Gu Yi had barely turned her eyes when she caught sight of an imperial yellow figure not far away.

Xiaoyan saw Gu Yi wrapped in a sandalwood-colored silk cloak, walking quickly toward him. The loose strands of hair at her temples still carried traces of mist—she had just come from the hot spring pool.

But just now, she had paused in her steps—was she looking at Qi Chuang?

“Greetings to Your Majesty!”

Gu Yi curtseyed and remained bent, as the Emperor did not tell her to rise.

She raised her eyebrows slightly, and finally heard Xiaoyan say, “You may rise.”

Gu Yi saw a string of palace servants behind him. “Your Majesty, are you out for a walk? This concubine has noticed that some maple leaves on the mountain have already turned red. The scenery is beautiful!”

Xiaoyan, however, said, “I am going to Luoxia Palace to see Concubine Jieyu.”

Gu Yi smiled and said, “Your Majesty is kind. Since Elder Sister Jieyu fell yesterday, Your Majesty is being considerate by going to see her. She will certainly be delighted!” And crucially, you’ll be able to see the female protagonist!

Xiaoyan didn’t look at her again and simply walked away.

After a few steps, he thought to himself that although she wore a smile on her face, she was mocking Concubine Jieyu for her impropriety before the Emperor yesterday.

He laughed silently to himself.

When Concubine Jieyu heard from the palace servant who had gone ahead that the Emperor would arrive at Luoxia Palace shortly, she immediately instructed Chun Ya, “Quick, bring me my pearl hairpin!”

Chun Ya immediately went to do so, and also brought several boxes of rouge. “Concubine, would you like to try this imperial-colored scented balm?”

Concubine Jieyu took it and lightly dabbed her lips, “The color is indeed gorgeous.”

She glanced at the bronze mirror and saw someone approaching behind her.

Concubine Jieyu turned and smiled, “Wan’er, you’ve come just in time.”

Zhao Wan observed the palace servants bustling about and immediately understood what was happening. “Congratulations, Concubine.”

Concubine Jieyu smiled faintly, “Today you will stay in the hall to serve tea.”

Zhao Wan’s heart trembled slightly. She curtseyed, “This servant obeys.”

Half a moment later, Xiaoyan strode into Luoxia Palace.

Concubine Jieyu lowered her swan-like neck, “May Your Majesty be well.” The pendants of her hairpin swayed gently.

“Rise.” He adjusted his robe as he sat down and asked, “Concubine was startled yesterday. Are you feeling better today?”

Concubine Jieyu looked embarrassed, “This concubine is truly ashamed. I lost my composure yesterday. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me!”

Xiaoyan said, “It wasn’t a big matter. Concubine need not be anxious.”

Zhao Wan carried a tea tray to Xiaoyan’s side, her heart beating faster. She held her too-rapid breathing and said in a crisp voice, “Tea for Your Majesty.”

Xiaoyan’s gaze swept over her face. “You are the palace maid from yesterday?”

Zhao Wan set down the teacup and knelt in a bow, “Yes, Your Majesty, it is this servant.”

Xiaoyan’s gaze fell on her ankle, where he could see a circle of white gauze still wrapped beneath her silk sock. “You may rise. You did well.” He turned to look at Eunuch Gao, “Reward her with fifty taels.”

Zhao Wan bowed in gratitude, “Wan’er thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness.”

Xiaoyan examined her carefully, remembering something from the past, and raised an eyebrow, “Haven’t I seen you in Xiu Yidian? That day, was it you who delivered silk fabric to Noble Lady Gu?”

Concubine Jieyu noticed this “also” and smiled faintly, “Where else has Your Majesty seen Wan’er?”

Zhao Wan’s heart sank. She kowtowed, “In reply to Your Majesty and Concubine, this servant did indeed work at Huan Yi Ju and once delivered silk fabric to Noble Lady Gu. That night it was raining heavily, and Noble Lady Gu took pity on this servant and bestowed new clothes. This servant had the honor of seeing Your Majesty in the west wing of Xiu Yidian. Later… in the peach garden, this servant accidentally bumped into Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me.” Having said this, she pressed her forehead to the ground.

Xiaoyan looked at her pitch-black crown, his glassy eyes flickering slightly. “After the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet, was it also you… Who brought me sobering soup?”

Zhao Wan murmured, “It was indeed this servant.”

Xiaoyan laughed coldly in his heart. “Since you have done good deeds, they will offset your transgressions. You may rise.”

Concubine Jieyu pinched an embroidered handkerchief and laughed lightly twice. “It seems that Wan’er has quite a connection with Your Majesty.”

Zhao Wan couldn’t fathom Concubine Jieyu’s thoughts. Her face turned slightly pale as she stood with her head bowed.

Xiaoyan suddenly felt bored. He drank his tea and stood up, “I still have state affairs to attend to. Concubine, take good care of yourself.”

Concubine Jieyu’s lips moved slightly. Your Majesty, are you leaving so soon? Won’t you stay for a meal?

She was about to speak when suddenly a thunderclap rolled across the sky, with a loud boom.

Xiaoyan looked outside the hall. Dark clouds were piling up, and heavy rain was about to pour.

“Let’s go. Let’s return to Xuanyu Pavilion before the rain.”

Concubine Jieyu could not persuade him further. Her gaze swept over Zhao Wan, “Wan’er, prepare an umbrella and escort His Majesty.”

Eunuch Gao hadn’t prepared an umbrella and immediately said, “Thank you for your trouble, Miss.”

Zhao Wan fetched a raven-blue oil-paper umbrella from the hall and followed the Emperor’s entourage outside.

Just as they stepped outside, large raindrops began to fall in strings, pattering all over the ground.

Zhao Wan opened the paper umbrella and quickly caught up with Xiaoyan, holding it up to shield him from the rain.

The rain grew more intense, and a strong wind swept across the ground. The rain slashed diagonally, beating against people’s faces.

Zhao Wan saw that Xiaoyan’s front hem was already wet with raindrops and murmured, “Your Majesty… forgive me. This servant is foolish.”

Xiaoyan turned to look at her and saw that her entire body was drenched in the rain. The fine rain wove like threads, gathering into small streams that continuously slid down her cheeks, looking just like a drowned chicken.

He glanced at the pavilion ahead.

“Let’s take shelter from the rain at Xun Xue Palace.” With that, his steps quickened.

Zhao Wan dragged her injured foot, struggling to keep up.

Eunuch Gao hurried ahead to Xun Xue Palace and announced, “His Majesty arrives.”

In Xun Xue Palace, Tao Jia was drying Gu Yi’s hair. Hearing this, she paused, “Noble Lady, quickly, let this servant arrange your hair.”

Gu Yi glanced at the rain shadow outside the window, “There’s no time.”

She got up and took an oil-paper umbrella from the hall, and walked out.

At one glance, she saw Xiaoyan striding toward her, with an oilpaper umbrella already held over his head by a palace maid behind him.

Looking more carefully, she saw that the person holding the umbrella was none other than Zhao Wan!

No wonder! She had been wondering why the rain had suddenly become so heavy!

So that’s why!

Xiaoyan stepped onto the stairs, and clever palace servants had already offered silk towels. He looked up and saw Gu Yi holding an umbrella, standing under the eaves, staring at him blankly. “Why are you standing there in a daze? Get inside the hall!” Standing there letting the wind blow!

Gu Yi made an “oh” sound, then followed his footsteps, not forgetting to instruct the palace servants, “Please prepare towels for the rain-soaked palace maid, and send some hot tea.”

Zhao Wan accepted the cloth handed to her by a palace servant and looked with a complex expression at Xiaoyan’s back as he entered the hall.

His Majesty’s manner toward Noble Lady Gu, compared to his manner toward Concubine Jieyu, seemed like two different people.

Gu Yi watched as Xiaoyan took off his outer robe, sat down, and wiped his face with a towel. “Your Majesty, is your hair wet? Take off your crown first.” As she spoke, she walked to Xiaoyan’s side to remove the pins and crown.

Xiaoyan saw that she hadn’t put up her hair either; her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, falling smoothly down her back. He couldn’t help but reach out to stroke it gently.

The strands of hair fell softly into his palm, with a subtle fragrant scent.

Gu Yi rolled her eyes and glanced at Zhao Wan outside the hall. “Should I call someone in to dry Your Majesty’s hair?”

Xiaoyan handed her the silk towel, “You do it.”

Fine then.

Gu Yi obediently took the silk towel and moved behind him to dry the damp hair at his temples.

The sky gradually darkened, thunder continued, and the lamps in Xun Xue Palace were lit one after another, the candles illuminating the hall.

The rain kept falling, and the wind blew into the hall, bringing the chill of autumn.

Gu Yi saw that Xiaoyan’s hair was now dry. “Is Your Majesty cold? Would you like a cup of hot tea, or shall I call for ginger tea?”

Xiaoyan turned his head to look at her, “Bring ginger tea…” Then added, “The hot spring pool is nice, but you shouldn’t go every day.”

Fine.

Gu Yi: “I humbly obey Your Majesty’s teaching.”

She turned and walked to the hall entrance, saw that Zhao Wan’s palace clothes were wet, and said to the Xun Xue Palace servants, “Find a change of clothes for Wan’er.”

Then she said to Zhao Wan, “After changing into new clothes, go to the kitchen and bring a pot of ginger tea.”

Returning to the hall, she saw that Xiaoyan had already gotten up and walked to the table, looking at the black and white game pieces on the board.

Xiaoyan frowned, “What game is this?”

Gu Yi explained, “Five-in-a-Row. Whoever connects five pieces first wins.”

Xiaoyan looked at the board where five white pieces were already connected and asked her, “Do you play the black pieces?”

Thank you, I feel quite offended.

But Gu Yi still answered honestly, “Indeed.”

Xiaoyan smiled, “Play a game with me. You still take the black pieces.”

Gu Yi said craftily, “Black goes first.” Just you wait!

Unsurprisingly, Gu Yi won the first game. The player who moves first has a greater chance of winning.

Finally experiencing again the joy of slaughtering a novice.

“Your Majesty, you were too kind!”

She smiled slightly, concealing her skill and achievement.

So pleased with her small victory.

Xiaoyan looked at her with dark brown, glassy eyes, filled with casual amusement. “Again.”

Barely into the second game, Xiaoyan had already won.

Gu Yi: …

This is not a Mary Sue moment at all. How frustrating!

Zhao Wan carried a tray and waited outside the hall for a moment. Finally finding an appropriate time to speak, she said, “Your Majesty, Noble Lady, the ginger tea is ready.”

Gu Yi took this opportunity to gracefully exit, “Your Majesty, let’s drink tea first. Your Majesty’s well-being is important, so let’s stop playing Five-in-a-Row.”

Then she turned her head and called to Zhao Wan, “Come into the hall!”

Zhao Wan had changed into a fresh autumn-green palace dress, wearing a Moonlight Dress below, moving like the bright moon.

She walked slowly, and although her eyebrows and lashes were lowered, she was still strikingly beautiful.

Gu Yi quickly turned her head to look at Xiaoyan, attempting to see sparks of amazement in his eyes.

But Xiaoyan’s gaze remained fixed on the game board.

He didn’t forget to critique her, “Your mind is too rushed. You don’t look ahead and behind, and therefore, you always lose.”

Well, thank you!

Gu Yi fake-coughed, “Your Majesty should drink the tea first. The ginger tea will become bitter if it cools.”

But Zhao Wan watched with alarm.

So this is how Xiaoyan interacts with palace concubines…

She prepared the tea and gently pushed the cup in front of Xiaoyan. “Tea for Your Majesty.”

Xiaoyan finally looked up at her for a moment but didn’t speak.

He turned his head to see Gu Yi just holding her cup without drinking, her gaze directed straight at the palace maid.

“Noble Lady Gu, drink the ginger tea while it’s hot. It becomes bitter when cold.”

Xiao Gouzi, are you mocking me again?

Gu Yi chuckled and took a sip. There was a sweet aftertaste, and she couldn’t help but look toward Zhao Wan, “Why is it sweet?”

Zhao Wan curtseyed and answered, “In reply to Noble Lady, the water used to make the ginger tea contained osmanthus flowers and sweet dates, thus it has a sweet taste.”

Gu Yi nodded, “So that’s it. You have such ingenuity.” She looked at Xiaoyan, “Your Majesty, doesn’t this deserve a reward?”

Xiaoyan looked at the palace maid again, his suspicions growing.

Concubine Jieyu pushed this maid before him to seek favor.

But why did Gu Yi repeatedly do the same?

Was she observing the maid’s appearance out of jealousy?

Gu Yi looked expectantly at Xiaoyan, and Xiaoyan finally stared intently at Zhao Wan and said, “I’ll reward you with fifty taels. After leaving the hall, go find Eunuch Gao.”