Rules of Horror: Survival Begins in the Haunted Harem - Chapter 73

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Filtered through the curtains, the candlelight became soft and warm. The Emperor gazed down at Xie Nuange beneath him.

Xie Nuange stared at the face before her, close enough that she could make out the extremely faint mole at the corner of his eye.

Then his lips pressed against hers, carrying the scent of wine.

Xie Nuange’s lashes trembled. Her hands rested on his shoulders, her fingers curling into the imperial-yellow satin.

His lips left hers and moved down along her jaw.

Xie Nuange thought she heard something outside, like someone speaking beyond the door.

“Outside…”

Her own voice sounded so soft that she barely recognized it.

“Ignore them.”

The Emperor’s lips brushed her collarbone, his breath warm against her skin.

His fingers found the sash at her waist, but after two attempts, he still could not untie it.

The Emperor was patient. He worked at the knot with one hand while continuing to kiss her.

Xie Nuange tipped her head back under his kisses, her neck forming a taut line. A sudden pain stabbed the back of her head, as though she had pinned something beneath it.

“Ow…”

“What is it?”

The Emperor’s voice had turned slightly hoarse.

“I think it’s the hairpin.”

He felt behind her head, found the hairpin, and pulled it free with a small movement of his fingers.

The instant Xie Nuange saw it, her muddled mind cleared.

That was… Jiang Fan’s Jade Hairpin.

No.

How had she become so absorbed in this?

How had any of it seemed normal to her?

It was the wine!

[Rule Nine: When you do not know what to do, try drinking the wine on the table. It will help you.]

But the rule had never said how the wine would help. Was it not currently helping her attend the Emperor in bed?

The Emperor studied the hairpin in his hand, his gaze darkening.

“Who gave you this?”

“This…”

Xie Nuange paused and glanced at the Emperor, who was still above her. “It was a gift from this concubine’s older sister. She has one just like it.”

“Older sister?”

The Emperor’s gaze settled on Xie Nuange. His fingers still rested on the dead knot at her waist.

His struggle with it had loosened the sash of her gauze robe slightly.

He made no further move. He merely looked down at the young woman lying on the bed, her cheeks flushed.

Her lips were faintly swollen, and her eyes glistened.

Xie Nuange lowered her gaze nervously, lashes quivering.

If not for the hairpin, she might have just… with the Emperor…

When she felt the weight above her withdraw, Xie Nuange looked up at the Emperor sitting on the bed.

She hurriedly sat up too.

“What is the name of this older sister of yours?”

There it was.

Xie Nuange’s gamble had paid off.

“Your Majesty, her name is Jiang Fan.”

She watched him stare blankly at the hairpin held between his fingers.

“Jiang Fan…”

He murmured the name, then turned to Xie Nuange. “Where is she?”

“The last time she saw this concubine, she said she intended to enter the palace selection.”

Xie Nuange looked up at the Emperor while glancing beyond the curtains from the corner of her eye. But everything outside was a blur, and she could not see how much sand remained in the hourglass.

The Emperor continued staring at the hairpin, lost in thought.

“Your Majesty…”

A voice sounded beyond the bedchamber doors. “The Noble Consort is unwell and has just summoned an imperial physician. The servants from Yikun Palace have come to ask whether Your Majesty wishes to visit her.”

The Emperor looked away from the hairpin and toward the doors beyond the curtains.

He lifted the curtains. Xie Nuange looked past him at the water clock. The sand in the hourglass continued to trickle in a slender stream, with just a little remaining.

“I…”

He returned the hairpin to Xie Nuange and was about to rise when she seized his hand.

She could not let him leave yet.

If he left now, her bedchamber service would fail. Even if he had to go, he needed to wait until the half hour had passed.

“Has this concubine done something wrong, Your Majesty?”

She looked at him with anxious eyes.

“Or did this concubine say something she should not have?”

The Emperor looked down at her. Her hair hung loose, framing a face no larger than his palm.

She clutched the neckline of her gauze robe tightly closed, gazing at him with unease.

Her lips were still slightly swollen.

“You neither said nor did anything wrong.”

The Emperor reached out and gently stroked her head.

He turned Xie Nuange around, lightly gathered her hair with his fingers, and pinned it up with the hairpin.

“The Noble Consort is unwell. I must go see her.”

Xie Nuange waited until he had finished arranging her hair. When he tried to stand again, she reached out and pulled him back once more, watching surprise flash across his face.

“Your Majesty, allow this concubine to dress you.”

Smiling, she slid off the bed and placed her bare feet on the footstool.

The hem of her gauze robe pooled around her ankles, but she had no time to straighten it. She glanced at the water clock. Only the tiniest bit of time remained.

She was glad she had left his clothes at the farthest end of the room.

At least that would let her stall a little longer.

The Emperor watched as she carried his garments back, unfolded the outer robe, stood on tiptoe, and draped it over his shoulders. Her movements were slow, as though she could not bear to let him go.

His gaze lingered on the hairpin, softening for an instant.

“Tomorrow at noon, I will send someone to fetch you,” he said suddenly.

Xie Nuange’s fingers stilled at his collar. She looked up at him.

“You will accompany me.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Xie Nuange fastened the frog closures at his collar one by one.

Her fingers moved down to his waist. She secured his jade belt, then crouched to straighten the hem of his robe.

From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the hourglass. Two ke had finally passed.

“I know you were wronged tonight.”

The Emperor looked down at the crown of her head.

Xie Nuange’s fingers paused against the hem of his robe. She stood and shook her head. “This concubine does not feel wronged.”

She raised her eyes to his face. “It is this concubine’s good fortune to accompany Your Majesty.”

The Emperor studied her for a moment, then smiled. “Mm.”

Xie Nuange opened her mouth, wanting to ask whether he could take her to the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet.

But in the end, she only stepped back half a pace. “This concubine respectfully sees Your Majesty off.”

The Emperor acknowledged her and reached out to help her rise. He took two steps toward the door, then seemed to remember something.

He turned back. “It’s late tonight. Don’t return to your palace. Stay here.”

[Rule Seven: Do not remain in the bedchamber overnight. Otherwise, you will remain here forever!]

“Your Majesty, this concubine would not dare disrupt palace protocol.”

Xie Nuange looked at him. “As long as Your Majesty does not forget this concubine and allows her to see you once every month or so, this concubine will be perfectly content.”

The Emperor watched her for a long while before nodding. “Very well. I will remember.”

He turned and walked toward the doors. The eunuch opened them.

Cold wind poured inside, making the flames of the red candles flicker several times.

The eunuch stood before the doorway, head lowered in a bow, and asked softly, “Your Majesty, did Noble Lady Xie successfully attend you in bed?”

Xie Nuange’s breath caught. She looked up at the imperial-yellow figure before her.

[Rule Eight: If you spend more than two ke—half an hour—with the Emperor, your bedchamber service will be considered successful. Something terrifying may happen if you fail.]

Was that the false rule?

Even after remaining with him for half an hour, did it still not count as successful bedchamber service?

Did it only count if the Emperor himself confirmed it?

“Your Majesty…”

She called out to him, softening her voice and imitating Jiang Fan’s sweet, delicate tone.

“Will Your Majesty come see this concubine tomorrow?”