After returning to his room, Xie Beihan found Ye鸾 had finished washing up and was neatly dressed, sitting by the stove to dry her hair.
He walked up gently from behind.
Ye鸾 sensed his movement but did not stir.
She sat on the floor covered with a soft blanket, dressed in a green silk skirt that accentuated her shapely figure. Her waist seemed boneless, and the skirt fanned out like a blooming flower.
As she gathered her hair to hold it over the stove, her voluptuous and soft body seemed even more alluring with her movements.
Xie Beihan sat behind her and took the cloth from her hands.
"I'll do it."
Ye鸾 turned her head, "No need."
As she spoke, she snatched the cloth back and stood up.
Xie Beihan raised an eyebrow, grabbing her with one hand, pulling forcefully.
"Ah—"
Ye鸾 almost sprained her ankle from his strength and fell directly onto the blanket.
He reached out and pulled her into his embrace.
"Xie Beihan!"
Suppressed rage erupted in the silent room.
Xie Beihan smiled and lowered his gaze, "Yes, what is it?"
He was so close that with a slight tilt of his head, he could kiss her lips.
Ye鸾, fearful, tried to retreat, but he suddenly caressed her leg and pulled, her legs wrapping around his waist.
She felt a moment of panic and quickly kicked back.
But he saw through her thoughts, swiftly encircling her waist and pulling her into his arms.
She was held tightly by him like a koala bear.
The summer clothes were thin, and through the sheer fabric, she could feel the surging tide within him.
Ye鸾's face paled slightly. She pushed against his chest, desperately suppressing her displeasure, and looked up at him.
"As an Emperor, must you be so desperate?"
Xie Beihan curved his lips, "Yes, I miss you dearly."
With that, he lowered his head to kiss her.
Ye鸾 was startled and quickly reached for her dagger, only to remember that he had confiscated all her hidden weapons. In her panic, she covered his mouth with one hand and pushed back, dodging.
If Xie Beihan truly wanted her, Ye鸾 would be no match for him.
He directly grabbed her hand, moved it away, and leaned in.
Ye鸾 struggled in anger, her knees on the blanket, arching her back to dodge, but he clasped her waist and pulled forward, causing her to fall back into his arms.
The moment he leaned in to kiss her, she immediately turned her head away, her slightly cool lips landing on her face.
Xie Beihan was not angered. He let her squirm, his clean and handsome fingers smoothly unfastening her buttons and pressing her onto the blanket.
Ye鸾 was furious. She kicked desperately. The moment her hands were freed, she slapped him across the face.
"Xie Beihan, what madness is this?!"
Xie Beihan, having been struck, did not become angry. His unnaturally red lips curved into a smile, and he lowered his gaze to look at her.
"I cannot touch you?"
"Then who can?!"
Ye鸾 was furious, her eyes slightly reddening.
Xie Beihan's eyes turned cold, "Who is he that you would remain chaste for him?!"
"I don't know what he is, but I know the Emperor of Bei Qi is no good thing."
Stung by her words, Xie Beihan suddenly let out a laugh.
Ye鸾 was slightly stunned. She subtly pinched her thigh, her eyes instantly reddening, moisture welling up, giving her a pitiable look.
Seeing her like this, Xie Beihan's expression turned cold.
He cupped her cheeks, forcing her to look at him.
"Why are you crying?!"
Damn.
It hurt so much.
Ye鸾 cursed inwardly, but feigned distress outwardly, remaining silent. Her eyes grew redder, and tears trickled down her fair cheeks.
Xie Beihan paused for a moment, then reached out and pulled her up, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes, and coaxed her in a low voice.
"Good girl, don't cry. I won't touch you, I promise."
Ye鸾 dared not speak, only shifting uncomfortably, but he held her even tighter.
Xie Beihan buried his head in her shoulder, his eyelids lowered, his sinister eyes filled with a dark madness and obsession.
"When he dies, you won't think of him anymore."
His voice was extremely low, she couldn't hear clearly.
The palace doors were wide open, under the dark night sky. The wind blew, and sparse pear blossoms fell, carpeting the ground with a layer of white frost.
The fire in the stove crackled.
Ye鸾 sat on the soft blanket, Xie Beihan behind her, holding her raven-black hair and slowly drying it.
She turned her head to look at the moon outside the window, a wave of longing surging within her, permeating her limbs.
Xiao Chi Zhan!
"It's dry."
A voice came from behind. Ye鸾 concealed her emotions and turned around.
"Your Majesty Xie."
Seeing her about to get up and leave, Xie Beihan threw the cloth aside.
"Sit and chat with me for a while?"
Ye鸾 had no mind for him, "Aren't you tired, Your Majesty? It's very late."
"Not tired."
He leaned back lazily on the couch behind her, tilting his head to look at her, the smile on his lips truly irritating.
"But I am tired."
Xie Beihan raised an eyebrow, "Oh, then let's go to sleep."
Saying that, he reached out to embrace her.
Ye鸾's heart tightened, and she sat back down.
Xie Beihan snorted, pulled her to recline on the couch behind them, the firelight illuminating their faces, making their expressions unreadable.
"Little girl, do you have anything you like?"
Ye鸾 was perplexed, sitting a bit farther away from him, then spoke.
"Nothing I particularly like."
"Don't you like to fiddle with medicinal herbs? I can set up an imperial medical pavilion for you in the palace, let you play however you wish?"
He glanced over at her, his deep features flawlessly sculpted, but the smile on his lips held a hint of mischief.
Ye鸾 glanced at him sideways, remaining silent.
Xie Beihan suddenly smiled, reaching out to pinch her cheek. She cried out in pain and angrily slapped his hand away.
"It hurts."
"So delicate."
Ye鸾 didn't want to bother with him and turned her head, looking at the night view outside the palace.
Xie Beihan sat lazily, one hand resting on his bent knee, propping his head.
"In my entire life, I have only experienced loss."
Suddenly, he tilted his head, looking at her profile, and said faintly.
"That Imperial Palace in Yan Jing is like a rotten, magnificent cage, trapping everyone."
"My mother was right to scold me. The seeds of that old Emperor are all rotten, inherently bad. From the moment I was born, she wanted to kill me. It's laughable, isn't it? My own mother wanted to kill me!"
Xie Beihan looked at her with a profound gaze and let out a laugh.
"Indeed, that old Emperor took another man's wife and gave birth to a bastard like me. No wonder she wanted to kill me from birth. I truly have a strong life, surviving until she was executed."
"Ye鸾, at three years old, I lost my mother."
Ye鸾's heart trembled slightly, and she lowered her gaze, remaining silent.
"I barely survived until I was five, then was framed and sent to the cold palace. I crawled and stumbled for years, killed several of the old Emperor's sons, and successfully joined the army."
"At ten years old, my master was killed, and my sect was annihilated. Everyone died."
"I met Jing Zhi when I was twelve. Nine years have passed in a flash, and he too is dead."