No, no, no, it's not like this.
Qin Huaiqiu covered his forehead in a state of collapse.
Consummation of marriage? What kind of consummation of marriage? Wasn't he supposed to avoid this consummation?
Really, he had completely lost his head.
Lost in thought about this matter, Qin Huaiqiu couldn't remember how he got up later, how he sat down beside Sikong Ting, and numbly picked up the nuptial wine and drank it under the entourage of the palace servants.
The ear was filled with a string of auspicious words from the palace servants, and in front of him was the handsome yet somewhat imposing face of the young emperor.
By the time Qin Huaiqiu came to his senses, the palace servants had already retreated, leaving only him and the emperor in the room.
The atmosphere was a bit solemn. Neither Qin Huaiqiu nor Sikong Ting took the initiative to speak first.
Finally, Qin Huaiqiu, who couldn't bear it any longer, took the first action. He stole a glance at the emperor sitting beside him, rolled his eyes, his heart pounding. Stammering, he said:
"Your, Your Majesty, do you want to rest?"
No, Qin Huaiqiu, how could you say that?
Why bring up the most sensitive topic?
Self - loathing like this, he met Sikong Ting's long and narrow phoenix eyes.
For some reason, Qin Huaiqiu instinctively felt that these eyes were dangerous, completely different from the gentle and benevolent emperor he had imagined. Every part of his body was screaming to escape.
But the next moment, he heard the emperor say:
"Is Consort De tired today?"
The voice was deep, gentle, and full of concern.
Qin Huaiqiu was in a daze again. Had he just overthought it?
How could the emperor look at him with such a cold gaze?
Before he could figure it out, he heard Sikong Ting say:
"Then, Consort De, let's go to rest."
Rest?
No, it's not okay.
He didn't want to rest at all. His identity must not be exposed.
But at this moment, Sikong Ting was already very close to him. Qin Huaiqiu felt the warm breath of Sikong Ting brushing against his face. The emperor almost enclosed most of his body in his arms. The agarwood scent on his body aggressively drilled into Qin Huaiqiu's nose, making the atmosphere even more ambiguous.
Damn it, stay away from me!
Qin Huaiqiu's scalp went numb. Looking at Sikong Ting's approaching face, he gritted his teeth. With a trembling hand, he placed it on Sikong Ting's shoulder. Hidden from the emperor's sight, he closed his five fingers together, aiming at the back of his neck. But on his lips, he said:
"This, this..."
In fact, Qin Huaiqiu hadn't figured out how to avoid sleeping with the emperor that night at all. But rather than being exposed after the two of them got intimate, he would rather bear the charge of harming the emperor's body and refusing to serve the emperor. He thought that, considering the Qin family, at most he would be left in the cold.
Being left in the cold might be the best outcome for him.
After making up his mind, Qin Huaiqiu's originally resistant movements changed. He even actively placed his hand on Sikong Ting's shoulder.
At that moment, being so nervous, he didn't notice that the emperor's body stiffened for a moment. Then a look of surprise flashed across his eyes, and his eyes darkened completely.
"Heh, it seems Consort De can't wait."
"Then, Consort De, let's..."
The man's breath got closer, and his hand seemed to reach out. Qin Huaiqiu's mind went blank. Gritting his teeth, he was about to strike.
But:
"What do you think I'll say next? And what will I do?"
Sikong Ting's voice suddenly turned cold.
"Just like you, pretending not to know anything and going on?"
"No, even if it's just for show, I won't touch you.
"You make me feel sick, Qin Huailian."
..................................................
"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, Her Ladyship Consort De, it's time. You need to pay respects to the Empress Dowager today."
...
The grand eunuch didn't like doing this kind of thing, waking up the emperor and the concubines to pay respects after the conferment ceremony.
The emperor was wise and mighty and wouldn't hold it against him. But those newly favored concubines were different. The women in the harem were eager to be by the emperor's side all the time for favor.
But the grand eunuch didn't expect that waking them up this time would be so easy. It was just that the two people involved were a bit strange.
There were dark circles under Qin Huaiqiu's eyes. Even though he knew the emperor wouldn't touch him last night, he couldn't fall asleep, let alone after hearing what the emperor said before going to bed.
Qin Huailian, what had she done to make the emperor so angry?
Normally, Qin Huaiqiu should have been more partial to his younger sister who grew up with him. If it were before, he would have given both of them a scolding and wouldn't have blamed Qin Huailian entirely.
But after the elopement incident, Qin Huaiqiu didn't dare to trust his younger sister at all.
He even felt that he had never really known his twin sister. Otherwise, how could the elopement incident have happened right under his nose?
Getting up carefully, he looked at Sikong Ting surrounded by the palace servants, only to find that the emperor also had dark circles under his eyes. Presumably, he hadn't slept well either.
Indeed, sleeping in the same bed with someone you hated, even if there was a distance of two people between them, was enough to be annoying.
Sensing Qin Huaiqiu's gaze, Sikong Ting just deliberately avoided it.
It wasn't that his temper had improved. Instead, he had discovered something. His gynophobia didn't seem to work on Qin Huaiqiu.
He had noticed this when he deliberately got close to Qin Huaiqiu yesterday.
And this night had further confirmed his guess.
Could it be that those people from the Imperial Observatory were actually right?
Just thinking that his gynophobia might be cured by Consort De, Sikong Ting had an indescribable feeling.
No, I don't want it. If my heirs can only be born by Consort De, then I'd rather never get better and never have children!
Fortunately, no matter what they thought, they obediently started to dress and wash up.
But when more than a dozen maids walked in with their heads down, holding the palace dress embroidered with a four - tailed phoenix, Qin Huaiqiu finally realized something.
So I have to wear this kind of clothes every day from now on?
The young master's heart was completely broken.
Sikong Ting had already finished getting dressed. Looking at Qin Huaiqiu standing there stiffly, he frowned. Not wanting to waste any more time, he said:
"Don't like the four - tailed phoenix? Do you prefer the five - tailed one?"
The four - tailed phoenix was for the consort rank, while the five - tailed one was for the queen.
Sikong Ting's words were extremely vicious.
It was just like pointing at Qin Huaiqiu's nose and asking if he was coveting the position of the queen.
"Ah? … I, your servant dare not." Qin Huaiqiu quickly changed his words. Last night, the emperor could hide his true feelings well in front of others. Why was he so unscrupulous today?
Could it be that whether one sleeps well or not has such a great impact on a person?