The Night Before Leaving the Palace, Reduced to the Tyrant's Plaything - chapter 15

Night grew deep. Wanyu sat anxiously by her window, lost in thought as she gazed at the profound darkness outside.

Cold wind blew in through the half-open window, making the already unheated room feel like an ice cellar.

Yet she seemed not to feel it at all, simply sitting quietly, hoping for dawn to come quickly.

At that moment, faint footsteps approached from afar and stopped outside her window.

Wanyu immediately stood up and opened the window wider.

In the darkness, a tall, indistinct figure could be vaguely seen.

“Don’t worry. His Majesty drank too much and is resting at Consort Li’s place,” the person said softly, his voice clear yet tinged with a certain gentleness-Xu Qingzhan’s unique tone.

Wanyu relaxed completely at his words, pressed her palms together and silently recited “Amitabha,” then walked to the door and opened it.

Xu Qingzhan entered, took out a fire striker, and lit it.

In the flickering firelight, his flawless, beautiful face was revealed. The fox-like eyes, with their upturned corners, reflected two clusters of flame, indescribably alluring.

He walked over to the bed with practiced ease, lit the oil lamp on the bedside table, then took out a white porcelain bottle from his robe, opened it, and with his pale, slender fingers scooped out some ointment. He gently pulled Wanyu over and applied it to her forehead.

“Why are you so foolish? If he doesn’t want to let you go, even if you smash your head, it won’t help.”

Wanyu pressed her lips together, remaining silent.

After applying ointment to her forehead, Xu Qingzhan took her right hand, looking at the back of it-blistered and peeling from a burn, streaked with blood. The pain in his eyes was beyond words.

“Sit down,” he said, pressing her onto the bed, intending to treat her wounds.

Wanyu pointed to a small medicine bottle on the bedside, indicating she had already applied medicine herself.

Xu Qingzhan picked up the bottle and glanced at it. “Medicine from the Imperial Pharmacy, brought by Fuzi?”

Wanyu nodded.

Xu Qingzhan let out a soft snort and casually tossed the bottle into the wastebasket. He knelt in front of her and carefully applied his own medicine to her wounds.

If one hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, no one would believe that the formidable Seal Holder, who commanded the winds and rains and killed without mercy, would kneel so humbly before a Palace Maid.

Wanyu instinctively tried to pull him up, but was stopped by his deep, lingering gaze.

“Back then, when I was beaten nearly to death, didn’t you treat my wounds just like this? Is there any scar on my body you haven’t seen?”

Wanyu quieted down, looking at him with compassion.

Who could have imagined that the young boy, gravely wounded and nearly dead in the snow years ago, would one day become the fearsome Seal Holder?

As Xu Qingzhan applied the medicine, he spoke slowly:

“Tomorrow morning, he will wait for you outside Shenwu Gate to go home with you and propose to your parents. Once they agree, you will immediately exchange betrothal documents and announce the engagement. That way, even if His Majesty wants to go back on his word, it will be too late.”

He held Wanyu’s fingertips, gently blew on her wounds, and looked up at her. “Do you remember?”

Wanyu nodded, and tears fell unexpectedly, landing on his fair hand.

“If I leave, what about you?” she asked in sign language.

Xu Qingzhan looked down at the tear on his hand, then after a moment, looked up and smiled at her.

“I’m just a eunuch. Is there anywhere more suitable for me than the palace? Besides, I’m favored by His Majesty now, at the height of my power. In all of the capital, who doesn’t act according to my will? What do you have to worry about?”

Wanyu opened her mouth, but couldn’t find the words.

She wasn’t afraid of him being bullied, but of him being lonely.

With herself in the palace, at least they had each other.
She was leaving, leaving him all alone in the palace, solitary and forlorn…

“Alright, I’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry about me,” Xu Qingzhan let go of her hand and stood up. “I’m leaving now. Once your engagement is settled, I’ll come out of the palace to see you. By then, let’s go to our old spot and have a good drink together.”

He noticed there was still a tear clinging to the corner of Wanyu’s eye. His fingers twitched, wanting to wipe it away for her, but in the end, he gave up and turned to leave.

“…”

Wanyu still wanted to say something, but he had already walked away without looking back.

The door opened and closed, and the surroundings returned to silence.

If it weren’t for that little medicine bottle left on the bed, it would have been as if he had never come at all.

Well, let’s talk about it again after getting out!

There will be plenty of opportunities to meet again in the future. They could have a good talk then.

She put away the medicine bottle, extinguished the lamp, and went to bed.

As long as she had a good night’s sleep, dawn would come.

When dawn broke, she could leave the palace.

…

The long night finally passed, and dawn arrived at last. This night, who knows how many in the harem were sleepless.

Wanyu opened her eyes in the pale light of morning, hardly daring to believe the night had truly passed in peace.

At this hour, Qi Rang must have already gone to the morning court, right?

She dared not delay a moment. She got up, washed, combed her hair, changed her clothes, and picked up the bundle she had packed in advance.

After a few steps, she remembered there would be a search of bodies and bundles at the palace gate. In previous years, there were often people caught smuggling things that didn’t belong to them- not only would they be unable to leave, they’d be sent to the Shenxing Department for punishment.

Although she hadn’t hidden anything, just in case, she decided to abandon all her belongings and leave empty-handed, avoiding any possible risks.

So, she took her bundle to the Taiping Office to say goodbye to Xue Ying, leaving her things behind for Xue Ying to use whatever she could and throw away what she couldn’t.

Xue Ying looked better than last time. Hearing Wanyu was leaving, she grabbed her hand, crying and laughing at once.

Not wanting to delay her, Xue Ying said a few words and urged her to go quickly.

Wanyu, holding back tears, hugged her before hardening her heart and leaving.

At the doorway, she heard Xue Ying call out tearfully, “Wanyu, you must take care of yourself! Remember to come for me at this time next year.”

Wanyu’s throat ached with emotion. She nodded to her firmly and hurried away.

She made her way swiftly to Shenwu Gate, where a long line had already formed. Several eunuchs stood at the entrance, checking exit permits, while others, along with matrons, were searching people and their bundles.

Some Palace Maids served in the presence of various consorts and were often given gold and silver jewelry as rewards.

No matter what rewards they received, they had to be registered and archived with the Palace Administration Bureau. When it came time to leave the palace, everything had to be checked item by item against the list. Only after confirming there was no discrepancy could they pass through the gate.

A Palace Maid ahead of her had items that didn’t match her list and was taken aside for further questioning.

Everyone was nervous for her.

Wanyu felt secretly fortunate that, over the years, Qi Rang had never given her anything, and even more grateful that she had had the foresight to bring nothing with her.

That was the only way to avoid any trouble at the root.

Watching as the line grew shorter and her turn approached, she couldn’t suppress her excitement.

Xu Qingzhan had said that person would be waiting for her outside the palace gates. Would he have arrived yet?

When she met him outside, how would he react?

And how should she react?

To be safe, perhaps they shouldn’t acknowledge each other at the palace gate just yet?

That embrace she had missed for five years-she would wait until there was no one else around, and then she could throw herself into it and have a good cry.