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Shen Yuling gazed at Quan Minghe with a pitiful expression, her eyes shimmering as if on the verge of tears.
“Yesterday, the Prince of Lingyang took Consort Liu to Yingxu Mountain, where they spent a romantic evening admiring the flowers together. Meanwhile, I was left all alone, merely hoping to find a quiet place to relax.”
A trace of helplessness laced her voice.
“But who could have expected that a group of assassins would suddenly appear, driving the Prince and Consort Liu straight to where I was?”
“The cliff was not far from there, and the three of us were forced to the very edge by the assassins. The situation was extremely perilous. The Prince of Lingyang couldn’t bear for Consort Liu to suffer, so he pulled me along and leaped off the cliff.”
Shen Yuling lifted her chin slightly and looked at Quan Minghe.
“From the way Your Majesty speaks, it almost sounds as if I willingly chose to do that.”
After all, there hadn’t been any of Quan Minghe’s people present at the time—she could say whatever she wanted.
A sob caught in her throat as she continued, “It seems I should have just died beneath that cliff. That way, I wouldn’t be caught between the Prince of Lingyang and Consort Liu, becoming an eyesore to others, nor would I trouble Your Majesty like this.”
Shen Yuling lowered her head, her voice growing even softer, carrying a deep sorrow.
Quan Minghe frowned, turning to glare at Li Ming.
Hadn’t he been told that the Princess Consort of Lingyang had jumped off the cliff to save the prince, and that they had fallen together?
Li Ming trembled in fear.
This…
Although doubts swirled in Quan Minghe’s mind, he said nothing more. Instead, he rose to his feet and walked toward Shen Yuling.
When he reached her, he stopped in front of her, looking down from a height.
He asked, “Can’t you get up?”
Shen Yuling lifted her head, her dark pupils trembling slightly, her lashes fluttering.
Her eyes, like water, gazed at him.
“I want Your Majesty to carry me.”
Shen Yuling bit her lower lip, her hands reaching out toward Quan Minghe.
Quan Minghe’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
He stared at her for a long while.
For a moment, the entire hall was unnervingly quiet.
Shen Yuling felt that he wouldn’t carry her, a sense of disappointment rising in her heart. She retracted her hands, intending to get up on her own.
She couldn’t just stay in this stalemate.
Since Quan Minghe wouldn’t soften, then it seemed that she had to.
The heartless dog emperor!
But just as Shen Yuling was about to give up, Quan Minghe suddenly bent down, wrapped his arm around her waist, and effortlessly picked her up in one smooth motion.
Shen Yuling was stunned for a moment, but then quickly reacted.
She tightened her grip around his neck, nuzzling gently against his nape like a little cat.
Softly, she said, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Quan Minghe, still holding Shen Yuling, walked over to the soft couch and intended to place her down beside him.
But Shen Yuling, unwilling to let go, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, refusing to release him.
Quan Minghe sat down with her on the couch.
“I heard that it was you who saved the Prince and thus ended up falling off the cliff,” he said, his gaze resting on the woman in his arms as he spoke in a neutral tone.
Shen Yuling, her voice muffled, responded, “Who told Your Majesty that?”
Quan Minghe did not answer immediately.
Li Ming, standing nearby, quickly stepped in to explain, “Your Majesty, it was the Prince who said so. I got the information from the housekeeper at the Prince’s residence.”
“Heh.”
“If the Prince didn’t say so, would he rather carry the reputation of attempting to harm his newlywed wife?”
“Your Majesty knows very well that the Prince has always favored Consort Liu Jingyi. Since I entered the Prince’s residence, what has he done to me? Does Your Majesty really think that I would risk my life for the Prince?”
Quan Minghe fell silent.
Indeed, it made sense. Just yesterday, she had shed tears over the fact that he hadn’t joined her for lunch. It was clear that she couldn’t possibly have feelings for Feng Moheng to the point of risking her life for him.
“Your Majesty, it was the Prince who used me as a cushion to soften the fall. If it weren’t for the slope below the cliff, I’m afraid Your Majesty wouldn’t be seeing me today.”
Her voice trembled with a hint of sobbing, carrying both fear and grievance.
In truth, it was Feng Moheng who had cushioned her fall, but that didn’t stop her from distorting the truth. It also served to let Quan Minghe know just how “difficult” her situation was in the Prince’s residence.
Quan Minghe instinctively tightened his hold around her waist.
Death?
For some reason, the thought of death connected to Shen Yuling made Quan Minghe feel an inexplicable sense of restlessness.
Initially, he had planned to send Feng Moheng to the prosperous southern region of Jiangnan in three months.
At that time, Shen Yuling, as the “hostage” placed by the Shen family in the capital, naturally wouldn’t be able to go with him.
He had also intended to fabricate a new identity for her—one as the legitimate second daughter of the Shen family. The Shen family’s eldest and second daughters were twins, which would also resolve any questions about her appearance.
However, this matter required him to arrange things with his father in the northwest, which is why he needed three months to prepare.
All of these plans had consumed a significant amount of his time and effort.
However, Feng Moheng’s actions today made Quan Minghe change his mind.
He was now preparing to send Feng Moheng to a remote coastal area, letting this pampered prince experience the life of a fisherman.
Seeing that he didn’t speak, Shen Yuling felt a sharp pain in her waist. Her skin was delicate, and the pain made her wince.
She slightly turned her head to look at Quan Minghe.
The moment she turned, her gaze met his deep, unreadable eyes, which seemed to hide emotions she couldn’t comprehend.
“Too tight, it hurts.”
There was a trace of dissatisfaction in her delicate tone.
Quan Minghe snapped back to his senses and loosened his grip.
Then, his hand unexpectedly began to gently caress her waist, as if trying to comfort her.
But the words that left his mouth were far from anything Shen Yuling would want to hear.
He leaned closer to her face, his eyes full of possessiveness.
“Don’t worry, if you die today, I will give you a grand burial and send you to the imperial consort’s tomb.”
Shen Yuling was momentarily speechless.
She had played so many roles in the past, yet in this moment, she couldn’t continue the conversation.
She had almost died today, and yet he couldn’t offer her any comfort?
They might not have love, but surely there was desire.
A husband and wife share a hundred days of kindness…
Forget it, this damn emperor doesn’t treat women as wives.
Shen Yuling’s mind raced for a moment.
She met Quan Minghe’s gaze, her dark eyes clear and filled with a tender, almost pitiful look.
“But I want His Majesty to know that whenever you wish to see me, I’ll always be here.”
Quan Minghe, however, sneered inwardly.
Was it that whenever he wished to see her, she was always there, or was it that she wanted him to always be by her side?
Quan Minghe favored women who knew their place—there should be no unrealistic expectations.
Much like the women in his harem, none of them dared to mention the title of Empress in front of him, not even Liu Zhaoyi, who had borne him two imperial sons.
Quan Minghe’s favor and power could only be given by him.
The more one exposed their greed, the less they would receive.
Shen Yuling, having dispelled Quan Minghe’s doubts, now intended to move on to her main topic of entering the palace.
The candlelight flickered, and the shadows danced in the dim glow.
Quan Minghe gazed at Shen Yuling before him, desiring to embark on a passionate union, to share the pleasures of the flesh with her.
Yet, Shen Yuling remained calm and composed. Just as his emotions stirred, she lightly uttered a phrase: “Your Majesty, my menstrual cycle has arrived.”
As soon as those words left Shen Yuling’s mouth, she clearly saw Quan Minghe, whose expression was usually indifferent, suddenly turn grim.
Shen Yuling couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction in her heart.
She had known before coming here today that her period had arrived, but Quan Minghe had been so indifferent toward her.
Shen Yuling felt uneasy in her heart, and if she wasn’t going to feel comfortable, neither would he.
Since her menstrual cycle had arrived, Shen Yuling told Quan Minghe that she wanted to return to the Prince’s residence.
She didn’t want to stay in Yaohua Palace any longer.
After all, Feng Moheng had said there was no telling when he might come to the Ninglan Courtyard to find her.
After all, the two of them had already exchanged vows at the bottom of the cliff.
Now, Shen Yuling was quite busy, having to console two men at once.
Quan Minghe was hard-hearted, so if that was the case, perhaps it was better to let him cool off first.
Although Quan Minghe was displeased that she had come to him during her period, he also thought about how she had been hurt by Feng Moheng today, and how he had ignored her feelings yesterday and didn’t come to dine with her.
Even though they wouldn’t engage in certain activities tonight, Quan Minghe decided he could still stay with her in Yaohua Palace for the night.
After all, staying in Yaohua Palace wasn’t something new for him.
But Shen Yuling proposed to return to the Prince’s Residence.
Quan Minghe’s expression grew colder and more distant at her suggestion, his face shifting between frozen and gloomy. After a few moments of silence, he ultimately refrained from stopping her.
Yet, his eyes darkened even further, resembling a thick ink that couldn’t be unraveled.
Thus, Shen Yuling returned to the Prince’s Residence.
If she didn’t go back tonight, the only option would be to return during Quan Minghe’s morning court session tomorrow—too early.
If she didn’t sleep well, her condition would certainly be poor, which wouldn’t be favorable when dealing with Feng Moheng.