Chapter 31 Letting Go
The emperor stayed at the Longyu Pavilion for three consecutive days, which infuriated everyone.
No one knew what methods Consort Zhen used to keep His Majesty here. The concubines were both slandering her and very curious, wishing they were the favored Consort Zhen.
Inside Yifang Palace, it was the same group of people as last time.
Upon hearing the news from below that Consort Zhen had been taken to the Imperial Study by His Majesty, Consort Bai drank her tea in silence. Across from her, Consort Wen frowned slightly.
“That dancer has never been disciplined and has no sense of shame. When His Majesty grows tired of her, her fate will not be good.”
Consort Shu sat in the high seat, while the palace servants behind her massaged her shoulders.
Upon hearing this, she kept her eyes closed, but the corners of her mouth turned up slightly as she slowly spoke: "Consort Wen, why do you still call her a dancer? She is now His Majesty's Consort Zhen."
What a wonderful Lady Zhen!
The titles His Majesty bestows upon his concubines are all imbued with meaning. The very word "precious" in this title shows His Majesty's affection for her. She even served His Majesty for three consecutive days. While the dancer may have a better figure, there are plenty of other women with beautiful skin and flesh, yet His Majesty didn't even glance at her.
Now he even takes her to the Imperial Study.
Thinking of these things, Consort Shu couldn't help but open her eyes and reach for the teacup.
"Your Majesty is right," Consort Wen replied, bowing her head slightly.
Consort Shu didn't want to hear Lan Wu's name, so she simply took a sip of tea and turned her gaze to Consort Bai, asking her, "Why aren't you saying anything today?"
Consort Bai was indeed deep in thought. Upon hearing Consort Shu's question, she couldn't help but look at the empty seat beside her and said, "Your Majesty, I was wondering why Consort Liu hasn't left the palace these past few days."
Speaking of Consort Liu, she was always the most enthusiastic when visiting Consort Shu's palace. She was never the first or fastest to arrive, and she was never late.
But I didn't see anyone on either of those occasions.
Consort Shu put down her teacup and scoffed, "It's a good thing she's keeping quiet and not coming out."
Everyone knows that Consort Liu has a bad temper and will get angry at the slightest thing. She can't say anything nice and is also stupid. Consort Shu has wanted to get rid of her several times, but she is really loyal.
Bai Xiuyi felt that something was wrong.
At this moment, Consort Wen spoke up: "From what day did she stop going out?"
"That is, right after the flower-viewing banquet..."
As Bai Xiuyi spoke, her expression suddenly changed.
Silence fell over the surroundings.
"You mean, it was Consort Liu who, by some twist of fate, sent that vile woman to His Majesty's bedchamber?" Consort Shu said through gritted teeth, her face grim, and abruptly stood up. "Go to Tingfeng Pavilion!"
Consort Wen and Consort Bai stood up together and stopped Consort Shu: "Your Majesty, we cannot go now. If it really is Consort Liu, we should not go to see her now."
Given His Majesty's favor towards Consort Zhen, if the investigation leads back to Consort Liu, it's hard to guarantee that Consort Shu won't be held accountable, since Consort Shu hosted the flower-viewing banquet that day, and Consort Liu happens to be close to Consort Shu.
Going to Tingfeng Pavilion at this critical juncture will force you to be associated with Consort Shu, even if you have nothing to do with her.
"That idiot!" Consort Shu turned around, swung her hand and pushed the teacup on the table to the ground, her whole body filled with rage.
Liu Shuyi is no longer suitable.
-
The news that Consort Shu of Yifang Palace had fallen ill quickly spread to the inner palace.
Lan Wu had just returned to her palace from the imperial study when she heard the news.
"I heard that Yifang Palace was quite lively this afternoon. Consort Wen and Consort Bai went to Yifang Palace to have a chat with Consort Shu. Afterwards, they looked at the flowers outside the courtyard for a while before the two consorts said they were leaving."
"After a while, Consort Shu said she had a headache, and the imperial physician has already gone over."
As Lianxi spoke to her, she ordered someone to bring her water to wash her hands.
Lan Wu said "oh" twice and gently washed her dirty hands in the water.
Looking at those delicate, white hands, Lianxi couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, next time you want to pick flowers, just let the palace maids do it. Why do you still do it yourself? What if you hurt your hands?"
Lianxi didn't go to the Imperial Study with Lanwu today, so she naturally didn't know how Lanwu, on her way back from the Imperial Garden, would reach out and pick whichever flower looked pretty. The palace servants tried to stop her, but Lanwu insisted on doing it herself.
Fortunately, they were all thornless flowers; it just made my hands dirty.
Listening to Lianxi's nagging, Lanwu's eyes widened, and she grinned at her: "Just pretend you don't know you hurt your hand. It's just some flowers, how could they break my hand?"
Hearing her escalating the situation and her own apparent indifference, Lianxi hurriedly called out, "Your Majesty—"
Lan Wu put a finger to her lips, indicating that she would not say anything more.
"Could it be that Consort Shu has caught a cold and fallen ill?" Lan Wu turned her attention back to this matter. After thinking for a moment, she realized that Consort Wen and Consort Bai were both Consort Shu's people. Surely the two of them couldn't have poisoned Consort Shu and made her sick.
Since that's not the case, then Consort Shu must be ill on her own.
It wasn't until that night that Lan Wu realized that Consort Shu's 'illness' had come at just the right time.
Chu Mingheng promised to stand up for her, and Lan Wu herself wasn't in such a hurry. Although she seemed to be doing nothing all day at Longyu Pavilion, she secretly sent people to inquire in the Imperial Garden, but she didn't find out anything. After all, His Majesty had given the order, and the palace servants dared not reveal any information.
In the afternoon, Chu Mingheng sent Lan Wu away from the Imperial Study, and before dinner time, he went to Longyu Pavilion.
The hall was filled with many large peonies, and the vases were almost full.
The main hall door was open, and behind the gauze screen directly opposite, a graceful figure could be seen faintly.
Lan Wu was engrossed in reading a book by the window, completely unaware of Chu Mingheng's approaching footsteps.
Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed down in front of her. She instinctively looked up and was startled to see Chu Mingheng's face.
Her first action was to slam the book down in her hand. Her guilty conscience lasted only a moment. She smiled at Chu Mingheng and said, "This concubine greets Your Majesty."
Regardless of whether her greeting was proper or not, Chu Mingheng looked down and saw the book she had closed, and asked her, "What book are you reading?"
Lan Wu's smile froze slightly. Her fingers were fiddling with the pages of the book, and she was about to quietly switch it under the table when her arm was grabbed.
"Awu, I have had your ruler returned to you."
Did you receive it?
Lan Wu's groin began to ache from his words, and she stammered anxiously, "What about mine... no one said anything."
Didn't she throw that ruler on the ground? Who brought it over?
Chu Mingheng leaned down and bit her lips, then casually asked, "Awu, guess where it is?"
Lan Wu didn't want to guess at all. She pursed her lips slightly, but didn't loosen her grip.
Chu Mingheng lowered his eyes and uttered two words without room for argument: "Let go."
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