The banquet formally began.
The sound of silk and bamboo music rose from the center of the great hall, and dancing girls in light gauze costumes danced along with the music.
Palace maids began serving the main courses one after another.
Gong Xiaohua only then realized that what she had eaten earlier was merely the appetizer.
Regardless of how good or bad the food on the table tasted, the serving dishes were either made of jade or gold. Looking at them, Gong Xiaohua didn't even dare take any food for fear of damaging something that would cost more than she was worth to replace.
Today she truly witnessed the extravagance and luxury of the royal nobility.
Midway through drinking, the etiquette in the hall faded away as people began wandering around and chatting on their own.
Gong Xiaohua had originally wanted to toast the princess and then take her leave, but there was a constant crowd surrounding the princess, so she had to give up on that idea.
On the other side, Lin Yueru’s personal maid Cui Xi came to her and whispered softly in her ear, “My lady, everything has been arranged properly.”
“Very good, you may go now,” replied Lin Yueru.
“Yes, my lady.”
Oblivious to the impending danger, Gong Xiaohua had left the great hall and sat alone in a pavilion outside.
Unlike earlier, the pavilion was now quiet without the previous commotion. Other than her, there were only some palace maids and eunuchs standing guard.
It was rare to be able to enjoy such beautiful scenery and tranquility by herself.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, ah, the scent of freedom and happiness.
Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise. She felt grateful to have transmigrated to this land where she could have a warm home.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded from outside the pavilion. Gong Xiaohua opened her eyes to look in the direction of the sound.
The visitor turned out to be Qin Chuyuan, the fifth young master of the Qin family whom she hadn’t seen in a while.
“Young Master Qin,” Gong Xiaohua greeted him first.
Qin Chuyuan gave a slight acknowledgment.
He strode directly into the pavilion and sat down casually across from her. He poured himself a cup of tea and slowly began drinking it, completely ignoring proper etiquette.
The atmosphere turned awkwardly quiet, so Gong Xiaohua raised her own teacup toward him in a toast and said, “Thank you again for speaking up for me earlier.”
Qin Chuyuan seemed startled. He lifted the teacup and took a sip, which served as his response. “It was nothing,” he said.
The two lapsed into silence again.
Time slowly ticked by as Gong Xiaohua drank cup after cup of tea.
She didn't know why, but she felt a fire raging wildly within her body with nowhere to vent her frustration.
Suddenly, Gong Xiaohua grabbed Qin Chuyuan by the left hand. His entire face instantly turned bright red.
He tried to pull his hand away but found his efforts futile.
“Miss Gong, there are people watching, this is not proper,” Qin Chuyuan said nervously.
But before he could finish speaking, he felt a strange warmth from her hand on his. Her touch nearly burned him.
He watched as she pressed his hand against her cheek while her face flushed deeply red, her eyes glazed over as if she had been drugged with a strong aphrodisiac.
What was going on here? He had already switched out the aphrodisiac that Lin Yueru had slipped her to drink. How could she still be drugged?
Qin Chuyuan muttered to himself, asking the heavens for twenty military beatings as punishment when he returned.
A voice from the sky responded with “Yes.”
“Please ask sister to come to the side hall of Zhaoyang Palace,” Qin Chuyuan said. Then he supported Gong Xiaohua as they made their way to the side hall to avoid running into anyone else.
In the main hall of Zhaoyang Palace, a maid whom Lin Yueru did not recognize suddenly came before her and curtsied. “Miss Lin, Young Master Qin has asked me to invite you to meet with him,” said the maid.
What perfect timing. She had wanted to look for Qin Chuyuan to show him a good spectacle. She was just thinking that she lacked a proper reason to do so, yet unexpectedly he took the initiative to summon her.
Lin Yueru followed behind the palace maid, making lefts and rights until they reached a more and more secluded area.
Sensing something amiss, she halted in her tracks, and the maid leading the way also stopped upon realizing the missing footsteps. “Miss Lin, is something wrong?” asked the maid.
“Are you certain Young Master Qin is asking for me?”
“Of course.”
“Then would you kindly tell me why Young Master Qin wants me to meet him in such a deserted place? I believe you were sent by someone else, not by Young Master Qin. Speak, who sent you?”
“Miss Lin jests so wittily. Naturally, Young Master Qin chose this discreet location because he has an important matter to discuss privately with you. The fewer people who know about it, the safer it is. Please hurry along, Miss Lin, otherwise Young Master Qin might leave if you keep him waiting too long.”
Staring at the maid up ahead while torn by the desire to see Qin Chuyuan, Lin Yueru ultimately relented and continued following the other girl.
The moment the palace maid in front halted, Lin Yueru blacked out before she could ask why they had stopped.
When Lin Yueru regained consciousness, she found herself in bed, surrounded by a group of people who had burst into the room and caught her and the Sixth Prince in an adulterous affair.
The pair had been deep asleep amidst torn clothes scattered all over the floor. Judging from the bruises covering the exposed parts of Lin Yueru’s skin, one could imagine the earlier intensity of their lovemaking.
Some of those present blushed in embarrassment and hurried away.
“How disgraceful,” came an enraged roar that jolted the couple awake. Lin Yueru let out a shriek before fainting again.
“Daughter!” Lin Yueru’s mother cried out and rushed to wrap her arms around her daughter, shielding most of Lin Yueru’s body from view.
In contrast, the Sixth Prince reacted more calmly. He hastily grabbed a coat lying on the bed and slipped it on to cover himself. Then he casually climbed off the bed and knelt before His Majesty the King. “Father,” he addressed the king.
“Revive her and then bring them to the great hall after they have tidied up,” ordered the king before departing.
After the Sixth Prince and Lin Yueru were properly dressed, they were brought to the great hall where dead silence filled the air.
The Third Prince’s scheme today had succeeded beautifully. The daughter of the Minister of War from the Lin family would become his consort, inevitably tipping the Lin family’s support toward his faction.
With military might on his side, his chances of competing for the throne were bolstered tremendously.
Upon entering the great hall, the Sixth Prince immediately knelt down, an aggrieved look upon his face. He pleaded to the king, “Father, I have been wrongfully accused. Your son lacks tolerance for liquor and only wished to rest somewhere. I fell asleep unexpectedly and then...then... Please investigate this matter thoroughly, Father!”
All the way until they reached the great hall, Lin Yueru was still wondering where things had gone wrong. She clearly remembered Gong Xiaohua drinking the drugged wine and committing adultery with the Sixth Prince. Then she brought a group along to catch them in the act. So why was she now the one caught sleeping with the Sixth Prince instead?
Observing the contemptuous stares from the crowd, she remained indifferent at heart, preoccupied by only one thought—where was Gong Xiaohua?
Yet when Lin Yueru entered the great hall and saw Gong Xiaohua safe and changed into new attire, something inside her snapped completely.
