Incompetent Boss

At the third quarter of the Chou hour, all was dead silent.

Half the lanterns in the Crown Princess's palace had been extinguished, leaving only a few night lamps under the corridor swaying in the wind, casting dim yellow halos.

A figure passed through the palace pathways like a ghost.

Gu Chengyin followed the familiar route and arrived at the sleeping quarters once again.

The door was slightly ajar; he did not immediately push it open to enter.

Instead, he stopped in the shadows thirty feet outside the door and slowly spread out his perception.

He began a meticulous, inch-by-inch scan.

He was comparing, comparing the situation tonight with that of that night.

When he hypnotized Luo Zhao that night, his perception had also covered the entire sleeping quarters, confirming there were no anomalies before he made his move.

Now, he needed to make the exact same confirmation again.

Time ticked by, minute by second.

Gu Chengyin opened his eyes, his brows slightly furrowed.

The results fed back from his perception were exactly the same as that night.

Other than Luo Zhao and Shangguan Yunying.

There were no spiritual energy fluctuations, no abnormal auras, and no signs of any living creatures.

Once again, Gu Chengyin failed to find the World-weary Loli.

"Either she is reading in the Wanxiang Pavilion."

Gu Chengyin muttered in his heart:

"Or, she is watching me from some corner."

If Gu Xiaoli was really in the sleeping quarters, yet his perception couldn't detect her at all.

What did that mean?

It meant that the entire hypnosis process that night had taken place under the gaze of the World-weary Loli.

Gu Chengyin slowly exhaled a breath of white air, which condensed into a thin mist in the cold night air.

He did not panic in the slightest; instead, he smiled calmly.

Ever since he guessed it was Gu Xiaoli, Gu Chengyin actually felt relieved.

He was no longer worried about her leaking the secret, because the World-weary Loli had sworn a toxic oath to him.

And a toxic oath was carved into one's Dao heart, so even if Gu Xiaoli saw everything.

She couldn't tell anyone, including Emperor Luo.

Otherwise.

Her Dao heart would inevitably collapse.

As for other trivial matters, Gu Chengyin didn't think much of them.

Gu Xiaoli's essence, in fact, was the core team that Emperor Luo had cultivated for Luo Zhao.

The object of her loyalty from beginning to end was Luo Zhao, a fact Gu Chengyin knew perfectly well.

But just like how Shangguan Yunying could draw her sword against the man Luo Zhao hated the most.

Yet also be pressed against the wall and passionately kissed by the person she liked the most.

The World-weary Loli was the same.

Work was work, and life was life.

The two did not conflict; on the contrary, it made perfect sense.

Pushing open the palace doors, Gu Chengyin entered silently and walked inward.

As he reached the bead curtain, a scarlet figure emerged from the inner chamber.

Shangguan Yunying.

She had obviously been waiting for a long time. Seeing Gu Chengyin, she nodded slightly, her voice kept extremely low:

"Her Highness has already gone to sleep."

Gu Chengyin nodded, lightening his footsteps even more. He lifted the bead curtain and stepped into the inner chamber.

Shangguan Yunying followed closely behind.

The inner chamber was darker than the outer hall. Only a tiny night lamp was lit on the nearby dressing table, its pea-sized flame dancing inside the glass cover, barely illuminating the outline of the bed.

Luo Zhao was lying on the bed.

The brocade quilt covered her chest, her hands were folded in front of her, and her dark hair scattered across the pillow like a waterfall.

Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was even and long, clearly indicating she had entered a deep sleep.

It was exactly the same as that night.

Gu Chengyin stood before the bed, quietly looking at Luo Zhao's sleeping face.

Very beautiful.

But Gu Chengyin's gaze only lingered for three breaths.

Then he turned and walked toward the corner of the sleeping quarters.

This action stunned Shangguan Yunying.

She watched Gu Chengyin's movements in confusion.

First, he walked to the wardrobe, reached out to feel the gaps in the doors, and then bent down to look under it.

Next, he walked to the dressing table and carefully inspected the hidden compartments underneath.

Then he turned to the bookshelf, pulling out books one by one and putting them back, as if confirming something.

Finally, he went behind the folding screen, where the bathtub and washing utensils were kept. He even bent over to check the inside of the bathtub.

Throughout the entire process, Gu Chengyin's movements were very light but extremely meticulous.

As if he was looking for something.

When Gu Chengyin finished checking all the corners and walked back to the bedside, Shangguan Yunying finally asked in a low voice:

"What's wrong?"

Gu Chengyin's expression was very calm, even carrying a hint of a smile:

"Looking for a naughty kitten."

A kitten?

This metaphor made Shangguan Yunying even more confused.

"A kitten? Why would there be a cat in the sleeping quarters? Her Highness never keeps such pets."

Gu Chengyin smiled but did not explain.

His gaze swept across every corner of the sleeping quarters once more, his eyes as sharp as a hunter's.

"Maybe I'm just overthinking it."

"Weren't you going to confirm Her Highness's condition?"

Shangguan Yunying asked again:

"Her Highness is right here, hurry up and confirm it."

These words reminded Gu Chengyin.

He nodded and once again cast his gaze toward Luo Zhao on the bed.

But his next action left Shangguan Yunying completely dumbfounded.

Gu Chengyin did not, as Shangguan Yunying expected, check Luo Zhao's pulse, breathing, or use some secret art to detect her hypnotic state.

Instead... he suddenly took a step forward and embraced her.

This action came too suddenly; Shangguan Yunying was completely unprepared.

She instinctively wanted to resist, pressing her hands against Gu Chengyin's chest to push him away.

But Gu Chengyin's arms were very strong, firmly locking her entire body in his embrace.

"What are you doing?!"

Shangguan Yunying lowered her voice, her tone filled with shame, anger, and panic:

"Her Highness is still here! Are you crazy?!"

She didn't dare speak loudly, afraid of waking Luo Zhao on the bed.

Although she knew Luo Zhao was actually awake and just pretending to sleep.

But precisely because of this, she was even more panicked.

Being held by Gu Chengyin like this right in front of Her Highness...

What was this?

Gu Chengyin, however, lowered his head and chuckled softly by her ear:

"This is exactly how I confirm it."

"Confirm what... Mmph!"

Her words were cut off.

Because Gu Chengyin's kiss had already landed.

Shangguan Yunying's mind instantly went blank.

She wanted to struggle, but her body once again betrayed her will.

Her resistance gradually weakened once more.

Her hands went from pressing against his chest to tightly gripping his lapels.

Her body went from stiff resistance to soft submission.

Her breathing once again merged into his rhythm.

And all of this was happening...

Right in front of Luo Zhao's bed.

At this moment, on the bed.

Luo Zhao kept her eyes closed, maintaining her even breathing, pretending to be in a deep sleep.

But she was actually completely awake.

From the moment Gu Chengyin stepped into the sleeping quarters, she knew.

She heard his whispers with Shangguan Yunying, heard the faint sounds of him inspecting everywhere in the room...

She was waiting.

Waiting for Gu Chengyin to come and confirm her hypnotic state.

However...

What she waited for was not an inspection, not spellcasting, nor any related actions.

But rather a burst of strange noises.

The rustling sound of clothes rubbing together.

Suppressed, muffled groans.

Rapid breathing.

Luo Zhao's brows furrowed slightly in the darkness.

What was going on?

What were Gu Chengyin and Shangguan Yunying doing?

Her curiosity was piqued, but she forcefully suppressed it. She couldn't open her eyes, couldn't expose herself; she had to keep pretending to sleep.

However, the subsequent noises made it impossible for her to suppress it any longer.

She felt the bed sink slightly.

It was as if... someone had sat down on it?

No, not just sat down.

Was it two people?

Luo Zhao hesitated for a moment. Finally, unable to hold back her curiosity, she opened her eyes to a tiny slit.

By the moonlight filtering in through the window, and the faint light of the night lamp on the dressing table...

She witnessed a scene she would never forget for as long as she lived.

Gu Chengyin had Shangguan Yunying completely wrapped in his embrace, and the two of them...

Were locked in a passionate kiss!?

The sheer impact of this sight was overwhelming.

So overwhelming that Luo Zhao's brain practically short-circuited.

The man she loathed the most and her chief lady-in-waiting were kissing?!

And inside her own bedchamber, no less?!

On her very bed?!

Right beside her?!