Chapter 31: Letting Go

The Emperor had stayed at Longyu Pavilion for three consecutive nights, a fact that infuriated many.

No one knew what methods Zhen Jieyu had used to keep His Majesty there. The imperial concubines slandered her while also burning with curiosity, wishing they were the favored Zhen Jieyu themselves.

In Yifang Hall, the same group from last time had gathered.

Upon hearing from their subordinates that Zhen Jieyu had been taken by His Majesty to the Imperial Study, Xiuyi Bai sipped her tea in silence. Across from her, Zhaoyi Wen frowned slightly.

“That dancer has never been properly disciplined and lacks any sense of shame. Once His Majesty grows tired of her, her fate will not be a pleasant one.”

Consort Shu sat in the seat of honor, with a palace maid massaging her shoulders from behind.

Hearing this, she kept her eyes closed, though the corners of her mouth lifted slightly as she spoke leisurely, “Zhaoyi Wen, why do you still call her a dancer? She is now His Majesty’s Zhen Jieyu.”

What a Zhen Jieyu indeed.

When His Majesty bestowed titles upon his concubines, each carried meaning. The character “Zhen” (precious) alone revealed His Majesty’s fondness for her. And to have her serve him for three nights in a row—while the dancer’s figure was indeed pleasing, there were others with equally fine skin and flesh whom His Majesty wouldn’t even glance at.

Now, he had even taken her to the Imperial Study.

Thinking of this, Consort Shu couldn’t help but open her eyes and reach for her teacup.

“Your Ladyship is right,” Zhaoyi Wen replied with a slight bow.

Consort Shu didn’t want to hear Lan Wu’s name, so after taking a sip of tea, she turned her gaze to Xiuyi Bai and asked, “Why are you so quiet today?”

Xiuyi Bai had indeed been lost in thought. Hearing Consort Shu’s question, she couldn’t help but glance at the empty seat beside her and said, “Your Ladyship, I was wondering why Lady Liu hasn’t left her palace these past few days.”

Speaking of Lady Liu, she had always been the most eager to visit Consort Shu’s palace in the past, if not the earliest to arrive, at least never one to delay.

But she had been absent for these last two gatherings.

Consort Shu set down her teacup and scoffed, “It’s a good thing if she can keep quiet and stay put for once.”

Everyone knew Lady Liu had a terrible temper, quick to ignite at the slightest provocation. Her mouth never spoke kindly, and she was foolish to boot. Consort Shu had wanted to dismiss her several times, but she was undeniably loyal.

Xiuyi Bai felt something was amiss.

Just then, Zhaoyi Wen spoke up, “Since which day has she not left her palace?”

“It was after the flower-viewing banquet that she…”

As she spoke, Xiuyi Bai’s expression suddenly changed.

Silence fell around them.

“You’re saying it was Lady Liu who, by some twist of fate, delivered that wretch to His Majesty’s bed?” Consort Shu’s face darkened as she gritted her teeth and uttered these words, abruptly standing up. “To Tingfeng Pavilion!”

Zhaoyi Wen and Xiuyi Bai both rose to their feet, stopping Consort Shu. “Your Ladyship, we cannot go now. If it truly was Lady Liu, we should avoid seeing her even more.”

Given His Majesty’s favor toward Zhen Jieyu, if Lady Liu were implicated, Consort Shu might also be held accountable—after all, the flower-viewing banquet had been hosted by Consort Shu, and Lady Liu was closely associated with her.

Visiting Tingfeng Pavilion at such a critical moment would inevitably draw connections to Consort Shu, whether there were any or not.

“That fool!” Consort Shu turned around and swept the teacup from the table onto the floor, her entire body trembling with rage.

Lady Liu was no longer of any use.

—

News that Lady Shufei of Yifang Hall had taken ill quickly spread throughout the rear palace.

Lan Wu heard the news just after she had slipped back to her own palace from the Imperial Study.

“I heard Yifang Hall was quite lively this afternoon. Zhaoyi Wen and Xiuyi Bai went to speak with Lady Shufei, then spent some time admiring flowers outside the courtyard before taking their leave.”

“Not long after, Lady Shufei complained of a headache. The imperial physician has already been summoned.”

As Lian Xi relayed this, she instructed servants to bring water for handwashing.

Lan Wu made a noncommittal sound, immersing her grimy hands in the water to gently cleanse them.

Observing those delicate, pale hands, Lian Xi couldn’t help remarking, “Your Ladyship, next time you wish to pick flowers, just have the palace maids do it. Why must you handle it yourself? What if you injure your hands?”

Having not accompanied Lan Wu to the Imperial Study today, Lian Xi was unaware of how Lan Wu had plucked whichever blossoms caught her eye along the path back through the Imperial Garden. The attendants had naturally tried to dissuade her, but Lan Wu insisted on doing it herself.

Fortunately, the flowers were all thornless, leaving only soiled hands as evidence.

Hearing Lian Xi’s fretful words, Lan Wu widened her eyes and grinned at her. “If I hurt my hands, just pretend you didn’t notice. They’re only flowers—it’s not as if they could break my hands, right?”

Growing more alarmed by Lan Wu’s increasingly cavalier attitude, Lian Xi urgently called out, “Your Ladyship—”

Lan Wu pressed a finger to her lips, signaling an end to the discussion.

“Could Lady Shufei have fallen ill from catching a chill?” Lan Wu redirected her attention to the matter, pondering. Since both Zhaoyi Wen and Xiuyi Bai were aligned with Consort Shu, it seemed unlikely they would poison her to induce illness.

If that weren’t the case, then Consort Shu must have genuinely fallen ill.

It wasn’t until that evening that Lan Wu realized how perfectly timed Consort Shu’s “illness” truly was.

Chu Mingheng had promised to handle the situation for her, so Lan Wu wasn’t overly anxious herself. Though she appeared idle all day in Longyu Pavilion, she had discreetly sent someone to inquire around the Imperial Garden. However, nothing was uncovered, as the servants dared not disclose any information under His Majesty’s orders.

After letting Lan Wu slip away from the Imperial Study that afternoon, Chu Mingheng arrived at Longyu Pavilion before dinner hour.

The hall was now adorned with numerous large peonies, vases nearly overflowing with them.

The main door stood open, and behind the gauze screen opposite, a graceful silhouette flickered in and out of view.

Lan Wu was seated by the crabapple window, engrossed in a book, completely unaware of Chu Mingheng’s approaching footsteps.

Suddenly, a shadow fell before her. Instinctively looking up, she was startled to see Chu Mingheng’s face.

Her first reaction was to slam the book shut. After a fleeting moment of guilt, she curved her eyes into a smile and greeted, “This concubine pays respects to Your Majesty.”

Chu Mingheng paid no mind to whether her greeting was proper, his gaze dropping to the book she had just closed. “What are you reading?” he asked.

Lan Wu’s smile stiffened slightly. As her fingers tightened on the pages, she attempted to subtly shift the book beneath the table, but her arm was caught.

“Ah Wu, I had someone return your ruler to you.”

“Did you receive it?”

A phantom ache spread through Lan Wu’s thighs at his words. She stammered anxiously, “What ruler of mine…? No one mentioned anything.”

Hadn’t she thrown that ruler on the ground? Who could have delivered it?

Chu Mingheng leaned down, nipping her lips before casually remarking, “Ah Wu, guess where it is.”

Lan Wu had no desire to guess at all. She pursed her lips lightly, her grip still unrelenting.

Chu Mingheng lowered his gaze, his tone leaving no room for defiance as he uttered two words: “Let go.”