Kisses

"Zhigui, what are you thinking about?"

Qiao Shuyi's voice pulled Zongzheng Heng from his tangled thoughts.

He raised his eyes and met Qiao Shuyi's beautiful almond-shaped ones.

At some point, she had walked up to him and was looking up at him.

Zongzheng Heng collected himself and lowered his gaze.

"I was thinking... I wonder what a grand affair the prince's residence's spring banquet will be in three days."

Qiao Shuyi's lips curved into a smile. She took his hand and led him toward the bed.

"The spring banquet at the prince's residence is held once every two years."

She spoke as they walked, her tone languid and casual.

"Not only do young masters from Jinzhou's prominent families and young ladies of distinguished houses attend, but the sons and daughters of nobles from several neighboring provinces also come because of its reputation. The garden will be filled with masses of flowers, and wine cups will pass back and forth. It's one of the grand occasions at the prince's residence."

As she spoke, she looked back and gave him a radiant smile.

"It's quite lively."

Zongzheng Heng listened with his gaze lowered. His expression betrayed nothing, but his heart tightened.

The spring banquet?

Heh.

It sounded elegant enough, but it was nothing more than an excuse for Qiao Nanyu to win over the powerful and influential figures of the various provinces and secretly conspire with them.

The guests at such a grand occasion were all important figures from the various provinces. Once the wine had warmed their blood, who knew how many shameful dealings they would settle?

His eyes darkened, but he said nothing.

When Qiao Shuyi reached the bed, she released his hand and sat down on the edge.

She patted the spot beside her.

"Why are you standing there? Sit."

Zongzheng Heng did as she said and sat beside her.

They sat shoulder to shoulder on the edge of the bed, so close that he could smell her faint fragrance.

"What, are you interested in the spring banquet?"

"I've simply never seen such a grand occasion, so I'm a little curious."

"Curious? If you'd like to go, I can take you."

Something stirred in Zongzheng Heng's heart, and he was about to speak-

"Miss..."

Before the rest of the word could leave his mouth, he immediately corrected himself.

"Shushu, aren't you concerned about what others will think?"

"You're the Prince of Jin'an's legitimate daughter, a person of noble status. But I... my family has fallen on hard times, and now I'm nothing but a commoner. If people see me attending such a grand gathering with you, I'm afraid it will stir up gossip and harm your reputation."

"Zhigui, who would dare look down on someone who belongs to me? And who would dare wag their tongue in front of me? If anyone does... I'll make sure he can't speak for the rest of his life."

A flicker passed through Zongzheng Heng's eyes.

Her gaze was indifferent, nothing like that of a sheltered young lady who had never killed.

"You're the one I like, so that makes you the most noble person in the world."

She said it as though it went without saying.

Zongzheng Heng's feelings were complicated.

In her world, was it only natural that anything she liked was the best?

Over the past two days, he had lost count of how many times he had heard her say she liked him.

He had never paid it any mind.

What does she like about me? Nothing but this face of mine.

She had said it herself: he was handsome, the most handsome man she had ever seen.

Such affection was nothing more than a passing fancy, the delight of a first encounter, desire stirred by a pretty face.

After some time, when the novelty wore off, or when something else caught her eye and amused her, that affection would fade.

But at this moment.

Her eyes were filled with the reflection of his face, with room for nothing else.

Even if it was... a passing affection, it seemed real enough while it lasted.

Zongzheng Heng lowered his long lashes, concealing the complicated emotions in his eyes.

"Thank you... Shushu."

The two words still came out a little awkwardly.

Qiao Shuyi smiled and raised a hand to his neck.

"Zhigui, then... would you be willing tonight to..."

Zongzheng Heng's body stiffened.

He didn't know how to answer.

Willing? He couldn't bring himself to say the word.

Unwilling? To his surprise, he didn't dare say that either.

Seeing that he said nothing, Qiao Shuyi gave a soft laugh.

"Never mind. You've only been at the residence for two days, and you still need time to adjust. As for that... we can take it slowly."

Zongzheng Heng's taut body relaxed a little.

But before he could finish catching his breath, she spoke again.

"So, tonight... can we just kiss?"

Before she had even finished speaking, and before Zongzheng Heng could react, she seized the front of his robe, tilted her head up, and leaned in.

She kissed him.

Zongzheng Heng's pupils widened slightly.

Her kiss was inexperienced, a few clumsy nibbles at his lips without any particular technique, yet they made his heart tremble.

After a few nibbles, she frowned and drew back.

Her almond-shaped eyes were misty, and she spoke with a hint of coquettish reproach.

"Zhigui, I don't know how. Teach me."

Zongzheng Heng's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was hoarse.

"I... don't know how either."

Normally, palace maids were supposed to instruct princes in such matters when they turned fifteen, but he had gone to the military camp, and the matter had been dropped.

"Oh? So it's the first time for both of us? You said you were twenty-three, so I thought you'd already been with other women."

"I haven't."

"In that case, shall we... learn together?"

Without waiting for his answer, she pulled him down onto the bed.

The red candles flickered, and the bed curtains hung softly around them.

She lay on top of him, her black hair cascading down over his shoulders and chest, tickling and tingling.

She covered his lips with hers again.

This time, she didn't nibble.

First she licked them, then bit them gently. Then she pressed the tip of her tongue against the seam of his lips, tentatively probing inside.

Once, twice, three times.

Soft and hot, it was like a little hook, tugging at his heart again and again.

Zongzheng Heng felt as though ten thousand ants were crawling over his chest, making it itch terribly, yet he couldn't scratch it.

Although he had never kissed a woman, he had seen illustrated erotic manuals back when he was in the palace.

If he didn't let this woman kiss her fill tonight, he was afraid she would go on kissing him like this.

It was truly torture.

He gritted his teeth.

The next instant, he rolled over and pinned her beneath him.

Qiao Shuyi's eyes widened slightly, and before she could react, his lips came down on hers.

This time, it was no longer her tentative probing, but his direct advance.

His tongue pried her lips and teeth apart, conquering cities and seizing territory as it pushed deeper inch by inch.

He put everything he had learned from the erotic illustrations to use on her-

Deep and shallow, urgent and slow, tender and forceful, he kissed her until she could hardly breathe.

"Mmm..."

The sound was sweet and seductive.

Zongzheng Heng felt as though even his bones were turning to jelly.

A tingling sensation shot up his spine, making his scalp prickle.

He closed his eyes briefly, forcing himself not to think of anything else.

This woman was beautiful, with skin of ice and bones of jade, a sweet voice and a soft body-a true beauty.

But her temperament was truly unpleasant.

His reaction now was nothing but a man's instinct!

Zongzheng Heng forcibly suppressed certain thoughts and focused solely on kissing her.

He only wanted to end this... torture as soon as possible.

Qiao Shuyi's breathing gradually grew ragged.

A full quarter of an hour passed.

At last, she couldn't bear it anymore. She pressed a hand to his chest and gave him a gentle push.

"Zhigui... mm... enough..."

Zongzheng Heng paused.

He stopped, got off her without a change of expression, and lay flat beside her.

"Shushu, since you've had enough kissing, let's sleep."

Qiao Shuyi touched her slightly swollen, reddened lips with her fingertips and gave a shy "Mm."

She turned onto her side to face him, her gaze resting on his face.

The red candlelight traced his handsome features.

She didn't notice-

His hand on the other side was gripping the bedding beneath him so tightly that the veins stood out.

Zongzheng Heng's heartbeat had yet to steady.

It wasn't because he was tired, but because-

Just now, he had actually become lost in kissing a madwoman.

For a moment, he had forgotten that she was Qiao Nanyu's daughter, forgotten why he had come to Jinzhou, forgotten what she had done to him.

He had simply been kissing her.

Zongzheng Heng gritted his teeth hard.

No.

If any woman had lain on top of him like that, licking and biting him, he would have reacted the same way.

He was only carrying out the task she had given him.

Once she had her fill of kissing, she wouldn't torment him anymore.

That was all.

Qiao Shuyi was Qiao Nanyu's most beloved daughter.

She was the apple of the eye of that traitorous villain who wielded military power to defy authority and intended to rebel.

She was the madwoman who had locked him in a water dungeon, had him whipped, and forced him to memorize those ridiculous rules.

Once he found evidence of Qiao Nanyu's rebellion-

He would kill her with his own hands.

Then all the humiliation she had inflicted on him would vanish like smoke with her death.