But, is there any place in the palace that is airtight?
Where could she hide it?
Lan Miao pondered for a while but couldn't come up with a good idea. Then she lowered her eyes and surveyed the surrounding environment. The furnishings in the room were all arranged by Emperor Jingxiang, so she couldn't hide it inside.
What if someone came to search the room one day?
Hide it outside?
Lan Miao glanced at the distant red shadow on the closed glazed flower window and suddenly had an idea.
In the small courtyard of Lovesickness Pavilion, there were several plum blossom trees.
The plum trees...
Lan Miao's eyes flickered. Then she packed up the wooden box, summoned Han Bi and Yan Hong, and arranged for other palace maids to go elsewhere. After everything was properly arranged, she quietly took a wooden hoe and went to the courtyard alone.
An hour later.
Lan Miao buried the small wooden box underground.
If she had a chance to leave the palace, she would dig them out at an opportune moment. Or it would be fine to let them stay buried like this.
She wiped the sweat off her forehead and carefully restored the accumulated soil on the ground to its original state.
She took a look from afar.
There was no sign of anything unusual.
Only then did Lan Miao leave with the hoe at ease.
The hidden danger in her heart was completely removed. Lan Miao now had a bit more confidence. In any case, she must not let Emperor Jingxiang detect any flaws. She took out the Kongshan Jade from the jade chamber again. Most of it had been polished, and all that was left was the finishing touches.
She sat by the window polishing the jade all afternoon.
From time to time, she would glance at the shadow of the plum blossom trees outside the window. The cold wind blew, carrying a refreshing fragrance.
Everything was reassuring like this.
What she didn't know was that everything she had just done had been seen by a pair of eyes in the distance.
In the evening.
Lan Miao put down the polished jade in her hand and stretched. At this time, Han Bi, whom she had sent out, walked in. She presented a visiting card to Lan Miao and reported,
"Good evening, Lady Lan. When I was on my way back, I met the palace maids of Princess Kaiyun. They asked me to give this to you. It seems that it's from that jade carver who competed with you in jade carving before. He wants to visit you."
Hearing this, Lan Miao remembered that arrogant jade carver.
Was it that jade carver surnamed Feng?
"Let me take a look."
"Yes, Lady."
Han Bi respectfully presented the visiting card.
Lan Miao opened it and found that the content inside was more like an invitation than a visiting card.
Feng Han was a well - known jade carver in the Qi State. Although he lost in the Strange Stone Banquet, he was fair and square. The master in the Elegant Academy invited him to give a lecture on jade to the students, which could also be regarded as an exchange between the two countries.
Since being defeated by Lan Miao, Feng Han had put away his previous contemptuous attitude.
Instead, he presented a visiting card to invite her to sit in on the lecture.
He also intended to discuss jade carving with her.
Lan Miao thought it was a good idea and nodded.
"I'll go to the Elegant Academy tomorrow to listen to what that jade carver Feng Han has to say about jade. It can also be considered as an exchange of experiences in jade carving. Please inform His Majesty for me."
"I understand. I'll inform His Majesty right away."
Han Bi replied.
She also praised Lan Miao, "Lady Lan is so amazing. You must be very talented. Even jade carvers from other countries come to ask you for advice."
"Not really. I've worked hard since I was a child."
Lan Miao smiled, hiding the memories in her eyes.
She didn't think she had much talent. Everything was achieved through hard work.
—
At night, Emperor Jingxiang came as promised.
Lan Miao told him about Feng Han's invitation. Emperor Jingxiang first frowned, and then carefully observed Lan Miao's expression.
Well...
Emperor Jingxiang had met that jade carver from the Qi State. He was quite arrogant and had some skills in jade carving. That was why he was worried.
His lady surely had no other intentions.
But he couldn't be sure about others.
Maybe this was just an excuse for that person to see his lady.
However, seeing that his lady seemed quite eager to go, he thought he shouldn't be a spoilsport or too stingy.
"Alright, my lady can go, but you must go and come back quickly. Two maids must go with you."
Emperor Jingxiang thought for a while before saying.
Lan Miao's eyes flashed. She understood what Emperor Jingxiang was worried about. She sighed softly in her heart, "I'll come back."
"Has Your Majesty been too tired recently? How about I massage your shoulders for you?"
Lan Miao thought Emperor Jingxiang was a bit too clingy.
Even Xue'er hadn't been this clingy to her.
She wanted to divert his attention.
Emperor Jingxiang smiled, "Sure. I didn't expect my lady to have such a skill."
"Um... I used to massage people's shoulders often."
Lan Miao stood up and said casually.
However, this innocent remark stirred up a storm in Emperor Jingxiang's heart.
Massage whose shoulders...?
Who else could it be? Naturally, it was her dead husband.
That dead man was already dead, but why did his lady still miss him so much?
Thinking like this, his lady must have massaged that dead man's shoulders every day before.
Emperor Jingxiang immediately felt a surge of resentment.
But he also thought it was unnecessary to be jealous of a dead man.
However, this sentence kept echoing in his mind, like hot oil spreading on his heart.
Unconsciously, his face gradually became ugly.
Lan Miao, facing his back, was completely unaware. She tucked up her long sleeves, gently placed her hands on Emperor Jingxiang's broad shoulders, and began to massage.
She didn't mean anything else by that sentence.
In the past, the old Lady Wen in the Marquis Mansion often asked her to massage her shoulders.
When she was in the Lan Mansion, she had also massaged her mother's shoulders.
Those memories seemed so long ago.
At that time, she probably never thought that she would get involved with the current emperor.
As she massaged, Emperor Jingxiang became stiffer and stiffer. Lan Miao noticed the abnormality in his body and felt puzzled. Her massage skills were not bad. He should have become more and more relaxed, which would be good for his sleep later.
So Lan Miao increased the strength.
Suddenly, Emperor Jingxiang's big hand pressed on her hand. Lan Miao was at a loss, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.
Lan Miao straddled his lap.
This sudden movement caught her off guard. Before she could sit still, she could only tightly wrap her arms around his neck and face him.
Their noses touched.
They were so close that Lan Miao could see Emperor Jingxiang's dark and deep pupils.
"I won't allow you to mention him again."
"…Ah?"
Lan Miao was stunned. She was confused. What had she mentioned?
But before she had time to think, Emperor Jingxiang blocked her mouth and kissed her fiercely.
Soon, gasps filled the room.
Their breaths intertwined, and they kissed passionately. Lan Miao's mind was in a daze. She didn't know how long it had passed before she was carried by Emperor Jingxiang to the bed in the bedroom.
He took off her clothes and kissed her from her neck all the way down. Their skins touched, and they got infinitely close.
It was a night of passion.
It wasn't until Emperor Jingxiang left for court in the morning that Lan Miao was still thinking about what she had said wrong last night to make Emperor Jingxiang so "wolf - like and tiger - fierce".
Finally, after thinking for a long time, she could only come to one conclusion.
His Majesty had thought too much.
She had done nothing wrong.