The Night Before Leaving the Palace, Reduced to the Tyrant's Plaything - chapter 7

Wanyu hurried to Qianqing Palace, only to find that the Emperor was not there.

The young eunuch on duty told her that the Empress Dowager had caught a cold, and His Majesty had gone to Cining Palace to visit her.

Wanyu silently recited Amitabha in her heart.

After dodging Qi Rang several times, today she had finally managed to avoid him once. Could it be that the Persimmon God was showing its power?

She hoped the Persimmon God would continue to protect her, so that everything would go smoothly and peacefully until the day she left the palace.

Inside Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was reclining on the couch, speaking with the Emperor.

“I was just standing under the corridor watching the snow and caught a chill. A bowl of ginger soup will do me good. Why did you brave the wind and snow to come here? If you catch a cold, the affairs of state will be neglected.”

Qi Rang held a bowl of medicine in one hand and slowly stirred it with a spoon in the other. “Please rest assured, Mother. My body is not so weak as to be felled by a mere breeze. Even if I fall ill, with the Grand Secretariat and the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Seal Holder overseeing things, the court will not be affected.”

The Empress Dowager’s gaze flickered, and she coughed lightly twice. “Speaking of the Seal Holder, I heard that Xu Qingzhan went to Qianqing Palace late last night. Was there something urgent?”

Qi Rang’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as he handed her the bowl of medicine. “It’s not hot anymore, Mother. Please drink it quickly!”

The Empress Dowager took the bowl and drank the medicine in a few gulps.

Qi Rang immediately picked a candied fruit from the box brought by the Palace Maid and offered it to her lips.

The Empress Dowager ate the candied fruit, but could not tell whether the taste in her heart was bitter or sweet.

After the Emperor seized the throne, all the concubines with sons were sent by him to guard the late Emperor’s tomb.

Consort Rong, who had caused the death of the Emperor’s mother, was even buried with the late Emperor.

Only she, the Empress who had raised the Emperor’s twin brother, became the Empress Dowager and was respected by the Emperor as if she were his own mother.

Everyone said that the Emperor had done all that could be expected, and there was nothing to criticize.

Only she knew in her heart that the Emperor’s respect for her was merely for show.

It is said that the imperial family is heartless, and emperors are fickle. This Son of Heaven, who ascended the throne over countless corpses, was not only heartless-one could say he had no heart at all.

“The harem must not interfere in state affairs. I spoke out of turn just now,” the Empress Dowager admitted her mistake.

“You are too harsh on yourself, Mother. You are only concerned for your son,” Qi Rang stood up. “Mother, now that you have taken your medicine, rest for a while. I will come see you again tonight.”

The Empress Dowager said, “Attend to your duties. If you are busy, there is no need to come.”

Qi Rang gave no clear reply, only bowed slightly, then turned and strode away.

All the servants in the room were so frightened that they dared not breathe.

After he left, Ye Momo beside the Empress Dowager whispered, “Your Highness, weren’t you going to ask about that Jiang Wanyu? Why didn’t you mention her at all?”

The Empress Dowager sighed, “I wanted to ask, but the Emperor’s eyes are truly frightening. If he has no such thoughts, my question might only draw his attention-wouldn’t that be counterproductive?”

“That’s true,” Ye Momo said. “Our Majesty is a contrary sort, always likes to go against others. You are not his real mother, so how could you control him?”

The Empress Dowager waved her hand, “Enough, say no more. Xu Qingzhan’s spies are everywhere in the inner palace. Who knows if there are any among us? If these words reach the Emperor’s ears, he will show us no mercy.”

Ye Momo was so frightened she fell silent.

After all is said and done, it’s all because Jiang Wanyu is so striking. Among the mistresses of the East and West Twelve Palaces, none can compare to her.
She spent a day in the palace, and the consorts spent the whole day on edge, fearing that the Emperor might favor her one day and push all of them aside.

Thus, the consorts of each palace secretly counted the days, hoping for her departure from the palace, even more anxiously than she herself did.

With only three days left, everyone felt they were about to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Who would have thought the Emperor would suddenly cross paths with her?

When the news reached the harem, everyone felt a chill in their hearts.

Fortunately, the night before last, Consort Shu arrived in time; otherwise, the rice might truly have been cooked.

It was said that last night the Emperor tangled with her again, but thankfully Xu Qingzhan showed up.

But she couldn’t be so lucky every time. With only two days left, no one dared to guarantee what might happen.

Qi Rang had been on the throne for five years without naming an Empress. The consorts of each palace fought openly and secretly for the position, but now, because of Jiang Wanyu, they had become more united than ever, collectively petitioning the Empress Dowager.

So the Empress Dowager feigned illness to lure the Emperor over, hoping to drop some hints, but ended up so intimidated by him that she didn’t say a word.

But then again, that girl had stayed under the Emperor’s nose for five years. If Qi Rang truly cared for her, why would he have waited until now?

He couldn’t have ignored her for five years, only to regret it when she was about to leave the palace, could he?

Ye Momo shook her head and sighed, beckoning a young eunuch over and quietly instructing, “Go to Yikun Palace and tell Consort Lan that the Empress Dowager can’t help any further-they’ll have to come up with something themselves.”

To be fair, the Empress Dowager had actually helped quite a bit.

Five years ago, it was the Empress Dowager who suggested Jiang Wanyu become a Sleeping Attendant.

The Empress Dowager knew the Emperor wouldn’t touch those close to him and harbored a natural hatred and aversion toward Sleeping Attendants, so she took a risk and gambled.

Time proved the Empress Dowager right: the most dangerous place was the safest. Placing Jiang Wanyu right under the Emperor’s nose not only gave him a perfect scapegoat but also preserved Jiang Wanyu’s innocence.

Now, with less than two days left, whether her innocence could be preserved depended on the resourcefulness of the consorts.

Wanyu had no idea that her fate was tugging at the heartstrings of the entire harem. After tidying up the sleeping quarters, she left Qianqing Palace at once, feeling both relieved to have escaped disaster and praying that the Persimmon God would continue to protect her.

Just as she stepped out the west side gate, she ran into a young eunuch from Yikun Palace.

The young eunuch bowed, his nose red from the cold, and called out to her, “Gugu Wanyu, Consort wishes to see you. Please hurry to Yikun Palace!”

Wanyu was startled and gestured to ask what it was about.

The young eunuch shook his head, “I only run errands. I dare not pry into the master’s affairs.”

Wanyu knew she couldn’t avoid it, so she followed him to Yikun Palace.

Qi Rang left Cining Palace and returned directly to Qianqing Palace, reviewing memorials and handling state affairs in the South Study.

He worked straight through until noon, then had lunch and returned to his sleeping quarters to rest.

Several Sleeping Attendants finished tidying up the bedchamber and waited outside the hall doors. Qi Rang glanced over them but did not see that familiar figure.

“Where is she?” he asked, frowning.