Chapter 12: Crying Again?

Naturally, she was beautiful.

Yuan Peipei was born lovely, and with a little adornment, she could easily captivate anyone’s gaze.

“Beautiful,” Yuan Jinjin murmured, unable to pinpoint the emotions stirring within her.

The emperor himself had drawn on her eyebrows.

What an extraordinary honor!

Consort Shu was right—Peipei was indeed too conspicuous.

The real problem was that, despite receiving favor, she didn’t think about her family. She had ruined her brother’s future and caused their mother to lose her noble title, turning their entire family into the laughingstock of the capital.

Yuan Jinjin naturally sat down to chat with Peipei.

“By the way, sister, remember the glass bottle I mentioned when I came home earlier? I’ll show it to you now. It’s absolutely exquisite.” Peipei rose and left the room.

Seizing the opportunity, Yuan Jinjin scraped some of the rouge she had found into Peipei’s rouge box.

After finishing, Peipei returned holding the bottle.

It was indeed very beautiful—crystal clear and translucent. With a few flowers tucked inside, it looked stunning, as dazzling as Peipei herself.

“If you like it, it’s yours. Come to think of it, I haven’t given you any proper gifts before,” Peipei said happily, thrilled to have Yuan Jinjin accompany her in the palace.

Her desire to share was strong; aside from matters at night, she told Yuan Jinjin everything.

“The emperor isn’t fierce at all. He’s actually very kind. All those rumors were misunderstandings. It’s so unfair,” Peipei defended the so-called tyrant.

How could such a gentle, warm person be described as cruel, cold, and murderous?

He was just temporarily favored and showing off. Once you lose favor, you won’t even have a place to cry!

Yet her duty in the palace was to stay with Peipei. She couldn’t avoid it, no matter how much she wanted to.

And as long as Madame Yu Huan was around, Yuan Jinjin had to be both respectful and courteous to Peipei. She couldn’t stand it for a day.

That night, taking advantage of the emptiness near Consort Shu’s palace, she threw the box of rouge back where she had found it.

Only after this was done did she calmly return to the Palace of Elegant Attire.

Listening to the emperor and Peipei laughing heartily in the main hall, she swallowed her jealousy and returned to the side chamber.

As soon as she closed the door, a hand covered her mouth.

“Don’t speak!” came a familiar voice.

Yuan Jinjin turned and met a pair of familiar eyes.

Prince Xuan!

In the main hall, Yuan Peipei was painting, while Dugu Jin simply watched, feeling that just being and doing nothing was a kind of happiness.

[The heroine is so wicked, putting spoiled rouge in Peipei’s box.]

[Now she’s exchanging glances with Prince Xuan in the side chamber.]

[This male lead is suspicious too—sneaking into the palace from the start with ulterior motives.]

Yuan Peipei suddenly froze.

Her sister was actually involved with Prince Xuan...

Shadow guards appeared at the door. Dugu Jin stood and went outside, approaching the Palace of Elegant Attire.

“Your Majesty, Prince Xuan has infiltrated the palace and is now inside the Palace of Elegant Attire.”

Startled, Dugu Jin quickly turned back and saw Peipei safe and sound, finally relieved.

“Your Majesty, what’s wrong?” Peipei asked.

Had the emperor discovered the affair between her sister and Prince Xuan in the side chamber?

But her sister was still unmarried. Such a scandal would ruin her reputation!

Though naive, Peipei understood this much.

Dugu Jin stepped forward and gently touched Peipei’s face. “I have some matters to attend to. If you are tired, you may rest.”

He did not actually leave far, but hid with the shadow guards on the roof of another side chamber, watching Yuan Jinjin’s room.

Soon after, a window opened, and Prince Xuan, dressed in black, climbed out nimbly. His martial skills were exceptional—there was no sign of a sickly person bedridden.

Seeing this with his own eyes, Dugu Jin finally believed that the emperor had other intentions.

“Keep a close watch on Yuan Jinjin, and the entire ministerial residence.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Yuan Peipei sat before the dressing table in the inner chamber, holding the rouge and lost in thought.

Cuizhi and Lanxin thought she was sad because the emperor had left, so they came forward to comfort her.

“Your Highness, the emperor is just busy with state affairs. Once he finishes, he will return.”

“Yes, if you feel lonely, we can keep you company.”

Peipei looked up, tears glistening in her eyes.

“Cuizhi, throw away this box of rouge,” she said.

Cuizhi took it. “But isn’t this your favorite box, Your Highness? Why throw it away?”

Peipei’s tears fell harder.

Lanxin tugged Cuizhi’s sleeve. “If the lady commands you to throw it away, then just do it.”

Cuizhi had no choice but to obey.

Peipei still couldn’t understand why her sister wanted to harm her.

Weren’t they real sisters?

Her sister used to adore her, giving her anything she didn’t want.

Why had everything changed since she entered the palace?

That night, the emperor did not come. Yuan Peipei fell asleep crying.

In the Palace of Diligent Governance, Madame Yu Huan presented the box of rouge.

“Consort Roufei saw this box and cried, then asked Cuizhi to throw it away. I felt something was amiss, so I picked it up.”

Dugu Jin immediately summoned the imperial physician.

The doctor examined the rouge carefully and knelt to report, “Your Majesty, this rouge contains substances that damage the skin. If used as ordinary rouge, within three days, red rashes will appear, followed by ulceration. There is no cure.”

Bang!

Dugu Jin slammed the table in anger.

Duheng and Madame Yu Huan knelt in fear.

“Clever Yuan Jinjin!”

With no outsiders in the Palace of Elegant Attire, and Peipei previously using this rouge without issue, the problem was clearly Yuan Jinjin’s doing.

Duheng was puzzled. “Miss Yuan was checked thoroughly when she entered the palace to accompany Consort Roufei. She did not bring any dangerous items. Where did this rouge come from?”

Dugu Jin immediately thought of Prince Xuan.

After all, Prince Xuan had contact with Yuan Jinjin in the Palace of Elegant Attire.

“Investigate!” Dugu Jin ordered.

The next day, Yuan Jinjin was sent back to the Prime Minister’s residence.

The speed was so swift that even she found it baffling.

Had the emperor uncovered Prince Xuan’s secret?

No, she had to find a way to warn Prince Xuan.

When Yuan Peipei woke, she learned that Yuan Jinjin had returned home.

She barely reacted, only uttering a faint “Oh.”

This unsettled Cuizhi and Lanxin.

Previously, the lady would have been reluctant, even asking why.

But now...

“The emperor has arrived!”

All palace staff knelt to greet.

Yuan Peipei only realized when Dugu Jin approached.

She quickly rose. “Your Majesty, I greet you…”

Dugu Jin gently stroked the corner of her eye with his finger. “Crying again?”

Peipei lowered her head, silent.

She hesitated over whether to reveal her sister’s betrayal.

Before she could decide, a group of palace attendants entered, carrying beautifully adorned boxes.

Dugu Jin said, “These are rouge and powders tributed from the Western Regions. They sent only one set, and all have been delivered to you.”