Chapter 283 Charcoal Fire

Huo Lin's gaze softened slightly as he looked at the two young girls who genuinely cared about Jiang Huan.

He nodded slightly, tacitly approving their stay.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and Jiang Huan's health gradually improved, although her appetite was still not very good.

If the food is too oily or too sweet, she turns pale and can't eat anything.

That morning, the weather suddenly turned cold, and a cold wind howled across the palace walls, bringing a biting chill.

Jiang Huan, wrapped in a thick brocade quilt, still felt a bit cold. Just as she was thinking of asking Xiao Zhao to fetch some charcoal, she saw Xiao Zhao excitedly carrying a basket of fine silver charcoal.

"Your Highness, look!" Xiao Zhao said with a hint of pride, "The Imperial Household Department just issued some silver charcoal, and I've brought it to you!"

Jiang Huan was somewhat surprised: "So fast? In previous years, at this time, the palaces would have to queue for half a day to receive charcoal."

Xiao Zhao lowered her voice mysteriously: "It was a little eunuch I know who helped me save it. He said that charcoal is in short supply this year, and if it weren't for his help, we would have had to wait a long time."

Jiang Huan raised an eyebrow, keenly noticing the slight unnaturalness in Xiao Zhao's tone.

She carefully examined Xiao Zhao and noticed that the girl had specially styled her hair in a new bun today, and had also applied a thin layer of rouge to her face, making her look exceptionally charming.

Looking back on these past few days, Xiao Zhao had indeed been in close contact with a young eunuch.

Moreover, they always dress up specially and have a rosy complexion.

Jiang Huan instantly became gossipy, as if she could smell the sweet and sour scent of romance.

A thought struck him, and he deliberately drew out his voice: "Xiao Zhao~"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Xiao Zhao replied quickly.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Jiang Huan blinked, her tone teasing. "What, have you got someone you like?"

Xiao Zhao's face flushed red instantly, and she waved her hands repeatedly, "Your Majesty, you misunderstand. This servant, this servant, did not mean that."

She stamped her feet anxiously: "I just think that getting on good terms with those eunuchs in charge is good for our Weiyang Palace. Look, this way we can get the charcoal ahead of time!"

Her voice trailed off as she spoke, and she lowered her head: "This servant...this servant only wanted to share Your Highness's burdens..."

Jiang Huan couldn't help but laugh when she saw her like this.

“Silly girl,” she shook her head, “those days of having to live by reading other people’s faces are long gone.”

"The Weiyang Palace of today does not need to humble itself and fawn over anyone."

Xiao Zhao raised her head, seemingly recalling the hardships she had endured: "But Your Majesty, that's how it is in the harem. If you don't get along well with those in charge, you won't get many good things."

“That’s another palace,” Jiang Huan raised an eyebrow and waved her hand domineeringly. “We don’t need that in Weiyang Palace.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a notification sounded from outside the hall.

Wang Degui led several eunuchs in, carrying several baskets of silver charcoal.

"Greetings to Your Majesty," Wang Degui said with a smile as he bowed. "His Majesty has instructed that, as the weather is turning cold, he has specially sent me to deliver some charcoal to Your Majesty. This is the finest silver wire charcoal, which burns slowly and without smoke, making it perfect for Your Majesty."

He pointed to the charcoal baskets: "His Majesty said that the Empress is just recovering and is most afraid of catching a cold, so he asked me to send more charcoal, and to get more if needed."

Xiao Zhao stared wide-eyed at the small mountain of silver charcoal.

Jiang Huan smiled slightly and winked at Xiao Zhao: "See, what did I tell you?"

Xiao Zhao lowered her head shyly, but a happy smile remained on her face.

Wang Degui quickly had the charcoal fire set up.

Jiang Huan looked at the pile of charcoal and felt a warm glow in her heart. She nodded to Wang Degui and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Wang. Please convey my gratitude to the Emperor and tell him that the weather is getting cold and that he should take good care of himself."

"Yes, this servant will certainly convey the message."

Wang Degui bowed in agreement, his smile unchanged, but a hint of sorrow lurked in his eyes.

He dared not reveal anything in front of Jiang Huan, said a few more auspicious words, and then hurriedly withdrew with his men.

As soon as he stepped out of Weiyang Palace, Wang Degui's smile vanished instantly, and he quickened his pace.

The Imperial Study.

Unlike the warmth of Weiyang Palace, the Imperial Study was rather deserted at this time.

Although the underground heating system was running, the enormous palace lost heat quickly, and with the biting wind today, the temperature was noticeably lower than usual.

The charcoal brazier in the corner was lit, but the amount of charcoal inside was clearly half less than usual, and the flames appeared rather weak.

Huo Lin sat upright behind his desk, intently reviewing the memorials.

He didn't seem to be affected by the temperature, but if you looked closely, you could see that his fingers holding the pen were slightly red, and he would occasionally move his frozen knuckles slightly.

Wang Degui rushed back, panting, and shivered as soon as he entered the hall from the cold.

He looked at the pitiful embers in the brazier, then at Huo Lin, who was still reviewing memorials while wearing a cloak, and his face was filled with an overwhelming sense of sorrow.

"Your Majesty, this servant has already delivered all the charcoal to Consort Zhuang. She asked this servant to express her gratitude, but... but Your Majesty, you've only reduced the charcoal supply by half... This... how can this be!"

Huo Lin didn't even raise his head, his pen still twirling: "I understand, you may leave."

Wang Degui was unwilling to leave; he was so anxious that tears were almost welling up in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, your health is of utmost importance. This Imperial Study is so large, and the underfloor heating isn't enough to keep it warm. What if you get cold? I beg you, please change the allowance back. Consort Zhuang has so much charcoal; it should be enough."

Huo Lin finally raised his eyelids and glanced at him indifferently: "Wang Degui, are you too old to hear me?"

Wang Degui trembled with fright and hurriedly kowtowed, "This servant dares not, but... but..."

But the Emperor is clearly robbing Peter to pay Paul, only making things harder for himself!

Consort Zhuang is warm now, but what's the difference between this place and an ice cellar for the Emperor?

Huo Lin frowned slightly as he looked at him and put down his pen.

"She has just recovered from her illness and her spleen and stomach are weak and cold, so she is most afraid of the cold. I am strong and healthy, so it won't hurt me to be cold. This little bit of charcoal is enough."

He is a martial artist, so he has thick skin and is resistant to the cold.

Besides, when people are busy reviewing memorials, who cares about the temperature?

Huo Lin didn't think there was anything wrong with his behavior at all; on the contrary, he thought Wang Degui was making a fuss over nothing.

Seeing the emperor's expression, Wang Degui knew that further persuasion would be useless, so he could only swallow back his anxiety.

With a mournful face, he replied, "Yes, servant will go and get you a pot of hot tea."

Huo Lin picked up the vermilion brush again, but did not put it down immediately.

A gust of cold wind slipped in through the window cracks, causing the candlelight beside his desk to flicker slightly, and bringing a chill with it.

He subconsciously pulled his cloak tighter around himself, his gaze sweeping across the gray sky outside the window, his brows furrowing slightly involuntarily.

It was unusually cold that day, much colder than at this time last year.

His eyes darkened; it was almost time for the ancestral worship ceremony.