The slender and elegant Prince Feng's hand was still holding onto the red-clad person, who was about to lean in closer. It seemed as though he had heard some noise and turned around, but didn't appear surprised. He smiled and said, "Is my consort here to admire the flowers?"

  Chu Lian let the maid wait in place, took over the food box herself, walked over to Wang Ling and paid her respects. "I have come to thank Your Highness, and also brought some small pastries for you to try, it's my heartfelt intention, I hope you won't dislike them."

  Fei Wang Huar's Wei Qu sneered, "Chu Ce Fei is so virtuous, she even snatches the work of her subordinates."

  Chu Lian didn't take it to heart and just looked at Wang Fei without responding.

  Wei Qu was ignored and felt embarrassed, wanting to say something else, but Wang Ling had already taken the food box, pinched the shoulder of the person in his arms, and said to Chu Lianruo, "I have received your intention, Concubine's body is not good, let's go back first." After finishing speaking, he hugged Wei Qu and turned around to head towards Ming Yun Xuan.

  Chu Lian bowed her head and saw the person off, but didn't hurry to return. On the way here, she hadn't had time to take in the scenery, but now she could slowly appreciate it along the way back. The maid behind her couldn't help but think, "Concubine, the one in the king's arms... is a man, I'm not mistaken, am I? The king really..."

  Si Yu had heard that some royal princes and nobles liked to keep concubines, and some even didn't distinguish between men and women. Now she saw it for the first time, and it was the husband of her side consort, she was stunned for a moment. In comparison, Si Wei was much calmer, after all, she had met Wei Qu once when she accompanied the side consort, so she interrupted Si Yu's words, "What's the big deal, he's just a man!"

  "Be careful with your words!" Chu Lian stopped and said coldly, "Is the master also someone you can discuss, slap yourself in the mouth."

  Si Yu rarely saw Cefei like this, and was momentarily frightened, stuttering, "This slave has spoken out of turn, this slave knows her mistake." After finishing speaking, she slapped herself twice on the face.

  Chu Lian's expression didn't soften because of this and she continued saying, "If there is a next time, you can pack your bags and return to Cangzhou."

  "Yes, I won't dare to offend again."

  Si Wei saw Si Yu looking pitiful, but also knew that this was Ce Fei bullying the two of them. So she said, "I think Ce Fei has been walking for a while and her body can't take it anymore, why don't we go to the pavilion up ahead and rest for a bit."

  "It's all right, let's just go back."

  But unexpectedly, after walking just a few steps, she ran into another familiar face. She saw that her footsteps were quick and her hair was not disheveled in the slightest. After seeing Chu Lianruo's group of people, she stopped and bowed to greet them, then habitually curved her eyes into a smile. "Chu Xifu has met with Yiren before. Today, Yiren is not in the mansion, didn't go to pay respects to you, hope you won't mind."

  Chu Lian slightly curled her lips and said, "Nothing." Then she said, "You seem to be in a hurry, there must be something urgent, so go quickly then."

  Ru Hua nodded slightly, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I heard that Chu Ce Fei has moved to Qian Qi Ge, which is convenient. Ru Hua will go bother her another day." After saying this, she continued on in the direction that Chu Lian Ruo had just come from, and this path could only lead to Ming Yi Xuan.

  *****

  The tall and slender King Feng stood with his hands clasped behind him, looking at the person in red robes who was about to approach. He seemed to have heard a noise and turned around, but didn't appear surprised, and smiled, saying, "Is my consort here to admire the flowers?"

  Chu Lian let the maid wait in place, took over the food box herself, walked over to Wang and paid her respects. "I have come to thank Your Highness, and also brought some small pastries for you to try, it's my heartfelt intention, I hope you won't dislike them."

  Fei Wang Huar's Wei Qu Xiu laughed and said, "Chu Ce Fei is so virtuous, she even snatches the work of her subordinates to do."

  Chu Lian didn't take it to heart and just looked at Wang Fei without responding.

  Wei Qu was ignored and felt embarrassed, wanting to say something else, but Wang Ling had already taken the food box, pinched the shoulder of the person in his arms, and said to Chu Lianruo, "I have received your intention, Concubine Wei's body is not good, let's go back first." After finishing speaking, he hugged Wei Qu and turned around to head towards Ming Yun Xuan.

  Chu Lian bowed her head and saw the person off, not hurrying to return. On the way here, she hadn't had time to take in the scenery, but now she could slowly appreciate it along the way back. The maid behind her couldn't help but think, "Concubine, the one in the king's arms... is a man, I didn't see wrong, did I? The king really..."

  Si Yu had heard that some royal princes and nobles liked to keep concubines, and some even didn't distinguish between men and women. Now she saw it for the first time, and it was the husband of her side consort, she was stunned for a moment. In comparison, Si Wei was much calmer, after all, she had met Wei Qu once when she accompanied the side consort, so she interrupted Si Yu's words, "What's the big deal, he's just a man!"

  "Be careful with your words!" Chu Lian stopped and said coldly, "Is the master also someone you can discuss, slap yourself in the mouth."

  Si Yu rarely saw Cefei like this, and was momentarily frightened, stuttering, "This slave has spoken out of turn, this slave knows her mistake." After finishing speaking, she slapped herself twice on the face.

  Chu Lian's expression didn't soften because of this and she continued saying, "If there is a next time you will pack your bags and return to Cen State."

  "Yes, I won't dare to offend again."

  Si Wei saw Si Yu looking pitiful, but also knew that this was Ce Fei bullying the two of them. So she said, "I think Ce Fei has been walking for a while and her body can't take it anymore, why don't we go to the pavilion up ahead and rest for a bit."

  "It's all right, let's just go back."

  But unexpectedly, after walking just a few steps, she ran into another familiar face. She saw that her footsteps were quick and her hair was not disheveled in the slightest. After seeing Chu Lianruo and the others, she stopped and bowed to greet them, then habitually curved her eyes into a smile. "Chu Xifu has met with Yuru, but Yuru is not in the mansion today and didn't go to pay his respects to you, I hope you won't mind."

  Chu Lian slightly curled her lips and said, "Nothing." Then she added, "You seem to be in a hurry, there must be something urgent, so go quickly then."

  Ru Hua nodded slightly, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I heard that Chu Ce Fei has moved to Qianqiu Pavilion, which is convenient. Ru Hua will go to bother her another day." After saying this, she continued on in the direction that Chu Lian Ruo had just come from, and this path could only lead to Mingyi Xuan.

  ***

  The snow was still falling, and the sky and earth were only a vast expanse of white. Yet, a woman in a plain white dress was rushing towards this direction, her face as pale as the snow. She seemed to have run too hastily and stopped to cough uncontrollably. In just a moment, the palace maid behind her caught up, calling out anxiously, "Your Highness!" But she didn't care about what was happening behind her. She walked up to the majestic temple and knelt down, bowing her head, "I, your concubine, pay my respects to Your Majesty... cough, cough..."