The scent of alcohol on the Emperor had not yet faded, and though faint, it was difficult to ignore. However, it was not unpleasant at all. In fact, his unique mature charm, when combined with the scent of alcohol, created an irresistible allure.
Lu Liangwei could not tell if she was feeling dizzy from the scent of alcohol on his body or because of his increasingly refined kissing skills.
She gazed at the man in front of her as if in a trance, allowing him to have his way with her.
After a while, she heard him mutter in a husky voice, “Your brother will be back soon.”
Lu Liangwei gasped softly and was about to say something when she felt the cool air hit her body. Before she could come to her senses, the man’s urgent and hot breath was already on her ear.
“Weiwei, happy birthday!” His voice was tender but carried a hint of restraint.
“Mmm…” Muffled sounds escaped Lu Liangwei’s lips.
The girl’s subdued pants echoed in Long Yang’s ears, driving him further toward the edge.
…
A good while later, Lu Liangwei finally succumbed to the fatigue and fell asleep in his arms.
Long Yang was not completely satisfied, but he could not bring himself to wear her out even more.
Gazing at the girl sleeping peacefully in his embrace, Long Yang cleaned up before drifting off to sleep with his arms around her.
…
Naturally, Lu Liangwei remembered what had happened the previous night.
However, recalling it still brought a blush to her cheeks and sent her heart pounding.
The Emperor was getting better at wearing her out.
She sat before the vanity mirror and looked at the rosy-cheeked girl reflected in it. The corners of her mouth were slightly turned up, making her appear all the more stunning.
Zhu Yu’s fingers were incredibly nimble, and it was not long before she styled Lu Liangwei’s hair into a beautiful chignon. She then picked out a simple yet elegant jade hair stick from the jewelry box and inserted it into her hair.
Seeing that she was done, Lu Liangwei was about to stand up when Zhu Yu held her down by the shoulders with a grin. “Wait, Miss.”
“Huh?” Lu Liangwei glanced up in puzzlement, only to find a secretive expression on Zhu Yu’s face. Right then, Chu Jiu walked in, and in her hands was a spray of brightly blooming peach blossoms.
Zhu Yu took it from her, then turned and tucked the flowers into Lu Liangwei’s hair.
Taken aback, Lu Liangwei lifted a hand and touched the peach blossoms on her head.
Her smooth, jet-black hair framed her face, and even the gorgeous peach blossoms could not overshadow her ethereal beauty.
“You’re so beautiful, Miss. Even the peach blossoms cannot compare to you,” Zhu Yu exclaimed in sincere admiration as she gazed at her mistress’s enchanting reflection in the mirror.
Although she had been serving her mistress since she was a child, she would still be amazed by her beauty every day.
Chu Jiu rarely spoke, but even she could not help gasping at the sight of the Empress. “Your hair is as soft as a cloud, and your face as beautiful as a flower.”
After admiring herself for a while, Lu Liangwei eventually reached up and removed the flowers from her hair.
“Why did you take them out, Miss?” Zhu Yu found it a pity.
“It’s too flamboyant.” Lu Liangwei looked at the peach blossoms in her hand, smiling.
Although there were no other imperial consorts in the palace, she was already born beautiful, and wearing peach blossoms in her hair would make her appear too sultry.
She did not want to catch unnecessary attention.
“You’re the only one in the harem, Miss. Who’d dare to bad-mouth you?” Zhu Yu was still a little doleful—she had so wanted to style her mistress prettily. “Besides, Chu Jiu had to go all the way to the Western Gardens early in the morning to pick these peach blossoms.”
Lu Liangwei knew that the Western Gardens were far away on the other side of the palace.
“Why did you make Jiu go to all that trouble?” Despite her disapproval, she said, “Fetch a jade vase and fill it with water.”
Zhu Yu still wished for her to put the flowers in her hair, but since her mistress had refused, she did not dare to insist.