Chapter 175: Chapter 174: The Traitorous Concubine and the Worthy Empress 9
Seeing that Feng Chengxi’s expression was not very good, Anning started to sob with a whimper.
As she wept, she thought, watch me disgust you so much that you’ll regret ever having disgusted me.
Men like Feng Chengxi were the type Anning despised the most.
You want to seize the world, why don’t you do it yourself instead of involving an innocent girl to take the fallout?
His fake affection and deceit have led a good girl to die without a place for her corpse. Even if he successfully seizes power, what then? Is he not afraid of having nightmares at night?
Men like Feng Chengxi are more detestable than those scumbags who deceive for money and sex.
Seeing Anning weeping this way, Feng Chengxi was truly both furious and anxious.
After crying for a while, Anning lifted her head, looking at Feng Chengxi with slightly reddened eyes: "Cousin, will you be happy if we can continue to see each other often in the future?"
Feng Chengxi felt like spitting blood.
He gritted his teeth viciously: "Happy."
"As long as Cousin is happy."
Anning smiled, a smile pure and innocent: "I figured Cousin should be happy, you’ve always been aloof like an idle cloud and wild crane, never tolerating mundane concerns. Now that Cousin is content as a hostage, I won’t let those worldly matters bother you again."
"Good."
Feng Chengxi was afraid Anning would start crying again.
If Anning cried too hard and the Palace Attendants in Prince Jin Palace heard it, they might think he was bullying Anning. If that happened and Prince Jin got angry, he might just behead Feng Chengxi on the spot.
For the sake of saving his own neck, Feng Chengxi could only suppress his anger and go along with Anning’s words.
Anning prattled on about this and that, hitting where it hurts with every sentence. By the time Feng Chengxi left Prince Jin Palace, he looked considerably more haggard.
When he returned to the post station, he couldn’t help but curse loudly: "Damn bitch."
At this point, Feng Chengxi no longer harbored a single shred of affection for Anning—all he felt was deep hatred.
But Anning was quite pleased.
Finally, she had vented some of the frustration she had suffered earlier; she felt much more relaxed.
She took the Palace Attendants to the garden to pick some fresh flowers to decorate the room, and also directed the talented Palace Attendants to cook some delicious food in the small kitchen.
When Prince Jin finished reviewing petitions and came over, he saw Anning bustling about the room like a bee, changing decorations now and then and directing Palace Attendants to move furniture around.
His gaze darkening, he strode over.
Anning turned her head and saw Prince Jin coming, her lips curving into a smile.
Prince Jin took her hand: "Happy?"
Anning nodded with particular joy: "Yes, very happy."
Prince Jin’s eyes became even gloomier.
Anning didn’t pay much heed nor had the time to attend to him; she redecorated the room and placed fresh flowers around, feeling even better when she saw the room’s transformation.
That night, Prince Jin also stayed over at Anning’s place.
In the middle of the night, while Anning was sleeping soundly, a sharp pain suddenly traveled through her arm.
She woke up with a start, opening her eyes to see Prince Jin pinching her arm.
Anning took a deep breath and shook Prince Jin awake: "Your Majesty, wake up."
Prince Jin opened his eyes, and in that instant his gaze was as cold as a deep, icy pool.
"Your Majesty."
Anning, aggrieved, extended her arm for Prince Jin to see: "What did I do wrong that Your Majesty would pinch me like this?"
Prince Jin saw the broad sleeve of Anning’s garment pulled up, revealing her delicate, pale arm with a clearly visible bruise.
Anning herself was particularly pale, her skin delicate, a light touch would leave marks—let alone a strong pinch from Prince Jin.
Prince Jin himself felt pain looking at the bruise.
He touched it gently, clearly feeling somewhat guilty: "I had a nightmare."
Oh!
Anning yawned: "How come you had a nightmare? If Your Majesty is going to have nightmares every night, then you better not sleep here, lest you strangle me in your sleep."
Prince Jin felt somewhat suffocated after hearing these words.
He turned over and lay down: "Let’s sleep."
Anning also lay down, and after a while, she reached out and pinched Prince Jin’s arm: "Your Majesty, you had a nightmare."
"It’s nothing."
"How can it be nothing? I can’t sleep now. Please talk with me, Your Majesty."
"What is there to talk about, I am feeling weary."
"Tell me about the dream you had, Your Majesty. I’m very curious about your dreams."
"I don’t remember."
"How could that be? You’ve just had a dream and now you’ve forgotten it. Your Majesty, you really have a poor memory. I hope you won’t forget me one day."
"I won’t."
Anning chatted for a while and then fell asleep again.
When she had fallen asleep, Prince Jin propped himself up and leaned in particularly close to look at Anning.
Anning was sleeping soundly, breathing shallowly, looking especially well-behaved and cute.
Prince Jin watched her, and found that the more he looked, the more pleasing she appeared to his eyes. He quietly stretched out his hand to touch Anning’s cheek, but as soon as his fingertips felt the silky, cool touch, Prince Jin quickly retracted his hand.
Thinking back on the dream he had just had, his previously somewhat indulgent gaze became gloomy once again.
Reaching out, Prince Jin directly pulled Anning into his arms, holding her tightly.
When Anning woke up early, she was awakened by the heat.
Although Prince Jin’s body temperature was lower than the average person, it was summer after all, and being intertwined so tightly with him, Anning not only felt her body stiff but also sweat profusely.
She pushed Prince Jin irritably.
Prince Jin was holding her too tightly, she couldn’t push him away no matter how much she tried, so she had to call out loudly: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty."
It took a long time before Prince Jin finally woke up.
Anning was lying straight, but her gaze was full of reproach: "Don’t you feel hot, Your Majesty?"
She had thought that Prince Jin would let go, but instead, Prince Jin held her even tighter: "I’m not hot."
Anning got angry, her little face turning red with exasperation: "But I am hot, can you let go, Your Majesty?"
Reluctantly, Prince Jin released her.
Anning immediately jumped out of bed and loudly commanded the Palace Attendant to prepare hot water; she wanted to take a bath.
Prince Jin waited for a while before getting up.
He changed his clothes and then went to the morning court.
That day, Prince Jin’s face looked quite sour after the court meeting.
Anning was quite puzzled and she discreetly asked a Palace Attendant, only to learn that there was a drought this year, and several places in Jin Country were stricken by disasters. It was supposed to be a time for disaster relief, but the court Ministers were quibbling over various issues, making Prince Jin’s mood irritable.
Anning initially thought Prince Jin was troubled because of the disaster victims, but then after asking the Palace Attendant, she found out he was annoyed because the Ministers were arguing in the morning court. As for the disaster victims, he didn’t take it to heart at all.
Anning was enlightened.
She remembered some of Xie Anning’s memories.
It seemed there was such an event.
It appeared that there was a severe drought in Jin Country, and at that time, Prince Jin only cared about enjoying himself with Xie Anning, completely ignoring this matter. And, due to their own interests, the Ministers also did not provide relief in time, which later even led to civil unrest. It was also because of this drought that Jin Country’s strength was greatly weakened and later gave Lu Country an opportunity to exploit.
Thinking of these things, Anning felt somewhat uneasy.
That evening, when Prince Jin came for dinner, he did not see Anning.
His mood seemed even more gloomy.
"Where is the Noble Consort?"
Prince Jin called for a Palace Attendant to inquire.
The Palace Attendant cautiously answered: "The Imperial Concubine has not been feeling well, she didn’t eat dinner and has already gone to rest."
"Not feeling well?"
Prince Jin frowned: "Did you summon the Imperial Physician?"