It was already late at night, the window latches tightly shut, and the charcoal fire burning steadily.
Those who served the emperor always possessed a special skill-they could move silently, never disturbing their master, yet ensuring everything was perfectly arranged.
Awu, with her dazed and unfocused eyes, leaned crookedly against the man’s arm.
The bedchamber was quiet and intimate, the air filled with a sweet, lingering fragrance, the scent of intimacy after lovemaking.
It was intoxicating, making her wish she could stay like this forever, never waking up.
She was a thief, stealing someone else’s husband, someone else’s father, yet she felt no guilt.
She wanted to share in the spoils of the privileged.
Now, because of their shared pleasure, she was able to lean against the most powerful man.
Awu turned her face away, biting her lips, no longer wanting to look at him.
She had already softened her body, exhausted all her tricks, wagging her tail, coaxing and pleading to please him.
Just moments ago, during their shared joy, he had seemed to enjoy it immensely.
Yet now, before even leaving the bed, he treated her with such cold indifference.
She had a bit of a temper too.
Even if she were a dog, she wouldn’t be so spineless.
She wanted a straight answer—if it wasn’t going to work, she’d just stop trying.
At that moment, Emperor Jingxi raised his hand and gently touched her slightly disheveled hair.
His cool fingertips carried a hint of comfort.
Awu couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.
Was this a slap followed by a sweet date?
She puffed her cheeks, remaining silent.
Emperor Jingxi’s fingers gently brushed her stray hair behind her ear, but his voice remained cool and authoritative:
“I’ve heard plenty of flattery. Do you think I can’t see through your little schemes?”
But Awu no longer cared to respond.
She thought to herself, even if she had exaggerated her words to please him, so what?
Those words hadn’t come easily-she had racked her brains to come up with them.
Didn’t that take effort?
If it were someone else, like the Crown Prince, a young man full of vigor, he would probably kneel and kiss her, offering her everything without her having to lift a finger!
Just then, the man’s words reached her ears.
“Do you want temporary wealth, or are you aiming for something long-term?”
Hearing this, Awu’s heart stirred, and she looked over.
The man lying on the bed had his dark hair disheveled, his robes in disarray, but his expression remained cold and composed.
His words carried the domineering air of someone in power, as if he could forever firmly control everything.
“Hmm?”
Awu felt a faint glimmer of hope but didn’t dare to think too much.
After all, she had just narrowly escaped disaster and needed to catch her breath.
So she lowered her eyes, half-kneeling beside his legs, and whispered, “If Awu were to say she wants something long-term, to serve by Your Majesty’s side for a lifetime…”
She didn’t dare to call him “Lang” anymore.
Emperor Jingxi studied Awu carefully.
The young woman who had received his favor looked even more radiant, like a peony blooming after the rain.
A sense of pity welled up in his heart.
She was still young, only sixteen, about the same age as his Crown Prince, just a year older than Dening.
It was normal for her to have a bit of a temper.
He should have been more tolerant.
Finally, he spoke: “Awu, in this world, anyone who achieves something must endure what others cannot endure and bear what others cannot bear. Even I, as the Son of Heaven, am no exception.”
Awu didn’t understand and looked at him in confusion.
Emperor Jingxi continued, “Power is a blade without a sheath. The blade has an edge. To hold it, one must first suffer its sharpness. Sitting above tens of thousands, I look down upon the kneeling masses, who are also sharp blades.”
His words were earnest, and this time Awu understood: “Water can carry a boat but can also capsize it. If an emperor falls, he will be shattered to pieces.”
He ruled the world, and obtaining any woman would be effortless for him.
But these women must never threaten or violate his core interests.
Yet, she had been constantly challenging his rationality.
Before, she was just a lost servant from another family, perhaps a matter of Emperor Jingxi’s own fastidiousness.
But now, she was also the Crown Prince’s former concubine, and that made things complicated.
He would never allow anyone to threaten his imperial majesty or the glory of the Yong family’s reign.
Emperor Jingxi fell silent again, instead lowering his gaze and idly playing with Awu’s hand.
Her hands were soft and boneless, delicate and tender, as if they could melt into his palm.
On the back of her hand, there were four small, slightly indented dimples.
Emperor Jingxi’s fingertips lightly pressed against the tiny, fleshy dimples.
The sensation was so delightful that once he held her hand, he couldn’t bear to let go.
He examined them closely: “These are dimples of fortune. You must have some good luck.”
A’Wu: “Really? Are these truly dimples of fortune?”
Emperor Jingxi: “Yes.”
Her hands were delicate and slender, yet these four small dimples added a touch of innocence and childlike charm.
A’Wu’s face lit up with joy: “No wonder I met Your Majesty it must be because I have eight dimples of fortune!”
She stretched out both her hands, feeling quite pleased with herself.
Emperor Jingxi’s gaze swept over her features, and he smiled faintly by saying:
“Then that means eight blessings.”
The usually domineering and majestic man softened when he smiled, even becoming somewhat gentle.
A’Wu looked at him curiously, feeling a sense of novelty.
She couldn’t help but think of her father and brother.
She wondered if he was equally affectionate in front of the Crown Prince and Princess Dening.
She even indulged in a wild fantasy-what if she were his child too?
If only he could hold her, cherish her, protect her, and give her everything she desired.
She could do as she pleased and fiercely retaliate against those who had bullied her!
As these thoughts crossed her mind, her heart trembled.
The sudden, absurd longing surprised even herself.
The perceptive man noticed the change in her expression and studied her: “What are you thinking about?”
A’Wu looked at the man before her, imagining the stern and serious face softening with paternal affection.
The more she thought about it, the more she yearned for it.
So much so that she suddenly thought of a possibility.
She raised her hand and gently touched her flat stomach, murmuring in a low voice:
“Your Majesty is so cruel. You nearly took my life before. Perhaps I already carry Your Majesty’s bloodline. How could you bear to kill me?”
She hoped she could conceive his child, so that even if she couldn’t have what she desired, her child could.
When she thought this, it was merely an instinctive desire to demand more from him.
Unbeknownst to her, this thought aligned with the aspirations of many women in the inner chambers and the imperial harem.
To secure a more stable and secure position through bearing children.
For women in this world, climbing the social ladder on their own was nearly impossible.
Perhaps only one in a million could achieve it in a hundred years.
But A’Wu was an ordinary woman with no exceptional talents, so she couldn’t be that one in a million.
Thus, she instinctively thought of the path many women would naturally consider.
However, her rambling made Emperor Jingxi frown slightly, and he chided her gently: “Don’t talk nonsense.”
A’Wu’s earlier coquettishness had vanished.
Her mind was now filled with her new plan, so she nestled into his arms, twisting and rubbing against him by saying:
“I will talk nonsense! I will!”
Her adorable and charming demeanor pleased Emperor Jingxi.
He was willing to indulge her, much like he would pat a wagging puppy.
A’Wu had a natural talent for acting coquettish.
Sensing the softening of Emperor Jingxi’s attitude, she became even more reckless.
She wrapped her arms around his firm waist, rolling around in his embrace, and deliberately said:
“You’ve taken me so many times. Who knows, I might already be pregnant! I want to bear Your Majesty’s children!”
Emperor Jingxi initially furrowed his brows, then gently caressed her waist with his fingertips.
Her waist was as soft and smooth as cream, delicate like the tender stems sprouting in spring.
If she could bear his child here-
He whispered a promise: “If you can truly bear me a son or daughter, I will pluck the stars from the sky for you.”
Upon hearing this, Awu was both surprised and ambitious: “Really?”
Emperor Jingxi rarely smiled, but he did now: “Would I lie to you?”
Awu, filled with longing, caressed her abdomen: “What if I’m already pregnant—”
Emperor Jingxi listened, then suddenly frowned and said coolly, “If you’re pregnant now, I’d have to be suspicious.”
Awu looked at him in confusion, then suddenly understood.
If she were indeed pregnant, and the pregnancy progressed, it would be hard for any man to tell whether the child was his or his son’s.
She bit her lip and cautiously said, “Actually… no matter whose it is, wouldn’t it still be Your Majesty’s bloodline?”
Emperor Jingxi’s expression changed instantly, turning cold.
The emperor’s imposing aura frightened Awu, and she quickly said, “Your Majesty, please don’t be angry. Let Awu kowtow to you, alright?”
With that, she was about to kneel between his long legs and kowtow.
However, Emperor Jingxi’s strong arm wrapped around Awu’s slender waist, and his fingers spread out, gripping the back of her neck, forcing her to look up.
Awu then met his tea-colored eyes, deep and sharp, exuding authority.
She grew even more afraid and cautiously asked, “Your Majesty?”
Serving the emperor was like accompanying a tiger his temperament was unpredictable.
-Of course, it was also her fault for saying something he didn’t want to hear.
She should have slapped herself!
Emperor Jingxi looked down at her: “Now that you mention it, I suddenly recall something.”
Awu trembled: “Your Majesty, please speak…”
Emperor Jingxi asked: “How did you and the Crown Prince meet? Where were you before you met him?”
The Crown Prince had gone south to inspect flood relief but suddenly encountered this woman and became infatuated with her, eventually bringing her back.
Bringing a woman back during official duties was a major taboo, and there were rumors in the court, leading to criticism from the officials and tarnishing the Crown Prince’s reputation.
Emperor Jingxi couldn’t help but suspect that someone had deliberately set a trap for his son.
Awu hesitated inwardly upon hearing this.
She knew she absolutely couldn’t mention her affair with Lu Yunjian.
From the conversation between the Empress and Lu Yunjian today, it wasn’t hard to sense the undercurrents within the East Sea Navy.
The political landscape was ever-changing, and the slightest misstep could trigger a storm powerful enough to overturn the court.
If this matter only concerned the emperor’s private morals, there might still be room for maneuver, and she could rely on Emperor Jingxi’s temporary affection to seek a way out.
But once she was caught in the power struggle, she would be in grave danger.
Her standing in Emperor Jingxi’s heart was insignificant, and she could easily be crushed to dust in an instant.
All she could do now was survive, avoid offending anyone, and live in obscurity.
So how could she hide the truth?
She hadn’t been a virgin when she followed the Crown Prince, and he knew it well-this was another pitfall.
Although, by convention, they should never bring up this topic, what if they did?
If father and son confronted each other, wouldn’t she have to fabricate a story about a previous man?
Her mind was tangled with doubts, and when she looked up, she saw Emperor Jingxi’s sharp gaze fixed on her.
Her heart fluttered with panic, not daring to think too much, she could only lower her head and admit, “Your Majesty, before the Crown Prince, A-Wu was actually engaged.”
Emperor Jingxi seemed indifferent, his voice steady and calm, “Oh? There was another man?”
A-Wu breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.
Having such a cover was indeed a good thing.
She then spoke earnestly, “He was my childhood sweetheart, the boy next door. My parents arranged for me to be betrothed to his family.”
“But after our hometown was struck by disaster, we fled together and accidentally got separated. I haven’t seen him since.”
Emperor Jingxi keenly sensed something, “Was he your first man?”
A-Wu blushed, hesitating.
Emperor Jingxi, seemingly thinking of something, suddenly let out a cold laugh, “So Mo Yao wasn’t the first.”