Chapter 52: Hearing the Decree
Lan Wu was awakened.
When she opened her eyes, she felt utterly exhausted. Having only slept for a short while before being roused again, she longed to continue sleeping.
But that was impossible. Lian Xi whispered to her that His Majesty had already arrived.
“Where is he?” Lan Wu mumbled in response, already closing her eyes again.
From beyond the curtain came the soft sound of a teacup being set down, followed by Chu Mingheng’s reply: “Where do you think?”
Lan Wu’s eyes flew open. Forcing herself to stay alert, she scrambled up, letting out an awkward chuckle. “Your Majesty, why didn’t you have someone announce your arrival? If you had, this concubine would have woken up much earlier.”
He never announced his visits. That was why he had caught her reading those romance novels last time. Could it be that he did it on purpose?
Lan Wu grew suspicious.
Chu Mingheng turned his head slightly, seeing only a screen behind which Lan Wu was making faint rustling sounds.
“Announce my arrival?” He seemed to chuckle softly. “If I announced it, how would I discover whether you were up to mischief?”
So he was doing it on purpose!
Lan Wu slipped on her shoes and walked out, finding Chu Mingheng seated comfortably on the soft couch, looking perfectly at ease.
“This concubine would never do anything mischievous…” she muttered under her breath, denying his words while her eyes darted around him as if searching for something.
Where was the imperial decree? He had promised to grant her the rank of Shuyi.
Could it be in the hands of the eunuchs outside?
Chu Mingheng knew exactly what she was looking for. He felt both amused and exasperated. A single imperial decree had so quickly dissolved Lan Wu’s grievances. All his gentle coaxing and stern warnings had been less effective than this one decree.
“Go outside and hear the decree, Zhen Shuyi,” Chu Mingheng said without looking at her, rising to head toward the main hall.
Overjoyed, Lan Wu followed him. As they were about to leave the Inner Palace, she stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. Light as a wisp of smoke, her breath lingered by his ear and before his eyes as she whispered:
“This concubine thanks Your Majesty.”
Having said that, Lan Wu was about to skip out, her steps brimming with delight.
Chu Mingheng reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her back.
Lan Wu looked at him in confusion. Meeting his calm, unreadable gaze, her heart skipped a beat—was Chu Mingheng going to go back on his word?
That couldn’t be allowed!
“Have the decree announced outside. You can listen from inside.”
He led Lan Wu to the main seat in the hall, his hand still holding her wrist, which felt exceptionally soft and slender.
Outside, Chen Kangan held the imperial decree, facing the direction of the main hall’s entrance, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
He had truly never witnessed such an odd situation.
Not only was the decree being announced without waiting for the recipient to arrive, but the lady inside did not kneel to receive it either. Only after the decree had been fully proclaimed was it presented to her. Zhen Shuyi even took it upon herself to read it over for a while.
And His Majesty, standing beside her, said nothing about it.
But having witnessed His Majesty’s special treatment of this lady on many occasions, Chen Kangan was growing increasingly unfazed by such irregularities.
As Lan Wu lowered her head to examine the decree with an inscrutable expression, Chu Mingheng suddenly spoke, interrupting her thoughts: “Is there anything different from what you have seen before?”
Lan Wu was absorbed in her reading. This decree, which conferred upon her the rank of Shuyi, was entirely different from the one in her previous life. Moreover, the timing of its issuance had been significantly moved forward. No wonder she had nearly forgotten to continue crying when Chu Mingheng mentioned promoting her by two ranks.
Upon hearing Chu Mingheng’s words, she instinctively blurted out, “Nowhere is—”
She hastily stopped herself.
Lan Wu put away the imperial decree and turned back to look at Chu Mingheng, hurriedly shaking her head and correcting herself, “It’s… it’s not at all like the Jieyu decree concubine received last time.”
Chu Mingheng narrowed his eyes slightly, watching her tightly clenched palm, and said slowly, “Is that so? I thought the title should have been the same.”
The title?
Lan Wu nodded, her expression slightly stiff as she looked at him. “Yes, the title… the title is the same.”
“Have you seen enough then?” Chu Mingheng seemed to ask casually, not intending to interrogate her further, and calmly averted his gaze. “Will you still have the meal?”
“I will.” Lan Wu breathed a small sigh of relief and quickly ordered someone to take the decree away.
The midday meal was exceptionally lavish. Although Lan Wu had specifically sent word to the Yushan Fang the day before, the dishes laid out on the table were not limited to just the fresh fish.
The stir-fried beef was a bit spicy but tender. Lan Wu helped herself to several bites, her lips and tongue turning a bright red from the heat.
The noble ladies of the palace were particular about their meals. It took Lan Wu a long time in her previous life to learn not to eat too hastily, to take her time.
However, after the meal, when the palace maids brought hot tea, Lan Wu found it only made her mouth feel even hotter and spicier, causing her to let out soft, panting breaths.
She sat in her chair, fanning herself, and after a while, she picked up the teacup again, taking small sips of the tea.
Perhaps it was still too hot. From Chu Mingheng’s perspective, he could see her lowered eyes, her long, curved lashes, her fair skin tinged with pink, and her lips retreating slightly after being scalded by the tea, only to part again stubbornly, trying to sip the overly hot liquid.
Bringing trouble upon herself.
Chu Mingheng set down his teacup and slightly raised his gaze.
Luo Yun, who was still in the hall, seemed to understand something and led the remaining palace attendants out of the room.
Although the attendants had retreated outside the hall, it was still broad daylight, and the doors remained open.
Lan Wu remained completely unaware, only catching a glimpse of Chu Mingheng rising from his seat and walking toward her in her peripheral vision.
What is it?
She lifted her head.
As soon as she did, her chin was grasped by a hand, and a forceful, scorching kiss descended upon her.
Lan Wu’s mouth was too hot. For her, Chu Mingheng’s forceful intrusion was the only thing that could soothe the heat.
Her response was more urgent than usual.
Chu Mingheng kissed her, accepting her fervent offering without hesitation.
But as the kiss deepened, Lan Wu was overwhelmed by the lingering heat and spice, her eyes glistening as she tried to push Chu Mingheng away.
Her wrist was caught in his hand, pressed down firmly, and her body was pushed deep into the back of the chair.
Lan Wu had no choice but to bend her knees, bracing herself in an attempt to resist Chu Mingheng.
But it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
When they paused for breath, she accidentally bit the tip of Chu Mingheng’s tongue. Even then, he refused to pull away.
When she was finally released, Lan Wu turned her head to the side, breathing heavily. Her lips were red and glistening, and not just her lips—her entire face, even her eyes, carried a lingering tenderness.
Lan Wu’s face was too alluring. Even without intending it, her current state of delicate weakness could easily be misunderstood.
“Tempting me again,” Chu Mingheng pinched her cheek, disrupting her seductive, tender expression and making her appear irresistibly cute and innocent.
Lan Wu frowned, struggling to defend herself: “…I didn’t…”
Listen, even her way of speaking was so adorable.
And she still claimed she wasn’t trying to seduce him.
“When I wanted to kiss you, I even dismissed all the palace attendants.”
Chu Mingheng’s tall nose bridge brushed against the tip of her nose, his breath gentle and slow, his tone calm yet laced with coaxing: “Shouldn’t you thank me?”