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Palace Wall Beauty
墨書 Inktalez
"Consort Rong, you are truly precious. I have invited you several times, yet you have never graced me with your presence. Do you perhaps look down on me?"
I knelt by the roadside, stealing a glance at Consort Qi on the throne. She raised an eyebrow slightly, her gaze filled with scrutiny and displeasure, staring at me meaningfully.
Panic surged in my heart, and my body involuntarily trembled slightly as I lowered my head even further.
A few days ago, Gao Shuo had a dispute with the Emperor over state affairs in the court. Not long after, the Emperor found an excuse to send Gao Shuo to the southern border to deal with the chaos of war.
The Chu Kingdom and the southern border had been at odds for many years, each side evenly matched; in short, it was a disguised exile. Since then, everyone in court had been eager to distance themselves from Duke Rong's mansion.
But suddenly someone from the palace came to say that the Emperor summoned me to the palace, yet the palanquin was carried straight to Consort Qi's Furong Palace.
"It is a great honor for Chaoge to receive an invitation from Your Highness. However, ever since Gao Shuo set off, I have been somewhat worried and caught a cold, fearing I might infect Your Highness..." I said, burying my head deeper and speaking in a timid voice.
Gao Shuo had offended the Emperor, and Consort Qi was the daughter of Prime Minister Qi, who held immense power in court and had always been at odds with Gao Shuo. I had intended to avoid trouble by feigning illness to decline Consort Qi's invitation to admire the flowers, but little did I know she was such a serious person.
"Gao Shuo is brave and skilled in battle; you need not worry, Chaoge." Suddenly a booming voice came from behind me, causing the palace maids nearby to kneel down. I turned around to find the Emperor standing behind me without my noticing.
He bent down and gently helped me up from the ground, his touch soft yet firm enough to be unrefusable. He glanced at Consort Qi and said, "It seems I have been forgetful lately; when did I summon Consort Rong into the palace? Can Consort Qi remind me?"
In an instant, the atmosphere became tense and silent. I stood there awkwardly, wishing I could dig a hole and hide in it as my feet shifted nervously.
Consort Qi remained unfazed, squinting her eyes as she tossed out half a sentence: "No wonder I couldn't invite her; it turns out someone is backing her..."
Just as I was about to explain myself, my arm was suddenly yanked. I stumbled forward and accidentally bumped into that dark yellow robe. Startled, I looked up.
"Isn't it true that you also have someone backing you? You dare commit such a grave crime as falsely claiming imperial edicts," he said coldly while glaring at Consort Qi. He pulled me along and strode out of the hall; I could only jog to keep up with his hurried pace.
"Thank you for saving me, Your Majesty." He led me back to Qianqing Palace, where the gatekeeper wisely closed the door behind us.
I withdrew my hand and took a step back, my eyes betraying a hint of wariness.
"Call me Gao Zhai," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument as his steadfast gaze locked onto mine.
"I dare not, Your Majesty."
"Say it again." He paused for a moment, leaning closer. "Consort Qi relies on Prime Minister Qi's overwhelming power, and Gao Shuo prides himself on his military might, both of whom look down on me. Are you to do the same?"
I stood up, silent, my lips pressed together tightly.
Gao Zhai had only been on the throne for two years, lacking both political and military power. Rumors of Gao Shuo and Prime Minister Qi plotting rebellion circulated throughout the court.
"If only Gao Shuo had ascended to the throne instead; I never wanted to be emperor," Gao Zhai sighed, a hint of helplessness and fatigue flickering in his eyes.
Whether prince or emperor, Chaoge would only marry Gao Shuo.
Suddenly, he turned around, a sly smile creeping onto his lips. "Even if..."
I stared at him, puzzled by his implication, my brows furrowing slightly.
"Do you think Consort Qi crafted that fake imperial edict so perfectly just to summon you to the palace for humiliation? I imagine Gao Shuo is on his way back to the capital now, carrying a false decree. Returning without permission is a death sentence; Prime Minister Qi must have been plotting this for quite some time." As he spoke, Gao Zhai leisurely strolled into the inner chamber, hands clasped behind his back, his pace unhurried.
I quickly knelt down, my knees hitting the ground heavily. "I beg Your Majesty to save Gao Shuo. As long as Your Majesty acknowledges that edict, the death sentence will not stand. If Gao Shuo dies, military power will fall into Prime Minister Qi's hands; wouldn't that put Your Majesty in even greater danger?"
"Heh, the throne... I don't care; it will be taken from me sooner or later," he replied with a laugh tinged with self-mockery.
"What must you have to save Gao Shuo?"
Gao Zhai fell silent as he slowly approached me. Suddenly, he reached out and wrapped his arms around my waist. The movement caught me off guard as his face drew near, warm breath brushing against my cheek. "What do you think I want?"
Startled, I quickly stood up and turned to leave in a flurry of panic.
"Step over that threshold, and I will forget about that edict," he said, the smile fading from his face as it shifted between light and dark, a glimmer of threat lurking in his eyes.
I was taken aback for a moment, but I still pushed the door open. However, the Imperial Guards blocked my way.
I tried to shove them aside, using all my strength, when suddenly someone behind me reached out and picked me up.
He threw me heavily onto the bed, and I gasped as my body landed hard on the mattress.
Without giving me a chance to react, he pressed his entire weight down on me.
"Your Majesty, please have some restraint! Otherwise... Gao Shuo will not let you off!" I gritted my teeth and glared at him, my eyes filled with anger and fear. Gao Zhai's face instantly turned pale, his brows furrowing deeply.
"Otherwise? I am the Son of Heaven, yet you all dare to threaten me! Fine! I want to see what he can do to me!" He said, tearing my clothes with a swift motion. His hands pressed down on my shoulders, rendering me immobile.
No matter how much I cried out, he did not stop.
I felt him kissing me, starting from my ear and moving down to my chest. I struggled desperately against him.
In despair, I closed my eyes. A chill seeped into my trembling body as tears streamed down my cheeks.
Suddenly, Gao Zhai stopped. After a long silence, he reached out to wipe away the tears on my face with a gentler touch before pulling me tightly into his embrace.
"Chaoge... I'm sorry," he murmured, his grip on my shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
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