The candlelight illuminated the side hall as the maids quietly withdrew from the room. At that moment, Wen Qitian held a small round box in her hand, resembling a rouge case. When opened, it revealed a pale green ointment with a faint medicinal fragrance.
On her bed, however, lay an uninvited, large-scale rascal who seemed oblivious to her resentment. He even arrogantly roared at her like a ferocious dragon: “What are you standing there for? Didn’t the imperial physician tell you the technique? You hit me, and now you don’t want to take responsibility? Twice, Wen Qitian!!”
Wen Qitian: “…”
She hesitated, feeling conflicted. “Even so… why did you have to come to my room in the middle of the night?”
Her voice carried a hint of grievance.
In the dead of night, having just woken from a dream, who wouldn’t panic upon opening their eyes to find something looming beside them?
As for hitting him…
He was standing, she was sitting, and in her flustered state, who knew the angle would align so perfectly?
Nan Leli’s expression stiffened at her words. “Enough with the nonsense. The entire palace belongs to me. Why can’t I come here?”
He turned his head away, facing his back to Wen Qitian, signaling her to get to work without slacking off. Every inch of him, down to the strands of his hair, exuded an air of displeasure.
How could he admit that he couldn’t sleep due to a splitting headache in the middle of the night and suddenly remembered how effective her slap had been?
What kind of face would the Emperor lose if word got out that he sought a beating just to avoid a headache?
Besides, wasn’t his back injury her fault?
He had sprained his lower back from a fall earlier, and now the front…
Out of shame, he wouldn’t let her tend to the front, but surely she had to take responsibility for the back injury, right?
Wen Qitian was left speechless by his domineering tone. She couldn’t help but feel somewhat resentful for his disruption of her sleep. If she didn’t vent this frustration, she wouldn’t be able to sleep at all tonight.
So, she scooped a bit of ointment with her fingertip and deliberately feigned confusion. “Then am I also yours, Your Majesty?”
Nan Leli: “…”
An emperor’s word was his bond. Having just declared that everything in the palace belonged to him, denying her would be a slap in the face.
Thus, he buried his face in the blanket and mumbled, “Yes.”
“Oh~”
“Hurry up!”
“But Your Majesty, will you undress yourself, or shall I do it?”
The conversation was taking an absurd turn!
Nan Leli: “…”
“How dare you! Take your hands off me. I’ll undress myself!”
In the quiet Junlin Palace, the palace maids on night duty suddenly heard this furious roar.
They: “…”
They hadn’t believed the rumors that His Majesty had indulged in carnal pleasures, but now, hearing this, why did His Majesty seem so… impatient?
Early the next morning, Bai Zhi and Yue E entered with flushed faces and racing hearts, calling out softly, “Miss, are you awake? It’s alright if you can’t get up.”
His Majesty, having just experienced such matters for the first time, must lack experience. Poor Miss, they would definitely find ways to help her recover.
According to the palace matrons, there were techniques to avoid injuries…
Wen Qitian had no idea what misunderstandings had arisen overnight. She was baffled. “Are you sure that if I don’t go to the Imperial Kitchen, he’ll let me off?”
Bai Zhi’s face flushed red. “Miss, His Majesty was in such a good mood last night. He definitely won’t blame you.”
In a good mood?
Wen Qitian tried hard to recall the man’s sullen face from the night before. His temper had been fierce to the extreme, far from anything resembling a good mood.
She shook her head and, under the strange gazes of the two maids, washed up and hurried off to the Imperial Kitchen.
Nan Leli’s pain had somewhat eased, so he went to the morning court session before dawn. After the morning court, he would summon his meal, and with the dismissal from court approaching, the Imperial Kitchen was bustling with activity.
Seeing Wen Qitian arrive, they couldn’t spare any attention to acknowledge her. Instead, it was the eunuch Xiao Jinzi, who had warned Zhu Fugui to be cautious of Wen Qitian yesterday, who impatiently blocked the entrance. This time, he spoke without any courtesy:
“The Imperial Kitchen is a restricted area. Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from entering. What’s the matter with you, girl? Why must you linger around our Imperial Kitchen? Could it be that you truly harbor ill intentions toward His Majesty?”
Wen Qitian didn’t quite agree with the phrase “harbor ill intentions.” “How could it be me harboring ill intentions? Clearly, it was him who harbored ill intentions toward me.”
Last night, if she hadn’t acted quickly, he might have strangled her, right?
Opposite her, Xiao Jinzi still stood firmly in the center, refusing to let her enter, and shouted loudly, “Get lost! If you don’t leave now, I won’t be polite.”
Wen Qitian rubbed her temples. “His Majesty ordered me to prepare his meal. I am merely following orders.”
Xiao Jinzi didn’t believe her and remained relentless. Behind her, Bai Zhi couldn’t stand it any longer and stepped in front of Wen Qitian protectively, confronting Xiao Jinzi. “What’s wrong with you? The lady already said she’s preparing a meal for His Majesty. Who would dare to falsely relay His Majesty’s decree? That would be risking their head! If you don’t believe it, you can go ask His Majesty yourself.”
Xiao Jinzi naturally didn’t dare, but he also couldn’t just let a stranger in.
As the two sides stood at an impasse, several women approached gracefully.
Palace maids in the imperial palace were divided into three ranks, and their attire was quite particular.
Light gray clothing was for third-rank palace maids, dark blue for second-rank, and deep green for first-rank.
The women who arrived were all dressed in deep green. Xiao Jinzi’s eyes lit up as if he had seen a savior, and he exclaimed loudly, “Sisters, you’ve finally arrived! You usually serve His Majesty when summoning meals. Have you ever seen her before?”
The women were taken aback. The leader, with a beautiful appearance and an imposing aura, carried a hint of arrogance between her brows. She glanced casually at Wen Qitian, and her expression suddenly changed.
Mo Qianxia’s father was the Minister of Rites. She had once been a candidate sent to the palace as a consort, but unfortunately, the Emperor was cruel, and to survive, she had no choice but to become a palace maid.
However, as the daughter of a minister, she should have been in the prime of her youth, marrying into a noble family. If she lingered too long in the palace, she would be an old maid by the time she left. Moreover, who would want a woman who had been in the palace?
So, she had her father arrange everything for her to become a first-rank palace maid—a position with light duties that also allowed her to stay close to the Emperor.
Like a gentle rain nourishing everything silently, she didn’t believe that the Emperor would remain indifferent to her beauty forever.
Even if he had a violent temper, he was still a man, and men always had moments of impulse. Once things fell into place, she would become the first imperial consort in the palace, perhaps even the Empress.
Yet now, within the inner palace, a woman beyond her control had appeared. At first glance, she found the face quite familiar, and then alarm bells rang in her mind.
Her brows furrowed. “How could such a person be by His Majesty’s side?”
Her hostility was palpable, and Wen Qitian seemed to sense it. The System explained: 【Mo Qianxia, a cannon fodder female supporting character in “The Illegitimate Daughter’s Bright Moon” who is slightly stronger than you. Extremely jealous and ambitious. In the early stages, she tries various methods to drug and seduce the villain, only to be thrown into the snake pit in a fit of rage by the villain. She is then rescued by the male lead and becomes infatuated with him at first sight, beginning to ostracize the female lead and becoming a catalyst for the deepening relationship between the male and female leads.】
Wen Qitian’s expression turned strange…
She actually tried to seduce the tyrant?
Does she have such peculiar tastes?
With the tyrant’s abusive-looking face, even if she succeeded, what if he abused her?
Moreover, that man’s physique clearly indicated strong desires, and his cruel temperament—who knows if he might have some twisted preferences?
Wen Qitian’s gaze angered Mo Qianxia, who had been observing her all along. “What are you looking at? There’s no place for you by His Majesty’s side, and it’s impossible for him to send you to prepare meals. Who are you to dare forge imperial orders? Why are you all just standing there…” What are you doing? Hurry up and arrest her!
She commanded the passing guards to arrest and interrogate her, never expecting a voice to interrupt her.
“What are you all doing here?”
The voice was unusually sharp, and though not loud, it made everyone tense up.
No one in the palace was unfamiliar with Eunuch Zhang, the Emperor’s favorite.
Zhang Defu’s gaze swept over them before finally settling on Wen Qitian. He frowned slightly.
“Greetings, Chief Eunuch. You’ve arrived just in time. This woman falsely claims that His Majesty ordered her to prepare meals. The Imperial Kitchen is a restricted area, and her presence here must have ulterior motives. You must arrest and interrogate her thoroughly to prevent her from harming His Majesty.”
Mo Qianxia took light, graceful steps forward, her brows filled with hostility toward Wen Qitian.
Eunuch Zhang was taken aback, his gaze toward Mo Qianxia tinged with scrutiny.
As an old hand in the palace, with Mo Qianxia’s intentions so obvious, how could he not see through them?
Eunuch Zhang sneered, “But she was indeed sent by His Majesty. If you have any grievances, you may take them up with His Majesty.”
Mo Qianxia staggered, saved only by the timely support of the other maids beside her. Her face turned as pale as paper, her mind racing with thoughts before finally settling into rationality. Gritting her teeth, she said, “I apologize, I… this servant was merely concerned for His Majesty’s safety and meant nothing else.”
Zhang Defu replied, “His Majesty is wise and mighty, and naturally requires no concern from you. Since you are so fond of worrying, you may go to the Laundry House. Many clothes in the palace have not been properly washed these past few days. With your keen observation, you shall take charge of this task.”
“Chief Eunuch?” Mo Qianxia’s eyes widened, her pupils frozen in shock.
Although the Laundry House was not the dirtiest or most exhausting work, it was far from easy. Moreover, it was now winter, and the palace maids washed clothes with cold water. Mo Qianxia had been a delicate young lady at home, and after entering the palace, she had others to handle her affairs, hardly ever washing clothes herself. With her hands unaccustomed to labor, sending her to the Laundry House would be nothing short of a death sentence.
Unfortunately, the other party paid her no heed and instead turned to Wen Qitian.
“Miss Wen, please hurry. His Majesty will soon be dismissed from court. If we incur his wrath, none of us here will escape unscathed.”
After Zhang Defu arrived, the people from the Imperial Kitchen had come out to await orders, not daring to utter a word. Only upon hearing this did Zhu Fugui snap out of his daze and allow Wen Qitian to enter.
Xiao Jinzi, who had been standing nearby, was already paralyzed with fear. Wen Qitian paid no attention to these people unrelated to her task and followed Zhu Fugui into the Imperial Kitchen.
Unlike last time when she had little chance to observe the Imperial Kitchen due to the brief visit, Wen Qitian now took a good look around.
The Imperial Kitchen was spacious, with everyone bustling about in clearly divided roles. They used the most primitive method of burning firewood beneath earthen stoves, while cleaned ingredients—vegetables, meats, and flour for pastries—were arranged on the stove tops.
In modern times, Wen Qitian had quite a passion for delving into culinary arts. Creating dishes that satisfied the palate was an immensely rewarding experience.
However, after she blew up the kitchen, her entire family forbade her from entering it again, almost wishing they could install an alarm that would sound the moment she stepped inside.
Now, with no one to restrain her and stoves that wouldn’t explode like gas cylinders or induction cookers, it was simply perfect.
Wen Qitian’s eyes sparkled with keen interest as she began sharpening her knives with enthusiasm. Beside her, Zhu Fugui shuddered, sensing something amiss…
Meanwhile, in the court, Nan Leli launched a verbal assault on the old-fashioned officials, bombarding them for a full half-hour before abruptly finding an outlet for his frustration.
“Yongwen Hou, were you satisfied with the gift I sent yesterday?”
Among the courtiers, Wen Hongbo looked ashen-faced.
Prince Jia, who usually had some connection with him, wore an inscrutable expression.
All eyes fell upon Wen Hongbo, tinged with faint envy.
After all, since the Emperor’s ascension, he had only been known for executions and a volatile temper, never before seen bestowing gifts upon anyone.
Wen Hongbo nearly spat blood. He had been unconscious all night yesterday, fortunate to wake up in time this morning. He had no doubt that the Emperor, who had sent human skin, would seize this opportunity to rightfully behead him.
The crux was that he couldn’t discard the Emperor’s gift; he had to enshrine it permanently.
Recalling the bloody sight from yesterday, Wen Hongbo’s legs weakened, but he forced himself to say, “Thank you, Your Majesty. I… am satisfied.”
If he was satisfied, Nan Leli also showed satisfaction: “It’s good that you’re pleased. I was worried it might not suit your taste, so I considered sending something else.”
Wen Hongbo: “…”
He trembled all over: “Whatever Your Majesty bestows, I am naturally grateful. How could I dare trouble Your Majesty further?”
Nan Leli replied sinisterly: “Heh, since you presented me with such a grand gift, I naturally won’t show favoritism. From now on, I’ll have Zhang Defu deliver anything I have to you.”
Hearing this, the others grew even more envious, privately planning to curry favor with Yongwen Hou upon their return. Yet, they saw Yongwen Hou, seemingly struck by some shock, roll his eyes and faint.
“Your Lordship?”
The entire Civil and Military Hall descended into chaos, while the one who caused the panic leisurely departed.
Exiting the hall, Nan Leli dismissed Eunuch Zhang, leaving a eunuch beside him trembling with fear.
“Your Majesty, shall we proceed to the meal?”
Nan Leli, seemingly in a rather good mood after recalling something, nodded slightly.
“Return to Nanli Palace.”
Before he could board the imperial dragon carriage, thick smoke billowed in the distance, and palace servants rushed over in haste.
Nan Leli frowned: “Where is that?”
The young eunuch replied: “It seems to be… the Imperial Kitchen?”