Chapter 28: Why Is Your Mouth Swollen?

Lu Huaijin was finally satisfied.

With just a few words, he swept Su Yao into his arms and set her firmly upon the bed. His breathing grew ragged, his scorching breath fanning against her neck, causing her to tremble uncontrollably. A flurry of dense, rain-like kisses descended, trailing from her forehead and eyes down to her cheeks.

Su Yao felt her entire body burning. In a panic, she reached out to push him away, asking urgently, "How do you intend to clear my name?"

At these words, the atmosphere, previously thick with desire, darkened instantly. The corners of Lu Huaijin’s mouth curled upward, though the smile was chilling.

"Su Yao, at a time like this, you shouldn't be thinking about other things."

How could she not? This matter hung over her like a sharp blade, ready to fall at any moment and destroy her completely. She was terrified. Seeing her stubbornness, Lu Huaijin was not angered; instead, his eyes filled with a playful glint. He took her hand and coaxed, "You are a clever woman. Please me, and I will settle everything for you."

Su Yao felt a wave of despair, yet she knew she had no choice. Lu Huaijin interlaced his long, slender fingers with hers, his large, calloused hand enveloping her delicate, boneless one. The kisses intensified, their breath mingling between their lips. Su Yao gradually lost herself, her mind turning into a blank slate. Unwittingly, she was drawn into a state of intoxicating delirium. The candlelight flickered as the night deepened, the two of them locked in a tight, inseparable embrace.

Early the next morning, as the sky began to brighten, Su Yao heard movement outside. She stirred and woke, turning to look at the side of the bed, only to find it empty—he was already gone. Su Yao let out a soft sigh; it was always like this. She should have been used to it by now.

"Miss, wake up quickly. The Empress Dowager is calling for you," Chuntao’s urgent voice shattered the quiet of the room. As she glanced at Su Yao, her gaze was instantly drawn to her lips. She leaned in, eyes wide with confusion, and exclaimed, "Miss, why are your lips so swollen?"

"What?"

Su Yao’s movements froze, and she faltered. She instinctively raised a hand to her lips, her fingertips touching the slightly swollen skin. Seeing her bewildered expression, Chuntao rushed to the vanity without a word, rummaging through the clutter until she found a bronze mirror.

"Miss, look for yourself."

Su Yao took the mirror and gazed at her reflection. Her lips were excessively red and visibly swollen, looking nothing like her usual self. Her brows furrowed into a small knot. After a long moment, she finally spoke: "I must have internal heat. I’ll cover it with lip rouge later."

As Chuntao handed her the maid’s uniform, a sudden wave of nausea washed over Su Yao, as if thousands of tiny insects were churning in her stomach.

"What’s wrong, Miss? Are you feeling unwell?" Chuntao asked anxiously.

"Perhaps it was something I ate yesterday; my digestion is off. Don't worry."

After saying this, a thought struck her. She looked left and right, and after confirming no one was outside, she lowered her voice and leaned into Chuntao’s ear: "By the way, did you bring that medicine into the palace?"

Chuntao immediately understood she was referring to the contraceptive decoction. She whispered back, "I did, Miss. Do you wish to take it?"

Su Yao exhaled a long breath, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly. She looked at the sky outside the window and hesitated for a moment before saying, "It’s getting late. Brew it for me once I return from my duties."

Su Yao quickly changed into her maid’s attire and hurried toward the Cining Palace, her steps unsteady. Along the way, she clutched her chest, struggling to suppress the overwhelming nausea.

Upon entering the Cining Palace, she saw Lu Huaijin sitting at the table with the Empress Dowager. The table was laden with delicacies, and the three of them were chatting and laughing in a warm, pleasant atmosphere.

"Regarding that matter, the Empress Dowager must decide for me," Lu Huaijin said, lifting his wine cup with elegant poise to toast the Empress Dowager.

"Let’s not speak of such things while dining. Huaijin, the dishes are all here; let us eat first," the Empress Dowager said with a smile, setting down her cup.

Su Yao kept her head low and silently moved behind the Empress Dowager, carefully serving the dishes. The Empress Dowager was notoriously picky about her food, requiring seven or eight dishes even for a simple meal, filled with rare delicacies. In the past, these foods might have tempted Su Yao, but today, looking at the glistening roast duck on the table, she felt a wave of revulsion and nearly gagged on the spot.

The Empress Dowager pointed to the steamed mandarin fish, drizzled with hot oil and garnished with slivers of tender green scallions—a dish that looked and smelled exquisite. Su Yao forced herself to suppress her nausea and served a piece of the succulent fish belly to the Empress Dowager. However, the heavy, oily scent pierced her nostrils, and her stomach spasmed uncontrollably.

She stepped back discreetly and said to Chuntao, "You take over serving the Empress Dowager. I’ll be back in a moment."

Chuntao nodded, her eyes full of concern. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I’ll be back soon."

Su Yao’s brows were knitted tight, her hands clutching her chest as she stumbled away. Her face was as pale as paper, and beads of fine sweat covered her forehead. The Empress Dowager was too engrossed in conversation with the young Emperor to notice the change in attendants. Only Lu Huaijin noticed Su Yao’s strange behavior, though he quickly masked it with his habitual cold indifference.

Once Su Yao reached a quiet corner outside the courtyard, she could no longer hold it back and began to retch. Having felt a lack of appetite for the past few days and having only consumed a bit of rice porridge that morning, she had nothing left to bring up, eventually vomiting only bitter bile. Her stomach ached intensely. She leaned weakly against the wall, drained of all strength.

After a long while, she regained some composure and dragged her heavy feet to rinse her mouth. In her heart, she cursed Lu Huaijin, convinced that his demanding nature had kept her from resting, causing her to fall ill from exhaustion.

"Miss, are you feeling better?" Chuntao arrived, breathless from searching for her.

"Why did you come out? What about the Empress Dowager..."

"Don't worry, Miss. The Empress Dowager has finished her meal," she said, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"So soon?"

"The Lord and the Empress Dowager had matters to discuss in private, so we were all dismissed. Miss, shall I go and brew that contraceptive medicine for you now?"

"Yes..."

As the two whispered to each other, they failed to notice Lu Huaijin standing silently in the bamboo grove nearby. His eyes were filled with a bone-chilling coldness as he watched them.