CHAPTER 712: CHAPTER 579: REVERIE, EMOTIONAL CRISIS

After hearing what Little Wuya said, Chen Tuo was overjoyed.

Although Chen Tuo was over forty and had sons like Chen Mu and Chen Minzhi, his own appearance was naturally not bad.

Moreover, as a military general, his physique was well-maintained and robust.

What’s more, he had already enjoyed carnal pleasures with the Empress.

Back when Feng Lan had just gotten married to Princess Qingfeng, and because he was newlywed, he used accompanying his delicate wife as an excuse to resign from his position as Hall General.

At that time, the Empress was heartbroken and deeply distressed; it was then that Chen Tuo, taking Feng Lan’s place, had the opportunity to get close to the Empress. One was troubled and the other had ulterior motives; it was during a time when the Empress was drunk that Chen Tuo, half-forced and half-consented, took her.

For the following few years, Chen Tuo and the Empress continued their secret liaisons.

The Empress, young and vigorous, with a background in Martial Arts Training, found it hard to be satisfied by the good-looking but inadequate servants, whereas Chen Tuo, despite already having a wife and concubines at home, found ordinary women could not compare to the noble Empress.

During those years when they were intimate, Chen Tuo received successive promotions and honors, basking in unparalleled glory.

Unfortunately, the Empress did not truly have feelings for Chen Tuo. Their affair only lasted a few years, and after Princess Qingfeng and General Feng Lan were involved in an incident, the Empress brought Little Feng Shen into the Imperial Palace.

After taking in Little Feng Shen, the Empress devoted herself almost constantly, personally taking care of Feng Shen.

To avoid suspicion, she distanced herself from Chen Tuo at that time.

As a Minister, Chen Tuo naturally dared not continue liaising with the Empress, but unexpectedly, tonight, after the Empress had been drinking, she actually summoned him.

Suddenly Chen Tuo felt much more sober and coughed.

"Princess, I have urgent matters to discuss with Your Majesty, so you’d better return to the Prince Manor on your own."

Princess Chen wouldn’t have it; she was filled with envy and resentment.

"Prince, you’ve had a drink, so why don’t I accompany you? If you’re not feeling well, I can accompany you back to the manor later."

"Rubbish. What I have to discuss with His Majesty is important state affairs. What would it look like for a woman of the house to follow along? Get back to the Prince Manor and watch your mouth. If I hear anything I shouldn’t, you’ll be the first I come to settle accounts with." Chen Mu glared fiercely, and with a slap, he struck Princess Chen’s face, causing her to fall to the ground. The coachman nearby hurriedly helped the Princess up.

This woman, she really needs to be disciplined every three days lest she climbs onto the roof and starts removing tiles.

If it weren’t for the fact that she bore him a good son like Chen Mu, with her faded looks, he would have divorced her long ago.

She even dares to be ignorant and meddle in his good fortune with the Empress.

Thinking of the Empress’s covetable body and alluring moans, Chen Tuo felt a fire burning inside him.

Princess Chen, having been slapped, felt her head buzzing with anger but was unable to show it. She could only get into the carriage and leave the Imperial Palace with a resentful face.

Little Wuya was witnessing this scene and couldn’t help but find it amusing, though she kept a serious face, leading Chen Tuo to Emperor Beiqing’s Imperial Palace.

Feng Shen supported the Empress as they walked a distance.

The Empress’s body was very hot, and pretending to be weak, she leaned on Feng Shen. All the way, Feng Shen remained silent.

The Empress sneakily observed Feng Shen’s profile and couldn’t help but notice how, as he grew older, he remarkably resembled Feng Lan.

No, rather, Feng Shen was even more handsome and striking than Feng Lan.

The Empress closed her eyes, feeling the warmth coming through Feng Shen’s clothes.

Unknowingly, the once naive child had grown taller than her by half a head.

Although he was physically weak, his muscles were very firm, and even when he was supporting his own body, his steps were very steady.

This situation, and back then when she held Feng Lan, were so strikingly similar.

The Empress even struggled to distinguish whether the person beside her was Feng Xun or Feng Lan.

The Empress’s heart fluttered; she truly wished they could continue walking down this path forever.

"Your Majesty, we have arrived at the sleeping quarters. You are quite drunk; I will have someone bring you some hangover soup," said Feng Xun, shifting the Empress’s body a little further away from his.

He was naturally a bit of a clean freak, and since childhood, other than with his parents, he was uncomfortable with the touch of most people.

Over the years, he remained the same, with Ye Lingyue’s touch being the only one he did not repel.

"Xun’er, this is not the court; there’s no need to address me as Your Majesty. I may be the sovereign of Beiqing, but I am also your maternal aunt. How long has it been since you called me ’Auntie’?" The Empress staggered without the support of Feng Xun’s body; she made a motion and leaned back on Feng Xun.

The Empress had complex feelings for Feng Xun; on one hand, Feng Xun was the son of Qing Feng, the person she loved the most yet also hated the most in her life.

Outsiders all say that the Empress enjoys unmatched honor and respect throughout her life.

But only the Empress knew that ever since she was young, she had been jealous of one person - Qing Feng.

The indolent Qing Feng, the mischievous Qing Feng, the Qing Feng who loved to act spoiled and sleep – it was this Qing Feng who not only stole the love of her parents but also the love of Feng Lan.

Even the son born to Qing Feng, Feng Xun, surpassed her own princes and princesses by so much.

Initially, after Qing Feng and Feng Lan "died," the Empress intended to dispose of little Feng Xun as well.

But when she laid eyes on Feng Xun and heard him call out "Auntie" after awakening, the heart of Empress Qing Shuang instantly softened.

She gazed at the frail little Feng Xun; the six-year-old bore 70 to 80 percent resemblance to the young Feng Lan.

That moment, the Empress decided to keep Feng Xun.

Because she knew that one day, little Feng Xun would grow into a great man like his father.

The Empress wasn’t wrong in her prediction; as Feng Xun grew up, he became more and more like Feng Lan. Though he was not skilled in martial arts, he had a literary grace, was well-read, and under his lead, the Feng Residence grew to be a power that rivaled even the Imperial Family.

The Empress found that her attitude towards Feng Xun was gradually changing.

She both longed to see Feng Xun and feared him.

She was deeply afraid that one day, she would treat Feng Xun as a substitute for Feng Lan.

But Feng Xun was her biological nephew, and if she developed feelings for Feng Xun, wouldn’t that be...

The Empress’s thoughts surged like a fountain. The more she feared in her heart, the more her body longed.

In the underground palace, Feng Lan had been unconscious for so many years.

The yearning the Empress had for Feng Lan was endless.

She could not go year after year, day after day, facing the unresponsive Feng Lan.

Yet the living, breathing Feng Xun stood right before her.

The Empress took a deep breath; there was a faint scent on Feng Xun that was like ink and like mint, very pleasant - a fragrance she had never found in any other man, not even her own attendants.

"Xun’er, call me Qing Shuang," said the Empress, looking longingly at Feng Xun’s face, her eyes flickering with strange emotions.

~ Ah, thank you everyone for your monthly tickets and rewards, everyone’s back from the holidays. Starry eyes, begging for monthly votes and recommendation tickets, Da Fu says she just wants to shout out loud, shameless Empress, let go of the beauty, let me do it ~