Ruan Ning kept her eyes closed, ignoring him. She understood that Wei Shu could only curse her verbally, as he was powerless against Gu Lianchang, who was far more powerful than the superficial prince.
After leaving, Wei Shu saw Gu Lianchang’s calm face and felt a bit guilty. He dared to speak boldly before others but not in front of Gu Lianchang. Unsure if Gu Lianchang had heard him, he forced a laugh and hurried away.
Gu Lianchang had heard everything. Though accustomed to insults, he felt a bit nervous this time.
Wei Ying, who had come with him, sensed Gu Lianchang’s unease and said to Ruan Ning, “Mother Empress has been working hard for days. Let me watch over him tonight so you can rest.”
Ruan Ning did not refuse, as she was indeed exhausted.
She reached out to Gu Lianchang, who helped her up and instructed Zhang Jing, “Take good care of the Fifth Prince.”
The Kunning Palace was unfamiliar to Ruan Ning. Holding Gu Lianchang’s hand, she followed him through heavy doors to the empress’s bedchamber. As the palace maids helped her remove her hairpins and accessories, Gu Lianchang stood silently beside her, replaying Wei Shu’s words: he was a eunuch and could never allow her normal marital intimacy.
“Chief Gu,” she called, “I’ve just moved here and feel uneasy. Don’t leave tonight. Stay in the side hall.”
“Yes,” Gu Lianchang agreed, noticing her silently mouthing “come over tonight.”
After the third watch, Gu Lianchang entered Ruan Ning’s bedchamber. The night attendants had been dismissed, and the room was dark. She was waiting for him.
He crossed the hall and passed through the lattice screen to her bed. She suddenly emerged from behind the gauze curtain, embracing his neck and pulling him down onto the bed.
“Chief, you’re late. I’ve been waiting and getting sleepy,” Ruan Ning whispered into his ear, then bit him hard. “I told you to come, why are you dawdling?”
Gu Lianchang remained silent, allowing Ruan Ning to scratch and bite him playfully.
Ruan Ning was puzzled by his silence as she pinned him down, her hand pressing on his chest. “What’s wrong?”
Gu Lianchang spoke hoarsely, “Following me, do you regret it?”
“Why would I regret?” Ruan Ning replied. “You’ve given me everything I wanted, even more than promised.”
Gu Lianchang felt bitterness at the notion of their relationship as a transaction, noting her faithfulness. “The title of Empress is just an empty name. Besides this title, you’ll gain nothing. You can’t have children like other women.”
“I got you,” Ruan Ning chuckled. With him by her side, no one could force her. She enjoyed watching him gradually fall for her. Playfully, she pressed him down, raising his arms above his head, but her hands were too small to grip his muscular arms. She pretended to pin him down while pulling at his clothing belt, exposing his firm, cool skin.
Ruan Ning lowered her head and kissed him lightly, smiling as she tested the skin-to-skin contact: “Nice skin, very suitable for writing.” Gu Lianchang allowed her to pull off his belt and wrap it around his arm, watching her like a mischievous child. She tied a tight knot, looking triumphant. Sitting on his waist, she slowly untied her own belt, waving it in front of him. Her graceful curves were barely concealed, and Gu Lianchang tried to see more in the darkness, but she unexpectedly turned and tied his legs with her belt.
Gu Lianchang raised an eyebrow, curious about her intentions. Ruan Ning reached into the bedside drawer, taking out a brush and a box of rouge. Cheekily, she raised the brush tip and whispered, “Chief Gu, now it’s my turn.” The fine brush dipped in rouge glided over his chest, igniting excitement. Gu Lianchang couldn’t see what she was writing but guessed it was the character for “stupid.”
A hint of a smile spread across Gu Lianchang’s face as he remarked, “This word suits you better.” Ruan Ning retorted, “But now it’s written on you,” and took out a box of needles, selecting one. “And will soon be pricked into you.”
When the silver needle pierced Gu Lianchang’s skin, all his muscles tensed. He hadn’t expected her to actually do it, since he had never wanted to hurt her.
“I’m going to pierce the second needle,” she laughed, then stabbed again. Gu Lianchang broke the bonds on his hands, grabbing her hand, snatching the needle, and throwing it outside the bed, whispering, “You’re really heartless.”
“You’ve pricked me before, so I’m getting revenge,” she replied, knowing she couldn’t restrain him. She had pricked him in return for what he had done.
She tossed the brush and rouge aside, pressed down on him again, playfully biting and gnawing on his body. Her clothing became looser, her beautiful skin rubbing against him, causing him to tremble.
Gu Lianchang let out a low call. Ruan Ning heard it; despite his age, his voice was seductive. She pressed her hand on his lips and teased, “Chief Gu, call out again for me to hear.”
Gu Lianchang flipped her over, showering her with hot kisses. Clothes were disheveled, and delicate skin was marked with red traces, sending Ruan Ning from playful excitement into another kind of pleasure.
She trembled, helplessly closing her eyes as he removed her restraints, exposing herself to him. He slid down, kneeling before her in worship. Ruan Ning cried out, quickly silenced by his hand. Shame mixed with pleasure as she indulged under his touch, filling her senses until a white light filled her vision, causing her to bite her lip and faint.
After a long time, Gu Lianchang wiped her clean. She slept deeply, and he gently dressed her in undergarments, covered her with silk, and kissed her lips before quietly leaving. At the doorway, he looked back at her in the darkness, feeling a sense of loss but also that he hadn’t truly lost.
When Ruan Ning woke up, she looked beside her pillow, finding it empty again. Memories of the previous night flashed in her mind, and she covered her burning cheeks, feeling both shame and longing for the shameless eunuch.
Another busy day began, filled with harem concubines paying respects, followed by palace women officials and external court ladies. The empress attire was bowed to by waves of women for the entire morning.
Ruan Ning wished she could carve a wooden puppet to wear her clothes instead. Just as she hoped for lunch, a message came from Qingqing Palace that the Emperor’s condition had worsened, and he had vomited blood while unconscious.
Ruan Ning rushed over. The Emperor was in dire straits; his face had turned gray, and his lips were an eerie purple-blue, with vomited blood smeared on his beard and chin.
“Clean up for His Majesty,” she instructed.
The imperial doctors stood by the bed. The one with the longest beard nervously took the Emperor’s pulse and finally said, “Let’s try another prescription.” After over an hour of discussion, they drafted a new prescription. The Emperor stopped vomiting blood after taking the medicine, but his complexion continued to deteriorate.
By the second day, the Emperor could no longer take the medicine and had completely stopped eating.
“Your Highness must prepare early. The Eastern Palace guards and the Imperial Guards must be ready,” Qin Zhi urged. “Once the Emperor passes, we must ensure everything is foolproof.”
“I am the Crown Prince. The world should naturally be inherited by me. Why mobilize troops?”
Wei Shu looked at her suspiciously. “I’ve already told you not to interfere.”
“Your Highness, previously only Prince Jin could obstruct you, but now the Fifth Prince is being raised under the Empress’s knee, with a different status. I’m worried new variables might emerge,” Qin Zhi explained.
“A mere Empress with an empty reputation, a child—what can they do?” Wei Shu said gloomily.
