Xiao Shizhi initially thought Bai Fuxue was feigning sleep.
She sat at the desk reviewing memorials, a smile playing on her lips as she wondered how long Bai Fuxue could keep up the act.
But one hour passed, then two, and even three.
The smile that had been lingering at the corners of Xiao Shizhi’s lips gradually twisted into horror.
The afternoon sun cast a gentle, unobtrusive light through the window into the study. Only then did the delicate beauty on the chaise lounge slowly open her eyes.
Those shimmering, watery eyes made one’s heart race uncontrollably.
Her sleeping posture was impeccable, yet even so, as she shifted slightly on the chaise, vast expanses of snowy white skin came into view.
Bai Fuxue’s voice was hoarse and lazy, “Is Your Majesty still working?”
What met her gaze was a pair of eyes completely bloodshot.
She yawned, “Your Majesty should rest. Don’t tell me you’ve been watching me sleep this whole time?”
Xiao Shizhi: “.”
Bai Fuxue’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled, instantly filling the study with her delightful feminine fragrance.
Xiao Shizhi pointed expressionlessly at the mountain of memorials piled before her. “I am working.”
Xiao Shizhi beckoned, and Bai Fuxue obediently approached, allowing the emperor’s hand to slip beneath her translucent silk trousers.
Bai Fuxue’s eyes were still drowsy. “The Mid-Autumn banquet is over, and General Bai’s matter has been resolved. Shouldn’t I be allowed to rest now?”
Xiao Shizhi let out an ambiguous chuckle and pinched the beauty’s thigh.
Bai Fuxue gasped sharply and coyly tried to pull away, but her bent knee was held firmly in place.
Xiao Shizhi’s voice was low and gritted through teeth: “Bai Fuxue, are you unwilling to accept this favor?”
Bai Fuxue: “…”
To be honest, not particularly. Slacking off during work hours is the true faith of every laborer.
Xiao Shizhi coldly turned her gaze back to the memorials, no longer looking at Bai Fuxue, and withdrew the hand that still carried the warmth of the other’s body.
“In that case, I don’t believe in forcing people. Consort Bai may leave.”
Bai Fuxue found herself inexplicably dismissed from the Purple Palace Hall, with Li Dequan scurrying after her.
Li Dequan called out in his shrill voice, “Your Highness, wait! Your Highness, please wait!”
Bai Fuxue: “What is it, Eunuch Li?”
Li Dequan glanced back at the study, recognizing that Her Majesty was in a mood, and decided to do a favor.
“Replying to Your Highness, while you were sleeping in His Majesty’s study, His Majesty was constantly concerned about you. He kept checking on you every moment – the care in his eyes was beyond description.”
Bai Fuxue showed slight surprise. “I slept for three hours in total. Did His Majesty watch me for all three hours?”
Li Dequan bowed and nodded. “Indeed. His Majesty’s heart is completely filled with thoughts of Your Highness.”
Bai Fuxue nodded to show understanding, then took Songluo’s hand and left the Purple Palace Hall.
Li Dequan: ?
Why didn’t Her Highness gently go comfort His Majesty?
In the original novel, Bai Fuxue was supposed to live without favor in the harem, because Xiao Shizhi needed to consider public opinion and avoid touching the former emperor’s favored consort.
This resulted in the pitiful Bai Fuxue being bullied by everyone in the harem.
Bai Fuxue herself was grateful to be living relatively well in the harem. Now she just needed to maintain the Bai family’s honor to resist the Northern Court in the future.
And for Xiao Shizhi to govern diligently, not becoming a pleasure-obsessed incompetent ruler.
As for whether she received favor or not? Hilarious. Completely unimportant.
Bai Fuxue stood before a pomelo tree, gazing at the plump, full fruits and breathing in their refreshing fragrance.
Songluo exclaimed in surprise, “Your Highness, look! Tangyuan from His Majesty’s side is climbing the tree.”
Bai Fuxue shielded her eyes from the sun and peered closely. Hidden behind a large pomelo was a fluffy white cat.
The cat leisurely licked its paw and, upon seeing Bai Fuxue, let out a soft, affectionate meow.
Bai Fuxue rolled up her sleeves and glanced around. The imperial garden was quite crowded at the moment.
Songluo whispered a reminder, “Your Highness, the fruits in the imperial garden are not to be picked.”
Bai Fuxue clicked her tongue in disappointment. “What’s the point of having such fine fruits if they’re not meant to be picked?”
“The palace maids are allowed to pick flowers for making incense, so why can’t I pick some?”
Songluo replied, “It’s the palace rules!”
Bai Fuxue glanced at the glaring sun. “Let’s come back tonight when no one will see.”
Songluo cried, “Your Highness!”
Bai Fuxue truly loved pomelos. The flesh was delicious, and she enjoyed breaking it into segments to steep in tea. Each bite released a burst of rich fruity flavor in her mouth.
The pomelo peel was also fragrant. Xiao Shizhi still kept the pomelo lantern she had gifted by her bedside.
Not far away, a eunuch in drab gray clothes scurried off.
In Chengxiang Palace, the eunuch knelt with a thud before Noble Consort Rong.
“Your humble servant reports to Noble Consort: I overheard Consort Bai discussing with her maid about going to the imperial garden late at night. I’m not sure what they plan to do…”
Noble Consort Rong cast a haughty glance at the eunuch, causing him to tremble in fear.
“How interesting. With the strict palace rules in place, I’d like to see what tricks Consort Bai is up to.”
Meanwhile, Xiao Shizhi felt a twitch in her forehead.
A eunuch beside her reported, “Your Majesty, after leaving Zichen Hall, Consort Bai only lingered in the imperial garden for a brief moment before returning immediately.”
The eunuch added, “It seemed Consort Bai was in low spirits, as if troubled by something.”
Xiao Shizhi smiled faintly, thinking that Bai Fuxue must truly have her on her mind. She had only shown a stern expression in the study earlier, yet it had caused the delicate beauty such distress.
Xiao Shizhi felt a pang of guilt. This delicate beauty was far too sensitive, she would need to comfort her properly.
Having just finished reviewing ten catties of memorials, Xiao Shizhi rubbed her tired eyes.
“Where has Tangyuan run off to?”
As the eunuch beside her was about to speak, Xiao Shizhi said to herself, “That cat will come back when it’s hungry.”
The bright moon was obscured by dark clouds, and the entire palace was enveloped in silence.
Bai Fuxue, dressed in dark clothing, hurried into the imperial garden.
Having slept enough during the day, she had no desire to rest at night.
In ancient times, there were no nightclubs, bars, or game rooms. Playing mahjong with the palace maids was utterly boring, so Bai Fuxue had to find her own amusement.
Standing under the pomelo tree, she saw the large white cat meowing pitifully.
Next to it hung a plump, green-skinned pomelo.
Under Songluo’s horrified gaze, Bai Fuxue swiftly climbed up the pomelo tree, settled on a branch, and cradled Tangyuan in her arms.
Bai Fuxue kissed the cat’s dirty little head. “Such a scaredy-cat, afraid of heights. How useless.”
Tangyuan threw itself against Bai Fuxue in distress.
She plucked several pomelos while Songluo held open a cloth bag beneath the tree.
Bai Fuxue chuckled, “Pomelos can be used to brew wine. Tomorrow, have the Imperial Kitchen send over a few barrels.”
Songluo was so nervous she was nearly in tears, “I understand, Your Highness! Please be careful!”
Just as Bai Fuxue was about to toss the pomelo down from the tree, a procession of bright lanterns approached in the distance. Consort Rong arrived swiftly with a large entourage.
Consort Rong looked triumphantly at Songluo beneath the tree, “In the middle of the night, instead of properly attending to your mistress in her chambers, what are you doing out here?”
Songluo, terrified, dropped to her knees, sweat drenching her face and clothes.
How the hell was she supposed to explain this? That her mistress was up in a tree? That her mistress couldn’t sleep and decided to pick pomelos in the middle of the night? There was no way to say it without sounding absurd!
As fate would have it, Xiao Shizhi, feeling somewhat guilty, had finished his duties for the day and decided to visit Bai Fuxue to offer some comfort. Passing by the imperial garden, he heard the commotion and approached with a frown.
Xiao Shizhi’s voice was low and stern, “The night is deep and the dew is heavy. What are you all doing here?”
Consort Rong immediately knelt and lodged a complaint, “Your Majesty, I heard that Sister Bai was sneaking around the imperial garden late at night. I was worried that if word got out, it might tarnish her reputation, so I brought people to investigate and clear her name.”
Xiao Shizhi heard a rustling sound above and looked up.
Bai Fuxue: “…”
Tangyuan: “Meow.”
Xiao Shizhi: ?
Damn.
My wife is in a tree.
Bai Fuxue, holding a large pomelo, tried to force an innocent smile.
She said awkwardly, “Your Majesty, I wanted to make you some honey pomelo tea. Do you believe me?”
The lie was so poorly crafted it was almost offensive.
Xiao Shizhi’s ears turned red, and he replied with a bashful, moved expression:
“Xuexue, you’ve worked hard. Come, I’ll catch you. Jump down, don’t be afraid.”
She really does love me.
Consort Rong: “?”
Should I just leave then?