==Chapter Two==
The next day, nearing dusk.
A carriage entered the imperial summer palace under the lingering glow of the setting sun. After a while, the carriage came to a halt, and someone helped the woman inside step down the short wooden ladder.
Shi Yuan quietly surveyed her surroundings. Dressed in a rouge-colored ruqun, her sleeves fluttered gently in the breeze, as if tinged with the last traces of crimson twilight. Her eyebrows arched like distant mountains veiled in mist, and even standing there, she resembled a peach blossom blooming in early spring—vivid and radiant.
The palace attendants around her dared not look a second time, all holding their breath and lowering their heads.
Xiao Shunzi, who had been ordered to lead the way, was momentarily dazed. He finally understood why his master had specifically instructed him to guide her.
It was true that this lady’s status was somewhat low, but with a face like hers, as long as she wasn’t utterly foolish, Xiao Shunzi was certain she wouldn’t fade into obscurity so quickly.
Xiao Shunzi’s demeanor grew even more respectful:
“Mistress, please follow this servant.”
Shi Yuan glanced at the palace attendants around her. They stood silently with bowed heads, as if they didn’t exist, lending an air of solemnity and reverence to the imperial summer palace. Shi Yuan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of nervousness. She secretly clenched her handkerchief before lifting her steps to follow Xiao Shunzi.
Shi Yuan followed Xiao Shunzi into a hall, and from afar, she caught sight of the four characters: “Ting Lan Xiao Zhu” (Pavilion of Orchids by the Water).
With each step closer, palace attendants silently curtsied in greeting. Seeing this, Shi Yuan unconsciously straightened her back ever so slightly. Xiao Shunzi led her to the hall and prepared to return to the imperial presence to report his task completed. Shi Yuan couldn’t resist calling out to him:
“What should I do?”
Alone in an unfamiliar place, even though she knew temptations lay ahead, Shi Yuan couldn’t help but feel a trace of unease.
Xiao Shunzi sensed her anxiety and offered subtle reassurance:
“Mistress need not be nervous. Just wait here for the Emperor.”
His words were light, and Shi Yuan felt it inappropriate to detain him further, so she let him go. But once Xiao Shunzi left, the hall grew even quieter, stirring a sense of unease.
Shi Yuan looked around and finally decided to walk toward the inner chamber.
As soon as she stepped inside, her eyes first fell upon the bed. The bed curtains were tied back with silk ribbons, and bedding was spread over it, clearly spacious enough for two. A bell hung beside the bed. Having spent some time in Shen Mansion, Shi Yuan naturally knew this bell was used to summon servants.
It was no wonder Shi Yuan noticed the bed immediately upon arrival. She was well aware of why she had come here.
It certainly wasn’t to play the qin or drink tea.
Shi Yuan didn’t touch the bed. Instead, she turned and sat on the soft couch. A palace attendant served tea and pastries, but she had no appetite. She twisted her handkerchief in her hands, as if to dispel the unease and tension in her heart.
She waited for what felt like an eternity, until the tea in her cup grew cold. Shi Yuan glanced out the window—the daylight had completely faded, and a hazy moonlight draped over the earth.
Still, there was no sound from outside.
Shi Yuan wrinkled her nose, quietly grumbling to herself. She had been summoned so early, yet he hadn’t shown himself. Clearly preoccupied with that matter, yet putting on airs and playing hard to get.
Qinzheng Hall.
Candles were lit inside the hall, and despite the night, not a trace of darkness could be seen.
Qi Chuyan was bent over his desk, handling official duties. Though not in the capital, memorials continued to arrive from there, leaving him no leisure. By the time he set down his brush, the world outside had long since darkened.
Noticing the night, Qi Chuyan raised an eyebrow:
“What time is it?”
Zhou Liming replaced the cooled tea, replying respectfully, "Your Majesty, it is already a quarter past the hour of Xu."
Qi Chuyan gave a slight nod. Without glancing at the freshly served hot tea on the desk, he took the handkerchief presented by a palace attendant and casually wiped his hands, asking nonchalantly:
"Has she been delivered?"
Though phrased as a question, his tone was declarative, as if he knew with certainty there could be no other answer.
Zhou Liming subtly touched his nose. Having served the Emperor for a long time, he naturally knew the origins of this young mistress. During the Emperor's southern tour, he had taken a fancy to someone from the rear courtyard of a minister's household.
Ahem, it was ultimately an unsavory affair.
Zhou Liming lowered his head and said, "Young Mistress Shen arrived an hour ago."
He hesitated for a moment but still used the address "Young Mistress Shen," mainly because this young mistress was known only by her given name, with no one aware of her surname. Addressing her as "Young Mistress Shi Yuan" felt somewhat inappropriate.
Since she had come from the Shen Mansion, calling her "Young Mistress Shen" could hardly be considered wrong.
Qi Chuyan glanced at him sideways with a smile, sending a shiver down Zhou Liming's spine. He couldn't tell whether he had addressed her correctly or had committed a taboo.
After a long pause, Qi Chuyan said nothing. Instead, he rose and walked out. Zhou Liming knew exactly where the Emperor was headed and discreetly gestured for the imperial carriage to be prepared.
Almost as soon as sounds echoed from outside, Shi Yuan rose from the soft couch. The approaching footsteps were swift and fluid, leaving her no time to step out and greet the Emperor. By the time she had smoothed the wrinkles in her clothing, the footsteps were already drawing near.
She hurriedly lifted her head and found herself gazing into a pair of pitch-black eyes. Startled, Shi Yuan remembered Madam's instructions before her departure and hastily crouched down:
"Greetings to Your Majesty."
Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke. Though she tried to adhere to etiquette, she couldn't resist stealing a glance at him.
He was strikingly handsome—his features refined and elegant, his nose tall and straight, his lips pale in hue. His eyes held a gentle smile, warm as a breeze, yet Shi Yuan felt a tremor in her heart. She dared not act as boldly as she had in front of Shen Wenjun, for she couldn't decipher the expression in his eyes. The black dragon-patterned brocade robe accentuated his tall, imposing figure, exuding an air of majesty and nobility. Even his casual gaze felt too intimidating to meet directly.
Suddenly, her hand was taken and lifted. The man raised an eyebrow and chuckled:
"Seen enough?"
Caught in the act of peeking, Shi Yuan flushed crimson and instinctively replied, "You're so handsome, I couldn't help myself."
From Qi Chuyan's perspective, her every subtle movement was laid bare. Though she appeared timid and cautious, her actions were audacious beyond measure.
Still, Qi Chuyan was not surprised.
During their first encounter, she had barged into the front courtyard. Unaware of his identity and assuming Shen Wenjun held the highest status, she had arrogantly lifted her chin, too proud to spare a glance at anyone else. At the time, Shen Wenjun had nearly broken into a cold sweat, yet she remained oblivious to the tension.
She was utterly spoiled and willful, yet vibrant and radiant.
Just as she was now—dressed in simple attire, yet with a single lift of her eyes or a slight arch of her brow, she filled the room with an air of spring.
Her soft, delicate words sounded almost like a coquettish plea, making even the slight impertinence in her speech seem unworthy of reproach.
Zhou Liming watched and listened from the side, nearly breaking into a cold sweat. He had never expected this young mistress to be so bold, daring to say such things without restraint.
His peripheral glance caught sight of their clasped hands. Subtly, he made a gesture and silently led the palace attendants out of the room.
Shi Yuan was inevitably drawn to the commotion, but someone pulled her down onto the soft couch, forcing her attention back. Only then did she realize that the couch they were sitting on was too small, barely fitting one person, so she ended up almost entirely nestled in Qi Chuyan's embrace.
Shi Yuan felt a bit uncomfortable at first, but soon relaxed.
She was quite accustomed to this routine. Back at Shen Mansion, Lord Shen had always enjoyed holding her like this.
She nestled limply against Qi Chuyan's chest. In this position, if she lifted her head even slightly, their breaths would intertwine. A hand drifted lightly to her waist, gently clasping it, then idly tapping now and then.
Her waist was so sensitive that a ticklish sensation instantly washed over her, and the air seemed to thicken with an ambiguous, alluring atmosphere.
Shi Yuan's eyes grew moist, her voice softening:
"Your… Your Majesty…"
She lifted her gaze to look at him, her eyes and brows brimming with allure, her gaze holding only him, as if filled with deep affection.
Qi Chuyan was somewhat surprised. When he first took her hand, he noticed how soft it was. Now, with her in his arms, he understood—it wasn't just her hands; her entire body seemed soft in every way.
Her moist eyes gazed at him, seemingly lost, yet in the thick atmosphere, they appeared enticingly entangled.
Qi Chuyan had originally intended to talk with her, but now he lost that thought. He chuckled softly, his warm breath brushing against her forehead. Guiding her hand to his belt, he asked with a smile:
"Can you undo it?"
Shi Yuan didn't answer, but the belt falling to the floor gave him his reply.
The couch was truly small. Nestled in his embrace, every rise and fall was under his control. Her arms weakly wrapped around his neck, her breaths alternating between long and short, growing increasingly rapid. She nuzzled against his jaw, kissing him in a sticky, clinging manner, all the while softly crying out his name.
Qi Chuyan found her calls almost unbearable, his gaze darkening, his breaths growing heavier.
She was tense, unable to relax.
A vein throbbed faintly on Qi Chuyan's forehead, sweat silently beading. One hand held her waist firmly as he leaned back on the couch, his brows and eyes damp with sweat, giving him an unexpectedly captivating allure. He whispered with a low laugh, coaxing her:
"Relax a little, won't you?"
He leaned down to kiss her. She responded vaguely, her eyes misty as if veiled by a drizzle, her thoughts unclear. She clumsily imitated him, planting soft, scattered kisses all over him.
By the time the call for water came from the chamber, an hour had passed.
Shi Yuan lay limp as mud, utterly exhausted. Though not too tired to rise, Mama had taught her not to force herself up after intimacy. She was obedient, and besides, whenever she acted this way, Shen Wenjun would personally carry her to wash.
She was lazy, after all—why not enjoy being served?
Qi Chuyan also carried her to wash, but unlike Shen Wenjun.
There were no tender, affectionate words. Instead, Qi Chuyan pinched her waist, then her limp arm, hinting meaningfully:
"You still need to be nurtured a bit."
At first, Shi Yuan didn't understand, looking up at him in confusion.
Her face still flushed with lingering color, her eyes particularly alluring. Qi Chuyan reached out to stroke her cheek, then leaned close to whisper something in her ear.
Shi Yuan's face instantly flushed crimson. She lowered her head, leaving marks on his shoulder that were somewhere between biting and grinding, and called out clingingly:
"Your Majesty!"
Qi Chuyan smiled gently, but his question was enough to make one's heart ache: "Not tired anymore?"
Shi Yuan immediately fell silent.
She was exhausted and needed to rest.
Author's Note:
Daughter: I'm so, so tired.
Xiao Qi: Still need to work on your stamina.
[Tsk.]
[First day of the story, offering an extra update! Praise me, praise me!]
[Whispering, I want those pure white nutrient solutions~]
[Also, same as before, 5k nutrient solutions or 5k comments can unlock extra updates, but only after going VIP. Before VIP, the rankings are too low—extra updates would exceed the word count limit for the rankings.]