"According to my lady, is this emperor at fault?"
Emperor Jingxuan coiled the whip rope and sat tall atop his horse, his posture as straight as a pine, his expression unreadable.
Backlit by the sun, Yun Wan could only make out the sharp line of his jaw. His tone carried clear displeasure.
She raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glare, glancing away as she muttered under her breath, "This concubine did not mean it that way..."
"Your Majesty is wise and mighty, a ruler of unparalleled brilliance—how could you ever be wrong—mmph!"
Her words were abruptly cut off.
Emperor Jingxuan’s temple twitched in irritation. Before she could finish, he dismounted in one fluid motion, stepping onto the front of the carriage and gripping her cheeks between his fingers. His lips curled in a mocking smile.
"Such a silver tongue—my lady would make an excellent storyteller."
Her words were flattering on the surface, but laced with sarcasm, sharp as hidden blades.
Yun Wan’s cheeks ached under his grip, her lips forced apart, her face puffed up like a carp surfacing to blow bubbles. Her eyes burned with suppressed anger.
Amusement flickered in Emperor Jingxuan’s gaze. He deliberately pinched her cheek, teasing.
How adorable.
His grip was merciless. Yun Wan winced, her delicate brows knitting together as her watery eyes glinted with irritation. "Your Majesty, release this concubine!"
"You’re hurting me!"
His fingers stilled, loosening slightly. Noticing the red marks on her cheeks, Emperor Jingxuan scoffed. "So delicate," he remarked before finally letting go.
Yun Wan pressed her lips together, rubbing her sore cheeks, resentment simmering in silence.
Emperor Jingxuan towered over her. Even seated on the cushioned carriage bench, Yun Wan’s gaze barely met his.
Catching her furtive glance, he clasped his hands behind his back and asked leisurely, "How long does my lady intend to be away? When will you return?"
Yun Wan hesitated, offering no immediate reply.
Emperor Jingxuan’s expression darkened, his eyes shadowed with unreadable emotion.
His gaze flicked to the familiar hairpin in Yun Wan’s hair, his voice low and dangerous. "Does my lady truly plan to leave and never return?"
Sensing the threat in his tone, Yun Wan swallowed hard, pouting. "When did this concubine ever say such a thing? Your Majesty wrongs me..."
She had thought about it—even considered feigning illness afterward, never stepping out of Cuiwei Pavilion again.
Under his piercing stare, she bit her lip and relented. "The day after tomorrow."
Emperor Jingxuan immediately rejected it. "Unacceptable. No later than tomorrow."
"Tomorrow evening, I will send someone to fetch you."
His gaze bore into her, leaving no room for argument.
"That’s too soon," Yun Wan protested. "One day won’t be enough. Besides, the palace gates will be locked by then."
Emperor Jingxuan was done indulging her defiance. It was time to rein her in.
His expression hardened as he glanced down at her. "It’s just paying respects to a former husband. How much time does my lady truly need?"
Yun Wan frowned, correcting him sharply. "Not a former husband."
She and Lu Fenglan had never divorced—how could he be called "former"?
Emperor Jingxuan smirked, unfazed. "Of course he is. A past husband is a former husband. Unless my lady intends to have only him as a husband in this lifetime? Distinctions must be made, no?"
"..."
Yun Wan gaped at him, stunned by his shameless twisting of words.
Was this not sheer sophistry?
Emperor Jingxuan remained utterly unrepentant. He leaned in, closing the distance between them, his phoenix eyes burning with intensity.
"Does my lady agree or not?"
His stance made it clear—if she refused, he wouldn’t let her leave.
Yun Wan huffed. "This concubine agrees!"
Emperor Jingxuan’s lips curved. Suddenly, he bent forward, half his body entering the carriage, blocking the sunlight outside.
The sudden dimness made Yun Wan’s breath catch. His handsome face loomed before her, his overwhelming presence suffocating.
She instinctively held her breath.
"T-This is a public place. Your Majesty should mind propriety, lest rumors tarnish your imperial dignity," she whispered, leaning back slightly.
Emperor Jingxuan grasped her wrist, his fingers prying open her clenched fist with deliberate slowness.
A humorless chuckle escaped him. "Do you know what I was thinking on my way here?"
His smile didn’t reach his eyes, cold and unsettling. The depths of his gaze churned with turbulent emotion, threatening to drown her.
Yun Wan’s fingers curled inward. Faced with this side of him, a shiver of fear ran down her spine.
The moment the thought formed, she was no longer free.
His hand slid down, interlacing their fingers in a tight grip.
"I was thinking..."
He paused, his voice dropping to a murmur.
"...that if my lady refuses to behave, I might as well tie you up and lock you in my chambers. Or issue an edict ensuring you never leave the palace again—forever bound as mine."
"As for what others think?" He smirked. "It means nothing to me."
Emperor Jingxuan had ruled for over a decade, a sovereign who governed with diligence and vision. Under his reign, the Great Qi flourished in peace and prosperity. Taking a consort—even one with an unusual background—was trivial compared to his achievements.
In fact, the old ministers who fretted over the scarcity of imperial heirs would likely rejoice if he indulged in more pleasures, hoping for more royal descendants.
They’d even welcome it if it meant tempering his relentless focus on state affairs—after all, even a dragon’s body needed rest.
Yun Wan felt as if she’d been plunged into ice. Her eyes widened with dread.
She parted her lips, but no words came out.
Watching her reaction, Emperor Jingxuan gently cupped her face, sighing.
"Fortunately, my lady dispelled those thoughts. Otherwise, you would have hated me."
"Did I frighten you?"
Yun Wan stared at him wordlessly, her lashes trembling like butterfly wings, unsure how to respond.
Emperor Jingxuan tilted his chin up, commanding, "Kiss me, and I’ll forgive you. Today’s matter will be forgotten."
Yun Wan: "..."
At a distance, near the wall, Sui had grown bored playing with Jiang Fusheng’s horsetail whisk and handed it back. He turned toward the carriage, straining to hear the adults’ conversation.
Unable to catch a word, he tried spotting his mother, but Emperor Jingxuan’s figure blocked most of the carriage. Even on tiptoe, he couldn’t see Yun Wan, and his mood soured.
He tugged at Jiang Fusheng’s sleeve, pouting. "Eunuch Jiang, what are His Majesty and Mother talking about? Why can’t I listen?"
Jiang Fusheng softened at the child’s dejection. "This servant doesn’t know either, young master. But it must be important matters—ones we shouldn’t overhear."
Sui gave a disgruntled "oh" and kicked the wall.
Jiang Fusheng hurriedly stopped him. "Careful, young master! Don’t hurt your foot."
After a pause, he offered cheerfully, "If you’re bored, how about this servant tells you stories of His Majesty’s glorious exploits in his youth?"
Perhaps if the boy grew more admiring of the emperor, it might influence his mother’s feelings as well.
Sui glanced at Emperor Jingxuan, who still obscured Yun Wan entirely, and sulked.
"Next time, Eunuch Jiang. I don’t feel like hearing them today."
Jiang Fusheng rubbed his nose and chuckled awkwardly.
