“Did you twist your waist?”
The modified short-sleeved blouse she wore was cropped, leaving her slender waist exposed.
The palace chamber was dimly lit.
The atmosphere was tinged with intimacy.
Chu Yi reached out. “Where does it hurt? I’ll massage it for you.”
“Here.”
Jiang Yunshu deliberately pointed to the spot he had gripped so hard that it had bruised purple.
His gaze darkened at the sight. Stretching out an arm, he pulled her into his embrace.
“I owe you an apology. Does it still hurt here?”
“It doesn’t…” Jiang Yunshu softly shook her head. “Your Majesty doesn’t need to apologize. I only hope that whenever something troubles you, you’ll let it out instead of bottling it up. Keeping everything inside will only hurt your heart.”
Her soft, delicate arms wrapped around his neck.
Her fair, lotus-root-like arms were irresistibly alluring.
Chu Yi leaned close to her ear and inhaled lightly.
“What fragrance is this?”
Jiang Yunshu never wore perfume.
He frowned slightly.
“You’ve never used scented powder before. This smell is strange. Have someone get rid of it tomorrow.”
Standing nearby, Dingxiang instinctively tucked the fragrant bead bracelet deeper into her sleeve.
She had never expected things to unfold like this.
Just moments ago, His Majesty had walked right past her.
How had he not smelled it?
Why hadn’t he even glanced at her?
She cast a glance toward Erya, then excused herself on the pretense of attending to something and quietly left the inner chamber.
Watching Dingxiang leave, Jiang Yunshu mischievously brushed her fingers along Chu Yi’s chin.
“Does Your Majesty not like it when I smell sweet?”
“I like the way you naturally smell. That scent just now was far too overpowering.”
One of the reasons Chu Yi liked Jiang Yunshu was precisely because she never carried heavy, cloying fragrances.
She nodded.
“Then tomorrow I’ll have all the scented items in the chamber removed.”
“Mm…”
His hand had already slipped beneath her blouse as he could no longer restrain himself, his lips finding her earlobe.
After a moment, Jiang Yunshu asked softly,
“Your Majesty, Consort De is pregnant. Shouldn’t you go see her?”
“No. She’s in good health, and the imperial child is stable.”
It was his first child.
Yet he showed not the slightest hint of concern.
He had been on the throne for five years without an heir.
Wasn’t he anxious at all?
Didn’t he care?
Lost in thought, she failed to notice him watching her.
As if sensing her distraction, Chu Yi deliberately bit her shoulder.
She winced.
“Your Majesty…”
After biting her, he gently kissed the same spot.
“What are you thinking about while you’re in my arms?”
Lowering her lashes pitifully, she murmured,
“I was wondering… whether Your Majesty would be a little gentler with me tonight.”
“And do you want me to go easy on you?”
“No.”
Blushing crimson, she buried her face against his chest.
“I like Your Majesty just like this…”
His Adam’s apple bobbed.
His breathing grew heavier.
Outside the bed curtains, Erya’s face turned bright red. She quickly lowered the curtains and retreated outside.
Inside, Jiang Yunshu’s soft gasps and sweet, pleading voice intertwined with the Emperor’s low breathing.
Suddenly—
Hurried footsteps echoed from outside.
Wang An’s eyelid twitched.
The young woman rushing over…
Wasn’t that Xiaju from Consort De’s palace?
Oh dear…
His Majesty was in the middle of enjoying himself.
And now…
This…
Xiaju hurried to Wang An, then dropped to her knees with a thud.
“Grand Eunuch Wang! My mistress suddenly has severe stomach pains. She begs His Majesty to come and see her.”
Wang An’s heart skipped a beat.
Stomach pains?
That was no trivial matter.
“Aiyo, Miss Xiaju! If Her Highness is unwell, the imperial physicians should be summoned! His Majesty isn’t a doctor.”
Tears welled in Xiaju’s eyes.
“The physicians have already been called. Her Highness is frightened. She only wishes to see His Majesty. Please announce me.”
Inside the bedchamber, Jiang Yunshu heard every word.
All interest instantly vanished from her face.
Meanwhile, Chu Yi was still thoroughly engrossed.
She dared not interrupt him.
Yet the moment her mind wandered, he sensed it.
His expression immediately darkened.
Quickly, she soothed him.
“Your Majesty, you and I have all the time in the world.”
“But Consort De carries the imperial heir, and this is her first pregnancy.”
“She’s naturally anxious and afraid.”
“You should go see her.”
Chu Yi stared at the little woman beneath him, pinching her slim waist hard.
“And you’re not upset? We haven’t even finished…”
His chest burned with pent-up frustration.
Yet she was telling him to leave.
Sitting upright, Jiang Yunshu spoke earnestly.
“A life is at stake.”
“Consort De is the Grand Preceptor’s daughter. She was raised under strict family discipline.”
“If it weren’t truly important, she would never dare disturb Your Majesty.”
At her words, a flicker of disgust crossed Chu Yi’s face.
Still, he said nothing more and rose from the bed.
Jiang Yunshu immediately helped him dress.
She even fetched warm water herself and gently wiped him clean.
Though desire still churned fiercely in his eyes, before leaving he pinched her cheek hard.
“Be good.”
She smiled enchantingly and nodded.
The moment Chu Yi stepped out of Shuixiang Garden, his face was so dark it looked ready to devour someone.
“What is the Empress doing?”
“As mistress of the harem, she’s supposed to be overseeing Consort De’s pregnancy.”
Xiaju shuddered.
“Your Majesty… Her Majesty the Empress went over first thing this morning.”
Only then did Chu Yi say nothing further.
Even so, the anger in his heart had nowhere to go.
Erya immediately ordered hot water and, together with Dingxiang, attended Jiang Yunshu’s bath.
Jiang Yunshu noticed that the fragrant bead bracelet was no longer on Dingxiang’s wrist.
Thinking that Chu Yi must now be simmering with frustration, she smiled inwardly.
Why not add a little more fuel to that fire?
She found an excuse to send Dingxiang away.
Then she leaned close to Erya and whispered,
“Go find out whether she threw those scented beads away… or hid them.”
Erya understood immediately and quietly left.
She had always been on good terms with Dingxiang.
Since Dingxiang believed Erya to be an innocent, simple-minded girl, she let down her guard completely.
When Erya casually asked about the bracelet, Dingxiang confessed everything honestly.
Now Jiang Yunshu was certain.
Dingxiang had intended to seduce the Emperor using that fragrance.
She simply hadn’t expected the Emperor to dislike perfumes.
Her scheme had failed, so she hid the bracelet away.
After putting so much effort into making those scented beads, what a pity to let them go unused.
Besides, keeping such a scheming maid by her side was revolting.
It was time to deal with her.
Just then, Ziyan came to report.
“My Lady, reliable sources say Consort De’s imperial child is perfectly fine. She deliberately interrupted Your Majesty’s visit to steal his favor.”
Jiang Yunshu merely smiled.
“I’m only a Noble Lady.”
“If Consort De wishes to claim His Majesty’s attention, it’s effortless for her.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
It was simply unfortunate timing.
Although Chu Yi spent the night in Consort De’s palace, he remained in a foul mood the entire time.
She had probably never imagined that he had been so eager.
Barely moments after entering Jiang Yunshu’s chambers, the two of them had already become intimate.
More importantly—
They had been interrupted halfway through.
He had been forced to swallow all that burning desire.
Perfect.
Everything was already in place.
Only the final push was missing.
She would provide that final push herself.
Jiang Yunshu took out her silver acupuncture needles, swallowed some medicine, and only then went to sleep.
News that Consort De had intercepted the Emperor from Jiang Yunshu spread through the harem overnight.
Some mocked her.
Others thought nothing of it.
After all, one was an Imperial Consort.
The other was merely a Noble Lady.
If a higher-ranking consort chose to take the Emperor away, the lower-ranking one simply had to accept it.
No matter what rumors circulated throughout the palace, Jiang Yunshu behaved as though she had heard nothing, quietly keeping to herself behind closed doors.
Closest to Shuixiang Garden lived Lady Lin.
After noticing that Jiang Yunshu’s residence had remained unusually quiet for the past two days, she repeatedly sent servants to inquire, but none returned with any useful information.
Just as she was wondering what was going on, a young eunuch hurried in.
“My Lady! Shuixiang Garden has summoned the imperial physician!”
“They say Noble Lady Jiang has fallen gravely ill… she’s unconscious!”
Lady Lin slowly raised an eyebrow.
“Quick.”
“Let’s go to Shuixiang Garden and have a look.”