Meanwhile back at the palace.

"What do you mean I should stay out of it?" Chen You barked.

Chun Hua knit her brows and flatly said, "You could get caught in the aftermath."

"Why? It's not like I'm the one who made her do that." Chen You replied with a frown. An opportunity had finally arrived, just when she thought her day was going badly, Lei Xing went and did this.

Chen You could not help snickering as she thought of it, "I knew she would dig her own grave, but I honestly never expected her to be this stupid..."

When Chun Hua and the two maids who had happened upon this scene reported to her, Chen You burst out laughing. It had been so long since there was something that made her this happy. Although she was a little annoyed with Chun Hua's incompetence for not following after Lei Xing and Prince Yi and chastised her for it. But it was still better than what she intended, which was to spread that Lei Xing was so enamored with Prince Yi that she forgot about the Emperor.

Chen You's plan for tonight was simple, she just wanted to toss a few more logs into the little flame she started. Even though the Emperor's grand actions stifled the rumors and even though he still pampered her as if nothing happened, the seeds of doubt have been planted. Therefore, with a little more fuel that little fire could burn down the whole forest.

Chen You also believed that the Emperor only did that grand gesture to save the Lei family's face and him spending time with Lei Xing was also for the Lei family and Lei Yong. Her family was what gave Lei Xing the leverage. And so, she understood that the Emperor could not ignore his best friend's sister for another woman, it would strain and possibly ruin their friendship and strong ties.?But now look what Lei Xing did, all on her own.

There was still a line even the best of friendsh.i.p.s could not save her from and she just crossed it. But despite her dislike for Lei Xing, Chen You really did not expect her to be stupid enough to turn the rumors into a reality. But that all meant nothing to Chen You, she did not care for the how or why of it. All that mattered was that it happened.?And to top it all off, Lei Xing had still not returned to the palace.

{...It seems she's still busy with her Princely lover hahaha...How foolish! Hahahahaha...}

This was a golden opportunity for her to get rid of that thorn in her side, but now Chun Hua was telling her this nonsense.

"There is no way I can let this go. I'm going to go inform the Emperor right now." Chen You said as she haughtily got up with a smile, but Chun Hua stepped in front of her.

"If the Emperor really likes her as much as it seems, he will be really angry with her having an affair. And you don't want to be the face that reminds him of said affair...Instead, send those maids to go tell that Zhao Lan so she exposes it and you stay in the safe zone. You're already ahead as someone related to the Lei family...What's worse is that she's your cousin, you pulling her down to climb up may not be received well..."

Chen You frowned, "Why would I be in trouble for her stupidity? If anything I should be praised for revealing her evil side despite being relatives. Why should I let someone else get the credit for this? He will be grateful to me for saving him from further disgrace and in that line spare the Lei family on my account. That way, my family would have repaid that stupid debt and I no longer have to bend my head down to her like a servant. This is my opportunity..." Chen You finished and shoved Chun Hua out of her way and stormed out of the room with the intention to go to the Emperor's palace.

Chun Hua frowned deeply and then sighed in irritation and followed. They arrived at the Emperor's palace and were blocked by the servants who informed that the Emperor does not want to see anyone right now.

Chen You was at first annoyed but then she broke into a happy smile after thinking it through. She reasoned that the Emperor must have done this because he was angry with Lei Xing treating him lightly.

{...Oh, he already doesn't want to see your face with just this...By tomorrow you might really end up dead but don't worry I'll be sure to beg for mercy on your behalf hahahaha...}

Chen You happily turned to leave and decided to go inform the Empress dowager instead, but Chun Hua got in her way again, "Seriously think this through again. It could go well or it could go very badly...It's not worth the risk. There are othe -"

"That's enough of that nonsense!" Chen You barked and then continued on her way.

Then she suddenly stopped and went, "Don't you think it will be worse in the morning? She stayed out all night and was last seeing frolicking with another man. The palace gates are already closed so she can't come back anyway...Telling in the morning will have a much better effect, right?" Chen You finished with a chuckle towards Chun Hua, who was not sharing in her amus.e.m.e.nt. With that thought in mind, Chen You happily returned to her palace with a bounce in her step.

Chen You could not sleep and just sat in her palace giggling in anticipation while Chun Hua and the two maids who witnessed Lei Xing's affair stood by her side. She knew the Empress dowager was going out early in the morning and so planned to run to her palace at first light. Even on the slim chance that the Emperor wanted to bury it, the Empress dowager definitely would not let it go...And Chen You would definitely not miss this opportunity.

After a while of frowning at the giddy and oblivious Chen You, Chun Hua left the room with a worried frown on her face. She went to her room and paced about for a long while, deep in thought.

{...I worked so hard and now this fool is going to ruin everything. Why can't she be patient?!... This won't do. She is really too stupid for my liking, an idiot!... I need a contingency plan...}

She considered going to inform Zhao Lan herself, but then she would need to testify because Chen You will definitely not release those two maids to anyone. Not to mention, she would lose Chen You's trust. And if things go end up going right for Chen You, then she would be in trouble plus all her hard work would have been for nothing. A great opportunity would have been lost.

Zhao Lan might also be more difficult to handle than Chen You.?Moreover, she did not want to directly get involved in this matter. After pacing for a while, she suddenly thought up an idea and quietly exited Chen You's palace to quickly to go arrange things before it was too late.

***

As the much anticipated dawn of the new day arrived with the sun bright and golden rising in the east. The eager souls readied themselves for action.

The Empress dowager woke to prepare for her journey to reconnection.

Chen You bounced towards the Empress dowager's palace to begin the journey to Lei Xing's fall, with Chun Hua begrudgingly following along.

As the sunlight filtered into the room, with the light scent of peach blossoms filling her nostrils, Lei Xing came to from an eerie dream of two children arguing in a temple surrounded by peach blossoms, featuring another stupid bracelet one could not simply remove.

She lightly groaned and tightly knit her brows?as she felt her achy and sore body.?She could feel someone wrapped around her from behind but that was not unusual in her life recently. The mornings when the Emperor did not have court she usually woke up in his arms...Except that today was not a free day, but her groggy and tired mind was too absent to know that.

It was only when she slightly opened her eyes and blinked a few times that she realized something was very wrong here. First, she was in a foreign room with a few pieces of clothing littering the floor.

And second and more shocking was the scene of her kissing Prince Yi which flashed through in her mind. Her eyes went wide and she froze.

She gulped and then slowly turned her head to look behind her and immediately let out a sigh of relief when she saw the Emperor's face. She closed her eyes and rubbed her achy head as she calmed down.

{...So was that a dream? Why the hell would I be dreami- No, it wasn't a FREAKING dream you idiot! Some asshole drugged me and I - ARRGHH F**k!... But then how the hell did this guy get here and whe- Oh, oh-oh-oh I did -...Oh...Oh, I did wha- oh, oh we...O_O)...}

Lei Xing went rigid and reddened as bits and pieces of the steamy scene from the night flashed through her mind. She laid there red and blinking for a bit and then slowly moved the Emperor's arms off her and sat up. She turned and blinked at him for a bit and then bit her lip and frowned. She got up on her shaky legs, steadied herself and then quietly made her way out. She needed some air and space.

After walking for a bit, she sat on some steps and held her head with a frown as the memory of her stripping and jumping the seemingly unwilling Emperor crashed into her mind.

{...Could that the considered r.a.p.e? No, no it's not...He was willing, right? Yeah, yeah he was. He told me to let him know and that -... And if he didn't want to, he could have hurled me clear across the room...or tied me up or done something else quite easily...At most, it's seduction....-_-)...Seduction, Arrrghhh! I never thought I would say that about myself! Someone needs to die for this. how dare they turn me into a - a What the hell do you even call that?! A succubus?! I don't think s- I don't care! T_T)...

...Okay, let's forget this guy for one moment. More importantly what about the other guy?! SHIT! I hope no one saw T_T)...Of course, someone saw! Who would go through the trouble of doing that and not see it unfold? I wouldn't! They'd have to be stupid not to! I am so screwed!...}

Lei Xing buried her head in her laps and groaned in lamentation. She could not believe she was stupid enough to have fallen into one of those stupid schemes.

{...But at least the Emperor is here and was the one - SHUT UP! >_

Lei Xing groaned even louder, she could not believe she acted the way she did last night, like some desperate fool.

She suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder and jumped backward only for her to see a smiling Doctor Lou squatting beside her. She went wide-eyed in surprise and her mouth hung open.

Doctor Lou's chuckled and then said, "You don't have to say it, I know you missed me."

Lei Xing's lips twitched as she blinked at the smiling old man.

{...Missed?...Missed? O_O)...╬?_?)...ノ?益?)ノ彡┻━┻...}