Suddenly, the candles around the western hall extinguished. Only the luminous pearls on the lotus platform floating above the hot spring and the flower lanterns illuminated the water. It was as though in the world, only the woman on the flower platform existed.
As the sound of the zither rang out, the person on the flower terrace moved. Her red sleeves seemed to cut through the dark night, rippling in the air like water. The flower terrace trembled slightly, and the woman in red moved with the momentum. Suddenly, she spun around, as if she was standing on solid ground instead of a floating flower terrace that swayed unsteadily on the surface of the water.
The bells on her white ankles rang in the night. It was like the sound of nature striking into the soul, ringing again and again in He Heng's appreciation.
Qu Qing Ju was wearing a red dress, a pure vermillion red. There was no gold, no jade pendant. Other than a string of silver bells on her ankles, she didn't have any other adornments on her body. The night wind blew in through the open doors and windows, lifting the silk curtains in the room and ruffling the vermillion skirt. Her soft waist suddenly paused and she somersaulted backwards. The red sleeves drew an arc in the air. In the blink of an eye, she was leaning on the flower platform. Pieces of red petals slowly floated down, landing on the surface of the water that was covered in white steam, adding a touch of charm to the beautiful dance.
At some unknown time, a pipa was in Qu Qing Ju's hands. She slowly stood, her right foot curling up bit by bit. Her fingertips lightly plucked, her neck slightly raised. She was like a fairy that was about to fly away. Even though there was a moving smile on her face, it made people afraid that she would suddenly leave.
He Heng couldn't resist taking two steps forward. He saw Qu Qing Ju's eyes move as she started to play the pipa as she danced. When the song finished, a red silk suddenly floated down. Qu Qing Ju reached out to grab it. Her feet pushed off and she flew out of the flower platform amidst the rain of petals.
"Qing Ju!" He Heng pushed aside the layers of silk curtains. When he saw the person smiling faintly on the bed, his heart jumped. He murmured: "The ancients said that the wind blows and the celestial's clothes float, like the song of a rainbow dancing. Only today do I know how beautiful it is."
Qu Qing Ju turned and changed to lean on the bed. Her eyes were like silk as she asked: "Is Emperor satisfied with this dance of mine?"
"One dance to topple a city," He Heng walked next to the bed and reached out to take the white jade hairpin in her hair. His voice was raspy as he said: "With such a beauty, what more can I ask for in this life?"
The wind rose and the sleeve moved slightly. It seemed to also move He Heng's heart. He couldn't resist going forward to pull the other into his embrace. Such a beautiful moonlight, such a beautiful woman, his heart was in a mess. His eyes couldn't see anything else.
The attendants were all around Kui Yuan Palace. No one knew what had happened in Kui Yuan Palace. Some of the palace attendants that had been dancing with Qu Qing Ju had all retreated when Qu Qing Ju finished. The moment the door to the western hall closed, it also closed the night of the Emperor and Empress.
The moonlight was still the same, and the people were still the same. However, for Mu Jin and the others who were waiting outside, the Emperor did not come out of the West Hall. This meant that the Emperor would not come out before dawn tomorrow.
Mu Jin turned her head to look at the western side hall. Not just the Emperor, even she, who was also a woman, was dumbfounded when she saw the Empress change into that red dance dress.
Maybe, there were women in this world that didn't necessarily have the most beautiful appearance in the world, but they had the ability to charm people's hearts, just like the Empress.
When Qu Qing Ju woke up in the morning, the sky had started to brighten. She looked at the man who was holding her in his embrace. She reached out to push aside the hair on her forehead. When their eyes met, she found that the other had woken up long ago, his eyes extremely gentle.
"Awake?" He Heng reached out to stroke Qu Qing Ju's hair. He smiled lightly and asked: "Call someone in to serve?"
Qu Qing Ju gave a yawn. She looked through the layers of silk curtains to look out the window. She lazily leaned her head against He Heng's chest: "Don't want to get up."
"A beauty in my embrace, I don't want to get up either," He Heng's hand lightly brushed across Qu Qing Ju's back. He sighed unwillingly, "I finally understand the reason why the Emperor doesn't have morning court."
"The Emperor is willing to be that incapable ruler, but I don't want to be that demoness that brings calamity to the country," Qu Qing Ju pinched his waist. She stood and pulled a red outer robe from the side to carelessly put it on. She threw down her soft and silky hair, revealing her white thighs. She walked through the layers of silk curtains and stepped into the hot spring. The red outer robe floated in the water.
He Heng put on the robe and walked to the edge of the spring. He watched as she swam a circle in the water in a way that would cause one's imagination to run wild. He turned and took out a large and clean cotton cloth. He crouched down and reached out a hand: "Come up quickly. If you get out of the water, you'll get cold."
Qu Qing Ju swam in front of him. Looking at the hand that was reaching out to her, she suddenly pulled He Heng into the water.
Ming He and the others, who were waiting outside, heard the sound of water falling from inside the hall. Occasionally, they could hear the laughter of the Emperor and Empress. They could only silently bend their waists even lower, their heads even lower.
The final result was that He Heng's court time was half an hour later than usual. But at such a short time at night, no one thought too much. The only thing that the court officials didn't understand was why the Emperor's mood was exceptionally good today. Even the tone of the decree to investigate corrupt officials was gentler than usual.
The court officials were puzzled. Was the Emperor looking forward to the Ten Thousand Birthday Festival?
At the end of the ninth month, the envoys of the subordinate small countries started to arrive at Jing City. They stayed in the Guest Pleasure Palace that was specially used to receive foreign guests. The Guest Pleasure Palace might be called a palace, but it wasn't connected to the Imperial Palace. It was built on a clean and wide street. At the same time, there were some prestigious families that lived on this street.
After these envoys arrived, they all sent invitations to He Heng. But the ones that came to see them were officials from the Ministry of Rites. If these people wanted to see He Heng in person, they could only wait until the Ten Thousand Birthday Festival.
When the hour of Jing arrived, it caused a portion of the common people to gather on the two sides of the street. When they saw a carriage of a foreign land, they would always be curious. Even more, they heard that there was a beautiful princess sitting in the luxurious carriage. Such an alluring rumor, even if they couldn't see the person, it was fine to look at the carriage.
The people of Jing were arranged to stay in the Jiao Xiang Garden of the Guest Pleasure Palace. After they were settled, the imperial son and princess of Jing exchanged greetings with the envoys of the other countries. They heard the latest rumors in Jing City before returning to the garden.
Dai Rong looked at the teacup in her hand, her voice full of emotion: "Da Long is prosperous and prosperous. Even a teacup like this is something that everyone in my Jing country fights for, but it can be seen everywhere in Da Long." A hint of a smile appeared on her beautiful face, "I heard that His Majesty the newly crowned Emperor is very young and handsome, and a very capable Emperor. And there aren't many women in the hougong, it's a rare Emperor."
"I heard that the Empress of Da Long is as beautiful as a fairy, kind at heart, and very loving with His Majesty the Emperor," Tu Er seemed to see through his meimei's thoughts, smiling wryly as he played with an agate bracelet, "It really makes one envious."
"There isn't a man in the world that doesn't crave novelty," Dai Rong smiled carelessly, the expression on her face extremely confident, "The successive Emperors of Da Long all had a lot of beauties in the palace."
Tu Er shrugged and spread his hands, declaring: "Alright, I don't care what you want to do. If you anger His Majesty the Emperor and lose the right to inherit the throne, it would be great news for me."
"My good gege, there isn't a man that would ignore a beautiful woman," Dai Rong's index finger swiped across her flame-like lips, "Just wait and see, I will become the greatest Empress of the country of Jing."
"Since you insist," Tu Er put down the agate bracelet in his hand, smiling as he spread his hands: "I wish you success." Finishing, he smiled as he walked out of the room, turning to return to his own room.
"Princess, what does the imperial son mean?" The maid behind Dai Rong frowned as she asked, "Will the imperial son harm you because of this?"
"Don't worry, gege wouldn't be so dumb as to harm me in front of His Majesty the Emperor. That wouldn't be good for the reputation of the country of Jing," Dai Rong put down the cup in her hand, "Even more so, Mother favors me more. Of the people coming this time, more people are willing to listen to me. Even if he wants to scheme against me, he doesn't have that many helpers."
Thinking about the Empress that Tu Er mentioned, she snorted. Most of the women of Da Long were virtuous and virtuous. Men found it interesting when they looked at them. If they kept facing this kind of woman, it would be strange if they didn't get tired of it.
If she used her beauty to obtain the support of His Majesty the Emperor, not only could she obtain the throne, it could also give the country of Jing more benefits from Da Long. Why not?
So what if there was an Empress, would the Emperor preserve his chastity for her?
In the rear hall of Tian Qi Palace, Qu Qing Ju was teasing Tun Tun to reach for the little rattle-drum in her hands. Seeing his head turn and turn with the rattle-drum, and his hands randomly grabbing, she smiled and shoved the little drum into his hands. Then she saw Tun Tun clumsily shove the little drum into his mouth.
Qu Qing Ju didn't stop him. Seeing his toothless mouth covered in saliva, she used a handkerchief to wipe his face. She reached out to feel his back. Seeing that his temperature was normal, she picked up Tun Tun, "Tun Tun, call mother."
"Ah."
"Mother."
"Ah ah."
Seeing Tun Tun grinning at her with a face of ignorance, Qu Qing Ju couldn't resist kissing his face a few more times, "Tun Tun, tomorrow is your father's birthday. Call me mother."
"Why do I have to call you for my birthday first?" He Heng heard this when he walked in. He helplessly walked in front of his son and reached out to poke his son's face. Seeing him scowling into his muhou's embrace, he raised an eyebrow, "This brat really knows how to hide."
"Don't poke," Qu Qing Ju slapped his hand away, "Rough hands and feet, don't hurt the child's skin."
"It's not tofu, you can't even touch it," He Heng resentfully took his hand back. Seeing Tun Tun stretch out a chubby paw to rest on Qu Qing Ju's body, he said, "Why do I feel that he wants to be closer to you?"
"He stayed in my stomach for more than nine months," Qu Qing Ju glanced at him, "If you can have a child like this, he will still be closer to you."
He Heng rubbed his nose. He felt that in this area, he couldn't challenge a woman's comfort and status. He said: "En, it's right for the child to be closer to you. It means that this child will be filial in the future." Finishing, he took the opportunity to rub his son's butt.
Qu Qing Ju handed the child to the nursemaid and sat down with He Heng on a chair. She remembered that many envoys from subordinate countries were coming tomorrow and asked: "Have all the envoys arrived?"
"All arrived. Even the country of Duo Han arrived four days ago," He Heng thought and then added, "That imperial son and princess of the country of Jing have also arrived. I heard that they made a lot of noise."
Qu Qing Ju raised an eyebrow, remarking: "The entrance of a beauty, it should be grander."
He Heng smiled and then said: "As a subordinate country, they should act like a subordinate country. Which master would like a guest that takes the place of the host?"
Qu Qing Ju heard from his tone that it seemed that the envoys of the country of Jing had done something to make people unhappy. She asked: "What did they do?"
"I heard that when they entered Jing, they caused a ruckus. They even came in a grand carriage pulled by twelve steeds," He Heng's brow furrowed, "Xiandi hasn't been gone for three years and they're already singing and dancing. They really have no manners."
Qu Qing Ju finally understood. Even though it was already past the mourning period, but the envoys of the subordinate countries that came this time, in order to express their loyalty, would definitely express their grief at the passing of xiandi. So He Heng was dissatisfied with the performance of the country of Jing.
These twelve steeds … … when He Heng was still a wang ye, he only used a carriage with eight steeds. Was the imperial son and princess of the country of Jing even more noble than the wang ye of Da Long?
Didn't the information of the country of Jing say that the Hu Guo Princess was beautiful, skilled in singing and dancing, and unparalleled in intelligence? Why did the things that she did not seem to suit He Heng's intentions?
Or was it that this was a method that the Hu Guo Princess used to attract the attention of the new emperor?
It was a pity that no matter what her intentions were, this method was for the blind to see, and it made He Heng dissatisfied.
It really … … made one sympathize.
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