I Quit Being This Female Lead (GL) - Chapter 34

Thin gauze and light mist, enchanting like a flawless work of art.

Mangkai was curled up under the quilt, with Xun Fangwen’s warm, smooth body behind her.

Without the clamor of the morning, no one dared to disturb Xun Fangwen before she woke up. Not even a matter of great importance could interrupt the rest of the Female Emperor and her Empress.

Outside the palace walls, the sky began to cloud over again, hinting at another snowstorm.

Although the biting cold wind outside the palace cut painfully at the ears, the sleeping quarters were warm and soft, like another world entirely.

Xun Fangwen’s biological clock was precise. When she opened her eyes, she saw Mangkai sleeping beside her. Her thick, long eyelashes trembled slightly, suggesting her sleep was unsettled.

Mangkai’s face was very beautiful, her peach blossom eyes mesmerizing with every glance and smile, but… Xun Fangwen preferred Mangkai’s previous appearance.

Getting up from the bed, Xun Fangwen’s black long hair slid down her shoulders to her chest. Her smooth skin was clammy, seemingly from the ambiguous traces left last night.

She touched her shoulder; her back felt a little sore, probably scratched by a certain little cat.

With a look of satisfaction on her lips, Xun Fangwen pulled the quilt up higher for Mangkai, covering the bruises on her neck.

Xun Fangwen could already predict that within a day, the news about her and Mangkai would spread throughout the palace.

Or perhaps, it had already begun the moment she kept Mangkai last night.

Xun Fangwen put on a white outer robe, pushed her inner black hair out over her shoulders, and tied it into a ponytail at the back of her head.

“Mmm…”

Perhaps the movement of getting up had awakened Mangkai. She buried her face in the quilt, groggily opening her eyes.

Her nose was filled with an unfamiliar, very pleasant scent.

Mangkai felt a terrible ache in her waist and legs. Her entire body was sore, as if she had been run over by a carriage, making her body hair stand on end.

Xun Fangwen turned and saw Mangkai looking blankly, seemingly still unable to grasp what had happened to her.

“Why are you awake so early?”

Xun Fangwen walked over, sat on the edge of the bed, and reached out to rub Mangkai’s cheek, laughing softly. “Didn’t you complain about being tired yesterday? Why not sleep a little longer?”

Mangkai subconsciously rubbed against the palm of Xun Fangwen’s hand, but a sudden pain in her waist made everything that happened last night rush back to her.

Her cheeks in Xun Fangwen’s hand grew hotter and hotter, but Xun Fangwen was unusually delighted, lowering her head to lightly kiss Mangkai’s dry lips.

The sweet taste was still so familiar, just like the uncontrollable breaths from last night.

Mangkai wanted to pull back but couldn’t help but gasp, biting her lip from the pain.

“Hiss—”

Mangkai’s face was pale. Clutching the quilt to her chest, she whimpered, “My waist, wuwuwuwu… is it broken? Why does it hurt so much?”

Xun Fangwen couldn’t help but curve her eyes in a smile.

Mangkai thought she was mocking her, and, white-faced, buried herself in the quilt, unable to even cry.

She had made a complete fool of herself last night, acting like a total novice. Now, thinking about it, she was so ashamed she didn’t know what to do, wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself!

If I water myself diligently, perhaps a new Mangkai might grow out of the ground next spring.

Seeing through the little thing’s thoughts, Xun Fangwen felt her judgment was spot on. No one else but Mangkai could make her so happy.

“Alright, don’t cry.” Xun Fangwen gently pulled her out of the quilt and held her in her arms, comforting her. “I don’t mind you; why are you starting to mind yourself?”

Mangkai hugged Xun Fangwen’s shoulder, afraid to look at her.

“I just feel like I’m so clumsy…”

“Heh…”

Xun Fangwen rubbed Mangkai’s cheek. “But I like you just the way you are, clumsy and all. What should I do about that?”

Mangkai’s face flushed crimson; she didn’t dare look at her.

How can this person say anything? Doesn’t she feel embarrassed at all?

Xun Fangwen patted Mangkai’s waist, still concerned, and said, “I’ll have the imperial physician come and check on you. It wouldn’t be good if you got injured yesterday.”

Mangkai shook her head fiercely!

If people found out she cried after her first time having sex, where would she put her face!

Absolutely not!!!!

“I’m fine. I’m much better after resting all night.” Mangkai pursed her lips and lowered her eyes, looking like a wronged little rabbit. “Don’t call the imperial physician. I can’t bear the shame…”

Xun Fangwen pinched Mangkai’s nose. “They won’t say a word. Why are you so concerned?”

Mangkai still disagreed. She tried to get up to grab her clothes, but her legs gave way, and she tumbled back into Xun Fangwen’s arms, unable to get up for a long time.

“Fine.” Xun Fangwen stopped bothering Mangkai, gently placing her back in bed, and said with concern, “I won’t call the imperial physician, but you can’t toss and turn either. Stay lying down properly, understand?”

Mangkai timidly nodded, extending one hand from under the quilt to hook Xun Fangwen’s arm.

Xun Fangwen: “?”

Mangkai: “You won’t leave, right?”

Xun Fangwen’s heart warmed. Her dark eyes stared at Mangkai for a long time before she leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I won’t leave. I will stay with you.”

In the future, whether it’s the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning or the last thing you see before you fall asleep at night, I will be with you.

The cold air didn’t last for two days, and the entire palace city began to be covered in fluttering snow again.

Flake by flake, the freshly cleaned streets were covered with another layer of vast white snow.

People started entering the palace before dawn. They were the officials of the court, both high and low, waking up at 4 a.m. to rush to the hall before being late.

These officials would dismount their carriages at the palace gate and then walk a distance before they could meet the Empress.

The snow this morning seemed particularly heavy.

“Greetings, Minister Chen.”

“Greetings, General Situ. You truly are a martial artist, still wearing armor in such cold weather. What excellent physique.”

“Not at all, not at all. Minister Chen is the one who is young and promising. I am merely a simple brute.”

Outside the palace gate, the officials who met greeted each other and walked in together.

The wind and snow were brisk this morning, making people shiver several times.

But before they could reach the main hall, they were stopped midway.

“Gentlemen, there will be no morning court today.” The eunuch with the sharp voice smiled and said to the officials, “Her Majesty the Female Emperor is resting again this morning. Everyone can go directly to the inner hall to handle state affairs.”

“This…”

An elderly official asked in confusion, “Is Her Majesty unwell? She hasn’t attended court for two days.”

“Her Majesty is in very good health. She is just tired recently and needs to rest.”

“In that case… very well. We will not disturb Her Majesty’s rest.”

“I will certainly speak highly of your concern to Her Majesty. Please don’t stand in this cold wind, gentlemen. Go warm up inside the inner cabinet.”

After everyone had left, the young eunuch behind him quickly handed him a warm hand stove and calculated the time, saying, “Everyone has been notified. You should go rest too.”

“Alas…” The eunuch held the hand stove and said helplessly, “It’s not easy this early in the morning. The few of you stay here. If any officials arrive late, don’t let them run here in vain. I’m going back for some sleep.”

“Yes.”

He had barely walked two steps when he stopped. The young eunuch carrying the lantern looked up in surprise and saw a woman dressed in plain silk standing before them. She was holding a snow-white pet—the young eunuch saw upon closer inspection that it was a fox.

The snow-white fox lay lazily in the woman’s arms, half-closing its eyes and staring at the servants in front of it, looking lethargic.

“Why are you leaving in such a hurry so early in the morning?”

The woman was as languid and captivating as the fox in her arms. Clad in a fox fur cloak, she looked playfully at the eunuch. “Is Her Majesty not holding morning court again today?”

“Her Majesty is still resting today,” the eunuch bowed to her. “Lady Luo, why are you up so early? It’s so cold, what if you catch a chill?”

Lady Luo smiled faintly, stroking the fox in her arms. “You, don’t be so sweet-tongued. Her Majesty hasn’t come to my Qian Yun Residence in a long time. Shouldn’t I, her teacher, come and inquire?”

In this palace, besides the palace maids and eunuchs who were not part of the imperial family, there was another kind of person.

That was the group of teachers, like Lady Luo, who lived in the palace and enjoyed the same treatment as high officials. These people belonged to the Inner Cabinet Staff, and their daily work was to advise the Female Emperor and sometimes teach her statecraft and governance.

Although they held no real power, their skill in speaking was more effective than anyone else’s.

Lady Luo was precisely the Female Emperor’s tutor, having taught her literature, literacy, statecraft, and governance since childhood. After over a decade in the palace, even the current Chancellor of the state had to respectfully call her ‘Lady Luo’ upon meeting her.

“To be honest with you, Lady Luo, the relationship between Her Majesty and the Empress is gradually warming up. She has been accompanying Her Highness the Empress in her palace these past few days.”

“Oh? I heard Her Highness the Empress was only released from the Cold Palace a few days ago. I didn’t expect them to be so inseparable already.”

She stroked the fox in her arms and said with interest, “However, Her Majesty previously executed the Empress’s entire family. Don’t you find it strange that the two of them can still be so harmonious, Eunuch?”

“This…” The eunuch smiled bitterly. “This servant knows nothing. It is a good thing that Her Majesty likes Her Highness the Empress.”

“Is it a good thing?” Lady Luo chuckled, tilting her head to look at him. “You servants, you should occasionally be a little more clever. Otherwise, you won’t even know how you died.”

“Lady Luo speaks the truth. We servants are not clever enough, and we hope the Lady will offer us more guidance.”

“Forget it,” the woman said listlessly. “Since Her Majesty is not holding court today, there’s no need for me to disturb her either.”

With that, the woman turned and left.

The eunuchs watched her figure disappear into the wind and snow, daring not to say more, and walked in the opposite direction, holding their lanterns.

Meanwhile, inside the Female Emperor’s sleeping quarters, soft, intimate moans could be heard from within the bed curtains.

Mangkai covered her eyes and cried, “Wen-wen, please let me go… No matter how hard you try, I can’t give birth to a little princess…”

Xun Fangwen couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “I’m not bullying you. Why are you crying so loudly?”

Mangkai glared at her with red-rimmed eyes. The sun was about to rise, and she still wouldn’t let her sleep. Wasn’t this bullying!