CHAPTER 545: CHAPTER 544: TOUGH TALK, TRULY SOFT

If one were to say that the first time was initiated by the Princess, then what followed was Concubine Mei exhibiting a bit of insatiability.

Without comparison, there’d be no harm felt.

All the women of the imperial harem revolved around the Emperor alone, naturally staring eagerly.

However, right now, Concubine Mei had opened up new territories and had completely unlocked the doors to a new world.

In the vast sea of ups and downs, the only thoughts in her mind were: "How impressive."

It was not until the dawn broke that she finally fell into a deep sleep.

That night, Chu Qi had not been able to leave the palace; exhausted and with his back almost broken. Moreover, with the incident involving Concubine Chen Jieyu causing strict vigilance, he had no energy left to maneuver and simply slept directly on Concubine Mei’s bed.

The palace maids were unaware of the absurd events inside the hall.

Concubine Mei’s personal maid came in with a basin of clear water.

"My lady, it’s time to rise. His Majesty has ordered all the concubines to gather in the garden," she said, reaching out to lift the canopy.

The next second her mouth was covered, and with a crisp snap, Chu Qi twisted the maid’s neck.

Concubine Mei opened her eyes to this scene and was so frightened that her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.

"What are you doing! She is my personal maid!"

Chu Qi pulled the mask from his neck to his face, still revealing only those wild, wolf-like eyes, and stepped barefoot off the bed.

His sturdy body had not an ounce of excess fat, and various scars crisscrossed his back. His dark skin was filled with a robust sense of beauty.

He propped the maid up to sit by the bed, and then went about picking up his clothes from the floor and putting them on himself.

Concubine Mei didn’t know why.

In such a ludicrous and horrifying situation, her mind was filled with the bold and crazy scenes from the night before.

It truly made her a bit thirsty and tongue-tied.

When Chu Qi turned around, he saw her staring blankly at him.

Thus, he let out a mischievously wicked smile, "My lady, no need to rush. Before the debts are cleared, the old man will still be coming over."

"What do you take me for!" Concubine Mei’s pretty face scowled as she pointed at Chu Qi’s nose and scolded, "Make it clear, you serve me."

"Really hard-mouthed..." he leaned forward, his rough hand pinching her soft skin: "Really soft."

"Get out!" Concubine Mei’s face turned from red to pale as she slapped away his hand.

By then, Chu Qi had completely dressed.

Concubine Mei glanced at the maid beside her and swallowed, "Deal with her."

Chu Qi shook his head, "That’s a separate price."

"You killed her, and you still want to charge?!" Concubine Mei could hardly believe her own ears.

Chu Qi nodded, "She’s your person, I killed her, so it’s a charge."

"Fine then." After all, she was not at a loss.

"Dress up nicely tonight, old man really enjoyed your initiative last night." After saying that, Chu Qi didn’t wait for Concubine Mei to respond, picked up the maid’s body from the floor, and left directly through the window.

Concubine Mei punched the bedding fiercely.

But she did not forget what the palace maid had just said; she got up, cleaned her body with the basin of clear water, and dressed herself.

This man truly acts without considering the consequences.

She still needed to figure out how to explain the disappearance of her personal maid.

With a nervous heart, Concubine Mei walked into the garden where by now, a sparse group of concubines had already gathered.

Each one wore a stern expression.

The atmosphere grew even more peculiar when Concubine Mei appeared.

The concubines who were still anxiously discussing immediately fell silent.

Concubine Mei swept a cold glance over the group, assumed a forcibly calm expression, and found a place to sit down.

Chu Qi arrived fashionably late.

A woman followed behind him.

She wore a light pink dress that made her appear even more lively and gorgeous as she approached. Everyone thought a fairy had descended from the heavens.

Who was standing beside the Emperor?

The Concubines felt a strong sense of crisis.

Concubine Mei furrowed her brows as she stared at the woman, no one knew her better.

It was Su Bai.

Her scars were removed, revealing her true face.

Who could have imagined that beneath that ugly black mask was such a stunningly beautiful face?

Concubine Mei was so jealous she could almost crush her teeth.

Chu Qi looked very unwell.

With Chen Jieyu’s accident and the loss of the Dragon Heir, he felt nakedly threatened.

As the Emperor, if he couldn’t even protect the women in his own harem, what kind of Emperor was he?!

Therefore, he was determined to investigate this matter thoroughly.

"I believe everyone is already aware of what happened to Chen Jieyu," Chu Qi said coldly, scanning the expressions of the surrounding Concubines. His expression was stern, "On a normal day, I turn a blind eye to your minor skirmishes, but this time, someone among you has gone too far!"

As he spoke, Concubine Mei felt Chu Qi’s gaze drifting toward her constantly, causing her to grip her palm anxiously.

I won’t be found out.

I avoided everyone’s sight when I went and specifically took a side door.

I only brought my nursemaid with me.

By now, the nursemaid had also been silenced.

The only one who knew about this affair was Chen Jieyu herself.

According to the palace maid she had bribed, Chen Jieyu had not awakened yet.

So, the Emperor was merely bluffing at this point.

Thinking this, Concubine Mei’s mind steadied.

As long as there is no evidence, even if Chu Qi suspects, he can’t convict me.

The affair with Chen Jieyu could effectively overshadow the recent scandal between her father and herself. From this incident on, no one would focus their attention on her and her father anymore.

"I will leave this matter entirely to General Su to handle," Chu Qi announced.

Su Bai stepped forward, curved her lips in a slight smile, and said, "Ladies, please rest assured, I will certainly catch the real culprit swiftly to cleanse the back palace and guarantee your safety from today onwards."

The back palace is a sensitive area.

But Su Bai was highly skilled in martial arts and, crucially, she was a woman.

The task naturally fell upon her shoulders.

Only then did the Concubines realize that this incredibly gorgeous woman was indeed Su Bai.

But why would she remove her mask all of a sudden?

Chu Yu stood in the corner, visibly weak, leaning on her personal Palace Maid. Her gaze was fixed on Su Bai’s features.

"It is rare indeed, she’s actually willing to take off the mask. It seems the drama is about to begin."

"Princess, what did you say?" asked the Palace Maid, catching only bits of words, puzzled.

Chu Yu waved her hand, "Never mind, accompany me for a walk later. I haven’t seen the sun in so long."

The Palace Maid complied.

Chu Yu’s gaze moved from Su Bai, passed the throng of Concubines, and settled on the lavishly dressed Concubine Mei, her lips curling into a smirk.

What a fool, she really did me a huge favor.