So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

In the first year of the new emperor's reign, envoys from various countries had already arrived in the capital one after another.

Today is New Year's Eve banquet. The palace is brightly lit and bustling with activity. Elders and noble families gather in the Imperial Garden to celebrate until dawn.

The war in the south was still in the negotiation stage. After the internal turmoil in Shangliang was quelled, Daxia occupied Yanmen Pass. On New Year's Eve, when the war was initially settled, every household kept their doors tightly closed.

However, the capital city under the emperor's feet was bustling and luxurious during the New Year, with lanterns and trees, and joyous sounds everywhere under the city gate.

Regardless of their infighting and decadent lifestyles, the high-ranking officials, nobles, and civil and military officials of the capital all gathered at the Hall of Supreme Harmony to congratulate the new emperor and celebrate the magnificent Xia Dynasty in this prosperous and splendid era.

The palace was brightly lit, and the envoys would occasionally raise their cups to the imperial throne, which was inlaid with precious stones and pearls.

The man sitting above lazily watched the commotion below, listening to his ministers discuss the southern war and the emperor's offspring. He swirled the wine cup in his hand, his lowered expression gloomy and deep.

As the wine flowed freely, Xiao Zhiliu put her arm around Wei Rongxuan's shoulder and sat down with him, teasingly whispering in his ear, "What's wrong, Your Majesty? You seem to be in a bad mood."

Wei Rongxuan smelled the alcohol on him, pushed him away in disgust, and raised his chin, saying, "Your fiancée is here to see you."

Xiao Zhiliu's fiancée is a noblewoman from a prominent family in Lingnan. She grew up in the capital and has a dignified and elegant personality as well as a superior appearance.

"Is Young Master Xiao hiding here to avoid seeing me?"

The cheerful voice made Xiao Zhiliu straighten up, look at her, and say with a smile, "I just saw Miss Gu enjoying herself with her sisters in the Imperial Garden, so I didn't disturb her."

Gu Ling chuckled, "Yun Nuan and I went to pay our respects to the Empress Dowager first. On our way out, we just passed through the Imperial Garden. My aunt told me that Young Master Xiao is going to lead troops in the southwest after the New Year?"

"With the southern campaign imminent, the wedding has been postponed for a month or two. I hope Miss Gu will understand."

Seeing his refusal, Gu Ling smiled but remained silent, a flash of coldness crossing her eyes.

She observed a year of mourning for her grandfather, during which time she heard many stories about his romantic affairs. She learned that he had a favored concubine in his household who had been whipped, and that people would laugh at her at every banquet.

"I just had some wine, and I'm feeling a bit dizzy. Could you please take me to a private room to rest?"

Seeing her flushed face, Xiao Zhiliu lifted her foot and said, "Let's go."

Moonlight streamed through the main hall, and Ning Yu, dressed in a simple dress, emerged from a side hall. The night was deep and the dew heavy. She wore the fur coat that Qingfeng had given her at the foot of the cliff that day, which covered her thin body.

Since being brought back to the palace, she had been locked in Changxin Palace and was not very familiar with the palace layout.

From the direction of the distant main hall came the sounds of singing and dancing, and Ning Yu looked towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony through the luxurious and magnificent pavilions.

During this traditionally joyous festival, brilliant lights illuminated the entire palace.

The auspicious time for the night banquet was approaching. The palace servants carrying lanterns passed through the palace gates, decorating the emperor's exit route like sparkling pearls, waiting for the bells to ring so that the new emperor would lead his civil and military officials to the gates to offer sacrifices and pay homage to Heaven.

The shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" echoed throughout the imperial court. Ning Yu lowered her eyes, walked around the palace gate, and followed the sound towards the viewing tower.

Each palace gate was heavily guarded, and the easiest way to leave the palace was to blend in with the Donghu envoys.

She had to deal with the guards and the checks at the palace gates one by one. Her most important task now was to find out which palace gate was the least guarded and where it would be easy to sneak out.

Along the way, palace servants and eunuchs were busy carrying trays. The head eunuch led the envoys who came to deliver tribute toward the treasure pavilion, and their flattering and sharp voices mingled with the faint sound of the wind.

Ning Yu and the others had all passed by before emerging from the bushes and turning in the opposite direction.

The guards outside the viewing tower were all slacking off and drinking at night. Ning Yu pried open the lock and easily slipped inside, climbing the circular steps to the top of the tower.

The stairs to the observation deck were very long; it took her about half an incense stick's time to climb them before she finally came up, panting.

The roofs of the tall buildings are covered with glazed tiles, and palace servants clean them every day. Leaning on the railings, you can see the bustling city lights outside the palace.

The bright moonlight streamed in gently. Ning Yu stood under the eaves, gazing out towards the palace. She took out a bone flute from her bosom, which she had found in a side hall pavilion.

The penetrating sound of the xiao flute echoed softly in the magnificent and extravagant palace hall. The sounds of the celebratory banquet drowned out the ordinary melody, and no one noticed a carrier pigeon flying in from the eaves behind the roof.

After the sacrificial ceremony, the new emperor disappeared, and everyone hurriedly came down from the high building.

At the New Year's Day banquet, Xie Xun drank quite a bit of wine and then went straight back to Changxin Palace.

He bypassed the side hall and looked at the unlit inner palace, his expression cold and indifferent.

The person inside was as still as if dead, without making the slightest sound. Xie Xun stood at the entrance of the side hall for a while, resisting the urge to kick it in, and returned to his main hall.

The hall was deserted. The lively atmosphere of the past few days and nights could not mask the lack of human presence in the hall. Xie Xun rubbed his forehead, sat on the soft couch, and leaned slightly to pick up the unfinished sachet from the embroidery basket.

The image that he couldn't shake off tormented him night after night. He lay back on the soft couch, his eyes slightly closed.

"Your Majesty~"

"Xie Xun, are you crazy? Let go!"

I want to kiss her, I want to hold her while we sleep, I want to kill her in bed.

"Meow meow---"

The fox-cat outside the hall was scratching at the door with its little paws, its round eyes looking incredibly cute.

This cat lives in the warm pavilion and is served by special people. It is very mischievous and darted out again in a flash. When the palace servants who came looking for the cat saw it running to Changxin Palace, they quickly ran over and picked it up.

What a stupid cat, daring to meow here, isn't it afraid of provoking a tiger?

The cat in her arms started acting up again. The palace servants, unaware that the emperor had returned and entered the main hall, began to scold the cat from outside, pressing it tightly against their chests and reprimanding it a few times.

Hearing the commotion outside, Xie Xun, who was inside the hall, opened his eyes.

The palace servants didn't even hear the door open. Suddenly, they looked up and saw a tall, aloof figure in the corridor, wearing a dark black cloak. Even a simple glance was enough to convey the chilling power of someone who held the power of life and death.

She was startled and quickly knelt down, covering the cat's mouth as it cried out.

After His Majesty finished the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, he should have gone to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager and watched a grand opera together. Why is he in Changxin Hall?

A pair of black boots stopped in front of her, and the restless cat broke free from her grasp. She didn't dare to reach out and grab it, and just as she was getting anxious, she saw the man bend down, pick up the fox cat, and head towards the side hall.

She paused for a moment, then, as the cold wind blew against her sweat-soaked back, she quickly got up and left.

The palace was bustling with the New Year celebrations, but the side hall seemed isolated; there were no candles lit inside, and her voice could not be heard.

Xie Xun put the cat on the ground, patted its body, and gestured for it to push the door open and go inside.

The silly cat didn't understand what he meant and kept trying to snuggle into his arms.

Xie Xun frowned, picked him up by the neck and went up the steps. He walked to the latticed window, pried it open a couple of times, and threw the stupid cat inside.

There was no one in the hall. Qinghe had recovered somewhat, and since it was the New Year, she wanted to cook something delicious for her young mistress, so she quietly slipped into the kitchen.

There was no movement inside for a long time; you could not even hear breathing, only the meowing of the silly cat.

Xie Xun squinted, as if he had thought of something. He immediately kicked open the door and strode in. He looked around but didn't see anyone, and his face immediately darkened.