The cold night was silent.
The Imperial Garden was completely empty. The mist grew heavier, shrouding the vast Imperial Garden in a thin veil. The night wind swept through, ethereal and unpredictable.
“Where is she?”
Wanwan spoke coldly, looking at Xiao He, who had stopped in front of her. Xiao He glanced around, then quickly turned back, a rare, adorable smile on her face.
“Your Majesty, please wait here. I’ll find someone for you.” She then looked at Yun Xiao. Yun Xiao’s deep black eyes flickered, and she flashed a bright smile. Turning, she tugged at Wanwan.
“Sister, didn’t you say you’d play with me? What are we doing here?”
In an instant, Xiuxiu and Xiao He were stunned. What was Her Majesty doing? Wanwan, however, adapted quickly. She immediately reached out, pulling Yun Xiao and coaxing her, “Your Majesty, Sister Xiao He said someone wanted to see you. Don’t you remember?”
“I don’t want to see them, I don’t want to see them,” Yun Xiao declared playfully. She darted forward, heading towards a large tree on one side of the Imperial Garden. Her feet flew, and in a few steps, she was already halfway up.
Several palace maids rushed over, so astonished they forgot to shout. Her Majesty could climb trees! Such a rough action, quite unlike a lady from a noble family.
Wanwan looked up from under the tree and called, “Your Majesty, please come down. We’re going back to sleep.”
“I want you to play with me,” Yun Xiao ignored Wanwan below and continued to climb. Climbing trees was her specialty when she was young. She was known as a little monkey. When she lived at her grandmother’s house, she climbed trees, robbed bird nests, and caught fish in the river. She had done it all.
It had been too long, though, and her tree-climbing was not as nimble. Yun Xiao thought as she climbed, and in a blink, she reached the treetops. She chose a sturdy branch and sat on it, swaying back and forth.
The three people below gazed at her expectantly, calling out in turns.
“Your Majesty, please come down, Your Majesty, please come down.”
Alas, the silly woman seemed not to hear. She looked up at the sky, plucked a leaf, and used it as a musical instrument, blowing with all her might. Occasionally, a broken note would escape, carrying a hint of rustic elegance.
Wanwan, witnessing the sudden turn of events, abruptly looked at Xiao He.
“What are you doing? You know Her Majesty’s mind isn’t right, yet you still said someone wanted to see her. Now look, Her Majesty’s gone mad, and it’s all your fault. How will you handle this?”
Xiao He, flustered, blurted out.
“She?”
But only that one sound escaped. The person below could no longer utter a word. She tried to call, to shout desperately, but no sound came out. Panic instantly engulfed her.
What was happening? What had gone wrong? Remembering the health pills Her Majesty had given her earlier, she wondered if there was something wrong with the medicine. Did it mean Her Majesty had known about her ill intentions back then? Cold sweat streamed down her cheeks.
The night wind suddenly turned colder, chilling her to the bone. Despair enveloped her.
Xiuxiu beside her, unaware of Xiao He’s distress, asked curiously, “Xiao He, who exactly wanted to see Her Majesty?”
Just then, under the clear moonlit night, a shrill voice announced, “The Emperor arrives, Consort De arrives.”
Countless lanterns were lit, casting a hazy, diffused glow. Points of light converged in the darkness, like countless fireflies dancing in the vast sky, brilliantly beautiful.
Wanwan, Xiuxiu, and Xiao He quickly knelt and said respectfully, “Greetings, Your Majesty, Consort De.”
“Rise,” Consort De said softly, her voice filled with undisguised joy. She slowly looked at Xiao He, “Where is Her Majesty the Empress?”
Under the lantern light, Xiao He’s face was as pale as paper. She could not utter a single word. Wanwan, knowing the situation, spoke with great tension, “Reporting to Consort De, Her Majesty the Empress’s madness has recurred. She climbed up a tree by herself.”
She then pointed to the large tree behind them. Those below looked up and saw Her Majesty the Empress, legs spread wide, straddling a thick branch, holding a leaf and blowing it with great seriousness.
However, no sound came out. Occasionally, a broken note escaped, making her entire face turn red. Yet, she was clearly enjoying herself immensely.
Consort De’s expression changed drastically upon seeing the scene. She glared at Xiao He, “What is going on? Didn’t they say the Empress wasn’t foolish?”
Alas, Xiao He’s face was ashen, and large beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks. She could not say a word.
Consort De grew angry. She stepped forward, grabbed Xiao He by her collar, and said sternly, “What exactly is going on?”
In the Imperial Garden, a deathly silence fell. The moon’s white light bathed the fragrant grass, and the damp air was filled with a bone-chilling cold.
Shangguan Yao narrowed his eyes, his dark pupils filled with bloodthirsty killing intent. He looked up at the foolish woman on the tree, a cold sneer curling his lips.
Good, very good. If this was truly a trick played by that old scoundrel Yun Mo, then he would not be blamed for being ruthless towards the Yun family. His mother would have nothing to say either, and it would also serve as an explanation to the court officials.
Yun Xiao, though engrossed in playing with the leaf on the tree, was fully aware of the situation below.
She suspected that turbulent times were brewing in the palace. How could the Emperor miss such a golden opportunity?
Although Xiao He could not speak now, he was undoubtedly suspicious. As for that Consort De, the Empress Dowager had issued a decree, yet she dared to defy it and seek trouble with her privately. What did this signify? It meant someone was backing her, and that person was likely the Emperor himself.
Yun Xiao’s eyes darkened. Very well, Shangguan Yao. I only wanted a quiet life, but you insisted on provoking me. I will not sit idly by and be slaughtered.
In the vast Imperial Garden, only Xiao He’s soft sobs could be heard. A gust of wind blew, rustling the fallen leaves, sounding like wailing ghosts.
Shangguan Yao’s expression suddenly darkened. He looked coldly at Consort De, Ye Suxue.
“Consort De, what are you playing at? Disturbing the Empress’s peace in the middle of the night, bothering a fool. How could a fool suddenly get better?”
Upon hearing Shangguan Yao’s reprimand, Ye Suxue, already anxious, began to explain, “Your Majesty, this concubine has not. This concubine has already sent people to monitor her.”
As Ye Suxue finished speaking, a respectful voice suddenly rang out, “This servant greets Your Majesty, Consort De.”
This person was Consort De’s personal maid, Yue Mei. Carrying a lantern, she led several palace maids and eunuchs from Zhaoyang Palace out from the depths of the Imperial Garden.
Consort De immediately urged, “Yue Mei, tell me, is this fool really not foolish?”
A hint of helplessness flashed in Yue Mei’s eyes as she shook her head slightly. “Your Majesty, the Empress is indeed foolish.”
If this woman were truly not foolish, her agile mind would be too formidable. The master might not be able to deal with her and might even incur trouble because of it, Yue Mei thought with unease.
Upon hearing this, Ye Suxue, unwilling to accept it, shifted her gaze to Xiuxiu beside Xiao He, and then to Xiao Yuan and Xiao Zhao from Jinhua Palace, coldly commanding.
“Speak, is the Empress no longer foolish? Confess truthfully. If you do not confess today, and it is discovered later that this woman is indeed not foolish, none of you servants will survive.”
In the cold night, these bloodthirsty, ferocious words made Xiuxiu, Xiao Yuan, and Xiao Zhao shiver uncontrollably. Xiao He, who had been trembling in fear, now saw a flicker of hope in her eyes as she looked at Xiuxiu.