The Empress's hand was icy cold, sending chills down Li Chengzhen's spine as if gripped by a venomous snake. Suppressing his inner revulsion, he forced a smile and said, "This child understands."
Li Chengzhen spent nearly half an hour in Kunning Palace, enduring the Empress's endless nagging before finally managing to escape.
He hurried out of Kunning Palace and stood on the dark palace pathway, breathing deeply like a fish freed from a suffocating net. The cold night wind tousled his hair as a palace maid behind him cautiously asked, "Your Highness, shall we return to your palace?"
The chirping of crickets echoed from the corners of the palace walls. Li Chengzhen closed his eyes briefly and replied, "Return. And summon those young eunuchs."
The maid hesitated, her expression uneasy. "Your Highness, if the Emperor and Empress find out... they will surely be furious—ah—"
