Ling Shan was no naive saint.
When the supreme boss said you were wrong, you were wrong. And this was a mistake in official business, leaving no room for misplaced kindness.
Moreover, this supreme boss was the emperor who held the power of life and death over the whole empire, and his actions were legal.
She was just a nobody, far from being so self - deluded as to let her so - called "saint - like" heart run wild.
Mind your own business. Whether she could even keep her own life was a big question.
How could she afford to worry about other people's fates?
Perhaps because Ling Shan had brewed the tea so well, Jun Wuyuan had quite an appetite.
After the meal, Liang Jiusi returned, clean as a whistle, twirling his whisk and carrying with him a certain air of "accomplishment".
Ling Shan kept her head down, eyes fixed on the tip of her nose, as if she hadn't caught the faint whiff of blood.
[Oh, what a silly goose!]
Ling Shan: "?"
Hey, she'd been standing there dutifully, serving attentively and meticulously. How could someone be so insulting?
Not to mention, today she'd actually done the tyrant Jun Wuyuan two "big favors", right?
Cao Jing was dead. Would Jun Wuyuan miss this chance to deal with the Palace Attendant Service?
And in the imperial kitchen just now, if it weren't for the fish she'd caught, would Jun Wuyuan have found fault with the sweet - and - sour fish they'd cooked?
Ling Shan counted her merits, feeling justified even though she wasn't really in the right, and strongly condemned the dog - tyrant!
Dog - tyrant, dog - tyrant, dog - tyrant...
Maybe she'd cursed too vehemently, for Jun Wuyuan's sharp peach - blossom eyes suddenly landed on her.
Ling Shan held her breath involuntarily, almost instinctively looking up.
Before Liang Jiusi could even flash a smile at his majesty, he saw the emperor's gaze fixed on Ling Shan.
All in vain.
All these years of companionship, it had all been in vain!
"What?!"
Ling Shan, who'd been standing there like a wooden statue, had been daydreaming about what she could eat when she got back. She never expected...
She looked up in shock and found that Jun Wuyuan, who'd already left without a backward glance, had stopped at the door again.
And he'd said something she couldn't quite understand at first.
"Come and serve me."
Serve him?
Ling Shan's eyes widened in surprise. She stood there, rooted to the spot, as if she'd been struck by a spell.
As far as she remembered, Jun Wuyuan was going to take a bath in the bathhouse, right?
She hadn't remembered wrong, had she?
Ling Shan's mind was in a whirl, but her reason quickly took over. She composed herself and respectfully followed behind.
Surely not.
It couldn't be.
Jun Wuyuan seemed like a cold - blooded and heartless guy. How could he possibly take a fancy to a "spy" of unknown origin like her?
It was absolutely impossible!
Ling Shan took a few steps behind him. A gentle breeze blew, dispelling some of her unease.
In the side hall of the Zichen Palace, the air was filled with mist. The palace servants were busy making arrangements in an orderly manner. Jun Wuyuan first went to the study.
Before leaving, he gave Ling Shan a meaningful look and...
[I wonder what it would be like to see the silly goose swimming in the water?]
Ling Shan: "..."
After Banqiu and the other servants had finished their preparations, she walked up to Ling Shan, who was in a daze, carrying a tray that Liang Jiusi had given her.
She lowered her eyes to hide the fleeting complexity in them and said softly,
"Miss Ling Shan, we've been ordered to assist you in taking a bath."
Ling Shan: "!!!"
On the tray was a thin, light - pink nightgown. It was so sheer that it was clearly not something decent.
Who was she?
Where was she?
What was she supposed to do?
Oh.
Ling Shan mechanically stepped into the large bathtub. The warm steam immediately enveloped her.
Thankfully, after Banqiu and the others put down the tray, they didn't really insist on helping her bathe.
Ling Shan shook the water off her hands and frowned in thought.
She remembered. She was supposed to seduce Jun Wuyuan and get into his bed!
After she'd traveled here, she'd been so busy trying to save her own life that she'd forgotten why she'd come to the Taiji Palace in the first place.
But, how could Jun Wuyuan...
No, this sheer nightgown definitely couldn't have been prepared by the tyrant Jun Wuyuan.
Then it could only be...
Ling Shan's frown relaxed, and a sly smile appeared in the depths of her eyes.
It seemed that someone was really going to be cleaning the chamber pots.
At the same time, on the other side, Liang Jiusi, who was waiting for his majesty to finish reading the secret letter, suddenly sneezed.
In the quiet study, it was very... loud.
So loud that even Jun Wuyuan, who was immersed in the secret letter, looked up at Liang Jiusi.
Then, Liang Jiusi saw his majesty, who was as handsome as a celestial being, move the secret letter back a bit.
That look of disgust really hurt Liang Jiusi's feelings.
He'd even prepared a surprise for his majesty tonight, always thinking about and caring for him.
Waaah, he was no longer the most favored one by his majesty.
Putting away the secret letter, Jun Wuyuan gave Liang Jiusi a cold look.
In an instant, all the feelings of sadness, grievance, and self - pity disappeared.
Liang Jiusi quickly put on a slightly lecherous smile and stepped forward to ask,
"Your Majesty, after a long day of hard work, would you like to take a bath and rest early?"
Jun Wuyuan's finger, which had been tapping on the table, paused. The official business in his mind seemed to be interrupted by something he shouldn't be thinking about.
Wasn't that silly goose still waiting for him in the bathhouse?
Jun Wuyuan's eyes flickered, then quickly turned cold again. He stared sharply at Liang Jiusi.
He'd like to see what kind of "surprise" this was.
With slow, unhurried footsteps, Ling Shan walked in. Her hair was still damp, simply tied up with a blue ribbon.
Jun Wuyuan strolled from the study to the bathhouse without a trace of emotion on his face.
It wasn't until he opened the door, lifted the curtain, walked around the screen, and was hit by waves of hot air.
Even Jun Wuyuan's cold and aloof eyes were warmed. He stopped in his tracks, and a glint of light flashed in his beautiful peach - blossom eyes as he stood still.
By the white jade pool not far away, a graceful and charming figure knelt on one knee. Her exquisite body rose and fell with the movement of scattering flower petals...
The thin, sheer pink nightgown couldn't hide her snow - white skin at all. Instead, it added a touch of tantalizing mystery.
For a moment, Jun Wuyuan's eyes froze. The depths of his eyes seemed to be churning with invisible waves.
[Is this silly goose trying to get herself killed tonight by dressing like this?]
Ling Shan: "..."
Good. As expected, Jun Wuyuan wasn't interested in her.
"Your humble servant pays respects to Your Majesty."
Ling Shan knelt gracefully, posing in a seductive manner.
Anyway, she had to maintain her persona, right?
Jun Wuyuan looked straight ahead, as if the person in front of him was just a talking statue. He gave a very nonchalant grunt.
Then, he walked over with his arms and legs moving in an awkward way.
Ling Shan: "..."
Shut up, hold it in!
Don't laugh!