The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading
Chapter 506 - 433: Waiting for the man in black to appear, the Emperor and Empress resolve their emotional issues

Chapter 506: Chapter 433: Waiting for the man in black to appear, the Emperor and Empress resolve their emotional issues

Weichi had come across the scene last night by accident, and for fear of being discovered, he dared not get too close.

Xiao Jinyan found it somewhat unbelievable that Concubine Xu, who had always been on good terms with Little Nine, would know a man in black. What was the purpose of their meeting last night? Was it to exchange information or something else?

"Are you certain that it was Concubine Xu who met with the man in black? Could it have been someone else?"

"To report back to Master, I only saw that the person meeting with Concubine Xu was dressed in attire for travelling at night. I did not dare approach too closely, for fear of startling the snake by hitting the grass," Weichi said.

Xiao Jinyan fell into deep thought. Concubine Xu was the legitimate daughter of General Xu, and the man in black was not a citizen of Daxia. How could Concubine Xu be acquainted with him?

"Let’s not publicize this matter for now. Keep a constant watch on Concubine Xu. If they have a relationship, they will surely meet again," he instructed.

Weichi accepted the order with a fist salute, "Your subordinate obeys."

After Weichi left, Xiao Jinyan thought about the three years since Concubine Xu had come to the palace. She had been quite close to Little Nine, and their relationship could be described as very good. Her nature had not changed much, but her mindset had undergone significant changes.

He really couldn’t understand how Concubine Xu suddenly became involved with the man in black.

Unable to figure it out, Xiao Jinyan stopped pondering it. He thought of the medicinal powder and ointment Little Nine had given him, which were very effective for healing wounds, and took the ointment to the Emperor’s tent.

Ever since the Emperor had been injured, he had been resting in bed with the Empress taking care of him personally, and their relationship had also eased considerably due to this mishap.

When Xiao Jinyan arrived, he saw the Empress feeding the Emperor water.

He stepped forward to greet them, "Father Emperor, Mother Empress."

The Emperor had been enjoying a private world with the Empress, and his face darkened immediately upon seeing the Crown Prince.

"Is there a matter for which the Crown Prince has come?"

"Father Emperor, your son has come to deliver medicine," Xiao Jinyan said, producing two small bottles—one green, one white—from his sleeve and explaining, "The white one is medicinal powder and is very effective for healing wounds; the green one is an ointment also quite good for scar removal."

The Empress said gleefully, "Really? Hand it over for Us to have a look."

"Yes, Mother Empress," Xiao Jinyan stepped forward and handed the ointment to the Empress.

The Empress examined the two small bottles in her hand, wondering why such precious ointments were contained in such ordinary small bottles.

She unscrewed the lid and sniffed at her nose, the fragrance was faint and refreshing, very pleasant.

Xiao Jinyan knew that Father Emperor was annoyed at him for disrupting his private time with Mother Empress, so he did not plan to stay long.

"Your son takes his leave."

The Emperor said nothing on the surface, but deep down he was almost ready to shoo him away, thinking, "Go on, leave quickly, don’t disturb the private time between me and the Empress for no reason."

Xiao Jinyan bowed his head in a gesture of respect and excused himself.

Once Xiao Jinyan had left, the Empress, holding the ointment, said to the Emperor, "Let Your Concubine apply some ointment for the Emperor to see how effective it is."

The Emperor nodded readily, "Alright."

The Empress placed the ointment on the cabinet and reached out to unfasten the Emperor’s clothes. They had been husband and wife for many years without embarrassment, but it was somewhat awkward since they had not been intimate for a while.

Recalling that the Emperor’s injury was sustained while saving her, she put further thought aside, and after unfastening his clothes, she unwrapped the bandage. The place bitten by the snake was still raw and bloody.

She picked up the white bottle, opened the cap, and sprinkled the medicinal powder on the wound.

The Emperor watched the Empress’s movements, tender with great care, feeling as if it was a return to their youthful days, especially warm and cozy.

"Empress, I remember when you first entered the palace, I was injured while practicing archery on horseback, and you applied ointment for me just as gently," said the Emperor.

The Empress’s expression hesitated at his words. Prompted by the Emperor’s reminiscence, she too recalled the times of their youth when the Dog Emperor was still the Crown Prince, and she was less knowledgeable, truly happier then.

"Those were all matters of our youth. Why does the Emperor bring them up so suddenly?"

"When I first became Crown Prince, I had far fewer concerns and tasks. The Empress would often come to the study to find me, bringing me treats, wanting me to accompany you out for fun," said the Emperor, looking up at the Empress with soft eyes. "I really miss those youthful days, and I miss the times when the Empress used to come to find me."

The Empress paused in her bandaging, looking at the Emperor with puzzlement, not understanding why he suddenly mentioned these things today.

So many years had passed that she almost believed those young days did not exist, as if they were all a dream.

When she first became the Crown Princess, she really had been impetuous and somewhat willful.

Xiao Qi was busy in the Study Room all day, and she would often visit him, but eventually, the frequency of her visits started to bother him.

It was after he spoke to her in a harsh tone that she realized Xiao Qi did not like her constant visits to the Study Room.

After that, she rarely went anymore.

When she was bored, she would practice swordplay.

Latter, when Xiao Qi was to favor another woman, she both argued and made a fuss, but on the day her mother scolded her, Xiao Qi went to the other woman instead.

That night, she did not sleep at all, and when Xiao Qi found out, he consoled her, saying he had no choice and that it would be better once he became Emperor.

She believed him.

When she became pregnant, Xiao Qi was very happy, saying he was about to become a father.

However, she miscarried unexpectedly less than two months into the pregnancy; Xiao Qi was both heartbroken and angry, but still comforted her, saying they could have another child after she recovered.

Yet Xiao Qi increasingly favored Concubine Xu, and when news came out that she was pregnant, the joy and pride he showed were evident to her.

Behind her back, many said what did it matter if she was the Crown Princess? Without a child, she couldn’t hold on to the Crown Prince.

She thought that things would get better once Xiao Qi became Emperor.

But after Xiao Qi became Emperor, to fill the Imperial Harem, he vigorously held selections for beauties.

So many beautiful women gathered in one place, girls only fourteen or fifteen, blooming like flowers.

She realized that after Xiao Qi became Emperor, he cared even less about her than before.

Only when she was pregnant again did Xiao Qi show his happy face and treat her well.

She thought Xiao Qi would be like before, caring only about her, but later discovered that the last thing the three palaces and six courtyards lacked was beauties.

She threw tantrums too, and Xiao Qi would coax her, but still, he would favor other women.

Her mother would often admonish her that an Empress must be generous, and concubines who provide offspring for the Imperial Family are meritorious.

Latter, as she became proficient in her role as Empress, there was no going back.

Now Xiao Qi said he missed those times when she would act unreasonably; wasn’t that ridiculous?

"Back then, I was but a naive girl, often unreasonable and always troubling Your Majesty, putting you in difficult situations and displeasing my mother. Over the years, I’ve learned to be the Crown Princess and a qualified Empress, causing no more problems for Your Majesty or mother. Does Your Majesty realize how much I’ve given to achieve what I am today?"

"How could Your Majesty miss that me? Why would you miss the unreasonable and rigid me?"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor was taken aback and then he sighed, "In this Imperial Palace, if the Empress does not learn to adapt, she will suffer greatly."

The pain in the Empress’s heart was unbearable. She had long grown accustomed to it and deliberately ignored it, but the Emperor, like a dog, had to dredge up the past, tearing at her heart that was already full of wounds.

She thought that numbness meant no more pain, but when brought up again, she found it still hurt.

"Your Majesty also thinks I used to be unreasonable and inflexible, but I’ve learned, not only learned but also did it very well; I won’t cause you more trouble. Shouldn’t Your Majesty be happy?"

The Emperor said, "I am happy, but not because the Empress is qualified or not. It’s because I can still stand alongside the Empress, having two sons, and even grandchildren now."

The Empress snorted, "Even without me, Your Majesty would have plenty of descendants. If Concubine Xu were still alive, Your Majesty would have even more."

Mentioning Concubine Xu, the Emperor’s face immediately darkened, "Why do you bring up Concubine Xu?"

Seeing the Emperor suddenly anger, the Empress knew she had hit a sore spot. Concubine Xu had miscarried her first pregnancy, and the same with her second; after that, she could not get pregnant again.

It almost broke the Emperor’s heart, who constantly showered her with precious gifts to console her.

"It was my fault for speaking out of turn and upsetting Your Majesty."

The Emperor couldn’t help but say with emphasis, "I am not upset."

Empress: "..." If you’re not upset, why are you angry? Why fume?

The Emperor sighed, "If I could do it all again, I would still prefer the Empress as she was before."

ps: Third update