After Prince Chen's question, Leng Qingtang loosened his hand so that the girl could take her silky and tiny hand back.

Gu Yunxi flushed and felt embarrassed and angry.

"Master, please have some self-respect."

Fortunately, there was no one around. The only spectator was a fool who couldn't speak. If some palace maids saw that scene, they would twist the truth somehow.

Leng Qingtang gently stroked his cuffs with his hands, smiling brightly and calmly.

"I have no other intentions, but only to see the scars on your hand."

"Thanks for your mercy, Master. My hands are fine."

Gu Yunxi's eyes flickered lightly after speaking. She was afraid to meet those gorgeous and deep black eyes.

The pace was getting closer.

Two eunuchs hurried into Wutong Garden, stopped at the side of the stone table, and bowed to the Seal Keeper.

Leng Qingtang said coldly,

"Put things down and step aside."

The two obediently followed, putting rice paper, brush pens, ink, cotton ropes and scissors on the stone table, then stepped back two feet away without saying a word, standing and waiting with their hands hanging under the phoenix tree opposite the stone table.

Prince Chen looked at the table full of things and clapped his hands happily.

"Okay, okay. I'm going to have a new kite. Pretty uncle, make me a nice kite."

Leng Qingtang said kindly,

"Be patient, His Highness. I will make you satisfied later."

While speaking, he pinched the kite with his slender fingers and began to remove the damaged rice paper.

Seeing that Leng Qingtang was no longer paying attention to her, Gu Yunxi quietly turned her gaze back, and watched him secretly working.

His white fingers danced between the slender bamboo strips, skillfully arranging, tying ropes, and cutting rice paper. He was so concentrated, with a meticulous expression on his alluring face.

At this time, mottled golden sunlight hit his face, drawing a straight nose and beautiful lip lines. The thick and soft eyelashes were shrouded by the flowing light, and the black eyes revealed a soft tenderness.

Suddenly, her heart seemed to miss a few beats, feeling an inexplicable touch.

Gu Yunxi had to admit that the annoyances and complaints in her heart were not enough to offset her uncontrollable emotions, and she couldn't help being attracted by him.

Prince Chen also calmed down, looked at the two people across the table with his beautiful eyes, and suddenly laughed sillily.

This silly laugh immediately attracted a group of people. Someone spoke in a strange tone as soon as his gorgeous boot walked across the Wutong Garden's gate.

"Unexpectedly, Master Leng would do such a delicate handcraft with a pair of murderer's hands. It seems that there has been few works in the Eastern Depot recently, so the Master has time to not only spend all day in the Imperial Ceremony Office but also accompany a palace maid to play a kite."

Leng Qingtang's pupils shuddered. He knew it was Ming Lan without turning the head around to look.

He got the information earlier that Ming Lan brought some weird things into Weiyan Chamber in the morning, but no more information after then.

The Emperor had been just better these days, but it was unclear what Gu Yunjin was planning.

Gu Yunxi's heart trembled suddenly. When she raised the eyes, she saw Ming Lan slowly approaching, surrounded by the guards from the Western Depot. He was dressed in a clean white robe corresponding to his status of Commander-in-chief, with the heavy makeup and an indistinct expression on his face.

Seeing this, the two eunuchs ran from the phoenix tree to the side of the Master. Their expressions were stern, and their sharp eyes kept alert.

The relaxed atmosphere was suddenly broken by the arrival of uninvited guests.

Gu Yunxi quickly got up from the stone chair, bowed, lowered her eyebrows and said,

"Master Ming."

Even she saw him as a bug, but for someone in the deep Palace, if she did something wrong, the others would get something on her.

Ming Lan's impatient eyes swept across her face, and then turned to Prince Chen, giving a little perfunctory gesture.

"I, Ming Lan, the Commander-in-chief of the Western Depot, pay my respect to your Highness, Prince Chen."

Prince Chen stared straight at Ming Lan's enchanting facial features, and curled up his upper body uncomfortably, frowning without saying a word.

Leng Qingtang still looked down and was busy with his affairs.

The kite had taken shape right now, and he was holding a brush pen with his white fingers and painting orchids and butterflies leisurely on the paper edge.

The speechless contempt made Ming Lan feel angry and grit his teeth. He put the fingers on the stone table and knocked.

"Master Leng, how leisurely you are!"

After drawing the last floral leaf, Leng Qingtang gracefully put down the brush pen and replied without raising his eyelids.

"I'm used to being leisurely. Master Ming goes in and out of the imperial harem all day as his own home. You are really a star in the eyes of the young ladies."

"Leng Qingtang, what did you say?"

Ming Lan raised his narrow eyes immediately, clenched her fists secretly, and waved his sleeves angrily.

"I'm paid by the court, so it's my duty to serve the Emperor and the masters in the imperial harem!"

Leng Qingtang nodded contemptuously and said with a cold smile.

"Well, repay His Majesty... It is good to be able to help the Emperor reduce the worries. As far as the skill of serving people, I'm indeed inferior to you. No wonder you are the most sought-after in the imperial harem."

The circumflex tone angered Ming Lan. His peachy eyes turned red and aimed straight at his opponent. He shouted.

"Leng Qingtang, you framed up and humiliated the court officer. Aren't you afraid that I will come to the Emperor to sue you?"

Could it be that those trades between Gu Yunjin and him were no longer a secret in Leng Qingtang's eyes?

Leng Qingtang stood up calmly, smiling.

"What did I say? I just praised Master Ming for his great skill and ability. Master Ming must remember to eat something healthy in a cool autumn, and don't let busyness hurt your body."

"You..."

Ming Lan pointed at him. Before he could say the rest words, Leng Qingtang grabbed his hand and raised the eyebrows lightly.

"I heard a dish that is very good for health, called 'Turtle and Crane Tonic Soup'. Master Ming could have a try."

After speaking, he pushed Ming Lan out abruptly.

Ming Lan's skinny legs took two steps backwards. He flushed with anger, puffed up his cheeks, and said fiercely,

"Leng Qingtang, why are you saying such hard words and so mean to me!"

Leng Qingtang smiled casually.

"How could I be mean to Master Ming? I just want to express my concern clearly. There are too many ghosts and spirits in the Palace. Your hands are cold surely because of your poor health, and I'm afraid that you will run into ghosts when you walk at night."

Under Ming Lan's angry eyes, Leng Qingtang looked down and saw that the ink on the kite had dried up. He picked it up and handed it to Gu Yunxi. His eyes were so deep, watery, and soft with untouchable tenderness. He said lightly,

"Take it, go and have fun with Prince Chen elsewhere."

That implied that she should leave soon.

Just now, the argument between Ming Lan and him made her uncomfortable by the side. She was just so innocent.

Due to her humble status, whether staying or not was awkward.

Now that she got the kite, it would be good that she could leave here. But with Master Leng staying here, she also felt worried. So she looked a little hesitant.

Leng Qingtang noticed it after his gentle eyes met her worried eyes. He smiled plainly at her.

"It's okay. Go."

Gu Yunxi had to take a breath and bowed.

"Yes, I'm leaving."

When she was about to leave with Prince Chen and pass by Ming Lan, he suddenly raised his arm to block their way.

"Wait!"

Ming Lan sternly clasped his hands behind his back and spoke in a shrill voice. The particularly harsh sound was lingering in the air.

His slender figure walked around Gu Yunxi and stopped in front of her with an arrogant and domineering expression.

"Tu Muxue, don't say that I haven't reminded you that keep away from this Seal Keeper Lord of the Imperial Ceremony Office..."

Bowing his head close to the girl's face, Ming Lan aimed the sharp eyes at her facial features. He said in a dark tone,

"The Lord Leng has a strong life force. He made his lover lose life before, and a girl apprentice of him in the Eastern Depot still remained disappeared. If she had been dead, there would have been no chance of leaving a whole body."

"You came from the Garden under my command. I hope that you will be cautious with your words and moves, and don't leave the others a chance to frame you up."

His words brought too many past memories to Gu Yunxi. She faintly curled the lips and raised the head coldly.

"Thanks for your lecture, Master Ming. I will remember the Master's instructions and be careful to not to make mistakes."

"But please forgive my boldness. You, as a rank-second official, argued with others first and then stopped me in broad daylight. Are you not afraid of staining your status of an official?"

Ming Lan squinted and snorted coldly.

"A slick talker... I kindly reminded you, but you did this the hard way. Tie her up!"

Gu Yunxi didn't have any fear, turned around, and shook off the guards of the Western Depot on both sides, and furiously shot back at Ming Lan.

"I am the maid of Chuxiu Palace. Even if I made a mistake, I should be convicted by the master of Chuxiu Palace or the Court of Justice. It is not Master Ming's job to do it!"

Leng Qingtang looked aside and applauded secretly.

This girl was mad at him for some unknown reason. But at the critical moment, she shared the same stand with him. Not only did she worry about his situation, she also spoke out against Ming Lan. She didn't waste his love.

By now, he naturally wanted to come forward and help her break the situation.

Scratching the eyebrows, Leng Qingtang moved forward steadily. He looked at the girl and his big hand covered on her small hand. The warmth from the palm immediately stuck at the back of her hand, feeling like an opportune comfort.

"Little girl, you are a slick talker. You just said everything I want to say to Master Ming. Since you are my mind reader, I will see who dares to hurt you as long as I'm here!"

The domineering tone aroused little ripples in Gu Yunxi's heart. She seemed slightly startled, but her cold expression was much more relaxed.

Leng Qingtang turned his head and looked at Ming Lan with a smile, but a terrifying storm rolled up under his deep eyes, as if it would burst out at any time following the fadeout of that pseudo-smile face, making others frightened.

"Is Master Ming angry because of Muxue's insulting words? Those words were only spoken by her on behalf of me. Are you going to tie me up and take me to your Western Depot?"

Ming Lan was so angry that his nose was flapping, but also afraid of his opponent's overwhelming arrogance, so he did not dare to act rashly. He said unwillingly,

"You, Leng Qingtang... You are playing a bastard with me again..."

Leng Qingtang smiled, looking far away.

"I was just killing time over there. It was Master Ming who insisted to catch up. Since we can't chat in a friendly manner, it is unnecessary for me to be a company. I'm leaving. Girl, go with me!"

As soon as Leng Qingtang finished speaking, he took Gu Yunxi and walked outside Wutong Garden, ignoring Ming Lan and his guards.

Prince Chen made a face to Ming Lan and said,

"Your makeup reminds me of the nannies in Wutong Garden. It's, really, ugly."

"..."

Watching Prince Chen laughing and following behind Leng Qingtang, Ming Lan's eyes were cracked but he couldn't do anything.

The two eunuchs of the Imperial Ceremony Office waited for the master to go further, and then put away the brush pens, ink, paper and inkstone on the stone table. They glanced fiercely across the crowd of the Western Depot and walked away.

"Master, we just let them go like this?"

"They simply don't put our Western Depot in their eyes."

The faint-hearted always talked about afterthoughts.

Not to mention the great martial arts of Leng Qingtang, only a little eunuch of the Imperial Ceremony Office, looking soft and weak, could beat up ten persons on his own.

Facing the danger, and the guards of the Western Depot hesitated to move forward. Seeing the danger disappear, all of them gathered around Ming Lan with their eyebrows curled up, talking sarcastically.

"Get off! You idiots, all of you, get away from me!"

Feeling angry, Ming Lan punched and kicked his subordinates. After venting out of his angry, he sat on the stone chair and sulked.

A guard covered half of his face that was swollen by the fist and came up flatteringly.

"Master, is Lord Leng so eager that he even didn't mind Tu Muxue's face?"

A faint light wafted through Ming Lan's eyes. He leaned the head and muttered to himself.

"It shouldn't be. Leng Qingtang is quite mannered in the Palace. Could it be that Chuxiu Palace wanted to ally with him after having a prince? I'm afraid Minister Xu may not agree... Why did he pay attention to a plain female slave of the palace?"

—

After leaving the palace gate of Wutong Garden, Gu Yunxi got rid of Leng Qingtang, moved two steps to the side, and nodded.

"Thanks for helping me out just now, Master."

She dared not look up into his eyes.

There was too much tenderness in those bright eyes. His eyes were as faint as the moonlight, which could break through the misty and make people feel lost at the first glance.

Leng Qingtang looked at her deeply, followed her a step closer, and kept a distance that wouldn't make her nervous. With a bit of reluctance, he said with a smile.

"It's just a small matter. Take care of yourself."

"Oh."

Gu Yunxi agreed vaguely, feeling her cheeks slightly hot. And then she walked away quickly grabbing Prince Chen's sleeve.

After the two eyes behind her disappeared, Gu Yunxi took a deep breath and slowed down.

"It's finally over. It was just so dangerous."

Prince Chen stared at Gu Yunxi who was wiping the cold sweat from the forehead, blinking his eyes.

"Muxue, don't be afraid of them. They always bow to me when they see me. If they bully you in the future, I will back you up."

Gu Yunxi smiled and then raised her eyebrows. She turned the head feelingly to look at Prince Chen's handsome face, saying in a bleak tone,

"The deep Palace is so dangerous. I really envy His Highness's carefree life..."

The chaotic eyes' pupils cracked with a strange halo, which was so subtle that it was not easy to be noticed. As the light faded in a flash, a pair of beautiful eyes sunk into the endless haze again.

Prince Chen jumped forward, facing Gu Yunxi with a silly smile. The bright golden sunlight drew out his beautiful skeleton.

"You are welcome. If you are tired of working in the future, you can come to Wutong Garden to hang out with me. I will protect you!"

Taking his words as a child's babble, Gu Yunxi put her hands together obediently and bowed with a smile.

"Thank you, Prince Chen."

The two walked along all the way to the boundary of Hanxiang Residence. When they saw the three-character plaque hanging on the gate a few meters away, Gu Yunxi squinted and smiled.

It was great that she finally could get access to this place with the excuse of accompanying Prince Chen. Today was the best time for her to implement the plan.