Chapter 83: Pillow Talk

Chapter 83: Pillow Talk

A whole chapter about the emperor and his consort.

Since the emperor had summoned her, Su Jiaojiao had no time or patience to deal with Beauty Xiao anymore. She decided to let Noble Consort Mi handle everything.

She sat upright on the palanquin, raised her hand to adjust the hairpin in her bun, her delicate eyebrows and charming face smiling warmly: "I shall go now."

Su Jiaojiao glanced at Beauty Xiao from the corner of her eye and said softly, "Have her sent to Noble Consort Mi."

The eunuch Xiao Lingzi responded and followed Su Jiaojiao's procession towards the Taiji Hall.

As they walked, Su Jiaojiao chatted casually, "The court is on break, but His Majesty hasn't visited the harem these past few days. Has His Majesty found some diversion to pass the time?"

The eunuch Xiao Lingzi smiled, "Nothing else, just that His Highness Prince Xuan has been coming to the palace often these days to play chess and compete with His Majesty, going through all the six arts of a gentleman."

"His Highness Prince Xuan?" Su Jiaojiao exclaimed softly in surprise, "I hadn't expected him to return for the New Year."

She smiled, her eyes curving, "I heard Prince Xuan and His Majesty are very close, no wonder His Majesty is so happy."

"But why has His Majesty summoned me at this time? Has His Highness Prince Xuan left the palace?"

The eunuch Xiao Lingzi walked beside Noble Consort Zhen, bowing slightly, afraid that the consort might not hear him, and said with a smile, "Your guess is correct, Your Ladyship. His Highness Prince Xuan was hosted in the palace by His Majesty as soon as he returned to Chang'an. After these few days, Her Highness the Princess Dowager must be eager to see her own son, mustn't she?"

Su Jiaojiao responded with a smile, "Prince Xuan has not returned home these past days. Her Highness the Princess Dowager must have been eagerly waiting, enduring for several days, and finally got His Majesty to let him go."

As they spoke, the Taiji Hall was just ahead.

Su Jiaojiao was helped down from the palanquin by her attendant Yu Ying, her slender, white fingers held the hem of her palace dress as she ascended the steps.

Her back was straight, her neck slender and white, the trailing hem of her dress hanging over the steps, the hairpin in her bun swaying lightly, exuding an ethereal beauty.

Entering the hall, Su Jiaojiao easily found Emperor Shen Huai sitting on the couch in the side hall. She walked around to the front, knelt before the emperor, and said, "Jiaojiao pays her respects to Your Majesty."

Emperor Shen Huai was concentrating on the chessboard, knowing she had arrived, he lazily commanded, "Jiaojiao, approach."

Su Jiaojiao smiled and stood up, moving lightly to the emperor's side, then lowered her eyes to look at the chessboard in front of the emperor: "How long has Your Majesty been studying this?"

Hearing her question, Emperor Shen Huai's gaze shifted from the chessboard to her.

Today, she was adorned in a lilac-colored palace dress.

The ethereal purple, like a layer of mist surrounding her, was a very unique color, both distant and gentle.

Though poetic, it was extremely selective in terms of who could wear it well, not eye-catching among the myriad of colors, and few in the palace liked this color.

Emperor Shen Huai looked at Su Jiaojiao, while Su Jiaojiao was looking at the chessboard, her low eyebrows and shallow smile like the thin snow of early spring.

As beautiful as a painting.

He took Su Jiaojiao's hand and made her sit opposite him, suddenly looking at her with some amusement: "I observed you for a moment and suddenly sensed something amiss, which reminded me of when you first received imperial favor."

Su Jiaojiao looked at the emperor, just having pulled her mind away from the chessboard, she hadn't yet thought about what the emperor meant, her brows revealing a rare hint of naive charm.

"Hmm?"

She smiled lightly, "What's different between then and now?"

Emperor Shen Huai looked at her leisurely, recounting her shy past word by word: "Back then, you were as timid as a rabbit, weeping if I spoke too much, delicate and shy, always softening my heart."

"Nowadays—"

Su Jiaojiao blushed slightly, her enchanting eyes, a blend of flirtation and bashfulness, casting a reproachful glance as she asked, "What about now?"

"Now, apart from often crying in bed, you've become more audacious in daily life."

How could he be so blunt in the light of day?

Even though the two had already been intimate countless times, such direct talk was still overwhelming for Su Jiaojiao.

She bit her lip, averting her gaze, unwilling to face the Emperor directly. She called out to him softly, her voice delicate: "Your Majesty..."

Shen Huai adored the way Su Jiaojiao blushed uncontrollably at his words, and he cherished her soft cries when overwhelmed by passion. At this moment, his throat constricted, his dark eyes deepening with intensity.

The Emperor's gaze was predatory, like a wolf's, and Su Jiaojiao naturally felt it, but she stayed motionless, her captivating, tear-filled eyes lifting to meet his, laced with a subtle allure.

The palace servants had discreetly withdrawn at Cai Shan's signal, and only then did Shen Huai stand, lifting Su Jiaojiao effortlessly by her waist.

After some time, Su Jiaojiao lay sprawled across the bed, reluctant to rise, her slender legs, pale against the sheets, boldly encircling Shen Huai's strong waist as she pleaded, "Let's stay a bit longer."

Shen Huai, however, didn't feel tired at all, only invigorated. He reclined against the headboard, idly toying with her delicate fingers, and said casually, "Now you don't fault me for our daytime indulgence."

"Too exhausted..."

Su Jiaojiao was too exhausted to speak, closing her eyes, feigning sleep to avoid responding.

Shen Huai had initially wanted to mischievously prevent her from sleeping, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the jade bracelet adorning her wrist, and his gaze softened involuntarily.

After a moment of gentle stroking, a sudden realization dawned on him.

"Jiaojiao."

Su Jiaojiao didn't respond.

Shen Huai didn't call her again, but instead leaned down slightly, placing his hand lightly on Su Jiaojiao's lower abdomen, and asked in a low voice, "It's been nearly a year since you first shared my bed. Why hasn't there been any sign of a child?"

"Perhaps I should summon Imperial Physician Liu to examine you and help regulate your health."

This was the first time the two had spoken about the issue of children, and for some reason, the Emperor's tone suddenly became very gentle. His warm breath brushed against Su Jiaojiao's ear, sending a tingling, slightly itchy sensation.

Faced with such a gentle Emperor, Su Jiaojiao's heart was suddenly filled with an indescribable feeling.

She slowly opened her eyes, hiding half her face under the brocade quilt, and whispered, "Perhaps... the time for Jiaojiao and Your Majesty to have children has not yet come."

Shen Huai noticed her unusual demeanor, kissed her forehead, and said softly, "I feel like you're a bit down."

Su Jiaojiao lowered her lashes, lost in thought, and murmured almost inaudibly, "Jiaojiao... is a little scared..."

He held her tighter. "Tell me."

Memories flooded in, and Su Jiaojiao's mind flashed with vague images from her childhood, her body unconsciously stiffening.

She spoke softly, "Do you remember that stormy night?"

"Jiaojiao is afraid of stormy nights, not just because of the thunder, but because..." Su Jiaojiao's voice trembled, extremely fragile, as she clutched the brocade quilt tightly, "because Jiaojiao's mother died in childbirth on just such a stormy night..."

"The nanny always said that for women, giving birth is like walking through the gates of hell. If you endure it, you come out alive, but if you don't, you might end up like my mother, with both mother and child lost..." Su Jiaojiao pressed her head hard against the Emperor's chest, her eyes tightly shut, tears streaming down her face, "Your Majesty, Jiaojiao is scared..."

The little figure in his arms trembled with sobs, her body shaking uncontrollably, making Shen Huai's heart feel heavy.

Giving birth is not easy for women. He recalled his mother's miscarriage, which left her health severely weakened and deteriorating daily.

Su Jiaojiao lost her mother at a young age under similar circumstances, so her fear is entirely understandable.

As she said, the time for a child has not yet arrived, and her fear is natural. Moreover, Su Jiaojiao entered the palace early, and this year she has just turned sixteen, soon to be seventeen.

She is still young, in the bloom of her youth, so it's not urgent for her to bear a child.

He gently stroked Su Jiaojiao's hair, saying, "If you become pregnant, I will spare no effort to protect you. This is my promise to you."

Su Jiaojiao nestled into his embrace, her tearful eyes looking up at him, "Your Majesty..."

She didn't say much, but her unspoken words were clear. Su Jiaojiao knew that His Majesty would understand.

After a long gaze, she calmed down and nestled affectionately in His Majesty's arms, softly saying, "Your Majesty, there are few children in the palace. In the past three years, only Zhu Baolin's pregnancy has gone smoothly. Although the Empress has taken great care of this pregnancy, I have a humble request, and I hope Your Majesty will grant it."

Shen Huai held her fragrant, soft body and murmured, "Speak."

Su Jiaojiao bit her lip, looking up at him, "Your Majesty cares for me and has given me such a grand promise, so I cannot hide behind Your Majesty. I wish to bear Your Majesty's child... but my fear needs to be overcome gradually."

"On the day Zhu Baolin gives birth, I would like to accompany her in the delivery room. If I can witness the birth of a child, perhaps that joy will dispel my fears."

Sensing the heaviness in her tone, Su Jiaojiao managed a faint smile and said lightly, "Your Majesty need not worry, I will behave properly and not cause any trouble for the midwives. Besides, Zhu Baolin and I share a past connection, and we are like sisters. She will feel more at ease with me there."

Su Jiaojiao's request was reasonable and not excessive, so Shen Huai naturally agreed without hesitation.

As they lay together on the bed, engaged in idle chatter, Shen Huai casually asked, "I remember you and Zhu Baolin were not close. When did you have this connection?"

Su Jiaojiao's eyes flickered, and she lowered her lashes, softly saying, "I am unsure if Your Majesty is aware of this, but now that I mention it, it feels a bit like gossiping behind someone's back."

Shen Huai didn't care about such trivial matters between women. He played with a strand of her hair and said indifferently, "It's fine, go ahead. I'm just listening casually."

Seeing this, Su Jiaojiao naturally seized the opportunity and smiled, "I remember it was before the Dragon Boat Festival, in the imperial garden, when Beauty Xiao punished Zhu Baolin by forcing her to kneel. I couldn't bear to see Zhu Baolin being treated unfairly by Beauty Xiao, so I spoke up to intervene. Coincidentally, Zhu Baolin was diagnosed with pregnancy that same day."

Her tone remained steady, but there was a subtle implication, "Beauty Xiao is from the Xiao clan and has been a noble lady since childhood, so her temper is naturally a bit hasty. Speaking of which, today she didn't even acknowledge me when she saw me, which says a lot."

After saying this, Su Jiaojiao smiled softly, "But I have just been favored and promoted by Your Majesty. How could I allow her to be so disrespectful in front of me? I devised a clever solution and sent her to Noble Consort Mi. If a cousin corrects her cousin, I think Beauty Xiao will listen, right?"

At the mention of Beauty Xiao, Shen Huai's brow furrowed.

Beauty Xiao was from the prestigious Xiao clan, and he had originally intended to compensate her.

However, during the New Year's Eve banquet, Beauty Xiao behaved improperly in front of him, which displeased him, so he only promoted her by one rank.

He had planned to reward her more generously a few days later, on the seventh day of the new year, but now she had acted so arrogantly.

Su Jiaojiao was a Noble Consort, personally elevated by him. For Beauty Xiao to not acknowledge her was to question the dignity of the royal family and his decisions. Although the Xiao clan is known for their straightforward nature, they had never been so domineering.

Shen Huai's expression turned cold. Since this was the case, he no longer needed to give her more rewards, lest she become even more arrogant and unruly due to his favor.

He didn't say much, only remarking indifferently, "Noble Consort Mi is in charge of the six palaces and has become much more composed recently. She will surely seek justice for you."

After saying this, Shen Huai helped her up and casually put on an inner robe, saying, "Come, play a game of chess with me."

Su Jiaojiao's slender hand picked up the inner robe that His Majesty had tossed to the far end of the bed and draped it loosely over herself. Her delicate arm rested on the pillow, her moist, alluring eyes like silk.

"Your Majesty, please help me dress."