From CEO to Concubine

The last time Yan Zheyun had heard this voice, it'd been panting hotly against the shell of his ear, no louder than a sigh but somehow enough to send a full-body shudder rippling through him. 

Now it was cold and detached, commanding obeisance from everyone in the room as its owner strode up to the centre seat that Noble Consort Li had vacated. 

Along with the other concubines, Yan Zheyun paid his respects to his convenient 'husband'. 

"All rise." The emperor settled down into the chair. Yan Zheyun noted how he subtly shifted the excessive cushions out of the way. This chair was the popular Arhat bed that had started trending in the Ming Dynasty. It was wide enough for two and had a solid wooden base that didn't look very comfortable. Noble Consort Li had tried to mitigate this by softening it with pillows and thick seat covers. But ironically, the emperor appeared to be a man of simpler tastes.

"…Your Majesty, what brings you to this consort-subject's palace tonight? You didn't send word ahead of you, this consort-subject would have prepared for your arrival…" Noble Consort Li was conflicted. Yan Zheyun could detect a hopeful note in her question but it was dampened by the emperor's perfunctory attitude. For instance, he could have acknowledged her role as Mistress of Changchun Palace by inviting her to sit by his side. But he chose to leave her standing in the position normally taken up by her chief maid, as though she were more subject than consort to him, just an official reporting on a transgression to his superior.

"This sovereign is curious to know why a gathering with the male concubines is so pressing that Noble Consort Li is holding it past curfew." He didn't outright accuse her of flying in the face of decorum but her face paled nonetheless. 

Yan Zheyun felt Noble Consort Li's gaze dart towards him. Did she think he was responsible for alerting the emperor? He'd deliberately failed to conceal his earlier actions, letting everyone know that something big was up with Yuyang Palace. But he certainly couldn't reach out to the emperor directly 

Someone else could though. 

Yan Zheyun glanced at Gracious Consort Yao and met his eyes unexpectedly. They crinkled at Yan Zheyun, the corners of his lazy grin stretching upwards further, making him resemble a large, smug cat. Just like that, Yan Zheyun was certain that it was Gracious Consort Yao who was responsible for the emperor's sudden drop-in. 

But 'why' was a tougher question to answer. 

Noble Consort Li's self-assurance wavered, tentativeness creeping into her words as she cautiously replied, "This consort-subject was informed of a breach of rules in the inner palace but it is nothing that cannot be resolved. Whoever troubled Your Majesty to make the long trip over this late at night did not prioritise Your Majesty's health…"

The emperor held up a hand to silence her. His expression was impassive as he said, "No one troubled this sovereign. This sovereign was just finishing up a round of chess with Gracious Consort Yao before recalling Noble Consort Li's invitation to Changchun Palace to admire the handkerchiefs sewn by the new concubines. This is the real reason for the visit but it seems like this sovereign has chosen an untimely hour?"

"…not at all, Your Majesty." 

Yan Zheyun had to bite his tongue to contain his laughter. He was sure that no one listening to His Majesty's explanation was buying this shit. But what could they say? The emperor insisted that he had just so happened to be playing chess with Gracious Consort Yao, just so happened to remember the handkerchiefs, and just so happened to stumble upon this interrogation, which just so happened to involve Gracious Consort Yao's palace and his current favourite concubine. 

All in the name of coincidence. The emperor was shameless for selling this story. Yan Zheyun was shameless for finding this attractive. 

It wasn't just Noble Consort Li who was stumped. Liang Ruhan and the other concubines exchanged disbelieving looks too. But no one in their right minds was brave enough to call the emperor's blatant bluff. 

"Well? The handkerchiefs? Where are they?" The measure of impatience in the emperor's voice snapped Noble Consort Li out of her daze. She hurriedly sent for her maids to retrieve the woven basket containing the efforts of Chuxiu and Zheshan Palace, Yan Zheyun's abysmal attempt included. 

The emperor picked up one of the small white square cloths and flipped it around idly. The motif embroidered upon it was an idyllic lotus pond in full bloom, the smooth weave and flawless colour gradient giving the petals a lustrous glow. 

"Admirable effort," the emperor commented. "Whose work is this?" 

"In response to Your Majesty, this is Talented Lady Zhao's masterpiece." 

Talented Lady Zhao was the only other newcomer to the harem that had been conferred a title above attendant rank besides Yan Zheyun and Liang Ruhan. Yan Zheyun had heard rumours of Wu Bin's sister throwing a huge fit over this and had sent Xiao De to obtain more information on Zhao Qiaoting, the left prime minister's daughter. The feedback Xiao De managed to gather was that she was polite, conscientious, and magnanimous in her treatment of her fellow concubines and servants alike. 

"The left prime minister's daughter?" the emperor clarified. 

Noble Consort Li tightened her grip on her sleeves but continued to smile at him. "Yes, Your Majesty." 

The emperor didn't make any further enquiries about her. He rifled through the other submissions, gaze lingering once or twice on a more pleasing one before continuing on. The atmosphere in Changchun Palace had shifted from its terse tension to a bizarre anticipation as Liang Ruhan and his supporters became distracted by the emperor's actions. Their hostility towards Yan Zheyun was replaced by a growing excitement at the possibility that the emperor would remark on their creations and make a special note of them. 

Gracious Consort Yao had sunk into his usual seat near the front of the room without Noble Consort Li's permission but she was too busy to pay his disrespect any heed. He propped his chin up on one hand and looked ready to take a nap, his boredom reminding Yan Zheyun of the school hoodlums that had sat at the back of the classroom and slept through lessons. 

He was so caught up in his ruminations about why Gracious Consort Yao had decided to step in and assist him that he didn't remember to respond to Yan Yun's name until the emperor repeated it. 

"Yan Yun? Come here." 

Yan Zheyun blinked. The emperor was referring to him by…name? 

From the jealous stares that he was on the receiving end of, he guessed that his ears weren't deceiving him. 

Yan Zheyun bowed in acquiescence before approaching the dais. He was intending to keep a respectful distance away but the emperor reached out a caught him by the arm when he tried to salute Noble Consort Li before moving into her space and tugged him forward. Yan Zheyun stumbled and landed in the small space between the Arhat bed's arm and the emperor's warm body. 

"…" This was the honour that should have been reserved for Noble Consort Li but that the emperor had somehow seen fit to bestow upon him instead. Yan Zheyun was starting to wonder if the emperor were purposefully painting a target on his back, using him as a pawn to manipulate the inner palace politics in a direction that he wanted. 

But he could consider that later. Right now, he was being confronted with a whole basket of handkerchiefs, some beautiful, others, such as his, difficult to describe in inoffensive terms. 

"Which one is yours?" the emperor asked. Yan Zheyun's scalp prickled in mortification but he had no choice but to bear with it as he looked woodenly down at the selection before him. Some of the handkerchiefs, including a very ornate one with colourful mandarin ducks, which he knew to be Liang Ruhan's, had already been set aside. He rummaged through the remaining stack until he drew out the monstrosity that was his work of art. 

"…in response to Your Majesty…it's this one." 

"…"

A long brown splotch with red blobs surrounding it. He supposed that he should at least be thankful that the white fabric of the handkerchief, which was meant to represent fresh snow, at least succeeded in doing that. 

If Yan Zheyun had known that his sewing would be brought out for public scrutiny, he might have put in more effort. But he hadn't thought that it would see the light of day again, much less at the emperor's personal request. 

The emperor clearly also wasn't expecting it to be so…amateurish. There was no denying that the results were very incongruous with the gentle, refined appearance of the host body's face. It was like expecting a maestro's magnum opus and receiving a five-year-old's halfhearted attempt instead. 

"…" The emperor actually plucked the handkerchief out of Yan Zheyun's lax fingers before folding it neatly and tucking it into the folds of his lapels like he intended for it to be a keepsake. Yan Zheyun was so astounded by how the emperor managed to maintain a straight face when confronted with such ugliness that he couldn't do more than gape. This was film emperor (1) standards of acting. "This sovereign can tell that Lord Yue has tried his best." 

Someone who sounded suspiciously like Gracious Consort Yao let out a rude snort while the gloating expressions of the other concubines, which had surfaced when Yan Zheyun had revealed the disaster that was his sewing, fell off their faces. 

The entire flow of the conversation had been derailed by the emperor. The handkerchief excuse might be frivolous but Yan Zheyun had to be impressed by it. It meant that the noble consort would have no grounds to hold an open grudge against either Yan Zheyun or Gracious Consort Yao for tattling about Hua Zhixuan's matter to the emperor without first submitting to her authority to govern the inner palace. It also displayed the emperor's attitude towards the person they were intending to take down. 

He was here to support Yan Zheyun's waist (2). Whether he'd been convinced to by Gracious Consort Yao or otherwise, Yan Zheyun owed him one tonight. Without this support, Yan Zheyun would have to go the long mile to solve this issue satisfactorily. 

As though he didn't notice the reactions of the other concubines in the room, the emperor continued to chat with Yan Zheyun lightly. "What did this sovereign tell you that night?" The emperor took Yan Zheyun's hand and started playing with his fingers like they were his favourite toy. He started reminiscing about a fictional conversation that had never taken place between the both of them. Yan Zheyun tried listening intently to figure out the point the emperor was trying to make and how he could play along, but it was a lot harder to concentrate when he could feel the hot pressure of the emperor's touch rubbing over his skin.

He swallowed. "His Majesty told Yan Yun many things that night," he replied demurely. "May Yan Yun know which one His Majesty is referring to?" His cheeks ripened into the colour of fresh peaches as he leaned ever so slightly closer to the emperor like he was a moth inexplicably drawn to the flames. To everyone else, they looked like a harmonious young couple in the throes of love. But only Yan Zheyun and the emperor knew how much of it was false. 

"This sovereign expressly told you to remain unobtrusive despite the favour bestowed upon you, remember?" He tapped Yan Zheyun on the nose in a soft admonishment that looked more doting than punishing. Yan Zheyun felt goosebumps rise in his arms. This was such a far cry from the emperor's usual taciturn personality that if he weren't aware that it was all for show, he would have considered the possibility of possession or theft of the emperor's body by another transmigrator. 

By tomorrow, everyone would know about the emperor's unreasonable affection for his new favourite. Just thinking about the pros and cons of this was enough to make Yan Zheyun's head throb. 

"This concubine-subject knows." 

"Then what have you done instead? To take care of your good friend, you break all these inner palace rules without a second thought? Just because it's an act of kindness doesn't mean that you can be completely forgiven. These rules are here for a reason, Yan Yun, do you agree?" 

Yan Zheyun hung his head like a chastised child. Not only did it help him appear contrite, but it also helped him conceal his amused smile. "This concubine-subject is at fault and humbly asks His Majesty to mete out just punishment." 

"Mm." The emperor nodded in approval. "Since you are so meddlesome that you have chosen to trouble yourself with the affairs of others, this sovereign hereby orders that First-class Attendant Hua be transferred over from Imperial Concubine Pei's Yuanyin Palace to Gracious Consort Yao's Yuyang Palace. Lord of Handsome Fairness Yue has flouted some rules of the inner palace but this sovereign has considered the altruistic reasons behind it and decided that his punishment shall be to personally care for the well-being of Attendant Hua until recovery." 

Upon completing his declaration, the emperor looked up sharply at Noble Consort Li. "Does this sovereign's beloved noble consort think that this matter is now resolved adequately?" 

Noble Consort Li fell into a low curtsy. While she still appeared collected, Yan Zheyun could detect the trepidation in her voice as she rushed to agree with the emperor. "His Majesty is wise in all his decisions." 

"Your Majesty! This concubine-subject has a grievance to address!" Of course, Liang Ruhan and his supporters had put so much effort into engineering this trap for Yan Zheyun that they were loathed to let it go to waste. Initially, it had been Liang Ruhan who had kept his cool throughout the entire proceedings. But now that the emperor had swept in and dismissed the issue so easily, he could no longer sit back and watch. 

The emperor raised an eyebrow. "You are…?" 

Liang Ruhan's jaw tightened as Gracious Consort snorted again. But the emperor didn't tell the gracious consort to mind his manners and it was not the place of a mere talented lord to scold him so he had to continue as if he hadn't heard the mockery. He bowed. "Talented Lord Liang Ruhan pays his respects to His Majesty." His elegant bow and lilting voice were very pleasant to the eyes and ears but the emperor remained unmoved, content to fiddle with Yan Zheyun's hands as he waited for Liang Ruhan to say his piece. 

"This concubine-subject implores Your Majesty not to trust Lord Yue with the health of Attendant Hua!" Liang Ruhan forged on bravely with a plaintive cry. "Your Majesty might not be aware, but the nature of Attendant Hua's injuries are suspicious and there is good reason to believe that Lord Yue might be responsible for them—"

"Preposterous," Gracious Consort Yao interjected out of the blue. He didn't bother standing up when he addressed the room at large but he did straighten up when everyone turned to look at him and the salute he directed at the emperor before elaborating was crisp. It reminded Yan Zheyun less of a concubine and more of a soldier reporting to a commanding officer. 

How curious. 

"Your Majesty," Gracious Consort Yao said. "Out of sheer coincidence, this consort-subject checked on First-class Attendant Hua before heading to Tianlu Pavilion for our chess game. I'd received word of Attendant Hua's ailments and was surprised to find him awake and panicking. I tried comforting him but he was adamant for me to know that his injuries were all the result of his carelessness and that no one, especially not Lord Yue, was to be blamed for them." His eyes gleamed. "This does make me wonder, was Attendant Hua aware that Lord Yue was about to be accused of hurting him? It sure sounds like it." 

His casual musings were enough to drain the blood from Liang Ruhan's face. 

"C-carelessness?" Liang Ruhan stuttered. "Why would Attendant Hua say that?" 

Gracious Consort Yao's smile widened. "Why not? Does Talented Lord Liang have evidence that it was something else?" 

"Enough." The emperor's stare was flat as it travelled between Liang Ruhan and his supporters. "Talented Lord Liang is here in place of Imperial Concubine Pei?" 

"Yes, Your Majesty…" He opened his mouth to say more but the emperor didn't want to hear it. 

"Imperial Concubine Pei has always been sickly and does require assistance managing his palace." The emperor's frown deepened. "That being said, to jump to hasty conclusions and assign blame without evidence is not a demonstration of good governance." He pointed suddenly to the quiet figure at the back, who was trying its best to remain hidden behind the others. "You over there, report your name." 

The quiet figure startled. "T-T-This concubine-s-subject is Second-class Attendant Guo," he mumbled. 

"Very good. This sovereign hereby confers upon you the title of Beautiful Lord Guo, with the role of assisting Imperial Concubine Pei in his administration of Yuanyin Palace."

Gracious Consort Yao let out an enthusiastic, "Your Majesty's decision is truly wise!" Yan Zheyun wanted to echo him. Thanks to the emperor, Liang Ruhan now had a civil war on his hands. 

Having settled that, the emperor turned to look at Yan Zheyun. His expression softened. "Yan Yun has suffered this evening," he said softly, although the dark depths of his gaze remained unfathomable and Yan Zheyun couldn't read his thoughts. "Go home and rest.. Until Attendant Hua has recovered, the both of you are exempt from morning assemblies."