Ex-Girlfriend – Chapter 29
by Little PandaVolume 2: Power Over Court and Country
The Deposed Empress 04
Covering The Heaven With One Hand
The palace was adorned with lanterns and decorations everywhere, filled with a joyful atmosphere.
Only the Biyue Palace lived up to its name as a Cold Palace, remaining unchanged.
However, the three people didn’t mind. Sitong was quite happy because, thanks to the new empress, their meals had improved significantly.
Xin Lan instructed the two servant girls to stay in the palace and dressed herself in a palace maid’s outfit, quietly slipping out.
Sitong was curious but didn’t ask. After Xin Lan left, she sat next to Chunyue, who was doing some needlework.
“Sister Chunyuee, are you making shoes for the master?”
“No, these are for you.”
“For me?”
Sitong pointed at herself in surprise.
“Didn’t you complain a couple of days ago about your shoes being worn out? I thought since I had some free time, I might as well make you a pair while working on the shoe soles. The master’s pair is still unfinished because I ran out of that kind of thread, and I’m asking someone to buy more.”
“Older Sister Chunyuee is really virtuous and kind,” Sitong said with a smile, leaning on Chunyue’s back. “But where is the master going?”
“The master surely has her own reasons. If she wants to tell us, she will.”
“Aren’t you even a little curious, Older Sister?”
“In all my years in the palace, I haven’t learned much, but I do know one thing: never be curious about what you shouldn’t be.”
Chunyue continued stitching the shoe sole with a calm expression.
Sitong nodded and sat beside her, starting to read a storybook.
Xin Lan walked along the path, unnoticed as everyone in the palace was extremely busy.
She followed the busy palace staff into the Changqiu Palace, keeping her head down, pretending to be engaged in fetching something.
She timed her arrival perfectly; the empress’s enthronement ceremony had just ended, and soon the emperor and empress would arrive.
With the sharp voice of the eunuch, all the palace staff paused their tasks and respectfully stood on both sides of the path.
Xin Lan bent over with her head down among the crowd, watching a swath of bright yellow pass in front of her eyes.
Ling Jiu: Scanning complete, data collection finished, analyzing now.
Hearing this, Xin Lan slightly curled her lips into a smile.
After the masters entered, the palace staff immediately dispersed, returning to their tasks. Xin Lan also took this opportunity to leave Changqiu Palace and returned to Biyue Palace via the small path.
Although it seemed like a short time had passed, the palace was so vast that the round trip took quite a bit of time.
Xin Lan closed the door of Biyue Palace, and Chunyue and Sitong quickly put down what they were doing and came to greet her.
She went into the room to change out of the palace maid’s outfit, which Sitong took from her, while Chunyue handed her own clothes back for her to wear.
“Chunyue, do you think my niece will come to see me?”
“She definitely will.”
“I think so too. Long’er is simple-minded and listens to me well.”
Xin Lan removed the pearl hairpin from her head, letting her hair fall into a loose cascade, the dark locks resembling a waterfall, which made her skin appear even more fair and delicate, and her eyes more profoundly mysterious.
Ling Jiu: Host, the analysis results are out. The emperor’s sperm quality isn’t very good, possibly due to having taken some suppressive medication before, but it’s slowly recovering.
Xin Lan was astonished, not expecting that this scumbag emperor would be so harsh not only to others but also to himself.
He drugged the original host to make her unable to conceive, quashing any thoughts she might have had about having a child. The drug was very subtle, undetectable by regular pulse-taking, so when the original host examined herself, she found nothing wrong.
To prevent others from getting pregnant and having their child taken by the original host to raise, he even cruelly took suppressive drugs himself, temporarily making it impossible to impregnate others. He didn’t fear that the strong effects of the drug could render him permanently infertile.
So, did Consort Liu really get pregnant just like that? Considering human psychology, if he took such medication and now wants to recover, it’s unlikely that the emperor himself would have acted; even a tiger won’t eat its own cubs.
Thus, the emperor’s happiness back then wasn’t feigned, and his anger upon learning Consort Liu had a miscarriage wasn’t faked either. But he calmed down, possibly thinking losing one child was better than gaining extra security from the Xin family.
But does he know or not know who the mastermind behind this is?
However, someone with that kind of personality probably won’t let go of someone who harmed his child, right? He’ll just pretend to be unaware temporarily, then investigate. Even if he finds out, he won’t act unless the person is no longer useful, at which point they would be harshly punished or discarded, just like the original host.
Such a person is truly detestable.
Although the entire palace was adorned with lanterns and decorations, there weren’t many people who were truly happy.
After night fell, all the clamor gave way to silence.
Unusually, Xin Lan didn’t fall asleep as soon as she went to bed; instead, she waited for darkness.
At midnight, the entire palace was enveloped in dead silence, with only the occasional chirping of cicadas breaking the stillness under the moonlight.
Xin Lan climbed out the window, landing on the ground with nimble movements, not making a sound.
She arrived at the wall of Biyue Palace, where wild grass grew abundantly beneath her feet.
Xin Lan gathered her energy, lightly tapped her toes, and effortlessly leaped to a sufficient height, grabbing the wall and gracefully flipping over it.
The movement was executed smoothly and seamlessly, accomplished in an instant.
“Feels pretty good.”
Xin Lan swung her legs, her shadow distinctly clear in the moonlight.
Each mission world has limitations on martial power values, but these limits depend on the situation. Initially, Xin Lan thought this was just a palace mission, so even if she needed to fight, she’d have to rely on her own skills. However, she didn’t expect there to be people with martial arts here. Even if Consort Man only had a little bit of inner strength (commonly used in martial arts fiction to describe internal energy), it was still something. So naturally, she could also apply to enhance her own abilities. Ling Jiu had already submitted the application, which was approved during the day.
Of course, the amount of inner strength she could have wasn’t much, but it was the peak value this mission world could bear. In other words, she could handle ten people like Consort Man without a problem.
It wouldn’t look good if someone saw the deposed empress climbing walls in the middle of the night, so Xin Lan only stayed for a short while before climbing down.
Nothing gives Xin Lan a sense of security more than martial power values.
Having grown accustomed to the strong qualities brought by her innate genetics, no one knew how uncomfortable she felt the first time she transmigrated into the weak body of an ancient human.
It was like having her armor stripped away, exposing a soft interior, which was truly unsettling.
Xin Lan still remembers when she once transmigrated into the body of a seriously ill person, a character set as a sick beauty who frequently coughed up blood. She spent most of her time bedridden, plotting against the protagonist while struggling with her own health—a true exercise in exhausting every effort.
Even though that mission happened so long ago that she can’t really recall the details or what she did, the feeling of weakness, where even a slight chill could put her in critical condition, was like a shadow hanging over her. It was something a natural-born warrior couldn’t accept.
So even in worlds where martial power wasn’t needed, she still felt that the ability to defend herself and to beat up her opponents at any time was very important.
After climbing the wall in the literal sense, Xin Lan returned to her bed through the window and began to sleep with her eyes closed.
The moon still hung high in the sky, and tonight the moonlight was particularly beautiful, with no clouds or mist to obscure it. The silver glow fell on the window lattice, extending into the room and illuminating the small, exquisite scene.
In another part of the palace, the same gentle moonlight spread softly.
A red candle slowly melted, its flame flickering on the wick.
Xin Long sat properly on the bed with a red bridal veil over her head, her hands placed on her knees, her back straight, but her fingers anxiously twisted together.
The room was eerily quiet, so quiet that she couldn’t feel the presence of another person, but she knew that person hadn’t left.
She held back from speaking, waiting for her veil to be lifted.
Finally, that person made a move; she saw a small piece of bright yellow fabric, and then the veil on her head was lifted.
“She really is just a little girl.”
She heard that person say.
She tilted her head and squinted, unable to deny it.
She looked into his eyes and couldn’t help but avert her gaze a little.
“Do you know, you bear some resemblance to your aunt.”
Wu Yanqing gazed at the young girl’s face, seeing traces of his discarded wife in her features.
Mentioning Xin Lan made him fall silent.
To be fair, she hadn’t done anything wrong; her only fault was that she was a daughter of the Xin family.
The Xin family’s threat to him was growing, and although he knew from the start that leveraging their power would come to this, he had no choice.
“I haven’t seen my aunt in a long time,” Xin Long said.
It’s probably been about five years. When her aunt left home to get married, she was only about seven or eight years old, and she can’t clearly remember what her aunt looked like, only that she was a beauty.
Hearing Xin Long say this, Wu Yanqing also found the image of Xin Lan in his memory becoming blurry.
It seemed he hadn’t looked directly at that person for a long time. Every time he thought of her, he was reminded of the Xin family behind her, which filled him with disgust. No matter how beautiful her face was, he couldn’t bring himself to like it.
If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have had to take that kind of medicine. If it weren’t for him, he probably would have had children calling him ‘Father Emperor’ by now.
So he couldn’t endure it any longer. This time, Consort Liu’s pregnancy delighted him because it meant his ability had recovered. But Consort Liu’s miscarriage wasn’t part of his plan.
Although he knew it wasn’t Xin Lan’s doing—after all, she wasn’t that foolish, and the Xin family wouldn’t hint at such a thing—since all the evidence pointed to her, he went along with it.
He knew the Xin family had another daughter, but the young girl before him was much easier to deceive and control than Xin Lan, so he preferred to switch. Moreover, given her young age, he couldn’t share a bed with her, which avoided certain issues.
If the Xin family wanted to wait for this little empress to grow up, then let them wait for their doom.
What left him somewhat regretful was that, before he could extract the true mastermind, the girl had already died, and nothing could be learned from Consort Liu either.
But he knew the perpetrator had to be one of the women in his harem. The act was carried out so cleanly and traces were perfectly erased, narrowing it down to just a few suspects.
It was truly frightening to think that those women who smiled like flowers in front of him, who seemed so fragile they could die if squeezed, were capable of such ruthless acts.
A person who shares his pillow, yet he doesn’t know which pillow companion it is.
Each of them had their own charm, seeming pure and innocent.
Wu Yanqing gazed at Xin Long, but his mind was elsewhere.
This matter would eventually be uncovered, especially since it was about his first imperial son.
Xin Long noticed the emperor just staring at her and wondered if her earlier response had been inappropriate.
Her parents had only instructed her to be cautious everywhere in the palace, to be careful with her words, and to be more guarded. But she didn’t know how to speak or how to treat people properly.
“It’s late. You should rest.”
Although Wu Yanqing disliked the Xin family, the girl in front of him seemed very young, with a pair of pure eyes looking at him. He didn’t want to look any longer, so he left with those words.
Xin Long didn’t stop him, she just blinked her eyes and, after the emperor left, flopped onto the bed.
“So tired.”
The young girl muttered, getting up to call a maid in to help her change out of her clothes.
The next morning, when Xin Lan woke up, Ling Jiu shared some gossip that the emperor didn’t spend the night with the new empress. Xin Lan thought this was expected.
If the emperor had been so depraved as to make a move on a young girl, she would have felt even more disgusted, even with the ancient setting, it would have been physically uncomfortable.
Ling Jiu confirmed this and, when Xin Lan wasn’t busy, continued to watch TV with her.
The silly drama had reached its grand finale, where friendship, love, and family all concluded perfectly.
Just as the TV show ended, Xin Lan was ready to have her lunch.
Coincidentally, her niece arrived.
When Chunyue initially saw the meals served to Xin Lan, she cried, and when Ru Zhaoyi visited, she almost shed tears as well. The little niece reacted the same way.
“How can they serve you this food, aunt, and these maids…”
“I allowed it. Long’er, why did you come?”
“I came to see you, aunt. Aunt, I had some delicious food made for you. Mingxiang, hurry up and bring it.”
Xin Lan didn’t stop her actions. Was she someone who would refuse good food?
Xin Long wore a luxurious crimson outfit, and the jeweled hairpins on her head made Xin Lan worry about whether the young girl’s neck could bear the weight.
“Aunt, it’s been a long time.”
Before entering the palace, Xin Long had been told a lot, but she only half-understood it. However, she knew her aunt was innocent and that the emperor disliked their family.
If he disliked them, why did he marry her aunt and then her?
Her mother told her a lot, which gave her a headache, and she couldn’t understand it—it was all a mess.
“It has been a long time, and now Long’er has grown into a young lady.”
“No way, being an empress is so tiring.”
Xin Long pouted in complaint, furrowing her brows and looking quite pitiful.
“I have to get up so early, and I’m not even fully awake. I don’t have time for breakfast and have to sit in my seat while a bunch of women chirp away, giving me a headache. They’re all so much older than me, yet I have to insincerely call them ‘sister.’ You wouldn’t believe how awful one of their expressions looked.”
Xin Long almost handled everything on an empty stomach, with Mingxiang helping her answer some things she didn’t understand.
“Is it the one dressed very lavishly, sitting to the lower left?”
“Yes, yes, that’s the Noble Consort.”
“She’s loud and straightforward, and likes to pick faults openly. This kind is easier to read, so you know she’s displeased with you. Avoid dealing too much with Consort Man and Consort Xi, especially Consort Xi. Even if you had two brains, you couldn’t outsmart her.”
Xin Lan tapped the young girl’s forehead, watching her nod.
“Oh, Aunt, yesterday my uncle—no, yesterday His Majesty told me that I look somewhat like you.”
“Really? What do you think of His Majesty?”
“He’s fierce, but Mother told me to try to please him.”
Xin Lan’s expression remained unchanged, but she sighed inwardly.
What good does it do to please the emperor? The Xin family still hasn’t realized the extent of the emperor’s deep-seated hatred towards them—a hatred so profound that he wants to uproot and utterly destroy them.
Because it’s not his own power, and even beyond his control, the emperor is uneasy even with what is in his hands, let alone something beyond his grasp. It’s all a futile effort.
Xin Lan: Check the ingredients of the suppressant drugs the emperor is taking, and the corresponding components of the antidote that can alleviate the situation. Also, find out which substances contain them.
Ling Jiu: Understood.
When Mingxiang returned, she brought back a food box full of delicious dishes.
“Master, I’ve already instructed the imperial kitchen.”
“That’s good. Aunt, from now on, you’ll eat well every day.”
“Alright, thank you, Long’er.”
Xin Lan didn’t eat in front of Xin Long but instead talked to her about the affairs in the harem. Fearing Xin Long might not remember, she made it visual.
Consort Xi is a viper, Consort Man is a fox, and the Noble Consort is a vicious dog.
It might seem like the fox is the least harmful, but those who fall for it suffer silently.
If a vicious dog barks at you a couple of times, you can pretend not to hear it. It might look scary, but upon closer inspection, it’s not that frightening. However, don’t provoke it excessively, because it might pounce and bite, and when it does, it can tear off a large chunk of flesh. As for the viper, it usually seems to stay within its own lair, but if it locks onto prey, and you get bitten, the poison is deadly.
Of course, these examples were tailored by Xin Lan for Xin Long. If it were her, no fox could deceive her, a vicious dog wouldn’t get close without injuring itself first, and she was always ready to strike at a snake’s vital spot, leaving no chance for the viper to release its venom.
Xin Long remembered them all, matching the faces in her mind with what Xin Lan described.
“Aunt, you should eat now, or it won’t taste good when it gets cold.”
“Alright.”
“I’ll leave for now and come to see you another day.”
“Okay, but what’s in this sachet?”
Xin Long listed a few spices, noticing Xin Lan frown slightly.
“Aunt, what’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the sachet?”
“It’s nothing major, just that His Majesty seems to dislike this kind. You can make one as I suggest.”
“Alright.”
Xin Lan mentioned the spices containing the ingredient Ling Jiu had identified and added a little something extra.
The inspiration for the spices came from Consort Man, but the effect Xin Long could achieve was just child’s play.
So besides that, Xin Lan also told Xin Long about a dish to make for the emperor.
She was really setting up her niece.
Anyway, it was a secret no one knew. The dish Xin Lan mentioned would have its effects masked by other strong flavors, and even if the emperor noticed, Xin Long knew nothing of its effects, so there would be no issue even if she spoke about it.
Xin Long returned with her maid, and Biyue Palace returned to its usual calm.
Xin Lan had her two maids sit down to eat together, and after finishing the delicious food Xin Long brought, she began to wait for the subsequent plot—specifically, the day the original character was supposed to die.
That would be a week after the empress’s coronation ceremony. Xin Lan knew on that day, she would be knocked unconscious by the emperor’s men and appear in a small grove not far from the banquet.
She wouldn’t go against this plot; it was a perfect opportunity.
At that time, she would let the emperor taste what it means to “draw water with a bamboo basket” (meaning to work hard for nothing).
Thinking he could kill two birds with one stone and win the beauty? Let him keep dreaming his Spring and Autumn dreams (meaning unrealistic or fanciful dreams).
It was during the minor heat, and the cool night breeze dispelled the stuffiness.
The grand hall was brightly lit, showcasing a scene of prosperity and joy. Musicians played cheerful tunes, and the large luminous pearls added more color to the banquet. Lovely dancers held wine cups in their mouths, pouring drinks in a suggestive manner. The dancers swayed gracefully to the music, while the guests clinked glasses and chatted merrily.
Meanwhile, a shadowy figure sneaked into Biyue Palace.
Xin Lan thought, finally, it has come. She pretended not to notice and continued tidying the bed. Suddenly, she felt a pain at the back of her neck and fell into darkness.
Ling Jiu anxiously monitored the situation outside. Her host was genuinely unconscious, but she could be awakened at any time.
She watched as the shadowy figure took her host out of Biyue Palace, making several twists and turns before placing her down in a location.
The moment Xin Lan was put down, Ling Jiu woke her up.
Xin Lan remained on the ground, pretending to be unconscious.
The shadowy figure didn’t leave but stayed by her side, seemingly waiting for someone.
Qu Zhi’an set down her wine cup, feeling a bit strange. Her alcohol tolerance was usually strong, yet today, after just a few cups given by the emperor and her colleagues, she felt a bit tipsy and dizzy.
This wouldn’t do. She was mindful of her secret and planned to go outside to catch some fresh air and clear her head.
If she were to collapse inside the hall and her secret were discovered, it would spell disaster.
Qu Zhi’an couldn’t quite make out the expressions of the people in the hall. She quickly expressed her intention and left the palace.
The cool breeze helped her regain some clarity.
But soon, the dizziness returned, accompanied by a feeling of heat.
Qu Zhi’an felt a bit irritated and pressed her temples.
“Are you drunk, my lady? There’s a pavilion not far from here; you can rest there while I fetch a bowl of sobering soup for you.”
“Thank you, miss.”
Hearing a woman speak beside her, Qu Zhi’an looked up to see a palace maid. She nodded in thanks, but her mind was becoming increasingly muddled.
She followed, step by step, but then the world began to sway.
The palace maid supported her and led her forward.
Qu Zhi’an was nearly unconscious as the maid laid her down, overlapping her onto the person already lying on the ground, and then hurriedly left.
Xin Lan opened her eyes, no longer pretending to be unconscious.
Ling Jiu: Host, someone nearby is watching.
Xin Lan sat up from the ground, pretending to panic as she pushed the person away. She staggered to her feet but deliberately pulled Qu Zhi’an up as well. To an outsider, it seemed as though Qu Zhi’an was clinging to Xin Lan’s hand, struggling to stand.
“So uncomfortable…”
Qu Zhi’an leaned against Xin Lan, mumbling.
Seeing her utterly dazed appearance, Xin Lan pressed a certain acupoint on her body, and the pain jolted Qu Zhi’an awake for a moment.
“Come with me.”
She only managed to hear this much—a pleasant, steady voice that somehow felt reassuring.
Xin Lan walked forward, her fingers hidden in her sleeve hooking onto Qu Zhi’an’s hand, deliberately pushing her away and then pulling her back. This was to create an illusion for the person watching in the shadows, making it seem like Xin Lan wanted to leave quickly, but Qu Zhi’an wouldn’t let her go.
After this back-and-forth act, they headed in the direction Xin Lan had chosen.
Qu Zhi’an felt herself moving and tried hard to open her eyes, seeing an unfamiliar, beautiful profile.
Something was off.
Qu Zhi’an realized she must have fallen into a trap, but she had no idea how it happened, where she was, who the person beside her was, or where they were going.
She tried to think, but her mind was like mush, unable to function—chaotic, akin to the haze after drinking. She even felt as if she were floating, not grounded.
If Qu Zhi’an looked down at that moment, she would discover that she really was in mid-air.
Xin Lan used the rockery to cross the corridor swiftly, then leaped onto the rooftop and into a palace. Keeping close to the wall, she supported the person leaning on her. Only after Ling Jiu said the observer had left did she sneak through according to the map in her mind, avoiding others, and returned to Biyue Palace.
When Sitong and Chunyue found Xin Lan missing from the room, they were nearly frantic, pacing back and forth. When they saw Xin Lan walking in, they rushed over to her.
“Master, where did you go? And this is?”
Chunyue asked urgently, noticing Xin Lan supporting someone who, judging by the clothes, seemed to be a man, and she frowned.
“Something happened. I’ll explain later. Go prepare a tub of water. I need a bath, quickly. It doesn’t matter if the water isn’t hot.”
“I’ve got water heating already; we’ll prepare it right away.”
Xin Lan helped the person into her room. Qu Zhi’an was nearly unconscious, leaning against Xin Lan with her eyes tightly shut, forehead sweating profusely, clearly in bad shape.
It was fortunate for Xin Lan that the emperor hadn’t used any aphrodisiacs; otherwise, things would have been much more complicated.
The top scholar at this moment had cheeks like peach blossoms. If someone observant looked closely, they might catch a hint of femininity.
She was extremely attractive. If described in terms usually reserved for men, one might say “a face as pretty as a woman’s,” but since she was indeed a woman, this wasn’t derogatory.
Qu Zhi’an sensed someone watching her and struggled to open her eyes, blinking sluggishly.
Feeling weak all over, she clung tightly to the clothes of the person next to her, only to be pushed away.
She fell to the ground in a daze, looking at the person who pushed her, her expression a bit aggrieved.
Xin Lan was getting ready to undress, but since the person beside her was holding onto her clothes, she gave a gentle push. She didn’t expect this top scholar to be so unsteady on her feet, landing on the floor with a thud, looking bewildered; that aggrieved expression appeared somewhat cute and amusing.
“Why did you push me?”
Qu Zhi’an asked in a muddled state, frowning in pain.
It seemed like two voices were battling in her mind. She was trying hard to stay awake but was sinking deeper into a haze.
Xin Lan, feeling helpless, pulled the person sitting on the ground back up.
As she pulled her up, her hand accidentally moved toward the young lady’s chest.
She wasn’t trying to be inappropriate; she just wanted to confirm something.
But before she could even touch, she was stopped.
Qu Zhi’an grabbed her hand, meeting her gaze with dark eyes, lightly pressing her lips together, looking as if she had sobered up.
Xin Lan chuckled softly, letting her hold onto one hand while using the other to continue her exploration.
Then the other hand was also caught.
“Even like this, you’re this cautious?”
Qu Zhi’an just looked at her, saying nothing.
“Alright, alright, I won’t touch. Let go of my hand.”
Whether Qu Zhi’an understood or not, she still held onto Xin Lan’s hand, refusing to let go.
She felt very hot, and her hands were scorching, but the hand she was holding was soft and cool, so she didn’t want to let go.
Xin Lan wasn’t going to let her keep holding on like that, so she firmly pulled her hand away.
A faint mist appeared in Qu Zhi’an’s eyes, and she stood there looking aggrieved.
She felt so uncomfortable, even though being close made her feel much better.
Xin Lan undid her outer robe and began to take off her inner garments.
Qu Zhi’an’s eyelashes fluttered, and when she saw a patch of fair skin, she nervously took a step back.
Xin Lan was wearing a dudou (a traditional Chinese undergarment covering the chest) and underpants, with her pale arms exposed.
In the room, there was only one candlelight, her hair cascading down, and the light and shadows cast a gentle aura on her profile.
Hot water was brought in, and Chunyue and Sitong set down the tub, draping a cloth over the edge, hesitating as they looked at Xin Lan and then at Qu Zhi’an in the room.
“You don’t need to worry about her. Just leave, and don’t mention that anyone was here with me.”
“As you wish.”
Chunyue and Sitong bowed slightly and left the room.
After the door closed, the two maids were full of thoughts.
Their master was alone in a room with a man, and she was even bathing in front of him. This situation couldn’t help but provoke deep contemplation.
“The master surely has her own considerations. We should act like we know nothing about it,” Chunyue suggested.
Chunyue felt that something had indeed happened, especially since the master had plainly stated that something had occurred. Although they didn’t know what it was, it likely wasn’t good. Being in the palace, they needed to learn to be appropriately “blind and oblivious” (meaning to ignore things intentionally).
Sitong nodded in agreement. They went about their tasks as they usually did, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
In the grand hall, someone whispered something to the emperor, and his expression changed slightly.
He picked up his wine cup and downed the drink in one go, clenching the cup tightly.
If it weren’t for the inappropriate setting, he might have thrown the cup and cursed “useless”.
They couldn’t even knock out a woman properly, letting her wake up early. Not only did she wake up, but she also managed to escape.
He whispered a few words to the person, who nodded and withdrew.
Meanwhile, Xin Lan had already taken off her underpants, leaving only her dudou.
She looked at Qu Zhi’an and removed her final piece of covering as well.
Qu Zhi’an stared blankly, her face turning red all the way to her neck.
Xin Lan, however, didn’t mind at all. After all, they were both women, so there was nothing to be shy about.
She stepped into the tub and beckoned Qu Zhi’an with her finger.
Qu Zhi’an slowly moved closer, looking not quite awake.
Noises came from the doorway, and Xin Lan’s eyes sharpened.
She stood up, and without bothering about Qu Zhi’an’s clothes or shoes, she forcibly pulled her into the water.
The fabric soaked up water and became heavy, making Qu Zhi’an uncomfortable as she moved.
“Be quiet. Now submerge yourself in the water and don’t make a sound, understand? If we’re discovered, neither of us will escape this calamity.”
Xin Lan held Qu Zhi’an’s chin, looking into her eyes.
For a brief moment, clarity appeared in Qu Zhi’an’s eyes. She nodded and submerged herself in the water, her dark hair floating in the tub.
Xin Lan leisurely picked up a cloth to wipe her arms, feeling it was a pity to waste this tub of water.
“How dare you! Who allowed you to barge in? My master is not someone you can offend!”
This was Chunyue shouting, with Sitong also trying to block the way.
“Do not enter; my master is bathing!”
However, they couldn’t stop the intruders, and Xin Lan’s door was kicked open.
“I didn’t know that a woman’s chamber could be entered so easily.”
Xin Lan didn’t turn around, only presenting the intruders with her misty silhouette, her tone sharp.
“Though I am a deposed empress, I am still a married woman, and this is the harem. If I appeal to the new empress, I can have you sentenced to death.”
Xin Lan kept a cold expression, mentally noting another grievance against the emperor to make him pay for each one in the future.
“Your Grace, please forgive me. I had no intention of offending you. I was merely chasing a thief to this place. May I search the premises?”
“What if I say no?”
By this time, Qu Zhi’an was holding her breath to the extreme and quietly lifted her head halfway out of the water, overhearing this conversation, which startled her.
Soaking in the water had already cleared her mind considerably.
Regardless of other factors, barging in while a woman is bathing and then asking to continue searching—isn’t that extremely disrespectful?
Qu Zhi’an frowned, feeling a wave of discomfort.
Seeing her emerge, Xin Lan, afraid those behind her might see, pressed the back of Qu Zhi’an’s head against her chest, still radiating displeasure.
Unprepared for being buried in the softness, Qu Zhi’an could feel the gentle movement there.
Her face flushed red, almost as if it could bleed—this, this, this…
With her cheeks lifted by the softness, Qu Zhi’an pinched her fingertips to control the urge to run away.
Her eyes gazed at the face blurred by the steam, feeling somewhat dizzy and entranced.
“Then I shall intrude.”
The person entered the room, searched Xin Lan’s bed and underneath it, and finding nothing, moved on to search elsewhere.
It wasn’t until they left Biyue Palace that the two young maids appeared with reddened eyes.
“Master, he was too outrageous!”
“It’s alright, you two can leave now.”
Xin Lan unclenched her fists and let out a gentle sigh of relief.
Once Chunyue and the others left, Xin Lan stood up in the water, and Qu Zhi’an quickly got up too, awkwardly averting her gaze.
“Your Grace, you should put on your clothes first.”
“What does it matter? Aren’t you also a woman, my lady?”
With her secret uncovered, Qu Zhi’an didn’t feel angry. She rubbed her nose, looking everywhere except at Xin Lan.
Xin Lan got up from the water, quickly dried herself off, and put on her dudou and inner garments.
“Have you remembered anything from before?”
Upon hearing this, Qu Zhi’an’s expression darkened. The wine was suspicious, and so was the palace maid leading the way. If this person hadn’t taken her along, she might have already been discovered by now.
“It seems you have remembered. Do you know who those two were looking for just now?”
“If I’m not mistaken, they must be looking for me. I’ve caused trouble for Your Grace.”
Qu Zhi’an frowned. Having just started her career, she wondered whom she might have offended to end up like this.
“It’s not exactly about offending anyone. Do you think I just happened to be there? Today is the imperial banquet day. How could a deposed empress from the Cold Palace possibly go there without reason?”
“Two birds with one stone?”
“Who do you think it was?”
“I have a guess, but it shouldn’t be… I don’t recall offending anyone.”
“In this imperial palace, who else has the power to knock me out, drug you, guide you, and then have someone search the Cold Palace? Who else but the one sitting up there? Did you hear how the intruder referred to themselves?”
Xin Lan chuckled, her fingers brushing through her slightly damp hair.
The person referred to himself as “weichen” (a humble self-reference used by officials) rather than “nucai” (a term used by servants or eunuchs), meaning he was at least a middling official. Who else could command him at this time besides the emperor?
Qu Zhi’an’s expression changed slightly. The emperor’s attitude towards her had been perfectly normal today; he seemed very amicable during the banquet and appeared to appreciate her. Why would he set her up like this?
“Could it be that His Majesty discovered I am a woman and deliberately set me up?”
Qu Zhi’an could only arrive at this conclusion; otherwise, nothing else seemed possible. But even this alone was deceiving the monarch.
But if they could expose her right away, why go to such great lengths?
Just for two birds with one stone?
Qu Zhi’an looked at Xin Lan sitting on the bed, but that didn’t make sense either.
If they wanted to frame this lady for having an affair and defiling the palace, uncovering her female identity would contradict that.
Xin Lan did not comment on her speculation, sitting quietly to the side.
Qu Zhi’an fell into a state of confusion, looking at Xin Lan with a complicated expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Why are you not surprised or angry at all, Your Grace?”
From beginning to end, this person remained very calm, whether it was being knocked out and nearly framed for having an affair, or discovering she was a woman.
Except for being a bit angry when those two intruded, she was otherwise calm to the point of indifference.
“It was expected, so what is there to be angry about? Apart from the fact that the target was you, I already knew he wanted to torment me. You, however, are quite a surprise to me.”
If the emperor wanted Xin Lan dead, it wouldn’t be complicated. But he just wanted to torment her, not allowing a peaceful death, insisting on public humiliation before torturing to death.
“You don’t seem like someone who would harm the imperial heirs.”
“And how do you know I wouldn’t?”
“Intuition.”
Qu Zhi’an had a lot of faith in her intuition. She had a slight understanding of this matter, though she knew little about palace secrets. But the person in front of her always gave her a strange sense of reassurance, making her certain that she wasn’t that kind of person.
It’s purely intuition, a belief without any reason, but she actually knew that keeping the child would have been more advantageous for this person.
Qu Zhi’an was also puzzled by her own trust, but when she met those eyes, all doubts vanished.
She even thought that if this person had truly been responsible, it would have been done without leaving any trace, so how could it end up like this?
“Do you want to hear a story?” Xin Lan asked, “The laughable half-life of a pitiful woman.”
“I’m willing to hear the details.”
LP: Re-translated on December 02, 2024
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