newbobooks Chapter 353 Zhao Qingxue's Shock! Qin Mu Voluntarily Attended the Morning Court Today?
Chapter 353 Zhao Qingxue's Shock! Qin Mu Voluntarily Attended the Morning Court Today?
The bright red wedding dress slipped off Zhao Qingxue's shoulders, revealing her snow-white undergarment and delicate collarbones.
In the candlelight, her collarbone gleamed with a faint, jade-like luster.
Zhao Qingxue's body stiffened slightly.
The stiffness lasted only a moment before she suppressed it.
She looked up and met his gaze.
In those deep purple phoenix eyes, there was no fear, no resistance, only a complex, indescribable light.
There was tension, anticipation, and a resolute determination in that light.
She took a deep breath, the air filling her lungs with the faint scent of sandalwood from the candlelight, which made her feel more awake.
She reached out and gently placed her hand on his waist.
The movements were slow and awkward, carrying a sense of cautious probing.
When her fingers touched the jade belt at his waist, they trembled slightly, a tremor so subtle as the fluttering of a butterfly's wings.
She didn't pull back; instead, she hooked her fingers around the clasp of the jade belt and gently flicked it.
With a soft "click," the jade belt came undone, slipped from her fingers, and fell to the ground with a very soft thud.
Qin Mu looked down at her, at her lowered eyelids, at her slightly trembling eyelashes, and at her tightly pursed lips.
He smiled, reached out, and gently put his arm around her waist.
The force was not heavy, very light, very gentle, yet irresistible.
He lifted her from the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms.
Zhao Qingxue leaned against him, her face pressed against his chest.
She closed her eyes, letting herself lean against him and forget the things she shouldn't have forgotten.
Qin Mu lowered his head and leaned close to her ear.
The warm breath brushed against her earlobe, causing her body to tremble slightly.
"Tonight," his voice was soft, with a hint of a smile, "you are my Empress."
"She is not Empress Li Yang, not a prisoner, not anyone's pawn. She is simply my Empress."
Zhao Qingxue's eyes suddenly felt a little sore.
She didn't know why she wanted to cry, or why she wanted to cry when he said, "Just my Empress."
She gritted her teeth and forced back the tears.
Qin Mu's hand slid down from her waist and grasped her hand.
His hands were big and warm, enveloping her hands completely in his palms.
He led her to the bedside.
The brocade quilt was spread out beneath her, soft and cool, like a surface of water soaked in moonlight.
She lay there, her long hair scattered messily on the pillow, her flushed face peeking out from between her dark strands.
Qin Mu stood by the bedside, looking down at her.
Candlelight shone in from behind him, casting a pale golden halo over his silhouette.
He leaned down, placing his hands on either side of her, enveloping her entirely in his shadow.
Then he kissed her.
The kiss was light and gentle, like a petal falling on the water, barely causing a ripple.
Zhao Qingxue closed her eyes.
Her hand climbed onto his shoulder, her fingertips touching his warm skin.
She didn't know what she was doing, or what she should be doing.
She simply followed her instincts, the burning, scalding impulse welling up from the depths of her heart, and responded to him.
Qin Mu's hand slid off her shoulder, down her arm, and landed on her waist.
His fingers hooked the tie of her undergarment and gently pulled it.
The ties came undone, and her snow-white undergarment slipped off her shoulders, revealing her rounded shoulders and delicate collarbones.
Zhao Qingxue's body trembled slightly.
Her mind was blank; she didn't want to think about anything, and she didn't need to think about anything.
She was not the Empress of Liyang, not a prisoner, and not anyone's pawn.
She was merely his queen.
She was just his woman.
The candlelight flickered gently in the night breeze, casting the shadows of the two people onto the bed curtains, intertwined and indistinguishable.
The red candle burned shorter and shorter, and droplets of wax dripped down, forming dark red, solidified flowers on the candlestick.
The curtains swayed gently in the night breeze, like ripples on water, like shadows of clouds, like a dream one doesn't want to wake from.
Outside the window, moonlight poured down from behind the clouds, illuminating the winter plum blossoms in the courtyard until they appeared white.
The red candles in the hall burned down to their last bit, the flame flickered once, and then went out.
Only moonlight remained, seeping in through the window and spreading a thin layer of silver frost on the ground.
The silver frost was thin and faint, like a layer of gauze, gently enveloping the two indistinguishable figures in the bed curtains.
.......
Morning light streamed in through the window, spreading a pale golden glow across the ground.
Qin Mu opened his eyes.
He didn't move, but simply turned his head to look at the person next to him.
Zhao Qingxue was still asleep.
Her head rested on his shoulder, her long hair spread loosely on the pillow, revealing half of her face through the dark strands.
Her face was almost transparently white in the morning light, and a trace of lingering spring passion remained on her brows.
Her lips were slightly parted, revealing a sliver of pearly teeth. Her lips were redder than usual and slightly swollen, like begonia petals wet with rain.
Qin Mu looked at her for a while, then gently pulled the arm she was using as a pillow from her head.
The moment the arm was pulled away from under her neck, Zhao Qingxue's brows furrowed slightly.
Qin Mu sat up, got off the bed, and stepped barefoot onto the gold bricks.
He walked to the clothes rack and took down the dark black dragon robe.
The dragon robe was embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon, the gold thread gleaming slightly in the morning light. The dragon's head was raised and its body coiled, symbolizing the supreme imperial power.
He unfolded the dragon robe, draped it over his shoulders, and was about to fasten the jade belt.
"where you go?"
The voice came from behind, hoarse and languid, with the sticky nasal tone characteristic of someone who has just woken up.
Qin Mu turned around.
Zhao Qingxue had already lifted her head from the pillow.
She didn't get up, but propped herself up, her long hair falling from her shoulders like a waterfall, covering half of her face.
She sat there, half-supported, her long hair disheveled, her clothes in disarray, looking at him with sleepy eyes.
Looking at her like this, Qin Mu slowly curved the corners of his mouth into a smile.
"Attending the morning court session."
He said it in a very soft voice, with a hint of a smile, as if he were talking about something very ordinary.
Zhao Qingxue was stunned.
She blinked, then blinked again, looking at Qin Mu in disbelief.
Go to morning?
He said he was going to the morning court session?
Everyone knows that since Emperor Qin Mu of the Great Qin ascended the throne, he has only attended the morning court a handful of times.
The civil and military officials waited in the court until their legs went numb, until the sun rose from the east to the zenith, until they drank pot after pot of tea, until their stomachs growled with hunger, and all they ever heard was, "His Majesty is unwell today, court is adjourned."
He was criticized for three years, accused of neglecting state affairs, being dissolute and immoral, and being a foolish ruler.
He never cared; he slept when he wanted, played when he wanted, and played hide-and-seek with the concubines in the harem whenever he wanted.
He didn't even bother to approve the memorials, leaving them all to Li Si and Wang Ben, saying, "You two handle it."
Such a man, on the second day after his wedding, on the second day after his wedding night, in the early morning before dawn, got up by himself, put on his dragon robe, fastened his jade belt, and said he was going to attend the morning court.
Zhao Qingxue's mind went blank.
Is he in such a hurry to go to court?
Can't you wait even a moment longer?
It was still dark, she was still asleep, and he was already leaving?
They won't even stay a little longer?
Last night—wasn't everything fine last night?
He held her close, kissed her, and said, "You are my queen."
His voice was so soft and gentle, like a petal falling on the water.
She thought—she thought that at least this morning, he would spend more time with her.
At least wait until it's fully light, at least wait until she wakes up, at least say a few words.
Zhao Qingxue's fingers slowly tightened on the brocade quilt.
A strange, unfamiliar emotion welled up inside her, one that startled even herself.
The emotion was sour and astringent, like an unripe green plum. Taking a bite, your mouth is filled with sour and astringent juice that spreads from the tip of your tongue all the way to your heart.
What is she thinking?
Why would she think that?
She, Zhao Qingxue, the Empress of Liyang, a woman who had never cried since she was eight years old, was actually thinking here—was he not caring enough about her?
Does he find her unattractive?
Does he... dislike her?
The moment the thought crossed her mind, her face flushed red.
The redness quickly spread across her cheeks, then burned to her ears, her neck, and all the way into her collar.
She quickly lowered her head, her long hair slipping down her shoulders and covering her flushed face.
She didn't know why she had such thoughts, when she had become like this, or where the calm, rational Zhao Qingxue who was never troubled by romantic feelings had gone.
How could she possibly have such wild thoughts just because a man gets up early to go to court?
Why would she care when he leaves?
Zhao Qingxue bit her lip, suppressing those chaotic thoughts one by one, burying them deep in her heart.
She took a deep breath and looked up.
"That's quite rare."
She spoke, her voice carrying a hint of teasing and a casual smile, as if she were talking about something that had nothing to do with her.
"Did the sun rise in the west today?"
Qin Mu looked at her, at her face that pretended to be indifferent but couldn't hide the blush at the corner of her eyes, and at her eyes that were clearly looking at him but pretended not to care.
He smiled softly.
"There's an important matter that needs to be dealt with, and it can't be delayed," he said, his voice still soft, with a hint of a smile.
Zhao Qingxue's heart skipped a beat.
Important matter?
What important matter could make him take the initiative to attend the morning court session?
Her curiosity was piqued, like a fish lured to the surface by bait, knowing she shouldn't bite, but still unable to resist sticking her head out.
"What is it?" Zhao Qingxue asked.
Her voice was softer than before, carrying a hint of cautious probing that she herself was unaware of.
Qin Mu looked at her, his eyes deep.
"Have you heard of the Moon Cult?" he asked.