The Emperor cupped her face.
Jiang Xian was stunningly beautiful. She had an oval face, willow-leaf brows, and phoenix eyes. Her pupils always glistened with a misty sheen, as if faintly intoxicated, and even when she wasn't smiling, her gaze held a seductive charm. She possessed an unrivaled radiance, yet was also captivatingly delicate. No wonder her very first appearance to pay respects had drawn the wariness of Noble Princess Consort Rong, once the most dazzling beauty in the harem.
And yet, their beauty was both alike and unalike.
With Jiang Xian, the Emperor always felt an indescribable, intangible distance. The tighter he held her, the more he became aware of the chasm between them. "I didn't say you were being forced," he said. "I'm just afraid you push yourself too hard."
The cool night wind had never bothered Jiang Xian before.
But at this very moment, goosebumps prickled on the arm hidden beneath her long sleeve.
