Chapter 25 Nightmare
Although Longyu Pavilion was bustling, not a single concubine came to congratulate the newly appointed Consort Zhen. Lanwu herself was quite content, sitting under the eaves watching the palace servants arrange things, occasionally making a comment or two.
Luo Yun returned to the Emperor's court not long after sending Lan Wu over. She had initially thought Lan Wu wouldn't be able to handle the situation, but it was clear she had worried too much. Lan Wu asked the names of the palace servants one by one and quickly arranged the head maids and eunuchs. Her demeanor was particularly skillful. Anyone who didn't know better would think she wasn't a concubine for the first time.
"...That's all, Your Majesty." Luo Yun reported Lan Wu's reaction to the emperor, but the emperor remained silent.
She couldn't help but feel a little strange. Had His Majesty ever been so attentive in ordering people to pay attention when any concubine was being promoted? It seemed like it had never happened before.
But His Majesty has always treated Lanwu differently from others.
Longyu Pavilion is still too small compared to Yilan Palace. However, small has its advantages. At least she doesn't have to worry about which palace servants have been planted in the palace to cause her trouble.
Soon after noon, Longyu Pavilion was tidied up, and Lanwu instructed that she wanted to take a nap and told the palace servants not to disturb her.
But I didn't sleep well at all.
Lan Wu dreamt of the early spring before her death in her previous life.
She hated cold weather; her hands and feet would get icy cold as soon as it got cold, and even using a hot water bottle couldn't keep her warm. So she usually spent most of her time lying in bed, either reading or playing chess with the palace servants.
A few days after Chu Mingheng left the palace, a light drizzle began to fall in the capital. The palace servants said that after this rain, spring would come and the weather would clear up and warm up.
She waited expectantly at that time.
As night fell, she was awakened by a scream. Opening her eyes groggily, she saw Consort Shu and Consort Li standing before her, followed by many other concubines. They were all staring at her with terrified expressions, too afraid to look any further.
Why are they looking at her like that? Why are they in her palace?
When she woke up, it felt like ants were crawling all over her head. Her head was throbbing and throbbing. She held her forehead with one hand and used the other to support herself as she sat up on the bed beside her. When she subconsciously looked down to the side, she saw someone—a strange man.
Consort Shu said that while His Majesty was away from the palace, she had an affair with a guard in Luoying Courtyard, which was shameless and defiled the palace. She should be strangled.
She couldn't utter a single word; her voice had been drugged and she was struggling with only the last ounce of her strength.
She wanted to wait for Chu Mingheng to return to the palace, but what she received that very night was a white silk ribbon.
They were incredibly audacious; they dared to kill her before His Majesty even returned to the palace. A white silk ribbon was tightly wrapped around her neck. It was a pitiful death; she didn't even know who had murdered her.
In the final scene of the dream, under the eaves, a woman's face, gloomy, indifferent, and withered, was looking down at her.
Outside the dream, Lan Wu was panting heavily on the bed. Her face was flushed, even redder than that of a drunken woman. Judging from her pained expression and incessant muttering, anyone could tell that she was not feeling well.
The palace servants knelt on the ground, anxiously awaiting their questioning.
This was the first time they had seen Consort Zhen today. Although she was to be their future mistress, they were expected to be loyal and had no other intentions. But now, for some reason, Consort Zhen had only been sleeping on the bed for a while when she suddenly developed a high fever and palpitations. So they hurriedly summoned the imperial physician and reported to His Majesty.
His Majesty is currently guarding the bedside, and three imperial physicians have come and are kneeling below. They say that Consort Jieyu had a nightmare and will be fine once she wakes up.
Chu Mingheng reached out and touched Lan Wu's forehead. It wasn't hot, but her face was abnormally red.
"It's good that she's awake?" His voice was cold and chilling. Although his tone was indifferent, it sent shivers down one's spine. "Then let her wake up. If she doesn't wake up within an incense stick's time, none of you need to stay in the Imperial Hospital."
The imperial physicians all lowered their heads, not daring to say anything more, and simply replied, "Yes."
You could tell from Lan Wu's face that what she dreamed of was not a good thing, otherwise her body would not be trembling more and more, and her hands under the quilt would not be soaked with coldness.
Chu Mingheng saw her lips moving slightly as if she were saying something. He leaned closer to listen, but all he heard were desperate, indistinct murmurs. After a long while, a clear word finally appeared in those words, uttered softly, trembling and conveying the emotions of the person in the dream.
So—save?
Chu Mingheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze returned to Lan Wu's face.
Who did you dream about?
Did Consort Shu frighten her like this?
Seeing that Lan Wu's lips had been bitten until they bled, Chu Mingheng reached out and touched her lips, gently rubbing them before using his fingertips to pry open her teeth and release her soft lips.
Before the imperial physicians could discuss how to wake Lan Wu, Lan Wu herself suddenly opened her eyes.
The sound of raindrops pattering outside the window was particularly noticeable as they fell from the eaves to the ground. Her terrified gaze immediately fell on the window, and she uttered her first words upon waking.
"...It's raining—?"
His voice was especially hoarse, like rough sand sliding down his throat, impossible to swallow, leaving only a foreign feeling afterward.
Chu Mingheng didn't even glance out the window. He pinched Lan Wu's chin, making her look at him, and said in an unfriendly tone, "What's with the rain? Are you still half asleep?"
His words seemed to bring life to those dull, lifeless eyes, gradually brightening them and then welling up with tears.
Lan Wu felt as if she had died again during that dream. Now that she had come to her senses and saw Chu Mingheng's face, she finally realized that she would be alright, and tears suddenly fell.
Ignoring the fact that there were people outside the bed curtains, she grabbed Chu Mingheng's sleeve and buried herself in his arms.
The people in the hall swiftly withdrew.
Chu Mingheng pinched the back of Lan Wu's neck, trying to call her out, but Lan Wu's grip was strong and she refused to let go.
"Lan Wu, do you want to get beaten up?"
Lan Wu's body stiffened for a moment, then she quickly let go and slowly moved away.
She had just recovered from her dream when she cried again. Her nose was red and tears were streaming down her face. When she looked at Chu Mingheng again, her eyes were filled with complex emotions.
It wasn't a misperception; Chu Mingheng saw disgust in her eyes.
"Your Majesty, please call me A-Wu. This is my nickname, and only Your Majesty can call me that." Lan Wu said, blinking her eyes. All the emotions in her eyes disappeared completely, leaving only the image of Chu Mingheng in them.
Even when she showed dislike, her gaze was exceptionally charming, as if she were scolding Chu Mingheng.
Now she's acting cute and saying something else.
Chu Mingheng recalled that, both in his dreams and in real life, she always had something unique to give him.
'It's only for His Majesty's benefit.'
'Only His Majesty has seen it.'
'Only for His Majesty to use.'
Chu Mingheng took all these 'things' into his possession, but he wanted more; he wanted to uncover all of Lan Wu's little secrets.
Lan Wu should give him everything she has.
"What did you dream about, Awu? Tell me." In the dark and deep night, a dry well broke open, and sweet well water gradually seeped out from the parched and barren land. The well opening resembled a human eye, gazing into the bottom of the well in the darkness.
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