Undress him?
Ming Yueni’s eyelashes fluttered incessantly like the wings of a butterfly, her pupils revealing a trace of shock and sluggishness.
Completely unexpected!
Totally out of the blue!
“What are you standing there for?” Beichen Yuan had his back to her, his voice deep and domineering. “Come here.”
“Yes.” Ming Yueni’s heart tightened. Holding her breath, she walked over.
She stood on her tiptoes, first taking off his outer robe, then untying the inner belt.
Her delicate jade-like fingers rested on the belt embroidered with golden dragons and cloud patterns. Ming Yueni had no choice but to stand very close to Beichen Yuan; with just a tilt of her head, her cheek could touch the Emperor’s chest.
Too close!
Only at this moment did Ming Yueni clearly realize just how tall, broad, and martial the Emperor was.
The light and shadows flickered. The Emperor’s figure completely enveloped her. Wherever she looked, there was only the broad chest right in front of her, rising and falling with his breaths.
A domineering, expensive, and highly aggressive scent of ambergris rushed to her nose. Thick and heavy, it stained Ming Yueni’s fingertips, gradually seeping into her to leave its mark.
Ming Yueni didn’t even dare to lift her head.
Keeping her eyes fixed straight ahead, she pulled the garments down from Beichen Yuan’s broad shoulders and fierce, muscular arms. She lowered her head, hugged the clothes to her chest, turned around, and neatly folded them one by one onto a nanmu wood tray.
Beichen Yuan raised his eyebrows. He glanced down at his trousers before his gaze landed on Ming Yueni.
Like a shy little kitten, her ears and neck were flushed pink.
Beichen Yuan had excellent eyesight. He sharply noticed a small cinnabar mole on the back of Ming Yueni’s neck, which was exposed when she lowered her head.
Her snowy skin was flushed pink with shyness, while the cinnabar mole was as red as dripping blood.
Beichen Yuan’s eyes darkened.
With a splash of water, Beichen Yuan stepped into the bath. He sat by the edge made of stacked jade, the water just reaching his chest.
“Your Majesty, this servant will apply the bath beans for you.”
Having mentally prepared herself, Ming Yueni took a palm-sized porcelain jar from the shelf next to the bath.
She pinched a small amount of pale yellow bath bean powder from it, placed it in the center of her palm, rubbed it until it lathered, and then applied it to Beichen Yuan’s arms.
Massaging in circular motions—Ming Yueni discreetly peeked at Beichen Yuan’s profile. What was the Emperor thinking about?
“Harder.”
Beichen Yuan closed his eyes, urging her with a cold and ruthless tone.
Ming Yueni gritted her teeth, rolled up her sleeves, and used all her strength!
She treated Beichen Yuan like a washboard.
Alas, with her delicate and soft body, she exhausted herself into a sweat, only to earn a faint sigh from Beichen Yuan in return.
“Enough.” Beichen Yuan grabbed the small hand at his chest.
A single hand, so soft and delicate that Beichen Yuan could completely envelop it with one hand.
Her scrubbing lacked strength; instead, it felt like a cat scratching, tickling his heart until it caught fire.
Being this clumsy, she didn’t seem capable of seducing the Crown Prince.
The fault lay with the Crown Prince!
Beichen Yuan released Ming Yueni’s small hand, waved her back, and coldly dismissed her. “Withdraw.”
“This servant obeys.”
Ming Yueni knelt to bow, secretly breathing a sigh of relief in her heart.
The Emperor had suddenly caught her off guard; she hadn’t even known what to do.
What if his inability to produce an heir was because that part of him didn’t work? Wouldn’t her seduction be adding fuel to the fire and courting death?
Ming Yueni was cautious and meticulous, taking every step carefully.
She had to investigate thoroughly first!
If his body wasn’t up to it, then winning his heart would be the best strategy.
Speaking of which… this was a great opportunity!
Ming Yueni’s eyes shifted gracefully. Mustering her courage, she took a glance into the bath as she stood up…
The water was clear, without any obstruction.
Just one look!
Ming Yueni’s legs went weak and her foot slipped. With a splash, she fell into the bath. Water splashed everywhere, spraying all over Beichen Yuan’s face.
“Ming Yueni! How bold of you!”
Furious, Beichen Yuan reached out, grabbed Ming Yueni, and hoisted her out of the water.
Ming Yueni was soaked to the bone. The damp strands of hair at her temples clung to her cheeks as water droplets rolled down. Like a peony battered by the rain, she exuded a pitiful aura.
She stared blankly at Beichen Yuan, as if scared silly.
“So big…”
“What’s so big?” Beichen Yuan didn’t understand her meaning. Staring at Ming Yueni, he let out an exasperated laugh.
He gripped the back of Ming Yueni’s neck, lifting her like a cat, and placed her from the water onto the edge of the bath.
His thumb heavily rubbed against that cinnabar mole on the back of Ming Yueni’s neck. Her sensitive, delicate body trembled, her beautiful eyes looking at him with a misty gaze.
Pitiful, delicate, and seductive.
Beichen Yuan’s face was cold and dark as he coldly scolded, “Get out!”
“This servant begs to take her leave.”
Ming Yueni looked dazed. She scrambled up, even forgetting to bow, and hastily ran away on a pair of bare, snow-white feet.
“Hm?”
Beichen Yuan reached out and scooped a pair of embroidered shoes out of the water.
Such delicate little feet; even the shoes were only the size of his palm.
Scrutinizing the embroidered shoes, Beichen Yuan couldn’t help but wonder—So big? What thing?
A flash of realization!
Beichen Yuan looked down, the veins on his forehead bulging.
“Ming! Yue! Ni!”
“I have underestimated you!”
Simply audacious!
What an impressive tactic!
On the other side.
Seeing Ming Yueni completely soaked and running out in a disheveled panic, Yinguo was startled and hurriedly stepped forward to ask, “Yueni, what happened? Weren’t you attending to His Majesty’s undressing?”
“…I accidentally fell into the pool.”
Ming Yueni raised her hand to wipe the water droplets from her face, looking at Yinguo with a pitiful, helpless expression. “Sister Yinguo, His Majesty is so angry.”
“Sigh, I’ll go in and take a look.” Yinguo affectionately touched her small face. “Yueni, go back and change your clothes first. Don’t be afraid.”
“When His Majesty gets angry, he kills people!”
“Look at you, you’re perfectly fine, so it’s nothing!”
Ming Yueni couldn’t manage a smile.
She kept her head down and returned to her room, her heart a tangled mess.
She had once heard that the Emperor’s biological mother—the Empress Dowager—was a princess of Beizhai who married far away for an alliance. The men of Beizhai were all strong, sturdy, fierce, and valiant warriors.
From what she saw today, Ming Yueni was deeply shocked.
The Emperor had half the royal blood of Beizhai in him, therefore… he was far beyond the reach of ordinary men.
Such a magnificent object!
Ming Yueni’s legs went weak.
She reached back to touch the back of her neck. Her skin was astonishingly hot, as if the Emperor’s forceful, terrifying strength still lingered—he had gripped her with just one hand, and she couldn’t escape at all!
Ming Yueni couldn’t help but shiver.
Fortunately, the Emperor was incapable of having children; he possessed a magnificent object in vain, unable to use it.
Otherwise, she definitely wouldn’t dare to…
Entering the room, Ming Yueni couldn’t resist looking back toward the outside of the palace, thinking to herself that Eunuch Fu should have arrived at the Duke’s estate by now, right?
“…Ming Yuelan, daughter of the Duke, is hereby conferred the title of Liangdi to the Crown Prince, and a date shall be chosen for the wedding!”
After reading the imperial edict, Fu Lai narrowed his eyes, looking down at the people from the Duke’s estate kneeling all over the ground.
Every single one of them had a terrible expression!
Fu Lai clicked his tongue in his heart and continued to announce the decree: “By oral decree of His Majesty, the Duke has failed in educating his daughter and disgraced the family’s honor; he is fined one year’s salary!”
“Lord Duke, Madame Duchess, please receive the edict!”
Duke Ming and the Duchess showed no joy whatsoever; their faces were uglier and blacker than the bottom of a pot. The couple forced smiles and stiffly received the edict, expressing their gratitude.
“Lord Duke.”
Fu Lai searched around and asked, “Where are the Third Miss’s birth mother and younger brother?”
Before the Duke could answer, the Duchess cursed out loud first: “Why is Eunuch Fu looking for that cheap servant and that bastard?”
“Our Duke’s estate has no Third Miss! There is only a cheap wench named Ming Yueni! Did she commit a crime in the palace and harm my Lan’er?”
The Duchess’s expression was agitated as she hurled abuses: “Where is that little bitch? I’m going to beat her to death!”