On the sixth day of the eighth lunar month, the imperial carriage returned to the palace.
When Ling Shan woke up from her slumber in the inner compartment of the imperial carriage reserved for the cabinet, although the voices outside were kept low, she could still faintly hear the conversation between the emperor and his ministers.
For a moment, the drowsiness from just waking up quickly dissipated amidst Jun Wuyuan's rather erratic behavior in the past few days.
Didn't Jun Wuyuan know that the harem was not supposed to interfere in state affairs?
In the past, although Ling Shan had participated in some of Jun Wuyuan's major decisions, she had never been so openly close to such discussions as she was now.
What did Jun Wuyuan mean by this?
He even let her listen to such important national affairs. Could it be that he had forgotten she was sleeping inside?
That couldn't be right.
If Jun Wuyuan had really forgotten, he wouldn't have asked the people outside to keep their voices down.
He did it on purpose!
Ling Shan's fingers unconsciously twisted, and her fingertips tightened on the brocade quilt with such force that her nails turned white.
Lost in thought, Ling Shan didn't notice that the conversation outside had stopped at some point.
She didn't even realize when the curtain separating them had been lifted, and she just kept her head down, staring blankly at the patterns on the brocade quilt.
Jun Wuyuan was momentarily stunned after lifting the curtain. He hadn't expected to see such a sight.
The just - awakened beauty had her raven - black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her unadorned face was strikingly beautiful, and the confusion in her eyes added a touch of cuteness.
Jun Wuyuan's eyes softened immediately. Before Ling Shan could react, he reached out and scooped her up, quilt and all, onto his lap.
Ling Shan let out a startled cry. When she looked up, she met Jun Wuyuan's peach - blossom eyes that seemed to be smiling affectionately.
"Your Majesty!"
Ling Shan's heart was pounding wildly. After she had settled herself, she couldn't help but glare at Jun Wuyuan angrily.
"Did I scare you, Shan Shan?"
Jun Wuyuan's eyes were full of smiles, and his voice was gentle and full of playfulness.
"It's my fault. I shouldn't have scared you. Are you hungry? Later, I'll personally serve the Consort Zhao for her meal to atone for my mistake. How about that?"
Perhaps due to Jun Wuyuan's sweet and subtle influence over the past few days, Ling Shan's heart was no longer as cold as before.
Gradually, she began to unconsciously open her heart, showing a bit of coquettishness.
This was different from the false intimacy and coquetry she had shown in the past. Jun Wuyuan could feel the difference.
Only when he compared did he realize that what he had thought was his love and affection in the past was just his own self - delusion.
Fortunately, there was still room to make up for his arrogance and self - righteousness.
Hadn't he been doing well in the past few days?
"Your Majesty has really nice ideas. Do you think just serving me a meal is enough to atone for your mistake? I won't agree."
Hearing Ling Shan's coquettish voice, Jun Wuyuan's smile deepened. His tone was full of doting as he asked:
"Then, Consort Zhao, how do you think I should atone for my mistake to satisfy you? Please show mercy and tell this humble one."
"That won't do. Your Majesty should figure it out on your own. Only then will it show your sincerity. Haven't you been doing a great job?"
Ling Shan gave Jun Wuyuan a coquettish look, her tone full of innuendo.
Jun Wuyuan's smile froze for a moment. He pinched the soft flesh around Ling Shan's waist, suppressing his laughter with a slightly embarrassed look on his face.
"Shan Shan, you've guessed it?"
Ling Shan glared at him angrily, her eyes and eyebrows full of alluring charm.
Who would have thought that Jun Wuyuan, the great emperor, would set a trap for her on the anniversary of his mother's death?
Thinking that this guy had probably coaxed out all her hidden feelings while she was drunk, Ling Shan couldn't help but pinch Jun Wuyuan.
Who knew that before she could even come up with a solution, Jun Wuyuan had unexpectedly solved all the problems with his scheme?
"Dear Shan Shan, if I hadn't tricked you like this, I wouldn't have known how long you, this little fox, would have hidden your feelings. How could we be like this now?"
Jun Wuyuan raised his eyebrows and smiled.
Like this now?
Ling Shan followed Jun Wuyuan's gaze and instantly froze.
Good heavens!
What on earth was she doing?
Ling Shan blinked and casually withdrew her hand from tugging at Jun Wuyuan's ear.
She suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable. Well, this was Jun Wuyuan's own doing. She couldn't be blamed.
—
Thus, on the way back to the palace, Jun Wuyuan, the great emperor, degraded himself to be a little attendant beside Consort Zhao.
He served her tea, warmed her bed, massaged her back, and entertained her. In short, there was nothing he wouldn't do.
Most importantly, Jun Wuyuan's change was obvious.
On this journey, in front of Ling Shan, Jun Wuyuan was no longer the high - and - mighty emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty. He was just an ordinary man trying to please the woman he loved.
He was willing to think about what she thought, consider things carefully for her, and even explain in detail things that he had never mentioned before and that she had to guess.
Ling Shan's concerns and uneasiness that hadn't even fully emerged were quickly dispelled by Jun Wuyuan's extreme honesty.
After a while, even though Ling Shan still retained a bit of clarity and rationality in her heart, she couldn't help but open her heart to Jun Wuyuan.
She thought that since Jun Wuyuan, as an emperor, could go to such lengths, she shouldn't keep hesitating.
She could be skeptical, but she didn't have to completely reject him.
Jun Wuyuan's true heart was what she had painstakingly sought.
There was no reason for her to be afraid to accept it now that she had finally succeeded.
Ling Shan didn't know what the future would be like.
But at this moment, Ling Shan thought that she was willing to trust Jun Wuyuan.
Even if their affection might fade in the future, the sincerity at this moment was real.
In contrast to Ling Shan's recent good fortune, Yu Shiwei on the other side was having a rough time.
First, she had to separate from Jun Wuzhou and start another long - distance "relationship." Then, despite her usually strong body, she caught a cold!
That wasn't all. This cold came on fiercely, and after taking medicine for several days, there was no sign of improvement.
After Ling Shan came to visit her a few times, Yu Shiwei drove her away.
There was nothing she could do. Ling Shan's happiness on her face was just too much of a pain for Yu Shiwei.
Yu Shiwei felt that every time Ling Shan came to visit, it was like stabbing a knife into her wound.
For the sake of her own life, it was better to keep Ling Shan's happiness away from her for the time being.
Ling Shan was both amused and helpless. After she returned, she told Jun Wuyuan about this, as if complaining.
Jun Wuyuan had become even busier recently, and Ling Shan even had to participate in the discussions.
However, while Ling Shan knew about the existence of the ministers and Jun Wuyuan's confidants, they didn't know about her presence.
During the discussions, Ling Shan often had to listen to the state affairs like listening to a mystery, trying to remember them all in one go. Then, in the evening, Jun Wuyuan would personally teach her everything in detail.
After a few days, there was really some remarkable progress.
After Jun Wuyuan finished his busy work, hearing Ling Shan's coquettish complaint, his heart softened.
He hugged Ling Shan, got closer affectionately, and kissed the corner of her eye, smiling:
"Next time, I'll go and bother that Jun Wuzhou guy too!"
Ling Shan: "..."