Chapter 147 Coming to Call to Account

For a brief moment, Hua Rong was utterly bewildered. "What on earth is this fellow trying to do?"
According to the description Jun Yeli had given her, Jun Yucheng was nothing like the jade-like, elegant noble gentleman before her; he was surely harboring ulterior motives.
She still remembered how he had previously attempted to violate her, yet now he was putting on such a refined and virtuous facade!
However, considering that he had just saved her life, Hua Rong could only muster a reluctant expression of gratitude. "Many thanks to the Second Prince for your timely rescue just now, but this giant snake..."
"Snake gallbladders possess medicinal healing properties. A serpent of this size must have a gallbladder of extraordinary efficacy. It would be better to leave it for me to handle."
That would certainly be for the best. After all, with only a few people on her side, they wouldn't even know how to deal with such a creature!
"Since that is the case, then this thing is yours. Take it away quickly; the smell of blood is far too heavy!"
Hua Rong pinched the bridge of her nose, truly unable to control her stirred emotions. She took two steps back and turned to leave directly.
Within a short while, Jun Yucheng summoned several eunuchs to help process the giant snake, having it hauled away grandly and making quite a flamboyant spectacle along the way.
In an instant, the news of Jun Yucheng acting as a hero to save the beauty spread throughout the palace.
"Have you all heard? At the time, the Second Prince embraced Consort Rong, while his other hand cleaved the giant snake straight into two halves! It was utterly heroic, and Her Ladyship's eyes were practically ablaze with the sparks of love!"
"Wouldn't they be? If such a handsome man as the Second Prince were to rescue me, my heart would probably fly straight to him!"
The group chatted animatedly, completely failing to notice Jun Yeli approaching from the opposite direction, his face ashen and dark to the extreme.
"What kind of nonsense are you all chattering about!"
Following a roar of fury, the palace maids turned around, panic-stricken beyond measure. Trembling with fear, they blurted out, "Your Majesty! Why are you here?"
"What? Am I not allowed to appear here without your permission?"
Rendered utterly speechless, the crowd dropped to their knees in unison, not daring to lift their heads. Even taking an extra breath felt like courting death!
"We beg the Emperor for forgiveness! We were just running our mouths off earlier, merely speaking in jest..."
"This is not a funny joke in the least." Jun Yeli glanced coldly at the eunuch beside him. "What are you standing around for? Gossiping idly in the inner palace—punish them as appropriate!"
The eunuch caught the meaning instantly, stepped forward, and delivered several resounding slaps. Though there were only a few sharp smacks, as his hands fell, distinct and conspicuous palm marks appeared across the maids' faces.
"Today is merely a small lesson for you all. If I ever hear of such absurd talk from you again, do not blame me for showing no mercy!"
With that, Jun Yeli flicked his sleeves and strode away hastily. The eunuch, however, was somewhat confused. "Your Majesty, aren't we heading to the First Central Courtyard? Did you take a wrong turn?"
"What? Have you developed a fondness for meddling in other people's affairs as well? Go ahead and notify them that any matters can be discussed tomorrow; I have urgent official business to attend to!"
Before the eunuch could even react, the man's figure was already moving like a gale, leaving the servant far behind.
Sighing helplessly, the eunuch saw right through it. "Isn't this heading straight for Consort Rong's chambers? And he claims to have urgent official business to attend to..."
At this moment, the sunlight was pleasant. Hua Rong was sitting in a rattan chair, soaking in the sun and breathing the warm breeze. Having finally calmed her thoroughly terrified nerves, she suddenly heard an unusual commotion outside the door.
"Your Majesty, Her Ladyship is still resting. Perhaps this maid should announce your arrival first!"
Before the words had faded, the man had already appeared before Hua Rong.
The atmosphere instantly turned awkward. Given her usual dynamic with Jun Yeli, this expression on his face was clearly not right.
Tentatively opening her eyes, Hua Rong used her hand to block half of the dazzling sunlight, hurriedly sitting up straight to ask with awkward hesitation, "Your Majesty, what is the matter with you? Could someone have angered you?"
"What do you think, my beloved consort?"
"Well... Your concubine cannot really say. After all, I am no fortune-teller..."
Her lips twitched slightly. It felt as though another calamity had come to torment her—one wave not yet subsided, another rising. She wondered if she had run into some malicious spirits lately to be this unlucky!
Standing up, Hua Rong forced out an ingratiating smile, gently taking the man's arm and guiding him down to sit on a chair.
She then diligently began kneading his shoulders and pounding his back, serving him with the utmost attentiveness. "If Your Majesty has something to say, please spell it out directly. This little heart of mine can no longer endure such tossing and turning."
She was naturally impatient; the longer this dragged on without the truth coming to light, the more she feared she might die of excessive anxiety.
Just as Hua Rong brought over a cup of tea, Jun Yeli suddenly grabbed her wrist, twisted her arm backward, and pinned her down onto the rattan chair.
Taken completely by surprise, the nearby palace maids watched in utter shock, instinctively covering their wide-open, terrified mouths, their dilated pupils darting about in panic.
Hugging close together, four or five maids exchanged glances. "What is going on?"
"This doesn't look right. But it feels like we shouldn't be here. Shall we make ourselves scarce as the better part of valor?"
Without another word, the maids hastily requested leave to withdraw, and the courtyard instantly emptied out entirely.
"Oh, you unloyal lot! The moment things get critical, all you know is how to run away! At least help me smooth things over!"
Drawing a deep breath, she found the man's intense aura pressing down so heavily that she could barely catch her breath.
She instinctively wriggled her body, but it yielded no result at all.
"Your Majesty, what is wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell? Should we summon an imperial physician to take a look?"
"I am indeed unwell. However, this psychological illness of mine still requires my beloved consort to treat it personally!"
"What is that supposed to mean..." Hua Rong twitched the corners of her mouth, completely befuddled by him to the point of feeling rather foolish.
Hearing this, Jun Yeli sneered, "I heard that the Second Prince came to your chambers earlier to help you deal with a giant snake, and the two of you were even embracing each other?"
As his tone deepened, the man's aura grew increasingly subtle, carrying the sharp vigilance of a predator.
It was as if the moment Hua Rong dared to tell even the slightest lie, he would instantly see through it.
She had thought it was some major crisis, only to realize he had merely come to interrogate her out of jealousy, terrified that she might have cuckolded him.
Hua Rong let out a slight sigh of relief, though her nonchalant attitude seemed to baffle him instead. "What is that look for? Why are you acting so indifferent?"
"Your Majesty, you mustn't overthink this. Your concubine is already your person—in life, I am your ghost; in death, I shall remain your wife. How could I possibly have any entanglements with another man?!"
Even if he were handsome, absolutely not! Especially not some lecherous scoundrel!