The east wing of the Yihe Palace, the lanterns sway, casting light on the busy figures of the palace girls.
Yuyao was uncertain if the dog emperor would come, but thinking that the dog emperor had promised last night, he would probably not break his word, she tidied up and went to wait outside the Yihe Palace door.
Happened to meet the wonderful beauty returning from a walk.
When seeing her, the beautiful woman's eyes flashed with hostility and ridiculed, "Oh, isn't this Qin favorite? What are you doing here at night? Isn't it that you're up to some unsavory business?"
Hearing this, Yu Yao's face turned cold instantly, and she replied without any civility, "What are you saying, beauty? I am merely taking a stroll at night. It's you, with your strange tone, have you eaten something indigestible?"
This matter has long been spread throughout the six palaces because the Night Emperor did not recognize the beautiful woman yesterday.
This has led to a straight-line decline in the dietary treatment of the beautiful woman, and it is heard that the little eunuch beside the beautiful woman went to the imperial kitchen to bring food, and waited much longer than usual. The food brought back was still cold.
Upon hearing the phrase "something indigestible," the beautiful woman remembered the food she had fetched from the Imperial Study today, which was not only cold but also greasy. She had only eaten two bites before she stopped.
Her face turned instantaneously dark, and she gritted her teeth, "Humph, Qin favorite is really sharp-tongued. Don't think that just because you've gained one day of favor can be disrespectful. The favors in the palace can change at any time."
Yu Yao smiled faintly and looked down on her, "Beauty, you'd better worry about yourself. It's none of your business whether my favor is high or low."
At this moment, the Emperor stepped forward with a steady gait, dressed in an ink-black brocade robe, standing tall and proudly like an ancient cypress or a verdant pine.
His dark hair was loosely tied with a jade hairpin, with a few strands gently swaying in the night breeze. His peach blossom eyes were deep and captivating, as if hiding countless secrets.
Below the high nose bridge, his thin lips were tightly closed, combining a charismatic elegance with an innate aura of authority.
Behind him, Lu Xi followed.
The small eunuch at the door saw the emperor and was about to sing out loud to announce it.
But was stopped by the Emperor raising his hand.
Upon stepping into the Yihe Palace, he noticed an unusual atmosphere and slightly furrowed his brow, asking in a low voice, "What's going on?"
When seeing the Emperor, the beautiful woman's expression turned one hundred and eighty degrees in an instant, from gloomy to joyful, as if flies see poop, she quickly twisted her waist and stuck to him.
She spoke in a delicate and coquettish voice, "Your Majesty, may I be excused? I was just chatting with Sister Qin."
When bowing, she deliberately exposed a slightly open collar and her snow-white neck, eager to lure people into her room immediately.
The Emperor's gaze swept over the exposed skin that the beautiful woman had intentionally revealed, and his brows were drawn even tighter, with a flash of disgust in his eyes.
He paid no attention to the beautiful woman and turned his gaze towards Yu Yao, his expression softening considerably, "What happened just now? Why did I seem to hear you arguing from afar?"
Yu Yao walked up to him, bowing respectfully, "Your Majesty, I thought you would come last night, so I came here early. Just as I was waiting, I happened to meet the beautiful woman. She said that I was up doing something improper at night. As I couldn't bear that accusation, I argued a few words with her."
The beautiful woman stood by the side, hearing this, her heart trembled, and her face turned white instantaneously. She rushed forward to dispute, "Your Majesty, it's not like that. I was just joking with Sister Qin."
This slut, she must have known the Emperor would come and deliberately waited here. She even deceived me into saying we were taking a walk. What a cunning scheme.
The Emperor's disdain was even deeper. He had no interest in listening to her explanation.
He slightly tilted his head and instructed Lu Xi beside him, "Lu Xi, move the beautiful woman to a place where the Emperor cannot see her."
Lu Xi hurriedly stepped forward, his gaze falling on the beautiful woman, and a look of regret flashed in his eyes.
In the place where the Emperor couldn't see her, was it not near the Forbidden Palace? If she went there to live, it would be equivalent to being banished to the Forbidden Palace.
But he would not sympathize with the beautiful woman, only feeling that this woman was foolish, not knowing how to read the situation was bad enough, but she had also danced around the Emperor several times before this. It was normal for her to end up like this.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Lu Xi slightly bowed, showing respect.
The beautiful woman was shocked in her heart. Even if she was stupid, she knew that the Emperor hated her. If she really moved to a place where the Emperor couldn't see her, her future would be ruined.
Her face turned pale, and she hurriedly knelt down, pounding her head to the ground, tears streaming down. "Your Majesty, please have mercy. I know I was wrong, and I will never do it again. Please don't order me to be moved away."
As the beautiful woman was crying and begging, she secretly glanced at the Emperor's face, but only saw his disgusted and impatient expression.
She became more and more anxious in her heart, and she was truly afraid. She cried even harder and continuously bowed her head to beg for mercy.
Now she no longer cared about her image; her makeup was long since smudged, her hairpin loose and unkempt, tears and snot mingling together, making her look extremely unpleasant.
Yu Yao coldly watched on, feeling that the beautiful woman deserved to be in such a mess.
Lu Xi saw the Emperor's expression of disgust and turned his head to shout at the several small eunuchs behind him, "What are you all waiting for? Don't you hurry and take the beautiful woman down? You don't want to disturb the Emperor, do you?"
"Yes, Master Lu."
When the several small eunuchs saw the Emperor's expression, they all looked scared. After realizing what had happened, they pulled the kneeling and begging beautiful woman away from the ground, one on each side.
"I have made a mistake, Your Majesty. Please forgive me."
From a distance, the piercing cries of the beautiful woman for mercy could still be heard, particularly poignant in the quiet night.
Zhuang Gui Ban heard the commotion and rushed over to see the scene just as the little eunuchs were pulling the beautiful woman away.
She initially didn't understand what was happening, and after a conversation with a maid beside her, she understood the reason.
She subtly glanced at Yu Yao, realizing though the beautiful woman had brought this upon herself, it also showed how different Qin favorite was in the Emperor's eyes.
Zhuang Gui Ban secretly pondered in her heart, but maintained her composure. She walked slowly to the Emperor and bowed respectfully, "Your Imperial Highness, may I be excused."
The Emperor's gaze fell on Zhuang Gui Ban, and he spoke in a low voice, "There's no need for formalities. What are you doing here at this late hour?"
Zhuang Gui Ban stood up, smiling slightly, and spoke in a gentle and dignified manner, "I heard the cries of the beautiful woman and did not know what had happened. I came to take a look."
The Emperor nodded slightly, "It's just that the beautiful woman does not understand the rules. I will deal with it lightly."
Zhuang Gui Ban had already known the reason, but as the main hostess of Yihe Palace, she also had an inescapable responsibility for the beautiful woman's mishap.
Her face showed great anxiety, and she hurried forward to apologize, "Your Majesty, please calm down. The beautiful woman is from my palace. I failed to teach her properly, and I ask for Your Majesty's punishment."
The Emperor furrowed his brow and looked at Zhuang Gui Ban, "The beautiful woman's lack of knowledge is none of your concern."
"Although that is true, as the main hostess, I have an inescapable responsibility."
Zhuang Gui Ban bowed again, her expression still one of anxiety.
The Emperor, however, did not wish to engage any further with Zhuang Gui Ban, saying only, "Enough. The beautiful woman has been moved out by my order and will no longer be under your control. All of you may leave."
With that, he took Yu Yao by the hand and led her to the east wing.
Zhuang Gui Ban stood up and looked at the Emperor's departure, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
"Madam, what about the beautiful woman?"
Jin Xin stepped forward to support Zhuang Gui Ban, her expression wanting to say something but holding back.
Zhuang Gui Ban waved her hand, speaking in a low voice, "The beautiful woman is both foolish and ambitious, always showing her jealousy on her face. Her fate was predictable from the beginning."
"You speak the truth, Madam. When the beautiful woman was once favored, she didn't even look up to you. Now she has it coming."
Jin Xin had long detested the beautiful woman, and naturally felt glad to hear of her downfall.
The several young mistresses in the Yihe Palace were all extremely amiable to get along with, except for the beautiful woman.
Only feeling that with the beautiful woman moved out, it would be much quieter in the future.
Zhuang Gui Ban's mood was also quite good, she smiled and said, "Alright, people are like that. There's no need to add fuel to the fire. Go back and rest."
With that, she walked back to the main hall, holding Jin Xin's hand.
In the west wing, the candlelight flickered.
Shu Meiren lounged on the soft couch, playing with a silk handkerchief in her hand, with a slight upturn at the corner of her mouth. "The beautiful woman was always arrogant and domineering. Her current situation is entirely her own fault."
The maid Bi Yuan was happy to agree, "Absolutely. The beautiful woman had no shortage of bullying the young mistress when she was in favor. Now that she has been relocated to a place where the Emperor cannot see her, her good days are over."
Shu Meiren sighed softly, involuntarily thinking of herself, her expression filled with melancholy.
Although the beautiful woman has been moved to a place where the Emperor cannot see her, where else would she go?
Previously, it was not a problem to not see the Emperor. Now that the Emperor had come to see Qin for two consecutive days, there was still an opportunity to see him.
But the Emperor doesn't like me, still doesn't like me, and still won't give me a second glance, with no favor or grace at all.
"Alas, when will the Emperor see me? I don't ask for much honor and wealth, but only to have a son or daughter by my side, someone to rely on is enough."
Shu Meiren spoke in a low voice, her expression melancholic.
