After the incident involving Concubine Xue, the emperor gradually lost interest in women. As he aged, he came to feel that his former concubines were more reliable. Therefore, he either devoted himself to state affairs or spent the night with the high - ranking concubines.
After the court session ended today, the emperor kept the crown prince and three other princes. "Accompany me to shoot arrows today!"
The emperor was in high spirits. After the archery, father and sons drank together until late at night. They didn't disperse until the emperor was fully satisfied.
By the time Zhongli Mingye returned to his prince's mansion, Song Jinyu was already asleep. Remembering that there were still several secret letters to read, he went straight to the study.
Just as he was troubled by the matters in the secret letters, he suddenly heard the door open. Thinking it was Song Jinyu coming in, he gave a gentle smile.
"My love, are you here to let me coax you to sleep?"
However, the person who came didn't answer. Instead, they walked gently towards him. Before the person even reached him, Zhongli Mingye smelled an unusual fragrance, which was not the scent on Song Jinyu.
"Get out!"
Without even bothering to raise his eyes, he knew what was going on.
The scene from this morning was still vivid in his mind. Since she was Song Jinyu's dowry maid, he hadn't bothered to deal with her.
But now, she actually pulled this stunt in the middle of the night!
His face was cold and stern. He didn't even want to take a look.
Fang Ai was only wearing a thin undergarment. Naturally, she was shivering all over in the winter, looking extremely pitiful. She shivered as she looked at Prince Yu sitting upright on the chair.
That man was handsome and imposing. Even if, even if, she could only be his concubine, Fang Ai still thought her whole life would be worth it!
Unfortunately, before her hand could even touch Zhongli Mingye's sleeve.
She only heard the howling of the wind in her ears, and then she was sent flying. She didn't even have time to let out a scream before she crashed into the door.
Hearing the noise, Xing Jian rushed over. There was blood trickling from the corner of Fang Ai's mouth, and she looked like she was no longer alive.
"Your Highness, please forgive me!" He had just been called away, and this incident had happened. Xing Jian knew he was responsible and knelt on the ground, asking for punishment.
"Go and receive the flogging on your own!" Xing Jian took the order and left.
"Wait. First, clean this up." He shook his sleeve in disgust and left the study. From beginning to end, he didn't even glance at the corpse on the ground.
Song Jinyu slept soundly all night. It was cold in winter, so she was even more reluctant to get out of bed. Fortunately, the servants in the mansion were extremely considerate. The instructing maids bestowed by the palace hadn't entered the inner courtyard. So, Song Jinyu could sleep as long as she wanted, unless there was something going on in the palace.
"Eh?"
"Fang Rui, what's wrong with you today?" Song Jinyu saw Fang Rui looking listless and asked with concern. "Your Highness, please forgive me."
Then, Fang Rui told her what had happened last night. Song Jinyu was silent for a while. "Is the prince angry?"
Her maid had actually had such inappropriate thoughts. She was afraid Zhongli Mingye must be very angry. He had always been a clean - freak and disliked people entering his study the most.
"Fang Rui, get up first. There's nothing I can do about this."
"As for Fang Ai, you should know the prince's temper." Judging from Zhongli Mingye's attitude, she was afraid Fang Ai was already dead.
After breakfast, Song Jinyu waited for Zhongli Mingye. "Why didn't I see you last night?"
He thought she was going to ask about Fang Ai, but instead, she was questioning where he had slept. "I held you in my arms all night, and you didn't even notice?"
After leaving the study, he went to the bedroom to rest. Holding that soft body, he had a good and sound sleep.
She blushed. "How would I know!"
"Alas, Princess, you really sleep too soundly." After saying that, he leaned closer to her. "How can I sleep well without holding you?"
The two of them were joking around and completely forgot about the unexpected incident last night. Song Jinyu forgot about it completely. Only Niaoniao and a few others knew what had happened to Fang Ai.
Fang Rui was a bit sad. She had tried to persuade Fang Ai many times. Now, Fang Ai was missing, neither alive nor dead. She felt more and more panicked. Since that day, Niaoniao had been more on guard against her.
So, Fang Rui gradually stopped showing up in the bedroom.
Song Jinyu sighed secretly. Except for Niaoniao, all the servants around her were now Zhongli Mingye's shadow guards. There was nothing she could do. It was just that the maids around her were not capable enough.
"Niaoniao, my dear Niaoniao, you're the only one left for me!"
Niaoniao smiled and patted the princess on the shoulder. "Your Highness, the prince dotes on you, so he sent those people to serve you."
"Alright!"
"If you ever figure it out one day, I'll definitely find a good family for you." Loving you, caring for you, and understanding you. Song Jinyu held Niaoniao's hand. Their relationship as mistress and maid was even closer than that of sisters. "Miss," Niaoniao still liked to call her Miss, "please don't persuade me anymore. I'm willing to become a nun and accompany you for the rest of my life, watching you give birth to little princes and princesses."
The more she heard, the sadder Song Jinyu became. She hugged Niaoniao. "Promise me to let the pain fade away, okay?"
"Okay!"
Late at night, in the Eastern Palace.
In the side hall of Enyi Hall, Chen Mingzhu was only wearing a single - layer dress as she looked at the cold face in front of her. Her heart gradually came back to life. "A Feng!"
"I didn't expect you were still alive!"
The man called A Feng remained unmoved. He still maintained his stiff posture. "Since I heard the news of your death, my heart has gone with you." Chen Mingzhu suddenly stepped forward, trying to hold A Feng's hand, but was harshly shaken off. "Please keep your distance from this general, Crown Princess."
"When did we become so distant and polite?" They had once been lovers. Chen Feng was a distant - branch son of the Chen family. He had gone to the battlefield earlier and never returned. And Chen Mingzhu had married into the Crown Prince's Mansion because of her father's order.
Unable to bear seeing her cry, Chen Feng said coldly, "Crown Princess, please take care of yourself."
"This general, this general will protect you for the rest of your life." Protecting her for life was all the promise and affection he had for Chen Mingzhu.
Their love had always been a forbidden one. They were from the same Chen family. Even though they had no blood relation, in the eyes of outsiders, it was not allowed.
So Chen Feng had gone to the battlefield and "died"!
Chen Mingzhu was extremely disappointed. Now that her lover had come back from the dead, there was no possibility for them anymore.
But love was something she couldn't give up.
She hugged him tightly. "A Feng, A Feng!" Chen Mingzhu's voice was hoarse, and it made Chen Feng feel extremely uncomfortable.
This scene fell into the eyes of the maid beside the Crown Princess. The maid quietly left the side hall and disappeared.
Zhongli Mingye received the news. A sarcastic smile appeared on his lips. "Let the Crown Princess have a good reunion with her old lover."
He had put a lot of effort into finding Chen Feng and sending him to the Eastern Palace earlier.
Now, Chen Feng had indeed lived up to his expectations. He really had a past relationship with Chen Mingzhu. Now that they were reuniting, who knew what interesting things would happen.
The Crown Prince always had an interest in the emperor's women.
Now, if his own Crown Princess were to meet her lover right under his nose, how would he deal with the situation?
Zhongli Mingye looked at his palm and smiled quietly.