Such clumsy, petty tactics to vie for favor—it was as if she had written “Your Majesty, don’t go” all over her face—yet Gu Lingyun indulged her antics.
Listening to the commotion inside, Liu Cha’en was utterly astonished. Among the three thousand beauties of the six palaces, which one could compare to the Second Miss Shen in terms of the Emperor’s partiality?
In the three years since His Majesty ascended the throne, even when he doted most on Noble Consort Ning, he still adhered to propriety by distributing his favors evenly. Moreover, no woman in the harem had ever dared to seek favor as boldly as Second Miss Shen. Just half a year ago, an imperial concubine had been ordered to commit suicide by the Emperor due to jealousy and rivalry.
The entire palace was in an uproar, realizing that there was another rule before His Majesty: vying for favor could lead to death.
Second Miss Shen, however, always enjoyed a unique exception in His Majesty’s eyes—this much he saw clearly.
Only when she nestled into his embrace did Gu Lingyun realize how emaciated she had become. His expressionless face was as cold as three feet of ice.
“Summon the imperial physician.” In the end, he did not leave. After sitting down, he looked at her.
“Get down.”
The man possessed an innate composure and solemnity befitting his high position. His tone, carrying a hint of reprimand, made it impossible for anyone to resist further.
Shen Si feared he might truly become angry. After all, the current Emperor was not the Gu Lingyun from her past life who would hold and comfort her. Reluctantly, she got down and knelt by his feet.
“Your Majesty~ my knees hurt.”
Liu Cha’en sent a young eunuch to summon the imperial physician. His Majesty would have no time to attend to other matters tonight; he would not be going to Noble Consort Ning’s quarters.
Gu Lingyun glanced at her. “If you’re afraid of pain, why come looking for me?”
That was nothing short of courting death.
Shen Si’s lips trembled. She bit her lower lip and lowered her head, not daring to say more.
The imperial physician arrived quickly.
Upon entering and seeing the woman by the Emperor’s side, he was greatly startled. Wasn’t this… the wife of Marquis Xie?
He dared not look too closely or think too much, immediately kneeling to pay his respects.
“I pay my respects to Your Majesty!”
Gu Lingyun ordered coldly, “Examine her.”
The imperial physician was cautious with his words and actions. He stood up, walked over, and knelt again to take Shen Si’s pulse.
Shen Si was not ill. She stared nervously at the imperial physician.
Gu Lingyun suddenly spoke. “How is deceiving the sovereign dealt with?”
Liu Cha’en, who had followed him in, promptly replied, “Your Majesty, it is punishable by death.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Si trembled, her small face turning pale inch by inch. His Majesty truly no longer doted on her.
The physician taking her pulse instantly broke into a cold sweat.
It was said that His Majesty was benevolent and magnanimous, but few knew that the number of people he had sentenced to extreme punishment was no less than in previous reigns. Rarely did anyone witness the Emperor’s mercy.
“Your Majesty, the wife of Marquis Xie has caught a slight chill and is suffering from excessive fright and emotional distress. I will prescribe a tonic for her to recuperate. Otherwise, there is no serious issue.”
The imperial physician spoke truthfully, inexplicably feeling cold sweat break out on his forehead.
Gu Lingyun waved his hand, dismissing the physician to write the prescription.
After everyone else had withdrawn, Shen Si softened her voice, appearing on the verge of tears. “Your Majesty, I woke up startled from my sleep, having had a nightmare. I’m still frightened now.”
“So, could I stay here…”
“Not permitted.” Gu Lingyun cut her off. What status did she have to dare think of staying here to sleep?
Not even the imperial concubines in the harem enjoyed such treatment.
Did she not know that climbing the dragon bed was also a capital offense?
Shen Si gazed at him with eyes full of disappointment and sorrow, pleading pitifully. “I… I won’t climb the dragon bed. I’ll just sleep close to Your Majesty, right by the bedside. I promise I won’t disturb you.”
Helpless and flustered, she called out softly in a coquettish voice, “Brother~”
In the past, she could still call him “Crown Prince Brother,” but now she dared not address him by name, and “Emperor Brother” didn’t sound right either.
Gu Lingyun lowered his sword-like brows and starry eyes, his gaze toward her deep and somber. Her transformation was suspicious; in the years she had followed him, she had never been so infatuated.
What exactly did she want? Was she trying to provoke Xie Queshan by using herself?
“I will have someone escort you back.”
After speaking, he returned to the bed.
Shen Si looked left and right, but no one dared to enter.
The door was also closed, so she mustered her courage and followed him.
Gu Lingyun lay down with his back to her.
Shen Si knelt by the bed, wiping away her tears. It was fine—His Majesty had already been very kind, not throwing her out. If she pleaded with him a little more, she could return.
The candlelight in the room gradually dimmed. As she breathed in the calming incense, she began to feel drowsy. Her head nodded little by little until she finally fell asleep, leaning against the bedside.
The young emperor, hearing her steady breathing, turned to look at her defenseless form.
…
At the hour of Mao.
Gu Lingyun awoke to find the woman in his arms pressing her entire body against him, clinging to him with an audacious intimacy.
He tried to rise.
“Your Majesty… I was wrong…” Shen Si clung to him, holding him tightly, crying even in her dreams.
Why was she always so aggrieved and uneasy?
Listening to the commotion outside, Gu Lingyun reached out and patted her back to soothe her.
He gently pried her hands away, letting her continue to sleep. After getting out of bed, the palace attendants filed in.
Liu Cha’en helped His Majesty dress and freshen up.
“When she wakes, have someone escort her back. No one is to gossip about last night’s events,” Gu Lingyun instructed calmly, his imperial authority unassailable, his high position and power weighing heavily on everyone, making them bow their heads.
Liu Cha’en knew that the Second Miss Shen was currently in His Majesty’s dragon bed. Suppressing his shock, he bowed and acknowledged the order.
In a low voice, he reported, “Noble Consort Ning suffered stomach pains all last night. The imperial physician said there are signs of a miscarriage.”
His Majesty seemed to place particular importance on Noble Consort Ning’s child.
Gu Lingyun’s features were handsome and refined, his posture as straight and elegant as jade. Dressed in the solemn and majestic bright yellow dragon robe, his expression was cold. “Order the eunuchs to send the imperial tribute ginseng to Yichun Palace, along with some fine silks, satins, gold, silver, and jewels.”
Liu Cha’en followed him, issuing instructions to the junior eunuchs.
When Shen Si awoke, the sky was already bright.
She opened her eyes and touched her body—it wasn’t a dream; she had truly been reborn!
Even more surprising was the discovery that she had slept so comfortably because she was lying on His Majesty’s dragon bed.
Heavens, she quickly got out of bed, her heart pounding.
Had she climbed onto it herself?
Would His Majesty have her head?
A palace maid in pink attire entered. “Madam, you’re awake?”
As servants of Ningde Palace, they were utterly loyal, doing exactly as His Majesty commanded and never gossiping.
Shen Si, realizing they were there to attend to her, slowly asked, “Where is His Majesty?”
“This servant does not know,” the maid replied, focusing solely on her tasks and knowing nothing else.
Shen Si did not press them. After a night’s sleep, her mind was clearer. The most urgent matter now was to secure a divorce as quickly as possible.
She had entered the palace this time for the Grand Dowager Consort’s birthday celebration. She had grown up under the Grand Dowager Consort’s care, and it was the Grand Dowager Consort who had arranged her marriage to the Crown Prince.
Now that the birthday banquet was about to begin, it was inappropriate for her to leave the palace. The Grand Dowager Consort relied on her, and Shen Si remembered that the Grand Dowager Consort had passed away suddenly after the celebration. In her previous life, she had been too preoccupied with Xie Queshan to give it much thought.
But the Grand Dowager Consort had always been in good health. How could she have died so suddenly? Something was amiss.
Before Zhao Yuan could say anything about escorting her away, Shen Si lifted her skirts and hurriedly left Ningde Palace.
Zhishu waited outside all night, growing increasingly anxious.
Finally seeing her mistress emerge, she hurriedly supported her. “Miss, you…”
“Zhishu, help me send a message outside. Tell Xie Queshan to wait for me outside Qinzheng Hall after court adjourns. I have something to discuss with him.”
Shen Si was in a hurry to head toward the Dowager Consort’s quarters as she gave the instruction.
Thinking her mistress was about to face rejection from the young marquis again, Zhishu tried to dissuade her. “Miss, the young marquis has already refused to see you three times.”
“This time, just tell him I want a divorce,” Shen Si said, utterly fed up. She never wanted to lay eyes on that scoundrel again.