Qi Yue’s eyes gradually cooled, her smile vanishing completely.
She stepped down from her throne and paced a few steps in front of Xue Ying. Xue Ying kept his head bowed, his vision filled only by the hem of the Empress’s skirt.
Today, Qi Yue was wearing a pale cyan palace dress. She was so young and so breathtakingly beautiful, naturally suited for vibrant, striking colors. Yet over the past two years, Xue Ying had most often seen the Empress dressed in plain, unadorned gowns.
He laid prostrate on the ground, not daring to lift his head, but he could still catch the faint, alluring fragrance wafting from the Empress’s robes.
Qi Yue said, “You don’t even listen carefully to this Empress’s words. Could it be that you feel this Empress is not your most ideal master?”
Xue Ying kept his head lowered. “Your Highness is overthinking.”
Qi Yue gave a cold harrumph. “Rise.”
How could she not understand? In this palace, the hierarchy was incredibly strict. In private, Xue Ying strictly reprimanded and punished his subordinates, but in front of her, he became nothing more than a humble dog. Meanwhile, she could throw her weight around in front of the palace maids and eunuchs, yet in front of Li Yi, she had to bend over backward to flatter and please him in every possible way. It was simply ironic.
“Step down. When there is a matter at hand, this Empress will summon you again,” Qi Yue ordered coolly and faintly. “Tell Xunxue to come in and serve.”
Xue Ying fell silent for a moment. “Your Highness, that girl Xunxue seems rather odd. She doesn’t look like someone who will give you peace of mind; please be careful of her.”
Qi Yue replied, “Whether she is good or bad, this Empress has her own judgment.”
Xue Ying then added, “As for the two spies sent by Noble Consort Yan, as long as no blood is drawn, you can torment them however you please.”
Once Xue Ying left, Qi Yue leaned back lazily into her seat.
By evening, Qi Yue made a rare appearance in the courtyard. Having finished her dinner, she felt like taking a stroll.
Two palace maids were busy pruning the tree branches. Qi Yue walked over.
“Who are you? Why has this Empress never seen you before?” Qi Yue asked evenly. “Are you new here?”
Xunxue stepped forward, pulling Qi Yue’s cloak a little tighter around her. Glaring at the two maids, she continued, “Your Highness, they are just here to sweep the courtyard; they don’t serve inside the rooms. The wind is strong out here, you really should return inside.”
Xunxue naturally recognized them; these two maids had entered Zhengyang Palace at the exact same time as her. One was named Geng Han, the other Yu Miaowan.
There were already quite a few people serving inside the rooms, and Xunxue rarely got chances to get close to Qi Yue to begin with. She absolutely did not want the Empress noticing other maids who would just end up dividing her favor.
Geng Han and Yu Miaowan, however, were absolutely thrilled, overjoyed at this rare opportunity to get close to the Empress.
“This servant’s name is Yu Miaowan.”
“This servant is called Geng Han.”
Qi Yue observed them without betraying any emotion. “Lift your chins and let this Empress get a good look at you.”
As Xunxue stood to the side glaring daggers at Yu Miaowan and Geng Han, Qi Yue teased her, “Xunxue, go find a mirror and look at yourself. Your lips are pouting so far out you could hang an oil bottle on them.”
Geng Han’s eyes darted slyly as she chimed in, “Perhaps it is just too cold outside. Sister Xunxue, why don’t you go inside and warm up? We can accompany Her Highness on her stroll here.”
Qi Yue ordered, “Xunxue, go inside.”
Once Xunxue had resentfully retreated, Qi Yue’s indifferent gaze finally landed back on Geng Han and Yu Miaowan.
Being stared down by the Empress left Geng Han and Yu Miaowan’s entire bodies tingling with apprehension; they couldn’t help but lower their heads.
“What truly beautiful girls,” Qi Yue smiled faintly. “Even some of the Emperor’s concubines might not be as pretty as you two.”
To have been selected for the palace, Geng Han and Yu Miaowan were naturally quite good-looking, and their ambitions were higher than the sky. They truly felt that if only their birth statuses were a little higher, and if they could wear pretty clothes and jewelry, they definitely wouldn’t pale in comparison to those Consorts.
Praised by Qi Yue, a trace of sweet vanity bloomed in the hearts of the two naïve young maids, though outwardly they still pretended to be panicked. “Your Highness praises us too highly. This servant cannot compare to even one-thousandth of Your Highness.”
Qi Yue lowered her voice slightly, filling it with a touch of bewitching allure that slipped quietly through the cold wind and straight into the ears of the two little maids. “You look like very clever servants. This Empress quite likes girls like you. And not only does this Empress like you…”
When it came to telling lies, no one in the world could out-talk Qi Yue.
With a warm, smiling face, Qi Yue completely brainwashed the two little maids with her enchanting sweet-talk.
In less than a quarter of an hour, the two maids exchanged a glance, their faces flushed bright red with sheer excitement.
When Li Yi entered the room, Qi Yue was draped in a snow-cyan outer robe with a white bodice underneath. She was reclining on her side in bed, striking an incredibly alluring pose, with a faint smile hanging on her lips.
Beside Qi Yue was the palace maid Xia Lian. Xia Lian was very young; to be able to constantly serve by Qi Yue’s side, she was not only naturally clever but also well-versed in poetry and literature, and she knew exactly when to advance and retreat. She was very well-liked.
Xia Lian knelt on a soft cushion, gently massaging and tapping along Qi Yue’s calves.
Li Yi didn’t even cast a glance at Xia Lian. “Get out.”
Qi Yue let out a soft whine, scrunching up her brows. “She was massaging this Concubine’s legs. Why did you make her leave?”
Li Yi said, “I want to be alone with you.”
It wasn’t that he couldn’t do certain things in front of the servants, but Li Yi always felt that it would be a bit inappropriate to ruthlessly bully this little girl while someone else was right there watching.
Xia Lian looked up at Qi Yue. Only when Qi Yue gave a small nod did she respectfully withdraw from the room.
Li Yi climbed onto the couch, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pressing kisses to the tips of her ears. Qi Yue complained with adorable dissatisfaction, “This Concubine’s legs are so sore. You chased the maid away; now who is going to massage my legs?”
The way she gazed at Li Yi with those misty, enchanting eyes felt like it was going to make his heart explode. Li Yi grabbed her hand and kissed it, but feeling that mere kisses were far from enough, he lightly bit down on Qi Yue’s fingertips, leaving deep teeth marks on the back of her hand.
Even though he knew full well that Qi Yue was just putting on an act to seduce him, Li Yi drank it up as sweetly as nectar.
He finally released Qi Yue’s hand and began rubbing her slender calves. “Where is it sore?”
Qi Yue grabbed his hand and placed it on a specific spot. “Right here.”
Li Yi’s grip and pressure were absolutely perfect. As he gently massaged her leg, he lowered his head to gaze at her.
Qi Yue was lazily nestled against his body, her expression delightfully cool and aloof.
Li Yi couldn’t help but remark, “Only you could possibly have such immense luck. For any other palace consort, merely being allowed to come forward and massage My legs would be an unprecedented blessing. Yet here you are, having Me personally serve you, and you still dare to give Me this cold face.”
“How am I giving you a cold face?” Qi Yue blinked her big eyes. “Could it be that you want this Concubine to smile? If you want this Concubine to smile for you, just say so directly—”
She turned back and flashed him an unbelievably sweet smile. “Does this Concubine look pretty when she smiles?”
Li Yi instantly lost all control of his strength and very nearly snapped his Empress’s slender little leg right in half.
Her smile was so unbelievably sweet it could completely bewitch a man with ill intentions like him into an absolute stupor.
Li Yi’s voice was already laced with a rough huskiness. “So pretty I could die.”
He pinched Qi Yue’s chin. “Empress, from now on, you are only allowed to smile like this for Me, understand? When you see the maids and eunuchs, you are absolutely not permitted to smile like this.”
Her appearance was truly far too seductive; when she smiled, it especially provoked a man’s deepest desires. Li Yi knew very clearly that a scheming little goblin like Qi Yue would be loved by absolutely everyone, regardless of whether they were men or women.
Qi Yue swiftly changed the subject. “Your Majesty, today you had so many things delivered to this Concubine’s palace, this Concubine was truly overwhelmed by the favor. The maids in my palace had never seen such massive pearls and beautiful gems before, and honestly, neither had this Concubine. I was so happy I thought I would die.”
“What a worldly inexperienced little thing you are,” Li Yi tapped the tip of Qi Yue’s nose. “The Noble Consort’s pearls and gems are measured by the boxfuls, yet I’ve never seen her get so happy she could die. But you, you receive just a few little trinkets and you are thrilled to bits.”
Li Yi sighed inwardly; at the end of the day, she was still just a little girl, her horizons so delightfully narrow. No matter how much she pretended to be profound, they were just petty little schemes. Having never weathered true storms, she was still so innocent it made his heart ache for her.
He cast his gaze around the room and remarked, “Zhengyang Palace is far too plain and simple. You will go live in Hanyuan Hall for a few days; I will have people properly renovate Zhengyang Palace for you.”
Translator’s Anecdote:
Emperor Li Yi is truly out here massaging his wife’s legs while thinking to himself: “Wow, she is just an innocent, narrow-minded little girl who is easily bought with a few pearls.”