Chapter 658 - 436: Qin Xiyue Secretly Meets Someone

Chapter 658: Chapter 436: Qin Xiyue Secretly Meets Someone

Who wouldn’t be angry in their shoes?

It had been years, yet the Emperor still only had eyes for Ming Fei.

It had been an eye-opening day for them. Ming Fei’s attention was entirely on the Eldest Prince; she didn’t even try to catch the Emperor’s eye. Yet, despite this, the Emperor’s gaze remained fixed on the mother and son.

This was the advantage of having a son to rely on.

It had to be said, everyone was green with envy.

Wang Zhaorong called Feng Yunjin, Han Jinyi, and Lu Zhixue to leave with her, having no interest in seeing the other women’s sour expressions. ’If you don’t have the skill yourself, there’s no point in being jealous of others. With all the time you spend being bitter, you could be trying to get closer to the Emperor.’

’Cowards, only fit for gossiping behind people’s backs.’

Consort Shu paid no mind to such trivialities. Princess Consort Wan always suffered from the summer heat, so she hadn’t even come to Changsheng Courtyard, going directly to her own residence to rest and recover.

Once Wang Zhaorong and her group left, the rest of the concubines dispersed to their respective courtyards. This was their first time coming to Jincui Garden for the summer retreat, and for most, the first time staying here since the imperial selection.

By contrast, An Shutong had stayed here before while accompanying the Empress Dowager. She walked with Qin Xiyue toward Pingyun Pavilion, which was located not far from Changsheng Courtyard. A spacious complex with three successive courtyards, it boasted vibrant flowers, green willows, and splendid scenery. A refreshing coolness greeted them the moment they stepped inside, making it an excellent place to escape the heat.

Qin Xiyue, being of higher rank, took the main hall, while An Shutong occupied a side hall. After a brief exchange, they returned to their respective quarters to settle in and rest.

The moment An Shutong entered her hall, the smile vanished from her face. She said to Mu Qing and Yingxue, "Keep a close watch on her. No matter what happens over there, do not miss a single detail. And be discreet. Don’t let them discover you’re watching."

The two cautiously assented. Mu Qing asked, "My Lady, things have been completely normal on Qin Wan Yi’s side for some time now. Do we still need to watch her?"

An Shutong simply looked at Mu Qing.

Mu Qing’s expression stiffened, and she dared not say another word.

Seeing this, Yingxue quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Mu Qing, Qin Wan Yi is not a simple woman. Look at how many people have risen and fallen in this harem, yet she has emerged from every incident unscathed, without even a drop in rank. Wang Zhaorong was once Princess Consort Zhuang. Her Ladyship has good reason to tell you to be cautious."

Mu Qing quickly replied, "It was this servant’s short-sightedness. Please forgive me, My Lady."

An Shutong was weary. "You may both go. I’m going to rest for a while. If the Empress Dowager summons me, come and inform me."

"Yes, My Lady."

After they had left, An Shutong leaned back against a soft pillow and let out a long sigh, closing her eyes wearily.

’I don’t want to be watching Qin Xiyue, either,’ she thought. ’But lately, many of the things Ming Fei has been doing are strange. Take inviting the abbot from the Imperial Awakening Temple to perform a ritual, for example. I have no proof, but I can’t shake the feeling that it was targeted at someone.’

’During that time, of all the concubines in the harem, only Qin Xiyue had any contact with that monk. It’s not that I’m being paranoid; I’ve heard rumors that Ming Fei is investigating the matter.’

’I can’t confirm if it’s true, but I’d rather assume it is.’

’I’ve suffered greatly at Qin Xiyue’s hands before. If she hadn’t set me up back then, I never would have been disgraced and forced to leave the palace, only to have to re-enter through the imperial selection.’

’If it hadn’t been for Qin Xiyue’s scheming, the Empress Dowager would have placed me in the palace directly. I wouldn’t have ended up as a mere Xiaoyi. This awkward, middling rank makes life truly dissatisfying.’

’Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager has a use for Qin Xiyue, so I have no choice but to play along with her. But I’ve never forgotten the debt she owes me.’

’One day, I will make her pay it back.’

’In any case, I feel that Ming Fei treats Qin Xiyue differently than she treats others. Her wariness of her is greater than of anyone else.’

’Especially this time. I have a feeling something is happening in the palace, but I can’t find any traces of it yet. Still, I can sense that Ming Fei’s attitude toward Qin Xiyue has changed recently.’

’How can I not be careful?’

’I can’t make the same mistake again, be outwitted by Qin Xiyue one more time, and let her use me as a stepping stone to success.’

The more she thought, the less An Shutong could sleep. She sat up and began to ponder. ’If only I had a useful family to rely on, it wouldn’t be this difficult just to get news from outside the palace.’

Growing more agitated with her thoughts, An Shutong finally got up, lifted the door curtain, and stepped outside. The veranda was quiet; Mu Qing and Yingxue were off attending to some task. She waved a hand, dismissing a little palace maid who started to follow, and began to walk slowly along the paved path of Pingyun Pavilion by herself.

Jincui Garden was built into the mountainside, its paths rugged and charming. The scenery changed with every step along the shaded trails. When she finally looked back, the winding mountain path obscured the way she had come, and An Shutong realized she had no idea where she was.

She found a quiet spot and sat on a rock by the path to rest. Through a gap in the canopy of trees, she could just make out Pingyun Pavilion. As she was about to look away, her expression sharpened. She stood, stepped to the side, and pushed aside a branch. In the distance, she saw Qin Xiyue talking to someone. Unfortunately, the other person’s figure was obscured by trees, and she couldn’t tell who it was.

The distance was too great for An Shutong to hear their conversation. After only a moment, Qin Xiyue and the person parted ways. An Shutong remained still, watching as a woman in palace dress hurried away with her back turned.

She studied the retreating figure, but it didn’t match any of the Palace Attendants who served Qin Xiyue. Since they lived in the same residence, they were familiar with each other’s staff; even without seeing a face, she could usually recognize them by their silhouette alone.

But this person’s silhouette was completely unfamiliar.

An Shutong’s heart leaped. She quietly let the branch fall back into place. She saw Qin Xiyue glance around, clearly not wishing for their meeting to be discovered.

She shifted to conceal herself completely and watched through a hidden gap as Qin Xiyue left. Judging by her direction, she was heading back toward Pingyun Pavilion.

An Shutong lingered no longer. She immediately hurried back the way she came. In her haste, she took a wrong turn at a fork in the road and had to take a short detour before finally returning to Pingyun Pavilion.

When she arrived, she saw Qin Xiyue sitting under a flowering tree, sipping tea with a relaxed and pleasant smile. An unknowing observer would have thought she had been sitting there the entire time, with no idea that she had just slipped out.

"An Xiaoyi, did you go out?" Qin Xiyue asked, sounding a little surprised.

An Shutong gave a calm nod. "It was a bit stuffy inside, so I went for a walk. I didn’t expect to get lost. I ended up wandering in a big circle before I finally made my way back."

"Care to sit for a cup of tea?" Qin Xiyue smiled.

An Shutong did not refuse. She walked over with a smile. "Then I shall impose on you, Qin Wan Yi."

Qin Xiyue smiled and had another cup brought over, personally pouring tea for An Shutong. "Speaking of which," she said with a laugh, "the last time I was at Jincui Garden was during the imperial selection. Back then, I only went between Zhichun Palace and Qiushui Pavilion; I wouldn’t have dared to venture anywhere else. The paths in this garden are numerous and dense. It’s quite easy to get lost if you’re not careful."

An Shutong watched Qin Xiyue, whose expression showed no trace of anything amiss. If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, who would have ever guessed that she had just slipped out to meet someone?

That was a level of composure even she could not match.