To A wu, Emperor Jingxi’s gestures tonight couldn’t truly make up for anything.
She would never be his lawfully wedded first wife, yet… compared to their past fleeting encounters, there was now a touch more reverence.
She was no longer a nameless dalliance to be casually discarded in Nanqiongzi.
A wu’s eyes stung slightly.
Just then, palace maids approached silently, unrolling a pearl-embroidered carpet with twin dragon motifs.
Upon it, they placed a long red- lacquered table adorned with four jewel-inlaid golden goblets bearing dragon patterns and two golden chalices.
A wu was puzzled.
She knew golden goblets were both drinking vessels and ceremonial objects; such lavish pieces likely weren’t used casually even in the palace, reserved only for grand rituals.
Yet Emperor Jingxi took her hand, leading her before the carpet where the chalices now held sweet fruit wine.
With one sleeve swept back, he lifted a chalice and handed it to her before taking the other.
Long fingers cradling gold, he gazed down at her with lowered lashes and a soft laugh.
A wu froze.
Before her stood a man of mature nobility, his imperial elegance woven into every strand of his being.
Yet he was smiling at her warm, radiant, like the brilliant sunlight of early spring.
She stared, entranced.
“On this rare night,” Emperor Jingxi murmured, “to share fine music with A wu-let us drink together, praying that from this moment, our days may be tender and fragrant with prosperity.”
Her heart seemed stolen away.
Blushing, she nodded dazedly and drank.
The fruit wine was rich and mellow, delicious enough to crave another sip.
She licked her lips.
But clearly, there would be no more—it was time to retire…
Silently, maids collected the chalices and withdrew.
The emperor guided A wu’s hand to his jade belt.
After a brief hesitation, understanding dawned.
She stepped forward to assist him in undressing.
His ceremonial dragon robe was intricate and formal; unfamiliar with its fastenings, she fumbled until his hands patiently guided hers, refusing to undo it himself—insisting those fingers serve him like a new bride’s.
Clumsy but determined, she finally loosened the imperial robes.
Beneath lay snow-white silk undergarments, soft against her touch.
Hesitating, she glanced up.
His gaze was encouraging, even bending slightly to accommodate her.
Rising on her toes, she continued until the inner garments slipped away.
After such effort, she couldn’t resist a furtive appraisal.
His form was perfection-broad shoulders, defined chest, a narrow waist-who could imagine such a powerful frame beneath those opulent robes?
He might have passed eighteen.
Mentally, she shaved a decade off his age!
Noticing her stolen glances, his amber eyes glinted with amusement.
“Do you know what comes next?”
Wide-eyed, she asked, “Your Majesty, what would you have me do?”
A blush tinged his brows as he smiled.
“What would you like to do?”
His voice, deep and velvety, teased her.
He was originally solemn and aloof, like an elegant inkstone-precious and steady-but now he had transformed into a flowing ink painting, his lowered gaze brimming with captivating beauty.
A wu blushed, stammering, “I can do anything?”
Emperor Jingxi gazed at her intently.
“Mm.”
Just a single word, yet it was filled with boundless indulgence, as if he would forever tolerate her audacity.
A wu bit her lip, thinking to herself that she wouldn’t hold back.
So what if he was the emperor?
He was still just a man!
Summoning her courage, she acted.
Afterward, she stole a glance at him.
He was still watching her silently, as if yielding to her completely.
A wu’s boldness surged.
Emperor Jingxi let out a muffled groan.
Startled, A wu quickly withdrew her fingers.
Her eyes lowered, her face burning, her heartbeat racing-she wished she could hide her face in shame!
Emperor Jingxi’s gaze also grew heated as he watched her flustered expression.
Slowly, he reached out and took her hand.
Then, with a smile, he said, “A wu, I like it when you help me undress.”
A wu felt all the blood rush to her face, scorching hot.
She didn’t dare look at him, keeping her head bowed, covering her burning cheeks as she pleaded softly, “Your Majesty, let’s just begin. I can’t take this anymore…”
If they kept staring at each other like this, her heart would explode.
She even felt his gaze and his smile were deliberate provocations.
Emperor Jingxi chuckled but didn’t tease her further.
Instead, he wrapped an arm around her waist, leaned down, and whispered in her ear, “Then let me help A wu undress.”
Her heart melted, dizzy with emotion, and she could only nod incoherently.
Everything that followed went smoothly-until the moment the brocade curtains fell, and a voice from outside respectfully greeted the emperor and wished him a peaceful rest.
By then, A wu was already limp in the emperor’s embrace, but at the sound, she tensed in alarm.
Emperor Jingxi signaled for her to stay silent before commanding, “Dismissed.”
The voice outside acknowledged, bowed, and withdrew.
The emperor’s large hand soothingly stroked A wu’s back.
The poor girl was frightened, her slender back arched like a kitten curled tightly in his arms, her hands clutching his waist as if afraid to let go.
Holding her hand, he explained in a low voice, “That was the court diarist, the imperial chronicler, and the eunuch from the Office of Imperial Affairs.”
A wu’s eyes widened.
So many people?
Had they been there the whole time?
Had they heard everything-how she had undressed the emperor?
Had she made any embarrassing sounds?
Realizing her distress, Emperor Jingxi pulled her tightly against him, stroking her back and murmuring reassuringly by her ear, “Don’t be afraid. They’ve withdrawn outside the hall now-they won’t hear us anymore.”
A wu vaguely understood they were originally stationed just outside the door, ready to respond to any summons.
For them to retreat beyond the hall was already an exceptional concession.
The emperor’s voice dropped even lower, almost a whisper.
“Just try to keep your voice down later, that’s all.”
A wu’s face burned.
Would she be loud?
She didn’t know.
Then a sudden thought struck her, and she widened her eyes, asking timidly, “They… they’re going to record this?”
Emperor Jingxi smiled at her stunned expression.
“Yes, they will.”
A wu: “Huh?”
Emperor Jingxi cradled her face in his hands, his light tea-colored eyes filled with unprecedented solemnity:
“A wu, matters of the imperial harem are to be recorded in the ‘Inner Court Diaries’ and ‘Imperial Annals.’ “
A wu bit her lip: “So this is how it is…”
She knew the rules, but experiencing it firsthand still felt strange.
The emperor’s long fingers tenderly stroked A wu’s soft hair:
“They will record it – Jingxi Year Eighteen, Bingzi cycle, Jiachen day, first quarter of Xu hour – the Emperor visited Langhua Palace, favoring Noble Consort Ning—”
His deep, mellow voice carried a solemn gravity that contrasted sharply with the intimate atmosphere.
This gave A wu an indescribable feeling.
She lifted her face, gazing at him in a daze.
This man was stern and imposing, his straight, narrow nose seemingly proclaiming his supreme authority.
Now, as emperor, he was visiting her, and all of this would be recorded, preserved, perhaps even read by future generations?
This was a matter so significant it would enter the historical records, becoming part of the annals of the Great Hui palace.
In truth, perhaps her name had already been written into history the moment she stepped into the forbidden inner court.
Emperor Jingxi’s thumb gently traced A wu’s lips as he murmured:
“A wu, now we shall begin.”
A wu looked blankly at the emperor before her: “H-how do we begin?”
She suddenly felt like she’d forgotten everything…
It was all too solemn, like performing some ritual, and A wu feared she wouldn’t perform well.
Emperor Jingxi declared: “I shall kiss you.”
His voice was tender, wrapped in lingering affection.
A wu was surprised, her lashes fluttering slightly.
She knew he didn’t want to kiss her.
Twice before she had deliberately asked – the first time he coldly turned away, the second he perfunctorily kissed her forehead.
As for the reason, A wu didn’t want to ask, didn’t want to know.
Never wanted to know.
In the dimly lit brocade curtains, the perceptive emperor naturally noticed his consort’s momentary dark mood.
He offered no explanation, simply cupping A wu’s cheeks before tilting his head to kiss her lips.
At first just lightly tracing her lip line, then tentatively deepening the kiss, his movements somewhat unpracticed.
A wu arched her neck, accepting his kiss.
Emperor Jingxi’s eyes half-closed as he thoroughly savored A wu’s sweetness inch by inch.
She was like autumn fruit, bursting with juice at the slightest bite, so sweet it made one want to drown.
As he kissed her, in this incomparable satisfaction, indistinct words escaped his throat: “I’ve never…”
The last few words were too soft, nearly a whisper, too intimate to discern.
A wu didn’t ask, simply lazily wrapped her arms around his neck and surrendered herself.
At some point someone seemed to announce their presence outside, to which the emperor growled a single “Leave.”
By then A wu’s vision was blurred with tears, her mind blank, hardly caring who might be outside.
Emperor Jingxi gripped A wu’s waist, his hoarse, domineering voice proclaiming above her:
“Ning A wu, you are mine! Your name will fill my imperial diaries!”
Perhaps centuries later, historians reading these visitation records would speculate how this supposedly decadent emperor who took his son’s consort became so obsessed with his new noble consort.
So obsessed that he broke centuries of Great Hui imperial tradition, even using the golden nuptial ceremonial vessels!
A wu had completely exhausted her strength, her fingertips drooping limply by the jade pillow as she lay there breathing shallowly.
Emperor Jingxi wrapped his long arm around her and drew her close.
At this moment, A wu’s eyes were damp and dazed, her thoughts scattered.
Instinctively, she pressed her delicate face against the man’s firm chest and clung tightly to his lean, muscular waist.
The emperor’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly-she really was like a little puppy, instinctively nestling against him.
He smoothed her damp, disheveled hair and said, “Catch your breath for a moment, then I’ll call the attendants in to assist you.”
Truthfully, Emperor Jingxi disliked being seen in such an intimate state, but servants were necessary to handle the aftermath.
A wu’s mind was still a muddled mess, so she simply nodded faintly.
“Mm.”
And so the two of them lay entwined, the bedchamber quiet and warm.
A wu curled her toes in contentment, feeling utterly blissful.