The empress is both charming and seductive, rising through the ranks of palace intrigue.

After carrying Ning Shuyan back to Liuyin Pavilion, Xiao Yu placed her on the bed. He gently stroked her sunburnt cheeks, and anger gradually rose in his heart.

Ning Shuyan felt a pair of large hands gently caressing her face, which made her feel slightly itchy. She slowly opened her eyes.

Xiao Yu's face lit up with joy as he softly asked, "You're awake. Is anything bothering you?"

Ning Shuyan shook her head and said softly, "I'm fine, just a little dizzy."

Before he finished speaking, the imperial physician arrived. Just as he was about to bow, Xiao Yu waved his hand and said, "Treat Consort Ning first."

Upon hearing this, Physician Ji immediately stepped forward, placed his hand on Ning Shuyan's wrist (which was padded with a handkerchief), and carefully took her pulse.

This pulse puzzled Imperial Physician Ji. Her body was perfectly healthy, with no apparent symptoms. He glanced slightly at the weak and feeble Ning Shuyan. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Your Majesty, Consort Ning is perfectly fine. She simply suffered from heatstroke, which is why she fainted just now."

Xiao Yu nodded and instructed him to go and write the prescription. Turning around, he saw Ning Shuyan with her back to him, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Xiao Yu sat down beside her and asked gently, "What's wrong?"

Ning Shuyan did not answer, but refused to turn around.

"Turn around and look at me!" Xiao Yu couldn't figure out what she wanted to do, and his tone turned cold.

Ning Shuyan quickly wiped away her tears, stood up, and said to Xiao Yu, "Your Majesty, I have a request."

Only then did Xiao Yu notice that Ning Shuyan's eyes were red and teary as she looked at him, trying her best to hold back her tears. He then realized that she had been secretly weeping.

But when Xiao Yu heard her ask him for a favor, he roughly knew what she wanted to say. In the constant infighting within the harem, the wronged party would often ask him to stand up for them and punish the other.

So, she was the same way. He had thought she would be different, but thinking of this, Xiao Yu's eyes dimmed slightly.

"What is it?" Xiao Yu's tone was devoid of any coldness.

Ning Shuyan lowered her head and said softly, "Consort Rong took one of my handkerchiefs. Your Majesty, could you please get it back for me?"

Upon hearing this request, Xiao Yu realized he had been overthinking things. He said gently, "It's just a handkerchief. What's so special about it that makes Shuyan cherish it so much?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Shuyan seemed unable to hold back her tears, which streamed down her face and dripped onto the embroidered quilt cover. Xiao Yu couldn't help but feel pity for her, and reached out to wipe away her tears, his tone unusually gentle: "Don't cry, I'm not blaming you, I was just asking. If Shuyan doesn't want to talk about it, that's fine. I'll have Consort Rong return it to you."

Ning Shuyan's voice choked with emotion, her brows and eyes filled with deep sorrow. "That was embroidered by my aunt for me, and it's the only thing I brought into the palace. It's my only keepsake."

After she finished speaking, her tears flowed even more profusely, and this was truly not an act. It was her longing for her aunt that burst forth in that instant.

Xiao Yu knew that Ning Shuyan and her aunt had a deep bond. No wonder she was so heartbroken. His heart softened, and he quickly pulled Ning Shuyan into his arms, stroking her back gently and saying, "It's alright, Shuyan, don't cry."

He rarely comforted people, or rather, he didn't know how. For a moment, he didn't know how to console her. Ning Shuyan leaned against his chest, her shoulders heaving as she sobbed.

"Stop crying. I'll have your concubine come to the palace to see you another day, how about that?"

Upon hearing this, Ning Shuyan wiped away her tears in disbelief, staring wide-eyed at Xiao Yu and asking, "Really?"

Xiao Yu looked at her expectant face, paused slightly, nodded, and slowly said, "Of course it's true."

Ning Shuyan's expression gradually softened, her watery eyes sparkling. After a moment's thought, she said softly, "But this is unreasonable. I've only been in the palace for four months, and I'm already seeing my family..."

Xiao Yu was quite surprised to hear this. In fact, he regretted saying those words as soon as they came out. Just as Ning Shuyan said, she had only been in the palace for four months and had already seen her family. There were quite a few concubines who had been in the palace for three years and had not seen their families. If he made an exception, it would inevitably make people think he was being biased.

But after all, the emperor's word is law, and if Ning Shuyan does not refuse, he will have no choice but to let his family enter the palace.

Ning Shuyan looked at Xiao Yu's calm face, but he didn't say a word, yet she understood. She said softly, "Your Majesty is very grateful for your consideration. However, I don't want to put Your Majesty in a difficult position. Let's meet again when there's another opportunity."

Moved by this, Xiao Yu took Ning Shuyan's hand and said, "Shuyan is indeed sensible. When the opportunity arises, I will definitely let you meet your family."

Then he asked Ning Shuyan, "What exactly happened today that Consort Rong made you kneel?"

Ning Shuyan's gaze darted away, and she said softly, "It's nothing, it's all in the past. I only hope the handkerchief can be found."

Seeing that she was hiding her thoughts and wouldn't speak, Xiao Yu pointed to Ziying beside him and said, "You are your master's personal maid, you speak."

Upon hearing this, Ziying immediately knelt down and said impatiently, "Your Majesty, Consort Rong treated our young lady coldly as soon as she arrived. When our young lady bowed, Consort Rong didn't tell her to get up. In the end, she snatched our young lady's handkerchief away, and because our young lady was in a hurry, she forgot to address herself as 'your humble servant,' so Consort Rong punished her. Moreover, Consort Rong also..."

"Ziying, you're talking too much!" Ning Shuyan said sternly, her eyes filled with severity.

Xiao Yu patted her hand: "You're weak, don't get angry. Let her continue."

Ziying continued, "Consort Rong made her maids kneel before Miss for an hour, and forbade us servants from holding umbrellas for her. Our Miss is gentle by nature, yet even a maid dares to be so disrespectful to her. I truly feel sorry for Miss."

Ning Shuyan said sternly, "Ziying, how dare you speak like that in front of the Emperor? Furthermore, now that you have entered the palace, you should address me as Your Highness."

"She was just being protective of her mistress, and everything she said was the truth. As for the form of address, Ziying was the maid who served you when you were in your boudoir, so it's fine to call her that," Xiao Yu said gently.

After a pause, Xiao Yu added, "Don't worry, I will definitely reprimand Consort Rong."

Ning Shuyan lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes still slightly damp. She said softly, "I only want my handkerchief back; I don't want any further complications."

Xiao Yu was quite pleased with her understanding, his eyes filled with deep pity. He quickly asked, "Where is that lowly maid?"

Yang An said, "Your Majesty, we've returned to Ningxiang Palace."

Xiao Yu coldly said, "Give her thirty lashes."

Yang An was not surprised and quickly nodded, "Yes, sir."

Thirty strokes of the cane would be enough to injure or cripple a weak woman, if not kill her. Clearly, Xiao Yu was enraged and wanted to punish her severely. Yang An understood perfectly well that this was Consort Rong repeatedly challenging the Emperor's bottom line.

The Emperor is currently in high spirits with Consort Ning, so why is he so ungrateful and bullying her? Consort Rong really has a winning hand, but she doesn't know how to play it.