Wumian had already eaten and hadn’t intended to wait for him.

  “I thought you said you’d wait for me?”

  Wumian tilted her head. “I am waiting. Look, I haven’t gone to bed yet, have I?”

  “Your hair’s already undone?” Lou Yingqiong reached out and gently ran his fingers through her long hair.

  “I wore a few too many hair ornaments while dressing this morning—my scalp started to ache, so I took it down. We’re husband and wife, aren’t we? There’s no need to stay tense all the time. I like to think I’m still fairly decent-looking like this. Not unsightly, is it? But if Your Majesty believes I’ve shown disrespect before the ruler…” She smiled pyfully, holding up both hands to tug at his right hand, giving it a little shake. “Then—should I act a little coquettish?”

  “Then I shall forgive my dear wife,” Lou Yingqiong pyed along, taking her hand and leading her inside.

  “Go bring the soup for His Majesty.”

  “What soup did you prepare?” he asked, settling into his seat.

  “It’s something I made in my little kitchen. I don’t believe Your Majesty has ever had it. Try it and see.” Wumian didn’t eborate.

  Lou Yingqiong didn’t press her. Before long, the soup was brought in. Its color was a milky white.

  Inside were fine shreds of white radish. Lou Yingqiong took a spoonful and sipped. “Is this fish soup?”

  Wumian nodded. “They say radish is for winter and ginger for summer, but a little radish in the summer isn’t bad either. This soup is light yet fvorful—I quite like it.”

  Lou Yingqiong slowly drank the soup. There were also tender pieces of fish within—boneless chunks of crucian carp. Every bone had been picked out.

  The radish, which should have tasted savory, instead carried a faint, delicate sweetness. It was truly unique.

  He finished three bowls in a row.

  Though they were small bowls, he was a grown man—he could have easily finished three more.

  Once the dishes were cleared, Lou Yingqiong remarked, “This soup was excellent—very refreshing.”

  “I’m gd Your Majesty enjoyed it.” Wumian handed him tea to rinse his mouth.

  “It’s getting hotter these days. If you feel too warm, you can begin setting out ice mounds early.”

  “I’m all right, not too hot yet. Is Your Majesty warm? Why not take off your outer robe? There’s nothing else going on tonight anyway,” Wumian said casually.

  Lou Yingqiong refused. He was particur about decorum—he’d rather endure the heat than take off his outer robe at a time like this.

  In common terms, he was burdened by propriety.

  That only piqued Wumian’s interest. For a man surrounded by women, he still had this little streak of restraint? Tch, how amusing.

  So she tugged at the hem of his robe and looked up at him with a pyful glint in her eye.

  Lou Yingqiong gnced down at her pale, delicate hand pulling at him and sighed. “It’s getting te. Shall we rest?”

  Wumian couldn’t help but ugh aloud. So proper, this one.

  She rose with him, and the two went to wash up before retreating into the inner chamber.

  At the edge of the bed, Wumian wrapped her arms around his back. “Your Majesty does feel warm.”

  He was in good health, and as a man, his body naturally ran hot. He could easily endure the cold, but heat made him restless.

  “We should go to the summer pace at the end of the month,” he said. “Stay there a while to escape the heat.”

  “For how long? If we leave at the end of May, we’ll need to stay until at least August if we want it to be truly cool. If you ask me, we should skip it this year.” They had gone in past years, but not every year.

  “Why?” Lou Yingqiong looked puzzled. She wouldn’t worry about being left behind—if he didn’t intend to bring her, he wouldn’t say it to her face.

  “Li Liangyi and Xu Liangyi are both pregnant,” Wumian said thoughtfully. “If Your Majesty is heading to the summer pace, will you be bringing them along?”

  “If we bring them, the journey by carriage and boat will be exhausting. The summer pace isn’t like the main pace—most of the attendants there aren’t from the inner court. The rules are more rexed, and with that comes the risk of mistakes. But if we leave them here, without the imperial presence in the pace, sckness is inevitable. What happens if they’re poorly cared for?” Wumian’s tone was steady, even earnest. “The Empress Dowager had a point—at Your Majesty’s age, the number of heirs is far too few, especially sons.”

  “Truly…” Lou Yingqiong sighed. “You’re far too virtuous, my Empress.”

  “I’m merely offering a suggestion,” Wumian replied with a gentle smile.

  “You make a good case. Then let’s stay put this year,” Lou Yingqiong agreed. The pace did indeed enforce rules with more precision than the summer residence.

  Going away to escape the heat was pleasant, but for pregnant concubines, it brought with it unnecessary risk.

  That the Empress had been the one to speak such words only made it all the more surprising.

  “At the end of the month, let’s send the Empress Dowager to the summer retreat. She dislikes the heat. As for you, dear Empress, you’ll have to suffer a little and stay here in the pace with me.”

  Wumian casually sprawled across his back. “Very well.”

  Lou Yingqiong did feel a bit hot, but he couldn’t bring himself to push her away—or perhaps, he didn’t want to. In truth, he found himself enjoying it.

  As the Son of Heaven, all women in the inner court were gentle toward him, always ready to please and to ftter.

  But one who clung to him so openly, so naturally, was rare.

  Even Li Fei, who loved to act coquettish, had never thrown herself across his back like this.

  A long while ter, Wumian finally let go, only to be pulled straight into his arms and pressed down onto the bed.

  She slipped her arms around his neck and said nothing—just gazed up at him.

  Those shimmering, water-like eyes of hers… in that moment, they were like deep, enchanted pools. No man being looked at like that could possibly remain untouched by desire.

  And so, waves turned red, and they tangled through the night in passionate battle.

  —

  By the time Lou Yingqiong woke the next morning, he realized this was likely the first time he had ever slept in such a position.

  His entire body felt sore. Not from the exertion, but because the posture had been utterly twisted. One of the woman’s legs was draped across his stomach, one of her arms was tucked beneath his, and—somehow—her head had ended up resting against his chest. Because of that position, he’d slept curled like a shrimp the whole night.

  No wonder he was exhausted.

  Lou Yingqiong raised a hand to his forehead and took a moment to collect himself before carefully sitting up. The fair, soft foot resting against his abdomen twitched slightly as if it sensed his movement.

  The morning air still carried a bit of chill. Lou Yingqiong, feeling generous, gently pulled a bnket over her.

  Neither his movement nor his gesture disturbed his boldly sleeping little empress.

  He didn’t rush to dress. Instead, he stood beside the bed for some time, frowning in quiet contemption. How could a woman sleep like this? Noble daughters were usually taught proper sleeping posture from a young age.

  If a girl had unruly sleeping habits, a momo would correct it.

  Granted, this dynasty wasn’t as strict as those of old—but still, he had never seen anything like this…

  Or rather, he had never seen the Empress like this in the three years since she entered the pace.

  His current feeling wasn’t disgust or disdain—it was curiosity. A strange novelty.

  So the Empress had been putting on a show all this time? Was this the real her?

  Tsk. He didn’t quite know what to make of it—only that it was… rather distinctive.

  After the Emperor finally left, the pace maids Zhaohua and Feixu, who had been standing by the bed all this time, finally let out the breaths they had been holding. His Majesty had stared at Her Majesty for so long—they had been utterly tense with worry. What if he had gotten angry?

  And yet their mistress… hadn’t stirred at all. She slept as soundly and shamelessly as ever.

  Still, Feixu thought to herself, His Majesty didn’t look angry at all, did he?

  Knowing the Empress could sleep a while longer, the two withdrew quietly. In the outer chamber, Feixu said, “Are Her Majesty’s clothes ready? It’s drizzling outside again.”

  “All set. As soon as she wakes, she can change. I’ll go bring them over,” Zhaohua said as she headed off.

  No one had sent word of absence today, but a few still would not be coming—Xian Fei, Fu Meiren, Xu Liangyi, and Li Liangyi.