The Night Before Leaving the Palace, Reduced to the Tyrant's Plaything - Chapter 22

The news of Wanyu being punished and sent to the Lateral Courts quickly spread throughout the harem, and for a time, none of the mistresses of the various palaces could tell whether this was good news or bad.

On the one hand, she would no longer appear under His Majesty’s nose.

On the other hand, she was still kept in the palace after all.

As long as she remained in the palace, she was a hidden danger. Who could say whether His Majesty might suddenly have a change of heart and bring her out again?

“In a place like the Lateral Courts, not a month goes by without a few deaths. If it comes to it, just let her die!”

Consort Lan said this while offering incense to the Buddha in the small shrine of Yikun Palace.

She bowed three times to the Buddha, sincerely saying, “Merciful Buddha, this humble woman is not cruel by nature. It’s just that the Fox Spirit is too beautiful, and I fear His Majesty will be bewitched by her, neglect his duties, and ruin this century-old foundation.

Therefore, for the sake of Great Yan’s empire, for the sake of all the people, this humble woman must play the villain just this once. Please, Buddha, understand.”

She placed the incense into the burner, her slender fingers painted bright red with alkanet, pressed together as she closed her eyes in prayer:

“Buddha, if you agree with me, let this incense burn to the end. If you do not, let it break midway, and I will understand your guidance.”

After speaking, she left a Palace Maid to watch over the shrine and returned to her chambers.

After one stick of incense, the Palace Maid came to report in the bedchamber, “Your Ladyship, the incense has burned out.”

Consort Lan, hearing this, smiled with great satisfaction. “Very good. It seems the Buddha has granted his approval. Then I shall act according to his guidance.”

Meanwhile, at the Directorate of Ceremonial, Lai Fu was craning his neck anxiously at the doorway.

Not until dusk did he finally see Lai Lu and Lai Shou holding umbrellas, escorting Xu Qingzhan through the wind and snow.

“Godfather, you’re finally back!”

Lai Xi hurried forward, running so fast he slipped in the snow, scrambled up without bothering to brush off the snow, and blurted out, “Godfather, something terrible has happened! His Majesty has sent Gugu Wanyu to the Lateral Courts, and said she is never to leave the palace without an imperial edict.”

Xu Qingzhan suddenly stopped in his tracks, a cold light flashing in his enchanting eyes, as if the swirling snow had blown into them.

Never to leave the palace without an edict?

Was His Majesty trying to drive Wanyu to her death?

She had counted the days, longing to leave the palace, for over eighteen hundred days and nights. Now, with one cold sentence, her hopes were shattered. How could she bear it?

Xu Qingzhan reached up and pushed away the umbrella above his head, gazing at the sky.

The wind swept the snowflakes down like cotton, landing on his cold, beautiful face and instantly melting into icy water.

At this moment, was Wanyu’s heart more shattered than the snowflakes, colder than the snow itself?

And what about the person outside the palace? Xu Qingzhan had spent much effort persuading him not to act rashly, to wait and plan. If he learned of His Majesty’s decree, how could he restrain himself?

“Do you know where she was assigned?” After a long pause, Xu Qingzhan finally spoke.

“They said she was sent to the Laundry Office,” Lai Xi replied.

“Laundry Office?”

Xu Qingzhan couldn’t help but furrow his long brows, thinking of Wanyu’s scalded hands.

Her hands were so badly injured, and in this freezing weather, they actually made her do laundry?

What was His Majesty thinking?

Even a cat or dog raised for five years wouldn’t be treated so heartlessly, let alone a frail young woman.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then said slowly, “Lai Shou, make arrangements. I want to go to the Lateral Courts at the second watch.”

“Yes,” Lai Shou answered and hurried away.

The Lateral Courts had only one gate leading to the inner palace, and once night fell, it was locked. To get in, one had to bribe the keyholder in advance.

“Come back!”

Before Lai Shou could go far, Xu Qingzhan called him back.

“Godfather, do you have further instructions?” Lai Shou returned and asked.

Xu Qingzhan said, “Have someone keep an eye on Qianqing Palace. See if His Majesty selects a consort tonight. If he doesn’t, we won’t go.”
Lai Shou was taken aback for a moment, but soon understood what he meant.

If Qi Rang didn’t select a consort for the night, he might go to the Lateral Courts.

Whenever Qi Rang went out, even in the dead of night, there would always be a large number of guards accompanying him. If his godfather went as well, even a small mistake could get them discovered. Moreover, snow made it easy to leave footprints-so to play it safe, it was better to avoid Qi Rang altogether.

But then again, what exactly was Qi Rang trying to do?

If he really liked Miss Wanyu, wouldn’t it be easier just to bring her into the harem? Why bother tormenting her like this?

Could it be that he saw Miss Wanyu’s unwillingness to yield, and deliberately wanted to grind her down?

But Miss Wanyu already had someone in her heart-how could she possibly submit to him?

There were three thousand beauties in his harem; why insist on forcing this one bitter gourd?

In the South Study, Qi Rang suddenly sneezed twice without warning.

Sun Liangyan hurriedly told Fuzi to add more charcoal to the brazier, then fetched a fox-fur cloak and draped it over him. “The snow is falling even harder, Your Majesty. You should have supper and rest early. Memorials are endless, but Your Majesty’s health is what matters most.”

Qi Rang set down his brush and pinched the bridge of his nose, then asked abruptly, “She didn’t ask you to plead with me?”

“Who?”

As soon as Sun Liangyan spoke, he realized Qi Rang was referring to Jiang Wanyu. After a moment’s thought, he replied, “She was stunned when she heard Your Majesty’s decree. Maybe she hasn’t thought to ask me for help yet. Perhaps after she comes to her senses tomorrow, she’ll think of it. If not, should I go take a look at her tomorrow?”

“Take a look at what? Are you that free?” Qi Rang shot him a glance, his expression unreadable as to whether it was disapproval or agreement.

“Your Majesty misunderstands,” Sun Liangyan replied calmly. “I left my cloak there. I was thinking of retrieving it, and taking a look at her while I’m at it.”

Qi Rang snorted. “It’s just a cloak. Out of all your men, who couldn’t fetch it for you? Is it really worth you going in person?”

“Well…” Sun Liangyan looked conflicted and replied cautiously, “Then maybe I won’t go.”

“Whether you go or not has nothing to do with me. It’s not my cloak.” Qi Rang raised an eyebrow at him. “But I am curious-how did your cloak end up there?”

…Sun Liangyan was speechless.

He had served Qi Rang since Qi Rang was two or three years old, but had never seen him so contrary.

Was he really acting this way just because he saw Jiang Wanyu as a stand-in for the Princess Consort of Jin?

Honestly, even with the Princess Consort of Jin, he had never seemed so conflicted.

“Your Majesty may not know, but Miss Wanyu was brutally beaten by the Shenxing Si, her clothes were torn to rags. I thought, as a young lady, it would be improper for her to be seen in such a state, so I lent her my cloak. Her blood stained the cloak, so I asked her to wash it before returning it.”

Sun Liangyan intentionally exaggerated. Qi Rang’s brow furrowed deeply at the words “brutally beaten.”

And hearing “improperly clothed,” he recalled how Jiang Wanyu appeared in Qianqing Palace yesterday morning, dressed in that pink robe embroidered with a hundred butterflies.

He remembered then that heavy fog had shrouded the palace, and the woman, clothed in pink, walked toward him through the mist, her skirt hem with its many butterflies seeming to flutter and dance with her graceful steps.

At that moment, it felt as if all the haze over Qianqing Palace had been swept away by her, and the gray skies seemed to brighten…

With a sharp pop, a spark burst from the charcoal in the brazier, snapping Qi Rang back to his senses.

What was he thinking?

Why would he think about a piece of clothing at a time like this?

But then again, that outfit really was beautiful-it was a pity it had been ruined.

What kind of punishment could tear clothing to shreds?

Could it be that the Shenxing Si had whipped her?

Qi Rang pictured that dark, foul whip lashing against the pink butterfly dress, and his heart gave a sudden jolt, as if he himself had been struck.

His face abruptly turned cold. He closed the memorial and stood up.