The Night Before Leaving the Palace, Reduced to the Tyrant's Plaything - Chapter 27

Hu Jinzhong was overjoyed, responding eagerly as he attentively helped Qi Rang change into leather boots and draped a thick, dark dragon-patterned cloak over his shoulders. He bent his waist like a shrimp, supporting Qi Rang as they stepped out the door.

Qi Rang glanced at him coolly. “You do have some sense, much sharper than that blockhead Sun Liangyan.”

Hearing this, Hu Jinzhong felt as if he had drunk a whole jar of honey, grinning so broadly that his triangular eyes narrowed into two slits.

Heaven have mercy, after being suppressed by Sun Liangyan for so many years, he was finally about to turn things around.

That Jiang Wanyu was truly his lucky star-he had to seize the opportunity and never let go, no matter what.

Sun Liangyan and Fuzi were waiting outside. Seeing Qi Rang emerge wrapped in a fox-fur cloak, they hurriedly bowed and said, “Your Majesty, where are you headed?”

“To admire the plum blossoms,” Qi Rang replied coldly. “Hu Jinzhong says there’s a wild plum tree in the Lateral Courts blooming beautifully. I’ll go with him to see it. You lead the way-don’t let any idle people disturb my mood. If there’s any slip-up, I’ll let Hu Jinzhong take your Chief Steward position.”

At these words, Hu Jinzhong felt his blood boil, as if the Chief Steward’s seat was beckoning to him.

Sun Liangyan shot him a glare, thinking, Wasn’t His Majesty waiting for Jiang Wanyu to yield first? She hasn’t done anything yet, and he’s already rushing over himself.

Admire plum blossoms, indeed.

Trust Hu Jinzhong to come up with such a good excuse for His Majesty.

Well, whatever the case, this wasn’t a bad thing.

Perhaps once His Majesty arrived and saw Jiang Wanyu suffering in the Lateral Courts, his heart would soften and he’d show mercy by letting her leave the palace?

Even if she wasn’t released, being transferred back to Qianqing Palace would be good. The Lateral Courts was a place that chewed people up and spat out their bones-the sooner she left, the better.

Thinking this, Sun Liangyan and Fuzi led a group of guards to clear the way.

He understood His Majesty’s intention: to go over quietly, without anyone knowing.

For the emperor to secretly visit the Lateral Courts for a Palace Maid who had committed an offense-if word got out, it would be a loss of face.

“Master, if His Majesty wants to see plum blossoms, there are plenty in the Imperial Garden. Why go all the way to the Lateral Courts for a single wild plum?” Fuzi whispered.

Sun Liangyan shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe the wild ones smell sweeter!”

Fuzi: “…”

He suspected it wasn’t the plum blossoms that were fragrant, but a certain someone.

The night was as dark as ink. Surrounded by a silent crowd of guards, the emperor walked along the palace paths, a few lanterns illuminating the cold, lonely snowy night.

The guards of the Lateral Courts had received word in advance, unlocked the gates, and kept their distance.

For the first time in his life, Qi Rang entered the Lateral Courts. Stepping inside, he felt a chilling gloom, as if the wind here was colder than outside.

He wrapped his cloak tighter around himself and followed Hu Jinzhong through winding paths for quite a while, until finally, in the night breeze, he caught a whiff of a cold, subtle fragrance.

It was the unique scent of plum blossoms.

“Your Majesty, look-this is the white plum I mentioned. Isn’t it blooming beautifully?” Hu Jinzhong took a lantern from a guard and raised it high, illuminating a plum tree beneath the palace wall ahead.

This plum tree looked old, with thick, gnarled branches. Untouched by pruning, its limbs grew wildly, stretching over the palace wall. Clusters of plum blossoms bloomed on the branches, trembling in the wind and snow, forming a proud, pure white canopy. Compared to the carefully tended plum trees in the Imperial Garden, it possessed a more untamed vitality.

As Qi Rang gazed at it, an elegant, refined face flashed unconsciously before his eyes.

That woman’s temperament was remarkably similar to this wild plum in the icy snow.

When she was stubborn, she could make one grit their teeth in frustration.

Hu Jinzhong watched his expression carefully and flattered, “Your Majesty, on such a beautiful night, it’s hardly fitting for a rootless servant like me to accompany you. Why not let me find someone more suitable to enjoy the plum blossoms with you?”
Qi Rang shot him a glance and gave a grunt from his nose.

Hu Jinzhong scampered off eagerly.

Wanyu was sleeping soundly when she was startled awake by a series of urgent knocks at the door.

Judging by the noise, it definitely wasn’t Xu Qingzhan. Instantly, she reached under her pillow and gripped the dagger hidden there.

“Miss Wanyu, open up, it’s me.” A shrill voice sounded from outside the door-it was clearly a eunuch.

Wanyu thought of Lai Sanchun, and every hair on her body stood on end.

If it really was Lai Sanchun, even if she didn’t open the door, he could break in. In this tiny room, there was nowhere for her to hide.

Just then, the voice called again: “Miss Wanyu, open up, it’s Hu Jinzhong.”

Wanyu froze, and upon listening carefully, it truly was Hu Jinzhong’s voice.

She had been too frightened just now to recognize it.

But what was Hu Jinzhong doing here at this hour?

Surely he wasn’t here to persuade her to submit to Qi Rang again?

Wanyu didn’t want to open the door, but Hu Jinzhong kept knocking and knocking. Worried that he’d disturb others and unable to explain herself, she had no choice but to hide her dagger, dress quickly in the dark, and go to open the door.

“Oh, Madam, you nearly scared me to death.” Hu Jinzhong was holding a lantern. As soon as she came out, he grabbed her without another word and started to pull her along. “Hurry, the Emperor has summoned you to accompany him to admire the plum blossoms. Don’t keep His Majesty waiting.”

Wanyu’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively pulled back, one hand clutching the doorframe.

Hu Jinzhong couldn’t budge her and stomped his feet anxiously. “Madam, look at the situation we’re in-why are you still being so stubborn? If I were you, I’d hurry to bow my head to His Majesty and beg him to take me out of here. This wretched place-are you really getting used to living here?”

Wanyu shook off his hand and turned back into the room.

But Hu Jinzhong wouldn’t let her go. He grabbed her arm and said sternly, “Fine, even if you don’t plan to leave the Lateral Courts, can you defy an imperial command? The Emperor has summoned you to accompany him-can you refuse? If you don’t care about your own life, don’t you have family outside the palace?”

Wanyu suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Hu Jinzhong continued, “I’ve heard all about it. Your mother is a concubine. Your father only brought her home so you could enter the palace. You know what kind of life she leads under the main wife. If you anger the Emperor and implicate your father, do you think your mother will have any way to survive?”

Wanyu clenched her fists tightly, then turned around and silently stepped out into the wind and snow.

Hu Jinzhong hurried ahead of her, raising his lantern to light the way. “Good girl, that’s right. One must know the times, understand when to advance and retreat. Stubbornness will only harm yourself and your family.”

Wanyu ignored him and followed in silence.

Hu Jinzhong tried to claim credit for himself: “Do you know why His Majesty suddenly came here? It was because I, out of pity for you, couldn’t bear to see you suffer here and coaxed His Majesty to come.

Good girl, this is a rare opportunity-you must seize it. His Majesty won’t come every night, but the Lateral Courts could take your life at any moment, do you understand?”

Wanyu grew irritated listening to him. She stopped and gestured: “If you keep nagging, I’ll go back.”

“All right, all right, I won’t say another word. Just think it over yourself!”

Afraid her stubbornness would flare up and she’d rather die than go, Hu Jinzhong shut his mouth and silently led her toward the plum trees.

Beneath the plum trees, Qi Rang was already growing impatient. Hearing the crunch of footsteps in the distance, he turned to see a slender figure approaching in the dim lantern light.

He unconsciously held his breath, his deep phoenix eyes fixed on that silhouette, as if with a single blink, she would vanish like a snowflake blown away by the night wind.