Your Majesty is Poisonous – Chapter 89

The Empress Dowager Refuses

Yao Xi felt that the Empress Dowager was being a bit unreasonable. She claimed it was a choice between the two, but when it actually came down to choosing, Her Highness would issue ruthless threats.

Besides, why did this question even require a second thought?

            

She was already trying her hardest to avoid serving in bed; how could she possibly volunteer for it? Taking ten thousand steps back, even if she were a real eunuch who had entered the palace properly, the option of spending a night of spring romance with Her Highness held absolutely no temptation for her! She was already Her Highness’s male favorite. Shouldn’t serving in bed be as common as a daily meal?

But the abundant rewards on the gift list were not something that came along every day.

No matter how much Yao Xi thought about it, she still wanted to choose the gift list. But she didn’t dare…

            

The Empress Dowager had paused her brush and was watching her. Her face practically said: Whether you want to live or die, figure it out yourself!

Yao Xi believed that the Empress Dowager wouldn’t take her life over such a trivial matter, but she would definitely get angry. In a fit of pique, she might even take the gift list back. If that happened, Yao Xi would truly end up suffering a double loss.

“This slave chooses Your Highness.” Yao Xi cast a reluctant glance at the priceless items on the gift list. Enduring the heartache, she slowly placed it back onto the kang table¹. As she bid a lingering farewell to the list, her fingertips caressed the edge of the paper, trembling twice in sorrow.

            

Seeing Yao Xi’s insincere display, far from being appeased, Wan Bi felt as if another ruthless knife had just sliced through her heart.

“Why look so wronged? As if this bereaved one forced you.” She certainly didn’t mind Yao Xi’s greed for wealth; rather, she was angry that the wretched girl wouldn’t even offer a few sweet words to coax her, all for the sake of some material goods. Yao Xi was either greedy or a coward, and all things considered, cowardice was the more likely explanation. She was definitely terrified that choosing a night of passion would mean truly serving in bed.

With that thought, Wan Bi felt a little better. Surely she couldn’t be worth less than those meager items in Yao Xi’s heart?

            

You were the one who forced me… Yao Xi muttered internally. Lowering her eyes in a submissive display, she said to the Empress Dowager, “This slave wouldn’t dare.” One had to bow one’s head under absolute power!

“If you want the gift list, then take it!” Wan Bi said in a displeased tone.

Yao Xi’s fingers twitched, but she resisted the unbearable itch and kept her hands to herself. This was definitely a trap!

            

She tried her best not to look at the gift list before her—which no longer belonged to her—and picked up an inkstick, silently grinding ink for the Empress Dowager.

Why did she suddenly feel the melancholy of a broken heart? As expected, no matter how many times one experienced parting, one could never get used to it! Her first girlfriend, the eighty thousand taels, had been accidentally lost by her, while her second girlfriend, the Dragon Boat Festival gifts, had been forcefully snatched away.

Alas! She wondered if there would be a next girlfriend. If there was, she would cherish her properly and strive to grow old together with her. “Sigh—” Yao Xi had only meant to sigh in her mind, but she accidentally let it slip out loud.

            

Wan Bi glanced up coldly at Yao Xi while writing on the gift list. “What are you sighing for? Are you feeling wronged for choosing this bereaved one, or are you reluctant to part with the items on the list?” Her already battered heart was slashed yet again.

Her survival instincts kicked in, catching the dangerous undertone in Her Highness’s voice. If she didn’t coax her now, Her Highness would truly become furious. She hurriedly said, “This slave simply doesn’t understand why Your Highness made this slave choose between the Dragon Boat Festival gifts and Your Highness. How could this slave possibly choose Your Highness…” This was the strategy of suppressing first to elevate later!

Wan Bi took a deep breath, already standing on the brink of rage. She shot a sidelong glare at Yao Xi and thought: If you aren’t afraid of death, keep talking!

            

“Your Highness, think about it. How many festivals are there in a year? Gold and silver treasures can be given as festival gifts. It doesn’t matter if this slave doesn’t receive a reward very often throughout the year; just being able to stay by Your Highness’s side and serve you is already a massive blessing. But if spending a beautiful night with Your Highness is also a reward only granted a few times a year during festivals… then this slave is unwilling.”

Yao Xi looked earnestly into the Empress Dowager’s eyes and shamelessly declared with deep affection, “This slave wasn’t reluctant to part with the gift list, but reluctant to part with Your Highness!” If one wasn’t a little thick-skinned while serving by Her Highness’s side, one simply wouldn’t survive.

“This bereaved one never knew the eunuch was so eager to serve in bed. Weren’t you resisting as if your life depended on it just a moment ago?” Wan Bi didn’t believe Yao Xi’s nonsense for a second. Of course the wench loved her, but actively hoping to serve in bed? Impossible. She was guarding her identity as a woman so fiercely; it was obvious she was only spouting pretty words to coax her out of fear of her anger.

            

“This slave… does want to…” Yao Xi spoke hesitantly, but with exceptional sincerity. She truly did want to.

Wan Bi blanked for a moment. It seemed the wench was speaking the truth. Was Yao Xi finally willing to trust her and confess everything? Wan Bi stayed silent, waiting for Yao Xi to continue.

“As long as Your Highness doesn’t despise this slave’s body, once the wound on this slave’s lower body heals a bit more… this slave will truly serve Your Highness.” Yao Xi lowered her head shyly, gripping the corner of her clothes. In truth, it wasn’t about waiting for her physical wound to heal, but waiting for the thorn in her heart to be plucked out.

            

Once the Yao family was cleared of their charges, she could tell Her Highness everything.

She knew Her Highness couldn’t stand a eunuch’s body. Otherwise, she would have stripped her bare long ago instead of just scaring her every time. But she was a fake eunuch. Judging from her previous probing, Her Highness wouldn’t mind that she was a woman. Her Highness had said that to her, eunuchs were the absolute worst.

Wait for the wound to heal? Wan Bi’s heart gave a little tremble. Was Yao Xi saying that she would surrender both her secrets and her body to her once her menstruation² ended? The duration of a woman’s cycle varied; some lasted two or three days, while others lasted seven or eight. But even if Yao Xi’s lasted seven or eight days, calculating the time, it would be over very soon.

            

“This bereaved one is actually somewhat versed in medicine. Why doesn’t this bereaved one take a look at the eunuch’s wound? To see if it requires applying medicine.” Wan Bi’s mood suddenly lifted, and her interest in teasing Yao Xi returned.

“Your Highness is making fun of this slave again.” Yao Xi finished grinding the ink. She smoothed out the list Her Highness had just written, picked up a silk fan, and gently fanned the fresh ink.

Watching Yao Xi hold the silk fan, Wan Bi couldn’t help but imagine what Yao Xi would look like dressed in women’s attire. She wondered if the wench had ever even worn a dress. After all, she had been raised as a young lord by the Yao family, so perhaps she never had! Once Yao Xi confessed, she would definitely make her wear a dress just for her to see.

            

Seeing that the atmosphere had relaxed considerably, Yao Xi flashed a flattering smile at the Empress Dowager. “Your Highness. Tomorrow, when delivering the festival gifts to the masters of the various palaces… could this slave go?” Having lost the items on the gift list, she had set her sights on the potential rewards from the other palace masters.

How could Wan Bi not see through Yao Xi’s little scheme? If Yao Xi led the servants to distribute the festival gifts to the various palaces, she would definitely rake in a substantial amount of rewards. Yao Xi was her personal attendant and currently highly favored; there was no telling how many people in the palace wanted to curry favor with her!

“Little miser. Has this bereaved one ever left you short on food or clothes? What don’t we have in our palace? Why are you always thinking about earning silver?” Wan Bi gave a light laugh. “Besides, it’s not as if this bereaved one hasn’t given the eunuch a way to earn silver. Two taels isn’t a small amount. Hard work leads to wealth, after all…” With that, she gave Yao Xi a charming, playful wink.

            

Yao Xi had no desire to play out a scene of a brothel girl and a stingy patron with Her Highness. Instead, she asked persistently, “Your Highness hasn’t agreed to this slave’s request yet! Can this slave be the one to deliver the festival gifts to the consorts of the various palaces tomorrow? Please?”

Smiling, Wan Bi tapped her lips with her index finger. “Give this bereaved one a kiss, and you’ll have your agreement.”

Without a second word, Yao Xi pushed herself up, knelt on the bed, leaned across the kang table, and planted a kiss on the Empress Dowager’s lips.

            

“Too perfunctory.” The smile on Wan Bi’s face faded a fraction. This little miser Yao Xi really would do anything for silver! Normally, she was always coy and reluctant to initiate intimacy, but the moment there was a benefit to be had, she practically threw herself forward. While Wan Bi was sulking over this thought, Yao Xi shamelessly leaned in again and gave her a forceful peck.

And Yao Xi actually claimed that serving her wasn’t for silver? It wasn’t for two taels of silver, more like. Looking at Yao Xi’s ingratiating expression, Wan Bi couldn’t help but wonder: Should I just raise the price? To stimulate the little thing’s enthusiasm for serving in bed.

“If you want to go, then go,” Wan Bi said helplessly, having received her kisses.

            

“Thank you, Your Highness!!!” Yao Xi shimmied over to the other side of the kang table and sycophantically massaged the Empress Dowager’s shoulders as she copied out the gift list.

She was going to be rich tomorrow! Hahahahahaha!

After finishing the gift list, Wan Bi stood up and said to Yao Xi, “This bereaved one is tired. Apply the medicinal wine yourself tonight!” Her lips were still tingling from Yao Xi’s kisses. Being able to look but not touch was pure torture. In any case, once the child’s menstruation ended, she would confess everything to her, so there was no need to torture herself right now.

            

Yao Xi wondered if it mattered if she didn’t apply the medicine to her back; Her Highness had forgotten to help her apply it this morning. It probably didn’t matter, right? She already felt completely comfortable all over now. “If this slave can’t sleep, may this slave go to the study to read for a while?”

“What book do you want to read?” Wan Bi stopped in her tracks and asked with a smile. The wench was indeed the daughter of a scholarly family; moving here right next door to the study had triggered her addiction to reading.

“Just… whatever is around.” Yao Xi hesitated slightly. She had lied to Her Highness again.

            

Wan Bi couldn’t be bothered to pry further and simply instructed, “You are still sick, so no staying up late.”

“Mm-hm.” Yao Xi obediently nodded. She didn’t go to the study right away. First, she stayed in the warm pavilion and drank the two bowls of medicine brought by the palace maids, applied the medicinal wine, and then blew out the lamp. She lay on the bed, waiting for Her Highness in the outer bedchamber to fall asleep.

She actually wanted to go to the study to flip through the Great Xing Penal Code, to see what the penalty for defying an imperial edict and absconding would be.

            

It was definitely a capital offense punishable by beheading, no question about it. What Yao Xi wanted to know was: would it implicate her family?

After lying there for a while and hearing no more movement from the bedchamber, Yao Xi guessed that Her Highness must have fallen asleep. Only then did she get up and head out. Going to the study required passing through the bedchamber. Afraid that the sound of her footsteps would wake Her Highness, Yao Xi didn’t put on her shoes, wearing only her socks. She turned out of the warm pavilion and entered the bedchamber. Only a single lamp was lit inside, and Her Highness was sleeping soundly, wrapped in a brocade quilt.

Her Highness was sleeping on her side, facing outward. Standing facing the phoenix bed, Yao Xi could perfectly see Her Highness’s sleeping face. In her deep sleep, Her Highness looked a bit more docile and harmless than usual. This was the first time Yao Xi had ever seen Her Highness asleep. She quietly sat down on the footstool in front of the phoenix bed and gazed at Her Highness from up close.

            

Only when Her Highness was asleep or blindfolded did she dare to stare at her so brazenly; normally, even looking at her directly had to be done with utmost caution. Even though she loved Her Highness in fear and trepidation, she still couldn’t help but sink deeper and deeper, unable to extricate herself.

Yao Xi’s hand carefully reached up to touch Her Highness’s face. Suppressing her voice, she said in a whisper almost no one but herself could hear, “I love you.”

At least in Yao Xi’s heart, for this one moment, the two of them were not Empress Dowager and eunuch, nor were they master and male favorite. They were simply two equals.

            

She loved this woman before her named Wan Bi, and she hoped that one day she could whisper her name into her ear, rather than calling her ‘Your Highness.’

Yao Xi gingerly withdrew the hand that was gently caressing the Empress Dowager and walked toward the study, feeling both blissful and heartbroken.

The sound of her footsteps gradually faded away.

            

Wan Bi slowly opened her eyes. She gazed at Yao Xi’s retreating figure until she disappeared through the doorway, and only then did she fall back asleep with a smile.

---

Less than half a shichen³ after Meng Delai returned to his private residence from Dongchang Hutong, his godson Xu Lian arrived. Xu Lian served in Concubine Kang’s palace. Although Concubine Kang had never received the extreme favor that Noble Lady Lan and Beauty Yu had, she was Emperor Ming Cheng’s longest-favored concubine, and there was relatively little drama surrounding her.

Xu Lian had always been rather dissatisfied with serving Concubine Kang. Because Concubine Kang had no children, no matter how much he pleased his master, once the current Emperor’s affections shifted or he passed away, his future in the palace would be cut short. Furthermore, he had no foundation over at the Eastern Depot. He felt his godfather was too biased toward that scrawny little brat Meng Li’an, actually managing to get him into Ning’an Palace.

            

Although the Empress Dowager hated eunuchs and Ning’an Palace was far from peaceful, this arrangement showed just how highly his godfather valued Meng Li’an. Out of a total of four godsons, Meng Li’an was the only one granted his godfather’s surname and given a new name. Those who didn’t know better might think Meng Li’an and the deceased Meng Guangshen were biological brothers!

“What orders do you have, Godfather?” Xu Lian had hurried over with a token to leave the palace as soon as he received the message.

Meng Delai sat in his horseshoe-back armchair with a dark expression, casually pointing to a chair to instruct Xu Lian to sit down and talk. He had summoned Xu Lian out of the palace because of Yao Xi’s matter; it was time to put Yao Xi to use.

            

Ever since Yao Xi went to serve by the Empress Dowager’s side, his heart had been fraught with worry. Originally, when Yao Xi was at the Bureau of Imperial Gardens, he could have used him whenever he wanted, but Yao Xi had ended up sneaking into Ning’an Palace. The last time Liufu schemed to frame Yao Xi, causing all the eunuchs in the palace to undergo a body inspection, he had originally thought that if the fact that Yao Xi hadn’t been castrated was exposed, he would take advantage of the situation to use him, although the destructive power would be much smaller.

In the end, he heard that Yao Xi had been protected by the Empress Dowager and hadn’t undergone the body inspection at all.

Not long after entering Ning’an Palace, Yao Xi became the Empress Dowager’s male favorite. The fact that Her Highness didn’t allow anyone to inspect Yao Xi’s body meant she definitely knew Yao Xi hadn’t been castrated. Perhaps it was precisely because Yao Xi hadn’t been castrated and possessed good looks that she took him in as a male favorite.

            

This made things difficult.

The Empress Dowager was an unreasonable woman who didn’t even put the law in her eyes. Not only did Her Highness have the Late Emperor’s edict as a protective talisman, but even the Emperor respectfully deferred to that little ancestor. With the Empress Dowager protecting Yao Xi, he couldn’t touch Yao Xi no matter what, and as for the Yao family and Tang Huaili, they were even more untouchable.

Not to mention, the Empress Dowager also held blackmail material against him and the Eastern Depot. Until he got his hands on the ledger, he didn’t dare offend Her Highness.

            

The most pressing matter was to make the Empress Dowager turn against Yao Xi in disgust.

---