The memories of that period gradually came back, flooding in like a tide.
She actually called him by his first name...and...
Xie Hengwu paused, then silently pulled up the brocade quilt and covered half of his face.
Xiao Yanzhou didn't rush her, but looked straight at her with dark eyes.
It was very quiet in the dormitory, and Xie Hengwu heard the sound of fireworks outside that had not yet stopped.
Today is New Year’s Eve…
"Your Majesty, I am..."
Xie Hengwu muttered, not knowing where to start.
Are you asking why he came back today, or are you asking about the matter between King Qin and the Queen Mother, or are you asking about between them?
Finally, she asked the simplest question.
"How long have I been asleep?"
"It's been about an hour, but it's not midnight yet." Xiao Yanzhou was still playing with the jade ring on his fingertips, "Your maid is eager to see you, do you want to pass it on to her now?"
...Yes, Li Luo was pushed away at that time and did not follow.
"Where is she?" Xie Hengwu pulled the brocade quilt down again and exposed his face.
"Just outside, you..." Xiao Yanzhou's eyes swept over her body under the brocade quilt, with an ambiguous smile on his lips, "If you are willing, let her in now."
Xie Hengwu thought of something under the hint in his eyes, his face heated up, and he said weakly: "No need, just wait a while."
She sat up slowly, and the brocade quilt slipped from her shoulders, revealing the messy and loose skirt.
The pink coat was looming on his chest. Xie Hengwu lowered his head, first tightened the skirt of his clothes quickly, and then asked in surprise: "Your Majesty, we don't have...?"
Xiao Yanzhou raised his eyebrows: "In your heart, is Gu such a person who takes advantage of others' danger?"
Xie Hengwu was speechless for a moment and subconsciously pursed his lips, hurt by the wound on his lips.
When she hissed, she heard Xiao Yanzhou say:
"You were unconscious at the time, and all your actions were caused by the medicine, not your sincerity. I don't have a habit of forcing others to do things, so it is enough to remove the power of the medicine for you."
Xie Hengwu's eyelashes trembled and he said softly: "Your Majesty... thank you very much."
Xiao Yanzhou laughed: "I'm sorry you still remember to call me Your Majesty."
"How about it? Can you pronounce Gu's name smoothly?"
Heat rose on Xie Hengwu's face, and she vaguely remembered that the person in front of her was forcing her to call him "Yanzhou" before her bliss was about to come.
If she refused, he would not move.
She was really tortured by him, and she whimpered and called out many times.
She dodged her eyes and whispered: "I know that I was wrong. Please forgive me for the crime of disrespect."
"If I want to punish you, can you still sit here quietly?"
"I already told you my name, so it doesn't hurt to tell you my name."
Xiao Yanzhou stopped fiddling with the jade ring, took her hand, and traced two words on her palm.
Xie Hengwu was stunned, never expecting that he would tell him his confession.
The word "emperor" is something even more obscure than a name.
Yucheng.
I didn't expect Xiao Yanzhou to look so gloomy and unpredictable, but the word he gave himself was quite positive.
Xie Hengwu was puzzled and raised his eyes to meet Xiao Yanzhou's black glass eyes.
"take note of it?"
Xie Hengwu nodded, wondering if Xiao Yanzhou would let her scream again.
Xiao Yanzhou didn't let her shout again, and just asked: "How can you be sure that you are alone?"
Xie Hengwu reacted for a few seconds before he understood what he was asking.
She pointed to the sachet on Xiao Yanzhou's waist and said softly, "Only your majesty will wear something given by my concubine."
Xiao Yanzhou smiled, but he looked angry: "You mean, whoever wears it will be alone?"
"Of course not." Xie Hengwu frowned, thinking to himself how someone could confuse right and wrong like this. "This is just a piece of evidence. How to recognize His Majesty, probably... it feels like this."
Xiao Yanzhou raised his eyebrows: "How does it feel?"
He felt that she was perfunctory with him.
However, Xie Hengwu nodded solemnly, his eyes shining brightly: "Seriously, as soon as I saw His Majesty, I felt...this must be His Majesty."
Xiao Yanzhou reluctantly accepted this statement, but was still uncomfortable with the look in her eyes, so he turned away slightly stiffly:
"What will you do if you don't come back?"
Xie Hengwu blinked and said slowly after a while: "If His Majesty has not returned, I...I will go to Eunuch Zhao first and ask him to take me back to Shicui Palace, and then find...Yi Jiang."
Xiao Yanzhou immediately raised his eyebrows and said displeasedly: "Do you want Doctor Jiang to see you like this?"
Xie Hengwu choked. He really didn't expect that he would be more serious than Dr. Jiang.
"My body will be covered with a curtain so that Imperial Doctor Jiang can't see it."
She retorted without confidence.
Xiao Yanzhou snorted coldly: "If you hadn't come back just now, you would have been doomed."
Xie Hengwu was dumbfounded, because it was indeed the case.
Based on her situation at the time, she might not be able to survive looking for Liluo or Zhao Quan. How about then...
She didn't dare to think about it anymore and whispered: "Anyway, thank you Your Majesty."
"Do you know who you were harmed by?"
Xie Hengwu's lowered eyelashes trembled, like a butterfly flapping its wings.
"Prince Qin...the Queen Mother...there may be others." She licked her lips: "I was too careless. I thought...there were so many people on New Year's Eve, they wouldn't be so bold."
"I asked Zhou Qi. The reason why he is so ferocious is the combination of the fragrance and the wine." Xiao Yanzhou seemed to be comforting, "So it's not entirely your fault."
She raised her face and looked at him with light-colored eyes.
Xiao Yanzhou looked away and coughed: "Duan Gu said that you should stay away from them, why didn't you obey?"
Xie Hengwu never rejected the Queen Mother's intentional wooing, and had his own selfish motives. But she didn't want to tell Xiao Yanzhou, so she just said perfunctorily:
"She is the queen mother, and I just want to stay away. So what can she do if she forces me to go?"
"She is the Queen Mother and you are Gu's concubine. Don't you know how to use Gu's name?"
Xie Hengwu raised his eyes, his soft black hair spread over his shoulders, his snow-skinned and black hair, and he looked very well-behaved and gentle.
"Your Majesty, isn't this appropriate? Then wouldn't this concubine have become..." She paused, "Has she become a disaster for being arrogant and favored?"
Xiao Yanzhou's face looked a little disgusting: "Who said that about you?"
Xie Hengwu looked away and said pitifully: "No one..."
Xiao Yanzhou narrowed his eyes and sneered: "It's him? Isn't it?"
This "him" was like playing a charade. Xie Hengwu followed suit and shook his head: "No..."
"You already know who I am before I say who I am?"
She was speechless.
"We'll take care of him later." Xiao Yanzhou's voice did not distinguish between joy and anger.
Zhao Quan's voice came from outside.
"Your Majesty, the New Year's Eve Banquet is about to take place. Your Majesty and the beauty would like to..."
"Concubine Chen."
Zhao Quan's voice stopped, and then he responded: "Yes, will your Majesty and Concubine Chen go together?"
"Well, you ask King Qin to go to Nuange to wait for you."
There was no sound outside, it must be Zhao Quan who went to prepare.
Looking into Xie Hengwu's eyes, Xiao Yanzhou spoke first: "Don't ask why."
The words on his lips could not be stopped, and Xie Hengwu was forced to accept the fact that she became Concubine Chen.
The position of concubine was another title given by Xiao Yanzhou.
Chen, the jade of the emperor.
Now, even if Queen Mother Cui wants to do something else, she has to carefully consider it.
It was a matter of consideration, but in the eyes of uninformed people, not only was she not severely punished by the emperor after she committed disrespect, she was promoted to two positions in a row.
Hmm... more like a demon concubine.
"Let your maid come in and leave in a moment."
Xie Hengwu later realized that she had to go to the New Year's Eve banquet, and after all the trouble, her makeup was ruined and her clothes were messy.
While she was hastily tidying up, Xiao Yanzhou sat down on the couch not far away.
This was the first time Li Luo stepped into Zichen Palace.
As soon as she entered the bedroom, she smelled an unusually strong fragrance.
She didn't dare to glance around and quickly lowered her head, only to see jewelry, hairpin rings and broken silks scattered on the carpet.
It's self-evident what happened.
Li Luo's face turned red and she was thinking a lot.
On the way to Zichen Palace, she also heard about what happened before. Li Luo was worried at first, but she thought that since the young master was taken to Zichen Palace by His Majesty, it should be fine.
She felt relieved, but after waiting outside for a long time, she became a little worried.
Will the little master be okay?
"Pear falls."
When she heard someone calling her, Li Luo dared to raise her head. She bowed to Xiao Yanzhou first and then looked at Xie Hengwu.
On the couch, the beauty's green hair was untied and lazily draped. She was leaning on the soft pillow, like a satiated cat.
Li Luo's heart was pounding, feeling that Xie Hengwu like this would make even a woman like him tempted.
"My lord, my maid will help you change your clothes."
Xiao Yanzhou suddenly said from behind: "It's time to change my words."
Li Luo was confused: "Huh?"
"Concubine Chen."
Li Luo said "Oh" blankly. Although she was still digesting the news that her mistress suddenly became Concubine Chen, she called out in a very sweet and sweet voice:
"Concubine Chen."
Xiao Yanzhou was then satisfied and said slowly, "What's your name?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, your servant Liluo."
"Quite clever," he looked at Xie Hengwu, "Did you bring it from Nanliang?"
"Yes, when I was in the Hou Mansion, I was always surrounded by Li Luo."
She said this awkwardly, as if it should be her family's Marquis Mansion, and in her mouth, it was like Beijiang Palace, a temporary residence.
But Xiao Yanzhou didn't think about it carefully. He said "hmm" and stopped asking.
Li Luo thought, this tyrant doesn't seem to be as scary as the rumors say.
Feeling relieved, Li Luo stepped forward to dress Xie Hengwu.
The original palace clothes were wrinkled or damaged, and were basically unwearable.
Xiao Yanzhou sat leisurely and watched Li Luo work. She was quick with her hands and feet and quickly changed Xie Hengwu's clothes.
The makeup on the face should also be repainted. After Li Luo washed Xie Hengwu's face, she took the powder to apply makeup on her, but the thing in her hand was suddenly snatched away.
When she turned around, her heart nearly jumped out of her throat.
Xiao Yanzhou was standing less than a few steps away, his narrow dark eyes looking at her threateningly.
The makeup in his hand formed a very funny contrast with the demeanor around him, but Li Luo didn't dare to laugh.
"Your Majesty... this servant is going to put makeup on the empress..." she said tremblingly.
Xiao Yanzhou: "Just come alone."
Li Luo quickly backed away, like a rabbit meeting a wolf.
Xie Hengwu laughed: "Your Majesty, Liluo is good at this, why do you need to come?"
Xiao Yanzhou raised his eyelids and looked at her: "What, you're not happy?"
"I don't dare." Xie Hengwu had a smile on his lips and raised his face in cooperation.
In fact, after the love potion was removed, her eyes were flushed, her eyes were like autumn water, and her posture was bright, even if she didn't put on makeup, it would be okay.
Xiao Yanzhou looked at it carefully and picked up the eyebrow pencil to outline her eyebrows.
This was the first time for this aloof emperor to do such a thing.
He stared with a serious expression, gently held her chin with one hand, and lightly brushed her eyebrows with a black pen.
Being so close, his breath gently brushed against her.
Xiao Yanzhou was born with a pair of affectionate eyes, but most of the time they were cold and could not feel any warmth.
However, when he looks at people seriously like this, it is difficult not to give people the illusion that he is the most cherished person.
Xie Hengwu looked at the handsome face close at hand and was slightly absent-minded. He could only hear his heartbeat getting faster and faster.
This scene was so bewildering, even though Xie Hengwu knew that the person in front of him was a murderous person.
Li Luo couldn't help but take a peek, and saw one of them concentrating on drawing and the other watching carefully. She secretly thought that the relationship between His Majesty and the Empress was really good.
In her impression, thrush is something only done between loving couples.
Probably because Xiao Yanzhou was good at calligraphy and painting, he was also a master of thrush. After sketching for a while, he straightened up and asked Li Luo to take the things away.
The distance between the two of them was far away, but the feeling of being gently held by him still seemed to remain on their faces. Xie Hengwu lowered his eyes, still a little confused.
"Let's go."
Xiao Yanzhou said and held out a hand.
Xie Hengwu came back to his senses and smiled: "Okay."
