Winter finally came to the palace. A snowfall had plunged the entire palace into winter. Fluffy snowflakes drifted down and covered every corner of the palaces. The maids scurried back and forth, creating a somewhat bustling scene.
Dongfang Yi sat under the eaves, hugging a hot water bottle. She had wrapped herself in two layers of cotton - padded clothes. She always feared winter, for the bone - chilling cold would make her lose all her senses.
But this year, she found that she wasn't as afraid of winter as before. She had already known that the human heart could be colder than winter. Looking at the snow on the ground, she thought that if it snowed for another two days and the snow piled up a few more layers, she could build a snowman.
It seemed like ages since she had last seen Helian Qi. The only image of him left in her memory was that of him sitting at his desk, reviewing official documents.
Suddenly, she recalled that dream of hers. In it, Helian Qi, with white hair and a desolate look, sat alone on the dragon throne. Just thinking about it made her heart ache.
Situ Qing hadn't come for a long time either. After the jade pendant incident, he came once and said that he was going to a far - away place. He might come back, or he might never return.
He asked if she would go with him if he came back, and he promised to tell her everything about the jade pendant afterwards.
But Dongfang Yi just smiled and said, "I hope you'll have a safe journey" and said nothing more. Situ Qing looked a bit desolate and then disappeared. Since then, Dongfang Yi had never seen him again.
Sometimes she thought that Situ Qing might be a good friend. If she wanted to leave the palace, he might be the only one she could turn to.
She couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. In this era, she was always alone.
Although she didn't know his true identity or why he always appeared in the palace, deep down, she felt that if she were with him, she could get a brief moment of peace.
While Dongfang Yi was in a daze, she suddenly heard a female voice say, "Your Majesty, the Empress."
She looked up and saw Concubine Luo, whom she hadn't seen for a long time. Today, Concubine Luo was wearing a yellow corduroy gown, which looked particularly bright against the snow. Dongfang Yi replied, "So it's Concubine Luo. It's really been a long time."
"Your servant is always ill. Although I've always missed Your Majesty in my heart, I haven't been able to visit often. Seeing it's snowing, I've come to bring you a bowl of bird's nest soup. I made it myself to warm you up."
As Concubine Luo said this, she took a teacup from a maid beside her. When Dongfang Yi took it from her, she could still feel the warmth seeping through the teacup.
"You're so considerate," Dongfang Yi said with a slight curl of her lips. She could never figure out Concubine Luo's thoughts.
Concubine Luo didn't strive for the Emperor's favor like the other concubines in the palace, nor did she follow Concubine Chu like Concubine Lian and the others.
Instead, she always showed kindness to Dongfang Yi. When Dongfang Yi was framed last time, it was Concubine Luo who stood up for her. Even now that Dongfang Yi had fallen out of favor, Concubine Luo still continued to interact with her without any concern.
Was it because the previous owner of this body had a very good relationship with her? But Dongfang Yi couldn't remember anything about her and Concubine Luo before.
Concubine Luo chatted with Dongfang Yi in the Empress's palace for a while and then prepared to leave. Just as she was about to go, she looked at Dongfang Yi with an unfathomable look and said, "Sister, don't get too involved in things."
Then she disappeared from Dongfang Yi's sight.
Dongfang Yi was a bit confused and tried to figure out the meaning of her words, but she couldn't understand. However, she clearly felt that Concubine Luo's words had hit right at her heart. Who on earth was Concubine Luo?
Not long after Concubine Luo left, there was a noisy sound outside the palace. It turned out that Concubine Chu's entourage had stopped in front of the palace gate.
A very elegant and noble woman got out of the entourage. The phoenix crown and hair ornaments on her head trembled with each step she took. Just looking at them made Dongfang Yi feel that her neck was heavy.
"Yo~ Isn't this the Empress? Why are you living in such desolation..." Concubine Chu swayed her hips and walked up to her.
"Hahaha, Dongfang Yi, look at yourself now. As your younger sister, I feel so sorry for you..." Concubine Chu's heavily - made - up face was distorted with laughter, which made Dongfang Yi feel nauseous.
"Concubine Chu, I think you want to break your leg again!" Dongfang Yi said word by word to the arrogant woman in front of her.
Her words reminded Concubine Chu of the time when her knees were beaten. Anger welled up in her heart. Although the person in the previous court had said not to kill Dongfang Yi, it should be okay for her to torture her a bit, right?
After thinking this, Concubine Chu motioned for two maids beside her to control Dongfang Yi. Both of them were old maids in the palace and were very strong. Dongfang Yi couldn't escape at all.
Just as Dongfang Yi was being controlled and Concubine Chu was about to slap her, there came a shrill eunuch's voice from outside the palace: "His Majesty the Emperor is coming—"
An even more luxurious entourage than Concubine Chu's stopped outside the palace. Helian Qi got out of it and said, "Stop."
Concubine Chu was so startled that she immediately put down her raised hand.
Soon, Helian Qi stood in front of them. His face was as cold as ice as he looked at Dongfang Yi, who was being held down by the two old maids.
Dongfang Yi's expression was a bit moved. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she last saw this man.
Helian Qi then looked at Concubine Chu and called out, "My love."
Then he raised his hand and slapped Dongfang Yi on the ground.
"I can't let my love get her hands dirty," Helian Qi said.
Concubine Chu gave an awkward laugh and then nestled into his arms.
Dongfang Yi was completely stunned by the slap. Her eyes widened in disbelief. He hit me?!
In a moment, she saw Helian Qi half - hugging Concubine Chu about to walk out of the palace gate.
"Helian Qi..."
Dongfang Yi knelt on the ground and softly called out to the man's back in the distance. Then she called out again, "Helian Qi..."
"Helian Qi, if you walk out of this palace gate today... you'll never see me again!" Dongfang Yi looked up with red eyes, as if enduring great emotions.
Helian Qi, who was in the distance, with a cold face, said a sentence that would make her fall into an ice - cold abyss the next second.
"If you dare to call me by my name again, I'll make your life a living hell."
Dongfang Yi felt as if she had heard the funniest thing in the world. She couldn't help but look up to the sky and laugh out loud. Then she lowered her head and kept muttering, "No more, never again..."
At this moment, she had made up her mind to leave this place and leave this man. She had thought there was something to be nostalgic about here, but it turned out to be just her delusion.
When she looked up again, Helian Qi and Concubine Chu had disappeared, and even the entourage outside the palace gate was long gone.