The carriage drove all the way into the inner courtyard of the palace without anyone noticing anything amiss.
Afterwards, Mo Qinghuan felt the carriage come to a stop, so she closed her eyes and pretended to be unconscious.
However, when the man pulled her out, he looked at his companion beside him in confusion. "I remember tying her hands. How come they're untied?"
The two exchanged a look. When they looked at Mo Qinghuan again, they had inhaled the sleeping drug she had used and fell straight to the ground.
Mo Qinghuan jumped off the carriage and looked around. There were only high - walled compounds and no one in sight.
Wait! High - walled compounds? With her back against the wall, she walked towards the courtyard gate. She poked her head out to observe the outside. Several little palace maids were walking past with trays in their hands, whispering something that she couldn't quite hear.
"Why have they brought me to the palace? Could it be revenge for what I said last time about Concubine Li feigning illness?" She immediately thought of this possibility. Besides, she hadn't offended anyone else.
She wanted to get out quickly, but the last time she came, Mu Yanming had led the way. The palace was so big and winding. Without a guide, there was no way she could find her way out.
Just as she was thinking, a lone little palace maid walked towards her.
Mo Qinghuan hid in the corner. When the little palace maid came closer, she stepped forward, intending to grab her by the neck to scare her and make her take her out of the palace.
But unexpectedly, as soon as she stretched out her hand, it was grabbed by the little palace maid, who then quickly twisted her arm behind her back.
Oh no! She had been careless. She didn't expect a little palace maid in the palace to be so formidable.
"You're the divine doctor, aren't you? Don't worry. Our master means you no harm. Come with me."
She gave Mo Qinghuan a push, making sure Mo Qinghuan was within her sight.
When they reached the door of a rather remote palace, the little palace maid opened the door and pushed her in.
"Serve our master well. Maybe you'll be our new mistress tomorrow."
Mo Qinghuan turned around to observe the inside of the room. It was very dark, with hanging silk curtains. She could faintly sense the curling white smoke. However, the fragrance was too strong, making it hard for her to open her eyes.
She turned back and pulled the door. It was locked from the outside.
"How strange! Where is this? Why is there no one here?"
She took two steps inside. Suddenly, she heard a faint noise. She turned around sharply, but there was no one there!
"Yes, come in. Step by step, come in."
A deep voice tempted Mo Qinghuan, and she actually walked further in step by step.
But her remaining consciousness still reminded her that the incense was problematic. She raised her hand to cover her nose and mouth.
She wanted to stop, but suddenly her foot slipped. With a splash, she fell into the pool.
She choked on a few mouthfuls of water but also regained her senses.
Sitting behind the curtain not far away was a person, looking in her direction.
"Who are you?"
The man lifted the curtain and walked over. He squatted by the pool. Mo Qinghuan saw that the man was only wearing his inner robe and had a ghost - faced mask on his face. She subconsciously remembered the man who had saved her from danger that night in Minister Zhang's mansion.
She tentatively asked, "Is it you?"
The man let out a soft laugh. Mo Qinghuan felt that the voice didn't sound right, but she guessed that he might have deliberately altered it.
She quietly stepped back and leaned against the edge of the pool.
The man jumped into the water and walked towards her step by step.
With nowhere to retreat, Mo Qinghuan could only shout, "What do you want?"
The man let out another cold laugh. "Why don't you guess what I want?"
The man walked towards her, took off his outer robe, revealing his strong chest, and brushed his hair behind his head with both hands.
Seeing this, Mo Qinghuan understood the man's intention. So, with a thought, a knife appeared in her hand.
Since they were in the water, the ghost - faced man didn't notice it.
"Don't be afraid. I'll be very gentle." Just as he was about to reach Mo Qinghuan, the knife in Mo Qinghuan's hand under the water, along with the splashing water, reflected a ray of light that shone into the ghost - faced man's eyes.
The man squinted his eyes slightly, showing a dangerous aura.
He waved his hand and splashed the water.
Mo Qinghuan raised her hand to block it. In an instant, her wrist was twisted and pressed against her own neck.
The man's cold voice came from beside her ear. "You'd better not play any tricks."
The man's shadow fell on Mo Qinghuan. Her breathing gradually quickened, and the man looked at her reaction with satisfaction.
Suddenly, a voice came from outside the house. "Master, someone is asking to see you."
The man's expression turned cold. "Don't let them in!"
"But master..."
"Get out!"
Then there was no more sound outside.
At this time, Mo Qinghuan felt as if there was a fire burning inside her body. Her feet felt unsteady, and she almost fell into the water.
The man grabbed her arm, but Mo Qinghuan felt that the place where he touched her actually felt strangely comfortable.
She knew that she was about to lose her balance, so she raised her hand and grabbed the man's shoulder in front of her.
The man's eyes darkened. He leaned forward and pressed down on her.
He lifted the clothes on Mo Qinghuan's shoulder with one hand.
His lips brushed against her snow - white neck. Mo Qinghuan couldn't help but flinch. The ghost - faced man became even more excited. He grabbed Mo Qinghuan's waist, helped her stand up straight, and pressed her against himself.
But the next second, he felt a pain in his neck. Mo Qinghuan had a "strong anesthetic needle" in her hand and stabbed it into his neck.
After injecting it, she saw the ghost - faced man open his eyes wide and fall backwards, crashing heavily into the water.
Mo Qinghuan felt as if fire was about to burst out of her throat. She splashed water on her face. After waking up a bit, she walked towards the man, intending to take off his mask to see what he really looked like. But at this moment, the door was suddenly opened.
A gust of wind blew the silk curtains in the room.
Through the curtains, she saw a figure walking quickly towards her. It looked very much like the person that night, but her consciousness was already beginning to fade.
Before the black - clothed man could reach her side, she had already fallen into the water.
Afterwards, she felt herself being fished out of the water and carried horizontally.
When their skin touched, she involuntarily leaned against him. Her soft lips touched Mu Yanming's neck, and her warm breath blew on his ear.
The man's breath caught in his throat. His eyes darkened. He gave a cold look at the man lying in the water and then carried Mo Qinghuan out of the courtyard.
The nearest place was Concubine Li's courtyard, so Mu Yanming took her there.
"Your Highness, what's going on?"
Mu Yanming let out a cold snort. "Go to Qingtang Garden yourself and see what's happened!"
Concubine Li understood. She ordered the maids to change Mo Qinghuan's clothes and then went to Qingtang Garden herself. She walked in.
She saw a ghost - faced man lying in the water.
She quickly walked over, pretending to be in a panic, and helped the ghost - faced man out.
Then she looked at Mu Yanming. "It was her doing. She fainted this man. She's so bold. Isn't she afraid of the Emperor's punishment?"
Mu Yanming let out a cold snort. "He's wearing a mask, which means he still wants to maintain his dignity. Besides, she doesn't know the identity of this ghost - faced man."
Concubine Li laid the man flat on the ground. She covered her nose with a handkerchief, looking very disgusted. "When will the Emperor change this habit of wearing a mask to do such things? I really don't know who the next victim will be!"