The palace servants dared not break the rules. Seeing that none of them dared to act, Chun Pin narrowed her eyes and directly pulled aside the curtain.
“Ah!” Wen Yunmian exclaimed, shrinking into a broad and upright chest.
When she saw the man on the bed looking over with a cold gaze, Chun Pin’s face suddenly turned pale. She stumbled backward and knelt on the ground.
“Your Majesty? Concubine did not know Your Majesty was here. I have offended Your Majesty and beg for Your Majesty’s forgiveness.” As she spoke, Chun Pin trembled all over. She never expected the man on the bed to be the Emperor!
Everyone in the hall was stunned. Why was the Emperor here?
Ming Cui, who had been secretly gathering information, heard Chun Pin’s exclamation from inside the room. Her legs went weak with fright, and she hurriedly made her way to Wen Leyan’s palace.
Jun Chenyu pulled the quilt over to cover Wen Yunmian. As he sat up, he coldly rebuked, “Get out!”
Chun Pin trembled all over, not daring to stay a moment longer. She quickly led her people out of the hall in disgrace and knelt down, on the verge of tears.
On the bed, Wen Yunmian’s delicate face flushed red as she nestled in Jun Chenyu’s embrace. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for helping Concubine. Concubine is endlessly grateful.”
Jun Chenyu’s sharp eyes gazed at her, now tinged with a hint of pity. He said nothing more and rose to leave.
Wen Yunmian hurriedly got up as well, picking up the clothes she had deliberately removed and putting them back on.
Seeing Yun Yang and Yun Fei rushing over in a fluster to attend to her, Wen Yunmian smiled faintly. The two also lowered their eyes in tacit understanding.
As Jun Chenyu went out, Wen Yunmian closely followed behind.
Jun Chenyu stood under the eaves, his tall figure exuding an invisible pressure, his entire being radiating the fierce anger of one long accustomed to authority. “Speak. What exactly is going on?”
With just that one sentence, Chun Pin’s face turned deathly pale. She hurriedly looked up, attempting to make excuses. “Your Subject Consort… Your Subject Consort also does not know what happened. Your Subject Consort merely heard that a guard had entered Yun Guiren’s bedchamber and assumed she was discontented with loneliness, intending to bring shame upon Your Majesty. That is why Your Subject Consort hastily came with Her Ladyship the Noble Consort’s token.”
Jun Chenyu looked down at her coldly and disdainfully, his earlier anger subsiding. “Did the Guifei permit you to come?”
“Yes…”
Wen Yunmian stole a glance at Jun Chenyu. In truth, why this guard acted as he did and why he suddenly appeared here would not be difficult to investigate. However, as long as it involved the Guifei, Jun Chenyu was unwilling to delve deeper.
But what Wen Yunmian sought was not the truth. Her goal was to seize the Guifei’s position as the white moonlight and replace her.
So there was no need to rush.
Sure enough, Jun Chenyu fell silent for a moment. Under the imperial majesty, he warned in a deep voice, “Today’s matter was a misunderstanding. The person with Yun Guiren was Zhen. If from now on there are any unfounded rumors in the rear palace, Zhen will show no mercy!”
Everyone responded fearfully, “Yes!”
Wen Yunmian was led back into the hall. Jun Chenyu left behind a command, “Chun Pin is confined to her own palace for three months. She is not to leave without an imperial decree!”
Chun Pin was dragged away.
Inside the hall, Wen Yunmian’s soft body threw itself into Jun Chenyu’s embrace. Her eyes were like pools of clear water, glistening and misty as she gazed at him.
“Your Majesty, today that guard mistakenly barged into Concubine’s palace. Concubine was terrified. I never imagined Your Majesty would come to save Concubine…”
Tears sparkled as they fell. Her fair, jade-like face glowed softly, filling Jun Chenyu’s heart with pity. “Do you believe that guard mistakenly barged in?”
Wen Yunmian raised her dark eyes. “Of course. How could a mere guard deliberately barge into a concubine’s palace quarters? He must have been drunk and lost his way.”
If she didn’t say this, the Guifei would be implicated, and the Emperor would surely be angered.
Thus, some words need not be spoken plainly; a tacit understanding is enough.
Jun Chenyu’s phoenix eyes were deep and profound as he caressed Wen Yunmian’s face. He never expected her to be so naive and unworldly.
He wondered if such a piece of pure jade would be tainted by the filth within the rear palace.
The palace servants had withdrawn, and Eunuch Lu discreetly led the Imperial Forest Army to take away the guard who was still groaning and panting in the adjacent room.
Jun Chenyu gazed at the woman in his arms. “Rest assured, Zhen will order the guards to tighten the security around Peony Pavilion. What happened today will never occur again.”
Wen Yunmian smiled gently, her eyes curving like crescent moons, with a lively sparkle dancing within them, akin to the brightest, warmest sunshine of spring that warmed the heart.
She reached up and lightly touched Jun Chenyu’s brow. “Has Your Majesty been drinking today? Why does this concubine sense sorrow and melancholy in Your Majesty’s eyes?”
Jun Chenyu raised an eyebrow and caught her hand. “Zhen is the ruler of the realm. How could there be sorrow or melancholy? Do you know that probing the Emperor’s heart is a capital offense?”
“Then would Your Majesty have the heart to execute this concubine~” Her tone carried a natural lilt, her smile gentle and radiant.
He hadn’t seen such a smile in the palace for a long time, and the gloom in his heart gradually began to lift.
Just as Jun Chenyu was about to speak, Wen Yunmian suddenly stood on her tiptoes and lightly kissed his lips.
But upon realizing her boldness, she quickly lowered her head timidly and stepped back. Unexpectedly, Jun Chenyu reached out with his long arm and pulled her into his embrace.
Seeing the blush on her cheeks, Jun Chenyu raised an eyebrow with amusement. “Last time at Wenquan Chi, when Consort was drunk, she wasn’t as shy and bashful as she is today.”
Wen Yunmian looked up in a daze. “How does Your Majesty know about this concubine getting drunk at Wenquan Chi…”
Jun Chenyu did not answer her. His narrow, phoenix-like eyes held a deep intensity as he gazed into her eyes, then slowly shifted to her lips.
Wen Yunmian was highly skilled at reading men. She knew the moment had come; it was time to reel in the line.
Thus, with a charming gesture, she wrapped her arms around Jun Chenyu’s waist, her slender hands slowly roaming over his body. Lowering her eyes with shyness, she said, “I hope Your Majesty will cherish Your Subject Consort.”
Jun Chenyu’s eyes were like abysses as he watched Wen Yunmian’s actions. Then, suddenly, he lifted her up and carried her toward the bed.
Wen Yunmian obediently buried her head against Jun Chenyu’s shoulder.
The candlelight flickered, and the gauze curtains swayed gently.
Until the candle burned out, Wen Yunmian’s robes were disheveled. Breathing lightly, she pushed Jun Chenyu onto the bed. “This concubine can also serve Your Majesty~”
“Oh?” Jun Chenyu’s deep gaze fixed on her, his eyes growing darker and darker.
Until his breathing grew hoarse, and his large, slender hand grasped her slender waist.
As dawn approached, the commotion in Peony Pavilion gradually quieted down.
The next morning, Jun Chenyu left for court, and Wen Yunmian rose, her body aching all over.
Yun Yang hurried in to attend to her. “Mistress, just as you predicted, last night this servant saw Lady Le being taken into Yanxi Palace. She hasn’t come out even now.”
Wen Yunmian smiled and curved her lips. In her previous life, Wen Leyan had thoroughly familiarized herself with Peony Pavilion, making it easy to plot against her. But until her death, she never imagined that Yun Yang knew martial arts.
Last night, when she was sneaking around outside Qi Xia Gong, Yun Yang had already noticed her.
Imperial Consort Shu, having heeded her slanderous words, sent Chun Pin to expose the matter, but unexpectedly not only failed to catch anyone, but also offended the Emperor.
Now, Imperial Consort Shu likely suspects that Wen Leyan is in league with her, deliberately setting a trap to lure Chun Pin and the others into the scheme.
Given Imperial Consort Shu’s temperament, Wen Leyan must have endured no small amount of torment last night—the kind that leaves no visible wounds yet can be fatal.