Chapter 7

Some people say that many things are predestined by nature, that is fate. But you decide how to face it, that is luck!

This way, I’m doomed.

From my father’s loud thundering voice, I had to dodged. I exclaimed, “Dad—”

At the same time, a mahogany tea table and several teacups fell on the ground. Shattered by internal force.

I turned to look at my fiancé’s surprised face. Instantly, there was a buzz going in my head, my mind was blown out of the Nine Heavens.

There aren’t many people who have seen me in the palace, and even fewer officials, so few that they can be counted with their fingers alone, but all of this can make me touch the ground. What else can I say?

He...he.he.he.he...he turned out to be the General Ling Biao I saved!

I don’t know how long it has been...

I squeeze out a smile, “Long time no see.” That’s right, that’s how I’ll say it!

“You...Are you Qing-er?” Shocked eyes, trembling voice, uncertain tone, all revealed repressed emotions.

“Yes.”

“Are you Consort Qing?”

“Yes.” I can’t believe I can be so calm now. Maybe, maybe I was too scared to know how to react.

“Why?” Sad eyes, low voice, and disappointed tone.

“What why?” I looked at him puzzled.

“Why are you?” He murmured.

“I don’t know.” I shook my head, his words are completely beyond my understanding.

“Are you still marrying me?” I asked.

His face immediately turned white, he then smiled awkwardly and knelt down on one knee, “This General acted rudely, asking Madame to please forgive me.”

“You...” What rude? I just wanted to talk. I saw the brick where he knelt had split, extends all around like a dense spider web. Some broken bricks even pierced his knees, oozing a little blood.

“You...you get up...you’re hurt.” I tried hard to pull him up, but my elbow was caught.

Turning around, it was Tong Yin and Tong Jin.

“What are you doing?” I can’t help being a little annoyed.

Tong Yin shook his head, “Don’t get too close to him.”

“What do you mean?” I’m angry, really angry. The sound of clicking in my heart is either from anger or confusion, I don’t know.

I only know that I lowered my head and kissed Ling Kai.

I only remember sneering and said, “This young master has been intimate with countless people. Does the Emperor have much control?”

With a flick of my sleeves, I proudly turned my head away.

Leaving the room of panic, a room of solitude, and a room of silence.

I know things will certainly call a spade and end so easily.

Sure enough.

The next day.

Tong Yin and Tong Jin came to inform as they entered.

“According to the Emperor’s decree, I came to take Madame back to the palace.”

“He...he didn’t promise Cui Xiu.”

“This lowly one just follow orders.”

I felt a bust of panic in my heart.

“Everything is ready. The grand guard of Yang Zhou is waiting outside the door, he will send Madame back.” Tong Yin coldly reminded me. It seems I must really go to the palace this time.

The Emperor... He won’t give up! Who in high position can stand this tone? This trip is full of bad luck!

Since ancient times, life is two-phase defense. Beauty is often unlucky. I think Murong FangQing needs talent, looks, talents and looks. It’s even more difficult to get out of this circle! Just, just, leave it to fate!

“Then I will say goodbye to my parents first.”

I said quietly. Since yesterday, my parents didn’t ask me why, I spent quietly in the room.

Shua As we walked to the door, a sharp sword was already in front of us, followed by a cold female voice, “Is this place where you can just come and go?”

Mother? And Dad.

But when my mother saw me looking at her in surprise, her heroic face immediately collapsed and pitiful, “Xiao Qing, mother is reluctant to let you go. You marry so far away and there are so many wicked people in the imperial palace. What do you do if you are bullied? And you’re still young. There are so many people serving the Emperor, you will be lonely in the palace alone ah... Ohhh, mother doesn’t want you to go.” When she said this, tears were seeping in her eyes.

Mother... The soft corner of my heart was moved at this time... Ever since, I have always been sentimental, how can I want to leave?

“Whether to go or not is not decided by Madame alone!” Tong Yin added coldly, but immediately became the target of the public.

My mother’s anger was hard to calm, “Can the Emperor rob people openly? There is still a king in this world!”

Tong Yin hummed and refused to comment. Instead, he turned to my father, “Great Xia Murong, you clearly know the powerful relationship. Although the Murong family has high position in Jianghu, it doesn’t mean it can challenge the authority of the Emperor. I still advice you to consider carefully.”

The atmosphere unconsciously condensed.

I don’t know how long it took, my father finally sighed, he walked to my mother, put his arm around her shoulders, his eyes fell on Tong Yin again.

“Young Xia, I don’t know if I can avoid it, but I have something to say to Ah Qing.”

Tong Yin looked at us and silently went out.

Only my parents and I were left in the room.

My father looked at me without saying a word. He paced back and forth. After several walks, he suddenly looked up and asked me, “Have you been in the palace since you disappeared more than a month ago?”

I was anxiously rubbed my clothes with my hands when I heard what my father asked me, I nodded timidly.

Seeing me nod, my father then understand everything. With a long sigh, he fell into the chair beside him.

“Dad...” I exclaimed indeterminately, feeling that father had grown old all of a sudden.

My father waved his hand and said sadly, “My child, Dad can’t always be by your side. You have to take care of yourself. The life in the palace is extraordinary. Everyday is a struggle..” Having said that, he motioned me to come over.

I walked to him, Dad took my hand, “Ah Qing, If you want to gain a foothold in the palace, you have to change your temperament. Be careful, pay attention to your step, don’t say a word, go a step further. As the saying goes, accompanying an Emperor is like accompanying a tiger. The palace is a big tiger cave. Father doesn’t ask you for anything else, but it requires this ‘Be careful with your words’, do you understand?”

“Be careful with your words! Be careful with your words!” I silently read it several times before nodding vigorously.

“Oh...” My father smiled and touched my head fondly.

At this time, my mother couldn’t help it any longer. She came over and hugged me, her voice choked with sobs, “Xiao Qing, you must really take good take of yourself ah... Mother isn’t with you, so everything must be careful.”

“En!” I nodded again.

“Ah Qing, there’s still one thing I want to entrust you,” My father’s face turned right and his tone became serious. “It’s about Ling nephew!”

“Ling Kai?” I opened my eyes wide.

“Aiya! These things can’t be said by just a few words, but I still wanted to tell you that Ling Kai has liked you since he was a child, and even I can say that he has deep feelings for you. This is a dangerous and unpredictable business. If you can, you can help him!”

“How come? He liked me since he was a child? We’ve only met a few times!” I’m confused. How can Ling Kai like me?

My father smiled bitterly, “Ah Qing, there are many things you don’t know. Although I don’t quite understand why Ling nephew likes you just after seeing you a few times, but he has been concerned about your affairs for so many years, he asked little things bit by bit. After that, because of his position, Ling nephew left Yang Zhou. Old Ling and I saw his infatuation, so we sent your portrait, but he sent it back without looking. He said that he would wait for you to grow up and see you with his own eyes, this time he really opened his mouth and propose marriage. Aiya! If it wasn’t for Ling nephew, father wouldn’t send you out easily!”

I was spoechless, and finally understood why Ling Kai’s attitude towards me was so strange. It was because Ling Kai insisted on waiting for me to grow up before coming to see me, it caused us a pity that we hadn’t had the chance to meet.

What a lucky man!

On my way back to the palace, I didn’t see Ling Kai. Perhaps he’s deliberately avoiding me.

But what I can clearly know is—he and I are on the same road.

As soon as I entered the palace, I was taken to HanQing courtyard.

HanQing courtyard is as deep as the sea, so far away, I have no chance of seeing him.

A little worried, would the Emperor do harm to him?

While I was fidgeting here, a voice came from the eunuch outside, “The Emperor has arrived.”

So soon? I was taken aback!

In fact, I was well-dressed, but as soon as I heard that the Emperor came, I jumped back to my bed and pretended to be a dignified and virtuous lady, I silently recited, “Be careful with your actions! Be careful with your words!”

Taking another deep breath, okay! Everything is ready, only the east wind is needed[1]. Emperor, you can herd cattle and horses[2].

The heavy wooden door was pushed open, and two teams of palace maids rushed in, the approaching Emperor acts in a heroic manner.

After he looked at me, he waved all the maids away and walked towards me and sat down.

I blinked and looked at him for a while. Only then did I suddenly realize that I forgot to salute him.

It’s not too late to mend. I immediately wanted to stand up, but who knows I did not yet stood up, I stepped on my own clothes, and fell down.

Just when I thought I was going to closely kiss the ground, a strong arm came across, caught me firmly and brought me into his arms.

to my ear came a moist warm breath, “How can you be so careless? Even if there’s carpet, it’ll still be hurt!”

What? I shuddered, my head jerked up reflectively.

Then I heard a groan. I think my head must have touched the Emperor’s chin...because my head hurts a little.

Whoops! This time I’m dead. Be careful with your words! Be careful of your actions! Dad, I’m sorry!

However, the Emperor didn’t respond as I expected. He hugged me horizontally and tenderly touched my head, saying, “Does it hurt?”

Looking at the Emperor in front of me smiling, gently and amiably, I suddenly became more nervous and alert. As the saying goes, if there’s nothing to be courteous, it’s a theft![3] Who knows what the Emperor is thinking?

“Hmm? Do you have a headache?” The Emperor didn’t even get a respond and asked again.

“No pain!” Be careful with your words! Be careful with your actions!

Hearing my reply, the Emperor’s expression relaxed a little and asked, “Have you eaten yet?”

“Eat!” Be careful with your words! Be careful with your actions!

“Would you like to ask the servants to get some more for you?”

“Full!” Be careful with your words! Be careful with your actions!

“This is where you used to live. I’m afraid you’re not used to it, so you won’t be moved during your absence. Are you comfortable living here now? Do you want someone to change it for you?”

“No!” Be careful with your words! Be careful with your actions!

“I came immediately when you got back. Now I’m tired. Oh, originally I wanted to pick you up in person but there are so many affairs in court that I have to send someone to pick you up. Qing-er, don’t you blame me?”

“Don’t blame!” If you know I almost leaned over the garden wall[4] and put on a green hat on you, don’t know you will blame me?

The Emperor frowned, “Qing-er, don’t you like to talk to me? I remember that you used to talk a lot and chatter like a sparrow. Why don’t you say anything today?”

“No.” What sparrow? Even if I chat, I am a canary!

“Is it uncomfortable? Do you want to call a doctor to see?”

“No need to!”

“Uncomfortable?”

“A little!” Aiya, me alone means that I’m worried. I don’t know what I want.

Blue veins... If I’m not mistaken, the veins stood out on the Emperor’s forehead.

After a while, the Emperor sneered, “Consort Qing isn’t comfortable. I’m afraid there’s someone who can’t let go!”

“You know so?” I subconsciously answered, but I didn’t miss the flash of anger in the Emperor’s eyes.

It is said that every ten returns to one, the moon waxes only to wane, and water surges only to overflow.[5]

I cried out to myself, but I was thrown to the bed by the Emperor, he rolled over and pressed me. The voice was already of girding class, “I don’t know who is so honored to have a place in Consort Qing’s heart?”

You clearly just want me to say you! I fell so dizzy that I almost blurted that out.

But when the words came to my lips, I swallowed them forcefully and stared at the Emperor stupidly.

This is the way I open my mouth. At ordinary times, rhetoric is just like the flood of the Yellow River, but when it comes to critical moment, I can’t say anything.

The Emperor automatically interpreted my silly appearance as being guilty of being a thief. When the face of the dragon sank, and the claws extended, he removed the ribbon from the curtain and tied my hands to the bed head.

The picture is so poor...

“The Emperor, a gentleman move their words not their hands. We can talk about things slowly. We can all be gentle, why rough?”

With a smile, I secretly moved my wrist. Aiya, it’s really—tied firmly as Mount Tai!

“Talk slowly?” The Emperor sneered, “Do you really think I am a fool and don’t know anything?”

“You know?” I looked at him in surprise. I don’t even know, but he knew? Does the Emperor have miraculous powers and can do anything to this extent?

“Hmph!” The Emperor snorted coldly to show he didn’t care at all. He reached out his hand and squeezed my delicate face. He smiled darkly, “It seems you’re quite forgetful. Do you want me to help you, so that you can deeply remember your identity?”

“How dare I bother the Emperor? I can do such a personal thing myself.”

Gee! He speaks stressed. If he does come, I’m afraid I have no bones left.

“That’s not up to you.” The corner of the Emperor’s mouth bent slightly, creating a beautiful arc, “Relax, I will be gentle.”

“Ha...really?” I laughed.

Gentle? The ruthless flower picker would use this kind of prologue when he comes to a tender, kind and delicate woman. How can a thief call out to catch a thief?

It seems that I’m really doomed this time.

Sure enough, the Emperor only spoke about strength and not manners.

He sat up and stripped me off at once.

After looking up and down like a sheep for sale, I smirked and said, “That’s it.”

Otherwise what do you still want? I glared at him!

How to know a tiger still has a tiger evil. The Emperor immediately avenged himself and twisted the two red plums in front of my chest, that drew me to coquettishly painful cry.

The Emperor smiled smugly. When he turned his wrist, he took out a red brocade box of golden pythons, and deliberately raised it in front of me, “Try this.”

Isn’t it? I looked at the brocade box in his hand with pins and needles in my scalp. How inferior is the medicine?

The Emperor seemed to see through my thoughts and smiled faintly, “This is made of dozens of rare medicinal materials and some thousands of years ganoderma lucidum, ten thousands of years ginseng and iceberg snow lotus steamed in the sun for nine days and drying for nine days. It’s hard to buy even if you have thousands of gold outside.”

Oh...it turned out to be a rare spring(aphrodisiac)!

However, the previous spring is also spring. It is still the same, but definitely a superior inferior!

“The Emperor...these ganoderma lucidum, ginseng, snow lotus seem to have nothing to do with it.”

“These are used to make a name. You don’t need to worry about them. Just try the medicine and you will know.”

The Emperor smiled like a fox who ate a chicken. He picked out a little ointment with his hand and smeared it on the two cherry red spots on my chest.

In an instant, I felt my chest was as fit as it had been before.

“Ah!” I couldn’t help but moan.

“Oh...” The Emperor saw my water cutting eyes and myriad emotions, a flash of fire in my star eyes, and he applied the ointment on his hand to the rest of my body.

“Ah...” My body seemed like it was bitten by ants, itching and aching. I had to keep rolling and rubbing the quilt underneath, hoping to use the rubbing to reduce the pain in my body.

Aiya, the Emperor unexpectedly used aphrodisiac as sesame oil.

Soon, I was dripping with sweat and out of breath.

However, the Emperor’s compassionate dog-gnawed fellow looked at me so pitifully and didn’t give me any spiritual comfort, but fell down on the rocks and smirked, “I have never seen you so lovely.”

Hmph! I snorted coldly, turned my head away and ignored him, but the tears rolled out like an uncontrollable spring.

Is it fun to bully me?

Is it fun to see me suffer?

Or...conquering with brute force gives you a sense of steadiness? Do you feel happy to do something with no emotions?

Should I really be punished for saying just one wrong sentence?

Just because you are the Emperor...

So everything is taken for granted, everything is logical.

I don’t understand... I really don’t understand...

“Hey...don’t cry...” A big hand wiped away the tears on my face.

With a little pity.

Pity?

Is it true?

Can I have it? Do I qualify for it?

“Do you mean that to be angry with me? Do you have me in your heart? Do you...miss me?”

The Emperor’s voice flowed through the woods like the wind. Very light, very subtle, but can cause an uproar.

At this time, I was so hot that I could boil water. When I heard the Emperor’s question, I stubbornly bit my lips and answered, “I say, Imperial Majesty, do you worry too much or are you exalting me? What does everything about me have to do with you?”

For a long time.

The Emperor suddenly laughed loudly and angrily said, “Good! Sure enough! You really know how to provoke me, then Emperor will show you what Emperor have to do with you!”

He pulled my legs apart and fold them up fiercely. The bent posture allowed my lower body to stretch under the dim light.

I clenched my teeth in shame and indignation. I could see the shameful appearance of my private parts. My whole body was screaming with hot desires, the cramps when the cold wind passed, and the rapid but obscene breathing. I felt ashamed and angry.

“Qing-er, do you know? You’re really beautiful now.” The Emperor whispered in my ear, “Even my three souls and seven spirits[6] are enough to hook you up!” The Emperor kissed me gently, and the scorching heat immediately drove straight into my already fiery body.

“Ah...” I whimpered. Asshole, bastard, rotten egg! Dead Emperor, you don’t have to this to a young master! I know I’m gorgeous but you don’t have to express your admiration like this!

The tight tunnel tightly encircles the man’s hardness. The feeling of foreign objects invading made me extremely jealous, and the shameful moan flows out uncontrollably.

I don’t know what kind of state I’m in. I only know that everything now will become a source of happiness and raging for men.

Refusal and resistance had long gone bad for him.

Everything is just temptation and tease.

The man’s hand moved forward over the smooth body, sliding across the collarbone, teasingly pinched his chest that gradually hardened up.

A warm breath floats in my ear.

“Qing-er, you’re blushing...”

Nonsense! Who doesn’t blushed when doing this?

“Your body is very hot...”

Please! You painted me so much aphrodisiac, it’s inconceivable if you aren’t hot!

“Your breath is very chaotic...” The Emperor suddenly trembled, the hard erection naturally touched the sensitive part of my body.

“Woo...ah!” The sudden excitement made me scream, coupled with the unusual heat on my body, it feels even more uncomfortable.

Hateful! He did it on purpose!

I glared at him in tears, hoping to bite him out of spite!

“Are you sick...” The Emperor’s voice was a little shaky.

Go fuck your head! It’s really unbearable! Getting sick at this time? A wave of anger welled up in my heart. I tried biting his hand without thinking.

“Qing-er, you...” Scream! You know I’m good!

“Qing-er, why are you biting on the pillow, are you in pain?” The Emperor stroked my lips.

I opened my eyes at once, it turned out to be a mistake, I bit a pillow in my mouth. I made a mistake out of hurry. I quickly corrected my target and bite the Emperor’s finger that reached my lips. Hmph! If you don’t bite what you deliver, the rabbit will not eat the grass by its own burrow![7]

“Oh...” It was successful, the ship came with a bloody smell near the mouth.

I hurriedly opened my tired eyes wide, looked at the Emperor’s frown, and felt a sense of avenge.

“Come, call the physician!” The Emperor’s voice was indignant.

Is it? Just finger bite and call a physician? Is the Emperor so delicate?

But when I saw the Emperor’s shady face, I shuddered. Perhaps the Emperor was really delicate!

Footnotes

zhǐqiàndōngfēng (idiom) - lacking only one tiny crucial item

fàngmǎguòlái - bring it on!;give me all you got

wúshìxiànyīnqínfēijiānjídào (idiom) - one who is unaccountably solicitous is hiding evil intentions. theft here is used as object in the sentence

hóngxìngchūqiáng (idiom) - a wife having an illicit lover

yuèmǎnzékuī, shuǐmǎnzéyì - this proverb points out that: things turn into their opposites when they reach their extremes

sānhúnqīpò - contrasting the spiritual and carnal side of a man

tùzibùchīwōbiāncǎo (idiom) - one shouldn’t do anything to harm one’s neighbors