Chapter 87 The Cold Palace

Lan Wu was unaware that someone was eyeing her again. She was embroidering a purse when she suddenly noticed that it was getting dark.

She looked at the barely acceptable 'dragon' in her hand, becoming more and more satisfied, and nodded as she put the embroidery cloth down.

Lianqiao came into the palace to pack her things and saw that Lanwu had stopped embroidering. She thought it was finished and was about to praise it when she noticed that the dragon claws on the embroidery were somewhat similar at first glance. However, the claws were just a few lines out of thin air, and it was hard to praise them.

Lan Wu stretched, picked up her teacup and took a couple of sips, then saw Lian Xi rushing over.

Lianxi came in such a hurry, perhaps the Emperor has already given his opinion.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty has decreed that Lady Zeng has been demoted to a slave and banished to the Cold Palace."

Lan Wu froze, and subconsciously said, "So fast?"

From the time Consort Li reported the incident until now, only a little over two hours have passed. The truth has been uncovered so quickly, and Consort Rou has been dealt with. Consort Li's involvement is not the only reason for this; Chu Mingheng must have been quite busy in the process as well.

Lianxi nodded and said, "His Majesty also decreed that Consort Rong had suffered needlessly and damaged her health, so she was specially sent to the imperial palace to recuperate, and she will be setting off soon."

Lan Wu gently stroked the inside of the teacup with her fingers, thinking to herself that Rong Shuyi was quite a smart woman. After suffering such a great calamity, she must have asked for the trip to the imperial palace herself.

It's just unknown how much help Rong Shuyi provided to Consort Li in all of this.

"Where is Consort Li?" Lan Wu asked Lian Xi, remembering the person.

"Your Majesty, Consort Li has received His Majesty's favor, but nothing else."

"But I heard that Consort Li was smiling when she returned to the palace."

Lan Wu thought to herself: How could she not laugh? Consort Li laughs in front of people, and her face must be bruised from laughing behind their backs. She pulled Consort Rou down from her high position so neatly and cleanly. Now she probably thinks she is about to take over Consort Rou's power. Moreover, with His Majesty's favor, she may even think that she is going to stand above Consort Shu.

"Hmm, is there anything else?" Lan Wu thought to herself that if Consort Li continued to act arrogantly, she would be asking for trouble, but she wouldn't say anything.

Just as Lianxi was about to say something, she heard a voice outside the hall announcing something.

The imperial edict has arrived.

Lan Wu thought Chu Mingheng would come to have dinner with her today, but when she went out, she only saw Chen Kang'an with palace servants, holding an imperial edict in his hand. Chu Mingheng had obviously not come yet.

Chen Kang'an bowed respectfully to the person and said with a smile, "This servant greets Your Majesty. His Majesty has issued an edict, please accept it."

Lan Wu's suspicious gaze fell on the imperial edict. She guessed what it was and was about to kneel down when Chen Kang'an spoke up first: "His Majesty said that Your Highness should just accept the edict as you did last time."

So Lan Wu stopped kneeling.

She was momentarily stunned when she heard the imperial edict that she had been promoted to the rank of Xiuyi and given many rewards.

Xiu Yi was promoted two ranks.

After the imperial edict was read aloud, Lan Wu took it, looked at Chen Kang'an, and asked him, "Is Your Majesty coming over tonight?"

Chen Kang'an inwardly exclaimed in amazement, but answered her without changing his expression: "It is a great joy for Consort He. When His Majesty sent me to deliver the imperial decree, he specifically told me to take Consort He to Taichen Palace. His Majesty is waiting for Consort He to have her meal."

He mentioned Taichen Palace?

Lan Wu wondered why Chu Mingheng had asked her to go to Taichen Palace for no reason.

She put away the imperial edict and handed it to the palace servants behind her. She then had them give her a reward, went into the hall to tidy her hair a little, and then went out.

"Let's go."

-

Taichen Palace is the emperor's sleeping quarters. Sometimes Chu Mingheng doesn't rest in the inner palace; he's either in the imperial study or in Taichen Palace.

Lan Wu herself had lived in Taichen Palace, and by a twist of fate, she became a concubine.

Taichen Palace is large, but it is still the emperor's bedroom, and it is very solemn. The palace staff are also very disciplined. Lan Wu had always felt that the place was not very lively, and she imagined that Chu Mingheng must have felt cold and lonely sleeping alone at night.

It's not as good as her Yilan Palace.

As the imperial carriage traveled along the palace road, a group of people walked towards them from the front. The two groups met head-on, neither willing to give way.

Lan Wu recognized her as Consort Shu.

It was getting dark, and Consort Shu only returned to the palace at this hour. No one knows what she said to Chu Mingheng.

In the dark twilight, Lan Wu heard Consort Shu speak slowly from inside the imperial carriage.

"My sister has been promoted again; this is truly a joyous occasion."

Both sides stopped.

Lan Wu was going there on His Majesty's orders, so there was no reason for her to give way to others.

"Sister Shufei is joking. How can being wronged for no reason be considered a happy event?" she said unhurriedly.

Consort Shu seemed to smile slightly and said, "It's getting dark, and you still have to go to His Majesty's place, so don't keep him waiting."

After saying that, she instructed, "Yunqing, have someone make way."

Yun Qing turned her head and instructed the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair to clear the way, leaving a wide path.

After Lan Wu had ridden away in the imperial carriage, Consort Shu ordered her men to continue onward.

When Lan Wu arrived at Tai Chen Palace, it was already completely dark. She hadn't eaten anything in the afternoon, and it should have been dinner time before she came, but Chu Mingheng hadn't arrived yet. It took her a while to get to Tai Chen Palace, and she was already feeling hungry.

After getting off the imperial carriage, she headed towards the main hall. Before she even entered the hall, she turned her head and saw Chu Mingheng sitting in the courtyard.

The courtyard was spacious and empty, and now a table of delicious dishes was laid out.

Chu Mingheng had already seen her and reached out his hand to beckon her over.

"It smells so good, Your Majesty." Lan Wu nestled into his arms, but her eyes darted to the dishes on the table.

Braised shark fin, Longjing shrimp, assorted tofu...

Almost all of these are her favorite foods, and there's even venison on top.

Chu Mingheng put his arm around her and sat down.

"Why did Your Majesty summon me to Taichen Palace for a meal today? Is the food in my palace not good enough?" She looked at the dishes on the table for a while and then asked Chu Mingheng.

Chu Mingheng ordered a meal to be served and said slowly, "Last night I asked you if you wanted to know where your things went, so I've called you over today to take a look."

He meant that all her paintings were in Taichen Palace?

Lan Wu looked at him suspiciously, not quite understanding.

"Let's have a meal first, and then I'll take you to see it."

This was the first time she had dined in this courtyard. Before, Lanwu's Longyu Pavilion was too small, and it would be too cramped to dine in the courtyard. Later, she was very proper in Yilan Palace and found the courtyard too hot, so she refused even when the palace servants suggested setting up a table in the courtyard to dine.

Perhaps because she was hungry, everything tasted delicious. Lan Wu found that all the dishes on the table were much tastier than what she usually ate.

She slowly finished the last half bowl of soup, only to find that none of the palace servants in the courtyard had spoken.

If Lan Wu hadn't known the strict palace rules and that they dared not speak, she probably would have thought they were all mute.

After rinsing his mouth, Chu Mingheng took Lan Wu for a walk in the courtyard to help her digest.

After walking for a while, Lan Wu felt hot and tugged at his arm, unhappy.

Chu Mingheng looked at her meaningfully, touched her flushed face, and asked softly, "Does Awu like that venison? Do you think it's delicious?"