Chapter 95 I won't indulge you
Lan Wu carefully examined the faces of all the palace maids, but she didn't see the one she was looking for. Instead, she took one back with her.
After looking at people all afternoon, Lan Wu was exhausted and collapsed onto the soft couch as soon as she returned to Yi Lan Palace.
However, after closing his eyes for a short while, he remembered Danshan's words and opened them again.
"Coming here on orders"—that phrase sounds familiar.
She stared at Mu Jin with her eyes wide open; what could she not understand?
Chu Mingheng still tried to find someone for her.
"Where does Your Highness feel unwell? This servant can give you a massage." Mu Jin felt a little guilty under her gaze. As the saying goes, a servant cannot serve two masters. Her master is the Empress, but she has to answer whatever His Majesty asks her. Although the Empress did not say anything, she still felt somewhat sorry for her.
Lan Wu nodded and pointed to her lower back: "Then massage this area for me."
As soon as Mu Jin put her hand down, she heard the announcement from outside.
Lan Wu also sat up and looked at the people who came in from outside the hall. She told Mu Jin to go out first.
Chu Mingheng stepped forward and took the position next to Lan Wu, pulling her into his arms and gently massaging her waist with his hands.
He wasn't a professional at this job, and soon he pressed the wrong spot, making Lan Wu feel ticklish and tingly, so she reached out and slapped him away.
Lan Wu then looked at him properly.
Chu Mingheng smiled and asked, "Didn't find anyone?"
A muffled "hmm".
"Then why did you bring one back as well?"
Lan Wu nudged him: "Didn't you give me a pretext to find that palace maid? You made such a big fuss, but you didn't bring back a single person. What will people say about me?"
"Anyone who dares to speak ill of you will be slapped in the face by me," Chu Mingheng said seriously.
Lan Wu quickly frowned and looked at him: "You're not allowed to—"
After looking at it for a moment, Chu Mingheng nodded: "Fine, I forbid it."
Lan Wu breathed a sigh of relief, but then she remembered that she hadn't told Chu Mingheng about meeting Aunt Danshan before.
"Why didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to give me Empress Dowager Jingwen's palace maid? I only saw her at the very end, and she said she came on orders, so I brought her back."
"You didn't tell me, why didn't you tell me?"
If Danshan hadn't said she was there on orders, she definitely wouldn't have brought her back to Yilan Palace.
Seeing that Lan Wu was a little annoyed, Chu Mingheng smiled and pulled her into his arms, saying, "Danshan was the Empress Dowager's personal maid. She also took care of me when I was young. After the Empress Dowager passed away, she did not leave the palace and asked to stay."
"My mother loved growing flowers and vegetables, but there were many rules in the palace. She could grow flowers, but not vegetables. Later, Kongshan Garden was given to my mother, and she asked Danshan to help her open up a vegetable garden in Kongshan Garden, saying that she could grow vegetables in her spare time."
But before the vegetable garden could be fully developed, he passed away.
Lan Wu felt somewhat sad, sad for Chu Mingheng, and also sad for Empress Dowager Jingwen.
She didn't speak until Chu Mingheng finished speaking, then she spoke softly.
“I saw her when I went to Kongshan Garden last time.”
Chu Mingheng hummed in agreement: "I know."
"Danshan is someone close to the Empress Dowager, and she is not under my command. She came to your side voluntarily, not because I intended it."
"Why?"
Since Danshan has been living peacefully in the palace for so long, why would she willingly wade into this mess? Although Chu Mingheng's harem is not as lively as the late emperor's, just look at Consort Rou and you'll know that the concubines have their share of tricks to win favor.
Lan Wu thought that a palace servant like Dan Shan, who had been serving Empress Dowager Jingwen and had seen all sorts of tricks, must be unwilling to serve anyone else now that she had found some peace and quiet.
Chu Mingheng cupped Lan Wu's face in his hands and whispered to her, "Of course it's because A-Wu is so lovable, everyone would adore her."
Lan Wu was naturally not fooled by his sweet talk. She immediately turned her face away and said in a low voice, "Nonsense."
"Danshan has been in the palace for a long time and is familiar with the palace rules. If you don't like it, I will let her go back to Kongshan Garden."
Chu Mingheng knew that she didn't like being watched over. Lan Wu was just young and initially reserved, but now... she's becoming more and more adept at being a favored concubine.
"No... why are you sending her back?" Lan Wu grabbed Chu Mingheng's hand, took it off her face, lowered her head and squeezed her hand into his, playfully yet seriously considering, "Let her stay. I've already brought her back to Yilan Palace. Besides, she served Empress Dowager Jingwen and took care of His Majesty. If I anger His Majesty in the future, she might have to put in a good word for me."
Chu Mingheng narrowed his eyes, a slight smile curving his lips, and said, "If you really anger me, no one can help you."
"Don't expect anyone to come and save you."
He spoke with great seriousness, as if he had already decided how to deal with Lan Wu.
"I won't put up with you!" Lan Wu broke free from him, stood in front of him, glared at him angrily, then stomped on his foot and ran away.
"Serve the meal!"
Chu Mingheng slowly walked out from behind, smiling as he looked at Lan Wu—who was really indulging whom?
Because she couldn't find the old palace maid who had killed her in her previous life among the palace servants, Lan Wu had to give up for the time being.
The palace had a new, older aunt. At first glance, she seemed no different from the others, but Danshan quickly learned about the situation in Yilan Palace. Without Lanwu's knowledge, she made all the palace staff admire her immensely.
Lan Wu herself couldn't perceive any difference, but her days in Yi Lan Palace were indeed better.
I thought that Danshan, being so strict, would disapprove of her behavior as a favored concubine, but for half a month, Danshan didn't mention anything.
It's already October, and the weather is gradually getting cooler. The Imperial Clothing Bureau took the measurements of all the palace ladies a while ago, and the autumn clothes made from them were sent to each palace.
However, Lan Wu felt something was off when she flipped through the pages.
"Her Majesty had her eye on a piece of peacock green Xiangyun yarn and agreed to have it made into a floor-length skirt, perfect for autumn. But this servant noticed that there doesn't seem to be any Xiangyun yarn material here." Danshan spoke for Lanwu, her stern face turned towards the palace maids from the Imperial Wardrobe, her eyes particularly sharp.
The head of the Imperial Wardrobe immediately felt a wave of dizziness and hurriedly knelt down before Lan Wu. Whether she had forgotten to take it or it was not a matter at all, she admitted her mistake: "It was our mistake that we did not remember clearly. Perhaps the servants mixed up the clothes when they were putting them away. We will send people to search in each palace and find Your Highness's clothes."
Danshan looked at Lanwu, waiting for her to speak.
Lan Wu nodded.
"Hurry up and go."
"Yes, yes, thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty."
Lan Wu had only worn the green dress once before, but it was stained with blood and involved in Rong's false pregnancy and miscarriage, so it was disposed of afterwards. This time, seeing that the Xiangyun yarn was of good quality in terms of material and color, she had it made into a new dress.
As a result, it looked like it had been mixed up again.
Does that mean she can't wear a green dress?
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