CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER 47: WISHING THE EMPEROR NO TOILET PAPER IN THE PRIVY

Xie Zhixing’s blood pressure shot up.

He realized what made Yun Jiao different from other concubines.

When ordinary concubines weren’t being clever, the underlying logic of their tactics was still to please him and gain his favor, just in the wrong direction. But Yun Jiao was different; she didn’t even have the notion of "pleasing him" in her mind, as if living in her own world.

Both carefree and self-assured, with a touch of whimsical beauty.

"You finally meet me, and it’s just to talk about this little horse?"

Xie Zhixing had just furrowed his brows when he saw her pout: "Emperor, it’s called Red Rabbit, not a little horse."

He was both annoyed and amused—was she upset with him just over the way he called a short horse? The Empress teaching her manners didn’t upset her, nanny Mao’s scolding didn’t upset her, yet when he, the Emperor, condescends to call a horse, she minds that he doesn’t call it nicely: "Since you like horses, tell me, I will find you a good one. You ride it all day at the stable, won’t others make fun of you?"

Xie Zhixing remembered that Concubine Jiang was excellent at riding.

This time, when making a riding wager with the tribe ladies, Concubine Jiang was second to none; her boldness in raising the whip and riding the horse was admirable. Given her fondness for mocking others with her sharp tongue, how could she resist ridiculing Attendant Lady Xi?

Yun Jiao thought for a moment: "Yes."

"Who mocked you, who said it?"

Everyone is biased, even the Emperor is no exception.

To his eyes, that little short horse looked disagreeable, but upon hearing someone ridiculed Attendant Lady Xi about it, he couldn’t help but be resentful. All the concubines on this Qiu Lie outing were of higher rank, and yet they couldn’t tolerate even a little attendant lady, resorting to sour words, showing a lack of tolerance.

"Concubine Jiang passed by and said I needed a small stool to get on such a low horse, and my riding skills were embarrassing, perhaps I hadn’t even known how many legs a horse had before."

Xie Zhixing’s eyebrows knitted together.

With Concubine Jiang’s higher rank, it’s likely she didn’t dare retort: "Don’t be upset, what did you say?"

"I said, the Emperor likes exactly this about me."

After hearing this, Xie Zhixing smiled: "Knowing the favor you have, but rarely looking for me."

"The hunting ground is too large, other sisters can’t find the Emperor, neither can I."

Peeping on the Emperor’s whereabouts is a grave crime.

Xie Zhixing knew her secret abilities, but his heart was not in it. He was in no hurry, leading the horse slowly, while Yun Jiao fidgeted. She had never kept pets in her previous life at the hospital, only enjoying them online; it was only after riding the little horse at the stable that she realized finding a kindred spirit in a horse was such a joy.

The Little Red Rabbit seemed to understand her words and would lick her hand and act cute toward her.

Yun Jiao couldn’t bear to part with it!

She wanted to bring it back to the Imperial Palace, so she attempted a coincidental encounter, tracking the Emperor’s whereabouts before departure.

That said, she wasn’t very familiar with the Emperor.

Yun Jiao twisted her fingers in distress.

She thought she was doing this discreetly, but to Xie Zhixing, who was looking down from on high, it was evident. His gaze followed her fingers, but he said nothing, wondering what conclusion she would reach.

After a wait, Yun Jiao slowly spoke: "Emperor, I am very lonely in the Deep Palace."

"I will come to accompany you more often."

Xie Zhixing’s expression remained placid.

Yun Jiao paused and blinked: "The Emperor is so busy, isn’t it inappropriate to delay state affairs for me?"

"No delay; I shall summon you to Qiankun Palace to accompany me while I review memorials."

Xie Zhixing’s peripheral vision caught her face.

He was certain he wasn’t mistaken—her eyes involuntarily reflected disdain.

Xie Zhixing: ?

He couldn’t help it: "You really don’t want to accompany me?"

He couldn’t claim that she was his absolute favorite in the world, but it was a known fact he pampered her.

Yun Jiao tilted her face upwards in an aggrieved manner: "Can I bring Red Rabbit to accompany me?"

Xie Zhixing couldn’t even imagine the scene.

Suddenly, he felt he couldn’t pamper her any longer.

"Don’t even think about it, your..." Seeing the dewy and innocent eyes from the person in his arms, Xie Zhixing swallowed back the words about the short horse: "Red Rabbit can be well taken care of at Hanyang Hunting Ground; no need to worry about it, being liked by you is its blessing."

"But I will miss it, I want to take it back to the Imperial Palace, I beg the Emperor to grant this."

Xie Zhixing: "No."

The next moment, he felt a slight dizziness from his temple, and time rewound to a moment earlier.

"I want to take it back to the Imperial Palace, I beg the Emperor to grant this."

Xie Zhixing: "No."

...

The twelfth time travel back, Yun Jiao’s cheeks were slightly pale as she nestled in his arms.

Although Xie Zhixing wasn’t feeling well, the side effects of reversing time were a slight headache and dizziness, much less painful than his intense martial arts training. He could keep at it with her, and let her know that with him, some decisions would not change.

The thirteenth time.

"... Beg the Emperor to grant this."

The words of refusal were on the tip of his tongue; Xie Zhixing lowered his head and saw Yun Jiao looking at him with tears in her eyes.

He suddenly stopped speaking.

"Do you like this horse so much that you’ll cry to me?"

Xie Zhixing wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes.

This wasn’t the first time he’d seen women cry; in the harem, there were plenty of reasons to shed tears. He’d seen palace maids hiding to sob in homesickness, his mother being bullied and sobbing on her bed, Lady sobbing beautifully with tears falling like a broken string of pearls.

And Yun Jiao...

She sniffed, feeling incredibly wronged!

Since she could turn back the file, why should she secretly cry!

She quickly saved the file, then anger arose within her, fueling her courage, and she slapped his chest: "Pah, pah, pah, pah! If it’s a no, it’s a no, why put on a big show," one slap wasn’t enough, she continued to pummel the sovereign under the eunuch’s horrified stares, rallying herself as she punched: "Oh la, oh la, oh la!!! Stingy ghost! May you find no paper when you visit the toilet! Then I’ll take the paper and ask you if your behind absolutely must be wiped!"

"..."

Yun Jiao used all her strength to assault him.

Unfortunately, Xie Zhixing felt that even as a massage, the force was a bit lacking.

He was merely astonished, having never thought he’d encounter a woman who’d throw a tantrum and act unreasonably if she didn’t get what she wanted.

The eunuchs nearby were conflicted as to whether they should apprehend this rude concubine or wait and see the Emperor’s reaction.

Having vented her anger, Yun Jiao was about to turn back the file when the dog Emperor grabbed her hand: "No need to cry, I’ll let you take it back."

...?

Earlier, when she had been gentle and cute, he refused.

This time, after a flurry of punches, he agreed? M attribute burst forth?

"Uh, I thank the Emperor."

The eunuchs, who had been quietly observing, breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Good thing they didn’t act rashly; seeing the Emperor’s tolerance of Attendant Lady Xi, they knew they were merely part of the Emperor and Empress’s play.