"Xiao Chengkang... Xiao Chengkang!" Empress Lin gritted her teeth as she uttered the name, her eyes flashing with resentment and madness. "It's all his fault! It's all this southern barbarian's doing behind the scenes! Without him, that bitch Xi Lingyuan would be nothing! She wouldn't have been able to find anything!" She slammed the jade ruyi in her hand to the ground, shattering it into pieces.
"Your Majesty, please calm down!" Lin Mama, the trusted nanny, quickly stepped forward. "That Young Master Xiao... seems to be the Princess's darling. This old servant sees that the two of them have a deep affection for each other."
"Her heart's flesh?" Empress Lin smiled coldly, her twisted face like a venomous snake. "Very well! I'll cut out her heart's flesh! Let her taste the agony of unbearable pain!" A vicious scheme took shape in her mind.
At this moment, the personal maid, Xiyu, watched Lin Mama and the Empress's conspiracy without daring to speak. The last time the Empress had asked her to plot against Xilingyuan, Xiyu had already grasped Xilingyuan's intelligence and strength. Moreover, with the assistance of the Prince Jing's heir, it was like adding wings to a tiger.
A few days later, a dancer named "Lüyi" was "accidentally" assigned to the palace maids responsible for cleaning and sweeping the Listening Bamboo Garden, like a carefully wrapped gift. Lüyi was charming and beautiful, with a graceful figure, especially her pair of expressive eyes that seemed to hold unspoken words.
She deliberately created "chance encounters" with Xiao Chengkang: she "accidentally" dropped her handkerchief when he was practicing swordsmanship in the morning; she sang a sweet little tune outside his study; and even when he was feeding the fish alone by the lotus pond, she "stumbled" into the water, the wet gauze outlining her graceful curves, and she cried for help pitifully.
Xiao Chengkang's reaction greatly disappointed Lüyi and Empress Lin, who was secretly observing. He remained indifferent, his eyes clear and unwavering. The handkerchief was picked up and returned by the eunuch; he ignored the folk song; as for falling into the water? He simply instructed the guard beside him, "Save the person." He then turned and left without even lingering for a moment.
"Useless trash! Useless thing!" Empress Lin trembled with rage in the shadows.
When one plan failed, Empress Lin devised another treacherous scheme. She ordered her men to keep a close watch on Qiwu Palace and Tingzhu Garden, finally waiting for an opportunity when Xiao Chengkang was summoned by Xi Linghao for a meeting and A Yuan was admiring the flowers in the Imperial Garden. She immediately ordered her trusted nanny to deliver a sachet and an "urgent letter" to Tingzhu Garden in A Yuan's name. The letter contained only a few hastily written words: "Hefeng Pavilion, come quickly, danger is imminent!"
As soon as Xiao Chengkang stepped out of the Imperial Study, he received the sachet and letter. Upon seeing the familiar Qiwu Palace mark and A Yuan's hasty handwriting, his expression changed drastically! Knowing that A Yuan was in danger, he had no doubts and immediately abandoned his attendants, using his lightness skill to rush towards the Lotus Breeze Pavilion in the Imperial Garden with great anxiety!
Lotus Breeze Pavilion was secluded and rarely visited. When Xiao Chengkang arrived, the pavilion was empty, except for a cup of still-warm tea on the stone table, emitting a faint, almost imperceptible fragrance. Concerned for A-Yuan's safety, he was about to search the area when suddenly a strange heat rose from his lower abdomen, instantly engulfing his entire body! His vision blurred and his breathing became rapid and hot!
"Oh no! We've fallen for their trap!" Xiao Chengkang instantly realized that there was something wrong with the tea! It was an extremely potent aphrodisiac! He forcefully circulated his internal energy to suppress it, trying to rush out of the pavilion, but the drug's effects were exceptionally strong, like a wildfire that instantly overwhelmed his rational defenses! His body burned, his vision blurred, and a primal, uncontrollable desire raged through his nerves!
Just then, Lüyi, who had been pre-arranged and was only draped in a thin veil, emerged from behind the pavilion pillar like a water snake. Her eyes were alluring, and with a triumphant smile, she swayed her hips and pressed herself against the tense and swaying Xiao Chengkang: "Your Highness... let this servant serve you..."
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