Chapter 4: Disfigured Palace Maid vs. Cold-blooded Emperor
The next day, when Yu Yao woke up early with her black hair loose, she was about to comb her hair when she found that her peach blossom hairpin was missing.

After searching for a while without finding it, he simply gave up looking and thought it had been stolen by some palace maid.

She casually took out a jade hairpin to fix her combed hair, tidied it up again, and went out to work.

In the imperial study room!

The incense burner beside the imperial desk was emitting smoke. Ye Beichen was holding a memorial paper in his hand. Somehow, his mind couldn't help but recall the scene that happened last night.

"Fu'an, go check if anyone went to the pond south of the laundry bureau last night."

Ye Beichen's eyes still did not leave the memorial in his hand, and he spoke without raising his head.

Eunuch Fu was waiting on the side, and was slightly stunned when he heard the emperor's words.

Your Majesty, why are you investigating this for no reason?
Although he was puzzled, he still said respectfully: "Yes, Your Majesty!"

He quickly left the imperial study.

As soon as Eunuch Fu left the imperial study, he met Concubine Zhao coming towards him.

Concubine Zhao was the favorite concubine in the palace, and her degree of favor was second only to Concubine Rou.

Eunuch Fu dared not neglect anyone, and hurried forward with a smile on his face, "Your servant greets the Imperial Concubine, may the Imperial Concubine be blessed with good health."

Concubine Zhao looked at Eunuch Fu, smiled faintly, and said lazily: "Let's skip these empty formalities. Eunuch, you are in a hurry. What are you going to do?"

Eunuch Fu is a seasoned man, so he naturally knows what he can say and what he cannot say.

Even though Concubine Zhao was very favored, there were some things she could not say.

"It's nothing, it's just that His Majesty has something small for me to do, and I'm about to do it."

Eunuch Fu said casually with a smile on his face.

To Concubine Zhao, it was as good as saying nothing.

The smile on his face faded instantly, and he lost interest in talking to the other person.

She looked towards the imperial study and asked, "I'm here to bring soup to the emperor. Is anyone inside?"

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Fu glanced at Jinse behind Concubine Zhao without leaving a trace.

When I saw the other person holding an exquisite food box, I knew what was inside.

"Your Highness, the Emperor is here. Would you like me to inform you?"

Eunuch Fu laughed again.

I don’t know why these concubines and ladies like to send soup to the emperor so much.

The emperor drinks it every day, and no matter how delicious the soup is, he will get tired of it.

Most of it went into the stomachs of these slaves.

Didn’t you see the servants serving in front of the emperor? They all had rosy faces and were in very good spirits.

Of course, Eunuch Fu would not say these things.

Concubine Zhao didn't know all this. They didn't care whether the emperor drank the soup or not. To them, this was just a means to win favor.

"No need, I'll go in by myself."

After she finished speaking, she didn't even look at Eunuch Fu. She took the food box from Jinse's hand and went in.

Ordinary people cannot enter the imperial study without the emperor's permission.

But Concubine Zhao did have this right.

Of course, this right was given by Ye Beichen.

Jinse just waited at the door of the imperial study.

Eunuch Fu also went to do what the emperor had asked him to do.

Royal study room.

"Your Majesty, I greet you. May your Majesty be blessed!"

Concubine Zhao bowed to Ye Beichen, who was reviewing memorials at the imperial desk.

Ye Beichen looked up and saw her, and curled his lips, "My beloved concubine, how come you have time to come here today?"

Concubine Zhao put the food box aside and walked over with a smile, "I missed the emperor, so I came to see him and brought him a bowl of Gu soup."

Ye Beichen smiled slightly, pulled her to sit on him, and said with a smile: "My beloved concubine is thoughtful."

Concubine Zhao sat on his lap naturally and was about to say something when she saw a very ordinary peach blossom hairpin made of silver placed on the imperial desk.

How could such a rubbish hairpin, which looked like it was worn by a palace maid, appear on the imperial desk?
Concubine Zhao suddenly had a bad feeling and looked at the peach blossom hairpin carefully.

The more I look at it, the more familiar it seems, as if I've seen it somewhere before.

But I can't remember exactly when I saw it.

"Where did the emperor get this hairpin? It's made of such poor material that only the little palace maids would wear it."

Concubine Zhao casually picked up the peach blossom hairpin on the imperial desk and played with it, as if she was just curious.

When Ye Beichen saw her playing with the peach blossom hairpin, he suddenly felt unhappy, but he did not show it.

"Nothing, I picked it up on the road, I don't know who dropped it, I just put it aside after picking it up."

He glanced at the peach blossom hairpin held in Concubine Zhao's hand and said nonchalantly.

Concubine Zhao hooked her hands around Ye Beichen's collar and begged softly, "Since it was picked up by the Emperor, can the Emperor give this hairpin to me?"

Ye Beichen looked at her with a half-smile, "My beloved concubine, do you really want this hairpin, or do you suspect that I am having an affair with some palace maid?"

He spoke frankly and without reservation.

Concubine Zhao's inner thoughts were exposed and she looked a little embarrassed.

But it soon returned to normal.

She glared at Ye Beichen coquettishly, "Your Majesty is the supreme ruler, the whole world belongs to you. If your Majesty wants someone, he can just marry that person. Why would he have to have an affair?"

Although I said this, I still had doubts in my heart.

Men just like to play this kind of cheating trick.

I don’t like things that are delivered to my door.

"Hahaha…"

Ye Beichen was pleased by her words. Looking at the peach blossom hairpin still held in her hand, he hesitated for a moment and said, "Since my beloved concubine likes it, then take it!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Concubine Zhao smiled even more brightly and put the hairpin away very naturally.

I plan to go back and ask Jinse to find out.

If she knew who was having an affair with the emperor behind his back, she would see how she would deal with that bitch.

Concubine Zhao was in a very good mood after receiving the hairpin, and she diligently took the soup she brought from the food box.

"I personally cooked a bowl of mung bean soup. The weather is getting hotter, so it would be good for Your Majesty to drink it to cool off."

She spoke very quickly, and specifically said that she had stewed it herself, just to leave a good impression on the emperor.

Ye Beichen naturally heard it, glanced at the mung bean soup, and smiled faintly: "My beloved concubine, you have worked hard. Leave it there for now. I still have official business to deal with. I will drink it later."

"Okay, then I'll put the mung bean soup aside first."

Concubine Zhao smiled slightly and tactfully got off Ye Beichen.

Even though she was unhappy, she still had that look in her eyes.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to become a royal concubine.

Seeing that she was tactful, Ye Beichen felt more satisfied, "My beloved, please go back first. I will go to your palace tonight."

Hearing that the emperor was going to her palace at night, Concubine Zhao became happy again.

"Then I will wait for His Majesty in Yaohua Palace. Your Majesty must come over."

She specifically reminded Ye Beichen because she was afraid that he would be dragged away by that bitch Rou Fei again.

If Concubine Zhao was favored, then Concubine Rou was favored by the emperor.

Still the invincible kind.

Who makes Concubine Rou Ye Beichen’s true love?

If Concubine Rou was not just a singing girl from Jiangnan with such low status, I'm afraid even the position of Queen would have belonged to her.

The reason why Concubine Rou did not become a noble concubine was also the result of the Empress Dowager's suppression.

(End of this chapter)