Chapter 104 Hongzhao's Romantic Scene

With the Emperor gone, the entire Forbidden City seemed to fall into desolation. In addition, the Empress Dowager, now the only mistress of the palace, rarely went out, making the vast Forbidden City inevitably appear lonely.

The most desolate place among them is Jingren Palace.

The once bustling residence of the Empress is now avoided even by palace servants. Everyone knows that the deposed Empress who lives there has incurred the Emperor's wrath, and no one wants to provoke such bad luck.

The small Buddhist hall was filled with smoke, Buddhist scriptures were scattered on the ground, and the incense ash on the altar had been left unattended for a long time, covering the table with a layer of white. You could hear a pin drop in the room. Huichun carried the food box that the little eunuch had just brought, and looked at her master in front of her with a crazy look in her eyes.

Yixiu sat crookedly on the futon, her gaze passing through the wrinkled, damp paper in her hand and staring straight at the simple, plain food on the table. A distorted smile gradually appeared on her lips.

Logically, after being demoted to a commoner, she shouldn't have any servants attending to her. Hui Chun's presence here was an exception granted by the Empress Dowager. Worried and timid, she softly called out, "...Master, this note seems to have been slipped into the food by someone. Let's not look at it..."

Yi Xiu did not let go. Her dark eyes, filled with a smile, slowly turned to Hui Chun, and she spoke in an unusually hoarse voice, "You don't know, but I do."

She slowly stood up, supporting herself on the ground, and walked slowly to the window where light was shining through. "Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone Cao Qinmo, who is a wild fox who bites. Nian Shilan's only brains are all tied to Cao Qinmo, and now she probably has none left."

Hui Chun was still worried—"Could this be a setup? If Consort Cao had something to do, why would she come looking for us?"

"A scheme?" Yixiu shook her head dismissively—"In my current state, what is there for them to scheme against?"

"Consort Cao wants Consort Hua dead and wants to get her daughter back. What other choice does she have besides me? Should she choose Lü Jiayingfeng? She is now surrounded by children and holds a high position. Why should she get involved in this mess?"

Indeed, this was Cao Qinmo's idea.

Even a centipede with a hundred legs doesn't die easily; though the Empress has been deposed, the current heads of the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Medical Academy are still her former subordinates. If these people could be put to use...

——

Hongzhao had no idea that the people who stayed in the palace could have so many thoughts; he just wanted to get a good night's sleep.

The Emperor resided in the Jiuzhou Qingyan Palace, and Hongzhao followed him to a side hall. It should have been the most spacious and comfortable place, with cool and pleasant weather. However, for some reason, Consort Nian changed her usual temperament and, for the first time ever, introduced her maid to the Emperor.

Although Hongzhao knew that his father wanted to favor Nian Shilan to bewitch Nian Gengyao, he would naturally not refuse the person she offered. However, Hongzhao stared blankly at the person in front of him—"an old acquaintance".

Logically speaking, this was one of his "potential mother candidates".

Holding a paper-cut plum blossom in her hands, she recited a poem in a clear, crisp voice before the emperor: "If the wind is against you, do not easily destroy it."

Hongzhao knew that his father would have difficulty resisting such temptations.

He now seemed to understand the meaning of the text "Huaimin also did not sleep" that he had learned in school. With the moon high in the sky, and hearing the Kunqu opera still playing in the main hall, Hongzhao couldn't help but roll over and get off the bed. His movement startled Xiao Dezi, who was sleeping on the footstool next to him, and he stood up with a start.

"The Crown Prince?"

"Shh, don't make a sound, I can't sleep, let's go for a walk."

The Yuanmingyuan Garden at night is different from that during the day, possessing a tranquil and serene beauty. Indeed, in the stillness of the night, one can see many interesting things that are not visible during the day.

For example... the familiar back view of the girl in front.

Hongzhao smiled knowingly, turned around and gestured to Xiaodezi. He lifted the hem of his robe and walked slowly from behind the girl. He tapped her left shoulder twice and then quickly turned and dodged to the right.

As expected, the girl in front of him stared in surprise, covered her mouth tightly, and turned around to look around.

"Sister Fucha, what are you doing here so late?" Hongzhao sensed that there were more than just the three of them. Therefore, he lowered his voice to a whisper, but even so, it still startled the person in front of him.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Her eyes were still filled with lingering fear as she quickly bowed in greeting.

Hongzhao waved his hand, signaling her to get up. He looked at her with a questioning gaze. Fucha Yingjun hesitated, pursed her lips, and gently turned her head to look again behind the artificial rock that was hiding the two of them. Her usually gentle and cheerful face showed some difficulty.

Hongzhao saw that she couldn't say it, so he didn't force her. He just leaned out to look, and what he saw made him laugh.

Under the moonlight, a young boy and girl sat close together by the lake, holding the same object in their hands and craning their necks to look at it. Judging from its size and cover, it was probably a play script ordered by the empresses and concubines.

Hongzhao raised an eyebrow. He then understood why the usually well-mannered Miss Fucha would be here in the middle of the night. Both of them were Hongjin's study companions and naturally lived together. She probably saw Qingying sneaking out in the middle of the night and followed her out because she was afraid something might happen to her. But seeing Hongli there, she probably felt even more awkward approaching him.

This wasn't the place to talk. Hongzhao didn't say anything, but instead took Fucha Yingjun's wrist through his sleeve, took the candle from Xiao Dezi, and led the group away from the lakeside quietly, without uttering a sound the entire way. They only stopped walking after passing several forks in the road.

Seeing Fucha Yingjun, who was following closely behind him with two faint blushes on her face, Hongzhao paused, loosened his grip, put his hands behind his back, coughed lightly, and secretly glared at Xiao Dezi, who had already cleverly distanced himself eight feet away.

"Your residence is just ahead. I will escort you here. In the future, don't go out alone so late by yourself. You should have a servant accompany you."

Perhaps realizing that his tone was a bit stiff and didactic, he added, "In the future, whatever that Miss Ulanara does, you don't need to care. Just pretend you didn't see anything. If necessary, protect yourself and don't get involved. I'll handle the rest."

These words convey a great sense of security; although he is only 1.3 meters tall, his aura is that of someone 1.8 meters tall.

Although Fucha Yingjun was a little shy, she was not coy. Looking at his bright eyes in the moonlight, she pursed her lips and gave a beautiful smile, then nodded gently.

Hongzhao thought that rather than meeting her again today, he might as well make everything clear at once—"It was my maternal grandmother's idea that she was able to enter the palace. She will not be my consort. I do not acknowledge her, and neither will Father Emperor."