The wicked imperial concubine is courting death again; the comments section teaches her how to win w

Li Degui safely delivered the person and returned to report.

"Your Majesty, the Empress has returned to Yaotang Palace to rest."

Xie Ling, who was reviewing memorials, hummed in response and then asked, "What did she say to me this time?"

If I go to pick someone up without telling her in advance, she'll probably be so angry she'd want to bite me.

Li Degui laughed and said, "How could that be? When I arrived, Her Majesty had almost finished getting ready. On the way, she even asked His Majesty what he was doing."

"This servant feels that you and Your Majesty are truly in sync, even thinking about the same things in life."

A meeting of minds...

These words struck a chord with Xie Ling, whose gloomy expression, which had been clouded since last night, visibly brightened.

Li Degui secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Whew, serving the emperor is like dancing on the edge of a knife.

Speak human language to humans, and ghost language to ghosts.

He then tentatively asked, "Then... will Your Majesty choose a concubine tonight? This servant will prepare for Your Highness's needs."

Although it was a game of choosing a name card, Li Degui knew exactly which one to choose.

If you feel useless, go and look at the green plaques of the other empresses—they're all covered in dust.

Xie Ling certainly wanted to go, but paused for a moment.

"Alright, let her get some rest tonight."

……

Yaotang Palace.

Yunzhu and Yunying served Qi Yitang, who was sore and tired from sitting in the carriage for half a day. When she was changing clothes, Yunzhu pulled out a thin nightgown from the bottom of the trunk.

"Your Highness, why don't you wear this tonight?"

It's called a nightgown, but it's more like a thin gauze dress. The fabric is almost see-through, making people blush just looking at it.

But which woman in the palace doesn't go to great lengths to please the emperor?

Even if Xie Ling didn't go to the harem, the concubines still went to great lengths, either dancing in the imperial garden or playing the zither and painting, just in order to catch a glimpse of the emperor.

Privately, Qi Yitang didn't want Xie Ling to come over.

Just last night... If he were to unleash his beastly nature again today, she really wouldn't be able to handle it.

However, having decided to cling to Xie Ling and live a good life with him, Qi Yitang abandoned her shame and prepared to agree—

[I'm impressed. This female supporting character really goes to great lengths. She tried to seduce the male lead before, and now she's trying to provoke the villain... Dressed so provocatively, who would have thought the emperor wouldn't come tonight?]

[Did you eat shit before? Your mouth stinks! They're a married couple, it's none of your business what they wear.]

I bet the emperor will definitely launch a sneak attack tonight.

Qi Yitang ignored what people were saying about her, but she still hesitated. If Xie Ling didn't come, she would feel ashamed dressed like this...

"Never mind, I'll just wear my old ones."

Yunzhu was somewhat disappointed, but she still changed it as instructed.

After taking a bath, Qi Yitang went to bed. Since the golden inscription said that Xie Ling had already rested in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she didn't need to wait, so she simply closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep.

But not long after, the gates of Yaotang Palace opened.

Seeing the tall figure approaching, Yunzhu quickly bowed and said, "This servant greets you—"

Xie Ling raised his hand.

Yunzhu immediately fell silent, then softly apologized, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, Her Highness did not know Your Majesty had returned... she has already retired for the night."

Xie Ling: "It's alright." He just came to see her; he wouldn't do anything.

Her unguarded appearance when she sleeps is quiet and captivating.

Yunzhu quietly withdrew, but she was filled with regret—if she had known His Majesty would come, the Empress should have listened to her and put on that dress!

[Damn it, the emperor went back on his word! He said he wouldn't come!]

I knew it; the villain was clearly the lustful type.

As Xie Ling approached and sat down on the edge of the couch without moving, the comments section started flooding in again: "Why are you saying he's lustful? I think the emperor is quite restrained. Maybe he's Platonic?"

Don't make me laugh, there's absolutely no possibility of a Platonic relationship.

[The emperor's nose and fingers clearly indicate he's a sorcerer of immense power!]

In a daze, Qi Yitang felt someone staring at her. When she opened her eyes, she saw a dark figure by the bed.

If it weren't for the dense, excited golden text behind him, Qi Yitang would have been startled.

Why does he always like to ambush people late at night? What kind of strange habit is this?

But Qi Yitang didn't ask.

She simply reached out and moved aside, naturally leaning her head closer. "Yanzhi, why did you take so long?"

Qi Yitang yawned, snuggled closer to Xie Ling, and said in a sleepy voice, almost as if she were being coquettish, "I've fallen asleep waiting... come on up."

Good heavens, who can resist the female supporting character's sweet and gentle voice? Everyone, keep your underwear dry!

[It seems the female supporting character is quite skilled at training dogs; the dog emperor has truly been trained into a loyal lapdog.]

[These two are so good, I'm going to stay home full-time and research the Yantang CP!]

Xie Ling's heart was pounding, her eardrums were vibrating, and the blood in her heart was flowing back into her body.

He was completely delighted.

If it were in the past, and someone had tied him and Xie Jingyu to the edge of a cliff, forcing her to choose only one, he would have known without even guessing who she would choose.

But recently, he has been given too many surprises and expectations.

Xie Ling couldn't help but wonder if Tangtang might like him a little more?

He took off his shoes, socks, and coat, lay down, and pulled her into his arms just like yesterday.

The early summer nights are not hot; only the crickets chirp intermittently in the grass, making soft, fragmented sounds.

Time was still, as if we had returned to the past.

Time seemed to stand still in the cold palace; sometimes, one lost track of time. Xie Ling had only one thought: to survive.

Ever since he met that little girl who had been mistakenly sent to the cold palace, he began to have expectations.

Even though she promised to come see him again when she had time, her time in the palace was unpredictable, and she had many playmates. Xie Ling was always waiting, from day to night, hoping that her gaze would linger on him a little longer.

Even if... just give half of what was given to Xie Jingyu to him.

Now that all my wishes have been fulfilled, even just holding him without doing anything brings me peace of mind.

"Sleep now, I'll stay with you."

"Hmm..." Qi Yitang murmured and closed her eyes.

Unseen by anyone, in the darkness, Qi Yitang curled her lips into a wicked, koala-like smile.

Hmph, why bother thinking about what to wear when seducing the emperor? Isn't it as simple as waving your hand?

……

The next day, when Qi Yitang woke up, Xie Ling had already left.

The emperor's secret arrival at night and departure in the morning left Yunzhu and Yunying both stunned.

Does His Majesty enjoy this kind of thrill, similar to having an affair?

Qi Yitang didn't care; she had already latched onto a powerful figure.

However, the most urgent task is to find a way to repair the relationship with the Empress Dowager, otherwise Xie Ling will be caught in the middle and in a difficult position.

It all started with paying respects to the Empress Dowager.

"Don't wear this today, Yunzhu. Go find something more understated in the closet."

Qi Yitang used to like to wear bright clothes so that she could be spotted in a crowd.

Either a crimson crabapple blossom brocade skirt, dazzlingly beautiful; or a wide-sleeved robe with lotus scroll patterns, densely woven with gold thread, shimmering with light, exuding an air of nobility.

But the Empress Dowager doesn't like her. If she dresses up in such a flamboyant way today, she'll probably be criticized again.

"Your Highness, isn't this outfit a bit too plain?"

Qi Yitang looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a light mint green cross-collar ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her hair was styled in a dignified bun, her makeup was light and elegant, and her hair ornaments were simple and plain. Overall, she looked clean and elegant.

She nodded in satisfaction. "That's good, let's go."

The three servants then headed to Cining Palace.

To be honest, Qi Yitang could count the number of times she went to pay her respects on one hand.

When she first entered the palace, she hated Xie Ling's forceful taking and was unwilling to pay her respects. However, she had no choice but to bow her head under the eaves. Qi Yitang was also afraid that the Empress Dowager would be harsh on her maternal family, so she still went symbolically twice.

But she always ended up getting the cold shoulder. The Empress Dowager would say she was chanting scriptures and worshipping Buddha, or that she was resting, leaving her ignored for most of the day.

Qi Yitang had never been so wronged in front of the late emperor, so she simply stopped serving him.

First he claimed to be sick and didn't go, then he stopped pretending altogether and just slept soundly in his own palace.

The situation remained deadlocked, with the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law as cold as an ice cave in the dead of winter.

Qi Yitang wasn't sure if the Empress Dowager would see her today, but she wouldn't know until she went there.

The master and his servants had just passed through the Imperial Garden when they encountered other concubines.

"This humble concubine greets Your Highness, the Noble Consort."