"Well, that's good," the Emperor said nothing more, but this simple concern made Xi Men Xin Yue extremely excited. She had finally gotten closer to the Emperor. Some things didn't need to be rushed; she would surely get her wish to enter the palace.
Mu Rong Liu Zun turned to look at Mu Qing Yao, and said gently, "Empress, the music has been heard. The night is deep, it's time to return."
"Yes, let's go. I'm tired too," Mu Qing Yao yawned, completely lacking any pretense of dignity. Xi Men Xin Yue, who had been standing to the side, shot a look of disdain. This woman was truly vulgar. It was disheartening that the Emperor actually liked such a woman.
As the two of them rose to leave, Xi Men Xin Yue, who had remained still, suddenly spoke softly, "Wait a moment?"
The imperial couple stopped and slowly turned to look towards the pavilion. Xi Men Xin Yue stood in the dim lamplight and said, her voice as gentle as water, "Xin Yue once heard my noble consort sister say that the Emperor's xiao music is a rare masterpiece in the world. Does Xin Yue have the fortune to hear it?"
As soon as Xi Men Xin Yue finished speaking, Mu Qing Yao felt the man beside her stiffen. A bloodthirsty and ruthless aura, like that of Satan, enveloped him. His eyes, cold and sharp as knives, fixed on Xi Men Xin Yue, and his words resounded in the flower-viewing pavilion.
"Did the noble consort also tell you that no one is allowed to listen to my xiao?" His gaze shifted to Mu Qing Yao, but unfortunately, the woman didn't even look at him.
Xi Men Xin Yue was taken aback, her face showing a hint of embarrassment. Her gaze suddenly darkened, and she cursed herself for being brainless.
Chu Yu Yan had played a trick on her again. She hadn't heard from her that the Emperor disliked people listening to his xiao. However, the Emperor's words hadn't been entirely conclusive. Did it mean that his xiao could actually be listened to by someone? And that person should be? The Empress. The thought of this caused Xi Men Xin Yue's heart to ache as if it were being gnawed by bones. Did she truly have no chance at all? The Emperor's affection for the Empress was probably unshakeable by any force. But was she to leave the palace like this? No.
"Xin Yue has offended you, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Mu Rong Liu Zun didn't look at her and led Mu Qing Yao by the hand out of the pavilion.
Although Xi Men Xin Yue's father was the Protector of the Nation General, the late Emperor had revoked his military power before his death, placing it under the jurisdiction of the two Prime Ministers. Now, the Left Prime Minister's military power had returned to his hands. Only the Chu family's military power remained. He would quickly reclaim that half of the military power. Therefore, he had no time or desire to pay attention to Xi Men Xin Yue, who remained in the palace. The Empress Dowager liked to keep her, so let her send her away again.
In the pavilion, Xi Men Xin Yue stood facing the wind, her eyes filled with a strange resentment. She stared intently at the retreating figures, her hands clenching the carved balustrade with such force that her jade-like hands turned pale.
She would not give up just like this. If she left the palace now, she would never be happy in her life. It would be better to burn her bridges and stay in the palace. She believed that the Emperor would eventually take her into his harem. All of this depended on her own intelligence. She had heard that the Emperor liked intelligent women. Her behavior tonight had been unwise, and she would never make such a mistake again. As for Chu Yu Yan, that woman had deceived her time and time again. Once she entered the palace, she would never let her off the hook.
Mu Qing Yao followed the Emperor back to Feng Luan Palace. The Emperor hadn't said anything along the way, but there was a hint of displeasure in his brows, as if someone had upset his mood. Mu Qing Yao couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
The Emperor remained silent, remaining very quiet throughout the journey. He escorted Mu Qing Yao back to Feng Luan Palace without a word of farewell, leading his eunuch A Jiu and a few young eunuchs to the soft sedan chair waiting in front of the palace gate, returning to Liu Li Palace. Mu Qing Yao stood on the stone steps, gazing blankly at the departing sedan chair, not understanding what had angered this man. However, to be honest, his actions at this moment were hardly like those of a wise and enlightened Emperor. He seemed more like an insatiable child, inexplicably throwing a tantrum.
"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Mo Chou asked cautiously. Earlier, it seemed the Emperor and Empress were getting along well, but after listening to Xi Men Xin Yue's zither, they seemed to have fallen silent, saying nothing. The Emperor's expression was foul, and he had left Feng Luan Palace in a huff.
"It's nothing, let's go in," Mu Qing Yao turned and entered Feng Luan Palace, thinking to herself that perhaps the Emperor had guessed her little scheme and knew she had deliberately gone to listen to Xi Men Xin Yue's zither, which was why he was sulking. But thinking it unlikely, she eventually gave up the thought and returned to her chambers to sleep.
Days passed smoothly. In Guang Yang Palace, there was no news; it was exceptionally quiet. Since Princess Ru Yin had married, the Empress Dowager had been abstaining from meat and chanting Buddhist scriptures, seemingly no longer concerning herself with the palace's affairs. Mu Qing Yao sent people to search for Chun Han's younger sister, Xiao Rou, and found her in the lowest-ranking laundry room. To her surprise, Xiao Rou was only ten years old. Due to excessive labor and malnutrition, she looked like she was only seven or eight, timid in her demeanor, with her head bowed low, not daring to speak. Mu Qing Yao sighed. How could such a child remain in the palace? She instructed Mo Chou to send her back to the Prime Minister's residence. Prime Minister Mu, taking pity on her, adopted her as his goddaughter and raised her in the Mu residence.
The Emperor visited Feng Luan Palace every day. He didn't mention the events of that night, accompanying Mu Qing Yao for meals, walks, and chess games. Occasionally, he even taught her to play the xiao. Their affection rapidly deepened, seemingly transforming from friends to close friends. In short, there was a deeper layer to their interactions than before. Although Mu Qing Yao didn't feel it was love, she didn't deny that the Emperor's actions for her warmed her heart. Furthermore, she was gradually accepting his meticulous care and attentiveness. If she didn't like him at all, she wouldn't have accepted him. Time flew by. Mo You's poison was completely resolved, and he returned to being a lively and active youth. Although he was only twelve or thirteen years old, everyone felt that he was overly composed, lacking the playful nature of someone his age. He seemed reserved, like an adult. Regarding his poison and his past, Mu Qing Yao did not inquire. Everyone had a painful past; there was no need to expose others' wounds. If he truly wanted to speak, he would tell her. What she wanted was his absolute loyalty, not his scars.
On this day, the sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze blew. In the garden of Feng Luan Palace, flowers bloomed in vibrant splendor. Palace maids and eunuchs formed a circle, watching intently. Seated before them was the Empress, sipping tea and commanding the two individuals in the center, "Begin, let me see who is more skilled?"
Mo You and Mo Chou bowed in greeting upon receiving the order, then moved their bodies, launching their attacks swiftly. Mo Chou wielded a soft sword, while Mo You used a crescent-shaped shovel. This crescent shovel was over a foot long, with a moon-shaped tip, gleaming silver and exceedingly sharp. With a wave of his hand, the crescent shovel, carrying immense internal power, lunged directly at Mo Chou. Seeing the fierce assault, Mo Chou dared not confront it directly and quickly dodged aside. Where she had dodged, a deep pit had been blasted by the internal power, emitting a rumbling sound.