Chapter Thirty: Bringing You a Gift

Cuiyu stood frozen, feeling as though the very air had dropped to freezing; her whole body stiffened, leaving her at a loss for what to do.

“What’s wrong? Is it that you don’t like the food?” Huarong’s lips curled in a faint, ambiguous smile, a look that seemed almost amused, yet only heightened the unease in the room.

Beside her, Suxin watched Cuiyu with a face full of mockery and quickly urged, “What’s this? Are you refusing Her Ladyship’s kindness? The Lady cares for you, which is why she has offered you her favorite dish. Don’t be so ungrateful.”

The words left Cuiyu with no escape, as though she’d been driven into a corner. She looked down at her trembling chopsticks, swallowed hard, and after a long silence, finally forced herself to pick up a morsel.

Bathed in sunlight, the vegetable glistened with a vibrant green, but to Cuiyu, it might as well have been poison—indeed, wasn’t there poison in it?

What should I do? If I refuse to eat, they’ll surely become suspicious…

Cuiyu took a deep breath. But if she ate, how could she ever hope to live and see the day she was freed?

As she hesitated, Suxin lost patience. Grabbing Cuiyu’s arm, she sneered, “You keep dawdling over something you supposedly want to eat. Let me help you!”

Suxin’s forceful hand moved to shove the vegetable into her mouth. Terrified, Cuiyu shoved her aside and snapped, “I won’t eat it!”

She threw the chopsticks down with a sharp clatter, lifted her skirts, and abruptly skirted the table, dropping to her knees before Huarong. Kowtowing, she pleaded, “Please, Your Ladyship, have mercy. I do not like this dish—please don’t force me!”

Suxin stumbled, nearly falling, and looked at Cuiyu’s pitiful state with a sneer. “Is it that you dislike it, or that you’re afraid to eat?”

Her words left Cuiyu speechless. She stared at Suxin with wide, trembling eyes. “What do you mean by that?”

The implication was clear—there was more to these words than met the eye. Cuiyu’s heart thudded in terror, as if any moment it would burst from her chest.

She stole a fearful glance at Huarong, whose cold, unreadable expression was nothing like her usual self. Something was wrong.

Suddenly, realization dawned on Cuiyu, and she stammered, testing the waters, “So… you all know?”

“Yes, we know,” Huarong replied, wearing a polite but awkward smile, though her eyes brimmed with disappointment. “I’ll give you a choice. Either eat the dish, or tell the truth.”

A glance at the plate of greens—her fate was clear: either die, or confess.

Cuiyu fell silent, torn. If she betrayed Lady Wan, wasn’t she doomed either way?

As if reading her mind, Huarong propped her head on one hand and said, “If you confess, I can spare your life.”

That was all. Yet to Cuiyu, this small promise was a ray of hope in the abyss.

She bit her lip, eyes flitting nervously to the food, then braced herself. “Please forgive me, Your Ladyship. I was led astray by Lady Wan and tempted into harming you…”

She confessed everything through sobs, the truth laid bare. Huarong, watching her weep uncontrollably, could only sigh.

“What are you crying for? I’m the one surrounded by danger, my life hanging by a thread, and I haven’t shed a tear. Somehow, you look like the most wronged one here.”

With a soft sigh, Huarong raised her voice and called out, “Your Majesty, you’ve heard everything, haven’t you? Why keep hiding?”

The sudden address startled Cuiyu. “Your Majesty?!”

At that moment, from behind the rockery, Jun Yeli emerged, hands clasped behind his back, striding forward with long steps.

His face was clouded and foreboding. Cuiyu’s expression was as bitter as if she’d swallowed bile.

Meeting the Emperor’s gaze, she was so overwhelmed by his presence that she immediately kowtowed. “Please, Your Majesty, forgive me. I was momentarily possessed—Lady Wan made me…”

Desperate to save herself, she shifted all blame onto Lady Wan.

What a pity—Lady Wan, still ignorant, was pinning all her hopes on Cuiyu. She believed that with Cuiyu’s loyalty, she could use her to end Huarong’s life.

Yet before her satisfaction could last, a sharp voice sounded from outside. “The Emperor is here!”

There was something off about this display.

Lady Wan’s brow furrowed. She lowered her hand from her forehead and glanced at her maid. “What’s going on? Why is His Majesty here so suddenly?”

It was broad daylight—His Majesty, busy as he was, rarely visited his consorts unannounced.

The maid shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know, but surely the Emperor’s visit is a good thing, Your Ladyship.”

Lady Wan considered this and, finding it reasonable, couldn’t help but feel a secret delight. “Well, don’t just stand there. How do I look? Will His Majesty be pleased?”

“Your Ladyship is unmatched in beauty. Not only His Majesty—even the birds in the sky and the fishes in the water would be spellbound at a single glance!”

Flattered by the maid’s praise, Lady Wan, brimming with joy, stepped out to greet the Emperor—only to be stunned to see Huarong at his side.

Her smile froze; she was utterly taken aback. “Why are you here too?!”

The question was aimed sharply at Huarong, who could only reply wryly, “Is my presence so unwelcome, or are you afraid?”

“N-no,” Lady Wan forced a smile, inwardly cursing Cuiyu: Useless girl! Wasn’t she supposed to act? Why is this woman alive and walking with the Emperor?

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Bringing another woman along on such a visit—surely this boded no good.

Forcing a thin smile, she asked tentatively, “Your Majesty, may I ask what brings you here today?”

“Nothing much, just to bring you a gift,” answered Jun Yeli, perfectly composed as he took in Lady Wan’s anxious demeanor.