Ning Yi took off his outer robe but there was still another robe inside. With a smile, he took her hand and without another word, started racing through the palace with her. He is the minister on duty tonight so he knew the arrangements of the palace guards and was able to easily dodge all the guard posts with her. 

By this time, the moon is in the middle of the sky, and the fragrance of the flowers on this spring night is as strong as wine. The two of them raced hand in hand against the wind, their long hair and robes fluttering and tangling together. 

While running, Ning Yi tilted his head slightly to look at the woman beside him. There was a sparkle in his eyes, to have her by his side in the moonlight, the wind washed over him soothing the slight ache of his heart. He doesn’t feel the pain of the injury but just a wonderful joy and a hint of bewilderment. Joy because he could actually have the opportunity to hold her hand and sprint in a palace that has always been the epitome of constraint, even if the journey is super short. The bewilderment came from how difficult it was to bring about this short journey yet even with her in his palm, he still can’t hold onto her, like this wind. 

However, in the next instant, he turned his head away to look at the far distant mountains and seas… nothing in this land is not under the control of the throne, as long as I gain control of this world, then even if you are the wind, then you can only be the free-spirited wind over my mountains and my rivers. 

He smiled faintly, and whispered, “We are here.” 

This is one of the large kitchens of the outer court, specializing in providing night snacks for the guards. The night snacks have just been delivered and the kitchen is already closed with the fire extinguished. The two of them went in, and without ceremony, headed straight to the food cupboards. One searched the top cupboard and one searched the lower cupboard. After a bit, Ning Yi tossed a paper-wrapped package down and laughed, “Rose pine nut cake!”

At the same time, Feng Zhi Wei also tossed up a paper package with a smile, “Ai Cao cakes!” (Ai Cao is a sort of herbal plant I think) 

The two paper packages crossed in the air, they each caught a package and exchanged a smile. 

The two high-status individuals sat side by side on the kitchen floor and munched on the pastries, like a pair of big mice. Feng Zhi Wei stuffed her mouth full of the pastries and asked through her puffy cheeks “How do you know…I like rose…uh…cakes…”

Ning Yi reached out and wiped a pine nut from the corner of her lips with his finger. He smiled but doesn’t answer her question, thinking inwardly how could he possibly not know what she likes to eat? Seeing her munching away happily, the corner of her lips curled up in a bright smile with a bit of crumb dangling in her dimple, he suddenly smiled and leaned over to lick it with the tip of his tongue. 

Feng Zhi Wei let out an “ah” and then began to cough, her face flushed bright red– she choked on her pastry.

Ning Yi promptly patted her back and laughed, “Don’t be the first person to choke to death on a pine nut cake.”

Feng Zhi Wei rolled her eyes at him, scooted further away from him but then heard him ask offhandedly “How did you know I like “Ai Cao cakes?”

Feng Zhi Wei’s hand paused. 

She…doesn’t know that he likes Ai Cao cakes. 

She also likes Ai Cao cakes, that’s all. 

Turning her eyes, she saw a certain someone’s usual smile of indifference suddenly become brighter with a hint of joy. She suddenly was reminded of that lonely person who had knelt in front of that abandoned palace courtyard in the rainstorm. He now enjoys great prestige and glory, but in this life, who really truly carries his likes, joy, anger, sadness, and hate in their heart? Perhaps there was but it was long lost in the silence of this deep lonely palace, by the time he knew, it was already too late. 

And in his life, he has hidden himself every single moment, not daring to even allow others to know easily of his likes. 

As for her, she had always avoided him and even been wary of him. She has never truly inquired about his likes. 

Her heart was suddenly flooded with an aching pain, she lowered her eyes. 

Ning Yi immediately understood after he waited and never got an answer from her. He laughed in self-derision and said, “Actually, I don’t like it that much.” 

Feng Zhi Wei slowly finished her pastry, smiled, and said, “I met Ning Cheng the year before last, and saw him go to Deji Bakery on West Street to buy freshly baked Ai Cao cakes. He said that bakery made the best Ai Cao cakes.”

Her answer was vague but his eyes lit up. 

After a long time, he gently stroked her hair and said with a smile, “No.”

Feng Zhi Wei looked at him questioningly. 

Ning Yi looked deeply into her eyes. 

“The Ai Cao cakes I ate tonight, are the best I’ve had in this life.” 

———————————————–

Ning Yi didn’t follow her anymore after they left the kitchen but did return Gu Nan Yi’s jade sword to her, along with all the pine nut cakes and Ai Cao cakes he found in the kitchen. Feng Zhi Wei watched as he added the Ai Cao cakes to the package he packed for her, knowing that her white lie didn’t fool him in the end. Beset by a rare feeling of guilt, Feng Zhi Wei remained silent. 

Heading back with the pastries in her arms, Feng Zhi Wei went to Gu Nan Yi’s place first. Looking through the window, she could see that he was indeed at a critical juncture of his self-healing so she decided to go back to her room first without disturbing him. As she walked, she decided that she will do whatever it takes tomorrow to get the emperor to send herself and Gu Nan Yi out of the palace. She will surely be made the chief examiner for the spring exam so this will be a good opportunity to get some payback from some people. 

 As soon as she entered her courtyard, she went straight in with many thoughts still whirling around in her mind. All the guards have been transferred elsewhere so there was no one patrolling around. Feng Zhi Wei walked to the door and was about to push it open when she suddenly stopped. 

She stared at the door, her eyes narrowing slightly. 

The door was slightly ajar, a thin breeze fluttering through the crack in the door. 

When she left, she closed the door and placed a red thread at the bottom so it would be obvious if someone had entered the room while she was gone. It is apparent that someone had been here.

Feng Zhi Wei stood and thought for a moment before slowly pushing the door open. 

The heavy door let out a creaking sound as it was pushed open, bringing in the pale moonlight to the ground. 

There was no surprise attack or sound, nothing at all, just shadows in the darkness like a beast waiting to pounce in the night. 

There was a faint fragrance that was luxurious. Feng Zhi Wei sniffed carefully and recognized that it was the fragrance from the face powder that is commonly used by high-ranking palace family members. 

A look of surprise flashed across her face– could Concubine Qing really be so brazen as to come search her place? As a concubine of the inner palace, is she not worried about ending up in trouble if she acts recklessly like this? 

However, after sniffing it again carefully, she could tell the fragrance was different from Concubine Qing’s more seductive scent. 

She stepped in cautiously. There was no movement in the room but she could see through the bead curtain that there is someone on the bed. 

The silhouette line of the body was exquisite and curvaceous. It seemed to be a woman who is sleeping. 

Feng Zhi Wei frowned. 

Seemingly hearing her movement as well, the person on the bed weakly propped herself up and stretched out an arm as white as snow, and said with a smile, “You silly man…you said you were just going out to relieve yourself, why did you take so long to come back?” 

The moonlight shone on her face. 

Behind the room divider screen, she is completely naked. 

Feng Zhi Wei’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach in that instant. 

Crap! 

The woman on the bed is Princess Shao Ning!

The satiated expression on her face, the alluring glance of her eyes, and the way she sat up that caused the sheets to slip down, revealing her jade-like soft swells of her breasts. It is obvious, she is not wearing anything underneath the sheets. She did not try to hide but instead looked over with a shy and joyful smile, the expression in her eyes was as sweet as the sweetest syrup. 

Only in front of a lover with whom she has enjoyed physical pleasure would a woman be this brazen concerning her nakedness. 

Looking over at her slightly disordered hair, and the slight dampness by her brows, Feng Zhi Wei, as one who had read all the books including the complete collection on the pleasures between men and women, could immediately tell that Shao Ning had just lost her virginity. 

Lost her virginity, in her room, on her bed!

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