The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

She leaned weakly on Xie Yanzhao's shoulder, closed her eyes, and frowned slightly.

Xie Yanzhao put down the bowl of porridge, gently stroked her back, and ordered the palace servants in the hall, "Take her away."

These three simple words, however, signify utter destruction.

Yu Huan: "Your Majesty, spare me! Your Highness, spare me! This servant...this servant can perform magic tricks! I can make many novel foods! I beg Your Majesty and Your Highness to give this servant a chance!"

Her mouth was quickly gagged, and she struggled desperately.

"etc."

Shen Tinghe suddenly spoke up, and the eunuch immediately stopped what he was doing.

She slowly opened her eyes: "You can do magic tricks?"

The cloth ball was removed from Yu Huan's mouth, and she kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, before entering the palace, this servant grew up in a folk acrobatic troupe and can perform many magic tricks. I only hope to make Your Majesty smile!"

Shen Tinghe leaned against Xie Yanzhao's chest and said calmly, "Then try transforming it."

Xie Yanzhao looked at Yu Huan again, his gaze calm and unwavering, yet Yu Huan understood the unspoken meaning.

If we can make the Empress smile, it will be a path to life; if we cannot, it will be a path to death.

Yu Huan's magic trick was very successful, making Shen Tinghe quite happy.

When Xie Yanzhao saw her smile, his cold aura softened.

He took her hand, but his gaze fell on her pregnant belly.

This troublesome little fellow has been keeping his mother restless even in her belly; he'll definitely be punished when he's born.

Two more months have passed. Shen Tinghe's baby is now over eight months along and will soon be full-term.

To ensure a smoother delivery, Madam Shen was summoned to the palace to accompany her daughter during her labor.

Shen Tinghe then moved back to her Kunhua Palace from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

With her mother and grandmother by her side, chatting and laughing, she has been feeling much more relaxed lately.

Just as the tender moments were beginning, Qingdai quietly stepped in.

"Your Majesty, Yu Huan secretly went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to deliver soup to His Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tinghe raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly, "I understand."

She did not instruct Yu Huan to send any soup; that was naturally the woman's own idea.

The thoughts behind this bowl of soup are hardly anything new within these palace walls.

Madam Shen stopped her needlework, frowned, and asked, "Yu Huan? Is that the musician you mentioned the other day who could perform magic tricks with food? Why would she be delivering soup to His Majesty?"

Shen Tinghe patted her mother's hand: "Mother, don't worry, it's alright. If Xie Yanzhao can really be lured away by this bowl of soup, I won't marry him."

Upon hearing this, Grand Princess Zhaorong was not worried at all. Instead, she laughed loudly: "Hahahaha! As expected of my granddaughter."

Madam Shen sighed helplessly, "You dare to address His Majesty by his given name? What else wouldn't you dare to do?"

Shen Tinghe thought about it for a moment and said, "Hmm, it seems there's really nothing I wouldn't dare to do."

She not only addressed the emperor by his name, but also dared to ride on his back.

The emperor even asked her to ride on his back and call his name.

Outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Yu Huan held the bowl of nourishing soup she had carefully prepared, her heart filled with a secret joy and anticipation.

In the past two months, she has entered and exited the Hall of Mental Cultivation more times than many low-ranking concubines of the previous dynasty did in their entire lives.

She knew perfectly well that this was all due to the Empress's sudden whim.

But those outside the palace, unaware of the inside story, looked at her differently now than before.

Privately, rumors circulated that she was "one of the Empress's own people," someone she was preparing to offer to His Majesty to consolidate his favor or to highlight her virtue, and that she was about to rise to a higher position.

At first, she tried to stop it out of fear, but gradually, as she heard it more and more, the rumors quietly seeped into her heart.

The Empress loved the food she made and the magic tricks she performed; she must have been fond of her.

It's not impossible that they could help her get promoted.

Since His Majesty ascended the throne, apart from the Empress, she is the only woman who has been summoned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation so frequently.

Those palace maids on duty were naturally not considered important in Yu Huan's mind.

Perhaps... the rumors aren't entirely unfounded?

In particular, she had personally witnessed how His Majesty cherished and doted on the Empress in private, with such tenderness and focus.

If the gods lowered their eyes, if even by a hair's breadth, they might fall upon me...

Once this idea takes root, it grows wildly like vines.

Today, she finally mustered up the courage to carefully prepare the soup and use this as an excuse.

Reaching the palace gate, she took a deep breath and said to the eunuchs on duty, "Gentlemen, this servant is here on the orders of Her Majesty the Empress to deliver soup to His Majesty."

The eunuch sized her up, then asked routinely, "Where's the token?"

Yu Huan was prepared: "When we left Kunhua Palace, Her Majesty was feeling unwell and forgot to give me her token. Did you forget, Eunuch? Just a few days ago, I accompanied Her Majesty to deliver some refreshments to His Majesty."

That day, Shen Tinghe was indeed taking a stroll and happened to visit the Hall of Mental Cultivation on the way.

The gatekeeper eunuch recalled that this had indeed happened, and thinking that matters related to the Empress were always somewhat different, he stepped aside to let her in.

Stepping into that solemn hall, Yu Huan's heart pounded like a drum.

She saw the familiar yet unfamiliar figure in bright yellow behind the imperial desk, took a deep breath, and gracefully bowed, her voice deliberately soft and gentle.

"Your Majesty, this servant greets you. This servant has specially prepared a nourishing soup to present to Your Majesty."

As soon as she finished speaking, and was about to look up, everything suddenly went dark.

The chief eunuch, Qi Lu, had silently blocked her way, like a silent and cold high wall.

Yu Huan was taken aback: "Eunuch Qi..."

Qi Lu's face appeared particularly stern in the light and shadow of the hall. His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over the soup bowl in her hand and her meticulously applied makeup. Before she could utter another word, he coldly barked:

"Guards! Seize this bewitching maid who has captivated the Emperor! Drag her out and execute her!"

In an instant, two burly eunuchs rushed in, twisting Yu Huan's arms tightly from both sides and quickly covering her mouth, silencing all her shock, explanations, and pleas for mercy.

Yu Huan's eyes widened, filled with disbelief, horror, and despair.

Why? Isn't she... different?

The Empress likes her, and His Majesty has seen her often these past two months...

She only brought a bowl of soup and said only one sentence! How could it... be a death sentence?

She didn't understand, but Qi Lu did.

Having survived the cutthroat world of the palace, especially having followed His Majesty since childhood and witnessed countless storms and schemes, she has come to understand His Majesty's uncompromising affection for the Empress.

The moment Yu Huan opened her mouth, her tone, her posture, and the expectation she held—how could he not understand?

Why would Your Majesty need to ask?

If he really has to wait for His Majesty to issue the order personally, then his time as the chief eunuch will be over.

From beginning to end, Xie Yanzhao behind the imperial desk never paused his writing, nor did he ever glance at the desk.

As the man was dragged away, Xie Yanzhao looked up and said, "Qi Lu, what a fine lackey you've trained."

Qi Lu knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! This servant deserves to die! It was my fault for failing to discipline my subordinates; there will never be a next time!"

Without a token, they falsely claimed to be acting on the Queen's orders and still managed to get in.

Those two guards at the gate, even if they were given a severe beating, would probably be the lightest punishment they could get.