After the turmoil involving the foreign prince, Xiao Yichen, Shen Yifeng, and Empress Chu Yunlan's relationship grew closer, and the harem finally ushered in a period of relative peace.
However, this period of good fortune did not last long. In order to consolidate his family's power in the palace, a powerful official sent his nephew, Xie Lingfeng, into the palace.
Xie Lingfeng was exceptionally handsome and eloquent. Soon after entering the palace, he won the favor of many palace maids and lower-ranking concubines.
He knew that to gain a foothold in the palace, he had to win the Empress's favor.
So he racked his brains to study the empress's preferences and created all sorts of chance encounters and surprises.
Gradually, Chu Yunlan also began to pay more attention to him.
Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng saw through Xie Lingfeng's deep scheming and repeatedly reminded the Empress to be more vigilant.
But Chu Yunlan thought they might be overreacting and didn't take it to heart.
Seeing that the Empress's attitude towards him had softened, Xie Lingfeng became even bolder.
He began to secretly win over some powerful eunuchs and palace maids to form his own clique, attempting to exclude Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng.
At a palace banquet, Xie Lingfeng deliberately plotted to embarrass Xiao Yichen in front of everyone.
Xiao Yichen was caught in an awkward situation, but Shen Yifeng responded cleverly and defused the crisis, which in turn exposed Xie Lingfeng's conspiracy.
Chu Yunlan then realized that her previous indulgence of Xie Lingfeng was a mistake. She felt guilty towards Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng, and at the same time, she was angry at Xie Lingfeng's behavior.
Seeing that things were not going well, Xie Lingfeng attempted to escape from the palace.
However, Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng were prepared and sent men to stop him.
Ultimately, Xie Lingfeng was severely punished, and his family was also implicated.
After this incident, Chu Yunlan's trust in Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng reached a new level.
She knew all too well that in this complicated harem, only the two of them truly cared for her and the peace of the Night Dynasty.
After that, Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng continued to stay by the Empress's side, helping her solve her problems.
With their assistance, Chu Yunlan managed the harem in an orderly manner, and the harem of the Night Dynasty presented a peaceful scene.
After that, the peace in the Ye Dynasty's harem lasted for a long time.
Xiao Yichen, Shen Yifeng, and Empress Chu Yunlan got along harmoniously, and the entire palace was immersed in a warm and peaceful atmosphere.
However, the wheel of fate keeps turning.
A woman named Ye Lan was selected to enter the palace and became the empress's maid.
She was pretty, quick-witted, and efficient, and soon gained the Empress's favor.
But Ye Lan was not satisfied with this; she harbored ambitions and longed to become the Empress's favorite concubine.
She took advantage of her position to frequently perform in front of the Empress, attempting to attract the Empress's attention.
Finally, one day when the Empress encountered a problem while handling state affairs, Ye Lan timely offered a clever suggestion, which made the Empress look at her with new eyes.
Gradually, the Empress began to pay more and more attention to Ye Lan.
This alerted Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng, who noticed that Ye Lan's eyes often revealed an unusual desire and calculation.
Xiao Yichen tried to warn the Empress to be careful of Ye Lan, but the Empress thought he was being too suspicious.
Knowing that Xiao Yichen was wary of her, Ye Lan decided to strike first.
She spread rumors in the palace, saying that Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng were jealous of her favor with the Empress and wanted to frame her.
Upon hearing these rumors, the Empress began to waver slightly.
Shen Yifeng noticed the change in the Empress's attitude and decided to secretly investigate Ye Lan to find incriminating evidence against her.
After some effort, Shen Yifeng discovered that Ye Lan was in contact with a mysterious person outside the palace.
One night, Shen Yifeng followed Ye Lan and finally discovered her secret meeting with that person.
It turns out that Ye Lan was a spy sent by hostile forces with the aim of disrupting the harem and influencing the Empress's decisions.
Shen Yifeng told the Empress all this, and the Empress suddenly realized the truth and felt guilty for her previous misunderstanding.
She immediately ordered Ye Lan to be imprisoned, while praising Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng for their loyalty.
After this ordeal, the Empress cherished Xiao Yichen and Shen Yifeng's companionship and support even more, and the three of them became even more determined to protect the peace of the Night Dynasty's harem.
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