Concubine Wang exhaled, “Last night when I saw that red glow lighting up the western sky, I didn’t know what had happened. It was only this morning that I heard Tan Yuan Hall had caught fire. I wonder if the Consort Dowager is safe and sound…”

Gu Yi remained silent, simply listening as Concubine Wang continued, “The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, yet such an incident has occurred in the palace. His Majesty must be quite troubled…”

“Concubine Wang, out for a stroll in the garden today…”

Upon hearing this voice, Concubine Wang’s face froze momentarily. She turned to see it was Noble Consort Shu.

She immediately curtseyed, “Greetings to the Noble Consort.”

Gu Yi followed with a curtsey, “Greetings to Noble Consort Shu.”

Noble Consort Shu’s gaze swept over both their faces, and she smiled, “You may rise.”

She examined the person beside Concubine Wang carefully. Though her headdress didn’t match the rank of Beauty, she wore a water-blue gown that accentuated her natural grace, with clear eyes that sparkled with intelligence.

“You must be Sister Gu from Ping Cui Palace…”

Gu Yi lowered her eyes with a slight smile, “Yes, Noble Consort, it is this concubine.”

“Indeed, you have a lovely appearance. Between sisters, there’s no need for formality.”

Gu Yi looked up with a smile, examining Qi Shu for a moment.

Her appearance was still beautiful, but she seemed somewhat haggard. Her cheeks appeared thinner than in Gu Yi’s memory, with slightly protruding cheekbones.

Noble Consort Shu looked toward Concubine Wang with a faint smile, “I quite enjoyed the tea gathering scroll that Sister Wang sent some days ago. Such scrolls are difficult to find. The Late Empress Dowager also loved this scroll but never managed to find one. I wonder how Sister Wang acquired it.”

Seeing Noble Consort Shu’s rare pleasantness, Concubine Wang also smiled, “This concubine is delighted that it pleases the Noble Consort. My father obtained the scroll by chance while touring Cang Prefecture—quite a serendipitous encounter.”

Noble Consort Shu laughed softly, “Lord Wang has good fortune indeed.” She paused for a moment before continuing slowly, “When the scroll was delivered, I happened to be away from Cai Wei Palace and didn’t reward the palace maid who brought it. Now that I’ve met Sister Wang, let me fulfill that intention.” As she spoke, she turned as if to instruct Yu Hu.

Concubine Wang sighed, “The Noble Consort needn’t worry. It would be too much for that palace maid. Besides, the maid Huai Hua is no longer serving at Xiu Yi Palace.”

Gu Yi tensed inwardly as she saw Noble Consort Shu’s surprised expression, “Why not?”

Concubine Wang sighed again, “It’s simply the maid’s unfortunate fate. The Palace Administration Office reported that she accidentally fell into a well and injured her head. She became mute and seemed to have lost her mind, unable to serve anyone. She had to be sent out of the imperial palace.”

Noble Consort Shu slowly shook her head, “Truly unfortunate…”

Gu Yi stood silently to the side, knowing that the Palace Administration Office’s story was half-true at best.

Huai Hua hadn’t fallen into a well, but Gu Yi wasn’t certain whether she was truly mute.

After all, that day, she had been sent away before Huai Hua woke up.

She remembered Court Physician Hu mentioning that Huai Hua had been forcibly given some medicinal soup—had it made her mute?

She glanced at Qi Shu, sighing inwardly.

Ah.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Noble Consort Shu said she needed to return to her palace, and the three of them parted ways.

Gu Yi strolled through the Imperial Garden paths, entered the Western Garden, and returned to Ping Cui Palace. She saw Tao Jia looking around in the corridor. Upon seeing her, Tao Jia hurriedly came forward, smiling as she asked, “Talented Lady, did you deliver the apricot blossom pastries? Did His Majesty like them?”

Gu Yi answered truthfully, “He didn’t seem to like them very much.”

Tao Jia’s face immediately fell. She let out an “Ah,” then rallied, “The Talented Lady needn’t worry. You can prepare well during this period, and perhaps during the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, if His Majesty is in a good mood, he might restore the Talented Lady’s rank of Beauty…”

Gu Yi thought to herself, *Let’s survive first and then talk about rank.*

*Please, please let Consort Dowager Liu be safe, even if she has to endure until next year. Don’t let the plot derail because of this.*

Seeing little excitement on her face, Tao Jia smiled again, “Would the Talented Lady like to send a letter home to Fuzhou? With Mid-Autumn approaching, all palace concubines may send letters to express their autumn thoughts…”

Gu Yi thought of the adorable Gu family, her heart softening. She nodded, “Go fetch some letter paper, and I’ll make a selection.”

Tao Jia responded with a “Yes.”

After a moment of silence, Gu Yi asked, “Tao Jia, you could also send a letter to your younger brother. Although you can’t leave the palace for the Mid-Autumn Festival, sending a family letter would be nice.”

Tao Jia was taken aback, then suddenly smiled, “The Talented Lady must be mistaken. I don’t have a younger brother… It was Chun Mei, the second-class palace maid from the side hall of Xiu Yi Palace, who had a younger brother…”

Gu Yi paused her steps, closing her eyes briefly before laughing dryly, “Yes… I was mistaken…”

August arrived quietly, bringing the full moon of Mid-Autumn.

This year’s Mid-Autumn night banquet carried a somewhat desolate air due to the great fire in the palace the previous month.

Though many guests were present, there were far fewer than in the previous cycle.

The left and right chancellors and the inner cabinet were in attendance, but officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital were not all present.

Gu Yi sat at the lowest end of the seats in the palace’s inner courtyard, surrounded by other unremarkable Talented Ladies.

Only pomegranates and pears were placed on the purple sandalwood dining table.

As the musicians entered, the sounds of strings, woodwinds, and reed pipes gradually rose, faintly audible.

Seated so far away, Gu Yi couldn’t see Emperor Xiaoyan in the central circle, but she could still glimpse the female protagonist, Beauty Wan.

According to the plot progression, tonight’s sky dance performance probably wouldn’t happen.

She wondered what the female protagonist would do under the male protagonist’s spotlight.

She glanced at Concubine Gong seated further away, noting her melancholy expression.

Meanwhile, Concubine Wang beside her was chatting and laughing with ease.

It seemed that Concubine Gong had indeed injured her foot.

After the drumbeats changed, Gu Yi, experiencing the Mid-Autumn talent show for the second time, peeled a pomegranate for herself out of boredom.

So far, the Emperor hadn’t rewarded anyone.

Beauty Wan performed as the finale.

Dressed in rainbow-colored feathered clothes, she took the stage to the sound of passionate drums.

Her waist was as slender as a willow, yet her dance was both forceful and gentle.

Gu Yi watched intently for a while.

She was indeed beautiful, but without a prop like the plum blossom stakes, she seemed to lack that ethereal quality.

As the dance ended, the Emperor’s voice came from the high platform, “A reward.”

The protagonist’s halo was still in place.

Gu Yi put a handful of pomegranate seeds in her mouth.

The Talented Lady Li beside her smiled lightly, “Why doesn’t Talented Lady Gu display her talents tonight? With His Majesty’s favor, you would surely receive a reward if you performed.”

Gu Yi laughed, “Talented Lady Li overpraises me. I truly have no talents to display.”

“Talented Lady Gu is being modest.” After saying this, Talented Lady Li turned her head away.

Throughout the night, the Emperor rewarded only Beauty Wan from Xiu Yi Palace.

The assembled officials were slightly surprised. Beauty Wan’s family background seemed to be unknown—neither aligned with the new faction nor the old faction. Nobody even seemed to know exactly who her family was. It was only said that she had originally been a maid from the Imperial Laundry, who had suddenly received an imperial appointment.

Tonight, she alone received a reward again.

Truly… such imperial favor?

The officials couldn’t help but exchange glances, each interpreting the imperial will in their way.

Having finished the pomegranate on her table, Gu Yi turned to ask Tao Jia to pass her a silk handkerchief to wipe her hands, only to find that Tao Jia had disappeared.

She looked around and spotted a jade-colored silhouette by the stone path behind some trees that resembled her.

Gu Yi felt a tug in her heart and immediately stood up, heading toward that figure.

Getting closer, she confirmed it was indeed Tao Jia.

Gu Yi hid behind a tree and saw Tao Jia wave toward the western side.

A moment later, a tall figure emerged from the dim lights on the western side.

Who was it?

Gu Yi focused intently.

She saw cold light reflecting off the silver armor on the person’s chest.

Qi Chuang.

Had Tao Jia known Qi Chuang all along?

It seemed… plausible…

After all, Tao Jia had entered the palace at eight years old, so knowing the commander of the imperial guards wasn’t too strange…

Qi Chuang had keen ears and sharp eyes. Afraid to get too close, Gu Yi couldn’t hear what the two were saying.

She stuck her head out and saw Tao Jia hand Qi Chuang an object wrapped in a silk handkerchief.

Gu Yi’s heart skipped a beat.

Could it be… the Ji Mother Pearl?

She watched as Qi Chuang took it and easily lifted the silk handkerchief to reveal what looked like a round, somewhat yellowish…

Well, it was just a mooncake…

Gu Yi suddenly felt she might be overthinking.

But why was Tao Jia giving Qi Chuang a mooncake? Was she secretly in love with him?

What kind of mischievous ship was this?

As the male second lead in the book, Qi Chuang was surely supposed to like the female protagonist!

Gu Yi observed for a while and saw that Qi Chuang genuinely seemed to be just tasting the mooncake.

Her moral sense ultimately prevailed.

Gu Yi turned and took a different path.

She walked quite far into the Imperial Garden before stopping to look up at the moon.

The bright, perfect moon hung high in the pitch-black sky.

Sharing its beauty across thousands of miles.

But the bright moon she gazed upon today could never again be the same as it was back then.

Gu Yi took a deep breath and headed toward the Western Garden.

After walking a few steps, she saw a figure in bright yellow in the dim palace light ahead, with a coiled dragon pattern embroidered on the back.

Her breath caught, and she stopped in her tracks.

Looking up, she saw that his destination was the Moon-Viewing Terrace.

Such persistence…

Gu Yi couldn’t help but laugh softly.

Emperor Xiaoyan turned at the sound, “Who’s there?”

Gu Yi’s heart jumped, and just as she was about to step out from behind the tree, a pleasant female voice cut in, “Forgive this concubine, Your Majesty. I was merely viewing the moon here.”

It was Zhao Wan’s voice.

Gu Yi quickly retreated behind the tree.

Xiaoyan watched as a figure emerged from the dim stone path, seeing she was dressed in rainbow-colored clothes. “It’s you?”

Zhao Wan curtseyed gracefully, “This concubine greets Your Majesty.”

Silence surrounded them, with only the sound of cicadas.

She bowed again, “This concubine thanks Your Majesty for the reward at the Mid-Autumn banquet earlier.”

Xiaoyan raised his hand, “You may rise.”

Zhao Wan raised her head and gazed at him intently. Perhaps having just had some wine, his eyes flickered like rippling water.

She glanced at the pavilion ahead, “Is Your Majesty going to the Moon-Viewing Terrace to appreciate the moon?”

Xiaoyan made an affirmative sound and was about to step forward.

But just as he was about to move, a sudden sharp pain, like a needle, pierced his temple.

Xiaoyan raised his hand to his forehead, his steps faltering.

Zhao Wan quickly reached out to support him, her voice filled with concern, “Is Your Majesty unwell? Should I summon the imperial physician?”

Xiaoyan felt as if his head was splitting open, his brow throbbing intensely. It took quite a while before the shocking pain gradually subsided.

“It’s nothing.” He turned to go back, no longer in the mood to view the moon.

Zhao Wan was still holding his right arm when his sudden movement pulled her forward. Her foot slipped, and she tumbled toward the stone path.

Xiaoyan instinctively caught her, then turned, pulling her upright.

The two faced each other, their gazes inevitably meeting.

*Holy crap!*

Gu Yi, hiding behind the tree at a moderate distance, witnessed this classic Mary Sue protagonist routine: tripping on flat ground, followed by an embrace and a spin—the perfect trifecta!

*Damn it, what day is today?*

*Couple-watching day?*

*My eyes are burning!*

Gu Yi stood rooted to the spot, took two deep breaths, then turned and left.

Couldn’t she just take a different path?!