The night deepened, slowly until the two figures, soft and limp, collapsed onto the large bed. It was then that Ji Xue woke up. She had been controlled by him. Anger surged, and she raised a hand to strike Hua Wenbo. Hua Wenbo quickly extended a hand, firmly grasping hers, and his cold, captivating voice rang out.
"What are you doing?"
"You dare to bewitch my will," she snarled.
Hua Wenbo chuckled and spoke softly, "I did not enchant you with any spell. It's simply that your will is not firm enough. No, it's that you have always harbored desires for me. Otherwise, you wouldn't have climbed into my bed so quickly. And your past affection for Wuqing was also transference, wasn't it? Because you secretly liked me, you wanted to take him as your primary husband the first time you saw Wuqing."
Hua Wenbo spoke as if it were a matter of course. Ji Xue's face turned red with anger. This shameless man, this scoundrel who took advantage and then feigned innocence! What did he mean she had liked him all along? When had she ever harbored desires for him? He was the Imperial Husband of Danfeng Kingdom, old and aged. Whom could she possibly desire if not him?
"You shameless scoundrel."
Ji Xue angrily yanked her hand free, glaring resentfully at the naked man on the bed. Even without a stitch of clothing, he was still perfect. His body was long and upright, strong and flawless like bamboo. Now, a thin veil was loosely draped around his waist, exuding an unspeakable sexiness and allure.
"How am I? Can I compare to your male consorts?"
Hua Wenbo's beautiful eyes flickered with light, and he spoke with a half-smile.
He wasn't angry at all. It was only on these young bodies that he could feel his masculinity. His long-suppressed soul found release, making him as energetic as another person in bed, entirely different from the Hua Wenbo before the Empress.
On the Empress's bed, he had always been submissive, letting the woman indulge him. As that woman grew older, he slowly lost interest in her flabby body, which filled him with dread. If the Empress discovered this, he would be in trouble.
At one point, he had drugged himself to maintain their relationship. Finally, he discovered a more advantageous path: to unleash his virility on young women. This allowed him to maintain his excitement for a long time. As soon as the Empress favored him, he would imagine those young, beautiful bodies, which enabled him to maintain his prowess and was also the reason for his favor for over twenty years.
Ji Xue did not want to say more to him. The man was handsome, and his prowess in lovemaking was formidable, but his schemes ran just as deep. She would not forget this. The priority now was to find a way to repel the enemy.
"Let's think about how to deal with that woman, Mu Qingyao. Don't you want revenge for Wuqing?"
As soon as Ji Xue finished speaking, Hua Wenbo's expression turned extremely grim and unpleasant.
His thin lips pressed together tightly, and he spoke in a low voice, "I will not let that woman go."
Though his words were soft, they carried a potent killing intent, suffocating the chamber.
This was the most pleasing sentence Ji Xue had heard all night. Her eyes finally relaxed slightly. "What do you plan to do?"
"Be good, my dear. I've already made arrangements. You'll see the consequences tomorrow, so don't worry. Let's talk about something else."
"What is it?"
Ji Xue was greatly surprised by his swift methods. After a moment of stunned thought, she looked up at him, not understanding what else there was to discuss between them besides this.
"Do you want to be Empress?"
Hua Wenbo spoke with profound mystery, looking at the woman beside him. Though her features were delicate, her young body was very alluring.
"What do you mean by that?" Ji Xue asked warily, staring intently at the man. She didn't know what he was planning, and his words were very strange. She was the Crown Princess of Danfeng; she would become Empress sooner or later. His question was completely unnecessary.
However, Hua Wenbo did not give her much time to speculate. A playful smile touched his lips, and he reached out a fingertip to lightly caress Ji Xue's cheek.
"My dear, you're not still dreaming, are you? Although you are the current Crown Princess, you are not the Empress's only daughter. Moreover, you are a fake, and you have no backing. The Fifth Princess, Ji Meng, has always coveted your position. You should also know that her backing is very powerful, and her imperial consort is also deeply favored by the Empress. If you lose Chentang Pass this time, I fear they will have grounds to speak."
Ji Xue was taken aback, stunned. Although she was not of the royal bloodline, the position of Crown Princess had always been her goal. Later, Ji Feng took it, and she had been trying to harm her all along. Now that her wish was finally granted, she never expected someone else to try to seize her throne, causing every hair on her body to stand on end, her face dark and unreadable.
"She can dream on."
Ji Xue spoke hatefully, clenching her teeth. Hua Wenbo leaned half his body over, kissed her cheek, and spoke in a gentle tone.
"If you listen to me from now on, I will help you ascend the throne as Empress as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, Ji Xue's eyes widened in alarm as she stared at Hua Wenbo. Did he mean to usurp the throne? But what benefit would it bring him if she ascended the throne?
"Why are you helping me like this? What is your purpose?"
"Naturally, there are conditions. Otherwise, why would I help you?" Hua Wenbo smiled and said lightly, "I want you to keep the position of your primary husband vacant. Although I am not your primary husband, this position must remain empty. And whenever I need it, you must accompany me. Although I am the Imperial Consort, all the authority of the primary husband will be in my hands from now on."
As soon as Hua Wenbo finished speaking, Ji Xue cried out, "Are you crazy?"
"I am very calm. It is you who is a bit confused," Hua Wenbo said, no longer paying attention to Ji Xue. He then lay down on his side. His face, like fine jade, was serene in sleep, unspeakably ethereal, and perfect without a single flaw, making it impossible to look away. Yet, beneath such transcendent beauty, lurked a sinister and venomous heart, making her wish she could kill him immediately.
However, considering his words, they were not entirely unreasonable. Now, there was someone willing to help her. Although he was using her, he could help her become the supreme ruler. And this man's mind was first-class. If she ascended the throne, he would not harm her immediately, because he needed to rely on her to survive.
Ji Xue thought it over and over. The man sleeping beside her suddenly reached out and pulled her down to sleep. His cold voice rang out, "Don't overthink it, lest you become foolish."
The night deepened and flowed away.