The empress is both charming and seductive, rising through the ranks of palace intrigue.

Ning Shuyan clutched the handkerchief in her hand, biting her lip, and said, "I'm satisfied, but..."

"But what?"

Ning Shuyan's ears began to burn, and she lowered her eyes shyly, her voice low: "Those jade beads on the bathtub... why were they inlaid with jade beads..."

Xiao Yu was momentarily puzzled. He touched the jade bead with his hand and found nothing wrong with it. He then put his arm around Ning Shuyan and said gently, "Don't you like it?"

Ning Shuyan lowered her head even further: "How can I possibly answer that..."

Looking at her, who was as shy as a forsythia flower today, and whose words were rather strange, Xiao Yu frowned, then suddenly thought of something and burst into loud laughter.

Ning Shuyan stamped her foot and said hurriedly, "Your Majesty, why are you laughing at me?"

Xiao Yu tapped Ning Shuyan's head, his eyes brimming with laughter: "It seems I should make you read less books; your mind is full of such filthy things."

Ning Shuyan then realized that she had made a fool of herself, her toes almost blushing with embarrassment. She quickly broke free from Xiao Yu's embrace and walked towards the inner hall.

Xiao Yu followed behind, a warm smile on his face, looking extremely amusing.

Ning Shuyan covered her flushed cheeks with embarrassment: "Your Majesty, please don't laugh at me."

It wasn't actually those books; he rarely read the kind of books Xiao Yu sent him. Mainly, there were too many novelties in modern times, and it was easy to get the wrong idea. Also, she had overestimated Xiao Yu.

I'm so embarrassed!

Xiao Yu sat down beside Ning Shuyan and whispered in her ear, "Yan'er, tell me, what are some ways to play with those jade beads?"

Ning Shuyan twisted the handkerchief repeatedly in her hands, her lips gently caressing her earlobe, her hand sliding up her waist: "Say it quickly..."

Ning Shuyan felt a shiver run through her body from his touch. She lowered her head, her face flushed, and shrank back, a blush gradually spreading to her ears. Her voice was soft and gentle as water: "This... can only be understood, not explained..."

Xiao Yu reached into her clothes, his lips already on her neck, his breathing becoming rapid: "My Yan'er is truly a natural beauty."

As he was about to untie Ning Shuyan's belt, her hand pressed down on his. "Your Majesty...not today."

Xiao Yu was a little annoyed, and moved his lips to her collarbone: "Why not again?"

"Your Majesty, my period started today."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu's burning enthusiasm was instantly extinguished, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on him. He stopped what he was doing, feeling uneasy: "Here we go again?"

Ning Shuyan was slightly taken aback, then heard him say, "Why do I feel that your periods are coming so frequently?"

Ning Shuyan looked at Xiao Yu with innocent, watery eyes, "I come around this time every month. Your Majesty makes it sound like I did it on purpose."

Xiao Yu looked at her delicate, pouting lips, took her hand and placed it in his palm: "That's not what I meant."

Today is the sixteenth, he silently said to himself.

The main problem is that every time we get here, we mess things up at the crucial moment, as if we're just keeping them hanging.

Ning Shuyan nestled against his shoulder and asked sweetly, "Then... will Your Majesty stay in my palace tonight?"

Xiao Yu didn't hesitate, his expression gentle: "Of course."

He had barely finished speaking when he saw the woman's eyes light up like stars. She delicately took his arm, her voice softer than ever before: "Your Majesty treats me so well."

Xiao Yu smiled indulgently. Even if he was furious, hearing that sweet voice would calm him down.

On the nineteenth day of the eleventh lunar month, the first snow of the Yifeng Dynasty arrived. The palace was covered in a blanket of white, with light snowflakes fluttering down like white feathers dancing in the sky.

The branches were laden with snow, as were the palace paths; the sound of the snow shifting underfoot could be heard. Ning Shuyan was wrapped tightly in her cloak, holding a hand warmer in her hands. Even so, a gust of cold wind hit her face, feeling like a chilling knife cutting into her skin. In just a short while, her entire face was icy cold.

Ning Shuyan wished that the Empress would grant the concubines a few days' leave, but the Empress was always dignified and valued rules, so that was impossible.

From afar, I saw Xue Yunu standing in the snow, clutching her chest and pale-faced.

When she saw Ning Shuyan approaching, she quickly stood up straight and curtsied, saying, "Sister Ning."

Ning Shuyan hadn't gone to pay her respects with her for a long time. Recently, she hadn't been as intentionally trying to get close to her as before, and had instead become quiet and reserved.

Ning Shuyan walked up to her and said gently, "What's wrong, little sister? You don't look well."

A forced smile appeared on Xue Yunu's pale face: "The weather has suddenly turned cold these past few days, and my stomach has gotten a bit chilly."

Ning Shuyan sized her up, because she didn't seem to be pampered, and her cloak wasn't as thick as hers, and the fur collar was made of rabbit fur.

Although her fox fur was not as fine as that of Consort Zhuang and Consort Rong, the cloak sent by the Imperial Household Department was much thicker because of the Emperor's favor.

Ning Shuyan smiled faintly: "Then you must take care of your health these days, little sister."

Xue Yunu nodded: "Yes, sister understands."

Ning Shuyan walked forward with a smile, but Xue Yunu did not follow. When she turned around, she saw that Ning Shuyan was retching behind her, and the palace maid behind her was patting her back anxiously.

Ning Shuyan seemed to understand something as her eyes flickered. She had only thought that Xue Yunu was good at hiding her true intentions before, but it seemed that she was also cunning.

"Let's stay away from her as much as possible during this time," she whispered to Qiu Le after they had walked a distance away.

Qiu Le understood: "Your Highness feels that Lady Xue..."

Ning Shuyan nodded slowly: "She is smart. If others couldn't wait to tell everyone they were pregnant and show off, it's rare to see Lady Xue so calm."

"To be honest, Lady Xue's favor is rather weak, so it's a great blessing that she's able to get pregnant," Qiu Le said.

From a distance, Ning Shuyan saw Consort Zhuang's palanquin approaching from behind. Ning Shuyan curtsied and said, "Greetings to Consort Zhuang."

Consort Zhuang, her eyes half-closed, slowly lowered them upon hearing this, looking down at Ning Shuyan with a cold laugh: "I thought it was some minor consort or concubine in front, but it turns out to be Consort Zhao."

As she spoke, she waved her hand, signaling the palace servants carrying the sedan chair not to stop.

Ning Shuyan looked up and saw Consort Zhuang's slender hand stroking the red pomegranate tassels at her temples, which looked even more beautiful and colorful against the backdrop of the white snow, making her face look delicate and bright.

Looking at Consort Zhuang's sedan chair, she thought, "No wonder everyone wants to climb to a high position. Just like today, if I were one of the Nine Consorts, why would I need to walk in this freezing weather?"

However, she believed that day would not be long.