She had originally wanted an opportunity to resolve this matter, but looking at Yanwan’s face, she still wanted Ruyi to send this palace maid away as soon as possible.
Hearing Hailan’s words, the expression on Ruyi’s face darkened. She had gained some understanding of Yanwan’s character during this period; she was by no means the vain, greedy individual Hailan made her out to be.
As Ling Yunche’s cousin, her character was reliable after all—why did Hailan repeatedly insist on causing trouble for Yanwan?
Ruyi frowned as she looked at the anxious, urgent expression on Hailan’s face. Moving her gaze down to Hailan’s belly, a flash of insight crossed her mind.
Could it be because Hailan would be unable to attend to the Emperor in bed in the future, causing her to develop a defensive wariness toward any dynamic, attractive palace maids?
Yet guarding against Yanwan was truly overthinking things.
Yanwan was so terrified of the Emperor—how could she ever take the initiative to approach him?
“Hailan, Yanwan is not the kind of person to betray her master as you claim. She works diligently and has never committed a single step out of bounds. Do not overthink things.”
“Sister, believe me. Human hearts are unpredictable. She is merely a junior maid—simply send her away…”
To the side, Suoxin looked at Noble Lady Hai in astonishment. Noble Lady Hai was usually frail and timid; why was she constantly causing trouble for Yanwan?
She recalled that on the second day after Yanwan arrived, Noble Lady Hai had spoken these exact words, and today she brought up the old matter again. Could she simply be unable to tolerate Yanwan’s beauty?
Fortunately, her mistress had not believed Noble Lady Hai’s words. If Yanwan were dismissed—a servant turned away from the Palace of Earthly Honor—what good place could she possibly go?
Inside the small kitchen, steam filled the air.
Yanwan was brewing honey water over an earthenware pot on the stove, which was the main ingredient for making dark fragrance soup. Every day, Ruyi instructed her servants to prepare this soup, saying the Emperor loved drinking it.
If the Emperor did not come, these soups were poured straight down the drain.
Not a single servant in the Palace of Earthly Honor enjoyed drinking this stuff.
Dark fragrance soup sounded grand enough, but it was merely plum blossom jam steeped in honey water—hardly as thirst-quenching as coarse tea or salted milk tea.
Just then, hearing the sound of the Emperor’s arrival from the courtyard, she turned around and opened the window slightly to look outside.
She saw the Emperor dressed in everyday attire, personally bending down to support Noble Lady Hai as she curtsied in greeting.
Hadn’t it been said that during these days of the New Year the Emperor would stay at the Palace of Eternal Spring to accompany the Empress? She had not expected him to come to the Palace of Earthly Honor as early as the third day. Looking at it this way, the Emperor truly treated Ruyi quite well.
It seemed today’s dark fragrance soup would finally avoid being poured out.
The Emperor followed Ruyi and Hailan inside, taking a seat at the red sandalwood round table in the main hall.
He unconsciously scanned the room, seeing only Suoxin serving alone, unable to spot that lovely figure anywhere.
“Why has Your Majesty come? Today is the third day of the New Year; I thought Your Majesty would be accompanying Her Majesty the Empress.”
Listening to the faint, teasing blame in Ruyi’s tone, the Emperor withdrew his gaze, unhurriedly twirling the Bodhi bead bracelet in his hand, and said in a gentle voice:
“Though I did not come earlier, my heart kept you in mind every moment. With Noble Lady Hai keeping you company, my sudden visit seems to have disturbed your refined mood instead.”
Ruyi offered a slightly bashful smile, while Hailan, hearing these words from the side, felt somewhat apprehensive and hurriedly smiled:
“How could Your Majesty say such a thing? I merely saw Sister missing Your Majesty often, which is why I came frequently to keep her company. With Your Majesty here as the true master, I can naturally bow out with my task accomplished.”
The moment Yanwan entered the hall, she overheard these words, and her heart burst into silent laughter.
She was somewhat doubtful—was this Hailan a consort to the Emperor, or a matchmaker, pushing Ruyi and the Emperor together so persistently?
She wondered whether the Emperor felt awkward hearing his own concubine matchmake him with another concubine like this.
Thinking of this, she stole a glance at the Emperor. Nothing could be discerned from his face, yet after hearing Hailan’s words, the Emperor did not pick up the conversation any further.
Ruyi raised her eyes to see Yanwan entering with a tray. Her own thoughtful preparation had indeed not been in vain, and she said to the Emperor with a bright smile:
“I had just sent Yanwan to prepare the dark fragrance soup when Your Majesty arrived. I hope Your Majesty still enjoys drinking this soup.”
Sitting at the head of the table, the Emperor naturally caught sight of that familiar figure at first glance. A smile curved on his lips; his already handsome features bore an undeniable trace of deep affection when looking so intently at someone.
“Since Ruyi prepared it with such care, I naturally love drinking it. I have not tasted it for several years and have often kept it in mind.”
Under the Emperor’s gaze, Ruyi’s heart beat even faster. A blush slowly rose on her fair, delicate face, and she lowered her eyes in bashful shyness.
Yanwan approached carrying the tray, exchanging a glance with Li Yu standing behind the Emperor, before curtsying in formal greeting and presenting the soup.
Inside the large blue-and-white porcelain bowl, the honey-colored soup radiated steam, decorated with scattered plum blossoms floating on top, making for a very appealing presentation.
Using a small porcelain bowl, Yanwan carefully served a bowl and placed it before the Emperor, asking in a soft voice:
“Why don’t Your Ladyship and Noble Lady Hai have some as well? On a cold winter day, it serves well to warm the body.”
Ruyi gracefully curled her fingers, thoroughly satisfied with Yanwan’s suggestion. Sharing a bowl of soup with the Emperor was something she was naturally more than willing to do.
Sitting to the Emperor’s right, Hailan watched Yanwan’s fair, slender hands serving the soup, her delicate fingertips glowing pink, and a cold glint flashed through her eyes.
Seeing Yanwan offer the soup bowl with both hands, she planned to deliberately spill the soup without a second thought—preferably scalding her hands, while framing her for dereliction of duty along the way!
She gently took the bowl, yet exerted no force with her hands, deliberately loosening her fingers so the porcelain bowl slipped down.
Seeing this bowl of hot soup about to spill over Yanwan’s hands, the sudden incident caught Yanwan by surprise, leaving her unable to dodge in time. Yet right at that moment, a powerful force came from behind her—someone grabbed the back of her clothes and yanked her back.
Yanwan stumbled back two steps, barely stabilizing her balance, only to see the bowl of hot soup already spilled across Noble Lady Hai’s front.
Upon the round table, as well as her blue flag dress, the soup was spilled all over her, soaking the fabric over her rounded abdomen entirely.
Surprised, Yanwan turned her head to look, only to see the Emperor retracting his hand as if nothing had happened.
It was actually the Emperor who had yanked her out of harm’s way!
Seeing her pretty face filled with flustered panic—looking for all the world like a startled, pitiful darling—a glint of amusement flashed in the Emperor’s eyes as he casually withdrew his gaze.
Everyone in the hall was startled by this sudden commotion. Surprised, Ruyi set down her soup spoon and hurriedly picked up a handkerchief to wipe the soup off Hailan’s hands and clothes.
“Ah, Hailan, your clothes are all wet! Yanwan, how could you be so careless in your work? I shall certainly punish you later!”
Seeing the Emperor pull Yanwan away, Ruyi assumed he feared she might scald Hailan. For the first time, she looked at Yanwan sternly, yet her words contained no real intent to punish.
Even if Yanwan acted improperly, out of respect for Ling Yunche, she was unwilling to make things difficult for his cousin—at most, she would discipline her properly in the future.
Yanwan hurriedly knelt down to plead guilty, though she knew full well she had done nothing wrong.
Unfortunately, she was currently a servant, and this was the palace, where no one would listen to her reason.
Raising her eyes to see Hailan’s exasperated, furious state, realization finally dawned in her heart—Hailan had done this on purpose!
In the original show, she had spread rumors that the original owner seduced the Emperor, and now she was pulling the exact same maneuver again. She truly was… vile!
Suoxin and Noble Lady Hai’s maid also stepped forward to help clean up. Suoxin looked with concern at the kneeling Yanwan, harboring her own suspicions as well.
Yanwan had always been careful in her work. Just moments ago, Noble Lady Hai had urged her mistress to drive Yanwan away, and now this incident occurred—it was blatantly clear that Noble Lady Hai had staged this intentionally.
Li Yu felt anxious in his heart, yet he had to suppress his expression to prevent anyone from noticing anything amiss.
He had seen it clearly: that bowl of soup had slipped straight from Noble Lady Hai’s own hands. Looking at Yanwan’s delicate, kneeling figure from behind, he felt both pained and infuriated.
*This Noble Lady Hai is bent on seeking death—is she unable to wait even for her delivery day before courting her own demise?!*