The Kanfang Pavilion in the Palace.

"Yunxi, what did you say?"

With her beautiful face stunned and her slender body petrified, Gu Yunyao stared blankly at her sister across the table and slowly stood up from the stone bench.

There were many female doctors with advanced medical skills in and out of the Dayi Palace. They could diagnose and treat all kinds of female patients.

Acupuncture treatments required the patient to remove all clothing. To keep her chastity and reputation, a female patient must be treated by female doctors.

The Imperial Doctor Jiang in the Palace, also known as Jiang Huaian, was quite familiar to Gu Yunyao.

How could a full-grown man like him treat Yunxi? She had never heard of any female students that Jiang Huaian had taught.

Could it be that the person who acupunctured Yunxi was.

Impossible. How could he know medical skills?

Gu Yunyao fixed her beautiful eyes on Yunxi, watching the change of her expression.

As for Gu Yunxi, she knew that she had made a slip of the tongue after seeing her sister. Embarrassed, she drooped her head deeply and could not sit still on the stone bench. If there had been a crack in the ground, she would have been hiding inside right now.

Gu Yunyao pulled up her long dress and briskly walked around the stone table to Yunxi, asking urgently,

"Yunxi, tell me. Was the person who acupunctured you Leng Qingtang?!"

Instantly, Gu Yunxi's small face burned up even redder. She glanced in panic at her elder sister and then quickly looked away. Dodging, she showed shyness that one would only find in a young girl.

For a moment, Gu Yunyao was so heartbroken that she almost lost her composure. But she dared not flare up in front of all the servants.

"You... Did you really show him your body?"

Bowing her head down, Gu Yunyao approached Yunxi and tried her best to suppress the urgent desire to scream out. She whispered in her ear,

"Then... Did he do anything to you? Talk to me!"

"Sister..."

Under Gu Yunyao's persistent questioning, Yunxi was extremely ashamed. In protest, she turned her head embarrassedly and tossed around on the stone bench.

Gu Yunyao chased after her sister as she changed her seat constantly from the left to the right side of the stone bench, trying to meet her evasive eyes.

"What are you thinking, Yunxi? Answer me!"

Yunxi lowered her head, and her blushed face revealed confusion, embarrassment, and a hint of happiness. Gu Yunyao was a married woman. She could guess what had happened by looking at her sister.

"Yunxi, don't be silly!"

Gu Yunyao scolded in a deep voice, frowning from the great pain in her heart.

At that time, Gu Yunxi left the Garden and went to the Eastern Depot with Leng Qingtang. There had been many gossips since then, some of which were very filthy.

Gu Yunyao hadn't entered the Palace at that time. Although Gu Yunjin had often fed her with the rumors, she never doubted Yunxi.

Only she believed that her second sister, who she had taken care of since childhood and had a deeper bond with than blood sisters, was by no means a despicable person as people thought and would never indulge herself.

But now seeing and hearing by herself, Gu Yunyao's long-held conviction began to shake!

She only felt that the Yunxi she saw at this moment was like her in the past, full of innocence, worries, and youthfulness.

And the man who was her first love... was naturally him. The Master of the Eastern Depot, Leng Qingtang!

After a while, Yunxi responded. Her faint voice stroked Gu Yunyao's ear like a thread of soft and feeble silk.

"I... I truly like him. I really do..."

"You!"

Gu Yunyao's heart trembled suddenly. Gnashing her teeth in hate, she clenched her fists tightly in the wide satin sleeves.

She did not blame Yunxi.

They had supported each other for ten years, eating the same meal and sleeping under the same roof. She knew her younger sister was born naive and gentle.

And that eunuch was good-looking and had a ready tongue. He was such a persuasive and eloquent man.

It was not difficult to imagine how he easily deceived Yunxi with a few sweet words when they stayed together in the Eastern Depot.

Yunxi was an orphan. She definitely had no power to resist the kind of affection that was mixed with father’s, brother’s and lover’s love.

A handsome and mature man could be irresistible to innocent young girls!

Yet, no matter how outstanding he was, he was a eunuch after all!

"Yunxi, you were deceived by Lord Leng!"

After long consideration, Gu Yunyao found herself deeper in the hate for Leng Qingtang. She looked up at the sky and sighed.

"Had I known better, I should have stopped you from going to the Eastern Depot with my life."

Gu Yunxi knew Yunyao's grievances against the Master, who had forced her to enter the Palace. It was also him who had separated her from Zhao An!

Hearing the elder sister's sigh full of sorrow and self-blame, Yunxi quickly concealed all the shyness on her face and held her hands, speaking with a smile,

"Sister, I voluntarily followed the Master to the Eastern Depot. You see, now I have grown stronger and learned a lot. Master is..."

"Yunxi."

Gu Yunyao interrupted her again, not allowing her to explain.

Gu Yunxi's lips were half-pursed as she gazed aggrievedly at Gu Yunyao. Her long and thin eyebrows drooped, and her almond-shaped eyes were watery with incomprehensible depression and loneliness.

Zhao An saw that the two sisters hadn't talked long before they had a dispute because of Lord Leng. He hurried over and changed the conversation with a smile.

"Your Ladyship, why talking about the nonsense? The dishes are already cold. The young Lady traveled all the way here. She must be hungry now. Please dine now before returning to the Spring Banquet. Being away for so long, His Majesty might send people looking for you."

Gu Yunyao then came to her senses, suppressed her impatience, and squeezed a smile. She said to Yunxi,

"Pardon me. I have been keen to see you for a long time. But I did not hold my temper and ruined our reunion."

Gu Yunxi smiled and shook her head.

"Sister, I know that you care about me and treat me well!"

"My dear, you have grown up..."

Gu Yunyao finished speaking slowly, looked at her sister, and gently landed her delicate hands on her head to help her straighten her hat.

Holding the chopsticks, Gu Yunyao picked some side dishes into Yunxi's plate.

"Come on, hurry up and eat something. You've been standing at the Palace gate for a long time. You must be starving. I am to blame. Being a Zhaoyi, an inferior concubine, I am incapable of inviting you to my palace. Yunxi, please make do."

Gu Yunxi's eyes curved as she smiled and replied generously.

"What are you talking about, sister? You were promoted to a rank-second Zhaoyi less than one year after you entered the Palace because of your talents. As long as I can meet with you, it doesn't matter where I am."

Gu Yunxi rushed to the Palace and stood at the Donghua Gate for long before dinner. After the cold and long walk, she was really hungry.

Seeing the table full of delicious gourmet, she raised her cup and drank deep without all the previous restraints.

Placed in the open-air pavilion, the dishes were cold, but Gu Yunxi enjoyed them much.

Gu Yunyao sat across her, smiling and watching her sister feasting. She also toasted and drank some fruit wine. Behind her, Zhao An stood with his arms down and a faint smile on his face.

Suddenly, a black shadow appeared by the green maple tree and fell into Zhao An's eyes.

"Who is there! Come out."

He yelled alertly, waved his big arm, and sent two servants over to drag the hidden man out to the pavilion.

"Oh, it's Prince Chen!"

After discerning the person's face, Zhao An was taken aback first but then turned to look at Gu Yunyao at the table.

Gu Yunxi put down the tableware and stared curiously.

The stranger outside the pavilion was a handsome young man, no more than eighteen years old. He wore bright yellow brocade robe and boots, white jade belt and pearl crown, showing his royal identity.

However, how could such a handsome man have a stuffed tiger that only favored by children in his arms?

Despite many doubts in her heart, Gu Yunxi stood up obediently, so nervous that she didn't know where to put her hands and feet.

Was he the prince? That was the son of His Majesty. No wonder he was dressed differently!

She subconsciously took a look at herself, an ordinary guard. How dare she eat with a concubine at the same table?

Damn it! The Master arranged for her to meet Yunyao. It was a secret and should not be discovered by others.

Now that the young prince had seen them, he would pass it to his Father. What if it provoked His Majesty and condemned Yunyao and the Master?

Gu Yunyao turned her head and saw her sister's panic petite face. She smiled and said to her,

"Don't be afraid and sit down. Let's continue to dine and wine. Prince Chen is... a fool!"

"Hah? How could..."

Gu Yunxi could not believe it. She couldn't help raising her eyes again and looked at the young man.

Upon closer inspection, she realized that he looked really dumb. His eyes were pretty but dull.

No wonder he held a stuffed tiger toy.

"Can I still joke around?"

Gu Yunyao lifted her hand to fix her hairpin. Then she put down her arm and peaked at the fool, replying,

"He is His Majesty's eldest son, Prince Chen, Huanan Xin."

Gu Yunxi was shocked as perplexity spread on her face.

"The eldest son? The future Emperor... is a fool?"

Gu Yunyao shook her head helplessly.

"To speak about it, he is a pitiful one and no fit for Crown Prince. Let me talk about everything in detail when I have time."

After a false alarm, Gu Yunxi breathed a sigh of relief and slowly sat back down.

"Hah..."

The demented Prince Chen rolled his sluggish eyes and looked at Gu Yunxi coldly, making her so inexplicably uncomfortable that her hair stands on end.

"Wow! Yum, Yum!" Prince Chen danced with joy. His speech was not clear as if he had too much saliva in his mouth.

"Bring him here."

Gu Yunyao ordered, and the servant took Prince Chen into the pavilion. Gu Yunyao reached out, took a piece of cake, and handed it to Prince Chen. She gently coaxed him,

"Here, take the milk cake and play elsewhere!"

"Hmm..."

Prince Chen's face suddenly changed. Frowning distractedly, he twisted his waist and shook his arms as he shouted,

"I don't want it! I don't want it! I don't want to eat yours."

Gu Yunyao grabbed him and continued to coax patiently,

"Dear Prince Chen, tell me what you want and I will let you have it, alright?"

"I want his food!" Prince Chen raised his hand and pointed at Gu Yunxi, smiling.

"I want the food the big brother gives me!"

Gu Yunxi was quite embarrassed, so she followed Yunyao's lead and put on a bright smile with her eyes narrowed into two curves.

"What do you want to eat, Your Highness? I'll take it for you, happy?"

"That one!" He pointed to a plate of fish.

Gu Yunxi picked up the chopsticks and clamped a piece into the plate. Then she carefully plucked out the fish bones.

Just as he was about to bring the food to him, he opened his mouth wide and made an "ah, ah" sound as he kept pointing his index finger at his mouth.

Either a beautiful prick or a retarded fool would pick on her these days!

Gu Yunxi helplessly looked to Yunyao, who shared her countenance.

Having no other ways, Gu Yunxi had to hold the plate in one hand and the chopsticks in the other to feed the fish to Prince Chen.

The fool ate the fish and the chicken, and then tasted every dish on the table. Afterward, he contentedly rubbed his swollen belly and wiped the luster around his mouth with his cuff.

Giggling at Gu Yunxi, Prince Chen turned around and ran away. His lips moved slightly as if he was making an undetected smile.

After Prince Chen's uninvited disturbance, Gu Yunxi's belly was full and couldn't eat anymore.

The two sisters sat at the stone table and chatted relaxedly.

Before long, a maid rushed into the garden in a panic and knelt outside the pavilion.

"Your Ladyship... Something happened at the banquet. His Majesty was assassinated!"