Shoutout to Tachibanaswife for the commission!
Luli grabbed hold of me and, pulling and dragging, yanked me toward the outside of the main hall, moving as if the wind were under her feet.
As she dragged me along, I tried to persuade her: “Luli, business doesn’t work that way when you’re the one rushing forward. I understand how you feel, but this isn’t something one person can do. And besides, when it comes to this sort of thing between men and women, whoever takes the initiative is the one who… hey! Can we slow down a bit?”
Luli finally stopped and turned to look at me.
I had just let out a sigh of relief when I saw her raise a hand toward the palace maids and eunuchs who had been trailing far behind us, and then two young maids came trotting up from the back.
Luli gave crisp instructions: “Her Majesty is drunk. Support Her Majesty and return to the palace!”
Never in my life did I think I’d have a day where I’d be treated as drunk!
The night sky was bright, the moon clear and the stars sparse. I tilted my head back to look at the sky, cursing inwardly!
I was carried back to the palace, stripped, helped into a bath, washed, and then dressed in a gauzy sleeping robe… I finally couldn’t hold back and offered Luli a suggestion: “Can we wear something thicker? It’s still the dead of winter!”
Luli carefully applied rouge to my lips, not listening to me at all, only anxiously saying, “Don’t talk, Niang Niang, don’t talk yet!”
I obediently shut my mouth and simply closed my eyes, thinking through everything I was about to face.
As the Empress, sleeping with the Emperor was only natural. Since I had already reached this position, there was no way to keep pushing this off, unless Qi Sheng completely lost interest in me.
But if he really did lose interest in me entirely, that would bring me nothing but harm.
Moreover, with this sort of thing between men and women, if you refuse once or twice, a man might think you have character. Refuse too many times, and no matter how much interest or patience he has, it’ll all be worn away.
Besides, it’s not like it hasn’t happened once already. A few more times doesn’t matter. Close your eyes, grit your teeth, and it’ll be over!
…
I came up with countless reasons, yet couldn’t untie the knot in my heart.
D*mn it! Why do I have to be the one being pressed down?!
The night grew deep, red candles flickering in the hall. After countless anxious glances and expectations from Luli, Qi Sheng finally arrived late.
Luli pulled me up to greet him at the entrance. Qi Sheng glanced at me, and a trace of discomfort flashed between his brows. He turned and went into the side hall to wash, attended by palace maids. By the time he came out after changing clothes, I was already sitting cross-legged on the bed, silently repeating to myself: I am the Empress now, I will be the Empress Dowager in the future. I am the Empress now, I will be the Empress Dowager in the future.
Everyone in the hall quietly withdrew. Qi Sheng sat by the bedside, looking at me silently.
At that moment, I suddenly calmed down. D*mn it, it’s just getting into bed! At least he’s the same species! Isn’t that much better than man and beast? I’m a grown man after all, do I really need to be this fragile? Those girls who transmigrate to other worlds live just fine! What am I even struggling over!
I raised my eyes to look at Qi Sheng.
Qi Sheng lifted a brow slightly.
I calmly asked, “Are you taking yours off first, or am I going first?”
Qi Sheng’s expression stiffened for a moment. After a pause, he said, “You go first.”
Since we were getting into bed anyway, there was no need to fuss over something as trivial as undressing. Besides, it’s not like we haven’t seen each other before! I very straightforwardly took off the cool, slippery, uncomfortable robe. Just as I was about to pull off my undergarment, I suddenly remembered something and stopped, asking seriously, “Hey? What kind do you like?”
Qi Sheng paused slightly and instinctively let out an “Hm?”
I chuckled, gave him a “you know exactly what I mean” look, and said with a grin, “What are you pretending for? We’re about to ‘be honest with each other,’ aren’t we? It’s best to say your preferences up front!”
Qi Sheng fell silent, his expression gradually darkening.
Seeing this, I didn’t dare ramble anymore and quickly stated first, “I don’t have any other requests. Just one.” I raised my index finger and pointed upward, continuing, “I want to be on top.”
Qi Sheng shot up from the bedside with a “whoosh” and left with a flick of his sleeve.
I was overjoyed. I couldn’t help but wave cheerfully at his back, then let out a satisfied sigh and flopped onto the bed. Haha, off you go, no need to see you out! Messing with a pure, innocent guy like you who likes delicate little flowers, wasn’t that easy? A few words and I scared you off!
I was still snickering to myself when I suddenly felt the atmosphere shift. Looking up again, I saw that Qi Sheng had returned at some point and was now standing by the bed, silently watching me.
Startled, I struggled to sit up, but before I could straighten, Qi Sheng reached out with one hand and gently pushed me back onto the soft bedding. With his other hand, he flicked behind him, and the canopy that had been hooked up with golden clasps fell like flowing water.
The candlelight in the hall was already dim; now inside the canopy, one could only vaguely make out silhouettes.
I hurriedly called out in a low voice, “A good man doesn’t force!”
Qi Sheng’s body pressed down toward me, his faint breath of wine at the side of my nose as he said hoarsely, “A good man doesn’t stay below!”
I froze, then immediately corrected him: “Wrong! A good man should be able to go up and down! Ah! Don’t bite—”
Qi Sheng took the advice and moved his lips and teeth away from my shoulder, trailing upward along my neck instead. D*mn it, since I couldn’t escape anyway, I might as well seize the initiative, at least make this my home ground!
I quickly turned my head, lifted his chin with one hand and pushed upward, while the other hand slipped out from under his ribs and shoved at his shoulder, trying to flip him over. Beneath the thin silk, Qi Sheng’s muscles were firm and solid, like pushing against a warm stone wall, completely unmoving. I gritted my teeth and used all my strength, but my wrist was caught by Qi Sheng and easily pulled above my head. Soon, the other hand was dragged up as well.
Above my head, my two hands finally met in “victory.”
Qi Sheng pinned both my hands above my head with one hand, while the other slipped down beneath my waist…
Ahhh! I’ve done this before! Only I was the one on top!
Before my mouth could be covered, I quickly shouted, “Wine! Drink first!”
Qi Sheng let out a low, husky laugh, not pausing in his movements at all, only lowering his voice and saying, “We’ll drink later!” Immediately after, his body suddenly sank down hard. I instinctively screamed, struggled free with both hands, pushed him up halfway, and snapped angrily, “D*mn it! Where’s the foreplay?! Who does it like this?! It’s not you who’s hurting!”
Qi Sheng paused for a moment, then laughed aloud. Leaning down again, he said with a smile, “All’s fair in war!” As he spoke, he pushed me back down and pressed over me…
I suddenly remembered a philosophical saying I’d heard long ago, that life is like □, instead of struggling, it’s better to close your eyes and enjoy it. Right now, I think that saying is d*mn true, but switching the order would be even better!
Perhaps Qi Sheng felt I wasn’t as enthusiastic as that night at the Zhang residence. Halfway through, he suddenly scooped me up from the bed and held me tightly, pressing his lips to my ear as he said hoarsely, “Since I said I wouldn’t fail you again, then…”
I cut him off seriously, “Can we focus on what we’re doing?”
Qi Sheng’s body stiffened noticeably. He pulled his lips away from my ear and looked at me in silence.
Seizing the chance, I forcefully flipped him onto the bed and said with a grin, “Alright, my turn to be on top!”
This time, Qi Sheng didn’t resist. He lay there quietly, watching me.
Figuring things had already reached this point, there was no point stopping halfway. I might as well go all out. I imitated the movements of those virtuous and skilled “artists” from the neon nation and put them into practice on him.
Qi Sheng’s breathing grew heavier, and eventually he could no longer suppress the sounds escaping his mouth. His hands lost control and gripped my waist tightly. At first I was amused watching him, but gradually I began to feel something myself. Just as things were getting good, a sudden commotion came from outside the hall. Then Qi Sheng’s attendant called out, “Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
I paused, but Qi Sheng pulled me down and flipped over, pressing me beneath him again, ignoring the voice outside.
The attendant’s voice grew more and more urgent until he finally shouted, “Your Majesty, something has happened at Youlan Hall!”
Qi Sheng’s body tensed, and everything ended abruptly.
D*mn it! Lady Jiang, Lady Jiang, of all times you pick now, if you’d just had your incident earlier, I wouldn’t have lost my chastity! Even a bit later would’ve been fine, I could’ve at least fully experienced what my female compatriots do!
Qi Sheng withdrew but didn’t get up. In the dim light, he just looked at me silently.
Left hanging halfway, I was full of irritation and waved him off impatiently. “Go, go!”
Qi Sheng said nothing. After a moment, he finally got up, called the attendants in to dress him, then stood for a while outside my canopy before turning and leaving.
The next day, news that the Emperor had spent half the night in the Empress’s palace spread throughout the harem. When the concubines came to pay their respects, the way they looked at me had changed.
I understood.
Before, everyone had been widows in practice together, all equally deprived, so things were fairly harmonious. But now, there had been “rain” at my place for half a night. Even though the ground wasn’t fully watered, the balance had been broken.
Sigh! It’s not scarcity that people fear, but inequality!
I thought I should find a chance to persuade Qi Sheng properly. His heart could stay with Lady Jiang, but his body should still generously “bless” the ladies of the six palaces.
Luli, on the other hand, remained calm. But ever since that night, she had started preparing baby clothes.
Looking at those palm-sized garments, I felt utterly helpless. I wanted to educate Luli on how difficult it is for a fertilized egg to form, but figured she wouldn’t understand anyway, so I gave up and just advised her, “Pregnancy is something that depends on chance.”
I only said it casually at the time. I never imagined that this “depends on chance” thing would suddenly fall right onto my own head.
Physician Song lifted his fingers from my wrist, stood up, stepped back a few paces, then lifted the hem of his robe and knelt on the bluestone floor, trembling as he said, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. This is a happy pulse!”
I froze for a moment and instinctively asked, “What did you say?”
Physician Song prostrated himself, his body faintly trembling as he repeated, “Your Majesty is with child.”
My mind was still a bit dazed, but in my heart I wanted to ask Physician Song one thing: Hey, it’s not your child I’m carrying, do you really need to be shaking like this?
