Chapter 10: Bestowing Lady Wan

All the coarse maidservants around Xu Luoyan were carefully selected and trained by Wan Tang.

Whether in strength or in the ruthlessness of her attacks, it is something no woman could resist.

With a "Dong!" sound, Wan Tang was pressed heavily to the ground.

Although her body could not struggle, she lifted her head high and glared fiercely at Xu Luoyan.

"You bitch, still daring to look at me with that kind of gaze!"

Xu Luoyan stepped on her with a foot.

After thinking for a moment, she slowly squatted down.

She waved her hand, and the nearby colored butterfly immediately understood and brought a small knife.

The once‑ugly woman of Jingren Palace leapt to become the Emperor's new favorite, her beauty now stunning the world.

It made this senior palace maid of Jingren Palace feel completely at ease.

She handed over the knife very quickly.

Xu Luoyan swung the bright knife, its cold blade reflecting her vicious gaze.

The Answering Ladies of Grace beside her turned ghostly pale with fear.

Even when facing the Noble Consort they dared to be angry but not speak, pitifully shrinking to the side.

Their eyes held only sympathy for Xu Luoyan.

Xu Luoyan squatted in front of Wan Tang, letting her skirt spread across the ground, her pretty face bearing a ferocious smile.

The cold blade gently flickered over Wan Tang's face, and Xu Luoyan's voice sounded like a hellish echo: "Where should I begin?"

"Is it better to peel the skin off, or to scratch the spiderweb?"

She spoke of enjoyment, and in torturing others she radiated joy to the bone.

【Wan Tang, don't be afraid, the Dog Emperor has already arrived at the door.】

【Quickly shout loudly, let the Dog Emperor rescue you.】

【After all, the Dog Emperor is a handsome dog; without this face, truly in the palace he couldn't survive.】

Xu Luoyan listened to the Barrage, her gaze becoming increasingly steady.

What is there for her to fear? These maidservants are people she selected and meticulously trained for years.

She knows best what virtues they have: they are all a bunch of soft‑fearing, hard‑hating things.

When facing those who are heavily favored, they dare not truly deliver a fatal blow.

If the knife truly falls, their hands will also let go.

But at this moment, what Wan Tang wants is for Xu Luoyan to be sufficiently fierce, and for her to be sufficiently pitiful.

One thing Xu Luoyan didn't get wrong is that if she intends to stay in the palace, she must have a position.

And this position, Wan Tang will let her have, delivering it personally.

Wan Tang pleaded pitifully, "Sister, I beg you, don't."

"I know I'm wrong, it's my fault, I shouldn't have appeared before the Emperor."

"But the Emperor is a true dragon son of heaven; which woman in the world could refuse? My heart rejoices in the Emperor; it's because I do not know the limits of heaven and earth."

"I only wish to serve the Emperor together with you, sister."

Xu Luoyan's eyes hardened: "Shut up!"

"You are just a lowly maid, just like your mother, both are unseen, stinking rats."

"What are you, that you think you can share a man with me?"

"Someone like you, not even counted as an official woman, only worthy of sharing a meal with a eunuch."

"With your status, serving the Emperor is an insult to him."

The more she spoke, the happier Xu Luoyan felt, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift.

The knife tip, like a swimming snake, lightly skimmed Wan Tang's face, her face showing a strange smile: "Without this face."

"Then no one can compete with me for favor."

"You!"

"Come humbly into this world, and leave just as humbly."

"From beginning to end, not even a single status is worthy of possessing."

"You are a wretched slave that everyone can trample; my not killing you is already sparing the Emperor's face."

Xu Luoyan roared, raised the knife in her hand, and stabbed toward Wan Tang's face.

"Clang!"

A fan flew from nearby and smashed hard onto Xu Luoyan's head.

"Ah!"

Xu Luoyan cried out in shock, her body jolted, and the knife fell to the ground.

"What blind thing dares to hurt my lady, looking for death!" Cui Wei, accustomed to arrogance, shouted.

She opened her mouth and roared.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Li Defu's face was covered with fine cold sweat; only at this moment could he manage to let out a shout.

Cui Wei's vision went black, her body suddenly went limp on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing: "Emperor, spare me, Emperor, spare me…"

"Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years!"

All the Imperial Concubines knelt together, repeatedly shouting.

Xu Luoyan covered her head, her face full of grievance: "Emperor, you have hurt me."

She continued to act coquettishly, covering her head as she moved toward Chu Yunzheng.

But Chu Yunzheng's face, like a deep pool, held an inscrutable chill: "Take this dog Nubi out and slap his mouth!"

Cui Wei pleaded for mercy.

A tear fell out in an instant.

"Emperor, no! Cui Wei has served me for ten years, front and back, and I beg you, for my sake, to spare her…"

Xu Luoyan hurried forward to plead.

Chu Yunzheng scowled, raised his eyebrows: "The Noble Consort really has a big ego; must I also consider a fraction of your mood?"

Even if Xu Luoyan were foolish, she could hear the anger in his words.

Her delicate body trembled; she hurriedly knelt on the ground, not daring to speak.

Cui Wei's wail reached her ears.

The repeated slaps landed on Cui Wei's mouth, but struck Xu Luoyan.

Chu Yunzheng looked at Wan Tang, pressed to the ground.

Their gazes met.

Wan Tang's eyes suddenly reddened, yet she stubbornly refused to let tears fall.

She said nothing, but her body trembled lightly with fear.

Chu Yunzheng stepped forward and extended his hand toward Wan Tang.

Two coarse servants hurriedly released their grip, crawling on the ground like quails, shivering.

Wan Tang's hand gently rested in Chu Yunzheng's palm. His hand was warm, exuding a sense of total control and safety.

Seeing the bruises pressed into Wan Tang's fair skin, Chu Yunzheng's cold gaze swept over the two coarse servants: "Those who dare hurt me."

"Your two hands are unnecessary as well."

The cries and shouts filled the air; no amount of pleading could withstand the guards dragging them out.

Outside the Gongmen, the shouts were bleak and terrifying; inside, everyone was on edge, daring not to breathe.

The Emperor entered the hall in an instant, twice punishing her left and right arms; Xu Luoyan's complexion was as white as paper.

Seeing Wan Tang's pretentious behavior before the Emperor further inflamed his anger.

He couldn't help but kneel, agitated: "Emperor, you are unfair."

"You gave me the authority to co‑manage the Imperial harem; I am only here to punish a lowly maid who attempted to deceive the ruler."

"Even if she were an official lady, I would have nothing to say, but she is merely something that doesn't even count as a coarse maid…"

Every word, Xu Luoyan chewed them up fiercely and shouted.

But to Chu Yunzheng's ears, it was only a gentle breeze.

Chu Yunzheng's gaze was icy cold, his mouth curled with a mocking grin.

"The Noble Consort speaks excellently."

"Having no status is unacceptable."

When Chu Yunzheng's eyes fell on Wan Tang, they were gentle.

He held Wan Tang's cold little hand, seemingly nonchalant yet allowing no doubt: "Since that is so, she shall be titled Lady of Grace."

Looking at Wan Tang further, his affection deepened: "Wan Tang is gentle, unambitious, pure and kind. Hence we take the character Wan from her name."

"Title: Lady Wan."

When those words were spoken, even the most fearful onlookers couldn't help but be shocked.

Li Defu was the most astonished, his eyes suddenly bulging as he stared fearfully at Wan Tang.

The Nubi of the Ladies of Grace kneeling nearby shouted in unison: "Congratulations, Emperor, you have won a beauty."

"Congratulations, Lady Wan."

Chu Yunzheng gave a slight nod: "Everyone, rise!"

Everyone rose together.

The Answering Ladies of Grace who had just come to curry favor hurried forward.

They chattered: "Lady Wan, what great fortune, rising straight from Guanren to Lady of Grace; you are the first!"

"Indeed! Guanren receive favor, first as official ladies, then beauties, then Answering, and finally Lady of Grace."

"The Emperor himself bestowed a name; clearly Lady Wan's fortune continues ahead."

Others, as if Xu Luoyan were dead, flattered Wan Tang with all their might.

Wan Tang's heart was as clear as a mirror.

A Lady of Grace is still the Emperor's plaything.

There are countless Ladies of Grace in this Imperial harem.

She and Xu Luoyan are mortal enemies; now Xu Luoyan is the Noble Consort, holding the Phoenix Seal.

With favor, one can barely survive. But once the Emperor loses his novelty, the seal in Xu Luoyan's hand can cause a Lady of Grace to die silently many times.

Xu Luoyan needs to find a patron within the Imperial harem.

The only one who can balance Xu Luoyan is the Empress.

But the Empress has been bedridden for years, ignoring harem affairs; seeking her aid would only backfire.

Today, Wan Tang not only aims to become a Lady of Grace completely.

She also intends to scheme a stepping stone for herself.

Wan Tang feigned joy, excited yet poised, formally bowed: "Thank you, Emperor, for your grace."

I must……

"Still call yourself a slave?" Chu Yunzheng laughed.

The Emperor's smile melted like a snow‑capped mountain, his indulgence fully displayed.

Wan Tang accordingly flushed red and said softly, "This subject thanks the Emperor."

Mutual affection between a man and a woman, played out in the Imperial Palace, was a rare sight.

But this scene, falling into Xu Luoyan's eyes, was like an awl piercing into them, unbearable.

She could not help but shout, "I object!"

"Emperor, no matter whose status you raise to divide this subject, I would have nothing to say."

"But are the three thousand beauties of the Imperial harem still not enough to satisfy you?"

"Must you snatch from others?!"

Xu Luoyan completely ignored Li Defu's frantically suggestive gaze and shouted, "I think lust has addled your wits!"

"Oh my, my lady, you mustn't say such things."

Li Defu was scared out of his wits and rushed forward to quickly clap a hand over Xu Luoyan's mouth.

The rest had long since turned cold all over with fright.

"All of you, get out!" Chu Yunzheng's voice suddenly turned cold.

Everyone loves a spectacle, but when that spectacle could cost your life, each and every one wished only to stay out of it.

With the Emperor's furious roar, who dared linger even a moment, fleeing as if for their lives.

The Cuiwei Hall, bustling beyond compare just a second ago, now held only Chu Yunzheng and Wan Tang, along with Xu Luoyan and Li Defu.

Xu Luoyan shook off Li Defu's hand.

Li Defu's eyes were all daggers as he said in a low voice, "My lady, watch your words. The one you face is the Lord of Ten Thousand Years."

Xu Luoyan refused to comply.

She pushed Li Defu away.

With no one else around anyway, she had even less restraint in speaking.

"I am the Emperor's wife. Seeing the Emperor make such a foolish mistake, how could I stand by and do nothing." Xu Luoyan's eyes brimmed with tears, believing she had spoken with deep and genuine feeling.

Wan Tang listened from the side, coldly laughing to herself in her heart.

This Xu Luoyan truly did not know her place. The Emperor's wife was only the Empress alone.

Aside from the Empress, all were concubines.

These ten years, Xu Luoyan had enjoyed lavish favor, and within Wan Tang's careful schemes, there had never been a single misstep.

Time truly was a wonderful thing—it had made her forget where that favor came from, and she even dared to grow willful on the strength of it.

Looking again at Chu Yunzheng, though he uttered not a word, a thread of killing intent in the depths of his eyes was faintly stirring.

Without careful observation, it would be impossible to notice at all.

"My lady, you must be feeling unwell, which is why you're speaking nonsense, right?" Li Defu, thoroughly frightened beside her, reminded her repeatedly.

Xu Luoyan was in the heat of anger and cared about none of it; the fury in her heart she vented all at once.

She looked at Chu Yunzheng, eyes red all over, tears falling like pearls from a broken string.

She said chokingly, "Emperor, you said you loved this subject. You said that in your heart there would never be anyone else."

"Yet now you break your word."

At the mention of this, Xu Luoyan's feelings were genuinely laid bare, her whole face crumbling: "Back then, it was you who personally wrote the Imperial Decree."

"You had already bestowed Wan Tang upon Li Defu."

"Speaking of which, from the moment your imperial seal was pressed down, Wan Tang's husband was Li Defu!"