So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

Racecourse.

Xie Hemian looked at his second brother, who was studying military maps in front of him, and placed a piece on his own.

"Does the Elders know that the woman His Majesty intends to appoint as Empress is my sister-in-law—oh, no, Miss Ning?"

Xie Xun was fiddling with the positions of the military flags on the military sand table, and upon hearing his words, he casually replied.

"She wants the position of Empress."

"She'll just give it to His Majesty if she wants it?"

Xie Xun scoffed, "The position of Empress isn't something that can't be given away."

"---"

So you're not going to die, are you?

Xie Heming looked at the black pieces on the chessboard, his face dark. "The thing His Majesty wanted has been sent over."

As the year draws to a close, envoys from various countries are arriving in droves. The war in the east has temporarily ceased, and everyone is planning to enjoy a rare New Year. The Western Desert has sent a pure white fox-cat as tribute. There is only one of its kind, and it is worth a thousand gold pieces.

Previously, the noble ladies and concubines in the capital had started a trend of keeping pets. Xie Xun thought that she had nothing to do all day in the palace, so he sent her the pet to keep her entertained.

Ning Yu was taken aback when she saw the head maid come in smiling, carrying a fox cat.

The cat was pure white with beautiful amber eyes. It seemed to know who its master was. After being placed on the ground by its aunt, it waddled gracefully toward Ning Yu with its little paws, and then lightly leaped into her arms.

"This was sent by Lord Qingfeng, who said it was to cheer up the lady."

Ning Yu glanced at the cat in her arms, watching it nestled obediently in her embrace. Her smooth, unpainted fingers gently stroked its clean, hairless fur, as if lost in thought.

"The ladies in the capital all love to keep little trinkets, and they won't keep anything that isn't expensive. I heard from Xiao Taozi that this fox cat was a tribute from the Western Desert. There's only one this year, and His Majesty had it sent over for the ladies to play with."

This fox-cat doesn't resemble a fox or a cat. The tribute envoy said that this little creature wouldn't grow up, and since it's been tamed, it wouldn't hurt anyone.

"I heard that His Majesty used to keep a wolf when he was in the north, but it died. This fox cat is not like those ferocious creatures, and it is easy to raise. Madam can play with it without worry."

Ning Yu glanced at the chain on her ankle and said calmly, "I don't like cats kept indoors, but I quite like wild horses at the racetrack."

When Xie Xun returned in the evening, someone told him what Ning Yu had said. He looked at the woman sitting on the soft couch, took off his black cloak embroidered with gold, and walked over.

Suddenly, she was lifted up, and when Ning Yu looked up, her eyes met his.

Men in high positions of power often have a perverse possessiveness; even if they don't love a woman, they won't allow her to leave. Xie Xun, that dog emperor, is no exception.

The head maid who brought in the tea glanced discreetly at Ning Yu, who was being held in the new emperor's arms on the soft couch.

Those beautiful fox-like eyes looked at the emperor as if he were thinking about something. He took the soft hairpin off her head with his large hand, and the new emperor's slender fingers ran through her hair. The intimate way the two of them were made her not dare to look any longer, and she bowed and retreated.

"Want to go horseback riding?"

Ning Yu lowered her eyes and nodded indifferently.

"Give me a kiss, and I'll untie your chains and take you horseback riding."

The words, spoken so matter-of-factly, filled Ning Yu with disgust. He'd kissed another woman and then came to kiss her again. "Are you going to lock me up after riding horses?"

Xie Xun gently squeezed the soft flesh of her waist, his eyes lowered as he looked at her. "Have you figured it out?"

To be asked to bow her head, to be asked to willingly stay in this palace, Ning Yu gave a cold "hmm".

"So what are you going to do?"

Ning Yu closed her eyes to hide the disdain in them, tilted her neck back and kissed him on the lips.

"not enough."

She simply couldn't maintain her former docile demeanor, couldn't initiate intimacy with him, and couldn't utter those insincere words of love. After the initial awkwardness dissipated, she no longer intended to pretend to love him.

Ning Yu was stiff and couldn't move at all. She remembered the sachet she had embroidered, so she immediately opened her eyes and took out the embroidery basket.

"Is Your Majesty satisfied with what you see?"

She carefully selected the base fabric, and learned the embroidery thread and patterns from a book. She spent an hour tracing the design, and worked very hard to get Qinghe to teach her.

Xie Xun looked at the half-finished product in her hand, his dark eyes holding an unreadable expression. "Is this a snake or a bird's claw?"

What kind of look is that?!

"This is a dragon pattern, it's not finished yet."

Seeing her dissatisfied retort, he slightly curled his lips, "The embroidery is not bad."

Ning Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she seized the opportunity to ask, "Then this?"

As she lifted her skirt and swung her toes, the faint light illuminating her fair and delicate skin, Xie Xun gently grasped her left foot in his hand.

With two clicks, he stroked her ankle and tossed the shackles aside.

Finally freeing herself from the trap, Ning Yu's eyes lit up with joy as she tried to get out of his arms.

Xie Xun wrapped his arm around her waist and, without much effort, turned her into a position straddling his lap. Ning Yu felt it and her soft body stiffened for a moment.

"It's your turn."

"I'm not fully recovered yet."

Xie Xun hadn't eaten meat for several days, and he couldn't resist holding her. Hearing her say that, he lifted her skirt to check.

Ning Yu was furious at his shamelessness, so she quickly pressed his hand down and snuggled closer to him. When she leaned in to kiss him, Wei Qingxue's words suddenly came to mind, making her feel disgusted and unable to kiss him.

Xie Xun leaned against the soft pillows, his hand caressing her lips. "If you're not feeling well, give yourself to me."

Shameless scoundrel.

Ning Yu didn't move, but Xie Xun wasn't about to suffer any loss. He pressed down on the back of her head and forcefully pulled her close. They were practically touching. He looked at her pink lips and whispered.

"."

She was about to slap him across the face when Xie Xun grabbed her wrist.

Ning Yu bent her knees, intending to deliver a fatal blow, but he was too fast. He grabbed her leg, flipped over, and pinned her beneath him.

She grabbed the teapot from the table, intending to smash it over his head. A flash of malice crossed Xie Xun's eyes, and he grabbed her hand, pulling her forward.

Ning Yu bit her lip, her cheeks flushed with anger.

"Want to be locked up again?"

"I didn't." She reached out and pushed him. "Get up first, you're heavy."

Xie Xun threw down the teapot, bent down and sealed her lips with his, kissing her passionately and scaldingly.

Ning Yu was enveloped by his aura, her breath filled with their scents. She frowned and reached out to hug his lean waist.

Noticing her movements, Xie Xun softened, inhaling the fragrance emanating from her.

"I'd like you to come horseback riding with me tomorrow, so can we go to bed early tonight?"

Wu Nong's voice carried a barely perceptible hint of coquetry, causing Xie Xun's heart to skip a beat, and he looked up at her.

Ning Yu's eyes were red at the corners, and she lowered her eyes, refusing to look at him.

From the moment he found her, the two were always at odds. She would rather die than let him go, and she regarded his palace as a monstrous flood.

She only reveals her girlish side when they're in bed. He hasn't heard her act so sweetly and affectionately with him in a long time; he really wants to kill her.

He wouldn't let go of her, but he wasn't so rough anymore. He buried his head in her neck and pressed down on her like that.

Ning Yu loathed this damned emperor. The familiar scent filled her nostrils as he pressed her against him, heavy and unbearable. Knowing she couldn't confront him directly, or she would only suffer, Ning Yu thought of Wei Qingxue and spoke softly.

"If Your Majesty is not feeling well, please summon Miss Wei to serve you. I can stay in the warm pavilion next door."

She really didn't want to sleep with him and preferred to pretend to be compliant.

"You want me to sleep with other women?" He tilted his head and looked at her.