All the men just went quiet while only Gou Zhongcheng almost burst out laughing.
When they turned at her, she quickly cleared her throat. "Apologies. I'll go out further to smoke."
She took out her opium pipe and even courted death itself by offering. "Would you like to try, Your Majesty? You looked like you needed it, it calms you inner demons."
Emperor Zau just ignored her and turned to his Yi-Yi.
"Shouldn't you be inviting your beloved husband instead to bathe with you, Yi-Yi? Perhaps the miracle water would indeed bring the miracle of childbirth somehow."
Wei Wangyi was obviously repulsed, but he maintained a steady smile.
"Wasn't the intention of the water to heal from my sickness first before I can make a 'miracle' with you? My 'beloved husband'."
The scholar agreed in a stern voice. "Yes, he is not fully healed yet, after all. We are hoping that this waters would fully cleanse his body of any disease or..... filth."
Emperor Zau frowned. "Then why must you invite the scholar with you?"
"Well, I could always invite Lord Song, if you prefer." He answered succinctly.
Song Xiu was just observing how messy Ren Jidian's hair and clothes were, and how labored his voice and breathing.
He made a wide grin that he still wore when he turned blankly. "Hmm?"
"That's enough teasing, Yi-Yi." Emperor Zau frowned.
Song Xiu decided to meddle. "I don't really see anything wrong with two close friends bathing together. Perhaps the Empress just feel safer with the scholar by his side, or that he wanted to bond with him even closer through this."
"Why, I remember when A-Ting and I used to bath under a waterfall after a war, and got to compare the size of our swords... Mine was much larger----"
Emperor Zau covered his mouth and dragged him back to stop saying more nonsense. "Fine, if the scholar wants to bathe, let him bathe. We'll keep watch for the two of you."
Ren Jidian saw that they went behind again on the rock, and bickered in hushed tones.
He breathed a sigh of relief. But then he felt someone pull at his feet.
"Empress!" He exclaimed.
"Come on now, he agreed. Enjoy the cool waters with me." He said, the small drops of water in his eyelashes sparkling like tiny diamonds.
He truly was a siren, much more like those Western sirens in movies that will lure you in and then eat you.
Ren Jidian reddened. "Alright. But we shouldn't test things too far. We almost got caught already."
He slipped out of his robes and folded them neatly with the Empress'. Once undressed, he hid his body under the waters up to his chin.
The Empress chuckled. "Let's swim farther away from here while they're not looking."
Ren Jidian shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea---- Whoah!"
Empress Wei was pulled at his arm. "Hahaha,
we'll still be on the river anyway. They won't be as mad than if we actually ran away."
They swam against the current, past the lotus pads and beautiful purple flowers. The afternoon sun was high and bright. It was hot above the surface of the water and cold beneath, truly a conflicting feeling like the ones Ren Jidian was currently having.
On one hand, he still could not believe that the Empress would be so bold like this, and not to mention actually enjoy sucking his small dick. He was also nervous about getting caught somehow and beheaded by the Emperor's sword.
On the other hand, he was also happy, and the fear gave way to a sense of thrill. The danger was what makes it so tempting that he just couldn't say no.
When they reached far enough so they can't see anyone else anymore, Empress Wei pressed his plump, moist lips with his, wrapping his hands around his back.
Ren Jidian followed suit, reaching under the water to wrap around his waist tightly, their naked bodies pressing together.
"You're bathing with me.... I never thought I will be able to....." He mumbled in between kisses.
"Hmm?" Empress Wei cusped his chin. "You have wanted to bathe with me?"
"I... Empress, you must have always known that I have..... From the start, I have....." He couldn't form the words, as his senses was overloaded with the feeling of Wei Wangyi.
"Tell me. From the start, what have you felt about me?" Empress Wei asked, his half-closed eyes making it difficult to resist him.
"You already know it. What I want to know was how you feel now. About me." Ren Jidian said seriously, looking at that bite mark on his neck.
"Scholar Ren, I'd like to hear it from you first. What is that feeling, that emotion? What is its name?"
He faltered. He felt that 'love' would be too much of a heavy word for him. 'Desire' would be too frivolous.
He needed something safe and vaguely in between.
"I yearn for you. Day and night." He finally said.
Empress Wei did not say anything for a while, staring at his eyes. But Ren Jidian felt that gaze alone speaks to him already, easing all his worries.
"I will admit..... The longer I am with you, the more I begun to yearn for you, Scholar Ren." He said, with a small smile. "Isn't that strange?"
"It's not strange." He kissed him again. "But..... It has only begun."
"Yes....." He was honest, as he must have known lying would hurt Ren Jidian even more, as he could tell.
"But....."
He placed his hands lower into the water, and raised his legs up to Ren Jidian's hips.
"I feel that..... like a seed, it will soon grow and bloom. It could only be like that, Scholar Ren. I'll risk it all just to see the day when its in full bloom."
Ren Jidian nodded, and...
Splash! Splash! Splash!
Their frantic movements caused ripples on this already rapid moving waters.
"Ah... Mmmm..... Hah....." The Empress covered his mouth, and Ren Jidian would often cover it with his own to hide the sounds.
They were doing it behind another boulder, or several boudlers, this time. Making a high tower perfect to remain unseen.
They soon heard muffled shoutings from a distance, no doubt the Emperor and his company looking for them.
But they did not stop.
They were only invested in the sounds of each other and the waters, and the feelings of their bodies intertwined.
"Ren..... Guang..... Ren Guang... Hold me tighter..... Mmm....." Empress Wei whispered to him, as his movements went quicker.
The way he called out his name..... It was so beautiful that Ren Jidian wished he could keep it inside a bag and tie it up so he could listen to it again and again as he pleases.
"Wei.... My Wei...." He said kissing his soft and silky hair as he pushed and pulled deeper with the water sometimes mixing in as well.
He was close, and so he slowed down his movements. But before he could pull out, Empress Wei hold on to him more and locked his legs tightly around him.
He had no choice but to release it inside. It really felt good doing so, knowing that he had a piece of him within the Empress even when they separate, just like when the Empress swallowed it earlier.
Empress Wei was almost fainting from the pleasure, his peach blossom eyes droopy. But before he closed them, he softly said.
"I yearn for you, Ren Guang. Stay by my side and hold me forever."