Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

A pale, pinkish hand reached out in alarm from behind the azure bed curtains, its fingertips gripping the curtains tightly.

The hand was clenched so tightly that the knuckles turned white, and the bed curtains were pulled and swayed slightly.

The next moment, another large hand reached out and gently covered the pale hand with its distinct fingertips.

With its scalding heat, I gently pried open her taut fingers, then interlocked them with her fingertips, holding them firmly in my palm.

***

As dawn broke, Li Dequan's voice came from the doorway, "Your Majesty, it's time for the morning court session."

Kangxi slowly sat up from the bed, his face showing a satisfied look of having achieved his goal.

He looked down at Liu Yunshu, who was fast asleep beside him. The moonlight had not yet completely faded and was gently shining on her face.

There were still tear stains on her face. Kangxi gently brushed away the undried tear stains at the corners of her eyes with his fingertips, his movements so gentle as if he were afraid of disturbing her.

He leaned down and gently kissed her smooth forehead before carefully getting up to avoid disturbing the bed and waking her.

While changing his clothes, Kangxi lowered his voice and instructed Li Dequan: "Have the imperial kitchen prepare some warm and soft breakfast, and bring it to the side hall later. Don't make any noise."

Seeing the unprecedented gentleness in the Emperor's eyes, and glancing at the indistinct figure inside the tent, Li Dequan quickly bowed and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, this servant understands."

After Kangxi left, Liu Yunshu slowly opened her eyes, a hint of satisfaction flashing in them.

"Big sister, what do we do next?" Xiao Ba looked at Liu Yunshu curiously.

"Next, naturally..." Liu Yunshu looked meaningfully at the roof beam.

Xiao Ba followed her gaze upwards, but couldn't figure it out for a long time. Just as he was about to ask her something, he saw that Liu Yunshu had fallen asleep again, so he silently squatted back down on the roof beam.

As dawn broke, Biyu carried a basin of water into the room, and a strong odor immediately filled the air.

"Huh? What's that smell?"

She placed the basin on the wooden shelf and followed the scent to the bedside. As soon as she lifted half of the bed curtain, she saw that the bed was unusually messy.

A pale pink undergarment was carelessly tossed at the foot of the bed, while the young lady faced the wall, her smooth, fair back covered with red marks of varying shades.

Biyu's pupils shrank suddenly, and the handkerchief in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud." She hurriedly covered her mouth.

She still managed to let out a few gasps, waking Liu Yunshu.

Liu Yunshu slowly turned around, her face still flushed.

Seeing Biyu's panicked expression, she spoke softly, her voice still hoarse from just waking up: "Don't make a sound."

Biyu snapped out of her daze, hurriedly picked up the handkerchief from the ground, and twisted it repeatedly in her hand, her voice trembling: "Miss... what... what happened?"

Xiao Ba: Please begin your performance!

Liu Yunshu looked down at the disheveled brocade quilt, her voice tinged with the bewilderment and helplessness of someone just waking up.

She gripped the corner of the blanket tightly with her fingertips, her knuckles turning white: "Last night I was asleep when the Emperor suddenly burst in. He... he was burning up with fever, and I couldn't stop him..."

Halfway through her sentence, her eyes reddened, and glistening tears welled up in them, but she held them back from falling.

Seeing that wronged and helpless look, Biyu felt a pang of heartache.

"How could His Majesty do this!" Biyu was both angry and anxious, her voice trembling. "If this gets out, Miss, your reputation will be ruined..."

reputation……

Liu Yunshu glanced at Biyu and said, "Biyu, I want to take a bath."

Biyu quickly stopped talking, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and suppressed her anger as she replied, "Yes, this servant will go and have someone prepare hot water right away!"

My steps trembled slightly as I turned around, feeling both angry and anxious.

The Emperor's actions have clearly ruined my young lady's reputation. If this matter becomes public, how will she face the consequences?

Before long, the bath tub was carried into the side room of the side hall, where hot water steamed and carried a faint scent of lavender.

Just as she stepped into the bathtub, she heard Qiu Shuang softly report from the outer room: "Madam, the imperial kitchen has sent breakfast. They said it was specially prepared by the Emperor as warm and soft food."

Liu Yunshu closed her eyes, letting the hot water wash over her shoulders, and said in a calm voice, "I know, have them put it in the outer room, I'll use it after I've finished bathing."

Autumn Frost responded with a "Yes".

Qiu Shuang knew what had happened last night, but she never expected that Master would...

After she finished bathing, she changed into a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), the same one that Kangxi wore when they first met.

She sat down at her dressing table and said to Biyu with a nonchalant expression, "Let's keep it simple today."

Looking at Liu Yunshu's calm profile in the mirror, Biyu's heart was in turmoil. She picked up a peach wood comb and gently combed the long, black hair, her eyes welling up with tears again: "Miss, just... just wear that mutton-fat jade hairpin again, it's simple and elegant."

Liu Yunshu gave a faint "hmm." Qiu Shuang stood to the side, carefully observing her expression, a sense of unease rising in her heart, as if something was amiss.

After finishing her hair and makeup, Liu Yunshu ate a few bites and then had the food removed.

She said to Biyu, "I'm a little tired today and want to stay in the room. Go and inform the Empress Dowager so that she won't ask about it."

Then he instructed Qiu Shuang, "You don't need to stay with me today. Let me have some peace and quiet."

Although Biyu and Qiushuang were filled with worry, they dared not disobey and could only retreat in response.

Before leaving, Qiu Shuang glanced back at Liu Yunshu, only to see her looking indifferently out the window, which made Qiu Shuang feel even more uneasy.

But he couldn't fathom Liu Yunshu's thoughts, so he could only clench his sleeves and tiptoe out.

Once the room quieted down, Liu Yunshu looked at Xiao Ba, "Check how long it is until Emperor Kangxi finishes court?"

Xiao Ba's eyes flickered. "Almost there, almost there. It'll be over in half an incense stick's time."

"Keep an eye on things and inform me when Kangxi finishes court."

Xiao Ba immediately agreed.

Qiu Shuang stared at the tightly closed door, her fingertips repeatedly stroking inside her sleeve, a wave of unease washing over her.

Despite what happened last night, the lady is so calm!

Something's not right, something's really not right, especially what she saw just before she left.

She couldn't help but walk to the door and gently knock. "Madam, would you like me to come in and serve you?"

Silence fell over the room. Qiu Shuang knocked on the door again, her voice urgent: "Madam? Madam?"

Biyu walked over. "Qiushuang, what are you doing?"

Qiu Shuang turned around abruptly, her fingertips still resting on the door, her face full of anxiety: "Biyu, I've been calling for Madam at the door for ages, but she hasn't answered! This room is eerily quiet!"

"Could it be that Miss is asleep?"

As Biyu spoke, her hand involuntarily knocked on the door, her voice even more urgent than Qiushuang's.

"Miss? Are you awake? If you're tired and asleep, I won't disturb you, but please answer me!"

There was still no sound from inside the room.

Biyu's heart leaped into her throat, and her mind raced with wild thoughts: "Could it be... that Miss is contemplating suicide?"

Qiu Shuang's face paled slightly. After all, what happened last night concerned her reputation. What if she really got stuck on it...

Without further hesitation, she reached out to push the door open, only to find it locked from the inside!

"Locked from the inside?" Biyu's voice trembled instantly. She reached out and pushed hard against the door. "Miss! Please open the door! Let's talk this out!"

Qiu Shuang panicked and kicked the door open. The two of them were stunned when they entered the room.

Liu Yunshu was hanging from the roof beam, her moon-white dress swaying slightly in mid-air, her black hair hanging loosely, obscuring her profile and revealing only a section of her pale neck.

"Miss!" Biyu cried out shrilly, her legs buckling and she almost collapsed.

Qiu Shuang was also shocked and turned pale. The two of them rushed over almost at the same time and reached out to hold up Liu Yunshu's suspended body.

After finishing his morning court session, Emperor Kangxi hurried to Liu Yunshu's place, a smug smile still on his face.

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she heard Biyu's heart-wrenching cries: "Miss! Wake up! Don't frighten me!"

The voice was sharp and desperate. Kangxi's smile froze instantly, his heart sank, and he staggered before rushing inside.

As soon as Kangxi rushed into the hall, his pupils contracted in shock at the scene before him.

Beneath the roof beam, a pale white dress swayed gently. Liu Yunshu's eyes were tightly closed, and her face was as pale as a sheet of paper.

"Yun Shu!" Kangxi's voice instantly became hoarse. He rushed over, grabbed the person from the rope, and carefully held him in his arms.

In a panic, he reached out to check her breath, feeling a faint breath through his fingertips.

His heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down a little, only to be gripped by an even deeper panic.

If we had been any later, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"Li Dequan! Quickly bring Director Zhang over here!"

Li Dequan scrambled to his feet and left to receive the order, leaving only Kangxi holding Liu Yunshu in the hall, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably.

He carefully placed her on the bed, his gaze sweeping over the faint purple marks on her neck. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain almost suffocating him.

Biyu sobbed uncontrollably, "Miss, how could you be so foolish! Your Majesty! It's all your fault! If it weren't for you... why would Miss have taken her own life!"

He raised his hand and pressed it against Liu Yunshu's pulse. His fingertips touched her cold skin, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he couldn't speak.

He never imagined that his momentary loss of control would push her to this point.

Before long, Dean Zhang rushed over with his medicine box. After taking the pulse, he breathed a sigh of relief and bowed.

"Your Majesty, although the lady's breathing is weak, she was discovered in time and is not seriously injured. She still needs to rest and should not be frightened again."

After saying this, he prescribed a calming and nourishing formula and instructed the palace maids to prepare the medicine.

Kangxi's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, but he was then overwhelmed by a heavy sense of guilt.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his fingertips gently tracing Liu Yunshu's pale cheek, his voice terribly hoarse: "It was my fault, I shouldn't have..."

Liu Yunshu's eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.

"Why should Your Majesty save me? An unclean person like me is only an eyesore to you and a stain on the purity of this palace."

Her voice was as soft as a candle flickering in the wind, and her eyes were empty and blank.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Kangxi's voice carried a barely perceptible hint of panic.

His fingertips hovered in mid-air before finally landing gently on the top of her head, the movement extremely tender.

"In my eyes, you have never been an impure person. It was my fault; I lost control last night. If you want to blame someone, blame me, and don't demean yourself."

Liu Yunshu slowly turned her eyes, her gaze falling on his face full of guilt, and a very faint, bitter smile appeared on her lips.

"His Majesty is the supreme ruler, how can there be right or wrong? The one who is wrong is this humble woman, wrong in staying in the palace, wrong in..."

She was speaking when she suddenly coughed violently, a trace of blood appearing on her pale lips, but it quickly faded away.