A wu had spoken those words to the Empress with a gambler’s heart.
After all, she had once been intimate with Lu Yunjian and was deeply puzzled by his erratic, unpredictable temperament.
At night, Lu Yunjian would often wake from nightmares.
She had harbored vague suspicions before but dared not dwell on them.
It wasn’t until that day when Lu Yunjian treated her so coldly in front of the Empress that she began to understand there was something ambiguous between these two, something far beyond mere sibling bonds.
Now, having laid it bare and seeing the Empress’s flustered reaction, she couldn’t help but laugh.
So it was true-her bluff had worked!
These noble families, living in extravagance and luxury, were truly filthy.
Compared to them, what did it matter if she had served the son before the father?
“Full granaries breed propriety; ample clothing fosters honor.”
Yet these well-fed, silk-robed aristocrats knew no shame.
As a poor woman, she had nothing to lose-even if she slept with eighteen men, she would still be an innocent, delicate maiden!
The Empress lowered her gaze, her face pale.
She did not refute anything.
Instead, she took a slow breath, as if suppressing her anger.
When she looked at A wu again, her expression had calmed considerably.
With a sigh, she raised her phoenix-like eyes and said, “A wu, I know far more about you than you think.”
A wu nodded in acknowledgment but countered, “And I know more about Lu Yunjian than you think.”
A subtle shift flickered in the Empress’s gaze as she regarded A wu coolly.
“You’re still young, so you don’t understand. But I can tell you now just how naive you are.”
A wu humbly sought enlightenment.
“May I ask, Your Majesty, how am I naive?”
The Empress replied, “First, how much do you truly know about the Emperor? Do you think a ruler who commands the world would cherish a mere bedmate? How much weight do you hold in his heart?”
She scoffed disdainfully.
“The Great Hui Empire, his heir, his dignity, his legacy—in the face of these, his fleeting affection for you is insignificant.”
A wu had no rebuttal.
She knew the Empress spoke the truth.
The Empress’s gaze swept over A wu.
She knew the girl had taken her words to heart and she had not lied.
Having known this man for years, she understood him too well.
Emperor Jingxi was a born sovereign, a visionary ruler with little room for tenderness—perhaps the only warmth he reserved was for his mother and the Crown Prince.
At fourteen, he had shouldered the burden of the Great Hui Empire.
In his early years of rule, his hands had been stained with blood, hardening his heart long ago.
That he would now act so unpredictably did surprise the Empress, but she believed it was merely a passing whim.
With the empire stable and the court at peace, a ruler could afford some indulgence.
But a man as shrewd and ruthless as him would never allow a woman to jeopardize all he held dear.
No matter how enchanting a consort might be, she could never compare to the mighty warships anchored in the Eastern Sea.
With a sigh, she continued, “The Marquis of Zhen’an commands the Eastern Naval Fleet. Even before the late Emperor’s passing, I was already positioned as the mistress of the Eastern Palace. You…”
“You probably don’t know that among the eight empresses during the reign of Emperor Dahui, I am the only one who comes from a military family. So how much influence do you think your so-called pillow talk can really have?”
Listening to these words, A wu simply studied the empress with a thoughtful expression.
The empress raised a delicate eyebrow.
Tilting her head, A wu smiled and said, “It seems Her Majesty is quite afraid too. The model of maternal virtue for the empire, daughter of the Marquis of Zhen’an, yet you’ve stepped down from your phoenix throne to negotiate terms with a mere woman like me. Your Majesty must be terrified, aren’t you?”
The empress’s expression shifted slightly at these words.
The situation had indeed spiraled out of control.
As an empress, she had stooped to bargaining with a concubine-this was already a defeat.
A wu naturally noticed the desolation in the empress’s eyes and felt it was time to retreat gracefully.
If she pushed too hard to expose the empress, it would be like an egg striking a rock-she would be the first to perish.
Fortunately, judging by the empress’s words today, she wouldn’t dare act rashly against her either.
All she could do was try to suppress her with words.
From now on, they could maintain an uneasy peace, each keeping to their own affairs.
With that in mind, A wu said, “But Her Majesty speaks wisely. A wu has listened and understood.”
The empress nodded slightly.
“Good. It seems you’re an intelligent woman.”
A wu smiled at the empress.
“There’s one more thing. The Crown Princess seems quite displeased with me. As her mother-in-law, perhaps Your Majesty could discipline her a little?”
The empress found this somewhat amusing.
“Now you’re trying to order me around?”
A wu put on an earnest expression.
“How would I dare command you? I’m merely offering a reminder.”
The empress exhaled softly, suppressing her irritation.
“The Crown Prince is currently inspecting military affairs in the north. Once he returns, he won’t let this matter rest.”
A wu replied, “Your Majesty needn’t worry about that. After all, everything is in the Emperor’s hands. Why should we concern ourselves with such matters?”
The empress sneered.
“Very well. As long as you understand. As for the Crown Princess, I’ll have a word with her.”
A wu pressed further and said, “And Lu Yunjian too. Your Majesty should keep your dear brother in check. He mustn’t pester me and ruin my bright future.”
Hearing this, the empress frowned, recalling how A wu had insulted Lu Yunjian that day.
She gave a cold laugh.
“Don’t worry. He has plenty of women around him he won’t miss one.”
When A wu left Phoenix Palace, her steps were light.
It seemed the Crown Princess wasn’t a major concern.
The Empress Dowager might dislike her, but out of respect for Emperor Jingxi, she wouldn’t make things difficult.
As for the empress, they could maintain this temporary peace for now.
She could now leisurely remain in the palace as Noble Consort Ning, dressed in silks and satins, enjoying fine food and wine, focusing her efforts on pleasing the emperor.
As for the future… she’d cross that bridge when she came to it.
For now, currying the emperor’s favor was never wrong.
As she walked out, she suddenly heard a shrill voice outside saying cheerfully, “Lord Imperial Uncle, this way please.”
Lord Imperial Uncle??
A wu’s heart skipped a beat, her earlier joy vanishing instantly.
She instinctively tried to avoid him, but before she could react, the silk curtain was lifted abruptly, and she found herself face to face with Lu Yunjian.
Lu Yunjian had his hair tied up with a jade crown, dressed in a crisp purple satin flying fish python robe.
Perhaps having just come in from outside, he carried a hint of cold sharpness about him.
Suddenly lifting his gaze, he saw A wu.
Their eyes met, and both froze momentarily.
For A wu, she knew she would have to face Lu Yunjian eventually-but not now, not when she had just finished a battle of wits, feeling she had held her own and was still savoring her small victory.
Who would have thought she’d be thrown into the next battlefield so soon?
She wasn’t quite prepared.
Clearly, Lu Yunjian hadn’t expected to see her here either.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, he swiftly averted his gaze and instead turned to the eunuch beside him.
“Who is this?”
The eunuch quickly introduced her with a smile.
A wu took a slight step back and gave a shallow curtsy, using the gesture to mask her thoughts.
Lu Yunjian seemed to regain his composure quickly, yet A wu still felt the faintest brush of his gaze sweep over her face.
He was sizing her up.
Lowering her eyes, A wu inclined her head slightly and prepared to leave.
After all, he was an unrelated man, and she-a concubine of the emperor had already shown him courtesy with the curtsy.
But just as A wu was about to step away, the eunuch happened to go inside to announce their presence, leaving the two momentarily alone.
Suddenly, Lu Yunjian reached out and grabbed her sleeve.
A wu paused mid-step and turned her head to look at him.
Lu Yunjian lifted his gaze, and their eyes clashed once more.
The fragrant smoke of ambergris and orchid musk curled through the air in the palace chamber.
His handsome face was icy, his slightly bloodshot eyes fixed on her as if he wanted to devour her alive.
But alas, the man who had once held her in intimate embrace was now as distant as the ends of the earth, despite standing right before her.
A wu curved her lips into a soft, alluring smile.
“Does the Imperial Uncle have any instructions for me?”
Lu Yunjian’s sharp lips pressed into a tight line, the darkness in his eyes threatening to spill over.
A wu understood this man knew she had entered the palace, had become Emperor Jingxi’s woman.
He must be seething.
Probably so furious his lungs were about to explode.
But so what?
With a gentle, unhurried motion, A wu freed herself from his grasp, letting the fabric slip from his long fingers.
Lu Yunjian didn’t move.
His hand remained suspended in the air, his gaze never leaving her face.
A wu raised her hand, took out a handkerchief, and deliberately wiped the sleeve he had touched.
Then, with a smile, she said, “Imperial Uncle, please mind your propriety.”
With that, she walked away, her steps swaying gracefully.
Another hurdle crossed-A wu now felt the exhilaration of a light boat sailing past countless mountains.
Lu Yunjian watched her retreating figure, his eyes shadowed with silent gloom.
Of course, he had wanted her to live.
He had imagined a hundred different endings for her.
In the end, she had indeed survived but never in his wildest dreams had he expected her to take such a shortcut!
Emperor Jingxi was the crown prince by birthright.
Lu Yunjian had once served as his study companion in the palace.
He never could have imagined that A wu would end up entangled with him.
The thought of all those bitter memories made the darkness in his eyes churn violently.
He couldn’t fathom it couldn’t fathom at all-how the delicate woman he had once held in his arms could now bloom beneath that cold, stern emperor!
Two people who should never have crossed paths, separated by years, by status, by utterly opposing temperaments-how had they become entwined?
At that moment, a sweet, laughing voice came from outside the bedchamber.
It was A wu.
She casually instructed a palace maid, “This handkerchief is dirty. Just throw it away anywhere.”
Lu Yunjian’s eyes darkened with barely contained fury.
His fists clenched tightly beneath his sleeves, trembling with suppressed emotion as his chest heaved violently.
A wu, A wu.
This was how cold-blooded and heartless she was always using words to humiliate him, making sure he knew exactly how little she thought of him.
When Lu Yunjian entered the chamber, he was met with the Empress’s mocking sneer.
“She’s just a woman. If not for your soft-heartedness, how could she have come this far?”
Lu Yunjian’s face turned ashen as he glared at the Empress.
“Now, we can kill her. Will you do it, or shall I?”