Concubine Chu watched as Helian Qi went to ask Dongfang Yi if she was okay. Her state of mind instantly started to crumble.
It was obvious that the one who was injured and wronged was herself! She was still sitting on the ground crying, yet he had rushed to ask that woman on the steps, who was perfectly fine, if she was okay.
On the other hand, Dongfang Yi was also a bit surprised as she looked at the man in front of her. Shouldn't he have immediately helped up his beloved concubine and then scolded her a few times? She had even prepared what to say in rebuttal.
"Uh... I'm fine," Dongfang Yi replied awkwardly, subtly distancing herself from Helian Qi.
Helian Qi frowned slightly at her action. Then he took a few steps forward, as if determined to be close to Dongfang Yi.
"Your Majesty~" Concubine Chu, who was still kneeling on the steps, suddenly called out. She was still kneeling there, and her face was throbbing with pain. What were those two people on the platform doing?
"Oh? My beloved concubine, why are you kneeling on the ground?" Helian Qi finally asked her.
"Your Majesty~ It was the Empress who pushed me. She disdains my low status and looks down on me..."
Concubine Chu was clearly spouting nonsense. Just now, she had been addressing the Empress as "This Palace" and even called the Empress by her given name. There was nothing humble about her at all.
"Is that so, Empress?" Helian Qi then looked at Dongfang Yi and asked.
Dongfang Yi immediately walked down the steps and stood in front of the kneeling Concubine Chu. Looking down at her haughtily, she said, "Sister Chu has quite a talent for making up lies. You can probably turn white into black. What can this Empress do?"
Concubine Chu gritted her teeth angrily. Looking up at the woman in front of her, she felt a surge of hatred in her heart and blurted out, "Dongfang Yi, you..."
Before she could say anything else, she realized that she had accidentally called Dongfang Yi by her given name. She quickly shut her mouth.
Helian Qi beside them narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched all this. Looking at that woman's sly look, he couldn't help but want to laugh.
"Your Majesty~" This time, it was Dongfang Yi who called out. Her voice was soft and gentle, as if she was full of grievances.
"Your Majesty, look. Concubine Chu actually called me by my given name in front of so many maids. Where can I put my face, Your Majesty..."
Dongfang Yi continued in a feigned tone, pretending to be on the verge of tears. She was truly a sight to arouse pity.
Helian Qi couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth when he saw her. He thought to himself that this woman was really something. She had really learned the ways of the other concubines in the harem to perfection.
And Dongfang Yi was thinking, "I've been watching palace intrigue dramas for longer than you little girls have been alive. Isn't it just about feigning pity? Who can't do that!"
Concubine Chu, who was kneeling beside them, was completely stunned. She never expected Dongfang Yi to say such things. She knew that in the past, Dongfang Yi would never do such a thing. But now, she seemed like a completely different person and was very good at it.
After thinking about it, she wanted to say something else, but as soon as she opened her mouth, Helian Qi interrupted her.
"My beloved concubine, you've really gone too far this time. But since this is your first offense, I won't pursue it. Hurry back to your palace!" he said displeased.
Concubine Chu looked at Dongfang Yi with hatred in her eyes. But she could only get up, bowed slightly, and said, "Your servant will take her leave." Then she led her maids out of the palace gate. Soon, even the honor guard at the palace gate disappeared.
Only after Concubine Chu was completely out of sight did Dongfang Yi burst into laughter. After all, it felt really great to fight with a hated woman.
But after laughing, she noticed Helian Qi beside her. She stopped laughing and looked at the ground awkwardly, saying, "Your servant thanks Your Majesty. Your servant is not feeling well and won't accompany Your Majesty anymore."
Then she walked towards the inner palace. The meaning in her words was clearly to drive him away.
Donghua beside them sighed and shook his head. He glanced at Helian Qi, as if saying, "Keep going, brother!" Then he followed Dongfang Yi into the palace.
Helian Qi, who was still standing there, couldn't help but lower his head and let out a soft laugh. Although her words were all about driving him away, just seeing her always made him feel happy.
Thinking of this, he also stepped into the inner palace. Without hesitation, he sat down on the grand master's chair, picked up a cup of tea, and started drinking. When Donghua saw his appearance, he immediately exited the palace gate and even closed the door for them.
When Dongfang Yi saw that he not only didn't leave but also sat down leisurely to drink tea, she couldn't help but frown and ask, "Why didn't you leave?"
"This is my harem. Whether I come or go is of course up to me. I just want to drink a cup of tea here now," Helian Qi said rather cheekily.
Dongfang Yi couldn't help but roll her eyes. Looking at his leisurely appearance, she was a bit angry. She thought to herself that if he wanted to drink tea, he could go to other palaces. He had so many concubines, and any one of them could serve him. Why did he have to come here to bother her!
"Come here and pour me some tea," Helian Qi said to her with squinted eyes.
Dongfang Yi frowned even more tightly. She wanted to get angry but still held it back. She kept muttering to herself in her heart, "He is the Emperor. I can't disobey him. He will execute me..." Then she extremely reluctantly walked over to pour tea for him.
Helian Qi looked at the woman in front of him out of the corner of his eye. She looked aggrieved but still obediently did as he said. The corner of his mouth couldn't help but curl up. He found that teasing her was a really interesting thing.
"This tea doesn't taste good. Get me Biluochun instead," he continued to be picky.
"You..." Dongfang Yi's hand that was pouring tea paused. She put the teapot on the table with a thud.
"Hmm?" Helian Qi squinted his eyes and let out a dangerous hum.
Dongfang Yi looked at his appearance and still suppressed her dissatisfaction. Speaking through gritted teeth, she said, "Okay, I'll go get it right away!"
Then she walked to the cabinet where the tea leaves were stored and rummaged through it. She kept muttering under her breath, "You're really annoying. Why don't you go to other palaces and let other concubines serve you? Why do you have to torture me..."
Although Helian Qi couldn't clearly hear what she was muttering in the distance, he could tell the dissatisfaction in her tone. So he raised his voice and asked, "What are you saying?"
Hearing the question, Dongfang Yi couldn't help but roll her eyes. She thought to herself that he could even hear her muttering from so far away. Could he be an immortal with super hearing?
But she still nodded and made up a lie, saying, "I said that Biluochun is great. It tastes good and smells fragrant. Only a tea like Biluochun is worthy of Your Majesty's status."
After saying that, even she was disgusted by her own flattering words. She even pretended to retch a few times.
Helian Qi, who was sitting behind her, curled the corner of his mouth even deeper. He of course knew that the little woman was bluffing him, but he was still captivated by her cute appearance.
He thought that the days when she was by his side were the best. Even if she hated him now, as long as she was with him, what else mattered?