[Brothers, don't you think this scene feels familiar?]

[Are you talking about… "Assassinating the Emperor"?]

[It does seem similar, but there are differences.]

[I don't think so. Although the atmosphere is oppressive, this isn't as lively as "Assassinating the Emperor." At least then there were beautiful women dancing, but this time…]

[Is this supposed to be a family banquet for the Empress Dowager's birthday? Why does everyone look like they're attending a funeral?]

Everyone in Lu Xiaoyao's livestream noticed the tense atmosphere. Not to mention Lu Xiaoyao herself, who felt the low pressure was comparable to attending court with Emperor Jing'an.

Standing at the front of the group of eunuchs and maids, Lu Xiaoyao watched the players' forced smiles at the so-called family banquet and wondered, "Why is everyone acting like this?"

Had she missed something recently?

Even Empress Dowager Leng Youyou, Lu Xiaoyao could see clearly, wore a kind smile, but she would often lower her head and purse her lips, betraying her true mood.

So, what were they all afraid of?

[I feel like something happened, but Lu Xiaoyao doesn't know about it.]

[Yes, yes, that makes sense!]

[Of course! My崽崽 (zǎi zǎi - term of endearment, "little one") is busy with the Emperor every day; how could she worry about the other players? The last time they were all together was days ago!]

[Huh, now that you mention it, I feel like my 崽崽 is being excluded. It's like all the players have secrets, and only my 崽崽 is clueless.]

[That's right. Didn't you see that my 崽崽 is planning to latch onto the Emperor this game? The others all want to climb the ranks. Why would they tell my 崽崽 anything?]

[Hmm, makes sense.]

Because Lu Xiaoyao had silently "exposed" her true identity, no one told her about the mysterious merchant's fondness for wandering around the Cold Palace when the weather was nice.

Leng Youyou didn't say anything.

Zhen Po, who was outside the palace, only found out today and couldn't inform Lu Xiaoyao.

Zhen Hu, who heard the news from Zhen Po, wasn't close to Lu Xiaoyao and didn't say anything either.

Yuan Fang, who learned from Bai Xiao that Lu Xiaoyao was suspicious and the Cold Palace was a point of concern, was planning to explore the Cold Palace with Bai Xiao tonight, so he definitely wouldn't tell Lu Xiaoyao.

And Julian, who intended to stay in the palace tonight to gather information, had also used his spies to investigate the Cold Palace and was planning to take action tonight.

He had no interaction with Lu Xiaoyao, so he wouldn't tell her anything either.

As a result, Lu Xiaoyao was the only one acting like a sleepwalker, completely unaware of what the "awake" people were doing.

[See? It's even more obvious now! These people are definitely doing something behind 崽崽's back! The way they're looking at each other could stage a play!]

[More than that! They've exchanged glances countless times, but no one looks at 崽崽!]

[But it would be weird to look at 崽崽. Everyone here has a title…]

[Hey~! What do you mean? Doesn't my 崽崽 have a title? Even a doorman in front of the Prime Minister's house is a seventh-rank official!]

Looking at the livestream, where everyone was acting like Sherlock Holmes and worrying about Lu Xiaoyao, Mingmei watched for a while before withdrawing her attention.

She stood on the soft cushion and looked out the window at the heavy rain, feeling complicated.

Tonight, the players had finally managed to stay in the palace, but… this heavy rain. Was Heaven working against her or against the players?

"Guigui, does my Cold Palace map really only activate at night? Can't it…"

[No, Host.]

Guigui interrupted Mingmei and said, [Host, you must believe in your appeal as a mysterious merchant. You must believe that even if the weather is bad, the players will still work hard to meet you!]

"But yesterday I said I would wander around the Cold Palace when the weather was nice."

Guigui: […]

Seeing Guigui's silence, Mingmei "optimistically" said, "Maybe they'll assume that I'll wander around inside the Cold Palace when the weather is bad?"

[Who gave you the confidence to think they're stupid enough to think that way?]

Mingmei: "…"

Mingmei was speechless by Guigui, while Mu Chen had been staring at the rain outside for a long time, feeling down.

He had promised to help Mingmei sell boxed lunches, but… his gaze occasionally fell on the few players below who were also worried about the rain, making him feel even worse.

Finally, Mu Chen apologized to the Empress Dowager and left, saying he had state affairs to attend to.

Lu Xiaoyao naturally followed. With Mu Chen gone, the others in attendance finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Leng Youyou looked in Zhen Po's direction again, but Zhen Po was smiling awkwardly at the princess consort beside him and didn't notice her. So, she reluctantly looked at the NPC princess consort beside Zhen Po.

Good, the NPC princess consort was useful at a critical moment.

"Your Highness, you've had too much to drink. Allow me to help you back to rest." Receiving the Empress Dowager's gaze, the Princess Consort of An was quick to understand.

As for going back to rest, leaving the palace was out of the question. All the princes were staying in the palace tonight.

Hearing the Princess Consort of An say that, Leng Youyou said that the banquet was almost over, that she was tired herself, and asked everyone to disperse.

Hearing her say that, the other players naturally left as well.

However, before leaving, they exchanged glances in secret, which made Julian, the only true bachelor present, feel a headache coming on.

Yuan Fang and the player playing the noble consort in the palace had secretly teamed up.

The Empress Dowager and Zhen Po were allied.

Although Zhen Hu didn't have a player alliance, the NPC beside him was very intelligent, and because Zhen Po didn't distrust Zhen Hu, he didn't hide some information from him. Zhen Hu couldn't be underestimated either.

Julian lowered his eyes, pretending to be drunk, and half-closed his eyes as a eunuch helped him walk to his residence.

Currently, the other players in the game all had backers or alliances. Should he find a backer or an alliance partner for himself?

Julian felt that the other players' attitude towards Lu Xiaoyao earlier tonight was strange.

The last time they gathered, he noticed that some players' attitudes towards Lu Xiaoyao were a little off. They were friendly on the surface, but their eyes were emotionless.

And Lu Xiaoyao didn't seem to be allied with anyone. She smiled at everyone, but like others treated her, she didn't seem to have a particularly close relationship with anyone.

Should he try to contact Lu Xiaoyao and win her over?

"Your Highness."

Drowned out by the sound of rain outside the corridor, only Julian could hear the voice of the eunuch holding an umbrella for him.

"Last night, the Empress Dowager went to the Cold Palace, and this morning she sent a message out. But tonight, with the rain…"

"Tonight, we will proceed as planned."

Julian opened his eyes and looked at the heavy rain, like a beaded curtain, and said in a low voice, "Have someone quietly prepare ginger tea."

"Yes."