You take on two husbands, I'll turn around and marry the tyrant and rule the world.

The hall was pitch black, with only a faint moonlight filtering through the windows, barely outlining the silhouettes of people.

Chu Nianci vaguely saw a tall, slender figure radiating an extremely soft glow.

She emerged from the water and could feel his gaze linger on her for a moment.

Although the exact location of the impact was unclear, the brief moment of focus was real.

She wasn't embarrassed or annoyed; on the contrary, she found it rather amusing.

Having experienced life, she naturally understood that young people at this age always have a natural curiosity about the opposite sex.

Even though he was the emperor, he was still a young man, and his emotions and desires were no different from those of ordinary people.

She rested her elbows on the edge of the pool, looked up at where he was standing, and said in a soft, gentle voice, "Your Majesty, if you would like to see closer..."

Duanmu Qingyu felt a tightness in her throat and her cheeks flushed slightly.

He was just momentarily distracted; he wasn't deliberately staring at that spot.

Her pointing it out made me seem like I had ulterior motives.

But he heard the soft sound of water.

Chu Nianci had already submerged in the water and swam to this side of the pool in a few strokes.

He didn't say anything, but simply raised his hand and removed the hairpin that held his hair back. His long hair instantly spread out, casting a dark shadow on the dim water. In the misty water and gloom, his silhouette seemed as tall and straight as bamboo. As he approached, he stirred up tiny ripples on the water, which rippled all the way to her.

She deliberately slipped suddenly.

Duanmu Qingyu almost instinctively reached out and hugged her.

In the darkness, the warm spring water mingled with each other's body heat.

Chu Nianci then truly felt that his arms were strong and powerful, and his chest was broader than he had imagined. He had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, a wasp waist, and a broad back. Perhaps because he often played polo, his chest and arms were covered with a layer of well-proportioned muscles, with clean lines and a powerful presence.

Water droplets rolled down his firm muscles, shimmering faintly in the hazy light.

In the darkness, Duanmu Qingyu could only vaguely see the red mole between her eyebrows, reflecting her wet eyelashes, glistening clumps of hair, slightly parted lips, and her water-soaked contours.

Duanmu Qingyu's Adam's apple bobbed.

He suddenly became certain.

He loved this woman, inside and out, top and bottom.

I like her sly smile, I like the innocence she occasionally reveals, and I like her seemingly docile but inwardly proud and untamed appearance even more.

The difficulty wasn't winning her over, but rather winning over her proud, untamed, and unruly heart.

This thought stirred a warmth in his heart, and a distinct desire to conquer quietly rose within him.

Duanmu Qingyu pressed closer from behind, his kisses tracing down her earlobe...

The surroundings were so quiet that you could hear the very faint sound of the water clock.

After a long while, drop by drop, as if to shatter the blissful dream of lingering intimacy, her body gradually became hot, as if a raging fire was burning within her.

The kiss deepened and lingered, as if he were swallowing all her breath. Dragons leaped and swirled across the sky, dazzling her eyes, and she gradually sank into a hazy, ever-deepening dream...

After a passionate lovemaking session.

Duanmu Qingyu seemed to have suddenly become a different person.

The mask that once stood tall and imposing has fallen off again.

At this moment, he was like an insatiable wild lion, his deep eyes fixed on her.

In the pool, on the shore, in the water... Chu Nianci was exhausted from his rough treatment, drenched in sweat and almost falling apart.

Chu Nianci then realized that she was wrong.

It's no use being mentally prepared; this body is still inexperienced and simply can't handle it.

In the end, she almost fainted, and before losing consciousness, she had only one thought: This man in bed...it's terrifying.

Where's the sickly guy I was promised?

How could this happen... A tyrant, a complete tyrant!

Did he expend all his energy from two lifetimes on her?

Chu Nianci was genuinely scared; she regretted flirting with him like that.

She tried to push him away, but she didn't even have the strength to lift her hand. She could only gasp for breath and beg for mercy, "I really can't take it anymore... Your Majesty, I can't bear it."

"As long as the green hills remain, Your Majesty... you should go to court... um..."

Duanmu Qingyu silenced her with a kiss once more, in the dim light.

When his satisfied eyes, slightly languid and dreamy, stared at Chu Nianci, it was like a leopard lying in the jungle, elegantly watching its prey.

After what seemed like an eternity, he turned her limp body around to face him and gently patted her face: "You've slept for a whole day and night, aren't you hungry? Get up and eat something."

"A whole day and night?" Chu Nianci trembled in fright. "His Majesty didn't go to court? If those old ministers find out, they'll definitely accuse me of being a vile concubine who brought ruin to the country..."

Duanmu Qingyu chuckled softly, rolled over and pinned her down, his breath hot: "I've already taken sick leave, so you can rest assured and be my 'femme fatale'."

He leaned close to her ear and softened his tone, "Lie down a little longer, no rush, I've already taken the day off tomorrow."

Chu Nianci didn't even bother to move her fingertips, muttering in a hoarse voice, "A tyrant..."

"You still have the energy to curse?" Duanmu Qingyu laughed. "Haven't I satisfied you yet?"

His hand rose and caressed her, and Chu Nianci quickly blushed... His touch made her feel hot all over.

My body involuntarily went limp.

"Your Majesty... um..." Before she could finish speaking, he covered her mouth again.

As the first light of dawn broke, everything finally returned to calm.

Chu Nianci woke up again the next morning.

She felt weak all over, and even moving her fingers was difficult. She found herself lying on the imperial couch by the hot spring, but she was all alone. Duanmu Qingyu had already left.

Her snow-white skin was covered with marks left from last night, which looked rather jarring.

She propped herself up, trying to get up, but then remembered the palace rules... After serving the emperor, one must bow to the empress.

Just as he was about to reluctantly get off the bed, the palace door opened slightly, and a line of palace maids filed in carrying toiletries.

Aunt Lan was still in charge.

Upon seeing Aunt Lan, Chu Nianci's face flushed slightly: "Aunt Lan, thank you for troubling me again."

Aunt Lan's eyes were filled with joy, but she remained perfectly composed, leading everyone to bow and saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

After she got up, she smiled and said, "His Majesty went to the morning court at dawn. Seeing that you were sleeping soundly, he specially ordered that you not be disturbed."

"Today I must also pay my respects to Her Majesty the Empress..." Chu Nianci said as she was about to get up.

"His Majesty has given instructions," Aunt Lan said softly, "Your Highness should rest well today, and you can pay your respects tomorrow."

Chu Nianci awaits the next installment... the contraceptive soup.

After waiting for a while, Aunt Lan came forward and started fixing her makeup.

She was taken aback.

Duanmu Qingyu probably doesn't want to have a child.

He wasn't a soft-hearted person, but unexpectedly, he made an exception for her this time.

Thinking this, her ears burned, and she lowered her head.

Aunt Lan thought she was shy, so she pretended not to see her and, together with another palace maid, helped her up and served her to wash and change her clothes.

"Why is Auntie working here?" Chu Nianci asked casually.

"From now on, I will be the head maid in your palace," Aunt Lan replied gently. "However, your palace is still under renovation, so I will be able to serve you in a few days."

Chu Nianci's heart stirred slightly... He had even arranged all of this.

With boundless surprise and gratitude on her face, she knelt down and bowed to the front hall to express her thanks.

Among these palace maids, there's someone in the middle who's a spy for Duanmu Qingyu, to see if she'll become arrogant because of the emperor's favor.

He dislikes women who follow the rules, but he dislikes even more women who act recklessly.

If she becomes arrogant after just having served the emperor, she will probably fall out of favor even faster!

Aunt Lan was somewhat moved by her polite manners.

He stepped forward to help her up, concealing the calculating look in his eyes. When he looked up, his smile was pure, and his face held just the right amount of surprise.

No one could find a single fault with it.

She rested at Tangquan Palace until lunchtime before slowly getting up and leaving.

The imperial eunuch Jingxi rushed over and presented a scroll of silk to the young mistress, saying, "His Majesty instructed me to deliver this to the young mistress."

Chu Nianci unfolded it and saw that it was a love poem: "I wish your heart were like mine, then I would never betray your love."

This was her reply to the poem written on an old handkerchief: "My heart is like a rock, your heart is like flowing water. If you want me to know you, I must become you, and you become me."

Chu Nianci sighed inwardly.

He believed he would never betray his love.

But how much of the king's emotions can this lovemaking bind?

She's not that naive.

Upon exiting the gate, one sees an eight-bearer imperial carriage parked in front of it.

Aunt Lan was secretly startled. There had never been a concubine in the harem who had served the emperor for two consecutive days, let alone been sent back in a carriage.

This Consort Hui is indeed special in His Majesty's heart.

Jingxi stepped forward respectfully: "Your Highness, His Majesty has instructed this servant to escort you back to the palace."

Chu Nianci nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, sir."

"If I may be so bold," Jingxi said in a low voice, "in all these years of serving His Majesty, I have never seen him care for any other concubine so much. Your Highness, His Majesty truly dotes on you."

Chu Nianci blushed slightly, but her heart remained calm.

One imperial carriage was enough to make him want to prostrate himself on the ground.

Duanmu Qingyu was only interested in her new body; it was uncertain how long this favor would last.

She won't be blinded by such superficial favor.

But it doesn't matter... A skilled hunter often needs the most patience, and she has no shortage of patience.

Although Duanmu Qingyu loves her body.

But if one relies on beauty to please others, how long can one enjoy peace and stability? It is quite normal for love to fade as beauty diminishes.

I felt a sense of novelty towards her.

I wouldn't say I like him, let alone love him.

She had to make Duanmu Qingyu keep her in his heart before his initial infatuation with her wore off.

As she descended the mountain, she admired the scenery along the way while silently pondering...

Then she suddenly thought of a very serious problem.

Empress Lin...

No matter how secretly this imperial bath was conducted, it couldn't fool the Empress.

After all, the records of the concubines in the palace all went through her...