Chapter 15 Show Some Severity

Lin Mengya was worried. She had specialized in medicine, but she knew a bit about history. This was a feudal dynasty. If she made a mistake, she would be beheaded. She glanced at Long Tianyu involuntarily. If she really did mess up, would he step in to save her? "The new princess brings tea to the empress and Concubine De." The prince’s eunuchs drew up the curtain. Following Long Tianyu, Lin Mengya entered the inner chamber. Entering the room, she caught a complex aroma. It was a blend of all kinds of flowers and plants. Paying careful attention to the scent’s nuances, she could identify at least ten different precious spices. So this was what it was like in a noble family where every detail was attended to. Even the spices used to scent the clothes were valuable. Standing respectfully beside Prince Yu, she saw eunuchs bring out a blue and white porcelain bowl. Its clear color showed it to be very fine craftsmanship, but seeing it, all the concubines showed the excitement of people expecting a spectacle. Only Concubine De's face showed sadness and concern. Long Tianyu's looked at the cup coldly. Perhaps some didn’t know the trick, but he was familiar with this game. Ordinary cups had two layers, so no matter how hot the tea inside was, the outside never felt anything more than pleasantly warm. This cup, however, was used by the masters of the palace to punish the concubines. It was so thin that touching it felt like being burnt with a hot iron. Did the empress really plan to burn the girl just to humiliate Concubine De? Unfortunately for her, he would not give her the chance. When Lin Mengya reached out to take the cup, Long Tianyu grabbed it and threw it at the eunuch who’d brought it. The cup shattered, splashing scalding water across his face and cloths. "What a disgusting eunuch. The Empress is the mother of our nation. How dare you serve scalding water!" Long Tianyu's ruthless voice silenced everyone in the room. The burned eunuch was the Empress's confidant, so rather than report her, he bit his lip and said nothing. "Hao, what do you mean?" a dignified voice asked. The voice was soft, but Lin Mengya was still frightened. The Lin’s eldest daughter had not understood the complexities of family affairs, but she had known some things. For example, she knew the empress despised Prince Yu. If he was not protected by Concubine De and the emporer, he would not be able to live an easy life. The marriage with her had been yet another attempt to humiliate him. "This eunuch deserves to die." Long Tianyu looked straight at the Empress. The eunuch carrying the tea immediately knelt down and begged for mercy. Everyone expected the empress to denounce Long Tianyu, but she simply plucked at an eyebrow. "Since Hao said he should be dead, drag him down and have him beheaded." Lin Mengya immediately disliked the empress. He was only a eunuch, but he was a human being and a living creature. They cut him down as easily as a blade of grass. But these matters were not within her control. "No need to serve tea. Come up and show me your princess." All eyes were fixed on Lin Mengya. She grinned with her head still bowed. It seemed that it was time for her. "I, Lin Mengya, give my most sincere and humble greeting to the empress. May the empress be blessed with peace." The surrounding concubines stared in surprise. The voice was so sweet and soft, carrying no trace of bitterness.