Gu Yi blinked, her eyes gradually adjusting to the darkness. She peered intently and saw that Xiaoyan was only casually wearing a dark-colored casual robe with plain undergarments. She heard him say coldly, “I couldn’t sleep in the middle of the night… so I came to check on you.”

Gu Yi was stunned. What did that mean?

Xiaoyan saw her sitting on the wooden couch like a wooden chicken, and reprimanded her, “Your wound has scabbed over. You shouldn’t scratch it. Now there are many scratch marks. If you carelessly scratch it until it bleeds, the wound will take even longer to heal…”

Gu Yi wasn’t fully awake yet and found the situation extremely absurd. Xiaoyan wasn’t sleeping in the middle of the night, ran over to the neighboring palace to scare her like a ghost, and now wanted to scold her!

How unreasonable!

She forced a fake smile and said, “This concubine accepts your instruction.”

Xiaoyan saw her impatient expression and knew she was certainly unhappy after being suddenly awakened.

So he stood up and said, “Now that I’ve checked on you, go back to sleep.”

Gu Yi: …How the hell am I supposed to sleep now!

But imperial orders were hard to defy, so she lay back down.

However, Xiaoyan, after leaving the couch, stood before the bed curtains without moving.

What’s going on!

Is he still going to watch me sleep?

Xiaoyan’s gaze darkened. Just now, due to her movements, several of the ties on Gu Yi’s undergarments had come undone, revealing the water-colored silk bodice beneath. Even in the darkness, the luster of the brocade was visible. The exposed stretch of neck was as white as snow, the curve of her shoulders smooth, as if bathed in moonlight in the night.

His mind recalled their intimate moments together, which had been absent for over a month now.

The night was still deep, and a warm fragrance lingered in the hall.

His heart began to race, and a wave of heat suddenly rose within him.

Gu Yi had just closed her eyes when she felt movement beside her.

She turned her head to look and saw that Xiaoyan had removed the black robe he was wearing and was bending down to enter the bed.

Her pupils shook with shock!

“Your Majesty!”

But Xiaoyan embraced her waist from behind, his soft lips pressing against her earlobe as he whispered, “I’ll be careful not to disturb your leg…”

Xiao Gouzi!

Gu Yi struggled to turn over, but was held down by Xiaoyan, feeling a coolness at the back of her neck.

A gentle, soft touch like butterfly wings, lightly fluttering down.

*

When she woke up.

Gu Yi’s injured leg was indeed fine, but her waist and back ached, and her knees were bruised.

Xiaoyan had left quite dashingly, heading to the front hall before the Mao hour.

Coming by night, leaving by night, hurrying back and forth like a callous patron.

Tao Jia sat at the edge of the couch, confusedly applying ointment to her knees, “How did Concubine injure your knees again?”

Gu Yi swallowed a mouthful of hot tea, “I have bad sleeping posture at night and kicked the bedpost.”

Tao Jia said innocently, “How bad could Concubine’s sleeping posture be? How many times must you have kicked to make it so blue and purple!”

Gu Yi almost choked on her tea.

Tao Jia, are you implying something…

Gu Yi shook her head and said, “It doesn’t hurt that much.” She lowered her eyes and saw that Tao Jia’s index and middle fingers, which were applying the medicine, were somewhat swollen and red, like two slender carrots. She asked in surprise, “What happened to your hands?”

Tao Jia quickly hid her fingers in her sleeves, “Forgive this servant, Concubine. My hands… have chilblains…”

Gu Yi exclaimed, “Ah! Then take Heluo Palace’s token and go to the Imperial Medical Institute to get some ointment for chilblains. Anyway, my knees don’t hurt anymore!”

Tao Jia paused and stammered, “Thank you for Concubine’s kindness.”

After Tao Jia left, Gu Yi waited and waited but didn’t receive the calming medicinal soup.

Xiao Gouzi, is this how you handle aftercare?

Are you so casual that you forget even such important matters?

She secretly calculated her days and felt she should be safe.

In the side hall of Heluo Palace, Xiuhe handed a bowl of brown medicinal soup to Zhao Wan, “Concubine, His Majesty cares for you and has bestowed a bowl of calming medicinal soup. Concubine, please take it quickly.”

When Zhao Wan saw that bowl of medicine, it felt like a slap across her face.

Last night, Concubine Zhao of Heluo Palace was recorded by the court historians, and today she received this bowl of calming medicinal soup.

She accepted it and slowly swallowed, with bitterness filling her mouth.

The Emperor didn’t trust her, yet he used her as a target.

To the Emperor, she was still a useful person.

In Luoying Palace, Noble Consort De gripped the court historian’s record book, leaving several finger impressions on the paper’s edge.

Dongcao knelt and advised, “Noble Consort, please calm your anger!”

Noble Consort De irritably rose and paced back and forth in the flower hall, “I asked you to investigate the affairs at Wu Mountain Villa. How is the investigation going?”

Dongcao answered, “This servant bribed a palace maid who attended Concubine Gong. She said that Concubine Zhao was indeed summoned by His Majesty to Xuanyu Pavilion at Wu Mountain. She also said that the reason she gained His Majesty’s favor was because she saved Concubine Gong on the mountain. At that time, the mountain path was treacherous, and Concubine Gong accidentally slipped. Concubine Zhao used her body to catch the Concubine, even injuring her leg… Afterward, she held an umbrella for His Majesty and was always fawning…”

Noble Consort De frowned, “Saved Concubine Gong? Injured her foot?”

Dongcao nodded, “Yes, this servant heard that Commander Qi even carried her down the mountain…”

Noble Consort De gently stroked her fingernails painted with red dye, “So… that’s how it was…” Her face showed a cold smile, “Go inquire further, this Commander Qi… does he have any other chance encounters with our Concubine Zhao?”

A fawning person naturally wouldn’t miss any opportunity.

After noon, Concubine Wang from Xiuyi Palace came to Heluo Palace to visit Gu Yi.

She had already heard about Concubine Gu’s scarred foot, and her gaze toward Gu Yi was unusually sympathetic.

Concubine Wang pretended to wipe the corner of her eye with a silk handkerchief, “Sister Gu, how pitiful, to encounter an assassin in the Imperial Garden…”

Gu Yi gave a dry laugh, “Thank you for Elder Sister Wang’s concern.”

Concubine Wang sighed softly, “Sister Gu was once the most favored person in the entire palace. Now that you’ve just injured your leg, such a person has taken advantage of the situation. I’m truly worried for you.”

That’s not necessary.

Gu Yi smiled and said, “Sister’s words are mistaken. Concubine Zhao is beautiful, skilled in needlework, and understands polo. Though she currently resides in the side hall of Heluo Palace, who knows what her future holds…” You should be more clear-headed and not stir up trouble against the protagonist’s halo!

Concubine Wang saw Gu Yi’s calm demeanor, took a sip of tea, and said, “Currently, the Emperor has no heir, and the position of Empress is vacant. Whoever in the harem can give birth to the Emperor’s first child will be the Crown Prince. Even if imperial favor wanes in the future, what of it? What does Sister think?”

Hearing this, Gu Yi’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

In the book, Xiaoyan also had no heir, and the ending stopped at him and Zhao Wan being together forever as a couple.

She expected that later he would let Zhao Wan bear his children.

Gu Yi smiled faintly, “Elder Sister Wang, for such heartfelt words, this younger sister is grateful for the lesson. But thunder, rain, and dew are all imperial favor. Whether it’s favor or love, it all depends on His Majesty’s heart. Whether it’s Elder Sister Wang or myself, we can only wait quietly.”

Concubine Wang was angry at her lack of fight and shook her head, “You are the mistress of the palace. What difficulty is there in dealing with a concubine from the side hall?”

Gu Yi’s brow furrowed slightly, “Indeed, it’s not difficult…” She continued slowly, “But there are rules in the palace. Concubine Zhao has shown no disrespect, and I have no grounds to interfere.”

Concubine Wang, seeing that she was like rotten wood that couldn’t be carved, said disappointedly, “If that’s the case, I won’t persuade you anymore. I’ll come to see you another day.” Having said this, she left.

Each of the six palaces had its schemes to busy itself with, and so this day passed with much commotion.

After the Xu hour, the gates of Vermilion Bird Palace opened wide.

The gate guards saw a person dressed in blue official robes with the flying fish insignia, wearing a veiled hat, slowly walking out of the palace gate. They all knelt and bowed, “Greetings to Eunuch Gao.”

Eunuch Gao always covered his veiled hat with black gauze when leaving the palace, which everyone was accustomed to. The palace servants leading the horses were already waiting outside the Vermilion Bird Gate. Eunuch Gao mounted his horse and rode away.

The black horse galloped straight into the city, only stopping in front of a teahouse in the western part of the city.

The teahouse door was tightly closed, with only a half-open side door in the alley for entry and exit.

In the pitch-black corridor, a faint light seeped through the crack of the door, like a sharp knife casting its oblique light, revealing the first glimmer of its blade’s edge.

Xiaoyan dismounted and pushed open the door.

Two guards dressed in black knelt and bowed, “The assassin has been captured. How shall we dispose of him?”

Xiaoyan lifted his black gauze-veiled hat and closely examined the gray-robed man slumped in a chair in the room.

His features were ordinary; even if one had briefly seen him in the palace, they wouldn’t remember this person.

His robe was covered with whip marks, with blood trailing down.

Xiaoyan waved his hand, and the two shadow guards retreated outside.

He approached the gray-robed man, pursed his lips in a slight smile, and asked casually, “How long have you been hiding in the palace?”

The gray-robed man, his face covered in blood, merely gave a cold laugh without answering.

Xiaoyan smiled again, “When Tan Yuan Hall caught fire, you still couldn’t save the Dowager Consort. Utterly useless…”

The gray-robed man raised his eyes and glared at him fiercely.

Xiaoyan suddenly stepped forward and firmly gripped his jawbone.

There was a cracking sound.

The gray-robed man’s body trembled, his eyes showing pain, and bean-sized sweat beads seeped from his temples, yet he remained silent.

Xiaoyan made an “mm” sound and released his jaw, “Have you poisoned yourself mute? Or were you always mute?”

As he spoke, he lifted his robe and sat down on the bamboo chair in front of the gray-robed man, “These methods don’t seem like Xiao Lü’s…”

After pondering for a moment, Xiaoyan’s eyebrows curved slightly, and he supported his chin with one hand, smiling, “Then… are you from the Qi family or the Liu family?”

The gray-robed man lowered his eyes without speaking.

Xiaoyan stood up, drew the long sword placed nearby, and walked directly behind the gray-robed man.

The long sword touched the ground, making a grating sound.

The gray-robed man stiffened, tightly closing his eyes, but his hands tied behind the chair suddenly loosened.

Xiaoyan had raised his sword and cut the ropes binding his hands.

“I give you a chance to live. If you can walk out of this room by yourself, I’ll let you go.”

Hearing his light tone, like a cat toying with a mouse, the gray-robed man hardened his heart and immediately bent down to retrieve a short dagger from his boot.

This was his last desperate move.

Xiaoyan laughed, watching him lunge forward. He dodged aside, merely raising his sword to playfully scratch the side of his neck, immediately causing small blood droplets to well up.

The gray-robed man’s body trembled as he clutched his neck and rushed toward the door.

But Xiaoyan suddenly stepped on the hem of his robe.

The gray-robed man stumbled and fell to the ground.

Xiaoyan, holding the long sword, violently stabbed it into the back of his knee.

Blood splattered.

The gray-robed man shook like a falling leaf.

But Xiaoyan asked, “Does it hurt?”

As soon as he finished speaking, he withdrew the long sword and stabbed again at the wound where flesh was already exposed.

The gray-robed man’s mouth opened wide in pain, but he couldn’t make the slightest sound. He only curled up on the ground, trembling.

Xiaoyan straightened up and called, “Come in.”

Two shadow guards entered and, seeing the blood stains on the front of his blue robe, immediately lowered their heads and asked, “How shall we dispose of him?”

Xiaoyan’s dark brown glass-like eyes narrowed slightly. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Cut off his head and send it to the Dowager Consort, so she can have something to remember.”

“We obey the imperial command.”