Chapter 151: Nothing Else
After a brief moment of losing composure, Chu Mingheng regained his calm.
He didn’t release Lan Wu, only leaning close to her ear and whispering softly, “Where did you go just now?”
Lan Wu instinctively glanced toward the Inner Palace and muttered quietly, “I just went inside to take off a layer of clothing. I was only away from you for a moment.”
Come to think of it, from the moment Chu Mingheng opened his eyes yesterday until now, Lan Wu had hardly left his sight. She guessed what Chu Mingheng was worried about, but this couldn’t go on forever.
Chu Mingheng wished he could attach his eyeballs to her and watch her all day long, but he was the emperor—he couldn’t possibly bring her along to court sessions, could he?
Thinking about it this way, there were simply too many problems that needed solving.
Chu Mingheng didn’t know what Lan Wu was thinking, but hearing her words, he relaxed slightly. So she had just gone to change clothes.
“Hmm…” he responded in a low voice.
Lan Wu tugged at the cloak he hadn’t yet removed, somewhat puzzled. “Aren’t you hot?”
They were already inside the hall, with the underfloor heating system and charcoal braziers prepared, yet Chu Mingheng still hadn’t taken off his cloak. Lan Wu felt hot just looking at him.
Chu Mingheng glanced down and said, “Oh, I forgot.”
He then undid the fastening cord and removed the cloak, along with his outer robe, and went with Lan Wu into the Inner Palace to change clothes.
Although it was the New Year festival, there were many matters this year. They had barely sat down to rest for a moment when Chen Kangan was heard calling for His Majesty from outside.
Lan Wu looked at him, seeing Chu Mingheng pretending not to hear, and couldn’t help but cough lightly twice.
“Aren’t you going to attend to your duties?”
Chu Mingheng shot a glance toward the palace door, his icy gaze making the person outside feel an inexplicable chill run down their spine.
Chen Kangan was contemplating whether to call for His Majesty again, hesitating as he stood there.
“Court is suspended. There’s nothing to attend to,” Chu Mingheng said leisurely.
How could there be nothing to attend to?
Lan Wu couldn’t help but put down the teacup in her hand and said to him, “Eunuch Chen must have something important to discuss with you. Why don’t you go see what it is?”
“If you have nothing to do, I certainly do. Yesterday, you issued the decree to confer my title, but I still have to learn the etiquette for the investiture ceremony.”
Although the decree had been issued, the investiture ceremony had not yet taken place. Such matters needed to be arranged, and an auspicious day had to be chosen to make it official and proper.
Lan Wu wanted to expedite things as much as possible, especially since Master Huifan’s request for her to go to Changyong Mountain was also pressing.
Chu Mingheng took a deep breath and said with a stern face, “What etiquette? You don’t need to learn it.”
“How can that be? If word gets out, people will laugh. My background is already lacking. If outsiders hear about it, they’ll say you have poor judgment—choosing a Guifei who not only lacks etiquette but is also unruly and disrespectful.”
“Who would dare say that?”
Lan Wu smiled. “There are so many people in the world. Can you silence every single one of them?”
“Besides, you can’t carry me around with you all the time. We’ll have to part ways… at least for a little while…”
When she mentioned the words “part ways,” Chu Mingheng suddenly looked over, his expression as alert as a fierce beast in the wild.
“I’ll have the memorials brought here for me to handle.”
Lan Wu simply stood up and gently pushed him. “You should go see what urgent matter Eunuch Chen has for you first.”
Chu Mingheng remained silent, stood up, and walked out.
Lan Wu watched him walk away, his figure seemingly heading toward the side chamber, and softly called for someone to enter.
“Your Highness?” Mujin entered the hall to attend to her.
Lan Wu looked her up and down and asked, “His Majesty pushed you yesterday. Were you hurt anywhere?”
Upon hearing this, Mujin gently shook her head. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. This servant is fine.”
It was just a push, and though the force was somewhat heavy, she hadn’t bumped or collided with anything. As someone trained in martial arts, she could handle that level of strength.
Seeing that Mujin didn’t appear injured, Lan Wu felt somewhat relieved. She then whispered to her, “Is there any of the calming incense the Imperial Medical Academy sent earlier left?”
Mujin nodded. “There’s still some, Your Highness.”
“Light it this afternoon, both in the inner and outer halls.”
Mujin acknowledged the order.
Chu Mingheng returned a while later, though his expression showed nothing unusual. Seeing Lan Wu quietly flipping through a book in the hall, he approached a few steps closer.
“What’s wrong? Is there something urgent?” Lan Wu noticed the time was getting late. They had gone to Nanli Temple early in the morning and returned close to noon. It was time to have the meal served. If there was some urgent matter requiring Chu Mingheng’s attention, she thought it should be handled after lunch.
Chu Mingheng took the book from her hands, sat down beside her, and still unsatisfied, simply picked her up and carried her to the Guifei’s couch. He leaned back, letting Lan Wu rest against him, held her in his arms, and turned the pages of the book for her.
Only then did he softly speak. “It’s nothing. Just some of the private soldiers Prince Wei was raising have fled, and we’re pursuing them now.”
Although Lan Wu didn’t understand matters of court politics, she didn’t think these words sounded simple or could be easily dismissed.
She paused, waiting for Chu Mingheng to turn a few more pages for her, then asked, “Is there nothing else?”
Chu Mingheng’s expression relaxed. He lowered his head and nuzzled Lan Wu’s cheek with the tip of his nose before replying, “Mm, nothing else.”
Chen Kangan, having received the order, hurriedly strode out. Glancing at the sky, where the sun had just begun to peek out at noon, he thought to himself, what a mess all this was.
There was no court session today, yet a minister had entered the palace for an audience and was now waiting outside the Imperial Study.
The man was an official from the Ministry of Rites—pedantic, constantly spouting things like the Three Bonds and Five Constants. His purpose for entering the palace today was none other than matters concerning Prince Wei and the current Guifei.
His Majesty was in a rather poor mood now; why would he see him?
Moreover, matters that His Majesty had already decreed could not be changed. Although the lady’s background was somewhat humble, so what? Wasn’t it all up to His Majesty? It was merely the conferment of the title of Guifei, yet it had prompted someone to rush in with a report. If one day she were to be named Empress and take charge of the Central Palace, wouldn’t these old ministers all go and dash themselves against the pillars?
A bunch of fools who couldn’t read the situation—were they worthy of troubling His Majesty?
Even he, a eunuch without roots, knew the position the lady held in His Majesty’s heart now.
Thinking this, Chen Kangan quickened his pace, inwardly scoffing that these officials from the Ministry of Rites had better not provoke His Majesty.
Chen Kangan’s figure hurried along the palace path, followed by two young eunuchs. Though not particularly eye-catching, as the chief eunuch in the Imperial Presence, his passage alone made it clear who he was.
Jia Pin only caught a glimpse of a few people passing by. Hearing from those beside her that it was Eunuch Chen, she took a closer look.
“Which direction is he coming from?”
The palace attendant carefully observed before replying softly, “Your Highness, it seems he came from Yilan Hall.”
Hearing the words “Yilan Hall,” Jia Pin was not surprised, though her expression turned listless. If not exactly sighing in despair, it could be said she carried a touch of melancholy.
“Our Guifei has truly soared to great heights.”