Yongzheng held Lin Yun and kissed her for a while. Looking at the sky, he saw that it was almost dusk. So he said, "Yun'er, why don't you stay at the Hall of Mental Cultivation for dinner tonight?"

Lin Yun was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then raised her eyes and smiled faintly: "Your Majesty's hospitality is too kind, how could I dare to refuse?"

Yongzheng smiled slightly and waved to Su Peisheng at the door: "Serve the meal. Add a few dishes according to Consort Yun's taste." Su Peisheng bowed and quickly withdrew.

Before long, the palace maids filed in, carrying exquisite food boxes, and dishes were gracefully placed on the table.

Lin Yun followed Yongzheng to the dining table. Her eyes swept over the delicacies on the table, but she felt a little reserved.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation was an important place for the emperor to handle state affairs. Even the concubines rarely set foot there, let alone dine there.

Although the eunuchs and palace maids standing in the hall at this moment had their heads bowed and stood quietly, she felt as if she were being pricked by needles.

Yongzheng seemed to sense her unease and said calmly, "All of you may leave. Su Peisheng can serve you."

Everyone responded and withdrew, and the hall immediately became much quieter.

Lin Yun took a deep breath and comforted herself: just think of it as attending a high-class banquet.

She slowly sat down, her posture dignified, exuding nobility in every gesture. Yongzheng took in her expression, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"Try this," Emperor Yongzheng said, personally placing a piece of steamed perch on the plate in front of her. "I remember you love to eat fish."

Lin Yun felt a warmth in her heart and said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." She lowered her head and took a bite; the fish was tender and melted in her mouth.

Yongzheng then gestured to Su Peisheng to move several Jiangnan dishes in front of her, all of which she had touched more than once during their last meal.

Lin Yun looked up and met Yongzheng's deep gaze. She couldn't help but smile and say, "Your Majesty remembers even my preferences so clearly."

Yongzheng chuckled and said, "It's just a small matter." Although his tone was calm, it stirred a sweet feeling in Lin Yun's heart.

---

Inside Changchun Palace, after hearing the palace maid's report, the Empress was so angry that she overturned the entire table of food.

The piercing sound startled the palace maids, who all knelt down, trembling with fear.

The Empress's chest heaved violently, her fingertips digging into her palms as she stared at the mess on the floor, her eyes blazing with fury.

"His Majesty actually kept her to dine in the Hall of Mental Cultivation..." Her voice was low and hoarse, as if squeezed out from between her teeth, "Since I entered the Empress's Palace, when has His Majesty ever treated me like this?"

Granny Wang cautiously stepped forward and advised, "Your Highness, please calm down. She's just a concubine; she can't cause any trouble..."

"The rank of Consort?" The Empress sneered, her nails almost digging into her flesh. "Even Consort Nian back then didn't have this much respect. Now, this Lin is even more favored than Consort Nian!"

She recalled the only time she had dined with the Emperor in Changchun Palace—when the Emperor had just ascended the throne, and he only sat with her for half an hour out of etiquette, barely touching his chopsticks.

But now, Lin Yun can eat at the same table with him, and even...

The Empress abruptly closed her eyes, suppressing the bitterness and resentment surging in her heart.

---

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, dinner had ended. The palace maids cleared away the bowls and plates and served tea.

Yongzheng picked up his teacup, took a sip, and suddenly said, "It's getting late. Yun'er, you should stay in the Hall of Mental Cultivation tonight."

Lin Yun's fingertips trembled slightly, causing ripples to spread across the surface of the teacup. She looked up at Yongzheng and, seeing that his expression remained unchanged, nodded obediently: "Your Majesty, I will obey."

Yongzheng said to Su Peisheng, "Go and fetch Consort Yun's clothes for tomorrow." Su Peisheng obeyed and withdrew.

Lin Yun stood up, walked to Yongzheng's side, and said softly, "Does Your Majesty still have affairs to attend to?"

Yongzheng grunted in acknowledgment and pointed to the pile of memorials on the table: "There are still some memorials that have not been approved."

He paused, then said, "Go and rest first, you don't need to wait for me."

Lin Yun nodded obediently, "Then I'll go to sleep first, Your Majesty, please don't overwork yourself." After saying that, she turned and walked towards the inner palace.

The dragon bed in the inner palace was already covered with brocade quilts. Lin Yun bathed and changed clothes under the service of the palace maids and lay down.

A faint scent of ambergris lingered in the air around the bed. She closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep for a long time.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but in her hazy state, Lin Yun felt someone gently stroking her cheek. She opened her eyes and, through her hazy vision, saw Yongzheng sitting by the couch, the candlelight casting a warm glow on his cold, handsome features.

"Your Majesty..." she called out indistinctly, her voice soft and sleepy.

Yongzheng responded softly, his fingertips sliding from her eyebrows to the corner of her lips: "I haven't tried all of today's lip rouge yet."

Lin Yun instantly sobered up a bit, her cheeks burning. She remembered the feeling of him biting her lips during the day, and involuntarily shrank further into the blankets.

Yongzheng chuckled softly, lifted the brocade quilt, and lay down. The dragon bed was spacious, but he deliberately moved very close, pulling her into his arms.

"Why are you hiding?" he whispered in her ear, his breath hot.

Lin Yun's heart pounded like a drum, her fingertips unconsciously gripping his collar: "Your Majesty, I dare not..."

Yongzheng said no more, lowered his head and kissed her lips, his hand slipping under the hem of her nightgown, and Lin Yun's mind went blank.

She bit her lower lip to stifle a soft gasp. He paused for a moment, giving her time to adjust, then ran his thumb across her furrowed brow: "Does it hurt?"

He hadn't been intimate with Yun'er for half a month.

Lin Yun shook her head, but dared not look him in the eye. Yongzheng chuckled softly and leaned down to kiss away the tears that had unknowingly welled up in the corners of her eyes. When it was over, Lin Yun was limp all over, her forehead resting on his shoulder as she breathed softly.

Yongzheng stroked her back, as if comforting a frightened little animal. The sound of the night watchman's drum came from outside the window; it was already the second watch of the night.

"Take a break," he said, but he didn't let go of her.

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