel the lingering warmth and softness there. Suddenly, she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to wake or not. It was like playing hide-and-seek as a child: hoping he would find her, yet also greedy for the feeling of secretly watching him from the shadows.
Harboring such contradictory feelings, she quietly gazed at him. She didn’t know how much time passed before she finally saw his brow twitch slightly.
Those gentle eyes slowly opened, clearly reflecting her figure.
Zheng Xiangyi instinctively held her breath, quietly awaiting his reaction.
“Xiangyi?” Feng Jue looked at her, seeming slightly taken aback, then a faint smile touched his lips. “How long have you been here? Why didn’t you wake me?”
His reaction was too natural, not a trace of suspicion to be found. Her heart settled, feeling both somewhat relieved and vaguely touched by an indescribable sense of loss.
His Majesty didn’t know that the “daughter” he had raised with his own hands had just done something so treasonous to him while he slept.
This was a secret belonging to her alone.
“You rarely get to rest. How could I bear to disturb you?” Zheng Xiangyi shook her head, pretending to be nonchalant as she reached out to tidy the scattered memorials on the desk.
But Feng Jue gently pressed her hand down and said warmly, “I’ll do it myself. You just sit.”
Zheng Xiangyi let go, then sat to the side with her chin propped in her hands, watching him sort the memorials unhurriedly. His every movement carried a serene elegance. No matter the angle, he looked like a refined and dignified painting.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt she had struck it rich. Only she could see all these subtle, unknown sides of him.
Feng Jue seemed somewhat unsettled by her focused gaze. His movements paused slightly, then the speed of his tidying quietly increased a bit.
Zheng Xiangyi knew he actually had some degree of fastidiousness. He never liked others touching his personal things. Even Eunuch Gui, who had served him for many years, never dared to move anything without permission.
But she was the exception. When she was little, she had even taken a brush and scribbled all over his memorials, though later he had sat her down and earnestly lectured her for quite a while.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but purse her lips and smile.
His Majesty really doted on her the most. That time, Feng Qin had merely accidentally messed up a few memorials, and he had scolded him coldly, even making him copy books for a month. Back then, whenever Feng Qin saw her, he would speak with sour, sarcastic words, his eyes full of unconcealed jealousy.
Feng Jue turned his head and saw her wearing a silly grin. He couldn’t help but reach out and lightly tap her forehead. “What are you thinking about, smiling so happily?”
“I’m thinking about Your Majesty,” Zheng Xiangyi said with bright eyes, answering with a giggle. “Thinking about how well Your Majesty treats me makes me happy.”
Feng Jue’s eyelids lowered slightly. His gaze swept lightly over her face before shifting away almost imperceptibly, his tone gentle and natural. “I regard Xiangyi as my own daughter. Of course, I treat you well.”
In the past, Zheng Xiangyi loved hearing these words. Now, they felt somewhat grating. She puffed out her cheeks and retorted softly, “Actually, Your Majesty is very young, not at all like my elder.”
“I am a year older than your father. I can hardly be considered young.” Feng Jue shook his head lightly, his gaze toward her still gentle and affectionate. “Xiangyi should play more with young people around your own age.”
Zheng Xiangyi pouted. “Are you still thinking of finding a young nobleman for me? Those gilded, rotten-hearted good-for-nothings—I don’t fancy a single one.”
“And…” She suddenly stood up, lifting her skirt as she lightly spun a circle before him, blinking her shimmering, captivating eyes as she looked at him. “Hasn’t Your Majesty noticed that Xiangyi looks different today?”
She had been looking forward to this for so long, waiting just for him to praise her, to say she looked beautiful. Who knew that after all her careful display earlier, it was like casting flirtatious glances at a blind man, making her doubt herself.
But it shouldn’t be like this. Everyone who had seen her on the way from the palace couldn’t take their eyes off her, enough to show how stunning her attire was today.
It was just that His Majesty had no reaction at all, which was truly too disappointing for her.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked over, full of expectation. But Feng Jue fell into a rare silence, his expression actually showing a hint of hesitation.
“Your Majesty…” Zheng Xiangyi gazed at him resentfully, clearly adopting a “if you don’t praise me, I’m not leaving” stance.
Finally, Feng Jue let out a soft sigh, reached out, and patted her head, saying gently, “Xiangyi is very beautiful today. I almost didn’t recognize you earlier.”
“See? See?”
Zheng Xiangyi instantly smiled until her eyes curved, rubbing her head against his palm like a cooing cat, then spun around in front of him like a preening peacock. The hairpin in her hair swayed gently with the movement, the flowing golden light dazzling and captivating, impossible to look away from.
“I just knew, dressed up this beautifully, how could Your Majesty not like it?”
In Zheng Xiangyi’s heart, she was the most beautiful young lady in the world. Others liking her was only natural. If someone didn’t fancy her, it must be that person’s poor taste or feeling ashamed of their own inferiority.
It was always others who were unworthy of her, never her being unworthy of others.
Feng Jue’s gaze flickered, his vision completely occupied by that gorgeous, lively figure. In a daze, the young, immature little Xiangyi had, in the blink of an eye, blossomed into a radiant, peerlessly beautiful young woman.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty,” Zheng Xiangyi fluttered over to him like a dancing butterfly, tugging his sleeve with a flower-like smile, “I also learned a dance. I’ll perform it for you at the Imperial Birthday Celebration.”
Here, she deliberately emphasized her tone, repeating word by word:
“I’ll perform it only for you alone.” She lifted her eyes, which seemed to hide tiny hooks within, shimmering with moist, soft light. Her fingers lightly hooked his sleeve, stirring it almost imperceptibly.
Having lived two lives, Zheng Xiangyi had never truly done anything seductive. Yet at this moment, she did it so naturally and skillfully, as if born knowing how to make someone infatuated and unable to resist.
As long as she was willing, no one would not like her.
So, Your Majesty, have I captivated you? Do you want to pounce on me, or… if I pounce on you, that’s fine too.
Zheng Xiangyi felt the latter seemed more challenging. Imagine the lofty, mature, steady, ascetic and dispassionate His Majesty, being unceremoniously pressed down onto the bed by her, his jade-white face tinged with a restrained, light flush, yet unable to resist her closeness in the slightest…
Hmph, hmph, just the thought of that scene made her blood boil.
At this moment, she wished she could transform into a tiny figure, waving frantically before his eyes: Come on, come on, hurry up and fall before my pomegranate-red skirt!
However, His Majesty’s words poured cold water over her. He stood straight, his smile still calm and gentle. “Xiangyi’s filial heart, I have received it.”
Pah! It wasn’t filial heart at all! This was her blatant, burning heart of adoration!
Zheng Xiangyi pursed her lips, her gaze growing more aggrieved and resentful. Your Majesty, why are you so oblivious? With such a great beauty before you, do you truly not feel the slightest stirring in your heart?
She angrily stretched out a finger and poked the “blockhead” before her, hating his dullness, hating his lack of romantic sense, and hating herself… for even finding his composed, serene demeanor incredibly handsome.
But she wasn’t too disheartened. Seducing His Majesty wasn’t something that could be achieved overnight. She had confidence in herself. One day, she would succeed in stirring him, making him willingly bend down and kiss her gently.
And it had to be a kiss with tongues intertwined. A mere peck wouldn’t satisfy her at all.
Feng Jue felt quite helpless towards her childish action. Gently pressing down her restless hand, he said in a low voice, “Be good, stop fooling around.”
But Zheng Xiangyi seized the opportunity, turned her hand over, and grasped his back, once again tightly interlocking their fingers. After doing so, she didn’t forget to lift her chin, looking at him triumphantly, her eyes clearly saying, See what you can do about it.
His Majesty indulged her like this. No wonder she pushed her luck, right? When it came down to it, it was His Majesty who “seduced” her first.
Who made him treat her so well, making a “naïve and innocent” young lady like her unknowingly fall for him? How could it all be her fault for being “treasonous,” fantasizing all day about “deceiving the ruler and defying superiors”?
In the end, Feng Jue couldn’t out-stubborn her and had no choice but to relent helplessly, leading her to sit down together.
Zheng Xiangyi’s gaze casually swept over the desk and unexpectedly caught sight of the three characters “Pingyang Marquis.” She frowned, and without thinking, reached out and opened that memorial.
This action could be considered presumptuous, but Feng Jue’s face showed not the slightest displeasure. He only waited quietly for her to finish reading before saying gently, “It’s your father petitioning to have his eldest son named heir.”
Last time, Zheng Xiangyi parted on bad terms with her father precisely over this matter. She let out a light snort, her tone dissatisfied. “Ignore him. Second Brother is only thirteen. Why is he in such a hurry to name an heir?”
In her view, this younger brother was already ruined, only knowing how to eat, drink, and play all day, accomplished in neither literature nor martial arts. Father was probably worried he wouldn’t amount to anything in the future, hence the rush to petition for his investiture.
But what did that have to do with her? The Pingyang Marquisate wouldn’t fall to her anyway, and she really couldn’t bring herself to like that foolish younger brother.
She couldn’t help thinking: if her mother hadn’t died in difficult childbirth back then, things would be different. Then she would have had a younger brother born of her own mother. In the Pingyang Marquis residence, she wouldn’t have felt like an outsider, only able to watch as her father, stepmother, and their family lived harmoniously together.
Upon hearing her words, Feng Jue simply placed that memorial at the very bottom of the pile. He had long heard that the Pingyang Marquis favored his eldest son. Thinking back to the last time he and Xiangyi happened to encounter the Pingyang Marquis when they were out, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of grievance on her behalf.
He couldn’t resist gently ruffling her hair again. Xiangyi was so good, so endearing. Why should the Pingyang Marquis like another child more, leaving little her all alone in the palace? Fortunately, in the end, it was he who had caught her.
Looking at Xiangyi’s charming, radiant profile, a secret sense of pride welled up in his heart. It was he who had raised her with his own hands. He deserved to be more of a father to her than the Pingyang Marquis.
It was a pity…
He suddenly let out a soft sigh and withdrew his hand from her hair. I should be mindful of propriety. Xiangyi is a grown young lady now. I can no longer be as unrestrained and intimate with her as when she was little.
Zheng Xiangyi didn’t notice his thoughts. She casually opened another memorial and couldn’t help but smile upon seeing it. What a coincidence—it was actually from Feng Qin.
In the memorial, he complained bitterly, saying the unruly commoners of Gaocheng County, knowing he was the nephew of the Cangzhou Prefect, would often throw stones at his door in the middle of the night. He wailed that he couldn’t go on living like this and begged his Imperial Father to summon him back to the capital.
She casually flipped through some more and found Feng Yu’s memorial. Feng Yu’s attitude was completely different. His memorial contained earnest words, deeply expressing the hardships of the common people he had witnessed and sincerely thanking his Imperial Father for sending him among the people to experience their realities firsthand.
Just from these two memorials, it was clear whom His Majesty would favor more.
However, she wouldn’t give Feng Yu any chance to ascend the throne again. Since she was determined to marry His Majesty, the future throne must belong to her own child.
As for Feng Yu, it would be better if he got lost far away sooner.
Doing a quick calculation, in two months it would be the Imperial Birthday Celebration. By then, the two brothers, Feng Qin and Feng Yu, should be able to return to the capital, right? The thought of seeing Feng Yu’s face again made her irritable.
How was I so blind in my previous life, not seeing that Feng Yu was a heartless, ungrateful person? It’s truly too embarrassing. But this definitely wasn’t her fault. It was all Feng Yu’s fault for being too good at pretending.
His Majesty was truly impressive, seeing at a glance that Feng Yu was restless and ambitious, trying every possible way to obstruct their marriage.
Sigh, though he still didn’t succeed in the end.
The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she felt. She simply placed Feng Yu’s memorial at the very bottom. It would be best if His Majesty never opened it, just left him far away in Haixing County forever, never to return.
Zheng Xiangyi stayed with His Majesty in Zichen Hall for most of the day, even having lunch together, before finally taking her leave.
Now that she was so grown-up, staying overnight in Zichen Hall would certainly invite much criticism. But once she became Empress, she could stay in Zichen Hall all day long, and wouldn’t have to leave at night either.
Lying under the same quilt as His Majesty, holding him for warmth, burying her head in the crook of his neck… When she was little and afraid of the dark and the cold, His Majesty would comfort her like this.
Before leaving, her gaze once again lingered unconsciously on his lips. She hadn’t gotten enough earlier; she still wanted to kiss him.
Forget it. I’ll find another opportunity next time. Anyway, from head to toe, inside and out, His Majesty would be hers alone in the future. By then, she could kiss whenever she wanted, touch whenever she wanted, sleep whenever she wanted. Let’s see who would dare stop her.
After she left, Eunuch Gui quietly entered the hall to serve. Upon entering, he saw His Majesty sitting before the desk holding a book scroll. His gaze seemed to fall on the lines of text, yet also seemed unfocused, lost in thought.
Indeed, His Majesty couldn’t be apart from the Princess for even a moment.
He stepped forward and presented a cup of hot tea, discreetly looking up to observe. He saw that after a long while, His Majesty finally put down the book. Instead of reaching for the tea, he lifted his hand and gently touched his own lips.
His expression seemed somewhat perplexed, yet also carried a hint of barely noticeable reluctance.