Chapter 17 (1/2)

Chapter Seventeen

Complicated and Contradictory

The roo frolow, Xuanji saw the curtains hanging around her bed flutter gently with thein and out of the room

Pain engulfed her senses as she slipped in and out of consciousnessThe next time she reopened her eyes, the room was full of servants, cru their foreheads upon the ground

'If she cannot be cured, you can all prepare to be buried with her' The voice which issued was pleasant to the ears, yet it was tightly-strung, cold anger visible in its undertone

Xuanji's eyelids were heavy She only saw those resplendent yellow robes sweep out of the roo to grasp hold of so, but her hands trembled weakly and fell to her sides Startled, she iht

'Thank Heavens! Consort Nian, you've finally awoken You have no idea hoorried His Majesty has been'

A fee, her features delicate and pretty, was looking at her with happiness and surprise

'You are…'

'This hu His Majesty has instructed me to attend to you Outside this rooned to wait on you as well As His Majesty is afraid that they will disturb your rest, he has instructed them to wait outside'

Xuanji suddenly re's hand Anxiously, she said, 'Where is inal servant? Where is she?'

Upon hearing those words, Diefeng paled, kneeling on the ground 'I… I am not sure'

'Where is the Emperor?' Xuanji knew that she would not be able to obtain any answers fro

'Consort Nian, the 's court session has just passed The E to state affairs at Jinluan Hall'

'Bring me to see him!'

Terrified, Diefeng staainst the rules… His Majesty will come over to visit you later'

'No!' Xuanji said tightly

She needed to knohat had happened to that child!

As she dragged Diefeng along with her, hurrying past pavilions and gardens in the i upon her

Though she understood that her impatience was incredibly rash, and knew that her actions would lend others the excuse to once again denounce her, try as shein her heart, forcing all thoughts of restrain out of her mind

If - if that child died…

'Consort Nian, this is Jinluan Hall We, we -' Diefeng clung onto Xuanji's hands in a strong grip as she shook her head furiously

Xuanji broke free fro's hold and hurried forward, but was iuards surrounding Jinluan Hall One of them barked, 'Who is this?'

'Consort Nian of Fengjiu Palace,' she said slowly, testing out the words

At once, the guards knelt and greeted her

Xuanji took the opportunity to press forward, pushi+ng open those i in

Yet she quickly faltered in place, staring ahead

This was the first time she had seen the Emperor's countenance

The E

His aristocratic eyes, unfatho a hint of coldness and insouciance; his nose, elegant and high, was a picture of dignity; his lips, curved into a sharp smile, betrayed no hint of sentiment

Whether those pair of darkly beautiful eyes carried a trace of affection a o, Xuanji could not say Her mind was in a blank

Because when she had pushed open the door, the Emperor's lips were attached to the slender neck of the woman in his embrace

She stared at the both of the her

The wo next to the Ejiu Palace

Swiftly, the E her body

The woloith the radiance of a person who had just been sweetly adored Her delicate face, already heart-stopping, becaer flashi+ng across her eyes

'Is this a place you can enter at your ohilacial

'Then why is she here?' Xuanji bit back immediately The moment her words fell, she realised that she had asked an incredibly foolish question

As expected, the E 'Consort Hua is here because I su you wished to say about this?'

Xuanji bit down on her lips and said quietly, 'I… I only wished to ask, my servant, she…'

'Xu Xi' The E instead to a eunuch who had been standing in a corner Coldly, he said, 'Conveyto trespass Jinluan Hall She is to be demoted to an Ijiu Palace did not do their duty to advise her Each servant and every eunuch is to be sentenced to fifty strokes of flogging, to set a stern warning to the others'

'Yes, Your Majesty' The high-pitched voice of the answering eunuch resounded through the roo Xuanji back to her senses

Didn't they say that the Emperor doted on Consort Nian?

Didn't he save her life froer?

So, why…

Urgently, Xuanji said, 'Your Majesty, it was my fault, and my actions alone Please be merciful on the others'

'Oh? Concubine Nian is such a good mistress to her servants,' Consort Hua smiled sweetly, ridicule in her voice

Those derisive words hammered sharply at her heart Xuanji stared at the Eaze swept across her feet

Following his eyes, she lowered her head, only to see the curve of her slender ankles displaying from beneath her silk skirts At once, she realised that, in her haste, she had forgotten to wear her shoes

When Xuanji was led back to her quarters by a few attendants, the eunuchs and servants of Fengjiu Palace were already prostrate on the floor, gritting their teeth to endure the punish was one of those included in the flogging