Wen Yunmian picked up the eyebrow powder on the table and dabbed some beside her cheeks.
Seeing this, Yun Fei was so frightened that she hurriedly grabbed her, staring at the two moles she had drawn, her words stumbling, “Young Mistress, what are you doing?”
If she didn’t do this, her face would be ruined tonight.
Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, with two large black moles, Wen Yunmian curled her lips—the show was about to begin.
…
Upon hearing that Wen Yunmian was to attend the bedchamber, Madam Hong sighed helplessly, “If Young Mistress had taken the Maomeidan, it would surely be you attending the bedchamber tonight.”
Wen Leyan gave a sinister smile, “No, once she enters Chaoyang Palace, she will never return tomorrow!”
Moreover, her elder sister would be severely tortured tonight, whipped with lashes!
Madam Hong was startled by Wen Leyan’s smile.
Chaoyang Palace was a place every palace consort yearned for, and the first opportunity to attend the bedchamber was fiercely contested by all. Why was the young mistress instead…
…
After being taken away by the phoenix carriage, Wen Yunmian was brought to the side hall for bathing, where matrons were present throughout, assisting her with bathing and changing clothes.
However, the matrons’ expressions varied; one seemed about to say something but was stopped by others.
But the moment Wen Yunmian stepped into the palace, she was suddenly met with a pair of hands grabbing her hair.
Ah!
The intense pain from her hair made her sway slightly, and she fell heavily to the ground, her long hair disheveled as she was dragged toward the Guifei.
Looking up, she saw the stunningly beautiful woman standing before her, adorned in luxurious jewels and pearls.
She had a pair of slender, upward-curving beautiful eyes, her lips a bright, vivid red, her face radiantly beautiful—unfortunately, her eyes held too much malice.
Imperial Consort Shu!
Just as she had guessed.
They had finally met.
This woman was the most favored, yet also extremely jealous.
Thus, whichever newcomer was the most beautiful in the portraits, she would choose to be the first to attend the bedchamber.
And the Emperor indulged her, allowing her to do as she pleased.
But she also knew…
Tonight, the Emperor would come.
Imperial Consort Shu, the east wind you sent, I accept it.
“Truly born with a face that bewitches men, a seductive fox-like beauty.”
Imperial Consort Shu crouched down, staring at her. This palace candidate before her was exquisitely beautiful, her skin pure and fair, strikingly beautiful with an aggressive charm, yet her eyes were incredibly innocent. Such a blend of purity and allure was truly captivating.
Imperial Consort Shu stared at her, using a hairpin to part Wen Yunmian’s long hair.
Wen Yunmian stared back, wanting to retreat but having her wrist seized.
“Someone, bring the pill over!”
Upon Imperial Consort Shu’s command, a young eunuch immediately approached with a sinister air, kneeling beside her.
Imperial Consort Shu picked up the black pill and gave a sinister smile. “Such a beautiful woman truly cannot remain in the palace. Once you swallow this pill, you will suddenly fall ill, your body covered in sores.”
She crouched down, pinching Wen Yunmian’s chin. “Swallow it, and This Consort will spare your wretched life!”
Wen Yunmian shuddered all over. She understood now—no wonder Wen Leyan in her previous life was sent away directly without even leaving Chaoyang Palace!
It was because Imperial Consort Shu had forced her to take a pill!
Just as Imperial Consort Shu was about to force the pill into her mouth, Wen Yunmian struggled fiercely. Imperial Consort Shu never expected anyone to dare resist her, and the pill slipped from her grasp, falling into the hot spring!
Imperial Consort Shu’s face changed drastically. “Damn it, go find it immediately!”
Her sharp nails pointed at Wen Yunmian. “Drag this wretch over and teach her a proper lesson for This Consort!”
“Yes!”
Imperial Consort Shu rose and walked forward, while Wen Yunmian was forcibly dragged by several palace maids and matrons toward the bathing pool.
Inside the hall, there were gauze curtains and the waters of Wenquan Chi. Wen Yunmian was thrown to the edge of the pool, and her clothes were roughly torn off.
Wen Yunmian pretended to struggle in panic, her hair disheveled, weeping pitifully, “No, what are you doing? Let me go…”
“This Consort will teach you some rules today, is that not good?” Imperial Consort Shu picked up a whip from beside her, its cold gleam sharp and menacing.
Wen Yunmian, frightened, tried to retreat, but a matron pinched her delicate skin and forced her head down.
Just then, the hair covering half of Wen Yunmian’s face fell away, allowing the Guifei to see the dark mole revealed on her face.
She froze abruptly.
At this sight, her beauty was greatly diminished.
Imperial Consort Shu’s earlier jealousy slowly subsided. “So this is the kind of goods the Marquis of Yongyi sent into the palace.”
With her jealousy quelled, Imperial Consort Shu no longer bothered to dwell on the maddening pill that had fallen into the water earlier.
This face, after all, did not need to be ruined.
Imperial Consort Shu curled her lips. Though no longer angry, she showed no mercy when teaching Wen Yunmian a lesson.
The whip lashed fiercely toward her body.
“Ah!” The pain of torn flesh made tears instantly well up in her eyes.
Wen Yunmian gritted her teeth tightly. She knew the Emperor was already on his way back…
Soon.
In the very next moment, panicked voices of greeting sounded from outside the hall. “Your Majesty!”
Imperial Consort Shu was startled and immediately withdrew her hand.
But Wen Yunmian seized the opportunity, broke free from her restraints, and stared directly at the Guifei, speaking softly, “Her Ladyship, thank you for tonight.”
When the Emperor entered, he saw a slender and graceful figure fleeing in panic. Imperial Consort Shu, realizing what was happening, hurriedly ordered her to be seized.
Her bruised and battered appearance must not be seen by the Emperor!
But Wen Yunmian threw herself directly into the Emperor’s arms.
The eunuch behind him, startled, was about to intervene when he suddenly realized this seemed to be an imperial consort…
In an instant, a soft, jade-like body collided with his chest. She looked up with tear-filled eyes, her face heavily made up yet stunningly beautiful.
However, having seen many women adorned with powder and rouge, the Emperor was only briefly dazed and paid no further attention, turning his gaze toward Imperial Consort Shu, who was quickly approaching from behind.
“Save me…”
Wen Yunmian spoke with a sob, but in the next moment, perhaps losing her footing, she slipped and fell straight into the waters of Wenquan Chi.
The Emperor’s cold eyes narrowed, not expecting his sleeve to be tugged by those delicate, jade-like hands.
As she fell into the water, the Emperor instinctively reached to hold her waist but grasped only air.
Wen Yunmian’s delicate body moved in the water like a graceful, enchanting fish tail. Seemingly panicked yet seductively fragile, she wrapped her arms around the Emperor’s waist from behind, pressing tightly against his broad back. “Don’t kill me…”
The warmth of the water seemed to boil the blood between them. The Emperor’s cold gaze sharpened, but before he could speak, the woman behind him lost her strength. Instinctively, he pulled her into his arms.
The chaos quickly subsided as eunuchs and palace maids attended to them in a flurry.
When Imperial Consort Shu saw the Emperor carrying Wen Yunmian out of the water, her nails nearly pierced her palms.
“Your Majesty.”
How could the Emperor bear to reprimand Imperial Consort Shu harshly? Yet he could not ignore the injuries on Wen Yunmian’s body. It was excessive for the first consort scheduled to attend the bedchamber tonight to be tortured like this.
“You may return first. Zhen will visit you tomorrow.”
“Your—” Before Imperial Consort Shu could speak, the Emperor immediately ordered, “Summon the Imperial Physician!”
The Emperor placed her on the bed, his expression grim, showing little concern for her.
Wen Yunmian knew he was angry at the Guifei, but unfortunately, it was not on her behalf.
It was only because she was a newcomer; if she died so soon after entering the palace, the court officials might raise objections.
As for Wen Leyan in her previous life, she had not been spared because the Emperor had not yet arrived when she was forced to take the medicine and was carried out of Chaoyang Palace.
Thus, the course of one’s fate has always depended on oneself, and destiny lies in one’s own hands.
The Imperial Physician arrived quickly, hastily attending to Wen Yunmian. Fortunately, she had only suffered superficial injuries and swallowed a bit of water, with no serious harm.
The Emperor waved his hand, signaling him to leave.
As Wen Yunmian lay quietly curled up on the bed, he finally turned to look at her.
Unexpectedly, the gaudy rouge and powder had long been wiped away, revealing a flawless, jade-like beauty that now caught his eye.
Her face resembled spring peach blossoms, her lips as red as cinnabar. She looked like an innocent and pitiable rabbit, yet her eyes held the allure of a fox, captivating enough to steal one’s soul.
Such a contradiction, yet a single glance was enough for him to remember her.
He truly had not expected such a face to lie hidden beneath the makeup.