In September, Li Yuniang bore another daughter.

“A’Yin resembles you, so this girl will surely resemble you too.” Grand Secretary Zhou held his newborn daughter and sat beside his wife.

Li Yuniang smiled as she looked at her husband.

Both husband and wife came from humble backgrounds. When her husband passed the xiucai examination, many people approached him about marriage arrangements. He had been attracted to her beauty, while Li Yuniang appreciated her husband’s handsome appearance and literary talent. Thus, they came together, and the couple worked hard to build their life together.

Life in the capital wasn’t as easy as they had imagined. Her husband had been somebody in their small county town, but upon arriving at the capital, he found himself at the bottom. Combined with his honest and simple nature, sometimes he would offend people without even knowing it. After ten years as a capital official, he remained merely a ninth-rank minor official. However, Li Yuniang didn’t mind. Now the couple had savings and a house, plus three children. As long as her husband treated her well and properly educated their three children, Li Yuniang was completely satisfied.

“What should we name this child?” Li Yuniang asked her husband.

Grand Secretary Zhou thought of the hibiscus flowers in their courtyard and smiled: “Let’s call her A’Fu, hoping she’ll be as beautiful as flowers like you in the future.”

Li Yuniang shot her husband a coquettish glance: “Such smooth talk, and I’m already thirty.”

Grand Secretary Zhou looked at his wife’s still fair and tender face. Perhaps because the palace food was good and Yuniang didn’t have to do any rough work, over these years, Yuniang had become even fairer than when she was at home. Not a single wrinkle showed on her face. If she didn’t mention it, who would believe she had already borne three children?

“When I say you’re beautiful, you are beautiful. It has nothing to do with your age. Even if you were seventy or eighty, as long as I enjoy looking at you, you’d still be beautiful.” Grand Secretary Zhou smiled, showing fine lines at the corners of his eyes. Being a minor capital official wasn’t easy for him.

Li Yuniang felt very sorry for him. If she stayed at home, she could usually help her husband with advice when he encountered problems.

At this moment, Li Yuniang felt somewhat regretful. How wonderful it would be if she could just leave the imperial palace. No matter how reluctant she was to leave the Seventh Prince, with her husband and three children at home, Li Yuniang would still prefer to stay home.

Of course, Li Yuniang’s sentiment was only momentary. After the Lantern Festival, when her turn came to enter the palace, Li Yuniang put away such distracting thoughts. The palace waters ran deep and wouldn’t tolerate her being of two minds. Outside, she would care for her husband and three children; once in the palace, with everything at home properly arranged and not needing her worry, she would wholeheartedly plan for the Seventh Prince.

Li Yuniang entered the palace and first went to pay respects to Consort Zhuang. After Consort Zhuang inquired about her recent situation, she was dismissed to go to the Princes’ Quarters.

Li Yuniang socialized with the palace servants of Yunhai Residence before entering the kitchen. His Highness enjoyed the steamed soup dumplings she made.

The Seventh Prince didn’t know she would return today.

After the Imperial Study dismissed, the Seventh Prince went as usual to Yikun Palace to pay respects to Consort Zhuang.

Consort Zhuang first checked her son’s coursework and found the Seventh Prince was still as mediocre as ever. Consort Zhuang had grown accustomed to this and smiled faintly, mentioning casually: “By the way, Lady Li has returned to the palace.”

The Seventh Prince maintained his usual dull demeanor, showing no particular joy.

Seeing this, Consort Zhuang waved her hand, indicating her son could leave.

The eleven-year-old Seventh Prince was taciturn and rigidly boring, always doing everything methodically. But today his steps returning to the Princes’ Quarters were somewhat faster than usual.

As soon as he returned, without needing special summons, according to protocol, Li Yuniang had to come pay respects to her master.

The Seventh Prince hadn’t seen his wet nurse for a long time. He couldn’t very well send people to inquire about his wet nurse’s situation outside the palace. Now seeing her again and finding she looked no different from when they parted last year, he assumed she was doing well and felt relieved.

After the master-servant ceremonies, the Seventh Prince smiled and asked: “Did the wet nurse give birth to a little brother or sister?”

Li Yuniang smiled: “A little girl. Her father named her A’Fu.”

A’Fu, A’Fu.

The Seventh Prince silently repeated the name twice, thinking it sounded very nice. His wet nurse was beautiful, so little sister A’Fu must be very pretty too. Unfortunately, being in the palace, he couldn’t go out to meet the wet nurse’s three children.

That evening, the Seventh Prince ate an entire steamer of soup dumplings and felt somewhat stuffed.

Consort Zhuang knew her son was closer to Li Yuniang. Even though her son didn’t show it, she could sense it.

If Li Yuniang might not be useful to her, Consort Zhuang wouldn’t have allowed Li Yuniang to enter the palace again.

Consort Zhuang harbored hatred in her heart—hatred for the Empress who had killed her eldest son. The minor consort uncovered by Emperor Jiande was merely the Empress’s scapegoat; the Empress was the true mastermind behind the scenes.

Consort Zhuang no longer expected her second son to strive for himself. Since that was the case, she wanted to eliminate other outstanding princes for her second son.

The Seventh Prince didn’t know what Consort Zhuang was plotting, and Li Yuniang, who never stepped foot outside Yunhai Residence, knew even less.

By the time the Seventh Prince and Li Yuniang caught wind of it, the Second Prince had nearly been harmed, and all evidence pointed to Consort Zhuang.

The Empress went before Emperor Jiande and cried bitterly, begging the Emperor to uphold justice.

Among the harem consorts, Emperor Jiande still treated Consort Zhuang differently.

When Consort Zhuang first entered the palace, Emperor Jiande loved her beauty. Later, when Consort Zhuang bore two princes, the Third Prince was exceptionally intelligent and steady. Among all the princes, Emperor Jiande loved the Third Prince most; thus, he valued Consort Zhuang even more. Until last year, when the Third Prince died, although Emperor Jiande rarely selected Consort Zhuang’s token anymore, he still felt pity for her in his heart, and Yikun Palace received its share of all tribute gifts.

But this time, if Consort Zhuang truly intended to harm the Second Prince, Emperor Jiande would show no mercy.

Emperor Jiande headed straight for Yikun Palace.

Consort Zhuang was speaking with Li Yuniang.

She had indeed wanted to harm the Second Prince, but unfortunately, the people she sent were useless and failed to take the Second Prince’s life. Fortunately, the most crucial assassin had already committed suicide. As long as Consort Zhuang didn’t confess, and as long as Emperor Jiande was willing to spare her, Consort Zhuang still had hope. But Consort Zhuang didn’t dare hope the former emperor would consider their past affection, so she had Li Yuniang summoned.

Li Yuniang was still in the dark. Upon reaching Yikun Palace, when Consort Zhuang inquired about the Seventh Prince’s daily activities, Li Yuniang answered everything.

They had barely spoken a few words when the Imperial Presence arrived with fierce momentum. The palace servants had just announced it when Li Yuniang couldn’t even withdraw in time—Emperor Jiande had already stridden in.

Li Yuniang had lived in the palace for so many years, but today was her first audience with the Emperor.

Like the other palace servants, she hastily knelt, forehead touching the ground, not daring to raise her head.

Emperor Jiande couldn’t see these palace servants. Upon entering, he directly interrogated Consort Zhuang. Consort Zhuang had prepared early, arguing her case forcefully and refusing to confess. But how could Emperor Jiande be so easily fooled? The evidence the Empress had compiled pointed to Consort Zhuang piece by piece, and Consort Zhuang had the strongest motive.

If Consort Zhuang had directly framed the Empress, as long as the Empress came to no harm, Emperor Jiande could turn a blind eye. But the Second Prince was the son he valued most after the Third Prince, and also his chosen heir apparent. If anything happened to the Second Prince, it would affect the Great Qi’s state foundations. Could Emperor Jiande tolerate Consort Zhuang harming the crown prince?

The emperor and consort argued endlessly. Emperor Jiande lacked Consort Zhuang’s sharp tongue and couldn’t match her pretentious manner. Burning with rage, Emperor Jiande raised his hand and slapped Consort Zhuang across the face.

Consort Zhuang aimed her direction and collapsed before Li Yuniang.

Li Yuniang had been frightened since she understood what the emperor and consort were arguing about. If Consort Zhuang truly committed a crime, the Seventh Prince’s situation in the palace would become even more difficult!

Now seeing Consort Zhuang fall like a flower before her, Li Yuniang’s protective instincts flared. She couldn’t help but crawl on her knees to Consort Zhuang’s front, kowtowing repeatedly: “Your Majesty, this matter was not Her Ladyship’s doing. Please, Your Majesty, see clearly!”

She hadn’t raised her head, and Emperor Jiande hadn’t looked at her carefully either. He was about to kick her.

Consort Zhuang timely pushed Li Yuniang aside and took the Emperor Jiande’s kick for herself.

Li Yuniang fell to the ground, looking back at Consort Zhuang in disbelief.

Emperor Jiande also hadn’t expected Consort Zhuang to value a palace servant so highly. Suspicious, he naturally looked toward Li Yuniang. At this moment, Li Yuniang’s hair was slightly disheveled, and her face pale with shock, but that mature woman’s beauty and charm forcefully carved a path through Emperor Jiande’s blazing anger, gently imprinting her beauty upon the Emperor’s heart.

Emperor Jiande stared at Li Yuniang. After his amazement, he frowned. Who was this person? How had he never seen her in Yikun Palace before?

Li Yuniang had just recovered from Consort Zhuang’s unexpected action and lowered her head, crawling on her knees to help Consort Zhuang.

Consort Zhuang had been kicked by Emperor Jiande until blood appeared at the corner of her mouth. She leaned weakly in Li Yuniang’s arms, gazing at Emperor Jiande with tearful, pitiful eyes: “Your Majesty, my son was killed by someone, and now someone else comes to frame me. If Your Majesty believes me, I’ll argue my case. If Your Majesty doesn’t believe me, there’s no point in living, except I pity little Hui being alone and helpless…”

Speaking to this point, Consort Zhuang grasped Li Yuniang’s hand and choked up: “You are little Hui’s wet nurse. All these years you’ve cared for little Hui meticulously—I’ve seen it all. When I die, little Hui will be entrusted to you.”

Li Yuniang had no idea of Consort Zhuang’s true intentions. Fearing that Consort Zhuang would truly be convicted, Li Yuniang held Consort Zhuang while anxiously begging Emperor Jiande to see clearly.

Emperor Jiande’s gaze wandered back and forth between Consort Zhuang’s and Li Yuniang’s faces.

Consort Zhuang’s tears reminded him of the wrongfully deceased Third Prince.

Li Yuniang’s appearance stirred Emperor Jiande’s lust.

At his age, pure beauty could no longer move his heart. His body would still appreciate young beauties, but Emperor Jiande wanted to recapture the impulsive excitement of youth. He had to handle state affairs and had no time to understand which beauty or pursue pure emotions. Comparatively, pure excitement was easier to obtain.

But Emperor Jiande needed to protect his reputation. He couldn’t carouse outside the palace, nor could he openly select beauties of special status to enter the palace. Someone like Li Yuniang was just right. She lived in the Princes’ Quarters—Emperor Jiande needed only to pretend to visit the Seventh Prince to find his opportunity.

At this moment, Emperor Jiande didn’t consider whether Li Yuniang was willing at all. He was the Emperor—which woman could refuse him?

Two emotions rose simultaneously, quickly suppressing Emperor Jiande’s anger.

He thought that Consort Zhuang’s attempt to harm the Second Prince also resulted from the excessive shock of losing the Third Prince, combined with the Empress constantly troubling her. Consort Zhuang’s momentary desire for revenge against the Second Prince was somewhat understandable. Fortunately, it was only a false alarm—the Second Prince was unharmed, and after this lesson, Consort Zhuang presumably wouldn’t dare offend again.

Emperor Jiande’s heart first became biased, so when investigating afterward, his subordinates naturally found no evidence against Consort Zhuang.

Consort Zhuang narrowly escaped disaster, while the Empress was so angry her teeth itched.

Emperor Jiande paid no attention to what the two women were plotting. After this matter had completely settled in the palace, on a day when spring was warm and flowers bloomed and the princes were resting from their studies, Emperor Jiande suddenly took the notion to bring only two eunuchs and move to the Princes’ Quarters.

The First Prince had already been enfeoffed and moved out of the imperial palace. The Second Prince will move next year. In the Princes’ Quarters, he was the eldest, with eight younger brothers below him.

Emperor Jiande called out all the princes to test their studies. During his critique, Emperor Jiande was harshest toward the Seventh Prince, then, as if wanting to punish the Seventh Prince alone, he wore a face dark as water and brought the Seventh Prince to Yunhai Residence.