Accidentally dressed as an empress

After leaving Jinghe Hall, Yunxiu naturally went to the small kitchen in the East Palace to find something to eat. Jinghe Hall had been empty for a long time, so she and Zhong Yi would stay there for a few more days until after the Ghost Festival.

Yunxiu walked briskly into the East Palace, the place where the crown princes of Yun Kingdom had lived for generations. It symbolized glory and honor, but was also stained with darkness and blood.

The roof of the East Palace is covered with ancient green tiles, and the palace is surrounded by vermilion walls.

The courtyard is full of lush vegetation, and is planted with rhododendrons, magnolias and hibiscus, which are evergreen all year round.

This familiar palace seems a little empty even though I haven't been there for two days.

Su Qing moved too quickly.

The guards on duty at the East Palace bowed and saluted as soon as they saw her. Yunxiu raised her hand and said, "No need to be polite."

Yunxiu walked through the red palace walls and the lush courtyard, and went straight to the small kitchen, which was located in the northeast corner of the East Palace.

Yunxiu turned around many times and finally found the small kitchen. The fire in the stove had just been extinguished, but the smell of firewood was still there.

Yunxiu searched around and found some leftover pancakes and pastries, as well as a plate of still warm roasted pork.

Yunxiu took out a lunch box and filled it with food.

She carried the food box and asked the guards from the Eastern Palace to deliver it to Jinghe Hall.

Yunxiu had no attachment to the palace and was too lazy to visit it, so she walked out of the East Palace and inadvertently passed by the Tinglan Water Pavilion, which was planted with orchids.

There were two people in the pavilion. The petite man slapped away the hand of the tall woman that was on his face.

A pair of playing siblings.

Yunxiu looked at the Fifth Prince, whose hair was covered with pearls and jade and who was wearing a new leaf-green brocade skirt, and then at the Third Princess, who was wearing a short dress with narrow sleeves and a tall and agile figure. She felt uncomfortable, really uncomfortable.

The fifth prince Yun Jue saw Yun Xiu and said innocently, "Big Sister, did you just come out of the East Palace?"

Yunxiu also greeted, "Yes."

Yun Jue smiled faintly and said, "I heard that the Grand Historian recently observed the celestial phenomena at night and saw that the star closest to Ziwei Star suddenly dimmed and lost its former brilliance, while another star next to it rose slowly, shining brightly. Do you know the reason for this, eldest sister?"

Yun Jue's obscure and implicit words were really confusing. Those who didn't understand him might have thought he was really talking about the stars in the sky.

Yunxiu wouldn't take the bait and asked directly, "How did Fifth Brother know about the astrological signs observed by the Grand Historian?"

In her opinion, insinuations are childish. Yunxiu's most effective weapon in dealing with people is to question the source of their information and make them fall into the logical trap of self-justification.

"Ah... this..." The fifth prince Yun Jue stopped talking. He couldn't say that he went outside the Yunji Palace to eavesdrop on the political discussion.

The Third Princess Yun Ji tried to smooth things over, "Fifth Brother was just observing the stars on his own and talking nonsense. He just likes to study these things."

The Third Prince's wife was direct, while the Fifth Prince was roundabout.

Yunxiu was also known for her sarcasm. She said, "Fifth brother, you should also pay attention to the path you walk on when you're stargazing. If you stumble or fall, Third Sister will be heartbroken."

Yun Jue's expression froze, "Thank you for your concern, big sister."

Yunxiu nodded slightly, smiled and walked away.

The third princess and the fifth prince were both raised by noble maid Zhang and had no contact with their original owners.

Stay away from ineffective social interactions.

Walking to the waterfall under the rockery in the garden, Yunxiu had the misfortune to bump into someone again, her father Lin Hong.

Mrs. Lin was wearing a moon-white brocade dress and a luxurious silver-white phoenix crown on her head. There were fine lines at the corners of her eyes, but her gentle temperament was enough to make people forget her age.

Mrs. Lin said softly, "Xiu'er left the Eastern Palace, why didn't you tell me?"

Yunxiu replied in the tone the original owner used to use when interacting with Imperial Madam Lin, "I was sad at the moment and behaved rudely, so I forgot to tell you, father."

"Xiu'er, come with me."

Yunxiu and Lin Hong followed them to Jingxin Palace.

Lin Hong and Yunxiu stood by the ink pool. Yunxiu looked at the wonder of the ink pool in Jingxin Hall and couldn't help but admire it.

In the inky black pond water, a white lotus grew. There were black lines on the petals of the white lotus, making it an inky black lotus.

Yunxiu was lost in thought as she gazed at the scenery. Lin Hong sighed, "Alas, my adoptive father is ultimately no match for my biological father. Xiu'er left the East Palace and went straight to Jinghe Palace. I've been waiting for her for many days."

Yunxiu had a tea-tasting radar in her mind. This Mr. Lin loved to grow white lotus, and it was definitely a full-level white lotus.

Yunxiu lowered her head and said honestly, "Father...Xiu'er knows she is wrong."

Lin Hong added, "The child has grown up and has his own ideas, but he didn't even discuss his lifelong affairs with his father."

Yunxiu was stunned. He even knew this? How many informants did Imperial Consort Lin have in the palace? How could he be so well-informed? It made sense. He had been able to sit on the throne of Imperial Consort for over twenty years. How could he possibly be an easy person to deal with?

A gentle breeze blew by, bringing with it the scent of ink. Yunxiu came to her senses and said awkwardly, "I had to make an emergency decision. This was the first time I fell in love with someone at first sight, and I didn't have time to ask for permission from my father."

Lin Hong asked doubtfully, "Is there such a thing? When and where did Xiu'er fall in love with that young man at first sight?"

Yun Xiu said stiffly, "When I went to the Imperial Prison to visit Zhong Luan of the Zhong Family, I saw the graceful and elegant Zhong Yi and was astonished by her beauty."

Lin Hong's voice was gentle, but his words carried an unchangeable force. "Your legal husband can only be from the Lin family. Even if he is from the Zhong family, he can't get past this. Xiu'er, do you understand?"

It turns out he was waiting for her here.

Zhong Yi, wearing a red veil, was sent to her without a matchmaker or betrothal. This was the work of the Lin Emperor. The Lin family had their eyes on her position as the legal husband and would never give it to another family. From the moment the Lin Emperor took her in to raise her, Yunxiu was deeply bound to the Lin family.

However, in this era where blood ties of in-laws are particularly important, an adopted daughter is not a biological daughter after all; there is always a barrier between them. If one day, she is no longer of any value to support, will Emperor Lin still be willing to be tied to her, the deposed crown princess?

Throughout history, the most difficult thing to calculate is the human heart.

Lin Hong said slowly, "It's almost lunchtime. Why not invite the young master from the Zhong family into the palace for dinner? I'm also very curious about this handsome young man."

In this world where women are king, every man's words are full of hidden meanings. It turns out that being a woman is just a situation. Once a man is placed in a woman's shoes, he will learn all the skills of tea without any instruction.

This situation is called disempowerment.

Yunxiu wanted to protect Zhong Yi. "He is still in prison for his crimes. His Majesty promised to send him to my residence after I leave the palace and build my own. Please rest assured, father, he is just a concubine."

This wasn't a formal marriage, so no one except His Majesty and Aunt Cui, the Minister of the Imperial Household, should know that Zhong Yi was currently in Jinghe Palace. Yunxiu bet that Lin Hong wouldn't insist.

Coming out of Lin Hong's Jingxin Palace, she felt exhausted. She could only protect him this once. If Zhong Yi met her father in the future, she would have to wish him good luck.