Palace Intrigue?: I Make the Emperor Cry by Rewinding Time!-Chapter 156 - 132: Thirty-Three Confessions

The Emperor’s thoughts were quick, and in the blink of an eye, he considered many things.

He wondered if she might be a fairy descending from the heavens to face tribulations. If she had to choose, would she still choose him? Without considering power and wealth, there were so many interesting men in the world! In his mind, he recalled their first night together and her inexperienced behavior. Perhaps she just hadn’t had the chance to experience other men, so she settled for him? He felt a bit of triumphant glee for being her first, yet he hoped she had experienced all the good in the world and still chose him.

But if he were to let her out to experience the myriad life of the people...

He couldn’t do it, he felt so despicable.

His eyes beneath his lashes were shadowy and indistinct, his heart was tied up in a thousand knots.

What was she thinking?

Yun Jiao noticed that after she spoke, the Emperor stayed silent.

Silence it is, then!

She stared at him intently, and in the harem, the greatest joy was seeing nothing but beauties. Amongst the men, the Emperor was the most beautiful and handsome one. He did not care much for his appearance, yet with numerous Palace Attendants tending to his grooming, he reached an effect of being "handsome without self-awareness" without seeming pretentious.

Xie Zhixing thought for most of the day, while Yun Jiao’s mind boiled down to five words—

He is really handsome!

"You," Xie Zhixing opened his mouth sorrowfully, "are by my side because you have no choice? If you could choose, would you not like me?"

Yun Jiao focused immediately shifted, "Whom could I possibly choose?"

Could it be that here, one could also seek out a playful prince, gallant General, the Celibate National Preceptor, or a troubled fake eunuch?

Since crossing over, besides her father and eunuchs, Yun Jiao really hadn’t seen many men.

Only last time during Qiu Lie at the hunting grounds, she saw the young man who captured horses on the prairie.

She recalled briefly, only to see Xie Zhixing heavily putting the teacup on the table, his gaze sullenly on her, "Whom are you thinking about?"

"No one in particular, but didn’t the Emperor permit me to choose? I was just imagining it."

"No imagining... wait, who did you imagine?"

Xie Zhixing was most displeased.

Yun Jiao grew guilty; asking who she thought of gave her plenty of options to mention.

She hesitated slightly, seeing her awkwardness, Xie Zhixing’s heart burned with a kind of malicious fire. She wasn’t one to miss facial cues, her heart thudded, hurriedly she defended, "Doesn’t the Emperor also have a harem of three thousand to choose from? If I choose two or three in my heart, it’s following the Emperor’s order to select beauty!"

In this era, though men and women were different, he indeed was a reasonable Emperor, feeling a bit guilty at her words. He sighed longingly, "I can’t disperse the harem. First, it’s putting the face of the Royal Family to the ground, and even if they return home, the households would let them become nuns or end themselves to preserve honor. But I promise you, no more women for me henceforth."

Such an emperor’s promise, as heavy as Taishan, startled Yun Jiao.

She kicked off her boots, hugged her feet to her chest, trying to curl herself on the bed, chuckling dryly, "No need for that! I was just casually speaking, please don’t take it seriously, Your Majesty. You have the throne to inherit, and how could I commit such a sin?"

Yun Jiao actually understood everything completely. She wasn’t deaf; how many times had the Emperor said he liked her? Each time she deflected with a laugh, using the harem of three thousand as an ultimate barrier, not expecting the Emperor to say he could set that aside, just for her.

Yet, even at this stage, she didn’t relent.

Think about someone giving up mountains of gold and silver to choose her; it’s terrifying! Yun Jiao compared in her mind; if she were the Emperor, and faced with the choice between herself and the beauties of the entire harem, she too would choose the harem.

"Isn’t it good now? When the Emperor desires me, I meet him. When he doesn’t want to come, he could visit the other sisters instead."

Yun Jiao suggested for him, but he leaned close, saying he didn’t need anyone else.

"You’re right, I don’t want you to have other men, nor do I want anyone else, just us two, terrific. If I didn’t do this, you’d never put me in the position of a lover, would you?"

The Emperor leaned too close, their breaths entwined, just as Yun Jiao was seeking words, his kiss landed at the corner of her lips. Flustered, though they had been intimate many times, she treated it as a game, sticking close to a handsome guy, taking it lightly and not as something significant... Xie Zhixing was right for once; she never regarded him as someone to be loved.

Xie Zhixing felt he’d made enough effort, yet she retreated slightly.

To be rejected by a woman he liked, what’s more painful in this world?

In the past, she surely wouldn’t avoid it, had his charm faded? Yun Jiao mused it wasn’t that. His features were well-formed, a member of the Imperial Family nurtured in the Deep Palace for so many years, even his disheartened gaze when emotionally hurt was charming.

She was scared, afraid of responsibility, and heartache.

"I was right, don’t dodge, don’t claim pregnancy, even if not pregnant, as long as you don’t wish, I won’t force it."

Xie Zhixing felt distressed, but he didn’t regret piercing the window’s veil. In Yun Jiao’s nature, she could remain oblivious out of convenience forever. Some think that possessing the body of the loved one means having her. To him, that’s not the case; inherently, he is not one to forcefully take but rather earnestly and gradually pursue.

"Why is that? All men choose three palaces and six courtyards."

"Why are you deciding for me? I just like you, want only you."

Xie Zhixing found it bewildering!

Changing girls nightly, that’s just going through the motions, what’s the fun in that? When longing for conversation in the harem, whoever could fulfill the role would win the favor. But now he had the most desired, the rest was unnecessary!

The next second, Xie Zhixing found himself standing outside the main hall again.

He was momentarily stunned. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Weren’t you talking quite a bit just now? Why stop talking suddenly?"

Behind the door, Concubine Li laughed gently.

"I’m thinking about the next move."

Distractedly finishing her game, without reverting to an earlier save, Yun Jiao let Concubine Li finally win: "I said if I lost, I’d kiss you, what’s the reward if you lose to me?"

"Then I’ll kiss you."

Upon saying that, Yun Jiao stood up and kissed her cheek.

Concubine Li held her face, shocked and speechless.

When Xie Zhixing pushed the door open, Concubine Li wasn’t much different in her reaction; Yun Jiao quietly greeted him all along, and when he took her back to the western room:

"Jiaojiao, I like..."

Suddenly back outside the door again.

Behind it, Yun Jiao sighed heavily.

The Emperor, old passion rekindled, would drive her to madness if it weren’t stopped! She must not let him say he likes her again; she knows her mind isn’t sharp, hearing it often enough might make her believe it.

But she replayed it thirty-three times, each time, the Emperor seized every chance to confess.

Until Xie Zhixing saw her dizzy and weak from rewinding time so many times, his heart softened, so he refrained from confessing, letting her muddle through.

But thirty-three times, each time, the Emperor said he liked her.

As if the affection meter had maxed out, with no different ending possible no matter how often refreshed.

Yun Jiao realized she couldn’t view him in the same light anymore.

Fortunately, until the day of the Longevity Festival, the Emperor didn’t broach any further awkward topics with her.