CHAPTER 596: CHAPTER 596: IT’S MY TURN!

What kind of logic is this?

He thought about it, and it was not right!

It must be because Qingqing had suffered too much since childhood; she was too moved by his kindness.

But... what was there to be moved about?

Just because he got her a box of fresh gadgets?

It... It shouldn’t be!

Then... what exactly was it?!

Zhao Junyao, with his extremely low EQ, thought it over and over yet still could not find the answer.

In the end, Zhao Junyao simply resorted to a crude and simple explanation.

He attributed all the reasons to "her parents, those peculiar and exasperating individuals!"

Because, other than this reason, Zhao Junyao really couldn’t think of anything else!

With this, Zhao Junyao was very satisfied.

He was simply too clever.

If he couldn’t figure it out, just use the process of elimination.

Eliminate each possibility one by one, then what remains must be the answer, how simple is that!

Zhao Junyao patted Xia Ruqing’s shoulder, comforting her.

"Qingqing, rest assured, I will definitely avenge you!"

Xia Ruqing was crying her heart out.

Wiping her nose and tears, she didn’t hear what he was saying clearly and just randomly nodded.

Then she continued to cry while hugging him.

Damn it, still thinking of me even when drunk!

Why be so kind to me, making me have fantasies!

In modern times, some men, when drinking and bragging with their buddies, don’t even know to which part of Java they’ve lost their wives.

Let alone worry about them.

But he, the august ruler of a nation, when drunk, was actually still mindful of her, still considering what she liked, and then had someone bring it to her.

This...

Xia Ruqing started to feel aggrieved again.

What a wonderful boyfriend and husband he would be; if this were the twenty-first century and he belonged only to her, how wonderful that would be!

Damn it, the heavens are obviously playing with her!

After crying for a while and getting tired, Xia Ruqing fell into a hazy sleep.

Zhao Junyao, himself drunk, held her and also drifted off into a confused sleep.

Until the next morning, they both remained in the same position as the night before.

...

Dawn gradually broke, and Zhao Junyao was the first to awake.

His undergarment from when he fell asleep was gone.

His body was completely bare.

Xia Ruqing was lying in his arms sound asleep, though the bedding was clearly tidied up.

"Qingqing?"

Zhao Junyao gently called out.

Xia Ruqing opened her eyes, murmuring a response.

"Emperor!"

Seeing Zhao Junyao staring at her, Xia Ruqing’s face turned red.

"Emperor, it was I who undressed you. Last night... they were all wet..."

Zhao Junyao breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing her cheeks flushed with shyness, he moved closer with a smile.

"Qingqing... what happened to you last night?"

"Were you aggrieved or..."

Xia Ruqing’s face grew even redder.

"It’s nothing! I was just... too moved last night!"

Zhao Junyao pulled her close, affectionately stroking her cheek and her silky hair.

He then bent down to kiss her, his throat dry and burning.

"Qingqing... you’ve had your relief, is it not my turn now..."

"Ah?"

Xia Ruqing was slightly taken aback. A bad premonition rose in her heart.

Could she avoid what happened last night, but not today?

Zhao Junyao didn’t wait for her to respond before he pressed down on her.

The two were naked; how convenient could it be?

"AH!"

"Emperor... it hurts... it hurts so much!"

Xia Ruqing exclaimed.

Zhao Junyao stopped, kissing her and waiting for her to adjust before pushing his hips forward again.

"Emperor! Emperor!"

The intense, tingling sensation, like a tornado, whisked Xia Ruqing up from the ground and into the sky.

Her entire body wandered in mid-air.

That light, floating feeling was like feathers gently sweeping over her.

It was ticklish, numbing, intensely thrilling, and aching all at once.

In her excitement, she began to speak without thinking.

"Emperor... Will you... not want me?"

"Will you leave me alone?"

The two sentences, abrupt and fragmented, spilled from her mouth.

"I won’t!" he said firmly.

Zhao Junyao bent down to kiss her lips.

"Qingqing, I’ve been abstinent for so long, I’m about to burst!"

No sooner had he spoken than he, like a Sweat Blood Precious Horse that had broken free of its reins, raced wildly across his own vast domain.

Tiny, fragmented sounds trickled out from the continuously shaking canopy.

The palace maids standing guard outside all blushed.

Zi Su and Zi Ning were unaware and were about to fetch water to serve.

Zi Yue stopped them and gave a meaningful look.

Both girls instantly understood.

Their faces reddened, and they left.

「After the second day of the new year passed, the rush was finally over.」

The bustling days in the palace were also behind them. Until the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, there was a brief period of tranquility in the palace.

「Jiaofang Hall.」

The Emperor still visited on the first and fifteenth days of the month.

But now, it was neither the first nor the fifteenth; if she wanted to see the Emperor, she had to rely on having some business.

In other words, without any business, the Emperor would not come to see her.

Although the Empress felt resentful, she had been chastised by the Emperor and no longer dared to make any moves.

Last time, it was just a matter of keeping Honored Lady Cheng; the Emperor saw it.

He immediately lifted the house arrest on Noble Concubine Shih.

If it happened again, Noble Concubine Shih might be restored to favor; how could that be allowed?

She would never let such a thing happen.

So, during this time, the Empress simply spent her days with the Third Princess. She visited the Empress Dowager’s palace every two or three days to keep her company and chat.

She was as virtuous and considerate as one could be.

Zhao Junyao was very pleased and accordingly did not further humiliate her.

So, the Noble Consort remained out of favor!

...

Consort Ning’s days were relatively good, looking after the Eldest Princess.

She had picked quarrels with Xia Ruqing a few times, much to Zhao Junyao’s displeasure.

However, ultimately it was nothing serious, and out of consideration for the Eldest Princess, Zhao Junyao did not dwell on it too much.

The Empress was also willing to show her favor.

So Consort Ning’s days were still good.

Naturally, there was no need to mention Xia Ruqing’s condition; everything was the best for her.

Below her was Consort Hui Pin, who was also not lacking.

In the eyes of the palace attendants, Consort Hui Pin wasn’t as favored as Consort Xian Pin. However, the Second Princess was lively and lovable, enjoying favor with both the Emperor and Empress. Who would dare to offend her?

In comparison, Consort Zheng Pin and Consort Yun Pin were much less favored. But even so, they were still third-ranked consorts, lacking only the finest gifts to present. The usual allocations from the Ministry of Internal Affairs were not something anyone dared to withhold capriciously. So, they too could get by.

Shih Jieyu’s days were also quite good. As the birth mother of the Third Princess, she was occasionally called upon by the Empress to serve. Regardless of whether the Emperor liked her or not, the Empress would not treat her poorly. A mere Jieyu wasn’t worth much trouble. Better not to be accused of being intolerant. So even if it was just for show, her days were not too difficult.

There were a total of nine Honored Ladies in the harem.

Apart from Honored Lady Cheng, who was pregnant, the remaining eight were out of favor.

Unable to see the Emperor even once in a year and a half, no one was significantly better off than the others.

After Lady Zhou and Lady Wang were successively taken down by Noble Concubine Shih, these Honored Ladies became much more well-behaved.

Minding their own small domains, they lived quietly and obediently.