Chapter 58 – Let’s Leave It at That This Time

Shen Qing’s trip to serve in the bedchamber this time wasn’t an extravagant affair, but the commotion it caused was huge—everyone in the harem knew about it. When Wang De personally went to summon her, none of the women in the harem could believe it. They had assumed that after the reward, there would be nothing more. After all, refusing to serve the Emperor was a direct slap in his face.

Some were observant enough to sense that this bedchamber service wasn’t a simple matter.

The Empress, for one, certainly didn’t think it was simple. Knowing the Emperor’s temperament, how could he possibly tolerate Shen Liangren’s blatant defiance? The Emperor was someone who valued rules and propriety above all else.

Shen Qing had herself washed and carried clean to the bed, but this time, Xuanyuan Ling wasn’t even in the room.

A clear and obvious snub.

Yet there wasn’t the slightest trace of panic on Shen Qing’s face.

It was like how the Emperor treated the Empress. Even though he knew the Empress had maliciously harmed Consort Yu’s child, for the sake of imperial dignity, he couldn’t investigate it thoroughly, nor could he allow the scandal to explode. This matter weighed on the Emperor’s heart, making him loathe the Empress more with each passing day.

So this was actually a good outcome. He hurt her, felt guilty about it, and she used that guilt to slap him back. He was angry, but at least he was willing to show his temper toward her. Being able to vent his anger was not a bad thing at all.

In fact, it was a good thing.

So Shen Qing waited for Xuanyuan Ling in high spirits.

When Xuanyuan Ling arrived, he saw Shen Qing lying in bed with her eyes lighting up slightly as she looked at him—there wasn’t even a hint of resentment in her gaze. She seemed happy to see him at first, then lowered her eyes as if frightened, looking pitiful and helpless.

His steps faltered, and although his expression remained stern, the harshness in his gaze crumbled almost instantly.

After these few days, just from her daring to show him such attitude, he already knew she had quite the temper. Was she really afraid?

She was pretending!

But at this moment, she looked so pitiful that Xuanyuan Ling could only comfort himself.

At the very least, she still understood decorum—knew how to come and submit on her own.

The truth was, they had both been waiting each other out. He avoided her, and she couldn’t even get her green tag placed despite the imperial physician’s diagnosis. The gifts he sent were already a form of compromise, but he still had to maintain his pride. As the Emperor, having been snubbed by a lowly consort, how could he show his face if she didn’t come and apologize?

“Your Majesty,” Shen Qing spoke up first since Xuanyuan Ling remained silent.

Since he was already here, she propped herself up, pulled the quilt up over her chest, exposing her snowy shoulders and the hollow of her collarbone, pursing her lips and looking nervously at Xuanyuan Ling.

He snorted and refused to let his gaze fall on her exposed body. He had intended to observe her expression instead—but upon closer inspection, something seemed off about her face.

He immediately frowned. “What happened to your face?”

There was a red mark on Shen Qing’s cheek. It wasn’t swollen, but with one side of her face pale and the other flushed red, it was glaringly obvious.

Shen Qing lowered her head, lips pressed together, looking incredibly pitiful. “Nothing.”

Xuanyuan Ling’s tone dropped. “Shen Qing.”

Shen Qing lifted her head, lips parting slightly, then decisively pulled the quilt around herself and knelt on the bed toward him. “Please punish me, Your Majesty. I’ve done something wrong again.”

“Again?”

“What did you do?”

With an innocent expression and wide, pleading eyes, Shen Qing looked up at him. “I hit Noble Lady Lin.”

She looked both innocent and completely justified.

Xuanyuan Ling: “…”

Oddly enough, he didn’t feel angry. In fact, he felt like laughing.

It could only mean one thing—Noble Lady Lin had truly left an impression on him, and not a good one. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn’t have found it funny.

But Noble Lady Lin?

Shen Qing’s temperament wasn’t one to go around hitting people for no reason. She wasn’t that foolish. It must have been the other party who struck first. She even got slapped?

That beautiful face of hers was now marred by a red mark, looking so pitiful.

Xuanyuan Ling made a mental note of Noble Lady Lin again, this time with an even worse impression than before. Last time she was merely tactless. This time—well, still tactless. Xuanyuan Ling knew exactly why she dared strike Shen Qing. It was because Shen Qing had stirred up such trouble these past few days, and Noble Lady Lin assumed she had fallen out of favor. So she seized the chance to lash out.

Xuanyuan Ling’s face remained stern. Of course, he wouldn’t punish Noble Lady Lin in front of Shen Qing. He’d find a reason to deal with her later. Otherwise, if Shen Qing saw him standing up for her like that, wouldn’t it seem like he had no pride left? She dared slap his face, and now he was standing up for her?

Shen Qing seemed scared. “I just… I just couldn’t hold back.”

She spoke as she glanced carefully at Xuanyuan Ling. Hmm… still not angry. That gave her courage.

She lifted an arm in his direction and stretched it out, her tone soft and sweet. “Hug me.”

Xuanyuan Ling felt a tickle in his throat—she was deliberately trying to seduce him.

He gritted his teeth. And yet, when she called, he went?

No, he shouldn’t.

Shen Qing saw his fingers twitch. He was clearly restraining himself.

Right—time to push a little harder.

With a fearful and aggrieved expression, Shen Qing said, “I… that day, I was really in pain. I begged Your Majesty for mercy, but you wouldn’t listen… it broke my heart. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to come. Every time I think of how Your Majesty treated me that day… I get scared.”

She even brought it up herself! Xuanyuan Ling took a deep breath and said coldly, “You’re quite bold.”

Shen Qing looked at him with pleading eyes. “Just remembering that day makes my heart ache.”

“The whole harem says I use my looks to serve men, like I’m nothing but a tool for Your Majesty’s pleasure.” Shen Qing looked indignant. “I do use my looks to serve, but I’m not just a tool, am I?”

Xuanyuan Ling was still holding back—but he was at his limit. He already felt guilty. Now that she brought it all up again, how could he keep pretending?

Her eyes were full of grievance, rimmed with red, tears threatening to spill. She was such a delicate creature. How terrified she must have been then—and he was the one who scared her like that.

Shen Qing wondered—still holding back?

She let go of the quilt wrapped around her.

The next moment, her bare, snow-white body flung itself into Xuanyuan Ling’s arms. Caught off guard, he fumbled to catch her. He hadn’t expected her to go this far. She rarely initiated things like this. Stunned, he stood frozen as the girl clung to his neck and brought her red lips to his.

Once she kissed him, Xuanyuan Ling’s hands found her body—her skin was soft as jade, warm yet burning to the touch. He could even see the sly smile tugging at her lips after kissing him, and his mind buzzed. He suddenly pulled her tight and kissed her deeply, with no intention of stopping.

After pulling back slightly, Xuanyuan Ling sighed and forced out a sentence: “You’re not.”

Not what?

Not just a tool for pleasure.

Shen Qing got the answer she wanted, but she still didn’t dare make any bold moves.

Xuanyuan Ling sighed again. Last time, he really had scared her. He couldn’t leave her with any psychological trauma.

It’s not like bedroom matters had to be about making her cry in pain. After all, it wasn’t impossible to let her enjoy it too…

Afterward, Xuanyuan Ling lay in bed holding this little seductress, momentarily dazed. When the daze passed, he gritted his teeth.

He, the dignified Emperor, had always been the one being served in bed. Yet this little minx was so delicate, she made him lose his head and cater to her?

The worst part was, he didn’t even feel humiliated by it. On the contrary, letting her enjoy it made their relationship even smoother.

The truth was, after spending so much time with Shen Qing, Xuanyuan Ling had gradually gotten used to her coquettishness. He had accepted her delicate nature, and the guilt from having hurt her lingered in his heart. Behind closed doors, her disregard for the usual decorum had slowly embedded itself in Xuanyuan Ling’s heart. Over time, the rigid rules ingrained in his bones had been shaken—bit by bit—by Shen Qing’s persistent testing.