As the music became more tender, the dancers, holding lotus lanterns in both hands, paired off to form a winding path leading to the Jade Terrace.
Consort Wen, holding her pipa, walked slowly forward, playing as she went. Her trailing red dress, like fire, concealed her jade-like feet, making her appear to float forward. Consort Wen walked until she reached the jade platform, where her eyes met those of the person on the dragon throne, their gazes locked as if they were inseparable, like the threads of a lotus root that could never be severed.
Her fingers played a tender and poignant melody, her eyes behind the gold-threaded mask were alluring, and after spinning around a few times, she sat directly on Emperor Pingjia's lap!
Everyone sighed inwardly, but no one dared to utter a sound, or even look up again, wondering what shameless things this dissolute concubine might do in public.
Lord Wen closed his eyes in anguish, lowered his head, and drank a large cup to numb himself. He didn't know what sins his Wen family had committed to produce such a disgraceful son!
Yes, many officials were eager to send their daughters into the imperial harem, hoping to gain the emperor's favor. But no one wanted to see their precious daughter suddenly turn into a shameless harlot overnight, making such a disgraceful spectacle in public!
Besides, would His Majesty really indulge her like this? After all, it was in front of the Imperial Concubine and all the officials!
Lord Wen had almost foreseen the wrath the Wen family would suffer, and others were also secretly waiting for the Emperor to get angry and discipline Consort Wen. However, everyone kept their heads down and waited and waited, but in the end they only got a burst of joyful and hearty laughter from the Emperor.
Thus, the "Consort Wen" in everyone's eyes became even more unrestrained, sitting directly next to Emperor Pingjia in his large dragon throne, and even glancing at Consort Wen, clearly showing off.
What does she have to fear about losing face? Now she's wearing someone else's skin, so it's not her who's losing face, but she's the one who's receiving real favor.
She watched as Consort Wen gritted her teeth but dared not retaliate, and inwardly she laughed with satisfaction:
Do you know that I, Feng Wan, have returned?
Wei Shuwan was also somewhat dumbfounded. She had long heard that Wen Chan was deeply favored by the emperor, but she did not know that her abilities were so great that she could manipulate the emperor at will.
At the same time, Wei Shuwan fell into deep thought. What method did Wen Chan use to win over Emperor Pingjia overnight and maintain his favor? If Sister Pan also had this ability, wouldn't she also be able to win over her uncle and avoid those misfortunes?
Perhaps because the atmosphere in front of the palace was too awkward, Consort Wen excused herself to use the restroom and left her seat. Wei Shuwan, who had drunk a few cups of wine that day, was also feeling a bit suffocated, so she took advantage of the chaos to quietly leave the main hall, intending to go outside for some fresh air.
As luck would have it, she deliberately avoided crowded places, but still bumped into Consort Wen. However, Consort Wen did not notice her, so she simply hid behind the artificial hill and did not make any noise.
The evening breeze was cool and refreshing, but Consort Wen frantically fanned herself with her round fan, as if she had nowhere to vent her anger.
Her trusted lady-in-waiting comforted her, saying, "Your Highness, please don't be angry. This isn't the first time Consort Wen has acted arrogantly because of the emperor's favor. Why bother arguing with her?"
"Hmph~" Consort Wen sneered, her voice filled with disdain: "If this little vixen had truly managed to keep His Majesty willingly by her own abilities, I would admire her. But what despicable methods did she use? She secretly used aphrodisiacs to secure his favor, bewitching His Majesty to the point of losing his mind!"
The lady-in-waiting sighed, "But Your Highness also has to consider Lord Wen's side. If this matter is exposed, it will have far-reaching consequences, and that is a crime punishable by beheading."
Consort Wen paused in her fanning, her anger instantly shifting to helplessness: "Yes, she can disregard everything, but I still have to consider my younger brother..."
"Then Your Majesty should hurry back, lest His Majesty overthink things and the officials laugh at the Wen family."
The master and servant sighed and returned to the palace. Wei Shuwan, who had been hiding behind the artificial hill, was finally able to straighten up and look at the two figures as they walked away.
"It's actually aphrodisiac..."
Wei Shuwan stood there, silently muttering a sentence, when suddenly she felt a weight on her shoulder as a hand patted her. She turned around and saw Pan Wenjun: "Sister Pan..."
"What are you muttering to yourself here?" Pan Wenjun asked with a smile.
Wei Shuwan felt a pang of guilt, but she quickly rallied herself and tentatively asked, "Sister Pan, if someone did something that hurt you because they wanted what was best for you, would you forgive that person?"
"For my own good, yet you want to hurt me?" Pan Wenjun frowned, initially seeming puzzled, but quickly she thought of the corresponding scenario and smiled knowingly: "Of course!"
Why?
"Such things often happen in the army. When soldiers are hit by arrows on the battlefield, some of which are even coated with poison, the medics have to cut away the flesh around the wound to save them! The soldiers suffer excruciating pain, but they are also grateful to the medics."
After giving this example, Pan Wenjun concluded: "So if you are genuinely doing something for the good of others, even if you have to cause them some harm, it is forgivable."
Wei Shuwan breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, even if the methods were not honorable, she had still done a good deed by saving people from dire straits.
Her eyes were almost brimming with tears as she nodded to Pan Wenjun: "I understand, Sister Pan."
After exchanging a few words of laughter, the two returned to the palace together. After Wei Shuwan sat back down at her table, she began to seriously consider the specific implementation of the plan.
Now that her mental block is gone, the next challenge is where to get the medicine, how to administer it to her uncle and sister Pan at the banquet, and finally, how to settle them both down.
If things go well, given his sense of responsibility, the uncle will surely ask Governor Pan for Pan's hand in marriage on the spot. In this way, His Majesty and all the officials will become witnesses to their marriage.
The matter needs to be handled in three steps. The first step is to find a way to obtain the medicine.
Where to find the medicine was obvious; it must be in Consort Wen's Lanxinzhai. Moreover, since Consort Wen was currently in the palace accompanying the Emperor, Lanxinzhai only had palace servants and no mistress, which was a great convenience for her.
With time running out and the task heavy, Wei Shuwan got up without making a sound. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a light voice behind her: "Going to the toilet again?"
Wei Shuwan blushed and turned to look at Li Qingchen with displeasure: "Is it wrong to drink too much?"
Li Qingchen nodded slightly, signaling her to go quickly, but the smile on his lips made Wei Shuwan very unhappy, as she felt that he was mocking her.
However, the overall situation was more important at the moment, and she couldn't care less about arguing with Li Qingchen. She angrily bit her lower lip and left the main hall.
Jiying Hall is very large. It's normal for her to leave the main hall under the pretext of going to the toilet or getting some fresh air. But if she wants to leave through the main gate, she has to get past the guards.
No one dared to say anything when princes and ministers moved around, but as a member of the inner circle, it was not appropriate to come and go in such a setting. If one wanted to go out, one had to have a legitimate reason.
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