Reborn as a Sickly Child: The Emperor's Beloved

Seeing that things were getting more and more outrageous, Shen Yanyan suddenly came to her senses and pushed his hand away.

"Your Majesty, that's not allowed!" Shen Yanyan stammered. Her soft voice was a little hoarse at this time, making her even more want to be bullied.

Xiao Jingzhan didn't say anything, he just pulled the girl in and hugged her tightly in his arms, resting his head on her shoulder and closing his eyes to calm the restlessness in his heart and body.

Now is not the right time. She hasn't really accepted herself yet, and he doesn't want to force her.

Shen Yanyan dared not move, fearing that he would lose control again.

After a while, Xiao Jingzhan's breathing gradually stabilized, and the waves in his eyes slowly subsided. He slowly loosened his grip on Shen Yanyan's hand, as if releasing an invisible pressure.

Shen Yanyan's body was trembling slightly, her eyes still fixed on Xiao Jingzhan's handsome yet slightly tired face.

Xiao Jingzhan took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. A hint of anger flashed in his eyes, and he did not regret his impulsiveness at all. He gently stroked Shen Yanyan's hair and said in a low voice: "If it happens again, I..."

Shen Yanyan shook her head slightly, indicating that she would never dare to do it again. Her eyes were obedient and a little scared, as if telling him that she would never dare to do it again next time.

The two looked at each other silently. For a moment, an indescribable atmosphere filled the air. Xiao Jingzhan's eyes gradually became gentle. He embraced Shen Yanyan, pressed her into his arms, and gently comforted her.

Xiao Jingzhan felt that he was a little impulsive after scaring the little girl.

Being held in a warm embrace, Shen Yanyan felt Xiao Jingzhan's determination and comfort. She closed her eyes and quietly enjoyed the tranquility and peace of mind of this moment.

After a while, Shen Yanyan suddenly frowned, as if she remembered something important. She broke free from Xiao Jingzhan's embrace, subconsciously touched her body with both hands, then gently patted her forehead and said to herself: "Oh, why did I leave something in the Shen Mansion."

She turned her gaze to Xiao Jingzhan beside her, with a hint of pleading in her eyes, and said, "Your Majesty, I forgot something at the Shen Mansion. Can you accompany me to go back and get it?" Xiao Jingzhan looked at her, shook his head slightly, and said gently, "I'll ask someone to go to the Shen Mansion to get it for you. Let's go back to the palace first."

Shen Yanyan thought about it and decided it was a good idea, as long as she could bring him into the palace.

"Ok."

It was late at night and everything in the palace was silent.

The moonlight was like silver, sprinkling on the bluestone pavement like a layer of gauze. The figures of the two people appeared particularly slender in the moonlight, and their footsteps echoed in the empty palace, accompanied by a slight echo, as if it was the only sound in this silent night.

Their steps seemed a little tired. The surrounding palaces stood quietly, like sleeping beasts, majestic and solemn. The magnificent buildings looked even more mysterious under the moonlight, with flying eaves, brackets, carved beams and painted buildings, revealing the accumulation of years.

The night breeze blew gently, bringing a hint of coolness. The clothes of the two people fluttered gently in the wind, as if they were also telling their experiences. Shen Yanyan's expression was serious and firm, as if she was thinking about something important.

Finally, they arrived at the Palace of Tranquil Longevity. Shen Yanyan couldn't help herself and said, "Your Majesty, can you find a eunuch to take me back? It's the middle of the night and it's too dark. I'm a little scared." Shen Yanyan felt a little embarrassed after she said this. She was not afraid of anything except the dark.

Especially when she was walking alone in the deep palace, it was pitch black everywhere. She always felt like something was watching her from behind. She thought about flying back using Qinggong, but the Yangxin Palace and Yaohua Palace were not far away. There were too many guards and Yulin soldiers in the Yangxin Palace. If she flew away using Qinggong, she might be stabbed to death by arrows as an assassin.

Xiao Jingzhan looked at Shen Yanyan and was a little surprised that she was afraid of the dark. She thought she was so brave and not afraid of anything.

"I'll take you back, or you can just not go back and stay in the Yangxin Palace tonight." Xiao Jingzhan reminded kindly.

Shen Yanyan paused. Living in the Yangxin Palace? That crazy woman Yuan Hanshuang and the imperial concubine would tear her apart. She didn't dare to live there.

"Your Majesty, you have been busy all day. Don't bother me. Just find someone else." Shen Yanyan didn't want him to send her off. What if he wanted to stay overnight after arriving?

"Either you sleep here or I'll take you there. Choose one." How could Xiao Jingzhan not see her little thoughts.

Shen Yanyan laughed dryly twice, "Then please trouble your majesty to send me back."

What could she say? Staying in her palace was better than sleeping here.

It was late at night and the lights in the Hall of Mental Cultivation were brightly lit.

Xiao Jingzhan was dressed in a black robe, with an upright posture. He held Shen Yanyan's hand and walked towards Yaohua Palace with firm steps. Shen Yanyan could not refuse and let her hold her hand.

Seeing this, Eunuch Li hurried forward with a lantern to light the way for His Majesty. He carefully held the lantern and illuminated the road ahead. The light of the lantern swayed in the dark night, contrasting with the splendor of the palace, forming a beautiful picture.

Xiao Jingzhan and Shen Yanyan walked away under the light. Their steps were light and firm, revealing an indescribable tacit understanding and intimacy. The whole scene was filled with a tranquil and ambiguous atmosphere.

On the way back to Yaohua Palace, Xiao Jingzhan looked at Shen Yanyan's fair little face and suddenly wanted to chat with her.

"Yan Yan, if you don't enter the palace, what will you do?" Xiao Jingzhan asked indifferently.

Shen Yanyan was walking with her head down, listening to his voice, and was silent for a while.

What would she do? Probably wait until her second sister got married, stay at home with her parents for a year or two, and then travel around the world.

Anyway, she thought of many possibilities, but no one had ever thought of getting married, let alone entering the palace.

"I will probably travel around the world and see a lot of places." Shen Yanyan answered seriously. If she leaves the palace in the future, she will also want to travel around and see a lot.

Xiao Jingzhan didn't seem surprised by her answer, as she was free and bright by nature.

"Will the Shen family agree to you, a girl, traveling around?"

"Yes, I'm not at home all year round, and they don't expect me to be with them all the time. As long as I'm happy, my parents will agree. Besides, what I want to do is my own business. Although I'm their daughter, I have the final say in how my life is." Shen Yanyan answered firmly.

No one can force her to do something she doesn't want to do.

It is true that the Shen family would not force her to do anything, and she entered the palace voluntarily. She could choose to escape, but she didn't want to do that. Her family protected her everywhere, and she couldn't harm everyone because of her own selfishness.

"Will you ever think about leaving the palace in the future?" Xiao Jingzhan asked again. She had already entered the palace and was his concubine, but he still felt very far away from her, as if there was a world of difference between them.

Shen Yanyan didn't know how to answer. She wanted to say yes, but she couldn't seem to say it.

"Your Majesty, what are you talking about? How can I leave the palace now that I'm in?" Shen Yanyan said angrily.

"We haven't known each other for a long time, but I still understand you a little bit. I know you don't like me now, but I still hope that Yanyan will like me in the future and stay by my side." Xiao Jingzhan said solemnly, looking into her eyes.

Shen Yanyan sneered. How could she describe this feeling?

He wanted to stay in the palace and liked him, but this was a huge problem for her. She could not accept having three wives and four concubines, nor did she want to make any promises to anyone. It is always easy to say something, but few people can do it.

"Xiao Jingzhan, I'll tell you the truth. I have different ideas from other women. I hope that the person I like will only have me as his wife. I don't like having three wives and four concubines, nor do I like being someone's concubine. I can't make any promises to you, and I don't know how to love someone. I always think that loving someone is a very serious matter. If you can't be faithful to one person, you might as well not make the promise at the beginning."

"I can't promise you that I will stay in the palace forever, because I really want to leave the palace." Shen Yanyan looked at Xiao Jingzhan and said seriously. She didn't want to hide some things from him, so it would be good for everyone if she told him the truth as soon as possible. If he still wanted to force her to stay in the palace in the future, she would have no choice, because he couldn't leave the palace for a while anyway.

Xiao Jingzhan listened to her words, frowning and silent. He originally thought that if he treated her well, she would fall in love with him in the same way after a long time. But after hearing what she said today, he realized that it was as difficult as ascending to heaven to get into her heart. She looked like a person who was easy to get along with on the surface, but in fact, she was very sensitive inside and it was difficult for her to accept or love someone. However, no matter how difficult it was, he would flatten these obstacles one by one and let her stay by his side willingly.

"I will take care of it and make you my queen. Since you don't like having three wives and four concubines, I will disband the harem and leave you alone. You don't know how to love someone, so I will love you. I don't need you to make any promises to me. I will make you stay by my side willingly. I just hope you don't think about escaping from the palace and escaping from me." Xiao Jingzhan promised solemnly, with an unprecedented seriousness in his eyes.

Shen Yanyan was slightly stunned when she heard his words. She didn't know if these words were true, but she was still a little shocked. He dared to think of disbanding the harem for her, but she didn't dare to think about it. She didn't need anyone to sacrifice anything for her. She didn't need it and couldn't afford it.

Shen Yanyan looked at the Yaohua Palace in front of her and did not answer Xiao Jingzhan's words.

She just said lightly: "Your Majesty, I'm here. Let's talk about the future later. You don't have to promise anything. I'm leaving first." After Shen Yanyan finished speaking, she walked towards Yaohua Palace.

Xiao Jingzhan watched Shen Yanyan enter Yaohua Palace with a solemn expression, pursing his lips in thought. After a while, he turned around and walked towards Yangxin Palace.

Eunuch Li was there the whole time. He heard what His Majesty said and was a little surprised. His Majesty loved Concubine Yan deeply. But seeing how easy-going Concubine Yan was usually, he realized today that she was actually a cold-hearted person. His Majesty still had a long way to go.