Chapter Five: A Banquet Amidst the Palace, Where Danger and Intrigue Intertwine

"A banquet in the palace?" My heart skipped a beat; this was certainly not a good omen.

On the surface, the palace banquet was filled with singing, dancing, and flowing wine, but in reality, it was a place of treacherous undercurrents where people were killed without a drop of blood being shed. It was essentially a live, high-stakes broadcast of palace intrigue!

Subconsciously, I reached into my sleeve to touch the small gold ingot hidden there, my palm slick with sweat. No, I had to be on my absolute guard; this was a perilous killing field.

Upon arriving at the banquet hall, my goodness, the opulence was staggering! It was so resplendent and magnificent it nearly blinded me. As I went about my duties, I kept my eyes peeled and my ears sharp, terrified that one wrong move would turn me into cannon fodder.

"Well, if it isn't our dear Head Maid Lu!" A sarcastic voice drifted over. I didn't even need to look to know it was Noble Lady Zhou, that little green tea. She swayed her serpentine waist over to me, her face full of malicious glee. "What’s the matter? Still counting floor tiles to earn your keep?"

I retorted with a stiff, insincere smile, "Noble Lady Zhou, you jest. How could I dare compare myself to you? You are delicate and precious, a golden branch with jade leaves; a coarse person like me can only handle menial labor." Inside, however, I rolled my eyes. *Hmph, you little amateur, you’re still too green to play games with me.*

Stung by my words, Noble Lady Zhou’s face flickered between shades of blue and white. She glared at me fiercely before spinning around and scurrying over to Noble Consort Xiao, whispering something in her ear. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the Noble Consort glancing my way. Her gaze, oh my, it was like venom—she looked as if she wanted to swallow me whole.

*Oh no! A killing intent!*

I keenly sensed the aura of danger. Sure enough, I saw one of Noble Consort Xiao’s maids sneakily spill some wine on the path ahead of me. They wanted to make me slip and humiliate myself!

*Childish tricks!*

I pretended not to notice, walked over to a potted plant, and acted as if I were busily tidying the branches. Then, with an elegant flourish, I stepped around the puddle of wine and continued with my work.

Seeing their scheme fail, both Noble Consort Xiao and Noble Lady Zhou looked sour. The Noble Consort gritted her teeth and beckoned me over with a flick of her finger. "Lu Wan'er, come here. Take this cup of wine to the Emperor."

My heart sank in an instant. I took a deep breath, plastered an innocent, harmless smile on my face, and glided toward the Emperor. *Noble Consort Xiao, you’re still too naive to play with me! I’ve seen it all and been through it all! Back in the day—*

*Ahem, I digress.*

I took the "poisoned wine," my mind racing to find a way out. There was no telling what kind of concoction was in that cup; if I actually let the Emperor drink it, I’d be reporting to the King of Hell by tomorrow. Just as I was burning with anxiety, Auntie Lin approached me nonchalantly and whispered, "Give the wine to Little Shunzi."

I understood immediately! Little Shunzi was the young eunuch responsible for tasting the Emperor's wine—this was my lifeline! I handed the wine to him without a trace of suspicion, giving him a "thoughtful" smile. Flattered by the attention, Little Shunzi downed the wine in one go.

The next second, Little Shunzi hit the floor with a thud, completely unconscious. My goodness, that wine really had a kick!

The Emperor’s face darkened, his royal temper flaring: "What is the meaning of this!"

The entire banquet hall fell into a deathly, pin-drop silence. Noble Consort Xiao and Noble Lady Zhou were deathly pale, not daring to even breathe. I felt a surge of secret satisfaction, though I put on a mask of terror, trembling violently.

The Emperor’s sharp gaze swept over the crowd before landing on me. "Lu Wan'er, what is the meaning of this wine?"

I immediately knelt, feigning utter panic. "Your Majesty... I... I do not know! This wine was given to me by Noble Consort Xiao..." I paused deliberately, casting a furtive glance at the Noble Consort, whose face was now ashen with rage, looking as if she wanted to hack me to pieces.

"Continue," the Emperor said coldly, scaring me so much I nearly forgot the lines I’d just improvised.

I hurriedly added, "After I had Little Shunzi taste the wine, he... he just ended up like this..." I wiped away a non-existent tear, my acting skills reaching a fever pitch.

The Emperor pondered for a moment, his gaze shifting back and forth between me and the Noble Consort. Finally, he waved his hand. "Guards, take Little Shunzi away and find out exactly what is in this wine!"

Then, he did something entirely unexpected... He actually rewarded me with jewelry and assigned me to organize books in the Imperial Study!

*My goodness!* Had I turned a disaster into a blessing? The Imperial Study! That was a treasure trove! Who knows what kind of riches I might find there?

Suppressing my inner ecstasy, I thanked him for his grace and followed the eunuch to the Imperial Study. Once inside, I began organizing the books while keeping my eyes and ears open for any signs of hidden treasure. Suddenly, I noticed what appeared to be a secret compartment behind an ancient tome...

I held my breath, my heart racing...