When the Female Lead Becomes Obsessive – Chapter 148

Volume Seven: The Years I Was a General

Find You Dirty

The memorials¹ were continuously reviewed until nearly Xushi². Yuan Qi, carrying strong tea as usual, walked into Zhongming Hall, only to see that Xiao Chuyu had already put down her brush.

“Is Your Majesty going to rest?” Yuan Qi asked.

Xiao Chuyu pinched the space between her eyebrows, her brow revealing exhaustion. She said in a low voice, “En.”

Yuan Qi was inwardly surprised. Since Xiao Chuyu had ascended the throne, she had never gone to bed to rest at Xushi. He handed the strong tea to a little eunuch at the side to take away. “Then, shall this servant help you disrobe?”

“Good.” Xiao Chuyu raised both hands, allowing Yuan Qi to remove her outer robe. “The memorials on the right are the ones Zhen has finished reviewing. Take them away directly.”

Yuan Qi nodded and said, “Nuo.”

After the disrobing was finished, Yuan Qi left Zhongming Hall holding the reviewed memorials. Only one eunuch and one palace maid were left in the outer hall to keep watch for the night.

Xiao Chuyu washed her hands and walked to the bedside. She had thought Gu Wen Nuan was asleep, but discovered her staring blankly at her with wide eyes.

“What are you doing?” Xiao Chuyu was nearly startled by her sparkling eyes.

Wen Nuan leaned inward, patted the empty space on the bed, and said in a fawning tone, “Your Majesty, come. This guilty subject will serve you.”

“….” A vein pulsed on Xiao Chuyu’s forehead. “Gu Wen Nuan, if you don’t want to properly recuperate from your injuries, do you want to roll back to the Zhaoyu to be punished?”

Wen Nuan instantly felt wronged and pouted, “This guilty subject has been waiting for you obediently in bed. How has that become a crime?”

Xiao Chuyu snorted coldly, “The yellow weasel paying a New Year’s call to the chicken³—harboring no good intentions.”

Wen Nuan said no more. She turned over and lay down, directly facing away from Xiao Chuyu, with a sulking look of “Laozi is angry.”

Xiao Chuyu: “….”

She has the nerve to throw a tantrum at me?!

Who gave her the guts to show me attitude?!

Believe it or not, I’ll issue a decree to have her executed immediately!

Xiao Chuyu narrowed her eyes and got into bed, lying on the outer side.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at Gu Wen Nuan’s slender back, her gracefully curved butterfly bones⁴ and a waist that could be held in a grasp. She picked up a strand of Gu Wen Nuan’s black silk⁵ scattered on the bed, held it before her nose, and sniffed. It was that familiar scent.

Ethereal, like the clouds and mist in a mountain forest.

Xiao Chuyu did not want to look at Gu Wen Nuan’s back. Even though the two of them were now sharing a bed and pillow, it still made her feel as if they were a short distance away, yet as far as the horizon⁶.

She was clearly within reach, yet Gu Wen Nuan was like a dream or an illusion; if touched, she would dissipate.

Xiao Chuyu did not like this sense of distance. She disliked it very much.

She said coldly, “Gu Wen Nuan, turn around for Zhen.”

Wen Nuan shook her shoulders, indicating her refusal.

“…”

Is Gu Wen Nuan really angry? Xiao Chuyu couldn’t help but be astonished.

How dare she!?

Xiao Chuyu’s fingertips grasped the corner of her clothes and tugged. Her tone grew heavier. “Turn over for Zhen.”

The corners of Wen Nuan’s mouth hooked up. She moved her body but simply would not turn.

Seeing that Wen Nuan’s attitude was firm, Xiao Chuyu took a deep breath and exerted force with her hand, intending to pull Wen Nuan over fiercely. She had originally thought she would just be turning her in a different direction, but she hadn’t expected Gu Wen Nuan to turn so easily. In the blink of an eye, the two of them were tightly embracing.

Wen Nuan held Xiao Chuyu in her arms and said with a low laugh, “What is Your Majesty doing?”

Xiao Chuyu buried her face in her chest, her face reddening. “…Zhen is sleepy. Time to sleep.”

“Alright,” Wen Nuan lowered her head and kissed her hair, chuckling lightly. “Your Majesty, sweet dreams.”

The tips of Xiao Chuyu’s ears turned red. She closed her eyes, curled herself up in Wen Nuan’s embrace, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.

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That the Emperor’s birthday banquet was to be a grand affair this year was something the hundred officials had not expected. When the Ministry of Rites⁷ received the Emperor’s decree permitting a grand celebration, they were all dumbfounded. Thus, they rushed by fast horse and whip to prepare the things for the grand birthday banquet, causing the officials of the Ministry of Rites to be so busy for the past month that their four feet were facing the sky⁸.

And this month, for Wen Nuan, was very painful. Every day she was forced to drink medicinal soup so bitter it made her want to vomit. Although drinking the medicine was very painful, after drinking it, Xiao Chuyu would give her a particularly, particularly sweet candied fruit, which would immediately dispel the bitter taste in her mouth.

“This guilty subject wants to eat another candied fruit.” Wen Nuan opened her mouth, taking advantage of bitterness to bully people⁹.

Xiao Chuyu took another piece of candied fruit and handed it over.

Wen Nuan’s mouth was filled with sweetness, and she smiled with satisfaction. “Your Majesty, this guilty subject’s internal injuries are almost healed. How about we stop drinking this medicine?”

Xiao Chuyu had intended to take a handkerchief to wipe the medicinal residue from the corner of her mouth, but hearing her words, she was so angry she directly smashed the handkerchief on her face. “In your dreams.”

Wen Nuan had the handkerchief plastered to her face. “Although good medicine is bitter to the mouth and beneficial for the illness, all medicine is three parts poison¹⁰. If this guilty subject drinks it like this every day, perhaps before autumn arrives, this guilty subject will have been poisoned to death.”

“…..” Xiao Chuyu felt a fire smoldering in her heart. She glared at Wen Nuan. “Say that again?”

Wen Nuan sealed her lips tightly, her eyes signaling I was wrong.

Xiao Chuyu turned and left, ordering Yuan Qi to watch Gu Wen Nuan well.

Seeing her leave, Wen Nuan shouted, “Your Majesty, where are you going? Take this guilty subject with you, ah?”

From the outer hall came Xiao Chuyu’s furious roar, filled with exasperation: “Roll!”

Wen Nuan: “….”

The System tsk-tsked: 【You’ve become annoying.】

Seeing Wen Nuan’s awkward expression, Yuan Qi gave a silent smile. “Young General Gu, Her Majesty has gone to the Imperial Study to review memorials. It is most important for you to continue recuperating well in Zhongming Hall.”

Ever since Wen Nuan’s body had mostly recovered, Xiao Chuyu had moved back to the Imperial Study to review memorials.

Wen Nuan suspected that Xiao Chuyu was deliberately avoiding her. After all, her blackening value had decreased these past few days, which meant that Xiao Chuyu’s feelings for her had changed. Therefore, Xiao Chuyu was afraid that she herself would become soft-hearted toward her and thus began to distance herself.

This was a good sign.

With nothing to do, Wen Nuan wanted to go out for a stroll. Xiao Chuyu had not forbidden her from moving about; after all, she was surrounded by the Imperial Guard and shadow guards watching her.

To tell the truth, even if these people watched her day and night, she still had ways to escape. After all, she had the BUG-like existence of the System. Escaping in minutes would be easy.

The System said expressionlessly: 【Laozi is not a BUG!】

Wen Nuan said expressionlessly: “Right, you are not a BUG, you are YYDS¹¹!”

【….】The System rolled its eyes at her and went into hibernation.

Wen Nuan went to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers, watch the fish, and bask in the sun. She was dressed in white robes, sitting on a railing, watching the passing palace maids and eunuchs holding various kinds of porcelain vases and jade artifacts.

The youth’s posture was outstanding, long and slender legs swinging in the air, handsome face shining with brilliance under the sun, like a heavenly god.

The palace maids from the Bureau of Precious Objects¹² were momentarily dazzled. They accidentally bumped into each other, and the exquisite jewelry was nearly knocked to the ground.

Seeing this, the Shang-gong Gugu¹³ scolded, “What are you all doing? If these gold ornaments are damaged, even if all of you were slaughtered, you couldn’t afford to compensate for them, you know?”

The palace maids from the Bureau of Precious Objects were so frightened they knelt on the ground, all begging for mercy and apologizing.

The Zhang-zhen Gugu¹⁴ inspected the gold ornaments one by one and discovered that a white magnolia hairpin with gold-patterned edges¹⁵ had vanished without a trace. She was instantly furious and said, “Jiaolan¹⁶, where is the white magnolia hairpin? Did you lose it?”

Jiaolan looked at the gold ornaments on the tray. The white magnolia hairpin the Zhang-zhen Gugu mentioned was truly gone. She was so scared her whole body trembled, and she sobbed, “Gugu, Jiaolan truly does not know. That white magnolia hairpin was there just a moment ago. Gugu, please believe Jiaolan.”

Even if the Zhang-zhen Gugu believed Jiaolan, so what? Now that the white magnolia hairpin had vanished without a trace, Jiaolan certainly couldn’t escape punishment. At best, she would be expelled from the imperial palace; at worst, she would be beaten to death with clubs.

“Jiaolan, the white magnolia hairpin is so precious, yet you failed to guard it properly, leading to the loss of the treasure. Gugu cannot protect you either.”

Jiaolan’s eyes widened. She looked at the Zhang-zhen Gugu in disbelief, begging for mercy with tears streaming down her face, “Zhang-zhen Gugu, save Jiaolan, save Jiaolan…”

“Are you talking about this jade hairpin?”

Everyone turned their heads to look, only to see that heavenly god-like youth having descended into the mortal world. In his hand was precisely that white magnolia hairpin that had vanished without a trace.

Wen Nuan walked over, handed the jade hairpin to the Zhang-zhen Gugu, and asked with a smile, “Is it this one?”

The Zhang-zhen Gugu’s heart trembled, startled by Wen Nuan’s bright smile. She took the jade hairpin, examined it carefully, and seeing that it was completely undamaged, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, this is the white magnolia hairpin that vanished without a trace just now. Where did this young master pick it up?”

Wen Nuan pointed to the sky. “It fell from the sky.”

Just now, when the palace maids collided, the little palace maid named Jiaolan had not held the tray steady, causing the white magnolia hairpin inside to fly out. Wen Nuan happened to see it, and thinking that if the hairpin were to fall to the ground, it would surely shatter into pieces, she used Qinggong to fly up and save this white magnolia hairpin.

The Zhang-zhen Gugu paused. “….Young master truly loves to joke.”

Seeing that she didn’t believe her, Wen Nuan didn’t explain further. She looked at the still-shaken Jiaolan. “Since the white magnolia hairpin has been found, Gugu shouldn’t punish this little maiden, right?”

The Zhang-zhen Gugu looked at Jiaolan and sighed. “Jiaolan, hurry up and thank this young master.”

Jiaolan was mesmerized by Wen Nuan’s exquisite appearance. When she came to her senses, she immediately kowtowed. “Many thanks to this young master for coming to the rescue. Jiaolan is endlessly grateful.”

Wen Nuan shrugged. “It’s nothing, an effort of raising a hand¹⁷.” She looked at the Zhang-zhen Gugu. “Then you all can get back to your work.”

She had to go back. After all, Yuan Qi must have been terrified seeing her suddenly fly away with Qinggong.

Seeing Wen Nuan’s otherworldly appearance and extraordinary bearing, unlike that of a commoner, the Zhang-zhen Gugu figured that a man who could enter and leave the imperial palace’s Imperial Garden must be an imperial relative, a nobleman, or the son of a court official.

She was just about to ask who Wen Nuan was when she saw Yuan Qi running over in a panic with a group of Imperial Guards.

The palace maids of the Bureau of Precious Objects were frightened into a cluster by this formation. Jiaolan thought they were coming to arrest her and was so scared she trembled nonstop, collapsing onto the ground, unable to move.

Seeing her collapse to the ground in fear, Wen Nuan extended a hand and smiled. “Get up. They’re not here to arrest you. Don’t be afraid.”

Jiaolan stared blankly at Wen Nuan, tremblingly handing over her hand, allowing Wen Nuan to pull her up.

Wen Nuan wanted to pull her hand back, but Jiaolan held it tightly. “Little maiden, it’s time to let go.”

Jiaolan came to her senses and immediately released her hand, her face blushing red. She didn’t dare to look at Wen Nuan again.

Yuan Qi ran up to Wen Nuan, panting, and said in a panic, “Gu… Gu… Gu…”

Seeing that he was so flustered he couldn’t even speak, Wen Nuan said helplessly, “I didn’t run away. Don’t be afraid, ha.”

Just now, when Yuan Qi saw Wen Nuan suddenly fly off the high platform, his whole person was so scared his heart and liver trembled, as if in the next second he would be on the execution block.

Seeing Wen Nuan with the Bureau of Precious Objects, he immediately rushed over with the Imperial Guard, terrified that Wen Nuan had run off again.

Yuan Qi caught his breath and wiped away the cold sweat he had broken out in from fear. “Little Ancestor, please don’t scare this servant anymore. This servant’s old bones really can’t play with you, ah.”

Wen Nuan looked at the surrounding Imperial Guard, who had surrounded them so tightly that not even water could leak through¹⁸, and sighed. “Alright, I won’t stroll around anymore, okay? Let’s go, back to lying down.”

Yuan Qi beamed with joy. “Good, good, good, lying down is good.”

Wen Nuan rolled her eyes at him, turned, and walked toward Zhongming Hall, with the Imperial Guard following behind her.

Seeing this situation, the Zhang-zhen Gugu was puzzled. She asked Yuan Qi, “Yuan-gonggong¹⁹, which lord’s young son is this young master?”

Yuan Qi’s expression turned grave. He warned, “There are some things you shouldn’t blindly inquire about. Be careful, or you won’t even know how you died.”

The Zhang-zhen Gugu’s face turned pale, and she immediately shut her mouth, not daring to ask anymore.

Yuan Qi quickly caught up.

The Zhang-zhen Gugu turned her head and saw Jiaolan staring with a captivated expression in the direction Wen Nuan had left. She was extremely angry and slapped her. “You wretched girl, still looking? You don’t want to live anymore, is that it?”

Jiaolan lowered her head and stammered for a long time before saying, “I’m sorry, Gugu.”

“Alright, watch the gold ornaments properly. If they’re lost again this time, no one will be able to help you find them.” The Zhang-zhen Gugu gave her a glare, angry at her for not living up to expectations.

Jiaolan rejoined the group and replied in a low voice, “Yes, Gugu. Jiaolan will definitely watch the gold ornaments properly.” She glanced back again in the direction Wen Nuan had left. It seemed to be toward Zhongming Hall.

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Imperial Study

A shadow guard reported everything that had happened in the Imperial Garden to Xiao Chuyu, without omitting a single word.

The memorial was completely blackened by her wolf-hair brush²⁰, the words on it no longer legible. Xiao Chuyu’s eyes gradually deepened, and her voice was cold. “What did you just say?”

The shadow guard’s body shook violently. “Young General Gu saved a little palace maid from the Bureau of Precious Objects.”

He had seen it with his own eyes. Gu Wen Nuan had used Qinggong to catch the white magnolia hairpin that was about to fall, thereby saving that little palace maid from the Bureau of Precious Objects in front of the Zhang-zhen Gugu.

“What was Gu Wen Nuan’s reaction to that little palace maid?”

The shadow guard swallowed. “This subordinate believes that Young General Gu was merely making an effort of raising a hand, and had no other intentions.”

Xiao Chuyu lowered her eyes. “And the palace maids from the Bureau of Precious Objects?”

“They….” The shadow guard reported truthfully, “They seemed… very admiring of Young General Gu.”

After all, the adoration and fondness in their eyes were truly impossible to ignore.

The fine wolf-hair brush was snapped forcefully by Xiao Chuyu. She took a deep breath. “You may leave.”

The shadow guard replied, “Yes.”

“Wait a moment.” Xiao Chuyu stopped him, looking at the shadow guard with cold eyes. “Give them a little punishment. As for their lives, it will depend on whether they can preserve them themselves.”

The shadow guard was startled, then immediately said, “Yes, this subordinate will go and do it now.”

Xiao Chuyu looked at the blackened memorial, just like her own heart, which had been rotted by hatred and jealousy, unable to see a trace of pure white.

Gu Wen Nuan, I’m doing this on account of you not showing them a pleasant face. Otherwise, tonight’s punishment for them would not have been so simple.

That night, a great fire broke out in the sleeping quarters of the Bureau of Precious Objects’ palace maids. The fire was severe, and many palace maids were burned, but the only fortunate thing was that no one died.

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Wen Nuan had thought Xiao Chuyu would return very late again. Just as she was about to sleep, she was dragged out of bed by Xiao Chuyu. She was dazedly brought by Xiao Chuyu to Qiongyao Pavilion²¹.

Then she was thrown fiercely into the jade soup²² by Xiao Chuyu.

Wen Nuan emerged from the water and wiped her face. “Your Majesty, what are you doing?”

The moment Xiao Chuyu thought of the shadow guard telling her that Gu Wen Nuan had even pulled that palace maid up, a nameless fire ignited in her heart. She showed a look of disgust. “You are too dirty. Wash yourself properly.”

How can my person go and touch someone else’s hand!

“This guilty subject is dirty?”

Wen Nuan clearly remembered that she had taken a bath before getting into bed.

She couldn’t help but wonder, “Where is this guilty subject dirty?”

Xiao Chuyu narrowed her eyes. “Dirty everywhere. Wash your hands properly. They’re filthy.”

Wen Nuan: “….”

What’s wrong with Xiao Chuyu?

Who provoked her?

Or was she angered while reviewing memorials?

Wen Nuan walked up to her and looked up at her. “Your Majesty, are you angry?”

Xiao Chuyu looked down at Wen Nuan from above, perfectly able to see her delicate collarbones and the gentle curve of her chest.

She suddenly felt a heat in her eyes and said in a hoarse voice, “If Zhen is angry, what will you do?”

Wen Nuan’s eyes shifted. She grabbed her ankle and fiercely pulled her into the water.

Xiao Chuyu was caught off guard by Wen Nuan’s sneak attack. Just as she was about to open her mouth to curse angrily, she was kissed by Wen Nuan, whose scorching lips/tongue swallowed all her anger into their belly.

“Naturally, it is to please Your Majesty properly.”

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