Even after the banquet ended, Changchun Palace remained brightly lit.
The Empress sat upright in the warm pavilion, holding a cup of hot tea in her hands, but her gaze kept drifting towards the palace gate.
She had assumed the Emperor would come to Changchun Palace tonight, since it was New Year's Eve and according to ancestral custom, the Emperor should spend the night with the Empress.
However, half an hour passed, and the outside of the palace remained quiet, with only the occasional sound of the cold wind whistling through the window lattices.
Seeing the Empress's somber expression, Wang Mama gently advised, "Your Majesty, the Emperor is busy with state affairs; perhaps he has been preoccupied with matters of the previous dynasty."
"Don't overthink it. At today's banquet, His Majesty treated you with the utmost courtesy, and all the princes and ministers noticed."
The Empress gave a bitter smile, her fingertips gently tracing the edge of the teacup: "Granny, today is New Year's Eve, can't he even give me this much face?" Her voice carried a hint of weariness and helplessness.
Wang Mama quickly comforted her, "Your Majesty, you are the Empress, your position is secure and unshakeable. Although the Emperor has not come, everyone in the court knows your majesty and honor. Please rest assured, taking care of your health is the most important thing."
The Empress nodded slightly, her heartache eased a little, but then she thought that she was already thirty-eight years old, and if she could not give birth to a prince, she might never have the chance again in her life.
Thinking of this, her brows furrowed again, and she sighed softly, "If only I could have a child, this palace wouldn't be so desolate..."
---
Inside Yikun Palace, Consort Nian sat dejectedly in front of her dressing table. Her face in the bronze mirror was haggard, and she no longer had her former radiance.
She stared at herself in the mirror, her fingers unconsciously twisting the handkerchief, her heart filled with resentment and unwillingness.
"Your Highness, please rest early. You must be tired from the banquet today," the palace maid advised cautiously.
Consort Nian sneered: "Tired? What do I have to be tired of now? I'm nothing but a laughing stock for others."
She recalled Lin Yun's composed and elegant demeanor at the banquet, and her hatred intensified.
"If I had a child..." Her voice was barely audible, and a hint of loneliness flashed in her eyes.
The palace is a lonely place; perhaps having a child to keep you company can offer some solace.
But now, she can't even see the emperor, so how can she have children?
--
Inside Yanxi Palace, Lin Yun took off her heavy auspicious robes and changed into a light everyday outfit as soon as she returned to her bedchamber.
She rubbed her sore neck and smiled at Chunlan, "Go and ask the kitchen if there's any food left. We were so busy going through the motions at the banquet that we didn't eat much, and now we're starving."
Chunlan smiled and said, "Your Highness, please wait a moment. This servant will go and prepare it right away." Before long, Chunlan and Xiahe brought over a bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup. Granny Li also added a few side dishes.
Lin Yun's eyes lit up, and she took the bowl and chopsticks and began to eat.
"Your Highness, please slow down, be careful not to burn yourself." Granny Li looked at her with loving eyes, her heart full of concern.
After finishing her noodles, Lin Yun felt refreshed.
She stretched and said to everyone, "You've all worked hard today, so please get some rest."
After washing up, she lay on the bed, gazing at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting back to the Emperor's profound gaze at the banquet.
She sighed softly, turned over, and forced herself to stop thinking about it.
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Yongzheng stood alone by the window, gazing at the dark night sky.
Recalling the amazed looks those princes and ministers had given Lin Yun earlier, he felt a surge of irritation.
"These guys are incredibly audacious!" he sneered.
Yun'er is his woman, how could he allow others to covet her? But today is New Year's Eve, if he goes directly to Yanxi Palace, he will inevitably attract criticism.
Thinking about this made him even more depressed.
In her previous life, Ulanara caused Lady Nian to lose three children, and even the only prince she raised to the age of eight died young.
In this life, although he tried his best to avoid the tragedy from repeating itself, he still felt extremely disgusted by the scheming and infighting among the women in the harem.
"Yun'er..." he murmured in his heart, his longing for her growing wildly like weeds.
Finally, he said to the guards beside him, "Prepare your night clothes, I'm going to Yanxi Palace."
The guards obeyed and quickly prepared clothes for him.
Emperor Yongzheng changed into night clothes and, accompanied by two trusted bodyguards, quietly left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
The night was deep and the wind was biting cold.
As Yongzheng walked on the bluestone slabs, he felt as if he had gone mad.
At the back gate of Yanxi Palace, a bodyguard had been waiting for a long time.
Upon seeing the Emperor arrive, he whispered, "Your Majesty, everything has been arranged properly, and no one has noticed."
Yongzheng nodded, gently pushed open the back door, and slipped inside.
The Yanxi Palace was completely silent, with only a few palace lanterns emitting a faint light.
He navigated the corridors with practiced ease and arrived outside Lin Yun's bedroom.
Inside the hall, Lin Yun had just fallen asleep, her breathing even and gentle.
Yongzheng stood in front of the bed, gazing at her sleeping face in the dim light.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly like butterfly wings, and a faint smile lingered on her lips, as if she were having a beautiful dream.
He couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke her cheek, whispering, "Yun'er, I've come."
Lin Yun seemed to sense something, and opened her eyes groggily. When she saw the figure in front of the bed, she instantly woke up.
She sat up in surprise: "Your Majesty? What's wrong...?"
Yongzheng covered her mouth and whispered, "Shh, don't disturb anyone."
He sat down by the bed, took her hand, and said, "I missed you, so I came to see you."
Yongzheng raised his hand to caress her cheek, his thumb stroking her soft lips, his eyes deep and frightening.
"Yun'er..." he whispered, then suddenly leaned down and kissed her. The kiss was filled with a long-suppressed desire, domineering yet tender, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
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