Taking her into his tent, he incurred the wrath of a powerful and mad minister, from which he could

Just then, Chu Lianyue came to pay her respects to the old lady.

Passing through the courtyard, I immediately spotted a thin, lonely figure in the wind and snow.

Her gaze swept briefly over Ji Mingyi before quickly withdrawing it, her emotions hidden deep within her eyes, revealing not a trace of anything unusual.

The woman in brightly colored dress walked straight past the kneeling woman, lifted her skirt, ascended the steps, lifted the curtain, and entered to greet her: "Madam, I have come to visit you."

Chu Lianyue was officially bestowed by the emperor, and even if she came from a humble background, she was far from being an ordinary servant.

Her status was already set, and in the future she would at least be a respectable concubine, firmly holding a place in society.

Unfortunately, right now Erlang only has eyes for that wild girl outside.

However, it's understandable. After all, Ji Mingyi was chosen by himself, while the others were forced in by others. How can they be the same?

Indeed, Chu Lianyue understood this as well, which is why she became even more adept at seizing opportunities and fawning over the old lady with sweet words.

Madam Zong saw all of this, so how could she not know Chu Lian Yue's little scheme?

The inner quarters of the residence have always been comparable to the treacherous and unpredictable imperial court.

In the imperial court, officials grovel, all striving for a living by relying on the emperor's power; in the inner quarters, women, in the end, must rely on the emperor's favor to find a glimmer of hope for survival.

Madam Zong's gaze darkened slightly as she looked out the window at the figure stubbornly refusing to bow its head in the wind and snow.

That girl needs to be brought to her senses.

Zong Xian doesn't need her. She's spoiled and arrogant, and doesn't know how to cherish her blessings. There are plenty of people who can take her place.

...

The snow was falling so heavily, but Madam Zong's original intention was only to temper her character, not to kill her.

Seeing that she had been kneeling in the wind and snow for more than two hours, they sent someone to help her up.

Mingyi's legs were stiff from kneeling, almost numb, her whole body covered in snow, her long eyelashes covered in layers of snow, and her delicate and pretty face was pale from the cold.

A snowman sculpted by wind and snow, so frail it seems as if a gust of wind would shatter it.

The one who punished her was the old lady, and she still had to force herself to bow and express her gratitude to the old lady.

"Thank you for your guidance and forgiveness, Madam."

The room was warm and cozy. Chu Lianyue hadn't left yet; her features were gentle and her demeanor dignified.

She secretly compared herself to Ji Mingyi.

Seeing Ji Mingyi's disheveled appearance, a hint of smugness flashed in her eyes, and she slightly raised her chin.

Ji Mingyi did not look at her.

Madam Zong raised her hand, gesturing to Cui Mama beside her to fetch a brocade box, which she then handed to Chu Lianyue.

"This box contains the finest cloud cakes. I've heard that Second Master has been working late into the night lately. It's getting late, and the snow is heavy. Tonight, take this to Songhe Garden and give it to Second Master."

By using the pretext of delivering snacks, Chu Lianyue was given a legitimate reason to enter Songhe Garden and serve him closely.

It all depends on whether she can seize the opportunity.

Chu Lian Yue was overjoyed. She accepted the brocade box with both hands and curtsied gracefully, saying, "This concubine will remember it. Thank you, Madam!"

Madam Zong then looked at Mingyi, who was standing silently to the side, and said in a light tone with a hint of admonition: "You should reflect on your actions after today's punishment. Go back to your room and rest, and take good care of your health."

Melted snow dripped continuously from the hem of her clothes onto the ground, and layers of cold enveloped Mingyi.

"Yes." She bowed her head obediently, looking extremely weak.

After saying this, she was helped out by her maid.

As soon as I came outside, I ran into Mrs. Yu.

The two exchanged a glance.

Yu raised an eyebrow, gloating.

She had heard early in the morning that Mingyi was being punished by kneeling in Yongshou Hall, so she came specifically to see what was going on. How fortunate she was to have caught it.

Mingyi didn't care and told the maid to retreat to a distance and wait.

She approached Yu Shi coldly and asked in a low voice, "I wonder if Auntie has made all the arrangements?"

Madam Yu put away her playful smile and said calmly, "Everything is ready, except for the final touch."

This refers to sending Ji Mingzhe far away; of course, Yuegui also needs to be sent away.

If her operation fails, only she will suffer the consequences; they will not be implicated.

Mingyi nodded: "It won't be long, Auntie, just go back and wait for my news."

Yu let out a soft hum through her nose.

Being threatened and manipulated by a little girl who looks down on you is really unpleasant.

Mingyi looked up, staring directly into Madam Yu's eyes, her tone gentle yet laced with a threat: "Auntie, you must help me properly. If anything goes wrong along the way, neither of us will escape unscathed."

Madam Yu's face instantly turned ashen, and she gritted her teeth: "Rest assured, I will not risk my daughter's life!"

Mingyi was relieved.

Dragging his stiff legs, he walked through the snow, his back ramrod straight.

Yu watched her retreating figure silently, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

She really couldn't understand her anymore.

...

The moon quietly climbed onto the treetops, its gentle light spilling into the courtyard.

After returning to his residence, Zong Xian's first action was to remove his outer robe and order his men to take away the clothes he had just worn.

During the day, I accompanied Princess Jianing to the plum garden at Tianchi Mountain to enjoy the snow. The woman's body was covered in the scent of perfume, which was so strong that it was unbearable to smell.

Ah-Qing took the man's clothes but didn't leave immediately; she stood there hesitant to speak.

Zong Xian was about to head to the study when he glanced at her. "Speak your mind."

A-Qing then told him about how Mingyi had been punished by the old lady to kneel during the day.

Zong Xian paused upon hearing this.

During the day, a cold wind howled and snow fell heavily in the plum garden. Princess Jianing caught a cold after only staying outdoors for a short while.

He had experienced that bone-chilling cold firsthand and knew it all too well.

"How long did she kneel?"

"More than two hours," A-Qing replied in a low voice, "that was exactly when the snow was heaviest and the wind was fiercest."

So Zong Xian turned and walked in the opposite direction from the study.

But just as they reached the corner of the porch, a slender figure suddenly bumped into them.

The brocade box landed with a thud, and the cloud-shaped cakes spilled out.

The woman deliberately threw her soft body into his arms.

Zong Xian remained motionless, neither reaching out to help her nor pushing her away, but simply staring at her with his deep eyes.

Chu Lianyue's long hair was loose and draped over her shoulders. She wore a simple and thin nightgown, which was very similar to the outfit Ji Mingyi wore when he stayed overnight at Songhe Garden that day.

She wasn't even wearing shoes; her bare feet, with her exposed toes red from the cold, made her look pitiful.

But Zong Xian showed no pity whatsoever.

He raised his hand and gently gripped her arm, his tone sounding warm and concerned: "Watch where you're going, be careful."

The gentle and concerned tone made Chu Lianyue's heart pound, and a blush quickly rose to her cheeks.

After she regained her balance, she knelt down softly, raising her shimmering eyes to look at him: "I was impetuous and offended you, sir. Please punish me."

"What's your name?"

Chu Lianyue was overjoyed and said shyly, "My surname is Chu and my given name is Lianyue. Please be kind to me, my lord."

Zong Xian didn't ask any more questions, and casually instructed, "Get up and go to your room to wait for me."

After saying that, he didn't look at her again and left.

Chu Lianyue was still immersed in the excitement of her unexpected joy, kneeling on the ground for a long time without coming back to her senses.

Was it really that simple? It went so smoothly that she couldn't believe it!

Ah Qing spoke up: "Please come with me, young lady."

When Zong Xian arrived at Shuangxu Garden, the lights inside were still on.

He specifically forbade his servants from going in to announce his arrival.

Only very soft conversation could be heard coming from inside.

"The girl knelt in the snow for so long that her knees turned purple."

"It's alright, it will get better with rest."

The girl's slender shadow was reflected on the window, cold and desolate.

The maid said with heartache, "Miss, you could have just bowed your head and apologized to the old lady, and that would have been the end of it. Why did you have to kneel for two hours and ruin your perfectly good legs?"

Mingyi said blankly, "What's the use of admitting my mistake? They don't treat me like a human being. Even if I did nothing wrong, I'll still have to accept their punishment."

The maid said, "Miss, please don't think like that. The Second Master still cares about you."

"He feels sorry for me?" Mingyi scoffed, her tone full of resentment. "If it weren't for him, would I have been forced to kneel by the old lady? He's the worst person to me in this mansion!"