Chapter 240: Took the Punishment for Master, Woof~ Drinking Milk in Front of the Empress (4)
"Ah?! I-I just drank something and accidentally spilled it on myself."
Shenyue's expression instantly turned more nervous.
As for why she was out secretly at this hour? Obviously because she didn't want anyone to find out!
And by "anyone," she meant Her Majesty specifically.
After all, what she did today could definitely be considered sneaking a bite.
If found out, the consequences would be unimaginable.
With that mindset, she planned to wash up and sneak back quickly.
Who would've thought she'd get caught so easily?
Like fate brought her straight to the one she most wanted to avoid.
"He came down already? That wicked subject… Hmph, who told him he could come down?"
The Empress let out a cold huff, showing a rare flash of irritation.
Every time she thought of him, that predatory look on his face came to mind.
And then she'd feel that very real discomfort in her body.
Shenyue finally calmed down a bit and explained her master's visit.
Of course, she left out a lot—just mentioned that Su Qing taught her master a lesson.
"You two… forget it. I won't get involved in your master-disciple affairs."
"What were you eating earlier? Got any more?"
The Empress sighed softly and asked.
She had been here for a while and noticed her bodyguard sneak over looking suspicious.
And she'd clearly been chewing something too.
"Ah?! N-no, I finished it already!"
Shenyue's heart leapt into her throat, her voice rising a few pitches.
Her overreaction was basically a giant neon sign saying "I'm hiding something!"
The Empress immediately walked over.
After so long together, she could spot abnormal behavior instantly.
Her sharp gaze scanned Shenyue up and down.
There was no pressure in her stare—just pure curiosity.
She fully trusted Shenyue wouldn't do anything improper. No question.
Feeling the Empress get close, Shenyue instinctively took a step back.
The poor, flustered bodyguard was absolutely ready to bolt.
But in her current state, escape was pure fantasy.
"What exactly did you eat? Smells a bit like spoiled milk."
The Empress sniffed closer, her tone puzzled.
If she had a bit more experience, she might have figured it out.
Unfortunately, she'd only ever smelled that particular scent once and couldn't place it.
"That... yes! I drank some spoiled milk earlier. It tasted off, so I dumped it."
"If Your Majesty wants, I can get you some fresh milk."
"But why aren't you resting right now? Why come here instead?"
Driven by raw survival instinct, Shenyue blurted it all out.
For someone normally so shy, this was a masterclass in crisis management.
Her social anxiety had been cornered into a full-on emotional breakthrough.
"...Just enjoying the scenery. If there's nothing else, you should head back."
The Empress shifted her gaze away from the bodyguard, evasively changing the subject.
Her smooth, pale legs were pressed tightly together, trembling slightly with unease.
It was clearly a lie.
But she couldn't exactly say she'd come to calm her mind and still couldn't.
Everything from earlier was still playing on a loop in her head.
Just thinking about it made her feel uncomfortable all over.
She'd almost—really almost—gotten handled by that wicked subject!
That thought alone had her so unsettled… Clearly, that punishment earlier wasn't enough.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I'll take my leave now."
Shenyue bowed and hurried away.
She didn't even bother washing the clothes anymore—she just wanted to get back and tell her master what happened.
Her steps were much faster than usual, like she was terrified of being called back.
Only once she'd gone a good distance did she finally breathe out.
The weight on her chest lifted—but guilt came crashing in like a wave.
Lying to Her Majesty, taking advantage of her lack of experience… she was absolutely going to hell!
What would happen when the Empress figured out what that smell really was?
She didn't even want to think about it.
Still… why had Her Majesty been there?
Something about the way she answered… felt a little guilty too…
Next morning.
Everyone gathered as planned to discuss intel and strategies.
This was a true high-level meeting. Only decision-makers were present.
General Xuanwu—Xuanxin—led the Xuanwu Army and was in charge of combat.
She sat silently in full armor like always, a living weapon waiting for the signal to strike.
The Empress, dressed modestly but impossible to overlook, looked more like a mascot.
Su Qing quietly sat beside her, his face wearing its usual harmless expression.
To be honest, he'd been worried about how the Empress would treat him today.
Thankfully… nothing happened.
She treated him exactly the same, like nothing from yesterday had occurred.
He wholeheartedly approved of this.
It's better to let some things remain buried.
As more attendees arrived, Su Qing spotted a familiar figure.
Silver hair tied up, wearing a black bodysuit that highlighted her perfect curves.
Huge tits, slender waist, and those long, powerful legs—pure eye candy.
Her golden-ratio body had no flaws whatsoever.
That stunning face remained emotionless, paired with a sharp, composed aura.
One detail stood out—her skin wasn't pale, but a healthy wheat color.
Drawing from yesterday's memory, Su Qing immediately recognized her.
That cold, dominant aura—that was the Pavilion Master!
She took a seat beside Xuanxin.
Her expression was rigid, betraying no emotion.
Side by side, she and Xuanxin really did look like the Empress's left and right hands.
Only, someone else was sitting beside the Empress right now.
And that someone was staring.
To be fair, Su Qing couldn't be blamed.
A new face had just shown up—of course he was going to look.
Especially since she had ties to his bodyguard.
Face and body alone, she was top-tier.
Her tanned skin only added to her unique allure.
She gave off the vibe of a dependable, competent older sister.
Thinking about last night's events left him feeling guilty.
If he'd known the whole backstory, he wouldn't have gone so hard.
He could only imagine how much pressure his commands had placed on someone so used to obedience.
Wouldn't things be awkward between them now?
Yet the Pavilion Master sat across from him, upright and composed, showing no sign of emotion.
Someone else, however, wasn't pleased with his lingering gaze.
"What are you staring at? I'm warning you—don't even think about her."
The Empress raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed.
After what he did to her yesterday, now he was eyeing someone else?
Did he have no shame at all?!
If the timing weren't so inconvenient, she'd have punished him again right then and there.