Chapter 27: The Unexpected Encounter Between the Emperor and the Crown Prince (1/2)

A Wu looked around in astonishment.

The once flat grassland had been transformed with trenches dug out of thin air, and the excavated soil used to build a low embankment wall. 

In other words, the guards had managed to construct a miniature city in a very short time.

Soldiers patrolled back and forth around the low embankment wall.

With a moat for defense, a protective wall, and an outer layer of guards armed with long spears and sharp arrows, it was as if they were ready for battle at any moment!

The city was not small, roughly the size of a mansion, allowing the emperor to frolic freely within.

Emperor Jing Xi led A Wu into the “city,” where she saw tents already set up. 

The central main tent was particularly luxurious and extravagant, unlike anything she had seen before. 

It was a square tent made of yellow satin, with the curtains and tent fabric seemingly embroidered with golden threads, exuding opulence.

Upon entering the tent, A Wu discovered that it was also quite elaborate, divided into inner and outer sections, and furnished with various utensils, resembling a small house.

“The attendants around the emperor are like magicians!” 

A Wu marveled, feeling as though she had gained enough experiences to talk about for a lifetime.

At that moment, maids arrived to assist Emperor Jing Xi and A Wu in a simple wash.

Naturally, there wasn’t much to be fastidious about while traveling, but A Wu still wiped her body clean. 

She guessed that Emperor Jing Xi would likely summon her, so it was better to be fresh-she must always remain a fragrant young lady!

She faintly heard the sound of Emperor Jing Xi bathing, which somewhat reassured her; at least the man was clean at this moment.

After washing, she began to apply ointment to her skin. 

Her skin was naturally soft, white, and smooth, and with the high-quality ointment, it truly felt like premium satin. 

Even she couldn’t help but gently caress it, let alone any man.

As she was caressing herself, she suddenly felt a shadow fall over her, casting a darker hue on her fair skin.

Her eyelashes fluttered as she looked up and met Emperor Jing Xi’s gaze.

Those light tea-colored eyes were rational, calm, and exuded the restraint and discipline of someone who handled countless affairs daily.

Yet, A Wu felt that beneath those eyes lay something hidden, something ordinary people could hardly see, and something the emperor would never reveal his innermost thoughts.

She subtly averted her gaze.

She only intended to serve him with her beauty; she couldn’t, nor dared to, bear anything more.

The emperor’s thoughts were not something she wanted to know!

At that moment, Emperor Jing Xi extended his hand.

Clearly, his outstretched hand was a command, demanding her to willingly throw herself into his embrace.

A Wu sighed in relief; physical submission was nothing to her.

She stood up, spread her arms, and leaped into his embrace like a joyful swallow.

His strong, powerful chest, the arms that tightly encircled her, and the faint scent of ambergris everything about him was to her liking!

As she nestled into his embrace, Emperor Jing Xi suddenly moved, lifting her horizontally and pressing her onto the bed.

Everything happened with overwhelming force, like a cataclysmic tsunami.

The emperor’s tent was sturdy enough, and the wind from the shallows outside drowned out A Wu’s soft whimpers.

Much later, Emperor Jing Xi looked down, expressionless, at the woman before him. 

Her skin was dazzlingly white, her slender waist so soft it seemed almost broken, with a piece of soft silk fabric barely hanging at her waist.

A burning sense of irritation flared in his heart. 

Her earlier evasion had displeased him, but he would never admit it.

Would he ever demand anything from such a woman?

His movements suddenly became rough, like a hawk tightly gripping its prey, wanting to see her life and death in his hands. 

He slightly raised his head, his abdominal muscles tightening as he thrust forward violently, like a storm.

Sweat gathered on Emperor Jing Xi’s powerful chest and dripped onto A Wu’s delicate back, scalding her and eliciting a soft cry. 

She wondered if every woman who received the emperor’s “dew” had experienced such moments of both pleasure and torment. 

She could only tightly grip the soft fox fur blanket beneath her, writhing uncontrollably.

After a long time, everything finally subsided.

A Wu was drained of her last ounce of strength. 

She lay there, her face buried, motionless.

She knew she should snuggle up to him, hug him, kiss his chest, and nuzzle him like a puppy.

That would make him cherish her even more.

But she didn’t want to.

She remembered the Crown Prince’s words when he held her, saying that she was often playful and lively yet obedient and gentle, the most delightful, but sometimes she had a stubborn streak, like a smooth thread suddenly forming a knot.

Now, it seemed there was a small knot in her heart.

She sighed softly in her mind, feeling somewhat bored. 

Overthinking was useless; she couldn’t escape, nor did she have the means to. 

She could only go with the flow and adapt.

At that moment, the man above her suddenly spoke, 

“Actually, it’s not.”

A Wu’s mind was scattered; she didn’t understand and didn’t bother to ask.

The man continued, 

“There’s no marital affection.”

A Wu remained lying down but slowly turned her head to look at him.

He was staring down at her.

In the darkness, his eyes were like a bottomless abyss, with some emotion swirling in a place she couldn’t reach.

A Wu parted her lips, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

She quietly rested her forehead on the soft fur blanket, simply looking at him.

From this angle, A Wu could only see his thin lips and the sharp outline of his jaw.

Despite being in his thirties and enjoying the utmost wealth in the world, he appeared slightly gaunt.

If she didn’t think too deeply, she would never have imagined that he was the Crown Prince’s biological father, a man of a higher generation than her.

At that moment, the man spoke again, 

“Nor is there mutual respect.”

A Wu didn’t respond. 

She slightly tilted her face, her gaze scattered as she looked ahead.

Perhaps even the emperor had his own constraints, but what did that have to do with her?

The vast starry sky and the boundless earth-at this moment, she was in a tent with a man, their bodies tightly pressed together, engaged in the most intimate act.

Yet, in reality, they were worlds apart.

Some people thought about the grandeur of the empire, others about the trivialities of money.

Some, after wielding the greatest power in the world, sought a bit of tender affection, while others used their only possession-their bodies to seek protection.

If this were a pure wilderness, she would be the weakest rabbit, constantly at risk of being hunted by birds of prey and beasts.

What right did she have to taste the loneliness and helplessness of those at the top?

At that moment, Emperor Jing Xi released his grip on A Wu’s waist, and she collapsed like a vine without support.

Thus, their connection was severed.

An ambiguous atmosphere began to fill the tent, the kind unique to post-coital moments.

Attendants entered, silently serving in the darkness. 

After a while, they finally left, and Emperor Jing Xi lay down next to A Wu.

A Wu remained soft and limp, moving only when someone attended to her, otherwise lying there listlessly.

Now that Emperor Jing Xi was lying beside her, she paid him no mind.

Emperor Jing Xi raised his arm and wrapped it around her slender waist.

A Wu didn’t resist, but she didn’t cooperate either, remaining passive and allowing him to do as he pleased.

In the darkness, Emperor Jing Xi held A Wu, resting his chin on her soft, fragrant hair.

In the night, senses were particularly sharp, and the man’s presence was exceptionally clear.

Then, Emperor Jing Xi spoke softly.

“After I return to the capital, I’ll arrange for you to stay in Nan Qiongzi’s villa. Someone will take care of you.”

“Alright.”

“I’ll visit you in my free time.”

“Mmm.”

The man gently stroked her hair, casually asking, 

“Which family are you originally from?”

A Wu: “I’ve forgotten.”

To this half-petulant response, the man showed no displeasure. 

He simply continued to gently stroke her hair with his dry, warm hand.

A Wu felt the indulgence in his fingertips, as if he were indulging a somewhat unruly child.

This made A Wu’s heart ache softly.

She thought of the Crown Prince and Princess De Ning, feeling particularly envious. 

How wonderful it must be to be his child, not needing to expend any effort, surely being taken care of extremely well, even being allowed to act out, since one had an emperor as a father.

Next life, I’ll have to learn how to be reborn into the right family.

At that moment, a deep voice sounded in her ear, 

“Do as you please. If any trouble arises later, just have someone report it to me.”

A Wu: “Mmm.”

For her, hiding here, away from the outside world, and spending a quiet period under this man’s protection was the best option.

Yet, from his tone, she vaguely sensed that they had no future.

The so-called “free time” was merely a formality.

The man’s warm breath was in her ear, and as he held her, A Wu’s body gradually softened.

She felt as though she might be an involuntary ointment, capable of melting and perfectly conforming to the man’s body.

When their skin touched, when they were close enough to hear each other’s heartbeat, she also wondered what would happen if she simply told him the truth now?

That night, Emperor Jing Xi held her as they slept, sleeping through the night.

As he held her, he found that their arms, pressed tightly together, had nowhere to rest.

This was a problem.

It puzzled A Wu; it seemed as though he had never slept like this with anyone before. 

She wanted to ask but ultimately didn’t.

Ever since he mentioned his empress, she had felt somewhat disinterested, her mind always occupied by the image of that noble and dignified empress.

She realized she hadn’t completely shed the shame of being a mistress, occasionally thinking of terms like “adulterers.”

But fortunately, after eating and drinking her fill, thoroughly enjoying the emperor’s “dew,” and sleeping, she woke up the next day feeling much better.

Emperor Jing Xi looked at her sideways, 

“Your hair’s a mess.”

A Wu, upon hearing this, quickly covered her hair.

Emperor Jing Xi crossed his arms, his smile ambiguous.

A Wu declared, 

“My hair’s fine! It’s not that messy!”

She was quite confident about her hair-soft and smooth. 

The Crown Prince often liked to stroke her hair and kiss her, saying her hair was the most beautiful in the world!

Emperor Jing Xi commanded, 

“Come here.”

A Wu moved closer.

Emperor Jing Xi used his fingers to comb through her hair.

As he did this, A Wu peeked at him from the corner of her eye. 

He lowered his gaze, looking quite serious.

At that moment, Emperor Jing Xi happened to glance over and caught her looking.

A Wu averted her gaze, letting out an exaggerated hum, as if she were coquettishly teasing him.

Emperor Jing Xi’s movements were quick, and he soon styled her hair into a bun like the previous day.

A Wu now also thought this hairstyle was quite nice, neat and tidy.

She touched her hair, then straightened her dress, deliberately twirling around to show him.

As her sash fluttered, she smiled with curved eyes, asking, 

“Do I look good?”

The man pursed his lips into a slight smile, very cooperatively replying, 

“You look good, captivating, enough to topple cities and kingdoms.”

But he still casually helped her tie her sash neatly, tying a nice knot, and adjusted her hairpin, 

“This is better.”

A Wu realized he liked everything to be proper and orderly.

The two left the tent, where attendants had already prepared a simple breakfast. 

After eating, Emperor Jing Xi took her horseback riding to the riverbank to watch the sunrise.

This was naturally a novel experience for A Wu, and she became quite excited, shouting, 

“Let’s go to the river, over there!”