In her past life, it was the Duchess who had suggested selling her mother to a brothel, where she was humiliated and died a tragic death.
A single slap was far from enough to satisfy her hatred!
Ming Yueni struggled to suppress her rage and killing intent. Her beautiful, delicate face was cold, and there was no warmth in her eyes.
Ming Yueni spoke with calm composure, “I do not know what the Duchess is talking about.”
“The Duchess wanted to beat me to death; I was merely acting in self-defense.”
The Duchess was fuming, her eyes wide with rage. She pointed a finger at Ming Yueni and shrieked, “It was you, you wench, who harmed my Lan’er!”
“My Lan’er is dignified and elegant. You deceived her and caused her to lose the position of Crown Princess!”
“You vicious little wench, you harmed your legitimate elder sister! You have no conscience! Retribution will surely find you!”
Ming Yueni blinked, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile.
Her tone was innocent and puzzled. “Duchess, what does that have to do with me? It was the Crown Prince who publicly accused Sister of seduction. Are you saying the Crown Prince was lying?”
The Duchess felt as if a fishbone were stuck in her throat.
The irritation she felt made her heart, liver, and spleen ache with pain!
Ming Yueni continued to twist the knife, “Sister’s virtue did not match her position; how could she possibly be the Crown Princess?”
“You!”
The Duchess could not win the argument. Her defenses crumbled in anger, and she bared her claws, wanting to strike her again!
This time, Ming Yueni did not dodge. Her beautiful eyes stared at her coldly. “I must return to serve tea and grind ink for His Majesty.”
The Duchess’s raised palm froze in mid-air.
Serving tea and grinding ink—those were the duties of a personal palace maid.
Had this little wench truly gained favor?
No!
The Duchess glared deathly at Ming Yueni. To be favored would surely mean becoming a consort; this little wench was nothing more than a maid!
However, she still did not dare to strike and could only retract her palm with resentment.
“What do you want with me, Duchess? Speak quickly.” Ming Yueni wore a cold expression that said ‘don’t waste my time,’ making the Duchess’s head throb with smoke-like fury.
Thinking of her purpose for seeking out Ming Yueni, the Duchess gritted her teeth and suppressed her fire. She walked up to Ming Yueni and said in a low, commanding tone, “Go and beg His Majesty to let your sister be the Crown Princess!”
“I cannot do that.”
“You still dare to talk back!” The Duchess’s gaze was vicious and ruthless. “Little wench, do not forget your mother and brother!”
“Then let Ming Yuelan come and beg me herself.”
Having said her piece, Ming Yueni turned and left.
The Duchess chased after her in a panic, but she was stopped by the imperial guards at the vermilion threshold. “The Chen Palace is a restricted area; unauthorized entry is forbidden!”
Anxious and angry, the Duchess stomped her feet and shouted, “You little wench, come back here!”
Ming Yueni did not look back.
She was not afraid that the Duchess would go back and lose her mind by torturing her mother and brother.
Because the Duke was a man who only cared about profit.
As long as she remained in the Chen Palace, the Duke would covet the benefits she could bring and would surely use her mother and brother to keep a handle on her.
Only if she fared well would her mother and brother fare well.
Ming Yueni reached the outside of the Imperial Study and lowered her head. Her butterfly-wing eyelashes trembled slightly, and in the blink of an eye, her gaze became clouded with moisture, looking as if she were about to cry piteously.
Having prepared herself, Ming Yueni walked inside.
“Your Majesty.”
Ming Yueni knelt down softly. “This servant slapped the Duchess.”
Beichen Yuan looked down at her—
The corners of her eyes were flushed red, and her gaze was watery.
The expression on her face was both aggrieved and stubborn; she had hit someone, yet she did not feel she was in the wrong.
She was exactly like a cat that had done something bad, relying on being favored to dare do it again next time!
Cute, and with a bit of a temper.
A trace of a smile appeared in Beichen Yuan’s eyes, and his gaze involuntarily drifted downward, freezing on a certain spot.
Ming Yueni’s pearly teeth bit her lower lip, creating a shallow indentation that made the flesh of her lips look moist, full, and enticingly delicious.
His Adam’s apple slid as he swallowed.
Beichen Yuan’s gaze became dark, and his tone tightened into a majestic, cold sternness. “Get up. Let me see your hand.”
Ming Yueni was stunned.
The Emperor’s reaction exceeded her expectations every time.
Ming Yueni hid her internal thoughts, stood up obediently, and walked over, revealing the palm she had used to strike the Duchess.
Force was reciprocal.
She had struck hard, so her palm was bright red. Compared to the frost-and-snow skin of her wrist, it was exceptionally jarring.
“Oh! Why is it so red? The Duchess’s skin must be too thick!”
Yinguo blurted out, her eyes full of heartache. “Yueni, does your hand hurt?”
Ming Yueni was shocked, but then she saw Yinguo give her a meaningful look.
Being clever, Ming Yueni understood instantly.
Her eyes immediately became misty, and her voice carried a sob of grievance. “It hurts. It hurts so much.”
“Your Majesty, this servant’s hand hurts.”
Beichen Yuan pinched her slender wrist, his gaze heavily scrutinizing the palm of Ming Yueni’s hand. “Delicate.”
“Yinguo, fetch some medicine. Get the Snow Lotus Skin-Nourishing Cream.”
He then released Ming Yueni’s wrist. Whether intentional or not, his thumb brushed against her skin, leaving behind a scorching temperature.
“Go and apply the medicine.” Beichen Yuan spoke casually, dismissing the matter.
Ming Yueni thanked him obediently, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.”
As she left, she brushed past Fu Lai.
Fu Lai gave her a glance, then turned back and reported everything he had heard in detail.
Beichen Yuan’s eyes grew cold. “Slap her face twenty times and put her in solitary confinement for a month. Fu Lai, go yourself.”
“This servant obeys.”
Fu Lai left with a smile, carrying the Emperor’s oral decree.
He grumbled in his heart: The Duchess is truly stupid beyond belief! To dare shout for blood and death outside the Chen Palace—the only reason she wasn’t put to death was because the Crown Prince’s wedding was approaching, and a Secondary Consort cannot be in mourning.
Ming Yueni hitting back—that was a good strike!
He would go and deliver those twenty slaps right now to teach the Duchess some rules!
***
“Yueni, this Snow Lotus Skin-Nourishing Cream is a tribute from the Western Regions. Use it often; it will ensure your skin stays white and tender, and not a single callus will remain.”
Yinguo gave her a knowing smile, her tone suggestive. “Your hands are delicate; you must take good care of them.”
“Mhm.” Ming Yueni nodded, her manner extremely obedient.
She pondered the look in the Emperor’s eyes when he looked at her.
It was like the way noble ladies looked at their pet cats—as long as she acted cute and obedient, even doing something bad could be forgiven.
Ming Yueni was thoughtful.
So the Emperor liked this type!
***
“Yueni, your new clothes are finished. Come and try them on.”
By the Emperor’s order, it had only taken three days for Ming Yueni’s clothes to be made by the palace seamstresses working day and night.
As a palace maid’s attire, Ming Yueni hadn’t had any expectations.
However, when she saw the new skirts Yinguo carried in, she couldn’t help but widen her eyes.
“Sister Yinguo, are these mine?”
“Yes! They are all yours!”
Ming Yueni picked up the skirts one by one in astonishment. Pink, lotus-root, peach-red, rouge, purplish-pink…
“Why are they all pink?”
“Pink is delicate; it suits you best!” Yinguo casually held a dress against Ming Yueni’s body, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
She couldn’t help but think mischievously to herself: those words were spoken by His Majesty!
His Majesty’s favoritism toward Ming Yueni was a first in history.
Ming Yueni would surely become a consort sooner or later!
“Sister Yinguo.”
A little palace maid ran into the room and said to them, “The nanny from the Crown Prince’s Secondary Consort’s side has arrived. She says the Secondary Consort has summoned you and asks that you go over quickly.”
The little maid’s eyes were on Ming Yueni; she was the one being summoned.
Ming Yueni blinked. Beneath her curved eyelashes, her gaze was bone-chillingly cold.
“Alright. I will go.”