Chapter 62 Jealous Men Are Not to Be Provoked

Chapter 62: Never Provoke a Jealous Man

Yet, under the watchful eyes of everyone, she still forced her trembling legs to move, trying to remain composed as she maintained a somewhat composed stride and walked into the Empress Dowager’s heated sitting room.

The room was laid with a wool carpet featuring red flowers on a yellow background, and a set of rosewood-carved "Three Rams Herald Prosperity" screens divided the space into inner and outer sections. The outer area, connected by floor-length drapes, was where the Jingxi Emperor, the Crown Prince, and Lu Yunjian were enjoying the snowfall.

Behind the screen, the Empress Dowager and Princess Duan were playing with a toddler, while the Empress and Consort Zhuang sat nearby, attended by matrons, wet nurses, and palace maids.

A Wu couldn’t help but feel curious.

Seeing A Wu approach, the Empress Dowager smiled and said, “The Emperor mentioned that you should discuss the scriptures—stop lazing around all day.”

A Wu replied, “Yes.”

Still, she explained, “I haven’t been lazing around.”

The Empress Dowager then instructed A Wu to sit, and she carefully took her place on a red-carved lacquered stool.

Once seated, she surreptitiously scanned the room. Clearly, the Empress was also observing her, her gaze oddly knowing.

Truthfully, since their previous confrontation, she and the Empress had kept their distance. Who would have thought they’d run into each other like this now?

The key issue was—just beyond the screen were Lu Yunjian and the Crown Prince.

So, in this room, aside from herself, the Empress also knew that she had affairs with all three men outside.

A Wu felt a twinge of shame but also thought it wasn’t such a big deal.

The Empress was no saint either!

Fortunately, at that moment, the Empress suddenly rose, claiming she had palace affairs to attend to, and excused herself.

Once the Empress left, A Wu let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Consort Zhuang signaled to a maid to bring a tiered food container to A Wu, who smiled gratefully at her.

Consort Zhuang, wearing simple clothes, was not one for extravagance. She stayed humble, quietly serving by the Empress Dowager’s side. A Wu had met her twice before and knew she was a good person.

The Empress Dowager casually inquired about A Wu’s daily life before smiling and saying, “This child is the grandson of Prince Duan, just half a year old. He was brought in today, and I find him absolutely charming.”

A Wu wasn’t sure why the Empress Dowager brought this up but still smiled and replied, “He is indeed very lovely.”

The Empress Dowager continued, “See how lucky this child looks—brimming with good fortune. With the New Year approaching, come and touch him. Babies can attract good fortune.”

At first, A Wu was puzzled, but then she vaguely understood—the Empress Dowager likely believed that “a bride touching someone else’s baby would help her conceive.” So that was the intention.

Obediently, she approached and gently stroked the child’s tiny hand.

The little one, not yet a year old, could already crawl. Dressed in a small red padded jacket, he was chubby, happy, and cuddly.

When he saw A Wu, his bright eyes sparkled as he babbled and reached out to grasp her finger.

The Empress Dowager laughed. “This child likes you!”

The child was indeed adorable, but A Wu wasn’t that fond of him.

She had never been overly fond of children. Just two or three years ago, she still considered herself the family’s little princess—why should she like other people’s children? So when the Empress Dowager asked her to touch him, she just went along with it.

At that moment, however, a maid drew back the screen.

The heated chamber wasn't particularly large, and with the screen removed, the interior and exterior became connected. In an instant, A Wu found herself sharing the room with those three men.

A Wu's breath caught.

She could even sense Lu Yunjian's gaze glancing her way, carrying some unreadable intent.

Instinctively, she yanked her finger away from the baby's tiny fist.

The child was so small and soft—with her sudden movement, he flipped onto his back.

His little mouth quivered pitifully, on the verge of tears, while the wet nurse hurriedly picked him up, and Noble Lady Ning chimed in to calm him.

The baby nestled tearfully in Noble Lady Ning's arms, casting a reproachful look at A Wu.

Was he actually... snitching on her?!

A Wu was wronged. Panicked, she quickly explained, "I didn’t push him! He just flopped over—"

She abruptly stopped speaking.

She felt like an idiot—there was no point arguing with a baby. If he nearly fell, it was her fault anyway.

At times like this, she could only resent the fact that he was an infant while she was an adult—there was no reasoning to be had.

From a distance, the Jingxi Emperor watched, a hint of fond amusement flickering in his amber eyes. He chided, "Who told you to bully a child over there? Come here."

Hearing this, A Wu felt saved and hurried toward the Jingxi Emperor.

But as she approached, she suddenly realized—Lu Yunjian and the Crown Prince were also present.

She bowed to the Jingxi Emperor, and the Crown Prince and Lu Yunjian quickly stood to bow back.

Normally, the Crown Prince had no need to show such deference to a mere sixth-rank Noble Lady—his gesture was meant to honor the Jingxi Emperor.

A Wu felt awkward but fought to keep her face neutral.

Even so, when she lifted her gaze, she locked eyes with the Crown Prince.

Just a fleeting glance—the Crown Prince looked away fast, and A Wu’s heart skipped a beat.

She quickly looked away, only for Lu Yunjian to lift his eyes at that very moment, shooting her an icy glare.

His jawline was sharply defined, his face strikingly handsome—yet his gaze was complex, even laced with quiet bitterness.

A Wu’s heart fluttered.

But only for an instant.

What followed was nothing but scorn and revulsion.

If human hearts could be divided into black and white, Lu Yunjian’s had long been drenched in black. Why bother putting on the act of an abandoned lover now?

Then, the Jingxi Emperor spoke: "Noble Lady Ning, I recall the *Taiping Jing Shengjun Mizhi* mentions five types of imperial governance—that of the superior ruler, the middling ruler, the inferior ruler, the chaotic ruler, and the ruinous ruler. What defines the governance of a superior ruler?"

A Wu: "..."

The familiar suffocation returned. She scrambled to remember and finally recalled—beside the bed, the Jingxi Emperor had once taught her from the scriptures, touching upon this very topic.

What had he said? He had warned her he would test her, but she had blown it off.

But who could’ve imagined it’d be tested this way!

A-Wu knit her eyebrows, racking her brains.

The bronze stove in the warm chamber burned fiercely, filling the room with spring-like warmth, yet a wave of endless sorrow washed over Lu Yunjian.

He thought of the A-Wu of the past—how innocent and naive she had been when they first got together, looking at him with starry-eyed admiration. He’d loved her dearly too, back then. But what happened afterward? How did they end up where they were, and what had he done?

The turning point seemed to be when she insisted on following her childhood sweetheart, and he refused.

Looking back now, he wondered—if he had agreed then, would things have been different? He had been too stubborn, too young, too proud to tolerate her looking at another man.

At this thought, Lu Yunjian suddenly felt lost. He didn’t know what he had done.

He hated her, so much that bitterness festered in his heart. He abandoned her, made her suffer, and in the end, she’d slipped through his fingers, leaving him standing alone in the biting cold.

Compared to Lu Yunjian’s torment, the Crown Prince felt hollow with longing.

He stared stiffly beyond the carved partition, where the falling snow seemed to settle in his chest.

From the corner of his eye, he could faintly glimpse her skin, as pale as the first winter snow, while the faintest trace of her delicate fragrance lingered in the air—soft and elegant, making his heart ache.

Memories of their past intimacy surged within him. Once, they had been so close, yet now they might as well have been worlds apart.

Confined by the Emperor in the depths of the palace, she was now a Noble Lady belonging solely to the sovereign. The strict palace rules forbade even an extra glance.

While the Crown Prince was lost in reverie, A-Wu was sweating bullets.

After much deliberation, she managed to choke out, "The governance of the superior ruler... means the ruler convinces others through the Way, gaining..."

She glanced cautiously at the Jingxi Emperor, only to find him watching her with a piercing stare.

A-Wu’s stomach dropped, and she finally remembered. Blurted out, "Gaining the heart of Heaven, his governance is divine!"

The Jingxi Emperor gave a slight nod.

A-Wu nearly sagged with relief.

But then, the Emperor continued, "What is the Way?"

A-Wu’s eyes burned, staring at him in incomprehension.

The Jingxi Emperor: "Hmm?"

A-Wu murmured hesitantly, "This humble one doesn’t quite grasp, but I recall... the Way seems to be the principle by which all things in Heaven and Earth operate."

The Jingxi Emperor nodded and turned to the Crown Prince. "What does the Crown Prince think of the Noble Lady’s grasp of the classics?"

The Crown Prince blinked but replied, "Your son finds himself enlightened."

The Jingxi Emperor said, "As the saying goes, 'Teach your wife by the pillow.' Every evening, I have Noble Lady Ning recite Daoist scriptures. Through daily accumulation, she has made great progress, and I, too, have benefited greatly—feeling clear-headed and vigorous. It seems the Imperial Astronomer’s words were not unfounded."

A-Wu went very still before finally remembering the official reason for her entry into the palace—to accompany the Emperor in scripture study.

He’d actually gone and done it...

The Crown Prince’s jaw tightened slightly before replying woodenly, "Your Majesty’s divine fortune, paired with Noble Lady Ning’s scripture readings, is a blessing to Great Hui. May Your Majesty’s imperial health endure—this is the fortune of our nation."

As the two of them, father and son, spoke, A Wu used the chance to excuse herself.

Once she finally escaped, she let out a sigh of relief.

Recalling everything that had just happened in front of the Crown Prince, A Wu couldn’t help but think—this old man was downright outrageous!

Deliberately showing off, forcing the Crown Prince to acknowledge it—was he trying to confirm something?

Why did it all seem like such a laughable show of arrogance?

And what made it worse was how juvenile he acted!

A Wu took a deep breath, wishing she could take back every bit of praise she had ever given him.

She decided she would rebel tonight—from now on, she was done reciting scriptures for good. If she had to, she’d simply refuse outright. We'll see who cracks first.

But just as she stepped out, she ran into the Crown Princess.

The Crown Princess was giving her a weird look. A Wu acted oblivious, though confused.

Yet the Crown Princess deliberately sat beside her, letting out a soft laugh before lowering her voice. "Noble Lady Ning was getting awfully cozy with His Highness earlier. I wonder what was going through your mind?"

Hearing this, A Wu turned to look at her—only to see disdain, scorn, and malice in the Crown Princess’s eyes.

Was this bitch deliberately trying to shame her?

A Wu frowned, sizing up the Crown Princess wordlessly.

The Crown Princess slowly stroked her belly, wearing a cat-that-got-the-cream smile.

Finally, A Wu spoke, her tone serious. "You've only had one man your whole life. Whatever he gives you, you take. Naturally, you wouldn’t understand. You don’t know that men vary—some got size, others got stamina. Some can perform, others can't. As for me, the father is capable, but the son's nothing to write home about."

The Crown Princess: "You—!"

A Wu leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Besides, you probably don’t know this, but back when I was with the Crown Prince, he'd get on his knees begging to kiss me. Has he ever served you like that?"

The Crown Princess’s eyes widened, her mind went completely blank.

A Wu looked at her with pity. "That's one experience you'll never have."

With that, she stood and walked away.

The Crown Princess had never expected A Wu to say such things. She looked ready to spit nails on the spot.

The absolute nerve!

A Wu just smirked. Hmph! Trying to shame her? Not a chance!

Yet what A Wu didn’t expect was that when the Jingxi Emperor arrived that evening, he looked seriously pissed.

A Wu played it cool like always, greeting him as usual.

Mentally, she prepared her excuses for if he asked her to recite scriptures—but he never brought it up.

She secretly rejoiced, thinking she'd gotten off easy.

But once they were behind the bed curtains, the Jingxi Emperor’s strong hands gripped her waist as he nipped at her ear and growled, "What were you so nervous about today, A Wu?"

A Wu mumbled, "No idea what you mean..."

The Jingxi Emperor gave a chilly smile. “As if We wouldn’t notice—your face is all red.”

A Wu retorted, “That’s because Your Majesty brought up bedside wife lessons… How embarrassing!”

The Jingxi Emperor replied, “So what if it’s embarrassing?”

A Wu: “…”

This was utterly unreasonable! He wasn’t making any sense at all, reeking of jealousy—what kind of nonsense was this?

The Jingxi Emperor’s strong hand gently stroked and kneaded as he murmured, “A Wu, tell me—shouldn’t a disobedient little wife deserve a spanking?”

Buried in the bedding, A Wu burned with indignation. “You’re bullying me! A Wu doesn’t want to be punished. Why should I?!”

The Jingxi Emperor chuckled softly. “If not the rear, then the front?”

Spank... the front?

A Wu’s heart trembled.

Soon after, she was laid flat on her back. Biting her lip nervously, she looked up to see the man gazing down at her.

His gaze darkened, his fingertips lightly tracing as he murmured, “A Wu belongs to Us. Everything about her is ours.”

A Wu’s cheeks flamed, her eyes glazed over.

The Jingxi Emperor studied her intently, his expression serious, as if reviewing an imperial decree and pondering where to place his brush.

A Wu clutched the embroidered bedding tightly, thinking he must be out of his mind!

Then, the Jingxi Emperor spoke, his voice rich and velvety. “What began between us was carnal desire—that’s nothing unusual. The balance of yin and yang governs all things under heaven, and mutual attraction between men and women is natural. But now, I wish for A Wu to cherish me, not just out of lust or momentary indulgence.”

A Wu was stunned. She hadn’t expected him to say such things.

The Jingxi Emperor gazed at her, tender yet earnest. “You know the position I hold, and at my age, I’ve long sailed countless ships. Years ago, it dawned on me that fleeting pleasure brings no true joy. Upon waking, everything turns to ashes. So, I cast it all aside, no longer craving such things.”

Of course, there were other reasons, but he chose not to elaborate.

A Wu listened, only half-understanding. “That’s... good, I suppose…”

The Jingxi Emperor smiled gently. He knew she might not grasp his meaning, but he still wanted to say it.

Perhaps one day, it would click for her, and she’d suddenly understand.

Lowering his gaze, he watched her as his long fingers covered the pearl of her pleasure.

A Wu gasped involuntarily.

The Jingxi Emperor lifted his eyes to hers. “A Wu, look up. Meet my gaze.”

Instinctively, she obeyed. His honeyed eyes were deep and tender, like fathomless depths.

Slowly, he spoke. “I need A Wu to see me—here, now. It’s just me.”

A faint realization dawned on her.

He wanted her to see him—not the throne’s power, not the heat between the sheets, but him, just him.

With his fingers, he teased with slow pressure, steadily pushing her toward where he wanted her to go.

Under this domineering and crushing control, A Wu was utterly speechless.

Then, the Jingxi Emperor abruptly shifted his tone: "But A Wu, if you desire it, I can give you everything you want. I want you consumed by thoughts of me alone. Every trace he left, I’ll scour away and overwrite."

With these icy words, a light slap landed.

It was so soft—almost painless—a cool, electrifying shiver ran through her instead.

A breathy whimper escaped A Wu.

She realized this wasn’t like a possessive, grounding grip; that was fleeting, over too soon. But this maddening brush of contact, teasing and just out of reach, left her craving more.

She bit her lip, her gaze glazed-over with desperate want as she looked at him.

The Jingxi Emperor dug his fingers into her knees, studying her with hooded eyes.

At first glance, she seemed like a wide-eyed innocent, the kind one might assume was raised in some nobleman’s gilded cage. Who would have guessed that in bed, with just a little coaxing, she could become like this?

Blood burned in the Jingxi Emperor's veins with barely leashed hunger, yet he held himself back.

His powerful hand pinned her thrashing hips as he lifted heavy-lidded eyes to fix her with an unnervingly detached stare. "Tell me, A Wu—how did he treat you in the past? Give me every sordid detail."

A Wu blinked in confusion: "?"

She had always assumed the Jingxi Emperor would never bring it up—that he had too much pride, that he was avoiding the shame of father and son sharing the same woman.

The Jingxi Emperor caught every subtle shift in her expression. "I want to hear it. Tell me how you spent a debauched night with him."

A Wu bit her lip, burning with humiliation.

Though her mind was clouded with pleasure, she couldn’t help but think this man must be insane.

The Jingxi Emperor leaned closer, hissing the demand against her skin.

What could A Wu do? She had no choice but to stammer half-truths, careful not to be too explicit.

The Jingxi Emperor dragged every confession from her.

In the end, however, he was surprisingly calm, crooning in a dangerously soft voice: "A Wu, whatever he could give you, I can give you. And what he couldn’t—I can give you that too—"

He paused, his voice dropping to a whisper: "Though I am over a decade older than him, if you stay by my side, you’ll want for nothing."

A Wu was taken aback. She had expected anger, not promises.

The Jingxi Emperor: "Now, A Wu, tell me—who is holding you? Who is making you unable to resist?"

A Wu hesitated for a moment before answering: "Your Majesty… it’s Your Majesty. A Wu wants Your Majesty."

But the Jingxi Emperor raised his hand in punishment, delivering a stinging tap.

A Wu jolted as if shocked, trembling lips parting as she stared at him with wounded bewilderment.

Was she wrong?

The Jingxi Emperor: "Say it. Say you want Zelang."

A Wu’s trembling, kiss-swollen mouth opened and closed several times, but no sound came out.

For someone who could coo pretty lies without hesitation, she now choked on the name like poison—unable to speak it.

The Jingxi Emperor looked down at her with his beautiful eyes, like a flowing autumn stream, seeming clear and sweet at first glance.

Only by immersing oneself in them would one realize how chilling they truly were.

He enticed her gently, "Say it—Yong Tianze."

A Wu simply said, "Yong Tianze."

The Jingxi Emperor's voice was deep, mellow, and gentle, "Say, Yong Tianze is your husband. You only want Yong Tianze."

Husband... Who was this deceiving? He was her heaven, not her husband.

Only those who had bowed before heaven and earth could be called husbands.

Yet, A Wu still trembled as she whispered, "Yong Tianze is my husband. I only want Yong Tianze."

The Jingxi Emperor cupped her face, gazed at her lovingly, then took her wrist and guided her to touch.

A Wu was startled, couldn't believe what was happening.

She had always found it hard to accept, but now, upon touching, she truly understood—men truly differed from each other.

No wonder... Just the thought alone could make one either fearful or yearning.

The Jingxi Emperor sensed her astonishment and slightly arched his brow.

Then, he slowly leaned down, capturing her lips for a light taste before smiling. "Tell me, have I shown you too much mercy before?"

A Wu flushed and remained silent.

The Jingxi Emperor whispered in her ear with a soft whisper, "A winding path leads to quiet retreats, where blossoms shade the temple grounds - nature's beauty speaks for itself."

A Wu didn't have a clue.

The Jingxi Emperor led the way, beginning to advance slowly.

A Wu frowned and clutched his arm tightly.

At that moment, she heard a cool chuckle close to her ear: "Those who can't keep up naturally find it hard to reach."

A Wu froze, then suddenly grasped the meaning behind his poetic lines!

It was simply—

When educated men lose their shame, they really lose it all!