My palace is full of female protagonists.

Meng She and Li Qing followed the servant boy away slowly, followed closely by two graceful figures—two sisters. As they stepped out of the room, the maids who had been embracing the centurions instantly changed their demeanor, silently drawing silver needles from their sleeves and skillfully administering two needles to each of the centurions beside them. Instantly, the centurions felt numb all over their bodies, and even if they wanted to shout, they could only utter indistinct murmurs.

Before long, the hidden thugs in the restaurant silently sneaked in, one on each side, and easily carried away the defenseless centurion.

The madam turned to Zhao Qi'er, her tone humble: "My lord, shall these people be taken to the woodshed?"

Zhao Qi'er shook her head slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips: "How can the woodshed hold these tough soldiers? It would be more appropriate to have the people I arranged at the back door send them directly to the Prefect of the Capital."

The madam, already hunched over, bowed even lower upon hearing this, nodding repeatedly: "I'll take care of it right away. But, what about Zhenzhen..."

A sly glint flashed in Zhao Qi'er's eyes: "Have her find a way to give them a chance to enjoy tea alone. There's no need to put any drugs in the tea; you just need to secretly hide this thing I gave you in the incense." With that, she waved her hand lightly, and the person beside her immediately handed over a roll of incense. The madam took it with both hands, brought it close to her nose, and sniffed it. Then, a look of understanding appeared on her face, and she readily agreed.

Meng She and Li Qing continued climbing the stairs to the third floor. The third-floor corridor, though spacious, was shrouded in darkness. Only the flickering candlelight in the side rooms barely outlined the surroundings, making Meng She feel somewhat uneasy. His inherent decisiveness and vigilance subtly surfaced; it was as if every cell in his body was silently measuring the distance to the surrounding doorways, preparing for any unforeseen event—in this gloom, any sudden shortening of the corridor could mean an unknown figure lurking in the shadows.

Suddenly, Meng She reached out and grabbed Li Qing's arm tightly. The force was so great that Li Qing was caught off guard and cried out in surprise. He then cried out in pain, his voice filled with panic.

Two women rushed over upon hearing the noise and quickly advised, "Please keep your voices down. There are distinguished guests with entourage in this room. It's better to avoid trouble and prioritize safety." "That's right. With such distinguished guests by our side, everything will be fine once we enter the room."

Upon hearing this, Meng She gradually relaxed his grip, but he never let go of Li Qing's arm, his vigilance and protectiveness evident.

Li Qing's brows furrowed as she was forcefully pulled to Meng She's side, her steps faltering. She was terrified of accidentally stepping on Meng She's foot and incurring his further displeasure. Already exhausted, Li Qing walked with a half-drag, half-kneeling gait, as if each step drained all her strength. Inadvertently, her slender hand gently bumped against a doorpost by the roadside, making a soft sound.

Meng She was completely oblivious, only impatiently urging the servant leading the way, "How much further until we arrive?"

The servant remained silent, only pointing to a closed door not far away as a response.

Without another word, Meng She strode forward and pushed open the heavy wooden door.

The interior was lavishly furnished, with a dazzling array of porcelain vases and jade artifacts, rivaling even the side rooms of some princely mansions in the capital, exuding an air of wealth and luxury.

Meng She looked around, his brows furrowed, and muttered to himself, "With such a grand display, aren't they afraid of committing the crime of usurpation?"

The two sisters exchanged a smile, their eyes gleaming with mischief, and said softly, "Please don't take offense, sir. All these arrangements have been made with permission. Your noble status is befitting of the elegance of this room, which shows our respect." "Is there something you're not satisfied with? If so, please have a servant arrange something else."

After saying this, Meng She gently placed Li Qing on the ground, then leisurely sat down on a round stool, picked up the teapot beside him, sniffed its aroma, and then tilted his head back to drink it all in one gulp. A playful smile appeared on his lips: "Well then, when will the new sister arrive?"

The two sisters exchanged a smile, their eyes filled with gentle tenderness, and replied softly, "If she is pleased with the poem you recited, a maid will gracefully approach with a seasonal flower to convey her feelings. If that flower is a proud plum blossom, then it signifies that you are the first honored guest to share this pot of exquisite tea with my sister." "If you win my sister's favor, she will surely make careful arrangements to dismiss the other guests, leaving only a cup of tea to await your arrival, esteemed guest."

Meng She snorted coldly and fell silent, his gaze sweeping sharply across his surroundings as if searching for some flaw. Li Qing huddled to the side, barely daring to breathe, afraid that he might inadvertently anger Meng She again.

Just then, light footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by the gentle push of the door open, and a woman dressed in a light pink dress walked in. She held a plum blossom bud in her hand, and a faint smile on her face, like a warm spring breeze, instantly dispelled the tense atmosphere in the room.

Meng She's gaze swept over the woman, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He waved his hand, signaling the two sisters to step aside, then stood up, walked to the woman, and bowed deeply: "I am Meng She, greetings, young lady."

The woman was slightly taken aback, then returned the greeting: "This humble girl, Wan'er, greets Young Master Meng." Her voice was clear and melodious, like a spring in a mountain stream, bringing joy to the listener.

Meng She slowly straightened his body, his deep eyes seemingly able to pierce through the mist, locking firmly into Wan'er's trembling pupils, attempting to capture some unspoken secret. Wan'er was unsettled by his intense gaze, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she unconsciously lowered her eyes, avoiding that gaze that seemed to see into people's hearts.

In that delicate moment, Meng She's movements were swift and decisive. He suddenly reached out his right hand and grabbed Wan'er's slender wrist. The action was so quick and resolute that Wan'er was caught off guard, and she didn't even have time to think of pulling her hand back.

"You..." Wan'er uttered softly, her voice trembling slightly. Then she suddenly looked up, her gaze meeting Meng She's. Her eyes were filled with astonishment and confusion, as if she had been swept away by a sudden storm.

Meng She persisted, his sharp, eagle-like eyes still fixed on Wan'er, a meaningful sneer curling at the corner of his lips: "What? Since this plum blossom is a token, could it be that the new sister is already eager to meet us?"

Wan'er felt a chill run through her wrist as he gripped it tightly, and fear surged into her heart like a tide. She looked pleadingly at her two sisters, who were also in the same situation, but all she received were their repeated waving of their hands, signaling her not to make any rash moves, their words full of helplessness and warning.

Wan'er quickly replied, "Yes, absolutely! Miss Zhenzhen praised the poem written by the nobleman. May I ask if this masterpiece was truly written by the nobleman?" At this moment, her gaze inadvertently swept over a corner of the room, where a slightly mature and elegant scholar was nestled. In stark contrast to him was the burly man in front of her, whose arm strength was astonishing. His hand, which gripped her wrist tightly, seemed capable of easily breaking tree branches. It was hard to imagine that he could recite such delicate and gentle verses.

Upon hearing this, Meng She smiled and said, "Good. Go and tell your young lady that I have prepared gold here, just waiting for her to come and collect it." After saying that, he ignored Wan'er's tightly clenched fists and gently pried them open, placing a glittering gold leaf in her palm. He whispered, "Take this to your young lady to see."

After saying this, Meng She finally released Wan'er's hand, letting her leave in a hurry.

After the beautiful figure disappeared behind the door, Meng She turned around and said to the other two sisters in the room, "Since there is a bed here, you two can work hard to take care of my injured brother. He is covered in wounds and has not bathed for a long time, so you must take good care of him. As long as you take good care of him, you will naturally receive plenty of gold leaves."

The two sisters, their faces beaming with joy, reached out and carefully helped Li Qing up from the dust. However, this touch seemed to ignite the pain within Li Qing; he gasped softly, his voice faint yet revealing unbearable agony. Seeing this, the two sisters quickly slowed their movements, becoming exceptionally gentle, like a spring breeze caressing their faces, as they gently settled Li Qing onto the bed.

Time passed quietly, and suddenly there was a light knock on the door. It was the servant who had led the way earlier. His voice came through the crack in the door with a hint of respect: "My lord, Miss Zhenzhen has arrived."

Before the words were finished, the door opened, and four maids filed in, dressed in colorful robes, their movements graceful and gentle. Two maids stood on either side, gently swaying their flower baskets, petals falling like fine rain, adding a touch of poetry to the room. Another maid held a lit incense burner, the smoke curling upwards, swaying gracefully with the talisman in her hand, adding a touch of mystery to the scene. The last maid clutched a pipa tightly in her arms, draped in a long gauze curtain, like a work of art, awaiting its owner to unveil its secrets.

Four figures stood on either side. Zhenzhen, who had seemed so unreachable on the stage, now slowly entered view, followed closely by four maids, like four light, graceful clouds, each fulfilling their duties, adding a touch of solemnity and elegance. One maid held a smooth, jade-like ruyi scepter with both hands, while another carried a tray with an exquisite tea set, the aroma of tea seemingly already filling the air. The third maid carried a food platter with three dishes of pastries arranged in a pleasing, tempting manner. The last maid carried a long, flowing gauze dress, its hem swaying gently, the bells adorning it tinkling softly with each step, adding a touch of dreamlike anticipation.

Recalling Zhenzhen'er's graceful dance, Meng She immediately understood that this elaborate setup was definitely for a special performance just for him. Overjoyed, he almost rose to his feet and stepped onto the stage where the spotlight was about to shine.

Just then, the two maids who had been scattering flowers seemed to have been caught off guard by Meng She's sudden action and inadvertently blocked his path. Seeing this, Meng She was not annoyed at all; instead, he became playful and, with a gentle wave of his hands, deftly lifted the two maids onto his shoulders. This unexpected move caused the two maids to gasp in surprise, their cheeks flushing red, their eyes sparkling with a mixture of astonishment and delight, making the scene instantly amusing.

Zhenzhen was genuinely startled, but this was not the first time she had encountered such a guest, so she remained composed, stepped forward gracefully, and asked softly, "Judging from your appearance, does Your Excellency have a great appreciation for my maids? If so, I will give them to Your Excellency and then withdraw immediately to avoid disturbing Your Excellency's enjoyment."

Upon hearing this, Meng She abruptly pushed the two maids aside and said urgently, "Zhenzhen'er is the one I truly love. They dare to obstruct my meeting with my beloved, so naturally I wish I could get rid of them immediately."

Zhenzhen turned her head slightly, a smile playing on her lips. She half-covered her lips with her sleeve and said teasingly, "Judging from your words and actions, you don't seem to be the distinguished guest who expresses his feelings through poetry. In that case, I suppose I was being presumptuous. Perhaps I should leave without disturbing you. I'll take my leave now."

Meng She reached out his hand again, intending to keep Zhenzhen'er, but she turned around gracefully halfway, skillfully avoiding his touch, as agile as a deer in the forest.

Meng She's hand missed its mark, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. He then smiled apologetically, "Actually, that poem wasn't written by me, but rather by my 'younger brother.' He suffered a minor injury today, and I've arranged for the waitresses in the restaurant to carefully attend to his bath and change, so that his appearance wouldn't offend Miss Zhenzhen's discerning eye. Why don't we sit down, have some tea, and chat about romance for a while? What do you say?"

Although Zhenzhen knew in her heart that she had come with a mission given to her by the madam and could not immediately extricate herself, she went along with it, pretending to believe Meng She's rather strange explanation. She gracefully walked into the room and elegantly sat down at the round table. The maids understood immediately and quickly set out an exquisite teapot and various tea snacks on the table. A faint aroma of tea filled the air, adding a touch of elegance to this unexpected gathering.

Between the beds, the clear sound of water quietly arose. The two sisters lowered their voices and whispered, "How can this nobleman's wounds be so deep, and it seems they haven't been taken care of in time?" "Tsk, just looking at them makes me feel unbearable pain. Please bear with it for a moment, and let me gently wipe away the scabs for you." "How can such a handsome scholar be allowed to have flaws ruin his beauty? I'll go and ask Mother to get some of the best wound medicine, and I'll make sure his skin is as good as new, without a single trace."

Upon hearing this, Li Qing smiled faintly and said, "A true man should not be bothered by mere scars."

Zhenzhen'er turned her gaze to Meng She, her heart filled with doubt: "Judging from your extraordinary skills, how could my brothers have suffered such serious injuries?"

Meng She sighed softly and explained, “My younger brother violated the family rules and was severely punished. The family rules are strict, hence his injuries are quite serious. It would be disrespectful for him to recuperate at home, so I took the liberty of bringing him to this restaurant to rest. Unexpectedly, this restaurant houses such a wonderful woman as Miss Zhenzhen. My brother fell in love with you at first sight and wishes to take you as a concubine to spend the rest of his life with. Please rest assured, Miss Zhenzhen, my brother is not yet married. As the youngest son in the family, there is no need to rush into establishing a principal wife. Even as a concubine, we can treat each other like ordinary husband and wife. As his elder brother, I am willing to act as his matchmaker. What do you think, Miss Zhenzhen?”