Upon learning that Cao Wenbin was coming, Pei Luoxue dismissed all the palace maids from her residence. Only then did they dare to indulge in such wanton behavior. Eventually, their playful interlude turned into a foot massage session.
What they didn't realize, however, was that their every move was being watched by two onlookers, Wu Qingmeng and Dieke, concealed in the shadows. This young couple had been meeting in a secluded garden not far from the palace. But, for reasons unknown, the garden suddenly became swarmed with palace maids. Left with no choice, they shifted their rendezvous inside the palace.
At first, everything seemed idyllic; the two basked in each other's affection, completely undisturbed. But their peace was short-lived. The moment Cao Wenbin appeared, everything changed.
"How could Mother do something like this? Father treats her so well—how could she betray him so shamelessly?" Wu Qingmeng's face turned pale with anger and embarrassment. To witness her mother act so disgracefully in front of her beloved—this was nothing short of a humiliation.
"I'll capture this on a memory stone and report it to Father!" she whispered, starting to rise, only for Dieke to pull her back.
It wasn't fear of being discovered. After all, a fine mist surrounded them both, emanating from a gourd that shielded them from all sound and aura detection. With this fog, Dieke had long been free to move in and out of the palace unnoticed.
"Qingmeng, don't be impulsive," he cautioned, his voice low. "This is not something we can allow to spread."
Dieke, in truth, loathed Cao Wenbin deeply, yet he knew this matter was far beyond their ability to intervene. To act rashly would be to court death. Should the Heavenly Wu Emperor see the memory stone, his first instinct would not be to blame Cao Wenbin, but to silence them instead.
"Why are you stopping me?" Wu Qingmeng demanded, frustration clear in her gaze.
Dieke patted her head gently, giving a wry smile as he explained, though he kept the harsh truth from her. "I'm only trying to save your family. Just think—if your father saw this, your mother would be thrown into a pig basket. As for you and your brother…" Here, he drew a finger across his throat.
Without a doubt, Wu Qingmeng's face turned as pale as winter snow. Yet, the way she looked at Dieke softened, gratitude evident in her eyes. How thoughtful he was, always concerned for her well-being.
"But we can't just ignore it," she muttered, frowning. "Mother may not have given herself to him yet, but judging by their behavior, that step can't be far off!"
At these words, jealousy flickered across Dieke's gaze. He envied Cao Wenbin deeply.
"First the ancestor Die Yunyue, and now the Empress Pei Luoxue—damn it, why isn't it me who enjoys such privileges?" he thought bitterly. "What does Cao Wenbin have that I lack?"
Yet he dared not voice his thoughts. For now, Wu Qingmeng was his only source of support.
"Don't worry," he reassured her with calm confidence. "There's an easy way to handle this. In three days, the relic site will open, and Cao Wenbin is sure to attend. All we need to do is eliminate him within the mystic realm. That will solve everything."
Wu Qingmeng's eyes sparkled with renewed determination. Indeed, if the lover were killed, her mother would be unable to stray. As for finding another, such men were few and far between—not everyone would dare lie with the Empress.
"Excellent, that's what we'll do! Tomorrow, I'll go to the Royal Treasury and procure as many treasures as I can. By the time we enter the mystic realm, I want us both to be armed to the teeth."