The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading
Chapter 440 - 396: The prince appeared as cool when he discarded her, as he was awkward when he had to pick her up, yet the Crown Princess stood up for you

Chapter 440: Chapter 396: The prince appeared as cool when he discarded her, as he was awkward when he had to pick her up, yet the Crown Princess stood up for you

The Empress had just lain down, tired from carrying Taotao in her arms for a stroll all day; her arms and legs didn’t feel like they belonged to her.

She planned to rest early and recuperate, so she could continue to play with Taotao and Susu tomorrow.

This was probably the essence of bittersweet joy.

She used to watch Yun Xianbai proudly toting Yinyin around, with boasting being a major part, but another part was sheer happiness at having a grandson.

Hearing the noise outside the door, she knew the Emperor had come. She couldn’t be bothered to deal with him and decided to feign sleep by keeping her eyes shut.

The Emperor arrived at the bedside, sitting down with a discontented mood, and as he gazed down at the slumbering Empress, his frustration grew to an indigestible level.

He was the ruler of the nation, after all. Being rejected night after night at the doors of Fengyi Palace—what other woman would dare do this?

After stewing in annoyance for several days, his dissatisfaction naturally needed an outlet.

So, the Emperor shook the Empress awake.

"Empress."

The Empress was fuming. Could she not be allowed to sleep in peace?

Despite her anger, she had to open her eyes and look at the dog Emperor, the sovereign of the nation.

Feigning surprise, she looked at the dog Emperor, "Your Majesty?"

Each woman in the harem was a master actress, and so was the Empress. The only difference was she couldn’t be bothered to compete for favor with those women through their acts.

Possibly because she was awoken, the Empress, who usually had a temper upon rising, spoke in a voice soft and sweet like candy, yet not sickening.

The Emperor was stunned for a long while, and after much effort, managed to utter, "You are now the Empress."

The Empress pretended to be naive, "I am aware, Your Majesty. Why are you not resting at this late hour but sitting by my bed instead?"

"..." The Emperor responded, "It is merely the hour of Hai."

The Empress feigned a sudden realization as she looked at the dog Emperor, "Then I must have been muddled by sleep and lost track of the time. Your Majesty, please excuse me."

At her words, the Emperor had no pretext to vent, and his heart sank into further gloom.

"I haven’t rested at Fengyi Palace in a long time." What he meant was, you haven’t served in the bedchamber for quite some time.

"Your Majesty tends to a myriad of state affairs; you need not feel guilty for not visiting Fengyi Palace. As the Empress, I understand and empathize with Your Majesty’s hardships," the Empress said, implying through her words that she was a considerate Empress and would not be unhappy even if the Emperor did not visit.

The Empress’s words were watertight, and the Emperor, finding no fault for a moment, had no reason to challenge her.

After a long silence, the Emperor was reluctant to return to Yangxin Hall just like that.

"I am tired, undress me," he commanded.

The Empress kindly reminded him, "Your Majesty, you have an early morning court session tomorrow. Yangxin Hall is close to Jinluan Hall, so it would be best for you to rest there."

It was a clear excuse for refusal.

Does she take me for a fool?

"Empress, you are rejecting me," the Emperor raised his voice, afraid that the Empress would not discern the anger in it.

The Empress bowed her head in submission, "I would not dare. My body is presently indisposed, and I fear I might dampen Your Majesty’s spirits."

The Emperor snorted inwardly, ’Indisposed every day? Can’t she come up with another excuse?’

"I don’t mind," he declared.

Empress: "..."

The Emperor stood and began to undress himself.

The Empress looked up to see the dog Emperor eagerly disrobing his Dragon Robe, flinging each garment to the floor—not on a hanger—and thought, aside from the Emperor himself, who else would dare to throw a Dragon Robe to the ground?

Though the Emperor was in his forties, his physique had not faltered. Despite his daily responsibilities, he still made time to practice archery and horsemanship at the military grounds.

After removing his Dragon Robe and his undergarment, a lean figure was revealed, broad-shouldered and slim-waisted, without an ounce of excess flesh.

Only when the Emperor sat on the bed ready to remove his boots did the Empress realize she had just been admiring the Emperor’s physique.

What was she doing, admiring someone else’s figure at this time?

As the Emperor pulled back the blanket and moved closer, she hastily spoke up, "Your Majesty, my body truly is unwell."

I will not believe it!

The Emperor, having abstained for several days, was now somewhat agitated.

Looking at the dog Emperor atop her, she remembered the vigorous young Emperor she desperately wanted to marry in her youth.

Despite her mother’s advice, she was determined to marry the then Crown Prince.

She thought the Crown Prince must care for her, seeing that he personally came to propose.

She believed she was the only one in the Crown Prince’s heart.

She believed the other women had their unavoidable reasons.

But these were all just her assumptions.

In the face of power and status, she realized that she was the one with the ’unavoidable reasons’ that made her the Crown Princess.

If the Xun Family had surpassed the Chang Family, perhaps the Crown Princess would have been Concubine Xun by now.

Every time she thought of this, the Empress felt as foolish as could be, believing the dog Emperor cared for her, when in fact he treated everyone the same, with calculated affection.