The Fearless Empress - Chapter 14

A rebellious child suddenly turning obedient is always suspicious.

Cheng Sangyi had lived to the age of thirty in her previous life and had seen many children. In her eyes, the fifteen-year-old Gu Yunqi was practically a child.

Setting down the vermilion brush, she hurriedly led her attendants back to her bedchamber.

Sure enough, her little empress was curled up on the imperial bed, fast asleep.

She turned to the palace maid and asked, “Is this what you meant by ‘kneeling’?”

The palace maid bowed her head, not daring to speak. The messenger had said she was kneeling, but she must have just fallen asleep. Still, the maid didn’t dare say so.

Cheng Sangyi showed no mercy as she woke the girl, a faint “smile” on her lips. “I haven’t even gone to bed yet, and you’re already asleep.”

“You’re back.”

The empress’s voice was soft and sweet, almost syrupy, sending a shiver down one’s spine. Cheng Sangyi, already frowning, felt an urge to cover her ears. “Speak properly.”

The girl, baffled by the sudden scolding, blinked her drowsy eyes at the emperor.

Cheng Sangyi was radiant and enchanting, with delicate features and a cool, aloof demeanor. Yet, it was this very aloofness that made the little empress’s heart flutter.

Still dazed, she sat up, slipped on her shoes, and turned to look for her outer robe.

After searching for a moment, she couldn’t find it. Glancing down, she realized damn it, Cheng Sangyi was stepping on it.

How outrageous! The little empress bristled. “I knelt for so long, you woke me up in the middle of the night, and now you’re stepping on my clothes!”

Who the hell do you think you are?

The little empress’s sudden outburst, with her childish face contorted in defiance, resembled a kitten ready to pounce furious but powerless.

Seeing her anger, Cheng Sangyi felt a strange sense of satisfaction. In the next moment, she did something utterly childish.

She lifted her foot, deliberately pressed the tip of her shoe into the phoenix robe, and snorted coldly. “What did you just say?”

Suddenly, the “anger” seemed to evaporate from the little empress. She pouted and plopped back down on the imperial bed as if giving up entirely, whining, “My robe is dirty now. I can’t wear it.”

“Fetch one of my robes for her to wear,” Cheng Sangyi ordered the palace maid before dismissing everyone.

As the chamber doors closed, Cheng Sangyi stepped onto the footstool and looked down at Gu Yunqi. “You claimed you couldn’t read, so I’ve come personally to teach you.”

“Since when are you so kind-hearted?” The little empress felt a sudden twinge of fear.

Her clan often said that a gentle appearance was merely a deceptive facade not to be trusted.

She stood up, intending to say something, but suddenly realized she was half a head shorter than Cheng Sangyi.

And then she noticed the other’s slender waist, so narrow it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand.

Hmm, and her legs were long too.

Frustrated, she sat back down.

Cheng Sangyi glanced down. “What, you don’t want to learn? Also, do you know what ‘neizi’ means?”

“Eh?” The little empress was intrigued, her dark eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Is it a place?”

“‘Neizi’ means ‘my wife,’ my virtuous partner,” Cheng Sangyi gritted her teeth, unable to resist adding, “Shameless.”

The little empress let out an “oh,” finally understanding. She couldn’t help muttering to herself, “My wife, my spouse, my ‘neizi’ is you, your ‘neizi’ is.”

“Shut up!” Cheng Sangyi could no longer contain her fury. Her head spun with anger, and she instinctively pressed a hand to her forehead. “Not only shameless, but ignorant too.”

An empress who doesn’t recognize a single character, what a fine empress indeed.

Upon hearing this, the young empress covered her mouth, leaving only a pair of pitch-black, grape-like eyes that looked utterly innocent.

Cheng Sangyi curled her lips into a slightly mischievous smile. “I shall teach you to read.”

The young empress was no fool. Given the empress’s temperament, what could possibly come of such lessons? Did she have “fool” written on her forehead?

Ridiculous.

She immediately refused, calmly stating, “There’s no need for Your Majesty to teach me. I’ll ask the Noble Consort or the Virtuous Consort, they can instruct me.”

“Do you wish to announce to the world that my empress is illiterate?” Cheng Sangyi’s eyes suddenly turned cold with irritation, her tone laced with sarcasm. “If others learn of your ignorance, they will demand I depose you.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Cheng Sangyi was taken aback this was the perfect opportunity to remove the empress. The idea tempted her.

But she was not shortsighted. Though she had suffered setbacks because of Gu Yunzhu, the latter had also brought her two significant advantages. Good fortune doesn’t fall from the sky for no reason. If Gu Yunzhu had no desires or demands, that would be truly alarming.

Quickly reassuring herself, she thought that by keeping this person under control, she would gain an exceptionally sharp blade.

In the midst of her contemplation, the young empress frowned. “How do I know you won’t teach me nonsense?”

“Measuring the heart of a gentleman with your own mean standards,” Cheng Sangyi retorted. Suddenly, her mood lifted again. She leisurely adjusted her skirts and sat down beside the young empress. “If you wish to learn, I will teach. If not, you may leave and return to the Pepper Chamber Palace.”

“I’ll learn. I’m not afraid of you,” the young empress declared, shaking her fist as if to prove its strength.

In the next moment, Cheng Sangyi reached out, enveloping the small fist in her palm, and sneered, “You’re so tiny everywhere.” She even poked the young empress’s flat chest for emphasis.

The young empress was stunned, feeling deeply humiliated. “You, you!”

Cheng Sangyi chuckled softly, thoroughly pleased.

Soon, a palace maid brought an outer robe and helped the young empress into it. Cheng Sangyi was tall with long arms, so the robe hung on the young empress like a child playing dress-up in adult clothing.

“You did this on purpose,” the young empress gritted her teeth.

Cheng Sangyi smiled radiantly, her beauty dazzling like pearls and jade.

Confronted with such allure, the young empress’s anger melted away. Instead, she eagerly asked, “What shall we learn first?”

Cheng Sangyi glanced at the moonlight outside and said, “First, learn to write your name. Remember, do not casually accept any letters in the palace. If you receive any, bring them to me immediately. Understood?”

The young empress nodded. The last time her family sent a letter, it was intercepted by Matron Gu before she could even see it.

Cheng Sangyi picked up a brush, elegantly supporting her sleeve with one hand, her posture straight and graceful. The young empress stared, mesmerized.

With a flourish of ink, three delicate characters appeared on the paper.

Cheng Sangyi tossed the brush aside. “Memorize these tonight, Gu Yunzhu. Copy them a hundred times. Only after you finish may you sleep.”

The young empress pouted but dared not argue. She picked up the brush but accidentally splattered ink across the paper, smudging the three characters.

Cheng Sangyi narrowed her eyes, patiently took the brush from her hand, and set it down. “Stand properly, facing the desk.”

After placing the brush aside, Cheng Sangyi stepped closer, pushed up the young empress’s sleeves, and a faint tenderness flickered in her eyes. “Your wrist should use finesse, not brute force.”

With patience, she guided Gu Yunzhu’s hand, holding the brush, and gently wrote the character “Gu.”

The previously boisterous Empress now appeared exceptionally docile.

Cheng Sangyi glanced at her, a faint smile curling her lips as she released her. “Write it yourself.”

It was getting late, nearly the second watch. If they didn’t retire soon, they would surely be exhausted tomorrow.

Cheng Sangyi left gracefully, leaving the young Empress in a state of shock.

That version of Cheng Sangyi just now had been so gentle.

Coldness and tenderness were perfectly embodied in her.

It took half the night for the Empress to recover. When she looked at her own writing again, she was far from completing a hundred copies.

Learning to write was too difficult.

By the time she finished copying a hundred times, it was already noon. Having stayed up all night again, she decided to take a nap on the imperial dragon bed.

A palace maid attempted to stop her, this was the dragon bed, not an ordinary couch.

But before she could speak, the Empress was already fast asleep.

For the moment, she had no choice but to send word to the Empress.

The Empress had once again slept in the Emperor’s bed.

Cheng Sangyi was reclining on a small couch while Su Shi knelt below, speaking softly. The attendant delivering the message tried to keep their voice low, but Su Shi still overheard.

Gu Yunqi had slept on the Emperor’s dragon bed.

Others might not know Cheng Sangyi’s temperament, but Su Shi understood she detested physical contact with others.

Yet, upon hearing that the Empress had slept in her bed, Cheng Sangyi showed no reaction, as if it had become a habit.

Su Shi was taken aback. Had the Empress won the Emperor’s favor in less than a month?

“Su Tanhua, Su Tanhua, the Emperor is speaking to you.”

Su Shi quickly composed herself, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. A wave of disappointment washed over her, she had been promised to wait, so why had things changed?

That evening, Cheng Sangyi made a point of returning early. As dusk fell, she was already back.

It was the first time since her ascension to the throne.

The young Empress was lounging on her small couch, wearing her clothes and casually enjoying her pastries.

She looked utterly at ease.

When the young Empress saw her return, she jumped up. “You’re back!”

Her tone was lively, her mood cheerful, she had been eagerly awaiting her return. Cheng Sangyi’s heart skipped a beat at the sound, and she subtly turned her face away, pretending not to hear.

The young Empress, still nibbling on a pastry, offered one to her. “They said these were made for you. I was hungry, so I ate a few. They’re delicious. And about the matter you mentioned, I’ve already instructed someone to look into it.”

In truth, she had planned to investigate it herself that night.

Cheng Sangyi gave a noncommittal hum, a flicker of emotion passing through her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to take the pastry.

The young Empress wasn’t offended and continued eating on her own. “I finished copying. It’s a bit messy.”

Well, at least she was self-aware.

Cheng Sangyi only glanced at her before turning away and walking to the desk. With just one look, she covered her eyes in disbelief.

What kind of scribbling was this?

The strokes were neither slanted nor curved properly, all crammed together.

A three-year-old could write better than this. How could a fifteen-year-old produce such work and still have the nerve to eat pastries?

“You have the audacity to eat pastries,” Cheng Sangyi said, massaging her temples.

After she spoke, silence fell behind her. Cheng Sangyi turned to look.

Under the lamplight, Gu Yunqi’s face was deathly pale as she leaned weakly against a pillow, pastries scattered across her lap.

In three quick strides, Cheng Sangyi rushed to her side. “Did you eat too much and get a stomachache?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she lifted Gu Yunqi’s chin and was shocked to see her lips tinged with purple. Then, a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

It was poison.

A chill ran down Cheng Sangyi’s spine. Instinctively, she pulled Gu Yunqi into her arms. A familiar dread seized her as she cried out, “Someone, come quickly! Fetch the imperial physician!”

After shouting, she glanced at the pastries that had fallen onto the small couch.

These pastries were meant for her to eat, but Gu Yunqi’s greed had led to her being poisoned.

Support The Fearless Empress