Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The Emperor spoke so delicately, even using the title of Empress Dowager. How could she still dare to act coy and defy his orders?
Moreover, she had long witnessed the Emperor's cold and ruthless nature. He was a man of his word, unlike Zhao Prince Nanguo Nuo, who would indulge her whims when he was in a good mood. In front of this Emperor, she wouldn't even have the courage to utter a "no," no matter how many lives she had.
Mei Shuang felt incredibly frustrated, her fingers twisting together as she lowered her head in silence. She wondered why Nangong Nuo had gone quiet again. The last time she managed to leave the palace was thanks to his maneuvering, but now she found herself inexplicably trapped within its walls. Did he know?
Seeing her expression, Xiao Luo spoke up, "Did you not have many questions for me?"
Mei Shuang was jolted from her thoughts and looked up in surprise. "Huh? Did I?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she noticed a flicker in Xiao Luo's eyes. She wished she could bite her tongue off; how could she be so disrespectful as to question the Emperor? What if he became angry? Quickly, she forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, how effective was today's prayer for the Empress Dowager?"
"The effectiveness of the prayer for the Empress Dowager?" Xiao Luo nodded, his slightly narrowed eyes holding a depth that was hard to interpret. "Hmm, very good..."
How could it not be good? They had uncovered the true traitor behind the accusations of treason and saved her own life in the process. Mei Shuang thought to herself before suddenly recalling another question. With a boldness that bordered on shamelessness, she asked, "Your Majesty, how did you know about my face..."
She had applied honey mixed with flour to create countless dots on her face, then added a layer of rouge once it was nearly dry. It was a clever method that even Nangong Nuo had praised despite his disgust. How could Xiao Luo have seen through it?
Xiao Luo remained silent for a moment, studying Mei Shuang before he replied casually, "There’s a red dot on your forehead that’s about to fall off."
"......"
Mei Shuang felt utterly embarrassed upon realizing what he meant. In all her calculations, she had simply forgotten that during this dry season, the dots stuck to her face would eventually start to peel.
She could only clasp her hands in admiration and say, "Your Majesty—what keen insight."
Xiao Luo paid no heed to her flattery but did not show any disdain either; he merely said lightly, "Walk with me..."
"......"
As they walked along the stone steps of the temple, Mei Shuang occasionally glanced at his broad back ahead and looked around nervously. What were they doing wandering around in such a ghostly and eerie place at this hour?
During the day, the temple was bustling with activity, filled with worshippers coming and going. However, at night, the temple gates were shut tight, shrouded in darkness and surrounded by dense forest, creating an eerie silence. The occasional unknown bird would suddenly take flight from the towering ancient trees, letting out chilling cries that made Mei Shuang's hair stand on end. This was bearable, but the key issue was that after walking for quite some time, the Sovereign in front of her remained calm and composed, showing no signs of stopping. Surely they couldn't be wandering around this creepy temple until dawn?
Mei Shuang felt speechless and could only try her best to quicken her pace to keep up with Xiao Luo, so as not to fall behind. After all, the Emperor was a true dragon among men, radiating yang energy that deterred ordinary demons from approaching. Therefore, Mei Shuang set a rule for herself: she absolutely could not stray more than two steps away from the Sovereign.
Xiao Luo walked ahead while Mei Shuang occasionally jogged to keep up behind him, with no conversation between them. All that could be heard were the rustling footsteps along the way.
After following Xiao Luo for quite a while in this manner, Mei Shuang began to breathe heavily.
As she descended the uneven steps, she suddenly stepped on something unknown and slipped. With a startled cry, she fell backward and landed heavily on the ground, sliding down several steps in the process.
The fall was painful enough that Mei Shuang felt as if her tailbone might crack.
Sitting on the ground, she grimaced and turned to look for the culprit that had caused her misstep.
By the dim moonlight, she saw it—Damn it! It was a smooth black branch.
Furious, she was about to reach down to pick it up and smash it into pieces to vent her earlier frustration when she suddenly heard a low voice say "Be careful." A figure in dark robes swept past her hand with a gust of wind and flicked it away.
Everything happened in an instant. As the robe pushed her hand aside, Mei Shuang stared in shock. The "stick" on the ground actually moved and opened a blood-red maw towards her outstretched hand. The mouth was as large as an egg and several times thicker than its body, seemingly welcoming Mei Shuang's fingers.
It was hard to imagine what would have happened if Mei Shuang had recklessly reached out—would her finger be bitten off or would her whole hand be gone?
Startled, Mei Shuang instinctively withdrew her hand as if shocked by electricity. Ignoring her own injuries from the fall, she sprang up within a second and tightly clung to the man beside her, trembling uncontrollably as her voice changed pitch.
"Your Majesty, what... what is this thing?"
Xiao Luo turned back after watching the black creature being tossed into the air and fall apart into several segments. He looked at Mei Shuang clinging tightly to him with a pale face. His usually cold expression showed rare seriousness; even his eyes darkened. "How could you touch something unknown? This is a rare poison. Just one bite means certain death!"
Mei Shuang's legs went weak, and beads of sweat broke out on her forehead. Reflexively, she gripped Xiao Luo's clothing tightly and refused to let go.
"Your Majesty, I... I don't want to go down anymore..."
With a trembling body and a pale face, Xiao Luo felt his clothes suddenly tighten all over, especially around his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. It must be said that this woman was indeed very strong.
He couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.
To be honest, aside from the incident at Miaochun Tower, it was the first time a woman had so openly clung to him like an octopus, disregarding the rules of propriety between ruler and subject, as well as the distinctions between men and women.
Now, the terrified Mei Shuang was clinging tightly to him, almost lifting her feet off the ground. He really couldn't just push her away.
Suddenly, Mei Shuang remembered something. After carefully checking the ground and confirming there were no poisonous substances, she quickly released her grip, bent down, and deftly removed her shoes. Then, with a flourish, she tossed her shoes—still tainted with poison—far away in a graceful arc...
As Mei Shuang sighed in relief while gazing at her delicate little feet, she suddenly realized how she would continue moving forward.
She awkwardly looked up at Xiao Luo, who was also looking at her. She could only lower her head, cursing herself for being reckless. Was she really going to walk back like this on one foot? Unbeknownst to her, Xiao Luo's gaze towards her had darkened.
Mei Shuang felt her face flush with embarrassment and was at a loss. Suddenly feeling lighter, she came back to her senses and found herself in Xiao Luo's arms.
The faint scent of Ambergris and the firm texture of his embrace made her feel that even if there were more poisons around, someone would bear the burden for her.
In an instant, much of Mei Shuang's fear dissipated. After facing severe trials and extreme fright, she no longer cared about any reservations. Although there had always been a significant distance between her and this man who was cold to the core—both in status and reality—at this moment, all she could do was lower her gaze and nestle comfortably in Xiao Luo's arms, thinking that he had brought her out for a walk, so it was only right for him to take care of her when danger struck!
Therefore, as for where they would go next, she was completely unconcerned; it all depended on His Majesty's stamina. She was happy to enjoy the benefits.
Mei Shuang couldn't help but feel emotional. Just a short while ago, when she was in Heavenly Prison, she felt like a nuisance even kneeling before the Sovereign. Now he was actually carrying her as they walked; it made all the suffering she had endured worthwhile.
Although she comforted herself this way in her heart, both parties were still men and women. To say that such close contact between them elicited no reaction at all would definitely be a lie.
The slight sound of breathing above her head became particularly noticeable when his large hands lifted her thighs, just inches away from her hips. Mei Shuang immediately felt that area heat up, and that warmth quickly spread throughout her body until she felt flushed all over.
She unconsciously lifted her gaze, stealing a glance at the face right in front of her.
This was the first time she had observed this man, who held the world in his hands, so closely and intently. He was just as handsome and wealthy as others, but he was a completely different type from Nangong Nuo. Nangong Nuo was the typical rogue type; just looking at his peach blossom eyes revealed his true nature. In contrast, the man before her, having come from the battlefield, exuded a ruggedness that was unyielding. His casual arrogance could instantly push others away.
For a moment, Mei Shuang felt curious. How could such a man possess a heart for love? She wondered how Chu Xiruo had managed to conquer someone as solid as steel.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived beneath a large tree, where several stone benches were scattered across the open space. Xiao Luo set Mei Shuang down and instructed Li Gonggong, who had arrived at some point without her noticing, "Go find a pair of shoes."
Looking at Li Gonggong's astonished expression, Mei Shuang suddenly came to her senses. It dawned on her that she had been carried all the way here by Xiao Luo, surprising the unexpectedly present Li Gonggong.
Though it was understandable, being seen in such an openly intimate posture made her feel somewhat embarrassed. Mei Shuang lowered her gaze and sat obediently on the stone bench, tugging at her skirt while hiding her feet behind the other leg.
Li Gonggong accepted the order with surprise but couldn't help but smile wryly inside. It was late at night, and they were not in the palace; where could he possibly find shoes for this barefoot woman? Sighing, he thought that tomorrow one of the concubines coming to pray for the Empress Dowager might end up without shoes.
While Li Gonggong went off to find shoes, Xiao Luo sat down opposite Mei Shuang.
After a pause, he asked lightly, "Do you like Zhao Prince?"
Comment 0 Comment Count