A few days ago, in order to take care of the Empress Dowager, Song Jingxi took the initiative to move to Cixi Palace for a short stay. Unexpectedly, Jiang Wang wanted to see her again, and she was overjoyed and her heart was pounding.

Yin Rong waved her hand, "Go on, I have people to serve you here. You must seize this opportunity and not let His Majesty be swayed by that little vixen again."

Song Jingxi nodded in agreement and hurriedly returned to her residence.

Because the palaces need to be renovated at the end of the year depending on their condition, Song Jingxi and Consort Yu moved to Changchun Palace a few days ago. Song Jingxi, being of higher rank, lived in the main hall, while Consort Yu lived in a side hall. Upon hearing that His Majesty had arrived, Consort Yu's hand, which was drawing her eyebrows, trembled involuntarily, and she ended up drawing her eyebrows upside down.

"Has the Emperor truly come to Changchun Palace?"

The palace maid replied, and Consort Yu immediately ran out. Just then, Jiang Wang alighted from the sedan chair. She quickly straightened up, tidied her hair, and pulled her clothes to the sides, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin. Then, she swayed her graceful figure as she walked out.

"Your Majesty!" she called out in a sweet, high-pitched voice from afar.

Jiang Wang was walking forward, preoccupied with his own thoughts, and didn't notice Consort Yu leaning towards him. Consort Yu hadn't expected that the Emperor wouldn't even glance at her when she offered herself to him. Panic quickly replaced disappointment, and she fell to the ground, landing... in a very unseemly manner.

Jiang Wang frowned. What was this thing? How could it suddenly appear and even fall to the ground? Tan Yonglin also frowned, sighing inwardly at how could there be such a clueless concubine in the palace? No wonder His Majesty couldn't remember this person at all.

"Your Majesty! I have been disrespectful before you, and I beg Your Majesty to punish me..."

Yu Cai Ren struggled to her feet, squeezing out a few pitiful tears, and timidly begged the Emperor to punish her.

Jiang Wang found it an eyesore, glanced at Tan Yonglin, and said indifferently, "Release him to the cold palace."

The Cold Palace has been empty for many years, and now it can be said that it has finally welcomed its first young lady.

Tan Yonglin quickly agreed and instructed several clever eunuchs to take the person away.

Yu Cairen's eyes widened like copper bells, completely unprepared for this outcome, still in a daze and unaware of the reality.

As soon as Song Jingxi entered Changchun Palace, she saw Yu Cai Ren being dragged away, and her heart skipped a beat!

What happened?

As Yu Cai Ren's voice faded into the distance, Song Jing Xi hurried into the main hall.

Jiang Wang sat in the main hall, twirling the jade thumb ring on his thumb, his eyes slightly closed, seemingly in a bad mood.

Song Jingxi took a deep breath before slowly walking inside.

"Your Majesty," she called softly to Jiang Wang, a hint of allure in her eyes.

Jiang Wang glanced at her and said, "Play the pipa for a while."

Jiang Wang opened his eyes and gave the order in a calm tone.

Song Jingxi was slightly taken aback. His Majesty rarely comes here, and all he does is listen to the pipa?

However, since the Emperor had given the order, she dared not say anything more; Consort Yu was a lesson to be learned.

The sound of the pipa echoed throughout Changchun Palace in the palace all afternoon, while the sound of the zither resounded throughout Beiyuan Garden all afternoon.

Shen Mingzhuang lay on the table, nibbling at the pastries, but his mood was anything but good.

Pei Jingzhou's slender fingers gently plucked the delicate strings of the zither, producing melodious music that lingered like flowing water, but to Shen Mingzhuang, it was utterly tasteless.

With a clang, the music stopped. Shen Mingzhuang looked up and saw Pei Jingzhou quietly watching her.

"If you have any worries, you can talk about them. Keeping them inside is bad for your health." A gentle voice rang in his ears. Shen Mingzhuang sighed and glanced at the sky. "It's nothing to worry about. I'm just making trouble for myself. I played the zither for a bit. You must be tired. Go and rest."

"Not tired." Pei Jingzhou finished speaking, and with a light movement of his hands, the melodious sound of flowing water once again leaped from the strings. It was leisurely, melodious, and lingering.

Looking at the preoccupied Shen Mingzhuang, Pei Jingzhou felt a sense of peace, as if his heart had been soothed. His fingers were already aching, but he didn't want to stop; if he stopped, he would have to leave.

As dusk fell, Steward Song had to come in to remind Young Master Pei that it was time for him to leave, and Pei Jingzhou reluctantly got up.

Shen Mingzhuang lay on the table as if he had no bones, said that he had worked hard today, and asked for a reward. Pei Jingzhou blushed and felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, but he couldn't say a word.

"Young Master Pei's hand...?" Steward Song exclaimed softly, staring at Pei Jingzhou's blistered fingers and reminding him, "Young Master Pei's hand needs to be bandaged."

Shen Mingzhuang then came to his senses and looked at Pei Jingzhou's fingers, which were half-exposed outside his sleeve. His pupils contracted slightly. "Why are you still not stopping even when you're like this?"

He then hurriedly ordered, "Please summon a doctor to bandage Young Master Pei's wounds."

She couldn't help but feel a little regretful. She hadn't expected Pei Jingzhou to act this way, not even uttering a sound when his finger was broken. She should have just found some entertainer to annoy Jiang Wang instead.

Seeing her anxious, Pei Jingzhou's bitterness vanished instantly. He smiled and shook his head, "It's alright. I've had chafed before when practicing the piano. It won't break again once it heals and scabs over."

Shen Mingzhuang didn't say anything more, but Pei Jingzhou seemed to be worried about something and added, "In a few days I will be able to continue playing the zither for Consort Ming. However, I can also come tomorrow to teach Consort Ming how to read the sheet music. Only by learning how to read sheet music can one play a piece well."

Shen Mingzhuang didn't really want to learn the piano and wanted to refuse, but seeing Pei Jingzhou's expectant eyes, she couldn't bring herself to say no. "Okay."

As night fell, after washing up, she still couldn't fall asleep.

My mind was in turmoil, and I didn't even know if Jiang Wang had stayed at Song Jingxi's place.

The thought that he might be flirting with beautiful women in his arms right now made her feel like she had a lump of cotton stuck in her chest, and she couldn't breathe.

At this time, Changchun Palace.

Song Jingxi played the pipa for two hours, then said her hands hurt and she couldn't play anymore. After serving Jiang Wang dinner, she suggested that she help him wash up and go to bed early. But Jiang Wang wanted to play chess again, so he asked someone to bring him priceless warm jade chess pieces from the study. The two of them sat on the kang by the window and started playing chess.

"Am I just going to sit here all night?" Song Jingxi thought to herself. What exactly does His Majesty mean? They finally got through the period of exclusive favor, and now His Majesty is doing this again? Could it be that he wants Mingfei to remain chaste?

This is so absurd and ridiculous!

"Your Majesty, it is late."

It was almost midnight, but Jiang Wang showed no sign of going to bed, so Song Jingxi couldn't help but remind him.

To everyone's surprise, Jiang Wang suggested playing two more games. Song Jingxi felt her temples throbbing. She had been playing the pipa all afternoon and now she had to play chess with him. She was exhausted. It was even more tiring than serving the Empress Dowager!