Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

The candlelight on the wall violently flickered from Huangfu Wu Shuang's forceful impact. As he got a hold of himself, his face was illuminated by the flickering golden flame, altering between the light and darkness, like an angel at times, and a devil at others.

"Xiao Bao Er…. why did you push me so hard?" His bright eyes were full of grievance.

Hua Zhu Yu thought he would explode in anger. Unexpectedly, he shot her a look full of grievance. The fury in her heart temporarily renege but it was still difficult to stay calm.

She was stunned by his sudden kiss. Since they first met, she always had the impression that he was a child much younger than her, but actually their age were quite close. When she returned from the battlefield, she realized he had grown into a sensible man. He was no longer that stubborn child as before but still, she always felt he was younger than her.

"Why… why did you kiss me?" Hua Zhu Yu asked as she leaned against the wall, her complexion slightly pale.

"Why?" Huangfu Wu Shuang stepped forward, his bright eyes fixed on Hua Zhu Yu. "Xiao Bao Er, it can't be that you don't know. Even in my dreams I want to kiss you so!"

Hua Zhu Yu didn't dare to believe what she was hearing. She did not know Huangfu Wu Shuang had such thoughts about her. If so, how was she to leave the palace now?

"Xiao Bao Er, stay, as long as you stay in the palace, I will bestow you with the most honorable status." His moving eyes held onto Hua Zhu Yu.

With a cold smile, she said, "Stay in the palace? Your Majesty, I'm pregnant, doesn't that bother you?" Huangfu Wu Shuang silently glanced at her stomach and replied in a solemn voice, "It doesn't!"

"You don't care who the father is either?" Hua Zhu Yu dropped her smile. A sharp look glinted in her eyes as she continued, "But I do. Moreover, Your Majesty, I don't love you. That ‘most honorable status' you should leave for Miss Wen. She has done so much for you, and you also care for her. You two are a match made in heaven. Just let me go."

Her voice was soft but she spoke with resolution, determined not to compromise. Huangfu Wu Shuang's eyes turned bleak. His beautiful face was cast in a golden light, like a fire, it had once given her warmth but now there was only a scorching pain.

"Alright, Xiao Bao Er, everything is as you say. You don't need an honorable status, alright, I won't force you. You want to leave the palace, fine, I'll let you go." Huangfu Wu Shuang slowly replied.

"Really?" Hua Zhu Yu asked doubtfully. How could it be so simple? "Then what about Song Zhao Yi, can she leave the palace?"

"She can, but not now." Huangfu Wu Shuang said as he approached Hua Zhu Yu.

If Dan Hong remained in the palace, she was going to be a hostage used to restrain Hua Zhu Yu. Even if Hua Zhu Yu fled to the ends of the earth she still could not be free.

"Alright, if that's the case, I hope Your Majesty will not mistreat her. I owe her a lot. Now I have even implicated her and she's imprisoned," Hua Zhu Yu said bleakly.

Huangfu Wu Shuang said, "Rest a.s.sured, I will definitely treat her well!"

Upon hearing that Hua Zhu Yu smiled appreciatively. Her sudden vibrant smile shook Huangfu Wu Shuang's heart. At that moment, Hua Zhu Yu abruptly took action. She employed her internal strength and focused it into the palm of her hand as she targeted Huangfu Wu Shuang's neck.

She wanted to knock him out and use him as her hostage to rescue Dan Hong. She knew his words were merely lies, he had no intentions of truly letting her go. Otherwise, why would he not let Dan Hong leave with her.

But unexpectedly, Huangfu Wu Shuang was quite clever and agile, swiftly evading her attack. "Xiao Bao Er, what are you doing?" he exclaimed, his round dark eyes shooting her a grievance look.

It was going to be hard for her to capture Huangfu Wu Shuang and use him as a hostage. Hearing movements, the guards stationed outside had already became vigilant and surrounded the area. It was going to be difficult for Hua Zhu Yu to escape. She persisted in launching attacks at Huangfu Wu Shuang, forcing him to continuously dodge. Once she saw an open opportunity she ran for the door.

Upon seeing her rush out, the guards swiftly drew their swords.

"Get out of my way!" Hua Zhu Yu leaned to the side to evade an attack and kicked the guard to the ground.

Hua Zhu Yu was bathed in a murderous air as her long loose hair blew wilding along with the howling wind.

Hua Zhu Yu s.n.a.t.c.hed the sword from the ground that belonged to the guard she had kicked and repeated, "Get out of the way!"

"Yuan Bao, you're actually a woman! His Majesty cherish you so, why are you being so stubborn!"

A small figure emerged from the shadows of the night. It was Jixiang and he wasn't alone. Beside him was Dan Hong with a blade inches from her fair neck. Her face was pale with fright yet her eyes were s.h.i.+ning with indignation. She looked at Hua Zhu Yu and exclaimed, "Quickly leave! Don't worry about me!"

Hua Zhu Yu bitterly smiled as the freezing wind howled pa.s.s her ears, blowing her hair chaotically.

Huangfu Wu Shuang! It was still her that underestimated him!

How could she leave Dan Hong behind?

Because of her, Dan Hong had entered this palace and married a man she didn't love. Because of her, Dan Hong had sullied her reputation in front of everyone when she clearly hadn't served the former emperor in bed. And now because of her, Dan Hong was imprisoned, even her life was at stake yet she didn't care. How could Hua Zhu Yu bare to leave Dan Hong behind?

She silently let go of the sword and it fell to the ground with a resonating deng. She turned around and faced Huangfu Wu Shuang who had come out from the cell. "Release her, just punish me."

Attired in plain black clothes, Huangfu Wu Shuang stood there with his arms crossed, leaning against the prison door. Behind him, the lantern light within the cell shone, casting a dark shadow before his face. He stood there imposingly, his body giving off a chilling air that made others not dare to act presumptuously. But upon hearing her words, his hidden face bloomed with a genuine smile as his beautiful eyes lit up.

"Xiao Bao Er, how can I bare to punish you? I will take you out of the palace. As for her, rest a.s.sured, I will not mistreat her," Huangfu Wu Shuang smilingly said.

translations at peachblossomgrove . com

Hearing this, Jixiang lowered the sword he had placed on Dan Hong's neck.

Dan Hong looked over at Hua Zhu Yu in distraught. Then she came to a decision and suddenly pressed towards the blade that was lowering.

"Go, don't mind me!" Dan Hong shouted in a voice with indescribable sadness and resolution.

Hua Zhu Yu's heart leapt in fear and she felt as though her whole body was struck with a huge blow as she cried out, "No!"

She quickly tried to rush over but suddenly felt that the skies were turning and a bitter taste was rus.h.i.+ng up her throat. Very quickly, darkness loomed before her eyes.

When Dan Hong's forehead was about to hit the blade, Jixiang quickly flipped his wrist and she slammed against the back, dull side, knocking her unconscious.

Hua Zhu Yu's heart loosened but her whole body was in pain and felt herself falling into someone's arms. She looked up and could vaguely make out Huangfu Wu Shuang's face, his lips were pursed in a tight line as his eyes flashed with sympathy.

***

While she was unconscious, time had pa.s.sed in the blink of an eye.

When Hua Zhu Yu woke, she slowly got up from the bed.

As expected, Huangfu Wu Shuang indeed had fulfilled his promise and sent her out of the palace. But she was out of the tiger's cave and into wolf's den. She became the treasured daughter of Nie Yuan Qiao. Escaping from this Nie Residence wasn't going to be easy.

"What's my name?" Hua Zhu Yu faintly asked.

The young maidservant looked at Hua Zhu Yu like she was an idiot. Clearly, this maidservant was new. The maidservant slowly replied, "Young Miss, you are the second daughter of Chancellor Nie, named Nie Yi Ren. You have been raised outside of the family residence since you were a child. Due to the upcoming palace selection, you were called home."

"Oh? Palace selection?" Hua Zhu Yu nodded in a daze. With that said, Huangfu Wu Shuang sent her away just to obtain a new ident.i.ty so that she can enter the palace again.

"What is your name?" Hua Zhu Yu suddenly asked.

The maidservant bowed and replied, "Young Miss, this servant is Cui Xiu."

"Let me ask you this, how long was I unconscious? What did the doctor say about my illness? " Hua Zhu Yu thought for a moment and slowly asked.

Why did she suddenly lose consciousness at Nei Cheng Yuan(Inner Punishment Hall)? Though she wasn't experiencing any pain at the moment she specifically remembered that discomfort she felt in her chest, it was as though the skies were turning upside down.

"It seems Young Miss was poisoned so you were unconscious for two days. However, Master has invited an Imperial Physician to come and resolve the toxins in your body." Cui Xiu replied cautiously.

Hua Zhu Yu's heart dropped. Poisoned? Was she really poisoned again? What about the baby? Hua Zhu Yu anxiously stroke her belly in worry.

Hua Zhu Yu then instructed Cui Xiu to withdraw. She walked around the room and surveyed the area. This place was heavily guarded. Nie Yuan Qiao's eldest son was the leader of the Yu Lin Imperial Guards. Escaping from the Nie Residence was going to be more difficult than the palace.

Hua Zhu Yu was very worried about the condition of her baby. But she feared that she won't be able to find out the truth here. She must go find Tai. She waited till sunset before making her move. She jumped out the window and proceeded towards the long corridor through the back garden.

There, she saw two Yu Lin guards sitting in the middle of the corridor chatting. She was about to quietly make her move and knock them out but she suddenly heard one of the guards speak. "I can't believe there's actually a fake eunuch in the palace. That Yuan Bao was truly blessed. I wonder how many beautiful concubines he slept with?"

"Hey! Keep your voice down." the other guard said. "What blessing? Didn't he lose his head in the end? If that's the case, it would've been better to not be blessed."

"I heard that after he was beheaded, a spectator at the market boldly ran up to the platform to strip his pants and take a look. He really was a fake eunuch!" the guard said with a grin.

Listening to their conversation, Hua Zhu Yu froze in her tracks.

Though she knew the Yuan Bao who died was not her, when she listened to these two imperial guards, her whole body grew cold.

She was beheaded and her corpse was left exposed for all to marvel at the market.

Huangfu Wu Shuang, why was he so ruthless!

Why must he let her die in such a shameful manner! Huangfu Wu Shuang, in the end what was his motive for doing this?

Gritting her teeth, Hua Zhu Yu heart was filled with hatred. It was late in the afternoon, and the wind carried a cold chill but it was no match for the coldness dwelling in her heart.

The two guards suddenly noticed someone's presence behind them and quickly turned around. When they saw Hua Zhu Yu they swiftly got up and bowed. "Young Miss you're awake. It's windy out here, you should quickly return to your room!"

Hua Zhu Yu lowered her head only to find that she was wearing a plain white robe. She smiled slightly, and said, "I was out for a stroll and was just heading back. That Yuan Bao person, when was he executed?"

"Today!" one of the guards quickly replied.

***

In the second year of Hong Wu, the new Emperor ascended the throne during troubled times.

In the first month, Left Chancellor Ji Feng Li's execution by a thousand cuts sent shock waves throughout Southern Kingdom. Less than a month later, another huge incident stirred up the ma.s.ses once again.

At that time, a eunuch had supervised Left Chancellor Ji Feng Li's execution and the Left Chancellor had actually kissed him without any reservations in front of everyone. However, that eunuch had killed the Left Chancellor with his own hands, stabbing him to death.

Overnight, that little eunuch became the public enemy of all the women in Southern Kingdom.

This time, the news that shocked the entire kingdom was again related to him.

It was said that he was a fake eunuch who was secretly involved with the former Emperor's concubine. He had even made her pregnant. It was said that the little eunuch, relying on the Emperor's favor, had the audacity to let the concubine brew fetus nurturing tonics in the palace. Seeing that the concubine's belly was getting increasingly big, he had begged the Emperor to allow him to take her out of the palace. Unexpectedly, on the day the envoys arrived, this matter was exposed.

The little eunuch probably didn't see this coming. The Emperor was furious and had imprisoned him in Nei Cheng Yuan. His execution was scheduled on the third day of the second month at noon in front of the Meridian Gate(t/n one of the gates of the palace). He was beheaded and his corpse was left at the food market.

It was said that on the day of his sentence, many people had gathered outside the Meridian Gate. After he was beheaded, someone boldly approached his corpse and pulled down his pants to take a look. Turns out he really was a fake eunuch afterall.

The little eunuch who had been causing trouble in the palace of Southern Kingdom at last disappeared from everyone's sight thereafter.

However, there were those who had admired the talent the little eunuch possessed and was saddened by the news.

He had great talent and a valiant character. He had the support of the Emperor who favored him greatly. But no Emperor would allow a eunuch to overstep his bounds. It was said that he relied on the Emperor's favor and was extremely presumptuous.

Like the saying goes, once the prey was gone, it was time to put down the bow and arrow. In the end, the little eunuch could not escape his fate.

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