The palace maid was about to push the door open.
Without a second thought, Chu Qianli channeled her energy, grabbed Fulong, and casually tossed him onto the bed.
Then, with a quilt, she covered the two people on the bed completely.
With another wave of her hand, the gauze curtain fell.
She quickly walked to the door. As the palace maid pushed the door open, Chu Qianli was already blocking her path.
"What do you need me for?"
The palace maid subconsciously glanced inside.
The fact that no one had come out for so long would naturally make anyone suspicious.
Chu Qianli took another step forward and said expressionlessly, "Which palace are you from?"
Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, the palace maid came back to her senses, bowed, and said, "Miss, this servant is from Xianlan Palace. I am here on the orders of Consort Yu to request your immediate presence at Xianlan Palace."
"Consort Yu?" The mother of Prince Xiaoyao, Feng Wuya.
However, Chu Qianli hadn't had much contact with her, only meeting her once or twice.
"May I ask why Consort Yu is looking for me? Does your ladyship know?"
She couldn't help but want to look back, wondering how the two on the bed were doing.
They couldn't just lie there indefinitely, what if they were discovered?
The little palace maid said, "Her Ladyship said it's an urgent matter and hopes you can go over now."
"Can you wait a moment? Let me tidy up first."
At least, she had to tidy up the two on the bed.
"Miss, Her Ladyship said the situation is urgent and hopes you can go over now. Her Ladyship cannot wait!"
"So anxious?" Chu Qianli still wanted to look back.
But she was afraid that turning back would arouse the palace maid's suspicion.
Seeing her hesitant expression, the little palace maid began to grow suspicious, "Miss, is there any inconvenience?"
She subconsciously peered inside.
"There's no inconvenience. I'll go with you now."
Chu Qianli immediately stepped forward, blocking her outside the door.
With a casual gesture, she closed the door.
Consort Yu looking for her was most likely because she was feeling unwell and wanted her to take a look.
She should be back soon.
As for the two on the bed... they were so drunk now, she doubted they would do anything they shouldn't.
Moreover, she would be back any moment...
"Miss?" The little palace maid felt that something was amiss in the room.
Why did Chu Qianli seem so uneasy?
"It's nothing, I'll go with you now."
Chu Qianli was helpless and had to act quickly.
No one should come to this secluded place of hers.
In such a short time, no one would come, right?
...
"Your Ladyship, Miss Li'er has arrived." The little palace maid led Chu Qianli to Consort Yu's sleeping quarters in Xianlan Palace and then left.
Inside, there was only Consort Yu.
"Greetings, Consort Yu."
Chu Qianli walked in.
Seeing Consort Yu's complexion, there was nothing unusual about it. She looked energetic and had a good complexion.
"May I ask why Your Ladyship summoned me?"
"It's nothing, I just wanted to talk to you and chat." Consort Yu smiled, "Come and sit."
Chu Qianli's head was spinning. Her mind was constantly on Fulong and Long Ziyue.
She had to hurry back and find a way to wake those two up.
Otherwise, how could she send them back?
"Little Li'er?" Consort Yu's voice suddenly deepened.
Chu Qianli was startled and snapped back to attention, quickly saying, "Thank you, Your Ladyship."
Then, she walked to Consort Yu's side and sat down.
"What's wrong? Why do you look so preoccupied? Did something happen just now?"
"It's nothing, I'm just a bit tired today." Chu Qianli smiled, being cautious.
Although Consort Yu appeared gentle and magnanimous, and because her son had been ill since childhood, she seemed to be detached from worldly affairs in this harem.
However, there was always a hidden depth in Consort Yu's brows.
Yes, it was a kind of deep aura that resulted from an effort to conceal a killing intent.
However, Chu Qianli could tell that Consort Yu harbored no ill will towards her.
"What does Your Ladyship wish to discuss?" she asked.
"Little Li'er seems very reserved. Are you in a hurry to leave?" Consort Yu asked with a smile.
Chu Qianli pursed her lips and then said, "I am… a bit reserved."
Consort Yu's eyes were sharp. If this continued, Consort Yu might even realize that something had happened on her end.
"Alright, let's not just sit here and chat. Little Li'er, accompany me for a walk."
Consort Yu stood up first and walked towards the door.
Chu Qianli immediately stood up and was about to follow when her peripheral vision seemed to catch something.
A scroll painting.
Upon closer inspection, she suddenly stood up and quickly walked to the scroll painting.
"She..."
"Oh, that's an old acquaintance of mine." Consort Yu's expression changed.
She quickly stepped forward, took down the scroll painting, and put it into a box.
Only then did Chu Qianli have the mind to carefully examine her surroundings.
This was Consort Yu's living space, it was very antique, and most importantly, it exuded the scent of sandalwood everywhere.
The scent of Buddha.
Consort Yu was a devout Buddhist.
In front of the painting just now, there was a meditation cushion.
The cushion looked somewhat old, clearly having been used for many years.
Looking at the marks on it, it seemed that Consort Yu often knelt on it to pray and chant scriptures.
Everything seemed natural, except for that scroll painting.
Coupled with Consort Yu's immediate action of putting the painting away, this behavior was indeed too strange.
In ancient times, it was truly difficult to discern a person's true appearance from a portrait; at most, it would have a five-point resemblance.
Yet, even with such a painting that had only a five-point resemblance, Chu Qianli could see clearly that the woman in the painting looked familiar.
For a moment, she couldn't recall where she had seen her.
Consort Yu took her hand, "Little Li'er, why are your hands so cold?"
Chu Qianli snapped back to attention and quickly said, "It's nothing, perhaps I'm really tired today."
"Then stay with me tonight. I'll have someone take good care of you."
Consort Yu had also inquired about the situation in Yuhua Palace.
Chu Qianli lived in the most secluded corner. When the palace maids and eunuchs delivered things, if they didn't have what was needed at the back, they simply wouldn't deliver it.
They were all sycophantic servants who looked down on others.
"Your Ladyship, the woman in the painting just now..." As they walked out of the side hall, Chu Qianli couldn't help but ask the question in her heart, "Who was she?"
Consort Yu looked at her, hesitating to speak.
Chu Qianli was usually not like this, but today, she was somewhat insistent.
She just wanted to know, "Your Ladyship, who exactly is that woman?"
"She is an old acquaintance of mine. She is no longer alive."
Upon hearing this, Chu Qianli's face inexplicably turned pale, and she clutched Consort Yu's collar, "Is she... is she Long Qianyue?"
Consort Yu, however, looked somewhat surprised, "Long Qianyue?"
Could it be... not?
But why... why did she feel that this woman had a very unusual connection with her?
Those features, that demeanor... Chu Qianli's heart tightened with each passing moment.
Could it really not be Long Qianyue?