Mercurial

Wen Yunmian lowered the corners of her eyes, her gaze brimming with the certainty of victory.

If the emperor saw her true beauty at first glance, it would be a ten.

But if he saw only six-tenths now, the next glimpse would be a twelve.

Seeing how red the corners of her eyes had become, the emperor ultimately could not harden his heart. He sat down and asked, "Are you still uncomfortable anywhere?"

"Not anymore, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern."

Tear tracks covered her delicate, fair cheeks. She looked as pure as snow-white jade, yet beneath her soaked robes lay a graceful, alluring figure.

"Have you nothing to say to me about what happened today?"

In the shifting light, the emperor's sharply sculpted features were utterly inscrutable.

Looking at his handsome, angular face, Wen Yunmian had long since seen through his determination to protect the consort. Given Wen Leyan's temperament, she would surely have made a scene after being tormented like this by the consort in their previous life.

But she would not. All she wanted was glory, wealth, and the emperor's heart!

So she would not act on impulse. She would give him the outcome he wanted.

Wen Yunmian rose and knelt weakly at his feet. "Your Majesty, what happened today was my fault. I did not understand the rules and offended Her Highness. Then I accidentally fell into the water and struck myself, which was how I was injured and choked on water. I disturbed you and Her Highness. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

The emperor raised a long, sharply defined brow. As he looked down at Wen Yunmian, his slanting phoenix eyes were full of scrutiny.

He lifted her chin, and the wet strands of hair beside her cheeks fell across his fingers.

Striking brows and eyes, snow-white skin, lips so red they seemed about to drip blood-she gazed at him timidly.

"The consort hurt you, yet you have no intention of complaining to me?"

His icy tone betrayed no emotion whatsoever.

The emperor's schemes ran deep. Any young maiden in her place would surely have fallen into his trap.

But she was different. She and he had been an old married couple in their previous life!

If she tearfully spoke ill of the consort now, the emperor would cast her into the cold palace the very next moment!

That was the sort of man Jun Chenyu was.

He might be gentle one moment and kill you the next.

After all, in their previous life, Consort Shu had won Jun Chenyu's heart without the slightest effort.

Within the depths of the palace, gaining the emperor's tender love was a wondrous ladder of clouds leading straight to the summit.

"Your Majesty, I understand that Her Highness did not mean to do it. She was simply heartbroken, which made her impulsive. I understand, so I bear her no resentment."

"You understand?" Jun Chenyu frowned, looking down at her from above.

Wen Yunmian prostrated herself at his feet, the ends of her words trembling softly. "I know that you and Her Highness love each other deeply. You grew up together, innocent childhood sweethearts. Seeing the person she loves with someone else, how could she not weep in sorrow and lose her composure? I have felt that same pain, so I truly understand why Her Highness would do this."

Jun Chenyu's sharp brows suddenly drew together.

He raised a brow dangerously. Though Wen Yunmian had shared his bed in their previous life, the emperor's imposing presence still left her trembling with fear.

"You have felt the same pain?" Jun Chenyu's lips curved coldly. "So my Attendant Yun had already given her heart to someone before entering the palace?"

To make Jun Chenyu remember her, she could only take a dangerous gamble amid his mercurial moods.

Wen Yunmian lowered her eyes, her peach-blossom face clouded with sorrow. "Yes..."

Jun Chenyu said nothing. When he stood, his tall, straight figure blocked out the little light she could see.

Wen Yunmian curled her fingertips, her mind racing as she tried to determine what Jun Chenyu was thinking.

But the next moment, Jun Chenyu reached out and lifted her chin. His fingers were long and lean, the veins on the back of his hand conveying a powerful strength.

The darkness in his phoenix eyes was fathomless, and it made Wen Yunmian's heart flutter with unease.

Still, he said nothing.

Seeing that he was about to leave, his dragon robe brushing past her side, Wen Yunmian immediately reached out and caught the front of his robe.

He looked down at her. Wen Yunmian tilted up her face, flawless as white jade, her watery eyes fixed on him with tears plainly visible. "Don't go."

Jun Chenyu's cold gaze sharpened slightly as he looked at the pitiful woman.

Wen Yunmian trembled in fright and hurriedly let go.

"What, do you think I would devour you?"

"Your Majesty, the person I love..."

She choked back a sob, as though mustering every ounce of courage she possessed. "Is you..."

Jun Chenyu's words stopped at his lips, his sharp phoenix eyes lowering.

"You love me? Do you know that deceiving the emperor is a crime punishable by the extermination of all nine branches of your family?"

Thick, dark, curling lashes veiled Wen Yunmian's eyes. Knowing his habits from their previous life, she knew that if she could make the normally taciturn Jun Chenyu ask that question, he was pleased.

At the very least, she had piqued his interest.

That was enough.

After all, she was facing an emperor who had ascended the throne in his youth and secured his reign amid the treacherous whirlpool of power.

What had a man like him not seen? She had no confidence that she could capture his heart right from the start.

She wiped haphazardly at her tears, her tender red lips all the more striking from being bitten. "I-I'm not lying..."

Seeing Jun Chenyu staring at her coldly without moving, Wen Yunmian let her tears tumble down. In apparent desperation, she caught his sleeve and tugged lightly, as though she were too flustered to choose her words. In truth, every sentence had been carefully prepared.

"I have always loved you. I admire your talent, your way of governing the country, and even more, the might with which you slew treacherous officials when you first took the throne in your youth. Once, at the Temple of Protecting the Nation, I knelt with the common people and saw you from afar..."

As though she felt she had said too much, or had only just realized she had forgotten to speak respectfully, Wen Yunmian grew so anxious that her little face flushed. "I have spoken out of turn. Please..."

Before she could finish, his large hands suddenly hooked around her slender, supple waist. Wen Yunmian gave a soft cry and hurriedly wrapped her arms around Jun Chenyu's neck as he lifted her effortlessly.

When he set her on the bed, Wen Yunmian timidly shifted farther inward, bringing her slender ankles, small enough to encircle with one hand, and her jade-like feet into his view.

He could not help giving a mocking chuckle. The Marquis of Bravery and Resolve slaughtered foes in every direction on the battlefield, so how had he raised such a delicate daughter? A few drops of rain would be enough to frighten her.

"Why did you not say so at the beginning?" Jun Chenyu's phoenix eyes were filled with cold severity.

He was suspecting her again.

He loathed women who schemed and flaunted their cleverness more than anything.

Wen Yunmian bit her lip. "Because I did not want to come between Your Majesty and Her Highness. I know how insignificant I am, so please forget what I said today. I would never dare speak such nonsense again..."

Jun Chenyu paused. His heart, which had stirred just a moment ago, was nudged back onto its proper course by her repeated mentions of the consort.

"Enough. Everything that happened in Chanyang Palace today must rot in your belly. As for what you just said, I will pretend I never heard it."

A glimmer of amusement flickered in Wen Yunmian's eyes.

She knew Jun Chenyu's heart had stirred for her just now. But she wanted him to remain clearheaded at all times, wavering endlessly between reason and impulse.

She knew very well that the harder certain desires were suppressed, the more they would rebel.

She would wait for the day Jun Chenyu acted on impulse.

If you enjoyed this book, please remember to add it to your bookshelf so you can find it next time.