For several days in a row, He Yanchen did not visit the harem.
Yue Li waited until her monthly cycle had ended before daring to go see him.
When she arrived at the Imperial Study, she saw Ji Ming standing guard outside.
Just as she stepped onto the stairs, Yue Li suddenly heard the sound of a porcelain cup shattering on the floor from behind the closed doors of the hall. She immediately stopped in her tracks.
“Consort Yu?” Ji Ming saw her approaching and hurried forward to pay his respects. ”Consort Yu, what brings you here at this hour?”
Yue Li glanced at the tightly shut doors and said, “I wish to see His Majesty. Might I ask if he is available at the moment?”
Ji Ming looked somewhat troubled. “Consort Yu, Chancellor Wei is inside right now.”
Since a court official was present, it would naturally be inappropriate for a concubine to enter.
Remembering the sound from moments ago, Yue Li felt a sudden surge of worry.
Chancellor Wei Chengdong had once been the Grand Tutor who taught He Yanchen. She remembered that in her previous life, He Yanchen seemed deeply dissatisfied with the Wei family, yet the Wei family had been genuinely loyal to him—she had never heard of the Wei family committing any improper acts.
The late Emperor had many sons, and the Wei family had supported He Yanchen’s rise to the throne. After his ascension, the eldest son of the Wei family had unhesitatingly returned his military authority. By all rights, such loyal subjects should have been the most reassuring.
Yet she remembered that roughly a year later, He Yanchen had dismissed Wei Chengdong from his post, and his two sons had also been demoted one after another. Father and sons all retired to idleness at home, and before long, they had resigned and returned to their hometown.
Listening to the commotion inside, it seemed He Yanchen’s dissatisfaction with the Wei family had begun even earlier than she had known.
As she was lost in her memories, the doors of the hall creaked open from within.
Wei Chengdong walked out, his face expressionless, though his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly the moment he saw Yue Li.
Yue Li was merely a lowly Consort, while Wei Chengdong was a first-rank official. By convention, he did not need to bow to her, but he still stood in place and cupped his hands in a gesture of courtesy before departing.
Ji Ming asked, “Shall this servant announce your presence, Consort Yu?”
“Please.”
Before long, Ji Ming came back out and ushered her inside.
No candles were lit in the hall, leaving it rather dim.
A pile of shattered porcelain lay scattered on the floor. The man’s face was hidden in shadow, his expression unreadable.
“Come here.”
Before Yue Li could even bow, the man’s cold voice sounded from the head of the room.
Yue Li carefully skirted around the pile of broken porcelain, walked up the steps, and stood at the man’s side.
“Is Your Majesty unhappy?” She gazed at him with affectionate almond eyes, though her small hands had unconsciously clutched the hem of his robe.
A complex emotion seemed to flicker in He Yanchen’s eyes. Yue Li felt it was not anger, but rather helplessness.
The doubt in her heart surged to its peak once more.
Back when she was at Spring Breeze Pavilion, He Yanchen had not yet ascended the throne. He was the third son of the late Emperor, and he enjoyed considerable renown among the people.
She often overheard the men who came to Spring Breeze Pavilion seeking pleasure speak of him with admiration whenever the Third Prince was mentioned. It was said he had annihilated the Western Rong invaders at the frontier in a single stroke, his military achievements so illustrious that they briefly overshadowed even the Crown Prince.
Later, the Crown Prince committed treason, and the Third Prince earned merit for saving the Emperor. After the late Emperor’s passing, he ascended the throne.
Yue Li could never reconcile the man from those rumors with the man she had known in her previous life.
It seemed that only by discovering what had changed him could she avert the catastrophe two years from now.
“I am speaking to you.”
The man’s icy voice snapped her back to her senses.
Yue Li stared at him blankly, and He Yanchen tapped her forehead with a hint of impatience.
“Only a few days apart, and you’ve gone mute again?”
“I haven’t…” Yue Li collected herself. The priority now was repairing the relationship between them, making sure that day’s incident left no rift in his heart.
“This concubine can’t help feeling flustered the moment she sees Your Majesty.” She took the man’s hand and pressed it to her chest. “Your Majesty, feel…”
Beneath his palm came a soft sensation, and He Yanchen’s eyes gradually darkened.
“This concubine brewed a pot of plum blossom wine herself. I had hoped to taste it with Your Majesty that day, but alas, Your Majesty was angry with me.” She pouted, aggrieved. “But I didn’t want to drink alone, so I had to shamelessly come find Your Majesty.”
“Will Your Majesty keep me company and have a taste?”
Yue Li had Lianqiao set the wine pot on the table, then gazed at him expectantly.
He Yanchen was silent for a moment, then hooked a finger into her sash and drew her into his arms.
“Open it.”
Only then did Yue Li smile happily, lifting the pot to pour him a cup.
He Yanchen took it and tasted. The wine was mild, laced with a faint fragrance of plum blossoms—rather elegant.
“Is it good?” Yue Li’s eyes sparkled as she watched him.
The man swirled the cup lightly between his fingers, as if savoring the aftertaste. “Mediocre.”
Yue Li’s little face immediately fell. She muttered, “That’s just because Your Majesty doesn’t know how to appreciate it.”
“You have to drink it like this…”
With that, under his gaze, she tilted her head back and took a sip, then leaned close to him, her cherry lips pressing against his cool, thin ones.
The faint scent of plum blossoms spread between their lips and teeth. He Yanchen held her and leaned back slightly, deepening the kiss.
When they finally parted, Yue Li asked him, “Does Your Majesty find it tasty now?”
The man gently brushed the moisture from the corner of her lips with a curled knuckle, the corner of his mouth curving slightly. “Passable.”
“Then Your Majesty should drink more.”
It took them a full half hour of effort to finish that small pot of wine.
Yue Li’s fair cheeks were flushed with spots of color, the front of her robe somewhat damp, and the man’s formerly immaculate clothing had grown a little disheveled.
Yue Li leaned back against the imperial desk, her arms around his neck. “Is Your Majesty in a better mood now?”
He Yanchen raised an eyebrow slightly. “Who said I was in a bad mood?”
The woman gave a soft, reproachful hum. “This concubine isn’t blind—those shards of broken porcelain are still right there.”
“I was nearly scared to death when I came in.”
He Yanchen didn’t believe her for a second—she was plenty bold.
Seeing that he wasn’t taking the bait, Yue Li’s little mind spun, and she hatched another plan.
She nestled into the man’s arms and said in a delicate voice, “Your Majesty has tasted my wine—could you stop being angry with me?”
Her eyes reddened as she spoke. “This concubine never meant to meddle in state affairs. It’s just… it’s just that I was afraid…”
The man’s gaze on her was deep and meaningful. He raised a hand to wipe the tears from the corner of her eye and followed her lead. “Afraid of what?”
“Your Majesty knows this concubine comes from humble origins. Back at Spring Breeze Pavilion, the girls there were, to those high officials and nobles, no different from goods to be bought and sold at will.” Yue Li shuddered as she spoke, clinging to him more tightly.
“It was lucky that I met Your Majesty. In my heart, Your Majesty is like a savior.”
“After entering the palace, this concubine only wanted to be with Your Majesty. But that day at Yanfu Palace, the Empress Dowager ordered me to copy the Admonitions for Women—she must have been displeased with how I cling to Your Majesty every day. I’m just a lowly Meiren. If… if the Empress Dowager decides to cast me out of the palace, what then?”
Yue Li sniffled a few times at just the right moment. Guiltily, she glanced up at him, and finding him watching her, quickly lowered her eyes again.
“So I thought, if I could persuade Your Majesty to pay more attention to state affairs, perhaps the Empress Dowager wouldn’t despise me so much…”
“That way, I could stay by Your Majesty’s side properly.”
“Is that what you were thinking?” He Yanchen didn’t know whether he believed her or not, but he showed no sign of anger. Instead, he gripped her waist, set her on the imperial desk, and met her gaze.
Yue Li nodded.
“Then answer me—whose concubine are you?”
“Your Majesty’s, of course.”
He Yanchen leaned back in his chair, idly toying with the silk ribbon at her chest. “Since you know you’re My concubine, what does it matter whether the Empress Dowager likes you or not?”
Yue Li opened her mouth, but seemed unable to argue.
“But… Your Majesty cannot be by my side every moment. If the Empress Dowager decides to punish me one day…”
The man was unmoved by her words. Instead, he chuckled softly. “Then be even more obedient. Please Me even more. Make it so I can’t do without you.”
“That way, I’ll protect you at all times.”
Yue Li: “…”
Operation Pitiful Damsel: dead.