Qin Yun did not immediately enter the water, looking at the green water surface.
She found a bamboo pole in the courtyard to test the water depth.
Picking up the bamboo pole, she held it up in front of her and measured it.
Not too deep, not too shallow, it reached just above her knees.
Dropping the bamboo pole, Qin Yun brushed the dust off her hands, a smug smile tugging at her lips.
"My treasure, here I come!"
Rolling up her trouser legs again, past her knees, Qin Yun smoothly entered the water.
She couldn't help it; she was a landlubber and had to move forward step by step.
Reaching the lotus seeds, Qin Yun was overjoyed, her eyes smiling like crescent moons.
The person inside the pavilion, watching Qin Yun smile so happily, seemed to be infected by her joy.
A slight smile curved their lips.
Qin Yun plucked several lotus pods in one go, then used her clothes to carry them as she slowly walked back.
Reaching the bank, she placed the harvested lotus seeds aside, braced her hands, and prepared to climb out of the water.
But at that very moment, a pair of large feet suddenly appeared before her eyes.
To be precise, they were a pair of large feet wearing bright yellow shoes with dragon patterns.
Her gaze slowly moved upwards!
Qin Yun suddenly felt a sharp pain in her neck!
What did this person eat to grow so tall!
The key was that as she looked up, the dazzling sunlight shone into her eyes.
Qin Yun squinted, sizing up the person in front of her from bottom to top.
The more she looked, the more she felt something was amiss.
A robe of bright yellow, with golden dragon embroidery.
Bright yellow?
Dragon embroidery?
In this imperial palace, who dared to wear a robe with dragons?
It was naturally the Emperor!
Wait!
The Emperor?
Qin Yun felt her breath catch, her mind seemed to have gone blank.
What should she do?
Should she go up or down now!
Her hands resting on the edge of the pool, Qin Yun was caught in a dilemma! She couldn't go up, nor could she go down.
Just as she hesitated whether to go ashore!
A deep, magnetic male voice suddenly came from above her head.
"Are you planning to stay soaking in the water all day?"
Taking a deep breath, Qin Yun immediately scrambled ashore!
Before she could even steady herself, she immediately knelt on the ground.
"Long live the Emperor, long live, long live! I never knew Your Majesty was here, I deserve to die!" Qin Yun's voice was soft, tinged with a slight urgency and nervousness.
"Indeed, you deserve to die! How dare you trespass into my Jingxin Pavilion! And pluck my beloved lotus seeds!" The person who had been silently watching the show from within the pavilion was none other than the Emperor, Xie Qianmo.
"I did not know this was Your Majesty's Jingxin Courtyard. If I had known, I wouldn't have dared to enter, not even with ten thousand times the courage!"
Looking at the lotus seeds she had picked, Qin Yun felt like dying.
It was all her greedy mouth's fault, only thinking of picking them to make lotus seed congee, but she never expected to commit such a grave offense.
If she were to be beheaded today for the sake of food, it would be too unworthily.
She was still so young, and more importantly, she hadn't gotten her revenge yet!
She would die with her grievances unaddressed!
"Look up!" Xie Qianmo said coldly.
"I am incredibly ugly, and I fear I might offend Your Majesty's eyes!"
It was a joke; if the Emperor truly saw her face, she would die even faster.
Everyone likes beautiful people or things, but who would like something ugly! They would be disgusted, if nothing else!
"I do not wish to repeat myself!" This time, Xie Qianmo's voice was noticeably colder.
So be it! She'd risk it!
Slowly raising her head, Qin Yun timidly glanced at Xie Qianmo above her.
Unexpectedly, this one glance met Xie Qianmo's eyes.
Qin Yun quickly averted her gaze, looking elsewhere.
Unexpectedly, Xie Qianmo was displeased.
Frowning, he said coldly, "Look at me!"
Qin Yun had no choice!
She could only obediently turn her eyes back to look at Xie Qianmo in front of her.
Go ahead!
Scare yourself to death!
Let him not be able to eat for three days after he goes back!
In Qin Yun's memory, it seemed that everyone who saw her face walked around her, so gradually, she began to believe that she was truly ugly.
Her only wish in this life was to get revenge, beauty or ugliness meant nothing to her, as long as it didn't block her path.
But now...!
If the Emperor truly found her repulsive!
Even if she passed the imperial examinations in the future and entered the imperial court, she might not gain the Emperor's favor.
She had originally planned everything: the red spots on her face would be gone in at most a month, the imperial examinations were in two months, and then there was another month for recovery.
By then, upon entering the court, she wouldn't offend the Emperor's eyes.
But now!
What a disaster!
To have the Emperor see her face prematurely!
Qin Yun was pondering in her mind how she would die, but Xie Qianmo's gaze remained fixed on Qin Yun's eyes.
Spirited, clear!
This was Xie Qianmo's mental answer upon looking at Qin Yun's eyes up close!
As for the red spots on her face, Xie Qianmo didn't care at all. He had climbed out of a pile of dead bodies and seen plenty of ugly faces.
Looking at Qin Yun's spirited eyes now, he actually felt quite healed.
The atmosphere remained tense, Xie Qianmo remained silent, and Qin Yun dared not move rashly.
They stared at each other for a while.
Suddenly, Xie Qianmo reached out.
Qin Yun was startled by Xie Qianmo's sudden movement.
Just as she was about to move back, Xie Qianmo stepped forward quickly and cupped Qin Yun's chin!
He kneaded Qin Yun's chin, seemingly addicted, and did not let go for a long time.
Until Qin Yun softly called out, "Your Majesty! It hurts..."
Coming back to his senses, Xie Qianmo quickly released Qin Yun's chin and then said, "Indeed, you are ugly!"
Qin Yun thought to herself, if you think I'm ugly, why did you stare for so long!
Quickly lowering her head, Qin Yun cautiously said, "Your Majesty, I don't want these lotus seeds anymore. I'll give them to Your Majesty. Do you think... you could spare my life?"
"These lotus seeds are mine originally, so what do you mean by giving them to me?"
"Yes, yes, yes, everything here belongs to Your Majesty! I misspoke just now! I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness!"
"Everything here indeed belongs to me, including you!" Xie Qianmo seemed to be declaring ownership, his words leaving no room for refusal.
"Yes, yes, yes, I belong to Your Majesty too! I beg Your Majesty to spare my life!" Qin Yun only wanted to live at this moment, never expecting to dig such a deep pit for herself.
Hearing Qin Yun's words, Xie Qianmo's mood brightened.
"I can spare your life! But what benefit can you offer me?" Xie Qianmo began to negotiate terms.
Qin Yun thought hard, racking her brain, but couldn't think of any condition to exchange with the Emperor. "How about I give Your Majesty all my savings!"
Xie Qianmo's face darkened. "Do you think I'm short of money?"
Alright! Everything under heaven belonged to the Emperor, so naturally, he was not short of money.
"Then I will be your ox or horse, serving Your Majesty!"
"Do you want to become a eunuch?" Xie Qianmo observed Qin Yun's slender frame and frowned slightly. "I have enough people to serve me!"
Fortunately, the Emperor did not lack servants; she had spoken wrongly again just now!
Why was she making so many mistakes today?
If the Emperor had really agreed to let her serve him, wouldn't her disguise be exposed? How would she enter the court then?
"I haven't thought of the terms of exchange yet! I'll tell you when I do!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my life! I am deeply grateful!"
Kneeling on the ground, Qin Yun bit her lower lip and asked very softly, "Your Majesty, may I get up now?"
Qin Yun's reminder made Xie Qianmo notice Qin Yun's fair and tender knees were red, almost as if the skin had broken.
Seeing this, Xie Qianmo frowned slightly, and his mood soured again.