The Night Before Leaving the Palace, Reduced to the Tyrant's Plaything - Chapter 23

Sun Liangyan saw him rise and hurried forward to support him. “Your Majesty, where are you going?”

Where to?

Qi Rang was momentarily stunned, then replied with displeasure, “Wasn’t it you who told me to go rest?”

“Yes,” Sun Liangyan answered, sounding rather disappointed.

He had thought the Emperor would not be able to resist going to see that young lady, but unexpectedly, the Emperor was simply going back to sleep.

The Emperor truly has a heart of stone.

Sun Liangyan sighed inwardly, accompanying Qi Rang out the door and instructing Fuzi to quickly prepare the evening meal.

Qi Rang had little appetite; after a few bites, he set down his chopsticks and headed toward the bedchamber.

Several Palace Maids from the Department of Beds had already made the dragon bed while he was dining, just waiting for his return.

Qi Rang knew these were the Palace Maids who had been learning from Jiang Wanyu these past few days, and couldn’t help but recall that just three nights ago, they had congratulated Jiang Wanyu on leaving the palace to marry her ideal man or something like that.

It was at that moment that he saw, for the first time in five years, a smile on that woman’s face.

She smiled so beautifully that the entire room’s lantern light seemed to pale in comparison.

Could it be that she truly has an ideal man in her heart?

Was her single-minded desire to leave the palace all for that ideal man?

Qi Rang’s eyelid twitched, a nameless anger rising in his chest. He snapped at the Palace Maids, “Get out!”

The Palace Maids had yet to receive any official appointment, each of them anxious as if sitting on hot coals. With Jiang Wanyu sent to the Lateral Courts and Xue Ying still ill, surely the Emperor would keep two of them to serve him for now.

So tonight, they had put in extra effort-not only tidying the Emperor’s bedchamber to perfection, but also dressing themselves up, hoping to catch the Emperor’s eye and remain in Qianqing Palace to serve by his side.

Yet the Emperor didn’t even spare them a glance; upon entering, he ordered them to leave.

Why was this?

Back when Jiang Wanyu was so out of favor, the Emperor would still keep her in the bedchamber for a long time each night before letting her go.

Now, though they had done nothing wrong, all they received was a cold “Get out.”

The girls’ faces turned ashen; though they harbored grievances, none dared to linger even a moment, and hurriedly withdrew.

Outside, they happened to see Hu Jinzhong peeking inside. They quickly pulled him over and asked, “Eunuch Hu, when will we finally get a definite answer?”

Hu Jinzhong’s mind was elsewhere; craning his neck, he asked, “With Jiang Wanyu gone, is His Majesty satisfied with you all?”

“His Majesty told us to get out,” the girls replied aggrievedly.

Hu Jinzhong’s triangular eyes widened in surprise.

It seemed the Emperor’s heart was still with Jiang Wanyu. If only he could persuade Jiang Wanyu to follow the Emperor, his own rise to power would be just around the corner.

But that girl was truly infuriating-stubborn as a mule, refusing to yield, making him rack his brains.

Now the Emperor had sent her to the Lateral Courts, the harshest place in the Forbidden City. Not only was it bitter, but there was also a depraved old lecher with no roots…

Ah!

His eyes lit up, suddenly realizing that the Emperor’s punishment was actually quite clever.

Once Jiang Wanyu had suffered enough in the Lateral Courts, she would naturally remember the comforts of Qianqing Palace.

By then, if he stepped in to persuade her, it would surely be twice as effective with half the effort.

So, to help her realize this sooner, he would have to arrange things well and let her suffer a bit more, so the Emperor’s wishes could be fulfilled sooner.

Yes, that’s the way!

Hu Jinzhong applauded his own cleverness, leaving the Palace Maids behind as he hurried away.

Inside the bedchamber, Qi Rang frowned at the perfectly made dragon bed, his disdain written plainly on his face.
Fuzi looked up and down, left and right, but still couldn’t see anything wrong with the bedding. He quietly exchanged a glance with Sun Liangyan.

Sun Liangyan was just like him, unable to find any fault, but what could he do if His Majesty simply refused to get into bed?

“Tonight the snow is heavy and the wind bitterly cold. It’s hard to sleep in such weather. Would Your Majesty like to flip a plaque and invite one of the consorts or ladies to come and talk?” he suggested tentatively.

This suggestion clearly did not please the emperor; Qi Rang’s brows furrowed even tighter.

How could Sun Liangyan not know what was on his mind? He almost gritted his teeth and suggested that His Majesty take a walk to the Lateral Courts.

But before he could speak, someone outside announced, “Your Majesty, Consort Shu has arrived.”

Sun Liangyan had never wanted to see Consort Shu more than at this moment; right now, she seemed like a living Bodhisattva sent to save them from suffering.

Qi Rang’s expression eased at the news, and he said in a deep voice, “Let her in.”

A moment later, Consort Shu entered, draped in a snow-white fox fur cloak. She knelt before Qi Rang and greeted him, “This concubine greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless fortune and peace.”

“Rise,” Qi Rang replied coolly. “Why have you come in such heavy snow?”

“This concubine missed Your Majesty,” Consort Shu said sweetly, her eyes smiling. “Didn’t Your Majesty promise me that whenever I missed you, I could come see you?”

Qi Rang’s expression softened. “I did promise you, but the roads are slippery in this snow. What if you fell?”

“Your Majesty needn’t worry. With snow this thick, even if I fell, it wouldn’t hurt,” Consort Shu said, proactively offering her hand. “I’m nearly frozen from the walk. Your Majesty, please warm me.”

Qi Rang helplessly took her hand and gestured for Sun Liangyan and Fuzi to withdraw.

Sun Liangyan silently recited Amitabha in his heart and left with Fuzi.

With Consort Shu present, surely there would be no more trouble tonight?

He looked up at the snowflakes dancing in the lamplight, then turned to glance in the direction of the Lateral Courts.

At this hour, the Lateral Courts were already pitch dark.

Because the oil allotted for lamps was very limited, to save it, everyone had to sleep as soon as night fell. If anyone needed to stay up late to work, they had to get permission from the Chief Gugu to light a lamp.

On Wanyu’s first day, there wasn’t even a single lamp in her room, let alone lamp oil.

Dinner was brought to her by Meishuang: two coarse flour buns, a bowl of plain porridge, and two dishes-one cabbage, one radish-both boiled in water, not a trace of oil to be seen.

The people in the Lateral Courts did the dirtiest, hardest work, yet ate the worst food. It was a wonder they had the strength to work at all.

Meishuang said, “This is already considered good. Because it’s cold, they’re afraid we’ll get sick and be unable to work, so the food is hot. At other times, it’s hard to get even a mouthful of something warm.”

Wanyu said nothing, silently breaking off pieces of the bun and eating them.

She hadn’t eaten all day; even cold buns tasted delicious now.

She’d skipped breakfast, thinking that after seeing that person, she would go to the places they used to visit as children, have a good meal together, and then go home.

But fate had other plans-she hadn’t even made it out the palace gates.

Seeing her silent, Meishuang whispered, “Gugu, this isn’t where you belong. Please, take my advice-no matter what, find a way to leave here. I know you have no interest in His Majesty, but if you really can’t get out of the palace, even being a foot-washing maid for His Majesty is better than staying here. Do you understand?”