After dealing with Sun Shengsheng, the Noble Concubine Wan turned her eyes calmly to Gu Yunyao, who was kneeling at ground.

Just as she was about to speak, Concubine Xu suddenly stood up. She bowed respectfully and said.

"Your Grace, the Xiaoye Chamber is long away from the Imperial Garden. Zhaoyi Yu has been in poor health recently, and now it's nice for her to come here and join with all the ladies here celebrating. Please Your Grace, show your mercy."

There was no love and trust in the deep Palace. Among the dozens of concubines, only Concubine Xu was willing to stand out and plead for Gu Yunyao.

Seeing this situation, Gu Yunxi was touched, and felt more respect for Concubine Xu.

Wan Yuyao's expression darkened slightly and seemed unhappy. She quickly turned the glittering eyes towards Gu Yunyao and said in a deep voice.

"All right, Zhaoyi Yu is unwell. Otherwise, you could have sent a palace maid to deliver a message if you didn't come. If you come, you shouldn't be late. Since you confessed the mistakes, I just punish you to copy the Ling Bao Sutra a hundred times within seven days."

"I appreciate Your Grace's mercy."

Gu Yunyao bit her lip, then kowtowed, and stopped saying.

"All tight, stand up."

Wan Yuyao squinted around in a condescending manner.

"It's almost the time. Let's start. I will choose the best hand-made product later."

"As what you said, Your Grace."

After that order, all the concubines got a start. They were all busy with weaving ropes, embroidering, and making pottery, showing their personal strengths.

The sun rose up. It was almost noon, and the sunshine outside the pavilion became hotter, leaving the sultry breath in the pavilion.

Wan Yuyao was not resistant to heat. She wiped away the sweat with her handkerchief, then raised her hand to signal the ending of this year's Girl's Meeting.

The eunuch flicked the horsetail whisk, and raised a sharp voice.

"Your Grace has ordered. The Girl's Meeting was over. Thanks for all the concubines coming, and now you can go back and rest."

The concubines stood up and curtsied to Wan Yuyao in the main seat, saying in unison.

"Your Grace, you have been tired. We are leaving."

After that, they left the pavilion in twos and threes.

After taking a quick glance at Zhaoyi Yu's crowd, Gu Yunxi followed Concubine Xu out of the pavilion.

When walking in the Imperial Garden for a short time, Jinzhu inadvertently asked.

"Oh, Your Grace, where is the golden bird hairpin on your head?"

Hearing that, Concubine Xu stroked her hair, and she was also surprised.

"Really! Perhaps I dropped it on the road? Muxue, you go back the same way and look for it. If you can't find it, forget it."

"As you said."

Gu Yunxi agreed, and turned around, keeping her head down and walking back.

As expected, she saw the Concubine Xu's golden bird hairpin in front of a rockery, shining under the sun.

Gu Yunxi came and picked it up, carefully holding it in her hand.

When she was about to leave, she suddenly heard someone talking and laughing behind the rockery.

That was Gu Yunjin! And just...

After making the decision, Gu Yunxi cautiously approached, hiding and watching carefully behind a hidden rock.

She saw three people standing under a tree, Gu Yunjin from Weiyan Chamber, her maid Caiyue, and Lihu, the chief maid of Wan Yuyao. They were talking and laughing.

Caiyue drew out two red envelopes from her clothes, offering them to Lihu with two hands.

Gu Yunjin smiled cheerfully and charmingly.

"Madam Lihu, I need to repeatedly thank you for help. These two envelopes of silver are my appreciation for Madam and Yingluo."

Lihu took the envelopes, smiled, and stuffed it into the placket, then lowered her eyebrows and nodded.

"You don't have to say so. You are always loyal to the Your Grace, and this time you did that also for Your Grace. There is no reason for me not to help."

Gu Yunjin snorted coldly, straightened her neck, and shook her head proudly. Two cold lights suddenly shot out from her beautiful eyes.

"Gu Yunyao's appearance and talent are all below mine, but she entered the Palace earlier than me with the help of the Eastern Depot, that's why her position is higher than mine. Now she is in poor health and out of favor. Of course, the Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot couldn't help her."

"She overvalued herself. She dared to challenge Your Grace before, but now she realized. So, she acted being humble and took all the faults on her own. "

Lihu seemed peaceful, with her hands folding under the sleeves. She said with her eyes down.

"You are young and beautiful, and also good at strategies. You have a bright future. How can people like Zhaoyi Yu compare with you?"

"It's noon now. I have to go back to serve Your Grace the lunch. I'm leaving if there's nothing else."

Gu Yunjin smiled and nodded.

"You are hard-working, Madam, please."

Gu Yunxi left from the rockery quietly and ran out of the Imperial Garden.

On the palace road, she stopped when no one was there and stroked her dull chest.

The conversation was shocking. No wonder that at the Girl's Meeting, Gu Yunjin had such a weird expression when she heard that Gu Yunyao was not present.

It turned out that all of this was because she had bribed Wan Yuyao's palace maid, and made troubles behind her back!

Zhaoyi Yu was framed. The present concubines knew that but didn't say anything. Only the arrogant Sun Shengsheng was shrewd in public. It was no wonder that Noble Concubine Wan turned hostile.

Gu Yunjin, she had lived in the same room with Gu Yunyao for more than ten years. She should love her as a sister even though they were not practically sisters...

At this time, Gu Yunxi couldn't tell what she felt.

What exactly was the Palace? It could swallow human conscience and turn humans into ghosts——

When Gu Yunxi returned to Chuxiu Palace, Concubine Xu had already had lunch, and was embracing the little prince who had enough milk, coaxing him to play. The two wet nurses stood with two hands tying together, ready for the master's orders.

The son of Concubine Xu was one and a half years old, and his chubby body was wrapped in a red belly band with a pattern of golden lotus and koi. He smelt milky, and his smiling eyes were very pleasing.

A few years ago, the Emperor Jingxiao was depressed in grief and despair due to the death of the crown prince in the Eastern Palace. Now he was overjoyed to get another son at the age of nearly 40 this year. He gave the prince the name "Lin" and endless love.

After entering the Main Hall, Gu Yunxi presented the golden bird hairpin that she found back. When she was about to retreat, she was stopped by Concubine Xu.

"Muxue, you wait. Do you know how to cook?"

A dish of "ghee hill" had a delicate taste and excellent appearance, highly praised by the hypercritical Noble Concubine Wan. If she weren't an expert in cooking, she would definitely not have such a courageous spirit, and that ability of cooking delicious food on the spot.

At the moment Gu Yunxi couldn't hide herself anymore, nodded lightly, and replied.

"I am ashamed. Just because my family's rules forbade the jade carving skills from passing down to the daughters, I learned as apprentice outside and studied cooking with the chefs in big restaurants for several years."

"Really?"

After hearing this, Concubine Xu's eyes lit up and smiled with satisfaction:

"You make some ice-dessert after, and serve me after my nap."

Gu Yunxi lowered his eyebrows and folded his hands.

"As what you say. But I don't know what Your Grace likes to have?"

Seeing the little prince fell asleep in her arms, Concubine Xu handed him over to the wet nurse.

She turned back. An unknown feeling flashed in her eyes.

"Think about the lychees maturing in early summer. Fresh lychees are my favorite, and I order the small kitchen to make the lychee jelly sometimes. However, it is already July. I only have to wait for one year if I want that ice-dessert."

Concubine Xu deliberately asked for making things. Was it a difficulty or test?

The hesitation flashed through Gu Yunxi's mind.

Immediately, she nodded, and her lips curved with an unnoticeable smile.

"If Your Grace wants it, I will try my best to do it."

"OK."

Concubine Xu raised her eyes and stared at the unglamorous girl in front of her with great interest, and then said.

"Go ahead."

"Yes, I'm leaving."

Gu Yunxi retired from the Main Hall respectfully and went to the small kitchen with the order. She told Madam Liao that she was going to prepare an ice-dessert for Concubine Xu after the nap and asked her some ingredients.

After listening, Madam Liao's expression turned abnormally dull. Several cooks around her also gathered around to see the fun.

With her hands on her hips, Madam Liao looked up and down Gu Yunxi. Her face as round as a silver basin was dark, and she asked indifferently.

"Which ice-dessert are you going to make?"

Gu Yunxi pursed her lips and smiled.

"Lychee Jelly with ice water was originally created by myself."