Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard

“Mm, this is truly pretty amazing.” Du Xiaoli said, especially for someone like her who had been educated in the sciences in her previous life. “Say, what will the Emperor do with the Empress?”

“You want to know?” Han Mingyi asked.

“Mm? You already know?” Seeing Han Mingyi’s expression, she could definitely tell that he already knew. But it had only been a day since they left, and he already knew what had happened inside the palace?

“Of course I know,” Han Mingyi replied.

“Then why didn’t you tell me,” Du Xiaoli growled grumpily.

Han Mingyi slightly leaned over, putting his face in front of Du Xiaoli, “Give me a kiss and I’ll tell you.”

Du Xiaoli looked at the playfulness in Han Mingyi’s eyes, as if he didn’t think she would actually agree, and so she tilted her face up and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Han Mingyi had been planning to just flirt and tease Du Xiaoli a little bit; he hadn’t expected her to actually kiss him. For a moment, he froze.

“What, I’ve already kissed you, why won’t you tell me! Or have you been scared off by me.” Du Xiaoli glared at Han Mingyi.

“Ahem, how could that be. I’m considering whether or not you have to kiss me on the other cheek for me tell you.” Han Mingyi coughed unnaturally, eyes avoiding Du Xiaoli.

Du Xiaoli couldn’t help but roll her eyes, saying “Han Mingyi, you have dropped your moral integrity on the ground!”

“What?”

Not understanding what Du Xiaoli meant, Han Mingyi turned his head to ask. He didn’t expect that just as he turned his head, a pair of small hands climbed up his neck and pressed his head down, just as a pair of red lips pressed onto his own.

Han Mingyi’s eyes widened suddenly, and seeing the teasing in her eyes, immediately counterattacked. His body moved swiftly, and he turned around and pressed her against the bridge. One hand clasped the back of her head, one hand wrapped around her waist, and he gave her a long, hard kiss.

Only after quite some time did he let go of her. Seeing that her lips had flushed an even rosier red from his kiss, he licked his own lips triumphantly, saying, “You actually snuck up on me!”

Du Xiaoli clenched her fist and punched him, saying, "Han Mingyi, you really have let your moral integrity shatter!"

"What's integrity?" Han Mingyi asked, as if hearing the word for the first time.

"Food!" Du Xiaoli looked at Han Mingyi dryly, and said, "You still won’t tell me?"

Seeing Du Xiaoli's expression, Han Mingyi laughed, wrapping his arms around her. "I only got the news just before we left– the Empress was abolished and sent to the Cold Palace."

"What about the reason given? The Emperor couldn’t have explicitly announced it, right?" Du Xiaoli asked.

“They said the Empress harbored assassins with the intention of plotting an assassination attempt against the Emperor." Han Mingyi explained. Seeing Du Xiaoli in thought, he couldn't help but want to kiss her again.

"Xiaoyi-gege, I keep getting the sense that the Empress is a bit different from before. Do you think she could have been controlled by a Gu insect?" Du Xiaoli said. Moreover, the person who dealt with her had used a Gu insect to knock her out, which had to be related to the person who used a Gu insect on the Empress Dowager.

"I don't know, but let's let His Majesty investigate this," Han Mingyi said. "However, if he can't bear to properly deal with it, I'll do it for him. No one who hurts you will be spared."

"Eh, that sounds ominous to me." Du Xiaoli said.

“Does it?”

“Yes.”

“Then maybe it is.”

"If I can't accompany you all the way to the border, you have to protect Mingxiang..."

Du Xiaoli listened to Han Mingyi's words, her eyes fixed on him, and nodded, "I will."

"We've been out for a long time, let's go back." Han Mingyi wrapped them both in his own fox fur, embracing her as the two of them slowly walked back. Along the way, the two of them returned to their earlier discussion.

“You still haven’t told me what moral integrity is.”

“I’m not telling you.”

“Then you’ve dropped your moral integrity on the ground.”

“Han Mingyi, it’s your moral integrity that’s fallen to the ground!”

“I don’t have moral integrity, how could I have dropped it?”

“Pfft– I know you don’t have any integrity.”

“Then you tell me, what exactly is integrity?”

“...”

“...”

After spending a night in Mi City, everyone packed up early the next morning and continued on their way. As they were leaving, Zhu Zhong came to see them off. Who knew what he had talked to Han Mingyi about yesterday; in any case, it seemed like his energy had been renewed.

MoonWhisperer, skyrise's Thoughts

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