He didn't speak, lowering his head to kiss her.
Ye Luan's legs went weak, and she almost fell into the water.
Xiao Chi Zhan reached out and held her tightly in his arms.
"You beast, you can't."
He ignored her.
Ye Luan hugged his head, her breath unsteady as she panted. The moisture in her eyes made them red, and her features were full of a captivating charm.
She softly called his name.
"Hmm?"
"Really, you can't."
Xiao Chi Zhan looked up, the light outside illuminating his face. The moisture in his eyes had dyed the corners red, making him look like a seductive demon.
Ye Luan was mesmerized, and before she could react, he reached out and touched her still flat stomach.
"Kiss me."
His voice was overly seductive and husky.
Ye Luan couldn't resist, wrapping her arms around his head and kissing him.
The moment their lips met, he seemed to lose all control, kissing her fiercely. The palms gripping her waist were even tighter and stronger.
Their skin pressed against each other, her waist soft as if boneless, twisting and entwining with him.
His breathing grew deeper, and he held her hand.
"Luan Luan."
Ye Luan's hand slipped, and she dared not caress him further, leaning against him and letting out a soft gasp.
He wouldn't allow it, pinching her chin and kissing her again.
She leaned back into his embrace, his arm around her back, almost completely encircling her.
"If it weren't for this child, why would I have to endure so much?"
Xiao Chi Zhan panted heavily, burying his face in her neck and sucking and kissing.
Ye Luan leaned against the edge of the pool, her exposed shoulders slender and rounded. Her fair, delicate skin was covered in kiss marks of varying depths.
Her eyes were red from his actions, and her alluring eyes were like peach blossoms on a branch, blooming with seductive charm, incredibly enticing.
"It will be fine in three months. Be gentle, it's okay."
Xiao Chi Zhan's hand moved down her waist, his gaze fixed on her lips, which were stained a seductive, moist red. He kissed her directly again.
"Luan Luan, you miss me."
Ye Luan was kissed by him, her mind clouded. Fragmented, amorous sounds escaped her, particularly alluring in the dim room.
The sounds seemed to fuel him, and he began to ravage her like a mad dog, his hands locking hers, prying her fingers open, and intertwining them.
She clung to him tightly, embracing his head and tilting her head to kiss him.
Their bodies pressed together, kissing, becoming more and more unrestrained.
Ye Luan sensed danger and began to push him away. "Enough, take a bath and go to sleep. You're tired."
"You bathe, I'll do my thing."
"---"
Just as Ye Luan was about to pinch him, he suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled it towards him.
Her breath hitched, and her alluring, fox-like eyes were full of captivating charm and a soft blush spread across her eyes, instantly turning them crimson.
He looked down at her, his eyelids half-lowered, and kissed her again.
Pressed against him like this, she could clearly feel the firmness of his chest.
She returned his kiss, her soft, nimble fingers holding him.
The sky outside had darkened, and the palace lanterns were lit, their dim, yellow glow illuminating the surroundings.
Later in the night, she was utterly exhausted before she finally let the beast out. She lay there, soft and weak, unwilling to move.
By the time she recovered, he had already bathed her, carried her back to the inner chamber, and helped her into bed.
"Hold me."
The moment Xiao Chi Zhan lowered the bed curtains, he heard her coo. He smiled and tugged at his lips, climbing into bed and pulling her into his embrace.
"Luan Luan."
He whispered in her ear, calling her name over and over.
In the dim tent, his alluring, deep red eyes were incredibly beautiful, and the way he looked at her made her heart pound, sending shivers down her spine.
As she watched him, a sudden impulse came over her, and she tilted her head to kiss him.
After all, she was his now, she could kiss him however she pleased.
Xiao Chi Zhan cupped her waist and hips, supporting her belly. He became wild again, holding her and kissing her deeply and tightly.
She writhed her waist, trying to burrow into his embrace.
The night was spent entangled.
Since she became pregnant, Xiao Chi Zhan had been mostly handling official matters in the Northern Palace's council hall. Sometimes, when they were intimate, he wouldn't even attend court. As soon as he finished, he would return to care for her.
Ye Luan, being a physician, knew her own body and wanted to laugh at his anxiousness.
"Don't be so neurotic. Go take care of your business. The court will start complaining about you soon."
"I'm not going."
In fact, no one in the court dared to complain.
The King of Dingbei, as regent, controlled the entire empire. The emperor was merely a figurehead. Who would dare say anything to him?
Piles upon piles of memorials were sent to the Northern Palace, and sometimes, court discussions were held directly there.
The Northern Palace had effectively become another imperial palace in the capital.
"Your Highness, absolutely not."
Xiao Chi Zhan sat on the dragon throne, his brow furrowed.
In the hall, the palace lanterns cast a faint glow, reflecting on his somber face, making his expression unreadable.
"None?"
On the floor of the council hall, imperial physicians from the Imperial Academy knelt.
One of them, with tears streaming down his face, said, "Your Highness's descendants are of utmost importance. We beg Your Highness to reconsider."
The King of Dingbei was the true power in Da Liang, and the future heir apparent would likely be supported to ascend the throne.
Sterilization would undoubtedly ruin the empire of Da Liang.
Xiao Chi Zhan said coldly, "I ask you, is there or is there not?"
The imperial physician, terrified by his gaze, prostrated himself on the ground, trembling.
For a moment, he was unable to speak.
Footsteps approached slowly, and the surrounding atmosphere became so oppressive that one could barely breathe.
The imperial physician's trembling hands shook, and the voice from above was terrifyingly cold.
"Speak."
The imperial physician was extremely frightened. He stammered, refusing to speak.
After a moment, as if giving up, he kowtowed his head on the ground and offered his counsel.
"Your Highness, listen to this old official's plea. It is absolutely not permissible. The Consort has not yet given birth, and Your Highness has no heir. To undergo sterilization at this time would mean no one to inherit the empire of Da Liang."
"If Your Highness pities the Consort for the pain of childbirth, you can take concubines, take secondary consorts, and extend Your Highness's lineage—"
Before he could finish, a cold gaze like a knife struck his forehead, startling him into silence.
"This old official deserves death for presumptuously speaking of Your Highness's private affairs."
There were already murmurs in the court that Your Highness had no heir and refused to take concubines, keeping only one Consort. However, his temperament was fierce, and no one dared to admonish him.
But today, he was going to be sterilized, and this official was risking his life. He absolutely would not allow Your Highness to be so willful.
"I ask you one last time, is there or is there not?"
The voice from above clearly showed impatience, laced with a hint of killing intent.
The imperial physician was terrified, thinking of his wife, children, and elders. His body went weak, and he lay on the ground, tears streaming down his face.
"There is an item called cotton seed oil, which can..."
After a moment, the voices in the hall subsided. As Xiao Chi Zhan left, he instructed, "Keep your mouth shut."
Fearing for his life, the imperial physician immediately replied.
"Your Highness, rest assured. This minister will absolutely keep silent and will never speak of this to any third party."