Chapter 87: Cold Palace
Lan Wu remained unaware that she had once again become the subject of someone’s thoughts. As she embroidered a pouch, she lost herself in the task and only noticed the sky had darkened when she looked up.
Gazing at the somewhat passable “dragon” she had stitched, she grew more satisfied the longer she looked. Nodding to herself, she set the embroidery aside.
Lian Qiao entered the hall to tidy up and, seeing Lan Wu had stopped embroidering, assumed she had finished. She was about to offer praise when she caught sight of the few dragon claws on the fabric. At a glance, they bore some resemblance, but with only a few claws floating in isolation, it was truly difficult to muster any genuine admiration.
Lan Wu stretched lazily, picked up her teacup, and took a few sips. Just then, she noticed Lian Xi hurrying over.
Lian Xi’s haste likely meant there was news from the Imperial Presence.
“Your Ladyship, His Majesty has issued an edict. Consort Zeng has been demoted to a slave and sent to the Cold Palace.”
Lan Wu froze, instinctively asking, “So quickly?”
From the time Consort Li reported the matter until now, barely two hours had passed. For the truth to be uncovered and Consort Rou punished so swiftly—it wasn’t solely due to Consort Li’s efforts. Chu Mingheng must have been busy behind the scenes as well.
Lian Xi nodded and added, “His Majesty also decreed that Rong Shu Yi, having suffered unjustly and harmed her health, is to be sent to the imperial retreat to recuperate. She will depart in a few days.”
Lan Wu gently traced the rim of her teacup with her fingers, thinking to herself that Rong Shu Yi was indeed clever. After enduring such a calamity, this trip to the retreat was likely her own request.
She just wondered how much Rong Shu Yi had assisted Consort Li in all this.
“What about Consort Li?” Lan Wu asked Lian Xi, recalling the woman.
“Your Ladyship, Lady Lifei received rewards from His Majesty, but nothing else of note.”
“However, it is said that Lady Lifei was smiling when she returned to her palace.”
Lan Wu mused inwardly: How could she not smile? Consort Li would smile even in front of others; behind closed doors, her face must be splitting with joy. Having so cleanly and decisively dragged Consort Rou down from her high position, she probably now believed she would take over Consort Rou’s power. Moreover, with the Emperor’s rewards, she might even think she could rise above Consort Shu.
“Hmm, anything else?” Lan Wu thought to herself that if Consort Li continued to act so boldly, she would soon bring trouble upon herself—but she kept this to herself.
Just as Lian Xi was about to speak further, an announcement echoed from outside the hall.
An imperial edict had arrived.
Lan Wu had assumed Chu Mingheng would join her for dinner that evening, but when she stepped out, she only saw Chen Kangan with palace attendants, holding the edict. Chu Mingheng clearly hadn’t arrived yet.
Chen Kangan bowed respectfully with a smile. “This servant greets Your Ladyship. His Majesty has issued an edict; please receive it.”
Lan Wu’s suspicious gaze fell upon the edict, and she guessed what it might contain. She was about to kneel when Chen Kangan preemptively said, “His Majesty instructed that Your Ladyship may receive the edict as you did last time.”
Hearing this, Lan Wu refrained from kneeling.
As she listened to the edict announcing her promotion to Xiuyi and bestowing numerous rewards upon her, she felt momentarily dazed.
Xiuyi—a promotion of two ranks.
Once the edict was proclaimed, Lan Wu accepted it and turned to Chen Kangan. “Will His Majesty be coming tonight?”
Chen Kangan inwardly marveled at her intuition but maintained a calm expression. “Congratulations on your promotion, Lady Xiuyi. When His Majesty sent this servant to deliver the edict, he specifically instructed me to escort Your Ladyship to Taichen Palace. His Majesty awaits you for dinner.”
Taichen Palace?
Lan Wu pondered why Chu Mingheng would summon her to Taichen Palace for no apparent reason.
She put away the imperial edict and handed it to the palace maid behind her, then ordered rewards to be distributed one by one. After tidying her hair slightly inside the hall, she finally stepped out.
“Let’s go.”
Taichen Palace was the emperor’s bedchamber. When Chu Mingheng did not rest in the rear palace, he would either be in the Imperial Study or at Taichen Palace.
Lan Wu herself had once stayed at Taichen Palace—by a twist of fate, she had become an imperial concubine.
Taichen Palace was indeed grand, but as the emperor’s bedchamber, it was solemn and imposing, and the palace servants were all strict and disciplined. Lan Wu had always felt that the place lacked warmth, and she imagined Chu Mingheng must sleep alone in the cold at night.
It was not as pleasant as her own Yilan Hall.
The Imperial Carriage moved along the palace path when a procession approached from the opposite direction. The two parties faced each other, neither yielding.
Lan Wu recognized it as Consort Shu.
The sky was nearly dark, and Consort Shu was only returning to her palace at this hour. Lan Wu wondered what she had discussed with Chu Mingheng.
In the dim twilight, Lan Wu heard Consort Shu’s voice slowly emerge from within the Imperial Carriage.
“Congratulations on your promotion, sister.”
Both sides came to a halt.
Lan Wu was on her way by His Majesty’s command, and there was no reason for her to yield the way.
“Sister Consort Shu, you jest. Being falsely accused can hardly be considered a joyous occasion,” she replied unhurriedly.
Consort Shu seemed to chuckle softly. “It’s growing dark, sister. Since you are on your way to His Majesty, do not keep him waiting.”
With that, she instructed, “Yunqing, have them make way.”
Yunqing turned and ordered the eunuchs carrying the sedan to clear the path, leaving a wide passage.
Only after Lan Wu’s Imperial Carriage had moved far into the distance did Consort Shu order her procession to continue forward.
By the time Lan Wu arrived at Taichen Palace, the sky had completely darkened. She had eaten little in the afternoon, and it was already time for the evening meal before she left. Yet, as Chu Mingheng had not arrived earlier, and the journey to Taichen Palace had taken time, she was already feeling hungry.
Stepping down from the Imperial Carriage, she headed toward the main hall. Before entering, she glanced aside and saw Chu Mingheng sitting in the courtyard.
The courtyard was spacious and open, now set with a table laden with exquisite dishes.
Chu Mingheng had clearly spotted her and gestured for her to approach.
“It smells wonderful, Your Majesty.” Lan Wu nestled into his embrace, though her eyes wandered over the dishes on the table.
Braised shark fin in brown sauce, Longjing tea shrimp, assorted tofu…
Almost all were her favorites, and there was even venison.
Chu Mingheng held her as they sat down.
“Why did Your Majesty summon this concubine to dine at Taichen Palace today? Are the dishes in this concubine’s palace not to your liking?” After admiring the feast on the table, she looked up and asked Chu Mingheng.
Chu Mingheng motioned for the meal to be served and said calmly, “Last night, I asked if you wanted to know where your things had gone. Today, I called you here to see.”
Did he mean that her paintings were all at Taichen Palace?
Lan Wu glanced at him suspiciously, not quite understanding.
“Let’s eat first. After the meal, I’ll take you to see.”
Dining in the courtyard was a first for her. Previously, her Longyu Pavilion had been too small, making courtyard meals cramped. Later, at Yilan Hall, she had been more restrained and found the courtyard too hot. Even when the palace maids suggested setting up a table in the courtyard for meals, she had declined.
Perhaps hunger made everything taste better, for Lan Wu found every dish on the table far more delicious than what she usually ate.
She slowly finished the last half-bowl of soup before noticing that not a single palace servant in the courtyard had uttered a word.
If not for knowing the strict palace rules prevented them from speaking, Lan Wu might have thought they were all mute.
After rinsing her mouth, Chu Mingheng led Lan Wu for a walk in the courtyard to aid digestion.
But after just a short while, Lan Wu felt too warm and tugged at his arm, unwilling to continue.
Chu Mingheng glanced at her with a meaningful look, gently touched her flushed cheek, and softly asked, “A-Wu, did you enjoy that venison dish? Did you find it tasty?”