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

An hour later, Song Shuangning washed herself again, her legs weak, and returned to her bedchamber.

Xiao Yan remained in the bathhouse to bathe, because the bathwater from earlier was no longer clean... so he had to wash again.

Song Shuangning watched Qiu He and Ying'er go into the bathhouse together to groom themselves, a playful smile playing on her lips.

Ying'er dared not linger, quickly picked up the dirty clothes and left, nodding slightly to Song Shuangning.

Qiuhe deliberately slowed down her movements, staying in place as if tidying up, her gaze unconsciously drifting to the Emperor's strong body, and a bold idea quietly popped into her head.

"Flowers are more beautiful than people. Sister Qiuhe is so beautiful, how can she be inferior to the young lady? Who knows, one day she might be favored by the emperor and become a favored young lady. When that happens, Sister Qiuhe, don't forget me."

Li Fuquan carried the sleeping robe into the bath room. Qiu He took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness in her heart, and said to Li Fuquan, "Steward Li, there's no need for you to trouble yourself with such trivial matters. Why don't you let me help His Majesty change his clothes?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yan opened his eyes, his gaze devoid of any warmth: "Drag him out."

Qiu He's face turned pale instantly, her legs went weak, and she knelt straight on the ground.

"Your Majesty, spare my life!"

Li Fuquan gestured with his chin toward the two palace maids outside the door.

Song Shuangning watched as Qiu He was dragged out of the bathroom, and feigned surprise, asking, "Qiu He?"

"What happened?"

Qiuhe kowtowed repeatedly, pleading, "My lady, please save me!"

Xiao Yan changed into his nightgown and came out, his voice icy cold, "You still have the nerve to beg your master."

Li Fuquan recounted the whole story.

Tingyu stared at the gardenia in Qiuhe's hair, pointed at Qiuhe's head and said, "The mistress has treated you so well, how could you be so heartless!"

Song Shuangning clutched her chest, her lips trembling, looking as if she could hardly accept it.

"Qiuhe, how could you..."

"Stop talking nonsense, drag him away and beat him to death."

"My lord, please save this servant! My lord—Your Majesty—"

Qiuhe was dragged outside the palace and beaten with sticks in front of all the palace servants. The sound of the sticks falling clearly echoed into the palace one after another.

Xiao Yan had noticed more than once that this palace maid harbored ulterior motives, but every time he came, he found that the palace maid was still there. He wanted to see when Song Shuangning would discover her intentions.

I could no longer tolerate it today, so I took action and executed her.

Song Shuangning curtsied: "It is my fault for failing to properly manage the servants. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Xiao Yan stared at her. "You really didn't notice what this palace maid was thinking?"

Whether they genuinely didn't know or were intentionally pushing this palace maid to the top, remains to be seen.

Song Shuangning pouted aggrievedly and choked out, "This concubine truly did not know. If this concubine had known, she would have transferred her to serve outside the palace."

She was merely transferred to serve outside the palace? Xiao Yan truly felt that this woman was sometimes too kind; if it were anyone else, they would have secretly executed this palace maid long ago.

"Your Majesty, you cannot doubt your concubine." Song Shuangning stepped forward and took Xiao Yan's hand, staring at him with a wronged expression.

It is "one must not doubt the concubines" rather than "how could one doubt the concubines?" These two phrases differ by only a few words, but their meanings are vastly different.

She was accusing herself.

Xiao Yan's eyebrows twitched with a playful glint in them.

"My love for you is as clear as the sun and moon! How could I bear to send you away?"

They don't seem to feel ashamed at all when they say these sweet nothings.

Xiao Yan pulled her into his arms and pinched her cheek: "You're so shameless."

Song Shuangning gave a coquettish "humph," and said, "This concubine will not say it again."

After this incident, Xiao Yan lost all interest in romantic thoughts.

The two embraced and went to bed.

As for why they embraced, it was because Xiao Yan suddenly felt uncomfortable with someone missing in his arms, so he pulled Song Shuangning into his arms.

……

Outside the hall, Qiuhe's body was rolled up in straw mats and carried out.

Ying'er and another palace maid whispered, "I also saw Qiuhe always running towards the main hall..."

Li Fuquan happened to hear this.

The commotion at Cangdong Pavilion reached the main hall, and Tinglan rushed in anxiously: "Your Highness, something has happened!"

"Why are you in such a hurry? What's the matter?"

Tinglan said, "Qiuhe was beaten to death."

"What?!"

"I heard that Qiuhe seduced the Emperor, and in a fit of rage, the Emperor had her beaten to death."

Enraged, Consort Song threw her sewing basket away. "You lowly servant, with your worthless life, you dare to dream of rising to the top?"

"Write to my father immediately and order him to kill that lowly servant's parents. She doesn't know her own worth; I feel like vomiting just looking at her."

"Yes." Tinglan knew that Consort Song was angry and didn't dare to say anything more.

The next day, Li Fuquan told Xiao Yan what he had heard the night before.

Xiao Yan said, "She's too naive; she doesn't even know she's keeping a wolf in sheep's clothing. Instruct the Imperial Household Department to replace all the palace servants in the Hidden Winter Pavilion with a new batch of reliable, honest, and diligent ones. Let's prevent a repeat of last night's incident."

Li Fuquan quickly agreed.

Is Qiuhe the only one in Cangdong Pavilion who is Consort Song's person? That's not necessarily true, which is why the Emperor replaced all the palace servants in Cangdong Pavilion.

In the afternoon, the deputy chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department personally brought the palace servants over, his face full of ingratiating smiles: "Your Highness, this servant has specially selected some clever ones to send over on His Majesty's orders."

An unexpected bonus!

She was having a bit of a headache because she didn't have anyone she could use. Well, that's solved.

Song Shuangning smiled and said, "Okay. Thank you for your hard work."

The deputy steward continued, "This servant also needs to take the original few with him."

Song Shuangning said, "Tingyu said that Xiaohe and Ying'er are quite serious about their work. I'd like to keep the two of them here. Is that alright?"

"That's certainly possible."

The lotus still has its uses.

Apart from Ying'er and Xiao He, the rest of the people were all taken away.

Since it was sent by imperial decree, there's no need to warn them. Song Shuangning pointed to the eunuch standing at the back, "You and Ying'er come in. I have something to say to you."

"Tingyu is too busy to handle everything in the palace alone. From now on, Ying'er will serve in the palace. Ying'er is not a nice name, so from now on you will be called Tinglu."

Ying'er's eyes instantly welled up with tears. Although it was just a name change, it seemed as if she was saying goodbye to the unfortunate days of the past.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Besides two trustworthy and capable close assistants, Song Shuangning also needs a eunuch who can fly and fight. This eunuch is the tallest and strongest, and seems to have some skills.

What are your talents?

"This servant can climb trees...this servant also knows a little martial arts..."

Song Shuangning exclaimed in surprise, "Climbing a tree?"

He said, "My lord, count to three, and I will be able to climb the tree."

Song Shuangning nodded approvingly: "Not bad. What's your name?"

"This servant is called Little Dog."

Song Shuangning: "..." Has she stumbled into the animal kingdom? A nightingale and a puppy.

"You should also change your name to... Quanlu."

"This servant thanks Your Highness." The little dog, no, Quanlu, was overjoyed.