The Enchanting Imperial Concubine (Book 2)

Chapter 204 - Enchantress

The next day, they set off in the early morning, even before it was light. This time, Ye Yun brought along Huiyue, Nanzhi, and Baizhu, as well as Lu Zhi.

Before they left, she specifically called in Lu He and Lu Mei for a talk, instructing them to guard the Yu Xiu Pavillion well and to ensure that nothing went awry. Initially, the two maids felt a bit downcast that their mistress had taken Lu Zhi, another second-rank palace maid, without them. However, after clarifying their responsibilities, they realized they also bore an important duty, which made them feel much better. This was where Ye Yun showed her insight into people's hearts, taking care of even the finer details.

Once in the carriage, Ye Yun hurriedly removed the hair ornaments from her head and went to sleep. There was still quite a distance to Lingxi Garden, so she figured it was best to catch a little more rest.

Sure enough, they arrived about three hours later. They dismounted in the garden and found it not as hot as they had expected. With many trees and plenty of water, a gentle breeze made it feel quite cool.

"Now that we've arrived, you all woke up early today, so hurry to your respective quarters to rest," Ye Yun said, waving her hand. The servants of Lingxi Garden stepped forward to lead the way.

Ning Chen glanced at the women and suddenly focused on her. "Why is Ming Jieyu's hair down?"

At his words, everyone turned to look in that direction. Ye Yun was taken aback, reaching up to feel the back of her head, and indeed, her hair had come loose in places. No wonder Huiyue had been so eager to hold her back from getting out of the carriage—it seemed she had lost a short hairpin that had kept her hair in place.

However, she didn't think it was a big deal, so she curtsied gracefully and said calmly, "This servant fell asleep on the way and must not have noticed when my hairpin fell out. My appearance is unkempt; please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Having just woken up, her fair cheeks were flushed with a hint of rouge, and her eyes still showed a bit of sleepiness. A gentle breeze blew, lifting the loose strands of her hair, and in her light green dress, she resembled a delicate flower emerging from the water.

Ning Chen gazed at her, momentarily entranced. Regaining his composure, he waved her over. "You've always loved to slack off. Since you've napped in the carriage, and the journey was so long, you must be well-rested now. Come accompany me to Jing Qian Palace to review some documents."

Ye Yun silently cursed under her breath: Are you blind, thinking I've had enough sleep? But on the surface, she still had to respond with a cheerful smile.

Ning Chen, unfazed by the situation, took her hand and walked her through the crowd. In an instant, the other consorts felt that Ming Jieyu was nothing but an enchantress!

Upon reaching Jing Qian Palace, Ye Yun collapsed onto the soft couch by the window, seeming as if she had lost all her bones, hugging the welcoming pillow at an angle. Seeing her lazy demeanor, Ning Chen couldn't help but smile. He waved the servants away and sat down beside her.

"Why are you so lazy? Have you not rested enough after sitting in the carriage for three hours?"

"Everyone says that traveling by boat and carriage is tiring, yet Your Majesty claims that riding in a carriage is resting," she huffed playfully.

Letting go of the welcoming pillow, she turned and lay on his lap. "Didn't Your Majesty say you wanted to review documents? Then I'll just sit here and watch you work, okay?"

After being jolted around in the carriage, she felt utterly exhausted. So, she resorted to charming and acting cute.

Ning Chen, unable to resist, pinched her cheek. "I summoned you to assist with the writing, yet you only want to slouch around."