Entering the palace means entering a high position; I'm His Majesty's cousin, who am I afr

Because it was rare for the emperor to dine in the Cining Palace, this morning the table was laden with a dazzling array of dishes.

However, there was no meat; it was all vegetarian.

But this vegetarian dish was also very particular, and the imperial chefs made it with perfect color, aroma, and taste, making it extremely exquisite and delicious.

Empress Dowager Shen sighed and said, "Praying to Buddha requires sincerity. These are just ordinary dishes. I'm sorry to trouble the Emperor this morning."

Pei Yan pursed his thin lips slightly: "This is good."

Empress Dowager Shen nodded and then joked, "Use it, there's a little glutton waiting impatiently."

Shen Jiayu, standing to the side, showed no embarrassment whatsoever; her eyes crinkled into a smile.

Pei Yan glanced at her, then looked away and began to eat.

Do not speak while eating or sleeping.

The only sound inside the hall was the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks; otherwise, there was no other noise.

Shen Jiayu's actions, however, caught the attention of the two people at the table.

She served Pei Yan several dishes and placed them on the plate in front of him, and then personally served him lotus seed and lily porridge.

Pei Yan ate his meal with barely perceptible movements, then resumed his normal actions.

Empress Dowager Shen watched for a while, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

After the meal, Empress Dowager Shen said, "You two rest here for a while. I'll go to the inner palace to change my clothes."

That's what they said, but anyone with eyes could see that this was just to let the emperor and the empress be alone and have a talk.

Pei Yan first sat on the soft couch, then gestured for her to sit as well.

Shen Jiayu insisted on sitting next to him.

However, he was very honest, with his eyebrows lowered and eyes downcast, and was unusually docile.

Pei Yan asked, "Why are you being so well-behaved today?"

Shen Jiayu nodded hurriedly.

"Oh?" Pei Yan raised an eyebrow, interrogating her, "Is it because you've learned your lesson? Or have you always been this sensible with Mother?"

He emphasized the last two words, almost explicitly saying the word "pretend".

Shen Jiayu licked her still slightly stinging lips and whispered, "Yes, I have both."

Pei Yan saw her little trick and sneered, "Then it seems you really deserve to be punished so you can learn to behave."

Shen Jiayu then said, "It was because I was ignorant of the rules before."

Pei Yan stared at her for a long time without saying anything more.

Shen Jiayu sat obediently for a while, then stood up and asked solicitously, "Your Majesty, are you tired from court? Shall I give you a shoulder massage?"

Without waiting for Pei Yan's consent, she slowly began to massage Pei Yan's shoulders.

She didn't use much force.

At least Pei Yan didn't think it was big; it felt like a kitten scratching an itch, and he even rubbed her shoulder—that counts as touching.

However, seeing her ingratiating manner, Pei Yan didn't say anything.

While massaging him, Shen Jiayu strained her ears to listen to what was happening inside.

Finally, just as her hands were getting tired, she heard the clatter of the beaded curtain and familiar footsteps.

Shen Jiayu continued massaging the man's shoulders without making a sound.

She thought to herself that the time was almost right.

She grabbed the man's large hand along his elbow and bit down on the web between his thumb and forefinger.

Then he turned around, ran away, and helped Empress Dowager Shen out.

All in one go.

She moved quickly. Pei Yan looked at the teeth marks and bite marks on the tiger's mouth and realized what was happening when she was already next to Empress Dowager Shen.

The woman raised her face slightly, revealing a hint of smugness.

He seemed quite satisfied with what he had just done.

Empress Dowager Shen, unaware of what had just happened, said as soon as she came out, "My daughter and I are going to worship Buddha. The Emperor may do as he pleases."

After saying that, he led Shen Jiayu to the small Buddhist hall in the side hall.

Pei Yan sat alone in the hall.

Looking at the teeth marks on his palm, the image of that smug little face flashed into his mind. He scoffed and laughed in anger.

Oh.

It turns out she wasn't obedient after all.

That's the idea they've been having from beginning to end.

First, she pretended to be obedient and weak to lower his guard, then deliberately tried to please him, and finally succeeded in her attack.

Pei Yan had long suspected this.

His spoiled cousin wouldn't just become obedient after being punished.

So that's what they were waiting for him.

Not only did he put on an act, but he also skillfully used the trick of borrowing someone else's power.

She even bit the hand that punished her yesterday, showing her strong desire for revenge.

Pei Yan's eyes lit up with interest: "You hypocritical little fox, let me think about how to punish you."

*

Pei Yan returned to Xuanzheng Hall.

There haven't been many political matters lately, and I finished processing all the memorials in one morning.

In the afternoon, Pei Yan said to Qing An, "Go to Cining Palace and ask Consort Shen to come to Xuanzheng Hall. Tell her that I need to borrow her time for the afternoon."

Qing'an accepted the order and left.

Pei Yan twirled the black jade thumb ring.

His gaze fell on a shadowy, indistinct spot.

Although I haven't decided what punishment to give her yet, what does it matter?

This is his territory; he can do whatever he wants.

Anything is fine.

About half an hour later, Qing'an returned, but there was no one behind him.

Pei Yan's face turned cold: "What? Where is he?"

Qing'an lowered her head and looked back cautiously, saying, "She's at the door. I don't know why, but the Noble Consort won't come in."

Pei Yan looked up and saw that only one head was timidly peeking in at the entrance of the Imperial Study.

When Pei Yan looked over, that head

It quickly shrank back, seemingly terrified.

Pei Yan's expression softened considerably. He waved Qing An away and said in an extremely cold tone, "I have said this dozens of times. If you do not come in, you will bear the consequences."

"Ten." Pei Yan started the timer, but he had no patience. The next number jumped straight to three, followed by, "Two...one..."

Just before he finished speaking, a figure hurriedly stepped in.

Shen Jiayu asked in disbelief, "Does His Majesty even know how to count?!"

Pei Yan stared at her intently.

Perhaps thinking of what happened that morning, Shen Jiayu lowered her fluffy head inch by inch.

Pei Yan said, "What are you pretending for now?"

Shen Jiayu said dejectedly, "I wasn't pretending."

Pei Yan tapped his knuckles on the table. "Look at your pathetic state. You're the one who's in the right if you don't know anything about it."

Shen Jiayu remained silent.

Pei Yan ordered her, "Come here."

Shen Jiayu raised her head, but didn't dare to move for a long time.

Pei Yan frowned: "Don't make me repeat myself a second time."

Shen Jiayu slowly moved to his side.

Pei Yan was about to scold her when he suddenly noticed that her face was deathly pale.

"Where's the guts you had this morning, biting me? Now you know fear?"

Shen Jiayu bit her lip and remained silent.

Pei Yan sneered: "Speak."

Shen Jiayu glanced at him furtively. "You bit him this morning without thinking about the consequences, and now you regret it."

Pei Yan nodded, then asked, "Do you know what the crime is for offending the emperor?"

Shen Jiayu shook her head: "I don't know."

Pei Yan said, "It doesn't matter if you don't know the crime, as long as you know the consequences. I think you're sharp-tongued and need to be disciplined. How about fifty strokes of the cane as a warning to others? What do you think?"

His expression was so cold and serious that he didn't seem to be joking.

Shen Jiayu seemed stunned.

After a long pause, tears welled up in her eyes, and she said stubbornly, "Your Majesty, you cannot treat your concubine like this."

Pei Yan still had a little patience left: "Why?"

Shen Jiayu's tears fell in a stream, and she said helplessly, "My father is His Majesty's maternal uncle, and I am His Majesty's cousin. We are as close as siblings, with a deep blood connection. Cousin, please don't punish me."

She even forgot to change the way she was addressed in the palace.

He seemed extremely frightened.

Pei Yan remained unmoved: "Oh, I'm your cousin, so can't I punish you?"

Shen Jiayu sobbed, "No."

Pei Yan narrowed his eyes and remained silent, exuding an imposing aura.

Shen Jiayu seemed terrified by the fifty strokes of the cane, and tears streamed down her face.

Later, she lost her balance and lay on Pei Yan's lap, crying, staining her brocade robe a dark color.