Did she really think that because she was pregnant, I couldn’t do anything to her?
For now, let’s see what she wants to do and how far she’ll go.
In fact, I was also looking forward to seeing how my Little Concubine would misbehave.
Lian Hua hugged His Majesty and giggled. Once she was done laughing, she bit her lip and gazed directly into his eyes, unfolding her sweet revenge plan. She kissed His Majesty’s forehead and stopped to gauge his reaction.
Seeing that he wasn’t reacting much, she persistently continued and kissed his cheek, then stopped again.
His Majesty’s smile deepened, but it still wasn’t enough; these weren’t the reactions she wanted.
So Lian Hua took a bold step and began kissing him, first his Adam’s apple, then his nose, then his ears, even tweaking his earlobes a bit.
But that wasn’t enough; finally, she stealthily stretched out her ’evil claw’, overcoming her shyness to touch His Majesty’s chest, imitating how His Majesty touched her...
The Emperor initially took it all in stride, letting her fool around and enjoying her closeness at this moment.
However, he had not anticipated that his Little Concubine would become progressively more unrestrained until, feeling truly agitated, he took a deep breath, hugged her tightly, and kept her still: "The night is deep, let’s sleep."
Having finally seen His Majesty at a disadvantage, she was unwilling to give up: "I can’t sleep, Your Majesty, I’m not even tired yet." She was having too much fun to sleep!
The Emperor narrowed his eyes. In the past, he would have certainly played along with her to see who could outdo the other, but not this time.
His Little Concubine was just too mischievous. It seemed that ordinary methods wouldn’t work on her, so he had no choice but to say, "If you don’t sleep now, I will keep a tally; one kiss, one mark, to be repaid in full another day."
Lian Hua was about to take the opportunity to make another move when she heard this and stopped midway: "..."
His Majesty was too cruel. Surely being an Emperor meant being a step ahead, always so cunning?
She felt like crying, just when she thought she could score a point, His Majesty effortlessly demolished her walls.
She dared not move anymore, quietly withdrawing her hand, pouting in discontent, and turning over to lie down obediently at the side of the bed.
The Emperor looked at her with amusement at her aggrieved appearance and commented, "Mischievous."
He then leaned over to kiss her and tucked her in properly.
Both lay down again, and the Emperor, seeing that she was still not sleepy, just fumbling with a lock of hair next to him in a somewhat listless manner.
He wrapped his arm around her and solemnly proposed, "Nannan, would you agree to something for me?"
Lian Hua was quite spirited at the moment, the excitement from before not yet subsided. On hearing this, she said, "Hmm? What is it?"
Since His Majesty made a point to talk to her about it, it must be no small matter. Ha, did she finally have a chance to show her skills in front of His Majesty?
Perhaps His Majesty realized that she had talent and intended to entrust her with a task!
She couldn’t help but feel excited and turned over, swearing earnestly, "As long as it is something you say, Your Majesty, I would agree to ten things." She was on the verge of thumping her chest in promise.
The Emperor didn’t know what had hit his Little Concubine’s sweet spot to make her so happy, but it was good; his Little Concubine was about to spread the honey. He would just accept everything she offered.
Clearing his throat, he went along with her proposal: "Then let it be ten things. Today, you agree to one, and we’ll keep a tally of the remaining nine!"
With these nine tasks as a basis, if anything inappropriate arises in the future, he would just prefer her not to do it. This way, he felt much more at ease, no longer worrying about how to explain things to her, and without having to fabricate excuses for her inactions. It was indeed like finding a pillow when drowsy—his Little Concubine was truly a little cotton-padded jacket.
"..." Lian Hua blinked, somewhat puzzled.
Something seemed off. Did this mean that after today, she still owed His Majesty nine favors?
Where did the other nine come from? Oh... it seemed she had said it herself. Well then... alright, she was someone who kept her word, so nine it would be.
The Emperor saw her deflated and slightly confused look, struggling not to laugh out loud. He had finally managed to handle her with her own method, and it proved to be quite effective.
Lian Hua saw His Majesty smiling, a smile that seemed somewhat sly?
She scratched her head, not understanding what he was laughing about. Never mind, if she couldn’t figure it out, then she wouldn’t dwell on it. She began to urge him verbally, "My Lord, what is it that you want to say?"
After urging him, she saw that His Majesty was still smiling, so she squeezed closer to him and said, "My Lord, stop laughing, please tell me quickly."
The Emperor coughed to suppress his laughter, turned to face her, and said earnestly, "Nannan, promise me that you’ll take care of yourself in the future. Do not put yourself in danger. For incidents like dealing with the Serpent today and leading people to the Main Hall, let me handle it."
Lian Hua nodded in understanding. So that was what it was about. She was about to agree, but today there was no time to delay: "But if I don’t act quickly..."
The Emperor placed a finger on her lips to stop her words and spoke seriously, "In my heart, nothing is more important than you. I cannot bear to see you take risks, not even the slightest danger is permissible. There are others to catch the thieves, and what if they cannot be apprehended? As long as you are safe and sound, my heart is at ease."
Lian Hua looked at His Majesty in a daze. Was it really this way?
She used to be quite independent, always solving problems on her own. During her many years in the palace, it had been the same, especially when she and Xiao Qing were in Canglan Court, where it was she who made the decisions, making so many choices to ensure their wellbeing.
Only after meeting His Majesty had she gradually become accustomed to his protection, to rely on him. But deep down, she was still herself, her first instinct when trouble arose was to rush out and handle it on her own.
Apart from her family, no one had ever told her she was important. She had forgotten what that feeling was like.
As a child, she was pampered by her parents and brothers to the point of recklessness, living in utmost happiness. Since her family’s downfall, she became like a rootless duckweed, drifting wherever the current took her.
But now, His Majesty was saying that nothing was more important than her. She couldn’t help but feel a sourness at the tip of her nose.
His Majesty had also presented her with his Jade Pendant and an imperial decree. She hadn’t had the time to think about it deeply before, but now, upon reflection, it was all full of his care for her.
Fortunately, she now realized how good His Majesty was to her.
Lian Hua looked into His Majesty’s eyes, where her reflection was all she could see, feeling warmth in her heart, and satisfaction, feeling safe and reassured.
Her eyes felt warm too, but she didn’t cry. She wanted to smile.
Her eyes red like those of a rabbit, she smiled like a blooming hibiscus, a genuine smile from the depths of her heart. It was as if she had rediscovered the taste of happiness from her childhood, right here with His Majesty.
She nodded solemnly and smiled back, a smile different from any she had before, with something extra in her eyes.
The Emperor saw his Little Concubine with eyes red like a rabbit’s, yet holding back tears, and his heart ached for her. He couldn’t resist embracing her, wanting to coax her not to cry.
Lian Hua shook her head, freeing herself from his embrace, and pressed her forehead against his, saying earnestly, "My Lord, Nannan loves you."
The Emperor’s composure was momentarily lost, and he couldn’t help but kiss her deeply...
The moon shone brightly overhead, the depth of their love known only to themselves.