Chapter 24: Tears

Inside Yaohua Palace, the morning light had yet to penetrate the heavy curtains when Quan Minghe slowly woke up.

He furrowed his brows slightly as he gazed at the woman still peacefully asleep in his arms, unable to stop himself from pondering.

Every time he visited Yaohua Palace, it seemed that he would unknowingly end up staying the night. He couldn’t help but wonder if she had been doing it on purpose.

Last night, he had first waited for her to change into her dress, which took quite a long time.

Then, he had watched her dance. Her performance of “The Drunken Beauty” was so enchanting, it seemed like a dream, completely captivating him.

He had also, at her request, painted for her.

In the end, they had ended up teasing each other, and he found himself completely unable to restrain his desires.

The time passed with wild abandon—flipping like a phoenix, the clouds of Wushan, the warmth of the hibiscus curtain.

After all the tumult, it wasn’t until nearly the hour of Yin that they finally stopped.

In less than two hours, it would be time for the morning court assembly.

Quan Minghe had no desire to return to Weiyang Palace to rest.

However, Shen Yuling, who had never undergone the proper palace etiquette training, always clung to him every time she fell asleep.

At this moment, Quan Minghe only felt a tingling sensation in his shoulders.

His dark eyes narrowed slightly as he focused intently on the woman beside him, still deeply asleep. Her serene sleeping face looked especially delicate in the hazy morning light.

Though his heart was filled with helplessness, he still restrained himself from waking her.

He pulled back the bed curtains, rose from the bed, draped a robe over himself, and then walked out.

“Li Ming.”

As soon as Quan Minghe stepped out of the bedchamber, he called out in a low voice.

Li Ming hurriedly approached and respectfully greeted, “Your Majesty, may you live long and prosper.”

Quan Minghe paused for a moment. He had intended to instruct Li Ming to find someone to teach Shen Yuling palace etiquette, but when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back.

He pressed his lips together, his expression cold and stern, while his mind weighed the situation in silence.

Forget it. Her current status was already special. If he suddenly arranged for a teacher to teach her, and if word got out, it could cause unnecessary complications.

Although, if it were truly discovered, silencing those rumors wouldn’t be difficult. But she was a fragile woman—how could she endure the malicious gossip of the palace?

What if, as a result, she became nothing more than a withered corpse, her beauty lost? All the efforts he had invested in her over this time would have been in vain.

Forget it, he would wait another three months.

Li Ming stood quietly by, awaiting His Majesty’s orders. But after waiting for a long time, all he heard was the Emperor utter two words: “Nothing.”

“Change clothes.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting mottled shadows on the floor.

When Shen Yuling awoke, the sunlight had already moved across the room, nearly reaching noon.

Lan Ying was busy outside, but upon hearing the movement from the inner chamber, she quickly came over.

She carefully drew back the bed curtains on both sides, then reached out to help her mistress sit up.

As Lan Ying approached the bed, she unintentionally took a light sniff, only to be reminded of the faint fragrance that lingered on her mistress’s body.

The fragrance was subtle and elegant, lingering in the air, very pleasant to the senses.

No wonder her mistress was so favored by His Majesty, even to the point where the Emperor would willingly stay overnight at Yaohua Palace for her.

With this thought, Lan Ying’s heart filled with even more joy.

“Your Highness, lunch will be delivered soon. I’ll assist you with your washing and changing.”

Lan Ying said softly, her tone filled with a sense of eager attentiveness.

Shen Yuling gave a slight nod, placing her delicate hand on Lan Ying’s, and followed her to freshen up and change.

Her whole body ached slightly, and last night, Qian Minghe had indeed been rather harsh.

However, since she had already agreed to accompany him to the end, she had to grit her teeth and hold on.

Fortunately, today she didn’t need to get up as early as she had to when returning to the Residence of Prince Lingyang with Qian Minghe.

This was because Feng Moheng had been sent by Qian Minghe to oversee a county outside Qianjing, and he wouldn’t return until tomorrow.

Moreover, the Prince’s residence had even arranged for a maid with a voice almost identical to Shen Yuling’s. This was clearly another one of Qian Minghe’s schemes.

Every detail had been arranged so meticulously—truly, he was a ruler of great skill.

Shen Yuling finished her grooming and walked gracefully to the zitan inlaid gold dining table to sit down.

She looked at the exquisite dishes on the table, then lifted her gaze toward Lan Ying.

In a soft voice, she asked, “Lan Ying, is His Majesty not coming for lunch today?”

Lan Ying was slightly taken aback.

She hadn’t expected her mistress to suddenly ask about His Majesty’s presence.

Wasn’t it the most normal thing that the Emperor wouldn’t come to dine with the Empress or consorts?

“Your Majesty, His Majesty’s attendants did not mention that he would be coming to dine today.”

Shen Yuling furrowed her brows.

She considered asking if it would be possible to invite him to join her for the meal, but after a moment, she opened her mouth and ultimately decided against it.

Forget it, he is an emperor.

He is not someone she can casually talk to or coax into spending time with her like a boyfriend. Shen Yuling was clear on that.

She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat alone.

Shen Yuling actually didn’t like the feeling of loneliness.

After being reborn into the Shen family, she gradually developed deep feelings for her parents there. In addition, with Xi Tong always by her side, the days were lively and full of warmth, leaving no room for loneliness to creep in.

Since entering the palace, Xi Tong was no longer by her side.

In the vast palace, there was no one to make her laugh or ease her boredom.

Back in the modern world, she would either have meals with her manager and assistant, or meet up with the few friends she had, or attend various social gatherings. She rarely ever ate alone.

Seeing the tear fall, Lan Ying was taken aback. She quickly rushed to her side, her voice laced with concern, “Your Highness, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

Shen Yuling wiped away the tear, forcing a smile as she shook her head. “It’s nothing. Just… a moment of emotion.”

Lan Ying, still worried, hesitated before softly adding, “Master, if you’re feeling lonely, perhaps I could stay with you more often. The palace can be a lonely place, but you don’t have to bear it alone.”

Shen Yuling looked at her for a moment, her expression softening. She appreciated Lan Ying’s kindness but knew that her heart, weighed down by the complexities of the palace and her situation, could not be so easily lifted.

Lan Ying hurriedly stepped forward and asked, “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”

“Are you missing His Majesty?”

“His Majesty is busy with state affairs during the day and rarely enters the inner palace.”

Shen Yuling showed no expression, but with a gentle movement of her left hand, she casually wiped away the tear stains.

Unconcerned, she picked up a piece of fresh fish and placed it into her bowl.

She said lightly, “I’m fine. It’s just that I have too much empathy. Whenever I think of something sad, I can’t help but cry.”

When she was an actress in the modern world, several directors praised her for being a natural talent.

This was because her tears were almost uncontrollable.

Lan Ying listened, but her face was filled with confusion. She didn’t quite understand what Her Majesty meant by “empathy,” and thought it was just an excuse for missing His Majesty.

Afternoon.

After Quan Minghe had finished his lunch, he sat down with a copy of The Emperor’s Chronicles and casually flipped through the pages.

He treated it as a rare moment of rest.

Li Ming stood to the side, but his mind was conflicted about whether or not to report what had happened at Yaohua Palace to His Majesty.

His Majesty had previously said that matters in the imperial harem didn’t need to be reported unless they involved the heir or government affairs.

However, considering His Majesty’s unusually special treatment of Shen Jieyu, Li Ming ultimately decided to speak up.

“Your Majesty, it seems that Shen Jieyu cried during lunch today…” Li Ming said carefully.

Qian Minghe frowned, looking at Li Ming with a hint of displeasure in his expression.

He asked, “Did you not serve her well?”

Li Ming was taken aback, feeling a lump in his throat.

He had personally selected the people who served Shen Jieyu, all of whom were carefully chosen. How could they possibly have failed to serve the mistress well!

“Perhaps Shen Jieyu wanted His Majesty to accompany her?” Li Ming hurriedly explained in a low voice.

“I spent the entire night with her in Yaohua Palace last night,” Qian Minghe said indifferently, his expression calm.

Li Ming paused for a moment.

He then reported everything that Lan Ying had told him about today, detailing everything truthfully to His Majesty.

Qian Minghe furrowed his brows tightly after hearing this.

Had he been too indulgent with her?

When she didn’t know his identity before, her behavior had been somewhat spoiled, but that was forgivable.

The first time she entered the palace, she slapped him, and at that time, he had taken it lightly and didn’t hold it against her.

The second time she came to the palace, not only did he watch her dance, but he also painted for her and even agreed to write an inscription on the painting.

Could it be that these actions had made her complacent, leading her to believe that he should always be at her side?

Qian Minghe’s gaze couldn’t help but grow colder.

“Once Shen Jieyu has rested, send her back to the Residence of Prince Lingyang.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Li Ming quickly responded and then turned to leave.

As he walked, he couldn’t help but quietly sigh.

Sure enough, the Emperor’s thoughts were not something that mere servants like them could easily fathom.

Originally, Li Ming had thought that Shen Jieyu held some special place in the Emperor’s heart. However, today when Shen Jieyu cried, the Emperor did not seem to be particularly heartbroken.

He didn’t even go to Yaohua Palace to check on her, and so easily ordered her to be sent away.