Chapter 32: The First Play for Quan Minghe

“Isn’t Feng Moheng someone who has always disliked you? Why was he in your courtyard all night last night?”

Quan Minghe’s expression was devoid of emotion, but his voice carried a chilling tone.

The moment he received this news, Quan Minghe’s face darkened, enveloped in a thick haze of gloom.

Previously, Shen Yuling would only be brought into the palace at night. But today, she was hastily brought in during the daytime.

Shen Yuling stood before Quan Minghe, who was seated on a soft couch.

His gaze was piercing, as if he could see right through her.

Seeing Quan Minghe’s sullen face, a hint of fear crept into Shen Yuling’s eyes.

She bit her lip, lowered her head, and found herself unable to speak.

Seeing Shen Yuling’s silence only fueled Quan Minghe’s rage.

Yet his expression gradually returned to normal.

He reached out his hand.

Shen Yuling raised her eyes, looking at Quan Minghe’s outstretched hand.

Her lashes fluttered, hesitating momentarily as she glanced at Quan Minghe.

Then, cautiously and with a hint of trepidation, she placed her hand in his palm.

Quan Minghe exerted force, pulling Shen Yuling abruptly closer to him.

He straightened up.

His previously half-closed eyelids lifted slightly, revealing a glimmer of cold light that Shen Yuling couldn’t comprehend.

The silence and calmness of Quan Minghe were even more intimidating.

Shen Yuling felt a surge of panic in her heart and instinctively tried to pull her hand away from Quan Minghe’s grip.

She wanted to run, to escape.

But Quan Minghe would not allow her to break free; one hand held her tightly, while the other gently caressed her face.

Though the action was tender, it carried an overwhelming sense of pressure in the current atmosphere.

“Where did he touch you last night?”

Quan Minghe’s voice was flat, devoid of emotion, but the question nearly condemned her.

The coldness in his words seemed to penetrate to the marrow of her bones.

“Nowhere, he didn’t touch me at all.”

Shen Yuling hurriedly responded, her voice trembling.

She wasn’t sure if Quan Minghe believed her words, but his hand had not stopped stroking her cheek.

This indicated that he did not trust her.

He was also unsatisfied with her answer.

In Quan Minghe’s mind, his woman lying beside another man, even if they did nothing, was something he could not accept.

Shen Yuling could only continue, “Last night, Feng Moheng slept on the couch while I slept on the bed; we did not sleep together…”

Her voice was soft as she looked directly into his eyes with her clear, big eyes.

She wanted Quan Minghe to believe her.

Fortunately, she had thought of an alibi in advance.

However, it could not sound too rehearsed; she needed to speak in accordance with Quan Minghe’s emotions, gradually revealing her reasons.

Now was not the time for Quan Minghe to go mad; the more enraged he became, the more dangerous her situation would be.

Quan Minghe’s hand paused slightly at Shen Yuling’s words.

He lifted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.

“Give me a reason to believe you, otherwise…”

Quan Minghe’s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of severity flickering in his long, narrow gaze.

Shen Yuling was frightened by his stare and dared not meet his gaze.

Her heart raced.

She found herself on his lap, her legs instinctively parting as she sat on him.

“Your Majesty, please don’t do this, I’m… I’m scared.”

Shen Yuling’s voice trembled, revealing her genuine fear.

“Feng Moheng has never liked me, and I don’t like him either.”

“It was just that incident on the cliff where everyone thought I saved him; to maintain his own reputation, he had to come to Ninglan Courtyard.”

“And Your Majesty, you also know that I am currently having my period…”

“Feng Moheng knows I’m having my period, so he stayed at my place.”

“He only likes Liu Jingyi; it was the same on our wedding night. He slept on the couch while I slept on the bed; our relationship is completely innocent.”

When Shen Yuling climbed onto him, Quan Minghe’s hands were at his sides.

After she finished her explanation, he slowly extended his right hand and wrapped it around her waist.

“I want to check.”

Clearly, he did not fully believe Shen Yuling’s words.

Quan Minghe reached out and pulled Shen Yuling’s dress down to her elbows.

Shen Yuling shivered, her collarbone trembling slightly.

Her face bore a mix of shame and anger, yet she did not dare to stop him.

When Quan Minghe saw that there were no unusual marks on her flawless skin, he gently helped her put her clothes back on.

His movements softened considerably.

Shen Yuling’s skin was delicate; even a little pressure would leave red marks.

If Feng Moheng had intimate contact with her last night, there would be signs of it when he brought her into the palace early in the morning.

Since there were none, it seemed that their relationship was indeed as Shen Yuling described.

Innocent.

Watching Quan Minghe’s actions, Shen Yuling felt a wave of fear.

Fortunately, whenever she got close to Feng Moheng, he would stop as soon as she indicated discomfort.

Feng Moheng was much easier to pacify than Quan Minghe.

Moreover, in terms of sensation, Feng Moheng was more enjoyable, while Quan Minghe seemed to only care about his own pleasure, being domineering and overbearing.

Additionally, she had brought back a special ointment from the Western Regions for reducing redness and swelling, tailored for her skin.

After the two moments of intimacy with Feng Moheng, Shen Yuling would always apply it, even on her lips.

She did not dare to doubt the meticulousness of an emperor, nor gamble with her current standing in Quan Minghe’s heart.

If he found out about her dealings with Feng Moheng, she would truly be dead.

Tears had long been welling up in Shen Yuling’s eyes, and she struggled to hold them back, preventing them from falling.

At this moment, due to Quan Minghe’s gentle movements, the tears began to cascade down.

“Why are you crying? I believe you now.”

Quan Minghe’s expression was indifferent.

He reached up to wipe away the tears on Shen Yuling’s cheek, again and again.

Yet the tears seemed impossible to stop, continuing to roll down.

“I am already a married woman; Your Majesty, do you despise me?”

Shen Yuling’s eyes were vacant as she stared at him, the sorrow clearly visible in her gaze.

Quan Minghe averted his gaze, his expression becoming slightly colder.

He coldly said, “You are my woman; even if you are married, your husband can only be me.”

Shen Yuling forced a bitter smile, tears still brimming in her eyes.

Her words carried a hint of sarcasm.

“In half a month, it will be the Tianchang Festival, your birthday.”

“On that day, I will enter the palace with my husband, Prince Lingyang, to celebrate your birthday.”

Shen Yuling even deliberately emphasized the word “husband.”

“Everyone knows that Shen Yuan’s daughter, Shen Yuling, was bestowed in marriage to Prince Lingyang; no one knows that Shen Yuling is Your Majesty’s woman.”

Her words pierced directly at Quan Minghe’s dignity as an emperor.

No one had ever dared to speak so freely in front of Quan Minghe.

His gaze was almost icy.

“On the day of the Tianchang Festival, Prince Lingyang will not enter the palace; you, the Princess, will go alone.”

Quan Minghe also deliberately emphasized the title “Princess.”

He had never referred to Shen Yuling as the Princess before, as he saw her as his woman; the title was merely an accident.

Then, just as Shen Yuling had stabbed his heart, he uttered three words: “Serve me.”

To have his nephew’s wife serve him.

For a moment, a sense of sinful shame quietly enveloped the two.

Like a layer of gloom, it shrouded them.

Shen Yuling suddenly laughed, revealing a stubborn spirit.

“Your Majesty, why not let him enter the palace?”

“On the day of the flower viewing, Feng Moheng deliberately flirted with Liu Jingyi in front of me. Weren’t you the one who said I was yours? And weren’t you just doubting my relationship with Feng Moheng?”

Shen Yuling paused, then slowly leaned towards Quan Minghe’s ear.

In a hushed voice, she added, “Then Your Majesty, let him come to the palace and see us being affectionate, how about that?”

After saying this, she stepped back slightly.

Her eyes still held that stubbornness as she continued, “I dislike him.”

Quan Minghe stared at her for a long while.

Suddenly, the coldness in his gaze vanished entirely.

Even the emotions that had just been heightened by Shen Yuling’s words dropped dramatically.

Moments later, Quan Minghe even let out a chuckle.

He reached out to stroke Shen Yuling’s head.

“Such a good girl.”

Shen Yuling’s unreserved words and actions completely dispelled Quan Minghe’s doubts about her still caring for Feng Moheng.

Seeing this, Shen Yuling’s body relaxed, naturally leaning into Quan Minghe’s embrace.

“Your Majesty, you really scared me today.”

Her voice was soft and delicate, evoking pity.

“It won’t happen again.”

Quan Minghe stroked her smooth black hair.

“Feng Moheng will no longer stay in your courtyard.”

With a calm demeanor, Quan Minghe stated this decision in a flat tone.

Shen Yuling looked puzzled.

How would Quan Minghe subtly prevent Feng Moheng from coming to her courtyard?

Sometimes, the methods Quan Minghe revealed in his calmness left Shen Yuling feeling terrified.

She could clearly sense the power of an emperor; it seemed there was nothing he could not accomplish, and everyone was under his control.