Wen Yunmian lowered her eyes. “This Concubine is blessed with such good fortune, to have Your Majesty’s affection. This Concubine is completely content.”
Jun Chenyu’s brow twitched slightly as he heard Wen Yunmian speak sorrowfully from within his embrace. “Mother married Father as his principal wife, yet she failed to bear him a son. Mother felt that giving birth to Mian’er—a useless daughter—was a failure, so she never wanted anything to do with Mian’er.”
“So you were sad today because you remembered this? Then why were you missing home?” Jun Chenyu’s voice betrayed no emotion.
He held her by the waist, still calmly wiping away her tears.
A trace of profound depth flashed in Wen Yunmian’s eyes. “The home this Concubine misses is Waizufu’s home.”
Her voice choked up again. “Mother was once pregnant with a son but couldn’t keep the child, leaving the Houfu without a legitimate heir to inherit the title. Father became furious, went to Mother’s courtyard, and beat her in his rage.”
“But Mother believed the miscarriage happened on Mian’er’s birthday, so she came to hate Mian’er…”
This was not an excuse she had fabricated; it was something that had truly happened in her past life, and she wasn’t afraid of Jun Chenyu sending someone to investigate.
Jun Chenyu frowned, not having expected her parents to be so cruel.
Wen Yunmian’s eyes glistened with moisture.
Jun Chenyu’s gaze deepened. He lifted Wen Yunmian’s chin, looked at her aggrieved face, and bent down to kiss the teardrop at the corner of her eye.
Wen Yunmian’s thick, dark lashes trembled, her eyes filled with astonishment, yet she appeared utterly delicate.
“Since you’ve entered the palace, Zhen will naturally stand up for you.” He wrapped his arm around Wen Yunmian’s slender waist and pulled her forward, her soft curves pressing against his chest.
Wen Yunmian’s cheeks flushed instantly. With teardrops still clinging to her lashes, she let out a pitiful whimper, like a little kitten. “This Concubine thanks Your Majesty…”
“Mian’er is so well-behaved; she shouldn’t be scorned by them. In Zhen’s heart, Mian’er is perfect.”
Wen Yunmian stared at Jun Chenyu in a daze, starlight seeming to sparkle in her eyes. Astonishment and delight intertwined in her gaze, her obvious admiration piercing straight into Jun Chenyu’s heart. “Really?”
Jun Chenyu felt pleased. “Of course.”
Wen Yunmian suddenly stood on her tiptoes and actively pressed her lips to Jun Chenyu’s thin ones.
Jun Chenyu was tall and imposing. Even on her tiptoes and straining with effort, Wen Yunmian only managed to reach his lower lip.
Failing to succeed, she grew somewhat anxious. Wen Yunmian’s lashes fluttered repeatedly, utterly embarrassed.
Jun Chenyu watched this, a wicked smile curling at the corner of his mouth. Just as Wen Yunmian, feeling helpless, was about to give up her attempt to kiss him, Jun Chenyu, unusually, bent down slightly. His thin lips met Wen Yunmian’s alluring red ones perfectly.
After being kissed, Wen Yunmian’s grape-like eyes immediately turned shy. The next moment, Jun Chenyu swept her up into his arms horizontally.
The candlelight flickered, and their breaths gradually grew ragged.
Wen Yunmian’s skin was like snow, smooth and delicate as fine pastry. Her eyes, which had stopped crying earlier, were raining tears again by the late night. Her delicate nose turned red from weeping, and marks were scattered all over her body.
When Jun Chenyu was sated, his phoenix eyes burned with intensity. Gripping that supple, fragile waist, his voice was low and slightly uneven. “Mian’er is even more captivating when crying than she was that night.”
Wen Yunmian, unbearably shy with misty eyes, hid her face in his chest. “Your Majesty is truly wicked.”
Although Wen Yunmian felt she had temporarily alleviated Jun Chenyu’s suspicions and could breathe a sigh of relief, at this very moment, her calm heart was thrown into disarray.
Although the man before her was a suspicious dog emperor, whether it was his handsome face, his well-proportioned and attractive physique with lean muscles, or his astonishing prowess in bed, all of it made Wen Yunmian utterly captivated.
Putting aside everything else, at least being with Jun Chenyu brought her physical and mental pleasure.
In her previous life, she had genuinely loved Jun Chenyu, just like the other women in the rear palace, longing for his sincerity and hoping he would spare her a glance.
She had thought she would walk alongside Jun Chenyu forever, but when she was doubted time and again, and when the blade of the blood dripper pressed against her neck, Wen Yunmian’s heart was shattered by the emperor’s heartless indifference.
This man was truly too ruthless. When he loved you, he would give you everything; when he stopped loving you, he would cast you aside like worn-out shoes.
As her earlier impulsiveness faded, Wen Yunmian gently wrapped her arms around Jun Chenyu’s neck, her breath as fragrant as orchids, her eyes seductive and alluring. “Your Majesty, this concubine still wants more~”
Holding her plump and delicate body, Jun Chenyu’s eyes darkened slightly, an uncontrollable impulse breaking through the calm restraint he had maintained as emperor for so many years.
In the past, no one had ever affected him like this, yet with just a few words from her, Jun Chenyu reacted.
“Very well,” Jun Chenyu said, flipping her over and pinning her beneath him.
It was not until daybreak that Eunuch Lu led the attendants in to help the Emperor change his clothes.
Water had been called seven times throughout the night—truly unprecedented.
This Yun Guiren was truly extraordinary.
When Jun Chenyu rose, Wen Yunmian was sound asleep on the bed, her dark, silky hair spread across the pillow, soft and fragrant.
A rare tenderness appeared in his narrow eyes. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at her long, delicate eyelashes resting peacefully on her eyes. Jun Chenyu reached out and gently stroked her brows, then leaned down to kiss her lips before rising to attend the morning court.
As he left, he instructed, “Do not disturb her. Let her sleep and return only when she wakes.”
“Yes.”
After Wen Yunmian awoke, Eunuch Lu personally escorted her back to the Peony Pavilion. It was only upon her return that an imperial decree arrived.
“By the Emperor’s oral decree: Yun Guiren is graceful and elegant, gentle and refined. She is hereby granted the title ‘Wan’!”
Wen Yunmian knelt to express her gratitude. “This concubine thanks Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!”
Everyone in the Peony Pavilion shared in the honor and knelt to give thanks.
Eunuch Lu gave Wen Yunmian a deep look. “Congratulations, Noble Lady Wan!”
“Thank you, Eunuch.”
After seeing Eunuch Lu off, Yun Fei was overjoyed. Among all the concubines in the palace, titles were either based on their surnames or a character from their names. This was the first time the Emperor had personally bestowed a title, and with their mistress so favored, she was naturally thrilled.
Wen Yunmian finally breathed a sigh of relief. In her previous life, the title “Yun” had remained unchanged until the very end. She never expected that this time, Jun Chenyu would personally grant her a new title.
Recalling how he had called her “Mian’er” repeatedly the night before, Wen Yunmian couldn’t help but smile faintly.
Just as she was lost in thought, Eunuch Ming rushed over in a panic, nearly stumbling. “Mistress, Mistress, something terrible has happened!”