Eunuch Wu from the Department of Palace Affairs glanced at Eunuch Gao’s expression and smiled apologetically, “Eunuch Gao, is there something wrong with this?”

Eunuch Gao fake-coughed, “Nothing. You may go in.” *Take care!*

Eunuch Wu didn’t understand but still shook his robes and entered the pavilion with his head lowered, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Xiaoyan descended the long steps in a few strides, his speed startling Eunuch Wu.

*Your Majesty, have you finally come to your senses?*

Xiaoyan immediately spotted the two red notes on the tray.

Noble Consort Shu from Caiwei Palace always had a red note.

And the other, listed in the third row, was Lady Gu from Heluo Palace.

Eunuch Wu kept his head down, holding the tray high above him, and for a long time, the Emperor made no move.

He dared to glance up and saw the Emperor’s jaw tightly clenched, his face expressionless, only his sword-like eyebrows drawn taut like bowstrings, his pupils dark and concealing sharpness.

He dared not look anymore and immediately lowered his head.

Suddenly, his hands felt lighter.

The Emperor had reached out and flipped over the pear blossom wood tray that Eunuch Wu was holding high.

The tray fell to the ground with a series of loud crashes, and the jade tablets scattered all over the floor.

Eunuch Wu’s knees weakened, and he knelt with a deep bow, “This servant has failed in his duties! Please forgive me, Your Majesty! Please calm your anger!”

Eunuch Gao, standing outside the pavilion, was startled by the noise and immediately entered, bowing, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”

For a moment, Tianlu Pavilion was completely silent.

Xiaoyan, seeing the two with their heads lowered on the ground, trembling, suddenly laughed, “Rise, both of you…”

Eunuch Wu dared not pick up the scattered jade tablets but only held the edge of the tray, hunched over as he stood up, “Your Majesty… this servant… will… will take his leave.”

But then he heard the Emperor slowly say, “Summon Talent Zhao from Heluo Palace.”

Eunuch Wu halted his retreating steps and responded, “This servant obeys the imperial command.”

Since the Emperor’s return from Wushan, the first jade tablet he selected was still that of Talent Zhao, who had been newly appointed at Wushan Villa.

The entire palace was shocked. They had thought it was just the Emperor’s passing fancy to elevate a talent at Wushan, nothing significant, but after returning to the palace, she was still favored!

Gu Yi stood by the window, watching palace servants from the Department of Ceremonial Rites successively heading to the side hall of Heluo Palace.

The plot was indeed on track…

Tao Jia frowned anxiously, “My Lady… what should we do?”

Gu Yi withdrew her gaze, “This is not a big deal. Talent Zhao being favored is a good thing.”

Tao Jia looked again at the string of palace maids outside the door, “My Lady, if we don’t curb her ambition now, what if Talent Zhao becomes too presumptuous in the future…”

Gu Yi waved her hand, “I believe Talent Zhao is not that type of person.”

As she spoke, she took a few steps and let out a long breath.

“Come, Tao Jia, let’s go feed the fish in the Imperial Garden.”

Tao Jia moved her lips, wanting to persuade her further, but seeing Gu Yi slightly furrow her brows, she could only turn to get the fish food, muttering, “My Lady, the light is just right, it’s good to take a walk in the Imperial Garden…”

Gu Yi changed into different clothes—a moon-white skirt with a bamboo-green padded jacket over it—and walked out of Heluo Palace.

Zhao Wan approached the side hall door and saw Gu Yi walking out of the main hall entrance. She asked Xiu He, “Did Tao Jia go to the Court of State Ceremonial today?”

Xiu He nodded, “Sister Tao Jia said she went to weigh the chuwan balls, weighing each one and recording their weights in a register.”

Zhao Wan frowned in thought for a moment. *Lady Gu… was she such a cautious person?*

A palace maid from the Department of Ceremonial Rites happened to call out, “Talent, the hot water is ready. This servant will attend to your bath.”

Zhao Wan came back to her senses and entered the bedchamber. The palace maids helped her bathe and then attended to her hair.

On the dressing table was a book sent by the palace maids from the Department of Ceremonial Rites.

Zhao Wan glanced at it, her face turning red as she looked away, her eyes slightly closing.

The palace maid couldn’t help but laugh, “Talent, you’ve already served the Emperor, yet you’re still so shy.”

Zhao Wan’s heart sank, and she composed herself, lightly scolding, “How impertinent.”

The palace maid’s face froze, and she restrained her smile, “This servant acknowledges her mistake.”

At the third quarter of the Xu Hour (around 8:45 PM).

Moonlight spilled onto the lake surface, reflecting rippling light.

Two bright yellow lanterns had already been lit in the fish-watching pavilion by the lake.

Gu Yi held fish food in her hand, occasionally scattering it into the lake.

Tao Jia couldn’t help but advise, “My Lady has been here for several hours. The night wind is cool; we should return to the palace.”

Gu Yi turned and asked Tao Jia, “What time is it now?”

Tao Jia looked around, seeing that it was already dark, “I believe it’s past the Xu hour… There’s a water clock in the Imperial Garden’s flower house. Shall this servant go check?”

Gu Yi made an affirmative sound, “Go quickly and return. I want to know the exact time.”

Tao Jia accepted the order and left.

After a moment, the night breeze gently rippled the lake’s surface. Gu Yi shivered from the cold and lowered her head to fasten the silk ribbon of her cloak.

Behind her came the sound of footsteps, shoes lightly brushing against the stone slabs, making a soft rustling sound.

“You’re back so quickly?”

Gu Yi turned her head but saw a completely unfamiliar face, or more accurately, half a face.

It was a young man in a gray robe, thin and not tall, very similar to an ordinary eunuch. If he were in a crowd, no one would give him a second glance.

But half his face was now covered with black cloth, revealing a pair of upward-slanting eyes, dark and gloomy.

*This is bad!*

Cold sweat immediately covered Gu Yi’s back. She turned to run but was grabbed by the arm by the gray-robed youth.

His grip was terrifying, as if he wanted to crush Gu Yi’s bones.

Gu Yi couldn’t help but shout, “There’s a villain! There’s an assass—mmph…” He used his other hand to cover her mouth.

Gu Yi instantly smelled a mixture of lamp oil and charcoal. Then she saw a short dagger exposed from his sleeve, its tip gleaming bright, and she was immediately scared witless!

Who wanted to harm her?

Or was the plot trying to get her?

Gu Yi raised her foot and kicked toward his crotch.

The gray-robed man’s eyes flashed, and he moved sideways to avoid it, his arm slightly loosening his restraint on her!

Gu Yi bit down hard on his palm, her front teeth firmly biting a small piece of flesh in the center of his hand.

“Hiss…” The man pulled back his hand in pain.

Gu Yi immediately broke free from his restraint and leaped two steps onto the railing of the fish-watching pavilion. The man raised his dagger and thrust it fiercely toward her, slicing through her moon-white skirt.

Gu Yi endured the pain in her calf and dove into the lake.

With a loud splash, water splattered everywhere, and she shouted at the top of her lungs, “There’s an assassin! Help!”

Seeing this, the gray-robed man turned and ran into the dark part of the garden where the light didn’t reach.

Tao Jia heard the splash and ran to the fish-watching pavilion, exclaiming in shock, “My Lady, you’ve fallen into the water!”

The patrolling guards, hearing the shouting, hurriedly arrived.

The one in the lead was Qi Chuang.

Seeing Gu Yi in the water, he cupped his hands and asked, “My Lady, can you swim? Come to the shore, and I will pull you up!”

*Where were you just now? How could an intruder enter the Imperial Garden?*

*Xiao Gouzi’s grand dynasty is doomed!*

Gu Yi, full of grief and indignation, paddled dog-style to the shore.

Qi Chuang supported her under her arms and pulled her out of the lake like picking up a chick. He took off his great cloak and draped it over Gu Yi.

Tao Jia exclaimed, “My Lady, your leg is bleeding so much!”

Qi Chuang looked down and saw that the moon-white skirt at her calf was dyed a bright red.

Gu Yi let out a delayed “Ah,” as the pain that had been suppressed by fear and tension suddenly became vivid.

Tao Jia, seeing her face grow increasingly pale, said anxiously, “What should we do, My Lady? This servant will go request a physician immediately, but at this hour, waiting for a sedan chair will take some time. My Lady obviously can’t walk now, and we can’t wait that long!”

Gu Yi tried to take two steps but immediately grimaced in pain.

Qi Chuang cupped his hands and said, “This humble official will escort the Lady. Tao Jia, quickly go request a physician. Don’t delay the treatment of the wound!”

Tao Jia glanced at Gu Yi, “This servant will go to the Imperial Medical Office right away!” With that, she ran off.

Gu Yi had no choice but to say to Qi Chuang, “Thank you for your trouble, Commander Qi.”

Qi Chuang picked up Gu Yi in his arms, carrying her horizontally.

Gu Yi, soaked through, huddled in the great cloak, but looked at the western sky, which was bright red.

Crimson flames shot up, and black smoke rolled upward.

“The Tanyuan Hall is on fire!”

Xiaoyan halted his steps, listening as a palace servant rushed forward to report.

He frowned slightly, his tone icy, “What about Consort Mother Liu? Is the Consort Mother still safe and sound?”

The palace servant kowtowed and said, “Thanks to Buddha’s blessing, Consort Mother is safe and sound. The servants are currently extinguishing the fire. Fortunately, only the Buddha hall caught fire; the main hall did not. It should be extinguished soon.”

Xiaoyan: “I understand. Go quickly and send people to put out the fire.”

The palace servant acknowledged the order and hurried away.

Xiaoyan stood with his hands behind his back in the narrow passageway, waiting for a moment. Two black-clothed shadow guards hurriedly approached, kneeling on one knee, “Your Majesty, please forgive us. We were incompetent. The arsonist was very cunning. After abandoning Consort Mother Liu, he escaped. We could only prioritize and bring back the Consort Mother.”

Xiaoyan chuckled lightly, “What’s this? Xiao Lü sends someone from thousands of miles away to rescue his mother, only to abandon the mission halfway? What useless people he keeps!”

Hearing his cold tone, the two shadow guards lowered their heads even more, “We are incompetent. Please punish us, Your Majesty!”

Xiaoyan: “Go and accept your punishment. Keep your heads for now; make up for it with achievements later.”

The two shadow guards acknowledged with a “Yes.”

After the shadow guards left, Eunuch Gao looked at Heluo Palace at the end of the red wall and asked, “Your Majesty, shall we still go to Heluo Palace?”

Xiaoyan said with displeasure, “Return to Tianlu Pavilion… Consort Mother has been frightened tonight; I must go see her later…”

Eunuch Gao nodded, “This servant will send someone to inform Talent Zhao.”

Xiaoyan turned and headed back toward the front hall.

After walking a few steps, he saw a tall figure approaching on the path.

Xiaoyan recognized his armor.

Qi Chuang.

And he was carrying someone wrapped in a great cloak in his arms.

Xiaoyan frowned as he looked closely, his heart sinking heavily, and he quickened his steps.

Gu Yi looked up and saw Xiaoyan approaching, and suddenly felt like crying.

*Xiao Gouzi, your Imperial Garden is filled with filth. What kind of people are coming and going here?*

Xiaoyan approached and finally saw that it was indeed Gu Yi.

He saw her with damp hair, her face deathly pale, huddled in the great cloak, her lips blue.

Gu Yi called out, “Your Majesty! Tonight, this concubine was feeding fish in the Imperial Garden when she encountered a villain. That villain had half his face covered and grabbed this concubine, refusing to let go, and even covered this concubine’s mouth. In that critical moment, he suddenly revealed a gleaming short dagger from his sleeve. This concubine, seeing this, kicked toward his crotch and bit the center of his hand. When he loosened his grip, I jumped into the lake, barely preserving my life! Commander Qi was passing by and rescued this concubine, but this concubine’s leg was cut by a knife. Commander Qi was escorting this concubine back to Heluo Palace.”

As she spoke, she lifted the great cloak from her leg, revealing the bloodstained hem of her skirt.

Her spirit seemed good, indicating her injury wasn’t severe.

Xiaoyan’s brow twitched slightly, and he reached out to steadily hold her waist, bringing her into his embrace. “Qi Chuang, withdraw.”

Qi Chuang looked up and saw Xiaoyan’s expression, his heart immediately alarmed. He quickly averted his gaze, lowered his head, and cupped his hands, “This humble official takes his leave.”