“How bold! Why haven’t you knelt upon seeing the Crown Prince’s Consort!”
Inside the pavilion in the middle of the lake, Ming Yuelan’s maid, Cuizhu, stood like a haughty hen with her tail feathers pointing to the sky, barking orders for Ming Yueni to kneel and pay her respects.
Ming Yueni ignored her and continued walking toward the pavilion.
Cuizhu jumped up in frustration and cursed, “Ming Yueni, are you deaf? I told you to kneel!”
“Get lost!”
Ming Yueni’s gaze was ice-cold, like a frozen lake in the dead of winter, making Cuizhu shiver.
Cuizhu was in disbelief. How did the third young lady, who used to be as soft as a steamed bun, suddenly become so firm? Where did she get the nerve? Was she no longer afraid of being punished by the Eldest Young Lady and the Madam?
As Ming Yueni took a step forward, Cuizhu subconsciously stepped aside, not daring to provoke her further.
Ming Yuelan was dressed in luxurious silks with her hair full of jeweled hairpins, sitting there with an air of elegance and nobility.
How pretentious!
Ming Yueni curled her lips into a smirk, intentionally poking at her sister’s sore spot. “Sister, you haven’t even been moved into the Eastern Palace yet. If you put on such airs so early, aren’t you afraid of failing to become the Consort in the end and becoming a laughingstock?”
“You! Ming Yueni, you bitch!”
Ming Yuelan’s composure shattered instantly. She stood up, tearing off her mask of refinement, and glared at Ming Yueni with eyes so vicious it seemed she wanted to swallow her alive.
Pointing at Ming Yueni’s face, Ming Yuelan cursed, “You caused me to lose the position of Crown Princess! You caused Father to be fined a year’s salary! You caused my mother to be slapped twenty times and confined for a month!”
“Ming Yueni, you are nothing but a jinx! A disaster!”
Ming Yueni found this amusing. With her eyes curved into crescents, she began to clap her hands. “Wonderful! Simply wonderful!”
“Are you insane?!”
Ming Yuelan’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. The Duke’s Residence shared the same honor and disgrace; their parents had been punished and lost face, so how did Ming Yueni dare to be happy?
It was only then that Ming Yuelan realized Ming Yueni had changed. Since they were children, Ming Yueni had been beaten and bullied by her at will. Other than crying, she never dared to utter a word.
As they grew up, Ming Yueni’s features filled out, making her increasingly delicate and beautiful. Ming Yuelan, consumed by jealousy, had intentionally treated Ming Yueni like a servant to wait on her. Seeing Ming Yueni kneel before her in humiliation for the sake of her mother and brother—eating her leftovers and acting as her punching bag—had been her greatest joy!
But after this visit to the palace, Ming Yueni was different. An inexplicable sense of panic and fear gripped Ming Yuelan. She could not let this little wench turn the tables!
“Ming! Yue! Ni!”
Ming Yuelan rushed out and screamed at her, “What are you so proud of? I am the Crown Prince’s Consort! I am the master!”
“And you! A lowly daughter of a concubine! You have cheap bones and cheap skin!” Ming Yuelan cursed maliciously, “A bitch like you is only fit to be a foot-washing maid even if you enter the palace!”
Ming Yueni’s eyes grew cold, and she clenched her fists. She remained calm and composed, staring straight into Ming Yuelan’s eyes. “Sister, you are mistaken.”
“How am I mistaken?”
Ming Yueni leaned toward her ear and whispered, “I am not a foot-washing maid, and you are not the master. You are merely a Liangdi of the Eastern Palace—a concubine! Liu Yingwu is the one who will be the Crown Princess.”
Ming Yueni’s voice was very soft, yet it was like a knife stabbing ruthlessly into Ming Yuelan’s heart. The truth was so sharp it drove her into a frenzy.
“Ming Yueni! I’ll tear your mouth apart!”
Ming Yuelan went mad with rage. Her face contorted with malice, and her fingers, stained with red rouge, lunged viciously at Ming Yueni’s face.
Ming Yueni let out a cry of fear, covered her face, and turned to run.
Thump!
Before Ming Yueni could take five steps, she crashed headlong into the chest of the Emperor.
So hard! So warm!
A glimmer flashed in the depths of Ming Yueni’s eyes. Looking panicked and timid, she grabbed onto Bei Chenyuan’s robes and buried her face into his solid chest. “Your Majesty, save me.”
“Your Majesty!”
Ming Yuelan was terrified and lost her footing, quickly kneeling to perform a grand salute.
Bei Chenyuan’s gaze was sharp and profound. “What is going on?”
“Your Majesty, she was mean to me…”
Ming Yueni raised her small face, her eyes brimming with tears as if she were about to cry. Like a frightened kitten, she hid in Bei Chenyuan’s arms, trembling.
Ming Yuelan panicked. “Your Majesty, do not listen to this little wench’s nonsense! It was clearly her…”
“Silence!”
The Emperor’s thunderous rage was as terrifying as a mountain collapsing. Ming Yuelan’s face turned pale with fright.
“I recall that the Crown Prince’s Liangdi was supposed to be in confinement learning feminine virtues. Who permitted you to come out?”
“I… I…” Ming Yuelan shook so hard she couldn’t finish a sentence.
Bei Chenyuan’s voice was cruel to the extreme. “The palace has its rules. If a servant fails to serve their master well, take her away and beat her to death.”
Cuizhu, kneeling on the ground, didn’t even have time to react before she was pinned down by two eunuchs and dragged away. Scared out of her wits, she screamed piercingly, “Miss, save me! Miss, help me—!”
Ming Yuelan shook like a sieve, stammering as she begged for mercy, “Your Majesty, spare my life! This commoner was wrong!”
“Your Majesty, spare me! This commoner won’t dare do it again!”
Bei Chenyuan was cold and heartless. “Take her back. If there is a next time, the Crown Prince’s Liangdi will be replaced by someone else.”
Ming Yuelan was immediately dragged away by Fulai and his men.
Ming Yueni’s eyes widened. This felt amazing! The feeling of having someone back her up was simply too good!
“Are you still not letting go?” Bei Chenyuan’s deep, authoritative voice came from above.
His voice was very close to her ear, making it itch and causing the tip of her ear to turn red. Her heart felt a tingle, as if an electric current had passed through it.
Ming Yueni trembled and immediately released her grip, backing out of Bei Chenyuan’s embrace. She glanced at the dragon robes she had wrinkled and lowered her head guiltily. “This servant was wrong. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
“Oh? What did you do wrong?” Bei Chenyuan asked with a stern, majestic face.
Ming Yueni lowered her head, her long eyelashes fluttering. Just as she was trying to concoct an excuse—
A strong, domineering, and aggressive scent of ambergris filled her nose. His hot, scorching breath fanned against her cheek. Ming Yueni didn’t dare look up!
The Emperor pinched the back of her neck, his thumb pressing firmly against the cinnabar mole on the nape of her neck. He pulled her back into his embrace, her cheek pressed tightly against his chest.
“Do you know what kind of person I hate the most?”
Ming Yueni’s heart raced in chaos. She held her breath and didn’t dare speak, only shaking her head obediently.
Her ear felt a wave of heat as Bei Chenyuan’s voice vibrated from his chest, sounding clearly in her mind. “Those who dare to scheme against me are unforgivable.”
Ming Yueni’s body stiffened.
Oh no! She had asked Yinguo to lead the Emperor here, and she had definitely been seen through. What should she do?
“When a mistake is made, there must be punishment. Do you know how I will punish you?”
With her neck held, Ming Yueni couldn’t move. She could only beg in a soft voice, “This servant won’t do it again, I—ah!”
Smack!
A muffled sound echoed as a palm made contact with soft skin, accompanied by a delicate, bone-melting cry of surprise.
The surrounding eunuchs and maids stared straight at the tips of their shoes; no one dared to look up or even breathe loudly.
Ming Yueni’s face was flushed crimson, and her beautiful eyes were misty and shimmering. She looked at Bei Chenyuan with an expression of shame and helplessness.
How could he hit her there!
“If you aren’t obedient again, I’ll beat you until it’s raw!”
“No!”
Ming Yueni jumped in fright, managing to break free from Bei Chenyuan’s hold. Holding her backside with both hands, she hopped away like a rabbit and fled without looking back.
Bei Chenyuan watched her with deep eyes, neither chasing her nor giving any orders. He slowly closed his palm as a ripple stirred in his heart—How could she be so soft?
An nameless fire surged downward. Bei Chenyuan exhaled a breath of hot air, a trace of desire appearing in his eyes.
“Both delicate and soft… she needs discipline.”