The weather was perfect that night, with no wind or clouds. A huge moon hung in the sky, casting its bright shadow on the lake. At first glance, it looked like two full moons facing each other.

Madam Geng was also in a good mood. The Emperor had granted Hongzhou's request to establish a secondary consort, and since the Mongolian princess wouldn't be able to marry into her son's household, she felt much more relaxed. She even went to talk to Qian Shengyan. Although she had a good capacity for alcohol, she had drunk quite a bit by now, muttering to herself, "Your Highness, you can't blame me for being afraid of that Mongolian princess... I heard about the Tenth Prince's household back in the Prince's residence. That Mongolian princess would go crazy and beat him up in the street..."

Qian Shengyan was both amused and exasperated by what she said. The woman Geng was referring to was Yinzhen, the tenth son of Emperor Kangxi, who had been betrothed by Kangxi to a Mongolian woman. It was said that this woman was extremely fierce and would even physically assault Yinzhen; this was something all the women in the family had heard.

"Hehehe, I'm sorry, Your Highness the Imperial Noble Consort." As she spoke, Madam Geng raised her wine cup and toasted Qian Shengyan again. Knowing that she was somewhat in the wrong for pushing the Mongolian princess to Hongli, she waited for Qian Shengyan to finish her drink and then poured her another cup.

Qian Shengyan: ...

Even fruit wine isn't drunk like this.

But seeing Geng's smiling, slightly tipsy eyes, she didn't want to argue, so she just got up and said, "I'm going to change my clothes."

"Oh, okay." Madam Geng continued to look at her with a smile.

Qian Shengyan also found it amusing, got up and went downstairs. It wasn't far from Yanbo Zhishuang Palace. She originally wanted to go back, but she really needed to use the restroom, so she went to the side room on the first floor for women to change into.

Just as she stepped out, she saw a palace maid in a hurry coming out of another room. Upon seeing Qian Shengyan, the maid's eyes lit up, and she quickly bowed and pleaded, "Your Highness, Consort Aruhan said she was going out to change her clothes, but she hasn't returned. I've searched everywhere but haven't found her..."

Aruhan was the other one of the two Mongolian princesses. When Qian Shengyan went out, she glanced at Folgochun. At that time, she only saw Folgochun chatting with Qiqige and did not see Aruhan.

Given her current identity and the fact that she's a girl, she was somewhat worried: "Where could Princess Aruhan go?"

"This servant doesn't know either. I clearly told the princess that the changing room was on the first floor, but I've searched everywhere and haven't seen her," the maid said anxiously.

In the hall on the second floor, Qiqige and Folgochun seemed to be trying to make peace. Qiqige was a straightforward girl. She got up and walked to the front, saying, "We are very grateful to the Imperial Noble Consort for taking care of us along the way. I would like to offer a toast to the Imperial Noble Consort!"

However, after speaking, she paused for a moment, then asked, "Is Her Majesty not here?"

Folgochun followed, and a maidservant beside Consort Yu whispered, "Your Highness, the Imperial Noble Consort has gone to change her clothes."

“But I just noticed that Her Majesty isn’t here. She’s been gone for quite a while, hasn’t she?” Qiqige said, frowning.

Fuerguochun was also a little worried. She hesitated for a moment, went back and said a few words to Duanrou and the other two, and prepared to go out to find Qian Shengyan. Yinzhen, who was sitting at the head of the table, saw her walking back and forth, called her over and asked her a question. When he looked at Qian Shengyan's seat, he also frowned.

"You go back first, I was just thinking of going out for a walk," Yinzhen said.

Folgochun agreed.

Yinzhen got up and left. After going outside, he first looked around the hillside and found no one there. He slowly walked down the hill and asked Su Peisheng, "Have someone go to Yanbo Zhishuang Palace to see if the Imperial Noble Consort has returned."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Su Peisheng turned his head and instructed the little eunuch beside him, then added, "This servant saw that Consort Yu toasted the Imperial Noble Consort quite a few cups of wine."

Yinzhen noticed this as well, and he was also worried about it, so he asked, "Where are the women's changing rooms arranged?"

First floor, west side room.

Yinzhen didn't see any guards at the door. He wanted to ask Su Peisheng to check, but he was afraid that Qian Shengyan might be drunk inside, so he had someone knock on the door first. After confirming that there was no response, he pushed the door open and went in.

There were no candles lit in the room. Yinzhen stood around the doorway, thinking no one was there. Just as he was about to leave, he turned around and saw that there seemed to be someone lying on the bed inside, with a palace maid standing guard by the bed.

He's really drunk; is he just throwing away his liquor here?

No matter how much I knock, no one answers.

Yinzhen's lips curled slightly, but he was also somewhat displeased with Qingxue and the others—they actually let Qian Shengyan lie here by herself, with no one guarding the door, only one standing by the bedside, which was rather frightening.

However, perhaps because he went back to make hangover soup, he happened to miss them.

He walked to the bedside, waved the palace maid away without looking closely, and then looked at the bed again, where he could vaguely see half a fair arm.

After a moment of surprise, Yinzhen looked at it and couldn't help but laugh. With such short sleeves, was he wearing that nightgown? Or was he hastily put it on as an undergarment?

Well, it's not the first time she's done something like this. No wonder she had a palace maid guarding her bedside; she was probably afraid someone would come in and see.

Yinzhen sat on the edge of the bed, his hand already on the man's shoulder and arm: "Did you drink too much? Are you feeling unwell?"

The man responded softly. Yinzhen, somewhat worried, bent down to see just how drunk "Qian Shengyan" was. But in that instant, an arm suddenly wrapped around his neck, accompanied by a young woman's shy yet charming voice: "Your Majesty..."

It's not Qian Shengyan.

Yinzhen frowned, first shoving the woman away, then calling out, "Su Peisheng!"

Su Peisheng rushed in and, following Yinzhen's instructions, lit the candles. When the light came on, he saw the Mongolian princess Aruhan on the bed.

At this moment, Aruhan sat on the bed with her bare arms wrapped around the quilt, looking at Yinzhen with wide, frightened and pitiful eyes. She seemed genuinely frightened, with red eyes and nose.

With just one glance, Su Peisheng lowered his head, not daring to look any longer, and was deeply shocked.

Even though the Emperor had only been in for a quarter of an hour, this Mongolian princess appeared disheveled, like this...

Yinzhen also sensed something was amiss. The Mongols had already intended to place someone in his harem, and now that he had witnessed this situation, things were likely to become difficult to resolve. He quickly scanned the woman from head to toe with his phoenix eyes, frowning as he asked, "Aruhan?"

"Yes, yes..." Aruhan said anxiously.

"What are you doing here?" Yinzhen asked, then, realizing it wasn't appropriate, changed his question, "What's with the clothes you're wearing?"

When the candles were lit, Yinzhen could see clearly that this was a nightgown that Qian Shengyan had once worn. The pure white silk satin fabric clung to her body, making her look comfortable and beautiful.

Aruhan pursed her lips, then secretly glanced at Yinzhen before lowering her head, her long eyelashes trembling. "It was...it was given to me by the Imperial Noble Consort..."

Yinzhen narrowed his eyes: "What?"

"Really, I...I'm here because of the Imperial Noble Consort's arrangement. She said...she told me to come...to serve His Majesty..." Aruhan's voice grew softer and softer until it was barely a whisper, but Yinzhen still heard her clearly.