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墨書 Inktalez
"Damn it! I've seen people show off, but I've never seen anyone show off like this!"
Looking at that innocent little face on the silver note, please forgive the Empress of the Great Qin Empire for her noble education, which left him momentarily at a loss for words to describe Mei Shuang's foolish behavior and express his disdain and indignation towards her irritating actions.
With such bizarre thoughts and behaviors, he dared to say that there was no second woman like her in the Great Qin Empire. Just as he was brewing his emotions, Mei Shuang had already sensed the undercurrents in the dark depths of this Supreme Ruler's eyes; she slowly lowered her hand holding the silver note. It was clear that she had displeased this noble man.
Suddenly, her wrist was grabbed, and as the silver note was gently pulled from her hand, her body was pulled forward, bringing her face within a foot of his enlarged face.
In her astonishment, Mei Shuang's heart immediately raced; she had no idea what this dark-faced man intended to do to her and nervously swallowed.
As their eyes met, the other person's gaze roamed over her small face as if it were hooked; wherever he looked, Mei Shuang felt a prickling sensation. Until his sensual lips parted slightly, his leisurely voice carried a thin chill.
"I came here just to earn your five hundred taels of silver?"
"......"
Huh?? She was speechless but felt a long sigh of relief inside, thinking that this emperor might do something forceful to her in the next moment; she realized she had overthought it.
She smiled ingratiatingly, "How could that be? Your Majesty, even if you pluck a single hair, it's thicker than my leg; how could you care about my mere thousand or eight hundred taels of silver?"
"Don't play word games with me. I ask you, everything is available in the palace. Moreover, as Empress, you have your monthly allowance of silver. Why do you need so much silver? What do you want with the silver note?"
"Empress?" Mei Shuang's scalp tingled, and her smile instantly froze. Oh no, I haven't even saved enough silver to leave the palace; why is this being brought up so soon?
"No, no, Your Majesty, let me explain," Mei Shuang broke free from Xiao Luo's large hand and retreated to the bed, deliberately avoiding his gaze while a hint of panic clearly flashed in her eyes.
Xiao Luo noticed this panic and felt annoyed; his tone became stiff. "What are you trying to say?"
What am I trying to say??? I don't want to be Empress;
Reasons??? A whole bunch;
Would you dare to say this directly??? Of course not, because Lin Tian'er's words are proof enough.
Mei Shuang fell into a moment of silence, which was interpreted as her directly defying his words, igniting Xiao Luo's unspoken anger. In fact, when he arrived tonight, he had great intentions to share a pleasant time with this woman, but unexpectedly, she made his mood extremely unpleasant in an instant. Moreover, her actions had already conveyed a clear message.
A wave of mild disappointment washed over him as Xiao Luo turned around, tossed the banknote in his hand aside, and walked away.
Watching the banknote flutter down like a butterfly with broken wings until it landed right beside her, Mei Shuang sighed, reached out to pick up the banknote, and carefully tucked it into her bosom. At critical moments, it seemed that the silent banknote was always closest to her.
Mei Shuang tossed and turned in her bed, entangled in complex emotions, unable to sleep until the early hours of the morning.
Outside the window, the bright moonlight spilled into the palace. All she could hear were the chirping of insects; it was so quiet that she thought she was hallucinating. She decided to get up and walk into the courtyard.
The palace was located in the back garden. Now stepping outside and bathing in the cool moonlight felt refreshing. However, she inadvertently noticed a figure standing in the moonlight at a distance, tall and elegant.
Mei Shuang felt speechless but hesitated for a moment before walking over.
When she was about ten feet away, she gently spoke, "Your Majesty?"
Xiao Luo did not turn around upon hearing her voice; he simply coldly asked, "You come and go as you please at this late hour. No wonder Empress Dowager says you are too casual. What brings you here in the middle of the night?"
"......"
Mei Shuang felt at a loss for words as she looked around at the clear breeze and bright moonlight, with flowers blooming like an ocean. It was indeed a perfect setting for lovers to enhance their feelings.
However, they were ultimately quite unrealistic.
Mei Shuang shrugged and said, "Then I won't disturb Your Majesty's moon-gazing..."
Xiao Luo turned around and said coldly, "Since you can't sleep, then go to the Hall of Governance and serve me while I review some documents regarding Fire Stick."
In the Hall of Governance, while serving, Mei Shuang had already prepared the ink as required and saw the Emperor deeply engrossed in a stack of memorials that were about a foot high on the table.
Being an Emperor was not easy, Mei Shuang thought to herself. Some of the Fire Stick memorials were so thick they felt like half a book; just reading them was exhausting, and then there were responses to write, which had to be lengthy essays as well.
Seeing Xiao Luo become so absorbed in his work that he lost track of time, Mei Shuang felt bored. However, her attention was drawn to the books leaning against the wall behind Xiao Luo. She took a moment to quietly ask, "Your Majesty, may I take a look at those books?"
"Um..." Xiao Luo replied absentmindedly.
Mei Shuang happily walked over and began to browse through them.
The candlelight flickered in the Hall of Governance, creating a serene atmosphere as if no one were present.
After a while, Xiao Luo set down his brush and noticed Mei Shuang beside him, completely engrossed in a book.
From his angle, he could see the cover of the book she was holding; it was an introduction to the country's geographical features, mostly showcasing famous landmarks and historical sites.
Xiao Luo gazed at this woman who was already immersed in her reading. She held the book with both hands, her focus intense. Occasionally, her delicate brows would furrow slightly as if she were pondering something. When she finally understood, the corners of her lips would lift slightly, complemented by her elegantly curved neck. Xiao Luo found himself unexpectedly captivated; it turned out that a woman’s concentration could be so enchanting.
Perhaps it was the intensity of his gaze that made Mei Shuang aware of it. She pulled her eyes from the book and followed his line of sight, only to find Xiao Luo casually dipping his brush into the ink.
After finishing what she had been reading, Mei Shuang silently recited what she had seen earlier and felt it was about time to pick up another book...
She didn't know how long she had been standing there when her legs began to feel numb. Reluctantly putting down the book in her hands and preparing to stretch her neck, she noticed that Xiao Luo was staring intently at her from just a short distance away.
There is a saying: silence here speaks louder than words.
As the candlelight flickered, Xiao Luo's deep gaze sparkled with an intensity that stirred something within Mei Shuang's heart, filling her with an indescribable flurry of emotions.
She hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry, I...??"
"If you like them, you can come and read anytime." For some reason, when Xiao Luo said this, his voice had a slightly husky tone, deep and magnetic.
"Oh," Mei Shuang turned to look at the bookshelf and pulled out a book. "Can I borrow this to read? It's not convenient to come here since this is your office."
Xiao Luo shifted slightly, took a few books from the shelf, and handed them to Mei Shuang. "These are the ones you just looked at. Take them back, read them, and return them when you're done. Also, after you finish, tell me about the contents inside."
Wow, this emperor seems quite generous, not brushing her off with some military secrets. Mei Shuang happily reached out her hand to take the books and inadvertently grasped the emperor's hand as well. The distinct feel of his fingers made her pull her hand back as if shocked, thinking to herself, how dare she take liberties with the emperor? But when she looked up, she saw Xiao Luo's lips curled in a smile that was both teasing and profound.
Two red clouds appeared on her fair cheeks, and Mei Shuang shyly lowered her gaze, unsure whether to accept his outstretched hand.
Such a posture cannot be learned; it was charmingly shy, natural, and not vulgar. Especially when Mei Shuang slightly pursed her lips, revealing a faint dimple that seemed to draw one’s heart in like a whirlpool. Up close, the unique fragrance of the girl lingered in the air, intoxicating.
As Mei Shuang lowered her head, she caught sight of a clear kiss mark on the back of her swan-like neck, which instantly made Xiao Luo's heart race. He raised his hand and gently tugged at Mei Shuang's collar.
"It's getting late; we should rest," Xiao Luo's voice was deep and filled with warmth.
His long fingers ignited a spark as they brushed against Mei Shuang's skin, causing a slight shiver. Perhaps it was such a night, such a voice, such tender gestures, and this kind of gentleness that made Mei Shuang feel bewitched. She lifted her gaze but suddenly found herself lost in the depths of his eyes...
When Mei Shuang opened her eyes, she found herself alone. She remembered vaguely hearing his gentle voice by her ear when she was extremely sleepy: "Sleep a little longer; I’m going to court."
In that moment, immersed in sweet dreams and fully enjoying the relaxation and comfort provided by this emperor's tenderness, Mei Shuang misheard it as "Sleep a little longer; I’m going to work." Suddenly she thought that in the future it would be best to find a boyfriend like this—he could go to work and earn money for the family while she could sleep peacefully and remain beautiful.
In the bronze mirror, with her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, sparkling eyes, rosy cheeks glowing with color, and a shy expression on her lips—was that really herself?
Reflecting on how this seemingly cold man could also be so gentle at times made Mei Shuang’s face suddenly flush inexplicably. Damn it! Was last night an indication that they had buried the hatchet and everything was harmonious now?
After getting up, Xiao Luo had not yet returned from morning court. Since she had stayed overnight in the emperor's temporary residence at the Hall of Governance—Western Warm Pavilion—Mei Shuang did not plan to linger in bed. After waking up, she intended to head back to the palace.
However, she heard Li Gonggong outside saying, "The emperor sent me specifically to inform you that you must accompany him to tonight's banquet."
The inside gossip of the palace had always been a topic of great interest among those within its walls, and its dissemination speed was proportional to the weight of the news.
Every night she was favored, and last night she even stayed overnight at the Hall of Governance in the Western Warm Pavilion. In an instant, Mei Shuang created several firsts in the harem:
The first woman fortunate enough to enter the back garden;
The first woman to be favored by the Emperor for several consecutive nights;
Moreover, the first woman to be allowed to stay overnight in the Western Warm Pavilion;
If this trend continues, she is likely to be the first woman to conceive the Emperor's child!
Especially the last point caused an uproar among the concubines in the harem, piercing countless women's hearts and leaving them shattered...
You put in so much effort to gain favor, yet you cannot compare to the charm of the Deposed Empress Mei Shuang making a comeback. Truly, "Once she turns over, it’s astonishing!"
The discussions and rumors outside the back garden did not reach Mei Shuang's ears. At this moment, she had just finished bathing and was sitting in front of a bronze mirror, allowing her maids to do her makeup and prepare her for tonight's banquet.
To be honest, attending the banquet was a small matter; mainly, she had been cooped up for too long here. She wanted to go out for a stroll, get some fresh air, and perhaps find another opportunity to do business with the Emperor.
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