After the cuju match ended, the sun had already settled in the west.

The eastern pavilion of the Palace were the current residences of the ministers. At the pavilion there was a courtyard which contained several side rooms, built quite modestly. Due to the abundance of jade green bamboos growing here, this courtyard was named Zhu Yuan (Bamboo Court)

When Ji Feng li returned to Zhu Yuan, the other ministers have yet to return. They had stayed behind to have a meal with the Emperor.

Seeing his return, the maidservants serving in Zhu Yuan hastily went to prepare the tea before placing it on the stone table in the bamboo forest.

"My Lord, what's happened to you? Should this servant bring over the medicine?" The two maidservants gazed anxiously at Ji Feng Li's bruised right cheek and asked in a panic.

With an unperturbed expression, Ji Feng Li waved his hand and the two maidservant silently withdrew.

Once the maidservants had left, Ji Feng Li took off his official headgear and raised his hand to touch the wounds on his face. His brows crinkled due to the pain and when he looked back at his hand it contained traces of blood.

In all his life, he had never experienced such a fight before. He felt that such a brawl was also quite fun. Staring at his hand, the corners of his lips would sometimes lift in a smile while his brows would sometimes furrow together. Ultimately he did know whether to laugh or cry.

Though he couldn't laugh, others were laughing whole heartedly.

A scholar dressed in a body of blue appeared from behind. His eyes were reduced to crescent moons as he was laughing in delight.

"The grand Left Chancellor fighting with a small eunuch is really …truly… amusing ah." He laughed while pointing at Ji Feng Li's face to say, "That little eunuch punched the number one gongzi's stunning face into a pig head, then pulled out the number one's gongzi hair, and now the number one gongzi has become…"

Having yet to finish his sentence, the man in blue was laughing while clutching his stomach.

"You're not allowed to laugh!" Ji Feng Li coldly glared at him, causing the scholar in blue to immediately close his mouth. But it was quite hard for him to contain his laughter as his face constantly reddened while his shoulders shook incessantly.

In fact, not only did Ji Feng Li's head and face hurt, but there was pain all over his body. Earlier, he did not dare to employ his internal force in fear that someone would notice but that eunuch was extremely ruthless, each of his punch and kick had left countless bruises on his body.

That eunuch was very clever and most likely knew that he was the one behind the scene orchestrating the 'evildoer bewitching master' commotion and thus would treat him like this.

"Chancellor, why do I feel like that eunuch is getting more interesting by the day, no wonder the Crown Prince likes him. If I also enjoyed Longyang, I fear I'd also be fond of him! Such a juvenile is quite rare, but to have a broken sleeve is quite the pity. Who would've thought he would employ such vixen moves. Fortunately he didn't use his mouth to attack you." The man in blue said while laughing and looking at Ji Feng Li.

Hearing this, the corners of Ji Feng Li's lips couldn't help but slightly rise. He then let out a long sigh and picked up the wine cup from the table and poured it straight down his throat.

"Zhang Yuan is getting more and more reckless!" Ji Feng Li placed the wine cup down and his complexion turned grim when he coldly spoke. At this moment, Ji Feng Li was emitting an imposing aura that could cause others to tremble in fear, not daring to act presumptuously.

The man in blue smiled and with a serious expression, said, "This subordinate shall advise him to know his place! If not for him, this cuju match wouldn't have become a fighting match and Chancellor wouldn't have been beaten to this point by a little eunuch."

Ji Feng Li's dark, unfathomable eyes rippled with a complex expression while his lips slightly raised in a callous smile.

****

When Hua Zhu Yu followed Huangfu Wu Shuang to Fan Yuan, the sun had already set behind the mountains. While Huangfu Wu Shuang took a bath, Jixiang went to wait on him. Looking down at her filthy attire, Hua Zhu Yu also felt uncomfortable as she knitted her brows.

When she was still at the Imperial Palace, she never went to bath together with the other eunuchs and could only wait for the cover of the night to slip away and go bath alone.

But leaving the palace this time, the number of attendants were only a handful so there wasn't a bathing s.p.a.ce separate for the servants to use. In the whole summer palace there was only one bathing area but Hua Zhu Yu could not go there. Therefore she waited till Huangfu Wu Shuang rested for the day before letting Jixiang know and stealthily snuck out of the palace to find a lake to bath.

Of course within this palace there were many ponds and lakes but she did not dare to bath there and can only sneak out of the palace, das.h.i.+ng along the back mountain roads.

Beneath the moonlight, the entire forest was a scene of silence without a sound. With the billowing gentle breeze came the fragrant scent of greeneries. Running along the mountain roads, she soon arrived at a forest of flowers. Blooming under the light of the moon, the flowers emitted a fragrant aroma, compelling one to feel as though they were lost within a dream.

Deep within this forest of flowers was a lake and beneath the radiance of the moon, it glistened like a clear mirror.