Upon hearing those words, the oppressive aura surrounding Xiao Wenyi instantly dissipated, and a flicker of bewilderment and awkwardness flashed in his eyes.
So, this was what the Yatou meant when she said he was not human?
He felt a bit embarrassed, reaching out to support her arms, "You sharp-tongued Yatou!"
"Enough, it is just a small matter, why must you kowtow so forcefully?"
She was helped up, but perhaps because she had kowtowed too hard, her vision blurred, and she fell directly between his legs.
Sensing something unusual, she quickly knelt upright again, retreating two steps in fear, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, your subject did not mean to!"
She lowered her head slightly, which just happened to reveal the red swelling on her forehead.
Xiao Wenyi stared at that large red patch, feeling slightly stunned, "Your skin is far too delicate! A couple of kowtows, and you managed to get such a large red mark!"
After hearing this, Zhang Wanrou looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, wet and glistening, just like a little deer in the deep forest targeted by a sharp arrow—panicked, innocent, and pitiful.
"I am sorry, Your Majesty, it is all your subject's fault. Your subject will never kowtow again..."
After saying this, she paused, realizing it was wrong, and quickly corrected herself, "No, no, I still have to kowtow! Your subject will never kowtow to the Emperor again... wait, that is not it either..."
The more she spoke, the more confused and panicked she became. Finally, she simply stopped talking and just knelt there crying sadly, leaving only one sentence, "I am sorry, Your Majesty, your subject is too useless, I cannot even say a single sentence clearly..."
Seeing her apologize incessantly and cry so pitifully, Xiao Wenyi could not help but laugh out loud, "Alright, I am not blaming you for being too delicate, is there any need to be this scared?"
However, she was, after all, a sixteen-year-old girl, inexperienced in the ways of the world, and this was her first time seeing the Emperor; it was normal for her to be flustered and afraid.
As for him, being ten years older than her, did the things he said make him look like he was bullying a young girl?
Seeing him laugh, her moist, bright eyes were filled with innocence.
"Your Majesty, are you... laughing at your subject?"
Her black, silky hair slid down from her back and fell onto the skin of her chest; the dark hair against the snow-white skin formed an extreme contrast that made Xiao Wenyi feel increasingly parched.
He coughed twice, looked away slightly, and pulled the brocade quilt to cover her body.
Looking at that innocent and naive gaze, and then at their current "frank confrontation"... he inexplicably felt a bit guilty.
It was not as if he had never favored a girl this young before, but this feeling was a first.
Just as he was wondering what was wrong with him, a hot tear fell onto his hand.
He looked over in astonishment, and sure enough!
"Why are you crying again?"
He had not done anything to her!
She looked at him, feeling wronged and full of self-reproach, "Your Majesty is helping your subject cover up, do you not like your subject? Does the Emperor intend to not favor your subject and just let me leave?"
"Your Majesty, please do not do this... I heard from the palace servants that if a Talent is sent to the bedchamber but is not favored, she will be laughed at by everyone later! She will also be mistreated by the palace maids and eunuchs..."
"Your Majesty, your subject does not want to be mocked, nor do I want to eat cabbage and gnaw on steamed buns..."
As she spoke, she cried again, her tears flowing as if they were free, soaking a patch of the brocade quilt.
Xiao Wenyi chuckled; he really had no way to deal with a girl this young.
"When did I say I would not favor you?"
"Undress."
He stood up and spread his arms.
Zhang Wanrou's large eyes darted around, and she was about to lift the quilt to undress him when he said, "Do not get down, just let the palace maids do it."
She lowered her head in disappointment and knelt back into the quilt, "Oh..."
After undressing, Xiao Wenyi was left with only a bright yellow undergarment.
He sat on the couch, and seeing her in low spirits, for some reason, he felt a sudden impulse and flicked the red swelling on her forehead.
She hissed, covering the painful spot, her eyes glistening again as she looked at him with grievance.
This pitiful appearance was so real and cute that it made him want to laugh. Yet, he felt that if he really laughed, it would be inappropriate, and this little Yatou would probably be even sadder!
Therefore, he suppressed the curve of his lips and asked her with feigned displeasure, "Why are you feeling wronged again?"
She sniffled, humphed almost inaudibly, and turned her face away, "The Emperor hit me, and I cannot even feel wronged! You are bullying me, Your Majesty!"
Xiao Wenyi almost forgot how many times he had chuckled, and then he lifted the quilt and embraced her soft, delicate body.
The softness he touched made him feel startled once again.
He pressed her beneath him, his voice low and carrying a hint of seduction, "The Emperor is bullying you, so you are not allowed to feel wronged!"
"Oh..." She opened her large eyes, looked at him earnestly, and asked, "Then what can I do?"
Xiao Wenyi: "..."
He was choked for words. That was true; if she was being bullied and could not feel wronged, what could she do?
Just take it?
That did not sound right either, did it? Would that not make him seem even more like a bully?
Seeing his hesitation, Zhang Wanrou smiled charmingly and hooked her arms around his neck, saying, "Then your subject will just take it! Anyway, there are not many people in this world who can be bullied by the Emperor, and your subject is willing!"
The smile in his eyes deepened, and there was even a hint of surprise; clearly, he had not expected that what he was thinking would be guessed by this little Yatou.
Looking at the bright and innocent face before him, he could not help but swallow hard.
He felt that this Yatou was astonishingly lively.
Sometimes she seemed very afraid of his status, and other times she did not seem afraid of his status at all;
When she was afraid, she was like a startled little rabbit, but when she was not, she was truly bold!
For instance, right now, her hands were being a bit restless!
Sensing those soft, boneless little hands exploring inside his clothes, fumbling about clumsily yet diligently, his throat tightened, and he grabbed those restless little hands.
The corners of her eyes were red, her eyelashes fluttered, and her voice carried a stunning allure, "Your Majesty..."
He felt his bones soften, his voice becoming even more hoarse and low, "Willing, are you? Then when I bully you in a moment, you are not allowed to cry!"
Her eyes became bright, like stars in the sky, dazzling and brilliant.
She shook her head, looking serious, "Your subject is not a crybaby, I will not... ah!"
The sudden movement made Zhang Wanrou cry out in pain, and tears instantly slipped off.
Xiao Wenyi looked down, a flash of cunning and mischief in his eyes.
Sure enough! He had not even used much force, and this delicate Yatou, as fragile as glass, was crying again.
And she said she was not a crybaby!
She bit her lower lip, her eyes tinged with grievance, looking at him pitifully.
Seeing her red lips bitten with a faint mark, a hint of pity appeared in his eyes, and his movements softened. He even kissed that red lip involuntarily.
He should not let the Yatou bite it until it broke; if someone else saw it, they would think he was the one who bit her!
Xiao Wenyi shed his clothes and joined with that warm, soft body. In an instant, the girl's chaotic heartbeat and the wrinkled bedsheets seemed to be kneaded together into the bright moonlight outside the window!
Zhang Wanrou could not help but let out a soft cry, feeling as if she had been swept into the surging waves of the sea, rising and falling with each wave that rushed in, gradually losing her reason and consciousness.
She desperately embraced his neck, pressing tightly against his body, her intermittent breathing like that of a drowning person trying to grasp the last straw of life!
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