Chapter 45 Who is the bystander?
Lianxi washed the grapes and brought them into the main hall. Just then, she saw Lanwu sitting by the beaded curtain in front of the crabapple window, reading a book. As the summer heat intensified, the screen in front of the crabapple window was removed and replaced with a beaded curtain to let the outside breeze in.
"Your Majesty, these are fresh grapes sent from the Imperial Household Department. I've washed a plateful; please have a taste."
Lan Wu looked at the plate of dark, shiny grapes. They weren't very big, and they looked sour.
She took one, peeled it, and tasted it. Surprisingly, she didn't taste any sourness or astringency; instead, it was just the right balance of sweet and sour.
"Are the grapes ripe at this time of year? I thought they should be a little later, right?" As she spoke, Lan Wu peeled another grape and put it in her mouth.
Lianxi smiled and said, "Ordinary grapes take another month or two to ripen. I heard from the people in the inner palace that these were presented by the Yuyue clan. They just arrived, and the inner palace quickly distributed them to the ladies of the palace."
"...Yuyue Clan".
Lan Wu ate grapes and remembered.
This small tribe in the western border region, because of its proximity and lack of military power, would occasionally offer things in exchange for protection.
"Besides grapes, is there anything else?" Lan Wu asked her.
Lianxi nodded, but was still unsure: "There should be some other fruits as well. Would Your Highness like to try some? This servant will go to the inner palace to inquire."
Lan Wu coughed lightly and shook her head: "No need, this is enough."
She wasn't asking about any fruit.
The Yuyue tribe also produces gemstones of various colors, which are pure and beautiful without any embellishment. These gemstones are either collected into the inner palace and made into various jewelry, or simply stored away.
Everyone wants beautiful things.
That very night, Lan Wu demanded the gems from Chu Mingheng.
Chu Mingheng felt that Lan Wu was being too clingy today, taking the initiative to come closer and say whatever he was asked to say.
Such obedience seems suspiciously like it has ulterior motives.
Chu Mingheng patted Lan Wu's leg, telling her to sit up.
Lan Wu, unaware of the time, had just caught her breath and was feeling drowsy. Upon hearing Chu Mingheng's words, she gritted her teeth and sat up, leaning on the bed for support.
Swallowing the words in her throat, she slowly exhaled, wrapped her arms around Chu Mingheng's neck, and whispered in his ear.
"Your Majesty, would Your Majesty like to reward or reward your concubine...?"
Chu Mingheng immediately scoffed. He had never seen anyone ask for a reward like this before. Lan Wu did it so innocently and bluntly, as if he was entitled to give her anything she wanted.
He pinched the back of her neck and asked her what reward she wanted.
Lan Wu's eyes lit up, and she whispered the names of those beautiful gems in his ear.
"I like... gemstones, Your Majesty. May I wear these gemstones for you to see?" Her voice was soft, and although she managed to finish speaking, it was filled with joy. However, she did not receive a reply from Chu Mingheng.
After a short while, because Chu Mingheng didn't speak, the temperature in the bed room dropped considerably.
Lan Wu's arms felt a little cold, and she shrank back, only to see Chu Mingheng's face.
Chu Mingheng's face was thoughtful and tinged with a barely perceptible coldness.
What, what happened?
Chu Mingheng pressed her over and turned her over without saying a word, then pressed down on her back.
"Your Majesty..." Lan Wu opened her mouth to call him, but was hit the next moment.
It didn't hurt, but it came so suddenly that Lan Wu didn't have time to react immediately.
"Let me ask you," Chu Mingheng said, his voice tinged with inquiry, "this is the first time the Yuyue Clan has offered tribute. How do you know what's inside?"
What! ?
Lan Wu thought that the tribute from the Yuyue Clan was a common occurrence, but it turns out that this is the first time.
She stammered and couldn't utter a sound. Chu Mingheng shoved her, using his strength impatiently, while warning her, "If you explain yourself clearly, I won't interrogate you. If you can't explain yourself and try to fool me..."
He stopped speaking, his posture dignified and superior, and leaned down to continue warning Lan Wu: "For the next three days, don't even think about staying here again."
A blatant threat.
Lan Wu's throat tightened. How could she know that this was the first time the Yu Yue Clan had presented a gift? After all, in her previous life, she had always taken those gems.
"Mmm—I heard it from others..."
"Who is it?" Chu Mingheng wasn't fooled.
Lan Wu covered her head, her voice muffled and choked with sobs, and said, "I don't remember..."
Chu Mingheng slapped her twice more: "Awu, it's one thing to reach out too far, but you should at least have some idea of how to cover up the lie."
"How can I trust someone as stupid as you?"
Lan Wu tried to dodge when she was hurt, but Chu Mingheng picked her up and she couldn't escape.
She bit her lip, her voice muffled, and hurriedly said she didn't want the gemstones anymore.
"Give it to me, how could I not give it to you? You've gone to so much trouble to come up with such a scheme to fool me. I'll give you as much as you want, Awu." After saying that, Chu Mingheng kissed her burning cheek, lifted the curtain a little for her, and said, "Let her get some fresh air, then continue."
...
The commotion lasted all night until Lan Wu fell into a deep sleep.
She didn't wake up until almost noon the next day, and there were some exquisite wooden boxes on the bedside table.
She knows what's inside without even opening it.
Lan Wu threw off the covers and got out of bed. Her calves trembled, and she could barely stand when her toes touched the ground.
She carefully stood up, holding onto the bedpost, regretting that she had let her guard down yesterday. She should have asked the palace servants more about the Yuyue clan. Yesterday, Chu Mingheng caught her red-handed and gave her a lesson...
Her butt still hurts.
Lianxi heard her commotion from outside and gently knocked on the door of the inner hall, asking if she was awake.
Lan Wu opened her mouth, and a hoarse sound came out of her throat.
She coughed repeatedly while holding onto the bedpost. Lianxi, who was outside, heard this and was very anxious. When she heard her call to come in, she pushed open the door and went in.
A cup of warm water was handed to Lan Wu, and she drank it all to quench her thirst.
He then lay back on the bed, opened his eyes to look at the ceiling, and sighed.
"Your Highness?" Lianxi was somewhat alarmed when she saw that she was not feeling well. "Is Your Highness feeling unwell? This servant will go and fetch Physician Chen right away."
"No need—" Lan Wu hurriedly called out to her, her face slightly flushed, and she grabbed the blanket to cover her face again.
"I'm fine, I just... I just don't want to get up, um... I'll sleep a little longer, don't wake me..." In her condition, she could barely walk, and the doctor would know the reason as soon as she arrived. She couldn't bear the embarrassment.
Lianxi hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Even if Your Highness doesn't get up, you still need to eat... Also, the physician said that the medicine you need to drink every day can only be taken after Your Highness has had lunch."
Reminded by her, Lan Wu remembered this matter, took a deep breath, and threw off the quilt: "Then I'll get up."
This medicine cannot be missed. Not only is Physician Chen watching her drink it, but Chu Mingheng is also keeping an eye on it. He even asked about her health yesterday. If she dares to miss a bowl of medicine today, she will have to take two more bowls later.
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