Chapter 67:

Emperor Jing did not leave after the first visit as usual. Instead, he ordered water to be prepared, and they bathed together. After Lai Xi brought the ointment, he personally applied it to her. Such tenderness left Layue genuinely perplexed.

An ordinary person would probably be overwhelmed with gratitude at this moment, falling completely under his spell. Yet she had long since grown cold and indifferent toward this man.

She prepared simple dishes, and the emperor asked in confusion, “Is this what you’re serving me?”

Layue sat listlessly at one side and explained carefully: “Your Majesty, concubine knows that it’s better for your health to eat lightly in the evening.”

How could this emperor not already know that? Still, he smiled ambiguously: “What? Have you finally made some sense out of medical texts?”

Layue rolled her eyes slightly: “Your Majesty always mocks me like this.”

“On the contrary, I think you quite enjoy it.”

Feeling annoyed, Layue lowered her head and began eating hurriedly, abandoning her usual elegance.

Seeing this, Emperor Jing only smiled more broadly.

Layue did not look up and thus did not notice that, although smiling, the emperor’s eyes had taken on a more scrutinizing gaze.

For reasons unknown, Emperor Jing felt that the Layue he had seen interacting with her family earlier was somehow different from before. Even though she might have been happy to see her family, her demeanor felt different from how she usually acted around him. He was particularly sensitive, and toward her, he had become increasingly watchful.

If this seemingly innocent face, occasionally mischievous like a little fox, was merely a mask, then what was her true self really like?

Emperor Jing seemed to sense a challenge.

He had already discreetly confirmed that the person Yan Lie secretly met at the Shen family graveyard was indeed Shen Layue’s birth mother, Yue Qingcheng, who had once been renowned in the capital. Although that Consort Song was already dead and unable to speak, traces could still be found with careful investigation.

Could Yan Lie truly be infatuated with Yue Qingcheng, who was seven years his senior?

What an intriguing blank.

Yet considering Yue Qingcheng’s reputation back then, why would she marry Shen, a man who was not particularly outstanding?

That was indeed a strange matter.

Thinking of another person, Emperor Jing smiled. Could emotions really be so intoxicating, so captivating that one forgets their own duty?

“Xiao Yue, when you’re not busy, don’t always stay cooped up in your quarters. It’s good to chat casually with the others in the palace.”

Layue rarely visited any palace other than the Empress Dowager’s Huici Palace. Two days ago, because Consort Hui had taken Yan Yu out for a walk, he developed a fever upon returning, leaving the Empress Dowager no time to entertain them, and she had ordered everyone not to come for greetings for a while.

Thus, Layue stayed comfortably in her quarters.

Layue raised her head: “I don’t like it.”

Such directness caused Emperor Jing to narrow his eyes slightly. Layue usually maintained an excellent sense of decorum. Initially, she hadn’t been as relaxed as she was now. It seemed that with time, she had truly come to regard him as “family,” becoming more casual, even daring to roll her eyes and make other small gestures in front of him, and now she spoke her mind openly about everything.

“You don’t like chatting idly with them?”

Layue nodded honestly: “Not really. They don’t genuinely like me, and I don’t particularly like them either. Why go looking for trouble? Your Majesty knows me, I speak without restraint, and it might make others feel upset.”

The emperor tapped her head lightly, amused: “You dare say such things to me?”

She defended herself: “Why wouldn’t I dare? You’re not an outsider.”

Hearing this, Emperor Jing narrowed his eyes again, as if carefully pondering her words.

Seeing him remain silent, Layue teased with a smile: “What? Does His Majesty consider himself an outsider?”

“Nonsense. Don’t speak like this outside,” he replied, feigning concern for her well-being. Layue snorted inwardly—if the emperor himself didn’t care, who else would dare say anything?

It must be said that once you have preconceived notions about someone, everything they do seems insincere and artificial.

Pouting slightly, she said: “How dare I? I wouldn’t say these things to anyone but Your Majesty.”

The emperor smiled, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. For some reason, he felt that her every smile and temper tantrum seemed rehearsed, not as genuine as when she was with her family at the palace gate.

Or was it simply different when dealing with a husband versus family?

He wasn’t sure. Yet he was naturally suspicious and thoughtful. Actually, even if she pretended to be innocent and harmless, it was merely to gain his favor. As for scheming against him, this little girl certainly wouldn’t dare.

The Shen family had no need to do such a thing. If it were suggested she colluded with Yan Lie, Emperor Jing would scoff at the idea. That was absolutely impossible. No man would tolerate another man’s desire for his wife, even if the wife were already gone.

After considering everything, Emperor Jing looked at the young girl before him anew.

A faint smile appeared on his face. Regardless, if this was her true nature, then he merely had another amusing plaything. If not, then she was an even more intriguing presence, someone who had managed to deceive him from the very beginning. Definitely not a simple girl.

But in either case, wasn’t it something worth finding amusing?

If Layue had known the emperor’s inner thoughts, she would probably have been surprised and muttered a “Hmph.”

Fortunately, the emperor had no intention of staying overnight. After dinner, he rose and left. Layue stood quietly at the door, watching his figure without blinking, seemingly deeply attached. Yet only Layue herself knew that something seemed to have aroused his suspicion.

This was not a good omen.

Reborn into this life, she liked having everything under control rather than feeling uneasy as she did now.

Certainly, she would not harm the emperor. Yet in her heart, she was not without resentment toward this man.

He had indirectly caused the death of her child and ordered the execution of her entire Shen family. All of this was done by him. Although there were many twists and turns in between, he was the one who had truly ruined her family. This time, to prevent this from happening again, she had re-entered the palace, smiling sweetly at him every day, while her heart was filled with sorrow that no one else knew.

If only she could, if only she could, she would love to plunge a sharp dagger into their hearts. But she knew, all of this was impossible.

Adjusting her thoughts, Layue broke into a blooming smile.

Why dwell on such foolish thoughts?

Grasping the present is wise, isn’t it?

If everything were exactly the same, why would she have been reborn? What was the meaning of her rebirth?

Even Lin Shi understood that one must know how to maintain propriety and be content. Having died and returned to life, she should understand these principles even more.

Hadn’t she already told herself this?

Don’t dwell, grasp the present.

She knew the past, but she wasn’t omnipotent, nor could she control everything. It was pointless to dwell on past hurts and waste time instead of living the present properly.

She wasn’t that kind of person.

Suddenly, she burst into silvery laughter, laughing so hard she nearly doubled over.

Jin Xin had been standing not far away. Seeing her mistress suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter, not knowing what she had thought of, she approached.

“Your Grace, it’s cold outside, and the emperor has already left. Please return to your room and rest.”

“I could watch him forever…” Layue laughed sweetly, her voice betraying neither sincerity nor insincerity.

Jin Xin chuckled: “My dear mistress, please come inside. Saying such things, don’t you feel embarrassed?”

Layue was unconcerned: “What’s there to be embarrassed about? If he doesn’t miss me, then he’s the one who should be embarrassed.” Saying this, she brushed off her clothes and walked inside.

The hidden guard outside listening turned black-faced, hesitating whether to report this accurately.

Indeed, although Emperor Jing had left, he had immediately arranged for someone to observe whether this young girl would reveal a different side of herself after his departure. Perhaps at other times she could act well, but right after parting from him, she might be at her most vulnerable and easiest to see her true face. Yet unexpectedly, Layue had such strong self-regulation abilities and even entertained herself by teasing Jin Xin, inevitably giving the hidden guard a scene like this to witness.

After the two had entered the room laughing, Layue’s expression grew serious: “Tell Qiaoning not to contact Uncle for a while. Not only that, but all our contacts outside the palace should remain inactive. I just feel that the emperor is acting strangely.”

It must be said that this was a result of Layue’s long-term service to Emperor Jing, developing an animal-like intuitive sensitivity toward him.

Jin Xin, hearing this, looked worried and asked with a frown: “Your Grace, is something wrong?”

Layue shook her head: “I just feel that after seeing me interact with my family today, he seemed somewhat different. But I don’t think it’s a big deal. Still, in the palace, especially serving close to the emperor, it’s better to be cautious. If all our people remain inactive, even if he suspects something, with no evidence over time, his suspicions will fade.”

Jin Xin nodded solemnly: “Your servant understands.”

If someone like Virtuous Consort De, who had served Emperor Jing for many years, could be so perceptive about his moods, that would be understandable. Yet Layue had only been in the palace for half a year. Actually, since the beginning of her arrival, Jin Xin had sensed that her mistress seemed extremely familiar with the emperor. Although she couldn’t be said to know everything about him, she often accurately predicted many things. Yet she also clearly knew that the two of them could not have had any prior interaction. Every time she thought of this, Jin Xin felt that her mistress and the emperor were destined to be connected.

As the two servants became cautious, the emperor received the hidden guard’s report and curved his lips into a smile.

So she really liked him this much, did she?