Volume One, Chapter 14: Bathing (2)
In an instant, it was as if a thunderbolt had struck her head. The maid felt a sudden buzzing in her ears, leaving her stunned on the spot, her breath coming in hurried gasps.
“Thump, thump, thump—!”
The fierce pounding of her heart echoed in her ears; her chest felt as if a wild deer was trapped inside, charging recklessly, threatening to leap out at any moment.
She naturally knew how handsome Shen Ran was.
But she had never imagined he could be so strikingly beautiful.
With her own appearance, upon suddenly seeing him, she even felt a pang of shame in comparison.
She couldn’t understand how someone so beautiful could have earned the title of “tyrant.”
She spoke softly, “Your Majesty—”
The moment she opened her mouth, everything changed.
Her voice was completely different from before—trembling like floating willow catkins in the wind, alluring and gentle, evoking sympathy.
Wen Xi’s expression immediately darkened.
Shen Ran turned his head towards the voice, his eyes deep and icy beneath thick black lashes.
The maid lifted her gaze in what she believed to be her most beautiful pose.
Yet when their eyes met, she suddenly froze.
The eyes that looked at her were cold, profound, and mocking.
There was no pity or warmth.
They regarded her like an insignificant ant, not a person.
In that instant, all the romantic illusions in the maid’s heart vanished like smoke.
There was a reason why the “tyrant” was called a tyrant.
The brief flash of bloodthirsty battle in those eyes was enough to make one overlook even a face more beautiful than a thousand maidens.
The maid hurriedly lowered her head.
Flustered and distressed, her hands trembled violently as she held the tray.
“Thud—!”
The tray fell heavily to the ground, spilling the wine everywhere.
Wen Xi, unable to bear it any longer, strode forward and slapped her hard across the face.
“Smack—!”
The crisp slap echoed, Wen Xi said coldly, “Out of line before His Majesty! How dare you!”
The maid was stunned by the blow.
Her hands and feet went cold. With a thud, she knelt on the floor. “I, I, your humble servant, your humble servant…”
Her face was pale, terrified to the point she couldn’t utter a full sentence. Wen Xi frowned, “What kind of mess has the Bureau of Imperial Attendants caused by choosing someone like you to serve?”
After speaking, she called out loudly to the guards, “Guards! Take her away and give her twenty lashes!”
Twenty lashes on such a delicate young girl were no joke.
Dragged away by the guards, the last trace of color drained from the maid’s face.
She struggled wildly and shouted loudly—
“You wretched servant! You are the wretched servant!”
“I—I am not a maid. I am His Majesty’s noble consort! I am His Majesty’s favored consort!”
“You cannot beat me!”
“You have no right to order them to beat me!”
Each cry grew more desperate than the last.
It turned out the one out of line wasn’t a maid but a palace consort pretending to be a servant to vie for favor.
Wen Xi’s face darkened immensely.
Suddenly, Shen Ran spoke lightly, “Bring her back.”
At his command, the guards immediately returned with the favored consort.
Wen Xi hesitated to speak but ultimately said nothing, respectfully stepping behind Shen Ran.
That order “Bring her back” was like a strong tonic. The favored consort, thinking she had been pardoned, immediately grew bold. She prostrated herself, showing her most charming side, begging—
“Your Majesty! Please forgive my improper conduct!”
“But it is truly because I miss Your Majesty and adore You too much that I had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure!”
When she first entered the palace, she often heard people say her features resembled those of the Noble Consort, and since Shen Ran favored the Noble Consort most of all, she believed this resemblance would be her stepping stone to advancement.
Imperial guards stood silently on either side; the court fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the favored consort’s sobbing.
In the suffocating stillness, the favored consort nearly cried herself breathless.
Suddenly, a pair of exquisitely embroidered boots appeared before her, followed by an irresistible force gripping her jaw.
A jade flute was pressed against her throat, forcing her to tilt her head back.
The favored consort looked into the young emperor’s eyes, panic-stricken. This time, Shen Ran’s eyes held a distinctly amused glint.
He lazily curled his lips, “Whose daughter are you?”
Her voice trembled, “I am the daughter of Lin Ruguai, Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.”
Shen Ran hummed quietly, “I’ve heard this family is of lofty reputation, strict with propriety, yet their daughter behaves like a common shrew, always uttering foul words?”
“Wen Xi is someone close to me; even I must respect her. And yet you dare to utter the words ‘wretched servant’?”
The favored consort’s heart wavered, suddenly chilled with fear.
She choked back tears and shook her head, “No, Your Majesty, it’s not like that—boo—”
The slender pale hand suddenly tightened its grip; the jade flute bit into her flesh, sending a searing pain like a knife. Her voice cut off abruptly.
“But…”
Shen Ran leaned down slightly.
His glossy black hair cascaded like a waterfall, his features both seductive and dazzling, yet his eyes were covered in a layer of ice.
“Since you are my consort, twenty lashes are indeed inappropriate.”
At these words, a flicker of hopeful light appeared in the favored consort’s terrified eyes.
She knew it—she knew that with her beauty, His Majesty wouldn’t be so cruel.
He absolutely wouldn’t...
Suddenly, Shen Ran’s smiling voice whispered in her ear like a cold wind in the night.
He said slowly—
“Execute her by the rod immediately.”
The favored consort: “...!?”
In an instant, tears of pain and despair flooded her eyes. A buzzing sound filled her ears, and she heard nothing more.