The roosters crowed and the sky turned bright.

After breakfast, the Fourth Princess Huanan Jiyan sneaked out of Kunning Palace with her palace maids Jin'er and Yaoer.

According to reliable sources, a few days ago, Chuxiu Palace was burned to ashes by a huge fire. After that, one imperial bodyguard on duty died and the other was transferred to work in Cold Palace, who was just her Lu Zhu.

Hearing that he was on duty in Cold Palace last night, Huanan Jiyan wanted to meet him at this time in the changing of Honour Guards.

Walking along the straight main palace road northward, they arrived at Cold Palace after passing Jingqi Pavillion.

This place was very peculiar.

It was said that every night, even if the moon and stars shone in the sky, people passing by Cold Palace would feel that there were inexplicable gusts of cold wind in front of and behind them, and they would hear many strange sounds like the crying of ghosts.

In the daytime, the area of Cold Palace was even more terrifying.

From a distance, countless towering ancient trees shrouded the entire desolate palace. The dense branches stretched out like dancing ghosts, blocking all the sunlight.

Walking along the road for a short time, people would feel cold as if their bodies had been swallowed by the boundless darkness.

The palace maid Yaoer walked behind the Fourth Princess, raising her head frequently and uncomfortably. Looking at the big tree with few new leaves above her head but with mottled branches, she shrank her neck uneasily.

"Your Highness, are there really ghosts here?"

Huanan Jiyan walked in front with her chest out and she laughed when she heard her question. She replied without looking back,

"How can there be ghosts in broad daylight? Don't talk nonsense! Hurry up, otherwise I can't see Lu Zhu later."

Yaoer pursed her lips, feeling aggrieved.

"Ghosts can also appear in the daytime! If not, why do I feel the temperature here is much lower than outside when I come here? Even the fine hairs on my body stand for no reason!"

Huanan Jiyan ignored her and just walked quickly. Finally, she saw the handsome figure whom she had been missing walking towards her, with a steel sword at his waist.

"Hey, Lu Zhu!"

Huanan Jiyan's eyes lit up. Her two slender arms swayed happily above her head. The sleeves also swayed in the wind. Her white delicate arms appeared like clean jade under the light gauze.

Lu Qiange paused and looked surprised. Knowing that he couldn’t avoid her, he had to walk forward to bow to her,

"Your Highness!"

"Lu Zhu, how are you doing these days?"

Huanan Jiyan ran to the man and gazed at him. Her cheeks turned ruddy then, like two thin layers of peach-red clouds hanging on them.

The beauty of the young girl was elegant and natural.

Lu Qiange smiled coldly, spreading his arms, and then said,

"Now you can see it."

She was slightly startled. She frowned and lowered her head.

"I'm sorry. I was so willful that I insisted on pestering you to teach me Kungfu, which caused you to be transferred from Kunning Palace wrongfully by my mother. Please believe me. I will find a way at a right time to transfer you back."

Lu Qiange squinted at her and continued to stride forward,

"Your Highness, please don't do that. Just leave me alone."

Huanan Jiyan followed him all the way foolishly. She held the skirt's hemline with her small hands, smiling like a dazzling peach blossom,

"Hey, don't leave, my teacher! I'm really sincere. I didn't come to see you these days because I was locked in the Palace by my mother. I was eager to meet you as soon as I was released... Wait for me!"

Lu Qiange let out a sigh. He was really annoyed by the noise and stopped abruptly.

Huanan Jiyan failed to stop and ran into his back.

"Your Highness, be careful!"

The two palace maids rushed over to support the stubborn girl, rubbed her forehead, and then kept blowing at her red skin.

Yaoer stretched her neck and stared at Lu Qiange like an angry chick,

"Hey, Lu Zhu, don't be ingrate! Our princess has never admired anyone else sincerely. I advise you to stop where it should stop! Don't be arrogant!"

"Don't be hard on him!"

Huanan Jiyan didn’t appreciate the compassion of the female slave, but pinched her as punishment. Turning her head around, she smiled softly at the disdainful man in a pitiful voice,

"My teacher, I know you are still angry. I'm here apologizing to you... "

She walked to him and rolled her crystal eyes. And then she tentatively reached out her small hand to hold the man's big hand.

Lu Qiange suddenly felt something was wrong. A frightening light flashed past his deep purple eyes.

He hurriedly lowered his eyes and saw that there was a small white hand in his hand, which was fragrant and charming like flowers and made him feel comfortable.

A trace of irritation rushed to his heart. Lu Qiange put on a sulky face and frowned. He shook off the girl's hand coldly and said in a deep and serious voice,

"Your Highness, what is it you want to see me about on earth?"

Huanan Jiyan looked at the man with shocked and aggrieved eyes for a moment. She immediately changed her face and tried to put on a sweet smile,

"Nothing, nothing! I come to see you just because I know that you will be off duty now. It's still early. Where are you going? How about I accompany you?"

Lu Qiange refused at once,

"No."

He turned around and left then.

The palace maids Jin'er couldn't bear it anymore. She stepped forward to stop Lu Qiange and said sharply,

“Hey! Wait!”

His purple eyes turned stern. But before he spoke, Huanan Jiyan scolded her angrily,

"Jin'er, what do you want to do?"

Jin'er was so upset, but she couldn't vent her anger. And so she could just stamp her feet again and again.

"The princess always stands by her own word. How can she be affected by such a useless man with only a pleasing look?"

"Who are you talking about?"

Lu Qiange's white face immediately turned red. He pointed at Jin'er with two fingers.

Jin'er looked sulky and handed him the food box in her hand.

"What's this?"

Lu Qiange was puzzled. He looked at the two maids and then turned his puzzled eyes to the Fourth Princess.

She smiled shyly with gleaming eyes. Her fingers interlocked nervously and she stammered,

"You, you are just off duty... You haven't had breakfast yet, right? Open it. See whether you like the food."

Lu Qiange raised his dashing eyebrows slightly and looked perfunctory. He uncovered the lid of the food box, but then his eyes were fixed.

The cakes and pastries in the food box were so exquisite which were flower-shaped, leaf-shaped, bird-shaped, and even boat-shaped. The colors were well matched, which looked extremely appetizing.

He showed a surprising smile, picked up a flower-shaped pastry, and put it on his palm to watch it repeatedly. He then turned to the Fourth Princess and asked,

"You can make these?"

"Of course, our princess is so ingenious!"

Yaoer chimed in quickly and raised her chin, smiling triumphantly.

Huanan Jiyan looked like a docile girl and she shook her head,

"No, no, these were made by the new palace maid from Jingyang Palace."

"Your Highness... "

Yaoer was dissatisfied and shook her arms.

Huanan Jiyan ignored her and continued,

"Yesterday, I came to Concubine Yu to visit the younger seventh brother. The pastries the palace maid made looked so exquisite. I tasted one and it was really delicious. I asked for some before I left, thinking that you should taste such delicious food."

"A palace maid... Jingyang Palace?"

Lu Qiange suddenly fell silent, lost in thoughts.

Last night, Prince Chen just hinted that he should visit Jingyang Palace more often.

Lu Qiange suddenly came to his mind. He put the whole pastry into his mouth, chewed it, and nodded in praise.

"Well, great... It's really delicious... "

He picked up another one after another, and soon the five pastries were all eaten by him, and the food box became empty.

"Really delicious?"

The handsome man's smile was so fascinating. Even the way he gobbled up the pastries was so charming.

Huanan Jiyan gazed at him, watching the beautiful man who was eating food in front of her with enjoyment. She couldn't help feeling joyful.

"How is it? Is it delicious? It's really delicious, right?"

"Yes!"

Lu Qiange wiped off the food residue on the corner of his mouth, closed the lid of the food box, and smiled,

"It's delicious. It's the first time I have enjoyed such delicious pastries. Thank you so much, Your Highness!"

Huanan Jiyan's face was burning. She instantly felt that in her world, the sun was shining, and the singing of birds and the fragrance of flowers were everywhere.

In order to achieve some certain goal, Lu Qiange changed his indifferent expression into a smiling one.

"Your Highness, I have nothing to do now. Where are you going? I can accompany you."

After he said this, not only the princess, but also the two close maids had the same shocked expressions. Six eyes widened at the same time which were fixed on Lu Qiange.

Huanan Jiyan raised her head, staring at his charming smiling face intently, and pressed her palms to her hot cheeks with excitement. She asked,

"Really? Are you really willing to spend more time with me? Then, I have an unreasonable request... "

"Just say it."

Lu Qiange said straightforwardly.

"Can I call you Zhu in the future?"

The girl summoned her courage to say that with shy eyes.

Lu Qiange suppressed the cool sarcasm in his eyes, smiled, and nodded,

"Yes, it's okay. But I still feel hungry now. I wonder whether Your Highness can find more pastries for me."

Huanan Jiyan seemed to be possessed by the evil. Her clear eyes were filled with Lu Qiange's handsome face.

"Zhu, since you like that, I'll take you to Jingyang Palace now. Let's go!"

The girl was so joyful and ran happily hand in hand with the man.

For the fact that the Fourth Princess, the legitimate daughter of Emperor, came here in the morning and brought an imperial bodyguard dressed in an official suit of ordinary Honour Guards, eunuchs of Jingyang Palace guarding the gate felt incredible.

Thinking that this willful princess seldom followed the rules, they didn't stop her.

Gu Yunyao was having breakfast. Seeing the guest, she smiled and let the princess come and sit with her. Next to her, the beautiful and young palace maid Xier was serving her.

After taking the seat, Huanan Jiyan glanced at the table, but didn’t see the pastries that Lu Qiange was very interested in.

"Your Grace, I want to eat yesterday's pastries."

The Fourth Princess ignored everything for Zhu. As long as she could get the pastries, she wouldn’t be afraid of being laughed at as cheeky by concubines.

Gu Yunyao had a good temper and she smiled sympathetically when she heard that. Not only did she not hate this girl for her straightforward character, but she even liked her from the bottom of her heart.

She turned around to command Tu Muxue,

"Xier, are there still pastries you made yesterday?"

Tu Muxue smiled,

"Your Grace, there are still some in the small kitchen. Since the princess likes them, I'll take them here. "

She turned around lightly, raised the curtain, and walked to the corridor. At the moment when she drooped her eyes slightly, she happened to look into Lu Qiange's sharp purple eyes.

The man was stunned. His eyes were fixed on the face of the girl who was also shocked to move for a long time. It was difficult for him to distinguish reality from illusion for a moment.

This face was exactly Yunxi's...

But... But she couldn't be Gu Yunxi!