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Zhang Qing, disappointed and concerned, received the imperial decree and stepped back, sensing that something was amiss with His Majesty, but feeling powerless. He sent someone to Canglan Court with the command, while he himself stayed at Star Palace waiting.

The lights in the palace were bright, and the Emperor held a snowman doll in his hand, staring blankly at it.

The snowman was smaller than the palm of a hand, with a round, chubby body, wide-eyed and carrying a little hat on its head, its expression dopey and cute—reminiscent of her when she was confused.

He lifted the snowman to his nose and sniffed, a cool fragrance wafted towards him—it was the medicinal herb she had placed inside to refresh the mind and awaken the senses.

After looking at it for a while, the Emperor lifted his eyes to gaze outside, then placed the snowman carefully down. He rose from his throne and walked over to Zhang Qing, who was waiting by the door, and asked, "Is the meal she sent still here?"

Upon hearing the question, Zhang Qing suddenly looked up, his eyes brimming with tears of joy—was His Majesty going to have a meal?

He hurriedly bent his body, excitedly saying, "Yes, yes, it is here, this way please, Your Majesty."

He led the Emperor on, then shouted loudly towards the outside, "Da Zhuang, where are you? Somebody, come on, quickly prepare the meal!"

Da Zhuang outside responded with an "Understood," and along with several others dashed off to set the meal.

The meal was soon prepared, and the Emperor sat at the table, looking at the dishes before him, then at Zhang Qing.

Zhang Qing promptly said, "Your Majesty, Master Lian sent both the noon and evening meals today, and this servant had people keep them warm. It may be that the servants below were careless and set out the noon meal by mistake; this servant will have it removed immediately."

As he spoke, he was about to start clearing it away.

The Emperor raised his hand in a stopping gesture and dismissed Zhang Qing with a wave.

Looking at the dishes on the table, he felt a twinge of pain in his heart, deeply moved.

Skipping a meal only to send another; would the meals keep coming without fail?

If it were all a lie, why did it feel so genuine?

The Emperor picked up his chopsticks and then set them down, staring fixedly at the food, his heart swelling with emotion, thoughts racing.

Zhang Qing’s heart hung in suspense, unsure of what His Majesty was thinking—surely he wasn’t going to refuse the meal again?

Finally, the Emperor made up his mind; real or fake, he wanted this person. Since that was the case, why bother worrying whether it was true or false?

Since she had already come to the palace and was carrying his child, what did either possibility matter?

If she had lied, claimed a false identity just for the sake of amusement, then he would simply laugh it off—there was nothing to pursue.

If she had been spinning tales out of vanity, seeking his wealth and status, it wasn’t as if he couldn’t afford to give it—so he would just give it.

Even in the worst case, if she had tampered with her way into the palace for some ulterior motive, then his approach was to clarify her intent, and if he could satisfy it, he would—what in this world was beyond his reach?

If he couldn’t achieve it, then no one else could either, and would such purpose even exist then?

Even if she had been instigated by rebels to plot treachery by entering the palace, he could still accept her, only cutting off her scheming thoughts and keeping her by his side.

Besides, that was entirely impossible; his Little Concubine didn’t have such skills, nor was she that type of person—she was likely just vain at most.

If he could accept the worst possibility, what was there that he couldn’t accept?

Realizing this, the Emperor felt somewhat relieved, and asked Zhang Qing, "Did she include a note?"

Zhang Qing hastily took out two purses, one uglier than the other, and offered them up with trembling hands.

Seeing the two purses, the Emperor was first taken aback, then suddenly burst into laughter.

Such ugly purses, no one else but her could make them—what could such a Little Concubine achieve?

Zhang Qing stood holding the purses, his expression one of bewildered surprise, not able to understand what had come over His Majesty, but it must certainly have something to do with Master Lian. His Majesty laughed—was that a good sign?

Master Lian indeed has a way, solving an issue that troubled His Majesty for an entire day with just two purses.

The Emperor’s gaze fell upon the purses, and he picked them up, laughing at himself mockingly. Suddenly he felt that all his worries were superfluous.

His Little Concubine, with her many flaws—neither gentle nor virtuous, lacking skills in music, chess, literature, painting, nor fond of reading, her writing crooked when they first met, with her sitting posture often slack and indolent.

She had a bit of a violent streak and a chivalry from the martial world, bravely forthright one moment and timid the next, fond of causing trouble, reveling in excitement, and always seeking out the action; her spirit seemed never to rest.

Could such a lively Little Concubine be fake?

Who in the world could feign such a temperament?

If it were all an act, he admitted defeat; defeated by her masterful guise, he was willing and honored to succumb.

As if clearing the clouds to see the sun, the Emperor’s mood brightened enormously. Opening the purse, he took out the note inside and read the words on it:

The first note read, "I wish us a long life so that we can share the beauty of the moon, even if we are hundreds of miles apart."

The second note read, "Brother Zhao, remember to eat properly."

The corners of the Emperor’s mouth uplifted involuntarily, warmth spreading across his chest. He pressed the notes, along with the purse, to his heart as if they were treasures.

After long sitting in high power, he had unconsciously used Emperor’s Mind Arts to doubt his Little Concubine, with too much suspicion and distrust, almost betraying a sincere heart.

He began to feel guilty and self-reproach, standing up and about to walk away.

Zhang Qing was startled, and called out, "Your Majesty?"

The Emperor turned his head towards him, then looked back at the food on the table.

Ah, he had almost forgotten; he had promised his Little Concubine not to waste food and to eat on time.

Though he failed to eat on time, upon his return he would confess to his Little Concubine and let her punish him.

But the food could still be eaten, lest his Little Concubine would become angry.

With that thought, the Emperor sat back down and began to eat with greater urgency than usual. He wanted to finish quickly so he could return to see his Little Concubine.

Lian Hua tossed and turned, unable to sleep. On usual days, she might have been fast asleep by now, unaware of His Majesty returning in the night, only to wake up after he had left at dawn, missing him for the entire day. How well she would sleep then.

Yet tonight, having received news that His Majesty was too busy and wouldn’t return to Canglan Court, the result seemed the same—not seeing him—but she found herself unable to sleep.

She lay on her bed like flipping a pancake, unable to sleep no matter what.

In the past, knowing for certain that His Majesty would return, no matter how late, she could rest easy.

But tonight, hearing he wouldn’t come back, her bed felt utterly empty, too spacious, and that hollowness spread to her heart, making her restless in her slumber.

She missed His Majesty, longing to see him, to talk with him, and to sleep embraced in his arms.

The agitation grew so intense that Lian Hua suddenly sat up, startling Xiao Qing, who was lying on a mat nearby.

With His Majesty away, Xiao Qing kept the night vigil.

"Cannot sleep, my lady?" came Xiao Qing’s drowsy voice.

Lian Hua turned to look, and in the dim light of the lamp, Xiao Qing also sat up.

She had forgotten about Xiao Qing being there. Since the diagnosis of her pregnancy, Xiao Qing would keep watch whenever His Majesty was away.

But at this time of night, His Majesty would usually have returned, and Xiao Qing would naturally leave. Thus, she forgot, and accidentally woke her.