Chapter 166: Departure

At exactly eight in the morning, palace attendants outside the hall began calling for them to rise.

Lan Wu opened her eyes in a daze and, unsurprisingly, met Chu Mingheng’s gaze. Then she remembered one thing.

Oh, it was time for her to prepare to leave.

Chu Mingheng had indeed stayed awake all night, his eyes tinged with fatigue and worry.

“Your Majesty, it’s time to rise,” Lan Wu gently nudged him.

Chu Mingheng took a deep breath and got up from the bed, motioning for Lan Wu to stay seated while he went to call the attendants in to assist them.

Lan Wu, who had been about to rise, paused for a moment and settled back down.

She glanced at the window beyond the curtains. Though she couldn’t see the sky outside, the weather had warmed slightly in recent days, so she assumed the sun would be shining today.

After a while, the palace attendants entered the hall to help them wash and dress.

Since it was a long journey, Lan Wu did not dress extravagantly. She simply had her hair styled into a simple updo and wore warm clothing.

By the time Chu Mingheng looked over, Lan Wu was already ready. She wore a snow-violet gown embroidered with magnolias, her hair adorned with a few pearl and jade hibiscus hairpins. Her features were delicate and lovely, her lips as crimson as summer lotus blossoms.

During breakfast, neither of them spoke much, nor did they need to. A single glance conveyed everything in their eyes.

No matter how reluctant they were, it was time to depart.

It was still winter, and the warm sun Lan Wu had hoped for did not appear. As luck would have it, today was overcast, the sky a dull, grayish hue.

Standing before the hall’s entrance, Lan Wu looked down at the Palace Carpet beneath her feet, unwilling to leave. She gently rubbed the toe of her shoe against a corner of the carpet.

Suddenly, a cloak was draped over her shoulders.

Lan Wu turned around and saw Chu Mingheng’s face.

“Isn’t this Your Majesty’s cloak?” She shifted her attention back, pulling the dark black cloak tighter around her. She pressed her cheek against the hood, breathing in Chu Mingheng’s scent.

A hint of joy flickered in her eyes. “Your Majesty is giving it to me?”

Chu Mingheng hummed in agreement, cupping her face with his hands and chuckling. “I’ve given you so many things, yet I’ve never seen you this happy. Now it’s just a cloak—what’s there to be so delighted about?”

Lan Wu snorted softly, her cheeks flushing. “You just don’t understand.”

“Remember to ask for whatever you need along the way. If you feel unwell, speak up. Your Court Physician and attendants will be by your side, ready to serve at any time… Don’t make me worry, alright?”

Lan Wu felt Chu Mingheng was treating her like a fool. Of course she knew to speak up, so she muttered softly, “I’m not mute; of course I’ll speak up.”

After saying this, she reminded him, “You have to miss me, understand? If you don’t miss me, I won’t miss you either.”

Her tone was as willful as ever, yet it didn’t feel like a threat. On the contrary, it was clearly a coquettish plea.

Chu Mingheng pulled her back into the hall, pressed her into a chair, and kissed her for a long while. When he finally released her, he gently wiped her lips and whispered, “It’s you, A’Wu, who must miss me.”

Lan Wu was young, and the young loved to play. Though she truly felt reluctant now, after a few days on the road, the novelty of the journey might push him to the back of her mind.

Lan Wu had no idea what he was thinking. Hearing his words, she couldn’t help but sniffle, nearly bursting into tears.

“Be good, don’t cry. I’ll escort you out…”

The Guifei’s departure for Changyong Mountain, with His Majesty personally seeing her off, was a grand spectacle indeed.

It wasn’t just the imperial concubines from the rear palace; officials from the former court had also gathered before the palace gates to see her off.

In front of so many people, Lan Wu stubbornly held back her tears, her gaze fixed on Chu Mingheng, her mind uncontrollably filled with thoughts of him.

When it was time to board the carriage, Chu Mingheng helped her up. The carriage was spacious and warm, yet Lan Wu’s hands felt numb and trembled slightly.

Unable to resist, she lifted the curtain to look at Chu Mingheng.

Chu Mingheng stood nearby, unsurprised to see her pull back the curtain.

“Alright, it’s almost time. I’ll come to fetch you in three months. Don’t cry.”

Lan Wu nodded and murmured in agreement, leaning against the window. Hearing his words, she touched her own face and said, “I’m not crying.”

This trip to Changyong Mountain was her own choice. She had gone to great lengths to persuade Chu Mingheng to agree, and she couldn’t let him change his mind at the last moment.

Thinking of this, she smiled faintly and gestured to Chu Mingheng, “Your Majesty, please return now.”

Lan Wu couldn’t see her own expression, but Chu Mingheng could clearly see her forced, almost bitter smile. Hearing her words, he couldn’t help but step forward, gently stroking her cheek and whispering:

“Don’t cry, A’wu. If you feel sad, don’t think of me. Think of something happier.”

Many were watching, and the concubines behind them also witnessed this intimate gesture, their feelings complicated.

Naturally, some were dismissive.

They had initially thought that Lan Wu, having been sent to Changyong Mountain by imperial decree, must have fallen out of favor with His Majesty. But seeing this, it was clear he still cared deeply for her.

The time was almost up.

A ceremonial official beside Chu Mingheng stepped forward and softly reminded him.

“I know,” he replied indifferently, then withdrew his hand. Looking into Lan Wu’s bright, dark eyes, he simply nodded slightly and took a step back, signaling that the journey could begin.

The procession ahead would take some time before Lan Wu’s carriage began to move. Chu Mingheng had vowed to protect Lan Wu’s safety and would not allow anyone to take advantage. The imperial guards dispatched to Changyong Mountain were all mobilized from the Ministry of War, with additional guards on standby. Moreover, several covert guards had been added to Lan Wu’s retinue.

Nothing would go wrong.

Yet, this was the first time since meeting Lan Wu that he watched her leave his side.

He was not the Chu Mingheng of his previous life, nor had he experienced the sorrow of thinking he didn’t care only to realize it was their final parting. But he thought that if anything happened to Lan Wu during these three months, he would never forgive himself.

As the carriage slowly moved away, Lan Wu’s face grew increasingly distant until it vanished from sight.

Logically, once the carriage had departed, His Majesty should have turned back. But he didn’t move a step. Since he remained still, those around him naturally dared not move either, all awaiting his command.

Only when the carriage was completely out of sight did everyone finally hear His Majesty’s order: “Disperse.”

The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only a few figures still standing in place.

Chen Kangan waited beside His Majesty, cautiously observing his expression and inwardly shaking his head—if His Majesty was unwilling to let Guifei travel to Changyong Mountain, why had he insisted on issuing the decree?

Wasn’t this just asking for trouble?

Alas.

Though he thought so in his heart, he naturally dared not voice it aloud. Only after watching the last few figures disappear did he whisper, “Your Majesty, should we return now?”

Chu Mingheng slowly withdrew his gaze and turned to walk back, asking Luo Yun beside him, “What did Guifei say to you before leaving?”

Luo Yun was taken aback, then immediately understood he was referring to the words her mistress had spoken to her the previous day. She bowed slightly and replied softly, “Your Majesty, Her Ladyship said she wished for this servant to watch over Your Majesty. If there were ever days when Your Majesty ate or slept poorly, I was to secretly write and inform her.”

Chu Mingheng seemed somewhat helpless, yet his mood lightened slightly. He instructed Luo Yun, “Since Guifei has entrusted you with this, you must carry it out diligently.”

“Write every day.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”