Since the Emperor was dining at the Palace of Earthly Honor, he would naturally stay the night.
This was the first time Ruyi would serve him in bed since leaving the Cold Palace. Although they had been wed for over a decade, Ruyi still harbored a maiden’s bashful shyness in his presence.
The Emperor had always been affectionate and romantic. Seeing Ruyi so restless and ill at ease, he used the excuse of taking a bath to grant her space to calm her nerves.
One of the maids, either Yanwan or Suoxin, had to serve at the Emperor’s side. Yanwan hastily feigned fear of the ruler, pushing the task away.
“Sister Suoxin, I’m afraid I won’t serve His Majesty properly. Why don’t you go instead, and I’ll stay to assist Her Ladyship with her bath?”
Suoxin did not overthink it. Turning to see Ruyi nod in agreement, she curtsied and headed to the side hall to serve the Emperor.
Watching Yanwan stand respectfully to the side, a flash of satisfaction glinted in Ruyi’s eyes. Although she trusted her youthful lover, Yanwan’s appearance was simply too striking.
It was for the best that Yanwan was timid and fearful of the Emperor!
“Let us go, Yanwan. Serve my bath.”
Yanwan followed Ruyi toward the bath chamber, a subtle smile fleeting across her eyes as she looked at Ruyi’s back.
Having arrived at the Palace of Earthly Honor, she naturally had to gain Ruyi’s absolute trust first; only then could she act with a free hand.
She had not been by Ruyi’s side for long, and relying solely on her identity as Ling Yunche’s cousin might not suffice to win her over.
She knew what Ruyi cared about, so she would first keep her distance from the Emperor.
Of course, this was also her way of dangling the line for the Emperor!
Whether in Ruyi’s eyes or the Emperor’s, she had to appear as a dutiful, well-behaved servant.
A’ruo stood as a sufficient cautionary tale—didn’t the original story show that the Emperor never once let A’ruo serve him in bed, clearly disdaining those who betrayed their masters?
As she was lost in thought, Ruyi’s anxious voice sounded before her.
“Yanwan, tell me… if His Majesty sees the scar on my lower abdomen, will he despise my body for having a flaw?”
Inside the bath chamber, Ruyi had already shed her robes. Her skin was fair and flawless, yet a finger-long scar traversed her lower abdomen.
The scar was brownish, and at a sudden glance, it almost resembled a small bug crawling across her skin.
This was all thanks to Ling Yunche’s handiwork—he had been standing right beside Grand Empress Dowager Ji during the assassination attempt, yet he deliberately waited until Ruyi was struck before stepping in to save her.
Yanwan lowered her gaze to conceal the smile in her eyes, scattering flower petals into the tub, and soothed her in a soft voice:
“Your Ladyship worries too much. This scar was left behind when you saved Her Majesty the Empress Dowager in the Cold Palace. How could His Majesty possibly mind? If he learns that you bear this mark for the Empress Dowager’s sake, His Majesty will only feel heartache for you.”
*Whether the Emperor minds, who really knows!*
Hadn’t the Emperor in the original story completely abandoned Hailan the moment he saw stretch marks on her belly?
It was clear the Emperor was a pure scumbag; the moment his woman bore a flaw, he discarded her without a second thought.
The System, silent for a long while, could not help but gloat upon hearing Ruyi’s words:
“Ruyi didn’t have this scar in the original show. No wonder you wanted to win over Ling Yunche—this teammate of yours is remarkably effective! If Ruyi hadn’t been so fortunate, that single knife strike might have ended the female lead of Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace right then and there.”
A glint of amusement flashed in Yanwan’s eyes. Ling Yunche was indeed thorough in his methods; she was genuinely curious as to how he had even come up with that scheme.
Relieved by her comforting words, Ruyi stepped into the bath, her hand softly stroking the scar, a trace of melancholy in her eyes.
“I only hope His Majesty will not mind it. Only then can I truly say my bitter days have ended and sweetness has arrived.”
Ruyi’s self-pity lasted only a moment, soon restoring her usual cool and serene composure under Yanwan’s subtle praise.
When the Emperor returned from his bath, he stepped leisurely into the hall clad in a bright yellow bedrobe, twirling a Bodhi bead bracelet in his hand.
The moment he entered the inner chamber, he saw the playful young maid leaning her waist, kneeling on the bed to tidy the bedding.
Such a private place as the bed naturally invited romantic thoughts. Though the woman was properly making the bed, her alluring posture made a surge of heat rise in the Emperor’s chest.
Her skin was moist and fair, glowing with a soft luster under the dim candlelight. Her red lips were plump and moist, with a few stray strands of hair clinging to her lip, making her all the more enticing.
Yet the moon-white palace maid uniform she wore gave her an ethereal grace, making one forget worldly thoughts at first glance.
Though she was a mere young maid, in the Emperor’s eyes, every smile and gesture of hers was elegant and captivating.
She possessed not only extraordinary beauty, but also a playful, delightful temperament.
Though he had seen her only a few brief times, she left a profound impression on him, making it impossible to forget her easily.
Just then, Ruyi noticed the Emperor’s reflection in the vanity mirror. Setting down her comb, she turned her head and offered him a gentle smile.
“What kept Your Majesty so long? I have already finished getting ready.”
Hongli snapped back to reality, realizing that Ruyi had been sitting at the vanity table up front the entire time. He hadn’t even noticed, his attention consumed entirely by watching the young maid.
He could not help but tighten his grip on the prayer beads in his hand, experiencing a strange sense of panic—as though he had been caught red-handed doing something bad by Ruyi.
This novel sensation felt unfamiliar to Hongli. Before he could dwell on it, seeing the doubt on Ruyi’s face, he hurriedly forced a smile and said gently:
“Forgive me for keeping you waiting, Ruyi. My body has been weary lately, so while bathing, I had Li Yu massage my neck for a bit. Are you tired?”
As he spoke, Hongli’s peripheral vision remained fixed on the lovely figure on the bed.
Seeing her react like a startled rabbit upon hearing his voice, she hastily scrambled down from the bed, abandoning her tidying to stand there with a touch of flustered helplessness.
Hongli found it amusing. She had dared to “sample pastries for him” earlier this afternoon, yet now she had turned into a timid rabbit?
Ruyi felt a touch of bashfulness at his question. Remaining silent, she turned sideways, gazing at the Emperor with eyes full of affectionate tenderness.
Her usually serene face looked somewhat unnatural striking such a youthful, coy posture, yet no one corrected her. Having barely suppressed his inexplicable panic, Hongli certainly was not about to utter dampening words.
Listening to their exchange, Yanwan hurriedly smoothed the bedsheet, lingering no longer. She curtsied to Ruyi, preparing to exit the inner chamber.
The Emperor happened to be standing right by the doorway. Stepping lightly to his side, Yanwan curtsied in formal greeting.
Just as she was about to step out, she heard the Emperor speak in a voice only the two of them could hear:
“Sneaking bites of pastries—I have remembered you.”
*Hmm?*
Yanwan hurriedly looked toward the Emperor, yet she could only see his high-bridged nose and handsome profile.
His expression remained completely serene, making it impossible to discern his emotions, as if the sentence had been uttered casually.
Noticing her pretty face filled with confusion, a glint of amusement flashed in Hongli’s eyes as he strode inward with large steps.
*What does this Emperor mean—could he be flirting with her?*
Yanwan was full of doubts in her heart, yet she felt no fear.
Those words were clearly spoken to tease her; had the Emperor truly intended to punish her, he could have stated it openly.
Once out of the inner chamber, she saw Suoxin and Li Yu chatting idly at the door, and she finally let out a sigh of relief.