Gu Yunxi's sudden decision drew Leng Qingtang's attention, but he didn't act. He leaned sideways and propped his head with one hand with distressed eyes lingering on the girl's pleading face.

"Have you made the decision?"

He asked gently. The tone was deep and a little hoarse, very grinning.

Gu Yunxi was even shyer and hummed.

Leng Qingtang straightened her face and asked her to look at him,

"It will be painful just for a while, but I'm not willing to..."

He was really impatient just now. Once he looked at her faint eyes, he regained his sanity.

Gu Yunxi's little red face was instantly wrinkled with disappointment and grumbled,

"Can it be... more painful than the feeling that you bit me?"

Anyway, she was an innocent girl who took the initiative to ask and was rejected by him. Where did she put her vanity down?

Leng Qingtang frowned and looked at her affectionately. He soberly noticed that Gu Yunxi's clear eyes set off an unfathomable wave when she just made up her mind. It seemed to be the accumulation of all kinds of troubles in the past that was hidden in a deep place before it could be captured completely. He couldn't help but feel the illusion that her proposal and request were more like the solemn fulfillment of the last unfinished wish before going to the end of her life!

However, how could he allow her to leave again? As for whoever dared to take her away or hurt her this time, he would tear him into pieces!

Seeing the girl's disappointment, Leng Qingtang intertwined her fingers with his. He pressed his forehead against hers, and softly coaxed,

"Be good. Could you keep it for the night of our wedding? I already said I would marry you, so you don't need to wait for it too long..."

The wedding night? Gu Yunxi felt uneasy.

Seeing this, Leng Qingtang smiled gracefully and asked softly beside her,

"Don't you trust me?"

She believed in the Master, but she didn't believe in herself and that the hateful masked man could let her go.

Leng Qingtang didn't say much anymore with his warm palm slowly slipping. The kiss lingered for a moment on the girl's white earlobe, following the delicate body and leaving the hickey.

Gu Yunxi furrowed her brows and couldn't help herself. She touched Leng Qingtang's back and bit her lower lip, resisting and enjoying. A long time later, she released herself in sexual passion.

"It's still early. Close your eyes and sleep for a while, OK? I'll be with you."

Leng Qingtang stopped and panted. He helped her put on her clothes and cover the quilt.

Gu Yunxi was indeed too tired. She put her fiery red face on his chest, sniffed the nice cold fragrance greedily, and fell asleep quickly.

Leng Qingtang gently twitched his hands from the back of her neck and watched her deep sleeping position quietly. He noticed her curvy eyelashes occasionally trembled, and his heart ached to the extreme.

This little girl used to be so cheerful and optimistic and always liked to chat with him. Now she also had sadness, calculations, and a secret to refuse anyone's or even his intervention.

Since entering the Palace, she must have never slept peacefully. She was only seventeen years old, but she was under no less pressure than him.

……

Gu Yunxi was awakened by the little eunuch of the Imperial Ceremony Office. When she opened her eyes, there wasn't anyone else in the bed and Leng Qingtang was not in the room.

The little eunuch said that someone had come from Chuxiu Palace and told her to go back there. Gu Yunxi tidied up her clothes and hair and rushed to the main hall with the little eunuch, only to see that Leng Qingtang and Yan Gui were talking.

At noon, Leng Qingtang left Yongning Palace and sent someone to deliver a letter to Chuxiu Palace to tell Concubine Xu that there would be nothing wrong with her chief maid and that she should pick up her chief maid later. After leaving the Imperial Ceremony Office, Leng Qingtang called Gu Yunxi aside and told her to go back to confess to Concubine Xu first. It was rare for masters to argue with the Imperial Noble Concubine for the servants in public.

Gu Yunxi certainly understood the truth. After returning to Chuxiu Palace with Yan Gui, she found that Gu Yunyao was there when she entered the hall to visit Concubine Xu.

The visit to Yongning Palace implicated Madam Mu, so Gu Yunyao felt uneasy. Soon after the incident was subsided, she returned to Xiaoye Chamber and went to Concubine Xu's Palace for news.

Seeing that Gu Yunxi came back safe and sound, the masters and servants of the two palaces were overjoyed.

Gu Yunxi remembered Leng Qingtang's words and immediately went to the side palace hall for confession. Gu Yunyao tried to persuade her.

Concubine Xu had originally complained about the recklessness of the chief maid, but with Gu Yunyao's pleading, her anger disappeared. Without punishing Gu Yunxi, she only asked her to make a few new delicacies.

After sending Gu Yunyao off, Jinzhu served Concubine Xu to sleep. When Concubine Xu was removing makeup in front of the bronze mirror, Jinzhu suddenly said,

"Your Grace, don't you think this is weird today? We have never had any contact with the Eastern Depot. In the past, Mr. Xu also quarreled with the Eastern Depot several times. Why does Master Leng help those of Chuxiu Palace?"

Concubine Xu fiddled with the balm and shook her head in confusion,

"I also feel strange. According to today's condition, the eunuch wanted to take Mu to the Imperial Ceremony Office. I haven't reacted at first. It wasn't until we went back to the palace that he sent someone to send the message. I realized that he was going to save Mu. What is his purpose like this?"

"Your Grace, that eunuch is always capricious. He used to depend on the Imperial Noble Concubine, but later he cooperated with the Eastern Palace when the Western Depot appeared. Now the little prince grows up day by day. If His Majesty doesn’t say anything, is it possible that the Imperial Ceremony Office has already gotten some news? Master Leng knows that you have always liked Mu. Would he take the opportunity to flatter you and want to rely on us?"

"Get some news?"

Concubine Xu immediately looked sullen, angrily placed the balm box, and said sharply,

"You are not allowed to mention this again! I lost a son before, and now God has blessed me to have a son. My only hope is that he can grow up safely. As for other things, it is based on God’s will. I will not demand them."

"People like Leng Qingtang always have a purpose in doing things. My father and I don't like him. If he approaches Chuxiu Palace with the impure thoughts, I will shatter his dreams!"

Jinzhu was so scared that she knelt down and kowtowed, begging again and again,

"Your Grace, please calm your anger. I know my mistake. I won't talk nonsense."

……

The moonlight was soft, and the honor guards of Xiaoye Chamber slowly walked on the silent palace road.

Gu Yunyao on the sedan said to Zhao An,

"When you get back, remember to give Song Qin ten taels of silver. She protected me from injury, so let her have a rest for a few days."

Zhao An answered deferentially,

"Your Grace, don't worry. I remember it. You care about the servants, and I thank you for your award on behalf of Song Qin."

Gu Yunyao raised her eyes and sighed at the vast night,

"I'm useless. Song Qin was injured and Madam Mu almost lost her life because of me. This time, thanks to Leng Qingtang, Madam Mu could be saved."

Zhao An followed on the side of the sedan. He meditated while walking, and said suddenly,

"Your Grace, I feel that Master Leng seems to have special feelings for Madam Mu..."

Hearing the words, Gu Yunyao seemed to be considering something,

"Do you think so either? I'm told when he sent messages to Chuxiu Palace, he had such opinions. Anyway, he just liked Xu's position in the Palace now..."

Zhao An shook his head slightly and raised his brows,

"I mean, don’t you feel that Madam Mu's demeanor is very similar to our little master's?"

Gu Yunyao was taken aback. Her motionless posture jerked slightly as the sedan was moving forward. After thinking about it, she said slowly,

"To some extent... Her craftsmanship is as good as Yunxi's. Do you mean that Leng Qingtang falls in love with her for this?"

Zhao An lowered his head and said nothing.

Gu Yunyao was suddenly frustrated, slammed into the redwood armrest of the sedan with a clenched fist, and said,

"Yunxi is lost. How can he have such feelings like this first? As such, is it fair to Yunxi?"

……

September 19th was the Autumn Festival.

At dawn, eunuchs and maids cleaned up Baohe Palace, and pavilions and jade steps were not stained. Outside the back hall, the waterside pavilion terrace was hung with Suzhou embroidery curtains to keep out the cool wind at night and the moisture of the lake.

It was dusk, and the time was coming.

The drums rang in unison, and the beautiful rhythm spread slowly. Concubines of the imperial harem lined up into the hall and sat down slowly.

Emperor Jingxiao was the first to enter Baohe Palace. His bright yellow flying dragon robe was majestic, embroidered with auspicious patterns of rivers, mountains and seas everywhere. He sat down and held the supreme spirit of power.

On the left side, Empress Qian was dressed luxuriously with a smile on her face; on the right side, the Imperial Noble Concubine was dressed gracefully and charmingly.

Standing behind Concubine Xu, Gu Yunxi turned to look at Empress Qian on the gold platform. A flash of light flashed in her eyes.

The trap she set before would make a difference today.

The family banquets were like this every year. Emperor Jingxiao seemed to be unable to raise his spirits. After three drinks and Zhaoyi Yu's instrument performance, he leaned on the couch and was about to fall asleep.

Empress Qian took a glass of wine to taste. When she saw it, she dropped it gently, looked at the Emperor and asked,

"Your Majesty, do you feel sleepy?"

"Oh, no."

Emperor Jingxiao adjusted his posture slightly. The family banquet just started several minutes ago. Finding a few young and tender faces in the audience, he wanted to stay for a while and was not willing to easily have others' spirits dampened.

Empress Qian smiled gently,

"Your Majesty, this time I prepared a special program for the family banquet to express my gratitude. I want to take this opportunity to cheer everyone."

"Oh? Do you have any plans?"

Suddenly, Emperor Jingxiao was interested and refreshingly turned to the Empress.

Empress Qian smiled mysteriously, stretched her arms forward, and said,

"Your Majesty, look there."

At this time, the sound of traditional stringed and woodwind instruments changed. Everyone saw a person in dazzling red dance costume outside the main hall in darkness.

Sun Shengsheng with gorgeous makeup, crystal clear pink lips and delicate wrists danced in the night.

The sleeves flew, turning into butterflies and burning like fire. Her face was clear and beautiful, and her eyelashes trembled gracefully.

The Emperor's eyes were dumbfounded. He unknowingly stood up from the couch and bypassed the table, staring straight at the outside of the hall. Then he remained still.

The flying red butterfly somehow lifted her feet off the ground, and suddenly flew into the air.

Outside the gate, it was suddenly empty.

The Emperor was shocked and hurriedly went downstairs.

At this time, the red butterfly landed lightly. With the appealing red dress, she rushed into the hall surrounded by many beautiful girls in white. She danced on the wide aisle again with a body as light as a swallow's.

Seeing Sun Shengsheng's coquetry and the Emperor's expression, Gu Yunxi smiled and looked confident, and her lips twitched lightly.

It seemed that Jieyu Sun won this time.

Gu Yunxi quietly glanced at the concubines on both sides of the aisle.

There were kinds of faces and expressions. Some felt at ease; some were vicious; some were amazed; some were jealous; some were happy; and some were sad. All feelings came together in a flash.

With a sudden dull expression, Gu Yunxi was surprised to find that Gu Yunjin's seat was empty. No one knew when she had gone.

At this moment the music had reached a climax, and the dancers in white stood still in their respective positions. Sun Shengsheng in red lifted one foot lightly, spinning lightly on the spot.

With the acceleration of the music rhythm, Sun Shengsheng's speed increased. She still stood proudly, stretched her arms, and relied on the force of rotation to pull up the large dress and red sleeves, making herself like a blooming rose. Her graceful curve figure was the most beautiful pistil.

The music ended. Someone counted that Sun Shengsheng made fifty-two turns in succession.

The audience thought she would faint on the ground when the music stopped, but she stood on the embroidered blanket with her sleeves up, breathing lightly and evenly. Only her face seemed to show a thin layer of red because of the excitement when dancing.

On the golden platform, Wan Yuyao rarely had no expression on her face, and a sorrowful color flashed in her eyes. She stared at Empress Qian and said in a deep voice without a smile,

" Unexpectedly, dear sister, you have such a method."