After Transmigrating Into A Eunuch, I Became Famous In The Harem - Chapter 40

That night, Shao Yin couldn’t sleep soundly. She had just managed to doze off when someone suddenly woke her.

Her eyes snapped open to find the Empress standing before her.

Why has the Empress come? Shao Yin wondered. She hadn’t heard a single whisper of her arrival, nor had she risen to greet her properly. What a failure!

She sprang to her feet, scrambling to kneel in a formal salute.

But the Empress stopped her. “There’s no need for formalities between us.”

Then, just as she had before, the Empress gripped Shao Yin by the throat. This time, however, she exerted little force. The gesture was meant to control her, not harm her.

Shao Yin instinctively held her breath at the familiar touch, unsure what had angered the Empress this time. “Has this servant done something wrong? Please enlighten me, Your Majesty.”

The Empress lowered her head slightly, her gaze as cold as the snow outside the window. It held a possessive intensity that made Shao Yin’s heart race and want to flee.

Even her voice dropped two octaves, radiating the Empress’s icy detachment and imperious authority. “You actually bathed the Noble Consort behind my back? How could you betray me like this? How can you justify this after all I’ve done for you—after I bought you that three-compound mansion?”

Shao Yin parted her lips slightly, her gaze fragmenting as she pleaded her helplessness. “But I’m just a servant, Your Majesty. In this palace, does a servant who disobeys their master have any hope of survival?”

These words should never have been spoken.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, they slipped from her lips.

The Empress showed no mercy. Her thumb gently stroked Shao Yin’s neck, tracing the pulse beneath.

“If she has it, so must I. Since you bathed her, tonight you will strip naked and wait for me in the hot spring.”

With those words, the Empress seized Shao Yin’s wrist. Shao Yin’s body twisted, and in the next instant, she plunged into the steaming waters.

The Empress appeared beside her, both now completely naked.

Thin wisps of steam obscured the Empress’s features, but Shao Yin could feel the overwhelming presence radiating from the figure before her, her body gradually growing pliant in the hot spring.

The Empress slowly approached Shao Yin, her cheeks flushed crimson by the white steam, her eyes unfocused, a stark contrast to her usual composed demeanor.

The scene unfolding before Shao Yin felt like something uncontrollable was about to happen.

As the Empress drew nearer, Shao Yin’s heart was gripped by the Empress’s intense gaze.

No, this can’t happen.

Shao Yin didn’t know what would happen next, but she instinctively knew it shouldn’t.

Just as the tension reached its peak, with only inches separating the Empress and Shao Yin, the hot spring room door was kicked open.

Noble Consort appeared in Shao Yin’s line of sight.

Her furious gaze locked onto Shao Yin, her trembling finger pointing. “Shao Yin! You swore before me that you remembered my kindness and would serve me faithfully. Now you’re secretly serving the Empress behind my back! What are you trying to do?!”

The Empress wouldn’t back down. Turning with icy eyes, she glared at the Noble Consort. “She belongs to Kunning Palace. You stole her. What right do you have to accuse her here?”

A murderous glint flashed in Liang Fujun’s eyes. “Guan Zhixian, don’t think I’m afraid of you just because you’re the Empress! If necessary, I’ll take you down with me. Neither of us will have her!”

Her teeth-gritted words were drowned out by the careless applause.

Shao Yin turned to look in the direction of the clapping. How is there a window here?

Beside the wide-open window stood a slender figure—Consort Zhen, who had arrived at some point.

Consort Zhen spoke with cheerful, carefree ease, her words dripping with venom: “Then you two can both die. That way, I can bring her to my side.”

Shao Yin jolted awake, gasping.

For a moment, she didn’t even know where she was.

It took a while to realize she had been dreaming.

Such an absurd thing could never happen in reality.

She knew the Empress and the Noble Consort would vie for her favor; she understood it stemmed from occasional conflicts between them, making her merely a pawn in their power struggle.

She never believed either consort truly valued her.

Besides, she had only met Consort Zhen twice, and both times the consort had teased her. It was clear they disliked each other.

She was relieved it had only been a dream.

Even in a dream, she felt an overwhelming urge to reject this second chance at life.

If such a thing were to truly happen in reality, death would be preferable.

How could she possibly face it? How could she possibly handle it?

Shao Yin reached for a handkerchief beside her bed and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

A chill ran down her spine. She realized she had broken into a cold sweat from the terrifying dream.

Rustling sounds came from the adjacent quarters as the palace maids and eunuchs awoke to attend to their lords and ladies.

She quickly got up, leaving no time to calm her nightmare-shaken heart.

After hastily changing, washing, and eating breakfast, she went to the Noble Consort’s chambers to await orders.

The Noble Consort summoned Shao Yin to help her dress and asked if she had enjoyed the hot spring bath the previous night.

Consort Zhen’s figure flashed through Shao Yin’s mind.

How could she remember the comfort of the hot spring? All she could recall was being cornered by Consort Zhen under the eaves, her heart pounding with panic.

Noticing Shao Yin’s pallid complexion, the Noble Consort asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the hot spring?”

Shao Yin shook her head vigorously. “No, the water was perfectly warm. I’ve never bathed so comfortably.”

“Then why that expression?” The Noble Consort’s striking features sharpened. “What are you hiding from me now?”

How could Shao Yin possibly tell the Noble Consort that Consort Zhen had cornered her last night?

She could only come up with a half-truth. “I had a nightmare last night after returning. I woke up early this morning still shaken.”

Liang Fujun’s expression softened, a hint of amusement in her eyes. “How can you be so easily frightened by a mere nightmare?”

The matter should have ended there, but Liang Fujun suddenly remembered the Empress buying Shao Yin a house.

After a moment’s thought, she added, “When I have time, I’ll take you to the temple to burn incense and pray for a talisman. That way, no evil spirits will dare to haunt you again.”

Shao Yin’s eyes sparkled.

A temple?

Her heart stirred with anticipation.

Liang Fujun noticed the flicker of excitement in her eyes and took note of her casual promise. So this little girl is so easily pleased, she thought. She’s still a child at heart. Taking her out for some fun should cheer her up.

With the matter settled, Liang Fujun continued eating her breakfast while speaking to Shao Yin. “Chunfeng just told me that one of Consort Zhen’s palace maids said her brother’s men quickly uncovered something about the Chen family last night. We’ll visit Consort Zhen after breakfast to find out what’s going on with Qiaoqiao.”

Shao Yin had no desire to go, though a part of her was curious about the gossip.

After being cornered last night and having such a nightmare after falling asleep, Shao Yin had no desire to see Consort Zhen, let alone be in the same room as both Imperial Consorts.

She felt these noble ladies were using her as a pawn in their power struggles. Caught in the middle, she often wished she could dig a hole in the floor and disappear.

Having lived in the palace for so long, the Noble Consort should have understood Shao Yin’s expressions and body language. Shao Yin had only been sent to the palace six months ago, and she was still a modern woman at heart.

The Noble Consort set down her spoon, the suspicion she had suppressed earlier rising again. “You’re still hiding something from me,” she said, her tone sharper than before.

Shao Yin didn’t know how to explain herself. How could she possibly give a valid reason for refusing to go to Consort Zhen’s quarters?

Chunfeng, who had witnessed the scene, lowered her head, feeling conflicted.

She knew why Shao Yin was reluctant to go to Consort Zhen’s courtyard. Last night, she had seen Shao Yin emerging from the hot spring room, cornered by Consort Zhen in a dark corner. The consort had even been making advances on her.

Shao Yin must have feared Consort Zhen would grope her or entertain improper thoughts, which was why she refused to go to her quarters.

At that moment, Chunfeng felt a flicker of satisfaction.

Shao Yin could be considered quite loyal to the “male” virtues. Knowing that the Noble Consort had designs on her, and understanding her frequent teasing and insistence on having Shao Yin attend to her bath, Shao Yin remained devoted to the Noble Consort, refusing to give Consort Zhen even a sliver of opportunity.

Her expression was concealed better than Shao Yin’s, but she still failed to escape Liang Fujun’s piercing gaze.

“Chunfeng, what are you thinking again? Do you know something you’re not telling me?”

Chunfeng’s face went blank for a moment. She didn’t know whether to tell the truth or gloss over it. But the intense gaze fixed on her made her decision for her.

In the Noble Consort’s palace, the Consort reigned supreme. If she were to discover that Chunfeng had concealed knowledge and lied, life would become unbearable. Besides,
Chunfeng didn’t think Shao Yin’s actions were wrong; in fact, she felt that revealing these matters would be praising Shao Yin’s loyalty to the Consort.

Thus, Chunfeng recounted what she had witnessed to the Noble Consort.

Shao Yin never imagined that Chunfeng had witnessed everything from last night, and that she had told the Noble Consort every detail without omission. Shao Yin lowered her head, sensing the impending storm in the room.

After finishing her account, Chunfeng finally relaxed. But the Consort’s expression didn’t look pleased at all.

She seemed to have done something remarkable.

Yet instead of feeling pleased, she was filled with anxiety and dread.

Liang Fujun tossed her spoon into the bowl with a clatter, its metallic ring drowning out the soft breathing of the others in the room.

Her smile was alluring, but her eyes held no amusement, only seething fury.

This made her appear both dangerous and beautiful.

She stood up. “All of you, come with me to Consort Zhen’s courtyard.”

“I want to ask her face-to-face if she truly intends to steal the people I claim.”

Support After Transmigrating Into A Eunuch, I Became Famous In The Harem