Gold Medal Mediator [Quick Transmigration] 21

Chapter 21: The Empire This One Conquered For You (11)

That afternoon, after being praised as ‘very good,’ Hua Baihe was so scared her liver trembled. She even felt the urge to switch her night watch duty with Huan Xi—

However, to her surprise, Jiang Yao seemed to have forgotten the matter entirely. She didn’t tease her as usual, nor did she punish her by making her copy strange phrases.

The reason was simple: Jiang Yao was too busy.

The day after Emperor Liu Ye left, all court affairs were handed over to the Grand Secretariat. Urgent documents were stamped with an express seal and sent to the front lines. The remaining matters that required approval were jointly managed by the Empress Dowager and the Empress, as there was no crown prince.

During the day, Jiang Yao had to deal with the various factions at court. When she occasionally encountered the Empress Dowager’s stubborn and autocratic ways, she had to be on her guard. At night, she had to listen to the reports from the Department of Internal Affairs on the preparations for the Chrysanthemum Banquet.

The candles in the Palace of Eternal Joy often burned all night.

The servants in the palace were so busy they were run off their feet. But even so, it didn’t stop their gossiping.

Eunuch A: “Have you heard? Lately, Maiden Qing Jia must have done something wrong. Her Majesty won’t even let her enter the main hall.”

Palace Maid B: “Maiden Qing Jia has always been diligent and honest. I wonder what she did to make Her Majesty the Empress so angry.”

Eunuch C leaned in. “I heard she secretly colluded with the mistress of the Palace of Gathering Elegance, betraying her own master.”

Palace Maid B, who usually worked with Qing Jia and had received her kindness, immediately spoke up, “Don’t talk nonsense. Maiden Qing Jia is completely devoted to Her Majesty. I heard she saved Her Majesty’s life when she first entered the prince’s manor.”

The two little eunuchs retorted, “How would you know? Maybe that one from the Palace of Gathering Elegance offered her some incredible benefit?”

Palace Maid B was about to argue when a voice came from the side, “Don’t you all have anything to do?”

They turned and saw Huan Xi holding a tray, looking at them coldly. “Is Her Majesty’s treatment of Qing Jia something you can discuss? I see your tongues have grown too long. Should I pull them out for you?”

The group was terrified and quickly knelt down. “Maiden Huan Xi, spare us! We won’t dare to do it again!”

“Get back to work. If I find you slacking off again, watch your own skins.” Huan Xi had matters to attend to and had no time to deal with them. After scolding them, she walked into the adjacent courtyard.

**

Hua Baihe was inside, helping her check the list of nobles and ministers to be invited to the Chrysanthemum Banquet. On the table beside her were other miscellaneous tasks that Huan Xi couldn’t manage.

The moment Huan Xi entered, her face fell. “What did you do to offend Her Majesty? Go and apologize quickly. I finally know how much you have to do every day. Yesterday, I was ordered to take inventory in the storeroom, something you usually handle. I didn’t know anything and was starving all day, and I’m still not finished.”

Then she pleaded, “Good Qing Jia, please have some sympathy for your sister!”

Hua Baihe hadn’t figured out the reason for Jiang Yao’s anger either, but this way, she didn’t have to worry about what the reincarnated Jiang Yao was planning. She could just focus on her own mission and enjoy some peace and quiet.

She smiled and lightly tapped Huan Xi’s head with the booklet in her hand, then handed it to her. “Her Majesty intends to train you. You should be happy. What kind of unambitious personal handmaiden are you? Here, I’ve finished checking the list. There are no mistakes.”

“As for Her Majesty, you’ve seen it yourself. Even when I’m on night watch, she has you serve her in the morning. Why should I go out of my way to get in her sight? If you need my help with anything, just let me know.”

Huan Xi took the booklet from her, put it aside, and took a letter sealed with wax from her tray, winking at her mysteriously.

“Ta-da~ I’ve secured you a chance to apologize to Her Majesty.”

Hua Baihe raised her chin, clearly not believing she could come up with any good ideas.

Huan Xi said cheerfully, “The army has been on the march for over two months. The Young Lord Jiang was personally appointed by His Majesty to accompany the army this time. This is the first family letter he has sent to the palace. With Her Majesty’s affection for the Young Lord Jiang, if you personally deliver this—”

“Stop.” The moment Hua Baihe heard the words ‘Young Lord Jiang,’ she had a very bad feeling.

It was this very person who had caused her to spend a whole night with a beauty, only to be able to do nothing but recite theoretical knowledge.

Hua Baihe said, “You should be the one to deliver this good news. If Her Majesty sees that I’m the one delivering it, her good mood might just disappear.”

The happiness on Huan Xi’s face immediately vanished.

She had a delicate, pretty face. She tugged at Hua Baihe’s sleeve and, now softening her voice to plead with her, immediately made this spineless flower surrender.

“Alright, alright, fine. Put it down and get to work. Her Majesty is waiting.”

**

That night.

Hua Baihe, with Jiang Zhenhai’s family letter and another from the Emperor that had arrived that afternoon tucked in her robes, took the towel and other items from Huan Xi and waited obediently outside the hall for the Empress to emerge from her bath so she could attend to her.

Jiang Yao had been troubled by palace affairs recently. This afternoon, she had accompanied the Empress Dowager to a hot spring in the countryside, and this evening was her only chance to relax.

So, Hua Baihe waited for a long time before she heard Jiang Yao call for someone from inside. Her voice was tinged with a satisfied laziness that made even Hua Baihe feel a little weak.

She respectfully pushed the door open, closed it behind her, and walked in with light steps, her eyes fixed on the floor.

The woman in the large bath was leaning against the edge with her eyes comfortably closed, her head tilted back slightly. Hearing the faint sound of someone approaching, she said softly:

“Huan Xi, come and knead my shoulders.”

Hua Baihe knelt down and, as she placed her hands on her shoulders, she saw the beautiful lines of her collarbones.

And the purple-red rose petals floating on the steamy surface of the water, which, along with the faint mist, obscured eight-tenths of what lay beneath.

She dutifully glanced only once before focusing on the task at hand.

But after the first knead, Jiang Yao suddenly opened her eyes from her languid state. She tilted her head slightly, and seeing the hand on her shoulder, asked with an unreadable emotion:

“Is it you?”

Before Hua Baihe could speak, she seemed to have already found her answer and closed her eyes again. “Leave.”

Hua Baihe was suddenly met with disdain, but her face showed no trace of grievance or resentment. Like the most standard servant, she took a letter from her pocket, held it out to Jiang Yao, and said with her eyes lowered:

“Your Majesty, these are the family letters from His Majesty and the Young Lord Jiang… This servant has audaciously disturbed Your Majesty and will now withdraw.”

Hearing the words ‘family letter,’ Jiang Yao immediately knew that Huan Xi had given this opportunity to Hua Baihe—

But, right now, she didn’t want to dwell on it.

“Wait.”

Jiang Yao turned around, facing her as she extended a hand from the bath. Hua Baihe paused for a moment before handing her the letters, not forgetting to first dab the moisture from her palm with a soft towel.

Jiang Yao’s eyes were half-closed, her expression unreadable, but she was still stunningly beautiful. The corners of her eyes seemed to hold their own color, the gentle downward curve as if drawn with a fine brush dipped in ink.

She held the Emperor’s letter between her ring and little fingers and chose to open Jiang Zhenhai’s first.

After reading it in a single glance, a smile suddenly bloomed on her face, a smile of breathtaking beauty. Then her gaze fell upon Hua Baihe.

And with a flick of her little finger, the letter from Liu Ye fell lightly into the hot spring water. The steaming water quickly soaked the entire letter, and there was no doubt that the ink inside would soon become a blur.

Hua Baihe looked up in surprise. “Your Majesty…?”

Did… did her hand slip?

Jiang Yao narrowed her eyes slightly, her thin lips parted as she said two words to her, “Come here.”

Hua Baihe approached, completely bewildered. Her collar was then hooked by Jiang Yao’s index finger, which bent and pulled downward. In an instant, she lost her balance, one knee hitting the ground, one hand bracing against the damp tiles, and she was suddenly face to face with Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao maintained this posture and spoke unhurriedly:

“Guess why This One has been giving you the cold shoulder these past few months.”

Hua Baihe tried not to look at the milky skin below her collarbones and turned her head slightly. “This servant is dull and cannot guess.”

The corners of Jiang Yao’s lips immediately lifted, but the light in her eyes grew cold.

“Dull?” she said. “With This One, a pearl, right before you, you still dare to go after Consort Jing. This One sees that you are not dull, but audaciously bold.”

Hua Baihe’s eyes widened, as if she didn’t understand what the Empress was saying, but she was a first-rate apologizer.

“Your Majesty, please see clearly. This servant… would not dare.”

“You would not dare to go after Consort Jing, or—you would not dare to desire me?” Jiang Yao followed up.

Hua Baihe could only bite the bullet, widen her eyes, and immediately kneel properly, putting on a terrified expression. She spoke of not daring to offend the imperial might and professed her loyalty as a servant, swearing allegiance only to the Empress.

Jiang Yao listened coolly, picking out a few words from her speech. “You will obey This One’s every command?”

Hua Baihe immediately agreed.

Jiang Yao let out a noncommittal hum, but then her expression changed. What was once a single finger hooking her clothes was now several, grabbing her collar and pulling her into the pool!

Splash!

Warm water splashed everywhere. Hua Baihe, caught off guard, fell in. She struggled to her feet, coughing violently. “Cough, cough… Y-Your Majesty…”

But Jiang Yao had already closed the distance. She reached out and pushed her wet hair aside, watching the water droplets slide from her eyelashes, down her cheeks. She said slowly, “If that is so, then This One commands you to please me, starting tonight.”

Hua Baihe: “…???”

“This servant is terrified! Your Majesty, spare my life! This servant would not dare to, towards you, towards His Majesty’s—”

Jiang Yao’s eyelids lifted, and she cut her off. “His Majesty?”

“Who told you I was his?”

In the instant Hua Baihe was stunned, Jiang Yao had already grabbed her hand and, as if to make her feel the truth for herself, guided it beneath the water—