"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Hua Yao stomped her feet on the dead grass by the pond, furious.
The ground was slippery in winter, and she almost fell.
In the silent night, in the cold imperial garden, amidst the dim surroundings, Hua Yao, with a face full of grievance, looked at the frozen pond, tears flowing uncontrollably.
She thought she could be strong, and that it was true what she told Zhong Li, that she wouldn't mind marrying anyone as long as she had once loved Lan Heng.
But now, facing such an event, she felt heartbroken.
Imperial will could not be defied. This imperial decree meant her marriage to Lu Yuanfeng was set in stone. The thought that any possibility with Lan Heng was now gone, Hua Yao could no longer control herself and burst into loud sobs.
Fortunately, the palace staff were all busy with matters at Qionghua Hall, and no one noticed her. She could finally let loose.
"Rustle, rustle!"
The crisp sound of cloth boots treading on dry grass reached Hua Yao's ears. She looked around alertly. Seeing no one, she assumed she was hallucinating, wiped her tears, and prepared to walk towards the pavilion not far away.
Just then, a figure in a dark, plain robe flashed past her.
"Who, who's there?" Hua Yao had been with Zhong Li for some time and came from a military family, so she was naturally more alert than ordinary people.
Silence was her only answer.
Hua Yao frowned and pondered for a moment, then uneasily walked towards the source of the sound.
She rounded the rockery that blocked her path and saw a familiar back standing before her. Her face froze, and she covered her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Da... Sir! Hey..." She had barely murmured when the back seemed to hear the movement and turned to leave quickly.
"Wait for me, Sir, wait for Yao'er!" Hua Yao felt as though she had gone mad, running after the receding figure.
The figure walked very fast. For some reason, she felt dizzy. "Lan Sir, wait for Yao'er, Yao'er... ugh..."
Hua Yao's vision went black, and she swayed unsteadily towards the ground. At the same time, a pair of hands caught her accurately.
Inside Qionghua Hall.
The family banquet was nearing its end. Hua Yao had not returned, and Hua Xiong, who had initially thought she was just having a childish tantrum, now looked anxious.
With only one more dance before the feast concluded, Hua Xiong could no longer sit still. He was about to inform the Emperor and leave to find Hua Yao when a young eunuch rushed in from outside.
"Bad news, bad news!" The eunuch's voice was very high-pitched. If not for his eunuch attire, one might have mistaken him for a woman.
Lu Jing'an frowned at the rude palace attendant, his expression stern.
Eunuch Hua saw this and berated, "How dare you, you blind fool! This is the Laba Family Banquet, what nonsense are you spouting? What bad news?"
The young eunuch flinched, his kneeling body trembling. "Your Majesty, this servant did not intend to offend you, but it is truly urgent."
"What could be so urgent? Can't it wait until after the banquet? And you, this servant, are new and so ill-mannered!" Shen Nong spoke at this point, giving the young eunuch a meaningful glance.
The young eunuch's eyes darted around. "This servant is a junior servant from Qionghua Hall responsible for serving dishes. I have only been in the palace for about a month. I beg Your Majesty and Empress to forgive me."
"Enough, whatever it is, speak quickly." Lu Jing'an was a bit impatient.
The young eunuch replied, "Just now, as this servant was carrying an empty plate past the lotus pond, I saw... I saw..."
"Saw what?" Lu Jing'an urged.
"I saw Miss Hua Yao and the Crown Prince enter... the Yue Ming Pavilion next to the pond."
"What?" Lu Jing'an looked astonished.
Shen Nong stood up in shock and said, "Yue Ming Pavilion? Do you know what kind of place that is? Don't speak nonsense!"
The young eunuch shook his head. "Empress, this servant does not know what kind of place it is, but what I am saying is the absolute truth."
"What kind of place is Yue Ming Pavilion?" Zhong Li whispered, turning her head to ask Lu Wuxie.
Lu Wuxie explained, "The former Empress Ruan had rhinitis. In the summer, the weather in Jincheng was not as humid as in Jinzhou. The former Emperor, worried that Ruan Shi would have difficulty breathing at night while sleeping, specially built a small pavilion near the pond in the imperial garden and named it Yue Ming Pavilion.
However, after Ruan Shi departed, the Yue Ming Pavilion was no longer used. Later, when Your Majesty had someone clean the Yue Ming Pavilion, they found many personal items of the former Emperor and former Empress."
Hearing about the personal items, Zhong Li raised her eyebrows slightly. No wonder the Emperor's expression soured upon hearing the name of the small pavilion. Everyone would naturally assume the worst and imagine the deeper meaning behind the young eunuch's words.
"Are you sure it was Yao'er?" Lu Yuanfeng clearly did not believe it and walked up to the young eunuch to inquire.
"This humble servant saw it with my own eyes..." the young eunuch said halfway, his eyes darting around. "I guarantee it with my head."
"Absurd!" Lu Jing'an was clearly beginning to rage.
At this moment, Hua Xiong's face also darkened. He cupped his hands towards the Emperor and, without another word, hurried towards the vicinity of the imperial garden.
Lu Jing'an clasped his hands behind his back and followed.
After everyone had mostly left, Lu Wuxie took Zhong Li's hand and said, "My lady, let's go! Time for some entertainment."
The area near the imperial garden was no longer dark as before. Lanterns were lit, illuminating the entire courtyard brightly.
Hua Xiong walked at the forefront. Lu Jing'an, fearing any further trouble, quickened his pace. Lu Yuanfeng, with his agile build and the involvement of his new bride, naturally followed his father-in-law and Emperor.
As for Shen Nong, being small in stature, she had to trot to keep up, with Zi Pei supporting her to prevent a fall, looking somewhat comical.
Thus, everyone anxiously reached the vicinity of Yue Ming Pavilion.
Before the leading Hua Xiong could even knock, sounds that made one's face flush with embarrassment emanated from within the pavilion.
"Your Highness..."
"Yao'er, do you know? I have admired you for a long time."
"Your Highness, but I am not the Yao'er you speak of, and I am not here to... mmm..."
"Yao'er, I know it hurts a bit, but I promise to be gentle, alright?"
"Your Highness, I really... *sob sob*..."
...
"Scoundrel!" Lu Jing'an, hearing the dialogue from outside, could no longer contain himself and kicked open the door of Yue Ming Pavilion.
At this moment, a man and a woman lay on the bed within Yue Ming Pavilion.
The woman was pinned beneath the man, her hair disheveled, her face obscured. Her pale pink dress, however, was the same as the one Hua Yao had worn earlier.
As for the man, moonlight fell upon his face. If not Lu Yuanhong, then who else could it be.
"Wretch!" Lu Jing'an roared.
Lu Yuanhong reacted and quickly tumbled off the bed, kneeling on the ground. "Father! It wasn't me. It was... it was Hua Yao who kept following me, and she brought me to this place."
Lu Jing'an narrowed his eyes, looking at Lu Yuanhong without a word.
Hua Xiong, standing behind the Emperor, could no longer hold back. Hearing Lu Yuanhong's words, he rushed to the bedside and, looking at the woman covered by the quilt, raised his hand as if to slap her.
"General Hua, wait!" Zhong Li called out, stopping his action, and quickly walked to the bedside.
Seeing Hua Xiong's hand halt in mid-air, she quickly offered a formal bow and said, "Old General, please do not act rashly. Perhaps you were overcome with anger earlier and did not hear the dialogue within the room. This woman seems to have said she is not Yao'er."
"What?" Everyone turned their gaze to the woman on the bed, their faces a mixture of confusion. Only Shen Nong, startled, took a few steps back.
Zhong Li nodded at Hua Xiong.
After he lowered his hand, Zhong Li half-sat on the bed and slowly moved the woman's hands away from her face. Upon seeing the woman's face, everyone looked bewildered. Only Shen Nong, startled, took a few steps back.