Repeatedly broken branches

Xie Huai quietly approached Xiao Mu and whispered in her ear, "Are you hiding something from me?"

Xiao Mu's smile froze on her face, her heart skipped a beat. She hid her astonishment, turned to look at him as if nothing had happened, and said with a smile.

"If you don't trust me, why did you send me out in the first place? I'm not the kind of person who acts rashly. What? Are you afraid I'll hurt someone?"

Xie Huai choked up, his brows furrowed as he stared at her, his eyes flashing several times as if to say, "Don't tease me, Bai Jiaoyu is nothing in my eyes."

He was worried that Xiao Mu might try to assassinate Bai Jiaoyu, but he figured it was impossible. She was pregnant now, so why would she do something so dangerous herself? She was the emperor's woman, wouldn't Yu Yanjing help her?

Why is it my turn to worry about this?

Bai Jiaoyu, who had been resting with her eyes closed, immediately opened them upon hearing their conversation, exclaiming in surprise and anger, "What are you whispering about? What kind of riddles are you using that I, the princess, cannot understand?"

Xiao Mu turned her head away, casually lifted the curtain, and pretended to look out the window, calmly appreciating the scenery outside.

Bai Jiaoyu casually mocked, "A country bumpkin who's never seen the world."

"Xie Huai, where are you taking this princess to have fun? Chaoyang is so boring, it's nothing like the Western Regions!"

Xiao Mu and Xie Huai led Bai Jiaoyu around, but she was neither attracted by the bustling market nor by the exquisite handicrafts. So what was interesting to her?

With Xie Huai constantly by her side, she couldn't make a move at all. In addition, she was walking on the far left while Xie Huai was standing in the middle, separating Bai Jiaoyu from him, making it even more impossible for her to act.

We need to find a way to get Xie Huai away.

"Xie Huai, I want to eat plum candy," Xiao Mu said, pointing to a vendor selling candy who was almost swallowed up by the crowd not far away.

Bai Jiaoyu felt a surge of displeasure. What right did Xie Huai have to order her around? "If you want to eat, can't you go buy it yourself? Why did you have to call Xie Huai? Don't you have legs?" she said, her tone full of dissatisfaction.

"I don't want to go that far, Xie Huai, don't you want me to?"

Xie Huai said directly, "Then you guys wait here, I'll go buy it."

Xiao Mu watched his retreating figure, her heart pounding. She gripped the curved knife hidden in her sleeve again; it was a cold, hard weapon. When she went to the storeroom to choose one, the palace servant guarding it said that this knife was made from the leftover material from forging Yu Yanjing's Silver Serpent Dance sword, capable of killing without drawing blood. Soon, her gaze swept over Bai Jiaoyu, from her eyes to her neck—smooth, white, the easiest place to strike… Next was her chest, the area closest to her heart, then her abdomen, the lower abdomen being the best spot. But since they were of similar height, the neck was still the most convenient…

Right now, as she gripped the scabbard, ready to draw the blade, her entire body was taut like a bowstring, barely daring to breathe. Just as the blade was pulled out a little, the person in front of her suddenly darted to the side, apparently attracted by the shuttlecock seller…

But just then, Xie Huai strode quickly through the crowd carrying a bag of maltose wrapped in kraft paper. Xiao Mu sighed; her first attempt had failed.

How much longer will it take for her to muster the courage to be as ruthless and decisive as she was just now?

"Didn't you want some plum candy? I bought all the plum candy from that old man, and he was overjoyed. He even gave me a few orange candies."

Xie Huai unfolded the kraft paper wrapping the candy. Inside were not only brown plum candies, but also a few orange candies. However, when he looked at Xiao Mu with expectant eyes, she seemed to be lost in thought and did not even glance at the plum candies that she wanted to eat.

Bai Jiaoyu casually picked up a piece of orange candy and put it in her mouth, saying, "Hmm, it's not as sweet as the malt candy from the Western Regions."

"Then why are you still eating? Why don't you spit it out?" Xie Huai's disgust deepened. If she weren't a princess, she would probably have been beaten to death long ago.

Xiao Mu also picked up a piece of candy and put it in her mouth. She didn't taste it and said blankly, "Hmm, plum flavor, very sweet."

She took the orange flavored one but said it was plum flavored. Xie Huai noticed this and immediately sensed that Xiao Mu had something on her mind.

Bai Jiaoyu glanced at her with annoyance, then quickly picked out all the orange candies from Xie Huai's hand and stuffed them into her mouth like a child possessive of their food.

"This jewelry shop opened recently. The owner is from Dongwu. His craftsmanship is just average, but there are still quite a few customers. Isn't that strange?" Xie Huai stopped in front of a new shop and glanced at Xiao Mu, who was looking away.

"Yes, they must have some extraordinary abilities, otherwise how could they attract so many people?"

Bai Jiaoyu paused, looked up, and said nonchalantly, "Then let's go see what's so special about it. I think it must be a mediocre skill, otherwise why not go to the palace, like Master Lin?"

Xie Huai and Xiao Mu ignored her. What she said was no different from nonsense. If everyone could enter the palace to make jewelry for the royal family, would there be any need for shops outside the palace to open?

Xiao Mu followed Xie Huai into the shop, with Bai Jiaoyu close behind. Normally, she wouldn't want to set foot in such a humble place, and she wouldn't have gone if Xie Huai hadn't insisted.

The jewelry in the shop was nothing new; it was all trendy styles, and at first glance, it looked much the same as what you'd find on the market. You could get tired of looking around.

It's so dazzling that it's impossible to pick out the best one.

This also attracts women from ordinary families. Those with higher standards probably wouldn't come here. The main reason is that the prices are reasonable. After all, you get tired of wearing jewelry after a while.

"I thought it was something special. With skills like this, even my maids look down on them. Only you think they're exceptional."

Xiao Mu suddenly turned to look at her and said slowly, "Everyone's aesthetic is different. Although these styles are not that attractive, the workmanship is quite exquisite and not that rough. Of course, these cannot compare with those in the palace."

"Tch, a wild girl is a wild girl." Knowing she couldn't win an argument, Bai Jiaoyu could only resort to verbal sarcasm.

Xie Huai stopped in front of a pair of jade hairpins adorned with butterflies. Although the colors were simple and the material was just plain white jade, the butterfly pattern carved on white jade was quite rare. Not to mention that jade is difficult to carve, the small size of the butterflies would be difficult to carve even on silver or gold. The person used white jade, which, while not exactly precious, was very clever. The white jade butterfly pattern was also very elegant, and at first glance, it seemed suitable for a simple and pure woman, just like Xiao Mu in front of him.

"What's wrong, Xie Huai? What's so great about this hairpin? It's so tacky. Why doesn't it even have a gemstone? Can't the shopkeeper afford gemstones?"

Play the piano on the cow.

Xiao Mu looked over and said calmly, "The White Jade Butterfly Dance is very innovative. The owner's skills are probably good enough to be a master craftsman. However, few people can appreciate its beauty."

Xie Huai smiled knowingly, "You'll naturally find someone who understands it. There's no shortage of people who can wear jewelry."

Bai Jiaoyu couldn't understand what they were saying at all, so she could only follow behind Xie Huai and look at whatever Xie Huai looked at.

……

I want to become his favored concubine, not because I love him, but because I no longer want to be trampled underfoot, and I want to repay the humiliation I suffered. But all of this is so difficult, so very difficult. Rather than saying it's difficult, it's more accurate to say that this man is no longer as easily fooled as before.

"My beauty, don't wait anymore. The Emperor won't come. Ever since he knew you would come here, he has never come to the Imperial Garden again," Yuan Yuan said, watching Chen Lanhe's retreating figure.

It is said that Yin Fu'an always comes to the Imperial Garden for a walk to digest his food after lunch, so Chen Lanhe always comes here to admire the flowers in the afternoon, but Yin Fu'an has never come here.

She would rather believe the news was false than believe that he was no longer interested in her.

Why isn't the Emperor coming?

After thinking for a moment, Yuan Yuan said, "Because of the bad weather, the Emperor is unwilling to come. My beauty, let's go back. It looks like it's going to rain." She looked up at the dark, gloomy sky.

Chen Lanhe looked up and said, "Really? I don't think so. It definitely won't rain." She wondered to herself, why, why did she come but he didn't? Could it be that she really couldn't win Yin Fu'an's heart? Could she not be a favored concubine? Then what about this child? What is this child?

"My beauty, it's really going to rain. You're pregnant with the dragon's child, you really can't get wet. Let's go back first, let's go back first." Yuan Yuan tugged at Chen Lanhe's sleeve, trying to pull her into the pavilion, because raindrops had already started to fall on the ground.

But Chen Lanhe seemed rooted to the ground; no matter how hard Yuan Yuan tried, she couldn't pull her away. She stubbornly raised her head, gazing at the countless falling raindrops, several of which had already hit her eyes. She couldn't understand, and dared not think about, what was the reason? Where had things gone wrong?

Finally, Yuan Yuan pulled her into the pavilion, but she was already soaked through by the rain. All her hair was wet and stuck to her face, the flower petals in her hair were knocked off by the rain, and her body was completely drenched.

“My dear, we can only go back now when the rain stops. Why do you want to get wet? You are pregnant. If you catch a cold, the baby in your belly will also feel uncomfortable. Please take care of the baby.”

Chen Lanhe was momentarily dazed. A child? Who cares about this child? She might just be Yin Fu'an's plaything, just like herself. Everyone is the same; they are all playthings.

"She comes every day?"

Behind a large tree not far away, Yin Fu'an looked at the palace servant holding an umbrella.

The palace maid nodded and said, "The beauty comes to the Imperial Garden every afternoon to wait for the Emperor. I don't know who was so talkative as to tell her that the Emperor would be coming here."

Yin Fu'an glanced at him coldly and said in a muffled voice, "Find out who it is and send them to the labor bureau. They are not to be released without permission. If any beauty comes to ask about my whereabouts in the future, you are not allowed to reveal it. Otherwise, if anything happens to the beauty, you will be killed without mercy."

The palace servants looked at Yin Fu'an in horror and nodded repeatedly in fear.

Yin Fu'an raised his eyes, his gaze falling on the oil-paper umbrella held by the palace servant. He said coldly to him, "Send this to her. Don't say it's me, and don't say I was here. Otherwise, you know what will happen." After saying that, he left the umbrella and walked towards his palace in the rain.

The palace servants had no choice but to deliver the umbrella to Chen Lanhe, who was taking shelter from the rain in the pavilion, as he had instructed.

Yuan Yuan looked at the palace servant gratefully and said, "Thank you, sir. But how did you know we were taking shelter from the rain here?"

The palace maid thought for a moment and said, "This lowly servant was just passing by. My beauty, please go back quickly. This rain won't stop anytime soon, so don't catch a cold."

Chen Lanhe then realized that this was a palace servant who often served Yin Fu'an and was somewhat close to him. His name seemed to be Kang Jin. She remembered him because she often saw him when she went to Zhaoyang Palace to serve him in bed.

"You serve the Emperor, right? Why hasn't the Emperor come to the Imperial Garden lately? Is he very busy with state affairs? I want to see him."

"Didn't His Majesty tell the beauty that they don't need to see each other before giving birth? The beauty shouldn't think about anything else, but should focus on taking care of the pregnancy."

Kang Jin was very tactful, knowing what to say and what not to say, and his answers were very one-sided, leaving no room for doubt.

Chen Lanhe didn't know how she felt right now. She just felt more depressed than the rainy day. They had a child and seemed to have reconciled, but in reality, they were stuck together with many flaws. Their hearts were locked up. Chen Lanhe hadn't given her heart, and neither had Yin Fu'an. Wasn't this just playing a game?

After Kang Jin left, Chen Lanhe stared at his retreating figure for a long time. Even a palace servant who had no connection with her couldn't bear to see her like this and brought her an umbrella. Yin Fu'an knew she was here, but he didn't come again. So emperors are inherently heartless, aren't they?

"Your Majesty, this lowly servant has finished my task."

When Kang Jin returned, Yin Fu'an was sitting in front of a tall stack of memorials, engrossed in reading. He hadn't even had time to change his wet clothes, so he must have been really busy.

"Did she say anything?" After hearing Kang Jin's words, Yin Fu'an finally raised his head, glanced at him, and then continued to lower his head.

"The beauty asked why the Emperor didn't come to the Imperial Garden, and said she wanted to see the Emperor. However, this lowly servant used the words the Emperor had instructed to use to answer the beauty."

Yin Fu'an asked unhurriedly, "Is she alright? After hearing what you have to say..."

Kang Jin shook his head. "No, the beauty seems melancholy, which is not good for her pregnancy. Your Majesty should go and see her; perhaps she will be happier."

"This is none of your business. Get out of here."

Seeing Yin Fu'an's expression change drastically, Kang Jin quickly retreated to avoid being implicated in Yin Fu'an's wrath.

Want to see?

Do you really want to see me, or are you trying to play tricks on me again? You put on an act, so I'll play along, pretending you're favored, pretending to love you, and pretending to pity you. Now that you have a child, you want to see me again. Why is that? I killed your sister and got rid of your sweetheart, so why do you still want to cling to me?

Am I just a plaything in your hands, someone you can manipulate at will? I know you're putting on an act, yet I still play along. I know you always come to me unwillingly, yet I still act as if nothing's wrong. Chen Lanhe, is your heart made of stone and incapable of feeling pain? But mine isn't!

Just because we indulge you, do you feel it's only natural?

This is the only thing that Yin Fu'an has found to cause him the most heartache and suffocation over the years.

Consort Xian still frequently sent people to deliver scriptures, which Chen Lanhe would flip through. She would admire Consort Xian's elegant handwriting and marvel at her strong inner strength. Yin Fu'an never liked her, but she lived a clear-headed and insightful life. Now, she was accompanied by a Buddhist lamp, indifferent to worldly affairs, and would not compete for favor.

Yuan Yuan brought over a pot of fragrant flower tea, brewed by Liang Yuxue and Song Xinning using flowers they had personally dried. It was pure, containing only fresh flowers and tea leaves, which is why they dared to serve it to the now pampered Chen Lanhe.

Upon closer inspection, it has a subtle, indescribable fragrance.

Perhaps it was the fragrance of some flower. Of course, she wouldn't doubt them. She couldn't possibly doubt her own close sisters, otherwise, who else in this deep palace could she trust?