Chapter 103: Getting You Before, Sweetheart; After, Ox Wife?

…

Zhang Chun ran off to prepare for the Palace Examination, determined to win first place and claim her bet—she was gearing up for a big payoff, and lately had stopped vying for the Emperor’s bedchamber; Zhao Yu understood.

But Ye Shi Yun had no such reason—why had she stopped coming near him lately?

This puzzled Zhao Yu, and he began to pay closer attention to Ye Shi Yun’s movements.

What he discovered was that Ye Shi Yun spent her days eating, drinking, and amusing herself—doing whatever brought her comfort—unlike the other four women, who labored tirelessly for their ambitions.

To Zhao Yu, it felt as if Ye Shi Yun had decided to lie flat.

Once a person begins to compromise, they keep compromising.

Take Zhang Chun—her insatiable lust for power had lost her herself, making her easy to control.

So Zhao Yu never worried about Zhang Chun; in fact, he could manipulate her any way he pleased—he’d offer her a noose, and she’d willingly step into it.

But Ye Shi Yun was different. After the initial phase where she competed fiercely with Zhang Chun, she had taken up the path of: “The sea accepts all rivers, for its vastness; cliffs stand a thousand ren high, for their desirelessness.”

This was troublesome.

Zhao Yu knew Ye Shi Yun might be pretending.

Yet often, once a person begins to pretend, they keep pretending until they become it—and once they become it, they are it.

If Ye Shi Yun truly reached that point, Zhao Yu would find it difficult to control someone who no longer desired anything.

That was not what Zhao Yu wanted.

Crucially, when Ye Shi Yun wholeheartedly aided Zhao Yu, versus when he forced her to offer advice, the results were entirely different.

To prevent the worst, Zhao Yu decided to give Ye Shi Yun a taste of sweetness first—lest she, seeing no hope, truly lie flat.

At this moment.

Ye Shi Yun looked up at Zhao Yu, her face filled with grievance: “I exhausted every thought to please Your Majesty, yet you ignored me. So I thought—you find my humble form unworthy, and thus dared not disturb you again, seeking instead your true love. Now you twist truth into falsehood, accusing me of cunning tricks to lure you into my net—what logic is this?”

“Sharp-tongued.”

Zhao Yu did not argue with her over right or wrong—there was no point. Instead, he simply reached out, scooped her up by the waist, and lifted her.

Ye Shi Yun made no struggle; instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and goaded him: “Will Your Majesty indulge in lewdness by daylight?”

Zhao Yu took the bait: “Not at all. I intend to punish you, this cunning little demon.”

Ye Shi Yun pressed her ruby lips to Zhao Yu’s ear and goaded further: “Your Majesty, come at me then.”

Could he endure this?

Zhao Yu didn’t know about others, but he certainly could not.

So he carried Ye Shi Yun to her bedroom.

This was Zhao Yu’s first time entering her chamber—he momentarily couldn’t tell which room was hers.

Just as he paused to search, Zhao Yuannu appeared and led him into Ye Shi Yun’s bedroom.

Zhao Yu placed Ye Shi Yun directly on the bed.

At that moment, Zhao Yu made a soft “hmm?” sound.

Ye Shi Yun thought: ‘Now, of all times, are you zoning out?!’

What reserve did Ye Shi Yun have? She had waited for this day longer than she could count.

Seeing Zhao Yu hesitate, she seized his neck and whispered seductively in his ear: “Your Majesty, I want…”

…

Afterwards.

As Ye Shi Yun savored the exquisite, heavenly sensation, Zhao Yu suddenly said: “Bold Ye Shi, do you know your crime?”

Ye Shi Yun patted him with her tiny fists: “Your Majesty is so mean~!”

Stop it!

Just now, to ensure a perfect first time, Ye Shi Yun—who had held back for two lifetimes—had given her utmost to please him; in her eyes, her performance was flawless.

As for whether she was a virgin?

She wished she weren’t.

But she’d never had the chance.

In short, Ye Shi Yun felt she had done nothing wrong.

Precisely because of this, she was calm—and naturally took Zhao Yu’s words as a joke, even as flirtation.

Unfortunately, Ye Shi Yun, whose stamina was poor, was truly spent.

Otherwise, she would have launched an immediate counterattack, seeking once more that exquisite sensation.

Just as she was about to close her eyes and sleep peacefully in Zhao Yu’s arms, he frowned and said: “You won’t admit guilt?”

Ye Shi Yun opened her eyes, staring at his stone-cold face, uncertain: “Are you serious?”

Zhao Yu picked up the pillow, shoved into the corner by their exertions, and asked: “What is this?”

Ye Shi Yun froze!

‘You’re making an issue out of a pillow?’

‘Looking for trouble?’

‘Cutting off the heartless?’

‘…’

As Ye Shi Yun, bewildered, assumed Zhao Yu was retaliating for her earlier feigned indifference, he turned the pillow over and asked: “Evidence is clear—dare you still deny it?”

Only then did Ye Shi Yun see the drawing of Zhao Yu she had sketched on the pillow.

She remembered—she had used this pillow as a punching bag.

‘Does he know about this?’

‘Who betrayed me? Zhang Chun? Yuannu? Someone else?’

‘Besides, is this really worth getting angry over? Isn’t this a cliché from dramas? The tyrannical CEO angers his heroine, she can’t fight back, so she beats a pillow. Later, he finds out—but it always ends with no consequences. Why are you clinging to this?’

‘Could it be that my performance just now made you think I’m a wanton woman, and now you’re repulsed?’

‘If I’d known you liked pure girls, I’d have played the part.’

Since Zhao Yu was pursuing this, and as Emperor he was beyond her reach, Ye Shi Yun dragged her exhausted body up, knelt before him, and half-heartedly bowed her head as she said: “Your servant admits fault—I shouldn’t have used Your Majesty’s portrait as a punching bag.”

To her surprise, even after she confessed, Zhao Yu pressed on: “I see you still don’t understand where you went wrong.”

‘Ha! So now that I’ve given myself to you, you don’t value me? Men are all the same—modern or ancient—sweet as honey before possession, cruel as ox-hide after. Had I known, I’d never have let you get me so easily!’ Ye Shi Yun seethed.

If this were her original world, she’d have stormed out right now, clothes in hand: ‘So what if you’re a tyrannical CEO? I’m not putting up with this!’

But this wasn’t her world. Zhao Yu wasn’t a CEO—he was an Emperor whose word could decide her life or death.

Helpless, Ye Shi Yun dropped her pretense, bowed her head earnestly, and said solemnly: “Your servant admits fault. I beg Your Majesty’s pardon.”

What enraged her further was that even after this, Zhao Yu asked: “What exactly did you do wrong?”

‘What did I do wrong? How should I know?’

‘I’m wrong for being reincarnated, wrong for being reborn as a palace maid, wrong for being reborn as a woman at all—so you can torment and humiliate me!’

‘Zhao Yu, this once—next time, even if I suffocate, I won’t come to you again. As for saving the Song’s broken economy—find someone else. I’m done.’

Seeing Ye Shi Yun on the verge of tears, Zhao Yu realized he must stop frightening her—otherwise, his economic advisor might vanish.

He leaned close to her, lowering his voice: “Do you think me heartless? You’ve done so much for me, exhausted yourself to please me—and yet, after, I act irrationally, fabricating charges?”

Seeing Zhao Yu understood everything, Ye Shi Yun turned her head away, tears streaming down her face—fast, unstoppable, in pairs.

At the same time, she protested bitterly: “I’ve been kinder to you than I ever was to my father or mother—and still you treat me this way.”

Zhao Yu immediately realized she had broken—only then would she speak Mandarin and use terms like “my father” and “my mother,” which didn’t exist in this era.

He feigned ignorance: “What are you saying?”

Ye Shi Yun realized her mistake and quickly added, still crying: “Your Majesty takes advantage of my love for you to torment me.”

Zhao Yu tapped her forehead with his index finger: “Do you think I’m tormenting you? I’m saving you.”

‘Nonsense,’ Ye Shi Yun thought. ‘If you hadn’t come, I was fine—why do you need to save me?’

She dared not say it aloud. Instead, she turned her head sharply away, showing her defiance.

Seeing this, Zhao Yu cut straight to the point: “Tell me—how did Empress Yuanfu falsely accuse Empress Yuanyou? What became of Empress Yuanyou?”

Ye Shi Yun answered casually: “It was just witchcraft…”

The moment she uttered “witchcraft,” she realized her mistake—her face turned white as paper!

She had heard from Zhang Chun: when Princess Fuqing, daughter of Minister Meng, fell gravely ill and medicine failed, Meng’s sister brought Daoist healing talismans into the palace. Since talismans were strictly forbidden in court, Meng panicked, ordered them hidden, and planned to explain to Zhao Xu upon his arrival. Zhao Xu, understanding human nature, did not blame him. But after Princess Fuqing died, Meng’s foster mother Yan Lady and others prayed for Meng and the princess—this gave enemies ammunition. Liu Qingjing, who held Zhao Xu’s exclusive favor, linked the two incidents and whispered lies to him, claiming Meng was cursing him. Zhao Xu began to suspect, and ordered Liang Congzheng and Su Gui to investigate. This sparked the Witchcraft Case, leading to Meng’s deposition and Liu Qingjing’s rise to Empress.

To a modern person, how innocent was Meng?

Yet even this far-fetched, overblown accusation dragged Meng into the Witchcraft Case—she was cast into the Cold Palace, her servants beaten bloody, tongues cut, limbs severed.

Now look at her.

She had actually drawn Zhao Yu on a pillow—and regularly beat it.

If someone accused her of cursing Zhao Yu, and a Witchcraft Case erupted…

Ye Shi Yun dared not think further. She clung to Zhao Yu, frantically explaining: “I had no intention of framing Your Majesty! I was just playing, I…”

Zhao Yu stroked her back gently: “If I truly wished to punish you, would I be speaking to you like this?”

Only then did Ye Shi Yun fully comprehend—Zhao Yu had never been making trouble, never cutting off the heartless, never taking her for granted—he was eliminating a hidden danger for her.

Ye Shi Yun knew everyone in the palace was cutting back on expenses, yet she feasted and amused herself freely—many already resented her.

She even suspected anonymous denunciations against her had already filled several complaint boxes.

Eating and drinking excessively was harmless—others might try to harm her, but with Zhao Yu’s backing, they could do nothing.

But the Witchcraft Case was different.

Recall the Witchcraft Case under Emperor Wu of Han—resulting in the death of an Empress, a Crown Prince, and countless innocent and guilty alike. And just recently, the case that deposed Empress Meng.

If this were exposed, the consequences might be unimaginable.

The key is Zhao Yu’s attitude. If Zhao Yu believed it too—that she was cursing him—she would be in grave trouble.

Moreover, the several of them have been pretending to be supernatural; if anyone hears she can cast curses, they’ll believe it.

Realizing this, Ye Shi Yun was filled with dread: “If Zhao Yu hadn’t discovered it—if he hadn’t wanted to protect me—but if those who wish to destroy me had found out...”

Ye Shi Yun clung tightly to Zhao Yu, terrified of losing this protective charm.

This was the first time since her reincarnation—no, since her two lifetimes—that she had ever been this afraid.

Zhao Yu gently patted Ye Shi Yun’s back and whispered softly: “It’s nothing. I am here for all things.”

Ye Shi Yun kissed Zhao Yu’s face hard, deeply grateful: “Thank you, Your Majesty!”

With that, Ye Shi Yun picked up the pillow that had nearly killed her and ran straight to the brazier, tossing it into the flames to destroy the evidence and eliminate the threat.

Watching the pillow burn, seeing the portrait of Zhao Yu she had drawn vanish in the fire, Ye Shi Yun returned to the bed, then shoved Zhao Yu down, crawling toward him as she said: “Your Majesty, let me properly repay you...”

As Zhao Yu enjoyed Ye Shi Yun’s repayment, the pillow burned fiercer and fiercer.

No one knew what filled the pillow, but once ignited, it began spewing thick smoke with a hissing sound.

Soon, the entire bedroom was filled with smoke.

The smoke was especially acrid.

Zhao Yu and Ye Shi Yun could no longer continue—they had to get up and leave at once.

The brazier was immediately carried out to the courtyard by several maids summoned by Zhao Yuannu, who had been standing by.

This incident caused a major misunderstanding: the palace’s fire brigade, thinking a fire had broken out, rushed over with men to extinguish it.

After sending off the fire crew, Zhao Yu glared at Ye Shi Yun: “You’re not even sincere in serving me. I’m leaving.”

With that, Zhao Yu departed with his entourage.

Who knew that Ye Shi Yun followed him without being invited.

She leaned close to Zhao Yu, whispering low into his ear: “I know what Your Majesty likes—I’ll show you right away whether I’m sincere in serving you...”

…

(End of Chapter)