Without money, what is the point of being a traitor?

Chapter 697 Like the Old Story of Grand Tutor Dong
Pei Yuan scratched his head, unable to think of a good solution for the moment.

He steeled himself, leaned forward, and hugged Empress Xia, who was wrapped in a quilt and hiding in the corner of the bed, trying to move her closer to him.

Empress Xia was taken aback. "What are you doing?!"

She was already sitting on the bed with her legs curled up, and to avoid Pei Yuan's rudeness, she had her arms tightly gripping the corner of the blanket. She was completely helpless as Pei Yuan dragged her over and hugged her.

Pei Yuan deliberately used his hand to restrain Empress Xia's arm, preventing her from escaping under the covers.

Then, looking at the beautiful woman so close to him, he couldn't help but kiss her on the cheek.

Empress Xia's eyes blazed with fury, turning red and warm, and she immediately opened her mouth to bite Pei Yuan.

The last incident happened in a dark room, and Pei Yuan's sudden night attack caused her to lose her composure.

Now that it's broad daylight and Empress Xia is exceptionally clear-headed, she naturally won't let Pei Yuan take advantage of her again.

Seeing that Empress Xia's small white teeth looked fierce, Pei Yuan didn't dare to get too close and cause any trouble.

He would be leaving through the Qianqing Gate later, and if the guards or eunuchs discovered that his lip was cut, it would be a matter of life and death.

Pei Yuan was not entirely willing to simply release Empress Xia.

He had a sudden inspiration. While dodging Empress Xia's wild bites, he trapped her under the covers and used his feet to push the covers aside and slip inside.

Empress Xia was sitting curled up, and Pei Yuan was holding her in his arms.

The two were entangled on the bed, their positions already quite awkward.

Pei Yuan felt something warm and soft where he touched it, but he couldn't tell if it was Empress Xia's thigh or buttocks.

Empress Xia struggled even more fiercely after being touched by Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan's lust grew stronger, and he couldn't help but slide his foot up the soft curves, his arch touching Empress Xia's smooth buttocks.

The palace was quite cold, and Empress Xia was wrapped in a robe under the covers.

Even so, Pei Yuan could still feel the soft, supple flesh through the thick clothing.

Pei Yuan felt as if half of his leg was going to go numb.

Empress Xia, teased and caressed by Pei Yuan, struggled with shame and indignation, and couldn't help but cry out in bitterness, "Pei Yuan, are you trying to force me to my death?"

Pei Yuan really wanted to say, "Last time, even Lian Rang touched me, and nothing happened, right?"

But they also knew that Empress Xia was emotionally agitated at the moment, and that it was the perfect time to say something that might lead to a mistake.

He immediately stopped moving around.

Empress Xia was too weak and exhausted from struggling. She leaned weakly against Pei Yuan's chest and cried silently.

Empress Xia's expression was somewhat sorrowful and numb, and the quilt she had been tightly wrapped around herself was now disheveled from her earlier movements.

Pei Yuanjun paused for a moment before realizing that his feet were still pressed against Empress Xia's body, and he could even feel the slightly cool, delicate skin beneath her clothes.

He pulled the quilt over Empress Xia's head a little tighter, still holding it in his arms, and then said, "Don't all the palace bedrooms have heated kang beds? I'll have Li Zhang check them later to see if this one is still usable."

"What good is a charcoal brazier like this?"

As Pei Yuan spoke, his large hand, which was tidying the blankets, couldn't help but slip inside.

Empress Xia offered little resistance as Pei Yuan's warm hand held her heart.

Perhaps it was Empress Xia's brief period of numbness and compliance that made Pei Yuan less eager to take any action.

He couldn't help but ask Empress Xia, "What's the use?"

Seeing that Empress Xia completely ignored him.

Pei Yuan was silent for a moment, then said with a slightly sarcastic tone, "You're not still hoping for it, are you?"

Pei Yuan's hands slowly kneaded, making no attempt to hide his villainous nature, and he said mockingly,

"What future do you think you two have?"

"There is no future..."

Perhaps it concerns myself.

Empress Xia's expression finally shifted slightly.

Pei Yuan tentatively kissed her, and seeing that Empress Xia only slightly dodged, Pei Yuan said again, "That Prince Ning's heir is a generation older than that Empress Dowager Zhang."

"Even in the future, where else can you go besides this Zhuofang Garden?"

"Perhaps, by then, even the Demon Queen will want to join your side."

This time, Empress Xia turned her attention to Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan met her gaze and explained, "I'm not with her. I was going to explain that to you."

Empress Xia continued to look coldly at Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan remembered his original purpose and said somewhat awkwardly, "I originally wanted to talk to you about something serious, but I was afraid you wouldn't believe me, and I didn't know how to gain your trust."

Empress Xia pinched Pei Yuan's hand hard with her slender hand, gritting her teeth as she said, "So this is how you treat me."

Pei Yuan endured the pain in his hand and shamelessly offered his explanation.

"Otherwise what? I risked the extermination of my entire family to come see you, so I can't come for nothing."

Empress Xia was so angry upon hearing this that she almost didn't know what to say. "You also know that it would result in the extermination of nine generations of your family?"

Pei Yuan recalled what happened last time and teased, "Because I'm bold."

Pei Yuan winced slightly from the pinch from this delicate beauty and tried to shake her off, so he deliberately diverted Empress Xia's attention by saying, "May I ask, Your Majesty, according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, has my risky trip into the palace been worthwhile?"

As he spoke, he stroked the other hand with his hand and tightened his legs to hold Empress Xia in his arms.

Empress Xia was shocked by Pei Yuan's shamelessness and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Pei Yuan moved his arm, lifting the tightly wrapped brocade quilt slightly to reveal Empress Xia's delicate collarbone beneath her disheveled clothes.

Pei Yuan was so moved by the sight that he couldn't help but pull Empress Xia around by the shoulders and kiss her.

The warm breath on Empress Xia's fair neck made her skin tremble involuntarily.

She tried to resist, but Pei Yuan had already kissed her chin forcefully, lightly touching her lips to the tip of her nose, his gaze fixed intently on Empress Xia.

He asked, "How about this?"

Pei Yuan was already quite good-looking, and had the appearance of a very strong and masculine man.

Given Empress Xia's deep hatred for Pei Yuan, she honestly couldn't bring herself to feel any disgust towards such an invasion.

Taking advantage of Empress Xia's bewildered distraction, Pei Yuan boldly kissed her lips, even flicking his tongue to try and coax her to spit out the clove.

Pei Yuan, a seasoned man, seeing that his plan had failed and fearing that Empress Xia would react, immediately withdrew his attack and looked into Empress Xia's eyes with a light smile, "How about this?"

Perhaps it was Pei Yuan's repeated teasing that made Empress Xia's angry gaze come alive again, and she began to struggle and resist once more.

Pei Yuan teased Empress Xia several times, and eventually convinced himself.

Damn it, I risked having my entire family executed twice just for this woman.

Given all his past actions, what difference does it make whether he still wants her or not?
He wasn't the right man for Empress Xia, so why should he wait to win her heart? Pei Yuan made up his mind, and his gaze towards Empress Xia became aggressive.

Empress Xia had never looked at a man so closely before, and she couldn't bear the intense pressure in his gaze, so she turned her head away.

Pei Yuan looked at the woman who was unaware of the danger ahead, pinned her down, and forcefully ripped off the quilt wrapped around her, throwing it aside.

Empress Xia shivered from the chill outside.

Pei Yuan reached directly into her skirt, and Empress Xia's eyes widened in disbelief.

Having confirmed the style of the clothes, Pei Yuan went to untie the bindings.

Empress Xia then struggled to her feet, crying out in alarm, "You audacious scoundrel, what are you doing?!"

Taking advantage of Empress Xia's struggle, Pei Yuan quickly untied his inner garment from under her skirt, then lifted his robe and loosened the sash.

Empress Xia finally panicked and cried out in a trembling voice, "Pei Yuan, how dare you defile the inner palace!"

But those long, white legs that were kicking and kicking fiercely outside her skirt were not intimidating at all; on the contrary, they made Pei Yuan fall head over heels for them.

He grabbed her roughly, kissing her on both sides, as if he wanted to bite and chew her up, and his excitement grew.

Empress Xia was weak, and after struggling for a few moments, her legs went weak.

She silently turned her head and shed tears, letting Pei Yuan wrap his long legs around her waist.

Pei Yuan glanced back at the blanket lying to the side, hastily covered the two of them with it, and then leaned against it without hesitation.

Pei Yuan felt an immense sense of pleasure as he thought that the woman he possessed was the most noble woman in the world.

Empress Xia was like a white rabbit being torn apart by a bear, resigned to her fate and allowed Pei Yuan to do as he pleased.

Aside from his skin, which was initially cool, gradually warming up, he remained sorrowful, showing no change in expression.

When Pei Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief, Empress Xia, who had been expressionless, suddenly became horrified and asked Pei Yuan anxiously, "Is this...?"

Pei Yuan ignored her and waited until he caught his breath before pulling Empress Xia into a tighter embrace and saying languidly, "From now on, be my woman."

Empress Xia exclaimed in shock and anger, "Are you insane?!"

She was pinned down by Pei Yuan and couldn't move, but her hands frantically searched the bed for a handkerchief that she had thrown away somewhere.

Pei Yuan turned to the side and hugged her tightly again.

Empress Xia then seemed to realize that nothing could be changed.

Her body went limp, and she curled up silently.

A moment later, a hoarse, whimpering voice came from Pei Yuan's arms, "I won't let you go!"

Pei Yuan, with the beauty in his arms, said calmly and coldly, "Then you should live well and let us torment each other."

This was a fate I imposed on her, and I didn't care whether she liked it or not.

Pei Yuan had nothing to say about this.

Xia Qing was unfortunate, and even after meeting Pei Yuan, she wasn't much luckier.

Pei Yuan held the soft, beautiful woman in his arms, feeling her stubborn hatred, and teased her in a bullying manner until he succeeded once again.

Pei Yuan was afraid of missing the evening drum and being unable to leave the imperial city, so he dared not linger here for too long.

He got up and straightened his clothes.

Pei Yuan himself was sweating, and he was also worried that Empress Xia would catch a cold.

When you reach out and touch her, Empress Xia's body is only warm.

There was no heart-fluttering excitement, nor any fiery passion.

Pei Yuan tucked the blanket around Empress Xia and said calmly, "Empress, there's no need to worry. You were going to end up in my hands anyway; it was just a matter of time."

"Winners always have the right to reward themselves. Can a beauty like you escape it?"

After saying that, Pei Yuan leaned down and kissed Empress Xia's lips, then forcefully pried open Empress Xia's teeth with the tip of his tongue.

Empress Xia opened her mouth to bite, but Pei Yuan dodged in time.

Pei Yuan stood up smugly and smiled, "Let's go, I'll try again next time."

Empress Xia stared intently at Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan calmly asked again, "Does the Empress have any message to convey to the Earl of Qingyang?"

Empress Xia knew that Pei Yuan was threatening her, and couldn't help but yell, "Get out!"

Pei Yuan was pleased with himself, thinking that Grand Tutor Dong was nothing special. He didn't press the matter further and left the bedchamber.

Pei Yuan was startled as soon as he pushed open the door.

The sun had already set, and it was about to disappear behind the mountains.

Although he entered the palace to see Empress Dowager Zhang early this morning, he was left waiting at Qianqing Gate for most of the day, and then spent a lot of time with Empress Xia. It looked like he would miss leaving the palace if he delayed any longer.

Upon seeing Pei Yuan emerge, Li Zhang's gaze swept over Pei Yuan's wrinkled robes discreetly before he smiled and stepped forward to say, "It's getting late. This old servant was just about to urge the commander to hurry up."

Pei Yuan hummed in agreement and glanced at the two pale-faced palace maids.

A man from outside the palace had been in the Empress's bedchamber for so long, and there were those kinds of noises coming from within. Anyone who wasn't stupid could guess what had happened.

Li Zhang, who was always good at reading people, said from the side, "Don't worry, Commander, they are sensible people."

Then, he deliberately said to the two of them, "If anything is investigated, the first people the palace will deal with are the two of them."

The two women hurriedly replied, "We wouldn't dare."

The incident where Pei Yuan broke into their home last time was enough to kill these two; how could they possibly be so reckless now?

Li Zhang then gently reprimanded, "Neither of you were born from a rock. Even if not for yourselves, you should think more about your families."

The two palace maids were almost in tears, and swore oaths again and again.

Seeing this, Li Zhang nodded in satisfaction, and then whispered to Pei Yuan, "The Empress still needs someone to serve her. Rather than replacing her with a stranger, it would be better to keep the two of them."

Pei Yuan nodded, agreeing with Li Zhang's arrangement.

We can't just kill him every time he comes here.

Besides, Empress Xia also needs someone to take care of her and cover for her.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuan asked Li Zhang, "I heard you say last time that the palace bedrooms all have heated kang beds, why doesn't the Empress's have one?"

Li Zhang immediately realized that Commander Pei must be dissatisfied with Empress Xia's situation. He quickly explained, "Some palaces do have heated beds, but this Zhuofang Garden... was specially chosen by the Empress Dowager."

Pei Yuan turned around and glanced back.

If it weren't for him having Li Zhangzhao comply, Empress Xia probably wouldn't have survived the winter living in this desolate palace and eating cold food every day.

No wonder Empress Xia was still paying attention to Empress Dowager Zhang's affairs even when they were in such a predicament.

One woman wanted to kill them all, while the other harbored a grudge. There was some room for maneuver between them.

(End of this chapter)