Unparalleled Beauty

Chapter C135

Zhang Pu was still stunned in place. Fusheng walked over and kicked him, and only then did he forget about everything else and hurriedly knelt down to thank the Emperor for his grace.

Emperor Qianwu squeezed Wushuang's hand, and the two walked outwards. Fusheng hurriedly led the others to follow.

The group mounted their horses again, with Emperor Qianwu leading Wushuang in front, and the others chasing behind.

The wind was fierce, and his arm around her waist was tight. Finally, they arrived at a place with dense trees. He stopped his horse and pulled Wushuang behind a tree.

He pressed her against the tree, kissing her madly. She tightly wrapped her arms around his neck, and tears flowed uncontrollably.

Without a thousand words needing to be spoken, he knew she had returned, and she knew he had returned as well.

The people following behind stopped their horses far away.

Fusheng, being closer, saw the sleeves of the two intertwined behind the tree. He hurriedly waved his hand, signaling everyone to dismount and be quiet, staying far away. He, on the other hand, stayed nearby, looking at the flowers, looking at the grass, looking at the trees, in a leisurely state.

The wind was blowing, and little birds were chirping on the treetops. Everything was so fresh and natural.

That fantastical journey was like a fleeting dream, or Zhuang Zhou's butterfly dream*, extremely fantastical and extremely thrilling.

TN: from here

Emperor Qianwu couldn't help but believe in everything that had happened. Perhaps Heaven still pitied him, giving him a chance to start over.

[Alright, alright, I'm still awake, don't overdo it.] Ji Yang said weakly.

"Who's talking?" Wushuang said, startled.

The two looked at each other, while another person perked up their ears.

[Is she talking about me?]

"You are... Ji Yang?"

A female voice appeared in his ear, not heard, but naturally resounding in his heart, startling Ji Yang to immediately shout, [What's going on?]

"Is he awake?" Mei Wushuang asked Emperor Qianwu, somewhat hesitantly.

Emperor Qianwu's expression was complicated, and he nodded.

[Wushuang, can you hear me? Wushuang! Wushuang! Wushuang! Shuangshuang! Shuang'er!]

[I can hear you. Stop shouting.]

[This Emperor hears it as well.] Emperor Qianwu cleared his throat.

Ji Yang, no longer caring about his listlessness, hastily pushed him away and pulled Wushuang into his arms.

"You can hear me talking inside?"

Wushuang hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

[You suddenly squeezed this Emperor again!] Emperor Qianwu said angrily.

Wushuang said, [Do you often do this?]

Very well, now Emperor Qianwu could hear it too.

Just as the three were at a loss, Wushuang's expression suddenly changed: "You two ruffians!"

***

Because Wushuang suddenly became angry, this trip out of the palace ended without a satisfactory conclusion.

Having experienced such an event, none of the three were in the mood for enjoyment, especially Emperor Qianwu and Wushuang, who urgently needed some quiet time to soothe their chaotic thoughts.

[Why did she call us ruffians? Did you kiss her too hard, so she's venting her anger on me?]

[If you're curious, why don't you ask her? Why ask this Emperor?]

But at this moment, the two of them could no longer connect, seemingly needing to be by each other's side to communicate. And after returning, Wushuang went to see her daughter, leaving Emperor Qianwu sitting there, bored and listless.

[It must be because you kissed her outside. She's shy, that's why she's angry. Why are you so excited? I'm not even excited, why are you?]

Emperor Qianwu no longer wanted to talk to him.

[To think you're so foolish, yet you said you would protect me!]

These words immediately brought the two back to that fantastical journey they had just experienced.

Although Emperor Qianwu did not personally experience it, he naturally didn't miss the part where he ran to his younger self and made boastful claims to his childhood self, by watching someone else's experience.

"At that time, my soul force was completely exhausted, and I had no choice but to fall into a deep sleep, even losing my memories. If I hadn't returned to that place, I wouldn't have remembered," Ji Yang said, his dejected voice rising again, "Didn't I help you fight? How dare you, you forget me after using me."

But thinking that this fellow had merged himself with him in order to send the two of them back, Ji Yang couldn't really get angry.

[Right now, nothing else matters. What matters is why she's angry? If she's angry, will she come back to sleep tonight, or will she go sleep with Shuning again?]

Shuning was their only daughter, not yet two years old.

Don't let her small age fool you; the little one was most attached to her mother and knew best how to act spoiled. So many days and nights, Ji Yang would hold his beloved wife, always with a little one sandwiched between them, and sometimes two.

The Eldest Imperial Son, Ji Zuo'er, was now seven years old. He was precocious and more steady than his younger siblings. His younger sister would clamor to sleep with their father and mother, and the second younger brother would also clamor to sleep with them, but he could not.

Fearing that the children would make a fuss and affect his handling of state affairs the next day, Wushuang would occasionally accompany her children to sleep in the side hall, leaving Ji Yang to guard an empty room alone.

[Normally it would be fine, but tonight I must sleep with Wushuang!]

Emperor Qianwu, seeing him feigning ignorance, was too lazy to pay him any attention. Thinking of some things in that great dream, he stood up and planned to go to Zichen Hall, ignoring Ji Yang's incessant chatter.

It wasn't until dark that Emperor Qianwu returned.

As expected, Wushuang was not there.

After asking a palace maid, he learned that she was in the side hall, accompanying the princess and the two young imperial princes.

***

In the side hall, four people, big and small, slept on the huge bed.

Despite the number of people, the bed was large enough to accommodate them comfortably.

Ji Zuo'er didn't know why he had stayed. Logically, boys and girls should not share a mat after the age of seven. He was already a young man, and the eldest son, so he should set an example. But when his mother opened her mouth to ask him to stay, before he could think through the pros and cons, his mouth had already agreed.

Lying next to them at this moment, watching his mother and younger sister play, he thought of the phrase 'stealing half a day of leisure' that the Grand Tutor had taught him. He was having half a day of leisure now, and it wasn't too excessive.

Seeing his second younger brother constantly provoking his younger sister, clamoring for their mother to hold him, he quickly grabbed his younger brother and held him tightly, saying in a low voice, "Are you younger than Shuning? You're a man, what are you fighting with your sister for?"

The second son, Ji Reng, might have a refined name, but he was actually a little firecracker. He wasn't old, only four years old, but he was a little devil incarnate.

Everything that the eldest brother, Ji Zuo'er, had never done, he had done it all.

Climbing trees to raid bird nests, going down to the river to catch small fish. The key was that the Emperor Emeritus also liked him, liking his calf-like appearance. If he wanted to go down to the lake to catch fish, he would have someone teach him to swim; if he wanted to climb a tree, he would have someone teach him martial arts.

However, he is still young. Even if he learns martial arts, it will only be practicing empty forms. His bones haven't fully developed yet. If he wants to learn seriously, it will have to wait until after he's five years old.

Even so, he fights evenly with the young ones from Prince Zhao's, Prince Han's, and Prince Duan's families. They are all older than him, usually by a year or two. Those who are much older wouldn't fool around with their younger brother, but he can still manage to win or lose against them.

Usually, he wins, but of course, there are exceptions.

But this little brat has the stubbornness of an ox at such a young age and refuses to admit defeat. Ordinary people can't subdue him. Among his peers, only his eldest brother can control him.

Ji Reng stomped his feet in anger, but unable to go against his eldest brother, he quieted down.

Over there, Shuning was lying in her mother's arms, making faces at her second brother.

To tell the truth, making faces was something Ji Reng taught her, and now it has 'backfired' on him.

"Just you wait," Ji Reng threatened.

Before Ji Zuo could lecture his younger brother, Shuning turned and burrowed into her mother's arms, hiccuping as she complained, "Second Brother, scary! Second Brother bad!"

Wushuang looked down at her daughter, who was all bark and no bite, unable to say a complete sentence, only knowing how to complain. She inwardly examined herself, was she usually like this? How did she teach her these things?

Turning her head to see her eldest son transformed into an old master lecturing his younger brother, she immediately understood what was going on.

Seeing her second son stomping his feet in anger and the little girl forgetting to complain, covering her face and giggling, she quickly said, "Alright, alright, stop making a fuss, go to sleep quickly, or when Father Emperor comes later, he will ask Mother to return."

Just as she was speaking, their Father Emperor arrived.

Coming in and seeing the appearance of the mother and her three children, his gaze lingered meaningfully on Wushuang.

Wushuang felt inexplicably flustered by his stare. Ji Yang's gaze wasn't like this; it was Emperor Qianwu.

She thought of how, in her previous life, she had crudely and self-deceptively divided Ji Yang and 'Emperor Qianwu,' and a wave of heat rushed to her face. But then she thought of the way these two usually communicated in her mind, and her flushed face turned into embarrassed annoyance.

More embarrassment than anything.

Just as Wushuang was lost in thought, the three children had already called out to Father Emperor.

Shuning and Ji Reng were still the same as always, but Ji Zuo's face showed shame, that Father Emperor had seen him in such an unseemly state.

Would Father Emperor think his books were read in vain, being so old and still sleeping with his mother? Although he was already sleeping on the outermost side, with his younger siblings in between, it was still not good.

"Why are you here?" Wushuang's eyes darted about, avoiding his gaze. "I'm not returning to my chambers tonight. I'm sleeping with Shuning and the others."

She saw her eldest son sit up again and quickly urged him to lie down. After tucking the children in, she lay down as well, turning her back to Emperor Qianwu.

In her heart, she wished he would leave quickly, just leave. But then she heard the sound of clothes being removed, and before long, Emperor Qianwu had taken off his outer robe and, clad only in his undergarments, climbed into the bed.

"Then tonight, We shall sleep with you and the children."

Regardless of Wushuang's state of mind, Shuning was overjoyed. She scrambled out of her mother's embrace, wanting to sleep in the middle, to sleep with her Imperial Father.

The little girl loved her Imperial Father the most.

Because his daughter wanted to be in the middle, Wushuang had no choice but to adjust her position. Emperor Qianwu lay on the outer side, propping his head up with one hand while using the other to help his daughter settle in the middle, his eyes fixed on his wife the entire time.

Wushuang felt truly guilty and breathless under his unwavering gaze, but she was still angry and felt justified in her actions. So, she turned her back to the father and daughter, saying, "Then you father and daughter can play. I'm tired and going to sleep first."

She pulled her second son, who was next to her, into her arms, hugging him as she said, "Reng'er, Zuo'er, go to sleep quickly. You have to get up early tomorrow to go to the West Garden study."

Seeing his mother holding him as he slept, Ji Reng was overjoyed, but it was a pity that his mother was in the way, preventing him from showing off to his younger sister.

His mother was holding his younger brother, which also brought him much closer to her. His mother's arm was around his younger brother, which meant that he was also being held in his mother's arms as he slept.

Ji Zuo's little face flushed red, and he quickly closed his eyes.

The three of them were quiet.

Shuning, with no one to play with, also found it boring. Children of that age naturally fell asleep quickly, and before long, she was asleep as well, leaving only Emperor Qianwu awake.

In truth, Wushuang was not yet asleep. She was only pretending. Seeing that there was no movement behind her, she guessed that her daughter had also fallen asleep.

She thought, with her daughter between them, he wouldn't be able to do anything, right?

She hadn't expected Emperor Qianwu to have more tricks up his sleeve than she had imagined. Before long, he stretched out a hand behind her waist, poking her, and then tugged at her clothes, signaling her to turn her head.

Wushuang didn't want to pay him any attention and simply didn't move.

He continued to poke her, and as he poked, he switched to caressing, caressing the hollow of her waist, his hand creeping upwards. She couldn't stop him even when she tried to press his hand down.

It wasn't until Shuning, sandwiched in the middle, seemed to be squeezed and stirred slightly, that she quickly lowered her head to check if her two sons were asleep. Seeing that both sons were asleep, she finally released Ji Reng and propped herself up to turn and glare at him.

Emperor Qianwu did not give up in the slightest. Under her glare, he tugged at her clothes again.

Helpless, Wushuang, not wanting to wake the children, could only, under his direction, move her daughter to her own spot, while she took her daughter's place.

Seeing the three children sleeping soundly, Emperor Qianwu tucked them in well, then pulled over another quilt, wrapping both her and himself within.

He was so skilled at this, all thanks to Shuning and Ji Reng's contributions. Usually, the two children would cling to their mother to sleep, and in the end, the two little ones would be placed on one side, while their parents rolled into the same quilt in the middle of the night.

"What do you want to do?"

Seeing him holding her so tightly, Wushuang assumed he wanted to do something improper. She pulled the quilt up, covering both their faces, and then said in a soft, blushing voice, "No, the children are still here."

He said in a hoarse voice, "What do you think this Emperor wants to do? This Emperor just wants to hold you and sleep."

In fact, there was still one small child who wasn't asleep, but this little one's skill at feigning sleep was excellent, successfully deceiving Wushuang.

Ji Zuo was in a state between sleeping and waking when he suddenly felt his mother's hand retract. He immediately opened his eyes and saw his mother quietly moving into Father Emperor's quilt, while his younger sister was being stuffed over.

He quickly shrank his face down, hiding it in the quilt. He heard his mother say in a very soft voice, "Why is it you tonight? Where is he?"

Her voice was very indistinct, because he was half-asleep, and his wakefulness was only momentary. Afterwards, there was no other movement, and he quickly fell asleep again.

Naturally, he also didn't see Father Emperor glance at him before withdrawing his gaze.

[He, ah?]

[Wushuang!] A voice suddenly rang out.

Wushuang, thinking that she couldn't wake the children, began to speak in her mind instead.

[What?] After saying that, she added, [What exactly is going on? Have you figured it out yet?]

She was referring to why the three of them could communicate like this.

These words successfully diverted everyone's attention, including her own.

Next, after a series of experiments, the three of them discovered that as long as the two were very close, they could communicate. As for exactly how close this distance had to be, because the two had not left the bed, they had not yet tested it.

But this kind of communication was very mysterious, and Emperor Qianwu called it a language of the heart.

As long as the two were together, Wushuang could not only communicate with him on the outside, but also with the 'him' on the inside. However, if 'he' entered the little black room, then communication was impossible.

In fact, this kind of little black room, if Ji Yang were to explain it, was simply a soul slumber.

When the soul was slumbering, it could only awaken under specific conditions. For example, Ji Yang used to come out at night, so he would only awaken at night.

Of course, he could also awaken during the day, unless there was something he needed to do, something he had premeditated.

He could even manage to be awake without Emperor Qianwu knowing. However, after Emperor Qianwu was bullied by him too many times, he also learned the trick, and the two would even lock each other in the little black room.

As for why Wushuang knew about the little black room...

That had to be attributed to Ji Yang's persistent questioning about why she had previously called the two of them rascals.

It was no wonder Emperor Qianwu had previously called him stupid. The two knew about their rivalry, but Wushuang didn't. At that time, suddenly seeing the two of them communicating like that, she would naturally overthink things.

As for what she overthought, it was unspeakable.

In any case, Wushuang understood, and Emperor Qianwu understood, but only Ji Yang didn't understand.

Later, he finally understood with great difficulty—roughly, Wushuang was driven to desperation by his persistent questioning, acting shy and angry, and Emperor Qianwu had to come out and enlighten him before he 'oh'ed and understood.

He immediately pointed to the sky and swore that there was no way he would do such a despicable thing, and he wouldn't allow it either, he wouldn't let that so-and-so get away with it, so he usually remembered to lock the little black room.

Only then did Wushuang know about the little black room.

[Shuangshuang, how did I only now discover that you would think about such naughty things? I never imagined that you would think of such a place.]

[I... Let's go to sleep, it's almost the third watch (11 PM-1 AM). Don't you have to attend court tomorrow?]

Ji Yang said with righteous confidence, [I don't have to attend court tomorrow. Tell the one who has to attend court to go to sleep quickly.]

Emperor Qianwu chuckled. He would go to sleep first? That would be a miracle.

It might have been fine before, but now that the two could communicate, if he went to sleep, who knew if he would speak ill of him behind his back, or do something else.

Of course, it wasn't that they couldn't do something, but on such a special day, both wanted to do something else, so naturally neither would give way to the other.

The final result was that neither of them succeeded.