Chapter 2 Sending her back
Emperor Zhaoheng has been on the throne for three years.
He was never a lustful emperor, and he visited the harem only a handful of times each month.
It was certainly not something he would do to have sex with a palace maid.
However, there are always exceptions.
Consort Yi had vaguely mentioned that her maid, Shui Xian, whom she brought from home, had a naturally good constitution for getting pregnant.
Emperor Zhaoheng is now thirty-two years old and has been on the throne for three years, but he has no children.
The phrase "fertility-friendly constitution" left a mark on his mind.
Inside the sleeping quarters of the Qianqing Palace, the calming scent of ambergris wafted, and the gold bricks on the ground gleamed, reflecting the emperor's somber face.
As he stepped inside, Emperor Zhaoheng still harbored doubts.
It's absurd to think that a palace maid could be so fortunate.
When he saw the petite figure huddled in the bright yellow quilt on the couch, he paused slightly, then strode over to the couch.
A delicate, fair face peeked out from under the covers, her long, dark hair cascading down the pillow, making her face appear even whiter and more beautiful than jade.
Especially her eyes, clear as a spring, were now filled with helplessness, like a deer surrounded by hunters, looking at him with pure and helpless indifference.
"This servant...this servant is Narcissus, paying my respects to Your Majesty..."
The young maid instinctively tried to get up and bow, but as she moved, a corner of the quilt slipped down, revealing her round, fair shoulder.
She was clearly stunned, and then the tips of her ears turned a light red.
Narcissus hurriedly pulled the slipped corner of the quilt back up, wrapped herself up tightly, and was so ashamed that she wished she could bury herself deep in the quilt.
This expression was so natural, it evoked pity.
A rare hint of interest flashed across Emperor Zhaoheng's deep eyes.
The maidservant by Consort Yi's side is quite interesting.
He stood by the bed, looking down at her. His tall figure brought an invisible sense of oppression, almost completely enveloping the woman curled up on the inside of the bed.
Narcissus pretended to be shy, but she knew in her heart how to act in a way that would arouse a man's heart.
During those three years in the brothel, she was no longer the naive and ignorant little maid.
She has a deep understanding of men's hearts and knows how to turn her beauty into her sharpest weapon.
She knew that what a man could see but not have was what would pique his interest the most.
It's not hard to not be able to eat it.
The difficult part is how she can keep him thinking about it even when he can't have it.
Narcissus slowly raised her eyes, timidly meeting the two scrutinizing gazes.
His amber eyes looked as if they had been soaked in water, and his thick eyelashes trembled uneasily.
Emperor Zhaoheng sat down by the bed. He didn't speak, but simply reached out and gripped one side of the quilt with undeniable force.
In his previous life, Narcissus did not allow him to lift the veil.
Before setting off to serve the Emperor, she was called aside by Consort Yi, who said that although a loyal servant could be favored by the Emperor on his behalf, she could not see his face.
Therefore, in her previous life, when she was favored by the emperor, she always held the quilt tightly and did not even show her face, for fear of offending the emperor.
This time, instead of resisting, she flinched slightly the moment the corner of the blanket was pulled back.
The quilt slipped down to below her collarbone, revealing more of her delicate, porcelain-like skin.
She hurriedly wrapped her arms around herself, trying to cover herself, but that coy and inviting posture was more alluring to the emperor than openness.
"Afraid of me?"
Emperor Zhaoheng slightly curved his thin lips.
Narcissus shook her head vigorously, then nodded quickly: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, this servant dares not be afraid..."
"Just afraid?"
His long, slender fingers, calloused, gently brushed against her arms that were tightly embracing him, sending a subtle shiver down his spine.
Panic instantly surged in Narcissus's eyes. As if she had remembered something extremely terrifying, she shrank back abruptly, almost shrinking into the corner of the bed, clutching the quilt tightly in front of her as if it were her only barrier.
"This servant has forgotten... Her Majesty told this servant that on the night of serving the Emperor, one must never lift the covers, lest one offend His Majesty's countenance... This servant deserves to die a thousand deaths, please punish me, Your Majesty!"
Her body trembled slightly, as if she had made a terrible mistake.
"Your Majesty?"
Emperor Zhaoheng's gaze suddenly darkened, and his voice held a hint of coldness that was barely perceptible. "Is this what Consort Yi told you?"
"It was a slip of the tongue, not what Consort Yi said..."
Narcissus seemed to be trying to salvage the situation, but her panic had already been exposed.
A hint of anger flashed across Emperor Zhaoheng's eyes.
Consort Yi asked him to summon Narcissus, yet he dared to instruct his woman in this way.
Did this make her fear serving the emperor in bed, or even see receiving his favor as a disgrace?
Consort Yi's actions have gone too far!
Looking at the beauty trembling before him, clearly unable to serve him tonight, the fleeting pleasure that had stirred within Emperor Zhaoheng vanished instantly.
He suddenly stood up.
The towering figure exuded an invisible pressure, causing the air in the hall to stagnate.
"Someone come here!"
Emperor Zhaoheng's voice regained its usual coldness.
Feng Shunxiang, the chief eunuch who was waiting outside the hall, immediately bowed and entered: "This servant is here."
"Take her back."
Emperor Zhaoheng didn't even glance at the figure curled up on the bed, his tone indifferent, as if he were still the same monarch with little emotion.
"Yes." Feng Shunxiang was extremely surprised, but quickly agreed.
This girl... was actually sent back untouched?! This is unheard of!
Soon, two nimble palace maids entered, helped Shui Xian change her clothes, then wrapped her tightly in a thick cloak before silently leaving the emperor's bedchamber.
Emperor Zhaoheng stood with his hands behind his back in the hall, listening to the faint footsteps fade into the distance until they disappeared.
After the girl left the bedchamber, silence returned to the palace, with only the soft crackling of the candlelight.
He walked to the window and pushed open the carved wooden window.
The chilly night wind, carrying the cold air after the snow, rushed towards me, trying to dispel the inexplicable restlessness in my heart.
However, those frightened, deer-like eyes still appeared in his mind.
He closed the window in frustration.
That night, Emperor Zhaoheng lay on the empty dragon bed, and when he closed his eyes, all he could see was that delicate and shy little face.
In his dream, he seemed to see those unspoken eyes again.
This time, there was no damned brocade quilt to block the way.
She was no longer the trembling little maid, but had transformed into a graceful daffodil, blooming between his beds, its fragrance rich and sweet...
All night long, the emperor's dreams were passionate and lingering, filled with an unprecedented thrill...
——
Changxin Palace, side hall.
Narcissus was brought back quietly. She was wrapped in a cloak, head down, and walking unsteadily. She was helped into the inner room by two palace maids, without uttering a word, as if she had suffered a great shock and blow.
Consort Yi had already received the news and was waiting in the main hall with Camellia. Seeing Narcissus's dejected and rejected appearance, Consort Yi was overjoyed!
Her face quickly showed concern, and she strode forward to take Narcissus's cold hand in hers.
"Narcissus! What...what happened to you?"
Consort Yi's voice was filled with feigned concern, "His Majesty...he didn't punish you, did he? Tell me quickly, what exactly happened?"
She looked Narcissus up and down, trying to find any trace of her having been with him, but to no avail.
Narcissus raised her pale face, her eyes vacant, as if she had not yet recovered from the great shock.
Looking at Consort Yi's hypocritical face, she felt boundless hatred in her heart. It was this very face that had pushed her into hell in her past life!
In this life, she will personally send Consort Yi to hell, making her wish she were dead!
"Miss......"
Narcissus lowered her eyes, concealing the resentment in her heart, "This servant is useless... I've angered the Emperor..."
As she spoke, her eyes reddened again, tears welling up as if they might fall at any moment. "His Majesty has ordered someone to... send me back."
"Oh dear! How could this happen?"
Consort Yi feigned great surprise and lightly patted Narcissus's hand. "How could His Majesty... Alas! It must be that you did something wrong and angered His Majesty! Didn't I teach you manners long ago?"
Rules? Are you suggesting that I offended the Emperor, causing the previous Emperor Zhaoheng to only favor me once before ending things abruptly?
Shui Xian sneered inwardly, but her face showed even more fear as she lowered her head: "This servant...this servant will remember Miss's teachings and dare not...dare not overstep the bounds in the slightest."
"Alright, alright, it's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."
Consort Yi concealed the smile on her lips and said gently, "His Majesty is probably just angry for a moment, he'll be fine in a few days. You should go back and rest well to calm your nerves. Camellia, quickly help Narcissus back to her room to rest!"
Camellia immediately stepped forward and reached out to support Narcissus's arm. "Sister Narcissus, let's go. Don't cause Miss any more trouble here."
Narcissus obediently let Camellia help her back to the cramped and gloomy side hall of Changxin Palace.
As soon as she entered, Camellia immediately flung her hand away, her fake smile vanishing instantly, replaced by a sarcastic sneer:
"My beautiful lady, climbing the dragon bed must be difficult, right? Did the Emperor reject you and throw you back?"
Camellia crossed her arms and glanced sideways at Narcissus.
"I knew it! How dare a lowly servant born into a family covetousness dream of the Emperor's favor? Does he really think that having a seductive face will grant him instant access to the throne? He deserves it!"
Narcissus, with her back to Camellia, slowly removed her cloak.
As she listened to the sarcastic words behind her, the image of Camellia from her past life seemed to reappear before her eyes, wielding a dagger and wildly slashing at her face with eyes full of pleasure!
The excruciating pain she felt before her death in her previous life was something she would never forget.
Narcissus's fingers tightened slightly on the cloak's ties, her knuckles turning white.
She suppressed the murderous intent surging in her heart and slowly turned around.
His face still showed that look of utter devastation.
She lowered her eyes, her voice weary: "Sister Camellia is right."
This submissive attitude only made Camellia feel like she had punched a cotton ball, making her even more frustrated.
She wanted to say a few more sarcastic remarks, but Narcissus had already walked to the simple bedside on her own.
Narcissus took off her outer clothes, lay down facing inwards, covered her head with the blanket, and looked like she had given up on herself.
"Hmph! Useless thing!"
Camellia, having been rebuffed and seeing her sullen expression, spat and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
Little did anyone know, the narcissus in the darkness slowly opened its eyes.
It didn't work?
Those eyes, in their deep, dark darkness, showed no trace of sleepiness, nor any of the weakness they had just feigned.
Instead, there was a deep, dark pool, unfathomable, filled only with bone-chilling cold and undisguised murderous intent!
She wants to serve in the bedroom!
She was determined to avenge her family!
She was willing to gamble that within three days, Emperor Zhaoheng would definitely come to find her.
That will be the day when camellias perish!
In my mind, a clear, cold outline of a plan had already taken shape...
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