lady in the water

Madam Wang led the group of noble ladies, including the Empress herself, towards the secluded garden. Her steps were firm, her heart racing with anticipation of catching Jin Yue in a scandalous moment. The whispers of the other ladies followed her like a shadow, each of them eager to witness the spectacle.

But when they arrived, the garden was completely empty. The servant, who had claimed to see Jin Yue with a man, froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She looked around frantically, as if hoping that somehow Jin Yue and the mysterious man would reappear. When there was no one to be found, the servant dropped to her knees, her face pale and stricken with fear.

"M-Madam, I… I don't understand…" The servant stammered, her voice shaking. "I swear… I saw."

Madam Wang's expression darkened. Her plan was falling apart before her eyes, and the servant was failing her at the worst possible moment. "You dare lie to me?" Madam Wang hissed, trying to save face in front of the Empress and the other ladies.

The Empress, who had been silently observing, raised her hand, and the garden fell into silence. Her gaze swept over the kneeling servant with disdain. "A servant who falsely accuses a noble lady is a danger to the household and to the court's reputation."

She turned to the other servants without hesitation. "Take her away and behead her for framing the daughter of a noble family."

The servant's eyes widened in terror as two guards immediately stepped forward, grabbing her by the arms. She struggled, screaming and begging for forgiveness. "No! No, please! I swear, I wasn't lying! I saw them! I saw them! MADAME!PLEASE!SAVE ME!

Her cries grew fainter as she was dragged away, and the Empress turned back to Madam Wang, her expression cool. "It seems you need to train your servants better, Lady Wang. Such behavior reflects poorly on your household."

Madam Wang clenched her fists, forcing a tight smile. "Yes, Your Majesty…"

__

Meanwhile, beneath the surface of the pond, Jin Yue's lungs began to burn. She had held her breath as long as she could, but this was becoming too much. Her chest tightened painfully, and the water around her seemed to press in on her, making her head spin.

Murong Yezi, who had remained calm and unaffected by the lack of air, watched her struggle. His cultivation had made him resistant to such human limitations, and he could easily stay underwater without discomfort. But seeing Jin Yue's growing distress, her eyes fluttering as she began to lose consciousness, stirred something in him.

Without hesitation, he pulled her closer, his arm firm around her thin waist, steadying her in the water. His eyes, usually so cold and distant, softened as he brought his face closer to hers. Jin Yue's vision blurred, and just as she was on the verge of fainting, she felt a sudden warmth against her lips.

Murong Yezi kissed her! No..no...he was passing air to her, giving her the breath she so desperately needed. The water around them swirled, and in that intimate moment, Jin Yue's panic subsided, replaced by a new kind of tension. Her heart pounded, not from fear, but from the closeness of their bodies, the feeling of his lips on hers, and the way his arm held her as if she belonged there.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring into his dark, intense gaze. For a moment, the world around them disappeared. All that existed was the sensation of his warmth, the steady rhythm of his breath passing into hers, and the way his presence calmed her fears. She felt safe, despite the danger surrounding them.

Murong Yezi's kiss lingered, his touch firm but not forceful. He held her gaze underwater, his expression unreadable.

When Jin Yue regained enough strength, she gently pulled away, her breathing returning to normal. But the moment lingered between them, thick with unspoken words. She felt her cheeks flush from embarrassment, oh, don't look at her usually flirty...she just adopted the saying "if you are not embarrassed then others will be " relying on it. But this is too much for her maiden heart ~

Oh my first kiss ~

As jinyue was daydreaming,

The crowd prepared to leave, Just as the Empress turned to leave, accompanied by the noble ladies, the sound of desperate shouting filled the air. The servant who had been ordered to be beheaded had somehow broken free from her captors. Her hair was disheveled, her face pale with fear, but her voice carried across the garden as she ran toward the group.

"Please! Please, Your Majesty! I know where the lady is! I wasn't lying! I swear I saw her!"

The nobles stopped in their tracks, turning to look at the servant, who had thrown herself to the ground in front of them, begging for another chance. The guards reached for her, ready to drag her away once more, but the Empress raised her hand, her expression unreadable as she considered the servant's plea.

Madam Wang's heart leapt in her chest. Could it be that the servant had truly seen something? Her disappointment quickly transformed into renewed anticipation. "Speak," the Empress commanded coldly.

The servant's voice shook, but she pointed toward a more secluded area of the garden. "There! I swear, I saw the young miss with a man over there!"

The nobles exchanged curious glances, and Madam Wang's eyes gleamed. She had almost given up hope, but now, it seemed her plan might still succeed. Without waiting for permission, she hurried toward the direction the servant had pointed, pushing through the thick foliage that lined the path. The others followed close behind, eager to witness whatever scandal was about to unfold.

Madam Wang's hands trembled with anticipation as she reached the bushes that concealed the hidden part of the garden. She could see vague silhouettes through the leaves, the outlines of two figures. A triumphant smile began to creep across her lips as she imagined Jin Yue caught in a compromising position with a man, the perfect scene to ruin her reputation for good.

But as she pushed aside the leaves, her world came crashing down around her.

Alas, it was not Jin Yue who was there, but Linghua...her own daughter, drugged and in a disheveled state, her clothes askew as she weakly hugged the male servant. The servant had his hands on her, his intentions clear as he hovered over her, completely unaware of the approaching group.

The Madam's expression turned from triumph to utter horror, her face drained of color. Anger, humiliation, and distress all twisted within her, making her freeze on the spot. Her lips parted, but no sound came out at first. When she finally found her voice, it was thick with rage and shame.

"Hua'er!" she gasped, barely able to contain her fury.

The scene before them sent shockwaves through the group. The noble ladies began murmuring amongst themselves, their expressions a mixture of disgust and amusement at the scandal now unfolding before their eyes. Whispers of shame and disgrace rippled through the crowd like wildfire.

The male servant, realizing he had been caught, scrambled to his feet, fear overtaking him as he stumbled backward. Linghua, drugged and dazed, barely registered the crowd that had gathered, her head lolling to the side as she tried to focus.

Madam Wang rushed forward, her face livid with a mix of embarrassment and fury. She slapped the male servant hard across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground. "How dare you! You filthy wretch!" she screamed, her voice shaking with rage. But no amount of punishment toward the servant could erase the disgrace that had now tainted her family.

The Empress's expression grew cold and somber as she stepped forward, her voice sharp and unforgiving. "Disgraceful! Is this how the Lin family teaches their daughters? Allowing them to be found in such a shameful state in the palace grounds?"

Her words cut through the air like a blade, and the murmurs of the other noblewomen grew louder. Some tried to hide their smirks, while others whispered behind their fans, eager to spread the news of this scandal throughout the court.

Madam Wang dropped to her knees in front of the Empress, her head bowed in shame, her voice trembling as she tried to salvage what little dignity remained. "Your Majesty, please! This… this is not what it seems! My daughter, she is not in her right mind....she was drugged! She is the victim here!"

But the Empress was unmoved. Her gaze swept over Linghua, still half-conscious on the ground, and the male servant who was cowering in fear. "The victim? This is a disgrace to your household, regardless of who is to blame. A noble daughter of the Lin family, found in such a state, reflects poorly on your entire lineage."

Madam Wang's heart sank further as the Empress turned away, her voice filled with disdain. "This behavior will not be tolerated. The Lin family must answer for this humiliation."

The weight of the Empress's judgment hung in the air like a storm cloud, and Madam Wang could only watch in horror as her carefully constructed plans unraveled before her eyes. Linghua, her eldest daughter, who was supposed to bring honor to the family, had now become the very source of their shame.

The noblewomen continued to murmur among themselves, their voices rising with gossip and judgment.