Chapter 360 Consort Zhao of the Mingyue Palace
Mo Xuetong and Feng Yuran found out about the news very quickly. Feng Yuran had been speaking with Mo Xuetong as she lay in his arms. When they heard the news, the two smiled and their eyes crinkled with delight.
Ling Fengyan had planned well indeed!
She managed to get Feng Yulei locked up. Mo Xuetong felt avenged no matter how she thought about it as Feng Yulei had once plotted to kill her. You Yuecheng had helped Feng Yulei to plot against her several times as well. It was great now. Even Feng Yulei had fallen. This was great news.
“Ling Fengyan had plotted well. No matter whether she marries you or is sent back to King Chu’s Manor, she would not lose.” Mo Xuetong pouted her pink lips. She felt angry when she thought of how Ling Fengyan’s plot had almost affected her marriage. She leaned against Feng Yuran’s chest and complained.
Ling Fengyan had plotted well indeed. If Mo Xuetong had been sent to King Chu’s Manor or King Yan’s Manor while she was sent to King Xuan’s Manor, everyone knew that Feng Yuran was injured and would not go out to drink with his guests. The two of them would stay in the bridal chambers together. If she were to take the initiative, it would not be difficult to seal the deal. If that happened, she would not be sent back and the Emperor could only just let things be.
How could Mo Xuetong not feel melancholic when she thought of how precarious the situation had been. The Emperor punished Feng Yulei but Ling Fengyan had pretended to be the victim and had not been punished. She had plotted so carefully. That woman was not simple but she was just too annoying.
“Rest assured, Tong’er. Even though Father has let her off, my eldest brother has no intention of that. Even though she has managed to bank on the Emperor’s kind heart, she has not considered what a man would do.” Feng Yuran held Mo Xuetong’s fingers and kissed each of them. His voice was gentle and lazy and there was a hint of playfulness in his charming eyes.
Ling Fengyan thought it would be easy for her to gain the affection of a man because she was the most beautiful woman in the world. As such, she never worried about how she would survive in King Chu’s Manor. She thought that Feng Yuxuan would definitely be seduced by her and he would let her off. However, she had never thought that the man already had someone else in his heart. It was more difficult for her to gain Feng Yuxuan’s love than for her to fly.
Feng Yuxuan had always appeared to be gentle and elegant and there were traces of him copying Bai Yihao. Even though he was not as elegant or noble as Bai Yihao, who was like the floating clouds in the sky, he was also known to be a gentle and elegant prince. He was kind to everyone and was very gracious. He seemed to be a gentleman to all the noble ladies. But in actual fact, he did not like the little tricks that women used. As such, it was impossible for him to like a woman like Ling Fengyan.
Of course, Feng Yuran felt displeased when he thought of who the woman Feng Yuxuan liked was.
If not for that chance encounter, he would not have known that his eldest brother liked Tong’er. If he had not seen the portrait his brother had placed in a secret spot, he would not have known when his eldest brother started liking Tong’er. There were too many people who were interested in Tong’er. He had to take her for himself first and would not allow anyone to get her first.
“Yes. King Chu will not let her off.” Mo Xuetong’s lively eyes blinked and she smiled when she understood that point.
“Silly girl, are you very happy?”
“Yep.” Mo Xuetong nodded frantically. How could she not be happy when she thought of how she managed to fell two of her enemies today in a single day? However, she also knew that Feng Yuran had played a part in this. She did not pull her hand back. Instead, she caressed his handsome face. Then, she said with a smile, “Thank you very much!”
Her smile was sweet and beautiful and her eyes had a hint of playfulness in them. Her long lashes fluttered. She was shy and charming. Feng Yuran’s eyes could not help but darkened. However, he remembered his promise. He did not know whether he should feel regretful or depressed. There was a delicacy right in front of him, but he could only look at her and not touch. He had really overestimated his self-restraint.
“Tong’er, don’t you think marrying me is a delightful thing?” He said, pretending to be upset. He nipped at her soft pale ears in an act of punishment. He watched as the thin and almost translucent ears flamed up and his heart heated up as well. He felt that it was really his great fortunes to marry the girl in front of him.
He would never let her go!
Mo Xuetong’s face grew red and her body heated up. Even her heart warmed up as well. She could hear him muttering by her ear gently, “Tong’er, I like you! I like you very very much!”
His slightly trembling voice was completely different from his usual lazy casualness. She could feel the heat and intimacy from his tightly wound body. However, he did not hurt her. He hugged her and did not do anything else. Was it because he had once promised her that he would allow her to continue to mourn for her mother?
She was deeply touched and a blissful and happy smile appeared on her face. There was a hint of charming coyness on her face along with the blush on it. She wrapped her arms around his muscular waist and hugged him somewhat anxiously. She buried her head in his chest and said softly, “I like you too!”
“Really? Tong’er likes me too?” Feng Yuran’s ears were very sharp. He reached out to touch Mo Xuetong’s face, wanting her to look up as she spoke. His eyes were so shiny, they were like clear skies. He was extremely happy.
Mo Xuetong could only raise her head from his chest as he prodded her. She said shyly, “Your Highness, don’t fool around.”
“Call me by my name.”
“Feng… Yu… Ran.” Mo Xuetong was slightly hesitant. However, she bit her lips and said his name softly under his encouraging glance. Her long lashes fluttered and she seemed slightly shy. She had only called his names when she was very angry. She was always prim and proper otherwise.
“Don’t say my surname. Call me Yuran.” Feng Yuran said, insatiable.
This man was truly stubborn. Furthermore, that was way too intimate. Even though Mo Xuetong already belonged to him since they were married, she was still a little shy. She buried her head and did not speak.
“Tong’er, Tong’er, call me that, call me that, won’t you…” The man was not giving up. He touched Mo Xuetong’s face, making her feel shy and angry. She bit his chest and then started playing around, “Yuran, Husband, it is getting late. Shall we rest now!”
Since he could not see how red her face was, Mo Xuetong decided to give him what he wanted!
Feng Yuran shook violently. He was very excited. He nudged Mo Xuetong’s flushed face from his chest and started kissing her face wildly. He muttered, “Tong’er, Tong’er, be good. Call me husband again!”
Mo Xuetong could not breathe as he smothered her with kisses. She could not speak. When he finally stopped kissing her, she gasped for breath. There was sheen of fog in her beautiful eyes. She was as innocent and pitiful as a child. She scrunched up her nose and pouted before saying in righteous anger, “You bullied me!”
She was innocent and charming, and also seemed as lost as a little dear. Feng Yuran felt hot and he pulled her close against him. He buried his head into her shoulders and growled softly, “Tong’er, I will not bully you. I never will.” However, he also knew that his entire person was burning and he did not dare to tease her any longer. He hugged her obediently and panted without moving.
In her past life, Mo Xuetong had been married as well. She did not dare to move as she watched his gentle face grow stiff. She nervously allowed him to lean into her and shut her eyes. Her long lashes fluttered but she did not dare to make another sound. She was truly afraid that she might stir up something in him. He always did the unexpected. She must not cause him to tear his wounds open again.
One of them was worried that the other was tired and had received a shock while the other was worried about the other’s wounds. The two of them did not play around anymore and they hugged each other to sleep.
It was in Qianqing Palace.
Emperor Zongwen looked at the painting in front of him. There was a rare hint of gentleness in his eyes.
The woman in the painting was seated on a swing that was adorned with flowers. The young girl in a snow-white dress swung slowly on the swing. There was an innocent smile on her beautiful face. She looked so realistic it seemed as if she were going to walk out of the painting.
“Xian’er, our son got married today. Are you happy? Our son has finally grown up and he will definitely make something of himself in the future. Rest assured, I will protect our son and will not let anything else happen to him.”
He caressed the girl’s loveable face with his fingers. Tears shimmered in his eyes under the light. He breathed in deeply and the tears disappeared.
After looking at the painting for a while, he rolled it up carefully and kept it.
“Your Majesty, would you like to visit Consort Zhao?” Liu Xi asked carefully. He put down the freshly-brewed tea in his hand as he observed the Emperor.
Emperor Zongwen hesitated for a little. Then, he got up and nodded.
“His Majesty is going to Mingyue Palace!” A perceptive little eunuch ran out and called out.
Consort Zhao of Mingyue Palace was the most doted on consort in the palace.
It was not Consort Su, who had become doted on because of her son, neither was it the Empress, nor Consort Yu, the new favorite. Consort Zhao of Mingyue Palace might not have an exceptionally high status or sons. It was not because she was young either. However, everyone in the palace knew that the consort Emperor Zongwen doted on the most was Consort Zhao. She was a woman who had the affections of the Emperor for 10 years.
It was extremely difficult for a woman in the palace to keep the affections of the Emperor. Every woman in the palace knew that even if they were beautiful or even if their beauty was unparalleled, it would only be for a few years. When they were no longer young, there would be a bunch of young and beautiful woman outside of the palace who would gain the Emperor’s affection.
It was evident how difficult it was to gain the Emperor’s affection. It was hard to guess what the Emperor thought!
But Consort Zhao had Emperor Zongwen’s heart. She was ahead of every other woman in the palace.
The consorts of the palace all had to wake up early to greet the Empress unless they were ill or if there were any special circumstances. However, the mistress of Mingyue Palace, Consort Zhao, had never once greeted the Empress.
She seemed to have appeared in the palace just like that. She did not have any backing or any significant family background. In fact, no one knew who her family was. She stayed in Mingyue Palace and never once appeared before others. However, the Emperor had never once stopped doting on her. Her palace received any gifts from the palace first. Even though she did not receive as much as the Empress, she definitely received the same amount as the Empress did.
The Empress made a fuss about it several times but it only raised the ire of Emperor Zongwen. As such, she did not ask about it again. Anyway, everyone in the palace knew of this Consort Zhao but they had never once seen her before. Some consorts wanted to barge into Mingyue Palace as well, but it always made the Emperor even angrier. In the end, a few consorts were thrown out.
As if he wanted to stop the weak and fragile Consort Zhao from being hurt, Emperor Zongwen even had guards guarding the door. No one dared to visit again after that.
Emperor Zongwen would stay in Mingyue Palace every month to visit Consort Zhao. It had been 10 years and he had never once stopped. This Consort Zhao was the Emperor’s favorite, and that was an indisputable fact!
However, for the past 10 years, this Consort Zhao had always been a legend others spoke of!