The maid raised her hand to slap Mei Kaiye, but this time, with Mei Kaiye prepared, things were different. Mei Kaiye blocked the hand and quickly slapped the maid in return.
“You wretched person! How dare you!” Wu Fei was furious.
“I don’t deserve such honor. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” Mei Kaiye said coldly. “If there’s nothing else, farewell, Consort Wu.”
Mei Kaiye turned to leave, Wu Fei gritting her teeth. Suddenly noticing Mei Kaiye was wearing a common palace maid’s dress, a glint flashed in her eyes.
The palace servants looked at each other.
The clever maid, understanding Wu Fei’s mood, pointed at Mei Kaiye’s back, “Your Majesty, isn’t it the one on her head?”
“Stop, you wretch! How dare you!” Wu Fei walked over with her people, “You actually dared to steal my things!”
Mei Kaiye stopped, turning back, “Old witch, are you done?”
“You, you—” Wu Fei pointed at her, momentarily speechless, “Catch her!”
“You,” Wu Fei’s eyes shifted, “I will seek justice from the Emperor! Catch her!”
Mei Kaiye’s strength had not recovered, so she was no match. Her hands were twisted behind her back, and Wu Fei slapped her, hitting her already injured face, swelling it further.
“Oh, Consort Wu,” a casual voice rang out, “My, isn’t this the gift our Emperor most loves?”
Wu Fei’s body stiffened, turning with a forced smile, “Lord Sui Xing, what can I do for you?”
“Nothing,” Sui Xing smiled, not looking at Mei Kaiye, “I was just passing by. What is Consort Wu nervous about?”
“But, if the Emperor knew his favorite gift was visiting Consort Wu’s palace, how would he react? How exciting,” Sui Xing turned to leave, showing no intention of saving Mei Kaiye.
Take care, Kai Ye.”
Consort Wu had kept Mei Kaiye in a room next to her bedchamber for over three days. Wu Fei would come to “interrogate” her, enduring slapping, whipping, and needle pricking. Mei Kaiye grew weaker, and even with her good health, she couldn’t withstand days without food or water.
Just two more days, and her strength would recover. If she could just endure this, everything would be fine. She thought she would definitely torture Consort Wu. And Mo Yi, she would destroy him and then never speak to him again.
Suddenly, a eunuch’s sharp voice came from outside, “The Emperor has arrived.”
Wu Fei smoothed her hair and headdress, delighted, and went to meet him, softly calling, “Your Majesty.”
Mo Yi embraced her, “How has my beloved been?”
“Not well,” Wu Fei playfully punched Mo Yi, “Your Majesty hasn’t come to see me.”
Mo Yi laughed softly, suddenly leaning close to Wu Fei’s ear, “I’ve lost something here at Consort Wu’s place. Could you help me find it and return it?”
Wu Fei hadn’t quite understood, covering her mouth softly, “Your Majesty jokes. Surely you’ve misremembered. You haven’t been here for two months.”
“Is that so?” Mo Yi slowly withdrew his smile, “Consort Wu, this is your last chance.”
“Your Majesty,” Wu Fei was frightened, “What has this servant done wrong?”
Mo Yi coldly looked at Wu Fei, saying in a deep voice, “Where is she?”
who is Your Majesty referring to?” Wu Fei trembled, forcing a smile, “I don’t understand.”
“You don’t know?” Coldly gripping Wu Fei’s chin, “Sui Xing!
Sui Xing lazily spoke, “Wu Fei, lying is not good, you know.”
“You!” Wu Fei’s tears filled her eyes, “Your Majesty, this mere palace guard actually dares to offend this concubine.”
Mo Yi flung her away, “Don’t take yourself too seriously!”
Sui Xing pointed at a small house’s door and exclaimed, “Oh! Your Majesty, there’s a bloody smell here!”
Before Sui Xing could finish speaking, Mo Yi suddenly pushed open the door and walked in quickly.
The fragile woman was curled up in the corner, her garment stained with blood, long hair falling loose and covering her face. Mo Yi’s heart ached, and he quickly walked over, carefully lifting her up. He whispered softly, “Gift…”
“Mo, Mo Shui…” a weak voice came from his arms.
Mo Yi’s face remained dark. After leaving the room, he coldly ordered, “Send Wu Fei to the Cold Palace.”
“Your Majesty! Why?” Wu Fei stumbled to the ground, crawling to grab Mo Yi’s clothing, “Just for this mere palace maid?”
Mo Yi coldly glanced at her and walked away, “She is not a palace maid. She is my Night Concubine.”
That night, the imperial palace lost a Wu Fei and gained a Night Concubine.
Mo Yi brought Mei Kai Ye back, and after the eunuch examined her, he asked Sui Xing, “You clearly knew I was looking for her.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“Ah, are you angry?” Sui Xing remained carefree, “Your form of address has changed.”
“Answer me!”
“Okay, okay!” Sui Xing found a place to sit, poured himself tea, and slowly said, “Don’t you think she was too presumptuous? Since she’s so presumptuous, someone needs to restrain her.”
“But it didn’t have to be someone else!”
“With her straightforward personality, who knows when she might offend someone. Can you always be by her side to protect her?”
Mo Yi paused, then firmly said, “I can!”
“Well, that’s best,” Sui Xing lowered his eyes, hiding a fleeting emotion, “But if it were me, I would make her leave the protection circle. Fortunately, you’re not me.”
“You…”
Sui Xing smiled at Mo Yi, “I’ve done something good for Your Majesty. To make her understand that within the imperial palace, she cannot always be so presumptuous, and to make her realize that besides you, no one will protect her.”
“If that’s true, then thank you. But I’d rather you hadn’t done this unnecessary thing.”
“Unnecessary? Perhaps.”
Mo Yi sat by the bedside for a long time before getting up to leave. After noticing no one was beside her, Mei Kaiye half-opened her eyes, “Thousands of cherished loves? But, I cannot accept it.”
She dared not accept it because accepting an emperor’s love would require too many changes, and she would no longer be herself. Although it sounded very tempting, she did have good feelings towards Mo Yi. However, it was merely a fondness. Mei Kaiye was clear that Mo Yi was not her destined partner, and her hope of lifelong companionship would never be realized. Even if he wanted to give her thousands of cherished loves, he simply could not.
When she woke again, it was already the next day. The maidservant helped Mei Kaiye dress and have breakfast.
“Wait, what did you call me?”
“My Lady!” Xiao Hong looked puzzled.
Mei Kaiye stood up gnashing her teeth. She was going to find Mo Yi and settle accounts. She hadn’t agreed yet, and she was already made a Lady? Furiously, she came to Mo Yi’s study but was stopped by the eunuch Xiao Xuan waiting outside.
“What’s wrong?”
Xiao Xuan looked mysterious, “My Lady, the Emperor is in a rage right now.”
“What happened?”
“During the early court session, the Emperor was habitually fanning himself with a folding fan. Cui Xing suddenly caught a glimpse of the fan and burst out laughing.”
Once they looked, they all started suppressing laughter. Some older officials were so angry their eyes were clouded, and they recommended that the Emperor must capture that thief and exterminate nine generations of his family.
Hearing this, Mei Kaiye shivered inexplicably. Xiao Xuan continued, “The Emperor flipped the fan and discovered that the audacious thief had written four characters on his fan.”
“Ah,” Mei Kaiye was about to laugh and asked, “What four characters?”
Xiao Xuan looked around, confirmed no one was passing, and whispered, “Selling Laughter in a Pavilion! You still remember, huh.” Mei Kaiye murmured, “Petty.”
“The second time, I rescued you from Li Xunfu’s hands.” Shaking his head and sighing, “If it weren’t for me, you might have been sent to someone else.”
“…Fine, I owe you.”
“You want to enter the imperial palace, I’ll arrange for you to go in.”
