Return of the Pearl

Qianlong and Xiao Yun stayed close together, and they gently chatted with the unborn child for a long time. At this moment, An Yi appeared before Qianlong like a ghost, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Master, the mission has been successfully completed. The twelfth prince has left the capital. He also asked me to tell you that he is deeply guilty and forgives his unfilial behavior and cannot fulfill his filial duties in your presence."

When Qianlong heard this, his face did not show much emotion. He just waved his hand quietly, signaling An Yi to retreat. After An Yi received the order, he disappeared like a wisp of smoke.

That night, Qianlong seemed to be possessed, and kept talking to Xiao Yun's slightly bulging belly. His words were full of affection and love, as if he was communicating with a sensible child. His eyes were full of tenderness and attachment. Sometimes he gently stroked Xiao Yun's belly, and sometimes he fell into deep thought.

Xiao Yun gradually fell asleep in the gentle whispers of Qianlong, but Qianlong was still immersed in the conversation with his unborn child and could not extricate himself for a long time. His murmurs echoed in the silent night, as if he wanted to pour out all his emotions. It was unknown how long it was before Qianlong finally stopped, slowly closed his eyes, and fell asleep quietly beside Xiao Yun.

In the soft morning light of the next day, Qianlong finished the long and tedious affairs in the court, and slowly returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation with steady and firm steps.

As soon as he stepped into this solemn palace, he walked to the dragon table with ease and slowly sat down. His tall and strong body leaned forward slightly, and he stretched out his slender and powerful hands and began to carefully review the memorials that were piled up like a mountain.

He read every memorial carefully and thought seriously. His focused expression seemed as if the whole world had stopped and he was the only one accompanied by the mountain of memorials.

At this time, Li Yu, the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department, floated into the Hall of Mental Cultivation lightly and cautiously like a light butterfly. His steps were so cautious, and every step seemed to be filled with endless caution, for fear of accidentally disturbing Qianlong's mind that was immersed in thoughts.

Li Yu slowly came to Qianlong's side. He bent down and bowed slightly. His respectful posture seemed as if he was facing the most noble existence in the world. He spoke softly with a bit of awe in his voice, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, it will be time for autumn hunting again soon. Do you think we should proceed according to the tradition of previous years?" His words were full of temptation.

When Qianlong heard what Li Yu said, he raised his head slightly. A glimmer of thought suddenly flashed in his eyes as deep as stars, as if thousands of thoughts were intertwined in them. He nodded slightly to show his agreement, and then nodded slightly again, his movements gentle but firm.

When Li Yu saw Qianlong nod, he felt a little relieved, and the heart that had been hanging in the air was slightly relieved. Then, he mustered up the courage to ask, "Your Majesty, what do you think about the list of accompanying personnel?" There was a bit of anxiety and expectation in his voice, and his eyes were fixed on Qianlong, as if he wanted to glimpse a clue from his expression.

Qianlong frowned slightly and fell into deep thought. He was hesitant in his heart, as if two voices were pulling at each other. He was secretly wondering: should he take Yun'er with him, or leave her in the palace?

In his mind, Yun'er's figure kept appearing. Her gentle smile was as warm as the spring breeze, and her light figure was as graceful as a fairy. An indescribable emotion surged in his heart, like a tide.

He thought again and decided to take them with him! He was still a little worried about leaving Yun'er in the palace. "Bring the princes with you, and only Yun'er will be with the concubines. As for the ministers, it will remain the same as in previous years. You go and make the arrangements!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yu responded respectfully, then turned and left. His steps were brisk and firm, and every step was taken with confidence and courage. His light footsteps seemed to tell that he was full of confidence in completing this task, and he would definitely not let Qianlong down.

In a short while, the news that Qianlong was preparing for the autumn hunt spread quickly to every corner of the harem like the gentle spring breeze. After learning about this, Concubine Yu couldn't help but feel secretly happy in her heart. She felt that this was a great opportunity for Yongqi.

Yongqi has always been her pride. He is both talented in literature and martial arts, and extremely intelligent, like the brightest star in the night sky. However, since Xiao Yun appeared, Yongqi's position in the emperor's heart has gradually plummeted, which makes Concubine Yu feel unwilling and resentful. She gritted her teeth and made up her mind to seize the opportunity of this autumn hunt to let Yongqi win the emperor's attention and love again.

When the people in the harem learned that Emperor Qianlong had taken only Xiao Yun with him on this autumn hunt, without any of the other concubines, they couldn't help but feel resentful. But what could they do? Faced with this unchangeable fact, some wise people chose to play it safe, figuring that if they didn't go, then they didn't go; at least they could save their lives.

However, there are still people who can't hold back their indifferent hearts and can't help but take action. They are like moths that can't bear to be lonely and fly towards the unknown flame. These people may have ulterior motives or be lucky, trying to create a ripple in this magnificent harem. Their behavior may be stupid in the eyes of others, but in their own eyes, it is a struggle not to be ordinary.

The disputes in the harem are like the surging waves, one after another, never stopping, and those who are unwilling to live in mediocrity are like the waves in the waves, blooming their splendor in the ups and downs, but disappearing without a trace in an instant. Their fate is like the erratic floating clouds, floating in the sky of the harem, and no one knows when it will come to an end.

Ever since the incident with the twelfth prince, a surge of rumors had inexplicably arisen in the palace. Those rumors were like a group of buzzing flies flying around, disturbing people and making them feel annoyed and confused.

Look at the rumor that Concubine Xian is pregnant, and the emperor's move of taking Concubine Xian with him for the autumn hunt is clearly to pave a bright and glorious road for the child in Concubine Xian's belly. These rumors are told vividly, colorfully, and realistically. In this magnificent and huge harem, they spread rapidly like a plague, and almost everyone knows about it.