The Scholar's Wife in the Monarch's Court 21

"Brother Yuan, do be careful."

Seeing that Yuan Fuju had managed to steady himself and hadn't actually fallen, Shen Yunxiu breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly stepped forward to support his swaying body.

The fruit wine's aftereffects hit him, and after blowing in the cold wind outside the hall, Yuan Fuju's head was spinning, his whole body feeling heavy and light at once.

Hearing a familiar voice by his ear, he struggled to lift his eyelids.

When he caught sight of Shen Yunxiu's blurry figure, he unconsciously grinned, craning his neck forward as if trying to get closer.

"...Xilan, it's you."

The scent of alcohol on him wasn't strong, but the moment he spoke, a rich aroma of fruit wine wafted up.

"Just how much did you drink?" Shen Yunxiu asked, her tone resigned.

She couldn't understand it—during the banquet, no one had come to toast him, so how had he managed to get so drunk all by himself?

Yuan Fuju leaned feebly against her shoulder, and soon caught a whiff of a crisp bamboo-leaf fragrance, the scent of Shen Yunxiu's sachet.

Almost instinctively, he turned his head and buried his face into the crook of her neck, mumbling, "Just... a few cups... Xilan, I'm not drunk."

Shen Yunxiu could only sigh, though she had no way to deal with him.

"And besides, Xilan, you smell wonderful..." Yuan Fuju couldn't help but nuzzle against her neck, then mumbled.

At that, Shen Yunxiu's body stiffened. But seeing that Yuan Fuju before her had half-lidded eyes and flushed cheeks, clearly spouting drunken nonsense, she could only put on a stern face and feign anger, pushing his leaning torso away. Her voice deepened slightly. "Yuan Xuzhi, no nonsense."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the changing room.

Chen Yao had found a dress similar in color and style to the pinkish-green ruqun she wore today, unaware that Shen Yunxiu, who had been standing guard outside, had already walked off.

The room was brightly lit, but suddenly a breeze seemed to blow through, making the flames on the bronze crane candelabra flicker gently.

Behind the landscape folding screen, Chen Yao lowered her gaze and slowly slipped out of her clothes, leaving only a pale apricot-colored undergarment embroidered with peonies.

The girl's fair skin was nearly translucent in the candlelight, like a fine piece of suet jade, glowing with a lustrous, delicate sheen.

She had just raised her hand to take the dress she'd hung on the screen when she caught a strange sound from beyond.

Her heart tightened, and her movements froze in place.

The next second, she grabbed the dress and pressed it against her chest, her voice trembling as she timidly tested, "Is... is it you, husband?"

But the answer was a steady, clear footstep, carrying a suppressed breath, as if it were treading on her heart, drawing closer step by step.

No, no, this absolutely wasn't Shen Yunxiu!

Chen Yao felt a chill shoot up from the depths of her heart, her blood seeming to freeze; her pretty face had gone pale as a sheet from fright.

She took a small, deep breath, and finally forced down the panic, lifted her head stiffly, and peered timidly in the direction of the sound.

Then, without warning, she met Xiao Mingting's dark, unfathomable eyes.

His gaze was deep, churning with emotions she couldn't understand, like a bottomless cold pool.

At first, seeing it was him, Chen Yao unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

But quickly, she realized her predicament, and her small body tensed up again.

Her apricot eyes were round as a frightened fawn's, watching the man before her with wariness and dread.

"Your... Your Majesty," Chen Yao stammered, clutching the dress even tighter to her chest.

She'd meant to ask if he'd come to the wrong room, but faster than her voice, tears streamed from her reddened eyes.

Xiao Mingting had already carelessly removed his crown; his ink-black hair hung loosely over his shoulders, giving him a more free-spirited air than usual.

He hadn't expected the Drunken Hibiscus the Empress Dowager had sent to be so potent.

He'd only taken a sip in the hall, but on the way here, he'd felt a distinct dizziness, like after drinking.

His consciousness was still fairly clear, only his mind was a half-beat slow.

But when he looked up and saw the girl's graceful silhouette reflected on the screen, he was stunned for a moment, then felt a blaze of heat surge from his lower abdomen.

The scorching heat coursed through his blood like a tide, flooding his limbs and bones. In an instant, even the last shreds of his reason seemed about to drown in the wave.

Xiao Mingting immediately strode over, his long steps carrying him behind the screen almost on instinct.

Even seeing the girl frightened, her face pinkish-white, clutching her chest and backing away, he didn't hesitate. He reached out, grabbed her slender wrist, and pulled her straight into his arms.

"No... let me go!"

Chen Yao struggled instinctively, her delicate frame trembling in his embrace, tears rolling down her pretty cheeks.

Her strength was never great, and with her having to use the dress to cover herself, she was soon easily subdued by Xiao Mingting.

The girl's soft sobs reached his ears muffled, as if through thick cotton.

Until, with a sharp "smack!"—Chen Yao trembled and raised her small hand, then, with all her might, slapped him hard across his handsome face.

"Your... Your Majesty, let me go!"

The girl's pearly teeth bit her lower lip until it went white, her apricot eyes brimming with tears as she watched his reaction, both frightened and defiant.

The slight sting on his cheek did pull some of the man's wits back.

Xiao Mingting paused for a moment, then lowered his head.

His dark eyes reflected the girl leaning softly against his chest, her bare skin as fair as jade, now slowly tinged with a faint pink.

Such a tantalizing sight made his eyes darken; he felt the last thread of his reason snap.

He leaned in, his long, elegant fingers firmly gripping the back of Chen Yao's neck, and with an unyielding force, pressed his thin lips directly onto hers.

The faint scent of ambergris mixed with strong wine rushed into the girl's breath with his forceful movement, making her feel a tipsy dizziness.

Her dodging tongue was soon caught, deeply licked and entwined, his lips teasing her tongue tip, as if savoring some nectar, with a force that left her breathless.

Chen Yao's resistance gradually weakened; her hands, which had been pushing against his shoulders, slid down trembling.

Her eyes were rimmed with a drunken blush, her clear apricot eyes misted over with a veil of tears; as her vision blurred, her consciousness seemed to be dragged down, sinking deeper.

Xiao Mingting breathed low and ragged, pulling his lips and tongue away briefly to let her catch her breath.

But the next second, he pushed his tongue back into her small mouth, as if addicted, over and over, forcefully and thoroughly stamping his scent onto hers.

Chen Yao felt all her strength drain away; she was so weak she could barely stand. The dress she'd been clutching to cover her chest slipped from her grasp and fell at their feet.

Xiao Mingting held the girl in his arms even tighter, his warm palm slowly rubbing her bare back, feeling the softness underneath.

His dark eyes were tinged with red, his Adam's apple bobbing, and finally a hoarse grunt escaped his throat.

* * *

On the other side.

Shen Yunxiu was supporting Yuan Fuju, who, drunk, was being especially clingy. No matter how much of a scholar he was, he was still a man of seven chi, and she could feel her shoulder and arm growing numb.

She let out a deep breath. Just then, she saw a man in guards' uniform passing by with a lantern in the distance, so she called out, "You there, guard, please wait a moment."

The guard stopped and quickly came over, bowing with clasped hands. "Sir, what is your command?"

Shen Yunxiu gestured to Yuan Fuju leaning on her. "May I trouble you? This is Mr. Yuan, the registrar of the Court of Judicial Review, also the son of Grand Tutor Yuan. He's drunk. I have some matters to attend to, so I can't spare the time. Could you take him back to the banquet and deliver him to Grand Tutor Yuan?"

"I... can go back... by myself..."

Yuan Fuju, still half-asleep, heard Shen Yunxiu's words and slowly lifted his head from her shoulder, his words slurred.

The guard glanced at him, noting his flushed face and hazy eyes, but he seemed to have some clarity left.

So he nodded. "Rest assured, sir, it's my duty."

With that, he stepped forward and, with Shen Yunxiu's help, took over the unsteady Yuan Fuju.

The guard kept the palace lantern in his left hand, using his right to half-support Yuan Fuju, letting him lean most of his weight against him, without showing any strain.

"Much obliged," Shen Yunxiu said, cupping her hands in thanks with a gentle smile.

She waited until the two had walked away before rubbing her shoulder, then quickly returned to the door of the changing room.

Though she'd been tending to Yuan Fuju, she'd kept most of her attention on the door. She saw no one approach and Chen Yao hadn't opened it, so she was rather reassured.

But after she'd waited a moment more, still no sound came from within.

Even if Chen Yao was slow in changing, given her cautious nature, she wouldn't have taken this long at a palace banquet.

Shen Yunxiu grew suspicious. After a moment's thought, she stepped closer to the door and gently tapped on the wood. "Yaoyao, aren't you done yet?"

Inside the room.

Chen Yao had just been released from Xiao Mingting's scorching, lingering kiss. She was limp against his firm chest, panting in small, quick breaths like a kitten.

Hearing Shen Yunxiu's voice unexpectedly, she snapped back to reality. She realized that aside from her undergarments, the dress she'd been clutching had fallen to the floor, and she was now completely bare in the man's arms.

Her tear-filled apricot eyes flew wide, and she parted her lips instinctively, about to scream.

But Xiao Mingting was quick to react. His broad palm clamped over her swollen lips.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear, his voice low and raspy, "Do you want Xilan to come in now?"

As he spoke, his warm lips brushed her jade-like earlobe, making her small body tremble.

It hit Chen Yao then, and she felt her heart pound wildly, as if it might leap out of her chest.

Her face went pale, her eyes filled with panic and fear. At his words, she shook her head vigorously, tears welling up again.

Xiao Mingting looked down at her, then slowly withdrew his hand.

But seeing her red eyes, flustered and at a loss, he let out a helpless sigh. "Are you going to confess now..."

Before he could finish, Chen Yao shook her head frantically, interrupting in a hushed, urgent tone, "No!"

Then her voice softened, and she looked up at him with pleading, tear-streaked face, "Please, don't."

Xiao Mingting pinched her chin, his sharp dark eyes narrowing, his voice unreadable. "Don't? Even if I'm willing to make you my empress, you still don't want to?"

Chen Yao fell silent, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes, rolling down her upturned cheeks and landing heavily on the back of his hand.

Xiao Mingting abruptly released her chin. The next second, his arm tightened, pulling her firmly against his chest.

His black brocade dragon robe's long sleeves draped down, just covering the girl in his arms completely.

"Then listen to me," he said calmly. "Just tell him you need more time."

Chen Yao had no choice but to bite her lower lip hard. Then she took a deep breath and, suppressing the tremor in her voice, called out to the door, "Hus... husband, I need a little more time."

Even though Yao Yao and sister Yunxiu were only a sham couple to hide her identity, speaking to the unknowing person beyond the door like this gave her a genuine sense of betrayal and shame, as if she were committing adultery behind her husband's back.

"Alright," Shen Yunxiu replied gently, her tone indulgent despite the slow response. "Take your time, Yaoyao. I'm right outside the door, no rush."

She had, in fact, heard a faint rustling from inside, but the girl's voice sounded fairly calm, if a little shy.

But Chen Yao had always been thin-skinned; being urged while changing would naturally make her nervous and shy. That was no surprise.

Shen Yunxiu thought to herself that she'd been watching the door the whole time, and no one had come near, so she didn't think much of it.