Tonight’s dishes were also exceptionally lavish. Fine wine was placed on the table—carefully prepared by Steward Guo. Her mind was troubled and restless. She wanted to drink some wine, but ultimately forced herself to refrain and made herself eat a few bites of rice.

“His Majesty arrives!” Just as she was feeling anxious and worried, the shrill voice of a eunuch came from outside the door. She stood up in alarm—it wasn’t even bedtime yet, how had he come so early!

She was still frozen in place when the door opened. Outside, Steward Guo and little Lu showed difficult expressions as they welcomed the visitor inside. Li Zhaoting waved his hand, dismissing the two along with Liang Song. Steward Guo gave Suzhen a meaningful look, glanced at the wine on the table, then slowly closed the door.

“I’m quite hungry.” Li Zhaoting smiled and sat down. “Just as you’re having your meal—I’ll eat here as well.”

“Is the food acceptable? I ordered imperial cuisine to be prepared especially for you here.” He glanced at her casually.

Suzhen felt nothing, her mind only occupied with scheming. This wine was a poor strategy, and the monthly flow excuse was even worse. But Li Zhaoting was astute—if she used wine and made any mistake to reveal her plot, then… She took a bowl to serve him soup, deciding to speak first, slowly saying, “Thank you. But tonight I’m afraid I cannot—”

“You have your monthly flow, is that right?” Li Zhaoting calmly interrupted her, but there was a smile at his lips, showing no anger.

Suzhen was shocked! He knew what she was plotting, but she couldn’t fathom his thoughts.

“I came to spend the night at your place, but I didn’t plan to do anything.” Li Zhaoting said lightly, taking the soup bowl from her hand. “Let’s eat.”

He tapped on the table in front of her and began eating and drinking. Suzhen felt greatly relieved and also sat down to dine. During the meal, he served her food several times, just as she used to do for him in the past.

Suzhen remained silent but didn’t refuse. Li Zhaoting occasionally glanced at her. This meal passed in complete silence. Afterward, Li Zhaoting had the servants clear everything away, and a eunuch reported from outside that bathing preparations were ready.

Suzhen pressed her lips together slightly, watching wordlessly as the eunuchs moved things inside.

Once ready, Li Zhaoting dismissed the servants and asked, “Have you bathed?”

“I’ve already washed. I really have washed.” Suzhen stepped back cautiously and answered.

In fact, this wasn’t a lie. When she returned covered in filth, Steward Guo had already arranged for her to bathe and wash away all the grime. She was now wearing a plain palace dress suitable for concubines.

Li Zhaoting nodded. He neither called for servants nor asked her to help, but directly began undressing. Suzhen sat to the side, looking straight ahead. Li Zhaoting didn’t speak either. In the silence, she remembered Lian Yu had done similar things, but he would “impose on others” then. Li Zhaoting seemed to have an attitude of “this lord doesn’t stoop to such things.”

The sound of water came, and besides this, the two remained in complete silence.

After quite some time, he emerged wearing a light robe, carrying the fresh scent of bathing as he approached her. Between the two of them, he always seemed more like an elegant, well-bred young lady, while she was like an unkempt boy.

“Accompany me for a walk outside. Or would you rather… retire for the night?” His voice came again, faintly carrying a hint of mockery.

Suzhen instinctively said, “Let’s go outside.”

As she spoke, warmth touched her hand—he had already grasped it and pulled her up.

Suzhen loathed the feeling of his touch but had no choice. She followed him outside. Li Zhaoting led her out of the courtyard. Under the trees and flowers, he suddenly smiled, remembering something, “Do you still remember when we sat in a tree during that investigation?”

If he hadn’t mentioned it, Suzhen would have completely forgotten. Li Zhaoting said, “This time, let me take you up.”

Before she could react, her waist tightened—he had already embraced her and leaped up, carrying her to the treetop. His lightness skills were much better than hers. As if afraid she might not sit steadily, he didn’t release her. Suzhen forced herself not to shift her body, then saw him actually pull out a jade flute from his chest, slowly release her, bring it to his lips, and begin playing softly.

It was the same tune she had played during the day.

Suzhen had no mind to appreciate it, only calculating how to gain his trust so she could later leave the palace. Li Zhaoting kept glancing at her from the corner of his eye. Seeing her eyebrows slightly raised and eyes moving slightly—her characteristic expression when thinking since childhood—he knew she wasn’t listening attentively, and his heart sank. He suppressed his rising anger, cut off the melody, and said, “I accidentally lost the flute you gave me before.”

Suzhen finally showed some reaction. She shook her head, indicating it didn’t matter, “If it’s lost, it’s lost. It wasn’t valuable anyway.”

“If effort was put into it, then it’s priceless.” Li Zhaoting glanced at her again.

“Sometime, will you take me to the place where you made the flute?”

Suzhen’s heart suddenly stirred. This time she immediately looked up at him, paused, then smiled and answered, “Alright.”

Seeing her eyebrows finally lift slightly, Li Zhaoting also felt some joy. He put the flute back in his chest, slowly reached out to embrace her waist. Suzhen trembled slightly but ultimately didn’t dodge.

…

This intimate scene was completely observed by someone below the tree.

“So this is where you have business… here.”

The newcomer spoke with mockery. Suzhen looked down alertly to see Aluo with Mei’er and others standing below.

Li Zhaoting frowned slightly and didn’t immediately respond. Suzhen smiled inwardly and deliberately moved, “Your Majesty, the Empress is looking for you. Suzhen will take her leave first.”

The branch swayed considerably from her movement. Afraid she would fall, Li Zhaoting held her tightly and leaped down.

Aluo looked at the two of them, her eyes rimmed with faint red. Finally, she gave a cold laugh and turned to leave. Suzhen nudged Li Zhaoting with her elbow, “Young Master Li, why don’t you hurry and chase after her?”

She struggled free and walked back.

Li Zhaoting saw a long-absent mischievous smile in her eyes and didn’t move. Aluo, accompanied by Xiao Shanshan and Mei’er, walked several steps. Hearing no movement behind her, she felt cold all over and finally couldn’t help looking back. Li Zhaoting’s gaze fell on her face, “Empress, please return first. I will find you shortly.”

“Quickly take your mistress back. Though it’s a summer night, the Empress is lightly dressed and might catch cold.” His subsequent words were spoken sternly to Xiao Shanshan and Mei’er.

“Yes.” Xiao Shanshan responded first. Aluo gritted her teeth, “I won’t disturb Your Majesty’s business. This consort takes her leave.”

Returning to the courtyard, Suzhen’s mood unexpectedly lifted with a trace of joy, and her hatred toward Li Zhaoting seemed to lighten somewhat. She knew he had lost that jade flute—later Lian Yu had found it for her. How wonderful that it was truly lost! Just when she thought there was no way forward, if he really intended to take her out of the palace, once they left this heavily guarded imperial palace, no matter how many guards he brought, she would still have a chance to escape! But for now, she couldn’t let him see the slightest hint of her intentions, so she had deliberately not mentioned “leaving the palace” at all, only letting him think it was joy over revisiting old places.

And tonight, Aluo’s arrival was truly perfectly timed. She was about to enter the room when steady footsteps came from behind. She furrowed her brows and looked sideways to find Li Zhaoting had returned.

Seeing the smile between her brows, Li Zhaoting’s facial muscles immediately tightened. He said in a low voice, “I have early court tomorrow. Let’s sleep.”

Suzhen took a breath and nodded, “Alright.”

She opened the door and entered first. Li Zhaoting followed, spreading his arms slightly, “Noble Consort, please help me undress.”

Suzhen assumed he was angry from failing to catch up with Aluo, but since he had said earlier tonight that he wouldn’t do anything, she felt somewhat relieved and went over to help him. She lowered her head slightly at his side, revealing her pale neck. Li Zhaoting’s heart couldn’t help but tighten.

After a while, she finally finished. He said, “You get in first. Sleep on the inside.”

Suzhen very much wanted to say she could just make a bed on the floor, but she couldn’t voice this. Knowing that sharing a bed was probably unavoidable, she tried to appear relaxed and natural. She removed her outer robe, hung it on a screen to the side, and climbed in first.

Li Zhaoting suddenly walked to the noble consort’s couch where the eunuchs had placed clothing earlier, picked up something, then came over. Suzhen sat on the inner side and was startled to see this object.

“You needn’t be afraid.” Li Zhaoting’s voice was slightly cold as he pulled out another item from his chest.

It was a dagger.

Thank goodness she hadn’t planned to use wine to “commit murder.” This man actually carried such protective implements with him. If he had discovered her scheme, Suzhen broke out in a cold sweat… But his purpose in bringing these things out was—

“The sixteenth is the sixteenth, but to silence gossiping tongues in the palace, we still need to produce evidence tonight.”

She was secretly on guard, but hearing his calm words, her heart relaxed. She immediately reached out, “Thank Your Majesty!”

Li Zhaoting gave a noncommittal smile, lowered his head, and made a cut on his own wrist. Blood dripped onto the white silk handkerchief he had brought up. After a while, Suzhen finally came to her senses, watching him sheath the dagger and throw the handkerchief onto the couch outside the bed. He then leaned against the bed’s edge without moving. Despite being unable to offset the hatred already buried deep in her heart, she still felt a trace of gratitude and got up, wanting to go get some gauze to bandage him.

“You can still care about me?” Li Zhaoting spoke self-mockingly, but as she stepped over him, he suddenly reached out, grasped her wrist, and laid her down completely, bringing his still-bleeding wound to her lips.

A fishy-sweet taste slid into her mouth. Anger rose in Suzhen’s heart as she silently cursed, not knowing what madness had seized him. The bed curtains swayed gently in the wind, and the candle he had dimmed earlier cast shadows. In the misty light and shadow appeared his tall form looming over her, and those compelling dark eyes.