Ning Ye, still recovering from her illness, forced herself to tour the Qi Xia Palace. By the fish pond’s rockery, she pretended to adjust her shoes and secretly retrieved a wax pill from behind a stone.
Before leaving, Ning Ye grabbed Ruan Ning’s hand, half-coquettish and half-threatening: “Sister, Sui Huan is mine now. You’re not allowed to have any ideas about him.”
Ruan Ning looked up speechlessly. Although she felt some maternal sympathy for Sui Huan, she was more concerned with survival.
“Is there something strange about Ning Ye?” Yan Xuan asked casually.
Gao Song shook his head: “Nothing discovered so far.”
“Sui Huan never acts without purpose. From what I can see, he doesn’t have particular feelings for Ning Ye,” Yan Xuan observed, noting Sui Huan’s blank gaze toward Ning Ye but the unspoken meaning in his look at the Imperial Consort. “So why did he bring her into the palace?”
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“Your Majesty, shall we investigate the Imperial Consort?” Gao Song asked cautiously. He was pleased that Yan Xuan seemed happy with Ruan Ning, but he would not allow anyone to harm Yan Xuan.
“No need. Her thoughts are written all over her face,” Yan Xuan smiled. Even if she had something with Sui Huan, what of it? He enjoyed being with her, teasing her. If they could remain together forever, wouldn’t that make her real?
Late at night, as Ruan Ning slept soundly, Yan Xuan suddenly woke her.
“My beloved, want to do something interesting?” Yan Xuan grinned, lightly biting her lip.
Chapter 56: Substitute White Moonlight
The early summer night breeze was cool, and it was a full moon night, with moonlight enveloping the courtyard and the fragrance of flowers wafting through the air.
However, Ruan Ning’s mood was not good; she was forced to play a consort eloping with her lover, Yan Xuan, dressed in black nighttime attire. If this wasn’t Yan Xuan deliberately teasing her, she’d write her name backwards.
Yan Xuan was happy. Today, he felt that he might come out, and not wanting to scare her, he had not slept. Sitting idly was boring, so taking her around was indeed more interesting.
