Cloud Clan

  In the quiet night, the old gate creaked, making a very piercing sound with every movement. This was unbearable for Ziyunyan who liked quietness. She carefully opened the door and slowly pulled it open. Actually, she just wanted to retrieve the broom that had fallen in front of the door after sweeping.

  Since the incident with Mrs. Qi and Jin Aiyi, most of the servants in the Qi household were dismissed by Old Master Qi and sent back to their hometowns. After all, the strange death of Mrs. Qi was not a good thing, so in order to prevent the servants from gossiping about it outside, they were all let go with a generous severance package. Now, there are only three people left in the Qi household: a cook, Steward Wang, and his wife, Wang Shu.

  Wang's wife alone shouldered the heavy burden of household chores inside and outside the mansion, which was no easy feat. Occasionally, Qi Yunyan would secretly take tools to help sweep the front yard, knowing that Wang's wife had too many tasks to attend to and couldn't possibly keep up appearances. No matter how the Qi family was doing, their reputation couldn't be looked down upon. However, as a young mistress, if she were to actually do cleaning work, people would gossip about her. So she could only come secretly at night.

  As soon as the two hands had pulled open a crack in the door, moonlight shone on the doorstep, faintly and indistinctly, revealing two shadows blocking the steps.

  Qī yún yān fàng zài mén fèng lǐ de yǎn jing, lì mǎ jiǎn chéng le yī tiáo xiàn, zǐ xǐ de duān shang, shì shén me rén, bù shì lì mǎ dǎ kāi mén yíng kè.

  It was late at night and quiet everywhere. Who would come to the Qi's house at this hour? Normally, people wouldn't choose to visit at such a time. It can be seen that she is a cautious person in every way.

  Jingxiangru stood on the steps in front of the Qi family's house, looking over and coincidentally meeting her eyes peeking out from the gap in the door. The corners of her mouth slightly curled up: This was her own home, why did she seem to be sneaking around like a thief?

  Qiyun blinked twice, and finally recognized the outline of a person's face from the light circle illuminated by the moonlight. The man standing in front of her, looking at her, wore official attire, with a gentle and elegant demeanor, like a leaf orchid, having the elegance and refinement of an orchid, as well as the sharpness and nobility of a sword.

  His eyes often reveal a hint of melancholy and nostalgia in the depths of silence, people call him a wise official with a heart for the world and a mind for the common people, Palace Lord.

  Her heart suddenly skipped a few beats, making her breathe rapidly.

  It's true that she often visited the Gong family when she was young, so he wasn't unfamiliar to her. However, she was a bit afraid of him. Moreover, today, after what seemed like doing something wrong on her own part.

  Jing Xiangru walked up to the front, straight to the door, Yu Li's tall body almost covered the gap in the door. Making her eyes have nowhere to escape, and can only look at him.

  In that instant, before he could speak, she slammed her hands on the two doors and pushed them forward, tightly closing the gap of less than a finger.

  Liu Shu, who was following behind Gong Xiangru, saw her action and was stunned for a moment.

  What's wrong with Miss Qi?

  Did he see the young master of his house close the door in front of him?

  It stands to reason that they shouldn't not recognize the young master of their household. Moreover, even if they didn't recognize him, they should have recognized the official uniform he was wearing. Given the relatively low social status of the Qi family, they should have quickly opened the door to welcome the guest.

  Sixth Uncle furrowed his old brows, walked forward, raised his palm, and was about to slap the Qi family's gate.

  "Wait a minute."

  He is also a person who likes quietness. At this late hour, loudly knocking on people's doors and making such a big noise is not only impolite but also inappropriate for someone who has come uninvited without sending word ahead of time.

  Knowing that Young Master is a person who attaches great importance to etiquette, Sixth Uncle put down his hand.

  On the other side of the door, Qi Yunyan had both hands pressed against the door panel, panting heavily, her head bowed, and her breathing ragged.

  A figure emerged, possibly having heard the noise, and walked across the courtyard to her location. Upon seeing her, he asked: "Miss, who has come?"

  Qī Yún yān suddenly lifted her head, turned around, and saw that it was Wang Guǎnjiā. She felt another layer of cold sweat crawling up her back. She opened her mouth, but hadn't yet found an excuse to bluff her way out.

  Outside the door, a soft and gentle voice came in: "Excuse me, is anyone home?"

  Wang Guan's eyes widened in surprise. Indeed, someone was standing at the door. This was strange. Someone had come to visit, but Miss didn't open the door for them.

  Qī Yún yān received the doubts handed over by Wáng Guǎn jiā, and became even more unsure of what to do. He could only lower his head, withdraw his hand from the door, turn around, and hastily retreat into the courtyard, disappearing without a trace.

  Leaving Wang Guan alone in a daze, unsure whether he should open the door or not.

  It's just that listening to this outsider's voice seems somehow familiar.

  Gongsun Zhi knew for certain that there was someone standing behind the door, so he said again: "I am Gongsun Zhi."

  The name of Gong Xiangru was known to everyone in the capital. Wang, the steward, was startled and immediately opened the door. Seeing that the man standing at the gate was indeed wearing a first-class official uniform, he was the gentle yet firm Minister of Justice, Gong, Wang's legs trembled slightly as he bowed his hands and said: "Your Excellency."

  After shouting, he couldn't even speak clearly. Wang's mind was a mess at this moment, which was the reaction of many people when they saw the Minister of Justice suddenly visiting for the first time. The Minister of Justice, what does it mean? It means an official who handles cases and beheads people. Heaven knows, no one wants this official to come to their home as a guest.

  Wang the housekeeper is now very afraid, this Palace Director suddenly came to the Qi family, is it to investigate who did what, could it be that he wants to raid the Qi family? Forget it. This Qi family doesn't need him to raid, they are already in a state of disarray. Even if the old master of his household has recently been said to be promoted two ranks in succession.

  Seeing Wang Guan standing at the door, after opening the door, his body stood horizontally in front of the door, similar to Qi Yunyan. Gong Xiangru's eyes narrowed slightly and asked: "Where is your master?"

  Wang the steward didn't dare to make decisions on his own, and besides, with a palace like this, it's truly which family dares to refuse guests. Anyway, Wang the steward didn't have the guts, so he regretted it. He should have learned from Qi Yunyan and pretended not to know and slipped away. Still, the young lady of their household was clever.

  "Please, Master Gong, come in and take a seat. I'll go inform the old master that you've arrived." Wang, the butler, employed a delaying tactic, first inviting the guest into the house, offering him a cup of hot tea to soothe him, before going to ask Master Qi how to respond.

  Gong Miao Rú heard his words and knew what he was thinking. However, since they weren't there to investigate the case, they followed Wang Guǎn Jiā's lead and entered the Qi family's house first.

  He chose a chair and sat down, with Liu standing behind him. Wang the housekeeper went to find Old Master Qi. When she heard her husband's instructions, Mrs. Wang hastily brought a cup of hot tea for their esteemed guest.

  When Gong Xi Ru saw this house, there wasn't even a maid serving tea, and when she walked through the courtyard, it was clear that the Qi family seemed to have very few people.

  Wang's wife brought the tea to the table, but since her husband hadn't returned, she could only stand here and wait.

  Gong Momo asked her: "Isn't there any other maid in the mansion?"

  I thought of seeing Qi Yunyan alone at Ren Xin Zhai before.

  "Tell the master, the old master and the young lady both said that there's no need to keep too many servants, because now only the old master and the young lady are left in this mansion. The old master and the young lady also don't like noise, they prefer quietness. So after madam passed away, most of the people in the mansion went back to their hometown."

  As he picked up the hot tea, his fingers paused for a moment. Looking at Wang's humble appearance, Gong Xiangru knew she was telling the truth. And as for why Old Master Qi sent so many people back home, he could also guess. It can only be said that this Old Master Qi has a personality that dislikes causing trouble, which is somewhat similar to their Gong family.

  In the past, although she was his sister's best friend, Mrs. Qi had a bad reputation and Old Master Qi held a low official position, so the Palace family and the Qi family didn't have much to do with each other. It can be seen that marrying what kind of wife also has a great impact on a family.

  Gong Xiangru furrowed his brow in thought. Wang Shu saw that there was no guilt on his face, and the corner of his mouth curled up slightly. As a loyal old servant and housekeeper of the Qi family, they knew more or less about how Madame Qi had died. It's really unknown what kind of idea these people from the Gong family have, suddenly coming to pay their respects at the Qi residence.

  The same idea kept turning in Mr. Qi's mind.

  Wang, the steward, stood upright in front of his master, swallowing hard and nervously rubbing his palms: "Master, what should we do about this?"

  Yes, what's the sudden visit of Gong Xiangru for? It's the middle of the night and there was no prior notice. You said it's about handling a case, but it seems like the other party didn't present any official documents. Moreover, according to Wang Guan Jia, the person who came with Gong Xiangru wasn't an official staff member, only an old housekeeper from the Gong family, Liu Shu.

  Master Zhi was at a loss and didn't dare to go to the front hall to meet people. He had to send Wang, the housekeeper, to probe, saying: "Just say that I'm ill and my body is not well-suited for receiving guests."

  Wang Guan's scalp tightened at these words: "Master, Palace Official is a famous doctor. If you pretend to be ill and he finds out..."

  Old Master Qi's lips moved slightly as he waved his sleeve: "Never mind. We'll talk about it later."

  Wang Guan's family silently watched him take off his shoes and lie down on the bed, pretending to be ill. So it can be said that Master Qi has been in office for many years, but his progress has been slow, not because he is untalented, but because when doing things, he often lacks a trick or two, and occasionally has a childish temper.

  The master is like this, what can Wang the housekeeper do? Had to force himself to walk back to the front hall and tell Gong Xiangru exactly what Mr. Qi had said.

  Such a lie, Wang the housekeeper wouldn't believe it, and Gong Xiangru couldn't hear it. If Gong Xiangru was really here to investigate the case, upon hearing this, he should have taken out the official documents to make Qi Lao Ye come out and meet people.

  But it seems not.

  Gong Xiangru quietly listened to his words, the teacup in her hand was as steady as Mount Tai, seemingly unmoving. Until Wang Guan's words were exhausted and he fell silent, she furrowed her brow for a moment before turning to Liu Shu beside her and saying: "Count how many taels of silver are in the money bag."

  His wallet was always carried by Sixth Uncle.

  Sixth Uncle took out the money bag from his bosom, opened it and poured all the silver coins onto the table to count. After counting, he made a gesture to his young master: This morning I brought out ten taels of silver, used four taels during the day, now only six taels are left.

  Thus, Palace Commissioner Xiang took a white paper from Wang the housekeeper, wrapped up the six taels of silver and said to him: "Actually, I had wanted to come and pay my respects to Master Qi ever since I heard that Madame Qi had passed away on the day I returned to the capital. It's just that official business has been keeping me busy and I couldn't find the time to come. This bit of silver is a small token of my goodwill."

  The steward Wang looked at the six taels of silver wrapped in white paper and, of course, had no authority to help his master refuse it. Therefore, he was anxious to return to the house and ask Master Qi for a countermeasure. However, Palace Commissioner Xiang had already stood up after putting down the silver and said: "Since Master Qi is not feeling well, my visit today is somewhat unprepared. I hope the steward will convey my condolences to Master Qi. If Master Qi's body is still uncomfortable tomorrow, I know many doctors in the capital who can be invited to come and help, or even ask the Imperial Hospital to send someone. You can pass on the message at the Ministry of Punishments where I work."

  After finishing speaking, Gong Xiangru walked out in big strides.

  Wang Guan's family could only follow behind him, sending him out of the Qi family gate. After seeing him off in the distance, he was still shaken and quickly hung up the door bolt, refusing to open the door for anyone tonight.

  Back to the front hall, it was only natural to pick up the six taels of silver wrapped in white paper and go give an answer to Old Master Qi.

  Mr. Qi heard that someone had left, and he immediately sat up in bed. When he saw the white paper wrapped in silver given by Gong Xiangru to Bao, he almost puffed out his chest and glared with wide eyes.

  What do you mean by saying that the palace is like this? It's not as if I don't know that his wife died because of her own evil deeds, and she wanted to harm his sister. Now they're still receiving money from the Qi family, it's almost like a weasel paying New Year's respects to a chicken.

  Wang the housekeeper said, "What Palace Director Shuang meant to say is that if he's still unwell tomorrow, he'll send a royal physician over to show concern." Old Master Qi slapped his palm on the table and glared with wide eyes: "I think he's here specifically to bully the Qi family!"

  Wang Guan Jia didn't dare think that way and said in a low voice, "Palace Master also said that if the old master needs it, he will send someone to say so, then he will send a doctor over."

  Mr. Qi's eyelids flickered. Saying so, others were indeed concerned about his health.

  I couldn't figure out what Palace meant, whether it was to give the Qi family money or to help them find a doctor. In retrospect, the Palace family has indeed not done anything wrong to the Qi family, but rather the Qi family owes the Palace family a lot of favors. Like he said today that he is going to be promoted, I suppose someone from the Palace must have put in a lot of effort.

  Mr. Qi let out a long sigh: "Use these six taels of silver to buy paper money and burn it for the mistress."

  "Old Master?" Wang's housekeeper was startled, unclear as to his meaning.

  Master Qi stroked his beard, narrowed his eyes: "Let Madam use these paper money in the underworld, and she'll know how to repay kindness with virtue, and what sin and cruelty she has committed. Let her atone for her sins underground, and even if she's reborn, she won't commit such sinful acts again."

  Wang Guan nodded: "Yes."

  "What about Yunyan?" Old Master Qi suddenly remembered his daughter.

  "The young lady actually knew first that the palace master had arrived," said Wang, the housekeeper, shaking his head and sighing as he thought about how his own young lady had seen what was coming and escaped, leaving him to deal with all the trouble.

  Mr. Qi looked out the window and saw what seemed to be a cat's shadow flashing by, turned his head back, lay back on the bed: "If Miss asks, just tell her the truth. If she doesn't ask, maybe they already know."

  In the palace.

  As Huayexiang took her son out for a walk, the palace became much quieter.

  After seeing off a group of officials who had finished their dinner, Li Zimo didn't look at the memorials in Yongning Hall again, but instead flipped through a book for a while. It was probably because he hadn't read books for too long that tonight, as he looked on and on, he felt drowsy.

  Li Shunde came in to see his master with a somewhat tired look and asked if he wanted more tea.

  Li Zimo put down his book and stood up, saying: "Maybe I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm feeling drowsy today."

  Li Shunde thought so too, he almost didn't sleep all night yesterday, only slept for about an hour in the early morning, guarded by Hua Xiyan, and could only take a nap, so he advised him to go to bed early.

  Li Zimo thought the same way. By tomorrow, his wife and son would be back, bringing news of their little son. He also had to wait and see if Xiao Chi would give him a gift for Hua Xiyue to bring back.

  So, the emperor went to bed early tonight.

  Li Shunde saw him lie down, closed the door for him, and covered his mouth with his hand to stifle a yawn. He instructed the people below to keep watch for a while, then went to another place to take a nap.

  The moon poked out half of its head from the clouds, and then hid back into them.

  The eunuchs guarding the emperor's gate were not supposed to close their eyes, but tonight they all felt drowsy. Another eunuch who was also on guard duty ordered a younger eunuch to keep watch and went off to sleep himself. The young eunuch sat on the steps in front of the emperor's door, nodding off as he dozed, his head almost falling onto his chest. The guards standing at attention on either side were also yawning repeatedly.

  At the moment when the moon was completely covered by dark clouds, a figure, as agile as a cat, flew down from the roof and walked in the corridor. Two guards turned their heads to see that the approaching person was a palace maid-like woman, so they didn't have much doubt. The maid held a tray with both hands, on which there was a small bowl. It seemed like she was going to deliver food to the emperor.

  In the past, if someone wanted to deliver food to the emperor, they would have had to go through the guards or Li Shunde and others who were responsible for guarding the gate. However, tonight those two guards were not in high spirits, after asking the palace maid who sent her, the palace maid said it was Li Shunde who sent her, and then there was nothing more to say, they let the palace maid enter the emperor's bedroom.

  Logically, the emperor's bedroom is divided into inner and outer parts, with screens and beaded curtains separating them. After the palace maid brings things in and puts them outside, she only needs to wait for the emperor to get up and instruct someone, and then the people below can take another step to serve him.

  Li Zimo was a person with mysophobia, and he only allowed people he was familiar with to serve him. Moreover, in order to prevent anyone from harboring ulterior motives by using women's charms, it was strictly forbidden for palace maids to enter the inner chambers to serve him. The palace maids who worked at Yongning Palace were all very clear about this point, because they would all receive a round of education from the Neiwufu before being assigned here.

  But now this palace maid was completely different. After entering the emperor's bedroom, she immediately closed both doors. Then, she tiptoed through the beaded curtain, around the screen, and approached the dragon bed.

  It was clear that the man lying on the dragon bed with an extremely confident expression would not wake up easily. The woman gazed at the peerless and divine face on the dragon bed, curled her lips, and stared at the dragon's face with a fierce gaze, revealing a hint of the true color of her pupils under the disguise - green. This person was none other than Li Hua, the third princess of the Great Yan Kingdom.

  It wasn't easy to bribe the Imperial Household Department and sneak into the palace, getting close to the man renowned as the most handsome in the world. Although the face before me was a bit cold, keeping people at arm's length, it didn't diminish the radiance emanating from it.

  The pear blossom had not actually seen the Eastern Mausoleum Emperor before arriving at the Eastern Mausoleum, but only heard rumors that he was a very frightening and cannibalistic ruler who devoured people without spitting out their bones. Because, he indeed swallowed up the land of Dayuan, causing the people of Dayuan to feel heartbroken as if cut by a knife.

  Until that day when they first met on the hunting ground. What she saw with her own eyes made her realize that this man was not a devil, but his stunningly handsome appearance made her heart sink instantly.

  She had never seen such a man, so beautiful that he seemed like a god from heaven. Even being gazed at by his icy and isolated eyes made her feel like the happiest person in the world. In the past, she might have approached him for the sake of her brother's future throne, but now, she was doing it for herself first.

  The outstretched fingers slowly swept across his handsome and unparalleled side profile.

  His fingers hadn't even touched his skin when Yun Mei's eyebrows suddenly moved.

  She immediately withdrew her fingers, furrowing her brow. He was too vigilant, and she had already spread so much of the highest-grade aphrodisiac used by women in the palace that it seemed to be insufficient to confuse him.

  It doesn't matter, she still wants another method.

  She hooked up the corner of her mouth, untied the palace maid's clothes on her body, and revealed another dress underneath. This was a dress that Hua Yexing had worn before, as Yan Shangshu's concubine at that time. Later, it was torn somewhere and sent to the Nei Wu Fu for someone to mend. Now she borrowed it to wear, with the scent of his favorite woman on her body, which would surely confuse him.

  Wrapped in the clothes with floral patterns, she lay down beside him, holding her breath, waiting for him to notice the scent and come over to hug her.

  After a moment, he indeed turned his body to her side, one hand stretched out in front of her, and just as it was about to touch her body, Yun Mei's eyebrows suddenly furrowed and he flipped back around.

  The pear blossom was at the highest point when it suddenly fell, and bit her teeth. What's going on? Is there something else on her body that makes him feel uneasy?

  No matter what, she anxiously waited for almost half a stick of incense, but he still didn't turn around to face her. She couldn't take the initiative to hug him either.

  At this moment, Li Shunde's voice came from outside the window.

  Li Shunde didn't dare sleep for the whole night, and after dozing off for a bit, he came back to find the little eunuch guarding the door sleeping. He got angry and kicked the little eunuch flying: "You can't even be a good watchdog!"

  The little eunuch ate a dog's feces, covered his buttocks and stood up, and his head also cleared up. He hastily bowed to Li Shunde and said: "Manager Li, you're back."

  "Has anyone been inside?" Li Shunde's sharp eyes noticed that the door of the house seemed different from when he left.

  He was always cautious, and when he left, he never closed the door completely, leaving a small gap. It seems that someone had entered and then closed the door tightly.

  The little eunuch scratched his head, and later it seemed that he responded to the two guards who were questioning a palace maid in his sleep, saying: "Your Excellency, you had someone send a bowl of soup for His Majesty to drink. The person who went in was a palace maid."

  Li Shunde's eyes widened: "Me send soup for master to drink? Master didn't order it? I dare?"

  Roll up your sleeves and see which palace maid is so bold as to sneak into the master's bedroom.

  The door suddenly opened and a woman came out from inside, dressed as a palace maid.

  Li Shunde raised his hand, just about to slap the face of this reckless servant, when he suddenly discovered that the woman who came out was somewhat disheveled.

  The pear blossom lifted her head and looked at him with a pair of pitiful eyes: "Husband?"

  "Who told you to send soup to the Emperor?" Li Shunde's face turned dark, his voice stern. "Don't say it was a trivial matter. A trivial matter wouldn't have had you doing such a thing."

  "Your Majesty, my humble name is Xiaoying. I'm new to the palace and don't know much about the rules. I only work in the imperial kitchen, following orders from others. I don't know why you're blaming me for this."

  Who in the imperial kitchen has such a big nerve to make decisions on their own? Li Shunde stroked his chin, but what really made him anxious was not this soup. When the door opened just now, he glanced inside and saw that the bowl of soup she had sent in should not have been touched by anyone, which meant that even if poison had been added to the bowl, Lí Zǐmò would not have eaten it and would not have been poisoned.

  As expected, Lihua then said what she feared most. Lihua said: "I brought the soup in and saw that His Majesty was asleep, so I had to go inside and wake him up to drink the soup. As a result, His Majesty suddenly hugged me for some reason..."

  "Shut up!" Li Shunde's roar from the bottom of his lungs showed that he was scared to the extreme. If it were Lí Zǐ Mò himself who had gotten into such a mess, or if Huā Xī Yán came back and figured out what happened... His brain was absolutely not attached to his neck!

  Peach blossom seemed to be frightened by him, shrinking her neck and saying: "Your Majesty can rest assured. When I entered the palace, I knew that I was a person of the emperor. Even if the emperor did anything to me, it would still be my good fortune."

  "Damn your ghost! Don't think that the Emperor is really moved by you!"

  The pear flower lowered her head: "I know, Your Majesty has a deep affection for the princess. I dare not have any wild ideas. It's just that Your Majesty just told me that if I were to become pregnant, it would be impossible to let the imperial descendants fall outside the palace."

  Li Shunde was shocked by her words and stared blankly.

  It's said that this Yongning Palace, being the emperor's place, although the emperor wouldn't tolerate anyone setting their sights on him, but because Liu Gugu had worked here before and was familiar with the old palace maids who remained to serve the emperor, she privately told them to keep an eye on things at Yongning Palace. If anything happened that threatened Huaye Yan's position as master, they would definitely report back to her.

  There was an old palace maid named Li, who was also on duty tonight. At midnight, she heard a noise and discovered that one of the palace maids had secretly entered the emperor's bedroom.

  Li Auntie rushed to the Moon Chamber Hall and told Liu Auntie. Liu Auntie was stunned after hearing it. She thought that Hua Xiyan had just left not long ago, and such a big thing happened immediately, this is unbearable.

  "This woman is really shameless, saying in front of Director Li that if something happens to her, can Director Li take responsibility for the dragon fetus she's carrying?" Auntie Li said with a scowl, twisting her handkerchief. Although it was unknown how this palace maid had managed to get onto the dragon bed, as for so many years, Li Zimo had been guarded, and in seven years, no woman had dared to approach him even a step."

  However, this newly arrived little palace maid is indeed not simple, and she actually knows that being pregnant with the Dragon Son of the Eastern Tombs is equivalent to entering half of the divine realm.

  Liu Auntie's eyebrows furrowed into a knot, thinking to herself that this matter must not be known by Hua Xiyan under any circumstances. Otherwise, if this woman really became pregnant with the dragon child and something unexpected happened to Hua Xiyan, it would be difficult for her to keep her position as the mistress of the Moon Room Pavilion.

  In the Eastern Mausoleum, emperors of all dynasties, as long as they had favored a woman and she became pregnant with an imperial child, regardless of her original status or identity, this child must be safely born. As for whether the child would be recorded in the Imperial Household Department or entered into the imperial family register, that was another matter.

  The establishment of this principle seems to have been decided by ancestors many years ago. Probably in order not to let the emperor and empress do things like a tiger eating its own son, so as to avoid the heavenly punishment from God.

  The gods, after all, are still somewhat different from ordinary people.

  "Look, Liu Auntie, isn't she lying? The Emperor's integrity is not something that can be compromised overnight, how could he have fallen prey to this little thief so easily tonight?"

  "This is exactly what Liu Gu thought suspiciously: 'Then what should we do? By the way, do you know who introduced her to the palace?'"

  "It's someone recruited from the Imperial Household Department," said Li Gugu. "As for where they're from and what their background is, you'll have to ask the Imperial Household Department."

  "Alas." Sister Liu was restless, thinking that if Hua Xiyan found out about the big mistake they made as soon as they left, she would not only get rid of that little girl but also take them to task for their incompetence.

  "Li's aunt said, 'I think Li the manager will not dare to use torture to interrogate her after she says this. But without using torture, how can we know if this little wretch is telling lies or not?'"

  "Who can control this cheap person?" Liu's aunt frowned and looked worried.

  Li's aunt then came up with an idea: "Isn't the Empress Dowager back yet? Although she is staying in the temporary palace, but Her Majesty has gone to visit her and it is said that the Empress Dowager has a very good impression of Her Majesty and intends to befriend her. Why not go ask the Empress Dowager to preside over this matter fairly?"

  It seems that it's impossible to bring this up in front of Li Zimo, and the only way to resolve this before Hua Xiyan returns is to ask for the help of Empress Dowager.

  Li Shunde was thinking of locking the little woman in the woodshed until she gave birth to see if it was a dragon fetus, but he was also afraid that the emperor might remember this matter and the little woman would bite back at him. Now, Li's idea was just what they needed. After all, they were all slaves, and slaves doing things behind people's backs are always smooth sailing. Unlike the Empress Dowager, who is a master. So, someone tied up Lihua and sent her directly to the palace where Chen was located.

  Madam Chen heard the news and immediately lost all sleepiness. Her maid, Lü, supported her as she sat down in a chair in the front hall. Before long, Li Hua was pushed into the room.

  Li Auntie, who had been pushed forward by the crowd, stuck close to Chen's ear and spoke in a low voice.

  Chen's family listened and nodded, after listening, first gave a look at Lv's nurse.

  Lü Mama stepped forward, suddenly grabbed Li Hua's skirt and pulled it down. Li Hua let out a startled cry, her two white legs trembling uncontrollably. Lü Mama's hands skillfully reached between her legs, her face darkening with a sinister smile: "Let old slave take the place of Your Ladyship to check first, whether you are this mouth that deserves to be slapped..." Before she could finish speaking, her hand slipped in without encountering any obstruction, and Lü Mama's face suddenly turned pale.

  The palace maid enters the palace and must undergo a physical examination. Only those who are clean can be allowed to enter the palace to serve their masters. If a woman who has entered the palace is found to have had private relations with a man in the palace, she will be beheaded. Generally, even if it means a lifetime of loneliness, palace maids dare not do anything improper.

  Look at this pear flower, it's no longer a clean body. If she didn't secretly sleep with some man, then what is it?

  Madam Lü took two steps back, staring at Li Hua with a shocked expression. Li Hua simply bent down to pick up her skirt and put it back on, sobbing as she said: "I didn't tell even half a lie, why doesn't Your Ladyship believe me?"

  Chen's face fell. What to do now? Kill this woman? If she really was pregnant with a dragon, it would be impossible. But if this woman was trying to deceive them, as long as the child hadn't been born yet, no one would know whether or not she was carrying a dragon.

  This little palace maid, and a new one at that, where did she get the nerve to deceive her master?

  "What did the people from the Imperial Household Department say?" asked Madame Chen.

  "I've checked the records," said Aunt Li. "It's said that a local official, seeing her looks were still passable, wanted to curry favor with the Emperor and sent her to the capital. She was just an ordinary family's child."

  Chen raised an eyebrow, seeing Li Hua's delicate face. Although she wasn't a stunning beauty, her features were so charming that they moved people's hearts at first sight. It was possible that even the aloof Lí Zǐ Mò couldn't hold back his emotions and had a wandering heart.

  "This official is really..." Chen raised his hand and slammed it heavily on the table.

  Now this is good, leaving behind such a mess.

  If this gets out, it won't just be the Emperor who has a wild night and gains another child, but also, Li Zimo's reputation for being chaste and self-disciplined will be ruined. As for Hua Xiyuan, that's even more unthinkable. By then, the Empress and the Emperor will have already fallen out with each other.

  "Mr. Chen rubbed his eyebrows and ordered: "Pass on my message, this matter must not be leaked out at all. As for this person, let him stay here with me for the time being, I'll keep an eye on him."

  Everyone should be like this. Then, Aunt Li gave Lihua a stern look: You're such a lucky woman.

  Lü's mother smiled and walked towards Pear Blossom, saying: "Follow me."

  If it's really born with a dragon fetus one day, who knows, this little hoof will truly soar to great heights.

  Li Hua glanced at Lü Mama with the corner of her eye, and her lips curled up in a gloomy smile: This is all that can be expected from a palace maid like you.

  One night passed.

  In the morning, Li Zimo woke up and felt a bit dizzy. He asked: "How long did I sleep last night?"

  Li Shunde also felt that he slept longer than usual last night, and didn't know if it was because of the favor he had received from Lihua. He replied with a trembling heart: "I slept for four or five hours."

  "How could I have slept for so long?" The emperor's eyebrows furrowed slightly, unaccustomed to wasting time on sleep. After washing his face, he said, "I must attend the morning court."

  Li Shunde hastily passed down the order and at the same time did not dare mention a single word about Lihua in front of him.

  Huā Yèyán and the young prince's carriage entered the Cloud Tribe at dawn. Since the national highway from East Hill to the Cloud Tribe led directly to the imperial palace of the Cloud Tribe, Huā Yèyán did not get a chance to see the customs and culture of the Cloud Tribe along the way. It was said that the people of the Cloud Tribe were mostly cultivators who made a living by practicing martial arts. They lived in groups in the mountains, forming various tribes. As a result, there were no cities or towns on the Cloud Island. The Cloud Tribe did not have a capital city either. The imperial family of the Cloud Tribe, which ruled over the Cloud Tribe, only resided in a mountain with a large palace complex protected by a group of people, and nothing else.

  When they arrived, Qing Hu was already waiting for them at the gate of Zong Shi's palace.

  At night, they slept in the carriage. When Huayexiang got off the carriage, she stretched her waist. The young prince rubbed his eyes.

  Qinghu came over, bowed to the two masters and said: "I know that your ladyship and the prince have been traveling in a hurry and with great difficulty. The master has ordered people to prepare an early meal."

  Huā Yùyán's spirit shook slightly, and she first narrowed her eyes: "Where is Master Huā?"

  "The young master is still sleeping. The news that came in the middle of the night, the master didn't dare to wake up the child and didn't say anything." Qing Hu knew what she was worried about and smiled.

  After exchanging a sly glance with Xiao Tai Zi, the mother and son decided to make a surprise attack by running into the snack storage room.

  Mumu hugged the little pig, sleeping so soundly that he drooled. This kid can sleep anywhere. He seems to never worry about anything as long as there's food.

  Xiao Mu's temperament is truly enviable by anyone who sees it. Yun Chenjing feels that every time she looks at this child, she can learn a lot of things.

  Knowing Huayexi and others had arrived, Yundian Jing retreated first.

  Hua Yuye and Xiao Taizi rushed into Xiaochi Huo's house, competing with each other.

  Walked to the bedside and took a look, this little foodie might be dreaming of eating something, raised his small fist and shouted: "Eat, eat, eat! Not eating is stupid!"

  The little prince immediately covered his mouth with both hands, lest he burst out laughing.

  Hua Yu Yan put her hands on her waist, thinking that she hadn't seen him for several days and was missing him terribly. She wondered whether to pinch the little bread of her son Xiao Yan to relieve her itchiness.

  The little fellow turned over, faced her, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at her, muttering: "Don't pinch me, mom."

  Huā Yùyán let out a sigh and withdrew her hand, asking: "Are you awake?"

  The little foodie was half asleep and half awake, saying: "Mom is so obedient today. Mu Mu said don't pinch, mom won't pinch."

  The young master was holding onto the table beside him, stumbling forward and backward.

  This child! Hua Xiyan was speechless. In order to wake up the little son, she had no choice but to pinch the little son's ear with her hand.

  Xiao Chi suddenly appeared, and in her dream, she flashed past her magic claws, turned over and sat up, immediately crawling to the foot of the bed, touching her little heart, as if still frightened: "Mother, how did you come out of my dream?"

  Huā Yùyán found a stool and sat down, gazing at her youngest son, humming: "I think you've had good food to eat, so you forgot about your mother."

  "Where is it!" The little foodie pattered over, climbed onto her lap, and hugged her with both hands, "Mumu misses you the most."

  The son's little mouth was smeared with honey, and Hua Xiyuan didn't miss the opportunity to pinch a small bun: "How much have you eaten? Haven't you gotten a stomachache?"

  The little foodie immediately pulled out a peach from her bosom and respectfully offered it to her: "This is supposedly the most delicious peach here, eating it will make your skin smooth. Mu Mu saved it for you."

  Caressing Xiaochi's belly, Huayexuan knew that Xiaochi had eaten a lot. She picked up the peach and took a bite herself, then gave the other half to the young prince who hadn't eaten breakfast yet. Next, she glanced sideways and saw that the big white fan was being swirled around at the door, asking: "The Emperor asked me to come over and see if the Lord's body has recovered."

  Yun Chen Jing simply stroked the fan bones in her hand, and with a subtle smile on her lips, she countered with a question: "Is it suffocating in the palace?"