Bai Yue was in the midst of writing down a list of what still needed to be done before her departure when Liu'er came running inside the study.
"Young miss! Young Miss! Madam came back without miss Bai!" Liu'er hurried to report before Bai Yue could even think of opening her mouth. "Something big happened! Madam is furious. I heard she has already whipped five servants and destroyed her room."
Bai Yue's hand went slack and the writing brush fell. It landed on the desk with a thud, black ink splashing her sleeve and the sheet of paper she had been writing on. "What did you say?" she asked, unable to process what she was hearing. "Bai Li An didn't come back?"
Liu'er related the news about Bai Li An falling into the pond and then getting intimate with the Emperor. They hadn't been discreet. Many servants outside the Orchids Palace had heard the two of them enjoying themselves and rumors had spread fast.
