Chapter 4. With so many beauties in his harem, why would he need a mere maidservant?
Inside the warm pavilion, the air was filled with the rich fragrance of jasmine.
Emperor Zhaoheng noticed that Shui Xian's expression was unusual. He gently lifted her wrist and saw the pinch marks hidden inside her sleeve.
The marks were quite deep; some had even turned bluish-purple, which was enough to show the force used by the person who did it.
"Who bullied you?" His voice was deep, but he subconsciously loosened his grip on her wrist.
Narcissus instinctively avoided eye contact, revealing an indescribable look of grievance.
"Speak!" The emperor's voice brooked no argument.
Narcissus raised her eyes, which seemed to be filled with water, and glanced at him quickly, her voice weak:
"It's...it's camellia..."
A surge of anger flashed through Emperor Zhaoheng's heart. How dare that clumsy, lowly maid harm Shuixian? Who gave her the audacity!
He even forgot that his collar was still open. Emperor Zhaoheng suddenly let go of his hand, strode forward, and lifted the curtain separating the warm pavilion from the outer hall!
"Camellia! Do you know your crime?!"
The emperor's anger immediately turned towards the camellia inside the palace.
Camellia trembled violently, thinking the Emperor was going to pursue the matter of spilling soup on her clothes. She hurriedly kowtowed, crying, "Your Majesty, spare my life! I know I'm guilty! I really didn't mean to! I deserve to die! Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!"
"Have mercy?" Emperor Zhaoheng's tall figure stood at the entrance of the warm pavilion, his collar slightly open, revealing his muscular chest: "I'm asking you, how dare you mistreat a palace maid of your rank! Who gave you the audacity?!"
Abusing palace maids?!
Camellia suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with confusion.
The next moment, she saw Narcissus following behind Emperor Zhaoheng. Her gaze instantly focused on Narcissus's arm, which Emperor Zhaoheng was holding loosely, with the sleeve half-lifted to reveal the bruise on her wrist!
It was her! That bitch told on me!
"Your Majesty, please see the truth!" Camellia's voice suddenly became shrill. She pointed at Narcissus, "It was her! It was that vile Narcissus who framed me! I didn't! She pinched herself! She wanted to harm me! Your Majesty! You can't believe her!"
"Framed?" Emperor Zhaoheng laughed angrily. "You mean, she didn't hesitate to leave such a scar on herself just to frame you?!"
He suddenly exposed Narcissus's injured wrist to everyone! The bluish-purple bruises, illuminated by the candlelight, were chilling to behold!
Consort Yi stood to the side, her expression shifting constantly.
From Emperor Zhaoheng's furious outburst at the curtain to his current concern for the injury on Shui Xian's wrist... this is definitely not the attitude one would have towards an ordinary palace maid!
Consort Yi felt a growing wariness towards Narcissus... When did Emperor Zhaoheng become so attentive to Narcissus?
Looking at the camellia on the ground, spouting nonsense, Consort Yi's eyes turned completely cold.
This idiot not only caused a huge disaster, but she also had inappropriate thoughts and wanted to climb the social ladder!
This kind of ungrateful lackey is a menace! It's a good opportunity to get rid of him through the Emperor's hand, saving me the trouble of dirtying my own hands!
Camellia was still desperately protesting her innocence. She couldn't understand why her master, who had always tolerated her bullying of Narcissus, was now watching coldly and remaining silent.
"Consort Yi!" Emperor Zhaoheng's icy gaze turned to Consort Yi. "This Camellia, is she usually so domineering and bullies the palace servants in Changxin Palace?"
Consort Yi felt a chill run down her spine, realizing the Emperor's words were a test.
Consort Yi immediately composed herself, her face showing disappointment with Camellia: "Your Majesty, Camellia... is indeed a bit impatient. To be honest, this isn't the first time she's argued with Narcissus."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over Narcissus's pitiful face, then over Camellia's distorted features, a cold calculation flashing deep in her eyes.
She curtsied and said clearly, "Even before the Yi family entered the palace, Shancha, relying on her good family background, often spoke harshly to Shuixian, who was born into a family of slaves, and even made numerous petty moves. I, your humble servant, considered her an elder in the household and reprimanded her many times, but I never expected that after entering the palace, she would still not restrain herself..."
Consort Yi emphasized the words "born into slavery," a faint sneer flashing across her lips.
What she wants to block is Narcissus's path to being favored!
Emperor Zhaoheng's expression tightened, and the absurd scene of his father being bewitched by that concubine who came from a palace maid background in his later years, almost to the point of shaking the foundation of the country, flashed through his mind!
In those years, he risked his life several times to eliminate that vile woman and the forces behind her, finally regaining power and preventing the country from falling into the hands of that vile woman's bastard child!
Emperor Zhaoheng's heart sank!
What's wrong with him lately? How could he be so easily swayed by a slave girl? Could it be... could it be that he's following in his father's footsteps?! Has he been blinded by her lowly appearance?!
This thought was like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, instantly extinguishing the inexplicable throbbing in his heart that had been building up recently, leaving only a chilling sense of defensiveness!
His gaze toward the narcissus instantly became incredibly complex.
That breathtaking beauty, that pitiful fragility, now seemed to be shrouded in an eerie and alluring aura in his eyes.
"I see." Emperor Zhaoheng's voice regained its imperial coldness and aloofness. "As a palace maid, she lacked virtue, bullied other palace women, and even behaved improperly before the Emperor, disturbing His Majesty's presence. Her crimes are numerous and unforgivable!"
His gaze swept over Consort Yi, who stood to the side: "Consort Yi, since she is from Changxin Palace, I entrust her to your disposal. Make sure to set an example for others!"
"Your Majesty, I obey!" Consort Yi sneered inwardly, but her face remained solemn.
That's exactly what she was waiting for!
Consort Yi turned to Shancha, who was lying on the ground, terrified, and said in a voice as cold as the depths of winter: "You lowly servant Shancha, you have committed an unspeakable crime of insubordination! Drag her out... and have her beaten to death!"
"No!" Camellia cried out, "Miss! Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty! I'm innocent! It was Narcissus! It was Narcissus who harmed me!!"
She struggled desperately, tears streaming down her face, appearing as if she were going mad.
However, Consort Yi's orders were like ironclad laws.
Two burly eunuchs stepped forward expressionlessly, and like dragging a dead dog, they lifted the limp Camellia and mercilessly dragged her out of the main hall.
The palace doors closed, shutting out Camellia's desperate cries.
Soon, a dull and terrifying thud came from outside! It was the sound of heavy boards striking flesh! One after another, accompanied by Camellia's screams, which went from shrill to faint and finally disappeared completely!
The hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.
The sound of the board striking seemed to resonate in everyone's hearts.
Narcissus hung her head, her body trembling slightly as if out of fear.
However, only she knew that what was surging in her heart at this moment was the pleasure of getting revenge!
Camellia, in your past life you conspired with a tiger for its skin, willingly becoming Yi Guichun's henchman. Did you ever imagine that one day this tiger would also tear you apart without hesitation?
In Yi Guichun's eyes, servants like you and me were never human, but merely ants that could be discarded at any time!
Hearing the screams outside, Consort Yi felt no emotion, and even felt a sense of relief that a hidden danger had been eliminated.
She glanced at Shui Xian, who still stood with her head bowed beside Emperor Zhaoheng, her eyes carrying a cold warning: "See? This is what happens to those who are restless!"
"Your Majesty, your clothes are soiled. Shall we have Narcissus help you change?"
Consort Yi put on a gentle smile and offered a timely reminder.
She was certain that, after being reminded of the word "slave status" just now, the Emperor's feelings for Shui Xian should have completely cooled down.
Emperor Zhaoheng did not look at Consort Yi, nor at Narcissus. He simply nodded expressionlessly, turned around, and walked back to the warm pavilion.
Narcissus took a deep breath, suppressing the myriad thoughts in her mind, and followed him inside with her head bowed and eyes downcast.
The jasmine scent lingered in the warm pavilion. But the atmosphere was completely different from before.
Emperor Zhaoheng opened his arms and let Shuixian fasten the buttons on his clothes.
His gaze fell on her fair face, then slowly traced over her soft fingertips.
Undeniably, he was still drawn to her beauty. But the thorn in his heart called "slave status" constantly reminded him of this.
He suppressed the restless heat rising in his heart, his body tensing slightly as he deliberately kept his distance from her, his gaze regaining its imperial aloofness and scrutiny.
Narcissus keenly noticed the change in his attitude.
She appeared obedient on the surface, but she knew in her heart that Emperor Zhaoheng was wary of her because of what Consort Yi had said earlier.
Shui Xian had also heard about the deeds of the late Emperor's Consort.
She didn't care about Emperor Zhaoheng's temporary estrangement; some feelings and desires cannot be suppressed by reason alone.
The more Emperor Zhaoheng tried to endure it, the more deeply she took root in his heart!
Consort Yi thought herself clever, but little did she know the complexities and fickleness of human nature, and that even emperors in high positions were not immune to these flaws.
She carefully straightened his clothes, her fingertips seemingly casually brushing against a small, exquisite sapphire blue dragon-patterned sachet hanging at his waist.
The small sachet fell off the silk and landed on the thick carpeted floor.
Narcissus seemed startled and hurriedly knelt down to pick it up: "I deserve to die! I accidentally dropped it..."
Her slender fingers picked up the slightly dusty sachet, held it with both hands, and respectfully presented it to Emperor Zhaoheng, her eyes filled with apology: "Your Majesty, please forgive me..."
Emperor Zhaoheng's gaze fell on the sachet in her hand, then swept over her frightened little face.
"It's dirty." Emperor Zhaoheng's voice was cold and restrained. He didn't even glance at the sachet again, turned around and strode out. "No need to wear it anymore."
Narcissus lowered her eyelashes and knelt to respectfully see him off.
Moonlight streamed through the windowpane, bathing her in its glow and illuminating her cautious profile. In that moment, she resembled a child who had made a mistake, her helpless demeanor evoking pity.
Emperor Zhaoheng was as hard as iron; he glanced at her and then left the warm pavilion.
However, when he walked into the courtyard and caught a glimpse of the beautiful moonlight tonight, he couldn't help but brush his hand over the spot where the sachet used to hang at his waist.
It was just a sachet; he didn't care.
But one can't help but think of the sachet that once adorned his waist, now clutched in her hand...
Emperor Zhaoheng, with his rational mind, forcefully suppressed the beautiful thoughts in his heart.
He didn't look back, thinking to himself, what good would it do to like someone again?
With so many beauties in his harem, why would he need a mere maidservant?
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