The queen is sober in the world, and she is winning every step of the palace fight.

Fei Wan, who was secretly watching Empress Yan, immediately noticed the slight change in her brow. However, she quickly returned to normal and continued to be elegant and beautiful.

Fei Wan also discovered that as Concubine De led the female dan in blue clothes into the palace, people like Concubine Qing and Concubine Shun, who were always meticulous, also paid a little attention to her.

So, who is that?

Fei Wan had a gentle smile on her lips and took a sip of the fragrant tea. She just admired the appearance of Defei and the other concubine, observing the woman with light lotus steps with relish and calmness.

Gold foil patches on the forehead embellish the black hair, and oil paint outlines a pair of phoenix eyes slanting into the temples, looking around with a hint of sadness in the eyes.

The cherry lips are rouge red, dotted into bright diamond shapes.

One can't help but imagine the softness and warmth of those lips.

"In my dream, I hear the chirping of orioles, and the years pass by in a blur. I stand in a small courtyard..."

When the woman opened her mouth, her voice was very gentle and clear, like pearls and jade falling on a plate.

In an instant, all the concubines in the room listened attentively.

While everyone was amazed, some people had complicated expressions and subconsciously paid attention to the emperor's reaction.

Seeing that the emperor had also stopped listening, everyone's thoughts became even more complicated and confused.

The woman's sleeves flicked three feet of snow, her voice was melodious, her figure was graceful, and her eyes moved, and the lyrics came alive.

"The cuckoo's cry has turned the green hills red, and the smoke from the tea blossoms is intoxicatingly soft... It is not enough to be captivated by it, and it would be in vain to admire all the twelve pavilions..."

Each sentence has three twists and turns, and every word is full of emotion.

The soft and beautiful sound swirls around the carved beams, making it difficult to tell whether it is a play or a dream, reality or illusion.

The young man who accompanied Concubine De was handsome and elegant, wearing high-heeled shoes. He embraced the woman, and both of them danced like butterflies.

"That's where we met, looking at each other solemnly. How could we meet so happily without saying a word... When I walk, the spring scenery is three parts rain, and when I sleep, Wushan is covered with clouds..."

When they sang to the ambiguous parts, the two of them had graceful postures, which made people yearn for the passionate love between men and women.

Even those who were jealous of the female dan in the beginning could not help but listen attentively at this moment.

Empress Yan smiled faintly, her smile not reaching her eyes. The emperor beside her could not take his eyes off the female lead.

When the female lead sang softly, he would squint his eyes and listen attentively. When the female lead suddenly hit a high note, he would raise his eyebrows in a look of admiration.

The performance stopped after both the female dan and the Defei finished their chorus.

The lingering sound was heard in the air, and the whole place was silent for a moment.

Clap, clap, Empress Yan was the first to clap her hands a few times, and praised with a smile: "Excellent singing, appreciate it."

The maidservant beside her immediately stepped forward, put the purse filled with small change and copper coins on a tray, and presented it to Concubine De and the female dan.

Empress Yan and Concubine De joked, "Since you've ended up dressed as a young man, you've received this reward. This is different from the usual silver. It's because everyone in the palace likes your singing, reciting, acting and fighting."

De Fei was naturally happy, and did not think it was shameful for a concubine to be rewarded like an actor. If she thought so, she would not have ended up in disguise.

"Thank you, Queen!"

She took the purse with a happy look on her face.

Beside him, the woman dressed as a Qingyi female role just lowered her head and did not accept the reward.

Concubine De gently touched her sleeve and reminded her quietly.

She just shook her head.

"I sing opera only to express my feelings. I don't want to please anyone, nor will I receive any reward."

She bowed reluctantly, her posture looking lonely.

She seemed to have seen through the mundane world and had long since escaped from the dust of the world. Although she was clearly accompanied by Consort De and the maid holding the tray, she stood out with a sense of being alone.

It seems that even the soul is cold and fragile.

"The show is over, I'm leaving."

She saluted and turned to leave.

The thin figure is covered with sorrow.

It is so moving that one cannot help but feel moved, as if one's heart has been taken away by her.

"Stand."

On the throne, the emperor suddenly spoke.

The woman paused but did not turn around, as if waiting for her punishment.

The emperor looked displeased and asked Concubine De, "Where did you find this actor? He has no manners whatsoever."

Concubine De was so frightened that the joy and sense of accomplishment she had from singing were completely gone. "Your Majesty, she...she is from the Xinzheku. She has never seen the world and doesn't know the rules. I will take her away now and never let her sing again!"

He wanted to protect the woman in his words, fearing that the emperor would be unhappy and punish him.

This is why Concubine De is not very smart.

The clever concubines in the palace had already noticed that the emperor was interested in the woman. If it was just an ordinary actor who did not attract his attention, he would have always been kind to his subordinates and would not have pretended to be so majestic.

This is clearly a retreat in order to advance.

Empress Yan smiled slightly and asked Concubine De, "What's her name and where did she come from?"

Concubine De hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, her name is Shuangying. She works in the Xinzheku, working in the laundry. When I met her, her hands were almost rotten from being soaked in the water. I told the laundry staff not to bully her and let her rest for a few days. I also applied a lot of hand lotion and balm, and now her hands are a little bit better. Otherwise, when she was singing just now, the blood on her hands would be terrible."

She deliberately talked a lot, actually she wanted the emperor to listen to her. This maidservant had a hard time and he should not punish her easily. She still wanted to keep her to act in the show.

Empress Yan asked with a smile, "Then how did she get into the laundry house? Where was her home before entering the palace? Where did she learn such a good opera?"

De Fei said, "She said she learned it from someone in a theatre troupe. Hey, Shuang Ying, turn around quickly and tell the Empress Dowager everything in detail."

In fact, Concubine De had no idea of ​​the other party's origins. After all, they were just servants in the palace. What mattered to her was that the other party was a good singer.

She gave the woman a chance to speak for herself.

Unexpectedly, the woman was silent for a while, then turned around very reluctantly, raised her head slightly, and looked at Queen Yan.

"Madam, do you really want to ask in detail? Or..."

There was a sad smile on her face, like the moonlight that disappeared in an instant, and her voice was slightly choked.

"Or have you already recognized me and just want to embarrass me?"

The concubines in the palace who didn't know this woman were all surprised when she said this. What did she mean? Did she still have a grudge against Empress Yan? Her words didn't sound right...

In the blink of an eye, a few tears had already slid down the woman's cheeks.

The tears reflected tiny halos under the lights in the hall, and finally stopped at the chin, about to fall, which was sad and moving.

"Empress, on your wedding day, you are surrounded by stars and flowers. There is no woman more noble and happier than you. But I am alone, empty-handed, with cliffs to the sides... Please, let me go and stop asking questions!"

"Don't... open the scar on my heart again. It's bleeding, do you see it? Please see it!"

She bit her lips lightly, trying her best not to cry out in pain, and her whole body trembled with effort.

Like a fallen petal wet by rain, there is no other possibility but to break.

Upon seeing this, Queen Yan put away her smile and frowned.

The maid Linglong, who was standing beside the woman holding the reward, immediately spoke up and scolded her master:

"The Empress gave you a reward, but you refused to accept it. She asked you about your origins and your name, and you said so many strange things, but you refused to answer. How did you learn the palace rules? Why don't you leave? The Empress is kind and will not make a fuss about you, but you must not be so ignorant as to disrupt His Majesty's grand day of enthronement and displease Him!"

Linglong was smart to direct the criticism towards the emperor.

Unexpectedly, this woman was not afraid at all.

She took a half step back, looked at Linglong with a sad look, bit her lip and asked, "Do you really have to bully me?"