The Slender Waist-Chapter 328 - 230: Oblivious to Romance
The long wind passed through the curtain, sweeping over a cloying fragrance, making it hard to breathe.
Wei Zheng felt the warmth in the Empress Dowager’s chamber was too intense and somewhat stifling; his steps grew heavy, as if it took all his strength to cross that threshold.
He stood before Li Sangruo.
Bowing his head, just as he had in past audiences.
Li Sangruo walked over from her vanity, lazily leaning against the wooden couch, her body tilted in a beguiling arc that startled Wei Zheng.
"May I know what your highness... has commanded?"
He asked for the second time.
Li Sangruo frowned in displeasure and burst into laughter at his tense appearance.
"I hear Wei Qing has no shortage of beauties in his inner household, how can you be so unromantic?"
Wei Zheng’s heart skipped a beat.
He dared not lift his head, nor dared he look at Li Sangruo’s face that became ambiguous under the glow of the glazed lamps.
"Your highness jests," he said. "I currently have but two maidservants..."
Li Sangruo frowned, "Still the same two you brought back from Andu County?"
After speaking, another mocking laugh followed.
"I thought Wei Qing was just a passing fancy, but it seems you are also capable of deep affection."
Wei Zheng coughed awkwardly.
"After all, they were gifts from the Great General; I don’t dare to discard them lightly."
Li Sangruo thought about it and said with a smile, "Then next time, I shall also gift Wei Qing a few young and beautiful maidservants."
Wei Zheng couldn’t fathom what was on this woman’s mind, and upon hearing these words unexpectedly—guessing they were a test—he hurriedly folded his hands in entreaty, panic-stricken.
"This lowly official would be quite unworthy. All I wish for now is to be concerned with the affairs of state, to serve his Majesty and the Empress Dowager faithfully. I have lost all interest in romantic affairs."
"Is that so? Your interest has waned?" Li Sangruo looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile, set down the hand warmer, and lay back on the wooden couch, tugging at her dress, her expression dreamy as she said:
"Xinzhou is damp close to the water’s edge; this neck of mine is sore. Qing, come, give me a massage."
Wei Zheng hesitated, "This humble official dares not presume upon your highness."
"You are unwilling?"
This thought brought a chill to Li Sangruo’s face, a coldness shot to her heart, and her temper nearly flared in an instant.
This Wei Zheng!
Wasn’t it he who had always desired to be the servant beneath her skirt, a visitor within her tent? Now that she offered him the opportunity, he prevaricates and makes objections, a bad habit indeed.
Was she not beautiful enough for him, how could he feel aggrieved?
Li Sangruo sat up and looked at him coldly.
"Do you still remember that bird you gave me when you returned from Qingzhou?"
Wei Zheng felt a warmth in his heart, "I remember."
How much had he liked Li Sangruo then?
Wherever he went, he always wanted to bring back the finest things for her, so that just one smile from Qingqing would suffice to content him.
Hearing she liked to keep birds, he searched bird markets and folk homes in Qingzhou before he could finally obtain such a red-beaked parrot and eagerly bring it back to the Central Capital.
When Wei Zheng first went to see it, it was still lively, jumping around under the eaves, mimicking the words of the palace maids and begging for food cheerfully.
The next time he entered the palace, it was gone.
"Does Wei Qing have any idea how it died?"
Wei Zheng frowned slightly, "This humble official does not know."
Li Sangruo sighed heavily, sat up leisurely, and looked him in the eye, "Such a beautiful bird, originally so pleasing, but it was so stubborn, untameable, just a feathered beast after all. Having learned a few human words, it really thought itself human, and when the cage door was opened, it bolted out, completely oblivious to the chain on its foot. Where could it fly to? I thought, since it yearned for freedom so much, I might as well grant its wish, and killed it..."
As she spoke these words, a smile hung on her lips.
She looked at Wei Zheng lightly, sending a chill down his spine, his blood running cold.
"Wei Qing, why no reply?" Li Sangruo smiled, "Are you upset with me for dealing with your bird, unhappy?"
Wei Zheng lowered his head, his voice slightly hoarse.
"The beast was disrespectful; it is not your highness’s fault."
Li Sangruo’s lips curved up ever so slightly.
"Then why not come over and massage my shoulders for me?"
Wei Zheng’s throat grew tight, and after taking two steps, he said, "This humble official has just returned from Andu, weary and travel-worn, without the opportunity to bathe and change clothes, fearing that I might sully your highness’s pure body..."
Li Sangruo laughed lightly.
"The purification chamber has hot water ready; go and wash yourself. Once you’re clean, come out and attend to me."
-
The warmth in the room intensified, and not a single breeze stirred.
Li Sangruo loosened her already sheer clothing, unsettled in her mind as she lay on the couch, thinking of the man bathing in the inner chamber.
The absolute power she wielded brought her the ability to do as she pleased, to obtain whatever she wanted.
She had thought she would be satisfied by this, but standing at the pinnacle, possessing it all, she did not feel as joyful as she had expected...
Insatiable crevices.
The higher the desire, the harder it is to reach, with ultimate power at hand and money being useless. The threshold for gratification keeps getting pushed to the limits, leaving one crazily torn apart inside by even the slightest dissatisfaction.
The more one gets, the harder it becomes to be content...
If it weren’t for that monstrous seed in her belly, the person she should be meeting today would be Pei Jue.
He didn’t have to do anything.
Just talking with her would have been nice.
Thinking of Pei Jue, Li Sangruo couldn’t help but feel sorrowful again.
Pity that he was not a bird caged by her, but an eagle soaring in the sky.
She wondered when she would be able to pluck his feathers...
"Ugh..."
She couldn’t help but start dry heaving again; her mouth was as bitter as if she had swallowed coptis. Drinking water did not wash away the astringency, nor could she vomit it out.
Her insides were in turmoil; her heart felt wrenched from retching.
"Mr. Pei..."
"Do you know how deeply I long for you..."
She lay back down and caressed her chest, which eased her discomfort a bit.
Thinking about it, Wei Zheng was also quite handsome.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have caught her fancy and been promoted to serve before the Emperor.
Too bad he looked somewhat restrained today.
With his hands and feet tied, how could he achieve the goal of inducing her abortion?
She would have to make him truly mad.
Li Sangruo saw that Wei Zheng had not yet come out of the cleansing room and sat up again, taking a fragrant pill from the box.
This fragrance, named "United Branches," was a treasured recipe of Emperor Xifeng, from back when Li Sangruo was still young and had suffered a lot in front of it.
Thinking of the late Emperor, she sneered coldly, rose to her knees, took a "United Branches" pill, and placed it elegantly in the incense burner, as if she was serving some precious treasure.
"Your Majesty, I’m afraid..."
"Still a fledgling? Don’t worry, after you’ve been tamed a few more times, you’ll come to appreciate it..."
"If I don’t perform well, Your Majesty, I ask for punishment."
"Go, light the incense."
The deceased Emperor’s voice and smile lingered before her eyes, and scenes from the past surfaced in her mind, becoming increasingly ferocious.
Such a formidable man, a monarch above all, wasn’t he just as mortal in the end?
But he was right about one thing.
One must indulge in pleasures while one can.
Li Sangruo let out a laugh.
-
The night deepened.
By the time Xiaoman came to light the lamps, Feng Yun had long since fallen asleep.
She had a dream.
The Empress Dowager summoned her, and a sedan chair carried her to the detached residence in Andu County. The attendants led her inside and made her wait at the Empress Dowager’s door...
The wind was strong, the sky cold, and muffled moans leaked from inside the room, fragmented and trembling. Even though the tune had changed, one could still recognize it was Li Sangruo, screaming wildly as if in the utmost ecstasy...
"Pei Jue!"
Feng Yun, as if shocked by something, abruptly opened her eyes, startling Xiaoman into a shriek and almost causing her to drop the lamp.
"My lady! Did you have a nightmare?"
Feng Yun looked at her approaching and asked with a frown.
"Why are you here?"
Xiaoman swallowed, moved closer to put the lamp on the small wooden cabinet, and bent down to drape a cloak over Feng Yun.
"Ge Da brother said that a scout from the Imperial Cavalry Division is seeking the lady, with urgent news..."
The Imperial Cavalry Division?
Could it be that Wei Zheng had received news that Pei Jue had gone to Cuiyu and specially sent someone to tell her?
This dream...
Feng Yun’s heart pounded, and her head ached terribly.
"What time is it?"
"It’s past the hour of the rat."
Feng Yun adjusted her attire, "Where is the Imperial Cavalry Division’s man waiting?"
Xiaoman replied, "Ge Da brother has led the man to wait in the rear hall."
Feng Yun nodded, "Help me get dressed."
