The Crimson Palace
Yan Yi watched the young master sitting in the courtyard, drinking for two hours straight, and couldn't help but say, "Young Master, please stop drinking, you'll get drunk."
"I won't," Yan Zhao said faintly, gazing at the bright moon high in the sky.
"Let me have a drink too," a clear and beautiful voice rang out.
Yan Zhao was startled, and looked up to see the maiden's peerlessly beautiful face, and her eyes brighter than the moon.
"Why aren't you welcoming me?" the maiden asked, sitting down uninvited.
"I dare not!" Yan Zhao said indifferently.
"Drinking alone is boring. I'll accompany you."
Yan Zhao looked up, his dark eyes reflecting specks of dazzling starlight.
So dazzling, so beautiful.
Seeing his silence, she smiled and asked, "Why aren't you welcoming me?"
Yan Zhao said faintly, "It's not that."
"Pour the wine," the maiden commanded.
With his slender, fair fingers, he picked up the wine pot, poured a cup, and handed it to her.
She took it, her fingers brushing against his cool ones. She frowned slightly, "Why are your hands so cold?"
She casually took his hand.
Yan Zhao looked up, his star-filled eyes shone like the Milky Way, slowly flowing into her heart.
She didn't know if it was the wine that made her drunk, or him.
A gust of evening breeze blew, awakening the lingering intoxication in her.
She blinked, looking at his astonishingly handsome face, and her heart skipped a beat.
She was truly drunk. Seeing his rosy lips, she felt an urge to kiss them.
No, these two words flashed in her mind.
Her mind thought of it, but her actions didn't quite follow. Following the force of his hand, she pressed her forehead against his.
"Your Majesty, you are drunk." He tried to push her away.
At this moment, her face suddenly lowered, and she kissed his lips.
A delicate fragrance wafted into his nostrils, carrying a hint of alcohol.
He pushed her away abruptly, his gaze tinged with a faint red, the fire of desire. Da Feng Novel Network.
"Your Majesty, you are drunk."
She shook her head, "No, I am not drunk."
"Your Majesty, look clearly, I am Yan Zhao." He said each word, his voice as cold as frost.
She looked up, meeting his eyes, now devoid of red and filled with frost. She smiled, "I know, you are Yan Zhao."
"You..." Yan Zhao was taken aback.
She stepped forward, grabbed his collar, her clear voice laced with a chilling intensity, and whispered word by word in his ear, "Yan Zhao, I will kill you."
Yan Zhao trembled. She pushed him away, held the wine, and sneered, "I drank this wine, and I assaulted you. From now on, you will not appear here."
With that, she turned and left.
Yan Zhao stood there, unmoving for a long time.
Yan Yi and Yan Er, who had witnessed the entire scene, looked at each other, dumbfounded. The scene had been too sensual and intense, leaving them unsure of how to react.
"Young Master..." Yan Er stepped forward, but stopped himself. He saw Yan Zhao's eyes were as cold and alluring as ever.
The Young Master was angry.
"Your Majesty, where did you go?" Xue Wenjie asked, seeing Xue Zining emerge from the Crimson Palace.
Xue Zining smiled and said, "I thought it would be a pity for Yan Zhao not to witness such a scene, so I went to accompany him."
Upon hearing this, Xue Wenjie sneered inwardly. Indeed, a beautiful appearance was useful. Xue Zining had gone to him without Yan Zhao doing anything.
Effortlessly.
"Your Majesty, you have drunk too much," Xue Wenjie said.
"I have had a bit too much. I'm going to rest." Xue Zining turned to go back.
"Your Majesty, I have a performance I'd like to invite Your Majesty to watch."
Xue Zining arrived late and saw Xue Wenjie's meaningful smile. She smiled and said, "Alright, I will go."
"Uncle, do you remember what my father looked like?"
Xue Zining suddenly asked.
Xue Wenjie was stunned. How could he not remember? That brother who was superior to him in every way.
Even the Empress he married was someone who had rejected him.
The Empress, his gaze turned a little red. That was the first person he had ever loved in his youth.
But she had rejected him, telling him, "Young Master Xue, I'm sorry, I love Xue Wendao."
At that time, he was heartbroken and drunk for three days. Within those three days, his brother married the woman he loved.
When they met again, she was his Imperial Sister-in-law, and he was her Imperial Younger Brother.
During the struggle for the throne, he asked her if she could continue to be his Empress if she were with him.
She implored him to take good care of her child.
And so, he placed her child on the throne.
Now, he wouldn't do that anymore. He wanted the throne. He had never wronged her; she had wronged him.
"Uncle..." Xue Zining said slowly.
Xue Wenjie came back to his senses and smiled, "Imperial Brother was very excellent."
Arriving at Chaoyang Palace
In the entire hall, there were only she and Xue Wenjie.
Noble Consort Chao and Xue Zixuan were not present.
"Uncle, where is the performance?" she asked.
Xue Wenjie sneered, clapped his hands, and a group of youths walked out, all handsome.
"Uncle, these are..." Xue Zining's gaze turned cold.
Xue Wenjie hooked a cold smile. "Your Majesty, these are carefully selected by me for Your Majesty's entertainment."
Xue Zining trembled all over and took a step back. "Uncle, I am not yet of age."
"Are you going to properly attend to His Majesty or not?" Xue Wenjie sneered.
The youths rushed forward, cornering Xue Zining on the bed.
Xue Wenjie sneered, his eyes filled with coldness. "May Your Majesty enjoy."
He closed the door.
Listening to the screams from inside, his entire face lit up with pleasure.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded from behind him. Xue Wenjie turned to see a palace maid.
The maid did not expect anyone to be there and instinctively looked up. Her eyes were bright and beautiful, like hers from before.
Xue Wenjie stepped forward. The maid was so frightened that she retreated, quickly kneeling on the ground. "Your servant did not mean to offend His Royal Highness the Regent. I beg for your..."
Before she could finish speaking, Xue Wenjie lifted her chin. Her delicate, pretty face turned pale with fear. Her bright, watery eyes showed a hint of terror, but this only intensified his desire.
"Who are you? Why have I never seen you in Chaoyang Palace?"
The maid trembled and said, "This... this servant is Wu Lian. I offended the young prince and am now a rough palace maid."
Xue Wenjie looked at the maid's hands, which she tried to hide, and indeed, her fair, tender fingers had become rough.
"What a pity," Xue Wenjie clicked his tongue twice.
Suddenly, the evening breeze blew, carrying with it a faint fragrance.
It was the scent of a maiden.
Xue Wenjie felt a restlessness in his body. At this moment, the sounds coming from inside made his senses even more acute.
He stepped forward, picked up Wu Lian, "Wu Lian, is it? Follow me, and I will grant you glory and wealth."
Wu Lian was shy, and a flicker of something unusual crossed her downcast eyes.
Half an hour later, Xue Wenjie adjusted his clothes and went to the main hall of Chaoyang Palace. He pushed open the door, expecting a scene that was not there.
Xue Wenjie's gaze turned cold. At this moment, he knew something was not right.