Chapter 4: Successful Infiltration

  Feng Changqing's harem has nearly a hundred women, which means he has almost a hundred wives.

  What a strong man.

  Silently wiping away the sweat on his forehead, he looked at the surrounding scenery of dense flowers.

  Wow, it's really rare to see so many blooming flowers at this time. Although most of them are just buds, the legendary emperor's imperial garden is indeed not an exaggeration.

  The artificial hills and flowing water are unique, the key is that they are all purely natural, this is something that can't be found in the 21st century, if there were any, they would have been protected, but now she is right in the middle of it, it's truly too blissful.

  Suddenly, Qilin's line of sight was attracted by the small white four-petaled flower on the ground. It was small and white, swaying in the cold wind, blooming, and not artificially planted. Born amidst the hustle and bustle, it was probably wild. Among so many luxurious flowers and grasses, it was also a beautiful scene.

  "Whoosh"

  "Huh? Qilin cautiously got up, it seemed like she just heard something crawling out of the flowers and grasses at a very fast speed."

  Snakes? Only snakes will appear in the grass thicket.

  Just thinking of Snake Jill makes her whole body hair stand on end and cold sweat breaks out, because snakes and mice are the things she fears most.

  She instinctively retreated backwards until a gust of cold wind blew in her face from the collar, pouring into her body, and she finally reacted, realizing it was early spring.

  Snakes are cold-blooded animals.

  She actually made such a low-level mistake. Covering her face and mocking herself, she continued to squat down and admire the small flowers.

  However, she forgot that Feng Changqing was a weirdo, an ultra-weirdo.

  So, when a small white snake stared at her with its black little eyes, Qilin thought she was dreaming. When she saw it spitting out cute little letters, she finally realized that this creature that only appeared in the scorching summer was a snake.

  "Ahhhhh!!"

  Almost without any mental preparation, Qilin suddenly jumped up and performed a scene of screaming and jumping wildly.

  That poor little snake hadn't even reacted when Qilin kicked it with one foot, instantly seeing stars on its head and its tail straightening out as it fainted.

  It just wants to get close to her, and it's rare for her to escape and have some fun.

  However, Zilin was completely unaware of this and continued screaming nonstop???

  Sweat~~

  So the result is like this.

  "This is a tribute to the Emperor from Beiyue State, and you've actually trampled it to death!" The woman's eyes welled up with tears, forcing herself not to let them fall, but what shone through her tearful gaze was anger.

  Qilin was still in a state of shock, pressing her chest tightly, trying to press down her pounding heart, but looking at the woman in front of her wearing a jade green dress, she was on the verge of tears, holding that thing as if performing CPR.

  The woman saw Qi Lin's terrified face and walked forward, but found that Qi Lin suddenly retreated several steps. She went forward again, and Qi Lin retreated again.

  Finally, Qilin directly climbed onto the rockery, while the woman was still below shouting at her. The palace maids around her were afraid that she would climb up and hurt herself somewhere, but in Qilin's opinion, what those palace maids were worried about was the small thing in her hand.

  That little thing in her hand was once again suffering from hypoxia, and the small letter was spitting out one by one.

  "Beautiful lady, that young master seems to be the good man chosen by the emperor himself, the one who lives in Qingquan Pavilion." The palace maid next to her had sharp eyes and noticed Qilin's attire, although her hair was a bit disheveled, she could still recognize it.

  Hearing the eunuch's words, the woman finally stopped her loud shouting and frowned as she sized up Qi Lin.

  She certainly knew this woman, although she had been neglected by the emperor since entering the palace and was treated harshly by the Imperial Household Department. However, it was said that the emperor still went there, and according to the news spread by the palace people, it was the first time the emperor smiled like that in a good person's place, and the next day the emperor did not investigate the red swelling on his face.

  It's strange that after serving in bed, there was no reward, but all the slaves in the Imperial Household Department were beaten with a board.

  "So it was that unloved good man after all, what's his name again?" Looking at Qilin with disdain, using her eyes to tell her that she couldn't even remember her name.

  Qilin slightly furrowed her brow. Judging from her attire, she seemed to be of a similar rank, likely the Liang Meiren that Jinyu had mentioned.

  Very well, Qilin slightly raised the corner of her mouth and said, "This palace has long heard that the emperor recently conferred a title on a beauty, I suppose it's my younger sister."

  "My sister has never heard of you, how rude." Although angry, she was a woman by the emperor's side and didn't dare to be presumptuous. She could only slow down her tone and say "This is the emperor's imperial garden, what are you doing here? Are you trying to attract the emperor's attention by doing something here? But since you killed the emperor's pet, you should worry about yourself."

  It turns out that Jinyu had said that this was the route that Feng Changqing would take every time he left the palace, so many concubines who wanted to curry favor with him would "lie in wait" here, and she had come too.

  She smiled slightly, tidied up her disheveled hair and said "I heard that Your Majesty likes to drink tea made from the dew on the morning flower petals, so I..."

  As he spoke, he took out a prepared bottle, which was filled with more than half of the contents, but it was enough to attract Liang Mei's attention.

  As expected, Liang Mei's astonished gaze couldn't escape Qilin's eyes and was hooked.

  "Hum, sister trampled the emperor's pet to death, if the emperor finds out..."

  "This palace will surely die." Raised her head, not looking at Liang Mei Ren, the sun just happened to reveal its blushing face hanging in the sky, and could already feel its radiance.

  This is truly a wonderful country, the scenery is too beautiful, the women are beautiful, and the men are even more handsome. If there were no disputes over power, she would certainly think that this place is heaven.

  "But pets are just for the emperor's entertainment, as long as the emperor is happy, it doesn't matter what they are." She swayed the bottle in her hand, her smile showing enough confidence, and continued to say "Right?"

  Although it was a question, it was said very affirmatively. Seeing the sparkle in Liang Mei's eyes, that was the sparkle when wanting to make someone happy.

  "This palace can also pretend to know nothing." He waved his hand to dismiss the others and continued, "This place is actually very dangerous, and anything unexpected can happen."

  That's right, this is a woman.

  "What did my sister say?" She didn't plan on making a direct deal, that wasn't her intention.

  Hearing Qilin had no intention of making a deal, Liang Mei's temper flared up instantly, and her hand slightly lifted.

  Zhilin hadn't figured out what was going on when she was pulled away, dragged down from the fake mountain, and as soon as she reached the ground, her hand was empty, and the bottle had been snatched.

  That's exactly what she wanted.

  "This is ridiculous." Liang Meiren shook the bottle, looked at Qi Lin's wet clothes, and suddenly smashed the bottle towards Qi Lin. It hit Qi Lin's forehead, and as she saw the blood flowing from her hair, Liang Meiren felt a lump in her throat. She immediately shifted her gaze away, and with a somewhat insufficient tone, said "Hmph, you can't even dodge. This has nothing to do with me."

  The eunuchs holding Zhi Lin were also startled and let go of their hands, retreating to the side.

  Qilin touched the blood on her forehead and thought of that ancient saying "A man in the world is drifting, how can he not be cut by a knife?"

  It really is a case of "one knife cut and blood flows". Just as I was about to speak, I suddenly heard the eunuch's messenger not far away.

  "The Emperor has arrived."

  Your Majesty?!

  This is none of her business. Just thinking about what to say, suddenly a blackness appeared in front of her eyes, and a strand of long hair swept across her face, tickling her.

  "Sister, are you okay?"

  Qilin was taken aback, and just as she raised her eyes, they met Liang Mei's tearful gaze, looking pitiful. At this moment, she was wiping her forehead with a handkerchief, but the force was slightly stronger, causing Qilin some pain, which she hid very well.

  "How dare you! You haven't even knelt down after seeing the Emperor. What crime is this?" Xiaoningzi scolded loudly, frightening Liang Meiren's attendants into kneeling on the ground.

  "Long live the Emperor, may he live forever!"

  "I, your concubine, pay respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, and forevermore!" Liang Mei Ren hastily turned around, with two lines of tears just falling from her powdered face, like the morning dew wetting a lotus flower.

  While Zilin kept her head down, she was thinking hard about how to respond.

  Feng Changqing's gaze remained fixed on Qi Lin's forehead, a hint of unnoticeable worry flashed across his eyes, and in an instant, it vanished.

  "Why are you crying?"

  When Feng Changqing asked the question, Liang Meiren slightly raised her eyes and looked at Feng Changqing with the best angle. Her nose twitched, and two rows of tears fell like broken pearls onto her hand. She opened her mouth and said: "I should die, today seeing the weather is very good, I thought to bring Ke'er out to play, Ke'er played happily, didn't think that I was careless for a moment..."

  At this point, Liang Meiren shifted her gaze to the small white snake sleeping in the eunuch's hands and fell into tears again, saying "Your Majesty, I should die."

  Looking at Ke'er, Feng Changqing slightly furrowed his brow. This snake had a different temperament, liking to move in cold places, and its entire body was pure white, extremely beautiful, and very fond of it. Now, however, it had become like this.

  "Who is so bold? Daring to beat the emperor's favorite to death." Xianingzi saw this and began to scold. A slave like him was supposed to find out who was at fault before his master got angry, letting his master vent his pent-up anger.

  "This is..." Liang Meiren hesitated, shifting her gaze to Qi Lin, and said with a pleading tone, "Your Majesty, my sister was also unintentional, please have mercy."

  It's just an accident, who would do it on purpose?

  "What's with the wound?"

  Liáng Měirén was taken aback, but instead of blaming her, the Emperor asked about her injuries.

  In the blink of an eye, Feng Changqing had already appeared in front of Qi Lin, hooked up Qi Lin's chin and slightly furrowed his brow, saying "How did you get hurt?"

  Li Mei-ren stared at Qi Lin with a thousand fears in her heart. If Qi Lin revealed the truth, she would definitely be doomed.

  "I beg to report to Your Majesty, I was frightened by that snake and accidentally bumped into the fake mountain, which is why I'm like this." Qilin looked calmly at Feng Changqing and continued, "Also because of this, I seem to have trampled your pet to death. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

  Unaccustomed to Qilin's unfamiliar tone, he disliked Qilin's calm and unruffled eyes even more. He had been passing by when he overheard their conversation; years of martial training had given him exceptionally keen hearing. He had thought his appearance would make Qilin's eyes light up, at least with a glimmer of hope, but instead it was this blandness.

  Feeling Feng Changqing's discontent, Qi Lin only felt that her chin was about to shatter, and she really got angry? Actually treating her like this for a snake.

  "Your Majesty..." Liang Meiren called out cautiously.

  Feng Changqing finally let go of Qi Lin, and the place where he pinched her turned red. He was somewhat remorseful that his previous strength had been too great, hurting her.

  He hastily got up, not letting Zilin see the desperation in his eyes, and turned to Liang Meiren, saying "Should I punish her or not? Meiren, tell me."

  "I'm sorry... I'm sorry." Of course, she hoped that woman was dead, but still turned around and said "Sister didn't mean to."

  "Is the beauty pleading for her?"

  "I just think that sister... at the same time serving the emperor with me..."

  "Is the beauty going to take her punishment?" Seeing Liang's terrified and hesitant face, Feng Changqing felt a thousand contempt in his heart. However, in this harem, what he liked most was teasing people like this, calling them sisters and sisters, but in the end, they would still fly separately when disaster struck.

  However, Zilin felt that this was an opportunity and spoke up, "Your Majesty, although my sister-in-law and I have just met for the first time, we are already like old friends. How can it be fair to let my younger sister suffer punishment for her older sister's mistake? Please don't make things difficult for my younger sister. I am willing to take responsibility for her crime."

  Should merits offset demerits? Feng Changqing slightly furrowed his brow, looking at Qi Lin, while Qi Lin's eyes told him that she must be punished.

  Of course, he soon thought of the Empress Dowager's affairs. Hum, what a clever woman, actually using his head. However, never mind, looking at Qi Lin's reddened chin, Feng Changqing smiled slightly.

  "It just so happens that the cook at Chang Le Palace retired a few days ago, and they're short-handed. You'll go there every day to work, and return to Qin Quan Xuan at night. If the Empress Dowager is even slightly dissatisfied, I'll have you killed." Then he turned to Liang Mei Ren, stretched out his arm, and pulled her into his embrace, softly saying "Mei Ren, do you think this arrangement is acceptable?"

  "The Emperor is wise and enlightened."

  The Empress Dowager's Chang Le Palace was the place where concubines least wanted to approach, the Empress Dowager had a strange temperament, and many cooks were replaced, and it is unknown how many died unjustly, most of them never returned.

  This is also considered getting rid of her, right?

  However, she also heard Feng Changqing mention Xuanquanchi, and in her memory, Feng Changqing would not remember which concubine lived in which palace.