Phoenix leans against the sky

  In front of the mansion, the grand hall is set up with the best screens, using the most exquisite tableware, and arranged with the most beautiful maids, dressed in elegant attire, adorned with pearls and jade, candlelight shining obliquely, treasures scattered everywhere.

  A beautiful singing girl with a pipa, strumming the five strings, her autumn-water-like eyes scanning the noble guests at their seats, each glance full of charm.

  He leaned against the embroidered cushion, leisurely savoring his wine, with a hint of a smile on his lips, as if he were a romantic.

  In the distance, a faint murmur seemed to be coming, but was overwhelmed by the sound of silk and bamboo filling the hall. It seemed that no one heard it, but the person who lowered their head to drink suddenly looked up.

  The moment he raised his head, all the beautiful women in the hall and the luxurious decorations seemed to lose their color instantly.

  "It sounds great." Rong Chuyu smiled, with a profound meaning.

  The singing girl who was playing the zither thought she was being praised, her face turned bright red, and she lowered her head in bashful modesty.

  Rong Chu didn't even glance at her, leisurely holding his wine cup, and said to the second master of the Yi family, Yi Lin, who was sitting in the main seat: "I've heard that your esteemed residence has three ultimate delights - song and dance, small plays, and the quiet night moonlight in the rear garden. I've already experienced the first two, and they are indeed as famous as their reputation suggests. As for the third delight, tonight is a fine moonlit night, I wonder if I might have the chance to see it?"

  Lin was taken aback - when did his own home ever have these "three must-haves"? What's so great about the backyard on this dark night?

  But the high-ranking and powerful Duke of Jin, is he just going to make things up as he goes along? As the host, what else can he say? He hastily stood up and invited the guest, "The duke's visit is an honor to our humble abode. Although the rear garden is simple, there are one or two places with flowers that are worth taking a look at, please come this way."

  Rong Chu put down his wine cup with a smile, and strolled out leisurely. Yi Lin led the way ahead of him with great respect, keeping an eye on the noble Duke. They arrived at the rear garden, but didn't look at the flowers or grass. Instead, they chatted idly about trivial matters. However, those seemingly simple words actually held deep meaning, and every sentence required careful consideration before responding. Yi Lin racked his brains to come up with suitable answers, choosing his words carefully, and broke out in a cold sweat. When he finally managed to respond adequately, he looked up, only to be left staring foolishly.

  How did you end up with a mistress?

  How did it end up in the large kitchen at the junction of the front and back houses?

  It's bad! Big brother instructed before leaving that under no circumstances should we disturb the Duke, and now he has carelessly brought him here!

  At this time, the entrance of the large kitchen was in a state of turmoil. Yi Shi Zhu's reaction was too strange, causing Yi Bai to be surprised and uncertain. Seeing Tai Shi approaching menacingly, Yi Shi Zhu was at a loss, hastily rushing over to stop him, and ordering his guards to pull him away. For a moment, people were running about wildly, shouting like a tidal wave, but no one noticed that Rong Chu had already slipped in unnoticed.

  Chu Yan crossed her hands in her sleeves and gazed at the commotion from afar, smiling ambiguously: "Your esteemed residence is quite lively."

  Lin's forehead was covered in sweat, he quickly bowed to apologize and hastily went over to stop his older brother, so as not to bring shame before the honored guest.

  He left, a figure silently appeared and stood behind Rong Chu. Rong Chu seemed to have not noticed, slightly raised his head, sniffing the faint scent in the air, and suddenly said: "Your Majesty has been doing well lately?"

  "Everything is as usual, it's said that the Empress Dowager has found him his original wet nurse again." The man spoke of the secret affair that had just occurred in the palace as if it were a trivial matter from his own household, laughing casually and saying, "The Empress Dowager really does dote on Your Majesty."

  "Really?" Rong Chu looked at him with a seemingly intentional and unintentional glance, but his tone couldn't be heard as approval.

  "Is there anything else interesting?"

  "The Empress Dowager ordered all childless consorts and concubines of the late Emperor to follow him in death."

  "She's always been so venomous." Chuyu's tone was unsurprised.

  The people behind him didn't respond, but seemed to have smiled too.

  The two fell silent. The wind whistled by, washing away the starlight. Rong Chu suddenly asked, "On the night of Your Majesty's passing, who was by his side?"

  "She is a newly entered palace maid, not yet granted a title. After Your Majesty's passing, she was sent back to her hometown for mourning as per custom, quite conveniently," the person raised their chin, "She just so happens to be the daughter of Anzhou's Governor, Tai Bo."

  Rong Chu's gaze fell far away on the opposite side, just seeing Yi Shi Zhu rushing out wildly, with Tai Shi Lan following closely behind like a ghost.

  Ming Ming's hair was disheveled and her face still had black smudges, but among the crowd, Rong Chu was the first to notice her.

  His eyes narrowed slightly.

  This woman has a unique temperament and posture, androgynous, neutral beauty, with the elegance of a man and the softness that a woman should have, cool but not gloomy, simple but not ruthless, that kind of extreme simplicity, giving off a charming aura like a forbidden fruit.

  Such a woman does not look like an imperial concubine who has yet to receive any favor.

  Rong Chu's gaze paused on Tai Shi Lan's short hair.

  She also had a strange short hair, was it because she was ordered to practice and cut her hair to show her determination?

  "Is she on the list of those who will be buried with him?"

  "Not on the list at first; but later, was."

  Rong Chu seemed to smile slightly, and didn't say anything else, only softly saying: "Anzhou, indeed a good place..."

  The people behind him bowed their heads respectfully, he knew that when the master showed this expression, there was often something that others had not yet noticed, which had already been seen in his eyes.

  Chu Yao gazed into the distance for a while, uninterested, and turned her head back, but in the instant she did, she seemed to catch a glimpse of an unusual light flashing at the corner of her eye.

  He lightly said "hmm" and immediately swept past.

  At this moment, Tai Shi Lan was about to insert the Human Piercer into Yu Shizhu's ear when he suddenly felt a warning in his heart.

  Tai Shi Lan has always been a sensitive person, with a kind of innate beast-like intuition. When she was at the research institute, Wen Zhen said that if she were to travel through time and space, she would be very suitable for leading troops in battle. Jing Hengbo insisted that she must have been a hunting dog in her previous life. Jun Ke... Jun Ke just admired her silently.

  Tai Shi Lan slightly tilted her head and saw Rong Chu approaching in the darkness.

  In the night wind under starlight, that person's robe was like a dance, light and charming, like a cloud being blown away by the wind and then gathering again in an instant, reappearing after having moved thousands of miles in a flash.

  Tai Shi Lan saw this person for a moment, and all the cells in his body jumped up - enemy!

  Cock-a-doodle-doo!

  With a flick of his wrist, the dagger slid back into his sleeve.

  At this moment, she must have fallen into his eyes, and she didn't want to take that risk.

  She relaxed her hand, and Yu Shi Zhu quickly jumped forward. She had struggled before, with both hands desperately grasping backward, grabbing Tai Shi Lan's waistband. At this moment, she made a swift move, and "ripped" sound was heard. Tai Shi Lan's waistband was torn apart, and a white bag tied to his waist fell to the ground.

  Tai Shi Lan immediately reached out to scoop it up.

  A pair of hands moved faster than her, swooping down to snatch the bag and holding it in their palm. Chu Yun touched the texture of the bag, and her eyes narrowed.

  Trample down iron shoes without finding a place, who knows that the underwear is in this courtyard!

  With a rustling sound, Tai Shi Lan's hand also arrived, and she didn't show any signs of discouragement even though the stolen goods had already been returned to their rightful owner. Instead, she grabbed the bundle tightly as well.

  Two people's fingers intertwined, Taishi Lan pulled with force - of course, he didn't budge.

  "You are..." Rong Chu was motionless, her wrist suddenly turned and grabbed Tai Shi Lan's left hand. Their fingers interlocked, Rong Chu smiled suddenly, exerted a slight force, and pulled Tai Shi Lan into her own arms, "Good you..."

  Tai Shi's body leaned to one side, and just before falling into Rong Chu's arms, he suddenly looked up at him, saying in a low but clear voice: "Goodbye, Peacock!"

  Rong Chu was taken aback.

  In that brief moment of distraction, Tai Shi Lan's wrist moved and the "Human Needle" hidden in her sleeve shot out, its silver-white tip piercing into Rong Chu's palm!