Chapter 2
Edward Quan ·
【Her lips are so ******】
【I'm not holding court tomorrow. I want to **** with my empress.】
【...】
4
The next morning, I climbed out of bed with a hand braced against my aching back, refused Bùi Dữ's request for another round, and sighed in disappointment.
“Your Majesty, how can the ruler of a nation spend all his time indulging in women? You ought to devote more attention to affairs of state. Then you could unite the realm all the sooner!”
He stared at me.
【...Is that really what she thinks?】
I nodded without batting an eyelid.
“Of course. When your name goes down in history, some of the glory will fall to me as well.”
For some reason, his spirits suddenly sank.
Then I heard his thoughts.
【Why is she refusing me? She used to say being with me was her favorite thing.】
【Boohoo, does she not love me anymore...?】
【Damn it, what idiot submitted a memorial like this? A woman found something and returned it to its owner... Do they really have to report such a trivial matter to me?! Do I look as though I've got nothing to do???】
【Is that admiral insane? I told him I'm allergic to mangoes. Is he trying to poison me with them? I'd better have him thoroughly investigated!】
【To hell with it. I quit! I can't face another day of these bloody memorials!】
【This is awful. Why won't my empress cling to me?】
【No, tomorrow I'll have the State Preceptor calculate how many stars my romantic prospects with her deserve!】
5
I never found out whether the State Preceptor's reading was good or bad. All I knew was that he resigned and went home the following day.
Before long, notices went up announcing the search for his replacement, and applicants packed the palace.
I tactfully suggested to Bùi Dữ that he might select a few consorts while he was at it.
The moment I finished, he froze.
【She's telling me to take consorts again! Has she really grown sick of me?】
【What am I supposed to do...?】
【Damn it, I don't want to live anymore...】
I had no words.
I hadn't expected the suggestion to hit him so hard. I was about to offer a few words of comfort when his eyes suddenly turned murderous.
【Damn it, who's been trying to steal my wife behind my back?】
【Could it be that brat from the duke's household? He grew up with her too. I knew he was up to no good! He kept staring at her at the last palace banquet!】
【Or one of those applicants for State Preceptor? I remember a few of them were rather handsome. Who knows? They might have been seducing her behind my back...】
I had nothing to say to that either.
6
Having worked himself into a frenzy over his own imaginings, Bùi Dữ began throwing fits at court every day.
On the first day, he berated the ministers who advocated expanding his harem and told them that if they had so much time on their hands, they could resign and go home to farm.
On the second day, he pointed at an elderly minister who had recently taken a concubine and sneered that a man his age ought to have some shame.
On the third day, he summoned the mango-sending admiral to the capital. The man hurried over in high spirits, expecting a promotion. Instead, Bùi Dữ made him eat an entire crate of mangoes and sent him home looking as yellow as turmeric.
...
He seemed determined to drag the whole world down with him, and even I was not spared.
At night, he buried his head against my neck in a sulk and demanded over and over, “Have you grown tired of me?”
I had no answer.
He bit my neck, his voice aggrieved.
“Are all women like you? Once you've got someone, you stop appreciating him?”
Still, I had no answer.
At last, between kisses, he whispered, “My empress, I don't want anyone else.”
7
As it turned out, however, a man's promises were nothing but lies.
News that Bùi Dữ had taken a new beauty soon spread throughout the palace.
8
That night, I assumed he wouldn't be coming, so I told the servants to put out the lamps and went to bed early.
Then the window opened.
He climbed in and kissed me breathless.
【How can she look so beautiful even when she's asleep? I'm besotted!】
【Her hand is so soft. Let me kiss it!】
【Oh? What's this? Let me bury my face in it! Oh? What's this? Let me do that again...】
【Even her legs are beautiful. I want to...】
I was speechless.
Could you please try to control yourself?
I couldn't take it anymore. I pulled my leg away, and we stared at each other, Bùi Dữ looking dazed.
“Why aren't you with your new beauty, Your Majesty?”
His eyes lit up.
【How did she find out I'd taken a new beauty?】
【Is she jealous? Boohoo, I knew she still loved me!】
【What should I do? Should I explain? But she's so adorable when she's jealous!】
【All right, I admit it. I'm a greedy man. I swear I'll indulge myself just this once!】
I had no words.
I gave him a look I couldn't quite put into words either. How had I never noticed what a performance he was capable of?
Unaware that his thoughts had given him away completely, Bùi Dữ said coolly, “Naturally, I have my reasons for taking her.”
Then he darted a glance at me.
【Was that too cold? She won't be hurt, will she?】
【Aaaah! Just tell me you're jealous! I'll explain everything at once!】
【Boohoo, say it, say it! I'm begging you...】
I yawned and pulled the covers snug around me.
“In that case, you should get some sleep too, Your Majesty.”
It wasn't that I didn't want to hear his explanation. I simply had a feeling that if he found out I was jealous, I wouldn't get any sleep tonight.
Bùi Dữ looked baffled.
He frowned.
“My empress, I've taken a new beauty.”
“Oh.”
His frown deepened.
“My empress, I find her rather interesting.”
“Oh.”
His brows drew together tightly enough to crush a fly.
“Aren't you angry?”
“Oh. No, I'm not.”
Bùi Dữ fell silent.
【Damn it! She isn't angry at all! I'm furious!】
【I'll have to punish her thoroughly!】
I had no words.
Wait!
I suddenly thought I might be able to manage a little anger after all!