Chapter 7: Chapter 180: What's Wrong With Me Being a Palace Maid!

Chapter 180: What's Wrong With Me Being a Palace Maid!

"Actually, Duan Zirou wants Ye Zixiao to give up his ambition to become emperor more than anyone else. The dragon throne is not so easy to sit upon! If her death can cause Ye Zixiao and Yao Suลuan to turn against each other, thereby crushing Ye Zixiao's ambition to claim the throne, it would be her heart's desire!" Yao Mowan spoke indifferently, a trace of helplessness flashing in her heart. When Ye Hongyi ascended the throne, countless people died. If being an emperor were that easy, people would have rebelled long ago; they wouldn't have waited for someone like Ye Zixiao!

Just as Yao Mowan expected, since they had left, Duan Zirou indeed had not stepped out of the Bamboo Sea. She was waiting, and she was gambling...

Inside Huaqing Palace, when Yao Zhenting told Yao Sułuan about Duan Zirou's fall from the cliff, an undisguised look of triumph appeared on Yao Sułuan's beautiful face.

"Sułuan, your father has made up his mind to assist the Prince of Jing. An arrow shot from a bow cannot be returned; neither you nor I have the luxury of regret!" Ever since his position as Prime Minister became a mere formality, Yao Zhenting had poured his entire heart into helping Ye Zixiao ascend the throne.

"Sułuan guarantees that Father will not regret this decision. Besides, the Emperor has already begun seizing power; there is no longer any interest in Father serving as Prime Minister. Now, if Yao Mowan says even a single word to the Emperor, Father might not even be able to keep his head. Now that we have the Prince of Jing as a backer, Father can consider his worries resolved." Yao Sułuan spoke in a sinister tone, implying that besides this path, Yao Zhenting had no other way to go.

After leaving Huaqing Palace, Yao Zhenting lowered his head in thought. Lately, his eyelids had been twitching incessantly, and his heart was always restless, as if something major was about to happen.

"There is a massive dark cloud over Father's head! Tingyue, is this what they call 'dark clouds covering the brow'?" A clear, leisurely voice rang out. Hearing the sound, Yao Zhenting raised his eyes to see Yao Mowan standing before him in a relaxed manner, cradling a small kitten in her arms.

"Your Ladyship, I have heard that dark clouds covering the brow and a darkened forehead are all ominous signs!" Tingyue chimed in.

"Silence! I am a dignified First-Rank Prime Minister; how dare a mere palace maid spout nonsense here!" The moment he saw Yao Mowan, Yao Zhenting felt his blood boil instantly. If it weren't for the constraints of his status, Yao Zhenting truly wanted to rush forward and tear Yao Mowan in two.

"Tingyue isn't exactly talking nonsense, is she? Looking at the direction, Father must have come from Huaqing Palace. Nowadays, everyone in the imperial palace knows that Second Sister's Huaqing Palace is extremely filthy; everyone avoids it like the plague. Having gone there, Father has likely picked up quite a bit of bad luck, which is why there are dark clouds over your head. Mowan advises Father to be careful during this period." Yao Mowan's clear eyes narrowed slightly, and the smile at the corners of her lips was eerie and unpredictable.

"Yao Mowan, if it weren't for you whispering in the Emperor's ear, I wouldn't be in this situation! But don't get ahead of yourself; there will come a day when I will make you regret this!" Yao Zhenting cursed venomously. If he succeeded in the future, his first act would be to bind Yao Mowan to the execution grounds and watch her be executed by death by a thousand cuts.

"Father's words truly wrong Mowan. If Mowan hadn't advised the Emperor to calm his anger, Father's head might not even be where it is right now." Yao Mowan blinked her clear eyes, speaking with utmost seriousness.

"You, being so kind-hearted!" Since that day at the Yao Residence, Yao Zhenting had carefully reconsidered past events and couldn't help but feel a lingering fear. If Yao Mowan had wanted to, he would have met his end long ago.

"Looking around, only Father truly understands my heart. Mowan naturally wouldn't be that kind. Mowan simply feels that cutting off Father's head so early wouldn't be satisfying enough. Although a game must eventually end, Mowan values the process of the game; it would be boring if it ended too soon. Don't you agree, Father?" Yao Mowan's leisurely expression completely enraged Yao Zhenting.

"Yao Mowan, it is yet to be seen who will win! Do not be so smug!" Leaving these words behind, Yao Zhenting passed indignantly by Yao Mowan. Just as he was about to leave, Yao Mowan suddenly gave the little Xiao You in her arms a nudge. Overwhelmed by fright, Xiao You lunged violently at Yao Zhenting, its sharp claws digging deep into his shoulder through his robes.

"Ugh... it hurts! Damn beast! I will surely squeeze you to death!" Just as Yao Zhenting lost his temper and grabbed Xiao You, intending to strike it cruelly, Ye Hongyi suddenly appeared before him. In his arms, Yao Mowan's tears fell like broken strings of pearls.

"Yao Zhenting, what were you just saying?" The sinister voice carried a bone-chilling coldness. Ye Hongyi's eyes glared at Yao Zhenting like two black holes.

"This old official greets the Emperor..." At this moment, Yao Zhenting realized he had fallen into Yao Mowan's trap.

"Your Majesty... Father was scolding Xiao You, not Mowan..." What a vivid and lifelike sentence. Ye Hongyi's face instantly darkened like storm clouds.

"Your Majesty, this old official just..." Even though his heart belonged to the Prince of Jing, in this moment, his master was still the high and mighty Ye Hongyi before him. Just as Yao Zhenting was about to explain, Ye Hongyi spoke first.

"From this day forth, without my summons, the Prime Minister need not enter the palace." Leaving these words, Ye Hongyi turned to look at Yao Mowan, tenderly wiped away her tears, and left without sparing a single glance at Yao Zhenting.

"Tingyue, see Father out. And... bring Xiao You back." Yao Mowan deliberately acted timidly, giving Tingyue a meaningful look.

"This servant obeys." Tingyue understood her intent and bowed respectfully.

Once Ye Hongyi had walked away with Yao Mowan, Tingyue paced over to Yao Zhenting.

"It seems Your Ladyship was right. The Prime Minister really does have dark clouds covering his head." Tingyue's face was full of schadenfreude, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"How dare you! You, a mere palace maid..." Yao Zhenting was already bursting with rage, and now being mocked by a palace maid caused his eyes to bulge with fury.

"What's wrong with me being a palace maid? Though Tingyue's position is lowly, I can live and act with a clear conscience. How much grievance and suffering did the Second Madam endure at the Yao Residence that day! If it weren't for the Master's indulgence, how could the Second Madam have died! People say a day of being husband and wife brings a hundred days of kindness, but in the Master's eyes, the Second Madam was worth less than a dog! But now, in Tingyue's eyes, the Master is nothing more than a beast! Oh, right, a rootless beast at that. That 'rootless water' was even prepared by Tingyue's own hands. Is the Master satisfied?" Tingyue looked at Yao Zhenting resentfully, her eyes filled with utter disdain.

"Unacceptable! You brat, you actually dare..." Yao Zhenting gasped for breath in fury. Seizing the opportunity, Xiao You broke free from his grip, and before leaping away, did not forget to leave several deep bloody scratches on Yao Zhenting's hand.

"Master, do not forget, this is the Imperial Palace, not a place where you can act willfully. I trust the Master knows the way out of the palace, so this servant will not see you out. Please make your own way." After saying this, Tingyue turned leisurely and walked away with large strides.

The moment she turned, Tingyue pressed both hands firmly against her chest. Having followed her mistress for so long, Tingyue felt she had learned many of her mistress's tricks, but she simply could not replicate that specific brand of arrogance and momentum. However, Tingyue believed that even if she failed to paint a tiger, she could certainly anger Yao Zhenting to death.

In this confrontation, Yao Zhenting had completely thrown caution to the wind, intending to bet his entire fortune on Ye Zixiao. Of course, this played right into Yao Mowan's hands.

Ten days after Duan Zirou's fall from the cliff, Ye Zixiao finally appeared at Huaqing Palace.

In the inner chamber, incense curled in the air and candlelight flickered. The dim light cast sharp shadows across Ye Zixiao's face. In just ten days, Ye Zixiao seemed like a different person; his handsome face was haggard, and due to his weight loss, his cheekbones appeared exceptionally prominent.

"Please restrain your grief, Prince. Sułuan had heard rumors of the Princess's death, but she did not expect it to happen so suddenly." Yao Sułuan's expression was sorrowful as her jade-like fingers lifted the teapot to pour a cup of clear tea for Ye Zixiao.