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Yun Kexin was stunned, thinking she had misheard. She saw the Emperor looking at her deeply, holding his breath as he said:
"I am very lonely in the Palace, with no one to talk to."
"Your Majesty, I am already a married woman. How can I accompany you? This... is too absurd." Yun Kexin's face flushed with agitation, and she felt anxious inside, hoping he was not unable to forget his feelings.
"What is absurd about this?" the Emperor retorted with a half-smile. "You are my only confidant."
"Your Majesty, you are now of high status; you should be more careful with your words," Yun Kexin said, feeling uneasy. She couldn't understand how their conversation had turned to this topic. "Be careful that the Empress hears this, or it could reach someone with ulterior motives and cause trouble."
The Emperor's eyes, which had originally held a light smile, darkened with an inexplicable resentment. He said coldly, "If I help Yun Kexin, there must be some return. Don't you think?" Seeing her face turn redder, he felt even more pity for her. "Yun Kexin, do not forget that if I had not let go back then, you would already be my Empress."
Qin Ke's pointed words made Yun Kexin's heart tense and embarrassed. Summoning her courage, she looked up at the Emperor and found him staring intently at her, so she hurriedly lowered her gaze.
"Your Majesty, my husband and Consort have never forgotten your great kindness," Yun Kexin said nervously but still mustered the courage to speak. "There are countless ways to repay kindness; why must it be in this manner?"
"This matter is different," Qin Ke said firmly, showing no intention of backing down. "Although few know of the secret edict, it is enough to keep me restless. Can't Yun Kexin stay with me and talk to ease my guilt towards the Predecessor Emperor?"
"Your Majesty, let's not even mention that the Consort is already a married woman." Yun Kexin truly felt that Qin Ke was being unreasonable. How could he insist on her expressing herself on something impossible? "Even if I were not married, it would be highly inappropriate now that I am pregnant, wouldn't it?"
"Pregnant?" The Emperor instinctively repeated the word, his pupils narrowing. "I have a way."
With that, Qin Ke turned and walked to a cabinet on the other side of the Study, retrieving a lotus-patterned porcelain bottle and coming back. He handed it to Yun Kexin expressionlessly and said, "Take this."
Yun Kexin glanced at the bottle in shock and then looked up at the Emperor, feeling an overwhelming determination in his unfathomable gaze—perhaps even ruthlessness. A chill ran down her spine: what was in that bottle? What did the Emperor intend to do?
"Your Majesty, you..." Yun Kexin stood up as a wave of coldness rose from her feet and prickled her back. Her voice trembled as she spoke softly, trying hard not to guess what was inside that bottle.
"This is Musk and Saffron Powder," Qin Ke said coldly, turning away without a hint of affection in his voice. "Yun Kexin consumed it. She will no longer have the trouble of being pregnant."
Yun Kexin's face instantly turned pale, her breath nearly stopping: the Emperor actually wanted her to abort the child in her womb. When did he become so cruel and ruthless? Was it that Dragon Throne that changed him so drastically? Yun Kexin was shocked and heartbroken as she looked at the Emperor. Suddenly, she snatched the bottle from Qin Ke's hand, quickly removed the cap, and brought it to her lips.
"Yun Kexin—" The Emperor exclaimed in surprise, seemingly not expecting Yun Kexin to actually do this. He stared in shock at what was unfolding before him, unable to utter a word.
Yun Kexin's face was pale as she coldly laughed, "Your Majesty, are you satisfied now? I hope you spare Fourth Uncle."
Her calmness belied the turmoil within her: the child was gone just like that. Feng Yinxiao would blame her, perhaps even hate her... The more pain Yun Kexin felt inside, the calmer she appeared as she locked eyes with the Emperor, a deep disdain curling at the corners of her lips.
"Others might be fine with it, but you actually think I would harm you?" After a long pause, Qin Ke angrily grabbed Yun Kexin's wrist and shouted, "Do you see me as such a heartless person?!"
Yun Kexin was taken aback, trying to sense any changes in her body but found nothing unusual. What was going on? Seeing the anger reflected in the Emperor's disappointed eyes, she was momentarily stunned. Carefully feeling her body again and finding no abnormalities, she realized that the Emperor was testing her attitude towards him. But what had she just consumed? Yun Kexin had no time to think and silently cursed herself for acting recklessly; it was too late for regrets, and she could only continue to maintain her composure.
"Your Majesty, what do you mean by this?" Yun Kexin lowered her eyelids, pretending to be confused while knowing full well.
"Look at me," Qin Ke commanded. Once she raised her head to meet his gaze, he coldly asked, "Yun Kexin, how could you really think I would harm you? Hmm!"
Yun Kexin replied helplessly, "You are now of high status, Your Majesty. As a Consort, I dare not presume your intentions. Moreover, it involves the Imperial Edict of the Late Emperor." She paused and added apologetically, "To save Fourth Uncle, I had no other choice."
"...You have caused me great sorrow," the Emperor said bitterly as he paced in the Study. "I thought you would calmly tell me after drinking it because you trusted that I wouldn't harm you. But instead..." Qin Ke turned around and glanced at Yun Kexin with a bitter smile. "Yun Kexin, have we become so estranged and suspicious of each other since our marriage..."
"The Consort acknowledges her wrongdoing," Yun Kexin said. She was someone who knew when to stop while ahead; hearing Qin Ke say this made her kneel down quickly. "It is only because my heart is tied to my beloved Fourth Uncle that I did not think it through."
"Stop pretending in front of me!" Qin Ke interrupted coldly. "I don't believe you didn't curse me for being cruel and ruthless in your heart just now."
"There's no need to curse the Emperor," Yun Kexin said, her emotions gradually stabilizing as she spoke calmly. "But I am indeed shocked, because this is so unlike the Emperor I remember." Observing his expression soften, she gathered her courage and continued, "However, thinking about your current status as a noble, your approach to people and matters must have changed in many ways—"
"Don't pretend with me," Qin Ke shot back, his sharp gaze sweeping over her, his expression changing. "I face enough falsehoods and pretenders in the palace every day. Now you're doing the same!"
Yun Kexin retorted, "If the Emperor were truly open, then why resort to these tests? It almost led Consort to misunderstand you. I should be the one unhappy."
Expecting another round of the Emperor's cold sarcasm, she was surprised when Qin Ke stepped closer and said in a barely audible tone, "You're right; I haven't been 'open' enough with you, Yun Kexin. There's also some reluctance."
Yun Kexin felt a headache coming on. If it were Fu Yihang, he would have already retaliated. Yet here was Qin Ke, who treated her well and had also shown kindness to her husband, and he was an emperor... Realizing that he still held her wrist, she frowned and said, "Your Majesty, if you continue like this, how will Consort face her husband?"
Qin Ke quickly released her wrist and looked intently at Yun Kexin. "I'm sorry; it wasn't my intention," he paused before returning to the previous topic, his gaze warming again. "Yun Kexin, think carefully. If I let Fourth Uncle and Consort Xiang go this time out of favoritism, you'll owe me another favor."
Yun Kexin smiled knowingly. "Your Majesty, Consort already owes you many favors; one more won't make a difference. I'll repay you slowly in the future."
"I don't want to hear sweet words; I want something practical," Qin Ke said with a relaxed smile. "How about this: Yun Kexin agrees to three things for me." Yun Kexin laughed helplessly and asked, "What three things?"
Qin Ke slowly wiped the smile from his face and said seriously, "I haven't thought of them yet. I'll tell you once I do."
Finally saving Fourth Uncle from this sudden disaster, Yun Kexin felt as if she could let everything go. She smiled peacefully and said, "Alright, as long as it's something I can do and my husband and Consort can manage it, I'm willing to do anything."
Qin Ke knew it was time to send her off. His starry eyes dimmed slightly as he said, "I will arrange everything so that Yun Cheng can leave the imperial city first while Consort Xiang will become a nun outside the city."
In an instant, Yun Kexin understood the meaning behind the Emperor's words. She was moved and knelt down gracefully but firmly.
"Consort thanks Your Majesty on behalf of Fourth Uncle and Consort Xiang for your great kindness."
Qin Ke quietly helped Yun Kexin up and said gently, "I will go summon Commander to come in and take you..."
Returning to Duke of Yan's Residence Yihe Garden, Yun Kexin dismissed the servants who rushed forward to serve her. Without saying a word, she pulled Feng Yinxiao into the room, closed the door, and before Feng Yinxiao could react, Yun Kexin had already knelt down: "The Consort has sinned; I ask my husband to punish me."
Feng Yinxiao was taken aback: Sin? Did the Emperor do something to her, or did she agree to some Condition with the Emperor? Suddenly, his heart raced up to his throat, and his handsome brows furrowed deeply. Looking at his wife, who had her head bowed low, he couldn't bring himself to ask anything. He simply bent his legs and supported her with both hands.
"Husband, I am sorry for you," Yun Kexin gazed for a moment and finally said with lingering fear, "I almost lost our beloved child just now because I disregarded everything for Fourth Uncle."
Feng Yinxiao took a deep breath and cautiously asked, "What happened?"
Only then did Yun Kexin, with a look of despair, recount the frightening incident that had occurred in the Emperor's Study. Before she finished speaking, tears had already fallen: "Feng Yinxiao, although this time it was a false alarm, I still feel guilty towards you because if the Emperor had truly acted against us, I wouldn't have had the face to see you again."
"So that's how it is!" Feng Yinxiao felt relieved as his heart settled. He smiled lightly and said, "Yun Kexin, I thought you were willing to leave me for some agreement with the Emperor to save Fourth Uncle."
"How could that be?" Yun Kexin said with glistening tears. "Even if I searched the world over, I wouldn't find anyone who treats me like Feng Yinxiao. At that moment, I thought that I would rather lose our child than leave you. But on the way back, the more I thought about it, the more afraid I became. Feng Yinxiao, am I being too cruel?"
Without thinking, Feng Yinxiao pulled Yun Kexin tightly into his embrace as if he wanted to merge her into his life. Then he pressed his warm lips against her pale and cool ones in a deep and passionate kiss. (To be continued)
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