The night is cool as water, and the moonlight shines across the window.
The sound of bells came from the Drum Tower, it was the fourth watch.
Qiuyan was so tired that she could hardly lift her eyelids and she crashed into the black lacquered pillar with a thud.
Even Bai Zhi, who was sitting under the eaves to keep watch, was startled.
The sheep-horn lantern illuminated Bai Zhi's tired eyes and brows, and she slowly approached with the lantern in hand.
"If you feel sleepy, go back first. I'll stay here."
At four o'clock in the morning, there was still no sound from the bedroom. Baizhi and Qiuyan did not dare to go back to the room to rest, but leaned under the eaves to keep watch.
The night was long, and even the old woman guarding the palace gate could not bear it any longer and secretly dozed off.
The candlelight flickered in the hall. Qiuyan quietly tilted his head to peek inside. The lattice wooden door was tightly closed, and he could not detect any movement at all.
She pounded her knees gently, worried about Song Lingzhi.
"Your Majesty can't drink much, why did Your Majesty let you eat drunken crabs?"
Although the drunken crabs were delicious, they were added with wine after all.
Walls have ears. Bai Zhi quickly covered Qiu Yan's lips and said, "You want to die. Who told you to talk nonsense about His Majesty?"
Qiuyan nodded, and suddenly a bold idea emerged in her mind. Could it be that the emperor did this... on purpose
He then took Song Lingzhi back to his bedroom to rest.
As the sky was about to brighten, the green gauze curtains covering the chaise longue were finally drawn up.
The tears in Song Lingzhi's eyes had not yet dried, her voice had long been hoarse from crying, and her pair of soft hands were hanging lightly on the edge of the couch, weak and powerless.
Sobbing quietly.
Shen Yan had no idea when he got up to attend court at Song Lingzhi's house. He just slept in a daze until noon.
At noon, news finally came from Mingzhi Palace that water was being prepared.
Bai Zhi held the toiletries in both hands and helped Song Lingzhi wash her face.
She lifted up her wide-sleeved gauze nightgown slightly, and her wrist, which was originally as white as jade, was now covered with finger marks, as if it had been held tightly by someone.
Bai Zhi lowered her eyes in shame, thinking of Song Lingzhi getting drunk last night, and she gently reminded him, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid you won't be able to eat drunken crabs in the future."
The words "Drunk Crab" sounded like a bell ringing in Song Lingzhi's ears.
The tips of her ears were burning hot, as if stained with rouge.
Shen Yan's laughter last night is still ringing in my ears: "Zhizhi, do you know how to eat drunken crab? First peel the crab shell, then..."
Shen Yan held Song Lingzhi's wrist and taught patiently, step by step.
His face was red, as if he had dimples.
Song Lingzhi covered his face with both hands, trying to hide his mistake.
"It's a bit stuffy in the room." She tilted her head and looked outside. "Open all the windows so I can get some fresh air."
Bai Zhi naturally had no idea what the words “drunk crab” meant, so she bowed her body downwards.
The sunlight was bright, instantly filling the entire bedroom.
From afar, I could hear the voices of palace servants at the palace gate, as if they were stopping someone.
"Third Princess, you can't go in. The Queen is still dressing up."
The third princess was angry, obviously not believing it: "Make up, make up, you have stopped me three times this morning, I don't believe it, it's already so late, Sister Song just woke up. You must be a cunning slave who deceived the superiors..."
The third princess kept chattering, and suddenly she suspected that Shen Yan had deliberately asked the palace servants to stop her.
He is indeed a despicable person with evil intentions.
She walked quickly and in a blink of an eye she had passed the ebony corridor.
Perhaps because she was Florian's princess, the palace servants did not dare to stop her and could only coax her in a gentle manner.