Chapter 5: Was intentional or accidental?

Xu Changle compared it to the brightly lit scene on the day of the Empress enthronement ceremony. Today, the Empress’s sleeping palace appeared especially dim.

Only one red candle was lit in the sleeping quarters, and it was on the table. The light was so faint it barely existed, only just enough for one to see the path underfoot and avoid tripping.

Anything more could not be seen clearly.

“Your Majesty.”

The Empress’s inner official spoke with utmost respect. “It is late at night. Please rest early with Her Majesty. This servant and the others will guard the door. If Your Majesty needs anything, just call for us.”

After speaking, she lowered her head and withdrew from the room.

In the huge sleeping quarters, only two people remained.

Xu Changle recalled some film and television material from Blue Star. He first stood in place for a while, then hesitantly took two steps forward, then suddenly retreated. Then, as if gathering courage, he took two hesitant steps forward again, only to retreat sharply once more.

He repeated this several times, fully displaying the image of a nervous and pure-hearted newlywed groom. He was so indecisive that even he wanted to curse “Are you going to do it or not?” Yet the person on the bed remained completely still.

Could she have fallen asleep?

That was impossible, right? With Xiao Linyue’s temper, if he kept stalling like this, shouldn’t she jump up and seize the chance to throw a tantrum?

Had Xiao Tan’s warning been that effective, or was his Empress holding back something bad, perhaps hiding a sword under the pillow, waiting for him to approach so she could “kill in her dream”?

Although he suspected a trap in his heart, Xu Changle’s expression still showed five parts nervousness, three parts shyness, and two parts anticipation.

He pretended to be embarrassed and secretly peeked behind the bed curtains.

Although the curtains on the Empress’s phoenix bed were made of translucent material, they blocked people while allowing light through. With the room so dim, nothing could be made out.

Xu Changle was very willing to delay, but Xiao Tan most likely was not.

His shadow was cast by the candlelight onto the large door of the sleeping quarters. The palace servants and guards outside could clearly see his every move.

Stalling here for ten or so minutes pretending to be pure was not a big problem, but any longer and Xiao Tan would probably appear at the door and kindly ask if he needed someone to “push his butt.”

In other emperors of past dynasties, such door and window arrangements were a protective measure. Privacy was sacrificed, but it also eliminated the possibility of assassins sneaking in at night without anyone noticing.

Although ninety-nine percent of the emperors in this world had extremely impressive combat power, especially the emperors of Dayuan, who were invincible on the battlefield with their soldier-manipulating techniques. Still, the world was vast, and there were always some supernatural abilities that were hard to guard against.

Compared to life itself, what was a little privacy worth?

Moreover, for members of the imperial family, the concept of privacy did not exist at all since they were used to being served.

Even more so, if the emperor cared about privacy, the palace servants would naturally engrave the standard of “what to look at and what not to look at” into their bones and would never cause the emperor any displeasure.

But Xu Changle was different from other emperors.

He could guarantee that every servant outside the door right now was wide-eyed and ears perked, paying close attention to his every move. They would report exactly how many sips of water His Majesty drank in one night, when he started building feelings with the Empress, whether he had properly connected with her, how many times they connected in one night, and what positions were used each time… Not a single detail would be missed.

After all, all of this had to be reported to the Prime Minister!

Xu Changle performed his nervous act in front of the candlelight for a while longer before finally inching his way to the Empress’s phoenix bed.

He could not make a mistake, at least not by being the one to say “I don’t want to sleep with her.” So he could only make things difficult for the Empress.

Xu Changle carefully lifted the bed curtain. Under the dim light, he could vaguely see the quilt on the bed bulging in a human shape. Someone was hiding inside, not making a sound.

Without a doubt, the person hiding under the quilt was Xiao Linyue.

The explosive cat had been magically reformed into an obedient little kitten. What miraculous hands, Doctor Xiao Tan!

After a quick internal roast to relax, it was time…

“Empress…”

Xu Changle called out affectionately, then suddenly changed his tone. “We haven’t seen each other for a few months, but Your Majesty’s figure seems to have become a bit fuller?”

Euphemistic way of saying it — fuller.

Direct way — fat!

You’ve gained weight, Empress~

For a woman, being told to her face that she was fat would definitely make her grit her teeth and clench her fists.

Even in the dim light, Xu Changle could clearly see the figure on the bed stiffen.

But Xu Changle’s smooth combo was not over yet.

Xiao Linyue was a noble daughter of a prestigious family and had been spoiled since childhood. She grew up being the center of attention and feeling superior to others. Her personality was naturally arrogant and unwilling to admit defeat.

Saying she was fat had already touched her biggest taboo. But what if he said she was inferior to others?

Xu Changle laughed inwardly, but his expression remained serious, as if he was saying the next words purely out of concern.

“On the day of the grand wedding, I already felt that Your Majesty’s figure was a bit thinner compared to Noble Consort Shu… Of course! I absolutely do not mean that Your Majesty is too thin and her figure is not as graceful as Noble Consort Shu’s… Noble Consort Shu’s figure is indeed… Wait, no, no no no! That’s not it! What I mean is, seeing Your Majesty gradually becoming fuller these days makes me very happy!”

Hahahaha! How about that? I call you fat and you still have to thank me! I’m caring about you!

I absolutely did not mean that your figure is not as good as the other concubines’!

Even if Xiao Tan came today, I was still caring about the Empress! Who wouldn’t say that I deeply love the Empress after hearing this?

“Crack—”

The sound of knuckles cracking suddenly rang out from the darkness. However, it did not come from the bed, but from a hidden corner behind the phoenix bed.

In the corner, it seemed someone’s fist had hardened.

Xu Changle abruptly pulled open the curtain covering the space behind the phoenix bed in the direction of the sound, revealing a figure hidden behind it.

It was a woman wearing high-grade palace attire. Her clothes looked somewhat similar to the inner official who had delivered the message earlier. She was probably also one of Xiao Linyue’s inner officials.

She kept her head lowered, her face completely unseen, and her figure rather blurry.

Wait, Xiao Tan really arranged a butt-pusher?

Hidden so secretly? What the hell? Just how much did they distrust his ability?

But he had to admit Xiao Tan was impressive. Even after Xu Changle provoked her like this, Xiao Linyue on the bed still held back and did not make a sound.

No. Absolutely not.

He never expected the explosive cat to be this obedient today.

He needed to use heavy medicine!

Xu Changle looked at the butt-pusher inner official who was lowering her head respectfully and waiting for instructions. He suddenly rushed forward, grabbed the other party’s arm, and said excitedly:

“Empress!?”

“Empress, why are you hiding here? No wonder I felt the figure on the bed did not look like Your Majesty at all and completely lacked Your Majesty’s grace. So you were actually here!”

“But Empress, why are you hiding from me? Then who is the person on the bed?”

How about that! Shocked, right!

I mistook the Empress!

Not only did I say you were inferior to the other concubines, I even said you were inferior to your own inner official.

Inner officials were mostly servants raised beside their masters from childhood with close relationships. In some prestigious families, close servants were almost like second young misses.

But no matter how close the relationship, in the eyes of high and mighty noble daughters, they were still lowly servants.

Xu Changle publicly saying that the Xiao Linyue on the bed was inferior to her own inner official — with Xiao Linyue’s arrogant personality, wouldn’t she explode in anger now?

The inner official was only mistaken for her master. Someone as proud as Xiao Linyue would never get angry at her own servant.

But the one who made the mistake, Xu Changle, would definitely be blown sky-high by the explosive Xiao Linyue like a lit powder keg.

Consummation? Children? None of that existed. He might even get beaten up and be unable to fulfill his duties for several months.

So.

Sorry, Xiao Tan. Tonight, the winner is still me!

The corners of Xu Changle’s mouth curved up slightly, his eyes filled with pure joy.

The next second, the inner official whose hand he grabbed suddenly raised her head and looked at him in disbelief.

“Thud—”

The figure that had been hiding quietly under the phoenix bed quilt like a chicken could no longer stay silent. She jumped off the bed in panic, knelt on the ground in terror, and screamed miserably:

“Young Miss! Your Majesty! Empress! This servant absolutely did not reveal Your Majesty’s whereabouts! This servant did not say a single word! It was His Majesty! His Majesty understands Your Majesty too well!”

Xu Changle: “……?”

Huh?