No one in the hall had spoken for some time. The scent of ambergris lingered at the tip of her nose, and the tall figure before her remained motionless.
But Ji Qingwu was still kneeling.
'My knees really hurt.' She felt a pang of regret. 'When the Emperor told me to rise earlier, why didn't I take the opportunity? Now I'm in a bind.'
Tiny beads of sweat had formed on Ji Qingwu's forehead. She stealthily raised her eyes, only to see Emperor Wu Su staring intently at her face.
She immediately turned her face away, her neck stiff, unwilling to let him look at her.
Ji Qingwu remembered it crystal clear. When she entered the hall, his first glance at her had been a dark scowl, devoid of any pleasure.
Emperor Wu Su, however, condescended to squat down, settling onto one knee to pinch her chin.
"You don't want me to look? Who do you want to look, then?"
His deep, dark gaze swept over every inch of the tender skin on her face.
