"Yes, I want to leave the palace."

Gu Ziyu greeted the accompanying guards, then stepped forward to help Su Wanwan up.

"How can you walk like this? I'll escort you out of the palace."

Su Wanwan quickly refused, as she was a widow and easily attracted trouble.

"Pulling and tugging like this, what kind of behavior is this?" A cold, clear voice suddenly rang out from behind.

Su Wanwan's body stiffened.

Lu Xingjian was standing not far behind her.

Su Wanwan slowly turned around, bowed her head and gave a curtsy, her gaze only falling on the sea and cliff patterns on the hem of his robe.

Gu Ziyu, however, bowed gracefully, his voice firm and resonant:

"Your Majesty, Madam Su is, after all, the widow of a soldier. How could she suddenly become lame after just one trip to the palace?"

"If this continues, which good man will dare to fight to the death on the battlefield, leaving behind orphans and widows to be bullied by others?"

His words were eloquent and reasonable, and the patrolling guards all felt a deep resonance with them.

If I were to die serving the emperor one day, leaving behind my wife and children to be bullied by others, it would be a terrible thought.

Su Wanwan's eyes welled up with tears, and she looked at Gu Ziyu with gratitude.

Gu Ziyu

Gu Ziyu and she were only casual acquaintances, yet she was willing to speak up for him, which was much better than some heartless people who would turn their backs on him.

Lu Xingjian's cold gaze swept over and happened to see this scene, his eyes turning cold and slightly narrowed.

His jawline tightened, and he said calmly to Steward Li, "Go and find out how Madam Su was injured."

Chief Steward Li thought to himself, "Oh my, Your Majesty, don't you know this perfectly well?"

The eunuch who delivered the jade ruyi just now was someone you sent to help Madam Su out of a predicament.

He said with a bitter face, "Madam Su stood outside the Imperial Study for an hour and then knelt in the Kunning Palace for the time it takes to burn an incense stick. I'm afraid her delicate body can't take it."

"This old servant thinks it would be more appropriate to send Madam Su out of the palace in a sedan chair."

"Approved."

Lu Xingjian responded indifferently.

Su Wanwan remained calm, her eyes lowered, and said, "No need to trouble yourself, this humble woman will take her leave."

We'll have to stand here for ages to wait for the sedan chair.

A slap followed by a sweet treat is a common tactic used by those in power.

She doesn't care.

She will never come to this palace again.

Gu Ziyu's words reminded her.

She was the widow of a soldier.

He was subjected to humiliation, and his son's position as heir apparent was also to be taken away.

"Suffering endless bullying" perfectly describes her current situation.

Walking out with a limp would only tarnish the reputation of the emperor and empress.

Hmph, you can't bully me without consequences.

The air suddenly became very cold.

The atmosphere was a bit eerie.

Despite it being a sweltering summer day, Gu Ziyu couldn't help but shiver.

Steward Li said with a smile, "Madam Su, didn't you have something to ask to see the Emperor? Why don't you say anything now that you've seen him?"

Su Wanwan said calmly, "I know I have no one to back me up, and I will never be able to win the position of heir apparent. I will not humiliate myself any further."

She curtsied and left without looking back.

The limping figure in plain clothes appeared both delicate and stubborn against the backdrop of the red palace walls.

The sight of the patrolling guards was heartbreaking, and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

Lu Xingjian's expression remained indifferent, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

As her slender figure disappeared outside the inner left door, Lu Xingjian strode out and walked towards the inner left door.

Chief Eunuch Li had to jog to keep up, and asked breathlessly, "Your Majesty, weren't you going to Kunning Palace?"

Su Wanwan walked east through the Wenhua Gate, and paused when she passed the entrance of the Inner Cabinet.

My grandfather used to serve in the cabinet.

If she misses her grandfather, she can wait here when she gets off work and see him.

Although we don't exchange many words, they are family after all, and the feeling is always different.

Now that her grandfather has retired, she has lost her support and can only silently swallow her anger when she is bullied.

Just as she was about to leave, someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her directly into the Wenhua Hall across the street.

"Let me go!" she struggled.

Lu Xingjian let go of her hand, took a long stride to block her path: "Don't you want your legs anymore?"

Su Wanwan: "..."

My legs are in this state because of you, the one who started it all.

What's the point of pretending to be benevolent and righteous now?

She kept her head down, clutching her handkerchief tightly, and remained silent.

The two stood facing each other at the entrance of the Wenhua Hall courtyard.

His shadow fell on her, enveloping her completely.

As the sun began to set, it cast their shadows in an extremely ambiguous way, as if he were embracing her.

Lu Xingjian remained silent for a long time before finally saying to the eunuch behind him, "Bring the jade ointment here."

The young eunuch dashed into the Wenhua Hall and quickly returned with a bottle of ointment.

Lu Xingjian took the ointment bottle, checked it in his hand, and handed it to her: "Reduce swelling and relieve pain, apply it to the wound."

Su Wanwan glanced at the somewhat familiar ointment bottle, her face turning pale.

Unpleasant memories from the past were instantly brought back.

Her first affair with Lu Xingjian was so unexpected that she was in excruciating pain, bled profusely, and felt like she was going to die.

Back at her lodgings, she didn't dare make a sound and hid under the covers, silently shedding tears.

I have so much grievance to confide in, but nowhere to express it.

Lu Xingjian secretly sent a young eunuch to deliver a bottle of medicine to her.

There was also a handwritten instruction sheet, the ink still wet, which stained her delicate white fingertips.

It was just a common topical medication, yet he unusually wrote a full page of it, his words penetrating the paper.

The conversation went on and on about a bunch of random things, like privet, mimosa, and other plants.

She was well-versed in poetry, literature, and medicine, and was immediately terrified. Her heart pounded wildly, and her trembling fingers burned the paper to ashes and then crushed it into powder.

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