Chapter 93: The Pouch

There were still people in the Imperial Study, so Lan Wu first went to the small side room where she usually stayed.

It seemed Chu Mingheng was not afraid of the cold; even in summer, the Imperial Study remained cool.

Lan Wu sat for a while, and the heat from her journey gradually subsided.

Just as she was eagerly picking up the new storybooks Chu Mingheng had added to the shelf for her, she suddenly heard a sharp shout from behind.

It sounded as if something had been heavily thrown to the ground.

Lan Wu trembled in fright and quickly put the storybook back.

Oh no, oh no, Chu Mingheng was angry. She shouldn’t have come today—it was truly bad timing.

She cautiously leaned against the door to listen for any movement inside, but this time, she heard nothing.

Chu Mingheng had always been an emperor who concealed his emotions. Even when dealing with court officials, he could make them tremble with fear without uttering a word.

For him to be so furious today, something major must have happened.

She waited patiently for a while longer, and when it seemed the minister had left, she opened the door to go find Chu Mingheng.

Pausing mid-step, she turned back, picked up the brocade box from the table, and cradled it in her arms before heading out to find him.

The minister had indeed left. The hall was still being tidied up by palace attendants, who had just served Chu Mingheng fresh tea.

Without exception, the attendants all breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Lan Wu.

Her Majesty had arrived at just the right time today.

Those serving in the Imperial Presence had witnessed all sorts of events, but they had never seen His Majesty so enraged. However, His Majesty would never vent his anger on Her Majesty. With her by his side, his fury was sure to dissipate.

The attendants silently finished tidying up and withdrew, closing the hall doors behind them.

Lan Wu walked softly to Chu Mingheng’s side, first placing the brocade box on the table, then gently tugging at his sleeve.

The tug on his sleeve felt like a kitten scratching.

No matter how furious Chu Mingheng was, he could never direct it at Lan Wu. Besides, this matter had nothing to do with her.

He raised his eyes, took her hand, and pressed her palm.

“It’s so hot, yet you still came running to me. Didn’t you say you didn’t want to come?”

Lan Wu felt a bit ticklish but couldn’t pull her hand away. So, she remained silent, letting him hold her hand while her eyes occasionally glanced at the table.

The attendants had tidied up too promptly—nothing remained on the table, and Lan Wu couldn’t tell what had angered Chu Mingheng earlier.

But it must have been something exceptionally important, for even now, he still seemed to carry a faint chill.

“This concubine came at the wrong time,” she said softly.

Chu Mingheng pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek. “Whenever you come, it’s always the right time.”

“Let me see your hand.”

Lan Wu dodged slightly and muttered, “I’ve already told you it’s completely healed. Even the tiniest needle prick makes you ask Court Physician Lin to give me medicine. It’s not like I grew up drinking medicine…”

Fortunately, she had managed to stop Chu Mingheng’s mischief, or else she would have been too embarrassed to show her face if word got out.

“I was just worried you might be in pain.”

Lan Wu patted him, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Then why didn’t I see you worried when I cried out in pain at night?”

Chu Mingheng smiled faintly. “Whether A’Wu is in pain or not, I naturally know.”

What nonsense was he talking!

Lan Wu’s face flushed slightly, and she muttered in defense, “Your Majesty is just slandering this concubine…”

“Hurry and look at the pouch this concubine embroidered. It took a lot of effort.”

As she spoke, she leaned over to reach for the brocade box on the table, brought it over, and eagerly presented it to Chu Mingheng, urging him to open it himself.

“Ah Wu spent so long embroidering this pouch—from now on, I’ll wear it every day, alright?” Even before opening it, Chu Mingheng was already saying sweet words.

Lan Wu couldn’t help but feel delighted, though she pursed her lips to keep from smiling, and urged him to open it quickly.

When the box was opened, the pouch inside was revealed.

Lan Wu fixed her gaze on Chu Mingheng and said, “This concubine only embroidered this one pouch. I chose the color and tassels myself. I thought the white jade at the bottom suited Your Majesty well. I had originally planned to embroider a black dragon for Your Majesty, but the pouch’s color was too dark, and black thread might not look good, so I chose silver thread instead…”

She chattered on without pause, finally asking eagerly, “Does Your Majesty like it?”

Chu Mingheng touched the slightly bulging pouch, knowing it contained something—likely the calming herbs Lan Wu had mentioned earlier.

The scent was indeed a light herbal fragrance, not too strong or invigorating, just right.

He picked it up, glanced at Lan Wu, and casually brought the pouch to her nose, lightly tapping it. After Lan Wu took a sniff, he placed the pouch into her hand and said calmly, “Tie it on for me, Ah Wu.”

“Alright.” Lan Wu reached for his belt, sitting on his lap as she lowered her head to fasten the pouch’s ties. Once it was secured, she looked at it with growing satisfaction and couldn’t resist giving it a gentle pat, saying, “It looks lovely.”

When she looked up, she met Chu Mingheng’s gaze.

Chu Mingheng wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. A warm kiss gently landed on Lan Wu’s forehead, then the tip of her nose, followed by the corner of her lips, before finally pressing against her mouth and seeking her soft tongue.

Midway through the kiss, Lan Wu suddenly snapped out of her daze. She pushed him away slightly, burying her face against his shoulder as she caught her breath, and asked discontentedly whether he truly liked the pouch she had embroidered for him.

Chu Mingheng turned his head and kissed her again, this time straightforwardly saying yes.

“I like it very much.”

Seeing him happier, Lan Wu felt happy too.

And when she was happy, she couldn’t help but wonder why Chu Mingheng had been angry earlier.

Her eyes slowly drifted toward the desk, glancing at the memorials nearby, but she quickly looked away—those were not to be looked at or asked about. Interfering in court affairs as a member of the harem would mean her death.

Turning to the other side, she noticed a booklet tucked beneath a book, only a corner of it visible.

What was this?

Just as she was wondering, Chu Mingheng turned her head back toward him.

She was kissed for a long while again, until Lan Wu’s arms grew weak from pushing against him, and her whole body felt limp.

She parted her lips, yawned, and nestled into Chu Mingheng’s embrace, gently fiddling with the pouch as she said, “Is it because of this? This concubine is already sleepy.”

“It really works.”

Chu Mingheng looked at her. “You only smelled it once—it’s not some kind of sleeping drug. How can you get sleepy so quickly?”

Lan Wu gave a soft hum and ignored him.

“Your Majesty said before that you would help this concubine investigate that palace maid. Have you found anything yet?” Although some time had passed, Chu Mingheng hadn’t told her anything, and she was growing anxious.

Chu Mingheng reached over, pulled out the booklet that had been tucked beneath the book—the same corner Lan Wu had been looking at earlier—and handed it to her to see for herself.

“The number of palace maids in the palace is considerable. Although some are allowed to leave upon reaching a certain age, there are also those who remain in the palace.”

“As for the senior palace maid you are looking for, see if she is among these.”