Sure enough, upon hearing Mu Fengqie's words, the Empress Dowager looked even happier. "Take it when it's given to you. Consider it a reward for curing my headache."
As soon as the Empress Dowager finished speaking, Mu Fengqie gracefully thanked her and then left the Cining Palace with the reward.
She was sweating profusely now, and her clothes were sticking to her body. All she wanted was to go back quickly, take a bath, and change into clean clothes. If it weren't for the baby in her belly, she wouldn't have been so exhausted.
"Miss, why are you sweating so much? Did the Empress Dowager make things difficult for you?" Xiao Qing stepped forward and was startled to see Mu Fengqie's state.
With the intention of currying favor with the Empress Dowager, Mu Fengqie didn't take Xiao Qing with her to the Cining Palace. Xiao Qing had been worried in the palace all day. However, since she didn't know what had actually happened to Mu Fengqie in the Cining Palace, she couldn't ask others for help.
Mu Fengqie wearily shook her head. The false smile on her face faded, replaced by a calm expression. "Xiao Qing, help me prepare some hot water. I'm going to take a bath and change my clothes."
Xiao Qing hurriedly went to heat the water. Soon, she prepared the hot water and flower petals. Mu Fengqie sat in the hot water, enjoying herself, and her fatigue gradually faded away. A bright light flashed in her eyes.
This was the first step of her revenge. As long as she could win over the Empress Dowager, she could openly get close to the dog emperor and stay out of his sight.
"His Majesty the Emperor is coming..."
A sudden shrill voice interrupted Mu Fengqie's train of thought. She never expected that the dog emperor would be so impatient. He had come looking for her on the very first day she entered the palace.
She didn't have time to think and quickly looked for her clothes. She put them on at lightning speed.
Hearing the announcement, Xiao Qing stood there stunned. She knelt down with a thud, trembling nervously and unable to say a word.
The emperor didn't pay attention to Xiao Qing kneeling on the ground. His eyes were constantly searching for Mu Fengqie. After looking around the courtyard but not seeing her, he unconsciously frowned.
"Where is Doctor Mu? Why doesn't she come to greet me when I'm here?"
The eunuch's displeased voice echoed in Xiao Qing's ears. Xiao Qing trembled as she explained, "Your Majesty, Doctor Mu just finished acupuncture for the Empress Dowager and is now taking a bath. Please forgive her for not coming to greet you!"
Although it was Xiao Qing's first time seeing the emperor and she was a bit nervous, her mind was quick. She directly pulled the Empress Dowager out as a scapegoat. The implication was that Mu Fengqie had just treated his mother and it wasn't her fault that she couldn't come to greet him.
"Taking a bath?" The emperor's eyes lit up when he heard this. He looked extremely lecherous.
He walked forward as if he hadn't heard what Xiao Qing said. Seeing this, Xiao Qing widened her eyes, seemingly not understanding the emperor's strange behavior. She had already made up her mind to die here. Even if she had to die, she would protect Mu Fengqie's innocence.
Xiao Qing knelt in front of the emperor and pleaded, "Your Majesty! Doctor Mu is taking a bath inside and will surely come out soon. Please wait a moment. I've offended Your Majesty. Please punish me!"
She really couldn't understand why the emperor still walked in as if he hadn't heard that Mu Fengqie was taking a bath. Didn't the emperor know how important a good reputation was for a woman?
Mu Fengqie naturally heard the commotion outside. She quickened the pace of getting dressed. After putting on her clothes, she walked out quickly. No one noticed the cold light in her eyes.
Seeing Mu Fengqie's figure, Xiao Qing finally let out a sigh of relief. If the emperor had rushed in, Mu Fengqie's life would have been completely ruined.
Mu Fengqie gritted her teeth, lowered her head, and bowed. "Your humble subject pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy good health and prosperity!"
At this moment, Mu Fengqie was not wearing any makeup, and her hair was still wet, hanging down behind her. With her fair skin, she looked like a lotus just emerging from the water. One could almost smell the faint fragrance on her body, which made the emperor stare blankly.
Mu Fengqie noticed the sticky gaze on her body. She frowned unhappily and wished she could dig out those disgusting eyes.
"Why has Your Majesty come to my place? Is Your Majesty not feeling well?" Mu Fengqie concealed the disgust in her eyes and forced a smile.
The emperor then came to his senses. He stepped forward and casually placed his hand on her shoulder, closing the distance between them. His unrestrained gaze happened to fall on Mu Fengqie's makeup - free face.
Seeing that the emperor's fat hand was about to touch Mu Fengqie's face, she couldn't control her disgust and quickly dodged.
The emperor retracted his sinful hand casually and didn't show any anger. Instead, he looked at Mu Fengqie with a smile and said, "Doctor Mu, I'm indeed not feeling well. If you can take good care of me, there will be no shortage of wealth and honor for you."
Mu Fengqie was stunned by the emperor's words. He actually said such a thing in front of so many people, which really shocked her.
She thought that even if an emperor was muddle - headed, he wouldn't be so unrestrained. He didn't care about his own image at all. This dog emperor was even more disgusting than she had imagined.
"Your Majesty is not feeling well. This is not a suitable place for diagnosis. Please follow me into the palace hall."
No one knew that at this moment, Mu Fengqie had the thought of killing the dog emperor. She led the emperor into the palace hall. Xiao Qing wanted to follow Mu Fengqie, but the emperor ordered that no one was allowed to go in. She was so anxious that a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
At the same time, Zhu Fei came back after inquiring about the situation. She saw a courtyard full of eunuchs and maids. After looking around, she didn't see Mu Fengqie. Her heart sank. She almost rushed in and chopped off the dog emperor's head. If it weren't for Xiao Qing holding her back, Zhu Fei might have already rushed in.
Xiao Qing lowered her voice and whispered, "Sister Zhu Fei, you secretly go to the back and listen. If anything happens to the miss, you must find a way to save her. Leave this to me. I'll hold them back."
Zhu Fei nodded. Taking advantage of no one's notice, she quietly sneaked to the back of the house and then stared intently at the movement inside the palace hall. She would risk her life to protect the young mistress.
If Mu Fengqie knew what these two little girls were thinking, she would surely give them a good rap on the head to see what was inside.
As soon as the emperor entered Mu Fengqie's bedroom, he greedily inhaled the faint fragrance belonging to Mu Fengqie in the room. He directly sat on Mu Fengqie's couch and then looked at her with a fiery gaze.
He only thought that Mu Fengqie had brought him in because she was going to submit to him. He never thought that anything else would happen.
Mu Fengqie clenched her fists tightly and took a deep breath to calm her fluctuating emotions.