The Tyrant's Beloved Empress

19

An Chang Qing was not appeased. The man was such a sawed-mouth gourd, it takes a beating just to get a word out of him. If he did not take the initiative, the man would've stayed quiet for as long as he could. Had he been a little more eloquent, they wouldn't have ended up as they did in their previous lives.

Why is there such a silly person in this world who simply does not gloat about all the things that he has done?

An Chang Qing sighed in his heart, thinking that he couldn't let this go on. He looked at Xiao Zhige with an expression filled with grievances and said in a pitiful tone, "Wangye, can you be frank with me? If Chang Qing was not good enough, you can tell me."

"I was being frank..." Xiao Zhige never thought that his reticence could upset the person beside him. His Wangfei was facing away from him, half of his face was hidden from view while the other half showed drooping eyelashes like a listless butterfly.

"You did great. The Empress and Empress Dowager both believed it."

"What about you?" An Chang Qing suddenly turned to look at him, there was a certain sparkle in his black pupils, "Did you believe it?"

Xiao Zhige's heart softened looking into his eyes. He reached out and placed a loose strand of hair over his ear, "I believe you."

No matter if it was only to butter him up, as long as it was An Chang Qing's words, he would believe them.

An Chang Qing's eyes shone brighter. He rubbed his hand against his palm and said enthusiastically, "Then whatever Wangye had said... I'll take it for real."

"The part about you not taking in concubines and having children with another woman."

"En."

Xiao Zhige was not a man who would make empty promises. Whatever he had said, he would keep true to his words.

An Chang Qing felt a rush of happiness like never before. His heart was beating wildly and his body was heating up. He had to bite on his inner cheek to hide the surging joy but even so, his eyes were still shining bright, more beautiful than any star Xiao Zhige had ever seen.

"In this life, it'll be just the two of us." An Chang Qing couldn't help but embrace Xiao Zhige. He rubbed his cheek against his neck before burying his face into it due to embarrassment. He then whispered a promise into Xiao Zhige's ear, "I will always be with you."

He will not watch him tread alone on the cold path towards the throne. This time, he'll accompany him.

Whether it was a glorious life that would leave their names etched in history or a cursed one with a tragic end, as long as Xiao Zhige didn't let go, he would walk that path with him.

Xiao Zhige was left in a trance. In his mind, a young voice resounded, it had said: "I will keep you company in the future."

Letting out a soft smile, Xiao Zhige replied as he had many years ago, "Ok."

But at the same time, the several reports that he had gotten from the spy left in the An manor also came flooding in:

"The third young master is very close to Young Master Li of the in-law family..."

"Young Master Li sent a poem to the third young master..."

"Young Master Li sent a painting to the third young master..."

"Young Master Li is about to return to his hometown to be engaged. Before he left, he gave the third young master a jade pendant. The third young master accepted it and seemed quite upset..."

Xiao Zhige's eyes fixated on the double-fish jade pendant on An Chang Qing's waist that had never left his side. His mood sank but he couldn't help tightening his embrace. Whoever it was that resided in his heart, at least for now, An Chang Qing was his.