"There’s a snake, help, help—"
Long Yue, supported by Ning Xiang, walked over with Yang Zhuoya, with Yu Pin not far away.
Upon hearing soone scream about a snake, Yu Pin panicked and dashed blindly, even about to crash into Long Yue.
The place where they stood was a high platform balcony, narrow and about a foot above the water without railings or rocks for cover. If Yu Pin crashed into her, Long Yue, being pregnant, might get knocked into the water.
Even if the weather was hot and the water not cold, it wasn’t good to fall into the water while pregnant.
Hence, Long Yue was always on guard against Yu Pin and Yi Pin!
She thought that Yi Pin, despite being small, was smart and wouldn’t do sothing foolish, so it had to be Yu Pin.
Sure enough, Yu Pin made her move!
Seeing her coming, Long Yue quickly grabbed Yang Zhuoya and dodged to the side.
She tid it well, waiting until Yu Pin was close to dodge. Then, Yu Pin t with a disaster.
"Oh no, soone help, Yu Pin fell into the water!"
The nearby area was chaotic with screams.
There were guards near the Lotus Pond who rushed over. They wanted to rescue Yu Pin, but she was the Emperor’s woman, beyond their touch.
For a mont, they froze there, unsure what to do.
"Use a bamboo pole!"
Long Yue suggested, and soon soone brought a bamboo pole to pull the nearly unconscious Yu Pin out.
Then, an Imperial Physician was called for diagnosis, and dicine was administered.
With such an incident occurring, no one was in the mood to continue viewing the flowers, and they all returned.
"Tonight’s incident seems unusual."
Back at Nuanyang Palace, Consort Li analyzed.
She had been nearby, expecting Queen Qiao to target her, but it was Long Yue instead. Fortunately, Long Yue was unhard, and Yu Pin’s self-inflicted folly caused her to fall into the water.
Though the matter seed to have passed, sothing still felt off.
"When the enemy cos, each move has a counter; I’m not afraid of her!" Long Yue smiled lightly.
"Lady, sothing’s wrong! People from Chunhua Palace are here!"
At that mont, a palace maid rushed in, panic written across her face.
"Speak slowly."
"The Empress wants Lady Jiao to visit Chunhua Palace!"
Consort Li, managing Nuanyang Palace, knew that anyone summoned by the Empress had to go through her approval.
Upon hearing this, Consort Li knew it wasn’t good and sternly said, "Tell the Empress’s ssenger that Lady Jiao is resting and will be summoned tomorrow!"
"But, madam, the person who ca...it’s Aunt Zhen Shu. She said if she can’t take soone back, she can’t report to the Empress!"
The palace maid lowered her head, her body trembling.
Others might not know the implications, but the maid did, having worked in the Empress’s palace before.
When Aunt Zhen Shu said she couldn’t report, what she ant was that if she didn’t pass this ssage to Consort Li to hand over Long Yue, she herself might be drowned in a well by Aunt Zhen Shu.
As just a little palace maid, her life wasn’t hers to control. When the palace concubine wanted to beat or kill her, who could she cry to?
Failing her task ant certain death!
"Why are you shaking so much?"
Long Yue stepped out a bit, seeing the trembling maid and frowned slightly.
"Yue’er, it’s nothing, just a timid maid. It’s late, go rest!"
Consort Li, aware of what Zhen Shu’s visit signified, didn’t want Long Yue involved and urged her inside to rest.
But before Long Yue could react, the maid ran over, clutching Long Yue’s leg, "Are you Lady Jiao? Lady Jiao, please save ! Please save —"
"Insolence! How dare you be so disrespectful. Soone, drag this wretch out!"
Without beating her to death was already rciful.
"Lady Jiao, help —"
As two eunuchs ca to take her away, Long Yue suddenly said, "Wait!"
"Yue’er, this matter is suspicious, don’t act on pity!"
Consort Li, worried about Long Yue falling into a trap, quickly stopped her.
Years ago, because of her soft heart, she fell into Queen Qiao’s sche, resulting in her disfigurent and miserable fate.
She didn’t want Long Yue to repeat her tragedy.
Long Yue gently shook her head, "Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing."
Then she turned to the maid beside her, "What’s your na?"
"Servant, Hupo."
"Oh, well then, it’s just as well. I’m short of hands here, so why don’t you co work for ! This way, the Empress’s people can’t harm you, how about it?"
Hupo looked at Long Yue and then cautiously at Consort Li, joyfully in tears, "Thank you, Lady Jiao, thank you so much!"
"You should call her master!"
Ning Xiang bluntly reminded her.
Being the only close maid by Long Yue’s side was good enough, and now there’s another one competing for favor? Annoying!
Ning Xiang was full of hostility toward Hupo.
Long Yue glanced at Hupo lightly and said, "From now on, you’ll stand guard outside; Ning Xiang will be in charge inside. Ning Xiang will brief you on so tasks later!"
"Yes, rest assured, master!"
Hupo, who was previously despondent, suddenly beca cheerful.
Long Yue gazed at her lightly, her eyes deepening before turning and entering the house.
"Madam, this maid Hupo seems suspicious, why did you take her in?"
Though nothing appeared wrong, Ning Xiang simply disliked her.
Long Yue said, "Silly girl, knowing she’s suspicious, isn’t it easier to monitor her by keeping her nearby? We can see what they’re really up to."
This explanation startled Ning Xiang, "So Madam knew everything!"
"Hmm? Knew what?"
Li Qingmu, waiting for Long Yue in the inner room, was anxious and had a headache, eventually dozing off.
Upon hearing a woman’s voice next to him, he imdiately woke up.
"Nothing, go back to sleep!"
Long Yue, having changed, nestled into bed.
Li Qingmu’s eyes darkened on seeing her in the thin gauze dress, but seeing her tired deanor, he dismissed those thoughts.
Early the next morning, at dawn, a commotion began outside.
"Sothing terrible happened, Yu Pin was at Chunhua Palace last night causing trouble, claiming soone wanted to kill her, and now she was found dead in the Lotus Pond this morning!"
The news hit Nuanyang Palace like a thunderbolt, shocking everyone.
"Yu Pin is dead? Really? How did she die?"
Chang Lexi, not present the previous night but aware of Yu Pin’s character, couldn’t help but gossip, even if she had no connection to the woman.
"No one knows, but they heard her crying and begging at midnight, saying soone was after her life?"
"After her life? Could she have done sothing wrong?"
"Who knows, really?"
A few palace maids gathered, whispering eagerly.
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