Chapter 67: Watching the Fireworks
He said “again.”
Lan Wu would not admit it.
She leaned closer to him, pointing at the group dancing below, and asked softly, “Your Majesty, do you enjoy watching dances?”
“Is A’Wu going to dance for me?” Chu Mingheng still didn’t look down, keeping his gaze fixed on Lan Wu.
Lan Wu grabbed his sleeve and shook it, somewhat annoyed. “You answer first—do you like it or not?”
She was being quite clingy, and taking advantage of her seat at the main table where no imperial concubine dared openly criticize her, she acted naturally and intimately, enough to make onlookers grit their teeth.
Chu Mingheng pushed a wine cup toward her, his tone amused. “If A’Wu drinks this, I’ll tell you.”
The wine in the cup was not the plum wine she had been drinking earlier. It was clear and looked far more intoxicating than what was in her cup.
Lan Wu slowly straightened up, took the cup, and cautiously took a sip. It was fragrant and mellow at first, but left a spicy aftertaste. She didn’t particularly like it.
After slowly drinking half of it, she set the cup down and stubbornly looked at Chu Mingheng, determined to get an answer from him.
Only then did Chu Mingheng lean close to her and whisper something in her ear, causing Lan Wu to blush.
“Concubine… concubine drank too quickly and needs some fresh air.” With that, Lan Wu abruptly stood up, not daring to look at the expression of the person beside her, and hurriedly left the banquet.
Once outside the hall, she walked a short distance away. Before long, she saw Lian Xi approaching from another direction.
“All of you, step back for now.”
The two palace maids who had followed hesitated upon hearing this, but when they saw Zhen Shuyi’s personal maid arrive, they bowed and quietly withdrew.
Only after the others had left did Lian Xi glance around, confirming no one was nearby, before approaching Lan Wu and softly reporting, “Your Highness, everything with Zhang Mu has been arranged.”
Hearing this, Lan Wu smiled. “Good, let’s go back and watch the show.”
The hall was brightly lit, and the music and dance were still ongoing when they returned.
As soon as Lan Wu sat down, palace attendants began serving dishes.
Afraid of arousing suspicion, she showed no unusual behavior and simply sat quietly beside Chu Mingheng until she heard someone below inquire about the newly served fruit on the table.
Before she could speak, the attendant serving the meal explained, “In reply to Your Highness, this is a newly presented fruit this year called Anluo Fruit. It has a unique flavor and was specially prepared by the kitchen.”
The fruit had been prepared, with pieces of bright orange flesh emitting a distinctive, refreshing fragrance. It was indeed unlike any fruit she had seen before.
Hearing the attendant’s explanation, everyone below was eager to try this novel fruit.
Lan Wu was no exception.
Although she had already tasted it, she didn’t particularly like the flavor of the Anluo Fruit. Now, she had to pretend it was her first time trying it, feigning curiosity.
However, before eating it, she curiously asked Chu Mingheng if he had tried the fruit before.
“I tasted it once,” Chu Mingheng replied calmly, looking at Lan Wu. “You might not like it.”
Lan Wu nodded as if understanding, knowing that the Imperial Medical Academy would have tested it first to ensure it was safe for the emperor. Naturally, Chu Mingheng had tried it.
She placed a piece of the fruit in her mouth, chewed a few times, and her expression turned slightly odd, though it didn’t seem like she enjoyed it.
“It doesn’t taste good—it’s strange,” she said, taking a sip of tea to cleanse her palate.
The reactions of the imperial concubines varied. Some disliked it, while others certainly enjoyed it.
At least Lan Wu knew that Consort Rou was quite fond of the Anluo Fruit.
Glancing down, she saw that nearly a third of the fruit in Consort Rou’s plate had already been eaten.
Just then, the dancers on the stage withdrew one by one, and the music gradually faded away. The palace servants extinguished some of the candles and palace lanterns in the hall, plunging the room into much deeper darkness.
Lan Wu instinctively tightened her grip on Chu Mingheng’s sleeve beside her, her gaze darting around with a hint of panic.
“What are you afraid of? I’m taking you out to watch the fireworks.”
With that, Chu Mingheng pulled her to her feet, one hand protectively encircling her slender waist as he led her down the steps and out of the hall.
Only then did Lan Wu realize that the night banquet had prepared celebratory fireworks for her as its finale.
She felt somewhat bewildered, almost being half-carried as she stood in the open space outside the hall. Behind her were the other imperial concubines who had followed them out. The night was deep, but the moonlight was bright tonight, casting clear shadows of the trees.
“Begin.”
As Lan Wu stared blankly at the sky above and around her, she suddenly heard him speak these words to the eunuchs below. Her eyes gradually sparkled with anticipation as she leaned closer to Chu Mingheng, tilting her head high.
The night sky was vast, and the grounds were spacious. She had seen fireworks before, but it was truly the first time someone had set off fireworks specifically for her.
Everyone heard a sudden explosion from the distant sky. By the time the sound traveled the distance, the firework had already burst open in the sky, like a silver-white flower blooming abruptly—beautiful yet fleeting.
This was followed by a succession of fireworks exploding one after another.
Lan Wu’s face was undoubtedly filled with excitement, but the noise was too loud for her ears to bear. The fireworks that scattered and faded mid-air seemed as if they might fall right onto her head. She couldn’t help but shield her head, afraid that stray sparks might accidentally ignite her hair.
“Boom—boom, boom, boom—”
“Your Majesty, look! That firework looks like a peony!”
“Wow, the sound is so loud—”
Lan Wu exclaimed with laughter while covering her ears, her eyes reflecting the fading glimmers of the fireworks, filled with wonder.
She gently held onto Chu Mingheng’s arm, half-covering her face whenever the explosions grew louder, as if both fearful and eager to watch.
Chu Mingheng had no choice but to pull her in front of him, his tall figure slightly shielding her and covering her head, yet without obstructing her view of the fireworks.
Lan Wu looked up and saw Chu Mingheng’s face illuminated by the bursts of fireworks. Perhaps in a pleasant mood at that moment, his gaze seemed somewhat gentle—so gentle that it was almost intoxicating.
Lan Wu couldn’t help but want to stand on her tiptoes and kiss him. The booming sounds in her ears abruptly interrupted her thoughts. She snapped back to reality and quickly turned her gaze to the fireworks in the sky, feeling a surge of annoyance—was she out of her mind? Doing such a thing in front of so many imperial concubines! If she had actually kissed him, rumors would spread tomorrow about her seducing the emperor in public.
It was all Chu Mingheng’s fault for staring at her like that.
Why look at her when there were perfectly good fireworks to watch?
The fireworks lasted for a long time. When they ended, the sky suddenly fell silent, leaving a quiet sense of regret and longing that made it hard to let go, as if awakening from a beautiful dream.
Bright candles were relit in the hall, and the palace lanterns glowed once more as everyone returned to their seats.
Lan Wu felt as if she were walking on air. She had just drunk some wine; a bit of plum wine normally wouldn’t have made her tipsy, but that half-cup of unknown liquor Chu Mingheng had handed her had gradually flushed her cheeks. Combined with the joy and excitement in her heart, she felt as though she were treading on clouds. As she followed Chu Mingheng back, she seemed almost unsteady on her feet, nearly stepping on his shoes.
When Chu Mingheng glanced back, she simply smiled at him, as if to say it wasn’t intentional.
“Ah—Your Highness!” A slightly panicked voice from beside them shattered the pleasant atmosphere. Everyone turned to look and saw Consort Rou being supported by a palace attendant.