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

Xiao Yan's thin lips moved almost imperceptibly, forming a faint smile.

He clutched the silk handkerchief in his hand and then put it in his sleeve.

Xiao Yan stepped forward, feeling inexplicably excited.

His heart, without warning, pounded heavily, bringing a tingling, throbbing sensation.

Ningning deliberately lured him over.

Wangmei Pavilion.

Song Shuangning was sitting on a plum blossom chair by the window. The attic was so quiet that the sound of falling snow could be heard.

The steady, familiar footsteps approached from afar, and her lips curved slightly into a sweet and harmless smile.

he came.

The fish has taken the bait.

Song Shuangning slowly pushed open the window, and a chill mixed with the fragrance of plum blossoms rushed in.

She gazed out the window at the plum grove covered in snow, its branches and leaves like jade, silent and still.

Whether you go from the outside in or from the inside out, you can see different scenery.

Xiao Yan entered the hall, put his hands behind his back, and looked at the woman who was gazing out the window with amusement.

Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.

Song Shuangning exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty? What brings you here?"

"Oh?" Xiao Yan looked at her, the darkness in his eyes seemed even deeper than before.

"Ningning didn't lure me here on purpose."

Song Shuangning turned to face him, the camellia hairpin in her hair swaying gently.

Her clear, watery eyes remained pure and untouched by worldly dust.

She whispered, "I didn't..."

Xiao Yan looked at her flushed ear tips and her slightly rosy face, and chuckled softly.

He calmly placed his hands behind his back and spoke in a detached tone, "Then I'll be leaving."

Song Shuangning panicked instantly.

Without a second thought, she stretched out her arms and wrapped them around Xiao Yan's waist, protesting in a muffled voice:

"Since Your Majesty is already here, this concubine will not allow you to leave!"

"Good girl, I won't leave." Xiao Yan rubbed her head.

Song Shuangning raised her shimmering eyes, which clearly reflected Xiao Yan's smiling face.

"Your Majesty, Ningning misses you so much."

Her voice was tender as she spoke of her longing for him.

"I think of you when I'm awake, I think of you when I'm dreaming, and every glance I make is of you."

Xiao Yan lowered his head and kissed her delicate pink cheek, his voice magnetic, "Ningning, you miss me so much."

"Mmm." Song Shuangning pressed her body tightly against him, her voice soft and sweet, "Does Your Majesty miss Ningning~"

Xiao Yan was shy and couldn't bring himself to say the words of longing. He simply uttered a very soft, somewhat unnatural "hmm."

"His Majesty is also thinking of his concubines."

Xiao Yan gazed at the beautiful lips opening and closing before him, his eyes darkening. He kissed her fiercely, lingering and caressing her, prying open her pearly teeth, and conquering her.

Song Shuangning was not as engrossed as before, and would occasionally look out the window.

Xiao Yan noticed and punished her by biting her lower lip.

Then, he carried her to the plum blossom table, holding her slender waist with both hands, and said, "Concentrate."

Song Shuangning smiled and hooked her arm around his neck.

Here, Consort Rong's sedan chair had only gone a short distance in the snow. Consort Rong sat in the sedan chair, her mind in turmoil.

Today the Emperor said, "I will watch you go."

This is too unusual, and it doesn't seem like the Emperor's style of doing things.

Her intuition told her that something was being kept from her.

"Stop!" She slammed her hand on the armrest.

Xia Yun lifted the sedan curtain. "Your Highness, what has happened?"

Without saying a word, Consort Rong alighted from the sedan chair and quickly returned to the plum grove.

Xia Yun and his men chased after them.

Her footprints on the snow were messy and hurried, just like her mood at that moment.

However, the place was empty; the emperor was no longer there.

Consort Rong stopped in her tracks, her chest heaving slightly. Could it be that she was really overthinking things?

Am I just being paranoid?

Just as she turned around, her intuition once again drew her gaze to the Wangmei Pavilion not far away.

She frowned.

As if possessed, I lifted my foot and walked towards that direction.

The closer she got, the heavier her heart became.

Outside Wangmei Pavilion stood Li Fuquan and palace maids and eunuchs.

The Emperor... is inside.

But why would the Emperor send me away to this secluded Wangmei Pavilion?

"Your Majesty, it's getting late. The Second Princess will probably cry if she doesn't see you," Xia Yun said.

Consort Rong raised her hand to interrupt her, and slowly, step by step, she approached.

The windows of Wangmei Pavilion were open.

She gently leaned against the red plum tree and peeked out.

The next instant, her world collapsed.

She witnessed the scene she least wanted to see in her life.

Your Majesty is kissing Consort Yuan.

The Emperor was kissing Consort Yuan with endless tenderness.

This was something she had fantasized about countless times.

Consort Rong's breath caught in her throat at that moment.

The Emperor had never treated her with such intimacy before, never.

She once thought that the emperor was cold-hearted by nature and treated everyone the same way. She even... felt smug about receiving the emperor's most favor.

She took the initiative to approach him, only to be met with the Emperor's disapproval.

It turns out, it wasn't that I disliked it.

It's not that he doesn't like being intimate with her.

As she watched, tears finally streamed down her face silently, landing on the cold back of her hand.

A bone-chilling cold.

On what grounds?

Why is she Consort Yuan?

She'd rather it be someone else!

Consort Yuan was just for fun, a substitute for her. Why would it be Consort Yuan?

Could it be that, in the Emperor's heart, Consort Yuan's status has already surpassed hers?

Xia Yun also witnessed this scene, and she looked at Consort Rong with concern, saying, "Your Majesty, let's go back."

Consort Rong gave a light scoff.

She wiped away her tears and strode toward Wangmei Pavilion.

Li Fuquan was the first to see Consort Rong. Startled, he went to greet her while loudly reminding the two people inside the pavilion who were kissing passionately.

"Oh my! Consort Rong, what brings you here? This servant greets Consort Rong."

Inside the pavilion, Xiao Yan released her lips. He did not immediately pull away, but pressed his forehead against hers, his chest heaving violently, his breath hot and rapid.

However, those dark eyes, which had just been brimming with desire, were now filled with an unfathomable depth of ink.

Xiao Yan wiped the smudges from her lips and said, "Ningning, you go back first in a bit."

Song Shuangning tugged at his sleeve dependently, looking at him pitifully.

"emperor."

He said, "Ningning, it won't be long."

Outside, Consort Rong glanced inside. "Is the Emperor inside?"

Li Fuquan didn't know how to start the conversation when Xiao Yan came out.

Consort Rong's gaze fell on his still slightly red lips, and her eyes instantly reddened.

The Emperor sent her away so he could meet with Consort Yuan, so that he could meet with Consort Yuan...

kiss.