The Night Before Leaving the Palace, Reduced to the Tyrant's Plaything - chapter 8

A sudden, out-of-the-blue comment, yet Fuzi promptly replied, “Your Majesty, Jiang Wanyu was summoned by the Consort earlier.”

Qi Rang’s sword-like brows furrowed slightly. Fuzi assumed he would be asked what business Jiang Wanyu had at the Consort’s quarters, but Qi Rang’s face abruptly turned cold, his gaze sweeping over like a blade. “Did I say who it was?”

Fuzi’s legs gave out in fright and he dropped to his knees with a thud. “Your Majesty, forgive me! This servant was presumptuous and deserves death.”

Sun Liangyan quickly stepped forward and gave him a kick. “Useless fool! How dare you try to guess His Majesty’s mind? How have I taught you?”

“Master, I was wrong. I won’t dare do it again.”

Qi Rang watched the master and apprentice put on a joint act, his expression cold, and strode into the main hall, a strange irritation gnawing at him.

He hadn’t named anyone, so why did it seem as if everyone knew exactly whom he was asking about?

Seeing the Emperor hadn’t ordered Fuzi punished, Sun Liangyan gave him another kick. “What are you dawdling for? Go in and serve His Majesty!”

Fuzi came to his senses, scrambled up from the ground, and hurried after Qi Rang into the hall, bent at the waist.

But just as he entered, Qi Rang suddenly turned and walked right back out.

Startled, Fuzi hurriedly backed away, forgetting about the threshold behind him. He tripped and fell backward, landing flat on his back outside the door with a pained cry.

The Palace Maids all suppressed their laughter, bowing their heads even lower.

Sun Liangyan couldn’t bear to look, rubbing his eyes with one hand.

“Useless thing!” Qi Rang cursed, stepping over him. “Prepare the imperial sedan for Yikun Palace!”

Sun Liangyan was stunned for a moment, then, not bothering with that fool Fuzi, flicked his horsetail whisk and shouted, “Prepare the imperial sedan for Yikun Palace!”

Inside Yikun Palace, Consort Lan was painting plum blossoms by the window in the Warm Pavilion when a young eunuch rushed in, panting, “Your Ladyship, His Majesty’s imperial sedan is coming our way!”

Consort Lan’s hand trembled, and a drop of ink landed where it shouldn’t, ruining the entire painting.

The Emperor had been on the throne for five years without naming an Empress, leaving Consort Lan to manage the harem in her stead. Everyone said that as long as she bore the imperial heir, the Empress’s seat would be hers.

But the Emperor showed little interest in relations between men and women and rarely visited her throughout the year. Now that he finally came, she feared it wasn’t for her.

The hearth in the hall was blazing, and the window in the Warm Pavilion was cracked open for ventilation.

Through the gap, she looked outside at the thin figure kneeling in the snow, unable to fathom what Qi Rang’s true attitude toward Jiang Wanyu was.

If he liked her, he hadn’t touched her in five years.

If he didn’t, then why did he get so agitated when someone else so much as brushed against her?

To stabilize the court, he had gradually taken in quite a few consorts over the past five years.

These consorts openly and secretly vied for favor, never at peace, but he had never stood up for any consort who suffered a loss.

Yet now, for an aging female official about to leave the palace, he had braved the wind and snow to come all this way.

What did he mean by this?

Consort Lan set down her brush, straightened her clothes and hair, and led her attendants out to greet the imperial arrival.

She had barely stepped out of the hall when the Emperor’s imperial sedan arrived.

The eunuchs carrying the sedan brought it all the way to the side hall. Qi Rang descended with Sun Liangyan’s help. Consort Lan stepped forward and bowed, “Your Majesty, isn’t this your usual time for a midday rest? What brings you to my palace?”

“I wanted to rest, but the maid who makes my bed is missing.”

Qi Rang didn’t bother with subtlety, his sharp gaze landing directly on Jiang Wanyu, who was kneeling in the snow.

The snow had long stopped, but the wind was fierce. She knelt beneath a leafless crabapple tree. When the wind blew, snow from the branches fell in flurries, covering her from head to toe.

She was still wearing the slightly worn cloak from her morning prayers. It was already white, and with the snow, she looked even whiter, utterly motionless, like someone had built a snowman beneath the tree.

“No wonder I couldn’t find her, she’s come to the Consort’s palace to be a decoration.” Qi Rang turned the Jade Thumb Ring on his thumb, his tone laced with mockery, though it was unclear whom he was mocking.
Consort Lan feigned ignorance and acted coquettishly, “Did Your Majesty not come here especially to see me?”

Qi Rang ignored her words and asked directly, “What mistake did she make?”

Consort Lan’s coquettish act was interrupted halfway, her smile froze on her face. “It was nothing serious, really. The day after tomorrow, a group of Palace Maids will be leaving the palace. According to custom, they must kowtow and bid farewell to the Empress, and listen to her teachings. Since there is no Empress in the palace, the Empress Dowager entrusted this matter to me.”

Qi Rang said, “I know about this. You need not elaborate.”

Consort Lan was left speechless, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable.

She was, after all, the highest-ranking consort in the palace, and had managed the inner court for him for years. Even if she had no merit, she had worked hard. Yet he was unwilling to listen to even a single extra word from her.

How could a marriage reach such a point and not chill one’s heart?

“Replying to Your Majesty, because Jiang Wanyu was also among those leaving the palace, she came with the others to kowtow to me. But she was clumsy and accidentally bumped into a Palace Maid serving tea, breaking a teacup.

That set of teacups was a gift from Your Majesty for my birthday last year. I cherished it dearly, but she broke it just like that. Your Majesty, should I not punish her? If not for the fact that she was about to leave the palace, I would have already ordered her to be beaten.”

Consort Lan finished in one breath, then cautiously watched Qi Rang’s expression.

Unfortunately, Qi Rang’s face showed no emotion, and he had no intention of settling such a trivial matter. He simply nodded at Fuzi, “Go and bring her here.”

Fuzi accepted the order and hurried toward Wanyu. Before he reached her, Wanyu suddenly swayed and collapsed headfirst into the snow.

“Heavens!” Fuzi cried out in alarm and rushed over to check on her.

Everyone under the corridor held their breath in suspense.

Qi Rang’s face remained expressionless, but his hands quietly clenched inside his sleeves.

“Your Majesty, Gugu Wanyu has frozen stiff,” Fuzi shouted loudly.

Qi Rang’s cold gaze turned to Consort Lan.

Consort Lan shuddered in fright. “She hasn’t been kneeling for long! I didn’t expect her to be so unable to withstand the cold.”

Qi Rang’s lips curled into a cold smile.

Consort Lan realized she had misspoken and quickly ordered her attendants, “What are you standing around for? Hurry and carry her into the Warm Pavilion. You, go to the Imperial Medical Bureau and fetch a physician. You, go boil hot water. Quickly, a life is at stake…”

Under her direction, several Palace Maids bustled about, and Wanyu was soon carried into the Warm Pavilion.

Consort Lan flattered Qi Rang with a smile, “If Your Majesty is worried, you may go in and take a look!”

Qi Rang had intended to go in, but her words made it inappropriate.

He was, after all, the emperor-what concern could he possibly have for a Palace Maid?

“I have no time,” he said sternly, instructing Fuzi, “Stay here and keep watch. If she wakes, let her return to her duties. If she dies, send her body back to the Jiang family.”

Fuzi bowed and accepted the order.

Consort Lan said happily, “So, Your Majesty does not blame me? Thank you for your magnanimity. I respectfully see Your Majesty off.”

Qi Rang had not intended to leave immediately, but since she had already bid him farewell, he had no choice but to board the sedan and return to the palace.

“Eunuch Fu, would you like to come in and sit?” Consort Lan watched the emperor’s entourage depart, then turned back and smiled at Fuzi.

Fuzi quickly waved his hands, “This servant is covered in snow and wind. It would not do to dirty Your Ladyship’s precious place. I will wait outside.”

“Very well, then I shall go in first. If she wakes, I will have someone inform you.”

The thick cotton door curtain was lifted and then dropped, shutting Fuzi and the cold wind outside.

Consort Lan entered and went straight to the Warm Pavilion.

Wanyu, lying on the couch, heard her enter. Enduring the pain in her knees, she crawled up and knelt to kowtow to her.