coobybook Chapter 146 A Dream
Chapter 146 A Dream
Lu Zhiheng didn't understand why he was like this, his mind was filled with that woman.
The thought that she was with Pei Yuanling right now, perhaps even entwined in a tender embrace, made her feel increasingly agitated.
Unable to sleep late at night, I simply got up, casually threw on a bamboo-green cloak, and went to the outer study to practice calligraphy and calm my mind.
However, by the time he realized it, the snow-white Xuan paper was covered with the two characters "Qingyin".
Lu Zhiheng frowned slightly and threw all the papers into the stove to burn them completely.
Flames licked at the paper, the two characters "Qingyin" twisting and disappearing in the fire. He stared at the leaping flames, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
Since parting ways with "Qiao Qingyin", his heart felt as if a piece was missing.
Previously, I was so engrossed in court intrigues and matters of state that my mind had never been so chaotic.
He had just thought that it would be good if Pei Yuanling couldn't find them.
Realizing he had such thoughts, Lu Zhiheng felt it was utterly absurd. He still had a great grudge to settle, how could he let a woman disturb his peace of mind?
"My lord, it's late. You should get some rest."
Outside the door, the servant Cheng An's voice interrupted Lu Zhiheng's thoughts.
"I understand," Lu Zhiheng replied casually, his deep voice revealing a hint of fatigue.
He walked to the window, pushed it open, and a gust of cold wind rushed in, clearing his muddled mind somewhat.
Moonlight spilled into the courtyard, outlining dappled shadows of the trees, but his gaze pierced through the moonlight.
The servant Cheng'an lit some calming incense for him, and Lu Zhiheng took off his clothes, lay back on the bed, and quickly fell asleep.
"Lord Lu, wake up..."
"Lord Lu."
A woman's charming voice suddenly rang in my ears.
Lu Zhiheng opened his sleepy eyes and saw a charming young girl with scantily clad clothes leaning against the stone bed.
"Lord Lu, you're finally awake."
The blurry figure in front of him reached out to touch his forehead and quickly said with joy, "Thank goodness, the fever has gone down."
Lu Zhiheng stared intently at her fair neck. There were several scratches on the woman's body from tree branches, stained with blood. But her seductive eyes made him feel hot all over.
"Qiao Qingyin".
Her slender fingers slid down his forehead, along his cheek to his neck, gently stroking his Adam's apple, and then continued downwards.
"what are you up to?"
Lu Zhiheng wanted to speak up to stop her, but found that he couldn't utter a single word. He could only let her fingers wander over his body, igniting passion everywhere.
"Lord Lu, do you really not like me?" Qiao Qingyin's body almost covered his.
He held her soft, delicate body in his arms, her warm breath wafting behind his ear, making him feel weak and tingling all over.
"Lord Lu..."
"Lu Zhiheng." The woman's coquettish voice kept echoing in his ears. Her clothes were half off, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin. She wrapped her arms around his waist and moved down little by little.
In an instant, Lu Zhiheng suddenly woke up.
He stared at the vermilion lacquer carvings on the ceiling. Outside the curtains, there was the crackling sound of candlelight. His breathing became rapid, and the next second he noticed an unusual wetness in his groin.
Although he had never been with a woman, Lu Zhiheng was not the kind of naive young man who knew nothing about human affairs.
Almost instantly, he realized what had happened.
He dreamt that he had done that kind of thing with "Qiao Qingyin".
For a moment, he felt extremely ashamed and angry. He sat up, his forehead covered with fine beads of sweat.
He tried to calm himself down, but the scenes from his dream and details about "Qiao Qingyin" kept replaying in his mind, making him even more agitated.
He got up, put on his coat, walked to the table, poured himself a glass of cold tea, and drank it all in one gulp.
However, the coolness of the tea could not extinguish the inexplicable heat in his heart.
"My lord, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Cheng An asked softly from outside the door after hearing the noise in the room.
"It's nothing, I just had a nightmare."
Lu Zhiheng tried to keep his voice calm. After thinking for a moment, he continued to instruct, "Prepare water. I want to take a bath. Also, take my bedding and burn it. Get a new one instead."
Upon hearing this, Cheng An, though somewhat puzzled, still set about carrying it out.
***
When Chu Qingyin woke up again, it was already noon the next day.
She couldn't remember how many times she tossed and turned last night, or when she finally fell asleep.
All I know is that my whole body aches and it's painful to move even a little.
Hearing the sounds coming from inside the room, Xianglan Hou, who was standing outside the door, immediately came in.
"Your Majesty, you're awake. His Majesty has gone to court, but he specifically instructed that he will come here for lunch."
The other maids helped Chu Qingyin dress and wash up, and Xianglan then told her about His Majesty's instructions for the day.
Chu Qingyin nodded and lay down on the soft couch, asking Xianglan to massage her lower back.
Before long, a bowl of dark brown herbal soup was brought over. It was a contraceptive soup that she had obtained from Physician Ling, and she drank it all without thinking.
Xianglan looked at her mistress in this state and hesitated to speak.
Ordinary concubines only wished to conceive the emperor's child immediately, so why did they avoid it like the plague when it came to their own empress?
"Since His Majesty is coming to dine, tell the kitchen to prepare some cooling and calming dishes." Chu Qingyin rubbed her forehead and gave the order: "Remember, they should be light."
"The slaves obey."
Xianglan withdrew in response.
Only Yu Yan and another palace maid remained in the room to serve her. Yu Yan fanned her while the maid massaged her lower back and abdomen to relieve the soreness.
It is now midsummer, the hottest time of the year. Before, when we were in the mountains, we had the mountain breeze to cool us off, so it didn't feel too unbearable. But now that we're back in this palace, it's quite unbearable.
Since she was on her own turf, Chu Qingyin wore a light gauze dress with only a pale pink bodice underneath, revealing glimpses of her snow-white skin and faint traces of the pleasure she had enjoyed the previous night.
Having lived two lives, Chu Qingyin didn't find these marks particularly shameful, so she didn't bother to cover them up.
The hourglass on the table flipped twice, and Chu Qingyin lay expectantly on the soft couch, waiting for the emperor to come over.
Finally, just as she was drifting off to sleep, the man came over, but he looked unwell, as if he had something on his mind.
"Your Majesty, you have arrived!"
Chu Qingyin instructed Xianglan to serve the dishes, while she gracefully went to greet them, her eyes smiling, charming and gentle.
Pei Yuanling saw her, and his furrowed brows relaxed slightly. "I'm sorry to have kept Yinyin waiting."
Chu Qingyin considerately helped him remove his outer cloak and placed it on the rack. "Your Majesty seems to be in a bad mood. Is something bothering you?"
"It's nothing, just some official business." Pei Yuanling rubbed his temples and sat down on the soft couch by the window.
It was nothing more than several ministers taking turns submitting memorials, earnestly requesting the emperor to bestow his favor equally and not to act impulsively. They said that royal affairs were affairs of the nation and that he must consider the future of the imperial heirs and not favor one person exclusively.
Chu Qingyin glanced at his expression and vaguely guessed what was bothering him. She didn't say much, but simply knelt down to one side and massaged his temples.
After a short while, she slowed her movements and said softly, "Your Majesty, why don't you go and visit the Empress and the ladies of the harem? That way, they won't keep bringing this up."