Chapter 170: Invisible

What was she now?

Was this a dream?

Or had her soul left her body to meet Chu Mingheng…

Before Lan Wu could figure it out, she couldn’t help but frown and walk around to stand in front of Chu Mingheng, lowering her head to stare intently at his current state.

She had never seen Chu Mingheng so despondent.

His hair was disheveled, his spirit broken, silent and utterly disheveled.

The sky outside the hall was somewhat overcast, and the interior of the great hall was not warm either—it could even be described as cold. Yet he wore only a thin outer robe, his entire frame appearing much thinner, as he kept his head down and drank relentlessly.

Lan Wu called out to him several times, but Chu Mingheng showed no reaction. She then tried to touch him with her hand, but without exception, she failed.

Chu Mingheng could not see her, hear her, and naturally could not feel her.

Watching as another jug of wine was about to be finished by him, Lan Wu anxiously paced in place.

His condition was clearly abnormal at a glance, and he was drinking so much—what if he harmed himself? What if he did something reckless while drunk?

Just as she was growing frantic, footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the hall, growing closer and closer.

Lan Wu looked toward the direction of the hall entrance.

Chen Kangan waited uneasily outside the hall, cautiously reporting, “…Your Majesty, Master Huifan has arrived and is now heading to Nanli Temple.”

There was no sound from inside the hall. Chen Kangan stood rigidly, even beginning to think that His Majesty was too drunk to hear these words. Just as he was about to repeat himself, he finally heard a faint, low, and hoarse “Understood” from within.

That voice sounded as if it hadn’t spoken for days and nights.

Chen Kangan glanced at the silent attendants waiting outside the hall, unsure of what to do.

His Majesty had not attended court, nor had he reviewed memorials. Civil and military officials had been weeping and pleading outside the palace gates for three days, yet His Majesty had not gone out to see them even once. He simply stayed in Her Ladyship’s Yilan Hall, drinking day and night.

Yet His Majesty could not get drunk, nor could he easily fall asleep. It was as if his energy had been drained, his will utterly low.

But His Majesty was the emperor, with a vast empire to govern—how could he disregard everything like this?

If this continued, would it not lead to the collapse of the dynasty, the fall of the state—

Now, they could only hope that Master Huifan would have a solution.

Lan Wu glanced at Chu Mingheng, who was still drinking in silence, hesitated for a moment, and then walked toward the hall entrance.

It was likely mid-April at this time of year.

Lan Wu saw green buds sprouting on the tree branches.

She immediately noticed two rows of palace attendants standing in the courtyard far from the hall entrance—all of them were the attendants who had served and cleaned in her palace in her previous life. Now, they stood there, not daring to move a muscle.

Looking along the corridor, she saw Luo Yun. Shortly after, she saw Chen Kangan heading toward Luo Yun’s direction, as if the two were about to discuss something.

Lan Wu hurried over to listen.

Chen Kangan first glanced toward the main hall and whispered to Luo Yun, “How much has His Majesty drunk?”

Luo Yun did not hide it: “He’s been drinking since he arrived in the afternoon.”

Chen Kangan immediately gasped in shock, frowning. “If His Majesty could get drunk, it would be better, but I’ve never seen His Majesty drunk… When would be a good time to send over the medicine from the Imperial Physician?”

Luo Yun shook her head; she didn’t know either.

“How did it come to this… Ah, if only Her Ladyship were still here.”

“Don’t mention Her Ladyship, or His Majesty might kill someone again,” Luo Yun said seriously, reminding him.

Chen Kangan immediately fell silent.

Lan Wu stood by as an invisible observer, yet she understood their meaning clearly.

Chu Mingheng had turned to drowning his sorrows in drink after her death? But he couldn’t get drunk. Even if he couldn’t, alcohol still harmed the body, so he had long ago sought an Imperial Physician to prepare medicine, all to prevent Chu Mingheng’s health from deteriorating too severely.

But what did they mean by killing?

Who had Chu Mingheng killed?

Lan Wu stood rooted to the spot, feeling a pang of distress. Her fingers unconsciously dug into her palms, leaving marks on the soft flesh, yet she remained unaware. She turned and went back into the main hall, trying once more to make some noise to get Chu Mingheng’s attention.

It was all in vain.

Watching Chu Mingheng pour the last drop from the wine jug into his cup, Lan Wu no longer attempted to stop him.

She couldn’t stop him anyway.

How could you drown your sorrows in drink? That’s not like you…

Lan Wu stood before him, murmuring softly under her breath.

Finally, she saw Chu Mingheng stir.

He pushed himself up from the table, pressing his temples as if suffering from a headache. His thin outer robe and disheveled hair made him appear unkempt.

But… but Your Majesty was always the most dignified person, never one to let himself go like this.

Lan Wu’s nose felt stuffy. She pressed her lips together and continued watching.

Chen Kangan, waiting outside the hall, saw Your Majesty stride out quickly and hurried to follow, asking, “Your Majesty, are you returning to Taichen Palace?”

“To Nanli Temple,” Chu Mingheng replied. His pupils were like pools of ink that refused to dissolve. Perhaps from too many sleepless nights, his eyes were also streaked with red veins, making his gaze appear somewhat fierce and terrifying when he fixed it on someone.

To Nanli Temple?

Now?

But it was already late afternoon. Soon it would be dark, and besides…

“Your Majesty, you haven’t eaten today. Please, have something to eat. And… and… the mountain is cold. If you go like this, you might catch a chill. Let this servant fetch you a cloak,” Chen Kangan urged gently, but he saw Your Majesty frown, close his eyes as if in pain, and utter only two words.

“Be quiet.”

Chen Kangan had no choice but to fall silent and quickly arranged for a carriage to Nanli Temple.

Lan Wu followed, sitting beside Chu Mingheng in the carriage. She touched his face, then hugged him, knowing it was useless but still wanting to do it.

By the time the carriage stopped at Nanli Temple, it was almost dark.

Lan Wu had thought Chu Mingheng was asleep, keeping his eyes closed the whole ride, but the moment the carriage halted, she saw him open his eyes—clear, alert, and sober.

Yet Chu Mingheng had been drinking, and now the scent of alcohol on him competed with the temple’s sandalwood incense, making it hard to tell which was stronger.

Seeing someone arrive, the monks in the temple, aware that it was Your Majesty himself, came out to greet him.

Chu Mingheng ignored them all, striding straight past and heading quickly toward the rear of the temple.

Being people of the Buddhist faith, though inwardly surprised by the emperor’s current state, they showed no expression on their faces, remaining silent until Chu Mingheng’s figure disappeared into the darkening night.

Lan Wu followed him all the way, feeling the path grow more and more familiar. When she saw Huifan standing at the entrance of the hall, she thought, just as expected.

It was still that elegant hall.

“Your humble servant greets Your Majesty.” Huifan showed no surprise in his eyes, merely offering a calm Buddhist salute to Chu Mingheng, who had approached in such a manner.

Lan Wu stood beside Chu Mingheng, pondering: since Chu Mingheng could not see her, could Huifan?

After all, all of this likely had something to do with Huifan as well.

Yet when she reached out to test him, Huifan’s reaction was identical to Chu Mingheng’s.

Neither of them could see her.