Reborn into the palace, she seduces the emperor's heart, driving the chief minister to madness!

Chapter 162 The Moon Rises Over the Willow Branches

Chu Qingyin opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't say anything more, only pressing the man's head closer to her chest.

The surroundings fell silent instantly, as if one could hear the heartbeats of both parties.

The cicadas were chirping outside the window; in an ordinary household, this would surely be a pleasant afternoon.

Unfortunately, being in the royal family, they didn't even have a quiet day to rest.

"Your Majesty, if you are tired, why don't you return to your bedchamber and rest for a while?"

Chu Qingyin gently lifted his head, her eyes tender, her slender fingers stroking the stray hairs at his temples as she softly coaxed him.

Pei Yuanling raised his head and looked at her.

A moment later, he suddenly stood up and swept the person up in his arms!

"His Majesty!"

Chu Qingyin gasped in surprise, leaping into the air and instantly wrapping her slender hands around the man's neck. Her chest heaved, and she gasped softly, "What is Your Majesty doing?"

"Didn't Yinyin say we should go back to our palace to rest?"

Pei Yuanling emphasized the word "rest," his tone carrying a hint of mockery.

Chu Qingyin blushed instantly. It turned out that he had misunderstood her words, but explaining further now would only make things worse.

The man walked extremely fast and arrived at the Chen'an Palace bedroom in no time.

Pei Yuanling kicked open the door to the bedchamber, and the palace maids and eunuchs serving inside tactfully withdrew and closed the door behind them.

He strode to the bedside and gently placed Chu Qingyin on the brocade quilt.

A golden curtain fell, and the man's gaze was fixed on the woman before him, his eyes burning with a intensity that seemed to melt her.

Chu Qingyin's cheeks flushed crimson, her face like a peach blossom, her eyes filled with shyness and panic. She turned her head slightly away, not daring to look directly into the man's aggressive black eyes.

Pei Yuanling reached out and turned her face towards him, his voice low and hoarse: "Yinyin, don't hide from me."

After saying that, he bent down and kissed her.

Chu Qingyin felt her heart pounding like thunder, and her hands unconsciously gripped Pei Yuanling's clothes tightly.

Having not seen her for several days, Pei Yuanling was filled with resentment, and his actions became increasingly rough, soon covering her body with red marks.

He didn't look like he'd been working hard all day.

Chu Qingyin breathed heavily and gave him a reproachful look: "Your Majesty, you always bully your concubines."

Pei Yuanling smiled, lay down beside her, pulled her into his arms, rubbed his chin against her forehead, and said with a satisfied look in his eyes, "I just love 'bullying' Yinyin. Look at your shy look, it's so cute."

The two lay in each other's arms, enjoying this rare moment of peace.

After a long while, Pei Yuanling fell into a deep sleep in her arms, and his breathing gradually became steady.

Chu Qingyin propped herself up with one hand, her slender fingers gently stroking the man's furrowed brows.

The man's eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if he hadn't slept so peacefully in a long time.

After some time, once she was sure he was fast asleep, Chu Qingyin lifted the thin blankets and tiptoed out the door.

They arrived at noon, but it was already late at night.

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Chen Zhongliang waiting beside her, asking with concern, "Your Majesty, has His Majesty rested?"

Chu Qingyin nodded: "Yes, thank you for taking such good care of His Majesty these past few days."

Chen Zhongliang quickly bowed: "Your Majesty is too kind to this old servant. Taking care of His Majesty is my duty. As long as His Majesty is in good health, it is my blessing."

His tense mood eased a little, and he sighed, "The assassination was finally solved, but now rumors are spreading. His Majesty has been very worried about this and hasn't slept for many days. He can finally sleep now."

"We are so grateful to Your Majesty today, otherwise His Majesty would probably be restless and unable to sleep again."

Chen Zhongliang sighed. He wondered what had gotten into Lord Lu today, that he had to go and cause trouble in His Majesty's sensitive area, which was why he had been hit with that teacup.

Chu Qingyin's gaze shifted, and she asked softly, "Does Your Excellency know how Lord Lu's injuries are?"

Chen Zhongliang was slightly taken aback, then said, "Your Majesty, this old servant heard that the imperial physician has already gone to treat the patient, so it should be fine."

"That's good."

Chu Qingyin nodded slightly: "Lord Lu is an important minister of the court. His Majesty still needs him to assist him in court. We must not let this discourage his ministers."

"His Majesty hasn't eaten while he was sleeping. Have the kitchen prepare some food so that His Majesty won't be hungry when he wakes up," Chu Qingyin carefully instructed.

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Majesty," Chen Zhongliang replied, and hurriedly withdrew to attend to his duties.

The moon rises above the willow branches, casting dappled shadows in the courtyard.

Chu Qingyin stood outside the palace, the moonlight shining on her, as if she were coated with a layer of silver. The midsummer night was inevitably filled with the croaking of frogs, accompanied by a cool breeze.

"Your Highness, it's chilly at night, please take care of yourself." Xianglan brought over a cloak and carefully tied it on for her.

Chu Qingyin said, "I am fine, but His Majesty has been worrying too much lately, which is really worrying."

She tilted her head slightly, gazing at the bright moon, her eyes filled with worry.

"Your Majesty has deep affection for His Majesty. Once His Majesty knows this, he will surely cherish his health even more." Xianglan said softly, and was about to turn around to pour a cup of hot tea when she saw the Emperor standing not far away.

The man wore a moon-white undergarment with dragon patterns embroidered on the shoulders, exuding an air of nobility, yet his gaze towards the woman in the moonlight was gentle as water.

Seeing that someone had noticed him, he made a shushing gesture and waved his hand, telling her to be quiet.

Seeing this, Xiang glanced again at her mistress, who was lost in thought while gazing at the moon, and could only bow and retreat.

"Xianglan, go and see if His Majesty has woken up yet."

"Xianglan?" Chu Qingyin called out, but there was no response. Just as she was about to turn around, someone hugged her from behind and buried their head in the crook of her neck.

The man said in a hoarse voice, "Yinyin, I knew you cared about me the most."

Chu Qingyin trembled slightly, sensing the familiar presence behind her, and couldn't help but chuckle: "Why is Your Majesty awake? Why don't you sleep a little longer? It's chilly at night; what if you catch a cold coming out?"

Although there was blame in his words, there was more concern than reproach.

Pei Yuanling tightened his arms, holding Chu Qingyin even closer: "I felt you weren't beside me in my dream, so I woke up."

Chu Qingyin turned around, gently stroking Pei Yuanling's face with both hands, gazing at his slightly tired yet still handsome features, her voice soft and gentle: "I heard from Eunuch Chen that His Majesty hasn't slept for several days. How can I not be worried?"