"No Wedding Unless Enemies and Lovers" 《不是冤家不拜堂》Chapter 202

 When Ji Ling Xue and Xiao Yi Chen arrived at the imperial study using light martial arts, they came across old officials kneeling outside the palace with no intention to rise, along with the guards and eunuchs on duty.

The guards and eunuchs looked like they were about to face death, Xiao Yi Mo had disappeared right under their nose due to their incompetence, they didn't dare beg for leniency.

The old officials only heard Xiao Yi Mo had escaped before then rushed into the palace to discuss countermeasures, after discussing back and forth they didn't reach a conclusion, in the end they pushed the blame all on Ji Ling Xue, ever since she entered the palace, mishaps happened one after the other, she was an unlucky person, his majesty even wanted to make her empress, that was something that definitely couldn't happen, beautiful women leads to destruction of nations, not only that it would hurt the fate of the nation.

Ji Ling Xue sat behind a bookcase in the imperial study listening to the old officials earnestly giving advice one after the other, she itched her ear, shook her head, if they continued, wouldn't she become a femme fatale?

Ji Ling Xue tilted her head, Xiao Yi Chen sat on his chair turning a memorial in his hand, it wasn't clear whether or not he was listening to the old officials.

Ji Ling Xue: Xiao Yi Chen got me to hide behind the bookcase to listen to this, is it to show it's not easy for him to be the emperor?

After a quarter of an hour, the old officials had talked their mouths dry, their voices gradually faded, everyone raised their heads to look at Xiao Yi Chen sitting in the chair behind the table, they  had entered the palace late at night, having spoken so much, the emperor hadn't expressed anything?

Xiao Yi Chen: "You've finished speaking, then should you now listen to us?" All the officials looked at each other.

Xiao Yi Chen: "When we ascended the throne, quite a few old officials urged us not to bare the crime of unloyalty and injustice, let Xiao Yi Mo live, he didn't do anything good or bad on the throne. We protected the vast land, you have faith in us, and is willing to serve us, now Xiao Yi Mo has been taken by someone, you blame us for being incompetent, then made it into the empress's fault, should we be saying you're making false accusations?"

All the officials knelt on the floor, speaking together: "This official is terrified!"

Xiao Yi Chen: "Anyone among you who thinks we are incompetent can resign or go after Xiao Yi Mo, we won't stop you, however if we hear another word of slander against the empress, don't blame us for being ruthless." He waved his sleeve, "You can go!"

All the officials looked at each other in dismay, what did the emperor mean by this, Xiao Yi Mo had run off and disappeared, why wasn't he concerned at all?

When only Xiao Yi Chen remained in the study, Ji Ling Xue then came out from behind the bookcase, "What game are you playing?"

Xiao Yi Chen's eyes curved, smiling: "Guess?"

Ji Ling Xue pinched her chin, turning her head to glance at the guards and eunuchs still kneeling outside the palace on the bluestone floor, then turned to look at Xiao Yi Chen, wanting to confirm her suspicions in his eyes, sadly Xiao Yi Chen was very calm, she couldn't see anything in them.

Ji Ling Xue looked around, "Today I asked you for a token to leave the palace, but you also very quickly left the palace, could you be setting a trap? Last time Xiao Yi Mo was released by me, you must have been more attentive, hiding him somewhere even more covert, you're trying to pick out Xiao Yi Mo's henchmen?"

Xiao Yi Chen nodded, "Xue Er is smart!"

Ji Ling Xue clasped her hands behind her back and spun around Xiao Yi Chen, "So you're saying, Xiao Yi Mo didn't get taken away by someone, only a smokescreen you set off, you wanted to see how the old officials react?" 

If Xiao Yi Mo really had been rescued by someone, Xiao Yi Chen wouldn't be so calm listening to those old officials discussion.

Xiao Yi Chen nodded, "We just ascended the throne, most of the people in the court are Xiao Yi Mo's men, even though some have sworn allegiance to me, but there's nothing to guarantee they won't betray me, that's why I needed to an excuse to test them, we can tidy up the court in passing."

Ji Ling Xue clapped: "A very clever move, I didn't think you would have such abilities as the emperor."

Xiao Yi Chen pulled on Ji Ling Xue's hand, continuing to ask: "Since you guessed correctly, why don't you guess again, where did we hide Xiao Yi Mo?"

Ji Ling Xue shook her head, "How can I guess that?" Xiao Yi Chen wasn't scared the walls have ears, talking to  her so loudly about such a sensitive topic.

Xiao Yi Chen grabbed Ji Ling Xue's waist, kissing her ear, "Do you not know or are you scared of guessing?"

Ji Ling Xue's ears turned red, she leaned back, distancing herself from Xiao Yi Chen, "It's late..." She needed to sleep, Xiao Yi Chen don't be sly with me, I won't fall into your trap!

Xiao Yi Chen picked up Ji Ling Xue: "Is the empress serving me tonight?"

Ji Ling Xue curled her lips: "I was almost called a femme fatale by those old officials?"

Xiao Yi Chen said: "We have already issued an imperial edict, this matter has been settled, they can't change it, we still own you a ceremony to confer you empress."

Ji Ling Xue's heart moved, wrapping her hands behind Xiao Yi Chen's neck she asked: "I dare ask your majesty, when will my empress conferring ceremony take place?"

Xiao Yi Chen smiled: "So Xue Er is in such a rush, the empress formal dress is still rushing to be made, at the earliest a month."

Ji Ling Xue opened her mouth, looking shocked, "Why are you only telling me this now?"

Xiao Yi Chen said: "You didn't mention it, I forgot!"

Ji Ling Xue was originally a little moved, now it disappeared with Xiao Yi Chen's words, her matter, he didn't pay attention? Towards Xiao Yi Chen, she couldn't feel moved by him.

Xiao Yi Chen's light laughter echoed in her ear, "You're angry?"

Ji Ling Xue shook her head, "No, only a little tired." As she spoke she yawned.

Xiao Yi Chen's lips raised into a smile: "Can I consider this as Xue Er actually caring about me, only you're too thin-skinned and is embarassed to say it?"

Ji Ling Xue: "How did you think I'm thin-skinned?"

Xiao Yi Chen spluttered out a laugh, "My main point isn't that?"

Ji Ling Xue: "Then what's the main point?"

Xiao Yi Chen leaned closer to Ji Ling Xue, breathing into her ear, satisfied when he saw Ji Ling Xue's ears turn bright red, then he spoke: "The main point is you care about me."

Xiao Yi Chen's voice was soft and slow, hearing it Ji Ling Xue's ears turned soft and numb, like she had been struck by lightening, she tilted her head turning to Xiao Yi Chen's cheek, placing her lips to the side of his lips.

The two of them froze, Xiao Yi Chen's hand held Ji Ling Xue's head, deepening the kiss, he turned pushing Ji Ling Xue beneath him, with a sweep of his long sleeve, the memorials on the table were swept to the floor, Ji Ling Xue clung onto Xiao Yi Chen's shoulder breathless, "This is the imperial study, the emperor wants to be known as licentious?"

Xiao Yi Chen released Ji Ling Xue, pinching her rosy cheeks, "We only have empress in the harem, who dares to complain to us, we will make sure their home will be restless." Ji Ling Xue laughed, these words were very vicious.

A thunderstorm passed in the summer afternoon, half a rainbow was in the sky.

Imperial palace, Ru Ge sat in a pavilion in the imperial garden admiring the beautiful flowers filling the place, Ji Ling Xue stuffed a flaky pastry into her mouth.

Ru Ge looked at the small round face of Ji Ling Xue: "You seemed to have gotten a little plump these days, your complexion is also a lot better than before, it seems your relationship with Xiao Yi Chen has improved, I'm glad."

Ji Ling Xue consciously touched her cheeks, having been told by Ru Ge, she felt she had become fat, these days Xiao Yi Chen had intentionally made soups for her, saying her body was too weak and needed to be supplemented.

Ji Ling Xue said: "It's hard for you to come visit me in the palace, you came to call me fat and upset me?"

Ru Ge smiled shaking his head, "Of course not, I haven't seen you in so long, so I came by, I heard it's been hard on you as empress, you came across a huge problem as soon as you returned to the palace."

Ji Ling Xue nodded, spreading out her hands helplessly, "I didn't look for trouble but trouble looked for me, you know I never intended to return, but I didn't imagine the night we arranged to go to prince Chen's residence I was kidnapped, when I woke up I was in the wood shed in the imperial kitchen, and was whipped by the head maid..."

Ru Ge's lips twitched, it was the first time he spoke to Ji Ling Xue about her return to the palace, he didn't think she would have faced so many problems.

Ru Ge said: "I've been looking into that but didn't find who kidnapped you, could it be Xiao Yi Chen?"

He wanted to trap Ji Ling Xue, but wouldn't humble himself, that's why he sent people to kidnap Ji Ling Xue into the palace...

Ji Ling Xue shook her head, "I asked him, he said he only thought the person in the kitchen was me after having breakfast, sadly, he didn't find me in the kitchen, later when I was being chased by the head maid I came across Xiao Yi Mo."

Ru Ge covered his mouth laughing lightly, "Haha, only you could come across such an unfortunate situation."

Ji Ling Xue sighed, "Don't laugh at me, what happened between you and that princess Ling Long, are you getting along?"

Ru Ge's smile gradually vanished, mentioning Ru Yi, he had a headache, it hurt so much his hair turned even whiter.

Seeing Ru Ge's bitter expression, Ji Ling Xue mood became better for some reason.

Picking up a pastry she stuffed it into her mouth, Ji Ling Xue asked: "The story of you and princess Ling Long, do you want to share it with me?"

"Mistress, princess Ling Long is seeking an audience!" Mo Xiang came to report.

Ji Ling Xue looked at Ru Ge, smiling profoundly, "invite her over!" 

Ji Ling Xue said: "You've come to see me, now princess Ling Long follows, did you plan this?"

Ru Ge picked up a cup of tea, "No." If he knew Ru Yi was going to enter the palace, he wouldn't have come today.

Ling Long took small quick steps to stand in front of Ji Ling Xue and gave her greetings before sitting next to Ru Ge, "Empress, this is a small token of Ru Yi's appreciation, please kindly accept it!" As she spoke she took a delicate box from her sleeve giving it to Ji Ling Xue.

Ru Ge seemed to think of something, he said: "I almost forgot." A small white jade box appeared in Ru Ge's hand, "I'm going to return to Dayan in a few days, before leaving I walked around the streets we first went to, I found this jewellery really suits you, there are many skilled workers in the palace, I don't know if you'll find this trinket pleasing."

Ji Ling Xue took the jade box and opened it, inside laid a pair of jade bells, they were engraved and was very unusual. 

Ru Yi said: "So pretty, such an exquisite bell, Ru Ge, where did you find it, are there more, I want them too."