Edited by White Whale
Shi Qingshan spoke nothing to his son, because he didn’t understand what was going on. Thus, he couldn’t speak much for fear of leaving trouble in the future.
His son used to be a young general and the legitimate son of his general mansion, but now his son is the only the empress.
Shi Qingzhou was ushered into a room by his mother called Liu Wanwan in the end.
Liu Wanwan was the legitimate daughter of the Liu Family that was distinguished, too. Many juniors on the family were ministers. Liu Yongqian, patriarch of Liu Family, was the highest-rank minister and worked at the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs.
In that case, the Liu Family and the Shi Family was equal in social status.
Liu Wanwan cried after pulling Shi Qingzhou into the room. Her talented son should have realized his aspirations everywhere all over the country and gained his reputation on the battlefronts, but now, he was trapped in the imperial palace and wasn’t liked by His Majesty.
“Mother, don’t cry,” said Shi Qingzhou softly to comfort her.
He originally didn’t know how to comfort others, neither did he get along with women. As the only son, he had been raised to be a successor and thereby didn’t spend much time with his mother. However, he knew his mother loved him.
He tried his best to comfort her, but he couldn’t say emotional words.
After crying for a while, she stopped automatically, for she knew it was not easy for her son to come out. Without wasting any time, she started to ask him about his life in the imperial palace in details.
He just talked about the good side, of course.
However, she knew what kind of life her son had led, for it was a public secret that His Majesty didn’t sleep in his sleeping chamber on the wedding day. She also heard that His Majesty had changed a lot these days.
She asked with concerns, “Qingzhou, why did His Majesty take you out of the imperial palace?”
After a pause, he said gently, “I don’t know. He has changed a lot.”
Hearing her son say this, she became more worried. “Qingzhou, do you know why? What does His Majesty want to do?”
He paused for a long time and then continued, “I don’t know, either. His Majesty has given the Phoenix Seal to me.”
Instead of being delighted, she gasped in terror. “What did you say?”
He lightly repeated, “His Majesty has given the Phoenix Seal to me.”
She said with great concerns, “His Majesty can definitely not give the Phoenix Seal to you. Qingzhou, what did you do? How could this happen?”
He said shaking his head slowly, “I don’t know, either. His Majesty suddenly gave it to me, and I can’t tell why. Mother, please rest assured, and I’ll observe him carefully. I haven’t done something to offend him these days, so it’s not my problem.”
Even if he said so, she was still worried about him. “But…”
“Mother, rest assured. I know that.”
When he was talking to his mother at home, Long Xiaoyuan bought more items.
As a result, when he left the general mansion and met with Long Xiaoyuan, Zhou Qing’s hands were full of items. They thereby had to hire a carriage, so Zhou Qing would probably not follow them personally upon returning.
“Qingzhou, come here.” Long Xiaoyuan ordered a table of dishes at a restaurant. The moment he saw Shi Qingzhou, he signaled the latter to come over.
“Qingzhou, let’s eat before going back.”
“OK.” Without any objection, Shi obediently nodded his head.
“Buddha Jumping Over the Wall tastes very good. You should eat more.” He put food on Shi’s bowl.
Shi said in a hurry, “You’re my husband. I should serve you.”
The words “my husband” stunned him at first and then softened his expression.
“Don’t be so polite to me! Come on, let’s eat.”
The atmosphere between them was not bad.
However, Shi found that he couldn’t understand Long Xiaoyuan anymore…
After dinner, they went back. Long Xiaoyuan said while walking, “Did you go home smoothly?”
Shi Qingzhou said nodding his head, “Yes, I did. Thank you.”
Long Xiaoyuan took out a jade pendant and gave it to Shi. “Qingzhou, when you want to go home, you can use it, and no one will dare to stop you.”
Shi’s heart trembled violently and looked up to him with incredibility. “What do you mean?”
He said with a smile, “Why do you ask what I mean? You’re a man and can go out at your will when we’re not busy. But you’d better disguise yourself to avoid some unnecessary trouble in case that you’re spotted by someone.”
Shi slightly lowered his head and said with his eyes slightly closed, “Thanks.”
“You don’t need to think too much. Just pay a little attention to that. I think nobody is keeping eyes on you. Additionally, even if something happened, you still have me.”
Hearing this, Shi slightly curled his lips’ corners. “Yes, I got it.”
Since that day, Long Xiaoyuan ate and slept at the Qiankun Palace every day with his empress Shi Qingzhou.
Such scene lasted for a whole month, almost driving all the imperial concubines mad.
It’s time for the Grand Palace Banquet.
It would be held tonight. Having stayed at the Imperial Study for a while, he went to the Qiankun Palace.
Today, Shi Qingzhou wasn’t clothed in simple white, but formal clothes.
It was dark-purple brocade clothes with an intricately patterned neckline, the lower hem of which was a circle of bamboo embroidered by the golden threads. The dark purple color and the bamboo made him more elegant.
More importantly, Shi Qingzhou was originally handsome. The magnificent clothes made him more attractive. Long Xiaoyuan was in a daze staring at him.
Shi turned around and saw Long Xiaoyuan who was in a trance. He then asked while arching his eyebrows, “What’s up? Something wrong with me?”
“No”. Long Xiaoyuan approached Shi and said, “Nothing wrong. I just find you…more beautiful.”
Speaking of which, he couldn’t help but put his arm around Shi’s waist and kiss Shi…
The latter stiffened for a while and then relaxed eventually…
At first, Long Xiaoyuan kissed Shi Qingzhou gently and then he deepened the kiss.
When they stopped kissing, both of them breathed heavily.
A group of eunuchs and palace maids lowered their heads and turned a blind eye on them, so they didn’t see anything…
Long Xiaoyuan drew Shi’s hair together around his ear and said, “Qingzhou…”
“Eh?” said Shi Qingzhou a little hoarsely.
Long Xiaoyuan said with a gentle smile, “Do you get all the things prepared?”
Shi said nodding his head, “Yes.”
