Forced to Become the Female Lead's Beloved Wife [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 23

Li Wancheng didn’t answer immediately, but Xiao Wanyue’s gaze remained fixed on her, like a deep whirlpool slowly drawing her inner thoughts into its depths.

Once upon a time, someone else had looked at me like this. For a moment, she froze, then inexplicably agreed.

After seeing the Empress off, Li Wancheng rubbed her forehead.

Truly, beauty can be so misleading.

Still, this was a good opportunity to gauge Xiao Wanyue’s attitude toward the Prime Minister.

When it was time for the evening meal, Eunuch Su arrived at Fenghua Palace to escort them.

As the Empress’s personal quarters, Jingming Palace was even more lavish than Fenghua Palace. Li Wancheng had always assumed the descriptions of ancient emperors’ meals in books were exaggerated, but… it turned out they weren’t entirely wrong.

Staring at the table nearly overflowing with dishes, Li Wancheng was momentarily stunned.

“My dear official, why haven’t you taken your seat?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Li Wancheng glanced at the eunuch standing beside her before finally sitting down.

Is this even a meal? It’s a lesson in courtly etiquette, a taste of my future glory!

A quick glance revealed roughly forty dishes. Xiao Wanyue sampled each one, touching her chopsticks to nearly every dish. Only the braised fish received three bites before she abandoned it.

Li Wancheng picked up a piece of duck meat and subtly raised her eyes. “Does Your Majesty enjoy fish?”

Xiao Wanyue’s hand, holding the chopsticks, paused momentarily before she let out a soft hum.

Since childhood, her Imperial Father had warned her that a sovereign must not indulge personal preferences, including in matters of cuisine. Whether she liked or disliked a dish, she must never reveal her feelings.

Over the years, she had grown accustomed to this discipline, subconsciously concealing her emotions.

Everything in the world exists in duality. Those who attain supreme power must accept the corresponding loss of freedom.

Li Wancheng set down her chopsticks, glanced at the Empress’s expression, and ventured, “I heard Your Majesty has entrusted the military affairs of Lingnan to the Prime Minister?”

“The Prime Minister is meticulous and resourceful. No one is better suited to handle the Lingnan situation.”

In recent years, Liu Deshan had shouldered much of the burden of state affairs, making him one of the few people she still trusted.

“But… the Prime Minister’s influence is growing. Does Your Majesty not fear nurturing a tiger that will turn on its master?”

Xiao Wanyue remained silent for a long moment before replying, “The Prime Minister treats me like his own daughter. When I first ascended the throne, it was thanks to him that the court remained stable.”

Li Wancheng fell silent. Years of ingrained beliefs could not be overturned in an instant.

Moreover, she lacked concrete evidence to support her suspicions.

“You’re not planning to use your ‘heart-conquering tactics’ anymore?” the System asked, observing her measured interactions with Xiao Wanyue over the past few days. Her behavior had been impeccably proper in every aspect, leaving the System feeling somewhat disoriented.

Li Wancheng sighed in exasperation. “She’s the Empress, and I’m her subject. If I try to seduce her, I’ll be asking for my head to be separated from my neck!”

In the previous world, it was just a coincidence that Wen Yige developed feelings for her. She wasn’t made of gold; how could she expect everyone to fall for her?

Besides… even now, the ending of that world still left her with lingering regret and heartache.

The following afternoon, Eunuch Su returned to Fenghua Palace, announcing that Her Majesty had summoned her to Jingming Palace to discuss official matters.

“Understood. I’ll be there shortly,” Li Wancheng replied, closing the book in her hands. They had just shared a meal together last night. Was this summons today a bit too frequent?

As soon as she entered the palace, she saw Xiao Wanyue standing before her desk, brush in hand, painting. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her snow-white wrist with a dazzling glow.

Like the moon by the brazier, her radiant beauty rivals the frosty moonlight. The scene was so breathtaking that Li Wancheng couldn’t help but lose herself in the moment.

“Your Majesty,” she murmured.

Xiao Wanyue hummed in acknowledgment, her hand moving steadily across the paper. Without a word from the Empress, Li Wancheng dared not sit and remained standing, watching.

Nearly a quarter of an hour passed before the Empress finally set down her brush and beckoned her closer. “My dear official, tell me what you think of this painting.”

The painting depicted a crabapple tree, its branches adorned with crimson blossoms against a backdrop of deep ink washes. In the distance, a few strokes formed overlapping mountain ranges.

“The ink is rich and vibrant without being dry, the brushstrokes are balanced and controlled, capturing both the form and spirit of the subject.” The praise was formulaic, but at least it avoided any glaring errors.

Xiao Wanyue stared at her, a slow smile spreading across her lips. She casually set the painting aside and murmured, “Then, My dear official, do you know what other meaning the begonia holds, beyond wealth and good fortune?”

“This humble servant is ignorant.”

The scent of Ruilong incense suddenly intensified as Xiao Wanyue materialized beside her.

They were standing too close. Li Wancheng could see the Empress’s long, thick eyelashes, and feel her faint breath brush against her earlobe like the delicate down of a dandelion seed, leaving a ticklish, slightly numb sensation.

The Empress’s voice was low and husky, yet gentle and tender, like the lingering breeze of Jiangnan.

“The begonia also symbolizes longing. It is often used to express yearning for a beloved.”

Xiao Wanyue’s eyes held an unreadable emotion as her fingers tightened around her sleeve. In the next instant, that warmth vanished.

The Empress reverted to her usual calm, impassive demeanor, turning her back to Li Wancheng and asking, “My dear official, are you skilled in painting?”

The abrupt change in topic startled Li Wancheng, her newly relaxed nerves snapping taut again.

Her heart skipped a beat. Xiao Wanyue summoned me here… surely she doesn’t expect me to paint?

“This humble servant… is not skilled in painting.”

A moment of silence hung in the air before it was broken by a soft, melodious chuckle.

“It’s no trouble at all,” Xiao Wanyue said with a smile. “Today is the perfect day to try. My dear official, would you paint a portrait of me?”

Perhaps sensing Li Wancheng’s hesitation, Xiao Wanyue added with another smile, “Just paint as you please. I won’t punish you.”

With that, the Empress stepped back, clearing the desk and brushes. She then turned and sat gracefully on the nearby couch.

Though Li Wancheng felt utterly helpless, she had no choice but to accept the task.

To be honest, Xiao Wanyue was truly breathtakingly beautiful.

Her skin was like ice, her bones like jade, her face delicate, and her waist slender. Her eyes shimmered like rippling water, as if even the light itself favored her.

She sat there simply, without needing to pose or strike any particular posture, yet she radiated a beauty akin to a celestial being descended from a painting.

Li Wancheng picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and began to sketch the Empress’s outline, stroke by stroke.

As she made the first stroke, an inexplicable sense of familiarity washed over her, tinged with a faint sense of loss. She shook her head, banishing the strange feeling.

The Empress’s lifelike portrait had already taken shape on the paper, a few simple strokes capturing her divine essence with remarkable skill.

These moments always felt both long and exceptionally gentle, peaceful. Occasionally, palace maids would enter to report, but the Empress would silence them with a glance.

After about an hour, Li Wancheng set down her brush and let out a soft sigh of relief. Xiao Wanyue approached and picked up the painting, examining it closely.

The portrait’s outlines were meticulously drawn, and the brushwork didn’t resemble that of a novice. The Empress raised her eyes slightly. “Have you studied painting before?”

Li Wancheng stared at her own work in surprise. How…? She had never painted before, yet her strokes flowed effortlessly, showing no hesitation.

“No, Your Majesty. It’s simply that Your Majesty’s beauty makes it easy for me to paint well.”

Xiao Wanyue chuckled. “My dear official, you certainly know how to flatter.” She carefully smoothed out the painting and stored it in a hidden compartment.

*****

While bathing that evening, Li Wancheng suddenly remembered the painting she had created that afternoon, a sense of inexplicable confusion washing over her.

Why… did wielding the brush feel so natural?

It was as if she were fulfilling some predetermined destiny, yet she had no memory of ever painting before.

“Little Seven, did you program this painting skill into me?”

The System shook its head. For this body, it had only enhanced Li Wancheng’s strength, reflexes, and skills like horseback riding and archery.

If it wasn’t programmed, then was it muscle memory?

Could it be connected to the erased memories from her past?

Li Wancheng frowned, deciding to shelve the thought for now. Resolving the rebellion remained her top priority.

Since the painting incident, the palace staff had become noticeably more respectful. These people were adept at reading the room; likely, they had observed the Empress’s special treatment of her and followed suit with their own flattery.

Moreover, Xiao Wanyue had been summoning her frequently lately, almost daily, to Jingming Palace.

It wasn’t for any urgent matters, really. Xiao Wanyue would simply have Li Wancheng help serve meals or grind ink during calligraphy practice—just various small, everyday tasks.

Fortunately, their palaces were close by; otherwise, Li Wancheng feared she might one day run her legs off traveling between them.

“Your Majesty, it’s time for your medicine,” Li Wancheng dutifully reminded her at the appointed hour.

In recent days, aside from the Sovereign’s morning court sessions and handling the Golden Armor Guard’s military affairs, Li Wancheng had been by Xiao Wanyue’s side almost constantly. Even the Empress’s personal maids weren’t as devoted.

Now, even the task of serving the Empress her medicine had fallen to Li Wancheng.

“Bring it here.”

Earlier, Li Wancheng had been puzzled by Xiao Wanyue’s insistence on wearing a thick fox fur coat even in spring.

Then, one day, she overheard a palace maid mention that the Empress had been frail since childhood. After the deaths of the Late Emperor and Late Empress, the shock had triggered a severe illness that left her with a chronic condition. She couldn’t tolerate the cold; even a slight chill would bring on uncontrollable coughing.

Hearing this, Li Wancheng initially assumed Xiao Wanyue’s weakness stemmed solely from this chronic ailment.

After spending the past few days together, she realized that Xiao Wanyue’s health was far worse than she had imagined, the woman was practically a walking medicine cabinet.

The Empress frowned slightly. She had been drinking this medicinal brew for years, and though she was accustomed to it, the bitterness still lingered.

In the next moment, an apricot plum suddenly appeared before her. Xiao Wanyue looked at her, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

“Apricot plum,” she explained. “To counteract the bitterness.”

The Empress smiled abruptly, leaning forward to take the plum directly from Xiao Wanyue’s hand. Whether intentional or not, her tongue brushed lightly against the woman’s fingertip.

A warm, wet sensation slid across her skin.

Her fingertip trembled, and she instinctively curled it inward.

So soft…

The apricot plum was mildly tart, with a balanced sweetness. Xiao Wanyue chewed the flesh thoroughly, savoring the sweet-and-sour juices that washed away the lingering medicinal taste. Suddenly, she asked, “Are you this attentive to everyone?”

Li Wancheng froze, surprised by the question. “Your Majesty,” she replied helplessly, “I hardly have the time for that.”

“So,” Xiao Wanyue leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with amusement, “you’re only this attentive to me, then?”

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