Lan Miao was a bit dazed.
She sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her slightly aching wrist. Her eyes involuntarily lifted. Before her stood Emperor Jingxiang, tall and solemn. His figure completely enveloped her.
"Where does my lady want to go again?"
His voice was deep, as if every word came from his throat, carrying a menacing anger.
"Your concubine won't go anywhere. I'll just stay here."
Lan Miao instantly sensed something was amiss. She just wanted to appease Emperor Jingxiang first. Just as she was about to sit up, she was pressed back onto the bed by Emperor Jingxiang.
There was anger in his arrogant expression.
"You want to return to the Marquis Mansion without even saying a word to me. You agreed so easily?"
Lan Miao rolled her eyes.
She realized that Emperor Jingxiang before her was simply jealous, and it was a completely baseless jealousy. She couldn't keep getting caught up in his rhythm.
Thinking of this, Lan Miao calmly met Emperor Jingxiang's gaze.
"Your Majesty is magnanimous. Your concubine believes Your Majesty will agree. Besides, your concubine is doing this for Xue'er. She is always a young lady of the Marquis Mansion. It's her grandmother's birthday. Is it so unreasonable for your concubine to take her back?"
Emperor Jingxiang was so angry that he laughed instead.
A cold and helpless smile crossed his lips.
"My lady is so eloquent. Do you think I can't do anything about you?"
He had only stood there for a moment when he heard Wen Yuanning's last words about inviting his lady back for the birthday celebration. Of course he knew his lady didn't care about that man. But he wasn't angry because his lady was standing with another man. He was angry that his lady even had the thought of leaving whenever she wanted.
She was already his.
How could she be so unaware? Her leaving should be approved by him.
Going and coming so freely like this, did she never take him to heart?
Facing Emperor Jingxiang's question, Lan Miao tightly pursed her lips and said nothing.
Instead, her eyes turned red. She pinched her wrist and said aggrievedly,
"Your concubine's wrist hurts so much. Why is Your Majesty so fierce?"
Emperor Jingxiang was angry and laughed again.
Although he clearly knew his lady was pretending, he still felt a twinge of pain in his heart. He stepped forward and rubbed Lan Miao's wrist gently and tenderly. But his aura was still menacing. Lan Miao didn't know how to continue appeasing him for a moment.
Emperor Jingxiang sat beside her and sneered.
He decided not to pretend anymore.
He wanted to see how eloquent his lady could be after being exposed.
"Does my lady want to return to the Marquis Mansion for some other purpose?"
"Hmm?"
Lan Miao looked puzzled, but her heart suddenly started pounding wildly.
"My lady, look. Does this look familiar?"
Emperor Jingxiang took out a jade tablet from his bosom and waved it in front of Lan Miao's eyes. The corner of his mouth lifted, and his smile made Lan Miao's heart skip a beat.
This jade tablet was exactly one of those in her wooden box.
That meant the wooden box she had buried under the plum tree had been dug out by His Majesty.
No, more than that. His Majesty had always known about it.
Sure enough, he already knew she was the person from five years ago.
No wonder his behavior had been so erratic these two days.
Lan Miao's body couldn't help but tremble. Did His Majesty know? Then what would he do? Would he toy with her and then kill her? Recalling every time he mentioned the person from that night five years ago, he always regarded that person as a disgrace and a thief. What would His Majesty do to her?
She widened her eyes, looking a bit sad.
"Your Majesty... You know?"
"Yeah."
Emperor Jingxiang raised his eyebrows. Looking at her incredulous eyes, when their eyes met, they both saw familiar shadows in each other's eyes.
The atmosphere in the palace suddenly became extremely quiet.
And the sensible An He had already sent away the nearby palace servants. Outside the palace, there was only the howling wind. It was as if a layer of snow and a layer of boiling oil had fallen on their hearts at the same time.
It was both cold and hot.
"When did Your Majesty know?"
When Lan Miao asked this question, she buried her head very low. Emperor Jingxiang couldn't see her expression for a moment, and her voice was cold and calm.
Emperor Jingxiang replied seriously.
There was still a bit of pride in his voice.
"The night my lady got drunk, I already knew. My lady didn't expect that, did you? You've lied to me for a long time, and I also wanted to have some fun with you."
Lan Miao always kept her head down.
So it was that time.
He must have found out from Lan Xin.
It had been so long.
She heard the pride in Emperor Jingxiang's words. Suppressing her voice, she retorted, "Oh? Really? So Your Majesty has been watching your concubine lie these days?"
"..."
Emperor Jingxiang, who was still immersed in his pride, finally realized something. He frowned. Was his lady angry? But he had been kept in the dark for the longest time. If anyone should be angry, it should be him.
"My lady..."
The always wise and valiant Emperor couldn't figure out his lady's thoughts. But he couldn't really punish his lady either. So he tentatively tugged at Lan Miao's sleeve beside him.
When Lan Miao looked up again, Emperor Jingxiang saw a pair of tearful eyes.
Tears trickled down her peach - blossom - like cheeks.
My lady... was crying.
No, what did he say wrong?
Lan Miao looked as if all her hopes were dashed, but there was also an inexplicable anger. "Does Your Majesty think it's fun to toy with your concubine like this? You clearly knew everything but kept it from your concubine. You deliberately made things difficult for your concubine and watched your concubine lie in front of you. Does Your Majesty think your concubine likes to lie?"
"Your concubine has been worried and anxious for several days. I've been unable to eat or sleep well at night, fearing that if Your Majesty found out the truth, I would be executed. But what about Your Majesty? You've been watching your concubine's jokes. Didn't Your Majesty always call your concubine a female thief and want to kill her?"
"I... didn't. My lady, stop crying."
Facing Lan Miao's rapid - fire questions, Emperor Jingxiang panicked. This was different from what he had expected after exposing her. Why was his lady so sad?
He reached out to wipe away Lan Miao's tears, but was brushed aside by Lan Miao.
"It turns out Your Majesty only fancies your concubine's appearance and never really cares about your concubine. Then please let your concubine go."
As Lan Miao said this, she actually stood up and seemed to want to rush out of the door.
Emperor Jingxiang was completely panicked now.
How could he really let Lan Miao leave?
He grabbed Lan Miao's slender arm and tightly hugged her whole body into his arms. He repeatedly comforted her, "My lady, don't go. I've never thought of doing anything to you. Whether the person from five years ago was you or not, I like you."
"When I found out that person was you, I was even happier. My lady and I have such a fateful bond. We're meant to be together."
"My lady, stop crying. I feel so heart - broken."
Emperor Jingxiang could feel the slight tremors of the person in his arms and hugged her even tighter.
It turned out that all his previous words had scared his lady, which was why she was so reluctant to admit it.
"It's all my fault, okay?"
Emperor Jingxiang coaxed Lan Miao like a child. It was also the first time he had groveled to keep someone. It seemed that in front of her, any power or coercion was useless.
He coaxed for a long time, and Lan Miao in his arms gradually calmed down.