The carefree and leisurely sound of the flute abruptly ceased. She looked at him with a panicked expression, her face pale.
Did he want her? Did he want her? His heart suddenly surged with emotion.
“I can only answer one of your questions!” After a long while, she averted her gaze and said softly.
Na Zhan let out a scornful laugh, stood up, and embraced her from behind. His lips grazed her neck as he commanded, “Speak!”
“You asked me, ‘If there’s a person, should one seek them out? And if found, should one meet them?’ You also asked if I was ‘playing hard to get’!”
He paused his movements, his hands tightly gripping her waist. “Answer the first question!”
She smiled and let out a breath. “Your Majesty, you ask whether you should seek him out, which means you’re already looking for him. You’re just unsure if you should meet. But meeting someone isn’t enough to cause hesitation unless there’s an unresolved debt between you. Why don’t you ask yourself if you owe him anything? If not, what is there to fear? If you do…”
“And if I do owe him?”
“In this world, there’s nothing a king cannot repay!”
Upon hearing this, he suddenly tightened his arms around her, causing her to wince in pain and let out a soft cry. “Your Majesty…”
He wanted her!
“Now answer the second question!” he whispered in her ear.
“I said I’d only answer one!”
“No matter how you answer the second question, you won’t be punished!” he said hoarsely.
But she still didn’t turn around, allowing him to hold her tightly. The night breeze from Chang’e Ravine occasionally brushed their faces. Under the bright moon, all was silent as he held her throughout the night.
He desperately wanted to ask, “Do you love me?”
My beauty, if you’re shy, I’ll be even more brazen, holding your slender waist all night to capture spring’s essence;
My beauty, if you leave, I’ll be even more distraught, inviting the moon to my empty bed to inquire about my sorrow;
In the imperial chambers, how many pavilions and misty flowers bloom in my favor?
In the deep palace, who knows that her comings and my goings always result in fallen red petals for both?
Thinking it over, I fear my beauty,
Is neither shy nor leaving, neither staying nor giving, neither happy nor sad, neither pained nor guessing!
In Na Zhan’s life, only one thing had ever truly terrified him—
When he ascended the throne, the court was in turmoil, with various factions vying for power. He was forced to carry out a major reorganization, only to discover, to his shock, that among the late emperor’s nine consorts and seventeen sons, only Prince Na Yanxing, born to Consort Tan, was of true dragon lineage. The remaining fifteen princes, excluding Na Zhan himself, were all either adopted or conceived through surrogacy by the consorts to maintain their positions and prevent the princes from usurping power.
This royal scandal was so far-reaching that it could have turned the world upside down. At that time, he was truly frightened, breaking out in a cold sweat. But he didn’t panic. Over seven years, he gradually sent thirteen false princes of the Rong King to distant posts and gathered other brothers, nephews, and children to important positions. In seven years, he quelled the palace unrest, quietly uprooting those ill-intentioned rotten roots. He had intended to let this secret remain buried forever, but unexpectedly, when Prince Na Yanxing turned eleven, he and his mother disappeared without a trace to avoid danger.
That was the old man’s grandson and the Rong King’s only son.
Should he go find him? And what should he do if he found him?
Returning the throne? The boy wasn’t qualified. Granting him a title? He wasn’t a strategist either. The child had grown up in fear, knowing nothing but how to hide from the world. Even if given the empire, he couldn’t handle it.
However, as Huang Beishuang said, there’s nothing a king cannot repay. If the child truly had the destiny and the courage to bear it, why not return the throne and banner to him?
Huang Beishuang was a true beauty, unraveling a knot of over a decade with just a few words…
That year, as winter approached, Huang Beishuang and the Jingtiān King severed ties. Without much thought, he made her his empress, bestowing the name Guan Ying. Guan means to subdue, and Ying means true heart. Alas, it was only a name in the end…
“Consort Shuang likes the scent of water tree flowers!”
Standing by the ornate, cold carved pillars, Na Zhan held a wooden ocarina. He had been in high spirits, wanting to play a duet with her, but she surprised him greatly—
In the warm pool, misty with steam, she was immersed, neither here nor there, allowing her maids to chatter as they scattered handfuls of water tree flowers into the water. Suddenly, the entire bathhouse was filled with an intoxicating fragrance. Her hair was black and glossy, her skin moist and tender. Lost in thought, she suddenly turned and smiled, exuding charm and allure.
Na Zhan set down his ocarina and leaned against the wall, amused, thinking perhaps it was time to summon her to his bed.
In the pool, she was oblivious to her exposed beauty. Lazily stretching out her arm, she picked up a jade flute from the poolside and began to play. Her hair cascaded down her arms to her chest, and what caught Na Zhan’s eye was a faint three-petaled lotus flower!
Rage is impossible to suppress. That lotus flower was an insult to him!
In that instant, he could remember nothing else. He turned and returned to his chambers, ordering Zhu Jun to send her a sheer, transparent nightgown.
“My Lady, His Majesty summons you to his bed!”
Zhu Jun held the nightgown with both hands, head bowed respectfully at the door.
Having just finished bathing, Huang Beishuang was leaning against the headboard, reading. Hearing these words, she was momentarily stunned.
“My Lady, His Majesty summons you to his bed!” Zhu Jun raised his head slightly, seeing her distracted expression, and repeated once more.
Huang Beishuang finally came to her senses, but let out a wry laugh. She nodded, and her maid Ye Pei took the gossamer-like nightgown. Zhu Jun sighed in relief and quickly bowed his head as he retreated, “This servant will wait outside!”
Huang Beishuang turned to look at Ye Pei, still chuckling softly.
“Will Consort Shuang go?” Ye Pei asked.
“Such a formal summons, not going would be a capital offense!” she replied.
“Then, do you have to wear this?” Ye Pei’s face flushed as she held out the feather-light garment. Transparent, like a wisp of smoke, it could flutter even without wind, bewitching and ethereal.
Huang Beishuang touched the nightgown with one hand and recited wistfully: “Wearing this, with light makeup, walking down the long corridor, touched by moonlight, whose chamber am I entering? Be it consort or concubine, all are alluring beneath him!”