Chapter 19: Will Your Majesty Return?

Taichen Palace was an immense complex, with even the area before Lan Wu’s sleeping couch spacious enough to lay out a sizable woven gold palace carpet, cool yet not cold beneath bare feet.

Though Lan Wu intended to dance, she needed to prepare properly. Having climbed a tree earlier, she felt somewhat unclean without washing, and her attire—she required a new gown.

Such items were likely not kept in Taichen Palace.

With Chu Mingheng’s permission granted, her spirits lifted, yet she maintained an air of shyness and mystery, softly requesting that he lend her Luo Yun for a short while to make her preparations.

Chu Mingheng leaned back slightly, watching her in silence. Only after a moment, as unease began to surface in Lan Wu’s eyes, did he casually remark, “Very well. If the dance pleases, We shall also reward you.”

Lan Wu pressed her lips together and slipped off him.

Not long after, Chu Mingheng exited the inner palace, heading in the direction of his small study. Shortly after his departure, Luo Yun entered the hall.

Once inside, Luo Yun stood before Lan Wu, awaiting instructions.

“Miss Luo Yun, could you find me a light gauze gown? The thinner, the better.”

The undergarment she wore clung too closely, offering no grace for dancing, let alone any allure.

“Also, I wish to bathe and freshen up… may I?”

Being granted a bath in Taichen Palace was an honor, a matter beyond Luo Yun’s authority to decide. Yet since His Majesty had stated that any of Lan Wu’s requests should be fulfilled, bathing was no exception.

Thinking this, Luo Yun offered a slight smile and replied gently, “Of course, miss. Please wait a moment.”

The small study was not far from the main hall, but its advantage lay in its tranquility.

Though Chu Mingheng had agreed to Lan Wu’s request, he could not indulge her whims entirely. Learning she had asked for new attire did not strike him as odd, given her intention to dance.

But upon hearing she wished to bathe, Chu Mingheng tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, lost in thought.

“How fares the Music Bureau?” he suddenly inquired.

Chen Kangan replied, “Your Majesty, a stewardess there named He Ying fell suddenly ill. It was only when we sent someone to question the bureau that we discovered she had already passed.”

“He Ying was once a dancer. As she grew older, she taught newly entered palace servants in the Music Bureau to dance. Miss Lan Wu was also under her tutelage.”

Since this scheme had failed, it was time to clean up swiftly and decisively. The opposing side clearly understood this principle well, acting with considerable speed.

“Continue the investigation.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The moonlight was splendid tonight, bright and clear.

By the time Lan Wu emerged from her bath, Luo Yun had already laid out the retrieved gowns before her.

Luo Yun had brought three, all of varying thicknesses in mulberry silk gauze. The lightest was crimson, so sheer it revealed glimpses of snow-white skin beneath.

“Are these suitable, miss?” Luo Yun was uncertain about the appropriate thickness.

Behind them, two palace maids were wringing Lan Wu’s hair dry.

Seated on a soft chair, Lan Wu hovered her fingers over the three garments before finally selecting the crimson one.

“They are suitable.”

With that, she grasped the gown, lowered her head, and quietly waited for the maids behind her to finish drying her hair.

By now, she had regained her strength. She hadn’t eaten anything since the afternoon, only drinking some water earlier. Since she was about to dance for Chu Mingheng, she dared not eat now, fearing that even a slightly bloated stomach would look unappealing.

“All done, miss.” The palace maids combed her hair, reminding her that it had been dried.

Lan Wu then dismissed them all. After watching the door close, she removed her clothes, revealing skin flushed pink from the steam of her recent bath. Without wearing anything underneath, she draped the crimson outer robe over herself.

This robe was unlike the dance costume she had commissioned from the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau in her previous life, and its effect was naturally inferior. Yet, after tying it with a sash, the garment hung loosely—likely to slip off during her dance without much effort.

Lan Wu touched her face, finally cooling the burning heat on her cheeks, then hastily pinned up her hair with a hairpin.

Following the familiar path from the bath chamber back to the Inner Palace, Lan Wu glanced around before obediently settling on the soft couch, waiting for Chu Mingheng to return.

However, it was not Chu Mingheng who arrived, but Luo Yun.

Hearing the door open, Lan Wu instinctively smiled and looked up, only to see Luo Yun enter, bowing her head to deliver a message.

“Miss, Beauty Rong from Qiushui Pavilion just vomited blood. His Majesty has already gone there.”

After speaking, Luo Yun cautiously observed Lan Wu’s expression.

She saw Lan Wu freeze momentarily, her smile stiffening before she lowered her head, pulling a nearby blanket to wrap herself up. On such a cold spring night, it was unclear how long she had been shivering. After a long while, Luo Yun finally heard Lan Wu ask:

“Will His Majesty return tonight?”

Lan Wu had been so focused on guarding against Consort Shu and others that she had forgotten about this Beauty Rong.

In her previous life, Beauty Rong had been the most outstanding among the imperial concubines selected during the imperial selection. By the time Lan Wu was conferred as Lan Meiren, Beauty Rong had already risen to Rong Jieyu and repeatedly stole favor from her. Furious and resentful, yet outranked, Lan Wu could do little but desperately cling to Chu Mingheng, preventing him from taking interest in Beauty Rong.

Ironically, Beauty Rong was skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, while Lan Wu herself only knew some characters and danced well.

Rejecting the notion that “relying on beauty for favor cannot last long,” Lan Wu schemed and maneuvered, eventually using her petty tricks to triumph over the utterly dull Rong Jieyu.

But now, before she had even gained favor, Rong Jieyu—no, Beauty Rong—was already restless. If she managed to keep Chu Mingheng at Qiushui Pavilion tonight, no matter how high a rank he later conferred upon Lan Wu, she would become the laughingstock of the entire palace.

What a malicious scheme Beauty Rong had devised.

Lan Wu trembled with anger.

Luo Yun, thinking she was cold, hurriedly poured her a cup of hot tea. But as for Lan Wu’s question, she had no definite answer.

Would His Majesty return tonight? Who could say?

Expecting Lan Wu to panic or grieve, Luo Yun was about to offer some comforting words when Lan Wu tugged at her sleeve. Looking down, she met a pair of bright, glistening eyes.

Lan Wu asked, “Then, may I have something to eat now? I’m a bit hungry.”

Water alone couldn’t satisfy her hunger. Since Chu Mingheng had gone to another’s palace, she saw no reason to starve herself waiting for his return. Besides, she needed to think of a way to lure him back.

“…Of course! What would you like to eat, miss?”

“Just a few pastries will do.” She didn’t want to eat too much, as she would still need to dance for Chu Mingheng when he returned later.

“Please wait a moment, miss. This servant will have someone prepare them.”