Bai Yusheng arrived at Cheng'en Palace, but Yu Jingchen had not yet arrived. She knelt alone on the bed, feeling a mix of worry and anticipation for her first night of service.
Wearing a thin sleeping gown, Bai Yusheng knelt on the bed for about an hour before Yu Jingchen finally arrived. Her legs had already grown numb from kneeling.
"His Majesty has arrived!" Hearing Yu Jingchen's presence, Bai Yusheng straightened her posture, hoping to present her best self.
However... Yu Jingchen showed no intention of approaching. Bai Yusheng peered through the bed curtains at the figure outside and saw Yu Jingchen sit down by himself.
Bai Yusheng grew uneasy. After a long silence, she finally couldn't help but speak, "Your Majesty, it is getting late. Perhaps this humble concubine could serve Your Majesty's rest." Her voice held a hint of shyness.
"Get dressed and come here." Yu Jingchen's tone offered no clue to his mood, yet Bai Yusheng felt a sense of foreboding.
She picked up the white undergarment placed nearby, dressed, and slowly descended from the bed. Approaching Yu Jingchen, she murmured, "Your Majesty~" The way she said it was languid and alluring, designed to captivate.
"Kneel." Yu Jingchen's tone remained impassive, but it was precisely this calmness that began to make Bai Yusheng fearful.
"Your Majesty..." Bai Yusheng immediately knelt and lowered her head. She had no idea what Yu Jingchen intended or where she had displeasured him.
"Where is the bracelet that Consort Shu gifted you before?" Yu Jingchen asked indifferently. Bai Yusheng did not feel relieved upon hearing this question.
"This concubine has kept it well preserved..." Bai Yusheng replied.
"You should understand what朕 means." As Yu Jingchen spoke, the temperature seemed to plummet. Bai Yusheng, a young girl, had never witnessed such an atmosphere.
"Your Majesty..." Bai Yusheng babbled, wanting to explain something but also fearful, afraid to speak.
"You replaced the bracelet, and the new bracelet was infused with medicine, wasn't it?" Yu Jingchen inquired. Bai Yusheng dared not make a sound.
"The previous bracelet was sent back by my order, but it was not the original one. You had it swapped. So, did you anticipate that this bracelet would be returned, or did you plan to find an excuse after entering the palace to return this medicine-infused bracelet to Consort Shu, discreetly and without a trace?" Yu Jingchen gently fiddled with the teacup beside him.
"Your Majesty!" Bai Yusheng's panic flared. It seemed her suspicion was correct. Yu Jingchen was unfazed by this outcome; the schemes within the harem were nothing to him. However, Bai Yusheng's calculations at the time were quite clever. Had he not had the bracelet returned, Nan Zhiyun might indeed have fallen victim to it later.
"Fortunately," Yu Jingchen called out to the outside. Bai Yusheng's heart fluttered. Xing Lai entered carrying a bowl of medicine, and Bai Yusheng began to tremble with fear.
"Drink it. It is merely a gesture of reciprocation." Yu Jingchen did not look at her once.
"Please, Your Majesty, spare this life!" Bai Yusheng did not know what the bowl contained.
"If you refuse to drink, I will have it force-fed to you." Yu Jingchen was not one to be easily persuaded.
Bai Yusheng knew there was no room for negotiation. When Xing Lai brought the medicine over, she hesitantly took it and drank it all down.