Chapter 6

"What a disgrace!" the person beside him sighed softly

I can treat you better

Having said that, without even bothering to look at Qi Sheng's expression, she hurriedly lifted her skirt and ran out. Little did she expect that trouble would arise from her loose tongue! Just because of that one extra remark, what was originally a trivial matter turned into a source of trouble for herself.

Behind, Qi Sheng and Jiang are still droning on about the same topic, and it seems there will be quite a long dialogue ahead. The person next to me has clearly realized this as well, and gently nudges me with their shoulder, asking: "Hey? Do you have any sunflower seeds?"

I stood there with my mouth agape, watching in astonishment as the person beside me suddenly leaped up to the tree with the agility of a monkey. Then, Qi Sheng's figure swiftly appeared before me.

Alas! Beauty misleads people

Although today is the fifteenth day of the month, when the moon is full, the moonlight is largely obscured by the tree canopy in the depths of the forest. As a result, one can only see shadows. Qi Sheng pinched my throat with his hand, lowered his head, and after a while recognized that it was me. He finally loosened his fingers a bit and, suppressing his anger, asked, "What are you doing here?"

Due to being under house arrest, the number of beautiful palace maids serving in the hall has significantly decreased. Without electricity, without the internet, and without beautiful women, I am left with nothing but staring at the moon to pass the time

... ...

I nodded: "Not bad!"

That person concluded, "Regardless of the circumstances, the crown princess is indeed quite pitiable"

I see that you are quite quick-witted

Oh dear! I wish I had your words! After hearing them, I quickly lifted my skirt and started to walk back. Just after taking a couple of steps, I inadvertently caught a glimpse of a white skirt corner behind another tree. Unable to resist my good intentions, I stopped and turned back to Qi Sheng, saying: "Hey! Please tell her that if she comes to such dark places in the future, she should wear dark-colored clothes. White is too conspicuous and not good if someone sees it!"

I nodded in agreement; there are simply too many beauties in the Eastern Palace, each with ample bosoms, slender waists, and beautiful faces. It is indeed puzzling that Qi Sheng, with such a dull mind, would be attracted to someone of such average appearance as the Jiang family!

The night was too dark for me to see Qi Sheng's expression clearly, but judging by the situation, he did not believe me. As I was pondering this in my heart, he suddenly released his grip and coldly said to me: "Go back"

After speaking, he reached into his pocket and fumbled for a while, then handed over a paper bag and asked, "There are osmanthus cakes, do you want some?"

That person then whispered, "I heard that the crown princess is also a rare beauty, yet she happens to be with such a master; how unfortunate!"

The person sighed softly: "What a pity"

One side of the hedge, wiping away tears with her hand, nodded vigorously.

"Be fair to her, but who has been fair to me?"

That person muttered again: "Old Five? Is the woman Old Five's wife? Zhao Wangfei."

Just as I was in doubt, a low murmur suddenly came from the nearby woods. I listened carefully and immediately understood. Oh my, that light beauty is not leading me to see the lights; she is trying to get me to catch someone in the act!

I touched my neck with my hand, lifted my eyelids, and glanced up. Then I looked at Qi Sheng and tentatively asked, "If... if I said I was here to watch the moon... would you... believe me?"

Everyone is puzzled as to why I was suddenly banned from attending. I know the reason deep down but cannot disclose it, so I can only let everyone remain in the dark. Green Fence is particularly aggrieved on my behalf. Comrade Green Fence originally accompanied me to the banquet with great revolutionary enthusiasm. During a brief trip to the restroom, upon returning, he discovered that both Qi Sheng and I were missing. Later, when he saw Qi Sheng and me returning one after the other from outside, he mistakenly thought we had left together, feeling secretly pleased for quite some time. Little did he know that upon returning to the East Palace, he would be met with such dreadful news. Consequently, Comrade Green Fence's tender heart could not bear it.

Jiang let out a low sigh and said, "How can there still be such heartless people in this world, who would even exploit their own children"

Ah! What a moving performance! Those two people actually stopped not far away, only because I was standing downwind, so the sound came through very clearly, without missing a single word. I felt my heart surge with emotion, and the person beside me was also captivated. When we heard the words "Qi Sheng," he gently nudged me and whispered, "Hey! It's the Crown Prince!"

Why is it allowed for you and your brother's wife to gaze at the stars and the snow by the lake, while I cannot look at the moon alone? Where is the justice in this? Huh? Damn the Star God!

Sigh? I can accept being unlucky, but why am I the one to be pitied

As today is the Lantern Festival, I am aware that lanterns contributed from various places are hung all around Taiye Pool. Now, hearing the soft words of the light beauty asking for companionship, I carefully weighed the pros and cons of watching multiple beauties here versus accompanying a light beauty to admire the lanterns. Thus, I decisively stood up from my seat, took the light beauty's hand, and quietly retreated from the hall.

Perhaps I was too excited, and for a moment I did not pay attention to where I was stepping. I tripped over a stone and stumbled several steps before regaining my balance. Looking down, I saw my overly developed "chest muscles," and it felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. I am not her lover; I am merely the Crown Princess, Lady Zhang.

Just as I was marveling, the person beside me had already finished the osmanthus cake in hand, casually brushing off the crumbs with a few crisp "claps" of their hands. I was instantly petrified in the wind...

The area around Taiye Pool has been adorned with colorful silk and floral branches, with variously shaped lanterns hanging all around the lake, creating a truly beautiful sight from a distance. The person, referred to as Light Beauty, led me along a path, avoiding the palace maids and eunuchs, until we reached the lanterns. However, instead of admiring the lights, they pulled me toward the dimly lit area, and I was filled with surprise, almost believing that I was a lover being led by Light Beauty.

That person was quite easy to talk to. Upon hearing my words, without asking a single question, he quickly stepped aside, not only clearing a space for me but also kindly giving me a pull. I was immensely grateful and hurriedly whispered, "Thanks, brother!" Then I quickly turned back to gather the tail of my skirt, which resembled a mountain chicken's. Just as I had pulled the skirt tail into my arms, the voice behind me had already arrived.

Sitting on the steps outside the hall, gazing at the round moon, I truly wish to unleash a long howl. However, when I open my mouth, I find it lacks vigor. In the past, I could have howled out two tomatoes or a basin of foot-soaking water, but what can I howl out now? Alas, just thinking about it leaves me feeling powerless, and I can only let out a long sigh.

The green hedge has always quietly sat beside me, hearing my sighs, and then choked up again: "Your Highness..."

That evening, just after the banquet ended and I returned to the Eastern Palace, Qi Sheng announced that I was to be placed under house arrest for a month. At that moment, everyone was taken aback, and I stared at him in shock for quite a while, thinking to myself, how clever of you, Qi Sheng, to pull the rug out from under me! Do you think it’s easy for me in the Eastern Palace? The only pleasure left for me was to admire beautiful women, and now you’ve taken that away from me!

Yingyue, you cannot be so harsh! Will you wait for me for a while, alright?

You should treat her well; this is too unfair to her

To seduce a man, one must resort to using drugs, and yet you leave yourself open to criticism. Zhang, oh Zhang, you truly waste your fine figure

Oh... that person, upon hearing me say I wouldn't eat, simply started eating by themselves, mumbling indistinctly while eating: "You say this prince is also something, which woman is hard to get? Why must he go after his brother's wife? This is quite improper in terms of personal ethics"

As my mind began to clear, I suddenly felt a chill enveloping me. I looked up and realized that I had been led deep into the woods by the lake. The light beauty who had been by my side was nowhere to be found, and a shiver ran through me as I sensed something was amiss. I had been captivated by her beauty, blindly following her, but now it was evident that she had ulterior motives. Otherwise, with so many colorful lights outside, why would she have dragged me to this dark and desolate place? What kind of light was I supposed to see?

... ... ''

I wholeheartedly agree with this point, and quickly responded: "She is not the only one who is unfortunate; you have no idea, there are many beauties in the Eastern Palace, all of whom are living in solitude together. Alas! What a pity!"

I said: "It is indeed shameful"

Qi Sheng paused for a moment and said coldly, "Did that child have any other remarks? If it weren't for the fact that she tampered with my food that day, would I have stayed in her palace? Just that once, how could it be so coincidental!"

Yingyue, leave Lao Wu

Stop! I quickly reached out and discussed with the green hedge: "Can we stop crying now?"

In fact, she would prefer to climb the wall and wait for the red apricot to come.

I waved my hand and said, "No, I do not like to eat sweet things"

As for that person, "If I were the crown princess, I would also climb over the wall to indulge in a secret affair!"

As the voices drew closer, I found myself with nowhere to hide. I hurriedly ran to a tree with a trunk thick enough to embrace, thinking only to take cover behind it. To my surprise, as I lifted my skirt to dash past, I discovered that there was already someone hiding behind the tree. It was clearly too late to change my hiding spot, and I couldn't afford to think too much about it at that moment. I could only squeeze past the person's shoulder and whispered, "Hey! Just squeeze in!"

You cannot! He can give me a lifetime and a pair of souls, can you?

A cold voice from beyond the tree called out: "Who?"

I was just about to refute when I heard Jiang speaking from the other side of the tree: "In fact... she is merely a pitiful person, having lost even her child."

He is very kind to me

I shook my head

I truly feel embarrassed to hear this; it turns out that the Zhang family actually resorted to medication to achieve success in Qi Sheng. This indeed makes them quite pitiable.

Sigh, Qi Sheng, let us release each other, shall we? You live your life with your many wives and concubines, while I will keep my heart and live my simple days, occasionally thinking of you in my leisure time. Wouldn't that be good?

Yet Qi Sheng let out a low, cold snort and said: "Isn't it all to frame you!"