Chapter 122: The Abandoned Little Emperor (26)
After her suggestive words, the little emperor blushed first. But she tried to control her shyness, her doe-like eyes fixed on Su Mingxiu’s face, not wanting to miss any change in her expression, as if hoping that if Su Mingxiu was more embarrassed than her, then her own shyness wouldn’t matter.
Unfortunately, Su Mingxiu only raised an eyebrow meaningfully, then, without a word, held the back of Xiao Miyun’s neck and pulled her closer, their lips meeting. The scent of peonies was swallowed by Su Mingxiu’s kiss.
Xiao Miyun thought that with Su Mingxiu’s frail constitution, she would be the first to break the kiss due to a coughing fit.
But the inexperienced emperor quickly found herself overwhelmed by the fierce kiss, as if Su Mingxiu was trying to devour her whole. The faint blush on her skin deepened, surpassing even the most vibrant peony outside.
Just as she was finally released, gasping for air, she felt a cool touch beneath her clothes.
Su Mingxiu seemed to realize that her body temperature was too low, afraid of chilling the little emperor. She paused. Seizing this opportunity, Xiao Miyun instinctively grabbed Su Mingxiu’s wrist and said hurriedly: “Zhen… Zhen was just joking.”
She was slightly intimidated by the kiss, hesitant to continue. But not wanting Su Mingxiu to see her fear, she pulled Su Mingxiu’s hand out from under her clothes, placed it on the table, and moved away slightly, feigning concern. “Besides, with your condition, you shouldn’t overexert yourself.”
Su Mingxiu: “?”
She felt like the words “you can’t do it” were plastered on her forehead.
She was a skilled martial artist, and she wasn’t bedridden. It was only because the little emperor was so attentive to her needs that she appeared so frail. She wasn’t so weak that she couldn’t even satisfy her partner.
Just then, the eunuch outside knocked softly, reminding the emperor that it was time for the morning court session. Xiao Miyun, already feeling pressured by Su Mingxiu’s gaze, was relieved to hear this. She stood up so quickly that she almost tripped.
Su Mingxiu reached out and steadied her. The emperor, regaining her balance, smiled at her, then repeated nervously: “Zhen… Zhen has to attend court. The Imperial Astronomer said it will be sunny today. You should go for a walk later while it’s not too hot.”
As she spoke, she tried to pull her arm away from Su Mingxiu’s grasp. But no matter how hard she tried, it was like being held by a crab’s pincers, she couldn’t break free.
The smile on her face faltered, as if afraid that Su Mingxiu would pull her back and have her way with her right there. She mumbled, her tone unusually soft: “Is… is there anything else?”
Su Mingxiu had initially wanted to tease her, but seeing her timid and fearful expression, she chuckled. As her laughter faded, she changed her mind and released Xiao Miyun’s arm, letting her jump away like a startled rabbit.
“Nothing, Your Majesty should attend court. The ministers must be waiting.”
During the morning court session, the officials didn’t have any major issues to report. It was the little emperor who brought up the matter of the imperial tomb, causing some debate among the cabinet ministers and the six ministry heads.
They knew that the little emperor was keeping someone hidden, but they had assumed it was just childish play. Now, hearing that the tomb she wanted to build was an imperial and consort tomb,
Since Xiao Miyun’s ascension, the position of empress had remained vacant. This wasn’t a baseless idea. It was clear who she wanted to bury in this tomb.
Many officials spoke up, suggesting that the emperor expand her harem, some even recommending their own eligible daughters. Others, aware of the situation, exchanged glances, their words hinting at their own young and promising sons.
Xiao Miyun watched them coldly, annoyed by their words. She suddenly wished Su Mingxiu was here with her, like before, to announce right then and there that this was the person she wanted to make her empress, to see if these overfed officials would still have so much to say.
Amused by this thought, she glanced at Cheng Qing, who remained silent and didn’t participate in the discussion. Feeling slightly better, she pretended to direct the conversation towards her: “What is Grand Secretary Cheng’s opinion on this matter?”
“The location chosen by Your Majesty is excellent, I concur.” Cheng Qing naturally knew who Xiao Miyun wanted to be buried with and didn’t want to be the one to object, only saying things that would please the emperor.
This made Xiao Miyun feel slightly better.
After the court session, she had initially wanted to go see Su Mingxiu and vent her frustration.
But remembering the interrupted intimacy from breakfast, she was afraid that things might escalate again, only to be interrupted by Su Mingxiu’s illness. So she decided to go to the Qinzheng Palace and read instead.
Somehow, the news reached Su Mingxiu—
She was strolling in the Imperial Garden when she heard that the ministers had objected to the emperor’s plan to build a joint tomb. She calmly summoned her secret guards and gave them some instructions.
Within a few days, those officials who had been most vocal about the emperor expanding her harem found themselves embroiled in scandals, their reputations tarnished, impeached by the censors, and then banished from the capital by the little emperor to serve as officials in remote, impoverished areas.
The matter of the imperial tomb proceeded smoothly.
Time passed, and the year was drawing to a close.
The capital was devoid of greenery, except for the peony garden outside the Qian Yuan Palace, carefully tended to by the palace maids, a few flowers still blooming out of season, the only bright spot of color in the otherwise grey imperial city.
Winter arrived earlier this year. Xiao Miyun felt that it was even colder than last year.
Even though the Bureau of Imperial Supplies had prepared plenty of warm clothes for the person in her palace, she was still worried about Su Mingxiu’s health in this cold weather.
So she extended the officials’ New Year holiday and spent every day with Su Mingxiu in the Qian Yuan Palace. With limited outdoor activities in winter, and Su Mingxiu’s condition, they stayed indoors together, their closeness creating more opportunities for intimacy.
One day, the little emperor was working on Su Mingxiu’s birthday gift. But after talking to Su Mingxiu from a distance, she put down her work and walked over, asking what kind of fireworks Su Mingxiu wanted to see this year, saying she could have the palace staff arrange it.
And after asking this question, she didn’t return to her original spot.
The palace maids, sensing the mood, had tactfully retreated. So, the little emperor, kissed senseless on the bed, only felt one thing.
Heat.
Overwhelming heat.
It was as if the quilt was on fire, her entire body enveloped in steam. Her forehead, temples, and back were drenched in sweat. She gasped for air, like a fish out of water, as a warm hand slipped beneath her clothes.
Xiao Miyun: “!”
Her mind was hazy. Only when a moan escaped her lips did she instinctively try to grab Su Mingxiu’s hand, but her strength was gone, her movements more like encouragement than resistance.
“Why… so hot?”
She asked.
Su Mingxiu nibbled on her reddened ear. “Weren’t you cold?” So she had warmed her hands with her internal energy.
Xiao Miyun had never felt such overwhelming heat before. She felt like she was about to explode, tears welling up in her eyes, yet she didn’t want it to stop.
All her pent-up feelings and desires for Su Mingxiu were released in this moment.
Her eyes widened in a daze. Just as she felt herself reaching the peak, she suddenly fell.
Tears still glistening in her eyes, she met Su Mingxiu’s gaze, her lips parting as if to ask something. But before she could speak, Su Mingxiu got off her, wiping the sweat, or perhaps something else, from her hands onto the silk quilt.
“I suddenly remembered—”
“Such strenuous activities aren’t suitable for me.”
Xiao Miyun: “…”
Xiao Miyun: “?!”