“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Ming Yueni broke into a smile through her tears, reaching up to wipe them away. Her watery, beautiful eyes shimmered with joy, filled with a clinging, dependent docility.
She stood up, her madder-colored palace dress blooming like a flower, secured by a primrose-yellow sash that accentuated her slender, willow-like waist. Ming Yueni folded her hands neatly in front of her, standing elegantly and demurely. She gazed at Bei Chenyuan with her palm-sized, glamorous face and asked softly, “Your Majesty, how do you intend to help this servant?”
“You need not concern yourself with that.”
Bei Chenyuan reached out and pinched Ming Yueni’s cheek. “Go down and wash up. You’ve cried yourself into a little calico cat.”
Ming Yueni immediately covered her face, nodding with shy embarrassment. “Yes, this servant shall go at once!”
Leaving the Imperial Study, Ming Yueni walked to a secluded spot, unable to restrain the curve of her eyes or the upward hook of her moist, red lips. She touched her cheek, which was still cool and stained with tear tracks.
She hadn’t expected the effect of her crying to be so potent! When the Emperor showed pity for a beauty, he was both overbearing and gentle—with a hint of doting indulgence.
A flash of cunning crossed Ming Yueni’s red, swollen “rabbit eyes.” I wonder how His Majesty will help? I’m so looking forward to it~
Bei Chenyuan was a man of swift action.
That very day, the Ministry of Rites set out with gongs and drums, a grand procession heading to the residence of the Great General of the State to deliver Imperial gifts. This move made it known to everyone in the capital that the Emperor was highly satisfied with Liu Yingwu as his future daughter-in-law!
By contrast, the Duke’s Mansion received nothing. Was it not clear that the Emperor was displeased? It was a resounding slap to their faces. Suddenly, the nobles of the capital began to ostracize the Duke’s Mansion.
Inside the Duke’s Mansion
The Duchess was smashing things non-stop with a series of loud crashes. Gasping for air from the exertion, she turned to see Duke Ming calmly drinking tea. Enraged, she rushed over and smashed his teacup.
“My Lord, how can you still drink that!”
The Duchess’s face was swollen from being beaten, making her speech slurred, but it didn’t lessen her explosive rage. She was driven mad with anger, stomping and cursing: “That damned little wench! We should never have let her enter the palace!”
“Does she think that because she’s hiding in the palace, I have no way to deal with her?” The Duchess’s eyes were poisonous as she roared hideously, “See if I don’t slash her mother’s face and break that little brat’s legs!”
“Enough!” Duke Ming barked with authority. “Madam, you are not permitted to touch that mother and son.”
“My Lord, have you lost your mind? Our Duke’s Mansion has become the laughingstock of the capital! Look at the injuries on my face! Lan’er is still locked in the palace learning etiquette! And you’ve been fined a year’s salary!” The Duchess cursed frantically, “It’s all that little wench’s fault! That bringer of bad luck—she should have been drowned at birth!”
“Shut up!”
Duke Ming lost his temper. “A woman’s short-sightedness! Use your head. Ming Yueni was able to bewitch His Majesty into backing her up—what does that prove? It means our Duke’s Mansion has eyes and ears right beside the Emperor!”
Though the Duchess fell silent, her face was full of defiance.
Duke Ming stroked his beard. “Madam, if you truly want what’s best for Lan’er, you absolutely must not fight with Ming Yueni or touch her mother and brother.”
“My Lord, what do you mean? Do you expect me, the Mistress of this house, to beg her?”
“And why not?” Duke Ming’s mental abacus was clicking rapidly. “Think about it. Since His Majesty has no heirs, no matter how much favor Ming Yueni gains in the future, she won’t be able to bear a child. The world is destined to belong to the Crown Prince! Once our Lan’er conceives the Crown Prince’s seed, we let Ming Yueni whisper in the Emperor’s ear…”
“As long as the Imperial Grandson is invested, Lan’er’s status will rise because of her son. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, she will be the Empress! At that time, the Duke’s Mansion will be above ten thousand people. Those who laugh at us now will have to come kneeling and kowtowing to lick our boots.”
As the Duchess visualized this, she began to grin from ear to ear, but the movement tugged at her injuries, twisting her face in pain.
Hiding his inner disdain, Duke Ming continued, “You are the Mistress of the house, essentially half a mother to Ming Yueni. Go apologize, coax her a little, and she will surely listen to you obediently.”
“I understand!” The Duchess plotted with smug conceit. “Ming Yueni is a pawn for our family! No matter how high she climbs with the Imperial favor, she is merely sewing the bridal gown for Lan’er! Fine, for Lan’er’s sake, I shall be magnanimous! The Duke’s Mansion doesn’t lack the scraps to feed that wench and her brat!”
At the thought of her precious daughter, the Duchess grew anxious again. Ming Yueni was just a lowly maid; how could she help her sister? She would have to obtain some potent folk medicines…
“Achoo!”
With Ming Yueni’s sneeze, every eye in the Imperial Study turned toward her.
Ming Yueni covered her nose and hastily bowed. “This servant has lost her decorum before the Emperor. Please punish me, Your Majesty.”
Bei Chenyuan said deeply, “Come here.”
Ming Yueni walked over cautiously. To her surprise, Bei Chenyuan set down his memorial and reached out to feel her forehead. The movement was so natural, the strength gentle and laced with a touch of affection.
“No fever.” Bei Chenyuan withdrew his hand and picked up the memorial again, speaking in a casual yet steady tone. “Take care of your body. I do not wish to see a sickly weakling.”
“This servant obeys.”
After bowing, Ming Yueni retreated to her spot. She kept her head lowered, her heart thumping wildly. Following that, she added tea when tea was needed and ground ink when ink was needed.
Once Bei Chenyuan finished handling state affairs, he went for a stroll in the Imperial Garden to get some air. Ming Yueni followed behind him. The peonies in the garden were blooming brilliantly, clusters of flowers forming a picture-perfect scene.
A rockery arrangement blocked their view. As Ming Yueni followed the Emperor around it, she happened to overhear a conversation—
“Your Highness, Sister Side Consort has been washing her face with tears, weeping every night. You should go visit her.”
“She has not yet wed into the family; she is not my Side Consort!” Bei Chenyuan’s tone was full of loathing. “If she hadn’t seduced me, I wouldn’t have angered Imperial Father and lost my post at the Ministry of Revenue.”
Ming Yueni’s eyes lit up! The Crown Prince had been supervising the Ministry of Revenue; she hadn’t expected him to be dismissed this time! Wonderful!
She stole a glance at the Emperor’s back, her heart blooming with joy. His Majesty punished him well!
“Please calm your anger, Your Highness.” Having successfully provoked him, Liu Yingwu changed the subject, saying proudly, “His Majesty bestowed a pair of precious corals upon me. Hearing that Your Highness likes them, I have already ordered people to send them to the Eastern Palace.”
“Wu’er, it is my blessing to marry you.” Bei Chenjing gave a hypocritical smile and pulled Liu Yingwu into his arms. He leaned close to her ear. “You are my future Crown Princess. Could you do me a favor?”
“Please speak, Your Highness.”
“Call Ming Yueni out and bring her to…”
Liu Yingwu’s body went stiff, her face full of disbelief. Bei Chenjing stroked her face. “Wu’er, you won’t disappoint me, right?”
“B-but Ming Yueni is in the Chen Palace! I wouldn’t dare trespass!”
“What do you want to do when you see Ming Yueni?”
Blinded by lust and lost in his fantasies, Bei Chenjing didn’t notice for a moment that the last question didn’t come from Liu Yingwu.
He blurted out the answer: “To bed her, of course!”
“Presumptuous!”
A thunderous, majestic roar erupted, and Bei Chenjing snapped awake instantly. He pushed Liu Yingwu away and looked back—
Bei Chenyuan’s gaze was as sharp as a cold blade, and the aura surrounding him was terrifyingly oppressive, making it hard to breathe. He was scared half to death!
Yet, there was someone who did not fear the Emperor’s majesty and dared to approach!
Ming Yueni hid behind Bei Chenyuan’s back, reaching out to grab his sleeve. The corners of her eyes were tinged with red, and her voice was timid and laced with fear: “Your Majesty, I’m scared.”
Bei Chenjing’s eyes nearly popped out of his head…