Chapter 122 Nanli Temple
It's already November, and the cold wind carries a dry, chilly air from the north. There's a charcoal fire burning in the house, and a basin of water is placed there. Even so, my fingers sometimes get dry and cracked.
Lan Wu herself was alright, but the palace servants below her were suffering.
She ordered the Imperial Household Department to prepare more snow cream to prevent chapping, which she distributed to the palace servants. Although the product was crudely made, it would be enough to get them through the winter.
"Your Highness, the refreshments have all been distributed." Lianqiao entered the palace with a smile, bringing out the snacks and telling her about the palace servants' reactions. "Everyone says they want to express their gratitude to Your Highness."
Lan Wu smiled and was about to say something when someone else entered the hall.
"What are you thanking me for?"
Only Chu Mingheng could enter her Yilan Palace without being announced.
Lan Wu reached out and covered her legs with the blanket, looking at Chu Mingheng on the soft couch, and said, "A few days ago I had someone send some Snow Lotus Cream over and distributed it to the palace servants."
Lian Qiao glanced at Lan Wu, her gaze lingering for a moment on Lan Wu's legs covered by the quilt, before hesitatingly leaving the main hall.
"If even the palace servants care so much, then what about me?" Chu Mingheng said, standing in front of Lan Wu. He leaned down slightly and, as he spoke, reached out and lifted the blanket off her legs a little.
"Your Majesty!" Lan Wu couldn't help but blush, as if her little trick had been exposed.
Chu Mingheng looked down and saw the cat curled up asleep on Lan Wu's lap. He sneered, "Didn't I tell you not to hold it?"
It even deliberately slept on Lanwu's lap; this cat was truly audacious.
“Yun Gao is very well-behaved. Besides, you’ve already given it to me, so why won’t you let me hold it? That’s not right…” Lan Wu reached out and took Chu Mingheng’s hand, pulling it down so he could pet the cat too. She whispered, “Your Majesty, touch it. Maybe you’ll like it too.”
Chu Mingheng, his hand held by her, perfunctorily stroked the cat's head a couple of times. Just then, Mu Jin entered the hall to serve tea. He turned to the side and pointed at the cat:
"Take it with you."
Mu Jin was taken aback, then nimbly stepped forward and picked up Yun Gao, who was sleeping on Lan Wu's lap.
Lan Wu moved her legs. Although the cat wasn't heavy, it was still uncomfortable to have it pressing on her legs. Her legs were almost numb from the pressure.
After Mu Jin took the cat out, Chu Mingheng simply tucked the blanket back over Lan Wu, sat down beside her, put her legs on his lap, and reached in to rub them.
Perhaps knowing that Chu Mingheng had been feeling unwell these past few days, Lan Wu gently cupped his face and didn't ask him anything. She just looked at the bloodshot eyes and said, "If Your Majesty can't sleep again tonight, I'll have the imperial physicians at the Imperial Hospital prepare a bowl of calming soup, the strongest kind."
Chu Mingheng touched noses with her, gently put his hand on her waist, and hummed in agreement: "I'm so sorry that you're so worried about me, Awu. There's no need for the calming soup. I'm sure I'll have a good night's sleep tonight."
Lan Wu refused to believe him, still remembering the last time he pretended to be asleep and took advantage of her sleep to go out of the palace to handle government affairs.
"I want to watch you, I want to keep watching you," she said through gritted teeth.
A smile appeared in Chu Mingheng's eyes: "That's great. You'd better keep your word and not look at anyone else."
Lan Wu gently pushed him.
Someone knocked lightly at the entrance of the palace; it was Chen Kang'an reporting from outside.
Chu Mingheng stopped smiling and let him in.
"What's wrong."
Chen Kang'an stood outside the screen and replied, "Your Majesty, a palace servant has come to report that Master Huifan has arrived at Nanli Temple."
Lan Wu turned her head, looked at the screen, and then at Chu Mingheng.
She had mentioned Master Huifan before, but the investigation into Zhuqing's identity brought up the events of Kunning Palace from back then, and she had almost forgotten about it.
"Have someone prepare a carriage," Chu Mingheng ordered.
Chen Kang'an responded from outside and then withdrew.
Lan Wu hadn't left the house in a long time, and her illness should have been cured long ago. However, Chu Mingheng always had an excuse, either saying it was too cold or that he was worried about her without him watching over her, and he just wouldn't let her leave Yi Lan Palace. At most, she could play with Yun Gao in the front and back yards.
But he had previously said that he would take her to see Master Huifan.
"Stop holding me, I'm going to change my clothes and I need to comb my hair." Lan Wu moved her legs to get off him, and then told him to call Mu Jin in to comb her hair.
"No rush." Chu Mingheng's reaction was indifferent, but he tightened his arms around Lan Wu by an inch, buried his head in her neck, and his breath made Lan Wu feel ticklish.
"If we go late, you'll come back and use the excuse of it being late and the dew is heavy to wrap me up like a dumpling." Lan Wu struggled to get up, turned to look at him, and seeing that he still didn't move, she frowned slightly. "Go and call someone."
Chu Mingheng disagreed with her use of the word "baozi" (steamed bun), propped his head up and chuckled lightly. Seeing that Lan Wu was about to get angry, he obeyed her order, got up, and went outside to call someone in for her.
Seeing his retreating figure, Lan Wu breathed a slight sigh of relief. Ever since she learned that Zhu Qing was related to the Lin family, she had always felt uneasy, as if something terrible had happened after her death in her previous life, and this matter might be related to Chu Mingheng.
But despite the unease, things are now moving in a positive direction.
If she, who doesn't believe in gods, Buddhas, ghosts, or monsters, could truly hear the truth from the Buddha, then that would be a way to clear her mind.
On the carriage, the road that had been going smoothly was suddenly changed halfway by Chu Mingheng's order to take another route.
"Why are there so many temples around the imperial city?" Lan Wu had grown up in the palace since she was a child and had never gone to a temple outside the palace to burn incense. This was her first time going, and she was going to see a high monk. She was a little curious and kept asking Chu Mingheng questions along the way.
"There are only four temples in the four directions, that's not many." Seeing her genuine curiosity, Chu Mingheng added a few more words.
"Powerful families are willing to offer incense and prayers to achieve their desires, while ordinary people suffer misfortune and death. Since they have no other way out, they can only place their hopes on gods and Buddhas. Whether or not it will work out, no one knows."
"At Huguang Temple, one prays for marriage or children; at Xituo Temple, one prays for wealth or official career; and at Beizhu Temple, one prays for good health."
Lan Wu realized she'd missed one: "What about Nanli Temple?"
"Nanli Temple and Wuji Temple belong to the royal family, so what do you want to ask for?" Chu Mingheng was particularly fond of her silly appearance, poured her a cup of tea, and told her to hold it to warm her hands.
Lan Wu looked at Chu Mingheng with suspicion. It was a temple for royal sacrifices and prayers, but she felt that no one in the royal family particularly believed in these gods and Buddhas.
"We're almost there. When we go in, you must stay close to me and not leave my side for a moment..." Chu Mingheng said half a sentence, then simply shook his head, "I'll pull you along later."
Lan Wu tilted her head in confusion—they were just going to a temple, not to some crowded street, right?
Is Chu Mingheng really worried that she'll get lost?
That's underestimating her too much.
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