Chapter 372: Frenzied Words, a Deep Voice
Night fell, and it was time to retire.
Ji Qingwu changed into her nightgown. Her long, freshly dried hair cascaded around her, filling the room with her personal fragrance.
She sent Lan Zhi off to rest and propped herself against the headboard. Instead of blowing out the candle, she quietly pulled a blue-covered book from under her pillow.
Following Mrs. Qiao’s instructions, Ji Qingwu would flip through it every night before bed.
Judging by its cover, the book looked no different from an ordinary scripture. Inside, however, was a different world entirely—a collection of short stories that made one’s face flush and heart race.
The stories were beautifully written, and the depiction of *those* acts was both meticulous and stimulating.
Especially now that she had some experience, she could appreciate them on a whole new level. Ji Qingwu felt her own heart begin to pound in time with the story.
"What are you reading so intently?"
A voice sounded beside her ear.
Ji Qingwu jumped, snapping the book shut and shoving it under the covers. Her eyes flew wide as she stared at the person who had suddenly appeared before her.
"Y-Your Majesty, you’re here."
The book’s descriptions of ’eyes as bright as stars and brows like ink paintings’ suddenly had a real-life counterpart standing right before her.
Ji Qingwu marveled that such descriptions weren’t an exaggeration—a man like this truly existed.
Meanwhile, she wiggled her feet under the covers, kicking the book further beneath the pile of bedding on the far side of the bed.
’This ’evidence’ must not be discovered.’
Zhao Mingyan’s gaze shifted for a moment before returning to her flushed face. "Are you ill?" he asked gently.
He placed a hand on her forehead. Her skin felt cool and smooth, not nearly as warm as his own hand.
"You don’t have a fever. Why is your face so red?"
Ji Qingwu didn’t answer. Her eyes were fixed on him, her gaze roaming over his face.
"Don’t you recognize me anymore?" Zhao Mingyan asked, amused.
He pinched her cheek. "I ask a question and get nothing in return. Have you gone silly from staying at home, Ah Wu?"
Ji Qingwu pulled back slightly. "I’m not silly," she said, disgruntled.
After taking a moment to calm her fluttering heart, she asked, "How did you find the time to come over?"
Although Ji Qingwu had been a shut-in for the past few days, she still heard from Si Hai what Emperor Wu Su was up to.
The date for Su Fengyue’s execution had been set, stirring up a storm at court.
The Emperor had ordered the homes of more than twenty officials to be ransacked, including that of Song Wei. As Su Fengyue’s son-in-law, he could not escape blame. However, in light of his proactive decision to turn over his entire family fortune to the state, he was given a lighter sentence: exile to Yazhou.
Zhao Mingyan said, "Are you suggesting I came too early, or too late?"
It was a lose-lose question; either answer would be wrong.
With a twinkle in her eye, Ji Qingwu replied, "Not too early, not too late. You’re right on time."
Seeing the mischievous glint in her eyes, Zhao Mingyan shook his head gently. He reached out, pulling her into an embrace and holding her from behind.
His robes carried the chill of the night air, and Ji Qingwu instinctively shrank back a little.
"Let me hold you for a bit."
Even an Emperor was not made of iron. His voice was hoarse with fatigue.
Ji Qingwu relaxed, letting him hold her obediently. She knew the feeling; when she was in a bad mood, she also liked to hug something soft to relieve stress.
Zhao Mingyan’s gaze swept past the bed curtains. "What have you been doing all day at home?" he asked.
His deep voice tickled her ear, and she couldn’t stop her mind from replaying scenes from the story she had just been reading.
Zhao Mingyan nudged the crook of her neck with his chin. "Why have you gone quiet again?"
Ji Qingwu said softly, "Don’t you already know everything that goes on here?"
For the past few days, Zhao Mingyan had been shuttling between the Golden Throne Hall and the Diligent Governance Hall. After learning that Ji Bo Lian had taken Ji Qingwu home, he hadn’t had a moment to spare to open the secret reports from Si Hai.
"I want to hear it from you," he said in a low voice.
Ji Qingwu listed her activities: "Wake up, eat, wash, grind medicinal powders, sleep."
"Yesterday, Prince Yong sent someone to pick up a new prescription. Princess Yong’s health has improved a lot..."
Lost in thought, Ji Qingwu didn’t notice his movement.
"Wei Tongyou also came to visit, but my mother turned her away, so she didn’t get to see me."
"And that’s all," Ji Qingwu finished.
"Nothing else? Then what’s this?"
Zhao Mingyan held up a blue-covered book in his left hand, an eyebrow raised inquisitively.
Ji Qingwu: "...A book."
"So, Ah Wu has taken a liking to reading lately?"
Ji Qingwu replied, "...I was just bored, so I was flipping through it."
At first, Zhao Mingyan hadn’t found anything odd about the book, but Ji Qingwu was acting so guilty—her eyes wouldn’t meet his, and she was twisting her fingers together.
Zhao Mingyan’s expression shifted. "Ah Wu is the lucky one, with so much leisure time for reading," he remarked. "What is this book? What’s it about?"
He waved the book and made a show of opening it. Ji Qingwu immediately reached for it, but he held it higher, leaving her to grab onto his forearm.
She tried her best to sound sincere as she explained, "It’s not very good. It’s a bedtime read, the kind that just makes you sleepier."
Zhao Mingyan countered, "And yet, when I arrived, you didn’t look the least bit drowsy. In fact, you seemed full of energy."
"Th-that’s because I just started," Ji Qingwu stammered.
"Then by all means, continue."
Zhao Mingyan held the book out to her. Ji Qingwu quickly snatched it and clutched it tightly in her hands.
"Why would I read a book when you’re here?"
Ji Qingwu gave him a winning smile. "You’re much more interesting to look at."
Surprise flickered in Zhao Mingyan’s eyes. He grew even more curious about the book’s contents, if it could coax such sweet nothings from Ji Qingwu’s lips.
He lay down, pulling her with him. Still holding her from behind, he breathed deeply, his warm breath fanning across the side of her neck.
"I’m tired too. Why don’t you read some of it to me, Ah Wu? I’ll see if it really helps one fall asleep."
Ji Qingwu peeked over her shoulder and saw that he had closed his eyes. His long, thick lashes cast shadows beneath them, and upon closer look, she could see the faint, dark circles from his sleepless nights.
Zhao Mingyan patted her on the hip. "Why aren’t you reading? If you won’t, I’ll just read it myself."
"I’ll read, I’ll read right now! Don’t be hasty."
Ji Qingwu turned her head back and flipped to a random page. Not a single line of the text that met her eyes was fit to be read aloud.
Just looking at the words made her face burn.
Especially with the hard, well-built body pressed against her from behind, and the rich, mellow scent of agarwood filling her senses.
Ji Qingwu’s breathing quickened involuntarily. She wanted to flip the page again, hoping to find a more decent section.
But for some reason, every page she turned to was just as explicit.
The books Mrs. Qiao had found for her were meant to help her adjust gradually, with the content getting progressively more intense. The one she was holding now was far more risqué than any of the previous ones.
"Did you come across a word you don’t recognize? Do you need my help?"
Zhao Mingyan’s voice drifted into her ear.
The wild words on the page, his deep voice in her ear...
Ji Qingwu blinked. Her mouth felt dry. "I think... I’m getting dizzy from all the words..." she stammered. "Let me just... catch my breath..."
A hand with well-defined knuckles reached out from behind her.
It came to rest on the first line of the page.