Want to win the palace fight? Better to be crazy than to be idiotic!

The two walked hand in hand to the lakeside. The sunlight was strong, and a breeze blew, causing the calm lake to suddenly sparkle.

There is a winding path along the shore of Chengxin Lake. The path is paved with small stones. The stones are small, but they are closely arranged together, winding around the lake. Perhaps because of the hot weather and the lack of shade on the path, few people walk on it on weekdays, and the servants don't take care of it, so a thick layer of moss has accumulated on the road surface.

Moss grows particularly luxuriantly in humid and hot weather, covering almost every inch of the road surface with lush green, as if covering the path with a layer of green velvet carpet. Although it looks beautiful, it makes the stones paved on the path extremely slippery, and the palace people will slip if they are not careful when walking on it.

Although Hua Tangdi entered the palace early, she was still young. When she saw this path, she was very excited and took Wang Qian's hand and walked into it. Although Wang Qian entered the palace later, she looked much calmer than Hua Tangdi. When she saw Hua Tangdi so excited, she felt that she was not like a sister, but more like a younger sister.

Thinking of this, Wang Qian let out a "puff" and let Hua Tangdi pull her along to follow.

The two walked on the path, watching the stones under their feet shining slightly, as if telling of their loneliness. Hua Tangdi jumped up and down, startling Wang Qian and reminding her quickly: "The stone road is slippery, sister, don't fall!"

The wind blew by the lake, driving away the remaining heat of the summer, rippling the waves on the lake, and gently swaying the weeds on both sides of the path.

Hua Tangdi, who was playing in front, suddenly stopped and turned back to say to Xinye: "Sister, have you ever thought about the future?"

Wang Qian was stunned, not understanding what was going on: "What do you mean, sister?"

"It just occurred to me that there are only two possible outcomes for women in the palace." Hua Tangdi looked toward the center of the lake and murmured, "Being favored or not, the endings are completely different."

Even though Hua Tangdi did not explicitly state what the two outcomes would be, Wang Qian understood what she meant.

——Wearing a gorgeous cloak, or lonely and sad.

Hua Tangdi asked Wang Qian if she had ever thought about her future. Of course she had. Whether it was a woman in the deep palace or a girl outside the palace walls, who hadn't thought about the future?

However, under the constraints of reality, what she had thought in the past was too naive and pale.

Outside the palace, everyone has their own ambitions. But once they enter the palace and become concubines, their future is framed into the same thing: becoming a favorite concubine and reviving the family.

If one goes a step further, it would be to let one's offspring compete for the supreme throne, so that the mother's family can enjoy endless wealth and glory.

Wang Qian had been thinking about dealing with things before, but now she was awakened by Hua Tangdi's question. She used to think that she could be alone and live in peace, relying on her talent and virtue to wait for the emperor's favor, but now she realizes that such a mentality is not only difficult to protect herself, but also unable to guarantee the future of her descendants. The world does not allow pure people to have beautiful fantasies. Concubines in the harem should not expect more than the emperor's favor. This is a realistic and cruel truth.

"Thank you, Concubine Shuo...I appreciate your advice, sister." Wang Qian responded humbly.

Thanks to Hua Tangdi for waking her up, otherwise she would still be immersed in a negative dream of escaping the world. She was very grateful for this kindness.

Hua Tangdi smiled even more and was about to reply, but the comfort in his eyes suddenly turned into surprise.

Wang Qian was about to say something when she felt a strong force coming from behind, as if someone pushed her hard from behind.

"what--"

Wang Qian screamed, her feet slipped, and she lost her balance on the slippery stone path. She fell into the cold lake water involuntarily, and her vision went dark in an instant, and she couldn't even see the person behind her who was trying to murder her.

Chengxin Lake is an artificial lake, not big but deep. When Wang Qian fell into the water, the lake water from all directions immediately rushed into her mouth and nose with the fishy and salty smell of aquatic plants.

Wang Qian immediately took off her complicated jewelry and tried to swim to the shore while holding her breath. How could the murderer let her do what she wanted? When the murderer saw Wang Qian's head showing, he picked up a stone and smashed it on her head!

Although Wang Qian was not unconscious, she was hit instantly and was still knocked unconscious. It was hot on the shore and cold in the lake. She was not a good swimmer and was just floundering by instinct. After being hit, her hands and feet went limp and she felt her limbs gradually losing control. Even more dangerous was that her consciousness gradually blurred and the lake water poured into her mouth and nose again, choking her and making her extremely uncomfortable.

"Help!!!!"

Wang Qian swam desperately to the surface and used her last bit of strength to shout for help.

No one responded to Wang Qian. Before she lost consciousness, the last words she heard seemed to be from Hua Tangdi:

"I can't swim, so I'll go find guards and eunuchs who can swim to save her! You vicious woman... If I fail to save the noble lady Wang, I will fight you to the death!"

......

In fact, there were not only Hua Tangdi and Wang Qian in the Imperial Garden, but also two other people.

Su Feiran and Lin Xiuqing were drinking tea in a small pavilion in the southeast corner of the Imperial Garden.

As for why the two did not drink in the Purple Palace, but had to go to such a hot place to drink, it was not because they were suffering from literary youth disease, but because earlier today, Su Feiran was thinking about a new plot in the courtyard of the Purple Palace, but unexpectedly saw Yu Liu squatting in the corner crying.

She asked Yuliu why she was crying, and Yuliu replied that Concubine Xian was embarrassed by Concubine Jia again last night. Concubine Jia then became aggressive, not only verbally taunting her, but also physically punishing her, forcing Concubine Xian to kneel down and hold the lamp for her. If Concubine Xian showed any sign of fatigue, she would punish her for disrespect. When Concubine Xian was released, her knees and back were covered with bruises, which was very horrifying.

The injured parts of Concubine Xian were usually covered with clothes, so except for Yu Liu who went with her to Chitang Garden, other palace servants did not know that Concubine Xian was injured. Yu Liu did not want to make everyone worry and angry, but he blamed himself for not protecting the queen, so he hid here and cried alone.

Su Feiran thought, how could this be possible? She immediately brought the ginger soup cooked in the small kitchen to visit Concubine Xian.

Ginger soup has the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and can speed up recovery from injuries. Su Feiran hopes to do his best to help Lin Xiuqing, who takes good care of him every day, get better soon.

When Su Feiran came to Lin Xiuqing's bed, she found that although Lin Xiuqing didn't cry like Yu Liu, she was also worried and unhappy. So she simply waited for Lin Xiuqing to finish drinking ginger soup, and took the initiative to suggest going to the Imperial Garden to relax, and by the way, she said some bad things about Concubine Jia to relieve her depression.

Lin Xiuqing agreed, and the two of them ordered Yuliu and Yuxiao to bring tea and tea sets to find the coolest spot in the Imperial Garden, and began to denounce Concubine Jia for her inaction.

The Imperial Garden was very large, so it was normal that the two groups did not run into each other.

But Wang Qian's terrified cry for help was not blocked by the layers of vegetation and reached the ears of Su Feiran and Lin Xiuqing.