The Trap of Jing Garden

The two guarding eunuchs brought Xiao Hua into Dong Yunrou's room, then locked the door. After ensuring the person inside could not escape, they glanced at each other, turned, and left to find Consort Huo.

"Imperial Consort, the matter you arranged has been taken care of," the leading eunuch respectfully reported to Huo Lianxin.

"Have you confirmed that Dong Yunrou is in the same room with a man, alone together?" Huo Lianxin asked again, anxious.

"Yes!" Although Dong Yunrou hadn't done anything yet, as long as a man and a woman were alone in the same room, Dong Yunrou wouldn't be able to clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River, let alone when she had been drugged with an aphrodisiac. Thinking of this, Huo Lianxin was too pleased for words. She would soon be promoted to Noble Consort, taking another step closer to the Empress's throne.

"You all leave the palace immediately to receive your reward."

"Someone, prepare the carriage to Fengyi Palace!" Huo Lianxin smiled coldly. Catching adulterers in the act was truly an exciting affair.

"Empress, someone from Yunfang Hall has delivered a letter accusing Dong Yunrou of currently trysting with her lover at Jing Garden!" Huo Lianxin feigned disbelief as she presented the letter to Wei Mingxi. She happened to find Rong Yuge there as well—even better, the more witnesses there were, the harder it would be for Dong Yunrou to wriggle out of it.

"I am afraid this is merely a fabrication. Consort Huo should not believe it so easily." Wei Mingxi looked at the letter, the expression on her face completely unchanged.

Huo Lianxin felt that things were going slightly contrary to her expectations. She hadn't expected Wei Mingxi to react so indifferently. She didn't believe Wei Mingxi didn't want to eliminate Dong Yunrou. This was a golden opportunity; Wei Mingxi should have seized the moment to get rid of her.

"Groundless rumors must have a source. Just now, when this sister passed by Yunfang Hall, it was already this late, yet Noble Consort Dong was not in her hall, and the Emperor did not summon her for the night. This sister fears..." Huo Lianxin trailed off, looking extremely sincere, but she saw that Wei Mingxi still showed no intention of going.

"Imperial Mother, let us go to Jing Garden and see. If this letter is false, it will be good to restore Noble Consort Dong's innocence and prevent others from gossiping in the future. If it is true, we must go even more. I believe Consort Huo must share this sentiment?" Rong Yuge, ever the instigator of chaos, spoke up. Wei Mingxi glared at Rong Yuge. She knew keeping this troublemaker in Fengyi Palace would bring no peace. However, she also knew Huo Lianxin would absolutely not let her off without going to Jing Garden.

"Yes, the Crown Princess is absolutely right. That is exactly what this sister thinks. For the sake of Sister's innocence, we must go to Jing Garden to investigate to the end." Huo Lianxin felt for the first time that the Crown Princess was highly reasonable. Wei Mingxi would have no choice but to go.

Wei Mingxi glanced at Huo Lianxin, a flash of coldness passing through her eyes, before she nodded and said, "Prepare the carriage for Jing Garden!" Under Wei Mingxi's command, the grand entourage for catching the adulterers slowly set off toward the remote Jing Garden.

Wei Mingxi, Huo Lianxin, and Rong Yuge all sat in the Empress's phoenix carriage. Wei Mingxi appeared to be resting with her eyes closed. Rong Yuge looked at Wei Mingxi's face and thought to herself that Huo Lianxin was truly annoying, staging such a deceitful show so late at night and disturbing her Imperial Mother's rest. However, the temperature at night was very low. Rong Yuge was borrowing warmth from her cloak. Was her Imperial Mother cold?

"Imperial Mother, are you feeling cold?" Rong Yuge's hand, hidden beneath her cloak, stealthily reached out to grasp Wei Mingxi's hand, which was also hidden. It was truly very cold. Winter always dragged on, and with her Imperial Mother's constitution, how could she bear it? She had just caught a cold last time.

Wei Mingxi suddenly felt her hand become warm. She opened her eyes, glanced at Rong Yuge, and pulled her hand back. Although Rong Yuge's hand was very warm, her actions were somewhat inappropriate for the occasion.

Seeing Wei Mingxi withdraw her hand, Rong Yuge frowned slightly but obediently let go. Huo Lianxin, consumed by her excitement, naturally did not notice the subtle undercurrents.

After entering the room, Xiao Hua finally felt a bit of fear. Looking at the spacious room, which had nothing in it except for a bed, the layout was somewhat eerie. Not to mention, she had been inside for so long, yet that wicked woman hadn't noticed her at all. The woman was still lying on the bed, squirming like a caterpillar. It didn't look disgusting at all, which showed that Xiao Hua's eyesight was truly not very good.

Dong Yunrou felt her body growing hotter and hotter, and only now did she sense danger. This was clearly not a reaction to being drunk; she had definitely been drugged. Having been brought to this strange place, Dong Yunrou felt she was highly likely being framed, but she was increasingly unable to maintain her sanity as her body temperature felt as if it were about to explode. Dong Yunrou began to lose her mind slightly, tearing at her clothes, but even as her clothes grew sparser, the burning heat in her body did not subside, nearly driving her mad.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Xiao Hua asked bluntly. Suddenly seeing Dong Yunrou constantly tearing at her own clothes, she realized something was wrong. It was so cold, and although there was no lack of charcoal basins in the room, was it really so hot that she had to strip off all her clothes? Xiao Hua leaned closer to Dong Yunrou to investigate. Seeing Dong Yunrou's face abnormally flushed, could she have a fever? Who told her to be so wicked? This was her karma; she deserved to be sick! Thinking of how her own face had been beaten swollen like a pig's head and took half a month to heal, Xiao Hua felt a sense of vindication, but she did not forget her main purpose.

"I didn't steal your gemstone! You can't falsely accuse me!" Xiao Hua said to Dong Yunrou very solemnly, her voice a mix of bluntness and slight nervousness.

"I went back and thought about it. That day when the clothes were delivered, when I washed them, I didn't see that red ruby at all..." Xiao Hua talked to herself for a long time before realizing the woman on the bed was still undressing, not answering her at all. Her rapid, heated breathing showed she wasn't paying attention to her speech at all.

Xiao Hua discovered that this wicked woman had somehow stripped down to nothing but a red undergarment. Most of her snow-white skin was exposed, so revealing that it made one blush. Her hair was messy, her hairpin had fallen out, leaving her hair slightly disheveled on one side. Her eyes were dazed and alluring, her face bore an abnormal flush, and she had a very strange expression, as if she desperately needed something...

Xiao Hua quickly averted her gaze. This wicked woman was truly beautiful, like a fox spirit, looking just like a bad woman. She was nothing like the dignified and gentle Empress; she seemed to want to steal people's souls. Sure enough, what the chief eunuch said before was right: the more beautiful a woman, the more wicked she is!

Although she still held a grudge against Dong Yunrou, Xiao Hua was a warm-hearted child. The other might be heartless, but she couldn't be unrighteous. Seeing the woman still stripping her clothes, and knowing she would fall ill in such cold weather, Xiao Hua drew closer to Dong Yunrou.

"Hey, don't take off your clothes anymore, or you'll catch a cold. You have a fever; if you catch a cold, it will only get worse..." Xiao Hua held Dong Yunrou's hand, which was still trying to strip. Xiao Hua felt she was too kind. Why care about the life or death of such a bad woman? But her conscience wouldn't allow her to do otherwise, so she followed her conscience and prepared to pull the blanket over the almost fully exposed body.

Dong Yunrou had long been blinded by the aphrodisiac. She only knew her body was burning, and she was going to die. Suddenly feeling someone grab her hand, she instinctively pressed her disheveled body against the other person. No matter who it was, as long as they could rescue her from her current plight, she was about to be driven mad by her own body, which felt like it was on fire, with an endless void expanding within her...

Xiao Hua was stunned. Why was she suddenly hugging her, and so tightly? No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push her away. Her strength was clearly much greater than that of ordinary women, so why couldn't she break free from a woman who looked so delicate?

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed in Xiao Hua's mind. She was being forcibly kissed! Xiao Hua covered her lips with her hand. She was a woman; how could she be defiled by the Noble Consort, who was also a woman? How could this bad woman do this? Her innocence...

Xiao Hua felt extraordinarily resentful and struggled even more violently. She desperately wanted to fling off the disheveled woman in front of her, but Dong Yunrou was like a drowning person catching a life-saving straw, clinging tighter to Xiao Hua's body, making it impossible for her to break free. Moreover, the more Xiao Hua struggled, the more friction she created, causing Dong Yunrou to gasp. She felt a wave of pleasure, easing the discomfort in her body. Thus, like a thirsty person finding water, she began to unconsciously strip Xiao Hua's clothes, while her lips moved to her neck, sucking and biting.

"What are you doing?" Xiao Hua's voice trembled slightly. She was a bit scared, and the sensation on her neck was very strange. The spot where Dong Yunrou kissed and licked began to itch and tingle, like an ant bite. Xiao Hua shrank her neck, refusing to let her continue attacking this sensitive spot. While she focused all her attention on her neck, Dong Yunrou grabbed Xiao Hua's hand and pressed it against her full chest, gently rubbing it. Xiao Hua's face instantly flushed. She could feel the sensation in her palm—very soft, very elastic, very large, even larger than her own. Xiao Hua was highly indignant. Why did she have to be so big? Hmph! Xiao Hua was too busy being jealous to realize that the current situation was rather inappropriate.

It actually felt quite nice to touch something so big. Xiao Hua's hand was completely connected to her brain, acting without any thought, unconsciously squeezing Dong Yunrou's soft breast a few more times, finding it more and more pleasant. But wait, why was she doing this?

When Xiao Hua pulled her hand away, Dong Yunrou grew angry. Her delicate body arched slightly, startling Xiao Hua, who only then realized she had forgotten to struggle. Xiao Hua felt she was also very strange, realizing she didn't actually dislike touching this bad woman, nor did she dislike being so close to her, because she seemed very fragrant and soft, like the cotton candy she used to eat—soft and sweet-smelling.

Dong Yunrou was dissatisfied when Xiao Hua stopped. Her body began to uncontrollably rub against Xiao Hua's thigh. Her lower body was already soaking wet; the slight comfort from before was no longer enough to satisfy her. She wanted more...

"Are you in a lot of pain?" Xiao Hua was a good-natured child, having long forgotten how much she hated this woman initially, only unable to bear seeing someone in such discomfort. It seemed that when she touched her, the other felt very comfortable. If so, she might as well try touching her a bit. As a result, Xiao Hua touched here and there, fondling Dong Yunrou's soft, round breasts. She just did it because she thought it would help, as long as it made Dong Yunrou feel better.

"Mnh... I... I'm so uncomfortable... please..." Dong Yunrou had long been consumed by desire, whispering her plea for the longing her body craved. She needed a body to satisfy her.

"Huh?" In the palace, Xiao Hua was considered a rare, simple-minded child. She didn't understand what Dong Yunrou was saying at all, only seeing her squirming in discomfort, which aroused her pity, though she vaguely felt something was wrong.

Dong Yunrou reached her hand between Xiao Hua's legs, only to realize the person before her wasn't a man. But she was too uncomfortable to care about such details, immediately grabbing Xiao Hua's hand and sliding it into the already soaking wet place between her own legs.

"Go... in... please," Dong Yunrou pleaded with rapid breaths, her voice enough to melt one's bones.

Xiao Hua's eyes widened. This bad woman actually grabbed her hand and wanted her to touch that place. Even someone as ignorant as Xiao Hua felt embarrassed, but she couldn't help her curiosity. Why was that place so wet, and why did it get wetter the more she touched it? It was truly strange. And why did she want her to go in? Where would it go?

Like an explorer, Xiao Hua fumbled around the cave entrance, squeezing and rubbing for a while. When Dong Yunrou was touched at her core, she let out an alluring moan, creating a highly provocative sensation in Xiao Hua's ears.

Suddenly, Xiao Hua felt she had touched an opening. This was something that required no teaching; she instinctively inserted her index finger. Inside, the wet, hot flesh walls suddenly clamped down on her finger, making Xiao Hua feel incredibly amazed. She tried to push her hand deeper... Dong Yunrou's moans grew louder, but she seemed very comfortable, Xiao Hua thought happily as she looked at Dong Yunrou's dazed, blissful expression.

"Faster..." Dong Yunrou continued to plead. She had never felt her body not belong to her like this, every inch of her skin practically screaming for more.

Seeing Dong Yunrou's reaction, Xiao Hua knew she was doing it right. She increased the movement of her finger, then boldly curled her hand to try inserting her middle finger as well. Dong Yunrou's moans became even more alluring. Was it really that comfortable? Thinking of this, Xiao Hua's own body also grew hot. In the moment Xiao Hua was distracted, Dong Yunrou, having reached her limit, couldn't help but dig her nails deep into Xiao Hua's soft, smooth back, causing Xiao Hua to cry out in pain, blending with Dong Yunrou's soul-stirring moan—a truly indescribable sensation.

"It hurts!" Xiao Hua quickly withdrew her hand, looking back at her back. There were already purple marks, and the scratched areas were even bleeding. This wicked woman! At this moment, Xiao Hua's sanity returned. She was ignorant of the world, but she vaguely realized she had just done something very, very serious. Looking at her own disheveled clothes and Dong Yunrou's, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine—truly cold.

As the afterglow faded, Dong Yunrou also recovered some of her sanity. She thought for a moment and immediately sensed danger. Looking at her own messy clothes and Xiao Hua's, and remembering how she had just done such a "sordid" thing with a woman, she found it hard to accept. Looking at Xiao Hua, whose eyes were slightly bright, she realized this woman looked familiar. Wasn't this the maid she had framed for stealing? She vaguely felt this girl wasn't sent by Huo Lianxin, which eased her mind slightly, but she still couldn't be entirely at ease.

"Were you sent by Huo Lianxin?" Dong Yunrou dug her nails deep into her own flesh, the piercing pain helping her fully regain her reason.

"I wasn't sent by Consort Huo! I only wanted to tell you that I didn't steal your ruby, and I wanted you to clear my name!" Only now did Xiao Hua remember her main purpose.

"Then how did you end up here?" Dong Yunrou suddenly felt an urge to strangle the maid before her. Remembering how she had just pinned this maid beneath her and served her, she felt this was the darkest stain of her life. But Dong Yunrou knew now was not the time to dwell on such matters. She had a premonition that people were coming to catch them. Dong Yunrou felt she had to think of a countermeasure, so she quickly began to put her clothes back on.

"I don't know why the eunuch let me in..." Xiao Hua said with a dazed expression.

Looking at Xiao Hua's foolish look, Dong Yunrou only felt like strangling her. In times of danger, Dong Yunrou always had a strong intuition and a fierce survival instinct.

"Put on your clothes immediately and tidy up the bed!" Dong Yunrou ordered with a dark face.

"If you don't restore my innocence and tell everyone I'm not a thief, otherwise..." Xiao Hua suddenly grew stubborn. Why should she yell at her? Just now, she was the one who held her so tightly. However, she still quickly put on her clothes.

"Are you stupid? Hurry up! Tidy the bed perfectly." Dong Yunrou's beautiful face grew even darker. She was going to be killed by this idiot. How infuriating! Her body suddenly flared with heat again. Dong Yunrou dug her nails deeper into her flesh to keep her mind clear.

Xiao Hua was a bit scared of Dong Yunrou's fierce look, reluctantly tidying the bed.

Looking at the eunuch uniform on Xiao Hua, Dong Yunrou frowned. "Who told you to wear a eunuch's clothes? Quickly change into a maid's uniform..."

Dong Yunrou paced back and forth in the room, feeling anxious. This was Jing Garden, a place where maids used to gather, so there was no reason she couldn't find one. It was because of the renovation plans to merge it into the imperial garden, and since winter had begun, the plans were put on hold, so very few people came here.

Perhaps heaven hadn't cut off her path yet. Dong Yunrou found a maid's uniform under the bed and threw it to Xiao Hua.

"Quickly change into the maid's clothes!" Dong Yunrou ordered.

"No need, they aren't dirty!" For someone who washed clothes every day like Xiao Hua, the demand to change out of clean clothes was definitely something to refuse.

Dong Yunrou's face darkened further, looking as if she wanted to eat her alive. Xiao Hua ultimately held a deep-seated fear of this wicked mistress.

"The Empress arrives!" A sharp voice echoed from outside, making Dong Yunrou's face turn pale, while Xiao Hua felt no sense of danger at all, delighted to hear that the Empress had arrived.

"Is Noble Consort Dong inside?" the chief eunuch's voice called out.

"Put them on quickly!" Dong Yunrou ordered Xiao Hua in a low voice. Seeing Dong Yunrou's fierce expression, Xiao Hua quickly put on the clothes. What a tyrannical mistress.

Seeing no response, the people outside broke down the door and rushed in.

"You adulterous couple!" Huo Lianxin's voice cut off mid-sentence. Suddenly seeing the scene inside, she froze. A familiar-looking maid was standing next to Dong Yunrou, with absolutely no sign of any male lover.

"Yunrou pays respects to the Empress!" Dong Yunrou quickly stood up to bow to Wei Mingxi, and Xiao Hua also quickly knelt.

"What are you doing here?" Wei Mingxi's voice was as calm as water.

"Empress, they were engaging in a sordid affair." Huo Lianxin, unable to find a male lover, grew anxious. Dong Yunrou had been drugged with an aphrodisiac; it was impossible for there to be no lover. How could there only be a maid? No matter, she wouldn't let them off.

"They?" Wei Mingxi stared at the two of them in surprise. How could two women do such a thing? Wei Mingxi suddenly recalled that there had always been such rumors in the harem, but hearing about it and witnessing it were two entirely different things.

Rong Yuge frowned, finding tonight's show even more exciting than expected. A sordid affair between a maid and a Noble Consort was truly unheard of. How would her Imperial Mother handle this? Rong Yuge looked at Wei Mingxi. Clearly, this woman who always read holy books was deeply shocked right now. Thinking of this, Rong Yuge couldn't help but smirk, a hint of mischief in her smile.