novelraw Chapter 658 - 587: Deep Reluctance (Part 2)
Chapter 658 - 587: Deep Reluctance (Part 2)
He leaned close to her flushed earlobe, his lips brushing softly as he coaxed, "It’s all my fault, I’m too bad, so bad... As an apology, you can retaliate however you want, alright?"
Shen Tang’s body trembled slightly, her eyes suddenly brightening, "Really?"
"Yes, when have I ever lied to you, Brother Li?"
Despite this fox usually appearing gentle and easygoing, on matters in bed, his desire for control was remarkably strong, and every time, it was only her being bullied!
Upon gaining his promise, Shen Tang suddenly became spirited, with many mischievous thoughts swirling in her mind—
This time she must retaliate properly!
Shen Li truly complied without resisting, allowing her to fulfill that subtle little hobby.
Yet his gaze held a dark storm, like gathering thunderclouds, ready to burst at a certain moment — their roles reversed again, breaths and temperatures intertwined fiercely!
In the end, Shen Tang still didn’t get a bite of warm food.
The doors of their bedchamber remained closed for three days and nights.
The occasional noises from inside were enough to make anyone blush, and no guards dared to approach.
The court officials were also left ignored.
Only after three days did this Fox Emperor finally appear, looking satisfied and joyful, so much softer that it startled the old ministers.
Goodness, is this really the same iron-faced and ruthless Majesty?
As for this unabashed Emperor, the various families have been whispering privately these days. On the court, the elder ministers were even more anguished, lamenting how the Majesty was openly indulging with that non-native female, how outrageous! Too outrageous! It was against ancestral rules, how could the forefathers rest in peace in heaven!
Though Shen Li had not taken an empress nor showed any intent to marry into any family, most of the upper echelon were aware of his deep connection with that Outer Clan Emperor.
Other than the name, there wasn’t much difference from a true partner.
Yet no matter how much discussion there was behind their backs, no one dared to advise the Emperor directly in court, rare as it was for Your Majesty to be in such a good mood, no one wanted to risk their head for sour luck.
Ignoring the rules, the court ministers showed great respect towards Shen Tang.
Her strength, her years of effort, and the thriving power of the Night Glow Empire were all witnessed by everyone.
Those close to Shen Li knew well that she had saved His Majesty’s life, so in both sentiment and reason, His Majesty being with her was beyond reproach.
Most ministers held a similar view, believing that the Emperor’s private life was not for them to interfere with, so they kept silent and pretended ignorance.
As for Qiu Yang, he had long since come to terms. The Priest’s predictions may not always come true, and as long as His Majesty and the lady were happy together, it was enough.
A lifetime is but a few decades, he only wished for His Majesty to find fulfillment.
The future matters would have to be left to the future.
For everything he had done over the years, he was already unworthy of the late Emperor’s trust!
Returning to Shen Tang’s side, after a short stay, it was almost time to leave.
Before leaving, Shen Li held her tightly in his arms, his brows full of reluctance.
It took so much effort to be close like this, and now they had to part again.
He truly wished to keep her by his side forever so she could never leave.
If she were just an ordinary female, Shen Li could easily find any reason to forcibly bring her into the palace, and no one would dare to speak against it.
But Shen Tang was an Emperor standing on equal footing with him, she had her aspirations, and both had things they couldn’t let go. And the union of two monarchs was impossible; otherwise, the weaker side might become a vassal, which would taint their pure relationship, something Shen Li didn’t want.
Since they were destined not to have that superficial title, then it didn’t matter as long as they were together, that was enough.
Shen Tang hugged his lean waist, tiptoeing to plant a kiss on his chin, "I’ll miss you too, and when I have time, I’ll come looking for you!"
Shen Li stroked her hair, "I’ll keep translating the Blood Clan prophecy book, and if I find any clues about the Star Gate, I’ll tell you right away."
"Alright."
After saying goodbye, Shen Tang directly had the system teleport her away.
Shen Li gazed at the direction of her disappearance, lost in thought for a long time.
He’s still young, yet he’s already thinking about abdicating.
In reality, Shen Li had long prepared to select a talented child from the clan as an adopted successor, declaring to the outside as his own illegitimate child.
When he abdicated, he could ensure a smooth transition of power according to rites.
Qiu Yang and the elder ministers valued the royal bloodline, but neither the late Emperor Ji Jin nor Shen Li were overly concerned with that. As long as the successor was from the Nine-tailed Fox Clan, it didn’t matter, even if there wasn’t a suitable candidate from the Ji family, there were other five Fox Clans.
When the Empire was established, other families also played significant roles, and the Ji family occupying the throne for years meant perhaps another family could have a turn.
However, this move might cause dissatisfaction among the other four families, potentially leading to internal conflict, national turmoil, and even the risk of division.
Therefore, Shen Li needed to have at least a nominally biological child to ensure a smooth transfer of royal power.
To secure the loyalty of this child and his family, he had to make thorough preparations. The best way would be to raise the child by his side from a young age, which would be the safest approach.
Shen Li planned to visit various clans in the future, to see if there’s any child he clicks with, and if so, to raise them by his side.
Once he’s abdicated, he wouldn’t have to worry about other matters, and could peacefully spend the rest of his life with Shen Tang.
Of course, that was all for a later time.
For now, the most pressing concern was the threat from the Alien Star, as they wanted to invade this land and certainly wouldn’t give up easily. Now that they successfully stole the Blood Clan’s blood beads, the Beast World Continent is likely to face a horrific disaster in the future...