Although this little rabbit was all claws and teeth, refusing to be tamed… she was indeed more interesting than any prey he had played with before.
He enjoyed her every unexpected move, which made him unconsciously anticipate just how many more surprises she would bring him.
So when Ling Xiao barged in, Lu Yan did not order anyone to seize this audacious little rabbit.
"Your Majesty, what has happened?"
Lu Mingtang leisurely tucked the waist token into her sleeve. "His Majesty fainted from hunger, accidentally bumped into the flower stand, and had his wrist bone broken by a vase. Summon the imperial physician for a look, and have breakfast served while you're at it."
Since her rebirth, she hadn't had a proper meal. After her fever broke, her stomach burned fiercely from hunger—she was so famished she could eat an ox.
Upon hearing that Lu Yan was injured, Ling Xiao immediately moved to call for the imperial physician, but Lu Yan stopped him: "I am fine."
He pressed on the wrist bone and, with an expressionless face, gave it a sharp twist upward. A crisp cracking sound followed as he reset the broken bone. Apart from his complexion appearing even paler, there was almost no sign of anything amiss.
Stepping down from the dragon bed, he cast a cold, indifferent glance at Lu Mingtang.
A ruthless little rabbit, daring to break his hand bone and still thinking about breakfast—how presumptuous of her.
"Have the meal served." "Yes, Your Majesty."
The meal consisted of eighteen courses, all delicacies from land and sea, with a dazzling variety of dishes, everything one could desire. It was even more extravagant and wasteful than when Emperor Chengde was still alive.
Just as the dishes were laid out, Zhang Ke'er, who had been unconscious all night, finally woke up.
But what followed immediately was a piercing, heart-wrenching pain in the back of her hand.
"Ah, my hand… it hurts so much!"
Lu Yan took his seat at the head of the table. Hearing the sharp cry of pain, he frowned coldly, his voice ghostly: "Make another sound and you'll be dragged away to have your tongue cut out."
Zhang Ke'er trembled in fear, and no matter how much it hurt, she dared not utter another sound. She could only pitifully cradle her blistered hand.
"Your Majesty, your servant is injured. It hurts so much."
Zhang Ke'er's tears flowed freely, her delicate fragility on full display. Lu Yan merely lifted his eyelids. "Then have the hand chopped off. It won't hurt anymore."
Zhang Ke'er instantly fell silent: "…"
Was this how a normal gentleman would speak to a delicate young lady?
Lu Mingtang sat down on her own nearby. Just as she picked up the silver chopsticks, Eunuch Cao stopped her: "Seventh Princess, you cannot move before His Majesty has taken his first bite. Only the dishes His Majesty has touched may you take. That is the rule."
There was indeed such a rule in the palace, but in her previous life, Lu Mingtang had grown accustomed to being high and mighty, long forgetting that before gaining power, she too had to gauge others' moods before acting.
Lu Yan picked up the silver chopsticks but did not touch any dish. Instead, he set them down again, took a handkerchief, and wiped his lips. "I have no appetite. Remove it."
Lu Mingtang looked up at him. Lu Yan's dark eyes met hers, blatantly telling her:
He was doing it on purpose. She had taken over his dragon bed, broken his hand bone, and even dared to steal his waist token on her own initiative—each and every one of these offenses was enough to have her beheaded a hundred times over.
If she wanted a bite to eat, she should kneel down and beg him pitifully. Perhaps, out of pity for her wretched state, he might generously grant her a morsel.
The palace maids stepped forward to clear the dishes when suddenly Lu Mingtang placed both hands on the embroidered white brocade tablecloth and, with a twist of her fair wrists, gave it a sharp tug.
The entire tablecloth rippled like waves, layer upon layer, and with it, the dishes on the table flew into the air.
Amidst the startled cries of the palace maids, Lu Mingtang held a jade bowl in one hand and silver chopsticks in the other, moving at a speed almost invisible to the naked eye as she portioned a bit of each dish into her bowl.
In the blink of an eye, the jade bowl was piled high like a steep mountain. Lu Mingtang then slapped the table with the back of her hand, her profound Internal Energy instantly releasing an invisible ripple.
The rolling ripple tipped all the dishes floating mid-air to one side. Before anyone else could even react, Zhang Ke'er's pig-like shrieks pierced the air.
"My hand! Ah, my face! My feet! It's so hot, it hurts, ahhh!"
Under the gaze of countless eyes, the overturned dishes all crashed onto Zhang Ke'er, who stood not far away.
In mere moments, amid her screams, Zhang Ke'er was left in a wretched mess, splattered with food, looking as filthy and pitiful as a beggar on the streets. Where was the dignified air of a noble lady now?
Lu Mingtang sat calmly, picking up a piece of crispy meat and placing it in her mouth. "It's a bit cold. Next time, it's best to eat it while it's hot."
Then, with a casual glance at the disheveled Zhang Ke'er, she remarked, "How did Lady Zhang end up in such a state? Take her away to clean up at once. His Majesty cannot stand anything unclean."
From the moment Lu Mingtang made her move, Lu Yan's gaze had been fixed on her.
Not only did Lu Mingtang dare to eat all the dishes she wanted right in front of Lu Yan in this jaw-dropping manner, but she also openly retaliated against Zhang Ke'er.
Poor Zhang Ke'er not only burned her hand while unconscious but, upon waking, was drenched in an entire table's worth of dishes, leaving her with nothing but pitiful wails.
Who would dare to be so audacious? Only she would.
Lu Yan's dark eyes swirled with intense interest. This feisty little rabbit was becoming more and more to his liking.
Thus, far from being angered, Lu Yan indulged her domineering and flamboyant behavior, merely raising a hand. "Drag her away."
Eunuch Cao dared not delay, quickly signaling the palace attendants to haul away the filthy and disheveled Zhang Ke'er. If the girl kept screaming and annoyed Lu Yan any further, the consequences would be severed limbs or even her head.
Lu Mingtang openly met Lu Yan's gaze. Her eating was both swift and elegant, entirely unaffected by his watchful eyes.
What a joke—thinking they could trip her up and force her to yield?
In this world, it was only a matter of whether she wanted to or not, not whether she could or couldn't.
Within a quarter of an hour, Lu Mingtang finished a full bowl of food and finally set down her silver chopsticks.
She took a teacup to rinse her mouth, then leisurely wiped her lips with a handkerchief before tossing it aside. She crooked a finger at Eunuch Cao.
"Come here."
Lu Mingtang's tone was casual, yet it carried an intangible air of command from a superior, compelling Eunuch Cao to instinctively step forward.
But he quickly remembered that his master was Lu Yan. Why should he obey the orders of a lowly princess whose status was even beneath that of a palace attendant?
Daring to act so imperiously in front of His Majesty—she truly had a death wish! The Emperor would surely cut out her tongue and chop off her hands!
Confidently, Eunuch Cao looked toward Lu Yan, only to find him not the least bit angry. Instead, Lu Yan rested his chin on one hand, watching Lu Mingtang with keen interest.
Lu Yan did not speak to stop her, which was an implicit permission. A thought flashed through Eunuch Cao's mind.
Could it be that this Seventh Princess… truly holds a different place in His Majesty's heart?
Eunuch Cao hunched over as he stepped forward, his attitude noticeably more respectful. "What does the Princess command?"
"Last night, Zhang Ke'er stayed overnight in Qin Zheng Dian. Were there many who knew about it?"