When Gu Yunxi heard what Concubine Xu said in a casual tone before she stood still, she immediately froze on the spot with raised eyelashes and awkwardly red cheeks.

Although she hadn't been in the Palace for a long time, things happening around her made her own a deep understanding of the danger and ruthlessness of the Palace.

Since she met a master who appreciated her and dared to stand up for servants, Gu Yunxi naturally cherished their relationship.

But the words of Concubine Xu just now intended to alienate her seemingly, and her abnormal coldness made Gu Yunxi be at a loose end.

Concubine Xu smiled and sipped a mouthful of the fragrant tea. Her eyes narrowed to look at the girl's embarrassment.

"Perhaps you think that I'm a cold and heartless person, so I can speak so bluntly. Although what I said is not a joy to hear, it is my true words. I'm one of the concubines in the imperial harem, so I have to be elegant and dignified. My honor and grace can't be tainted."

"You are a member of Chuxiu Palace. So if something were wrong with you, something would be wrong with Chuxiu Palace then. If I turned a deaf ear to your situation and allowed others to spread it, I would be embarrassed in the end."

"There are always groundless rumors in the Palace. So the fact that you were taken to the Imperial Ceremony Office to be charged would do no good to me. All of the above made me have to handle this in person."

Gu Yunxi stood there speechlessly, and the embarrassment on her face was even more obvious.

However, thinking about it another way, she thought Xu Yuanjiao was an interesting person.

She said the great truths in a soft voice, which were piercing but not hypocritical. On the contrary, her words were full of sincerity.

Gu Yunxi couldn't help kneeling again, saying firmly.

"Your Grace, it's my honor that you are willing to have a heart-to-heart talk with me. I will do my best to serve you in the future."

Concubine Xu stared at the girl who blushed and smiled gently. Her eyes turned sharp, looking into the moved eyes on Gu Yunxi's silent face.

"Muxue, can you tell me where you have been after returning to the Palace that day and where did the mud on your body come from now?"

"..."

Gu Yunxi was speechless. Her clear eyes were steeped in anxious light then.

"Your Grace. I... I have indeed been to the Imperial Garden... But I, I didn't steal anything..."

After repeated consideration, Gu Yunxi lowered her eyebrows and decided to tell half of the facts. At the end of the talk, her voice became softer and softer.

It was just the masked man that was too hateful!

If he had not been disturbed by the lovers behind the rockery and then felt a desire, how could she have been all of muck and suspected?

Concubine Xu sized up the hesitating maid. Seeing that she looked panic and red in the face, she immediately thought of something.

On the Valentine's Day, it was common for the maids to date men because they were so lonely in the Palace. They did that just for mutual comfort.

She was in a high position and she could get everything she wanted, so there was no need to care about their secret relationships. She'd better turn a blind eye to that.

"Stand up."

Concubine Xu's eyes flashed and she turned to the side then, running her delicate fingers along the edge of the square table softly.

"Everyone has ever been young. I've been in the imperial harem for a long time, so I know that the night in the Palace is the longest..."

Then she smiled again.

"When you meet some thoughtful person, you want to cherish him and grasp him, so then you may do something out of control. I can understand that."

"Although I indulge you this time, you can't be caught by others again in the future. If you make Chuxiu Palace in trouble, I will not help you!"

This was what exactly made Concubine Xu so lovely.

In any case, those with a cold appearance and sharp tongue whose bark was worse than their bite were better than those insidious villains with a sweet tongue.

Gu Yunxi knew that Xu Yuanjiao had misunderstood, but she didn't want to explain.

As long as she could stop questioning, she could bear any misunderstanding.

Gu Yunxi prostrated herself and kowtowed again.

"Your Grace, thanks for your instruction."

Watching Gu Yunxi walk out of the main hall, Jinzhu approached Concubine Xu with a trace of worry on her comely face, and asked in a slow voice.

"Your Grace, is Tu Muxue credible?"

Concubine Xu smiled openly, got up, and walked to the window. She looked into the distance with a touch of sadness in her eyes.

"In this deep Palace, true words always cause question, and people tend to believe the falsehood. People and events are just like this in this world. Love doesn't deserve sincerity. Then, it doesn't matter who you believe."

"Muxue must have something to recommend herself since she is valued. And what I value is the reputation and glory of Chuxiu Palace all the time. I will never allow others to criticize it at will."

...

In the evening, Gu Yunxi came out of the kitchen, wiped her apron with wet hands, and walked towards the side room.

Inadvertently, she caught a glimpse of a head exposed by the gourd door leading to the outer court. The person was stretching his neck towards the courtyard to look around.

Prince Chen?

Gu Yunxi halted in a hurry. He looked at her blankly, and then grinned, showing his white teeth.

"Hahaha, you were the little sister with a ghost on you. I find you."

Gu Yunxi was shocked immediately. Seeing no one around, she ran to him, frowned, and said impatiently.

"His Highness... Don't, don't talk nonsense... That day, I, I was..."

Prince Chen looked directly at Gu Yunxi's anxious face. Seeing that she was so anxious that her fingers were crossed and even her fingertips turned white, he immediately revealed childlike innocence.

"Hahaha." He smirked again. He bit his finger and his slender body shook.

"Isn't it you who talked to the ghost behind the stone that night? You even let the ghost bite me! I'll tell Your Grace about that!"

"Hey, His Highness!"

Gu Yunxi stretched out her hand to block Prince Chen's mouth regardless of the consequence finally.

Prince Chen jumped back a foot, clapping his hands and laughing.

"Hahaha, are you scared? I lied to you! I won't tell her about that! I'm afraid the ghost will come to me again. When the beautiful uncle came to ask me about that, I didn't tell him."

"Who is the beautiful uncle?"

Gu Yunxi was surprised and asked.

Prince Chen waved a cloth tiger, and replied like a carefree bird.

"Beautiful uncle is just the beautiful uncle. He brought many people to Wutong Garden to play with me. He smells so good..."

Gu Yunxi was slightly startled, knowing that the "beautiful uncle" who Prince Chen talked about must be Master Leng.

Fortunately! Fortunately!

Fortunately, her nonsense fooled this fool at that time, so he didn't tell Master Leng what he saw in the Imperial Garden.

With a trace of guilt in her inquiring eyes, she looked at Prince Chen's hands secretly. After confirming that there were no wounds or scars on them, Gu Yunxi breathed a sigh of relief on her conscience.

Since he was a prince with a mental defect, and his grandmother and uncle didn't like him at all, he was already so pitiful. But she not only used him, but also stabbed him with a hairpin, which was really vicious!

Prince Chen calmed down and rubbed his belly with one hand.

"Little Sister, I'm hungry."

"Wait. I'll get you some food."

Gu Yunxi turned and walked quickly to the kitchen.

Anyway, Gu Yunxi was guilty about him, so she wanted to help him as much as she could. Filling his stomach was not difficult for her.

Everything in the Palace was customized, and servants were not allowed to use them at will.

Gu Yunxi explained the situation to the manager of the kitchen, Madam Liao, and then took some snacks with her permission and wrapped them in oil paper.

Lanxin carried some food and said to Gu Yunxi.

"Muxue, I will bring our dinner back to the side room. Remember to go back for dinner when you finish."

"Thank you so much."

Seeing Lanxin and Gu Yunxi out of the kitchen one after the other, Madam Liao and the maids besides the stove looked at each other, as if they had been delivering some ulterior message.

Shortly after, everyone went on to work, as if nothing had happened.

Going back to the courtyard, Gu Yunxi stuffed the oil paper into Prince Chen's arms, smiling brightly.

"Here you are. These are all delicious snacks. His Highness, you can eat them. I'll go back to work now."

Prince Chen stared at the fragrant food on the tray which Lanxin held, sniffed it, and then smiled brightly with his handsome brows curving.

"I want to eat this!"

Lanxin was standing next to Gu Yunxi. When she saw the opposite fool point at the tray, she reluctantly dodged sideways, saying with an impatient expression.

"Hey! You can't eat this. It's the dinner for Muxue and me. What can we eat then if you have it?"

Lanxin knew that Prince Chen was just the silly son of the Emperor. But they couldn't follow his words and starve just because he was stupid!

Before Gu Yunxi spoke, Prince Chen made a scene on the spot. He stamped and shook his arms again, yelling constantly.

"No, no, I want to eat what's on the tray! I want to eat what's on the tray! If you don't give it to me, I will tell Your Grace that there is a ghost in the Palace..."

"Hey! His Highness! His Highness..."

Gu Yunxi didn't know what to do then. She rushed forward, raising her hand to cover his mouth again.

Lanxin looked puzzled, tilted her head, and frowned.

"Muxue, what did he say? Where is the ghost?"

Gu Yunxi was so anxious that her head was sweating. Her heart trembled, and then she turned back with a bitter smile.

"Hahaha... Who knows! I think he was talking nonsense..."

While she was complaining in her heart.

"I, Gu Yunxi, was really unlucky! I had got through the punishment of the Imperial Ceremony Office and Concubine Xu's suspicion, but I was pestered by a fool finally! What a sad thing it was!"

Lanxin nodded frequently aside.

"That's right. If someone believes in a fool, he must be more foolish than a fool!"

"Yeah, haha ... "

Gu Yunxi laughed in embarrassment, and suddenly felt something was wrong with her hands.

Turning her bitter face to have a look, she saw the fool holding her snow-white hand which covered his mouth before his eyes. He admired her hand and smirked again.

"Little Sister, your hand is so white and fragrant. I want to eat it..."

As he spoke, his mouth opened sharply, revealing his saliva-filled teeth. Then he bit her hand.