Wang Zhong said, “Of course. If Your Majesty goes, Her Ladyship will surely be overjoyed—delighted beyond measure! Which palace would Your Majesty like to visit? Shall this servant go and announce your arrival first?”
Dantai Ji rose to his feet. “No need. Just the two of us. Do not alert anyone else.”
Though still full of doubts, Wang Zhong did not dare ask further. He could only reply, “Yes, this servant obeys.”
What Wang Zhong had not expected was that His Majesty deliberately took a side path toward the inner palace, as though he did not want anyone to know where he was going.
And judging by the direction… it was actually Lanyue Pavilion!
His Majesty was going to Lanyue Pavilion, the residence of the newly invested Consort Cui.
Wang Zhong smacked his forehead hard. How had he failed to think of it? Consort Cui had been personally granted her title by His Majesty! And she was exceptionally beautiful. His Majesty had wanted to visit her yesterday, but the Eldest Princess had fallen ill and summoned him away.
It was only natural that he would go to see her today.
What Wang Zhong could not understand was why His Majesty had to be so secretive about visiting Lanyue Pavilion, as if he did not wish to alert a single soul.
When they arrived at Lanyue Pavilion, it was pitch-dark. The lamps had indeed already been extinguished.
Seeing this, Wang Zhong hurried forward and knocked on the door, afraid that His Majesty might decide to leave upon learning that Consort Cui had already gone to sleep.
To his surprise, not only did His Majesty say nothing about leaving, he even instructed him, “Why are you in such a hurry? Knock more softly.”
Wang Zhong knocked even more urgently. Look at that—His Majesty truly wanted to see this Consort Cui!
Fortunately, after three knocks, a young eunuch came to open the door.
The gatekeeper, who had been dozing off, jolted awake upon seeing Eunuch Wang Zhong. He immediately threw himself to the ground. “Y-Your Majesty! This servant deserves death! This servant deserves death!”
Dantai Ji strode across the threshold and merely said, “It is nothing. Close the door. Do not alert anyone else.”
“Y-yes!”
Still dazed, the young eunuch shut the door. Looking at the Emperor’s departing figure, he pinched himself hard, then suddenly remembered something and began knocking his own head.
How could he have been so foolish? He should have rushed to wake the Consort just now! But if he ran ahead of His Majesty now, that would surely be an offense!
Little Tianzi could only kneel on the ground and pray that His Majesty would not blame Consort Cui for her laziness, nor fault Lanyue Pavilion for leaving the lamps unlit.
The door opened with a creak.
Chenxiang, who had been keeping watch beside the bed, suddenly awoke. Sensing someone’s presence, she sprang to her feet and demanded, “Who is it?”
“How dare you, servant girl! How can you behave so presumptuously before His Majesty?” Eunuch Wang Zhong quickly stepped before Chenxiang. As he spoke, he gave her meaningful looks and seized her arm, pulling her toward the door.
Chenxiang’s heart lurched. She looked toward the tall figure in the room. He was dressed in a black robe, broad-shouldered and imposing—there could be no mistake. The only man in the imperial palace was the Emperor. Once she realized this, Chenxiang hurriedly tried to wake her mistress, only for the eunuch to stop her and forcibly drag her away.
She dared not offend the eunuch at the Emperor’s side, much less His Majesty himself. She could only watch helplessly as the Emperor walked toward the curtained bed. As the door closed, her mistress remained fast asleep, and panic rose within Chenxiang’s heart.
Chenxiang regretted it bitterly. She should have fallen to her knees and cried out, “This servant greets Your Majesty!” Then perhaps her mistress would have awakened.
Outside, Chenxiang worriedly scratched at her ears and cheeks, while inside, all was deathly quiet.
Dantai Ji stood before the bed curtains, his dark eyes fixed intently on the figure lying on the half-drawn bed.
She lay on her side, not at all properly. The brazier kept the room warm, so one pale, jade-like arm was left bare, strikingly visible in the blackness of the night.
Before leaving, Wang Zhong had lit a lamp and set it beside the bed. By its faint glow, Dantai Ji could just make out her small face—apricot cheeks and peach-blossom complexion, vermilion lips and pearly teeth.
Dantai Ji’s gaze darkened.
She looked alike. Far too alike.
He did not believe such a face could be found everywhere, and yet, in his eyes, Consort Cui and Consort Chen were indistinguishable.
Others said Consort Chen was not particularly beautiful. He had once been puzzled and investigated the matter, even asking the imperial physicians. They told him that Consort Chen appeared exceptionally beautiful to him because he was fond of her; thus, she looked different in his eyes than she did to others.
He had believed that to be the case. After all, he often recalled that night seven years ago. His heart had raced then—faster than it ever had before. Though he had never felt the same way around Consort Chen afterward, she must still have been different from other women in his heart.
But then he had met Lady Cui at the Hundred Fragrance House.
She was as breathtakingly beautiful as Consort Chen—perhaps even more so. Merely being near her made his breathing quicken.
He had specifically asked Wang Zhong whether Lady Cui was beautiful. He had even painted a portrait of how she appeared in his own eyes, and this time Wang Zhong had decisively confirmed that the woman in the painting was indeed Miss Cui.
So she had truly been born looking like this? It was not merely his imagination?
Then why did he see Consort Chen as her?
Dantai Ji stood there for a long while before lifting the final layer of gauze curtains. The figure within became clearer: rosy lips, a small, delicately straight nose, slightly upturned brows and eyes, and skin as fair and flawless as snow.
Even under such close scrutiny, she continued to sleep soundly.
He examined her carefully, assessing every inch of her face. Apart from their similar appearances, Consort Cui and Consort Chen had nothing in common.
Then why?
A faint restlessness tightened Dantai Ji’s chest. He sat down, no longer concerned about waking her, and openly pressed down upon her quilt.
She did not stir. Her sleep remained deep and sweet, her cheeks flushed a vivid red.
As if possessed, Dantai Ji reached out and pinched her flawless, pale cheek. The instant he did, his heart gave a distinct, violent thump.
It had been a long time since he had felt this way. The last time had been that chaotic night seven years ago.
Dantai Ji abruptly released her and was about to withdraw his hand when the sleeping woman suddenly opened her eyes. Bright, exquisite eyes looked straight at him, clouded with dazed confusion.
Their gazes met. Dantai Ji swiftly pulled back his hand.
“Y-you’re awake,” he said awkwardly. Then he sprang to his feet, nearly tripping over the bed curtains.
Cui Huaiyin blinked. “Y-Your Majesty?”
“Yes. It is I.” Dantai Ji clenched his hand into a fist and coughed lightly into it.
It took Cui Huaiyin a moment to regain her senses. She hurriedly threw back the quilt and moved to get out of bed. Right—she needed to pay her respects! What time was it now? Had dawn already broken?
But she could not spare a thought for any of that. All she wanted was to pay her respects as quickly as possible. Disregarding everything else, she knelt upon the bedding and bowed to the emperor before her.
“Your concubine pays her respects to Your Majesty.”
She was in such a fluster that she failed to notice what she looked like at that moment.
Her robe hung half-open, draped loosely around her arms, exposing a swath of pale skin—like a white jade flower spirit newly come to life...
Dantai Ji took half a step back, his ears flushing crimson. Turning his head slightly, he clasped his hands behind his back.
“Rise.”
Only then did Cui Huaiyin lift her head. Somewhat at a loss, she thought for a moment, then prepared to climb down from the bed to find her shoes.
“Please wait a moment, Your Majesty. Allow your concubine to get down from the bed.”
Yet when Cui Huaiyin bent over to search for her shoes beside the bed, she could not find them. Her whole body flushed red from the effort. At last, she found one—but the other was nowhere to be seen.
She was truly growing frantic, fumbling about in haste, when at last she spotted where the missing shoe had gone.
The other shoe was beneath the emperor’s foot!
The emperor was standing on her shoe!
