The Gilded Cage

A’Ning is Willing to Leave Here With Your Majesty.
(1)

Chu Ning had just bathed.
She rubbed her half-dried hair while gently fanning herself.

The steam brushed against her pale body, adding a hazy soft luster to her skin.
Not long after she put on the thin summer gauze skirt, it was already wet and half stuck to her body.

Seeing this, Cuihe took the towel from her hand, dried her long and dense black hair repeatedly, applied osmanthus oil, and tied it up with a tassel rope.

Her slender neck and back were finally freed, and the heat was released in the air, slowly cooling down.

The fragrance of flowers that blew into the house quietly penetrates into the tip of her nose, making her feel happy.

Chu Ning couldn’t help humming a melodious tune, then got up and changed into dry clothes again.

Seeing that it was getting late, Cui He got up and went out, opened the courtyard door, and inadvertently heard the discussion outside.

“It seems to be coming this way.
It’s so late, and I don’t know what to do.”

“The temple is full of nuns, what else can you do? It’s probably related to one of the ladies.”

“The nuns here…could it be Lady Chu?”

Cuihe froze for a moment and couldn’t help but take a few more steps outside.
She poked her head out and, sure enough, saw figures not far away.

She hurriedly turned her head back, and said to Chu Ning, “My Lady, the Emperor is here.
I saw his attendants.”

Chu Ning was a little surprised, so she couldn’t help following her out of the courtyard and waiting outside the door.

The Emperor was coming here in his imperial palanquin, and the attendants on both sides held the lamps, showing no signs of concealment.

She was shocked, her heart seemed to be throbbing slightly, she took two steps closer with the lamp in hand, stood by the door, and smiled gently at Xiao Kezhi who was getting closer and closer on the palanquin.

“Your Majesty has come.”

The palanquin landed steadily on the side of the road, with two servants standing on both sides, Xiao Kezhi got off the palanquin, came step by step, and stopped in front of her.

A gentle breeze blew, mixed with the slight scent of alcohol he brought from the wedding banquet.

“Yes, A’Ning, I’m here.”

Many palace people passing by could not help but stop and watch, and several younger maids in Guizhen Temple also poked their heads out curiously.

Chu Ning bowed, retreated to the door, and calmly said, “Please come in, Your Majesty.”

The narrow door opened wide with a creak and then closed quickly, covering up the situation that could not be clearly seen inside.

There was silence outside for a while, and soon it was like a pot exploded in the dark night, and countless surprised discussions arose.

It really was Lady Chu!

The prince was newly married tonight, and the Emperor, as the prince’s uncle, entered the courtyard of the former Crown Prince’s Consort in a grand manner!

In the Lizheng Hall of the East Palace, the sound of ceremony, music, and laughter continued, and there were interlaced cups and cups.

Holding the wine glass and jug, Xiao Yu kept circling among the crowd, and drinking cups of wine one after another made his pale cheeks flush abnormally.

After finally drinking with all the guests, he was a little dizzy and couldn’t stand still.

But today, no one around him brought him warm food and soup, let alone wiped the sweat off his face with a handkerchief and ordered someone to help him go back to the bedroom to rest.

With a heavy face, he beckoned two servants to help him in the direction of the bedroom.

The sleeping hall was decorated for a newly married couple tonight, and there were a few maids waiting on both sides.
When they saw him approaching, they greeted him with a smile, opened the door, and said earnestly, “His Royal Highness is coming!”

Zhao Yue, who was in the room, heard the movement and followed them out, saluting him.
When her eyes swept over his flushed cheeks and weak body, her carefully-drawn crescent eyebrows frowned imperceptibly.

“Your Highness is drunk.
Please help him to rest.” She told the maids around her, but she didn’t intend to do it herself, she just stood aside and watched.
Maybe she still remembered his intentional snubbing when she greeted him earlier, or that was just her nature.

The maids of the East Palace stood on the periphery.
Those around her were all married in from the Zhao family today.
Two of them stepped forward after hearing the words, one supported Xiao Yu, and the other reached out to untie the jade belt hook on his waist.

Xiao Yu couldn’t stand still when he was drunk, and the maid who supported him was weak, so when the servant next to him let go, he staggered and fell to the side, took two messy steps, and managed to stabilize himself.

And the maid who was kneeling to loosen his belt couldn’t hold back her strength, causing his waist to be twisted by the belt.

“Get out!” He lowered his head with a gloomy face and yelled at the maid.
His thin lips were tightly pursed, and his narrowed eyes were full of gloom.

The maid didn’t understand his temper, she froze for a moment, bent over to admit her mistake, and then stretched out her hand to continue.

The anger in Xiao Yu’s heart was instantly ignited, and he immediately raised his foot and kicked.