In March, the prime of spring, the grass was lush and the mountains were green. The ice on the river began to melt and was glowing with waves.

Days passed by quietly in the Palace. Emperor had yet broken his fast and so the officials didn’t need to attend the morning ritual. The concubines were at peace with each other, only to wait for the Spring Banquet when Emperor would grace them with his presence in Baohe Palace.

At sunset in Yongning Palace, Gu Yunyao was feeling sick. Without an appetite for dinner, she sent someone for a bowl of cubilose porridge from the kitchen.

The premium cubilose was a gift from Concubine Xu, who had received it from her family. She knew that Yunyao loved it and so she had it sent to her two days ago.

Gu Yunyao was sitting by the square table, slightly bowing her head to gaze at her round belly. Rubbing it gently with one hand, she looked elegant and satisfied.

By her side, Zhao An watched his beloved woman without making a sound, his heart full of comfort and joy.

It was obvious that she had fully accepted her role as a mother, which was honestly great.

Suddenly, a little pattering of feet broke the tranquility. A eunuch strode inside and bumped into the door.

Shocked temporarily, Zhao An realized that he was the agent he had sent to Yongning Palace.

Was he here because something had happened to the young lady?

Glaring, Zhao An impatiently scolded him,

"Guan, where are your manners? Be careful not to disturb Her Grace, or I will not forgive you!"

The eunuch's pale face was twitching. He nervously clamped his body with two arms as he replied in fear,

"Your... Your Grace, I have terrible news!"

"What is it? Speak properly."

Gu Yunyao's good mood was spoiled by the astonished eunuch. Frowning, she turned to him with a smile.

The eunuch hurried to answer in a thin and anxious voice,

"Your Grace, bad news. I was informed that the maid Xier in Yongning Palace had a fever with rash last night. But the Imperial Noble Concubine accused her of faking her illness and gave her a good beating in the Violent Room. Xier has passed out when I heard the news."

"What?"

In a great shock, Gu Yunyao subconsciously wanted to stand up, but her legs went soft.

"Be careful, Your Grace."

Song Qin quickly reached out to protect her in case that she had a lumber sprain and hurt the baby.

Zhao An's eyes were burning with anxiety. Frustrated, he waved Guan to leave and then walked to the armchair. When he bowed, Concubine Yu immediately clutched his wide sleeve as if it had been the last straw. Tears sprang to the eyes of the woman in dread.

"Zhao An, tell me. Did the plan fail? Servants faking illness are punishable by death. Wan Yuyao has already caught Yunxi. What should we do?"

"Your Grace, don’t panic. Allow me to think about it... In my humble opinion, the mistress of Yongning Palace only means to torture the young lady. Even if she knows that the young lady plans to escape from the Palace, corporal punishment will not take her life. The most important thing is that you take care of yourself. Do not worry too much."

Holding her cold hands, Zhao An consoled her with words, but he was also perplexed.

The young lady had worked for Master Leng for a long time, by whose example she should have been wiser and more careful. How could she mess things up at the start?

Gu Yunyao was easily disturbed in pregnancy. Now with Yunxi in trouble, she was too anxious to take Zhao An's advice. She said,

"But Yunxi can't wait any longer..."

Suddenly, the curtain was lifted and a maid entered to report,

"Your Grace, Madam Lihu of Yongning Palace is here."

"..."

Gu Yunyao's face suddenly darkened. She looked at Song Qin and Zhao An and managed to compose herself. Fixing her hair, she slowly sat back and said,

"Send her in."

A few moments later, Lihu came in. Her oval face was plain and looked indifferent. Even though she was looking down, her long eyelashes could hardly hide the coldness in her eyes.

"Your Grace."

She curtsied with a faint smile.

Gu Yunyao's heart sank. Frozen at the table, she felt something horribly wrong.

"How are you, Madam? Zhao An, take a chair."

"No need to bother." Lihu's expression did not change when she looked up to decline the offer. But the smile on her lips cut deeper as she stared at Gu Yunyao. Treacherousness stirred in the eerie silence.

"I've come by the order of the Imperial Noble Concubine. Her Grace invites my lady to visit Yongning Palace."

Gu Yunyao stared blankly at Lihu. She was clenching her fists so hard in her sleeves that she didn’t know that her knuckles went pale.

Zhao An questioned,

"Madam, may I ask why the Imperial Noble Concubine wants to see our lady?"

The status of power had shifted now. Although Gu Yunyao was a concubine of a lower rank than the Imperial Noble Concubine, she had been pregnant for four months. In the Palace, a mother's honor stemmed from her children. In that sense, even if the Imperial Noble Concubine sent the grandest sedan, Concubine Yu was free to turn her down for the slightest sickness.

It seemed that she expected Zhao An to ask such a question. Lihu sighed and explained slowly,

“My lord is asking the right question. It's all that brat Xier's fault. She got a fever with rash last night, perhaps for some dirty food, but claimed it as smallpox. Thankfully, an experienced nanny got some dark vines' ash to rub her body and the rash went away in two hours.”

“Her Grace was naturally furious. After the interrogation, she insisted that Your Grace had given her that packet of herbs so that she could get out of the Palace by faking sick.”

“My lady would not let a servant slender a concubine's name. So, I am sent here to invite Your Grace to confront that brat. We'll find out why she wants to fabricate stories to set you up."

Gu Yunyao fell in silence. Her eyes grew sharper as Lihu chattered on. When the madam finished, her face instantly turned solemn,

"Madam, please go back to serve your lady first. I'll come later."

"Well..."

Startled, Lihu sensed Gu Yunyao's change of attitude and asked coldly,

"Your Grace, that might not be proper."

"Madam, please return," Gu Yunyao insisted and her voice was as unforgiving as an ice dagger stabbing into the around.

"To visit the Imperial Noble Concubine, I must not lose my manners. It takes time to dress and powder myself and I can't let you wait too long. Please go back and report to Her Grace, in less than a quarter I will go to Yongning Palace."

Seeing that Concubine Yu was angry, Lihu compromised.

The concubine was pregnant with His Majesty's precious child. How could she excuse herself in case she hurt the baby?

"As you wish, Your Grace. I shall retire."

Squinting in annoyance, Lihu suppressed her anger and left carefully.

The hall went back in silence for a while until Gu Yunyao slowly rose and ordered Song Qin,

"Change clothes for me."

"Your Grace, are you really going to Yongning Palace?

Zhao An stepped forward to stop her, knowing that a great disaster had befallen Jingyang Palace again. Thus, he would not let her go.

Frowning, Gu Yunyao gently pushed Zhao An away,

"I must go! Yunxi is still waiting for me there. If I don't go, the Imperial Noble Concubine will continue to torment her. Song Qin, come. Freshen me up in the inner chamber."

Watching the chief maid help her walk away, Zhao An was burning with anxiety.

The plan had failed. The young lady betrayed Concubine Yu to the Imperial Noble Concubine. Why?

Right now His Majesty was in seclusion and Empress Qian was still fasting in Yonglu Temple. Who else could protect his lady?

When Gu Yunyao was out of her private chamber, she had changed into a salmon blouse and a long pink dress with embroideries of silk trees flowers. Without a word, she put an opal brocade cape over her shoulders and took the sedan to Yongning Palace.

Zhao An failed to keep her. Like ants on a hot pan, he paced the hall up and down. Suddenly, he stopped at the thought of one person.

He couldn’t mind other things in such urgency. Even if his mistress did not like that person, he was the only one to save her now!

Frowning, Zhao An grit his teeth and ran out of Yongning Palace.

...

Halfway to Yongning Palace, they ran into Prince Chen Huanan Xin, who was playing with a toy tiger in his arms by the road. When he saw Gu Yunyao, he followed the palanquin for a while, showing off his tiger to her.

Gu Yunyao was not in the mood to mind him and he left after a while.

Out of the gate of Yongning Palace, the palanquin was set down. Leaving the honour guards waiting outside, Song Qin helped Gu Yunyao quickly enter the palace, followed by two maids.

When they arrived at the outer court, cruel swears and miserable cries were poured into Gu Yunyao's ears. Sweating with fear, she rushed towards the main hall, gasping for breath.

The servants waiting in the corridor had been instructed in advance. Without any interference, they were allowed to get into the hall.

The atmosphere was dull and frightful in the luxurious palace, so overwhelming that they could hardly breathe.

Gu Yunyao hurriedly walked into the door and looked around to search in panic. Instantly, she saw the poor girl in the center, surrounded by several eunuchs and nannies.

She was curling up on the ground, shivering. Her whipped skin and bare flesh stung Gu Yunyao's heart.

"Yunxi!"

Gu Yunyao exclaimed with tears. She pushed away Song Qin and approached the girl, trembling.

The girl looked up silently. Half of her face was covered by blood-stained hair. Her cold and bloodless lips were shivering. Before she could utter a word to Gu Yunyao, she was interrupted by a merciless voice.

"Concubine Yu, you've come so fast!"