A flicker of unease crossed He Hui's face, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a smile.
"It's nothing serious. I'll just have the imperial physician take a look when I get back."
She turned around and limped in the direction of the palace.
The maid rushed after her anxiously, stomping her feet.
"Your Ladyship, if you go back like this, your leg might be ruined. Oh, wait for this maid, or I'll go find someone to carry you back."
"Forget it. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor already don't like me. If I act so delicate, and the news gets to their ears, they'll misunderstand me again. Well, let's not cause any more trouble."
For some reason, when Ji Huang heard He Hui say this, he felt a pang of heartache, as if he was in the same situation as before.
He blurted out involuntarily, "Let me escort Your Ladyship back. No one would dare say anything because of my status."
After he realized what he had said, he felt a twinge of regret. But the words were already out, and it was too late to take them back.
Especially when he saw the expectant look in the woman's eyes.
"Would it really be okay to trouble Your Highness?"
"Of course."
Just like that, the news that the prince carried a concubine in the harem back to the palace spread like wildfire. Almost everyone in the palace knew about it.
For a while, the palace was abuzz with rumors.
However, the two people at the center of the rumors didn't seem to have any intention of explaining.
"Your Ladyship should rest your foot more. I'll have the imperial physician send some medicine later."
"Thank you, Your Highness. I'll definitely visit to express my gratitude another day."
"Let's talk about it after Your Ladyship recovers."
Ji Huang knew that what he did today was inappropriate. After some thought, he decided to explain it to his mother.
But when he reached the gate of the Palace of Longevity and Health, he was stopped.
"The Empress Dowager is unwell today and is not suitable to receive guests. Your Highness, please come another time."
He opened his mouth, hesitating to speak.
"I just want to tell my mother something. It won't take long."
"Your Highness, please go back first, no matter how important your words are. The Empress Dowager hasn't been sleeping well recently."
Since the words had been said to this extent.
Ji Huang could only nod dejectedly.
He stood not far from the Palace of Longevity and Health, feeling melancholy. It seemed that he hadn't had a good conversation with his mother for a long time.
He wondered if she would be angry if she knew that he was involved with a concubine in the harem.
Just as he turned around to leave, a familiar figure suddenly appeared at the gate of the Palace of Longevity and Health.
A flash of surprise crossed his eyes. Did his mother hear his voice and get up?
But he was disappointed in the end.
Shi Muyuan walked in a hurry towards the imperial study without even saying a word.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Ji Huang's eyes. He tried to soothe his emotions.
"Maybe my aunt hasn't had the chance to tell my mother yet. With so many important things happening recently, it's better to focus on them first."
But these words could only comfort himself.
After a few days, these comforting words didn't work anymore.
Because Shi Muyuan hadn't come to find him for several days. Instead, he received the news that the person he was longing for had gone to the imperial study several times.
Ji Huang really didn't know where he had gone wrong.
Obviously, he and his elder brother were both his mother's sons.
Why did his mother never seem to pay attention to him?
Was it just because his elder brother was the emperor?
He really couldn't figure out what was wrong.
As night fell, he came to the Cold Palace alone. Looking at the plaque that seemed about to be blown off by the wind, he bit his lower lip.
Actually, few people in the palace knew that the Cold Palace had become a haven for him, this prince.
On every quiet night when he was troubled and didn't know where to go, this place became his last refuge.
After winding through the corridors, he came to the inner room. Looking at the room that he had tidied up himself, he felt a momentary sense of relaxation.
After a few cups of strong liquor, he felt dizzy and started talking incoherently.
"What's wrong with me? Mother, we are both your sons. Is it just because my elder brother became the emperor? I can do it too, but you didn't allow it back then."
In a daze, he seemed to see a beautiful figure walking towards him.
The figure sighed and said, "Why torture yourself like this? It's not worth it. You should know that there are more things in this world for you to seek."
"Is it you? I'm so depressed, but I don't know who to tell."
"Then you can tell me. I'll always listen to you, even if no one else in the world will."
"Is what you said true?"
Under the candlelight, behind the screen, the two figures got closer and closer, and finally the curtain fluttered.
When Ji Huang woke up, he felt his whole body ache as if he had been drained of strength. He stared blankly at everything around him. "Did I get drunk?"
"Your Highness, I respected you so much, but how could you do such a heinous thing? I'm your sister - in - law. Don't you even understand the principle that a brother's wife is off - limits?"
Following the crying sound, Ji Huang was surprised to see an unexpected person.
In his whole life, he had never encountered such a ridiculous thing before. For a moment, he was at a loss.
"Your Ladyship? Why are you here? And why are you in the same bed with me?"
He Hui buried her head in her arms, clutching her clothes tightly, crying heart - rendingly.
"This should be my question to Your Highness. I've known this place for a long time. I just came here to relax because I've been having a rough time recently. I didn't expect that as soon as you saw me come in, you... you did such a thing to me. How can I live on? I might as well just die."
She got up and was about to crash into the pillar beside her. Ji Huang quickly blocked her with his body.
"Your Ladyship, don't be so impulsive. Let me sort things out."
As he said, his eyes fell on the place where He Hui had just been sitting. The bright red plum blossom on it was shocking.
He had always been self - disciplined and strict with himself in order to meet his mother's standards.
He never thought that he would lose his innocence in such a ridiculous situation.
He Hui pretended not to see his gaze. "Just let me die. Now that I've lost my most important virtue as a woman, even if the Empress Dowager and the Emperor know that it wasn't my fault, I can't live on."
"Don't panic. I definitely won't ignore this. I don't remember what happened last night because I was drunk. But Your Ladyship, rest assured. Since the thing has already happened, I definitely won't let it go like this. My mother taught me the responsibility and courage of a man since I was a child. I definitely won't abandon you."