Following the tinkles of her bead curtains, Chu Qiao looked away, and she was petrified right where she stood.
Dressed in a crimson ceremonial robe embroidered with pythons and wearing a white jade crown, the Prince seemed intimidating just approaching Chu Qiao. And the beryl hanging from his waist was just the same as the one worn by the deflowering criminal that day, which was imprinted in Chu Qiao’s mind.
The beryl was naturally transparent and delicate, where a dragon on the left and a phoenix on the right was resting together with their necks touching each other.
What if it's just a coincidence? With illusions in her mind, Chu Qiao raised her head gently and she saw his neck, where the bruises and obvious scars all reminded her that these were her masterpieces, and the man in front of her was the very same person from last night.
Dantai Yunhan smiled with satisfaction at the sight of Chu Qiao's facial expression.
"Your Highness." Qing Luo hurriedly curtsied and pulled the corner of Chu Qiao's dress to remind her of the courtesy, while she was still preoccupied with her own thoughts.
This abominable deflowering criminal was the well-known Prince Regent and her nominal husband, Dantai Yunhan? Chu Qiao stiffly curtsied and unwillingly greeted him: "Your Highness. What brings you here to Phoenix-Perching Palace again today?" She stressed the word "again" deliberately and looked back at Dantai Yunhan coldly.
Dantai Yunhan's look slightly turned sullen and he immediately reprimanded: "Shouldn’t you be clear of what you have done, or shall I tell you specifically?"
This woman had stirred up a lot of trouble, making Chu Jiao, Li Chenxiang and Zheng Ruier come to him with complaint, which had bothered him to a great extent. Now, she not only refused to apologize, but dared to defy him?
Chu Qiao pondered for a while, recollected her memories, and shook her head confirmedly.
"You!" Tantai Yunhan was infuriated by her indifference. This woman seemed to have a strange capability of irritating him easily. Reluctantly suppressing his anger, he went straight to the master’s seat, lifted his robe and sat down. He raised his voice in a distant manner, "Well, since you don't know, I will tell you personally."
"First, your extremity and jealousy. You slapped Madam Li, which was not a noble move a Princess should have made."
"Second, your evil intentions. You instigated your maid to meddle with Li's decoction in order to disfigure her!"
"Third, your arrogance. You injured people with your sword and completely ignored the rules of our Palace."
Tantai Yunhan looked down at Chu Qiao and lowered his voice: "These are accusations against you. Do you have any objection?"
Chu Qiao slowly walked up and said unhesitatingly[ZK10] : "I haven't done any of these. What do you think I should say?"
Chu Qiao stood steadily, just a few steps before Dantai Yunhan, looked at him aggressively with a chilling expression, and said sarcastically: "No one in this Palace has ever regarded me as the Princess! Even a servant dares to ignore my orders, and any concubine dares to frame me! "
Tantai Yunhan looked back at her, his anger abating gradually. Instead, he was a bit marveled at Chu Qiao and became curious about her. Is this woman the Princess who could only shed tears when she was in trouble as he remembered? Now in the face of his questions, she was not only unafraid, but can refute them clearly and reasonably, which indeed impressed him.
He knew how wimpy a Princess she had been, but he always believed in "survival of the fittest" and had no interest for the weak. So even when he was informed that Chu Qiao had been pushed down from the Sky-Reaching Tower, he did not look into the accident carefully. What he needed was not a timid girl like Chu Qiao, but a Princess who can handle domestic affairs and govern the world with him.
In the past, he didn't care whether Chu Qiao was dead or alive, or her living conditions.
Now, this princess before his eyes looks like a sword drawn from its sheath, sharp and unstoppable. Dantai Yunhan could tell from her words and moves that this sword was capable of killing and he should hold it tightly in his hand.
However, this woman was really detestable and challenging his authority all the time. She wanted to irritate him, but he just wouldn’t allow that to happen!
Slightly squinting his long and slanted eyes and faintly smiling, Dantai Yunhan grabbed Chu Qiao's wrist and pulled her into his arms with little effort. His right arm rounding her shoulder, his left hand clasping her wrists, and his lips close to her temple, he lowered his voice, "Are you blaming me for neglecting you?"
Chu Qiao tried to struggle, but Dantai Yunhan remained still and her own wrists were in great pain from her struggle. She sensitively noticed that his breath was very close to her ear, but she managed to contain her fluttering heart and sneered: "I dare not. Your Highness might as well behave in public."
Tantai Yunhan noticed that a suspicious flush colored her fair cheek, so feeling amused, he went further to bite her earlobe, murmuring: "It's natural for a married couple to canoodle. As you said just now, if I had given you enough power, these things wouldn’t have happened? "
The earlobes were her most sensitive body parts, so she was both turned on and irritated when her earlobe suddenly got bitten but can do nothing daring in public.
Well, temporary endurance would bring lasting peace. Chu Qiao took a deep breath to calm herself down and replied composedly, "That’s right."
Then Dantai Yunhan asked, "If I give you an opportunity to prove yourself, will you take it?"
Chu Qiao nodded: "Yes, I will."
Tantai Yunhan raised his eyebrows slightly, amazed at how confirmedly Chu Qiao replied. But taking charge of such a huge Palace is far more difficult than just talking. Although Chu Qiao had established prestige alone for herself by teaching Li a lesson, it was not a long-term solution. However, he’d like to give her this opportunity.
Making up his mind, Tantai Yunhan lifted Chu Qiao up in a classic way and went striding to her bedroom under people’s astonished gaze.
Taken by surprise, Chu Qiao subconsciously put her arms around his neck, but she got mad as soon as she realized what was going on: "What's wrong with you? Let me off!"
Looking down at Chu Qiao in his arms, who was furious like an agitated and scared cat, Tantai Yunhan raised his eyebrows and said: "How unswervingly you answered just now! Are you going to regret in just a few seconds? Well, if you're afraid..." He deliberately drew out his last words and stopped his strides.
Chu Qiao squinted her eyes and snorted, "You don't have to provoke me. There is nothing I'm afraid of after having experienced death once."
"How arrogant!" Tantai Yunhan chuckled and bent down to put Chu Qiao on the bed. He fondled her cheek while staring at the beautiful face in front of him freely. At this time, she slightly raised her chin, which made her neck seem longer. The royal robe covered her graceful body, and her loose collars provoked his imagination.
Tantai Yunhan's breath was getting rougher and his gaze was fixed on her. He whispered, "Have you thought through it?"
Chu Qiao didn't even bother to answer. Instead, she hooked his neck with her arms and pulled him closer gently. She presses her red lips against his cold thin lips. Silence was the answer.