The previous chapter was too short because the power supply was cut off on time. Since everyone thinks it's short, I'll fix it today, with each chapter over 200 words, as promised.

  Qing brought up a clear tea and knew he was being tested, so with a composed chest, he said.

  "It's fine if you understand... In the palace, no one is an ordinary person. Their every frown and smile, every word and tear, are all just a mask."

  Morning 'dew' cut nails and iron, a cold solemn face.

  A long time ago, she and Yuan Xu were still in harmony, but the declining Lin family sent their treasured daughter into the palace as a hostage.

  At that time, Lin Wan was no longer the spoiled and arrogant child she used to be. Even her eyebrows and eyes seemed to be trembling with a faint fear, as if she had been frightened, and might jump up at any moment.

  She was originally filled with resentment, but upon meeting such timidity and melancholy, it instantly melted away.

  With a casual wave of her hand, she allowed others to settle her in a corner of the palace. She immediately put this matter behind her - The Tartars were like a hundred-legged insect, dead and without borders; the world was not yet at peace, the universe had not yet been unified, how could these trivial matters in the harem occupy even a fraction of her mind?

  At that time, she looked around the world, and had she ever turned back to gaze at this deep palace, a small 'girl' with tears in her eyes?

  But who would have thought that these few tears would stir up layers of ripples in Yuan Xiu's heart, and ultimately place her, far away in the northern border, in a desperate situation from which she could never recover.

  She recalled the last scene of her past life----

  Breathing as if choked, as if countless small ants were moving in the limbs and joints, the trembling wrists could not hold on, and the crystal cup fell to the ground. The light was 'lost' for a moment, shattered with a crisp and resolute sound.

  That fragrance wafts, like amber in a "qianji". (ap, 16k, updated fastest). Ripples rise, swirling and spreading. Condensing into the final enchantment----Lin Yan's faint smile and quiet sobbing, appearing and disappearing within, until everything becomes nothingness in the pupils.

  Her eyes were as if they had been bewitched, still immersed in that scene. The voice was faint, almost inaudible----

  "From now on, don't believe anyone's smile and tears... If a person can truly reach the state of nothingness, even in Avici Hell, they can be as calm as a rock."

  She said solemnly and slowly, as if warning Qing also like muttering to herself.

  A gentle breeze blew in from outside the window, and the clear brook flowed into her eyes, feeling a chill. It pierced people's eyes straightly. Come please, said the empress dowager wanted to find her to talk about an ancient story. A way to taste tea and spend the summer.

  At noon, the curtains of Cining Palace were lifted, and a refreshing coolness burst in. It was soothing to the heart and spleen, blending with the faint sweet fragrance of lotus root, like a paradise on earth.

  In the rear palace, the empress dowager sat on a couch, carefully listening to the emperor's personal campaign stories and anecdotes. She was holding a Buddhist rosary in her hand, with a dignified and noble expression. Whenever she heard something interesting, she would occasionally smile slightly.

  The two people below, Mei Gui Concubine was leaning forward with her chin in her hand, listening intently, while Yun Gui Ren was very clever and was gently massaging the Empress Dowager's knees.

  Morning 'dew' sat on the round stool, telling the thrilling story of that day. She was elegant and straightforward, her words were not complicated, but they attracted everyone to listen attentively, their hands holding the feather fans also slowed down, and for a moment no one noticed.

  "You're really good at talking, I was completely absorbed in listening..."

  The Empress Dowager sighed and took the chilled plum soup presented by Ye Gu Gu, took a sip, and then ordered: "Add some more sugar... The girls from those families still like sweet things."

  Yeguniang responded with a "yes" and ordered the palace maid to bring up three bowls of tea, which were served to several princesses.

  After the three thanked, they also sipped a few mouthfuls. Mei Gui and Yun Luo were still somewhat restrained, but only Chen Lu drank the whole bowl clean.

  The empress dowager gazed at her, with a thicker smile, but with a sharp and piercing gaze that went straight to the bottom of her eyes.

  "You all don't like sour plum soup...... or are you afraid this old lady will put some poisonous 'medicine' in it?"

  She was almost amused by the teasing, and with a hint of sarcasm, Mei Gui Bin forced a smile to respond. Yun Luo's quick wit and clever words made her laugh and say: "Your Majesty is really being too kind to us, it's just that your kindness is so deep, we can't bear to swallow it whole, so we're taking small sips."

  Chen 'Lu' heard the implication in her words and Suo 'Xing' laughed and clarified: "I am that silly and confused person."

  The empress dowager heard this and laughed so hard that her face turned bright red, gasping for breath as she said: "If you're a glutton, then I'm an old foodie!"

  Yehu also smiled and chimed in: "The Empress Dowager especially loves sour plum soup, yesterday she drank three small bowls, it was delicious."

  "Listen, even my old tricks are being used!"

  The empress dowager burst out laughing again.

  Chen 'Lu' frowned slightly and said: "Drinking too much sour plum soup hurts the spleen, it's better to just take a sip..."

  The empress nodded and said: "The imperial physician also said so, but life is short, if I have to be tormented by this scorching summer for three months, I would rather shorten my lifespan by one year."

  At this time, the coolness in the palace was quietly infiltrating, and everyone felt their hearts were broadened and their spirits were delighted. They couldn't help but praise it repeatedly. Mei Guibao was pregnant at that time and was feeling extremely hot and uncomfortable. She asked: "The Empress Dowager's palace is truly a creation of heaven and earth, which has completely dispelled the summer heat - how did you manage to achieve this?"

  The empress dowager smiled but did not answer, and Aunt Ye pointed to the sky well above, where a sheet of shimmering light enveloped it, but when one looked again, it was crystal clear once more.

  "Is it paved with crystal?"

  Yun Luan thought to herself, "The Cloud贵 people only got it half right... This is a special product of the An Wang seal territory, ice crystal. It takes mining thousands of catties to get just one piece the size of a fingernail, which skilled craftsmen then polish into thin slices. They have the transparency of glass, yet can keep out heat and cold, truly achieving warmth in winter and coolness in summer."

  Ye Auntie was explaining on the side, and everyone stared at the sky well in detail, discussing it, when suddenly a burst of light scattered and fell straight down.

  All that could be heard was a loud, crisp sound, countless shattering sounds rising and falling in succession, like the sound of a guqin. The next moment, Yunluo dodged and evaded but was too late, being pierced through the wrist, blood gushing out instantly, the pain unbearable.

  She opened her eyes to find herself in a daze, as if her soul had flown out of the sky: some fine and sharp transparent fragments, pierced into the 'flesh' for an inch, bringing out countless blood bubbles, a blurry piece.

  She was about to shout loudly, but saw several larger fragments, like sharp blades, densely piercing the body of Chen Lu, and the surroundings where she was, were filled with sharp debris. It seemed that everyone was shocked by this sudden change, and no one had expected it, and they were all stunned on the spot.

  The empress dowager only felt a wave of dizziness, anger rising from her heart, and she pushed away Ye's supporting hand, shouting: "What is going on?!"

  Mei Gui Pinn let out a cry of surprise, almost fainting on the spot. At this time, only to see Chen 'Lu' slowly getting up, gently shaking her own skirt, those sparkling fragments, like ice blocks hitting, fell down one after another.

  She glanced at the fine scratches on her body and said indifferently: "It's just a shallow scratch, nothing serious."