The moon rose above the branches.
Ye Jingtang carried the bird on his shoulder and walked back on foot. Along the way, by the light of the moon, he continued to look at the book "The Secret History of the Beautiful Empress" in his hand.
The little episode that happened when he entered the palace, though far less impactful than Benben's frontal "flesh bomb impact" last time, still stirred up some ripples in his heart.
And the mention of the eldest prince by Benben gave Ye Jingtang some speculations.
The eldest prince was the deposed emperor who had been removed from the throne. According to the official statement, he should not have been given poisoned wine or died of a sudden illness yet.
As the legitimate heir of the Great Wei, the fact that the deposed emperor is still alive is surely a major concern. Whether it's a vassal king or an enemy country, as long as they can get the eldest prince on their side, they may be able to support a puppet emperor of the Great Wei, and thus have a legitimate reason to launch a crusade against the Empress Dowager.
And Eunuch Cao is a die-hard loyalist of the Great Wei, equivalent to a minister entrusted with the late emperor's orphan. The appearance of his disciple in the capital city indicates that what he wants to do is most likely related to the deposed emperor.
Through these known clues and speculations, a train of thought gradually emerged in Ye Jingtang's mind - the Prince of Wu State had gathered the remnants of the deposed emperor's faction and wanted to restore the legitimate line of the Great Wei. However, due to insufficient strength, he went to the Pingtian Sect to discuss cooperation.
Even if the Pingtian Sect agrees, the Prince of Wu State, who is surrounded on three sides, doesn't dare to raise the flag and proclaim himself emperor. So he needs a proper and legitimate title.
If the deposed emperor is in the hands of the Prince of Wu State, the Prince of Wu State can use the name of "upholding the Great Wei" to incite other vassal kings and have a legitimate reason to launch a crusade against the usurping Empress Dowager.
Therefore, the Prince of Wu State has arranged many spies to come to the capital city and operate secretly, trying to take the deposed emperor away.
This reasoning is a bit hasty, but currently, it seems quite possible.
However, without any evidence in hand, he himself can't confirm whether this speculation is true. He still has to continue the investigation next...
While deep in thought, the man and the bird returned to Ranfang Street.
It was already late at night. Ranfang Street, which was still under reconstruction, had no pedestrians left.
Ye Jingtang entered Shuanggui Alley and smelled a faint smell of traditional Chinese medicine coming from the depths of the alley. After thinking for a while, he slowed down his steps and came to the outside of the courtyard wall, wanting to see what Sister Ning'er was doing.
The door of the main room was closed, and there was a faint sound of breathing, indicating that she seemed to have fallen asleep.
In the west wing room where he slept, there was a light on, but there was no sound. He could only see from the silhouette on the window paper that a tall woman was standing in front of the bronze mirror, turning her body left and right to look at herself, and also bouncing her "little watermelon" with her hand...
Dong dong~
?!
Ye Jingtang was slightly taken aback. He held down the bird that was about to enter the courtyard and directed it to go to the entrance of the alley to keep watch. Then, with his extraordinary martial arts skills, he landed in the courtyard and came to the outside of his own room...
——
A little earlier
After Luo Ning came back from outside the city, she cooked the meal and started boiling the medicine prescribed by Madam Wang.
After Yunli finished eating and doing her homework, seeing that Ye Jingtang hadn't come back for a long time, the two of them went to bed first.
But with the man staying out all night, and perhaps having a good time with the Princess on the dragon bed, Luo Ning, who had been with the little rascal for so long, couldn't fall asleep at all.
Tossing and turning without any sign of sleep, Luo Ning got up and came to the west wing room. She sat down by the bedside and took out a small silk package from her bosom to look at it.
The small cloth package, about the size of a palm, contained two sets of four pieces of small clothes. The total amount of fabric used might not even be as much as that of a pair of trousers.
Luo Ning took out a folded small top from it and unfolded it to look at. It was just a black triangular piece of cloth. She didn't know what kind of weaving method was used, and it was even hollowed out. Except for two peonies covering the key points, the other parts were mostly for decorative purposes, and everything was in full view...
A look of disgust appeared on Luo Ning's cold and beautiful face. She then took out the matching small pants to look at - with the same weaving method, it was bad enough that most of it was hollowed out, and it couldn't even cover her buttocks...
It was really immoral!
How could there be a woman wearing such things...
Luo Ning, after all, was from a famous family in Jiangzhou and was the wife of the leader of the Pingtian Sect. She could be considered the wife of a prominent family in the martial arts world. When she saw these small clothes that even a flower girl would be ashamed to wear, she got goosebumps all over and wanted to throw them away directly, lest the little rascal see them and cause trouble for her.
But they were so expensive...
The craftsmanship was indeed excellent, with seamless stitching and an excellent texture...
Should she give them to Third Sister to wear? She was more flirtatious...
No, that would be like giving supplies to the enemy...
Luo Ning looked at the unbearable small clothes for a moment. Although she was very disgusted in her heart, since no one was around, after thinking about it, she still got up and untied her cyan long dress and bellyband, and put the triangular piece of thin gauze fabric over her "little watermelon", tying the ropes behind her back and around her neck.
After putting them on, Luo Ning stood gracefully in front of the bronze mirror, looking at herself from left to right. She also slightly pushed out her "little watermelon". Hmm... the southern hemisphere...
"..."
Luo Ning frowned tightly. She felt that the woman in the mirror was a shameless and lustful demon. If Bai Jin saw her like this, she would surely point at her forehead and scold her for being improper. She guessed that only the little rascal would have his eyes light up...
Luo Ning raised her hand and bounced her "little watermelon". She was surprised to find that although these small clothes looked improper, they had a very good wrapping effect. After thinking about it, she picked up the small pants about the size of a palm and put them on, tying a bowknot on the round side of her buttocks.
Just after putting them on, before Luo Ning had time to admire herself, she heard footsteps in the courtyard and the little rascal's soft call:
"Miss Luo?"
?!
Luo Ning was so startled that her fragrant shoulders trembled slightly. She quickly pulled the dress over and whispered:
"Yunli just fell asleep. I boiled the medicine for you. It's in the kitchen..."
Creak——
Just as she picked up the dress, the door was directly pushed open.
Luo Ning was now in a situation worse than being completely naked. Seeing this, she quickly rolled onto the bed and covered herself with a thin quilt, looking a bit panicked:
"Little rascal, I'm changing clothes. Don't come in..."
Ye Jingtang pushed the door open and saw the white figure rolling into the quilt. He paused slightly and then walked in and closed the door.
?!
Luo Ning was extremely angry when she saw this, but she was afraid that Yunli would hear, so she could only say in a low voice:
"Little rascal, do you want to make me angry to death? Get out quickly!"
Ye Jingtang closed the door. There was no evil intention in his eyes, and with a hint of seriousness, he walked towards the bed:
"I just got some news and want to discuss it with Miss Luo..."
Luo Ning was so embarrassed that she was afraid Ye Jingtang would see her improper attire. She gritted her teeth and said:
"Little rascal, if you do this again, I won't pay attention to you anymore!"
"I'm talking about serious business and I won't act recklessly. I feel that the matter of the Prince of Wu State's son is related to the deposed emperor..."
Luo Ning had no intention of listening to this at all and said angrily:
"Get out first and let me put on my clothes!"
Ye Jingtang turned around and faced away from the bed:
"I won't look. This matter is of great importance. If not handled properly, it may cause chaos in the world..."
Luo Ning carefully glanced at the little rascal's back. Seeing that he didn't seem to be faking it, she carefully let go of the quilt and leaned forward to pick up the dress placed on the bedside.
As expected, the little rascal never failed to disappoint. Just as she sat up, the little rascal in front of her turned his head.
Their eyes met.
Ye Jingtang turned his head and looked towards the bed. Under the dim candlelight, Sister Ning'er, whose skin was as smooth as congealed fat, was sitting sideways on the bed. Her jet-black hair was coiled up in a dignified and intellectual style. There were wisps of mist in her beautiful peach-blossom eyes, and her long eyelashes quivered slightly. Her soft and alluring red lips were slightly parted, revealing a hint of bewilderment and helplessness.
Her originally white-as-mutton-fat "little watermelon" was now wrapped in a triangular piece of black gauze fabric. The fabric was not large but extremely exquisite. Under the candlelight, it even exuded a delicate luster. One could see the carefully outlined patterns of a sea of flowers. Through the hazy fabric, the flesh color could be vaguely discerned, and at the very top were two black peonies...
As for the lower part, since it was blocked by the thin quilt, not much could be seen. Only the black rope tied into a bowknot on the side of her waist was visible...
Although Ye Jingtang had heard from Third Sister that this kind of clothing was very bold, it was only when he saw it with his own eyes that he realized there was a reason for the high price. With such ingenious craftsmanship and style, it was not just bold; it was simply launching a fierce attack on a man's weak points...
When Luo Ning noticed that Ye Jingtang had turned around, she was also stunned. Her face flushed as red as blood. In a fit of anger and shame, she wanted to find her sword to silence him.
Ye Jingtang came over and sat down, holding Luo Ning's wrist and examining it carefully.
"It looks really nice. Since you've already put it on, why be shy? No one is going to laugh at you."
Luo Ning was filled with embarrassment and gritted her teeth as she explained.
"How could I wear such shameless clothes? I went to get the medicine for you. Madam Wang asked me to support her business, and I couldn't decline, so I bought two pieces..."
Ye Jingtang knew that Ning'er was thin-skinned and nodded.
"Yes, yes. It would be a waste to throw them away. You just put them on to try them out, and I happened to see you by accident."
"That's exactly what happened. Now, get out..."
"I'll just take a look. I won't move around."
"You..."
Luo Ning wanted to tear off these embarrassing clothes, but the little rascal wouldn't let go of her hand. In desperation, she could only put on an expression of "nothing is more sorrowful than the death of the heart" and look to the side with tears in her eyes.
Ye Jingtang was already used to this little look. He separated her hands while holding her wrist and examined her carefully.
"The craftsmanship is really good. I think this looks much better than a bellyband..."
After enduring it for a moment, Luo Ning suddenly remembered something and asked.
"By the way, I asked Madam Wang today. Madam Wang said... said..."
Luo Ning leaned close to Ye Jingtang's ear and told him the meaning of "warming up". Then she said.
"I asked her how to do it, and she told me to ask you. Is it possible to help you regulate your body without actually doing the real thing?"
Ye Jingtang blinked his eyes and found it a bit amusing.
"It's possible, but I'm afraid you won't be able to do it."
Luo Ning had already done so much. There was no reason she couldn't do the "warming up". She said coldly.
"Teach me first, and then we'll talk."
Ye Jingtang looked outside and said in a low voice.
"Will Yunli wake up?"
Luo Ning blinked her eyes, put on her dress, and stood up.
"I'll go and put Yunli to sleep."
Ye Jingtang naturally didn't stop her. He was still thinking about getting a big mansion as soon as possible. Then he saw Miss Luo tiptoeing back to the main room, closing the door, and bolting it...
Click~
There was no more sound.
??
Ye Jingtang's expression froze. He realized that he had been deceived. He walked out of the room and looked at the dark main room, saying in a low voice.
"Miss Luo?"
"Hmph~"
A cold snort came from the room, probably meaning—You deserve it today, little rascal.
Ye Jingtang stood in the courtyard, spreading his hands slightly, feeling a bit helpless.
Fortunately, after waiting for a while, the door of the main room finally opened, and Luo Ning walked out.
"Do you think I'm as untrustworthy as you, little rascal?"
Ye Jingtang's eyes were filled with a smile. He walked up and took his wife's hand.
"I know. I will never hold you and look at the mirror without your permission again... Ow..."
...
——
On the other side, in the Empress Dowager's bedroom.
It was already late at night. The lights were sparse among the palace pavilions. From the window on the side of the bedroom, there came the sound of splashing water.
Whoosh whoosh~~
In the spacious hall, there was a thick layer of mist. In the circular bathtub at the center, Dongfang Liren leaned against the edge, splashing water in front of her with her hand. Her eyes were slightly dazed, still thinking about the intimate contact in the afternoon.
The Empress Dowager, completely naked, leaned beside her, looking like a lazy imperial concubine, chatting about today's banquet.
"How can one tell the age of a roasted suckling pig? I also took a bite. It was oily and greasy, and I didn't feel anything special about it..."
Hongyu was soaking in the bathtub, massaging the Empress Dowager's back, and explained.
"Practice makes perfect. With that big belly of the Prince of Wu's son, I'm afraid he can eat a whole pig at once. The more he eats, the more experience he gains..."
While chatting, a palace maid walked in from behind the screen, holding a tray in her hand. On the tray was a hardcover book. Her eyes looked very strange, but she didn't dare to say anything. She just silently came to the side of the bathtub.
"Your Highness, the book you wanted has been found in Qilin Pavilion."
Dongfang Liren came back to her senses, raised her hand, and picked up the book from the tray. Just as she was about to flip through it, she saw the four flamboyant characters on the book cover and immediately came to her senses—"The Secret History of the Beautiful Empress"?!
The Empress Dowager was leaning right next to her. She had just casually turned her head to look, but when she saw the title of the book, her big eyes blinked.
(⊙_⊙)?
Dongfang Liren quickly covered the title of the book and looked at the approaching palace maid.
"How dare you! I asked you to get a book from Qilin Pavilion. What kind of book did you get?"
The palace maid trembled in fear and said pitifully.
"This servant asked Eunuch Wang in Qilin Pavilion to confirm it many times. Eunuch Wang said that this was the only book that met Your Highness's requirements, so I brought it..."
Dongfang Liren looked confused. She thought there was just a problem with the title, so she opened the book to look at the content. As a result, the first chapter at the beginning read:
The amorous prince secretly visited the imperial harem at midnight, and the widowed empress dowager met her destiny in the Phoenix Pool...
The Empress Dowager next to her was stunned when she saw this unruly text. She took the book and pretended to be stern.
"Who has the audacity to write about my romantic affairs... Oh, it's Empress Yan. You scared me..."
Dongfang Liren was puzzled. She thought that the palace maid must have taken the wrong book. But when she flipped to the middle part, she quickly found the content that Ye Jingtang had shown her...
This lecherous wretch!!
Dongfang Liren felt a nameless anger welling up in his heart and immediately wanted to go and confront Yejingtang.
However, the Empress Dowager was in high spirits and turned the book back to the beginning:
"This book is quite detailed. It even knows how many branches the ginkgo tree has. The person who wrote this book must have been to Fushou Palace."
Dongfang Liren carefully examined the beginning of the book. Sure enough, he found that the description of the Empress Dowager's living quarters in the book was roughly the same as the current Fushou Palace. And the 'Fengchi' in the book was the very bath pool where she was lying now...
It seemed that it really was a book related to architecture...
But there were so many books recording the appearance of the capital city. Why did he have to choose this one?
Could it be that this one was more detailed...
In order to find out, Dongfang Liren leaned next to the Empress Dowager and carefully examined the details.
The Empress Dowager, apparently not interested in the long descriptions of the architecture, looked at the plot of Empress Dowager Yan breaking the taboo and having a private meeting with a man. With a strange look in her eyes, she said:
"Eh~ Empress Dowager Xuanyang had a great reputation in the previous dynasty. I didn't expect that in private she was so... so promiscuous..."
Dongfang Liren felt that it was inappropriate for the Empress Dowager to read these 'lessons from the past'. Perhaps he was afraid that the Empress Dowager would follow suit, so he reminded her:
"When Emperor Yan was young, Empress Dowager Xuanyang interfered in politics and offended many people. These are all slurs spread by the traitors and rebels. They can't be taken seriously..."
The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "This book doesn't seem to be made up. Look at this stone. I used to wonder why it was polished like this. Now I realize that it was done by Empress Dowager Xuanyang."
Although the book described events that happened nearly two hundred years ago, the Great Wei Dynasty had continued to use the imperial city of the previous dynasty. It had only been renovated and not rebuilt. For utensils like the bath pool made of precious stones, as long as they were well maintained, they could be used for hundreds of years without any problem, and they were exactly the same as those described in the book.
Following the Empress Dowager's guidance, Dongfang Liren looked at the stone platform under the bath pool used for leaning on. He found a semi-circular depression.
After looking at the book for a few times, the Empress Dowager leaned against the edge of the bath pool, slid down a bit, raised her fair legs in the water, and posed in a very... very embarrassing position. She said thoughtfully:
"I knew it. So this is how one sits. It's just right and doesn't feel uncomfortable at all. It's just that it's not easy to place the legs..."
Dongfang Liren felt that this posture was not right. After thinking for a while, he came in front of the Empress Dowager. According to the knowledge he had learned from "The Tears of the Female Knight", he passed his arm through the crook of the Empress Dowager's leg and supported it on the edge of the bath pool. He looked down at his beautiful and charming mother and said:
"How about this?"
"Like this..."
The plump and graceful Empress Dowager was half-lying in the bathwater with her legs resting on Liren's arm. She was about to say it was just right, but she immediately realized what this posture implied...
!
The bath pool fell silent.
Dongfang Liren's face gradually turned red. He quickly put an end to that audacious posture, stood up and got out of the bath pool, then picked up the bathrobe to cover his exquisite and charming figure:
"Attendants, smash this shabby pool and rebuild a new one."
The Empress Dowager's face was also flushed, and her expression was rather strange. She got out of the bath pool and wrapped herself in a thin blanket:
"This is an antique from two hundred years ago. If we smash it and rebuild it for no reason, the Internal Affairs Office will surely say that I'm not thrifty. Let's keep it. This book is indeed detailed. Let's go and look around to see if there are any similar things..."
Dongfang Liren didn't know what to say. He put on his robe and followed the Empress Dowager as they wandered around the palace, studying these clues that originated from the previous dynasty...