The candlelight flickered a few times. Chang Yuncheng reached out to adjust it, looking at Qi Yue who was leaning against the pillow reading a book while reaching for dried fruits.

There weren’t many melon seeds left in the dish. Chang Yuncheng quickly sat down to continue peeling them.

“Yueniang.” he called out carefully again.

“What?” Qi Yue frowned and said, then burst out laughing at something she read.

Chang Yuncheng quickly leaned over.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

Qi Yue snapped the book shut against her body.

“Nothing.” she said.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her.

“Yueniang.” he called out, then fell silent for a moment. “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“If I said your mother deliberately finds fault with me to make you dislike me, would you believe it?” Qi Yue asked.

Chang Yuncheng thought of Fan Yilin’s letter and nodded.

Qi Yue was actually surprised.

“You really believe it?” she asked. “Isn’t your mother like a bodhisattva in your eyes?”

Talking about elders behind their backs was really inappropriate…

Chang Yuncheng was silent for a moment.

“Mother doesn’t like this house, doesn’t like anyone in this house.” he said.

“So it’s normal that she doesn’t like me.” Qi Yue sighed. “You say you understand everything, so why did you still get angry at me?”

Chang Yuncheng looked up at her and opened his mouth.

“Yueniang, if you were in my position, in that situation, wouldn’t you get angry?” he said.

In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to say those sweet words against his conscience…

Qi Yue looked at him and sighed.

“This time it’s also my fault.” she said. “I shouldn’t have promised something I couldn’t do. Once I promised, I should have done it. I gave others something to criticize.”

This woman was just so straightforward.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her and reached out his hand.

Qi Yue looked at him and placed her hand in his.

“It’s also my fault for being too hasty, rushing to push you in front of mother.” Chang Yuncheng said. “It backfired.”

Qi Yue smiled.

“Actually, you can’t be blamed entirely.” she said. “If we’re going to blame anyone, blame your grandmother for insisting on pairing us together.”

Chang Yuncheng grasped her hand.

“I did regret and resent it at first.” he said. “But not now.”

“Why not now? What’s good about me?” Qi Yue laughed. “People with bad tempers like mine are rare, right?”

“I don’t know.” Chang Yuncheng said. “Probably because you are who you are.”

Qi Yue laughed heartily and said something.

“What?” Chang Yuncheng didn’t understand. What she said didn’t sound like words? It was like bird calls.

“I said, why do I love you, lightning… never asks the eyes, when it flashes, why it closes…” Qi Yue laughed, leaning against the pillow, propping her head up with her hand, looking at Chang Yuncheng.

What? Chang Yuncheng looked at her.

Qi Yue looked at him and smiled.

“Because it knows, it cannot give any reason, because I have seen. So, then. I love you…” she laughed.

Chang Yuncheng was completely confused by what she said.

“This is a poem.” Qi Yue laughed.

This woman was using poetry to express her love for him? Chang Yuncheng’s face turned red.

“What kind of poem is this, it’s nonsense…” he stammered.

Qi Yue laughed heartily and grabbed a handful of melon seeds to throw at him.

“Narcissist!” she laughed.

Chang Yuncheng was embarrassed and annoyed that she had seen through his thoughts, brushing off his clothes and glaring.

“You terrible woman, what are you doing!” he said.

Qi Yue laughed and stretched out her feet.

“Massage my legs.” she said. “I’m exhausted these past few days.”

Chang Yuncheng pulled a long face. This woman…

He pulled over Qi Yue’s legs and began massaging them.

“Is this pressure okay?” he asked.

Qi Yue picked up her book again and lazily hummed in acknowledgment.

“How about this?”

“And this?”

The room was filled with the man’s careful inquiries from time to time.

The maids standing outside the door looked at each other, both seeing the smile in each other’s eyes.

When the night grew deep, Qi Yue put down her book.

“I’m not talking to you anymore.” she yawned. “I’m tired.”

Chang Yuncheng had been waiting for her to say this all evening. His heart pounded as he watched this woman walk out.

“Where are you going?” he quickly grabbed her arm and asked anxiously.

This man looked so nervous that Qi Yue couldn’t help but laugh when she turned back.

“Don’t worry, I’m not running away.” she laughed. “I’m going to wash up.”

Chang Yuncheng held her arm and wouldn’t let go.

“There’s no need to always go to the maids’ room to wash…” he said.

He held Qi Yue’s arm, and through the fabric, he could feel the heat of his palm. Qi Yue unconsciously blushed.

Seeing her blush, Chang Yuncheng’s eyes darkened, his heart pounding like a drum, his breathing becoming rapid.

He wondered, wondered if what she said last time still counted…

Chang Yuncheng thought this and asked it out loud.

“What thing?” Qi Yue asked.

Chang Yuncheng held her hand and couldn’t help but use force, touching those soft little bones, feeling as if a hundred claws were scratching his heart.

“Nothing, nothing at all.” he finally stammered.

Before, when he was happy, she still wouldn’t agree, and now her mood wasn’t good.

Qi Yue looked at him and smiled.

“Then I’ll wash here.” she said. “You’re not allowed to peek.”

Chang Yuncheng snorted.

“Who cares!” he said, releasing her hand.

Qi Yue smiled and indeed went into the washroom.

Chang Yuncheng watched the woman go in, first went inside to make the bed, extinguished the lights one by one, leaving only the night lamp, hearing the splashing of water in the washroom.

Peek! Who cares!

He sat down on the bed, then stood up again.

“She’s my wife, I can look openly and honestly, who needs to peek!” he muttered, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

The room was filled with the woman’s laughing scolding and the man’s righteous response about needing to urinate.

At this time in the capital, in the imperial palace, the most prosperous place, it was also shrouded in night. A young palace maid was hurrying along the path.

The young palace maid entered a palace hall. Inside, behind layers of pearl curtains, a graceful and noble beautiful woman was dressing her hair before a mirror.

“Your Majesty Noble Consort, His Majesty has left the Empress’s quarters and is coming this way.” the palace maid bowed and said.

Noble Consort Dong hummed in acknowledgment upon hearing this and raised her hand. Immediately, a palace maid stepped forward and handed the young palace maid a handful of gold leaves.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s reward.” the young palace maid knelt and kowtowed, then withdrew.

After what seemed like a long time, Noble Consort Dong reclined on the beauty couch beside the bed with her eyes closed. The palace hall remained quiet, without the majesty that would accompany the Emperor’s arrival.

A tall figure turned around the pearl curtains and slowly approached. He stopped as if admiring this picture of a lazy beauty.

Noble Consort Dong, reclining on the beauty couch with her hand on her chest, suddenly sighed softly, her eyes still closed.

“Why are you sighing for no reason?” came a man’s voice.

Noble Consort Dong started up in surprise and was about to kneel.

“Your Majesty!” she said.

The man by the pearl curtains then lifted the curtains and strode in, supporting the kneeling Noble Consort Dong with one hand.

This was a man around thirty years old, with a fair complexion and regular features. His eyes were narrow and long, his lips slightly thin, carrying an elusive shrewdness within his upright and peaceful demeanor.

This was the third Emperor of Great Xia, Emperor Taizong Qing.

He pulled Noble Consort Dong to sit down and caressed her for a while.

“Your Majesty, you haven’t come to this concubine’s place recently.” Noble Consort Dong said plaintively, leaning delicately against the man’s chest.

“Court affairs are complicated now, and I am not my own master.” Emperor Qing said.

Noble Consort Dong got up and obediently massaged his head.

Emperor Qing then closed his eyes, enjoying the beauty’s service while making casual conversation about what he had done and what he had eaten.

“Your Majesty, a few days ago this concubine had a bowl of taro at the Empress’s place and found it particularly good. The Empress said it was tribute from Marquis Dingxi.” Noble Consort Dong said while massaging the Emperor’s shoulders. “Your Majesty, this concubine is greedy but too embarrassed to ask the Empress directly. Could you help this concubine get some?”

The Emperor laughed heartily and reached out to pinch his beloved consort’s small hand.

“You’re the only one in this palace who’s greedy. When you hear about delicious food somewhere, you won’t let it go. I knew you didn’t ask me to come for my sake, but to have me get you food.” he laughed.

Noble Consort Dong shook the Emperor’s hand and laughed, then lowered her head to whisper something in his ear. The Emperor’s eyes narrowed as he reached out to embrace her.

“Then I’ll let you eat your fill.” he said with a low laugh.

For a moment, the room was filled with spring romance. After the clouds dispersed and rain ceased, the night was deep.

On the spacious bed, Noble Consort Dong leaned softly against the Emperor’s chest. The dim lamplight outside illuminated her face full of spring passion.

“…Why do you think Marquis Dingxi thought to send things to the Empress? He never used to show himself…” Noble Consort Dong played with the Emperor’s sash, speaking lazily.

“Of course he has a request.” the Emperor laughed. He pillowed his hands behind his neck. “Can you guess what he’s requesting?”

Noble Consort Dong tilted her head in thought.

“What could he possibly request? He lacks neither food nor clothing. Prince Dingxi has also achieved merit, and Your Majesty has given him an official position. Could he be asking Your Majesty to give him a grandson?” she covered her mouth and laughed.

The Emperor laughed heartily.

“You actually guessed right.” he laughed.

Noble Consort Dong was stunned, her cherry lips opening wide.

“Really?” she said in disbelief.

“He’s requesting permission for his second wife to share equal status.” the Emperor laughed, telling her about the matter.

Noble Consort Dong was speechless for a long time after hearing this.

“That’s really…” she seemed at a loss for words, rolling her eyes to look at the Emperor. “Your Majesty, how do you plan to respond to him?”

The Emperor looked at her with a smile.

“Isn’t this waiting for my beloved consort to speak?” he said.

This smile made his eyes even more narrow and inscrutable.

Noble Consort Dong smiled with pursed lips.

“How would this concubine dare to speak?” she laughed.

The Emperor smiled and suddenly reached out to grasp half of her breast.

Noble Consort Dong cried out in pain. The force was clearly not light, but she dared not show pain on her face, forcing herself to smile.

“Your Majesty…” she called out in a trembling, delicate voice.

The Emperor’s smile remained, but his eyes grew more and more narrowed.

“Your Majesty, this concubine was indeed approached by someone regarding the Marquis Dingxi family’s affairs, but the request wasn’t this…” Noble Consort Dong could no longer hide her pain and said in a trembling voice.

“Speak.” the Emperor said with a slight smile. The abundance he grasped in his hand was deformed even through the clothing, and one could imagine there would surely be bruises left under the fabric.

Noble Consort Dong endured the pain and leaned forward, not daring to hide anything as she spoke in detail.

The heavy pearl curtains blocked all sounds from this place of wealth and splendor.