Chapter 6: The Emperor Cares for You

Shen Qing turned back shyly to look at Xuanyuan Ling, just in time to see him casually set the book aside and ask, “Do you resent me?”

Good grief, who the hell would dare say they do?

But she couldn’t respond like that, so Shen Qing put on a confused expression, then as if suddenly realizing something, showed a bit of panic: “I dare not.”

Xuanyuan Ling noticed that she didn’t even know what exactly he meant by “resent,” so it was clear she truly didn’t resent him. He smirked slightly.

“Is it that you dare not, or that you don’t?”

“…” So this topic couldn’t be avoided, huh?

Shen Qing knew well the male lead’s bad temper and how hard it was to predict him, but she also knew he wasn’t stupid. After a moment’s thought, she said, “I was a little scared last night. I thought Your Majesty had grown tired of me. But tonight, since Your Majesty summoned me again, I’ve come to understand.”

“Understand what?”

Shen Qing smiled with pursed lips and said happily, “That Your Majesty wasn’t deliberately ignoring me nor hating me. Something really did happen last night.”

Xuanyuan Ling saw her happy expression, his eyes curved in delight, his features growing more radiant. Her rosy cheeks and slender neck were covered by the silk quilt, hiding everything below, but her eyes squinted slightly. “Get up.”

“Your servant…” She hadn’t put on any clothes!

Xuanyuan Ling just looked at her.

Shen Qing thought, damn, this emperor is really lewd!

She felt embarrassed, lightly biting her teeth, her eyes darting about, face flushed. Still, she forced herself to sit up. As she sat, the quilt naturally slipped off. Shen Qing glanced cautiously at Xuanyuan Ling.

He lifted his chin slightly. “Serve me by undressing.”

Shen Qing wasn’t blind to Xuanyuan Ling’s reaction—being this close, she definitely saw it. But even after showing his reaction, he still pretended casually, asking her to undress him?

Playing innocent?

Fine, if he wanted to pretend, she’d play along.

Biting her lip, she started undoing his shirt, her fingers trembling. Just unbuttoning one button made her want to breathe out in relief.

At first, Xuanyuan Ling only wanted to see her in this state beneath the quilt.

As she stood, her pale body was fully exposed. The sight was dazzling, and his breath grew heavier. But Shen Qing was teasing him, deliberately taking a long time just to undo one button.

Was she deliberately provoking him?

Xuanyuan Ling suppressed the rising heat and looked down at her. He saw her shy expression had softened a lot. She was intently staring at the topmost button on his shirt, struggling with it.

Once radiant and alluring, now she looked a little coy and innocent.

Xuanyuan Ling’s heat subsided somewhat; he realized Shen Qing wasn’t trying to seduce him on purpose.

At first, she was pretending—slowing down on purpose. Men tend to not remember easily what comes too easily.

But she just wanted Xuanyuan Ling to hold back a bit, to remember her better, not to ruin everything—so slowing down was okay.

Finally, she unbuttoned the last button and looked at Xuanyuan Ling as if she had completed a big task, cheerfully saying, “Done.”

That innocent yet seductive look was the hardest to resist.

Xuanyuan Ling had seen many beautiful women. Before his ascension, he had encountered more than one, and even had several children. But a breathtakingly enchanting woman like Shen Qing? She was the first.

The heat inside him finally surged.

“Come here.” Xuanyuan Ling’s narrow eyes fixed tightly on Shen Qing.

Shen Qing thought, the damn emperor acts like this and still pretends? Wants her to come to him?

He’s really lewd, really pretending.

When Shen Qing came in, she had already decided that since the first time went wrong, this time she couldn’t mess it up—otherwise, could she still survive in this harem?

She came intending to seduce him, and now he was actually giving her the chance. Fine, if he pretended, she’d play along.

Shen Qing’s shyness returned, slowly and hesitantly moving closer to Xuanyuan Ling. Honestly, the dog emperor’s character was terrible, a total scumbag, but his body and looks were genuinely good.

Her movements were slow, but just being slow is too boring; naturally, it killed the mood.

She was slow without any plan, her little hands fumbling over him. Rather than killing his interest, it teased Xuanyuan Ling so much that his calm façade collapsed. Seeing Shen Qing lingered without knowing how to proceed, he suddenly pressed her down.

Shen Qing’s back of the head slammed lightly against the quilt. Dazed, a thought drifted through her mind: serves you right for pretending, huh?

After a while, the clouds cleared and the rain stopped. Shen Qing lay sprawled across the bed. Xuanyuan Ling originally planned to call for water, but when he looked at her, his Adam’s apple bobbed.

He rolled over and pressed her down again.

Shen Qing didn’t expect him to come back and shivered as she gasped.

“Shut up!” The voice was soft and seductive enough to steal souls.

Shen Qing: “…” Screw you.

How could she hold it in?

But could she really not?

He ordered it, so she had to obey.

What if she couldn’t hold it?

She raised her hand and covered her own mouth.

For a while, there was silence, but Xuanyuan Ling felt annoyed, then suddenly got some wicked ideas.

Not long after, her hand trembled, and she couldn’t hold her mouth shut anymore.

Then those enticing moans started again.

Xuanyuan Ling was furious for no reason and somewhat lost control—but he couldn’t stop.

Shen Qing was pressured hard too. Damn, the one telling her to shut up was him, but the one forcing her to make excited noises was also him. So now she was letting herself go? Fine, then let it go.

Xuanyuan Ling had trouble resisting her voice, and Shen Qing playing unpredictably made it worse.

She was a living succubus, sucking the marrow right out!

This went on for a long while. This time, Shen Qing truly had no strength left. Xuanyuan Ling called for water, casually threw on his clothes, and got out of bed. Usually, he didn’t care about the person left behind, but this time he glanced back once.

Shen Qing pitifully propped herself up, her body bruised purple and red, looking utterly miserable.

She realized that what the novels said was true—it really was like being torn apart and put back together.

Xuanyuan Ling’s experience was decent so far. Seeing her looking so pitiful, he considered giving her a reward. If served well, a reward was the most practical; plus a promotion in rank.

But at this moment, a ‘growl’ was heard.

Shen Qing: “…” She had exercised too much and was a bit hungry.

She saw Xuanyuan Ling looking at her stomach, and this time it was truly embarrassing.

She hadn’t eaten well since morning. After yesterday’s ordeal was resolved, the meals this morning were still subpar. There were no good dishes at noon either. When the evening meal was brought, the Imperial Kitchen’s news hadn’t arrived yet, so the food really wasn’t great. After that physical exertion just now, she was naturally hungry.

Xuanyuan Ling looked at Shen Qing’s awkward and frustrated expression and found it a bit amusing. “Send the meal.”

Last night, Shen Qing was hungry too, but she wasn’t the emperor. No matter how hungry she was, if there was no food, then there was no food. Today, however, the emperor was unusually benevolent and actually allowed food to be served. Shen Qing’s resentment from earlier was immediately set aside.

Especially when the kitchen sent a late-night snack, her eyes literally lit up. She looked at Xuanyuan Ling eagerly but didn’t say a word.

Xuanyuan Ling felt his throat dry just from her staring like that.

Clearly, he had just been satisfied a moment ago, but her eager gaze somehow made him lose his will to restrain himself.

Such thoughts weren’t very good.

But since she just stared silently and didn’t move, he didn’t reprimand her and casually pointed at a dish for someone to place in front of Shen Qing.

Coincidentally, it was papaya stewed with snow frog (a delicacy).

Shen Qing thought to herself, what a load of nonsense! With her hot figure, this dog emperor still wanted her to replenish herself? No justice at all!

But she didn’t dare refuse. Fortunately, it tasted quite good. She was truly hungry, so she ate cautiously yet steadily to fill her stomach.

Xuanyuan Ling hadn’t eaten for two days.

When Shen Qing had almost finished, he looked at her little face and said casually, “Send her back.”

Shen Qing responded quietly, truly not expecting Xuanyuan Ling to want to try again, especially since she had just been thoroughly exhausted.

Shen Qing left from inside, and this time she was not carried back.

The person escorting her was the same young eunuch who had delivered the message earlier. After Shen Qing got into the soft sedan chair, she began rubbing the sore spots on her body and complained internally about that dog emperor—truly a dog.

But no matter what, the night service was completed well, and she was officially on duty. How she would survive in this harem now depended entirely on whether this emperor followed his lust or his heart.

Xuanyuan Ling had the food cleared away and then eunuchs came to inquire.

After the night service, it needed to be confirmed whether the emperor was satisfied. Originally, there was to be a promotion in rank, but Xuanyuan Ling glanced at Shen Qing’s delicate and charming face and thought about it.

“Give a reward.”

No rank promotion this time. After all, there would be no shortage of night services in the future. It was better not to promote her now.

After a pause, he added, “Tell the Imperial Kitchen to be more attentive. Look at how greedy she is; it’s as if she’s never eaten anything good. How embarrassing.”

Zhao Hai wondered aloud, why give a reward but no promotion, and even order better food?

Did this mean the emperor liked her or disliked her? It was really confusing.

But Zhao Hai naturally didn’t dare ask. He simply nodded and went to give instructions.

He had a junior eunuch named Xiao Xiazi with him and told him, “Tomorrow’s reward will follow regulations, but convert the complicated items into silver coins. This Lady Shen probably has no silver in the palace. As for the Imperial Kitchen, you’ll inform them as well.”

“Yes, servant understands.”

Zhao Hai thought the emperor’s attitude was unusual. Regardless of whether he liked Lady Shen or not, he was being thoughtful. If she had no silver, then give her silver. The Imperial Kitchen was used to serving dishes based on status, so having Xiao Xiazi go to remind them would ensure they wouldn’t neglect Lady Shen’s meals in the future.

With silver and good food, life would be much easier going forward.

At this time, Shen Qing didn’t know any of this. After being carried back, Chunhua finally relaxed properly and was genuinely happy for Shen Qing, even congratulating her.

But Shen Qing was truly exhausted by Xuanyuan Ling. Also, because she was full, she became drowsy on the way back and immediately fell asleep once her head touched the pillow.

This was the deepest sleep she had ever had.

Not long after Shen Qing woke up, the rewards arrived. Seeing them, she was delighted.

She hurriedly said, “Thank you very much, eunuch.”

But why wasn’t her rank promoted? The rewards obviously meant someone had taken care of her. Otherwise, if they sent useless items, she couldn’t use them. No promotion but still special treatment?

Shen Qing didn’t understand.

She didn’t know if the emperor was doing it deliberately, but if not, then it was fine. She didn’t know the reason, but at least this time the emperor had properly rewarded her, which meant she now had money inside the palace.

After the emperor’s reward came, the empress’s reward also arrived, which was indeed much better than before. The quality of fabric and jewelry had definitely improved.

Then came the morning meal.

Yesterday morning, it was only a bowl of plain congee with a little side dish. Today, it was prepared to a high standard.

Not to mention, it was usually Chunhua who went to fetch the food, but today she accompanied Shen Qing to receive the rewards and didn’t go get the morning meal. This time the Imperial Kitchen delivered it themselves, which attracted some attention.

Shen Qing felt something was odd and asked, “Isn’t this morning meal against the rules?”

In the palace, it was an old rule that those who were not favored never received good food. Though they weren’t totally deprived, they still received poor treatment. It was a kind of apology, and today’s meal was prepared quickly.

“The Lady need not worry. It’s according to the rules. The emperor gave the order. It’s not against regulations.”

Hearing this, Shen Qing thought, did she leave the impression of being a foodie for Xuanyuan Ling yesterday? Even stranger, no rank promotion, but money and good food?

Maybe she had been so greedy yesterday that Xuanyuan Ling thought she was a foodie?

Fine, let the foodie image stay. That character must be maintained.