Chapter 5: The Servant’s Flattery (Second Update, Seeking Favorites)

Chapter 5: The Servants' Flattery (Second Update, Seeking Collections)...

Just one day later, Fang Yu's plaque was flipped again. The first time had indeed been painful, and even after a day, the soreness and tearing feeling hadn't completely faded. She didn’t want to serve again so soon, but once her plaque was chosen, she had no choice but to go.

Upon arriving at the Palace of Heavenly Purity, as before, she bathed and purified herself, was stripped completely naked, carried to the bed, and waited for the Emperor to arrive.

After what felt like an eternity, she was nearly dozing off when the Emperor finally arrived. She quickly widened her eyes and shook her head lightly to dispel the sleepiness.

"Greetings to Your—"

"No need for formalities."

Just as Fang Yu was about to rise to pay her respects, the Emperor interrupted her. He sat on the edge of the bed, and two palace maids helped him change his clothes. After all the servants withdrew, only the two of them remained in the hall. Hesitantly, she spoke up, "Your Majesty, may I not serve tonight? I’m still in a lot of pain down there."

"If you cannot serve, then I shall have someone escort you back. Someone—"

Fang Yu quickly covered his mouth. Although she was new to this world and hadn’t fully grasped the palace rules, she had watched enough palace dramas to know that being summoned and then suddenly sent back would be a great humiliation for a consort of her status.

"Your Majesty, how could you do this?"

Kang Xi had only been teasing her. Seeing Wuya Shi glare at him, her tone more playful than resentful, and daring enough to cover his mouth, he pulled her hand away and feigned seriousness. "How dare you! You even cover my mouth? Who gave you such audacity?"

Fang Yu could tell the Emperor wasn’t truly angry. Sometimes when she asked her father for pocket money—occasionally large sums, even over a hundred thousand—he would also put on a stern face and scold her for spending recklessly. He seemed angry, but in the end, he always gave her the money. The Emperor now reminded her of her father.

She leaned her entire body against the Emperor’s back, wrapping her arms around his neck and speaking close to his ear. "Your Majesty, you showed me no mercy the other day. I really am in pain. If you truly want me to serve tonight, you must be gentle."

Kang Xi could see that Wuya Shi genuinely wasn’t afraid of him. Her nature was naive and frank. He had already been gentle with her the previous time, but she was young, and it was her first time serving, which was why she was still feeling uncomfortable.

"If you put it that way, wouldn’t it seem heartless of me to still make you serve?"

"It’s alright. I can endure it."

Wuya Shi’s considerate words made Kang Xi smile. She didn’t seem like the type who could endure much—she had cried pitifully the last time. But her soft, delicate body pressed against him inevitably stirred a restlessness in him. He turned around, his eyes darkening with intensity, and captured her red lips.

Soon, soft, broken moans escaped from Wuya Shi’s lips. In the end, Kang Xi did not enter her. Wuya Shi, bold as she was, noticed his arousal and used her small hand to help relieve him.

Afterward, she curled up delicately into a ball, her small frame hidden beneath the silk blankets, only her head visible. Her cheeks were flushed pink, her lips red and even slightly swollen.

In good spirits, Kang Xi touched her face and smiled. "I’ve been gentle enough with you tonight, haven’t I?"

After two intimate encounters, Fang Yu couldn’t help but feel a sense of closeness to the Emperor. Her red lips curved into a smile as she playfully replied, "Thank you for being considerate, Your Majesty."

"Sleep."

Fang Yu was already tired and soon fell asleep. When she woke, it was early morning again, and the Emperor was gone. Unlike last time, she didn’t ask where he had gone. After washing up, as she prepared to leave, a palace maid from the Palace of Heavenly Purity handed her two bottles of medicine.

"My lady, these are ointments from the Imperial Medical Bureau. His Majesty instructed me to give them to you and asked that you apply them to the sore areas."

Fang Yu understood immediately. She felt little embarrassment or shame, as the eunuchs outside the hall during her service likely heard everything clearly. She accepted the two bottles and asked for the maid’s name.

"This servant is Cai Lian, and she is Cai He. This morning, Cai Fu and Cai Rong attended to you."

"Alright, I’ve noted it. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now."

"Farewell, my lady."

Fang Yu returned to Yonghe Palace with Pan Liu. This time, before Pan Liu could go to fetch the meal, a young eunuch from the kitchen, Xiao Shunzi, had already brought over a food box for them.

"This servant, Xiao Shunzi, knew my lady hadn’t yet eaten breakfast and must be hungry. In the future, whatever my lady wishes to eat, just give this servant your orders."

Fang Yu knew that serving twice in a row had made the servants eager to curry favor with her. Servants were opportunistic and even small fry could be troublesome. She was only an Answering Attendant now, so there was no need to put on airs or make enemies.

She smiled and said, "You’re very thoughtful, Shunzi. For lunch today, I’d like pork hock."

"This servant will go prepare it right away."

Fang Yu waved her hand, indicating that Xiao Shunzi could leave.

As soon as he was gone, Pan Liu snorted discontentedly. "My lady, that Xiao Shunzi only came to flatter you because he sees you rising in favor. Where was this attitude before? My lady, you have no idea how rude those people were when I went to fetch meals before. They practically made me wait for half an hour."

Over the past two months, Pan Liu had served her diligently and loyally. When Fang Yu was sick and coughed at night, Pan Liu was always the first to wake, bringing her tea and water. Fang Yu had taken note of all this. She squeezed Pan Liu’s hand comfortingly. "I know you’ve suffered following a mistress like me. But it’s all in the past now. As long as your lady rises in favor, no one will dare bully us again."

Pan Liu felt a bit embarrassed. She was the servant, yet here her lady was comforting her. But her lady was right—with her rising in favor, no one would dare look down on them anymore.

It wasn’t just the kitchen eunuchs who began flattering and currying favor with her. In recent days, many other consorts, mostly Answering Attendants from other palaces, had come to visit Fang Yu’s room.

Life in the palace was dull, and the women of the harem had little to do. Whether they came to ingratiate themselves or simply to socialize, having people to talk to, play card games or mahjong with, helped pass the tedious days in the harem. It also gave her a chance to get to know the other consorts.

By the end of August, Fang Yu’s monthly courses arrived, and her green plaque was temporarily withdrawn from the Office of Imperial Household Affairs. She had been summoned twice but had only served once. Still, she knew she would be chosen again. She wasn’t worried about "falling out of favor"—because she was Wuya Ningyan.