None of the palace servants dared break the rules. Seeing that not one of them dared act, Consort Chun narrowed her eyes and flung the curtain aside herself.
"Ah!" Wen Yunmian cried out and shrank against a broad, strong chest.
When she saw the man on the bed turn his cold gaze on her, Consort Chun's face went white. She stumbled back and dropped to her knees.
"Your Majesty? I did not know Your Majesty was here. Please forgive me for offending you." Consort Chun trembled all over as she spoke. Never had she imagined that the man in this bed would be the emperor!
Everyone in the hall was stunned. Why was the emperor here?
Ming Cui, who had been secretly gathering information, heard Consort Chun's startled cry from inside. Her legs nearly gave way with fright, and she hurried back to Wen Leyan's residence.
Jun Chenyu pulled the quilt over Wen Yunmian. As he sat up, he snapped coldly, "Get out!"
Consort Chun shuddered. Not daring to linger even a moment, she hastily led everyone outside with her tail between her legs, then knelt down, wanting to cry but finding no tears.
On the bed, Wen Yunmian's lovely face flushed crimson as she nestled in Jun Chenyu's arms. "Thank you for helping me, Your Majesty. I am deeply grateful."
As Jun Chenyu looked at her, a trace of pity entered his piercing gaze. Without saying more, he rose and headed outside.
Wen Yunmian hurriedly got up after him, picked up the clothes she had deliberately taken off, and put them on.
Seeing Yun Yang and Yun Fei rush over in a panic to attend her, Wen Yunmian smiled faintly. The two women lowered their eyes in tacit understanding.
When Jun Chenyu went outside, Wen Yunmian followed close behind.
Jun Chenyu stood beneath the eaves, his tall, slender figure radiating an invisible pressure. He was steeped in the imposing fury of a man long accustomed to supreme power. "Speak. What exactly happened?"
Those few words drained all color from Consort Chun's face. She hastily raised her head, trying to argue her way out. "I-I do not know what happened either. I merely heard that a guard had entered Noble Lady Yun's bedchamber and thought she could not bear her loneliness and meant to bring shame upon Your Majesty. That was why I hurried here with Her Highness the consort's written order."
Jun Chenyu looked down at her coldly, his earlier anger subsiding. "The consort authorized you to come?"
"Yes..."
Wen Yunmian quietly glanced at Jun Chenyu. In truth, it would not have been difficult to discover why the guard was in such a state or why he had suddenly appeared here. But as soon as the consort became involved, Jun Chenyu was unwilling to investigate further.
Still, the truth was not what Wen Yunmian wanted. Her aim was to take the consort's place as the cherished moonlight in his heart.
There was no need to rush.
Sure enough, after a moment's silence, Jun Chenyu issued a solemn warning with all the majesty of an emperor. "Today's incident was a misunderstanding. The person with Noble Lady Yun was me. If anyone in the palace dares chase shadows and catch at the wind from this day forward, I will show no mercy!"
Everyone answered, trembling with fear, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
He took Wen Yunmian's hand. Only as they walked back into the hall did she hear Jun Chenyu give his stern command. "Consort Chun is ignorant and foolish, believing the slander of petty villains. From this day onward, she is confined to the Palace of Gathered Purity and forfeits three months' stipend! She may not leave without an imperial decree."
Consort Chun's eyes widened in shock. "Your Majesty..."
Once Wen Yunmian had been led inside, before Jun Chenyu could speak, she threw her soft body into his arms. Her eyes gazed up at him like pools of clear water, glistening with mist.
"Your Majesty, that guard wandered into my residence by mistake today. I was terrified. I never imagined Your Majesty would come to save me..."
Tears spilled from her radiant eyes, and her jade-white face glowed softly, filling Jun Chenyu's heart with tenderness. "You believe that guard came here by mistake?"
Wen Yunmian lifted her dark eyes. "Of course. How could a mere guard deliberately force his way into a concubine's residence? He must have been drunk and gone to the wrong place."
Jun Chenyu's phoenix eyes deepened as he stroked Wen Yunmian's face. He had not expected her to be so innocent and unworldly. He wondered whether a piece of white jade like her would be stained by the filthy waters of the harem.
All the palace servants withdrew from the room. Eunuch Lu summoned the Imperial Guards to secretly take away the guard, who was still dazed and panting in the room next door.
Jun Chenyu gazed at the woman in his arms. "Rest assured. I will have the guards tighten security around the Peony Pavilion. What happened today will never happen again."
Wen Yunmian smiled softly, her eyes curving into crescents. A lively light danced within them, like the brightest sunshine of spring, warming the heart.
She raised her hand and gently stroked the space between Jun Chenyu's brows. "Did Your Majesty drink today? Why do I feel there is sorrow in your eyes?"
Jun Chenyu raised an eyebrow and caught her hand. "I am the ruler of all beneath heaven. How could I have sorrow? Do you know that prying into the emperor's heart is a capital offense?"
"Then would Your Majesty have the heart to put me to death?" Her voice lilted playfully, her smile gentle, warm, and bright.
He had not seen such a smile in the palace for a very long time. The gloom in his heart gradually yielded to it.
Just as Jun Chenyu was about to speak, Wen Yunmian suddenly rose onto her toes and gently kissed his lips.
Then, seemingly realizing she had been too forward and bold, she hastily lowered her head and timidly stepped back. But Jun Chenyu reached out his long arm and pulled her into his embrace.
Seeing the blush on her cheeks, Jun Chenyu teased her with an amused smile. "My beloved consort was not nearly this bashful when she was drunk in the Hot Spring Pool last time."
Wen Yunmian looked up blankly. "How does Your Majesty know I was drunk in the Hot Spring Pool...?"
Jun Chenyu did not answer. His narrow phoenix eyes held a deep, unfathomable look as his gaze lingered on her eyes, then slowly moved to her lips.
Wen Yunmian was exceptionally skilled at reading men. She knew the moment had come to reel in the line.
With alluring tenderness, she wrapped her arms around Jun Chenyu's waist. Her slender hands slowly roamed over his body as she lowered her eyes shyly and said, "Please cherish me, Your Majesty."
Jun Chenyu's eyes were like an abyss as he watched her movements. Then he suddenly swept her up and carried her toward the bed.
Wen Yunmian obediently buried her face against Jun Chenyu's shoulder.
The candlelight flickered, and the gauze curtains swayed softly.
By the time the candles had burned out, Wen Yunmian's clothes were in disarray. Breathing a little hard, she pushed Jun Chenyu down onto the bed. "I know how to serve Your Majesty too."
"Oh?" Jun Chenyu gazed at her, his eyes growing darker and darker.
At last, his breathing turned hoarse, and his broad, long-fingered hands closed directly around her slender waist.
As dawn approached, a woman's tearful pleas for mercy drifted from the Peony Pavilion, her whimpers like a kitten's. Only then did all the sounds gradually subside.
The next morning, Jun Chenyu went to court, and Wen Yunmian rose with her whole body aching.
Yun Yang hurried in to attend her. "My lady, it was just as you predicted. Last night, I saw Joyous Promise being taken into the Palace of Prolonged Happiness. She still has not come out."
Wen Yunmian's lips curved into a smile. In her previous life, Wen Leyan had learned every inch of her Peony Pavilion, so plotting against her was hardly difficult. But even at death's door, she would never have imagined that Yun Yang knew martial arts.
Yun Yang had discovered her skulking outside the Palace of Eternal Joy long before.
Consort Shu had listened to her slander and sent Consort Chun to expose the affair. Little had she expected that they would not only fail to catch anyone, but offend the emperor as well.
By now, Consort Shu probably believed that Wen Leyan and Wen Yunmian were working together, deliberately setting a trap to lure Consort Chun and the others in.
Given Consort Shu's temper, Wen Leyan must have endured no small amount of torment last night-the kind that left no visible wounds, yet could take a person's life.
Before you continue