After getting married, she spent every night alone in her room; when she asked for a divorce, he kne

Liu Yuansheng was taken aback upon hearing this, and turned to look at Xiao Jinghan.

Xiao Jinghan held her firmly, and when he saw her looking at him, he raised an eyebrow at her.

His eyes shone brightly under the starlight, instantly bringing her to her senses. She gestured with her hands, asking him why he was there.

Xiao Jinghan always understood her meaning quickly, and this time was no exception. "I came to find you." He released Liu Yuansheng's hand. "If I hadn't come, you would have fallen into the river."

Liu Yuansheng looked at the river and the lotus flowers drifting away, her face filled with loneliness.

"Is the boat ready?" Xiao Jinghan asked.

Liu Yuansheng nodded.

"Alright, let's go back."

Liu Yuansheng hesitated for a moment, but reluctantly withdrew her gaze and followed Xiao Jinghan away from Zhenliu River.

Just as she turned to leave, a white figure emerged from behind a weeping willow, lifted a corner of his veil, and gazed at her with mournful eyes.

He watched as she and Xiao Jinghan walked ashore, and Xiao Jinghan helped her board the carriage and they left.

The wheel tracks rolled over the burning yellow paper by the roadside, stirring up a string of sparks. He seemed to be burned by those sparks, his eyelids twitched, and he hurriedly put down his veil.

As night deepened, the crowds along the river dispersed, and an unassuming tourist boat docked at the shore.

A servant-like man stood at the bow of the boat and said to Jiang Zhihuan, "Lord Jiang, Lord Jin is waiting for you on the boat. Please."

Jiang Zhihuan nodded, calmly boarded the ship, and watched it sail into the night.

Inside the cabin, the air was thick with smoke and chaos. Some scantily clad performers walked barefoot around on the floor, pouncing on any man they fancied and striking poses with abandon.

From the outside, no one would guess that this is a flower boat.

At this very moment, Jin Gongzheng was on such a flower boat, watching Liu Yunze perform.

Liu Yunze was already quite drunk, and was currently lying in the arms of a strong bodyguard, tilting his head back to kiss him.

The guard's hands were also busy, constantly groping Liu Yunze's body. Liu Yunze, still not satisfied, rubbed against him restlessly.

Just as the two were about to lose control, Jiang Zhihuan pushed open the cabin door and came in.

Upon seeing the scene inside the cabin, Jiang Zhihuan covered his face and coughed lightly twice before sitting down in front of Jin Gongzheng.

"Why are you so late, Lord Jiang? Didn't we agree to have drinks together?"

Jin Gongzheng placed a blood-red cup of wine in front of Jiang Zhihuan. Jiang Zhihuan took off his veil, picked it up, and drank it all in one gulp. "Something came up on the way, which delayed me for a moment."

"Have you run into an old friend?" Jin Gongzheng poured him another cup of wine. "I heard that Prime Minister Liu's daughter, who has been living away from home for many years, is a stunning beauty."

Jiang Zhihuan wiped the blood-red wine from the corner of his mouth. "Lord Jin, your deer blood wine is quite good."

Seeing that Jiang Zhihuan was unwilling to answer his question directly, Jin Gongzheng smiled and changed the subject, asking, "How is Lord Jiang doing at the Ministry of Works?"

"I am well," Jiang Zhihuan said. "Thank you for your concern, Lord Jin."

"That's good." Jin Gongzheng took a sip of deer blood wine, the wine trickling down his lips, making him look like a ghost sucking human blood.

"I have arranged everything Lord Jiang asked me to do. However, I am puzzled as to when Lord Jiang first became enemies with Prince Xiao?"

"Does it matter?" Jiang Zhihuan said in a sickly voice, "Anyway, Lord Jin doesn't want Xiao Jinghan to have an easy time, does he?"

"This is different," Jin Gongzheng said. "I am devoted to the public good, and everything I have done is for the Emperor. It seems that Lord Jiang has ulterior motives."

Jiang Zhihuan chuckled, set the veil aside, and said slowly, "Whether it is or not, as long as the goal is the same, isn't that enough? What does Lord Jin think?"

After saying that, he clenched his fist and placed it under his nose, coughing intermittently a few times.

Jin Gongzheng tilted his head to look at him, "Lord Jiang seems to be in poor health. Is it a lingering ailment from your accidental fall into the water in Yuzhou?"

"It's an old problem." Jiang Zhihuan wiped his wet eyes with a handkerchief. "I'm sorry for making Lord Jin laugh."

"Lord Jiang's health is of utmost importance; it would be best to have the imperial physician examine him as soon as possible."

"It's alright." Jiang Zhihuan shook his head and smiled, carefully putting the handkerchief embroidered with orchids back into his bosom. "I don't covet this world; I just live one day at a time."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Liu Yunze, disheveled, suddenly rushed over and knelt at Jiang Zhihuan's feet.

His eyes were glazed over, sticky drool hung from the corners of his mouth, and his loose lower garment dangled precariously from his waist.

Upon seeing Jiang Zhihuan, he greedily reached out his hand, "Lord Jiang..."

Jiang Zhihuan sneered, his eyes fixed coldly on the inhuman Liu Yunze, and said, "Second Young Master Liu, what's wrong with you?"

"Yes, I want it..."

"Is it medicine?" Jiang Zhihuan took out a pill from his sleeve, gently put it into Liu Yunze's mouth, and said to him gently, "Go play."

Liu Yunze swallowed the pill, closed his eyes in ecstasy, crawled toward the guard, and the two tumbled into the private room in an embrace, then made sounds that were utterly unbearable to hear...

The deep night sky swallowed up all the debauchery and filth.

Because of the bizarre appearance of "Jiang Zhihuan", Liu Yuansheng couldn't sleep for three or four nights in a row.

Insomnia and vivid dreams were common for her, but staying up too late would eventually make her feel unwell. Seeing that she was depressed, Ying'er went to find Xie Qinghe, hoping that Xie Qinghe could comfort Liu Yuansheng.

Therefore, Xie Qinghe suggested taking Liu Yuansheng to the palace to attend the Hundred Flowers Banquet hosted by the Imperial Concubine, so that she could relax and also find a match for Xiao Jingzhuo at the banquet.

The old lady then said that since Liu Yuansheng and Xiao Jinghan had not yet entered the palace to pay their respects to the Imperial Concubine after their marriage, they should go. Therefore, on the sixth day of the eighth month, Xiao Jinghan, along with Liu Yuansheng, Xie Qinghe, and Xiao Jingzhuo, entered the palace.

The palace is majestic, with its layered roofs covered in bright yellow glazed tiles, and its upturned eaves piercing the clouds, stretching as far as the eye can see.

The vermilion gate is inlaid with gilded copper nails, the plaque is embossed with the emperor's calligraphy, the base of the three-tiered white marble platform is raised one by one, and the thousand stone steps meander upwards, each step exuding imperial authority and solemnity.

Upon arriving at Qixiang Palace, where the Imperial Concubine resided, the feeling of luxury and nobility was even stronger. The palace occupied a high ground overlooking the water, with the glazed tiles on the roof reflecting the sunlight. The vermilion corridors surrounded a half-acre lotus pond, and the fragrance of lotus blossoms wafted through the carved jade railings, making it far more tranquil and spacious than other palaces.

The Imperial Concubine, nearing thirty, was well-preserved. She wore a dark blue palace gown embroidered with a hundred birds and a phoenix, her hair styled in a double-looped bun, adorned with a red gold phoenix hairpin inlaid with red agate. Her forehead was decorated with red gold and kingfisher feather ornaments, and her neck was adorned with layers of intricate pearl necklaces. She wore gold and jade nail guards on her fingers, and her skirt was covered with tiny pearls that shimmered with light as she moved, exuding an air of majesty.

She accepted the bows of Xiao Jinghan and the others in turn, then beckoned to Liu Yuansheng, "Yuansheng, come forward, let me take a good look at you."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuansheng stepped out from behind Xie Qinghe and walked towards Xiao Ruowei.

Because she was to enter the palace to see the Imperial Concubine, Ying'er used all her skills and ignored Liu Yuansheng's objections to dress her up nicely. She wore a light blue lotus-patterned ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a chest-high design, over which was a layer of light blue sheer gauze robe with wide sleeves. A light purple palace sash was tied around her waist, and she wore a pair of soft satin shoes embroidered with lotus clouds. Her clothes were scented with a cool mint fragrance.

Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a translucent jade flower ornament in the center, and small silver lotus hairpins on either side. A hollowed-out sandalwood silver lock hung around her neck. Her entire appearance was elegant and refined, exuding an air of understated nobility.

Xiao Ruowei scrutinized her carefully, then smiled and said, "As expected of the beauty Grandmother has taken a liking to, you are indeed a beauty. However, my younger brother is rather uncouth; I wonder if he has caused you any distress?"