The imperial carriage was not particularly spacious. Curtains hung down, blocking out the light, leaving the inner chamber in darkness.
After He Yanchen sat down, Yue Li refused to sit properly. She knelt beside the man’s legs like a delicate, clinging dodder flower, her soft body resting lightly against his thigh.
“Your Majesty, what brings you to Yanfu Palace today?”
The man glanced down at her, sparing with his words: “Passing by.”
Yue Li let out a soft, disappointed hum. ”This concubine thought Your Majesty had come especially to stand up for her.”
Seeing that her face was still wet, He Yanchen none-too-gently wiped it hard with his own sleeve. ”You certainly know how to dream.”
Her fair little face turned red from his rubbing. She turned her head away, a trace of emotion in her voice. ”This concubine is already so pitiful—can’t Your Majesty say something sweet to comfort her?”
Her pointed chin rested on the man’s knee as she gazed up at him with almond eyes. “Besides, if it weren’t for Your Majesty, this concubine wouldn’t have suffered this undeserved misfortune.”
He Yanchen arched a brow slightly, waiting for her to continue.
“Miss Xiao is infatuated with Your Majesty and jealous that you favor this concubine.”
“With a beauty as talented and lovely as this concubine, how could Your Majesty spare her a glance? I merely spoke the truth, and she got angry.”
“You really have no shame.” He Yanchen’s lips twitched as he pinched her cheek. “Let Us see just how thick your skin is.”
Yue Li shot him a reproachful look. “This concubine was only telling the truth.”
She braced herself against the man’s thigh and slowly rose, and with the slight jolt of the carriage, let out an “oh my” and tumbled into his arms.
He Yanchen, following her momentum, was pushed back onto the couch.
Yue Li’s hands pressed against his chest, her gaze settling on his handsome face as if in jealousy. “Your Majesty is so magnificently handsome—not only the consorts in the palace, but even those outside covet you…”
“No matter how much it pains my heart, it’s this concubine’s own doing. Who told this concubine to give her whole heart to you?”
He Yanchen didn’t believe a single word of her effortless sweet talk.
But he didn’t care what the women of the harem thought. He was the Emperor—it was their destiny to submit to him.
The man wrapped one arm around her slender waist, his voice slightly low. “Are you clean?”
Yue Li froze, then shook her head.
He Yanchen gave her bottom a slap. “And you still dare to provoke Us.”
Yue Li lay aggrieved against his chest, her cool fingertips slipping quietly beneath the hem of his robe. “If this concubine doesn’t provoke Your Majesty, what if one day you forget about her?”
Her eyes, innocent and clear, gazed up at him even as she did something utterly bold. Such extreme contrast was the easiest way to make a man lose control.
In the silent carriage, threads of ambiguous atmosphere seemed to drift through the air.
He Yanchen gripped the back of her neck and kissed her.
Slightly ragged breaths rose within the curtains. Nose brushing nose, lips and tongues entwined—Yue Li felt a little dizzy, but still refused to back down, teasing him in return.
Ji Ming, standing guard outside, quietly stepped several paces away the moment he heard the sounds.
He stared helplessly at the bluestone slabs beneath his feet. His Majesty hadn’t said where they were going, so for now he could only have the young eunuchs carrying the carriage circle the palace paths again and again.
After a long while, Yue Li finally lay limply against the man’s chest, breathing softly.
She wiped her hands on his bright yellow dragon robe.
He Yanchen caught sight of her movement, his brow furrowing slightly, but in the end he said nothing.
Yue Li took a moment to compose herself before asking, “Will Your Majesty be going to my palace, or shall I accompany you back to the Linde Hall?”
He Yanchen gave a cold snort. “Do I have a third choice?”
Yue Li shook her head repeatedly. “If Your Majesty cannot decide, then I shall choose for you.”
With that, she lifted a corner of the curtain and said to Ji Ming, “Eunuch Ji, please have all of His Majesty’s memorials sent to the Zhuoyu Palace.”
Ji Ming froze.
His Majesty still had the mind to review memorials?
Not just him—a flicker of surprise crossed He Yanchen’s eyes as well.
Knowing Yue Li’s nature, shouldn’t she be trying to lure him to the Zhuoyu Palace right now, doing everything she could to entice him into staying?
Sensing his scrutiny, Yue Li hastily added, “Your Majesty, today the Empress Dowager had me copy out the Admonitions for Women, and some of the words in it struck me as quite sensible.”
She steeled herself and made it up as she went along. “As a consort, one should… should advise Your Majesty to devote himself to state affairs. I was immature before…”
He Yanchen’s eyes were calm and unreadable. Suddenly he gripped her chin, cutting her off.
“A few copies of the Admonitions for Women, and my Consort Yu has become so sensible?”
Yue Li blinked. “I’m a quick learner…”
“Hmph.” She heard the man give a cold laugh, and then the grip on her chin suddenly tightened. Yue Li couldn’t help crying out in pain.
“Don’t do anything that displeases me.”
He Yanchen left behind this ambiguous remark and paid Yue Li no further attention.
A quarter of an hour later, the imperial carriage stopped before the Zhuoyu Palace.
After Yue Li got down, she saw the man still sitting leisurely at the top, showing no sign of coming down.
She tugged at his sleeve, gazing up at him pitifully. “Won’t Your Majesty come inside?”
“Should I come inside?” He Yanchen countered.
Yue Li knew he was angry over her overstepping words earlier. It seemed that even if she wanted to urge him to better himself, she couldn’t be so blunt about it. If she drove him to distance himself from her, it would be a loss far outweighing the gain.
“I know I was wrong. Come inside, Your Majesty, and let me make it up to you, all right?”
He Yanchen lifted her chin, his fingers gently caressing her soft cheek.
Yue Li’s origins meant she could only survive in the palace by relying on his favor. He loved how her heart and eyes were filled only with him, how she depended on him with her whole being.
Unlike the others, each harboring their own schemes, her thoughts were too transparent—and that put him at ease.
But now, the young woman he had once kept in the palm of his hand seemed to have developed a mind of her own.
Thinking of Yue Li’s odd behavior over the past two days, He Yanchen felt somewhat displeased.
So instead of staying as she suggested, he left.
Watching the imperial carriage recede into the distance, a wave of reckless abandon suddenly rose in Yue Li’s heart.
He’d only understand her good intentions the moment Prince Xian stormed the palace!
Back in her chambers, she pounded the pillow on the couch until it was nearly deformed, and only then felt she had vented her frustration.
She calmed down and consoled herself inwardly, telling herself not to be angry.
Changing a person was never easy. There were still two years left—she couldn’t rush things, or He Yanchen might think she’d lost her mind.
She comforted herself: as long as she could enjoy a few more years of wealth and luxury, this little setback was nothing. Nothing at all.
And if it really came to that, she could always run away.
After coaxing herself back into good spirits, Yue Li began drawing up a new plan.