Chapter 742: Noble Consort Gao

The moon was bright and the stars sparse, strands of clear light scattered sparsely across the Yuancheng traveling palace, draping a thin veil of moonlight over the halls and towers. Lamps and candles dotted the chambers, their bright flames interweaving with the light of stars and moon, together sketching a magnificent tableau of palace life.

"His Majesty is here!" Facing the Emperor's sudden arrival, Noble Consort Gao was somewhat surprised—after all, even if it were by rotation, the one favored today ought to have been Consort Guo Ning.

Seeing the delighted surprise on the Noble Consort's jade-like face, Liu Chengyou smiled slightly: "What, not welcoming me?"

"How could that be? I'm simply overjoyed!" The beautiful lady's face broke into a smile, and she immediately came forward intimately to greet him, leading Liu Chengyou inside.

"Someone, prepare clear water and hot water for His Majesty!" The Noble Consort instructed the palace eunuchs accompanying them.

Inside the hall, Liu Xi was frowning with a small, weary face, holding a fine brush and writing characters beneath the bright palace lamps. When he saw Liu Chengyou, his eyes lit up, and he put down his brush and rushed over as if seeing a savior: "Father!"

"What's this, so diligent and eager to learn, studying by lamplight?" Liu Chengyou walked to the desk, picked up the writing, and looked at it with a smile.

Noble Consort Gao said: "Since we set out on this tour, traveling by day and playing whenever there's free time, too many lessons have been neglected, so I can only make up for them at night. If I don't keep a firmer hand, I fear this child will lose his ambition to pleasure!"

Hearing the Noble Consort say this, Liu Chengyou shook his head and said: "It's not as serious as you make it sound. They're still young—studying letters and practicing martial arts in the palace is already no easy burden. It's rare for them to accompany me on an imperial tour; broadening their knowledge, widening their horizons, and relaxing their minds should be the priority. The lessons can be set aside for now!"

As he spoke, Liu Chengyou patted Liu Xi's head and instructed: "I'll make the decision—go to sleep! Your mother and I still have important matters to attend to, so don't disturb us here..."

Delighted at these words, but Liu Xi didn't move his feet—instead he looked at his mother with pleading eyes. Seeing this, Noble Consort Gao said with some helplessness: "Your father has already given the order; how would I dare defy it? Go on!"

"Yes!" Liu Xi made a proper bow, then, holding hands with a palace attendant, skipped out of the room.

When only male and female, he and she, man and woman remained, the stirrings of bodily instinct slowly filled their hearts, and a faint scent of hormones permeated the air. Liu Chengyou also set aside the solemn bearing of a wise sovereign, directly sweeping his gaze over his Noble Consort, appreciating her beauty...

At this moment, Noble Consort Gao had already removed her hair ornaments; her jet-black long hair hung softly down, and she wore a pale black long dress with a light gauze draped over it. The embroidered bustier with flowers and birds could only cover two-thirds, and the exposed part was fair and full, visibly soft—with every movement, waves surged...

The Noble Consort was also an experienced, mature beauty, showing no shyness at all, openly displaying her perfectly curved figure before the Emperor. His intoxication with her body filled her with heartfelt delight.

Of course, he wasn't so desperately lustful—no matter how entranced, Liu Chengyou could still maintain his composure. Besides, even for a tryst, one ought to wash up first.

An ambiguous atmosphere wafted through the hall. The Noble Consort attentively served Liu Chengyou herself, removing his robe, taking off his hair crown, and personally wringing out a silk handkerchief for him to wash his face.

"I thought Your Majesty would spend today receiving the local officials!" She casually found a topic to chat about.

"Finished with them long ago—a bunch of unfamiliar faces, like a flock of quails before me, timid, trembling, and exceedingly deferential!" Liu Chengyou replied.

"Local officials rarely get to pay court to the sovereign; now that they've seen the imperial countenance, it's only natural they'd be cautious. It also highlights that Your Majesty's authority has reached every circuit and prefecture!" Noble Consort Gao said.

Wiping his face and washing off the grease, Liu Chengyou said: "Precisely because they rarely see me, they don't take it seriously. The majesty of the Son of Heaven is often on people's lips, but how many truly take it to heart?"

"I know what they fear. Every time I go on tour, I can't avoid dismissing and punishing corrupt officials and wicked clerks. They're worried about the official caps on their heads, worried about the power in their hands. Don't be fooled by how deferentially and even servilely they welcome me, as if granted great honor—in their hearts, they probably wish I'd leave quickly, so they can stop being frightened..."

Hearing Liu Chengyou's remarks, Noble Consort Gao couldn't help but laugh: "Things differ, and people differ. Among the local officials, there must be no lack of good ministers devoted to the king's service. Speaking this way, Your Majesty is criticizing the realm's officials too harshly—if word reached their ears, I fear it would only make them more fearful!"

"This is a private conversation between you and me—you must not spread it, or I will punish you without mercy!" Hearing this, Liu Chengyou smiled and reached out to give a squeeze.

Startled into a sound by the Emperor's sudden move, a delicate moan escaped her red lips, and she couldn't help shooting Liu Chengyou a reproachful glance. The alluring waves in Noble Consort Gao's lovely eyes grew deeper as she said: "Your Majesty's authority is such—how would I dare..."

"My lady, the hot water is ready!" Two palace maids carried in a basin of hot water.

Pointing at the bed, Lady Gao said: "Set it before the couch, and you may leave!"

"Yes!"

Sitting boldly on the edge of the bed, Lady Gao crouched down, making the curves of her delicate body even more graceful, and personally removed Liu Chengyou's shoes and socks, placed his feet into the basin, and washed and massaged them.

For Liu Chengyou, a dazzling expanse of fair scenery met his eyes, his feet wrapped in hot water, feeling the Noble Consort's skilled kneading—he couldn't help letting out a pleasurable groan and slowly closed his eyes.

Cold rises from the feet; before long, a thin layer of sweat had clearly formed on his forehead, and his back began to warm. Opening his eyes, steam rose from his feet, shrouding the Noble Consort's jade-like face in a hazy veil. Her hanging strands of hair carried a few droplets of mist, and a bead of water hung from the tip of her nose, which she didn't bother to wipe away...

Seeing this, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but sigh: "Having you, my dignified and noble Consort, do this servant's work for me—it's too great an injustice to you!"

Hearing this, the Noble Consort raised her jade-like head, smiled gently, and said in a very natural tone: "Though one may be honored before others, before Your Majesty I am but a servant; attending to you is only what I ought to do. Besides, in ancient times there was the story of raising the tray to brow level—what I do still falls far short!"

The wicked old society, the wicked feudal thinking—yet being in its midst let Liu Chengyou enjoy this so thoroughly, and take it for granted...

"By the way, you're still too strict with Liu Xi. He's only seven—in an ordinary family, at this age, it's exactly the time for chasing and playing. Being born into the imperial family already greatly restricts his nature. Now that he's at the stage of early education, you as his mother needn't be overly severe!" Liu Chengyou, recalling Liu Xi's behavior just now, said to Lady Gao.

Among all the consorts of the harem, only Noble Consort Gao was the strictest in educating her son Liu Xi. Sometimes Liu Chengyou found it hard to watch—though of course, this was only because the children were still young; in another two or three years, Liu Chengyou would absolutely not say such things again.

Hearing the Emperor's words, Noble Consort Gao glanced at Liu Chengyou, took a drying cloth and wiped the water from his feet, and replied: "Your Majesty speaks reasonably, but after all, he is not the son of an ordinary family. Since he has inherited the bloodline of the imperial house and enjoys the honor and glory of the royal family, there are responsibilities and costs he must bear. Your Majesty also hopes that Liu Xi will one day become a capable person, useful to the royal house and the state, does he not?"

At this moment, though Noble Consort Gao was crouched low, looking up, her beautiful eyes held a stubborn light. Meeting her gaze for a few moments, Liu Chengyou shook his head: "Enough—this matter can't be settled as right or wrong in one debate. I only hope you'll be more lenient with the child in the future."

As he spoke, Liu Chengyou revealed a slightly lecherous smile: "On this fine night, let's first attend to the important business!"

The Emperor's words no longer concealed his desire at all. The Noble Consort, hearing this, gave him a look that said "hold your horses," and rose to put away the water basin and cloth.

She had clearly been crouching too long—just as she stood, her legs went numb, her body went soft, and with a delicate cry, her lovely form toppled directly into Liu Chengyou's arms. Liu Chengyou felt this beautiful lady was deliberately seducing him, and taking advantage of the momentum, he pulled her along—the two, at zero distance, rolled onto the bed...

With a hint of emotion and some reminiscence on his face, he said: "The fate between you and me—it began in this very city, didn't it?"

Noble Consort Gao's rosy face radiated contentment. Hearing this, she said softly: "Before I knew it, it's been nearly ten years!"

"Yes!" Liu Chengyou caressed the Noble Consort's fine skin, as if playing with a precious treasure, and teased: "Back then, when I accompanied the imperial army on campaign to pacify the Weibo rebellion, you, my beautiful lady, were my finest trophy!"

Hearing the Emperor say this, the Noble Consort boldly grabbed hold of his handle, making him shudder. Lady Gao lowered her voice, her emotions seeming to shift, and said: "With a humble willow's grace, to serve a dragon in hiding—it is also my great fortune..."

Sensing the change in the beauty in his arms, Liu Chengyou thought for a moment, then said: "The people of Yuancheng have erected a shrine to honor your father, right in the city. Tomorrow, I will take you and Liu Xi to pay our respects."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Moved by the moment, this chapter has already been written with great restraint—I just don't know whether it will be blocked for violating regulations.