A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 293: Chapter 292: If... Touch Again

”MEOW!”

Da Bai looked at her with an expression of disbelief, as if asking, ”Do you love me, or do you love that seemingly delicious fish?”

Xia Ruqing took a step forward. Da Bai instantly capitulated, flopping onto the ground, cuddling her shoe, and acting cute. And then! Xia Ruqing’s heart melted.

”You silly cat?” she chided, squatting down to stroke him.

Right at that moment, Xiao Zhu Zi came to report, ”My lady, the Emperor is here!”

Xia Ruqing was genuinely surprised. ”Huh?”

Why would the Emperor come here? Today is the selection of new consorts; shouldn’t he be... at the Empress’s place? There’s so much going on. The Empress will definitely ask the Emperor over for dinner and to discuss matters properly. Wasn’t that the case yesterday?

However, before she could dwell on it, Xiao Zhu Zi and Zi Yue were already ushering her away. ”My lady, we must receive His Majesty!”

As soon as Zhao Junyao entered, the atmosphere seemed a bit off.

Xia Ruqing hurriedly stepped forward to greet him. ”Greetings to the Emperor!”

Zhao Junyao gave her a cold look. ”You’re with child; why bother bowing!”

His tone was slightly harsh. He was truly annoyed. But after he spoke, he felt a twinge of regret.

Xia Ruqing, however, didn’t mind. ”You are the Emperor, after all!”

Then she rose, took the tea from a Palace Maid, and personally handed it to him. ”Emperor, please have some tea!”

Seeing her calm and composed demeanor, Zhao Junyao felt ten thousand flames of anger he couldn’t vent. He just had to restrain himself.

He took the tea and had a sip. After swallowing a gulp of the lukewarm tea, Zhao Junyao felt his anger subside a little.

But anger is still anger; it remained. Suppressing it is no use! It needs to be released!

Zhao Junyao glanced at Xia Ruqing.

Her belly... four months along, isn’t it? Four months... is it permissible?

Poor Imperial Doctor Zhang was summoned again.

Xia Ruqing was somewhat bewildered. ”Emperor, you just had my pulse taken yesterday!”

Ever since she became pregnant, Imperial Doctor Zhang seemed to wish he could stay by her side and check her pulse three times a day. The Old Imperial Doctor, well into his years, would break into a sweat at the slightest hint of trouble. The Emperor was pressing him too hard.

Sometimes, Xia Ruqing genuinely felt for him.

Meanwhile, Imperial Doctor Zhang took her pulse and reported, ”Emperor, Xia Jieyu’s pulse is very good, and the fetus is developing well! Just ensure she maintains a balanced diet and moves around a bit!”

Even the so-called fetus-preserving medicine wasn’t needed.

Zhao Junyao was very pleased. And then... he sent the Imperial Physician out.

Xia Ruqing lay on the bed, confused.

Didn’t he say... the pulse was very good? Is there something that can’t be said in front of me?

Zi Yue, though also very anxious, still tried to comfort her, ”My lady, please don’t worry. Perhaps the Emperor has other matters to inquire about!”

Xia Ruqing: ”...”

She was pregnant; what could be the matter? Surely Zhao Junyao wouldn’t be so beastly as to... not even spare a pregnant woman... Please, no. He has so many women. Today, many more have been selected; isn’t any one of them better than her, a woman with a visibly pregnant belly?

Unfortunately... Zhao Junyao was indeed fixated on this ’woman with a visibly pregnant belly’ of his.

After washing up, Zhao Junyao mysteriously climbed onto the bed, looking at her with eyes like... a hungry wolf.

”Emperor... Emperor...” Xia Ruqing stammered. ”What... what do you intend to do?”

Her belly is already showing; she’s clearly pregnant!

Zhao Junyao gently wrapped his arms around her. ”Qingqing... I have asked the Imperial Physician...”

”Imperial Doctor Zhang said as long as the movements are gentle, it’ll be fine!”

Xia Ruqing’s hair stood on end. ”Emperor... Emperor, it’s not right!”

Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Junyao ripped off her bellyband.

Her slightly pregnant waist wasn’t as slender as before, but that natural curve held an inexplicably different charm.

He kissed her gently, from top to bottom, down to her slightly protruding abdomen.

”Qingqing...”

Xia Ruqing trembled all over, her voice tinged with a sob. ”Emperor, this isn’t right!”

How could she? She’s pregnant!

”We can... The Imperial Physician said we can, Qingqing, don’t be scared!” Zhao Junyao insisted. ”I will be very careful!”

The red bed curtains fell, layer by layer. Clothes flew out from within, one by one, landing on the floor. Soon, a series of delicate, fragmented sounds emerged from inside.

Unlike the storms of the past, this time, it was a gentle rain.

Zhao Junyao had never known... this slow approach, this flirtation, this ambiguous atmosphere. She, even without the tempests, possessed a different kind of beauty. He too could reach that ultimate pleasure! Even stronger, even more deeply etched in his memory than ever before.

Perhaps... it was because he hadn’t favored anyone in a long time. Coupled with his excitement, Zhao Junyao’s first time was... somewhat swift!

So, when they finished bathing together and Xia Ruqing was ready for a good night’s sleep, Zhao Junyao once again...

”Ah? Again?” Xia Ruqing exclaimed. ”No, absolutely not!” Dying of exhaustion, she protested, ”Emperor, your concubine is a pregnant woman!”

Zhao Junyao certainly knew that, but... the fire in his loins was raging! It was unbearable to hold it in! He was at the peak of his youthful vigor; how could he endure this? How could he possibly endure?

Xia Ruqing was in despair. ”Emperor, why don’t you find someone else!”

Zhao Junyao was slightly incensed! She actually told me to find someone else?

Immediately, a fierce kiss descended like a tempest, continuing until Xia Ruqing could hardly breathe, her mind blank.

After he let go, Xia Ruqing gasped for breath.

Zhao Junyao remained relentless. ”Qingqing...”

Xia Ruqing rolled her eyes and then... fell asleep.

She was really... just too sleepy!

Zhao Junyao looked at his ”little brother” and then at the soundly sleeping Xia Ruqing.

The fire inside him remained stuck, neither subsiding nor erupting! It was truly... unbearable! But however unbearable, it seemed he could only endure!

That night, the more soundly Xia Ruqing slept, the more Zhao Junyao suffered!

By the Yin Hour, though Zhao Junyao himself hadn’t fully woken, his ”little brother” certainly had.

Stiff and tense, swelling and aching, his whole body felt like it was on fire, his throat so dry it felt like smoke was billowing from it.

Zhao Junyao was in despair.

At that moment, Xia Ruqing suddenly turned over. A pair of small feet brushed, ever so lightly, against his ”little brother.”

”HISS...”

That touch was like a spark thrown onto dry prairie grass, instantly igniting a vast blaze!

His whole body was ablaze. But Qingqing was still asleep!

Zhao Junyao inwardly vowed! He would never come to sleep here again; this night was simply the darkest experience of his life!

Just when he didn’t know what to do, Xia Ruqing turned over again.

As if some part of her body was uncomfortable, her hands scratched here and there.

It would have been one thing if she only scratched herself, but she actually scratched him too. And not just that, she unintentionally brushed against his... his... Those soft, pale hands were so tender, like freshly picked spring onions. If only... she would touch it once more.

Zhao Junyao looked at the soundly sleeping Xia Ruqing.