Chapter 12
On the stage, faint, plaintive singing drifted through the gaps in the doors and windows, carrying a sorrowful, haunting tone.
It was dusk; the sun had already set behind the mountains. The wild birds of the Forbidden City circled overhead before flocking to the Western Garden to rest, perching on the eaves of this small chamber in the Rain Flower Pavilion.
Beneath the tiled roof, a man and a woman were inside, standing very close to each other.
The hand gripping He Hui’s was scorching hot and firm. No matter how much she struggled, it was to no avail, only causing sharp pain in her wrist.
He Hui couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
Since when had Prince Ning become so violent? Could it be that she had angered him by barging in unannounced?
But then again, if an unexpected guest suddenly entered the room while she was alone, she wouldn’t be pleased either.
Still, she shouldn’t be blamed; someone ought to have been keeping watch outside.
“...It’s my fault. Please let go of me first,” she pleaded.
The emperor’s eyes darkened. Under the faint moonlight, his sharp features appeared even more severe.
His expression was cold and unreadable as he looked down at this audacious young girl, tightening his grip little by little. Despite her cries of pain, he showed no sign of releasing her.
Until today, he had never imagined that the woman he wished to take as a consort had such an identity.
The future crown princess — his son’s bride.
Absurd.
Just hours earlier, when she entered the hall, the instant his gaze fell upon her face, only two words flashed through his mind.
No wonder she was absent from Jade Joy Palace that day.
She was not a simple maid.
She was his future daughter-in-law.
In over thirty years, this was the first time he had been so thoroughly deceived.
By such an unremarkable, insignificant girl.
He Hui was somewhat frightened by his demeanor, feeling that if this continued, her wrist might be crushed.
What madness had seized Prince Ning today? Suddenly, he was so terrifying.
Through the dim light, she struggled to meet his eyes. Somehow, she suddenly recalled the emperor’s look at her earlier that afternoon.
The same coldness, the same icy disdain.
If she hadn’t known the emperor had already left, she might have mistaken the man before her for the emperor himself rather than Prince Ning.
She wanted to call for help but feared drawing the Empress Dowager’s attention. So she relaxed her body and collapsed into the man’s embrace.
This was a trick Yao Zhu had taught her. She said men liked when women flirted with them.
If she wanted to capture Prince Ning’s heart, she needed to act coquettish and pitiful more often, not stand there like a statue, responding awkwardly to his every word.
Otherwise, no matter how many embroidered sachets she made, even if her hands were worn to shreds, it would be useless.
He Hui thought her advice made sense.
She might truly be a little lacking in charm.
The last time Prince Ning had embraced her to save her, when she pulled away, he had clearly been displeased. But at the time, she was in a hurry to leave, so she had not noticed.
Even though she had given him an embroidered sachet, and he had politely returned a hairpin, he still seemed somewhat indifferent toward her.
Enduring the discomfort, He Hui pressed her face against the man’s chest. She noticed he stiffened for a moment, followed by a tightening of his entire body and a growing chill around him.
“Get up,” he commanded.
His tone made it seem as if the next moment he might drag her out and punish her.
He Hui was frightened but, determined not to lose everything she had worked for, pressed herself closer to him.
“Why are you like this? I was ill a few days ago, and you didn’t come to see me. I had hoped to talk with you today, yet you treat me this way.”
She winced, moving the wrist he held tightly, lifting her head with a sorrowful expression.
“Tell me what I did wrong. Don’t keep treating me coldly and ignoring me, leaving me with no one to turn to.”
At her neck, the young girl’s warm breath suddenly brushed against him, unannounced and direct.
The emperor was a strong adult man, usually calm and unruffled, but now, for some reason, with this girl so close, breathing softly against him, he unexpectedly stirred.
In a flash, his brow furrowed, and with a forceful grip, he threw He Hui to the side. Before she could react, one hand clamped tightly under her chin.
This time, He Hui was truly afraid.
Heavens, had her earlier behavior displeased him rather than pleased him?
She had once thought Prince Ning, though ill-tempered, was ultimately a good man. She hadn’t expected him to be as fearsome as his father.
“Are you ill?” the emperor suddenly asked.
He Hui nodded.
His tone was icy: “If you’re sick but still have the energy to deceive, then you’re clearly not ill enough.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Could he know that her attempts to please him these past days were just a performance?
Seeing her wide-eyed and terrified, the emperor said coldly, “Do you know the crime you’ve committed is punishable by the extermination of your entire clan?”
As the designated crown princess, she had seduced the future father-in-law — the reigning sovereign.
Such a violation of human decency was deserving of death ten thousand times over.
He Hui’s pupils dilated.
She did not understand how merely trying to please Prince Ning could amount to such a grave crime.
“What do you mean? I don’t understand,” she stammered.
Outside, Wang Zhi frowned deeply upon hearing this.
At a time like this, Miss Shen was still pretending?
Could she really be so blind as not to recognize the emperor and Prince Ning?
The emperor’s failure to immediately imprison her in the imperial jail was only because of his concern for the royal reputation.
If she confessed and begged for mercy before the emperor, perhaps there was still hope — after all, the emperor had once truly liked her.
But now, everything was lost.
Wang Zhi sighed endlessly in his heart.
After all these years, the master had finally found a girl to his liking, only for her to have such an identity.
If this became known, the royal family’s reputation and the emperor’s image as a wise ruler would be utterly destroyed.
For the sake of these two things, this Miss Shen was likely doomed.
It was a pity — such a lively girl, now destined for ruin.
Lost in thought, Wang Zhi suddenly heard a loud clatter from inside.
He called out instinctively, “Master?”
Immediately, the emperor’s voice responded, “Come in.”
Wang Zhi pushed the door open to find the emperor seated calmly in his chair, while Miss Shen lay unconscious at his feet. Nearby, a stool lay toppled.
Wang Zhi glanced quickly at the emperor.
“She fainted,” the emperor said, pursing his lips without revealing any emotion. His figure was sharply outlined against the night. “Have someone take her back.”
—
That night, Jade Joy Palace was brightly lit. The emperor stood at his desk, practicing calligraphy. Anyone versed in the art would notice that, compared to usual, the emperor’s strokes, while still strong, were slightly disordered in places.
The imperial physician entered cautiously, bowing deeply without daring to meet the emperor’s gaze before greeting him.
The emperor’s brush never paused, his eyes fixed intently on the tip. He spoke coolly, “Speak.”
The physician bowed again before reporting:
“The noble lady has indeed caught a chill. She is physically weak but was recovering well. Perhaps because she sat outside in the wind too long today and was frightened, her body could not withstand it and she fainted. I’ve prescribed medicine; she should take it as directed.”
He was primarily the emperor’s doctor; consorts rarely had cause to summon him. Today, being called to attend to a young girl made him wonder.
Though he hadn’t seen her face or known her identity, he guessed she might be a favored consort soon.
However, the emperor’s response was indifferent, merely uttering a faint “Hmm” before saying, “You may leave.”
After a pause, he added, “Mind your tongue.”
The physician shuddered slightly and thanked the emperor before rising. But after a few steps, he returned and knelt again.
“There is one more thing to report. The noble lady suffers from night blindness, also known as ‘sparrow blindness.’ It is neither a minor nor a major ailment, but she should be cautious in daily life.”
Before his words had fully fallen, the emperor’s brush dropped a clear ink drop onto the paper, the sound sharp in the silence of the night.
“What did you say?”