Blindfolded

Chapter 4 - Imperial Carriage

Mentioning the empress dowager made me remember what she had said to me when I was in the Jingting Palace, "I raised you for several years and sent you to marry into the Liu Mansion. Naturally, I am reluctant to let you go. However, you overheard what the emperor said that day. He wants to make you his empress, but your nature is too gentle. If you live in the imperial palace, you will face a lot of hardships in the future. Actually, if the emperor wants to make you a concubine, I wouldn't say anything, but looking at his determination at the time, no matter what he names you, he will eventually give you the Phoenix Seal within six months."

When I came back to my senses, I found Jingting looking at me with a smile.

"Did I say something wrong just now?" I asked.

Jingting shook his head and said, "It was just random talk. There's no right or wrong to it." He stood up and said, "My clothes are wet. I'm going to change."

After Jingting left, I noticed that he had dropped his jade pendant. It must have fallen off while he was wiping himself earlier.

It wouldn't be good for the imperial property to be left outside, so I picked up the jade pendant and decided to look for a eunuch in charge to hand it over.

The location of the eunuch's carriage was a bit far away, and I accidentally ran into Liu Yu and his lover on my way there. Liu Yu looked a bit dejected.

Liu Yu's lover was the illegitimate daughter of a fourth-rank official. She had previously delayed her marriage because her family refused to arrange it. But if it were a second-marriage, the marriage could most likely happen.

Suddenly, I understood Liu Yu's thoughts. He was willing to help Jingting complete that absurd act on the wedding night because he saw that I would not be able to get along with him for long.

Lost in thought, I unknowingly arrived at the eunuch's carriage. I first signaled the eunuch not to alert the person inside the carriage and then returned the jade pendant.

The eunuch did not speak, but the moment he handed over the jade pendant, I was grabbed and pulled into the carriage.

"You're slower than I expected," Jingting said, his clothes slightly disheveled, his belt half-attached and half-loose, and he was...not dignified and reserved.

I immediately understood and quickly lowered my head. "The emperor deliberately dropped the jade pendant."

"Did you see anything on your way here?" Jingting asked in a soft voice.

I understood another layer of meaning. The illegitimate daughter of a fourth-rank official would not be invited to this kind of occasion, but she came anyway.

Jingting wanted to remind me at all times not to develop feelings for Liu Yu. After all, he didn't know that I knew the truth about that night. He worried that if I became emotionally attached to Liu Yu, I would eventually forget about Jingting.

"I only had my eyes on where the imperial carriage was when I came here. I didn't see anything," I replied.

"Don't play dumb," Jingting said, straightening the tassel on his jade pendant. "I'm too lazy to pretend with you. Let me just say this: just because I didn't want to offend the Empress Dowager's decree at first doesn't mean I won't use my means to destroy it afterwards.]"

"I remembered what happened a few days ago and couldn't help but ask, 'Are you angry?"

Jingting didn't answer, only saying, "Sit closer, I won't bite."

I cautiously moved closer by half an inch, and then Jingting's breath engulfed me recklessly as he said, "Just kidding."

Suddenly, I was wrapped in his embrace. I instinctively struggled for a moment, but was held even tighter.

"Yueyue, don't move. Someone might hear us," Jingting said.

Is he worried? But why does his voice become more and more cheerful?

Jingting was indeed very cheerful. His laughter sent warm and seductive breaths into my neck. "Stay like this, don't move, or you'll be embarrassed if someone finds out," he said.

"No one dares to disturb the imperial carriage," I replied.

"That's true," Jingting said, letting go of me and stretching his arms. "But you wouldn't want me to be disheveled like this all the time, would you?"

I suddenly realized that due to Jingting's big movements just now, my clothes were already in disarray and looked unkempt.

Although I knew that no one would disturb the imperial carriage, my hands trembled as I unfastened Jingting's belt.

However, Jingting liked my clumsiness very much. Occasionally, when I looked up, I would always meet his playful gaze.

"You and I now, are we like a married couple?" Jingting asked with a smile.

I stopped my movements stubbornly, "Is my emperor brother trying to make fun of me? If I say no, I will go against Your Majesty's will, and if I say yes, it will be disrespectful to you."

"Are you alive again?" Jingting liked it when I was being difficult. He smiled and picked up his jade pendant, using the tassel to lightly sweep my ear until I begged him to stop. "I won't tease you anymore, just one thing, you can't call me 'emperor brother' anymore."

"Yes, Your Majesty," I replied.

"Change it to something else," Jingting ordered.

I was a little confused, and the only thing I could say was, "Your Majesty?"

Jingting stopped talking with me.

But he didn't retract his command. I still had to help him straighten his robe. As I fastened the jade pendant onto his belt, a eunuch's voice suddenly came from outside the curtain, "Your Majesty, today's prize has been received by the son of the Dampou Duke."

Jingting's lips curved slightly, "Have I rested for so long?"

I muttered softly, "Yes, for a long time."