That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

A few days before the Empress Dowager's birthday, Song Shuangning meticulously compiled the "Detailed Rules for Offering to Buddha" in the "Rituals for Sacrifices in the Imperial Harem," bound it into a book, and then took it to the Hall of Diligent Governance.

Just then, Xiao Yan was discussing matters with his ministers, and a lady-in-waiting led her to wait in the west side hall.

Before long, footsteps could be heard outside the hall.

Xiao Yan lifted the curtain and entered.

Song Shuangning said, "I have compiled the 'List of Offerings Before the Buddha' that Your Majesty instructed me to distance myself from. Please take a look."

Xiao Yan took the booklet and flipped through it very quickly, his eyes scanning the detailed entries on etiquette, tributes, and times.

"Overall it's good, but there are a few inappropriate wordings. I'll revise them and then give them to you."

"Furthermore, the order of honor for the Imperial Noble Consort and the Noble Consort is incorrect."

"Then this concubine thanks Your Majesty." These two positions are the most sensitive, and she specifically left them for Xiao Yan to change.

"Well... I won't disturb Your Majesty any longer. I'll take my leave."

Xiao Yan put the booklet on the table, instantly displeased. "Why are you leaving so soon after arriving?"

Song Shuangning blinked her almond-shaped eyes, her tone innocent, "But there's nothing for me to do in the Hall of Diligent Governance. Her Majesty the Empress has long said that the concubines should come to the Hall of Diligent Governance less often to disturb the Emperor."

"What do you mean, nothing's wrong? Come here and grind ink for me."

After saying that, Xiao Yan grasped her wrist and led her to the main hall.

Xiao Yan sat down on the dragon throne, then pointed to the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table, a smile playing in his eyes, "Grind the ink. I will revise the entries you have sorted out."

Song Shuangning gently lifted her moon-white silk skirt, revealing a section of her fair wrist, and slowly ground ink in the inkstone.

She would occasionally glance up at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan was holding a vermilion pen and making revisions. Every stroke was very delicate. Whenever he felt that a word or phrase was inappropriate, he would circle it with the vermilion pen and then revise it.

Xiao Yan's sideburns were jet black, outlining his aloof and handsome features. His nose was high and straight, exuding an air of nobility that could not be offended. Yet, the subtle curve at the corners of his lips and the way his long eyelashes trembled when he lowered his eyes revealed a touch of gentleness, making people dare not be presumptuous, yet unable to help but feel close to him.

As she looked at it, she became lost in thought.

I don't know how much time has passed.

Xiao Yan put down his pen, breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Alright, I've corrected it."

He turned his head and met her eyes. Xiao Yan chuckled, "Why are you staring at me like that? You're going to grind the ink into paste."

Song Shuangning's heart skipped a beat. How could she be attracted to male beauty again! Male beauty is a trap, a trap indeed.

She turned her head away, trying to appear calm, and said, "This concubine did not look at Your Majesty."

Xiao Yan pulled her into his arms, gently pinched her chin, turned her face towards him, and gazed intently at her:

"If you want to see me, then look at me openly. I would love for you to look at me like this every day."

These words made Song Shuangning blush, and she immediately felt annoyed, struggling to get out of his arms.

"If Your Majesty continues like this, I will return home."

Xiao Yan quickly suppressed his smile, took her hand, and pointed to the pile of memorials on the table.

"Alright, I'll stop teasing you. You stay here and continue grinding ink for me, okay?"

Song Shuangning nodded.

Xiao Yan said, "I knew Ningning cared for me the most."

A huge question mark filled Song Shuangning's mind. Huh? Grinding ink for him was considered showing him affection? Xiao Yan was being way too...

outside the temple.

Shen Jieyu, carrying a food box, said to Li Fuquan, "I simmered this white fungus and lotus seed soup for three whole hours. Steward Li, please take it in for me."

Li Fuquan sighed. Yuan Jieyu was still inside; the soup absolutely could not be sent in.

He looked troubled and said, "His Majesty has ordered that we not be disturbed in any way, and that we will not accept any food..."

"This rule didn't exist before."

The back-and-forth tugging between the two startled Xiao Yan and Song Shuangning inside the hall.

The Emperor raised his voice and asked, "Li Fuquan, who are you talking to outside, chattering away?"

Li Fuquan trembled with fright and hurriedly entered the hall to report: "Your Majesty, it is Consort Shen. Consort Shen personally cooked a white fungus and lotus seed soup and specially brought it for you to try."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression darkened slightly.

Just as Song Shuangning was about to ask Consort Shen to take the soup back, she put down the inkstone and said softly, "Your Majesty, Consort Shen worked so hard to make this soup; it's a token of her affection. Why don't you let her bring it in?"

Xiao Yan turned to look at her with some displeasure. While the other concubines were sending things to the Qin Zheng Hall to compete for the emperor's favor, she was speaking up for them.

"It was her heartfelt wish after all. To let it go would make the Emperor seem heartless."

Xiao Yan was silent for a moment, then said, "Bring the soup in and let Consort Shen go back."

"Yes, sir." Li Fuquan replied and turned to leave.

Li Fuquan's figure had just disappeared outside the palace gate.

Xiao Yan put down his vermilion brush, grabbed Song Shuangning's wrist, and pulled her close. His tone was fierce: "Others are eagerly sending things to the imperial kitchen, but you're hardly ever busy. You even spoke up for her just now, letting that soup be brought in. Aren't you even a little jealous?"

Song Shuangning stumbled as he pulled her, bumping into his ambergris-scented embrace. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she gently pushed against his chest, her voice as soft as cotton:

"What is Your Majesty saying? I saw that she had been simmering the soup for so long, and her good intentions were evident. If I were to refuse her like this, it would make Your Majesty seem heartless, and it wouldn't sound good if word got out."

Li Fuquan lifted a slit and saw the emperor and empress in the throes of passion, the entire hall filled with an irrepressible tenderness.

Startled, Li Fuquan quickly closed the curtain again and retreated silently.

Seeing him suddenly retreat again, Shen Jieyu, who was outside the door, frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

Li Fuquan chuckled twice, bowed slightly, and replied, "Replying to Consort Shen, it's nothing... His Majesty is busy."

But Shen Jieyu's sharp ears had already heard Song Shuangning's soft, sweet voice inside the hall. She clenched her hands tightly at her sides, her knuckles turning white, her nails digging deep into her palms, and the light in her eyes dimmed little by little.

That bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup eventually ended up in Song Shuangning's stomach.

Xiao Yan wanted to invite her to have dinner at the Qin Zheng Hall, but Song Shuangning refused. Song Shuangning used the excuse of revising the etiquette, and seeing how serious she was, Xiao Yan did not try to keep her and had a sedan chair prepared to send her back.

Song Shuangning sat in the sedan chair. She had many things to do and didn't have time to waste with Xiao Yan.

Hidden Winter Pavilion.

Quan Lu said, "Your Highness, I have found out everything. For this Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, Consort De is in charge of the overall arrangements, specifically managing the banquet rules and the reception of the ladies of the court; Consort Shao is responsible for the construction of the stage, the purchase of birthday gifts, and the furnishing of the palace, which are all tedious and miscellaneous tasks; Consort Qing is quite free, only in charge of the prayer ceremony and the family temple sacrifices."

Song Shuangning smiled and said, "What a coincidence."

It's a perfect match for my major.

I've been reviewing the "Rituals for Imperial Sacrifices" for the past few days, and I'm familiar with all the details of the prayer and sacrifice rituals.

Song Shuangning lowered her voice and said a few words.

Quanfu understood immediately and replied, "Yes."