Under the bright spring sunlight, beside the gorgeous peony bushes, stood a graceful young woman.
From afar, she had a beautiful face. Her eyes and eyebrows exuded a gentle charm like flowing water. She was elegant and poised, every movement as if she had stepped out of a painting.
Opposite her, a glamorous woman in palace attire was slowly approaching, supported by her maids. It seemed as if she was saying something to the gentle young woman.
The scene looked beautiful, like a touching display of sisterly affection.
But Ling Shan took one glance and prepared to slip away quietly and quickly.
Beautiful as the women were, the imperial garden was a hot - spot for incidents in the harem. The infighting among the concubines was no less intense than the power struggles in the court.
She was just a low - ranking maid. She couldn't afford to provoke these powerful figures, but she could avoid them.
"Stop right there!"
Ling Shan had just taken two silent steps with light feet when she was unexpectedly spotted and called out to!
Damn it!
What was wrong with this concubine? Did she have eyes like a hawk?
Was it really necessary to catch her, a low - ranking maid, from such a distance?
Ling Shan grumbled in her heart, but she didn't stop for a moment. It was normal that she couldn't hear from such a far distance, right?
Concubine Xue's beautiful face froze. She didn't expect that little maid to ignore her and continue walking deeper into the woods.
"Sister Cui, that maid serving the emperor is so bold! How dare she disobey my order?"
Concubine Cui gave a gentle smile. "Sister, don't be angry. I think that little maid is probably Ling Shan. She just came from the Cining Palace and is so far away. Maybe she didn't hear you."
"Sister Cui, I spoke so loudly just now. How could she not hear?"
Concubine Xue widened her eyes and said unhappily, "I think that little maid is just relying on her current favor and doesn't put us in her eyes at all. Sister Cui, haven't you heard that even Concubine Xian was punished because of her?"
"Sister Xue, I know you've been friends with Concubine Xian since childhood, but you also know the attitudes of the Empress Dowager and His Majesty. Don't act impulsively."
As she finished speaking, a deep anger welled up in Concubine Xue's eyes.
"I'd like to see if a maid from a humble background can really ride roughshod over us noble ladies!"
Concubine Cui watched as Concubine Xue took a shortcut and rushed after Ling Shan aggressively. A deep worry immediately appeared on her gentle face.
"Sister Xue—"
Concubine Xue was burning with anger. Especially in the past few days, there were rumors that the little maid named Ling Shan had even shared the emperor's bed and was injured and had to rest for a couple of days.
They, these noble ladies selected for the harem, hadn't even touched the corner of His Majesty's robe. Why should that little maid get ahead of them?
Moreover, Concubine Xian was a noble lady from the Wang family, and the Wang and Xue families were in an in - law relationship. They were as interdependent as lips and teeth.
Concubine Xue couldn't understand why the Empress Dowager Wang would ignore them noble ladies and instead promote a little maid.
What was so "unsightly" about them noble ladies?
The angrier Concubine Xue got, the less she could hear Concubine Cui's soft persuasion. In just a few seconds, she left the gentle Concubine Cui behind.
Ling Shan had walked quickly for a few steps when she felt something was wrong.
The glamorous concubine just now seemed to be carrying a ball of fire. She bypassed the peony bushes and was coming towards Ling Shan menacingly.
Ling Shan's scalp began to tingle, and she quickly thought of a way to get away.
If she was really entangled, she had a premonition that she would be in big trouble.
Ling Shan quickened her pace. A flash of inspiration came to her mind, and soon she disappeared from sight.
Concubine Xue had loved martial arts since childhood and boasted of her excellent riding and archery skills. She had already thought of several ways to teach that little maid a lesson.
However, she didn't expect that with her speed, she couldn't even catch a glimpse of the back of that coquettish little maid.
Among the greenery, she could only vaguely see a figure in a maid's uniform shuttling through. Concubine Xue's chest heaved violently, and her face became even more gloomy.
After chasing for a while, Concubine Xue felt something was off.
This place...
Didn't it look very much like the infamous Nine - Bend Pond?
On the small path deep in the flower - lined walkway, Concubine Xue looked at the sparkling lake. What should have been a clear and beautiful view now seemed like a monster with a wide - open mouth.
It was said that the Nine - Bend Pond was winding and had nine inlets, and one of the deep pools housed some unspeakable things.
Concubine Xue didn't know if this was the very Nine - Bend Pond, but cold sweat began to seep out of her back uncontrollably.
The quiet surroundings seemed to be devoid of any human voices. She had been so angry that she had shaken off all her attendants.
If someone wanted to harm her at this moment...
That little maid had deliberately led her here!
Was that coquettish woman planning to do something to her?
Concubine Xue's pupils suddenly constricted. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, unexpectedly, a sudden gust of wind came from behind.
Before she could react, she felt herself being pushed into the lake by a powerful force.
—
Ling Shan originally intended to lead Concubine Xue to the Nine - Bend Pond. Before coming to the Cining Palace, she had heard that Jun Wuyuan intended to go fishing.
It would be a good idea to throw his own concubine to him to deal with.
However, she didn't expect that although Concubine Xue looked aggressive, she couldn't even keep up.
Instead, Ling Shan herself bumped into the Yuhua Pavilion surrounded by the imperial entourage. There was no way to avoid it.
Ling Shan had someone check things out first. After passing through the numerous guards, she finally came before Jun Wuyuan.
"Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be in good health."
Ling Shan was puzzled and even extremely shocked.
Wasn't he supposed to come fishing?
Why was this tall guy just standing by the lake motionless, pretending to be profound?
What on earth had happened in such a short period of time?
Jun Wuyuan didn't even glance at her. He still stood there gracefully, looking at the lake.
[That stupid goose managed to come out of the Cining Palace alive. These useless fools still can't tell that I want to eat fish?]
Ling Shan: "?"
[Very well. I'll wait for another quarter of an hour. If I can't eat the carp from the Yuhua Lake today, I'll throw that stupid goose into the Crescent Bay to feed the fish!]
Ling Shan: "!"
Excuse me?
This was an innocent disaster.
Ling Shan was completely speechless. This was exactly what was meant by "sitting at home but having trouble fall from the sky".
This tyrant really wanted her life at any time.
Gritting her teeth and grinding them from side to side, Ling Shan cursed in her heart. She quietly moved towards Liang Jiusi and whispered,
"Eunuch Liang, your servant noticed that His Majesty has been looking at the lake. Could it be that he wants to go fishing?"
Liang Jiusi looked at Ling Shan in surprise and confidently waved his whisk.
"Absolutely not. If His Majesty wants to eat fish, he can just order the imperial kitchen. Why would he bother to fish himself?"
It seemed that this new little spy still didn't know His Majesty well enough.
When it came to understanding the emperor's mind, it still had to be him, Liang Jiusi.
Thinking of this, Liang Jiusi looked at Ling Shan contemptuously and proudly, raising his head high.
Ling Shan: "......"
Wasn't he afraid of getting beaten for understanding the emperor's mind like this?