As night deepened, Xiang Song used his light-footed skills to arrive at the Stone Forest in the blink of an eye.
He covered up the trail of footprints he had left in the stone forest.
After leaving the stone forest, as you walk through the corridor, you will see Jiang Shuyue and Qiuju walking towards you.
"Miss, watch your step, the steps are slippery," Xiang Song carefully reminded her.
"Thank you, Commander Xiang." Jiang Shuyue nodded slightly and continued walking forward.
As she came down from the pavilion, she heard the palace maids discussing what had happened in the Stone Forest. It was already this late, and You Xian'er was still going to the Stone Forest, which showed that she had ulterior motives.
When Xiang Song returned to the pavilion, he saw the Emperor staring blankly at the zither.
Xiang Song: "..." Master, did you not get enough of playing?!
"Your Majesty, tonight's plan was ruined by that brat Liu Baokun. That coward Shen Xing didn't even show up. I will send someone to escort Young Master Liu back to the capital tomorrow."
Xiang Song recounted what had happened in the Stone Forest.
Xiao Jingzhao's eyes flickered slightly. "You mean Miss Cui saw through this scheme?"
"I don't know, but among the girls who rushed over just now, I didn't see Miss Cui, nor did I see Shen Xing."
"Liu Baokun got lucky and managed to get his own page to act out a hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress scene."
Xiao Jingzhao turned around. "Is the person really hurt?"
"No, he's putting on quite a show. I can tell Miss You is genuinely anxious, which shows there's a foundation of affection between them. Master, you've done us a favor, and he'll be deeply grateful."
"Yes, when you get back, have someone spread the word about the deep affection between the two. The Minister of Works is a man who knows when to advance and when to retreat; he should know what to do."
"Understood."
...
In the Songtao Courtyard.
When everyone saw Liu Baokun being carried back on a wooden plank, they all rushed forward to ask what had happened.
After receiving his master, Liu Baokun's page embellished the story of what happened in the Stone Forest.
All the young masters sighed in dismay.
"Young Master Liu is truly willing to go to any lengths for the one he loves; he's a real man."
"I admire Brother Liu. He's willing to risk his life to win the heart of his beloved."
"Brother Liu is truly a role model for us all. Won't such a serious injury affect his career?"
Amidst the sighs, some voiced their deepest concerns.
In Wanling Kingdom, people with disabilities were not qualified to serve as officials in the court.
Liu Baokun said firmly, "It doesn't matter. Even if it ruins my career, I will not regret the decision I made today."
"Brother Liu, I admire your selflessness. If it were me, I might not have been able to do it. I am ashamed! I am ashamed!"
"Congratulations, Brother Liu. Once we return to the city, Miss You will surely repay you with her body."
Shen Xing, who was inside the room, felt truly ashamed as she listened to everyone's discussion.
A palace maid just mentioned that Miss Cui was taking a walk in the garden next to the Stone Forest, but I don't even have the courage to go and bump into her.
...
The liveliness of Bixia Courtyard was no less than that of Songtao Courtyard.
The girls gathered in small groups, talking about what was going to happen that night.
Some people gloated, thinking that one less competitor had been eliminated, and said, "Miss You is really lucky. Someone is willing to risk their life to protect her. It would be unreasonable not to repay such a devoted lover with one's own body."
Before the woman could finish speaking, others chimed in.
"Indeed, one should cherish such a loving man."
The girls sang in unison, making the relationship between Liu Baokun and You Xian'er sound incredibly touching, even more so than that of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.
Upon seeing Jiang Shuyue return, someone whispered, "We haven't seen her since we came back from the plum garden. Did she go to see the Emperor?"
"That's right. We haven't seen her and her servant get any meals in the dining hall. Could it be that the Emperor invited her to dine with him?"
Du Yutong came out after hearing the gossip in the corridor. She glared at the few young ladies who were talking nonsense and went straight to greet Jiang Shuyue.
"Sister Yue'er, you must all be hungry. I'll have Zhu'er bring some midnight snacks." Du Yutong deliberately raised her voice.
Qiuju, puzzled, replied with a smile, "My husband hunted a lot of wild game this afternoon, and we were so full from the barbecue we ate that we won't have any for supper tonight."
Upon hearing what Qiuju said, the gossiping group immediately shut up and turned back into the house.
Some of the maids looked at Qiuju with envy.
They all thought to themselves:
The woman next to Miss Jiang is so well-married. Her husband is handsome, strong, tall and robust, and he takes such good care of his wife when they go out. I wish my young lady could find me a husband like that.
Everyone wants to eat delicious barbecue, but this isn't home where you can eat it whenever you want.
The group chatted and laughed as they entered the room.
A moment later, You Xian'er returned with a dark expression, and went straight back to her room without even glancing at anyone.
"Miss, I overheard them gossiping." Mu Tao said, her face full of worry.
If the young lady is punished upon returning home, she and Muli will also be punished. If the master and mistress are furious, it is possible that they will be sold out of the mansion.
"They can say whatever they want. Let them spread rumors about me all they want. Do they think the Emperor will take a liking to them?"
You Xian'er was fearless. Liu Baokun had only shielded her from falling rocks and hadn't even had any physical contact with her, so she wasn't afraid of what people would say.
Muli brought a comb to prepare to remove the young lady's makeup. "The young lady is right. The emperor didn't show up today, so it's not what we guessed."
"Indeed, the Emperor didn't see anyone today, which shows he's focused on tomorrow's winter hunt."
As she spoke, You Xian'er walked to the bronze mirror and sat down. Her pretty face reflected in the mirror looked somewhat somber.
She forced a smile into the bronze mirror and snorted, "I'm not ugly, but I'll do whatever they want. Tomorrow we'll go watch the Emperor hunt too."
“Yes, we can’t have come all this way for nothing. We have to let the Emperor see us so we can explain things to our master and mistress when we get back.”
You Xian'er treated her two personal maids quite well, and Mu Tao and Mu Li were unwilling to be sold out of the mansion.
The young lady was exceptionally beautiful, and they were certain that the Emperor would be pleased to see her.
In a room not far away, Cui Yudie put down her teacup.
Willow Branch asked, "Does Miss not like this kind of tea?"
Cui Yudie said thoughtfully, "No, I feel like something's not right."
"Miss, you mean..."
"It seems like You Xian'er has been set up." Cui Yudie thought for a moment and voiced her doubts.
Willow catkins and willow branches were stunned. "How is this possible? The palace is guarded everywhere. Who would be so bold?"
Cui Yudie's beautiful eyebrows curved slightly. "Once something happens, it's no longer a matter of possibility. Who else could be capable of orchestrating things within the palace?"
"Princess!"
The two maids gasped softly.
Cui Yudie picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said to Liu Zhi and Liu Xu, "Get up tomorrow morning and pack your things. We're heading back to the city ahead of schedule."
“Miss, this is not a good idea. If we leave early, how will we explain it to the princess?”
"There's nothing to hide. Just say I was playing in the plum garden today and caught a cold. You two just need to know. I'll personally go and say goodbye to the princess tomorrow."
That night, some were filled with anxiety, while others slept soundly.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, two carriages, escorted by guards, left the palace gates.
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