Qin Zhi sensed his intentions, lowering her head and letting her tears flow. She despised his cowardice but recognized the necessity of collaboration to achieve her ambitions.
Wei Shu softly asked if he needed to bring the Imperial Consort to the Eastern Palace. “No!” he interrupted sharply; he didn’t want to rely on a woman for his plans. When he saw Qin Zhi start to cry again, he comforted her, stating, “I have my own plans for the Imperial Consort. You don’t need to worry about it.”
Qin Zhi nodded obediently, kissing him on the lips and saying, “Your Highness knows I would do anything for you.” His heart stirred, and he kissed her back, the heat of his pent-up desires igniting fiercely in that moment.
Soon, the sounds of the prince’s heavy breathing and the woman’s low moans filled the chamber.
After a long while, Qin Zhi opened her eyes, put on her outer garment, and walked to the mirror to examine the marks on her face. The two slaps had been very forceful, leaving clear fingerprints on her delicate skin. She picked up the powder puff to apply makeup, when suddenly another man’s figure flashed before her eyes.
Years ago, in a relative’s garden, she had seen him sparring with a group of young men. Among all the men, he was the most heroic, and every gesture was etched into her heart. Compared to him, what was Wei Shu? If he weren’t the crown prince, she would not have given him a second glance.
Wei Shu breathed steadily in bed, already fast asleep. Qin Zhi covered the marks and slowly left, closing the door.
The medicine she used was in small quantities, with a slow-acting effect. It would take about ten days before the Emperor would breathe his last. During the national mourning period, she and Wei Shu could not share a bed, so she needed to take advantage of these ten days to be intimate with him and try to conceive, securing her position as empress.
However, her peace was short-lived. Shortly after lunch, the Fifth Prince Wei Ying accidentally discovered an imperial decree in the Emperor’s study, stating that Ruan Ning would be made empress.
“Your Highness!
Qin Zhi woke the still-sleeping Wei Shu, recounting the unexpected event.
