Chapter 1259: The Maid Qingdai, Rising Soaring to New Heights

That evening, the afterglow of dusk shone through the half-drawn purple curtains, casting a warm, dappled light on the floor tiles of the sleeping quarters.

The enchanting atmosphere inside the tent had not yet dissipated, mingling with the sweet fragrance of Helan Minyue's hair and a touch of languid warmth, lingering tenderly around the tip of the nose.

Lin Lang leaned back on the soft pillow, one hand casually resting on Helan Minyue's waist, the other holding a cigarette. As the embers flickered, wisps of pale blue smoke rose, blurring the languid look in his eyes.

He Lanminyue nestled in Lin Lang's arms like a satisfied cat, her cheek pressed against his warm chest, the tips of her ears still flushed.

She listened to Lin Lang's steady and powerful heartbeat, his unique scent lingering around her nose, mixed with a faint smell of tobacco, which didn't feel pungent at all, but instead gave her a sense of comfort and tenderness.

Helan Minyue raised her eyes, her gaze falling on Lin Lang's fingers holding the cigarette. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her voice was soft and charming: "Your Majesty, what's the use of smoking this cigarette?"

Lin Lang looked down at He Lanminyue's bewildered and curious expression, a slight smile playing on his lips. He flicked his cigarette ash, which fell into the gilded ashtray beside the bed with a soft sound.

"Behind invincibility lies loneliness; cigarettes are merely a way to exhale smoke and occasionally relieve boredom."

"Your Majesty, are you saying that you're not smoking cigarettes, but rather loneliness?" Helan Minyue thought Lin Lang's words were very sophisticated.

Lin Lang smiled but did not answer. He brought the cigarette to his lips, took a drag, and slowly exhaled a smoke ring. Watching the smoke ring slowly dissipate in the warm light, he looked down at the beauty in his arms, his eyes full of mockery.

"My beloved concubine, would you like to try the taste of tobacco?"

Helan Minyue quickly shook her head, burying her face even deeper into Lin Lang's chest, and muttered in a low voice, "No way, it looks pungent. How can His Majesty like this?"

"My dear concubine, you don't understand. This is called 'a cigarette after the deed is better than being a god.'" Lin Lang chuckled, stubbed out his cigarette, and tossed it into the ashtray.

He then tightened his arms, holding Helan Minyue even closer, his fingertips caressing her delicate shoulders. "My beloved concubine, have you enjoyed yourself? If not..."

He Lanminyue's cheeks instantly flushed again, like ripe cherries. She shyly punched Lin Lang's chest, the force as light as a tickle.

"Stop it, Your Majesty! My frail body can't take any more of this!"

Lin Lang deliberately leaned close to Helan Minyue's ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, making her shrink back in ticklishness. "Just now, my beloved concubine was not like this on the bed."

Upon hearing this, Helan Minyue's face turned even redder. She covered Lin Lang's mouth with her hand in embarrassment and anger, her voice urgent and soft: "Your Majesty! You're so naughty! Don't say it anymore!"

Lin Lang chuckled and pretended to bite He Lanminyue's hand. She quickly withdrew her hand, her eyes misting over with a thin layer of moisture. She glared at Lin Lang reproachfully, but it wasn't intimidating at all; instead, it sounded like she was being coquettish.

"Your Majesty always bullies me."

"Bullying you?" Lin Lang chuckled, his fingertips tracing the corner of his reddened lips, his tone tender. "I'm just showing you affection. If I didn't care about you, why would I have the patience to put up with your antics all afternoon?"

Helan Minyue snorted, but couldn't help but smile. She raised her hand and gently traced Lin Lang's eyebrows and eyes with her fingertips, her eyes full of tenderness. "Then Your Majesty, you must allow me to serve you more often in the future."

"Of course." Lin Lang hugged Helan Minyue tightly, his eyes full of seriousness. "My heart has always belonged to only you."

He Lanminyue's heart felt like it was soaking in honey, so sweet it was almost cloying.

She leaned forward and gently bit Lin Lang's shoulder, leaving a shallow tooth mark, her tone slightly spoiled.

"This is Your Majesty's mark. If Your Majesty dares to make me jealous again, I... I'll bite you again next time!"

Lin Lang chuckled softly, reaching out to pinch Helan Minyue's puffed-up cheeks. The touch of his fingertips was delicate and smooth. "Alright, then I'll wait for my beloved consort to bite."

"But...is my beloved concubine willing to part with him?"

He Lanminyue said coquettishly, "What's there to be reluctant about... Humph!"

Even so, her arms instinctively wrapped around Lin Lang's waist, pressing her body even closer.

The sound of palace maids' light footsteps and soft voices came from outside the bedchamber, but they dared not approach and waited at a distance.

Lin Lang listened intently for a moment, then chuckled softly, "It seems dinner is ready. Is my beloved concubine hungry?"

He Lanminyue rubbed her stomach; after exercising all afternoon, she was indeed a little hungry.

She nodded, but lingered in Lin Lang's arms, refusing to move, and said coquettishly, "I'm hungry, but I don't want to get up."

"Little lazy cat." Lin Lang smiled helplessly, but indulgently ruffled her hair. "Shall I carry you up?"

“Okay.” Helan Minyue nodded immediately, her eyes crinkling as she looked at him, her eyes full of sly smiles. “Your Majesty is the best.”

Lin Lang chuckled and was about to get up when He Lanminyue stopped him.

She looked up at Lin Lang, her watery eyes sparkling with a hint of ambiguity in her smile: "Your Majesty, you must be exhausted after all that commotion this afternoon?"

Lin Lang raised an eyebrow, leaned closer to her, and rubbed his nose against hers, his tone teasing: "Tired? For my beloved consort, even if I were ten times more tired, I would gladly endure it."

He Lanminyue's cheeks flushed again. She reached out and hooked her arm around Lin Lang's neck, giving him a light peck on the lips, her voice as soft as cotton candy.

"Then...after dinner, Your Majesty, would you like to...stay overnight and show me your love?"

Lin Lang pinched Helan Minyue's chin and teased with a smile, "It's rare for my beloved consort to speak, so naturally... I couldn't be happier, but..."

"But what?" Helan Minyue pressed.

Lin Lang wanted to answer, but he had already promised the Baekje maid Qingdai that morning that she would serve him tonight.

However, in order to avoid making Helan Minyue jealous and vying for favor, Lin Lang lied and said, "Tonight, Gu has to discuss state affairs with the Chu State's brother-in-law. State affairs are important, so I'm afraid he can't stay overnight."

Hearing this, Helan Minyue, looking satisfied, did not throw a tantrum. Instead, she obediently said, "It's alright. Your Majesty has important business to attend to. I am also a little tired. It would be good if you went to bed early tonight."

The twilight outside the tent grew darker, and the evening breeze, carrying the fragrance of flowers, blew through the windowpanes, bringing a touch of coolness.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Immediately afterwards, Xiao An and her chubby little hands knocked on the bedroom door, her childish voice coming through the door with a hint of coquettish urging.

"Father! Mother! You two lazybones, you slept in until it's almost dark! Get up!"

"The baby is starving!"

"Your subject wishes to have dinner!"

"Dong dong dong..."

"Father! Mother! Wake up..."

Lin Lang and Helan Minyue exchanged a glance inside the bedchamber, and a smile instantly spread across their faces.

Helan Minyue's cheeks flushed slightly. She reached out and gently punched Lin Lang's chest, her tone tinged with a shy coquettishness: "Your Majesty, look, even our son is making fun of us. Get up, get up quickly."

Lin Lang chuckled softly, pinched Helan Minyue's reddened earlobe, and then called out towards the door, "I know! Son, don't worry, your father and mother will get up now!"

As soon as they finished speaking, the two of them hurriedly got up and dressed.

He Lanminyue's skirt sash was tied in a knot, and she stamped her foot in frustration.

Seeing this, Lin Lang reached out to help He Lanminyue with her hair, and then kissed her on her flushed cheek, which made her glare at Lin Lang, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

Lin Lang raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of a playful smile, but his hands moved a little faster.

The two quickly tidied up, dressed, and smiled at each other, filling the room with a warm and cozy atmosphere.

"Dong dong dong..."

"Mother! Father! You're so slow!"

"Your subject is getting impatient!"

The child's voice outside the door rose even higher, filled with utter grievance.

Lin Lang's smile deepened, and with a slight thought, the tightly closed palace door creaked open.

Xiao Anhe appeared at the doorway immediately. He swung his short legs and rushed into the hall, calling out in his clear voice, "Mother! Father!"

Lin Lang bent down and scooped up the little guy who was rushing towards him, then kissed his soft cheeks repeatedly, teasing him with a smile, "You little rascal, why are you in such a hurry?"

Xiao An hugged Lin Lang's neck, nuzzled his head against his neck, and protested in a childish voice, "Father, it's not that I'm impatient, it's just that you and Mother are too sleepy!"

“I’ve been to my mother’s palace several times, and each time the maid Xiao Cui has persuaded me to leave. This time she didn’t want me to come either, but I just wouldn’t listen!”

"I'm going to wake Father and Mother up so they can have dinner with me! Humph!"

Lin Lang laughed heartily and reached out to pinch his son's little nose: "You little rascal, you can still talk back."

Helan Minyue stepped forward, gently stroking her son's soft hair with her fingertips, her eyes full of tenderness: "My dear, let Mommy touch your tummy and see if you're really starving, that's why you're shouting so loudly for dinner."

Xiao An immediately lowered her head, her round eyes fixed on her bulging little belly. She even poked it gently with her little fingertip, then looked up seriously and said, "Mommy, look! Aren't you all starved?"

These words made Lin Lang and He Lanminyue exchange a smile.

He Lanminyue suppressed a laugh and deliberately pinched her son's little belly: "This doesn't look like he's starving at all. It's round and chubby. He must have secretly had a snack before, right?"

Xiao An's little secret was exposed, and her face turned slightly red, but she still stubbornly said, "No way! Snacks can't compare to the dinner we had with Father and Mother!"

Lin Lang held Xiao An in his arms and weighed him in his hands, then laughed loudly, "My son is only three years old, he's at the age where he's growing and eating a lot, so he gets hungry easily!"

At this moment, Helan Minyue looked at Xiao Cui, the maid who was following Xiao An and behind her with a helpless expression, and gently instructed, "Xiao Cui, take a few palace maids to set out dinner in the warm pavilion, and add two more dishes that His Highness likes: sweet cheese and crystal shrimp dumplings."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Xiao Cui quickly bowed and obeyed.

Xiao An's eyes lit up instantly at the mention of sweet cheese, and she hugged Lin Lang's neck and shook him, exclaiming, "Father! I love sweet cheese the most!"

Lin Lang gently pinched his son's nose and said indulgently, "You little glutton."

Xiao An, nestled in Lin Lang's arms, puffed out her little chest and responded loudly, eliciting another burst of laughter from the hall.

Meanwhile, in the bath room of the side hall of Consort Ya's palace, steam rose and a warm fragrance wafted.

Qingdai was soaking in a warm rose bath, her long, black hair loosely tied up, with a few wet strands clinging to her smooth neck, making her skin appear even whiter and more like jade.

Two palace maids stood with their heads bowed to the side, holding jade water ladles in their hands, scooping warm water onto her body one by one. Clear water droplets slid down her slender shoulders and into the flower-petal-scented bath, creating ripples.

Qingdai lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes trembling like butterflies about to take flight.

A faint blush spread across her cheeks, a blush that extended from her ears to her chin, revealing an undisguised excitement and anticipation mixed with a touch of girlish trepidation and shyness.

After all, it was her first time serving the emperor, and she was personally chosen by the Shanghai emperor, Lin Lang.

Qingdai's fingertips gently stirred the bathwater, and the flower petals on the surface of the water spun gently with her movements.

She recalled Lin Lang's gentle features during the day, and her heart pounded like a rabbit's.

She both longed for night to fall quickly so that she might gain Lin Lang's favor, and feared that she was still a virgin who had never experienced such things, and that she would be clumsy and displeased Lin Lang during their nightly service.

The palace maid carefully wiped the water droplets from her shoulders and said softly, "Qingdai, you are so beautiful. We will help you bathe, change your clothes, and dress you up. His Majesty will surely like you when he sees you."

Upon hearing this, Qingdai's cheeks burned even hotter. She pursed her lips, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, her eyes filled with even more longing.