Chapter 1, Twisted Heart

Peilan shot a fierce glance at Dingxiang, saying that you like to hear it. Dingxiang unceremoniously shot back a glare, saying you just said it sounded good too

Murong Xue covered her lips and yawned, her exquisite and unparalleled beauty remaining icy: "I am exhausted from the selection process, with a sore back and neck. I need to catch up on some sleep. Please, Your Majesty, go elsewhere."

Seeing that the queen was not joking, Jiayin had no choice but to pick up the green silk on the ground and send it to the Cui Lan Palace

The fiery clouds at the horizon blaze brilliantly, casting a pink hue over half of the palace walls, while the glazed tiles on the eaves shimmer with vibrant colors, creating a play of light and shadow

A little... The corner of the lady's eye twitched, truly, you are quite brazen in your words

Murong Xue seemed completely unaware of any impropriety, continuing to tear at the green silk until the voice of the chief eunuch Qin Shu, who was beside the Emperor, reached her from behind

The breeze of early summer carries the fragrance of flowers, and all is silent, save for the faint hissing sound emanating from a pair of orchid-like fingers.

Yelü Yan smiled

Murong Xue smiled gently, her eyes sparkling like autumn waves, and turned to her maid, Dingxiang, saying: "Do you enjoy listening?"

She gracefully rose, offered a slight bow, and stood on the shimmering waves, watching as the handsome man approached her closer and closer

Both Dingxiang and Peilan were captivated, although their young lady does have a bit of a temper, she is indeed exceptionally beautiful

Everyone in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace knows that Empress Murong has a peculiar habit of tearing things apart

Dingxiang was taken aback; the young lady has truly become audacious lately, daring to speak such disrespectful words to the Emperor.

A beauty possesses such privileges that no matter how inappropriate her actions may be, they evoke no anger, only admiration for her allure. This exquisite silk seems to exist in this world solely for the purpose of being torn by such a beauty, by such delicate hands.

This shimmering silk not only looks beautiful, but also produces a pleasant sound when torn, reminding her of the sound of her heartbeat when she first fell in love with him.

After a long while, a clear and languid voice of Emperor Zhao came from within the palace.

"Be careful with that. Once it's torn, you'll have to wait until next year." He looked at her and the scattered green silk, casually saying this as if he were completely unconcerned

Murong Xue lifted her gaze from the shimmering waves of the lake, and through the bright and vibrant sunlight of early summer, she met the deep-set eyes of Emperor Yelü Yan.

The most common scene in Fengyi Palace features Empress Murong leisurely leaning against the vermilion railing, her delicate face adorned with a smile, her slender jade fingers holding the azure silk. With a soft hiss, it splits into two, and then further divides into four.

Prepare water

Qin Shu shook his head, feeling as if he had seven or eight water buckets being tossed around in his mind, unsure of what the situation truly was. However, since the emperor did not speak to summon anyone in, who would dare to enter

The tension in the air grew increasingly palpable for Xiangling, as this emperor was known to smile before unleashing his wrath, causing everyone in the palace to feel a shiver of apprehension whenever they saw him smile

In a moment's time, beneath Murong Xue's feet, a true expanse of azure waves emerged. The azure silk, torn into strips, danced with the wind, creating gentle ripples. Her beautiful eyes sparkled, and her charming smile captivated all. A pair of delicate jade-like feet playfully stirred the thin silk fabric, resembling an ethereal fairy of unparalleled grace, seated by the shore, playing with the water. It was truly a scene that could leave one utterly entranced.

A pair of embroidered shoes in smoke pink, adorned with pearls, crossed the shimmering waves and arrived beneath the flower corridor. "Your Majesty, the preparations for the selection of candidates have been completed; we await your personal review tomorrow." A petal of wisteria fell from the flower rack, gliding down her gossamer sleeves and landing on the white marble floor.

The color of Dingxiang's face turned pale, and she could hardly bear to look at the emperor's expression

Murong Xueyan smiled gently and said, "Your Majesty, is it a bit wasteful and a misuse of resources for me to do this?"

Peilan secretly let out a sigh; truly, he is the Emperor, wealthy and powerful

Yelü Yanzheng said: "I do not think so at all"

She flicked her eyes and said to the maid Jia Yin of the Phoenix Ceremony Palace, "Pick up this green wave silk and send it to the Cuilan Palace. Imperial Concubine Yu has mentioned several times that she wants to make a summer dress out of the green wave silk"

Yelü Yan smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, you have worked hard."

The Dragon Boat Race at Taihe Pool during the Dragon Boat Festival was originally a lively event, but on that day, all the palace maids' gazes were captivated by the figure of Empress Murong. She wore a summer dress made of azure silk, elegant and ethereal, like a newly blossomed lotus emerging from the water, stunning everyone and evoking envy in every woman in the palace. ... Yet, such a priceless and rare treasure, once it reached the hands of Murong Xue, no one could hope to obtain even an inch or a fraction of it. After making her garment, the remaining fabric was all ... . ... torn apart. Yet, such a priceless and rare treasure, once it reached the hands of Murong Xue, no one could hope to obtain even an inch or a fraction of it. After making her garment, the remaining fabric was all ... . ... torn apart.

Murong Xueyan smiled gently and said, "Then I will tear it for a while longer"

Everyone was also taken aback by the Queen's remark; was this not a slap in the face to the beloved Consort Yu?

Immediately, the palace attendants knelt on the ground to welcome the Emperor Yelü Yan of the Great Zhou.

It is uncertain whether his skills have become increasingly profound or if her cultivation has regressed; in any case, she is now at a disadvantage, and she finds it increasingly difficult to comprehend the depths of his gaze

The heart of Dingxiang was in her throat, fully focused and prepared to kneel at any moment to welcome the emperor's thunderous wrath. However, to her astonishment, the emperor actually paused and entered the inner hall. Shortly after, with a loud bang, he heavily shut the door behind him.

I like it, I like it. The lilac dry smile, a pang of pain in her heart, this length of azure silk could sustain her family for half a month.

This tribute is exceedingly rare, with only three horses being offered to the palace each year at the beginning of summer, transported from the Jiangnan region over a distance of nearly a thousand miles.

The heart of the lilac beats like a drum, Your Majesty. Although your yawning appearance is charming and lovely, captivating enough to bring down a nation, what you are saying with that little mouth of yours is nothing but outrageous talk, simply blasphemous. Stealing a glance at the Emperor, his face is already as cold as a thousand years of ice.

He did not respond, took her hand, and gently rubbed it, saying, "Don't tire your hand."

Gradually, twilight envelops the sky, and the fiery clouds blend into the expanse of dusk

Murong Xue blinked and said, "I believe there is a little bit."

Next, even more terrifying events occurred

What on earth is happening? Should we go in to rescue them? Dingxiang and Peilan, worried about the safety of their young lady, anxiously sought help from Grandfather Qin.

Is Peilan a nice name

As she watched the flowers fall, a subtle sense of melancholy arose within her; flowers do not bloom for a hundred days, and no one can resist the allure of something new

In my humble opinion, Your Majesty has chosen to pair the three consorts, Consort Shu, Consort De, and Consort Xian, together this time. This way, Consort Yu will not feel lonely and can spend time with the three of them, which will also save me from her frequent visits, as they are quite bothersome and make my ears ache.

Dingxiang could not help but admire the Emperor's superb speaking skills upon hearing this remark She estimated that his concern was insincere but as a man and a ruler who possessed the world and wealth from all corners it would be rather petty to genuinely care about such trivial matters Therefore she adopted a more considerate and tactful approach to advise his wife to take it easy and refrain from tearing too much

What she tore was no ordinary material, but the specially tribute silk known as Bibo Ling from Jiangnan. This silk is named Bibo not only because of its color resembling the fresh green of willows, but also due to its extremely light and soft texture. The pale blue silk is woven with white pear blossoms, and when worn, it feels like a pool of spring water, shimmering and swaying gracefully in the breeze, evoking a line of poetry: "Silk sleeves weave silk to boast of the persimmon stem, while the green flag sells wine amidst the pear blossoms"

The maid Peilan immediately smiled and said, "Beautiful, Your Highness."

However, the young lady of her family seemed to have not seen anything, twisting her waist and directly entering the inner hall

Yelü Yandun paused and said: "... ... What does the Empress think?"

The palace maids waiting in the corridor were also gazing dreamily at the painting before them, which was vivid and colorful, a stunning masterpiece

He was tall and stood in front of her, blocking much of the sunlight, but his bright eyes forced her to slightly squint her cat-like eyes. "Is His Majesty feeling sorry?"

The royal entourage has arrived

Murong Xue snorted softly: "The Emperor is the one who has worked hard. With the newcomers entering the palace, the Emperor will likely be busy day and night. I have already instructed the Imperial Medical Bureau to pay attention to the Emperor's health and to provide additional nourishment."

However, as the years slip away and the affairs of the world remain unpredictable, in the end, the heartbeat transforms into heartbreak, leaving one with a deep sense of regret

Hmph, she cannot understand him, and he should not expect to see through her; this way, they are evenly matched.

A group of people was filled with trepidation and anxiety, yet there was not a single sound within the hall

Jia Yin's heart skipped a beat; to make a dress, one needs a complete piece of fabric. Upon seeing these scraps, the noble consort Yu was so furious that she nearly spat blood.

Then, a delicate cry was heard from within, followed by a series of crackling sounds, resembling the noise of jade and porcelain shattering upon hitting the ground, and then it fell silent.