Reborn into the palace, she seduces the emperor's heart, driving the chief minister to madness!

Chapter 99 Late-Night Clash

Even though her face was covered by a misty white veil, partially obscuring her delicate features.

Lu Zhiheng recognized her at a glance; the dancer in front of him was none other than Miss Qiao.

She looked completely different from anyone he had ever seen before.

Her dance moves were exquisite and enchanting, perfectly complementing her stunningly beautiful long dress, making her incredibly gorgeous.

Lu Zhiheng's originally slightly lowered gaze couldn't help but follow her figure as she moved forward, gradually approaching the emperor's seat.

Upon seeing the person at the head of the table, whose phoenix eyes held an undisguised look of amazement, he gripped his wine glass tighter without realizing it.

Sound…

Pei Yuanling murmured softly, a hint of tenderness appearing on his cold and stern face.

So this was the surprise she was talking about.

Watching the woman's alluring and stunning dance below, Pei Yuanling's previously tightly pursed lips curled into a slight smile.

Empress Wang sat beside Pei Yuanling. Seeing the emperor's somewhat intoxicated expression, a hint of displeasure flashed across her dignified face.

The chief eunuch Lin Qing, who was attending to him, immediately turned around and instructed the junior eunuch beside him to investigate what was going on.

Suddenly the music ended, and the dancer twirled forward, step by step walking towards Pei Yuanling.

"How dare you!" Empress Wang shouted.

Then Pei Yuanling said, "Let her come up."

Empress Wang's expression faltered for a moment, but she quickly concealed it.

With Pei Yuanling's approval, Chu Qingyin immediately stepped forward and, in a few strides, stood before him. She said sweetly, "Your Majesty, I greet you. May Your Majesty enjoy peace and happiness."

As soon as that familiar voice came out, the concubines immediately recognized the mysterious dancer who had suddenly appeared as the favored Consort Qiao. Their faces turned ugly, and their gazes toward Chu Qingyin were filled with undisguised jealousy and hatred.

Even the usually dignified Empress Wang had a frosty look in her eyes.

Pei Yuanling raised his hand, took the woman's slender wrist, and led her to sit beside him. His phoenix eyes were lowered, and he smiled: "I really like this surprise today."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the emperor's unbridled favoritism caused the people in the hall to have different thoughts.

Although Chu Qingyin felt somewhat embarrassed, she remembered that all her efforts were to win Pei Yuanling's favor. She suppressed her shyness, picked up the gilded wine cup beside her, and toasted the man, saying, "I'm glad Your Majesty likes it. I'll toast you."

She tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp, revealing a section of her fair, white wrist as her sleeve slid down.

The attention of everyone in the hall was inevitably drawn to it.

"Consort Qiao presented me with a song and dance, which pleased me greatly. I hereby bestow upon her a pair of jade bracelets to express my gratitude," Pei Yuanling declared loudly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Chu Qingyin rose with a smile and bowed.

Just as she looked up and stood up, she suddenly felt a cold gaze fall on her.

Chu Qingyin turned around and saw Lu Zhiheng, a man in a black robe, sitting in the seat of the highest minister below.

Strange, why is he looking at her again?

Chu Qingyin wondered to herself, but did not show it on her face. She nodded slightly to Empress Wang and then sat down next to Pei Yuanling.

The singing and dancing in the hall continued, but Pei Yuanling's gaze never left Chu Qingyin after she appeared.

The two drank and chatted as if no one else was around, drawing envious and jealous glances from the other concubines.

Lu Zhiheng, however, kept his sharp eyes fixed on Chu Qingyin from the very beginning, scrutinizing and probing her.

Chu Qingyin didn't want to care, but the man's gaze was too conspicuous, making her feel uncomfortable. She was afraid that Pei Yuanling would notice something was wrong and arouse his suspicion.

After exchanging a few drinks with Pei Yuanling in a roundabout way, Chu Qingyin became slightly tipsy and her mind started to wander.

"Your Majesty, I am a little drunk. To avoid any impropriety, please excuse me..."

Pei Yuanling noticed the delicate blush on her cheeks and his gaze softened: "Shall I accompany you back?"

"Your Majesty, please do not spoil your enjoyment for the sake of one concubine."

Chu Qingyin smiled at him, and when she caught the Empress Wang's gaze out of the corner of her eye, she didn't linger any longer. She simply whispered in Pei Yuanling's ear, "After the banquet, I will wait for you in the palace."

The woman's breath was as fragrant as orchids, and her breath carried a delicate scent.

Pei Yuanling saw the subtle affection flickering in her eyes and brows, and for a moment, his heart was also stirred.

"This concubine will take her leave now."

Chu Qingyin gracefully bowed, then rose and left.

Only after her figure disappeared into the hall did the emperor at the head of the table reluctantly withdraw his gaze, as if he had thought of something, and his thin lips curled up slightly.

Seeing this, Empress Wang on the right couldn't help but clench her fingers tightly as she held the carved ivory chopsticks.

The breeze is coming, and the water waves are not happy.

In the stillness of the night, Chu Qingyin led Xianglan on a leisurely stroll along the long corridor of the imperial palace.

She was only slightly tipsy, but the summer evening breeze stirred up her drunkenness, making her somewhat hazy and clear-headed, and she couldn't help but sway.

"Your Highness, please be careful..." Xianglan hurriedly reached out to help her up.

Chu Qingyin steadied herself before looking up at her with a warm smile: "Don't worry, your mistress has an excellent alcohol tolerance and will definitely not get drunk."

Her flushed cheeks and obvious drunkenness were a stark contrast to her boastful words.

Xianglan sighed softly and helped her up, saying, "Let me help Your Highness back."

"No need, I'm really not drunk." Chu Qingyin shook her head, which felt like it was filled with lead, pushed away Xianglan's hand, and stood up straight.

A gust of wind blew by, and her slender body swayed in the wind again.

"Your Majesty!" Xianglan exclaimed.

Chu Qingyin lost her balance and staggered back two steps. Just as she was about to fall backward, a sharp figure flashed by, and the next moment, she was pressed against a hard chest.

Chu Qingyin was taken aback: "...?"

I instinctively turned around, about to thank him, when I saw a familiar and handsome man's face.

The man's skin was as white as jade in the moonlight, and his eyes were deep-set. He was squinting his long, narrow eyes, looking at her with an unreadable expression.

“Lu Zhiheng…”

She murmured to herself, "How could it be him?"

She quickly regained her senses, steadied herself, stood up straight beside him, and nodded slightly: "Thank you, Lord Lu."

Her tone was polite but distant.

Lu Zhiheng looked at her with a deep gaze: "Consort Qiao is quite drunk. Why don't you go back to rest earlier? Why are you still wandering around outside?"

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Lu. I am not drunk, and I am on my way back right now."

Chu Qingyin raised her eyes, a stubbornness barely holding back in her dazed gaze.

Looking at her drunken state, Lu Zhiheng's lips curled up almost imperceptibly before quickly regaining his usual calm and composure: "Since you're not drunk, may I speak with you in private? I have important matters to discuss with Consort Qiao."

Xianglan, who was standing nearby, immediately stepped forward to stop her: "Your Majesty, you mustn't, you're drunk..."

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Zhiheng gave her a look that scared her away: "Since when did it become the servant's place to make decisions for the master?"

Lu Zhiheng was always cold and unapproachable. Xianglan was just a lowly maid, and when he asked her such a question, she panicked and instinctively hid behind Chu Qingyin, saying, "Master..."

Chu Qingyin also raised her hand to protect Xianglan, whispered "It's alright", then took a step forward and looked up at the man in front of her: "Lord Lu is, after all, the chief minister of the dynasty, why should he make things difficult for a little girl?"

Seeing how protective she was of Xianglan, Lu Zhiheng couldn't help but glance at Xianglan.

Seeing this, Chu Qingyin immediately covered Xianglan even more tightly, and her gaze towards the man became sharper: "What important matters could a mere official like Lord Lu possibly discuss with a concubine from the inner palace?"

Lu Zhiheng said, "If Consort Qiao refuses to move, then I won't mind talking about it here."

As he spoke, a slight smile curved his lips: "It concerns Chu..."

"Lu Zhiheng!"