"I do not know."
“It’s dragon scales.” Le Chang took over the war report. If it weren’t for this sentence, Shen Mo would never have known that Le Chang was still alive. But why did he have to say that and get himself involved with Murong Yue?
To everyone's surprise, Murong Yi seemed not to have heard Lechang's words and waved to the messenger, "You can go now, so you can rest."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
...After that, the hall fell into a long silence. Even the usually talkative Consort Yu was focused on sipping her rose wine, showing no interest in politics whatsoever.
Should the next segment begin with bestowing a marriage upon the Ninth Prince, honoring the Fourth Prince, or commemorating the Dragon Scale Warriors?
"Do you still wish for a marriage decree from me?" One question, two different tones. If the Ninth Prince answers yes, his image as a domesticated figure, nestled in the arms of a beauty, contrasts sharply with the Fourth Prince's battlefield prowess. This is the answer…
"Yes." Without hesitation, Murong Shi answered.
Even after returning to his bedchamber, Shen Mo still couldn't understand why Murong Shi had done so many things in one day that had lost the Emperor's trust. His mind was full of doubts. He looked up at the moonlight, where perhaps the shadow of the departing person could be seen, and... the shadow of the beauty.
Rubbing her eyes to dispel the illusion, Shen Mo turned her back to the window and asked, "What are you doing, sneaking around like that?" She preferred to keep her eyes off Murong Shi, who was leaning against the windowsill.
"What are you thinking about?" His expression was not as relaxed as when the marriage was arranged; in fact, he became serious. Murong Shi glanced at the moonlight she had just been looking at.
"You don't have to show your true colors in front of me, otherwise... it's dangerous." Even a supporting character wants to find a challenging opponent to fight.
Murong Shi suddenly turned around and stared at her back for a long time, until she thought he had left and turned back before speaking, "Perhaps in a few days, news will come from the Northern Barbarians that our Qitian Kingdom's Fourth Prince has disappeared without a trace," Murong Shi forced her to look him in the eye, "Do you think it's possible?"
“He won’t come back, and he certainly won’t come back just for me.” Shen Mo turned around again, walked barefoot to the bed, wrapped himself in the quilt, and closed his eyes.
Even if we get married in seven days, it won't be the same?
Hearing Murong Shi's voice coming from not far away, Shen Mo shook her head slowly, "The old nanny said that the bride and groom should not see each other too much before the wedding. Husband, rest as soon as possible."
The window frame trembled twice, and the peach blossoms outside the window trembled twice in response. Murong Shi was sleepless again. Was it because of those two words, or...? What exactly were those two words? As dawn broke, he opened the door and saw the large red "double happiness" character delivered by the eunuch. Murong Shi's lips curled into a smile. Perhaps he wasn't the only one who had been sleepless last night.
Go! Go! The crowd in the stands was especially enthusiastic today, their cheers, full of passion, were incredibly moving and inspired all the runners on the track to give it their all and sprint towards the finish line!
Two people were advancing side by side: Murong Shi and Murong Yue. Given the current situation, no one could predict the outcome.
"Ah!" Shen Mo suddenly tripped over his shoelace and fell, his knee bleeding profusely. Instantly, a flash of white light appeared on his forehead from the pain, but he still saw Murong Yue running not far ahead. He also glanced back, but his pace couldn't be faster than Murong Yue's, and the finish line was right in front of him.
“Young Master…” Shen Mo reached out his hand, tears welling up in his eyes, but it was Murong Shi who pulled him up.
The beads of sweat on Murong Shi's forehead shone brightly in the sunlight. He pointed to Murong Yue, who had already crossed the finish line, and without the slightest regret for losing the championship, he tapped her on the head. "Your beauty trap, huh?"
It's a honey trap, isn't it...
"Princess, wake up! What's wrong with you, Princess?" Shen Mo was pulled back to reality by the maid once again. Her forehead was covered in sweat, and she had no strength at all. She subconsciously went to look for the wound on her knee, but found nothing to her surprise.
"It's nothing." Shen Mo smiled at her. He'd been in this dream for days, it had become a habit. He asked, "How many more days?"
“Princess, you’re really being foolish,” the maid smiled along with her. “The wedding is today, look.” She pointed to the wedding dress and jewelry on the table and the boxes of jewels on the floor.
While several maids were doing her makeup, she suddenly realized that it was still dark outside the window. It turned out that getting married was indeed a very tiring thing.
When she placed her hand in Murong Shi's palm under the guidance of the nanny, the scene of her falling and being helped up on the field flashed before her eyes again. Her hand, which was not as cold as before, was exactly the same as in her dream. She paused, then turned around and held his hand tightly.
Unaware that the groom in front had suddenly stopped, the nanny behind almost bumped into him, and quickly patted her chest to express her relief.
Send them to the bridal chamber!
Before she could even hear the preceding ceremony clearly, the breathtakingly fast pace led Shen Mo into the bridal chamber, the Nine Phoenix Palace, a place both strange and familiar to her. Being a royal residence, no one dared to make a sound, and soon the room became eerily quiet; Shen Mo couldn't even hear Murong Shi's breathing.
"What's wrong with you?" Shen Mo's head was covered by a red veil, so she couldn't see anything.
"Don't move," Murong Shi finally spoke, picking up the scale handle and slowly... revealing Shen Mo's exquisitely made-up face, but then he turned and left.
"Where are you going?" Having made up his mind not to run away, Chen Mo stood up abruptly. "You...are you drunk?" If I wasn't mistaken, his steps were slightly unsteady when he turned around.
"According to wedding rules, the groom is to drink with the bride. Xiaomo, you should rest first." The moment she stepped out the door and disappeared into the night, her feigned heavy steps suddenly collapsed. Damn it, the poison had to take effect on the most important day of her life.
But when they returned to the Nine Phoenix Palace, it was empty.
Who said he wouldn't come? And who said she wouldn't leave?
Chapter Forty-Seven: The First Night of Pity
Before the phoenix mirror, Murong Shi's face grew even paler, like undyed pulp, devoid of any color. This was a dressing mirror specially prepared for her, but tonight it was used to reflect his desolation.
His fist-sized heart not only had to hold a woman, but also a constantly spinning dagger given to him by Xiao Yin. Murong Shi clutched his chest, the pain more intense than ever before.
At midnight, inside the Nine Phoenix Palace, within the red silk curtains, there was still no sign of human presence.
At the fourth watch of the night, his chest shattered, everything was in chaos, and on his wedding day, he was utterly alone.
The fifth watch of the night... There was no more fifth watch... Before the dizziness and pain subsided, he suddenly regretted forgetting to tell her: If you are abandoned, remember to come back. A cool breeze blew by, the billowing curtains brushed against his face, bringing a chilling sensation.
"Murong Shi, tell me, if it weren't for you, would my life be so tragic?" In the hazy state, he heard Li Ren's voice. Murong Shi shook his head and let out a cold laugh. When he sat up, he found that the cold wind in front of him had disappeared.
I forced myself to look up, but found that I didn't even have the strength to open my eyes.
"Murong Shi, speak to me!" The voice that came from beside my ear was filled with disappointment and helplessness.
Reaching out towards the direction of the voice, the ice in my heart gradually melted the moment I touched its warmth. "This is the last time I'll take you in." The hoarse voice sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet dawn.
The icy fingers gripping her arm were suddenly met with a hot drop of liquid. Murong Shi tightened his grip, using his last bit of strength to pull her into his embrace.
"He came, he really came..." Shen Mo buried her face in his chest and began to sob. "But he left even more completely, Murong Shi. Do you know that the pain of heartbreak is far greater than the happiness of being together?"
Some say a woman in love is crazy, but perhaps they haven't seen what she looks like when she's heartbroken. Shen Mo choked back tears, no longer knowing what she was saying.
"I know, I know..." After quietly crying with her, Murong Shi could no longer hold on, and the strength in his hands loosened considerably.
Two slender arms held him steady, and Shen Mo hugged him tightly, trembling slightly. She had encountered him three times since he was poisoned, and she knew exactly what the symptoms were and how to relieve them.
She wiped away her tears. Fortunately, he wasn't far from the bed, and it took some effort to drag him back. However, her wedding clothes were difficult to remove, and in her shame, anger, and anxiety, she felt even weaker.
"Could it be that at this moment... you've become blinded by lust?" Murong Shi still retained a few slivers of consciousness, but used it as a joke.
"You...shut up!" Having finally found a way to unbutton her clothes, Shen Mo's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat. She looked at him, then looked down at herself, gritted her teeth, and took off her outer robe.
However, when she tried to undo Murong Shi's clothes, she trembled and couldn't undo anything. Seeing his increasingly pale face, she grabbed a pair of scissors from nearby and slashed him twice.
Tear... The wedding dress made a loud tearing sound. Shen Mo gritted her teeth and lay on top of him, their hearts pressed together. The icy touch made her want to escape, but there was no chance left.
The frozen heart began to thaw, and Murong Shi was not about to let it go, so he wanted to absorb more... more. "Xiao Mo, you are so warm."
However, soon, he was no longer satisfied with this temperature. He rubbed his face lower and lower until he buried it in her neck. The fine stubble tickled her, but she felt sorry for his pain and did not leave or move.
"Hey Murong Shi..." The thin collar of his undergarment was almost lifted, and Shen Mo had to remind him.
The other party paused, stopped for a long time, and then...
"Take three steps back immediately, or else I..." When the delicate kisses on his neck reached his fingertips, Shen Mo realized that he had probably already endured the most painful poisoning, but in the end he found that there was nothing to threaten him, so he stopped in the present moment.
However, Murong Shi couldn't stop. "I won't leave!" With a childlike stubbornness, he said, "Strip me naked before you let me leave. How can you be so heartless?" His hands wandered involuntarily over her waist, but his bold words were not reflected in his actions. He hesitated, a happy hesitation.
"Xiao Mo... Xiao Mo..." Murong Shi kept calling her name. His body, which had been as cold as ice just moments before, was now burning hot, staining Shen Mo's face and lips red. Murong Shi slowly swallowed, leading her step by step towards the romantic stage.
"Even if today isn't our wedding night, now that you're back, I won't let you go again." Murong Shi flipped over and pinned her down.
Her slightly swollen lips and crimson face, along with her half-open neckline, created a breathtakingly alluring scene.
"Wait a minute..." Shen Mo grabbed his neck to avoid his gaze, "I...I'm scared."
“Don’t be afraid,” Murong Shi kissed her. “I don’t believe in fate. From now on, we will be together through life and death.”
"I didn't mean that..." Shen Mo was burning up, her soft voice barely audible, which made Murong Shi chuckle, her lips touching him with a cool sensation.
“Xiao Mo, I think—” Murong Shi’s gaze was too intense, like a pile of burning firewood. Shen Mo looked away, her shy profile showing her affirmation.
"Hmm... Xiaomo, relax." She was too nervous, and he cherished it too much. For the first time, they couldn't find a way to break through.
"No! It hurts!" Shen Mo's brows furrowed instantly, her nails digging deep into his arm as she clung to him. "You, get out!"
A scratch appeared on her shoulder. Murong Shi's eyes narrowed, and his desire ignited. However, mindful of her pain, he dared not move or withdraw.
However, even Shen Mo couldn't control the tightness below, which made her feel uncomfortable and she whimpered as she moved her hips.
This movement ignited a raging fire that nearly consumed Murong Shi's reason. He continued to move, and seeing that she no longer felt the pain she had before, he boldly probed again, and after a few rounds, he had already probed her.
"You bastard!" Shen Mo was completely limp, weak and boneless as she gently pushed him, but suddenly found that a legendary soft moan escaped from her mouth. She blushed and quickly widened her eyes and covered her lips, but this caused Murong Shi's body to lose its pushing force. While exploring, he suddenly rushed down and penetrated her deeply and thoroughly.
"Mmm..." This sound was even louder than the one before. Seeing Shen Mo's restrained and blushing expression, Murong Shi almost couldn't resist. He straightened his expression and kissed her.
"Xiaomo, men and women are a match made in heaven, so..." He kissed her ear softly, "Don't be so nervous."
Her slender figure swayed with the candlelight, her mind seemingly filled with blood clots. Shen Mo was already barely conscious from his arousal. Upon hearing these words, she seemed to be bewitched, releasing her hands from her tightly closed lips and meeting his lips, sending each sound into his heart, "He Shi..." He was calling He Shi, stripping away his identity and disguise, calling him by his original name.
"Mmm..." As their lips met, a rich, sensual flavor gradually spread. The word "He Shi" drove him to the brink of madness, thrusting again and again until he reached the deepest point.
"Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo..." He called out the name that belonged only to him. Seeing Shen Mo's increasingly dazed and blissful expression, he could no longer control himself. A drop of sweat fell gracefully onto Shen Mo's chest, right where He Shi had kissed her fiercely. Her fair skin contracted sharply from the cold. He Shi was forced into a corner and released himself with a low growl.
For a long time, Shen Mo hid in He Shi's arms, too ashamed to look him in the eye. No matter how he teased her, she refused to lift her head. When she realized that the burning heat beneath her was pressing against her again, she was alarmed and looked up at him in fear, "I...I can't take it anymore."
"Really?" Murong Shi pressed his forehead against hers, pulling her close. He loved the feeling of their skin touching; it was so real and wonderful. "But I think it's amazing..."
Recalling the scene of her involuntarily clinging to his waist to please him just now, Shen Mo quickly burrowed into his arms like a turtle again, "If you keep talking nonsense, you'll be punished by kneeling on a washboard."
"I love you."
I said washboard.
I said I love you.
Compared to the shock of the first sentence, upon hearing it a second time, Shen Mo remained stunned for a long time, unable to utter a single word. After a long while, he finally managed to say, "He Shi, I..."
Knock knock knock! The knocking on the door interrupted Chen Mo's stammering. The footsteps were light, but it was clear that there were many people.
"What is it?" He Shi patted her shoulder lightly.
"Your Highness, Princess Consort, it's time to get up." The calm and composed reply, delivered in a relatively young voice, suggested a senior palace maid.
He Shi paused for a moment, only then realizing that it was already broad daylight. Looking at Shen Mo's somewhat tired face, he felt a little helpless. After all, the greeting on the second day after the prince's wedding was a grand ceremony. He could manage on his own, but now that he had Shen Mo with him, he had no choice but to go.
He said, "Prepare some hot soup, and we'll get up now."
"Yes!" A flurry of activity immediately broke out outside the door. Less than a quarter of an hour had passed since He Shi carried Shen Mo into the bathtub. A group of dumbfounded servants were left staring at the disheveled bed, swallowing hard.
A nanny trembled as she picked up the wedding dress that had been cut into pieces by the scissors. Her already large mouth could now fit a goose egg, and her serious face now looked quite comical. This... I never would have guessed before, the prince consort has such a demeanor in bed! Next time, the scissors must never be left lying around, how will we explain if something goes wrong?
Suddenly, he noticed the bright red stain on the bed sheet. He immediately chased away the eunuchs who were tidying up and whispered a few words to the maid beside him. The maid nodded immediately and stumbled out to fetch the imperial physician.
Because the nanny said that with such a large pool of blood, the Ninth Prince must be seriously injured, yes, seriously injured...
Author's Note: What is meat...? This is my first time writing this!