In the Emperor's private chambers, the air fills with unspoken tension. Yue wonders: Does he pity her... or is there something more? As his closeness draws her in, every word and every touch feels like a dangerous game.
—————————————————
It was a long walk from the imperial gardens to the Emperor's palace. A eunuch led Yue inside to a side chamber, where a royal physician tended to her wounds.
Yue was lucky as her face wouldn't leave a scar.
The maids prepared her for the night with the same ritual she had experienced before, and then she was escorted to the Emperor's chamber.
The Emperor's bedchambers were as grand as she imagined. It was a large room, bigger than any of the other bedrooms in the palace.
The room was dominated by a massive wooden bed draped in dark red silk, the edges embroidered with golden dragons, their eyes seeming to shimmer as the candlelight danced across them.
A large wooden desk sat against one wall, covered with scrolls and official documents—the essence of authority and power.
The dim light of the candles cast long, flickering shadows across the room, making the ornate furniture and luxurious fabrics seem almost alive.
The air was filled with the smell of incense mixed with the coolness of
the evening breeze.
The humiliating slap from Consort Zhang still stung at the back of her mind.
Her cheek was throbbing with pain, though it was nothing compared to the unrest growing inside of her.
The Emperor had rescued her just in time, but what did it mean? Was he just showing mercy? Or was there something more?
But there she was, alone with the Emperor.
"Your Majesty," Yue said softly as she curtsied to greet the Emperor, her voice faltering slightly. "Thank you… for your kindness…saving me from Consort Zhang today."
The Emperor was sitting at his desk, going through scrolls the officials had sent in, his focus unwavering.
After a long moment, the Emperor finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "Stay here tonight."
Yue was surprised. "Stay?" she repeated.
"But... Consort Shu will be worried. I must return to my quarters soon—"
The Emperor's dark eyes lifted from the scrolls, and his gaze turned to focus on her. There was a brief pause, and then he spoke again in a gentle yet commanding tone.
"You may leave if you wish, but if you leave now, the servants will spread the news that I have rejected you again."
"That would be humiliating, Yue. It wouldn't be good for you — or for Consort Shu."
Yue's stomach clenched. The words resonated in her mind, and she realized that this was more than just kindness.
The Emperor stood up from his desk and walked towards Yue's, his robes sweeping the floor fluidly.
With every step he took, the air seemed to grow warmer and heavier for Yue.
When he got closer, she could feel his presence towering over her; she felt the heat of his body, his lingering smell of incense, and the weight of his gaze on her.
The Emperor stared at Yue deeply as if he were searching for something.
There was something about her that he couldn't quite place, something in how she carried herself— vaguely reminding him of someone he knew, someone he had lost forever.
"Stay," he commanded, his voice low but gentle.
She quickly lowered her gaze, trying to hide the shyness—and something more profound—that stirred within her.
The Emperor's voice broke the silence once more, cold and composed.
"I will send a eunuch to inform Consort Shu that you are in my chambers. This will protect your reputation."
He turned away, dismissing her for a moment. His movements were almost possessive, as if turning his back to her was a silent assertion of dominance.
Yue remained standing there, unsure what to do, her mind spinning with the implications of his words.
Soon, the eunuch departed, leaving them alone once more in the dimly lit chamber. The Emperor returned to his desk, his back to her as he resumed work.
The room was strangely quiet except for the occasional rustle of paper.
Yue's eyes couldn't help but wander to the Emperor as he sat at his desk, completely absorbed in his work.
When he was focused, something was different about him, something that made his usual cold demeanor seem almost human.
The dim candlelight's lighting highlighted the angles of his jaw, the dark reflections of his eyes, and the hard line of his lips, making him look more alluring than she remembered.
The Emperor's brow furrowed in concentration, his gaze unwavering as he read the scrolls before him.
For a moment, Yue found herself entranced by his movements.
"No way," she quickly shook her head.
"I can't have these thoughts." She was here to serve Consort Shu, and nothing could make her betray that loyalty—not even the Emperor's dangerous allure.
Still unsure of what to do, Yue walked towards the Emperor's desk.
"I can…help?" she said, the words spilling from her lips before she could second-guess herself.
"If you need it… Your Majesty."
The Emperor glanced at her briefly, his eyes sharp, as though assessing her. "Help? Help with what?"
"I can... help grind the ink?" she offered, nervously stepping closer to the desk.
"I am good at it." she smiles awkwardly.
A brief pause later, he handed her the ink stone, his fingers brushed over her fingers lightly.
The touch was brief but lingered in her mind like a spark. He didn't speak again, but his silent permission was enough.
She sat down at the desk and began grinding the ink, the rhythmic motion almost meditative, but her thoughts kept drifting to him.
The sound of the ink grinding was oddly comforting, but the quiet between them was anything but.
His eyes, sharp and watchful, never wavered from her form.
His eyes followed her every movement as she ground the ink, her hands trembling slightly, betraying the calm facade she tried to maintain.
"Huh? You really have skills for this," the Emperor observed, his tone low, almost intrigued.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Yue replied, keeping her voice steady. Her hands worked, but her heart thudded in her chest as she felt the Emperor's gaze linger on her every movement.
And as the night stretched on, he felt that dangerous pull with each passing moment—one that could very well unravel him.
A long silence passed before the Emperor's voice broke through again.
"You should rest tonight."
Yue's heart skipped at his words.
"Rest?" she echoed, unsure if he meant sleep or something else.
Was he suggesting she stay here overnight? In his bedchamber?
He leaned close to her, his presence dominating, staring straight into her eyes.
She turned slightly, her pulse quickening as her eyes met his. It was intoxicating, and she was stunned to even breathe.
"Help me undress," the Emperor said, his voice dropping to a velvety whisper that sent a shiver down her spine.
Yue froze, her heart racing in her chest. She hadn't expected this, hadn't prepared for it. But she knew she couldn't refuse.
Slowly, she rose from her seat by the desk, her hands trembling slightly as she approached him.
He stood before her, his regal robes flowing around him like a dark cloud.
Her hands moved, carefully pulling the robe from his shoulders. The fabric slipped with a soft whisper of silk.
As she did, her fingers felt his skin, warm and firm beneath the layers of cloth.
The contact was brief but left a trail of heat that seemed to linger, intensifying the tension between them. Yue fought to keep her composure, but it was becoming harder with each passing moment.
The Emperor didn't seem to mind her hesitation as though he was savoring the moment.
When she removed the final layer, he let out a soft, almost imperceptible sigh, exposing the smoothness of his chest and the rise and fall of his breathing.
Yue forced her gaze to stay focused on the task at hand. Her cheeks flushed as her hands lingered for a heartbeat longer than necessary. She quickly stepped back, her heart racing, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Is that all?" he asked.
Yue felt a flicker of something inside her—a mix of fear and something else she couldn't quite identify.
She didn't answer immediately. She swallowed hard, her body tense, her thoughts a tangled mess.
"Yes, Your Majesty," she finally whispered, stepping back again.
The Emperor said nothing, but his gaze lingered on her longer than necessary.
His eyes softened slightly, almost as if he could sense her hesitation.
"You need not worry," he added, his tone lighter. "If you are uncomfortable, you may sleep on the couch."
The couch was across the room—a simple wooden piece, cold and distant.
The Emperor watched Yue as she moved about the room, her delicate figure starkly contrasting the cold, imposing furniture surrounding them.
It was an unusual sight—most women in the palace sought to please or feared him, but Yue… was different.
She made him feel something he rarely allowed himself to acknowledge—an unsettling, growing curiosity.
Yue's heart was pounding in her chest. The idea of lying on that couch, close yet far from him, unsettled her in ways she couldn't explain.
She lay down, facing the window, trying to block out the sound of his movements behind her. The weight of the night hung heavy in the air, tense with unanswered questions.
She should have been exhausted, but sleep was elusive. Every slight sound made her jump; every flicker of light through the window spiraled through her mind.
And then, as the stillness of the night settled over the room, her eyelids fluttered closed.
But sleep did not bring peace.
In the darkness of her dream, Yue saw the faces of people she did not recognize—an inferno of flames, the roar of chaos, and then a boy's voice calling her name. "Run, Yue. Run!"
She woke with a jolt, her heart hammering, drenched in cold sweat. The room felt too hot and constricting. She turned her head to find the Emperor still lying on his bed, but his eyes were closed now, his breathing steady.
A strange feeling twisted inside her—fear and something else, a sense she couldn't describe.
Her thoughts were broken by the sudden entrance of a eunuch, his voice urgent.
"Your Majesty, Consort Shu has gone into labor."