Your Highness, Thank You!

Wen Yunmian picked up the eyebrow powder on the table and dabbed some onto the side of her face.

Seeing this, Yun Fei hurriedly caught her hand in alarm. She stared at the two moles Wen Yunmian had drawn on, stammering, "My lady, what are you doing?"

If she did not do this, she would lose her face tonight.

Looking at the two large black moles in the mirror, Wen Yunmian curled her lips. The show was about to begin.

Upon learning that the Phoenix-Luan Spring Favor Carriage was going to fetch Wen Yunmian, Wen Leyan excitedly instructed Ming Cui, "Hurry, have someone secretly keep watch outside Wen Yunmian's palace. The moment she returns tomorrow, have them notify me!"

She had to be the first to see Wen Yunmian's miserable state and humiliation!

After the Phoenix-Luan Spring Favor Carriage picked her up, Wen Yunmian was taken to a side hall to bathe. Palace matrons attended her throughout, bathing and dressing her.

Their expressions varied. One seemed about to say something, but another stopped her.

Yet the moment Wen Yunmian stepped into the palace hall, a vicious slap greeted her!

Smack!

The searing pain made her sway before she fell heavily to the floor, clutching her face beneath her disheveled hair.

She raised her head and saw a beautiful woman standing before her, adorned with lavish pearls and jade.

The woman had long, narrow eyes that tilted upward, brilliantly red lips, and dazzling beauty. Unfortunately, her eyes held far too much malice.

Consort Shu!

The legitimate daughter of the Duke of State Protection's Residence, the emperor's cherished moonlight.

It was just as she had expected.

They had met after all.

This woman was the emperor's greatest love, but she was also fiercely jealous. He loved her to his very bones and indulged her in everything. That was why, on the day the new women entered the palace, Consort Shu dared to come openly to his bedchamber to punish one of them.

But Wen Yunmian also knew...

The emperor would come tonight.

Consort Shu, I gladly accept the favorable east wind you've brought me.

"You truly do have a vixen's face, the kind that sends a man's heart rippling."

Consort Shu crouched and studied her. The young palace candidate before her was beautiful beyond measure, her skin a pure white. Her beauty was almost aggressive, yet her lychee-like eyes were extraordinarily innocent. That mingling of purity and allure was truly enough to stir the heart.

Consort Shu gazed at her, briefly crestfallen, then slowly curled her lips. "His Majesty is truly blessed."

She parted Wen Yunmian's long hair with the hairpin in her hand, her tone turning vicious.

"Unfortunately, you aren't."

Wen Yunmian stared at her and tried to retreat, only to have her wrist seized.

"This face has no place in the palace! So I shall destroy it."

"No!" Wen Yunmian tried to dodge, her eyes reddening.

The sharp, slender hairpin was about to gouge into her flesh, but as her hair was swept aside, the glaring black moles came into view.

Consort Shu froze in astonishment.

Why had she not seen such ugly black moles in the portrait?

Still, the sight of that ugly face cooled her anger.

"Since you're so ugly, there's no need to dirty my hands."

Consort Shu rose languidly. Though she disdained destroying this face, she would not forgo the pleasure of tormenting someone.

"Guards, drag her over there."

Consort Shu walked ahead while several maids and matrons forcibly hauled Wen Yunmian toward the bathing pool.

Gauze curtains and a hot spring pool filled the hall. Wen Yunmian was thrown beside the water, and her clothes were roughly pulled off.

Wen Yunmian struggled in feigned panic, her hair disheveled as she wept pitifully. "No, what are you doing? Let me go..."

"Isn't it good that I'm teaching you the rules today?" Consort Shu picked up the glass whip beside her, its cold gleam razor-sharp.

Wen Yunmian tried to shrink back in terror, but a matron pinched her delicate skin and forcibly held her head down.

The whip lashed toward her.

"Ah!" The pain of her flesh splitting open brought tears surging into her eyes.

As Wen Yunmian endured the vicious beating, she knew the emperor was already on his way back...

Soon.

The very next moment, panicked greetings sounded outside the hall. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Consort Shu startled and immediately stopped.

But Wen Yunmian had found her opportunity too. She struggled free, stared straight at the consort, and said very softly, "Your Highness, thank you for tonight."

When the emperor entered, he saw a slender, graceful figure fleeing in panic. Consort Shu came to her senses and hurriedly tried to order someone to seize her.

The emperor could not be allowed to see her covered in wounds!

But Wen Yunmian threw herself straight into his arms.

The eunuch behind him was about to stop her in alarm when he suddenly realized that she seemed to be an imperial concubine...

In an instant, a warm, jade-soft body collided with the emperor's chest. She lifted her tearful eyes to him. Her face was heavily painted, yet still strikingly beautiful.

But the emperor had seen plenty of women wearing rouge and powder. He was only briefly distracted and paid her little heed, already turning his gaze toward Consort Shu as she hurried over.

"Save me..."

Wen Yunmian spoke through her tears. Yet the next moment, whether because she had lost her footing or not, she slipped and fell straight into the hot spring pool.

The emperor's cold gaze sharpened. He had not expected those slender, delicate hands to seize his sleeve.

As they fell into the water, he instinctively reached around her waist, only to catch nothing.

Wen Yunmian's supple body moved through the water like a luminous, enchanting fish's tail. Seemingly panicked, she wrapped her arms around the emperor's waist from behind with helpless allure, pressing tightly against his broad back. "Don't kill me..."

The warmth of the water seemed to bring his blood to a boil. The emperor's cold eyes narrowed, and he was about to speak when the woman behind him lost her strength. Instinctively, he gathered her into his arms.

The chaos soon subsided amid the frantic ministrations of eunuchs and maids.

When Consort Shu saw the emperor emerge carrying Wen Yunmian, her nails nearly pierced her palms.

"Your Majesty."

How could the emperor bear to reproach Consort Shu? Yet he could not ignore Wen Yunmian's injuries. To torment the first woman summoned to serve him that night to such a degree was truly excessive.

"Go back for now. I'll visit you tomorrow."

"Your-" Before Consort Shu could finish, the emperor ordered, "Summon the imperial physician!"

He laid Wen Yunmian on the bed, his expression grim, without showing her much concern.

Wen Yunmian knew he was angry with the consort. Unfortunately, he was not angry on her behalf. It was only because she was the daughter of a meritorious official. If she died immediately after entering the palace, the court officials would likely object.

He merely thought that the consort he cherished at the very tip of his heart had been too rash and impulsive.

The imperial physician soon arrived and hastily treated Wen Yunmian. Fortunately, her wounds were only superficial. She had swallowed a few mouthfuls of water, but suffered no serious harm.

The emperor waved him out.

As Wen Yunmian lay quietly huddled on the bed, he finally turned to look at her.

To his surprise, the vulgar rouge and powder had already been wiped away, revealing a lovely face like flawless white jade.

Her face resembled peach blossoms in spring, her lips scarlet. She looked as innocent and endearing as a rabbit, yet her eyes belonged to a fox that could steal a man's soul.

Such contradictions, yet a single glance was enough to engrave her in his memory.

He had never imagined that such beauty lay hidden beneath her makeup.