Two palace maids added more incense to the burner and quietly withdrew, the lowered pearl curtains making the figures inside appear shadowy and indistinct.

“Your Majesty, did you know I had delicious food here and come over for that?” Consort Dong laughed coquettishly with mock reproach, while presenting a covered bowl before her to the Emperor.

The Emperor, dressed in a simple pure black cotton robe from Songjiang, did not take the bowl but embraced her slender waist.

“Indeed, I’m like a cat following the scent of fish,” he laughed, lowering his head to sniff deeply at the woman’s chest. “Such fragrant white steamed buns…”

The woman’s delicate laughter filled the room.

The palace maids standing outside were accustomed to such scenes and remained expressionless.

“Your Majesty, try this,” after some playful banter, Consort Dong leaned against the Emperor’s chest, attentively serving him dishes.

“I’m truly hungry. Court nearly erupted in fighting today, the arguing gave me a headache, plus piles of memorials – I didn’t even have morning meal,” the Emperor laughed, picking up his chopsticks.

Outside the pearl curtains, a palace servant hurried over then suddenly stopped, seemingly having urgent business but not daring to enter upon learning the Emperor was present.

Consort Dong felt quite displeased.

She recognized this palace maid as one bestowed by the Empress Dowager.

Sure enough, just when things were going her way, this one would come hovering around.

Yet she couldn’t pretend not to notice – in this harem, despite having the Emperor’s favor, the Empress Dowager was someone she, a mere consort, couldn’t afford to offend.

There could only be one Empress Dowager, but there could be countless consorts.

“Yu Juan, hasn’t the dish I requested been delivered yet?” she asked.

The palace maid outside, receiving a response, hurried in.

“This servant will urge them again,” she said with a bow. “Your Highness, Madam Chen has arrived and has been seated in Lotus Pavilion.”

Madam Chen?

Consort Dong was surprised, and the Emperor was slightly surprised as well.

Which madam would come to see her and dare to be seated without permission, especially knowing the Emperor was here!

Counting through the court, there really was no such person… no, wait, there was one!

Consort Dong realized who it was, her expression becoming complex as she involuntarily looked toward the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, I had no idea she was coming…” she said hastily.

The Emperor naturally knew who it was too, setting down his chopsticks.

“Of course you didn’t know – you couldn’t have her come and go at will,” he said with a smile. “I’ll go to Emerald Jade Pool first. Later, you bring everyone to serve the meal here.”

This meant he wouldn’t see Chen Shi, and that she should send her away quickly.

Most importantly, His Majesty wasn’t angry nor did he suspect her.

Consort Dong beamed with joy, quickly having someone escort the Emperor out through the back door, then turned to have Chen Shi summoned.

“This subject’s wife pays respects to Your Highness.”

Chen Shi entered the door, lowering her head in a bow.

“Sister, please don’t do this – I’m not worthy of such ceremony,” Consort Dong said hastily, quickly walking over while extending her hand in a gesture of support.

Facing this frail, petite woman, she dared not show the slightest displeasure at having her rare intimate moment with the Emperor interrupted.

This woman was truly a peculiar existence.

Look at the Emperor’s attitude just now – though he said he wouldn’t see her, he showed no displeasure toward the woman whatsoever.

On the contrary, there was a certain intimacy.

The kind of intimacy that comes from childhood familiarity.

The Emperor didn’t have many blood sisters, yet this Chen Shi enjoyed treatment comparable to a princess – even higher than princess treatment.

Chen Shi continued her bow before straightening and looking up at Consort Dong.

“Sister, you haven’t changed at all…” Consort Dong examined her, speaking with excitement.

Chen Shi smiled as well.

“Your Highness grows more beautiful each day,” she said.

Consort Dong made a sound of dismissal.

“Sister, you still love to tease me,” she laughed, her gaze falling behind Chen Shi.

Having focused entirely on Chen Shi, she only now noticed a woman who had followed her in.

A young woman, currently with lowered head so her features couldn’t be seen clearly, but judging by her figure alone, she was a beauty…

This didn’t look like a maid or servant.

A beauty!

Her gaze lingered, which Chen Shi noticed.

“This is Yueniang,” Chen Shi said.

Yueniang?

Consort Dong felt somewhat puzzled.

What kind of introduction was this?

“Last time I asked for your help, it was for her,” Chen Shi said with a smile, reaching out to draw Qi Yue forward. “Come, thank your great benefactor.”

Hearing this, Consort Dong understood.

She naturally remembered the previous incident clearly. Although this Chen Shi had always been favored in the palace, she had never used her influence to ask for anything. For her to personally come requesting such a great favor, this person must hold an extraordinary place in Chen Shi’s heart.

Qi Yue had already bent in a bow.

“Greetings to Your Highness, thank you for your great kindness,” she said, hesitating whether to kneel.

This would probably be the second time kneeling since arriving here.

Qi Yue couldn’t help but think of the first time – kneeling alongside Chang Yuncheng.

So this time, it was for Zhou Maochun, for Liu Pucheng, for Qianjin Hall, and of course also for Chang Yuncheng, who would surely get in trouble for privately following along.

It seemed their destinies were truly intertwined.

A smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Consort Dong was hardly foolish enough to let her kneel. If Chen Shi truly wanted this woman to kneel, she would have had her kneel immediately upon entering, not wait until now for such a deliberate introduction. In the palace, anyone who couldn’t understand such implications would have died eight hundred times over.

“Please rise, we’re all family here,” she said with a smile, reaching out to support Qi Yue.

Qi Yue initially thought she was being polite and wanted to insist on kneeling, but Consort Dong gripped her arm firmly, not seeming to be merely polite.

“Yueniang, go wait outside for a moment. I need to speak with Her Highness,” Chen Shi said.

Both Qi Yue and Consort Dong were somewhat surprised, but neither could say anything. In their hearts, they both accepted that Chen Shi could do as she pleased.

“Someone come,” Consort Dong said with a smile, releasing Qi Yue’s arm.

A palace maid stepped forward.

“Madam, this way please,” she said proactively without waiting for Consort Dong to speak, stepping aside respectfully.

Qi Yue bowed in thanks again and followed the palace maid out.

“Madam, this way please,” the palace maid said, leading the way.

“I’ll just wait outside,” Qi Yue said hesitantly.

“That won’t do – it’s quite cold,” the palace maid smiled, thinking briefly. “Madam, come this way. There’s a small warm pavilion that’s both warm and nearby. If you call out from here, you’ll be able to hear everything.”

It should be fine, otherwise Chen Shi wouldn’t have confidently let her go out alone.

Qi Yue nodded in agreement, thanked her, and followed the palace maid around a corner into a room beside the palace hall.

The room was small but decorated warmly and luxuriously.

The palace maid walked over and drew open the thick curtains in the center. Qi Yue couldn’t help but brighten up.

The warm pavilion actually faced a small, exquisite garden. In this early spring warming season, the little garden was subtly coming to life.

“Madam, please sit,” the palace maid said after hanging the curtains properly, turning to smile at her. “Madam, you’re not cold, are you?”

Qi Yue quickly shook her head saying she wasn’t cold, settling into a railing chair while looking outside.

The palace maid poured tea and brought it over, glancing out the window as if seeing something, then hurried over to grab the railing.

“Little Wei, what are you doing catching our fish?” she called out crisply.

Following the sound, Qi Yue indeed saw a little eunuch by the garden’s water pool holding a net.

The little eunuch snorted and glanced at the palace maid, completely ignoring her.

The palace maid felt quite embarrassed and stamped her foot.

“Little Wei, are you trying to steal our fish to eat? I’ll tell Her Highness,” she said.

Qi Yue watched the little palace maid and eunuch bicker, smiled slightly, and turned her gaze away.

But at the same time, from a small pavilion across the way, someone’s gaze fell upon her.

The Emperor sat upright as a little eunuch arranged charcoal burners, iron wire, and other implements. Hearing the voices outside, the Emperor frowned.

The eunuch naturally understood and hurried to the side.

“What’s all this shouting about? Don’t you know…” he shrilly scolded.

Before finishing his words, he was struck on the head by something thrown from behind and cried out in pain.

At this moment, there was no one else who could strike him.

The eunuch, ignoring the pain, dropped to his knees with a thud.

The Emperor paid him no attention, still looking outside with surprise.

In the pavilion across the way, the woman sitting by the window was listening to the palace maid speak something, smiling slightly.

The Emperor couldn’t help but stand up, squinting his eyes as a gradual smile appeared on his lips.

The eunuch kneeling on the ground trembled but heard no scolding. He boldly raised his head for a glance and saw the Emperor actually smiling.

The Emperor’s moods were unpredictable – sometimes he smiled while angry, sometimes he was angry while inwardly pleased. These close attendant eunuchs knew best when the Emperor’s smile was genuine or false.

At this moment, the Emperor was truly smiling.

What could make him so happy?

The eunuch couldn’t resist wanting to follow the Emperor’s gaze outward, but the Emperor lifted his foot.

“Let’s go,” he said.

The eunuch dared not be distracted and scrambled to his feet.

The Emperor had already stridden away like the wind.

The eunuch hurried to follow. The fish-catching eunuch returned, his net holding a lively, jumping fish.

“Hey? Are we still eating this?” he asked, seeing everyone had left.

“Eat what?” the little eunuch glared at him and hurried to chase the Emperor who had already disappeared from sight.

“His Majesty left?”

Hearing the palace maid’s report, both Consort Dong and Chen Shi were somewhat surprised.

Consort Dong secretly resented Chen Shi’s untimely arrival – she hadn’t seen the Emperor for several days, only to have it disrupted by her.

Chen Shi secretly resented the Emperor’s cruelty – knowing full well why she had come, yet refusing to see her.

Though their feelings differed, both sighed with the same sense of loss.

Since the Emperor wasn’t here, Chen Shi rose to take her leave.

Consort Dong also listlessly saw her off.

Calling for Qi Yue, Chen Shi seemed to casually glance at the palace maid who had escorted her.

The palace maid imperceptibly shook her head at Chen Shi.

Chen Shi’s face showed even greater disappointment.

Qi Yue observed Consort Dong and Chen Shi – though both still wore smiles, they couldn’t hide their dejection. Her heart sank.

It seemed the matter hadn’t been resolved!

Chen Shi had already boarded her sedan chair. Qi Yue sighed inwardly, bowed to Consort Dong in farewell.

Watching the two slowly depart, Consort Dong could no longer conceal her gloom.

“Your Highness, what did Madam Chen come to ask you for?” her personal palace maid asked.

Consort Dong shook her head with a mocking smile.

“What did she come to ask me for? When has she ever come to ask me for anything? I’m nothing more than a stepping stone and excuse for her – she hardly needs my help,” she said.

Someone whose arrival she didn’t know about, whose departure she couldn’t control – someone who couldn’t even manage this much control was truly of no use to others.

The palace maid remained silent.

“When did His Majesty leave?” Consort Dong asked, remembering something.

“Very early – shortly after Madam Chen arrived, His Majesty left,” a palace maid quickly responded.

Consort Dong nodded, dismissing a trace of suspicion from her mind as she turned to go inside.

Chen Shi sat in her sedan chair, moving slowly along the palace walls with her hand supporting her head as if asleep.

“Aunt, if it doesn’t work out, let it be. Don’t take it too much to heart,” Qi Yue said softly. “I believe good people are blessed by heaven.”

Chen Shi opened her eyes, about to speak, when she saw two eunuchs hurrying toward them from ahead, smiling and bowing from a distance.

“Madam, His Majesty summons you,” they said.

Just when the path seemed to end and there was no way forward, suddenly flowers bloomed and another village appeared!

Chen Shi sat up straight in her sedan chair.

This little rascal really knew how to torment people!