A beauty in his arms, soft as jade and warm as incense.
Lu Yao was unwilling to wait a single moment longer.
His thin lips curled with a cold, teasing smile, a hint of frivolity flashing across his handsome face.
Without further ado, he swept Yun Wu up into his arms and carried her into the inner chamber, pressing her down onto the brocade quilts of the canopied bed. Gripping her chin, he kissed her sweet, soft lips slowly and deliberately.
Yun Wu's movements were inexperienced, yet utterly obedient.
This posture of being his for the taking pleased him immensely.
He peeled away her cumbersome outer robe, his slightly cool lips landing on her slender, fair shoulder.
As he gradually moved lower, intending to go further—
"Your Majesty, someone has been sent from Zhongcuigong. They say Consort Rong is feeling unwell and wishes to request Your Majesty's presence."
Outside, Chen Yu'an suddenly announced.
Lu Yao's movements paused.
A flicker of irritation passed through his desire-laden eyes.
Yun Wu caught this but continued to lie there obediently, pretending she had noticed nothing.
Lu Yao raised his head and glanced at the delicate beauty beneath him, as if contemplating. Yet his hands never stopped, teasing Yun Wu until her cheeks flushed pink.
Her expression was shy and timid as she raised a hand to gently push against his chest, signaling him to get up.
Lu Yao raised an eyebrow.
"If I go now, I won't be able to return tonight. Can you bear to let me leave?"
Yun Wu shook her head at his words.
Her clear, lively eyes darted for a moment, then she leaned over and pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips, giving him a slight nod.
Not a single word spoken.
But Lu Yao understood her meaning from her series of actions.
She couldn't bear it.
But she didn't want to make things difficult for him.
She was willing to wait.
"Such a good girl. I like that you're this obedient."
The passion in Lu Yao's eyes gradually receded as he chuckled softly, leaning down to plant two rewarding kisses on her cheek.
Then he decisively withdrew and left.
"Cairen."
After Lu Yao departed, Tuan Jiao and Yuan Rong entered together.
Seeing Yun Wu calmly dressed, both of them felt rather disheartened.
"We've never heard of Consort Rong being unwell before. The moment His Majesty comes to Cairen's chambers, she suddenly feels sick—this is clearly deliberate Jiechong!" Tuan Jiao couldn't help but say indignantly. "She's just relying on His Majesty's favor toward her!
"Everyone in this palace knows her birth mother was only a lowly palace maid. It's only because she once saved His Majesty that she got the chance to enter the palace as a favored consort!
"But His Majesty doesn't belong to her alone!
"Why should she steal Cairen's chance to serve His Majesty?
"Is it because she thinks Cairen has no backing and is soft-tempered enough to bully?!"
Yun Wu listened to her vent and found it rather amusing.
She reached out and pinched Tuan Jiao's cheek, shaking her head at her.
Tonight, Consort Rong wouldn't get what she wanted.
Not only that.
She would end up outsmarting herself and make the emperor even more weary of her.
There was one thing Yun Wu still couldn't quite figure out, though.
It was one thing for Lu Yao to think she was obedient—after all, she was putting on an act, pretending to be good.
But Tuan Jiao and Yuan Rong had both witnessed her methods before. How could they still think she had a soft temperament and was easy to bully?
Could it be… this was love?
Yun Wu was amused by her own thought.
The two maids exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what she was laughing about.
Their mistress's temperament was truly too soft!
Wouldn't she be bullied by everyone in the palace?
The two of them would have to protect their mistress well!
The matter of Consort Rong intercepting favor at Changchungong spread through the harem within moments.
"Still so lacking in class."
The various palace masters murmured among themselves in private.
Lu Yao stepped into Zhongcuigong.
Upon learning he had arrived, Consort Rong immediately threw herself into his arms with a delighted expression, her voice brimming with joy: "Your Majesty, you've come!"
"Didn't you say you were unwell? Why aren't you resting properly?"
Lu Yao cast her a glance.
She was dressed in all her finery, her makeup exquisite and alluring, her complexion rosy and vibrant… She had used illness as an excuse to intercept his favor, yet couldn't even be bothered to put on a show.
"Does Your Majesty not know? Your subject has fallen ill with lovesickness. Now that Your Majesty is here, my illness has naturally been cured."
Consort Rong wrapped one arm around his waist while tracing circles on his chest with the other. Her pair of charming phoenix eyes tilted upward at the corners, carrying an unmistakable invitation.
Intercepting favor was nothing new to her.
In the past, whenever she seduced him like this, he would immediately carry her into the inner chamber and shower her with his attentions.
But this time, he pushed her away with a look of utter disinterest.
"Since you're not actually unwell, I'll be on my way."
With that, Lu Yao turned to leave.
"Your Majesty, don't—"
Consort Rong knew he was displeased and quickly wrapped both arms around him from behind. "Your subject won't let Your Majesty leave! I don't want Your Majesty to favor other women!"
"Consort Rong, it is my duty to distribute my favor evenly throughout the harem. Though I dote on you, you must not be too willful."
Lu Yao's tone was resigned, yet carried a hint of beguiling gentleness.
"Your Majesty, just this once. Stay and keep your subject company."
Consort Rong softened her voice, coaxing him.
"Truly helpless against you…"
Lu Yao seemed to concede with a warm remark.
Hearing this, Consort Rong's heart swelled with tender affection.
Lu Yao was still willing to indulge her, unwilling to scold her.
But she failed to notice just how cold the expression on his handsome face truly was.
"Your Majesty, let me attend to you…"
Consort Rong circled around to stand before him, raising her hand to undo the intricate coiled-dragon patterned buttons on his robes.
"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!"
But at that moment, Chen Yu'an suddenly rushed in with an anxious expression to report, "Ning Changzai has miscarried!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yao roughly pushed Consort Rong aside and turned around.
"What did you say?!"
His face instantly turned dark and terrifying.
Consort Rong nearly fell, stumbling before steadying herself.
It was the first time he had treated her so roughly, and her eyes reddened instantly.
She was about to voice her grievance.
But catching a glimpse of the gloom in his eyes, she quickly swallowed back all her aggrieved words, and putting on a look of understanding, she hurried forward to say, "Your Majesty, let me accompany you to see what happened!"
On the way to Yonghegong.
Chen Yu'an explained to Lu Yao what he knew of the incident.
"…After dinner, Ning Changzai had nothing to do, so she went out for a walk to aid digestion. On her way back, she ran into Xi'er, the palace maid serving Liu Meiren, acting suspiciously outside her Mingguang Dian, so she went up to question her.
"Liu Meiren heard the commotion and came out to argue with Ning Changzai.
"During the altercation… she pushed Ning Changzai.
"Ning Changzai fell, and then blood was seen… It was only then that she learned she had been with child!"
On the other side.
Yun Wu also received the news and was heading from Changchungong to Yonghegong.
The distance from Changchungong to Yonghegong nearly required circling half the harem.
So by the time she arrived, the consorts and concubines had already packed Mingguang Dian.
"Sister Yun, over here."
Jiang Meiren and Concubine Guan had arrived early and were standing together with Noble Lady Cui.
Upon spotting Yun Wu, Jiang Meiren quickly waved at her.
Yun Wu walked over to them.
Having something like this happen on the very first day of entering the palace, the expressions of the few of them were not good.
Especially Yun Wu—she was simply unlucky.
Originally, tonight was her night to serve the Emperor.
But first, Consort Rong had stolen his favor, and then she ran into this inauspicious affair… It was likely that His Majesty would not be willing to summon her for a long time to come.
After all, the moment he laid eyes on her, he would be reminded of today's grief over losing a child.
Although His Majesty had also been stolen away by Consort Rong tonight…
But Consort Rong was different after all.
She had been with His Majesty for so many years and had always been the most favored one—it was no exaggeration to say she was the one His Majesty cared about most in his heart.
Not to mention, her birth mother had saved His Majesty's life when he was young.
Unlike Yun Wu?
She had only entered the palace on her very first day, with no foundation whatsoever.
At the thought of this, the few of them couldn't even muster jealousy anymore, and even looked at her with somewhat pitying eyes.
To lose favor the moment she entered the palace meant she would not be their rival in the future either.
"His Majesty is probably going to explode today."
Jiang Meiren grabbed Yun Wu's hand, and despite her hoarse voice, said to her with a naive tone, "You didn't see the expression on his face when he came in—it was so terrifying I didn't dare to breathe!"
Yun Wu listened and gave a slight nod, her gaze drifting toward the emperor seated in the inner hall.
Lu Yao had always struggled to have heirs.
It had been four years since his grand wedding at age twenty, and with over a dozen consorts and concubines in the harem, there was still only one prince and two princesses.
Therefore, he had always placed great importance on offspring.
With something like this happening today, he naturally would not be feeling well.
Nearby, two consorts were whispering among themselves.
"This Ning Changzai really has no luck. She finally managed to conceive, and yet she couldn't even protect it…"
"I just heard the imperial physician say she was already three months pregnant, but she herself had no idea at all… I really don't know what to say!"
"Look at Zhaoyi Luo's expression—she's about to be annoyed to death…"
"How could she not be? She's the head of Yonghegong. Ning Changzai was right under her nose all day, and now that something has happened, she's the prime suspect!"
When Yun Wu heard the words "Zhaoyi Luo," she cast a glance inside.
She immediately spotted Luo Yuanyuan, the daughter of her only maternal uncle, sitting there with a face full of irritation.
As if sensing her gaze.
Zhaoyi Luo turned her eyes.
Her gaze met Yun Wu's directly.
She furrowed her brows, a hint of disgust surfacing in her eyes, and shot Yun Wu a fierce glare of warning before quickly turning her face away, as if afraid someone might notice they knew each other.
Seeing this, the corners of Yun Wu's lips curled up almost imperceptibly.
After not seeing each other for an entire lifetime.
This dear cousin of hers was still, as always—a snob.