The Bright Moon Reflects My Heart - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Eunuch Guo looked deeply troubled. “Your Grace, His Majesty said he won’t see anyone-especially you.”

I steeled myself, craned my neck, and called inside in the sweetest, most affected voice I could manage. “Your Majesty! I know I was wrong. I even simmered mung bean and coix seed water for you-by my own hand! I simmered it for seven times seven, forty-nine days! Your Majesty, won’t you please open the door?”

The only response I got was dead silence.

I refused to give up. “Emperor, don’t ignore me. My heart is about to shatter. It was all my fault for making you angry. Please open the door and let me see that you’re all right, won’t you?”

As I shouted, I frantically signaled Eunuch Guo with my eyes.

Sweat beaded across Eunuch Guo’s forehead, and the corner of his mouth twitched. Bracing himself, he called, “Your Majesty, the Imperial Noble Consort-”

“Get out!” Zhan Liangsheng’s low, furious snarl came from inside.

Then came the clattering crash of things being swept onto the floor.

I shrank my neck back in fright and swallowed.

But when I thought of the System’s punishment, I gathered my courage again and stepped forward to gently push the door open a crack.

I squeezed my head inside, eyes brimming with tears. “Your Majesty…”

The Imperial Study was a complete mess.

Zhan Liangsheng had his back to me, radiating an aura that said strangers should stay away and acquaintances should get lost even faster.

“What are you doing here?” He didn’t even turn his head when he spoke to me. “Aren’t you busy asking around about what color bellyband Prince An likes?”

At that, I immediately twisted my little waist and shamelessly sidled up to him.

I set down the mung bean and coix seed water, tugged on his sleeve, and gave it a gentle shake, my voice filled with twelve parts grievance. “Your Majesty, you’ve wronged me. You’re the only one in my heart. I can barely even remember what Prince An looks like anymore.”

Zhan Liangsheng finally turned to face me.

I seized the chance and threw myself into his arms.

I inhaled, inhaled, inhaled, inhaled, inhaled, inhaled.

The scent of ambergris smelled so good.

I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist and buried my face against his chest.

Those big pecs. Rub, rub, rub, rub, rub.

He pinched my chin, forcing me to lift my head. “Forgot?”

“Have you forgotten that at the palace banquet, you pestered me about what color bellyband he liked?”

Guiltily, I met his eyes.

Then inspiration struck. “Your Majesty, I only thought that since you and Prince An are brothers, your tastes might be somewhat similar. I was merely making indirect inquiries so I could guess what color bellyband you like. You really have misunderstood me.”

I kept throwing flirtatious glances at Zhan Liangsheng until my eyelids were practically cramping.

Zhan Liangsheng’s anger seemed to ebb a little.

His gaze slowly moved downward, from my eyes to my nose, then to my lips, before finally stopping at the front of my robes. “Then you could have simply come and asked me directly.”

“Of course!” Seeing that his anger had faded, I hurried to press my advantage. “Then what color bellyband does Your Majesty like?”

Zhan Liangsheng hooked a fingertip into my collar and traced it over my collarbone. “I like… the color underneath once you take this off.”

My old face flushed red.

You devil. Smooth, aren’t you?

Just as our eyes were doing unspeakable things to each other, the System’s punchable voice rang out again at the worst possible moment.

“Dear host, remember, lust is a knife hanging over your head.”

“Mission updated. Host, please focus on mentioning the moon-white inner robe and the silver-white inner robe. The System will detect the Emperor’s emotional fluctuations and use them to make its judgment.”

Zhan Liangsheng’s hot breath brushed my face.

He was full of desire and clearly hadn’t noticed that his useless wife had already wilted.

Calling on every bit of acting skill I had ever possessed, I pulled my collar open a little more, revealing a sliver of inner robe no bigger than a fingernail. Shyly, I said, “Your Majesty, look at the moon! White! Inner! Robe! I’m wearing today. Isn’t it pretty? Doesn’t it suit my complexion better than a silver! White! Inner! Robe?”