Inside Jingfu Palace.
Niaoniao squatted on the wooden dummy, watching Sister Fat-headed Dragon practice her saber technique. It was a bit sleepy, and its head bobbed up and down.
Dongfang Liren was also a bit absent-minded. From time to time, she would look towards the northeast side of the imperial city and mutter to herself,
"This guy, why hasn't he come yet? Could he really be flirting with a palace maid..."
Just as she was feeling bored, a palace maid walked in quickly:
"Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence at Canyang Pool."
"Hmm?"
Dongfang Liren paused with her saber: "Didn't His Majesty go to bed?"
"I'm not sure. According to the palace maid who came to deliver the message, it seems that His Majesty couldn't fall asleep and wanted to take a bath in Canyang Pool and asked Your Highness to accompany him."
Dongfang Liren guessed that it was because she had gotten up in the middle of the night and woken up her sister. She didn't dare to delay. She put away her saber and handed Niaoniao to the palace maid:
"Take good care of it. Give it back to Ye Jingtang when he comes later and tell him to wait here."
"Yes."
...
Soon, Dongfang Liren, accompanied by the palace maid, walked through the corridors and buildings and arrived at Canyang Pool. She could see that there were two female officials serving the female emperor waiting outside. When they saw her, they curtsied:
"We pay our respects to Your Highness."
"Has His Majesty not arrived yet?"
"His Majesty saw that the moonlight was pleasant and was suddenly inspired to compose a poem. He asked Prince Jing to wait for a while."
Dongfang Liren knew that her sister was rather spontaneous and was not surprised by this. She entered Canyang Pool with the palace maid and first went to the side hall to change her clothes. In her heart, she was thinking about how to perfunctorily deal with her sister later so that she could go back and continue practicing her saber technique.
Swoosh...
Amidst the slight sound, her belt was untied, and the silver python robe slipped off her shoulders, revealing the silver bellyband and thin trousers embroidered with python dragons.
Then the fat-headed dragon bellyband was also taken off, and immediately, there were two "full moons" in the hall.
Dongfang Liren, wearing a thin gauze bathrobe, came to the edge of the misty swimming pool. She held her plump chest with one hand and tested the water temperature with her toes.
Splash~
Finding that the water temperature was just right, she untied the bathrobe and dived into the water with a beautiful pose.
Plop——
...
-----
Canyang Pool was quite large and could be considered a standard indoor swimming pool. Its shape was not square but oval, and there were several crescent-shaped bays along the edge where one could lean and lie down.
Ye Jingtang held his breath and dived to the bottom of the pool. The light in the water was dim, and it was difficult to see the bottom clearly. The bottom of the pool was inlaid with cobblestones, which was uneven, and it was really not easy to find a jade pendant.
Fortunately, after searching about half a circle along the bottom of the pool, he finally found the trace of the jade pendant among the cobblestones.
Ye Jingtang was delighted. He surfaced to take a deep breath and then dived to the bottom of the pool again, trying to pick up the jade pendant.
However, he found that the jade pendant was stuck in a crack, and his fingers couldn't reach in at all. Without damaging the bottom of the pool and the jade pendant, he could only use his fingers to nudge the jade pendant little by little to move it out.
But the jade pendant was stuck in a rather tricky way. It was very slippery and just spun in place without coming out.
Ye Jingtang wasn't in a hurry either. He slowly nudged the jade pendant. Not long after he started, he suddenly noticed something was wrong—he隐隐察觉到了光感 (vaguely sensed the light).
At the bottom of the pool, which was as deep as his shoulders, he couldn't hear the slight sounds outside at all. This scene really made Ye Jingtang a bit startled. He looked up to check—through the misty water, sure enough, there were several light spots moving by the edge of the pool.
The position where the jade pendant "fell" was the crescent-shaped bay where one could lean and lie down by the edge of the pool. The white jade stone platform blocked the view, and he couldn't detect the light at the door at the first moment. By the time he noticed it, the light spots had already moved halfway around.
Ye Jingtang was secretly alarmed and also puzzled—when he came in, he had already checked the surrounding situation, and there were no outsiders. Moreover, it was already late at night, and it didn't seem like anyone would come...
Could it be the patrolling eunuchs?
If he was discovered and driven out by the eunuchs, he definitely couldn't stay in the pool...
Ye Jingtang thought secretly. At the moment, he could only use his hidden strength with his hands to quietly pry open the cobblestones, take out the jade pendant, and then quietly peek out from the crescent-shaped bay where he was leaning to see what was going on above.
There were no eunuchs on the edge of the pool, but several palace maids in colorful clothes were holding lamps behind the screens.
As soon as Ye Jingtang surfaced, he saw a door behind the screen open, revealing the silhouette of a woman. She was wearing a white thin gauze bathrobe, which was hazy, and it seemed that below...
Hiss——!!
Ye Jingtang's eyes suddenly widened. He didn't even dare to take a closer look at the woman's appearance and figure. He quickly shrank back into the pool, trying to find a way to slip away.
But the pool was surrounded by semi-transparent screens, and he was still in the water. It was extremely difficult to escape quietly.
If he stuck his head out, he would definitely not be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River. But if he didn't stick his head out and was discovered, wouldn't he be doomed?
Before Ye Jingtang could come up with a countermeasure, he saw a white and delicate foot extending into the surface of the pool in the distance and gently swaying in the water.
Splash~
With the help of the light above the pool, he could see that the bare foot was extremely white and clean, and the toes were like crystal-clear jade objects, with an extremely beautiful line.
And above the water surface, the scene was a hazy white...
No way!
Ye Jingtang found that the woman seemed to have taken off her bathrobe. At this time, he didn't dare to stick his head out either. Just as he was hesitating whether to make some noise to remind her, he heard a dull sound:
Plop——
The calm water surface not far away suddenly set off waves, and a white figure directly plunged into the pool.
Ye Jingtang first saw the slender arms, and then the heroic face and snow-white fragrant shoulders.
Originally, the diving posture was very perfect and wouldn't stir up much water.
But the person who came obviously didn't have a streamlined figure, and the resistance of the chest was very large.
The moment she entered the water, he saw two large white and soft mounds pushing aside the water flow, creating rhythmic waves, swaying and surging, and an indescribable sense of oppression rushed towards him...
Damn it!!
Such a shocking scene really stunned Ye Jingtang. He froze at the edge of the pool, feeling hopeless.
But after seeing clearly who the person was, he showed a bit of relief.
Fortunately, it's Liren...
No, why would I say "fortunately"...
What should I do now...
Although I might be spared the death penalty, I'm definitely going to be punished. Won't I be blackmailed for the rest of my life...
At this time, even if I hope that Prince Jing won't find out about me, I'm afraid even the heavens won't agree.
Dongfang Liren dived into the pool like a white fish, swam forward for two body lengths, opened her eyes, and prepared to slide backwards to the leaning place on the opposite side of the pool.
But the moment she opened her eyes, she found something strange at the bottom of the pool—there seemed to be a dark shadow in the crescent-shaped bay at the edge of the pool.
?!
Dongfang Liren was slightly startled and quickly looked carefully. As a result, through the faint light, she saw that handsome face full of shock.
"Gurgle gurgle——!!"
Even Dongfang Liren, who was usually able to hide her emotions, let out a scream when encountering such an accident. She stared at Ye Jingtang not far away in disbelief, quickly hugged her chest, curled up into a fetal position in the water, and used her feet to cover the most embarrassing parts.
When Ye Jingtang found that Prince Jing was looking at him, he quickly closed his eyes and raised his hands. Although he didn't say anything, it was obvious that he was signaling:
I'm wrong, I'm wrong! I didn't do it on purpose...
When Dongfang Liren saw clearly who the person at the bottom of the pool was, her face turned blood red, a mixture of shame, anger, and shock.
But her calm and composed mind prevented her from panicking completely like an ordinary girl. After covering her vital parts, she managed to suppress the turmoil in her heart and quickly lifted her head out of the water.
Splash!
At the edge of the hot spring pool, several palace maids looked bewildered and looked at the princess who emerged from the water like a lotus flower.
Dongfang Liren's face was as red as blood. Suppressing her emotions with great effort, she put on a normal expression and ordered:
"You all go out!"
Her voice was trembling.
The several palace maids thought it was strange, but they didn't dare to ask more questions. After curtsying, they left the hall door full of doubts.
After waiting until there were no outsiders by the pool, Dongfang Liren's face completely turned into a look of shame, indignation, and anger. She wanted to go to the edge of the pool to get her clothes, but she was afraid that if she stretched out her hands and feet, she would be seen completely...
She might have already been seen completely, but she couldn't let herself be seen again!
Dongfang Liren curled up into a ball and floated in the water in a very strange posture, not knowing what to do.
Splash...
A slight sound of water splashing rang out.
A handsome man's face emerged from the crescent-shaped bay. His face was full of embarrassment. He closed his eyes, raised his hands high, and then turned around, facing away from her:
"Uh..."
Dongfang Liren gritted her teeth. Seeing that Ye Jingtang had turned around, the shame and anxiety in her heart were slightly relieved. Standing in the pool with the water up to her neck, she scolded in a low voice:
"You... You have some nerve!"
Ye Jingtang was in a daze. Facing away from Dongfang Liren, he explained:
"I really didn't do it on purpose. I..."
How the hell could he explain this?!
Dongfang Liren's eyelashes trembled slightly. She slowly retreated towards the edge of the pool and asked in a cold voice:
"Why are you here?"
Ye Jingtang came here to help find the jade pendant. If he pointed out Miss Yuhu at this time, Prince Jing would definitely vent her anger on the palace maid.
Although he was in a difficult situation himself, after a moment of hesitation, Ye Jingtang gritted his teeth and explained:
"I just met with Lord Shang and the others. Passing by here, I found that it was dark here but there was the sound of water splashing, so I came in to take a look. As a result, I found it was the spring mouth... Hmm... When someone came, I hid first. I also didn't expect that Your Highness would come suddenly... Weren't you practicing saber techniques in Jingfu Palace, Your Highness?"
Dongfang Liren didn't believe Ye Jingtang's excuse at all, but she also really didn't think that Ye Jingtang had deliberately hidden here to peek.
She was called here by her sister, and Ye Jingtang didn't know about it in advance.
Even if he knew, he wouldn't have come to peek at her taking a bath.
Even if he really had the intention to peep, he wouldn't be so stupid as to hide in the pool like someone stealing a bell while covering their ears...
Fortunately, her sister didn't come, or else...
Her sister didn't come...
?
Dongfang Yuhu!
Dongfang Liren was intelligent and quickly guessed who had set this trap that had screwed her over!
The only person who could忽悠 (persuade) her here and also trick Ye Jingtang here was her all-powerful sister. There was no one else in the palace!
Are you out of your mind?
How could you do such a thing? I'm your own sister...
Although she had figured out the reason and knew that Ye Jingtang was also a victim, she couldn't just let Ye Jingtang off the hook after suffering such a big loss for no reason.
Dongfang Liren's expression changed a lot. Gritting her silver teeth, she asked in a cold voice:
"What did you see just now?"
Ye Jingtang just didn't take a good look. Otherwise, he could have seen everything.
"I didn't see anything..."
When Dongfang Liren saw that he still didn't admit it, her eyes showed shame and anger:
"Do you think I'm stupid?"
Ye Jingtang said innocently: "I really didn't do it on purpose. I just saw a silhouette and quickly closed my eyes."
A silhouette?
Which silhouette...
Or all the silhouettes...
Dongfang Liren stood in the water, holding her chest. She wanted to scold Ye Jingtang, but her mind was in a mess, and she couldn't organize her words:
"You..."
Ye Jingtang was afraid that Prince Jing would be so angry and ashamed that she would castrate him. He climbed up the edge of the pool carefully while apologizing:
"I really didn't do it on purpose. I..."
Before he could climb up the pool, his words stopped again, and he paused.
Dongfang Liren's eyes narrowed. Holding her chest, she showed a defensive look. But soon, she heard the sound of footsteps outside:
"Is Liren in there?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Prince Jing is taking a bath..."
?!
Both of them were startled.
Ye Jingtang scanned around, trying to find a place to hide.
But the Empress Dowager might go to the side hall to change her clothes first, and there was no place to hide. The pool seemed quite large, but even the screens were semi-transparent. It would be easy to find a big man like him hiding in the room.
Ye Jingtang secretly gritted his teeth and wanted to quickly climb out through the window.
But Dongfang Liren quickly stopped him: "Don't! There are secret guards outside. You're all wet. If you go out, you'll be discovered... Turn your head around!"
Just as Ye Jingtang turned his head around and hadn't seen anything yet, he was angrily scolded. He quickly turned his back and asked:
"Then what should we do?"
Tap tap tap...
The Empress Dowager came in a hurry. It seemed that she didn't plan to go to the side hall to take off her clothes. Her footsteps had already reached the door.
Dongfang Liren had no other choice either. She flicked her fingers lightly and used water droplets to extinguish a few candle flames. She said in a low voice:
"Come down."
"Ah?"
"Hurry up!"
"Oh."
With no way to escape, Ye Jingtang took a deep breath and slipped back into the water to hide...