The Rebellious Poem

Jingzhe’s injuries were not serious.

Although she had rammed into the pillar hard enough to knock it crooked, a Qilin’s physique was simply that formidable.

After examining her, the Imperial Physician concluded that she had suffered nothing more than a mild concussion.

‘Terrifying… These Terra people are built differently.’

Even so, Yan Shou insisted on carrying her in a princess carry.

The innocent young woman had never experienced anything like this before.

With one arm hooked beneath her knees and the other supporting her back, Jingzhe blushed furiously.

She buried her face against Yan Shou’s firm chest, feeling as though her bones had melted.

Her already-concussed head began spinning even more.

Jingzhe knew exactly how much she weighed.

Yet His Majesty carried her as effortlessly as if she weighed nothing at all.

No wonder people always said that those with the True Dragon bloodline possessed astonishing physical strength even without relying on martial arts.

‘His body is amazing!’

What surprised Jingzhe even more was that after sitting down on the bed, the emperor pulled her directly onto his lap.

Such intimacy was completely improper according to etiquette.

She squirmed, trying to free herself, only to have an arm wrap securely around her slender waist.

“Sit a little closer to me. It’ll make it easier for us to have a heart-to-heart.”

“Your Majesty, you are the Son of Heaven. How can this concubine sit on Your Majesty’s lap? Wouldn’t that be turning heaven and earth upside down?”

Yan Shou blinked.

“So you’re saying… you want me to sit on your lap instead? But aren’t you injured?”

Jingzhe burst into laughter once again.

“Your Majesty, this concubine isn’t that fragile.”

“Then I’d better examine you carefully and see whether you’re really not fragile.”

She did not know she was but a passing guest within a dream.

One night of indulgence left them sleeping past dawn.

Jingzhe awoke before Yan Shou.

Looking down at the emperor sleeping soundly with his head resting against her chest, she found herself seriously contemplating whether she should give birth to a son or a daughter.

‘Perhaps a daughter would be better.’

‘A daughter would become a princess.’

‘It would be nice to have several of them.’

‘If I had a son, he’d become a prince and would inevitably be dragged into palace struggles with the others.’

‘Besides… being emperor in Great Yan is far too dangerous…’

“What are you muttering about?”

His muffled voice vibrated against her chest.

The sensation shot from the base of her spine all the way to the tips of her horns, making Jingzhe instinctively press her legs together.

“Your Majesty is awake? It’s not time for morning court yet.”

“I’m skipping court today. Wine and beauty have injured me…”

“Injured? Where are you hurt?”

Alarmed, Jingzhe hurriedly leaned over him.

She threw back the quilt and began checking him from head to toe.

“My mouth’s injured.”

“Your Majesty…”

Jingzhe immediately fell silent.

She pulled the quilt over her head and covered her mouth with both hands.

A few seconds later, she timidly peeked back out.

“Your Majesty… after what we did last night… can this concubine give Great Yan a prince?”

Yan Shou froze.

After thinking for a moment, he turned onto his side to face Yu Jingzhe and slipped beneath the edge of the quilt.

“Ah Yan, there’s one basic fact I need to teach you.”

“Kissing doesn’t make you pregnant.”

Jingzhe’s cheeks instantly turned crimson.

Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

“But… Your Majesty didn’t only kiss my lips… you also…”

“I also what?”

Yan Shou looked at her and rubbed his hand, which still retained a trace of warmth.

Seeing her face burning red, he decided not to tease her any further.

“No matter where you kiss, it won’t make you pregnant.”

“Even if you kiss there, you still won’t get pregnant.”

“You don’t understand. Married couples are simply like this. There has to be mutual understanding between two hearts.”

“Mutual understanding between two hearts?”

Jingzhe asked in confusion.

She placed her hand against Yan Shou’s chest.

“This concubine can’t tell what Your Majesty is thinking at all!”

Yan Shou couldn’t help laughing.

Then, beneath Jingzhe’s puzzled gaze, he gently took her small hand into his own.

With an unusually serious expression, he said,

“Actually… that’s not what I meant. I was referring to…”

Just as Yan Shou was about to demonstrate what he meant, his eyes caught sight of something tucked beneath Jingzhe’s shoulder.

He pulled it out and opened it.

There was text.

There were illustrations.

Seeing this, Jingzhe immediately panicked.

She wanted to snatch the booklet back but didn’t dare.

She simply froze in place.

Yan Shou looked at her oddly.

“Why are you making that face? I like reading these too. Don’t hide it. Do you have any more?”

As he flipped it open, the first chapter was titled ‘Secret Arts of the Boudoir.’

Besides the so-called secret techniques, the blank spaces around the pages were filled with little hand-drawn figures tangled together in countless poses.

It looked almost like a martial arts manual.

“Hm?”

Noticing Yan Shou glance at her from time to time, Jingzhe suddenly dropped to her knees on the bed.

With her rear raised in the air and her face buried in the blanket, she mumbled,

“Please forgive this concubine, Your Majesty. A proper imperial consort shouldn’t be reading books like this!”

So that was what she had been worried about.

Yan Shou looked at the graceful curve of her body as she lay face-down across the bed.

Naturally… he forgave her.

“It’s fine.”

He pulled her into his arms.

“I like reading them too. Especially the illustrations.”

“Huh?”

Jingzhe looked at him in surprise.

Not only was His Majesty not angry, he actually seemed to like her drawings.

After all, she had been raised in a distinguished family.

Yan Qinglin was well-versed in painting.

“By the way, do you have a brush and some ink?” Yan Shou asked.

“Yes! Yes, I do!”

Keeping her little bottom raised as she rummaged around at the head of the bed, Jingzhe quickly found a brush and inkstone without even climbing out of bed.

After thinking for a moment, Yan Shou picked up the brush and wrote:

“Though our bodies lack the paired wings of the colorful phoenix,

Our hearts are linked by a bond of perfect understanding.”

He had forgotten the rest of the poem.

That was the only line he remembered.

Jingzhe’s eyes lit up.

“Th-this… this is… Your Majesty wrote this for me?”

“Mm.”

“Have it framed.”

Ever since Yan Shou composed Remembering Li Shu, countless women throughout Great Yan had envied its recipient, dreaming night after night of receiving such praise themselves.

After all, these were words personally spoken by the True Dragon himself.

They carried the weight of imperial authority.

If one could enter the imperial harem, become the Mother of the Nation, and receive poetry like this from the emperor himself, there could be no greater honor.

“Though our bodies lack the paired wings of the colorful phoenix,

Our hearts are linked by a bond of perfect understanding…”

Jingzhe softly repeated the verse.

“Even though I still don’t know what’s in Your Majesty’s heart…”

“My own heart is already filled with longing for you.”

“If you’re good at talking, then keep talking.”

Yan Shou smiled as he gently pinched her cheek.

“Where exactly is this longing of yours?”

Blushing furiously, Jingzhe raised the little booklet in front of her chest to hide herself and deliberately changed the subject.

“I knew it. Your Majesty truly is talented.

You’re nothing like the foolish tyrant everyone outside claims you are.”

Originally, Jingzhe had wanted to use this opportunity to persuade Yan Shou not to take out his anger on her master.

Yet before she could even begin, he had gifted her this single verse.

‘Though our bodies lack the paired wings of the colorful phoenix,

Our hearts are linked by a bond of perfect understanding.’

Her thoughts immediately wandered elsewhere.

‘Your Majesty is telling me…’

‘He still lacks the strength to openly oppose the Grand Tutor.’

‘Even if he has allies, they can only separate for now.’

‘But although they’ve parted ways, everyone understands perfectly well why they had to do so.’

The colorful phoenix referred to the legendary black bird whose descendants became the empresses destined to assist the True Dragon in unifying the realm.

Naturally, His Majesty was comparing her, Jingzhe, to that colorful phoenix.

The Qilin Clan represented the support behind her.

And those paired wings…

Weren’t they her master and martial uncle?

‘Our hearts are linked by a bond of perfect understanding…’

‘I may not fully understand what His Majesty truly means…’

‘But perhaps he hopes I’ll trust him, understand him, and not blame him for everything he’s done.’

‘Really…’

‘How could I ever blame you, Your Majesty?’

Jingzhe knew all about Bai Dingshan’s plan.

Because she knew, she naturally interpreted the poem that way.

For a long moment, she found herself unable to speak.

“What are you thinking about?”

Yan Shou reached out and lightly flicked her forehead.

“Nothing.”

“This concubine should help Your Majesty prepare for court first.”

“Your Majesty…”

Before Yan Shou could refuse, a soft voice came from outside the door.

“What is it?”

Yan Shou sat up.

Jingzhe immediately helped him straighten his robes.

The junior commander of the Imperial Guards hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Your Majesty, Earl Cangting attempted rebellion.

He recited a poem of treason atop Xuanwu Gate and was captured alive.”

Jingzhe froze.

Yan Shou nearly toppled off the bed.

“Go wait for me in the Hall of Four Symbols.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

By the time Yan Shou arrived at the Hall of Four Symbols, the junior commander of the Imperial Guards was already waiting.

Also present were Earl Cangting… and Chongyue.

“You’ve worked hard, Martial King.”

Yan Shou nodded toward Chongyue.

“Merely fulfilling my duty.”

‘…Martial King?’

Chongyue wasn’t quite sure what that title meant.

Still, seeing Yan Shou acknowledge him, he returned the gesture with a respectful salute.

“Earl Cangting!”

Yan Shou stared at the Great Celestial Master of the Celestial Masters’ Manor.

The strongest cultivator beneath the Old Celestial Master and Great Yan’s foremost expert.

The man before him looked so ragged that Yan Shou almost failed to recognize him.

“How did you end up in such a sorry state?”

“Your Majesty!”

Chongyue pointed at the kneeling Earl Cangting.

“During my night patrol, I caught him speaking treasonous words.

He even composed a poem of rebellion atop the city gate.

So I captured him alive and brought him here.”

“What? He recited a rebellious poem on top of the city gate?”

Yan Shou turned toward the junior commander.

“Is that true?”

“Your Majesty, Earl Cangting did indeed commit an inappropriate act.

A rebellious poem was left on the city gate as well.

I’ve already ordered it to be covered up.

Tomorrow we’ll have the media steer public opinion and muddy the issue.

It’s just…”

“His voice was rather… loud.”

“Why bother covering it up?”

Yan Shou interrupted.

“You may be able to suppress reports… but can you silence the mouths of the people?”

‘What nonsense.’

‘I wish everyone in Great Yan knew about it.’

‘If you clean up the public image now, how am I supposed to earn Fatuity Value?’

“But…”

“Say no more.”

Yan Shou raised a hand, cutting him off.

Then he turned helplessly toward Earl Cangting.

“If you’re going to rebel, then rebel.”

“Why did you have to shout so loudly?”

“Disturbing me is one thing.”

“But what if you disturbed the people of Baizao?”

“They still have to go to work tomorrow!”