Chapter 674: Jingyan (2)
Once Jingyan heard that Xiyan’s breathing had evened out, indicating that she had fallen back asleep, she heaved a sigh of relief and quickly put on her nightgown. She even applied a fragrant perfume and patted some rouge on her cheeks. Jingyan checked her reflection by the wavering candle light and let out a satisfied smirk.
It was all thanks to the accessories and makeup that Chu Lian had generously bestowed upon the maidservants that she could dress up so beautifully.
There was the saying that all women were beauties under the lamp light. Jingyan felt that her current looks could be compared even to Chu Lian’s.
She twirled a lock of her hair and swayed out of her room, turning around to shut the door silently.
She went over to the bedroom first to have a peek. When she saw that the two maidservants under her were properly guarding the door, and that Chu Lian was still deep in slumber, she left some orders for the maidservants before heading over to the kitchen.
Jingyan took out the aphrodisiac soup she had brewed earlier and poured it into an exquisite porcelain bowl. She placed it carefully into a food box and made her way over to the study in the outer court.
She had already overheard that He Changdi would be taking care of official business in the study tonight, and that there were only a few manservants on duty there.
As long as He Changdi drank the soup she had brewed and she took the initiative, she trusted that things would fall into place.
The more she thought about it, the more excited Jingyan got. Her body started trembling in anticipation.
However, what she didn’t know was that the moment she left Songtao Court, Chu Lian was called awake by someone.
Chu Lian rubbed her eyes and sat up, looking over to Wenqing, who was standing beside her.
Although her voice was a little husky from sleep, her tone remained strangely calm, “Has she gone?”
Wenqing’s expression was full of indignant anger. She nodded, “Madam, this servant is going to tell Master immediately!”
Chu Lian was more clear-headed after a while. She turned to Wenqing and shook her head, “Follow her and watch what happens. Just report to me when everything is over.”
Wenqing gasped, “Madam, that won’t be good, right?”
Chu Lian let out a light chuckle, “What? You don’t have any confidence in your master?”
Wenqing hurriedly shook her head. She felt that her master would definitely kick Jingyan right out the moment she reached the study.
“Then all is well, isn’t it? Alright, I’m still sleepy. You go ahead.”
That said, Chu Lian laid right back down, pulled the thin blanket over her belly, and shut her almond-shaped eyes.
Wenqing had no choice but to do as Chu Lian had ordered.
When only Chu Lian was left in the bedroom, her eyes fluttered open. There was no trace of sleepiness in her eyes now, and they were bright and clear.
Jingyan hadn’t been a good character at all in the original novel. She had also died even earlier than Mingyan had. As for why Chu Lian had still kept her by her side, she had simply been giving her a chance to change for the better. After all, nothing had happened yet.
However, she wasn’t that naive. She had already taken some precautions against Jingyan.
Wenqing had been watching her secretly. If she hadn’t gone overboard today, Chu Lian was about to trust that she had turned over a new leaf.
Unfortunately, she had still taken a step down the wrong path.
Although she knew that He Changdi would definitely reject Jingyan, she still couldn’t help the thread of uncertainty winding around her heart.
She wasn’t as calm and indifferent about this as she tried to appear to Wenqing.
It was only because she cared about He Changdi that she worried that she might lose him. Chu Lian stared up at the canopy of the bed, biting her lip and waiting for more news.
Since Jingyan was one of Chu Lian’s four handmaids, she easily gained entrance to the courtyard where the main study was located.
When she walked up to the final barrier, Jingyan struggled to hide the pleased smirk on her lips.
Laiyue was standing at the entrance of the study. When he noticed Jingyan walking over with a box of food, he happily went up to welcome her.
“Miss Jingyan, why have you come at this hour?”
Jingyan smiled and bobbed towards Laiyue, “It’s my turn on duty over at Madam’s. Madam ordered this servant to deliver this nourishing soup to Master for supper before she slept.”
Laiyue found it strange. Chu Lian rarely sent supper over to He Changdi. Also, He Changdi usually spent most of his time with Chu Lian over the past month or so, so he would sleep early at night. It was very rare that he even had the chance to eat supper.
However, Jingyan was one of Chu Lian’s personal handmaids. Even if Laiyue was a little doubtful of the reason behind Jingyan’s sudden visit, he still let her in.
“Then please try to be quiet when you enter, Miss Jingyan. Leave immediately once you set down the box. Master doesn’t like to be disturbed while working.”
Jingyan nodded obediently and took out a finely embroidered purse from her sleeve for Laiyue.
Laiyue had been working for He Changdi for some time, and his looks weren’t too bad. There were plenty of maidservants who tried to pass him gifts normally. As pretty and heavy as Jingyan’s purse looked, he still rejected it politely.
Truthfully speaking, Laiyue was too used to seeing riches to want to take such a small gift. It couldn’t even compare to a bowl of Yangzhou fried rice cooked by Xiyan…
Jingyan awkwardly took back her purse and bobbed once again to Laiyue before carefully tiptoeing into the study.
There were official documents and secret letters covering He Changdi’s desk. He was currently sitting straight behind the desk, dressed in a black robe depicting a fearsome mountain tiger. His black hair was tied up in a jade crown, befitting his elegant features, and he was draped in a cool and outstanding aura.
There was a slight furrow between his brows, and he was playing with the green jade ring on his left thumb, as if pondering something.
He Changdi’s every gesture showed off the elegance of a noble gentleman. Jingyan’s eyes lit up with sparkles.
She did her best to suppress the pounding waves of excitement about to burst out from her heart, and called out with her head bowed, “Master.”
When He Changdi’s dark gaze alighted on Jingyan’s figure, the furrow between his brows deepend.
Jingyan held up the box of food in her hands nervously, but she tried her best to hide it and explain, “Master, this servant is here on Madam’s orders to deliver some supper. This is what Madam instructed this servant earlier.”
