Upon arriving at the Imperial Study, the emperor stood beside the imperial desk with his hands behind his back.
Concubine Li noticed the tense atmosphere between the two. Unconsciously, she tightened her grip, and a fingernail snapped.
She didn't feel the pain. Instead, she gave the emperor a charming smile, wrapped her arm around his, and said, "Your Majesty, could the birthday gift have been swapped by someone?"
The emperor glanced at her from the corner of his eye. He knew all the ins and outs, but why did the charming woman beside him seem so eager to explain?
Could there be some secret between them? And who was trying to give him a hint today?
"Regent, tell me. What was the birthday gift you originally gave to Concubine Li today?"
The emperor didn't even bother to lift his eyelids. Just as he was about to speak, Mo Qinghuan secretly tugged at his sleeve. She raised her delicate eyebrows slightly, then bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the birthday gift for Concubine Li was prepared by me. It was a statue of the Goddess of Mercy. By the way, when we entered the Azure Wave Palace, the ceremonial eunuch registered it. You can check it."
She was telling the truth, so she wasn't afraid that the emperor would really check. She only learned that the birthday gift Mu Yanming gave to Concubine Li was a statue of the Goddess of Mercy when she was registering at the entrance of the Azure Wave Palace.
Hearing what Mo Qinghuan said, the hope in Concubine Li's eyes disappeared completely. The light in her eyes dimmed visibly, and a self - mocking look appeared on her face. She had been so self - indulgent, thinking that he would personally choose a birthday gift for her. It turned out that she was just as ordinary as others to him.
The emperor seemed to notice the woman's disappointed mood beside him. He turned his head slightly, and his sharp eyes, like those of a desert eagle, stared at her as if he could see through her.
Concubine Li coughed lightly, looked at the emperor with a charming look in her eyes, and softly called out, "Your Majesty."
Only then did the emperor loosen his tightly - clenched fist under the bright yellow sleeve embroidered with cloud patterns.
"Forget it. Leave." He waved his hand casually. When Mo Qinghuan secretly looked at Concubine Li's reaction, she found that the emperor's hand was resting on her earlobe. The wide sleeve almost covered half of her body.
The two of them left the Imperial Study. The sky outside had completely darkened. The night sky was as black as ink, without a single star or moon. The once - bustling palace banquet had come to an end like this.
As they walked towards the palace gate, the gentle breeze blew, and the faint fragrance of the soil in the air could be smelled.
"What do you think of today's incident?" She suddenly raised her small head and looked at Mu Yanming.
Mu Yanming turned his head and looked at her. His deep, dark - pool - like eyes stayed on her cherry - like lips that were opening and closing.
He felt a sense of confusion for no reason.
After getting into the carriage, Mo Qinghuan sat upright. Mu Yanming gently put his arm around her waist and let her lean limply in his arms.
Mo Qinghuan was extremely tired. Leaning in his arms, she didn't hear what he said clearly and fell asleep in his arms.
She didn't know when they arrived at the prince's mansion. Anyway, when she woke up, she was lying on the carved and hollowed - out pear - wood bed in the Sunlit Hall.
Through the bed curtain and the screen, she could vaguely see Mu Yanming sitting upright outside the hall. The incense burner was burning fruit - scented incense, which made people feel sweet but not cloying.
The curling incense smoke rose, making it hard to see the people outside.
She hugged the quilt and sat up. The brocade quilt instantly slipped to her lower abdomen, covering her stomach.
Perhaps hearing the noise inside, the person outside stood up, walked around the screen, came to the bedside, lifted the gauze curtain, and sat down.
He gently pinched her thin chin and said, "You didn't eat much in the evening. Are you hungry now? Let Dan'er go to the kitchen and bring you some snacks. How about that?"
Mo Qinghuan shook her head drowsily, blinked her eyes, covered her mouth with her hand and yawned. Her almond - shaped eyes were filled with a pool of spring water, and everything in front of her turned into scattered light. Even Mu Yanming in front of her became a double image.
Her voice was soft and gentle. "I don't want to eat."
She finally felt a little more comfortable and was afraid that the smell of the snacks would make her stomach churn, so she decided not to eat.
It started to rain heavily outside. The raindrops hit the window lattice, making a pattering sound. The rainwater dripped along the tiles onto the ground, splashing small water flowers.
Mu Yanming half - hugged her in his arms, with his chin resting on the little woman's head. Suddenly, a soft and fragrant smell entered his nose, which made his heart flutter. But when he thought of her increasingly thin body that had to nourish their child, he felt a pang of heartache.
Moreover, although he had such thoughts, he had to consider her body and didn't dare to touch her for fear of accidentally breaking her slender waist.
He made up his mind that he would never have another child in the future.
Mo Qinghuan saw Mu Yanming sitting there in a daze. "What time is it now? Why aren't you resting yet?"
After saying that, she looked up at Mu Yanming. His high nose bridge and strong jawline came into view. She felt Mu Yanming's hand on her waist suddenly tighten, and his body stiffened.
He cleared his throat. His voice was deep and hoarse. "It's almost midnight. I still have some things to deal with. You go to sleep first."
Mo Qinghuan just let out a soft "oh", sat up straight, motioned for him to go and get busy quickly, and then lay down on her side, not looking at him anymore.
Mu Yanming looked at the charming woman whose graceful figure couldn't be hidden even under the quilt. His Adam's apple rolled a few times. He put down the bed curtain and quickly walked out.
Bai Ke was surprised to see Mu Yanming coming out of the room. Then he saw him walking towards the cold pool in the back yard and immediately understood.
He sighed secretly, thinking that his prince was in his prime, but he couldn't touch the beauty in his arms. Every night, he had to get up in the middle of the night and soak in the cold pool in the back yard to suppress the fire in his body.
Even a person who had practiced martial arts all year round might not be able to bear it. It seemed that he had to talk to Uncle Zhong tomorrow and suggest to the princess that the prince should take a few concubines. It couldn't be that the prince continued like this.
Having made up his mind, he planned to go to Uncle Zhong early tomorrow morning.
When Mu Yanming came back from soaking in the cold pool, the person on the bed was already fast asleep. Her small body only occupied a small corner of the bed.
He lifted the quilt and got into bed. She naturally leaned towards him. But when she touched his slightly cold body, she frowned slightly and arched dissatisfiedly. Mu Yanming's fire flared up again.
The sleeping Mo Qinghuan felt that the temperature of Mu Yanming's body rose a little. Only then did her tightly - frowned eyebrows relax.
Mu Yanming looked at the small figure in his arms and sighed secretly. The cold - pool soak was in vain!