Chapter 111

Chapter 111: A Full Five Hundred Thousand Taels Manyue finished writing the last stroke and said to the crowd, "Aside from what I specifically instructed earlier, everyone else will follow the Consort's arrangements from now on." Seeing this, no one dared to voice any further objections and they all withdrew. After dismissing everyone, Gan Qiongying felt utterly exhausted. She was helped back to her bedchamber to rest. After drinking a cup of tea, she leaned back on the chaise lounge and closed her eyes to rest, never expecting to actually fall asleep. Gan Qiongying had a dream. She dreamed of Gan Lin, of the two siblings planting radishes together and making radish cake. Their small hands were covered in scars, but their faces were always smiling. Gan Qiongying woke up in tears. She sat up and touched her damp eyes—these tears weren't hers; they were Duan Rong's. Ever since her last visit to the palace, the Emperor had lost all contact. With those parting words spoken, how could Duan Rong not worry about Gan Lin? But if the Emperor didn't summon her, Gan Qiongying had no way to enter the palace. She had little influence within the palace walls, and Princess Hui'an couldn't be utilized immediately either. Gan Qiongying was truly anxious; otherwise, she wouldn't have followed the Regent because of that one sentence before. The only opportunity now was the Mid-Autumn Night Banquet. Fortunately, there weren't many days left until then. By that time, Gan Qiongying would definitely be able to enter the palace. She had already planned that as soon as she saw the Emperor, she would lay out the route she had planned countless times. Discussing and finalizing it together would surely be more thorough than her doing it alone. Gan Qiongying wiped her tears, got up from the chaise lounge, and pressed a hand to her slightly aching chest with a sense of melancholy. She believed Gan Lin would definitely leave with her. In the beginning, when Gan Qiongying's senses overlapped with Princess Duanrong's, she couldn't accept having another person's emotions and feelings at all; she even felt somewhat repelled because the pain in her chest was real. Later, as she learned about Duan Rong's story and gained her memories, and as she spent more time in this body, she seemed to have fully inherited Duan Rong's feelings. After all, this was her body now. Gan Qiongying knew that every cell of Duan Rong loved Gan Lin. The longing seeped from the very marrow of her bones. Even though Gan Qiongying's conscious self didn't love Gan Lin, she couldn't stop herself from missing him. Duan Rong's love for Gan Lin had long surpassed romantic love; it was a bond of survival intertwined with familial affection. As for this sentiment, to Gan Qiongying, it was like grafting a fruit tree. What kind of fruit it would ultimately bear, even Gan Qiongying herself didn't know. With the matter of the male consorts properly arranged, Gan Qiongying could set her mind at ease for the time being. She relaxed completely, enjoying a rare few days of peace. When she had nothing to do, she would say a few nice words to Lihua, praising and coaxing him in various ways. After all, it was almost time to receive the two hundred thousand taels again this month. However, Gan Qiongying had started dreaming frequently of Gan Lin these past few days, so her mood hadn't been very good. When facing Lihua, she sometimes had to force a smile. On the ninth day of the eighth month, the palace had already begun preparations for the Mid-Autumn Night Banquet. That morning, Gan Qiongying once again woke up crying. As soon as Gan Qiongying woke, Lihua also awoke immediately. Tear stains still fresh at the corners of her eyes, Lihua sat up, gathered her into his arms, held her against his chest, and gently stroked her back to comfort her. He asked softly, "What's wrong?" Wherever Gan Qiongying could avoid lying to Lihua, she always told the truth. "I dreamed of His Majesty, I miss him so much," Gan Qiongying said with a hint of melancholy. "Last time I entered the palace, there was a misunderstanding between His Majesty and me. Before we could even speak properly, he drove me out..." Lihua stroked Gan Qiongying's head, his fingers sliding from her crown down to her temples, just in time to catch the tear that had fallen from her eye, his gaze filled with heartache. "You'll see him at the Mid-Autumn Night Banquet. His Majesty cares for you deeply. Back then, when he chose me as your Consort..." Lihua paused. He couldn't tell Gan Qiongying the real truth—that he became Consort due to the machinations of the Jinchuan royal family, which deceived the Emperor of Nánzhào, making him select a spy for his own sister after careful deliberation. But Lihua could, like Gan Qiongying, share the part he was allowed to say: "His Majesty chose me as the Princess's Consort because I am weak, easy to control, and relatively wealthy—at least I wouldn't let the Princess suffer in terms of food and necessities." Upon hearing this, Gan Qiongying let out a soft laugh. Her eyes reddened as she buried her face in Lihua's chest, taking a deep breath. Yet, a dull ache continued to throb in her heart. She now possessed Princess Duanrong's memories. Unlike when she first transmigrated, when she thought the Emperor had married her, a dignified Princess, to a merchant out of malice, Gan Qiongying now understood all too well. Choosing a lowly, easily controlled, and wealthy merchant as her Consort was the best marriage arrangement that Gan Lin, as a puppet, could secure for Princess Duanrong. And as for what price Gan Lin had paid to negotiate this marriage with that old witch, Gan Qiongying dared not dwell on it. She longed for the Mid-Autumn Night Banquet with all her heart. Even if she could do nothing in the short term, she couldn't repeat what happened last time—when, out of ignorance, she barely exchanged a few words with Gan Lin. After he drank poison for her sake, she had simply left the palace. Gan Qiongying's mood sank lower and lower, growing sadder the more she thought about it. Lihua rose first, dressed himself, and then personally helped Gan Qiongying change her clothes. As he helped her into her outer robe, he pulled a thick stack of papers from his sleeve and tucked it into the front of her garment. "Didn't you want new jewelry? Go ahead and choose the materials. My shops have craftsmen who can rush the work. You'll outshine everyone at the Mid-Autumn Night Banquet, and His Majesty will be reassured when he sees you." Gan Qiongying pulled out the stack and took a look—her eyes widened. They were banknotes! Such a thick stack! Her hands trembled slightly. She couldn't help herself and began counting them right in front of Lihua. The more she counted, the more astonished and excited she became. Ah—it wasn't two hundred thousand taels! Ah—this was... a full five hundred thousand taels! Gan Qiongying's gloomy mood from the dream instantly soared, almost bursting through the heavens. She looked at Lihua, stars sparkling in her eyes. She was utterly enchanted by him. Ah—she loved the God of Wealth!