The clothes the mother and son were wearing—they were wrong!
At first glance, they looked brand new and solemn.
But upon closer inspection, Lady Tao was dressed in a deep brown cotton skirt with a dull, aging pattern. The waist was far too large and had been folded over and over; even with the belt tightened, it looked baggy and ridiculous.
Ming Yuechang’s outfit was even more absurd!
The sleeves were a segment too short, and the fabric clung tightly to his body. Although he was twelve years old, he was sallow and thin, looking no different from a seven or eight-year-old.
Yet these clothes were even smaller!
It was unclear what age child they were intended for, but they had been forced onto Ming Yuechang.
One was too baggy, the other too tight.
Ming Yueni’s eyes turned red with anger!
“Whose idea was this? The Duke’s? Or the Duchess’s?”
Lady Tao waved her hands repeatedly, her smile gentle but helpless, gesturing for her daughter not to make a fuss.
Ming Yuechang was young and held a grudge.
He said indignantly, “Sister, who else could it be? In the inner manor, the Duchess’s word is law.”
“She claimed the clothes Mother made were patched and would bring shame to the family in the palace. She forced Mother to wear an old nanny’s clothes and made me pick up the Second Young Master’s discarded old clothes.”
Ming Yuechang tugged at the tight fabric, his eyes rimmed with red. “She said if we didn’t wear them, she wouldn’t let us into the palace.”
“Detestable!”
Ming Yueni gritted her teeth, tears of rage in her eyes. “That old vixen, she has gone too far!”
“Sister, don’t be angry! That old vixen has recently met with karma!”
Ming Yuechang said gloatingly, “I heard them say that people outside are all mocking her. The old vixen doesn’t even dare to step out of the door.”
“The Eldest Miss married into the Eastern Palace as the Crown Prince’s Side Consort, but Sister, you are a Beauty now. Which of you is more powerful?”
Ming Yueni stroked his head. “I am His Majesty’s Beauty, which makes me the stepmother-figure to the Crown Prince and Ming Yuelan. Xiao Chang, you tell me—who is more powerful?”
Ming Yuechang’s mouth fell open in an “O” shape.
“Sister is more powerful! That’s great! Now the Eldest Miss will never dare to bully Sister again!”
Then, Ming Yuechang turned from happy to dejected.
He took Ming Yueni’s hand, his thin little face full of worry. “Sister, is the Emperor very old?”
“They say the Emperor can’t have children. Just how old must he be? Sister, aren’t you basically living like a widow?”
Ming Yueni’s mouth twitched. Thinking of the jade tools under her bed, she found it hard to speak.
His Majesty was “sterile,” but his tastes were certainly… varied!
Ming Yueni sighed inwardly, choosing to report only the good news. “His Majesty isn’t old at all! He is handsome and heroic, the most powerful man in the world!”
“Xiao Chang, the day you meet His Majesty, you will know that Sister didn’t lie to you.”
Ming Yuechang nodded; he believed his sister!
Knowing that his “Brother-in-law” wasn’t old and that his sister wasn’t being wronged, Ming Yuechang breathed a sigh of relief.
“Xiao Chang, Mother, come with me.”
Ming Yueni led her mother and brother back to her quarters. The elegant and luxurious palace rooms made them feel even more at ease.
Ming Yueni brought out a box of East Sea pearls and ten bolts of fabric.
“These were all bestowed upon me by His Majesty. Take them to exchange for money and make some new clothes.”
Without pausing, Ming Yueni wrote a letter.
“Mother, when you return, the Duke will surely seek you out. At that time, give this letter to him.”
Lady Tao tucked it away carefully, her eyes filled with love and heartache as she gently stroked Ming Yueni’s face.
No one knew a daughter better than her mother.
Lady Tao knew all too well how difficult life was for a woman—her Nie’er must have suffered a great deal.
“Mother, don’t cry. I am truly doing well!”
Ming Yueni wiped away Lady Tao’s tears and gave a sweet smile. “I’ve come to the palace to enjoy a life of fortune. I will make sure you and my brother live well! From now on, no one will be able to bully us again!”
“Ah…” Lady Tao shook her head through her tears.
She would be content as long as her daughter lived a good life.
Family visits to the palace were time-limited.
One hour was far too short!
When the eunuch came to collect them, they couldn’t help but let their tears fall.
Ming Yueni leaned against the gate of Fu Rou Palace, her eyes misty, watching her mother and brother disappear into the distance…
She sniffled, turned back, and crawled under the bed to pull out the box.
Looking at the ferocious, ugly objects one by one, Ming Yueni bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Her gaze grew resilient. Taking a deep breath, she reached out to grab one!
No!
Ming Yueni tried, but she couldn’t do it.
Being forcibly taken by that beastly Crown Prince in her previous life had left a dark shadow; her heart churned with overwhelming nausea!
Ming Yueni thought of a plan.
She found Shen Rou. “Sister Rou, do you have any… romantic items here? For example, picture books or scrolls?”
Shen Rou was playing with a rabbit.
Hearing this, she sized up Ming Yueni’s flushed face and blood-jade-colored ears, and suddenly realized. “You mean Spring Palace paintings! Yes, I have some! I’ll give them to you.”
“Thank you, Sister Rou.” Ming Yueni was overwhelmed with shame, unable to lift her head.
She didn’t know that Shen Rou would privately report her words, word for word, to the Emperor.
Very soon!
Bei Chenyuan would know she was looking at Spring Palace paintings.
The Imperial Study.
“Beauty Ming, you’ve come,” Fu Lai greeted her with a chuckle.
Ming Yueni returned the gesture with a shallow smile. “Eunuch Fu.”
“Beauty Ming, please enter. His Majesty likes you to serve tea and grind ink; others cannot do it well, so he has been waiting for you~”
Ming Yueni didn’t believe him.
She took a deep breath and walked into the “dragon’s den” in one go.
“This concubine pays respects to Your Majesty.”
“Come here and grind the ink.”
Ming Yueni submissively complied, walking to the desk to quietly and skillfully grind the ink and prepare the brush.
But when she handed over the brush with both hands, Bei Chenyuan leaned back against his chair, his gaze steady and deep as he stared at her. “Write a few characters. I want to see if you have neglected your studies.”
“Yes.”
Ming Yueni walked behind the desk.
The imperial desk was very wide, but Bei Chenyuan’s legs were longer. Standing behind the desk, Ming Yueni was forced to stand close to Bei Chenyuan’s legs. She could feel the constant warmth even through the fabric of their clothes.
Holding her breath, she concentrated on the brush and wrote Bei Chenyuan’s name.
It was an act of pleasing him, and also one of intimacy.
Bei Chenyuan didn’t call for her to stop, so after a pause, Ming Yueni had no choice but to write her own name beneath his. These were the characters she had practiced best; they were nearly flawless.
“The writing is acceptable.”
Bei Chenyuan leaned forward to comment, then suddenly changed the subject so abruptly it was hard to react. “The Spring Palace paintings—have you learned from them yet?”
“No…”
Realizing what he meant, Ming Yueni’s thin skin instantly turned a vibrant shade of pink.
Subconsciously refusing to admit it, she said, “I didn’t look at them!”
Bei Chenyuan’s gaze made Ming Yueni’s legs feel weak. “Think carefully before you answer.”
Her backside felt a faint phantom pain.
Feeling guilty, Ming Yueni wanted to run, but every one of her movements had long been anticipated and controlled by Bei Chenyuan.
As soon as she moved her foot, her slender waist was instantly imprisoned by his large, powerful hand!
Without any power to resist, she was pinched by the waist and pulled into the Emperor’s embrace.
Pressed down onto his lap, she couldn’t escape or move.
Ming Yueni’s eyes widened, her face like a blossoming hibiscus, turning a seductive shade of red.
Bei Chenyuan pinched her chin. “Answer me.”
“…This concubine looked, but doesn’t know how.”
Ming Yueni gave up on herself and said softly, “This concubine doesn’t know how to use the things Your Majesty bestowed either!”
“Truly stupid.”
Bei Chenyuan pinched Ming Yueni’s cheek; it was soft and tender. “You even need me to teach you.”
“Your Majesty, can this concubine not use them? They are cold… uncomfortable.”
“How delicate!”
Bei Chenyuan’s eyes grew dark and heavy. “You want something hot? Can you handle it?”