At a quarter past the Hour of the Dog, Zhao Wan carried the freshly washed aqua-blue silk out of the Huan Yi Ju’s main gate. A few small palace maids from the laundry bureau whispered behind her back: “I heard she offended the newly appointed Concubine the other day.”

“Indeed she did. The Concubine told her to deliver silk fabric today—who knows how she’ll torment her!”

Zhao Wan, her mind preoccupied with the white rabbit jade pendant, dismissed these rumors and continued walking. However, she was stopped by Matron Ji, who had chased after her from the laundry bureau: “Wan, wait.”

Matron Ji had always treated her with kindness, so Zhao Wan immediately halted. “What is it, Matron Ji?”

Matron Ji noticed the silk fabric in her hands. “Where are you going with this?”

Zhao Wan replied, “To Xiu Yidian.”

Matron Ji frowned slightly, “Concubine Wang at Xiu Yidian is not in a good mood today. She has already punished several palace maids from the Imperial Kitchen. You… should be careful.”

Zhao Wan responded, “Yes, I’m only going to Concubine Gu’s quarters in the western wing of Xiu Yidian, so I shouldn’t encounter her.”

Matron Ji nodded, “I stopped you because I have a matter to discuss with you.”

“Please speak, Matron.”

“The Department of Imperial Manufacturing has two positions of Manufacturing Supervisor. One of them has reached twenty-five years of age and left the palace, so there’s a vacancy. You are skilled in needlework and have creative ideas, so I’ve recommended you to the department.”

The Manufacturing Supervisor in the Department of Imperial Manufacturing was already an eighth-rank female official, far superior to the unranked palace maids of the laundry bureau.

Zhao Wan curtsied. “I am deeply grateful for Matron’s kindness.”

Matron Ji, aware that Zhao Wan frequently faced discrimination in the laundry bureau, spoke earnestly, “You are beautiful and quick-witted, which makes you a target for jealousy. The Department of Imperial Manufacturing is a good place for you. Although I’ve recommended you, the selection process will still follow protocol in a few days. Candidates from various departments will be considered, so practice diligently in the coming days.”

Zhao Wan bowed, “Zhao Wan thanks the Matron.”

A clap of thunder rolled across the sky.

Matron Ji raised her hand to help Zhao Wan up. “You are a perceptive person, and I believe you’re destined for great fortune. Quick, get up, take an umbrella, and hurry to Xiu Yidian. Don’t delay Concubine Gu’s errand.”

With several thunderous roars, torrential rain began pouring down.

Gu Yi nervously stood by the window, peering through the three-layered silk lattice with floral patterns at the rain outside.

The rain was truly heavy.

It had the flavor of the first meeting between the male and female protagonists.

Please, female lead, come quickly! This faithful woman is willing to go half a year without milk tea! Please, I beg you!

Tao Jia, seeing her standing too close to the window, urged, “My lady, don’t let the rain outside soil you. Today you’ve specially arranged your hair in a flowing cloud style, paired with this lotus-colored front-buttoning long shirt and cyan silk skirt—it’s so beautiful.” Saying this, she also placed a matching round fan in her hand. “If the Concubine feels it’s stuffy with the windows closed because of the rain, you can use this small fan to create a gentle breeze.”

Gu Yi accepted the fan and waved it gently. Today she was indeed wearing multiple layers. Especially underneath, where she had a layer of thin gauze.

It was certainly elegant, but not very breathable…

As Gu Yi fanned herself, she heard a loud announcement from outside: “His Imperial Majesty arrives!”

My goodness, he’s here, he’s here, the Heartless Emperor is here!

Gu Yi instinctively straightened her back, standing tall like a pine tree.

Xiaoyan passed through the curtain of rain, walking extremely fast. The palace attendants following behind holding umbrellas and fans had to trot to keep up, fearful that rain might fall on the Emperor’s body.

Xiaoyan entered the western wing of Xiu Yidian, and Gu Yi led her maids to kneel on the ground.

She pressed her forehead to the floor in a full kowtow.

“Rise,” commanded Xiaoyan.

His voice was unexpectedly clear and resonant, not cold as Gu Yi had imagined.

Gu Yi gradually raised her head to look up at the Heartless Emperor from the book.

First, she saw his imperial yellow regular attire, adorned with the twelve imperial symbols.

Gu Yi counted the sun, moon, and stars, rising tier by tier, with flying golden dragons embroidered on the chest.

The emperor before her wore a gold-winged cicada crown, with a few strands of jet-black hair falling. His eyebrows were like crow’s feathers, and beneath long lashes were a pair of phoenix eyes with transparent brown pupils like colored glass.

His eyes should have been flirtatious, but a shallow scar at his temple and sideburns, combined with his joyless gaze—calm and emotionless—made him look at her as if she were just an ordinary object.

Last night in the darkness, she had only sensed his radiant presence, but today, examining him carefully in the lamplight, Gu Yi truly felt that this was indeed a heartless emperor.

His aura was as oppressive as a great hall about to collapse—life and death, mercy and punishment, all depending on the emperor’s momentary whim.

A cold sweat broke out on the back of Gu Yi’s neck as she stammered, “G-greetings to Your Majesty!”

Xiaoyan examined Concubine Gu carefully. Her face was slightly pale, her breathing quickened from nervousness. She was afraid of him, yet she stared at him without blinking.

Her almond eyes with pupils like jet ink remained fixed.

Directly gazing at the Emperor’s eyes was already disrespectful.

Was the one sent by the Gu family also an empty-headed girl? And one who could only offer a single golden peanut…

He suddenly found her uninteresting and raised his hand, saying, “You may rise.”

Gu Yi had been so nervous that even though the Emperor told her to rise, she forgot to stand up.

Only now did she finally stand.

Eunuch Gao, leading a group of palace servants, retreated outside the hall.

In an instant, only Gu Yi and Xiaoyan remained in the hall.

Why hasn’t the female lead arrived yet? Is she on her way?

Gu Yi diverted her attention to listen for sounds outside the window.

Another thunderclap rolled across the sky, rumbling loudly.

Xiaoyan, seeing Gu Yi standing frozen like a wooden chicken, extended his arms and said displeasedly, “Were you not taught by the etiquette instructors from the Department of Ceremonial today?”

She not only gave just one golden peanut, but she’s also so oblivious?

Hearing this, and seeing his outstretched arms, Gu Yi quickly realized, “Yes… It was my oversight…” She then added in a small voice, “The matron did come to instruct me today.” She reached out to remove the jade belt at Xiaoyan’s waist and helped him take off his regular attire.

The silk at his shoulders felt cold to the touch. Gu Yi planned to stall for time. “Your Majesty has been caught in the rain. A hot bath would make you feel better and prevent catching a cold.” She stood on tiptoe to remove the gold-winged cicada crown from his head.

Xiaoyan paused momentarily, his nostrils detecting the scent of incense wafting from her sleeves… it smelled like apricot blossoms in spring rain.

Gu Yi immediately took Xiaoyan’s silence as consent and went to the entrance to call palace maids to prepare a bath.

Because it was raining tonight, the palace staff had already prepared hot water.

In less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn down, Xiaoyan was soaking in a hot bath in the partitioned room.

Gu Yi waited with growing anxiety.

Female lead, you must be proactive! Come quickly!

When the sounds of water gradually subsided in the partitioned room, palace servants brought Xiaoyan fresh clothes.

He emerged from behind the screen wearing only plain clothes. Having just bathed, his cheeks were slightly flushed, greatly reducing his fierce aura. His face was like jade, his long hair tied back with only a cyan silk ribbon, and cyan gauze pants clung to the athletic lines of his legs.

Just then, there was a slight commotion outside the hall.

Gu Yi inclined her ear and heard the female lead’s voice.

My goodness, she’s here, she’s here, she’s finally here!

Gu Yi dared not look at Xiaoyan anymore. She composed her expression and walked to the entrance, opening the door and reprimanding, “Who dares make such noise?”

Several palace maids immediately knelt. “Please calm your anger, Concubine. It’s a maid from the laundry bureau delivering silk fabric. We’ll send her away at once!”

Gu Yi commanded, “Wait!” She couldn’t let her leave!

Looking up, she saw Zhao Wan standing in the rain with an umbrella, her left hand clutching the silk fabric tightly to her chest. She beckoned, “Come up here.”

Several palace maids looked troubled. “Concubine, His Majesty is still in the hall…”

Gu Yi ignored them and said firmly to Zhao Wan, “Come up here!”

Zhao Wan had no choice but to hurry forward. She hadn’t expected the Emperor to be here. By now, her back was covered in mud and rainwater.

To appear before the Emperor in such a state was truly improper and disrespectful.

Moreover, she wasn’t prepared to see Xiaoyan.

Zhao Wan looked up to see Concubine Gu smiling gently: “Your clothes are wet, yet the silk in your arms hasn’t been touched by rain. Come into the hall, and I’ll have someone give you a new set of palace clothes.”

Zhao Wan urgently said, “How could a servant like me appear before the Emperor…”

Before she could finish, Concubine Gu grabbed her sleeve and whispered in her ear, “Do you still want your jade pendant?” Then she turned and headed toward the side hall.

Zhao Wan had no choice but to follow.

Xiaoyan sat cross-legged on a low couch in the hall and saw a dripping wet palace maid being brought in by Gu Yi.

His eyes flashed. What was this Concubine Gu up to?

Gu Yi noticed Xiaoyan’s gaze falling on Zhao Wan, who was kneeling on the ground.

At this moment, Zhao Wan had come in from the rain, her jade-like face slightly wet, her slender white neck bowed, appearing even more pitiful and lovable.

In Gu Yi’s mind, it was as if thousands of fireworks were exploding in sequence. The male and female protagonists were finally meeting for the first time. Celebration!

If this didn’t work, she would livestream herself eating the jade pendant!

Xiaoyan merely glanced at Zhao Wan once, but didn’t tell her to rise. He turned to look at Gu Yi and asked leisurely, “Concubine, what is the meaning of this?”

Gu Yi gently waved her round fan. “This humble concubine thinks this little palace maid is loyal, having protected the silk fabric from even a drop of water. So I brought her in to have someone give her a new set of palace clothes.”

Xiaoyan remarked, “Concubine, to show such favor to a palace maid—what a kind nature you have!”

His brown eyes looked over coldly, making Gu Yi feel exposed. Feeling guilty, she waved her fan again. “Your Majesty is most perceptive!”

A palace attendant entered with a bow, actually placing a brand-new set of laundry bureau clothes before Zhao Wan.

Zhao Wan bowed and said, “Thank you for the Concubine’s kindness… Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness.”

Xiaoyan inwardly sneered. “Now that you’ve received your reward, you may leave!”

But… is it okay to let the female lead go just like this? No interaction at all?

If it’s this perfunctory, would she die again…?

But hearing Xiaoyan’s cold tone, Gu Yi truly didn’t dare to interject.

Zhao Wan, hearing this, felt her heart sink.

Xiaoyan hadn’t recognized her…

Her chest suddenly filled with sourness and bitterness. She touched her forehead to the ground. “This servant takes her leave.”

Gu Yi watched as the female lead staggered away, her somewhat desolate figure disappearing into the rain.

Fine, at least she had tried her best this time.

Xiaoyan observed how Concubine Gu watched the palace maid leave with a face full of disappointment.

Her eyebrows and eyelashes blinked like a small fan casting a shadow of sadness.

This Concubine Gu, newly entered into the palace, wore all her emotions plainly on her face. Was she truly as simple as a blank sheet of paper, or were her thoughts devious and unfathomable…?

Xiaoyan reclined on the low couch, supporting his head with one hand, and laughed lightly, “Concubine, are you so disappointed?”

Gu Yi saw his black hair cascading like a waterfall onto the bamboo couch and forcibly turned her gaze away. “This concubine is not disappointed. Just a bit afraid.”

Xiaoyan responded with an “Oh.” “What is the Concubine afraid of?”

Gu Yi improvised, “Afraid that the rain is too heavy and I’ll be struck by lightning.” She could die from baked pastries, die from white chrysanthemums, or die from drowning in a lake. Being struck by lightning wasn’t impossible either.

Xiaoyan frowned. What was wrong with this Concubine Gu? What kind of person was she?

“Is the Concubine not happy in my company? Why are you thinking about such nonsensical things?”

Seeing his expression darken slightly, Gu Yi immediately approached him ingratiatingly, fanning him gently, and smiled, showing her teeth: “This concubine is naturally happy in Your Majesty’s presence, but the joy is so immense that I’m feeling a bit insecure.”

Ugh.

Xiaoyan lowered his eyelashes. “Didn’t the etiquette instructor teach you today that one shouldn’t show teeth when smiling?”

Gu Yi immediately covered half her face with the round fan. “This concubine has noted Your Majesty’s instruction.”