There was tension in the palace.

Even though the servants couldn’t see it, they could sense it when they saw the cold interaction between the Emperor and the Empress. The two of them didn’t seem to be that close when the Emperor saw the Empress off to the Summer Palace.

Summer Palace was not far from the main palace, but they still needed half an incense stick of time to reach there.

“Xiao Mu, you stay here and take care of the inner courtyard.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Xiao Mu actually felt a bit unease, but she still followed what Feng Ning ordered her to do.

On the other hand, Xiao Yu would be the only one who followed Feng Ning along with the other maidservants to the Summer Palace.

The Emperor looked tired.

During the morning court, all of the ministers were able to see that the Emperor was in a bad mood. Not a single one of them dared to do anything when they saw this scene in fear that they would become the black sheep.

Prime Minister Yan rubbed his forehead.

‘Did something happen between him and Her Majesty?’

Even though Prime Minister Yan was worried, he definitely couldn’t ask about it so openly in front of the Emperor.

That would be him breaching the rules and etiquette.

Not being able to do anything, Prime Minister Yan simply stayed quiet while he was doing his work. In any case, he should just make sure to do his work quickly and then left so that he would not be implicated badly.

 

…

While the ministers were fidgeting, Feng Ning had arrived in the Summer Palace. She toured the area and realized that it was similar to the map she had found back in her uncle’s study room.

Her uncle’s study room was supposed to be a place she was not allowed to pay a visit. But since she had become the Empress and basically the one from Lin Family, she gained access to that room.

Combing and searching around, she finally found the map of Summer Palace.

The place that she had long decided to use.

“Your Highness?” Xiao Yu asked when she noticed that Feng Ning seemed to be out of sort. She had actually known that there was some kind of tension between the Emperor and the Empress.

However, she didn’t know for sure what had happened between the two of them.

Should she spoke up?

But she was afraid that Feng Ning would be angry.

No matter how good tempered the Empress is, it was also a fact that she’s still a human being who could also get angry.

It was because of this that Xiao Yu was worried.

Feng Ning waved her hand. She looked at Xiao Yu then pulled the other party’s hand. “I would like to stay here alone. Bring me some of my writing tools.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Xiao Yu bowed and rushed to the luggage. There were supposed to be more than enough writing tools for Feng Ning to use since she had already packed everything that Feng Ning might needed.

However, she couldn’t find any.

This made her confused.

Feng Ning watched from the side while her dark brown eyes were staring into the distance. There was some kind unexplained emotion deep within.

“Your Highness, it seems that the writing tools are left behind in the main palace. This servant will go get it first.” Xiao Yu was embarrassed. It was not supposed to be a mistake that someone like her did.

She had checked the luggage.

How come there was no sign of Feng Ning’s writing tools?

Feng Ning nodded and waved her hand, signaling for Xiao Yu to leave first.

Seeing that, Xiao Yu bowed and quickly prepared a small carriage for her to go to the main palace. It was still afternoon, so Feng Ning should be fine even if she were to be left alone for an incense stick of time.

There were a lot of guards here.

Feng Ning moved to the garden while Xiao Yu warned the guards that the Empress wanted to stay alone. The guards naturally would not try their luck and bothered the Empress unless they wanted to lose their lives.

As for why the Empress wanted to be alone?

It was not their business.

They only had to know that they had to follow the protocol.

Feng Ning looked at the sky as she walked around aimlessly. After she had walked around for some time, she sighed and walked into the palace.

The number of servants in the Summer Palace was far lacking compared to the servants in the main palace. In fact, it could be said that the number of guards here were also quite lacking.

Bang!

Hearing the loud voice, Feng Ning’s lips curled up to form a faint smile. As she had expected, those people who were against Lin Zi Xuan truly paid more attention to her and her movement.

Since she basically came to Summer Palace, she had expected for them to come.

Thus, when she saw the guards’ attire had the faint smell of blood, she sent Xiao Yu away to the main palace.

*rustle*

Changing her clothes swiftly, Feng Ning threw her Empress clothes into one of the storage room. She glanced at the lantern at the side and threw it towards the pile of dry grass and woods on the storage room.

After she was done, Feng Ning walked to the back and entered the library. She pulled one of the books and pushed the wall.

It was the secret passage leading out of the Summer Palace.

No one knew about this place aside from the Emperor and her because she had seen the blueprint of this Summer Palace.

Closing the door, Feng Ning walked into the dark corridor, disappearing from sight.

 

…

Main Palace

Xiao Yu was confused when she saw that the luggage was still in Feng Ning’s room. In fact, it was tucked to the side as if someone purposely hid it away.

“You’re back?” Xiao Mu was confused.

“I miss something and Her Majesty wants some time alone. There are a few other maidservants who accompanied her,” Xiao Yu explained.

“I see.”

Xiao Yu took the luggage and returned to the carriage. However, she had only taken a look to the side when she saw the smoke rising from the distance. Her face turned pale when she realized the source of that fire.

“Her Majesty is in that place!”

“What?”

“Send more guards!”

Chaos ensued.

The head guards were also surprised and quickly sent more people to head over to the Summer Palace. They had sent a considerable number of soldiers to the Summer Palace to accompany Empress Xing.

But who would have thought that she would be attacked like that?

Xiao Yu cried as she yelled at the guards to move faster. There was no way she wanted anything to happen to her Mistress.