After the Substitute Male Bride Fled, the Emperor Turned Dark - Chapter 3

Fang Zhiyan almost choked. He used his sleeve to cover his mouth so that he would not lose his composure in front of others.

“What?”

Fu An felt that the Lady was simply overjoyed to the point of disbelief. He repeated himself with a cheerful smile.

“In response to Your Ladyship, Manager Li, the Head Eunuch by the Emperor’s side, came personally just now to deliver an oral decree. He said that His Majesty will come to the East Wing of Jingyang Palace tonight to have dinner with Your Ladyship.”

Fang Zhiyan looked at the pile of food on the table before him and felt a bit troubled. He was already nearly full. Why was His Majesty suddenly coming over? Was the charm of his sister, whom he had never even met, truly that great? The Emperor seemed to be in quite a hurry.

He looked down at himself. He was wearing a set of complex palace robes with pearls and emeralds jingling on his head, and two steamed buns that had already turned cold were stuffed inside his bodice. If the Emperor were to have close contact with him, a single flaw would lead to his end.

“Fu An,” Fang Zhiyan regained his composure. “When is His Majesty arriving?”

“There is still about an hour or so. Your Ladyship, please do not be anxious.”

Fang Zhiyan felt as though he had been insulted. “When was I ever anxious!”

Fu An kept his head lowered and repeatedly agreed, yet his face wore an expression that suggested he understood everything. Fang Zhiyan felt frustrated and waved his hand to dismiss him.

As soon as the man left, Fang Zhiyan’s face immediately fell. He lowered his voice and said to Lan Ruo, “Quickly, help me take these two buns out. I am suffocating. Replace them with two new ones. They need to be fluffier since these have already flattened.”

Lan Ruo went to the small kitchen and took two freshly steamed buns. Once they were no longer scalding, she stuffed them into his specially made undergarment.

Fang Zhiyan moved his chest, which was aching from the pressure, and grumbled. “Stuffing buns every day, I will eventually develop a health problem from the suffocation.”

“Just endure it. It is better than losing your head.”

Fang Zhiyan rolled his eyes at her and began searching through the wardrobe. He chose a light green palace robe with a high collar to hide his Adam’s apple. It could cover his neck without looking intentional. He also selected a set of headwear that was not too flashy, making his overall appearance look elegant and low-key.

“Help me redo my makeup,” he said to Lan Ruo. “Make my face look pale.”

“Why?”

“When His Majesty comes over later, I will say that I have been feeling unwell lately. That way, there is a better chance he will leave immediately after finishing dinner.”

Lan Ruo felt that his consideration was quite thorough, so she applied the makeup as requested. Following the personality of the talented Fang Zhiwei, the protagonist should be leaning against the couch reading a book at this time. Fang Zhiyan followed the example and struck a pose. In less than half an hour, he had fallen fast asleep.

Fu An ran in hurriedly, the smile on his face even brighter than before. “Your Ladyship! His Majesty has arrived early! He is already at the entrance of Jingyang Palace!”

Fang Zhiyan rolled over and sat up, shocked that he had actually fallen asleep at such a dangerous moment.

“Lan Ruo, come quickly and help me tidy up.”

Lan Ruo helped him straighten his clothes. Once everything was confirmed to be correct, Fang Zhiyan took a deep breath and walked slowly toward the door in a pretentious manner. Just as he reached the threshold, he heard a flurry of footsteps in the courtyard. Then came the high-pitched announcement of a eunuch.

“The Emperor has arrived!”

Fang Zhiyan’s heart rate accelerated sharply, but he showed no sign of it on his face. He walked into the courtyard in an orderly fashion and bowed low to perform the greeting.

“This concubine of the Fang family welcomes Your Majesty.”

A pair of black boots appeared in his field of vision and stopped in front of him.

“Rise.”

A cold and deep voice came from above his head. Fang Zhiyan rose as instructed, keeping his eyes lowered without looking up. He felt a gaze land on him with a sense of scrutiny. It was like an invisible ruler, slowly measuring him from top to bottom.

“You are slightly taller than ordinary women.”

With that one sentence, Fang Zhiyan’s legs nearly went weak. He looked up and met the eyes of Xiao Huan. The young Emperor stood before him, much taller than he had imagined. He had sharp brows and bright eyes, and his handsome face carried an overbearing aura. He wore a set of black casual clothes. Although he lacked the majestic pressure of his court robes, the cold and detached temperament surrounding him still made people afraid to approach.

Fang Zhiyan locked eyes with him for a brief moment before immediately lowering his gaze to put on a submissive posture. “I suppose I take after my father.”

Xiao Huan looked at him for a moment and said plainly, “Let us go inside.”

After saying that, he took the lead and stepped into the hall. Fang Zhiyan followed behind with small, quick steps. According to the rules, when the Emperor arrives, the concubine must accompany him in conversation and dining, as well as serve tea and food. The entire process would take at least an hour. An hour of close contact meant that any small mistake could cost him his life. He had to find a way to shorten this time.

He glanced at the sky. The sun had already set, and the light was fading.

“Your Majesty,” he spoke softly. “You must be tired from the journey here. I have had tea brewed. Please rest for a moment, and dinner will be ready shortly.”

Xiao Huan took the main seat and scanned the hall. “The decorations in this East Wing are quite elegant.”

“I prefer things to be simple.” Fang Zhiyan sat below him, maintaining a proper distance. “Moreover, I have just arrived and have not had the time to add many things.”

Xiao Huan picked up the teacup and took a sip. “If you lack anything, tell the Internal Affairs Office to send it. Why does your complexion look so poor?”

“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. It is likely due to exhaustion from recent days.”

Xiao Huan nodded and said nothing more. The conversation was brief and polite. Fang Zhiyan secretly sighed in relief. It seemed this Emperor was not too difficult to deal with. Perhaps he was just going through the motions and would leave after eating.

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Xiao Huan ask, “I heard that when Miss Fang was in her family home, she was proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting?”

Here it comes. Fang Zhiyan’s heart tightened. Aside from a little bit of painting, he knew nothing about those subjects. Even his painting was not skillful. Fang Zhiwei was known as the number one talented woman in the capital. If he showed any weakness now, things would go badly.

“I am ashamed,” he said with his head lowered and his voice soft. “Those were merely pastimes at home. I would not dare to show off in front of Your Majesty.”

“There is no need for such modesty.” Xiao Huan’s tone was flat, as if he were simply being polite.

The hall fell silent, and Fang Zhiyan felt a bit more relaxed. Perhaps His Majesty was indeed just following the Empress Dowager’s wishes to go through the motions.

Fu An came in to report. “Your Majesty, Your Ladyship, dinner is ready.”

“Serve it,” Xiao Huan said, putting down his teacup.

Palace maids entered in a line, placing the exquisite dishes on the table. The variety was not large, but every dish was delicate. Fang Zhiyan rose personally to serve Xiao Huan his food and ladled a bowl of soup, placing it respectfully before him. His movements were as fluid as water, and not a single fault could be found. He had not practiced the rules taught by the elderly maids for nothing this past month.

Xiao Huan picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of food, and suddenly asked, “Why are you not eating?”

Fang Zhiyan stared at the delicacies. He could not exactly say that he was already full. “It is enough for me to serve Your Majesty during the meal.”

Since he had already eaten, he naturally had no appetite.

“There is no need for such formality.” Xiao Huan tilted his chin up slightly. “Sit down and eat with me.”

Fang Zhiyan hesitated for a moment before sitting down as instructed. He picked up his chopsticks and placed a small piece of fish in his mouth. His movements were as elegant as those of a true young lady from a prestigious family. On normal days, he did not eat slowly. If he was hungry, he preferred to take large bites. However, in front of the Emperor, he had to pretend to have a poor appetite. Even chewing had to be done in small bites. This meal was more uncomfortable than being tortured.

What was even worse was that the two buns in his bodice shifted slightly with his movements, making him feel entirely uneasy. As he chewed slowly, he cursed the Fang family a hundred times in his heart. If it were not for their greed, would he be here suffering like this?

The meal was eaten in a quiet and restrained manner. Xiao Huan did not seem to be a talkative person either. Most of the time, he ate in silence, occasionally asking a few insignificant questions such as whether he was used to living there or if he lacked anything.

Fang Zhiyan answered each question with a submissive attitude and appropriate words. Everything was proceeding very smoothly. It was so smooth that he almost could not believe it. According to this pace, after eating, the Emperor would sit for a while and then get up to leave. Then, he could close the doors, take out those two cursed buns, and finally take a proper breath.

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