Chapter 107: Leaving the City

Early the next morning.

The Emperor's special permission for Consort Wan to leave the palace has already spread like wildfire.

"Did you hear? Consort Wan is leaving the palace today to select flowers?"

The laundry bureau's palace maids crowded by the well platform, slamming the wash sticks and splashing water, "Even a visit from the Noble Consort was denied; you should know the Noble Consort hasn't left the palace in ten years."

A clatter of things falling echoed from Jingren Palace.

"How could she be worthy?"

"Even if she could replace the Emperor in leaving the palace and receive everyone's worship, she is still the Empress!"

"The Empress's scalp ailment has really flared up at the right time."

The senior maid of Jingyang Palace pounded the Master's thigh, her voice hushed, "I heard this morning Consort Wan's ceremonial guard has two more pairs of red silk umbrellas than the Noble Consort's."

"Looking at this trend, even the Empress might be forced down a head."

News inside the palace always spreads the fastest.

The ceremonial guard was also ready, stationed at the gate of Xitan Courtyard.

"Master!" Li Ping'er suddenly fell to her knees, her forehead against the blue bricks, "I am doomed! The gilded exit waist badge must have been left outside Yangxin Hall."

Wan Tang heard this, and her fingers tightened slightly.

From afar, the ceremonial music continued merrily, and the baton‑bearing eunuch impatiently glanced back repeatedly.

"When did it happen?"

"At the hour of Mao... I was going to Yangxin Hall to deliver the embroidered pattern..." Li Ping'er suddenly looked up, her pupils reflecting Wan Tang's face turning instantly pallid.

【How could such an important exit waist badge be lost? To get Wan Tang to approach the censor, Li Ping'er truly went to great lengths.】

【Who made Li Ping'er genuinely wish the best for Wan Tang? Her heart is full of guilt toward Wan Tang, wanting to make up for everything, which is why she is so impatient.】

【Hope Wan Tang can go, after all the censor we saw today is not comparable to those idiots. This person is a doer, and could even become the greatest lever to bring down Xu Chengyuan.】

How could Li Ping'er know such a formidable person?

Wan Tang glanced at Li Ping'er from the corner of her eye, her gaze full of doubt.

"Fine, I will go with you to have a look."

After speaking, Wan Tang instructed Xiao Shunzi, "You wait here."

Xiao Shunzi understood; Wan Tang's words were likely to have him keep an eye on those people, and he immediately replied, "I understand, Master."

Outside Yangxin Hall.

Wan Tang and Li Ping'er were both searching.

Only Wan Tang's movements were noticeably slower, and her gaze kept falling on Li Ping'er from time to time.

Who exactly is she?

And who does she know?

Li Ping'er was pulling aside withered grass to search when she suddenly heard the sound of boots crushing snow.

"Who is lingering here?"

The newcomer wore an indigo official robe, and the ivory tablet at his waist glittered in the snow.

He was about thirty, with a deep vertical scar between his brows like a carved needle, and he was the newly appointed censor, Zhou Su.

Li Ping'er seemed prepared, hurriedly bowing, "I am of Xitan Courtyard, and this is my lady Consort Wan."

"I am Officer Zhou Su." Zhou Su stepped back half a step, cupping his hands, the ornaments on his official hat hanging still, "Lady, what are you looking for?"

Wan Tang examined him closely.

Zhou Su, true to his name, was solemn and unsmiling, his brows sharp.

"The exit waist badge," Wan Tang said, looking toward the distant palace gate, where the ceremonial guard's golden halberds glinted coldly in the snow.

Zhou Su sneered, "I heard the lady intends to purchase flowers and trees? In this twelfth month, a single exotic bloom is worth three years' grain for a Jingjiao farmer."

He slipped a corner of a red‑stamped petition from his sleeve, a document impeaching the Imperial Merchant for inflating prices.

Wan Tang smiled lightly, "Having lived in the inner palace for so long, I truly am unaware of the people's hardships."

She answered with resonant strength, neither humble nor arrogant: "Precisely because of that, we should go see how those flowers and trees, unprotected by warm greenhouses, root themselves in the snow."

"The lady wants to go to a folk nursery?" Zhou Su's pupils narrowed.

"Since the Emperor has tasked me personally to select," Wan Tang said calmly, "we must choose those that can endure wind and frost."

"It is also to let me experience the outside world."

"I have long heard the lady once grew up in the General's Residence."

Zhou Su solemnly cupped his hands, "I never imagined such a person as the lady would emerge."

"A large granary inevitably contains a few mouse droppings," Wan Tang laughed lightly, "but that doesn't mean there isn't clean white rice inside."

"Moreover, the Xu Family also has Xu Yanchuan, doesn't it?"

"What a metaphor!" Zhou Su finally smiled, "I must pay a visit to that uniquely independent white rice someday."

"Lady! Found it!" Li Ping'er emerged from behind the stone lantern, holding the waist badge, grass clippings still in her hair.

She found it at just the right moment.

It perfectly ended the conversation that should have concluded.

Zhou Su's gaze lingered on Li Ping'er's face for a moment, then he nodded meaningfully.

【Heaven, it's still my Tangtang who is formidable; although Zhou Su was asked by someone to deliberately meet Wan Tang again, Zhou Su is a stubborn type, insisting on seeing personally whether this person is worth helping.】

【Wan Tang is fortunate; originally, between her and Xu Yanchuan, surviving with the Emperor's help wouldn't be a problem. But it was always a lone effort, cautious and hesitant. With Zhou Su it will be fine, to venture out freely; after all, no one will steal the house, and if anyone objects, there will be a fight.】

【In terms of debate, who on the court can match Zhou Su?】

Wan Tang's mouth curved into a faint smile as she carefully tucked away the invitation Zhou Su gave.

Wan Tang's imperial carriage was already lined up in front of Xuanwu Gate.

Eight pairs of peony palace lanterns swayed in the wind, then nine clean whip cracks rang out.

"Your Majesty has arrived."

"The Empress has arrived."

Chu Yunzheng, wearing a dark‑fox great cloak, stepped through the snow; beside him, Xiao Mingshu's nine‑phoenix golden Step Shake glittered in the snowy light like the morning sun.

Wan Tang's knees just touched the icy ground, and the Emperor personally helped her up.

"Tangtang's hand is so cold." Chu Yunzheng wrapped her fingertip in his palm and rubbed it, then turned to the Ministry of Rites officials with a stern face, "Prepare two more baskets of silver‑thread charcoal and place them inside the palanquin."

He lowered his voice and laughed, "Tangtang, those gardeners are mostly treacherous fellows; we certainly cannot be merciful to them."

Wan Tang curled the corner of her mouth and nodded, "I understand."

"Tangtang, when you go out there, you should have a good time and look around more," Chu Yunzheng said again, urging her.

Wan Tang continued to keep a smile.

Chu Yunzheng was not a talkative person, yet at this moment he kept urging her repeatedly.

Wan Tang already had an answer in her heart; it seemed this outing would not be simple at all.

Xiao Mingshu suddenly stepped half a pace forward, her gilded armor brushing the non‑existent snowflakes on Wan Tang's shoulder, and said, "Sister, it's your first time leaving the palace; the reputation of our Tian family is more important than anything."

Her phoenix eyes held a smile that felt chilling, "Do you agree?"

"I will remember," Wan Tang said, and as she bent her knee, the golden phoenix pattern at the side of her hair remained unmoving.

Xiao Mingshu said from the house, "Do not overstep the limits; you must not act recklessly."

Wan Tang nodded, "Yes."

"Empress," the last four characters, Wan Tang pronounced a bit heavily.

After performing the bows one by one and completing the procedure, she formally stepped out of the Gongmen.

【Xiao Mingshu must be panicking; her privileges are now being enjoyed by Wan Tang.】

【All things that reach their peak must decline; Wan Tang, holding so much money and power in her hands, is actually the Emperor's test of her, to see whether she is fit to be a mother.】

【Wan Tang may not know yet; the things she wrote in her study have long been seen by the Dog Emperor.】

【Thus, within the palace walls, there are no secrets.】

Inside the luan‑decorated palanquin, the gold‑thread charcoal basin crackled, and Wan Tang leaned on the soft pillow, her whole body in a tense state.

Suddenly the palanquin jolted, and orderly footsteps came from outside.

The honor guard passed through the Capital's main street, and wherever they went, the common folk automatically stepped aside to the sides of the road to watch.

They kept moving forward.

When they reached the Royal Imperial Nursery, Wan Tang waved her hand and said, "Leave the city."

When Wan Tang spoke, the honor guard naturally did not dare to pause, and continued forward.

Yet they stopped at the city gate.

"What's going on?" Wan Tang frowned.

Li Ping'er peeked out, returned immediately with a solemn expression, and said, "Master, we have been stopped."

Almost at the same time, the voice Wan Tang despised most came from outside.

"Princess Wan," Xu Mingde's voice came through the palanquin curtain, bearing a condescending smile, "The best flower gardens in the Capital are all within the city; you must have taken the wrong road, right?"

"Please turn around quickly, lest it makes things difficult for everyone."

Wan Tang lifted the palanquin curtain, and the cold wind, swirling with snowflakes, slammed into her face.

Xu Mingde sat upright on a jet‑black warhorse, his dark‑iron light armor reflecting a cold gleam; behind him, a mass of soldiers blocked the city gate completely.

Such a grand display suggested they had been prepared in advance.

Wan Tang's expression was cold, her heart weary, yet she became even more resolute; this outing was another move by the Emperor.

The more the Xu Family grew anxious, the more this city gate had to be forced open.

"I, the palace, am tired of the greenhouse flowers," she said as she stepped down from the palanquin, her embroidered shoes crushing thin ice, "and just want to see the ones in the wild."

"What? Do I have to report to you, this valiant Commander, wherever I go?"

Wan Tang's words were all sarcasm.

"No need," Xu Mingde replied with a swift smile, "I just hope you behave a bit more sensibly."

"Heh," Wan Tang said, her fingers trembling with anger yet feigning composure, "What? Is it that I intend to leave the city and you still dare to block me?"

Xu Mingde suddenly laughed loudly, swinging his horsewhip in the air, "If you block me, you block me—what can you do?"

He leaned forward, "A plaything—do you really think you are the master?"

Xiao Shunzi raised the imperial golden badge high, "His Majesty is here; why don't you step aside!"

The city‑guard soldiers all turned toward Xu Mingde, their scabbards scraping the snow with a harsh sound.

The onlookers kept gathering, and whispered murmurs rose like a tide.

Each one was amazed at the Xu Family's power.

Now, even the Emperor cannot control him.

If this continues, the royal family's face will be completely ruined by Wan Tang.

Chu Yunzheng wanted a result, but Wan Tang could not provide one; she was destined to be a useless child.

Wan Tang suddenly drew the honor guard guard's side‑blade.

She gripped the blade with both hands, pointing it at Xu Mingde's throat; her wide sleeves fell back, revealing a slightly trembling snow‑colored wrist, and said, "If you take another step, I will take your life."

Although Xu Mingde did not move, the men he brought out simultaneously flashed their swords.

Wan Tang cared little about them.

This city, she must leave.

Since Ouyang Qing was said to be nearby, she might as well make a big scene; when it cannot be contained, Ouyang Qing will appear on his own.

"Hahaha."

A lazy voice broke through the air.

The crowd automatically split, and the youth stepped on the packed snow, walking slowly forward.

The boy was only sixteen or seventeen, his pallid face still bearing whip marks, a deep red blood bead clinging to the corner of his eye like smudged rouge.

A half‑blood‑stained bandage was visible beneath his ink‑black cloak, flickering in and out with each step.

Though merely a youth, both his delicate features and the murderous aura radiating from him were impossible to ignore.

"Madam can't even hold a sword steady," Xu Yanchuan tilted his head and chuckled, twirling a small dagger between his fingers, "Why not first learn how to kill a chicken?"

The boy suddenly furrowed his brow, "I forgot, Lady of Grace such as you probably wouldn't even dare step on an ant, would you?"