Her clothes were quickly stripped away by him, scattered and tangled around her.

“Your Majes—” As she tilted her head to speak, his lips moved to her neck, the hot tip of his tongue gently caressing her delicate, vulnerable throat, truly making her heart tremble like prey before a fierce beast.

The fire in his eyes, the strength in his hands, the desire unleashed through his lips and teeth—she felt it all clearly and could not resist.

The night wind swept in through the curtains, making her whole body tense. She could faintly see the two eunuchs waiting outside the carriage.

She suddenly came to her senses, realizing they were still in the carriage, right outside the back gate of the Di residence. This… this was impossible!

She twisted her head away with all her might, struggling to gain a moment to breathe, and gasped: “Your Majesty, please wait.” Then she urgently raised her hands to push his body away forcefully.

But he remained unmoved, the flames in his eyes growing several times brighter. His face showing no sign of restraint, he grabbed her wrist with one hand and pulled the belt from her waist. With a few deft movements, he bound her hands high above her head.

In an instant, he had restrained her so she could no longer push him away.

She was somewhat shocked, her gaze fixed on his face. She instinctively struggled against her bonds but discovered that though he hadn’t hurt her, she could not escape the grip of the rhinoceros-hide belt. Greatly embarrassed, she realized he had misunderstood, thinking she didn’t want his touch.

But he was being too domineering tonight.

Just as she was thinking of what to say, he lowered his head again and began to plunder her body without any restraint, doing as he pleased.

Where to touch, how to touch, with what pressure—he controlled everything perfectly.

He understood every part of her so well, his lips, tongue, and fingers precisely targeting every place that could make her tremble, melting her inch by inch like spring mud.

She retreated step by step, no longer able to resist him. This feeling of being restrained and unable to resist was especially stimulating. She couldn’t help but let out soft moans in response to his teasing.

He had always enjoyed hearing her cries. As soon as she made a sound, his breathing became heavier, his desire more intense, and his actions increasingly relentless.

Finally unable to bear it, she looked at him with misty eyes, twisting her wrists as she whimpered: “Your Majesty…”

But this whimper was exceptionally tender and alluring.

He paused slightly, examining her expression. Knowing she was trying to soften his heart, he deliberately propped himself up, looking down at her motionlessly, no longer touching her.

Her body was half-naked, her torn silk clothes failing to conceal her charms. Her soft white skin was dotted with beads of sweat, gilded by the dim light in the carriage. Her hands were bound by the official rhinoceros-hide belt and couldn’t move. Her slender arms were slightly bent, and her long hair was scattered around them. Coupled with her expression that was half pitiful and half enchanting, she could truly tempt even an immortal to develop worldly desires.

Truly enticing.

How could anyone not find her beautiful?

Minister Meng in her daily life was merely her outer shell. Once stripped of those layers of official robes, how was she inferior to those women who knew how to be coquettish, charming, and seductive?

Moreover, she possessed a passion and boldness unmatched by other women. In matters of intimacy, she and he were in perfect harmony—how could he resist?

“Your Majesty?” Seeing him motionless, she called to him softly again, continuing to twist her wrists, thinking he had finally decided to spare her.

Indeed, he slowly straightened up, but a faint smile curved his lips, and the fire of desire in his eyes grew even more rampant. He reached out to lift the hem of his robe, undoing a few knots at his waist. He raised an eyebrow, his gaze never leaving her.

She saw at a glance and her face instantly flushed crimson. Yet she forgot she could close her eyes. She couldn’t even remember to breathe, struggling more violently with her hands, wishing she could vanish into the ground.

She had thought he was straightening up to release her, but who knew he was… he was so nakedly teasing her!

The august and enlightened Son of Heaven, the seemingly emotionless and dispassionate Emperor in the eyes of his court officials—who could imagine he would be so brazen and uninhibited with her in private?

She was busy mentally condemning his “shameless” behavior but didn’t consider how she had often disregarded “propriety” in front of him.

But she couldn’t control her eyes, couldn’t look away.

Though she had seen it before, she had never looked so directly and clearly.

She knew he was peerlessly handsome, with every part of his body well-formed, but she hadn’t realized that even that part of him was so… so handsome.

It made her mouth dry and her body grow even softer.

Just as she was inwardly berating herself, he suddenly pressed down on her, his warm palm caressing her smooth calf, traveling downward to grasp her ankle, forcing her to open her body.

She was startled.

She wanted to dodge, but couldn’t break free from his strength; she wanted to scold him, but couldn’t overstep her position as a subject.

Watching him raise his brow and look between her legs, her face was already red enough to bleed. She never knew that after their several intimate encounters, there could still be something that would make her feel embarrassed.

If he was determined to torment her, she had no possibility of fighting back.

Only now did she realize she was but a drop in the ocean before him. All her past bold actions couldn’t compare to even the tip of his iceberg.

Having looked his fill, he extended his fingers to touch her again, lightly teasing her most sensitive spot. He looked up at her, and when he spoke, his dark, hoarse voice crackled like flames: “From now on, no matter what happens, you must never act willfully on your own or avoid seeing me.”

Her entire body was trembling slightly.

Such an intimate posture, such tender methods—she could not withstand it no matter what.

Desire built up like rising tides, overwhelmingly drowning all her consciousness. She could only nod in agreement with his wishes, hoping he would spare her.

Seeing her agree, his brow relaxed somewhat, and he loosened his grip to release her.

She wanted to bend her legs and close them, but she was still not as quick as him. Before she could catch her breath, he thrust his hips forward and entered her, causing her to let out half a cry of surprise.

The second half of her cry caught in her throat, turning into broken trailing sounds that escaped her lips intermittently with his movements, endlessly alluring, floating straight out of the carriage on the wind.

At the thought that there were people outside the carriage, her entire body tensed again. She heard a hoarse sound roll in his throat and felt his thrusts become even more fierce.

Having not tasted this pleasure for several months, no wonder he was so heedless of restraint, truly like a wild beast descending from the mountains, devouring her completely without leaving a trace.

The inside of the carriage was ultimately narrow and confined, not allowing him to indulge freely. After several thrusts, he took a deep breath, stopped his movements, and with a raise of his palm, released the restraints on her wrists. He embraced her waist and sat up, making her straddle him.

She had already been tormented by him until she was as soft as if boneless. How could she care about her posture? As soon as she rose, she hooked her arms around his neck and leaned down, nestling against his shoulder, allowing him to grasp her buttocks and manipulate her position at will.

The carriage was filled with the scent of passion. Their clothes were damp with sweat, each breath as coarse as the next, with sparks of fire dancing in the depths of their eyes.

He moved slightly then stopped, turning instead to bite her red lips. His hands also moved up to knead her body, making her clench repeatedly. Seeing her frown impatiently and feeling her dig her fingers into his shoulders, he finally lowered his voice and said: “Try moving on top.”

She opened her eyes languidly, a bead of sweat forming where her brows furrowed, her expression becoming increasingly pitiful. She buried her head and said softly: “Your subject has no strength left…”

He gripped her chin, forcing her to look up, and held her waist tightly as he thrust upward forcefully. Seeing her cheeks suddenly flush red, he knew she was just pretending. His eyebrow slanted as he said harshly: “Move.”

He doted on her, loved her, indulged her, allowed her to not see him for months, refrained from issuing an edict summoning her to court, letting his longing for her freeze in his heart. Yet tonight, after seeing her, he could no longer control the desire that gushed forth. It had been so long since they had been this intimate, and she dared to say she had no strength to move?!

But she felt somewhat indignant. On the wedding night of Shen and Di, he had abducted her to the imperial carriage outside the Di residence to engage in such intimate acts, disregarding the imperial dignity and the attendants outside, causing her to lose face as well. Since he was the one who disregarded the setting solely for his pleasure, why should she have to exert herself?

His domineering nature was truly unparalleled.

That edict abolishing the Council of State’s right to deliberate on the selection of the Empress was also like this—disregarding how much she had considered for him before, he had so directly damaged his reputation.

The more she thought about it, the more displeased she felt. She simply embraced his neck tightly, learning from him by biting his earlobe, one hand moving down to caress his chest as she softly said: “How does Your Majesty want your subject to move…” Her lower abdomen contracted slightly, squeezing him tightly.

His brow suddenly tensed, and he gripped her waist firmly before abruptly withdrawing from her.

The arms holding her were trembling slightly. After panting heavily for a long while, he finally pulled over some clothing to wipe the mess between their legs.

Her face reddened again.

Although she had deliberately tried to make him finish quickly, in the past, he had always maintained excellent self-control, his timing always precise. How could he be so close to the edge tonight?

He held her, the desire in his eyes still not faded. “I’ve granted your wish. Are you happy now?”

She could discern his current mood and, fearing he might restrain her again for another round, looked away to avoid provoking him. Changing the subject, she said: “If Your Majesty truly wishes to fulfill your subject’s wish, why abolish the Council of State’s right to deliberate on the Empress selection?”

He remained silent, his hands busy caressing her.

She shifted slightly to avoid his touch and continued: “Although court officials currently dare not oppose Your Majesty’s authority, and those hoping for high positions in the Department of State Affairs are taking the opportunity to curry favor, does Your Majesty not care how future historians will evaluate this action?”

His hand movement paused slightly, his brow suddenly raised, his eyes casually exploring her. “Should I reward you for daring to admonish me so boldly on such a beautiful night?”

She stiffened, at a loss for words.

Things had already come to this pass; her admonishment was already too late. Even if she spoke further, what use would it be?

She was merely resentful that he had acted so unilaterally, without consulting her beforehand…

This thought startled her greatly.

He was the supremely honorable Emperor—how could he need to consult with her before making decisions? Offering advice was her duty, but how could she harbor such presumptuous thoughts… Could it be that because he treated her well, she truly considered herself to be of equal status?

He seemed able to see through her heart. His gaze subsequently became sharp as he said: “Since the court officials regard me as a resolute and discerning ruler, they should know that resolution implies making independent decisions, and discernment means impartial observation. Even a wise ruler sometimes acts independently and observes with bias. History books a hundred years later will not be prejudiced because of this one matter.” He reached out to stroke her face, a smile curving his lips. “Besides, do you truly wish to see me establish someone else as Empress?”