Night fell.
The lights inside and outside the Brocade Palace had just been extinguished, and silence enveloped everything.
Although she had been in the palace for some time, Su Tiyue still couldn’t get used to life here.
She wasn’t used to the way the eunuchs and palace maids addressed her, nor was she accustomed to the rules of the palace.
Su Tiyue had no desire at all to be this Consort Shu, but that was not something she could decide.
…
Even though winter had arrived, Su Tiyue still retained her pre-palace habits when sleeping at night.
She preferred to sleep in thin, soft silk nightclothes, covered with thick brocade quilts and woolen blankets.
The brazier in the room burned all night, so even when heavy snow fell outside in the bitter cold, her room remained exceptionally warm.
On the carved small table by the windowsill, a few strands of agarwood incense burned in the censer.
When the Imperial Household Department delivered it, they said this incense could calm the mind and aid sleep.
Su Tiyue tried it a few times and found that with the agarwood burning, she would feel drowsy in no time, fall asleep quickly, and sleep deeply, not waking until the sky was fully bright.
This helped Su Tiyue, who had just entered the palace as a consort, alleviate her anxiety and the torment of tossing and turning in sleeplessness.
So she continued using it.
The window was not tightly shut, and the night breeze gently seeped through the crack, wafting the wisps of smoke from the censer toward the head of the bed.
Before long, Su Tiyue fell into a deep sleep.
In the darkness, the door to the room opened, and a man walked in.
The man wore a black brocade robe, a dark green jade pendant tied at his waist, and a crow-blue cloak draped over his shoulders.
He was exceptionally tall, appearing particularly imposing in this attire.
With slow yet steady steps, the man quietly approached… Seeing Su Tiyue asleep on the bed, the desire in his eyes grew stronger.
As if familiar with the routine, the man sat on the edge of the bed, silently gazing at her.
Her serene, delicate face in peaceful slumber stirred a sense of pity in him.
Finally, unable to resist, he reached out and slowly traced his knuckles across Su Tiyue’s cheek. Seeing no reaction from the person on the bed, he grew even bolder.
The man leaned down, using his hand to lift the brocade quilt and woolen blanket covering her. The girl’s alluring and voluptuous body was faintly visible beneath the thin, smooth nightclothes.
Soft jade and warm fragrance.
His dark eyes freely roamed over the enchanting scene before him.
The Adam’s apple in his throat bobbed up and down once…
In an instant, the man’s cool lips pressed against the girl’s moist, soft lips.
She was in a deep slumber. And he, seizing the opportunity, gently plundered and invaded.
His desire was intense, yet he restrained himself with great effort.
The kiss was like a spring breeze and gentle rain, enveloping her completely.
But the man felt this was not enough.
His long, clean, and well-defined fingers slowly slipped through the girl’s nightclothes, covering the softness of her chest…
Freely caressing and kneading.
The man’s innate possessiveness was displayed to the fullest in this moment.
Su Tiyue’s breathing gradually grew heavier, her body seemingly aware of the cool fingers pressing against her, kneading her to the point of pain. She furrowed her brows, wanting to wake up but unable to do so.
As if in a dream or illusion, she couldn’t wake up, feeling as though she were trapped in a dark, icy abyss of fear, struggling and resisting in agony.
Only when she cried out in fear in her sleep did the man release her. After a moment of stunned silence, his rationality returned…
He leaned down and gently kissed away the tears at the corners of Su Tiyue’s eyes, swallowing them all.
Before leaving, the cold night wind blew in through the window that wasn’t tightly shut. The man glanced back at the delicate and frail young girl lying on the bed, pondered for a moment…
He walked to the window, raised his hand, and closed it tightly.
Then, he extinguished the burning agarwood incense in the censer.
He knew well that the incense had been laced with a sedative.
If the incense wasn’t extinguished, the sleeping person would not wake.
…
The next morning, the sky was already bright.
Su Tiyue slowly awoke, blinking her eyes as the world before her gradually came into focus.
Her personal maid, Liu Wan, seeing she was awake, lifted the gauzy bed curtains and whispered, “Your Highness, you’re awake?”
“Mmm…” Su Tiyue sat up, the embroidered quilt slipping from her. She glanced down at her neatly arranged clothing and couldn’t help but recall the absurd dream from the night before.
She raised her hand and lightly touched her lips, suddenly asking, “Liu Wan, did anyone come in last night?”
Liu Wan looked puzzled and shook her head. “No, Your Highness. Did you have that dream again?”
Su Tiyue had spoken to Liu Wan before about similar dreams—dreams where she always felt someone had entered her room… and taken liberties with her.
And not just once.
“Never mind, it was just a dream. Perhaps I’m overthinking it,” Su Tiyue said as she got out of bed.
Liu Wan helped her dress and then styled her hair at the dressing table.
Just then, the maid Qing Wu entered, carrying breakfast and sweet soup.
Qing Wu set down what she was holding and walked to the window to open it. She looked surprised and muttered softly, “Strange, last night I deliberately left a small gap because I was afraid the room would be too stuffy if the window was shut tight… Why is it closed so firmly this morning?”
“What? Qing Wu, what are you saying over there?”
Su Tiyue heard Qing Wu muttering by the window but couldn’t make out the words, so she asked again.
Qing Wu glanced back at Su Tiyue, thinking it wasn’t a big deal, and replied, “It’s… it’s nothing, Your Highness. Come and have breakfast once you’re ready.”
Since being ceremoniously brought into the palace, Su Tiyue’s days seemed to pass in this repetitive manner.
The Emperor was foolish and licentious, and it was said that Consort Ji of Jingren Palace was currently the most favored. From the time she entered the palace until now, Su Tiyue had never laid eyes on the Emperor’s esteemed face.
Nor had she ever served him in bed.
Su Tiyue feared the old Emperor and spent most of her time hiding in the small Jinxiu Palace, not daring to show her face.
Life in the palace wasn’t easy for an unfavored consort, but this quiet, uneventful life left her content.
Three days later.
Imperial Palace, South Garden.
A biting wind blew, and snowflakes filled the sky.
Xiao Heye and Li Xun walked out of the Listening Rain Pavilion, one after the other.
“Supervisor, today the Emperor is hosting a grand banquet in the Hall of Light and has even specially invited the most famous opera troupe from outside the palace, all just to bring a smile to the beauty’s face… Consort Ji, from the moment she entered the palace, has deeply captured the Emperor’s heart, enjoying unwavering favor. She truly hasn’t disappointed you, Supervisor,” the eunuch Li Xun said cautiously, bending slightly as he walked beside him.
Xiao Heye gave him a cold glance, his thin lips pressed tightly together, and said nothing.
Li Xun knew him best—he was cold by nature and disliked crowds. Seeing his dark expression, Li Xun feared saying the wrong thing and upsetting him, so he awkwardly fell silent.
Walking along the quiet, snow-covered path, they hadn’t gone far when a faint but distinct sound reached their ears from a distance.
“Boom! Clang—”
A loud noise reached the ears of the two men.
“…”
“Crash—”
Immediately after, chaotic and piercing sounds of collisions and fighting came intermittently, as if someone was causing trouble.
The South Garden was remote, and now that winter had arrived, the nights were silent, so even the slightest sound would seem abrupt—let alone this commotion, which was far from small.
“Supervisor, it seems to be coming from the incense hall across the way,” Li Xun pricked up his ears, listening carefully, and pointed toward the lit incense hall opposite.
“Oh? Let’s go take a look…”
Xiao Heye furrowed his brows, his expression unreadable, neither angry nor pleased.
How dare someone cause trouble right under his nose?
By the time the two approached the incense hall, all sounds had ceased, and the fighting had already stopped.
Li Xun stepped forward first, reaching out to open the door, but unexpectedly, the door was flung open from the inside. Two women, fleeing in panic, crashed into him and knocked him to the ground.
“Ouch, who’s the blind fool…?”
Li Xun clutched his buttocks, his voice shrill. Just as he was about to curse, the next moment, when he saw the “culprits” who had collided with him, his expression immediately changed.
He scrambled up from the ground and bowed respectfully:
“Greetings, Consort Shu. This servant was rude, this servant was rude.”
Su Tiyue froze, her face also filled with panic.
After a moment of confusion, Su Tiyue quickly hid her blood-stained fingers inside her goose-yellow cloak, took half a step back, and said guiltily:
“So it’s Eunuch Li? No… no need for formalities…”
She glanced behind Li Xun and caught sight of the tall, upright figure in the darkness. Instantly, her eyes widened as if she had seen a demon from the abyss. Her legs weakened, and she nearly lost her balance.
They say those with a clear conscience need not fear ghosts knocking at the door. Yet here she was… having just done something wrong, she ran straight into such a demon?
Su Tiyue forced a calm smile, though her voice trembled slightly: “Chief Eunuch Xiao is here too…”
Who in the palace didn’t know this Chief Seal Keeper of the Directorate of Ceremonies, Xiao Heye?
Su Tiyue had been in the palace for some time now and naturally knew of him, though the two were not particularly familiar.
…
“Hmm.” The word seemed to be grunted from his nostrils, cold and devoid of warmth.
Xiao Heye raised his eyes, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over the person before him.
His fingers, cool behind his back, twitched slightly, as if reminiscing about the soft fragrance from a few days prior…
Before his eyes was a gentle, jade-like face, with eyes as bright as scattered stars, cherry lips, pearly teeth, and delicate brows—a beauty beyond compare.
Seeing her pale face and flustered expression, coupled with the commotion they had just heard, Xiao Heye frowned and gave Li Xun a meaningful look, signaling him to investigate inside the incense hall.
Su Tiyue turned her head and saw Li Xun entering the incense hall. In her daze, she felt her heart pounding wildly. She lowered her gaze, biting her lower lip tightly, not daring to make a sound.
Beside her, her maid Liu Wan tightly held her arm, equally terrified by Xiao Heye’s imposing and intimidating presence. Her face was pale, and her legs trembled uncontrollably in the air.
As soon as Li Xun entered, he caught a strong scent of blood in the air. Sensing something amiss, he quickened his pace and walked further inside.
Sure enough, after just a few steps, he saw a man lying in a pool of blood, face down and motionless. Without a doubt, in such a position, he was likely already dead.
Li Xun turned his head and looked thoughtfully at Su Tiyue and Liu Wan, then reached out to open the other door as well.
This way, even standing outside, one could take in the scene inside the incense hall at a glance.
Xiao Heye tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over the tops of their heads. He narrowed his eyes and casually glanced inside, finding the matter quite intriguing—someone actually dared to commit murder on his turf?
Even more interesting was that this matter was related to the frail and delicate Consort Shu before him…
Tsk.
Looking again at Su Tiyue’s face, pale as a sheet from fright, Xiao Heye’s mood suddenly wasn’t so bad anymore.
He simply found it… utterly adorable.
Xiao Heye stood in place, glanced at the bright red bloodstains accidentally splattered on Su Tiyue’s cloak, and let out a faint, cold laugh. He said, “Your Ladyship, are you… here to steal a lover or to kill someone?”
As he spoke these words, Xiao Heye wore a smile on his face, yet his tone carried a chilling edge that made Su Tiyue shiver involuntarily.
“Chief Eunuch Xiao, th-this was an accident.”
“Oh? An accident?” Xiao Heye chuckled, repeating the two words after her.
“Is Your Ladyship certain it was an accident?”
Xiao Heye could hardly believe his eyes. Was the woman before him still the same delicate, pampered, and gentle Consort Shu?
He crossed his arms over his chest, his deep eyes fixed intently on that petite, refined face, filled with nothing but amusement and mockery.
Su Tiyue nodded, then nodded again with certainty.
Her dark eyes glimmered with faint light, and Xiao Heye could see the fear and panic within them.
It seemed his decision not to go watch the play at the Hall of Radiance tonight was right. This spectacle at his own doorstep… wasn’t it far more interesting than any performance by a troupe?
“It was this servant who killed the person. I confess to the crime. It has nothing to do with Her Ladyship. Whether it be execution or dismemberment, I accept it all. I beg Chief Eunuch Xiao to spare our mistress…”
Seeing that the matter had been exposed and that they had encountered the decisive and ruthless Chief Eunuch Xiao, Liu Wan knew the consequences would be endless. Her legs gave way, and she knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly as she confessed.
She did not want her mistress implicated, so she steeled her heart and tried to shoulder all the blame herself.
After all, she was just a palace maid. Using her life to protect her mistress’s was worth it no matter how one calculated it.
“What a loyal servant…” Xiao Heye glanced indifferently at the person kneeling on the ground.
“Liu Wan, why must you take the blame for me?” Su Tiyue took a deep breath, her brows tightly furrowed. She raised her head and met his eyes directly, saying, “Chief Eunuch Xiao, this matter has nothing to do with her.”
Xiao Heye remained unmoved. He slowly walked to her side, leaned down, brought his lips close to her ear, and drawled out a sentence in a leisurely tone: “Before the matter is fully investigated, neither of you can escape blame. Your Ladyship, don’t blame this servant for being heartless… a human life is at stake.”
He emphasized the words “a human life is at stake” heavily, making it clear that Xiao Heye intended to make a big deal out of this.
Su Tiyue shuddered all over, her heart completely chilled. She lowered her head, trying to wipe clean the bloodstained hands hidden beneath her cloak, but no matter how hard she rubbed, they wouldn’t come clean—because… there was simply too much blood. She sniffled, tears falling drop by drop.
She knew Xiao Heye wasn’t wrong.
A human life was at stake, especially since the person she had killed was…
Su Tiyue tightly pursed her lips, her eyes brimming with grievance and helplessness, gazing despairingly at Xiao Heye, unable to utter a single word.