The effects of the calming incense were indeed powerful, letting Xunian sleep soundly until nightfall.
Xunian slowly woke up, realizing she had been moved onto the bed.
As she opened her eyes, she saw the Empress sitting by the bedside, holding one black and one blue silk ribbon, sizing them against Xunian’s wrist.
Sensing Xunian’s gaze, the Empress silently hid the two strips of cloth behind her back, taking the initiative,
“Who is Fira?”
Xunian broke out in a cold sweat at her words, her eyes sharpening, fingers nervously clenching.
Had she talked in her sleep by accident?
What shocked her even more was—the Empress wasn’t Fira!
“Why don’t you answer me?”
The Empress narrowed her beautiful eyes, her tone commanding, pressure bearing down.
She looked frail and delicate, yet her presence was incredibly strong.
“It has nothing to do with Your Majesty.”
Xunian replied calmly.
Was the Empress really not Fira?
A trace of anger flickered in the Empress’s eyes, as if a fire was burning, jealousy welling up inside.
Why did Xunian become so defiant the moment Fira was mentioned? Was this Fira really so important to her?!
“Sleep.”
The Empress announced coldly, turning over onto the bed.
Before Xunian could react, slender hands reached over and began to help her remove her outer clothes.
Xunian’s face turned bright red in an instant. She forgot to resist, staring in a daze as the Empress, her expression cold, deftly undid her clothing.
How did things escalate to this point???
A burning hand landed on the Empress’s cold one, stopping her in her tracks.
Xunian sat up and moved away, releasing the Empress’s hand. Her eyes were utterly calm as she spoke with indifference,
“Your Majesty, please have some self-respect.”
“I was only trying to help you remove your outer robe…”
Was it for that Fira?
The Empress’s eyes reddened, a sheen of tears welling up, so fragile she seemed breakable, her gaze full of disappointment.
A flash of panic crossed Xunian’s eyes. Instinctively, she wanted to reach out and wipe the Empress’s tears, but caught herself halfway.
She couldn’t let herself soften!
Why couldn’t she help but feel pity for the Empress…
She tried her best not to look at her, yet couldn’t resist glancing over with her peripheral vision at the Empress, who looked as though she might break at any moment.
Her heart twisted, feeling uncomfortable.
Why did she care so much about the Empress as well? The Empress didn’t resemble anyone she knew, in either appearance or personality…
Well, her personality was a little bit like the Duke’s Daughter.
“Your Majesty…”
Xunian was just about to speak when a sudden flurry of footsteps interrupted her.
Outside, the footsteps were chaotic; it sounded like at least seven or eight people.
She and the now-calm Empress exchanged a wary glance.
“Your Majesty, forgive this subordinate’s late-night intrusion. I come under orders to apprehend the criminal palace maid Xunian…”
Xunian was full of question marks.
Come to arrest her?
She carefully recalled everything she’d done since arriving here. She hadn’t done anything improper, so how did she become a criminal?
“Enter.”
A whole group filed in, all dressed in nightclothes. The man at the front was accompanied by a palace maid in green—Xia He, whose face was deathly pale.
Xunian stood to the side, awaiting judgment.
“You claim Xunian is a criminal—do you have proof?” The Empress glanced at the leading man, her eyes flashing coldly. “Do not slander someone’s innocence without evidence.”
He dared to touch her people?
He must be tired of living.
“This is the evidence!”
The Jinyiwei officer raised the object in his hand so everyone could see.
It was a handkerchief, with the character “Nian” embroidered on it.
“This evening, the palace maid Xia He passed near Xunyang Palace and discovered a corpse. Other palace maids identified the deceased as Zhao Zhaodi, who had a conflict with Xunian two days ago. This personal item was found on the body!”
The man held up the handkerchief with “Nian” embroidered on it, showing everyone the character.
“The Jinyiwei investigated and found that Xunian and Zhao Zhaodi had a conflict, leading to Zhao Zhaodi being beaten half to death. Not long after, she died mysteriously, her body hanging from a tree.”
Xunian scrutinized the “evidence” and suddenly remembered.
She did have such a personal handkerchief. When she’d first arrived, she’d used it to wipe her hands.
She didn’t know when it disappeared—she thought she’d lost it, but here it was, waiting for her.
Xunian lowered her head, her gaze calm, the corner of her lips curving ever so slightly.
The game was about to begin.
“Your Majesty, this servant has never seen that handkerchief.”
As she spoke, her knees softened as if to kneel, but the Empress shot her a glare, and her half-bent leg straightened back up.
The Empress’s lips curled in a faint smile as she addressed the man, “She says she’s never seen this item.”
“In the entire palace, only she has ‘Nian’ in her name, and she had a conflict with Zhao Zhaodi days ago. Your Majesty, how can you be sure she’s not lying?”
“I can’t read.”
Tears welled in Xunian’s eyes, and she secretly tousled her hair to look even more pitiful, appearing utterly wronged and disheveled.
Since arriving here, she’d been acting nonstop.
“You can’t read?”
“The character ‘Nian’ was only taught to me by Her Majesty yesterday. If not for her patient guidance, I wouldn’t even know how to write my own name.”
At this, a single, perfectly-timed tear slid down her cheek.
The Empress’s heart trembled at the sight. She couldn’t help but reach out, wanting to pull Xunian into her arms to comfort her.
But Xunian subtly avoided her.
The Empress was a bit annoyed, considering whether, once these troublesome people left, she should tie Xunian to her side.
So what if Xunian disliked her? She was the Empress, revered by all. Even if Xunian tried to run, she’d end up in her grasp eventually.
She hesitated—should she use the black silk ribbon, or the blue one—
“…Did you hear that? I just taught her that character myself.”
The Empress ultimately had to admit that Xunian’s awful handwriting was her doing.
“Your Majesty, stop protecting her. She’s ruthless—perhaps she even killed Zhao Changzai!”
The man’s hawk-like eyes narrowed menacingly at Xunian, as if trying to see through her.
Xunian didn’t flinch under his gaze, meeting him calmly.
This was pure slander. She hadn’t killed anyone—she hadn’t even killed a chicken…
“This servant is innocent, this servant doesn’t even know Zhao Zhaodi, Li Zhaodi, or Wang Zhaodi… This servant only knows that Her Majesty saved me, and I want to repay her kindness by serving as her palace maid for all my lives to come!”
Xunian spoke with tears and sincerity, pledging her loyalty to the Empress as well.
It didn’t matter—once she got the Key, she’d return to the real world anyway, so a few words of loyalty were no harm.
The Empress nodded in satisfaction.
All her lives to come.
Well said.
Xunian had better stay by her side for all her lives.
The man cupped his fists, his tone devoid of apology,
“Your Majesty, forgive me, but today we must take her away!”