Yan Xijun only turned her head back at this time, and there was no one there. She let out a light sigh. From the beginning, she knew that Xue Lian was following her, but she didnt expose her. After all, she was just carrying out orders, so she didnt blame her.

  Another gust of wind blew, carrying a strong floral scent that quickly swept by. Yan Xijun covered her nose and frowned, having been allergic to strong floral scents since childhood. The smell almost made her dizzy.

  "What is this fragrance, how intoxicating?" Yan Xijun looked up in confusion, and when her gaze met the flower that bloomed even more brightly, she suddenly understood. It was because of this flower that she had been pushed into the lake.

  She slowly stretched out her hand and picked the flower, looking at the tender petals, but couldnt see anything wrong with it.

  With a casual toss, she threw the flowers into the lake. As she gazed at the flowers drifting with the current, Yan Xikuns eyes flashed with inspiration, and she suddenly recalled the time when the emperor whispered in her ear after falling into the water. The emperor had looked at her back, and his eyes had changed, becoming surprised and icy deep. At that time, she hadnt thought much of it, but now she felt a sense of unease.

  Isnt the flower just behind her? Why did the emperor have to be so surprised by this flower? Whats so special about this flower? Looking in the direction where the flower had flowed away, Yan Xijun couldnt help but knit his brow gloomily. How many secrets were still hidden in this palace that no one knew about?

  Yan Xijun stood silently in the cold wind for a moment, still without any clue in her mind. She glanced at the bright moon hanging in mid-air, and her thoughts became even more confused. The night was deep and people were quiet; it was time to go back.

  As she passed by the Changqiu Palace, she suddenly saw that the palace gate was slightly ajar. Yan Xikuns heart was filled with doubts and she walked slowly towards it. The night was deep and quiet, could there still be someone here?

  She slipped in, all the way along the way to check, through the main hall, the courtyard, and unconsciously walked to a secluded side hall, and stopped at the door. This side hall was a forbidden area of Changqiu Palace, Yus nanny had long instructed not to approach this place, and those who trespassed would be beheaded by imperial decree, no one had ever entered since then.

  Its not that no one has ever been curious, there have been eunuchs who sneaked into the side hall to take a peek, but they ended up dying under unclear circumstances the next day. Later, others also entered, but their outcome was either madness or death, and the mad eunuchs kept shouting "I saw ghosts! I saw ghosts!"

  As a result, this side hall was given the name of a haunted house, and from then on no one dared to enter again.

  Yan Xijun gazed at the vermilion-painted gate, which was slightly ajar, and felt an inexplicable chill run down her spine. A gust of wind blew by, startling her and making her want to turn around and flee immediately. However, she was also reluctant to give up, thinking that since she had come all this way, why not take a look inside? She wasnt afraid of ghosts or spirits because she never believed in such intangible and illusory things.

  This side hall is so eerie, it must be someone playing tricks on her, but she doesnt believe in such things, and tonight she insists on going in to take a look.

  Having made up her mind, Yan Xijun quietly slipped into the side room of the pavilion, using the moonlight coming in from the window to examine it. There was nothing special about this place either, and the furniture was arranged no differently than in other pavilions. She felt slightly disappointed and was just about to leave when she heard a faint, shrill voice coming from the inner room.

  As expected, someone was there. Yan Xijuns heart was racing with excitement and curiosity, so she quietly moved her feet and hid behind a screen in the inner room, listening carefully.

  "Your Majesty, its late at night, you should return to Zhengyang Palace to rest."

  "Your Majesty?" Upon hearing this voice, Yan Xikun was shocked to the point of almost crying out loud. Was he mistaken or was it really that almighty Emperor?

  She pulled open the curtain, looked around, and suddenly fell into her eyes was a room full of portraits. Every wall had a portrait hanging on it, and each portrait painted the same woman. The woman was stunningly beautiful, with a clear and white face, a pair of big eyes filled with autumn water, a small nose, and cherry-like lips slightly raised, revealing a warm smile.

  The people in the pictures are all this stunning woman, but among so many pictures, there is not a single duplicate, each one has a different expression, either smiling or melancholic, worried or resentful, joyful or sad, as if alive, like a real person reappearing.