Chapter 884: The Young Empress (21)

Jing Cheng had just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Tang Guo call out, "Imperial Consort."

"I'm here."

He responded immediately, setting his teacup aside. Hearing that slightly soft, languid voice, he felt as though a kitten had lightly scratched at his heart.

He deliberately avoided looking at the Empress's face.

At some point, he had realized that his attention was becoming far too easily drawn to her.

"Help me up."

The simple request filled Jing Cheng with complicated emotions, but he still stepped forward and helped her rise.

The Empress smelled wonderful.

Truly wonderful.

It wasn't that he was deliberately entertaining improper thoughts. The idea had simply surfaced on its own.

She was also rather slender. As he supported her, he felt as though he could almost touch her bones through her robes.

Thinking about how she rose before dawn every day to attend court, only to spend the rest of her mornings reviewing memorials afterward, he couldn't help but reflect on how exhausting her life was. Although she still managed to find occasional free time, she could never compare to the leisurely lives of the men in the imperial harem.

If trouble broke out somewhere, she might go an entire month without a single day of rest.

And yet she was only fifteen years old.

Still just a young girl who hadn't even reached adulthood.

The more he thought about it, the more sympathy welled up inside him.

The Empress seemed rather pitiful.

At such a young age, she was already burdened with governing an entire empire. It truly wasn't easy.

He had heard that the late Empress's health had been poor. Tang Nuoyue, the Empress's elder sister, had been born foolish. From the moment Tang Guo came into the world, she had represented the future of the entire Western Saint Kingdom.

She had been raised as the heir from childhood.

There had likely been very little room for the joys and freedom of an ordinary childhood.

"Have you finished practicing your swordsmanship, Imperial Consort?"

"Yes."

Jing Cheng answered promptly.

For some reason, he felt that the Empress's voice carried a hint of softness.

Of course, he assumed it was simply his imagination.

"Have you eaten anything? Sword practice consumes a lot of energy. You should make sure to eat more afterward."

Perhaps it was merely a casual remark, but Jing Cheng still found himself strangely pleased.

"I haven't had the chance yet."

"Chief Steward, bring some food. Prepare dishes according to the Imperial Consort's preferences. In the future, whenever the Imperial Consort practices swordsmanship, have the meal ready beforehand. We can't have him going hungry."

Tang Guo casually issued a string of instructions with a wave of her hand.

Jing Cheng's feelings immediately became somewhat complicated.

The Empress was paying far too much attention to him.

Still, he had to admit that after spending so many years in the palace, being cared for like this by the Empress made him genuinely happy.

He was, after all, the Imperial Consort.

If he and the Empress could maintain a harmonious relationship, that would naturally be for the best.

At present, their relationship seemed quite good.

Of course, he had never dared hope that the Empress would deeply love him.

The day he became Imperial Consort, he had already understood that his future would likely be nothing like his parents'—a simple and exclusive love shared between two people.

Still, being able to support one another and coexist harmoniously with the Empress was already a fortunate outcome.

No matter what, he was still a man.

The traits and instincts of a man had not disappeared simply because he lived in the Western Saint Kingdom.

He wasn't the type who would want to die simply because he couldn't obtain the Empress's exclusive affection.

At most, he would feel somewhat disappointed.

Before long, the food arrived.

Resting her chin on one hand, Tang Guo watched Jing Cheng, who had yet to touch the dishes. Smiling, she said, "Imperial Consort, eat. You've just finished practicing your swordsmanship. This is exactly when you should replenish your strength. There's no need to stand on ceremony in front of me."

Jing Cheng recalled how he had already revealed his true appetite in front of the Empress the last time.

Since that was the case, there was little point pretending anymore.

"Then Jing Cheng will not stand on ceremony."

He was genuinely hungry.

The Empress was so generous, showing not the slightest concern about how much he ate. As a result, his favorable impression of her continued to grow.

He couldn't help thinking that with a ruler like her governing the Western Saint Kingdom, the nation would only become stronger and more prosperous.

Naturally, he would also devote himself wholeheartedly to assisting her.

He would remain loyal to the Empress forever.

He would never betray her.

Otherwise, he would be unworthy of the kindness she had shown him.

As thoughts of the other men in the imperial harem surfaced in his mind, a trace of sympathy suddenly arose for the Empress.