"How insolent!"

Leng Qingtang raised his voice and reproached. He hurried to the opposite side of the road to stop the other party.

Cheng Wanli followed and held Prince Chen back with his big hands, refusing to free him despite his fit of temper.

The reputation of Lord Leng, the Master of the Eastern Depot and the Seal Keeper of the Imperial Ceremony Office, had preceded him.

Right now, he seemed to have suddenly emerged from under the ground, accompanied by a mighty man with a black face and many inside officers from the Imperial Ceremony Office, all of whom looked stiff and expressionless.

The maid's face sank immediately as she fell on her knees.

The two eunuchs who carried the bench knew that the maid from their palace was in trouble. They trembled and buried their heads low.

Leng Qingtang stared at the maid in a condescending manner. His dark eyes glittered on his clouded face.

"Which palace are you from? How dare you disrespect your superior! As a maid, is it your place to gossip about your mistress and abuse her arbitrarily?!"

Shocked and scared, the maid kowtowed to Leng Qingtang and argued aggrievedly.

"Forgive me, Master Leng. I'm Baoxing, the head maid in Hanxiang Residence where Jieyu Sun lives. It's her who is lying on the bench. She has offended the Imperial Noble Concubine at the Girl's Meeting at sunrise. Consequently, she was sentenced to a flogging in the Yongning Palace's Violent Room and imprisonment till now."

"I'm worried to see my mistress in a comma. When we were on our way back, we ran into Prince Chen. He followed all the way and harassed my mistress."

"I was so anxious that I forgot the rules for a minute. I beg you to show mercy and spare me this time."

The maid cried and pleaded in such a humble way that she almost wanted to hug Leng Qingtang's leg for his clemency.

Leng Qingtang frowned at her with his sharp eyes.

He questioned her gloomily.

"Jieyu Sun is your mistress. Prince Chen is the heir of His Majesty. Isn't he your master?"

"..."

Driven into the wall, the curled and sweaty maid shuddered and hazarded no more word.

"You're so impudent to hit your master. I do not think you cherish your life. Slap her hard till her teeth break!"

Before she could beg again, a eunuch jumped from behind Leng Qingtang, rolled up his sleeve, and raised his arm.

"Good, good! You're getting a good beating! Ha-ha, so much fun."

One slap after another, the continuous crisp noises cheered Prince Chen up.

For his one hand was grasped by Cheng Wanli, Prince Chen could not clap. But that did not seem to affect his good mood. He jumped and laughed.

With a hint of melancholy, Leng Qingtang turned around and approached the smiling Prince Chen.

"Your Highness, please behave. The Palace is in chaos. Don't run out of Wutong Garden lest the nannies cannot find you."

A five-foot-tall man who had been tortured into a fool in this cruel place was enough to move anyone.

Prince Chen took out the stuffed tiger from his belt and bit its dirty ear as he smirked at Leng Qingtang. Obviously, he did not understand his words.

With a sigh, Leng Qingtang helped Prince Chen sort out his clothes and then instructed Cheng Wanli.

"Escort His Highness to Wutong Garden yourself and ask the nanny to take care of him."

Then he turned to the eunuchs.

"You stay here to watch the punishment. I'll be waiting ahead."

Everyone took orders.

Leng Qingtang strode slowly on the long and straight road.

At sunset, the sultriness of the summer gradually eddied away. In the misty sky, the orange round slowly sank into the towering turret to the west, showing only half of it.

Leng Qingtang looked into the distance as he ruminated on old memories.

That year, the previous Emperor failed in his campaign. The uncrowned heir Huanan Ze abandoned his father in the western tribes and seized the throne by shameless means. Later, he brutally murdered his returning father, Concubine Lan, and Huanan He, his ninth brother, the prince born in Udan.

It was Lord Protector Zheng who had killed his own four-year-old son and faked the prince's death with the disfigured body. Only then had the Emperor been deceived and Huanan He's life had been saved.

Many years later, Huanan He now possessed the identity of "Leng Qingtang" and held great power in the court.

He thought that if he took good care of the Yunxi, the remaining blood of Zheng Family beside her brother, he would pay the debt of gratitude to Duke Zheng Ran for saving his life. However, new problems cropped up unexpectedly, and Yunxi's life was uncertain.

He, Huanan He, still owed an outstanding debt to Zheng Family.

Unknowingly, he arrived at the most familiar place. When he returned to his senses, a tall Osman thus tree fell into his vision.

It was not yet the flowering time, so the tree crown was a wild profusion of leaves. Its branches spread out like an open umbrella, shining with emeralds.

Leng Qingtang only then remembered that this was inside the boundary of the Concubinary Kitchen.

Casting his limpid eyes on the verdant tree, Leng Qingtang wondered to himself.

"It has been a year, Yunxi. Where are you? You know that the Eastern Depot has never given up, neither have I. I've been looking for you. Can you forgive me? I was wrong. I made a mistake then…"

Solemn as he was, he did not notice the person behind the thick trunk as he wallowed in sorrow. The other person was looking up at the dense leaves and was moved by the scene.

Yunxi had taken a shortcut when she came back from the laundry and found the tree. Instantly, it reminded her of the osmanthus tree in the Master's mansion.

She folded her hands in front of the osmanthus tree and prayed with her eyes closed.

"Dear osmanthus, pray to hear my wish. I wish success for Master Leng and that we can reunite soon."

The green leaves shivered in breezes, casting quivering shadows. The osmanthus tree seemed to have heard her prayer.

In the breeze, the couple each heaved a sigh and then walked around the trunk in the opposite direction. Back to back, they walked away on the same road...

——

The night was quiet in the breezes.

In Chuxiu Palace, Concubine Xu had no intention to sleep.

She instructed Gu Yunxi to make a stew to clear her throat and moisturize her lungs. Then she led Jinzhu, Yunxi, and other two servants to Xiaoye Chamber.

A bright moon hung over them.

The servants led the way with lanterns. Concubine Xu rested one hand in Jinzhu's hands, and Gu Yunxi carried the food box. The five of them walked on the long and quiet road covered in silver moonlight.

Gu Yunyao was writing in her palace.

Copying the "Ling Bao Sutra" a hundred times in seven days did not leave her much time.

After the Girl's Meeting, Gu Yunyao dared not to delay once she returned to Xiaoye Chamber. She immediately ordered Song Qin to grind the ink and then sat before the desk to copy. From noon to sunset, she was striving even at time for dinner and rest.

As the sky darkened, wind penetrated the main hall through the half-open window and stirred the tiny candlelight.

Gu Yunyao dropped the brush and rubbed her sour eyes with both hands.

Zhao An saw this and offered a cup of fragrant tea in time as he comforted her softly.

"Master, you have been working hard all day. Let Song Qin help you bed. There are days before the deadline. You don't have to rush."

Gu Yunyao looked down at the pages of "Ling Bao Sutra" and then turned to the thick pile of written paper by her hands. She slowly shook her head.

"It's better to copy more while I still feel good."

Gu Yunyao picked up the teacup, opened the lid, and took a hot sip followed by violent coughs.

As her shoulders shook, she dropped the cup and poured tea on the paper, where the handwriting blurred.

Zhao An and Jinzhu came to help. They took away the empty cup and the ruined paper and dried the tea on the desk.

Seeing that almost a day's hard work was in vain, Gu Yunyao melted into tears.

Song Qin relit the candle and suggested.

"Master, let Lord Zhao and me help you with the copy. We'll finish faster with more people. Anyway, we're taking it to High Priest's Elixir Chamber. I suppose no one will check the handwriting."

Gu Yunyao frowned and refused after a while.

"I need to be more careful in copying the scriptures. Only by doing it myself can I not get caught. Now that Xiaoye Chamber is in danger, we must be cautious in everything."

"Don't be concerned. Let me lend you a hand."

Led by a servant, Concubine Xu walked in Xiaoye Chamber, smiling and chattering.