Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 157 Your Highness, a handsome man like you was born to be devoured by me!
Liu Bian slowly got up, feeling increasingly tired, perhaps because he had been thinking too much.

The moment Liu Bian stepped into the bedchamber, a bright and beautiful figure instantly caught his eye, adding a splash of color to the quiet room.

Liu Qing was dressed in a crimson inner garment, the tight-fitting clothes clinging to her graceful figure, outlining a captivating curve. As she breathed, the inner garment seemed to tremble, as if spring water was flowing beneath the silk.

The owner of this delicate body was leaning against a table, her head slightly lowered, intently reading a book.

Her dark blue hair was styled into a cloud-like bun, with a red gold and jade hairpin slanted between it. The pearl tassels swayed with the slight movement of her swan neck, producing a clear and melodious sound.

As if intentionally or unintentionally, Liu Qing's lowered eyes flickered slightly, and the wide sleeves of her sky-blue outer robe quietly slipped down, revealing her fair and jade-like arms. Her slender fingers lightly rested on the book, and a pair of round and slender legs peeked out from under her skirt, revealing a pair of jade toes stained vermilion with flower juice.

Her toes lightly hooked around her shoes, swaying gently as if they had just been washed. A few drops of water still clung to her vermilion toes, like freshly washed red grapes, smooth and lustrous, making one unconsciously feel a bit hungry.

Liu Qing's beautiful eyes flickered slightly, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, with a faint smile, as if she knew that the Crown Prince was behind her, but still pretended not to know.

Seeing this, Liu Bian smiled slightly, raised his index finger to signal the palace maids on both sides to be quiet, and quietly walked around to Liu Qing, who was pretending to be engrossed in something. He leaned down slightly, and quietly put his hands under her slender waist, gently embracing her.

"ah!"

Liu Qing let out a soft moan, her face instantly showing a look of feigned surprise, but she held the scroll in her hand as if it were rooted to the spot, never letting go even slightly.

"What classic text is Lianyi reading that she's so engrossed in?"

Liu Bian carried Liu Qing to the couch, then lay down slightly on Liu Qing's kneeling body. His eyes flickered as he glanced with interest at the book in Liu Qing's hands.

Liu Qing pursed her moist, red lips, closed the bamboo scroll, and turned the side with the title written on it to face the Crown Prince, revealing the words "Admonitions for Women." Her beautiful eyes held a hint of expectation, and they sparkled as if she wanted to hear the Crown Prince praise her for her docile demeanor. Her body unconsciously leaned forward slightly.

In reality, Liu Qing, while in Yong'an Palace and facing Crown Prince Liu Bian, felt extremely insecure.

She had experienced loss before, although it was a physical loss. But what is the essential difference between her plummeting status after losing her husband and her plummeting status after losing the Crown Prince's favor in the future?

The latter is even more unbearable, because it is something you can see but can't have.

The Crown Prince is fourteen years old this year, while she is twenty-three. The two are nine years apart, and this age gap has both advantages and disadvantages for her.

Advantages lie in the fact that she possesses a mature charm that those inexperienced newcomers lack, as well as rich experience and skills. Even when playing with the Crown Prince, she is willing to set aside her pride and engage in shameful behavior that goes against etiquette.

However, as the years go by, she and the Crown Prince will inevitably find themselves in an extremely awkward situation.

At that time, the crown prince was in the prime of his youth, while she was old and faded.

Perhaps when the Crown Prince reaches his thirties and sees her increasingly frail face, he will be unable to help but blurt out, "Old things are detestable, why bother with her?"

Those who rely on their beauty to please others will ultimately find it difficult to last, especially in the imperial harem where countless women are destined to compete with them for attention.

Therefore, Liu Qing's goal is to take advantage of this opportunity to exclusively enjoy the Crown Prince's company, leave a good impression of being gentle and obedient in the Crown Prince's heart, help the Crown Prince solve his problems, and make the Crown Prince regard her as a spiritual support he can confide in.

Thinking of this, Liu Qing subconsciously glanced at the "Admonitions for Women" in her hand, a book that made her nauseous. Her eyes held both helplessness and determination. Only in this way could she ensure that even if the Crown Prince found a new love in the future, he would not easily forget her.

Upon seeing this, Liu Bian frowned slightly, a hint of disapproval flashing in his eyes.

"Admonitions for Women" was written by Ban Zhao, who was known as "Master Ban". It has always been praised by the world, especially among aristocratic families, and a trend of admiring "Admonitions for Women" has gradually emerged.

In fact, before the Song Dynasty, the educational significance of "Admonitions for Women" was far less than its political significance. It was not originally intended to admonish unmarried women in the family, but rather to emphasize women's absolute obedience to male authority.

Both the Former and Later Han dynasties saw many female rulers and their relatives interfering in politics. The background of the creation of "Admonitions for Women" was also during the period when Empress Dowager Deng was in power and male power was declining. It is difficult to say whether Ban Zhao was advising Empress Dowager Deng to return power to Emperor Xiao'an.

However, not long after the completion of "Admonitions for Women", Ban Zhao's son Cao Cheng, who was a Marquis of Guannei and had served as a prime minister with a salary of 2,000 shi, was demoted by Empress Dowager Deng to the position of magistrate of Changyuan County in Chenliu Prefecture with a salary of 400 shi. She also ordered Ban Zhao to go to Changyuan with her son to take up the post.

Liu Bian lay in Liu Qing's arms, raised his hand to grab the scroll of "Admonitions for Women," and casually tossed it aside as if it were a weed. He looked down at Liu Qing, who was looking down at him, and said with a gentle smile, "There's no need to study this kind of book in the future. What I love is not the great Ban Gu, but the unique Lianyi."

"Your Highness..."

Liu Qing looked at Liu Bian with a hint of confusion and a touch of emotion in her eyes. Her beautiful eyes widened slightly. Don't men all like docile and obedient women?
If it weren't for Ma Lun, the wife of Yuan Situ, being a staunch opponent of "Admonitions for Women," the women of the Yuan family in Runan would probably have used "Admonitions for Women" as their primary reading material for life.

Liu Bian also dismissed the "Admonitions for Women." If the "Admonitions for Women" were truly so effective, how could the Later Han Dynasty have produced so many ruthless and cruel empresses who killed their sons?
"I'm exhausted. Keep me company for a short rest." Liu Bian slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his eyes filled with weariness. Sleepiness surged over him like a tidal wave, and he slowly closed his eyes.

Seeing the prince's tired expression, Liu Qing said no more. He gently undressed the prince and removed his crown, then slowly embraced him and let him fall asleep on the fragrant bed.

A pair of slender, fair hands were gently placed on the prince's forehead, kneading it lightly. Whether it was the wafting fragrance or Liu Qing's exquisite kneading skills, Liu Bian's breathing gradually calmed down.

"Summon me in two hours. Accompany me to the North Palace for dinner to dine with Father Emperor."

Liu Bian murmured softly, his voice barely audible, his lips slightly parted, making it difficult for Liu Qing to discern whether it was the Crown Prince's ramblings or his instructions to her.

As Liu Qing watched the Crown Prince's breathing gradually calm down and he even let out a soft snore from time to time, he couldn't help but become somewhat mesmerized.

She leaned down slightly, carefully examining the prince's face, a hint of love that she herself had not noticed appearing in her eyes.

She hadn't paid much attention to the Crown Prince's appearance last night and this morning, but upon closer inspection now, she was surprised to find that he seemed exceptionally handsome.

If it weren't for the inappropriate timing, she really wouldn't have been able to help but exclaim, "What a handsome young man!"

Although the Crown Prince had not praised her for the "Admonitions for Women," the line "What I love is not the class, but the unique Ripples" struck her heart like a sharp arrow.

Liu Qing cupped her flushed cheeks in her hands, as if the whole world had shrunk to just the Crown Prince before her, and her gaze toward him grew increasingly viscous.

Your Highness, a handsome man like you was born to be devoured by me!
However, what Liu Qing did not notice was that a faint smile was playing on the corner of the Crown Prince's mouth.

It seems that winning the hearts of officials is no different from winning the hearts of concubines.

(End of this chapter)