Chapter 188 - 188 Not enough Part I

188 Not enough Part I

Liveliness returned to the banquet again after Ouyang Mingxian and his two future consorts said thanks to the emperor. Ouyang Feilong granted seats to the soon-to-be Qin Wang Fei and the emissaries. Other guests were delighted by the auspicious event that would happen in the Bai family. Even the royal consorts smiled at Bai Yu in satisfaction with the decision.

When Bai Yu observed her parents’ expressions, there was no longer a trace of worry to be seen. Furthermore, her older brother seemed to be in quite a good mood.

She was relieved at the sight of Xu Peipei and Xu Luanle enjoying the banquet as well. Only the three who would soon marry had a blank look on their faces.

Bai Yu’s met her gaze with Ouyang Mingxian’s and smiled at him, despite his cold gaze. The matter of love was impossible to control, and that was the reason she could not make him love her in the last life. But at least she could make him repay it in this life while at the same time making the best decision to solve her and Ouyang Feilong’s problem.

Now that her fate had reached this point, the concept of a ‘good person’ should have been forgotten already.

Shortly after, Bai Yu took her leave, with the excuse that she had a headache. The true reason was that the banquet had nothing more for her. She believed Ouyang Feilong would follow her soon as well, in order to let the courtiers drink and celebrate without having to be mindful in front of the emperor.

When she arrived at her palace, Bai Yu let the royal maids take off her clothes and accessories without a sound of objection. She feared that their weight would one day shorten her height.

While she was letting the maids do their work, Bai Yu thought back to what had happened at the banquet. It was true that she could now be assured that Ouyang Mingxian would not rise against Ouyang Feilong in the near future or try to take the throne for himself. Still, she had to look for weaknesses that her decision today had opened up so that she could prevent problems from arising in the future.

She felt that while Ouyang Mingxian’s marriage to a Da Chu’s princess would cull his power within Da Yang, it also presented a risk of forming too close a relationship between the two nations, one which might one day jeopardize Ouyang Feilong’s reign.

.....

While Bai Yu was deliberating between discussing the matter with Ouyang Feilong today or later, a voice sounded from in front of the palace before she could reach her conclusion.

“Make way for the emperor.”

The emperor’s personal eunuch’s voice echoed throughout the palace. She had thought Ouyang Feilong would stay at the banquet for around half a shichen more instead of less than two ke. Moreover, he headed directly to her palace instead of his own.

Bai Yu went out to welcome him in formal clothes, which contrasted with her hair being put up in a simple style. She had just taken off her hair ornaments but not yet the multiple-layered robes on her body.

“Next time, don’t wait for me like this.” She had not waited too long before Ouyang Feilong came to encircle his arm around her and take her inside the palace. The royal maids knowingly closed the door behind them.

After closing the door, they silently left the area, thinking the couple was going to have an ‘intimate’ moment together. Even though they guessed wrong, it still benefited Bai Yu since now she could openly discuss things with Ouyang Feilong.

“When has Your Majesty planned this?” The new empress instantly asked her husband, without caring to ‘do’ what the servants had thought. Hearing her question, Ouyang Feilong sighed, then came to take off her robe, continuing the work the palace maids had half-done. His actions were the complete opposite of the duties of a spouse that tradition had dictated. True, Bai Yu was glad to have such a wonderful husband, but this was not the time.

“Your Majesty,” she called the person who was focusing on taking off her clothes with a stricter tone.

“Help zhen change first.”

Bai Yu still stared at Ouyang Feilong, unblinking. She did not move to follow his request at all.

“Should zhen stay here all night for your interrogation?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” There were many things she would no longer wait for him to tell her. Tonight, she would ask him about every single detail of his plan, no matter what. At that thought, she started by taking off his emperor’s hat first. Her movement was not as swift or nimble as the maids, but Ouyang Feilong sat still and patiently waited for her to remove it from his head.

There were many things his empress had yet to understand. Even though he believed that his little fool was smart enough to survive on her own, he still thought the palace was not a place for her at all.

“Zhen had agreed on one thing with Da Chu’s emperor before helping him suppress the coup.”

“It’s marriage?”

“Correct.” Ouyang Feilong nodded before standing up so that Bai Yu could continue her work of removing his clothes. “It is an effective method that will prevent future wars.”

“So Your Majesty knew that the first princess would be the one to come here for a diplomatic marriage?”

“It’s merely a suspicion, though zhen was not quite confident.”

“But Your Majesty still guesses correctly and takes advantage of it with impeccable timing.” Bai Yu sarcastically praised the cunning man in front of her. Her hands slowly and carefully shed layers and layers of the dragon robe.

“It’s successful because zhen believes in you.”

Bai Yu paused. “Your Majesty didn’t think that I would let Your Majesty marry her?”

“You won’t do it.”

“But what if—”

“You will never do it.”

Two pairs of eyes met before both of them became silent. Ouyang Feilong was the first to reveal a smile. His large hand gently caressed her cheek. “Are you angry?”

“About what?” Bai Yu turned away from the guilty look in his eyes. She pretended to be staring at her hands, which had resumed removing his clothes again. In such close proximity, she could smell the alcohol on Ouyang Feilong.

“There are many things zhen has never told you.”

Without exchanging their gazes, Bai Yu knew from his tone and the warmth next to her cheek that he was trying to comfort her. If it were other women, they would be at least irritated and at most furious after being kept in the dark about many important matters, from Ouyang Hongxian to the unexpected title of empress. Strangely, Bai Yu felt nothing of the sort.

Bai Yu had always been a believer in love. In her every life, she devoted herself to love and tried to nurture it with trust. Unfortunately, no matter how much trust she had, it would be destroyed in every life.

In this life, she should learn from her past pain and stop giving out trust so easily. But when the other party was Ouyang Feilong, all her lessons seemed to become nothing. She still believed in him. “I have faith in Your Majesty.”

“Thank you.” The warmth on her cheek moved to her waist. His arms encircled it and pulled her into an embrace. “Zhen might not have said much, but zhen has you in mind for every plan.”

With his arms and such sweet words, how could she not be swayed by him? She left his robe half-removed to return his hug. Bai Yu put her cheek against his wide chest, feeling his arms tighten around her. “And what about the plans starting from here?”

“Of course, they will include you as well.” The voice that would normally speak indifferently to others was gentle and warm as if it were spoken by a different person. “Not only that, zhen’s everything, every action, is all for you and you alone.”

Bai Yu said nothing in reply, only nodding into his chest with a smile. She once asked this man why he hated deceitful women so much. If he hated this kind of woman, then was it possible for him to act deceitfully too? Many times, Ouyang Feilong had proved to her that he had survived up until now with his sincerity, unlike her, who had to live while lying to everyone outside of her close relatives.

And so she wondered: Could someone like him live in such a cruel world as this? A deceitful person like her could survive by hiding her true self and putting on a mask of wickedness while struggling in this world of hierarchy. But for him, a royalty, could he survive with sincerity and straightforwardness? She never knew that the man she had doubted would be a mastermind today.

When did she stop acting cruel, stop faking smiles, and hide ruthlessness behind sweet words?

When did she stop pretending to be someone she was not and become the most powerful woman by the hand of the man she never expected that he would be able to do it?

When did he take her wickedness away and use it to protect her in his arms?

When did he make her feel like she was a ‘heroine’ while still being the same Bai Yu?

“Sleepy already?” Ouyang Feilong asked when he noticed her silence.

Bai Yu did not answer. She shook her hand and slightly pulled away from his embrace before tiptoeing to press a kiss onto his lips. He was as caring as ever, despite being the one who was more exhausted and had more burden. She suddenly had the urge to do it in order to convey all the emotions she was experiencing to him.

Ouyang Feilong fell silent, seemingly shocked.

“Is there any other plan?” Her lips slowly retreated as they parted to utter a question about the unfinished conversation. Ouyang Feilong looked at the woman who could not stop smiling after her touch had stilled him.

“There is…” His large hands slid down to squeeze her hip as revenge. His face moved closer as he whispered. “A plan to produce an heir.”