° In all fairness, the emperor granted each concubine the opportunity to demonstrate her worth. After acquainting himself with all of them, he found himself inexplicably drawn to Bai Meili's presence.

° What set her apart from other females was a simple yet profound comfort—the emperor found that by her side, he could take a good rest like nowhere else.

° With Ting Zi's skillful interventions, disasters were kept at bay, paving the way for a smooth course ahead. The feelings between Bai Meili and the Emperor continued to flourish.

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

° "Miss. Ting Zi believes it would be wise to seek His Majesty's permission first." Ting Zi's gaze settled on the male version of Bai Meili, "His majesty might be testing your loyalty. It's dangerous outside. What if, by some chance, someone wanted to abduct you?"

° Bai Meili stood before a mirror, her reflection a portrait of conflicted emotions, "Do you think I didn't try? Ting Zi, don't try to persuade me."

° She continued, her gaze fixed on her own reflection. "No matter how much I begged, he still went to war and left me behind."

° "Miss, his Majesty holds you in high regard. I'm sure he dispatched his shadow guards to protect you," Ting Zi made an assumption on the spot, "They're likely watching over us right now, probably even sharing a good laugh at Miss' childish temper."

° "I didn't sense anyone nearby. Ting Zi, this is an order," Bai Meili turned around, her expression urgent, "I'll sell you out if you don't help me."

° Ting Zi avoided her miss's gaze, looking at the window, "Sell me," she answered calmly.

° Bai Meili's face darkened, irritated by Ting Zi's refusal to obey her again. She thought she had been too lenient, and it was time to teach her maid a lesson, "You're just a punny slave. Don't get too full of yourself," she called out another of her maids, "Ting Zi refused to listen to my orders. As punishment, she receives no food for three days."

° "Miss, the security in this place is tighter than Miss's old home," Ting Zi cautioned. With a respectful bow, she turned and exited the room, bracing herself to face the consequences of her actions.

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

° "What did you do?" The maid that was ordered to check on Ting Zi asked curiously.

° "Miss gave me two choices. To obey, or to be sold," Ting Zi replied truthfully, "I choose to be sold."

° The other maid's eyes widened in shock, "Ting Zi! You are playing with fire! "

° Ting Zi gazed ahead at the expanse of greenery, her demeanor as composed and bland as ever, "Our miss is a very benevolent person, isn't she? I misbehaved, and she still forgave me."

° "Y-Yes, she is..." The maid glanced around cautiously before leaning in to whisper, "I'll share my food with you."

° Ting Zi's small nod carried a weight of gratitude. Her lips curved into a subtle, fleeting smile.

° After Ting Zi got rid of the main competitors, Bai Meili's standing in the harem became far above other concubines. She ensured that every woman harbored a sense of inferiority in Bai Meili's presence. Nobody dared to go against a woman who had his majesty's favor. One word and they'd die!

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

° Everything changed when His Majesty returned with a woman of lowly status. She was not as beautiful or skilled as Bai Meili, and still, he gave her more attention than any other woman.

° 'How? Why?'

° When Ting Zi asked around, she discovered that the new woman was his majesty's childhood sweetheart, a slave like Ting Zi. Bai Meili received everyone's pity while that woman received all the hate. What's worse, his majesty ordered Ting Zi to be that woman's maid! So if something ever happened to that woman, Bai Meili would be the one at fault!

° Today, Ting Zi had been ordered by her new miss Lu Wan to stay back for dinner with his majesty, "..."

° Listening to the order obediently, Ting Zi picked up a pair of chopsticks and a bowl of rice; her eyes were glued to the table filled with food. While chewing on rice, her ears tried to ignore the sucking and kissing sound of the two people before her, "..."

° She never saw his majesty behaving like that towards Miss Bai Meili. Ting Zi was confused. What was so special about Miss Lu Wan?

° 'It's probably because of the childhood bond between them. Who knows what they went through in the past.'

° Ting Zi lifted her gaze to have a look, and here he was, staring right back at her. The longer they looked at each other, the deeper he kissed Lu Wan, "..."

° 'It seems like his majesty has a thing for slave girls. He didn't punish me when I looked him in the eyes. Does he like it?'

° Ting Zi took a bite of her banana fritters and studied the way he kissed the woman on his lap.

° 'Is kissing better than food?'

° 'Why is he not eating?'

° The man suddenly stopped his action, "You must be hungry," he spoke calmly to the blushing woman on his lap, grabbing his chopsticks, he picked a piece of banana fritters.

° Placing it before Lu Wan's lips, he ordered, "Try this." After Lu Wan had finished her meal, he returned to their shared intimacy, all the while keeping a watchful eye on Ting Zi.

° "..." Ting Zi's once palatable meal seemed to alter in taste. Abandoning her plate, she signaled that she was full in silence. Continuing watching them, she waited, and waited, until the woman on his lap fainted, "...."

° With practiced nonchalance, he gently settled the woman onto the bed, his demeanor unchanged. Stepping away, he made his way to the table.

° Taking a sip from his cup, he rinsed his mouth before abruptly spitting out the liquid into Lu Wan's flower pot. Noticing there were still some banana fritters left, he brought one to his lips and took a bite.

° Turning his attention to the perplexed maid, he extended a smile. "Come here," he beckoned with his pointer.

° 'The bond is not as strong as I thought. There is still a chance for Miss Bai Meili.'

° Swiftly assessing the situation, Ting Zi rose from her seat and approached him. "Your Majesty─"

° His action was sudden as he forcefully pulled down her hand, his grip finding her neck. His gaze locked onto her eyes as he posed a direct question, his tone intense. "Do you like us?" He had noticed how she had been silently observing him.

° When Ting Zi nodded, he closed the distance between them, their lips colliding. The lingering taste of bitter tea intertwined with the faint sweetness of banana, merging in the kiss. "Is this your first experience?" he inquired, detecting her attempt to mimic his actions.

° Ting Zi nodded her head, "Is it bad?"

° "Not good," he remarked with a sudden intensity, sinking his teeth into her lower lip. Ting Zi involuntarily hissed in pain, the sensation sharp and unexpected. "Understand? That's how much you are hurting us."

° Yet, when she tentatively brushed his lips, her touch cautious as if fearing to cause harm, he promptly instructed her to revert to her previous actions. He had never encountered someone so emotionally detached in the midst of such an intimate act.

° It wasn't long before Lu Wan stirred from her unconscious state. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the audacious scene unfolding before her. Seated on his lap, Ting Zi—her supposed maid—was now being disrobed by none other than his Majesty himself!

° As his lips trailed over Ting Zi's bared collarbone, she shifted her gaze towards her mistress. A daring smile curved her lips as she provocatively ran her tongue across her slightly swollen mouth. But before her intent could fully register, their mouths met in a more fervent kiss.

° 'Come and stop him.'

° Anger and jealousy surged within Lu Wan, her heart a tumultuous mix of emotions. She shut her eyes briefly, attempting to recapture his focus. "Ru Quan," her voice quivered, feigning weakness, "I suddenly feel unwell again."

° Her tone wavered with an undertone of vulnerability. Simultaneously, she worked to remove the obstacle before her. "Ting Zi," she called dismissively, "Go fetch a prescription from the doctor for my headache."

° When Ting Zi left the room, Ru Quan excused himself to ask the doctor for a prescription personally, a convenient pretext to rinse his mouth once again.

° Afterward, he returned to the room and resumed sipping his tea, his gaze directed at the woman who had saved his life a decade ago. In exchange for his life, he gave Lu Wan status, wealth, and sometimes even his body to play with.

° "She saved my life too," Ru Quan lied. There was nothing between him and Ting Zi. If Lu Wan thought that she could control him only because she saved his life, then she was mistaken. The very last thing he desired was to be someone's possession.