Return of the Pearl

Concubine Yi knew very well in her heart that in this harem full of intrigues, there was no one with whom she could truly confide. She was isolated and helpless, with no one to discuss things with. This loneliness and helplessness made her feel extremely heavy.

That night, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, with a thousand thoughts in her mind. The next day, she had a very poor appetite and vomited out the food she ate soon after. However, she knew she had to face it all, so she endured the discomfort and dragged her tired body to the imperial study.

When she met Emperor Qianlong, she mustered up the courage to mention to him what the Queen asked her to do. After hearing it, Emperor Qianlong did not think there was anything wrong with it. After all, Concubine Yi had no children in the harem, and worshiping Buddha was a good thing. It could not only demonstrate the royal family's compassion, but also pray for the people of the world. So, Emperor Qianlong gladly agreed to her request.

After receiving Emperor Qianlong's approval, Concubine Yi felt no relief, but rather even more anxious. She knew this was only the beginning, and many unknown challenges awaited her. With heavy steps, she slowly left the imperial study, her back looking so lonely and desolate. In this deep palace, she was like a fallen leaf, swaying in the wind and rain, yet she had no choice but to continue moving forward...

Concubine Yi walked heavily back to Kunning Palace and reported to the empress. When the empress heard that Emperor Qianlong had really agreed to this matter, a satisfied smile appeared on her face, with a hint of imperceptible cunning in that smile.

The Queen waved her hand and asked Concubine Yi to leave. After Concubine Yi left, the Queen sat there alone, her heart filled with excitement and anticipation. Her eyes were shining, as if she saw the bright prospects she had been expecting gradually unfolding.

The queen's heartbeat quickened, as if she could hear the exciting drumbeats beating in her heart. Her thoughts were like a wild horse running wild on the grassland of her imagination. She imagined that things were progressing step by step according to her plan, and her heart was filled with a sense of accomplishment.

The queen's fingers tapped lightly on the table, and each tap seemed to strike at her heartstrings, playing an exciting melody. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, showing her longing for and confidence in the future.

In this quiet Kunning Palace, the queen's inner world is like a colorful painting, filled with excitement and anticipation. She can't wait to unveil the upcoming prelude and greet the glorious moment that belongs to her. She believes that everything will be as she wishes, and she will continue to write her own legend on the stage of this harem.

In the harem, the concubines in each palace received the news that they were about to go to the temple to pray for blessings. For a time, the entire harem was filled with an atmosphere of an upcoming journey.

However, among all the concubines, only the queen was different. She decided not to go to the temple to pray. Others did not seem to think there was anything wrong with this and did not pay much attention to it.

But beneath this seemingly calm surface, there were two people who were suspicious about this matter, namely Concubine Ling and Concubine Yi. Concubine Ling, this intelligent and cunning woman, had a mind like a dense spider web, which could always capture those subtle details.

She frowned slightly, wondering why the Queen had made such a decision. Was there some unknown secret hidden behind this? Her eyes flickered with doubt, as if trying to see through the layers of fog and grasp the truth.

Concubine Yi looked different. Her face was full of worry and uneasiness. She bit her lips lightly and thought about this matter over and over again in her heart. She felt that this matter was too strange and the Queen's behavior was really incomprehensible.

It was clearly the Queen who instructed her to go to the Emperor and propose the idea of going to the temple to pray, but at this moment, the Queen unexpectedly decided not to go. This made Concubine Yi's doubts even deeper, like a thick, impenetrable fog that tightly entangled her.

She wondered what was going on. Why had the Queen suddenly changed her mind? Was there some hidden secret? Her mind was swirling with thoughts, a crisscross of speculations, leaving her feeling bewildered and lost.

Concubine Yi sighed softly, feeling helpless. She knew very well that in the harem, she was just a tiny chess piece and had no control over many things. Although she had doubts in her heart, she could only endure it all silently and could not take any substantive action.

She gazed at the towering palace walls, as if she saw her own imprisoned fate. The prosperity and bustle within seemed so illusory and fleeting to her. A deep sorrow welled up in her heart, drowning her like a tide. But what could she do? She could only continue to drift in this deep palace, feeling helpless and sighing.

She was worried that there might be some unexpected changes that would bring her unpredictable dangers. Her eyes revealed deep worry, as if she might cry at any time.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the harem, these two concubines maintained keen insight and unique thinking. They had doubts about the queen's decision, but could not easily lift the veil of mystery. They could only speculate secretly in their hearts and wait for further developments.

Yangxindian

After finishing his official duties, Qianlong couldn't wait to go to Shufangzhai to look for Xiao Yun. The moment he stepped into Shufangzhai, his face was filled with an expectant smile.

When Xiao Yun saw Qianlong coming, his heart was filled with joy. The two smiled at each other, as if the whole world had become beautiful. Then, they walked out of Shufangzhai hand in hand and strolled in the imperial garden together.

The sunlight shone on them, reflecting their happy figures. Qianlong gently took Xiao Yun's hand, and his fingers gently stroked her palm, conveying warmth and love. Xiao Yun raised her head slightly and looked at Qianlong, with a gentle light flashing in her eyes and a sweet smile on the corner of her mouth.

They walked slowly along the path among the flowers, sometimes stopping to admire the beautiful flowers, sometimes talking in low voices, and laughter echoed in the air. Qianlong carefully picked a blooming peony for Xiao Yun, pinned it on her bun, and exclaimed: "Yun'er, you are so beautiful, just like this flower." Xiao Yun lowered her head shyly, a blush on her face.

They came to the lake, the breeze blew gently, blowing Xiao Yun's hair. Qianlong put his arm around Xiao Yun's waist and pulled her closer to him. They looked at the shimmering scene on the lake together, feeling each other's heartbeat and breathing. In this peaceful atmosphere, their feelings grew deeper, as if time had stopped for them.

Finally, they sat down in the pavilion by the lake, leaning on each other, enjoying this rare and beautiful time, immersed in each other's love, and reluctant to leave for a long time...