Chapter 117: The Shot

The cold wind bit, the lake surface froze into thick ice, and several swans were trapped within the icy cavern.

Their snow‑white feathers were dusted with a thin frost, necks bowed low, barely breathing.

Wan Tang, cloaked in a fox‑fur mantle, saw from afar, her brows slightly furrowed: "Xiao Shunzi, go summon a few eunuchs and rescue those swans."

Xiao Shunzi was about to answer when a clear, chilly voice sounded behind her.

"If Heaven's Mandate is so, why force it?"

The voice cut the air like an ice blade, chilling to the bone.

Wan Tang turned and saw Consort Hui arriving on snow in a white‑fox great cloak, radiating heroic vigor.

Her steps were steady and powerful, the soles of her boots grinding the packed snow with a creak, unlike the delicate lotus steps of harem concubines, more like a battle‑worn female general returning from the field.

A flash of delight crossed Wan Tang's eyes as she performed a respectful bow: "Sister Consort Hui."

Consort Hui raised a hand to stop her approach, coldly saying, "Answer me."

Wan Tang was startled; Consort Hui had never liked leaving the palace gates, and the flowers and trees in her courtyard were not necessarily inferior to those of Yuhuayuan.

The question was whether it concerned the swan, the disaster, or Wan Tang herself.

Wan Tang followed her gaze to the dying swan on the ice lake and whispered, "Heaven's Mandate is hard to defy, yet I, your servant, will go against it."

She lightly brushed her raised abdomen with her fingertips, her tone firm, "Destiny should be in one's own hands."

Consort Hui suddenly sneered, reached behind her to draw a long bow, nocked an arrow and pulled the string, moving with fluid grace.

"Swoosh!"

The arrow sliced through the air, striking the swan's neck dead on!

Fresh blood instantly spread across the ice like a glaring red plum blossom.

"Ah!" Li Ping'er gasped, covering her mouth; Xiao Shunzi turned pale, hurriedly shielding Wan Tang.

Wan Tang's pupils narrowed briefly, then quickly steadied; her fingertips trembled slightly in her sleeve: "Sister, why must you act so?"

Consort Hui lowered her bow, eyes as cold as frost: "You are just like that swan."

She stepped closer, exuding a sharp pine‑snow aura, "I find this most tiresome. Since it struggles without escape, it is better to end it swiftly."

She suddenly leaned forward, whispering into Wan Tang's ear, a voice only the two could hear: "Take care of yourself."

As she straightened, Consort Hui's gaze swept over Wan Tang's belly, a mocking curve curling at the corner of her lips: "Recently even the common folk have heard of 'Madam Wan Tang'."

She brushed the sword hilt with her fingertip, the cold light reflecting on her icy, beautiful profile, "There are three thousand beauties in the harem, yet you alone walk such a solitary path?"

Each word cut like a blade, bearing an implicit warning.

Wan Tang immediately bowed deeply, her posture humble: "I beg your sister's guidance."

Consort Hui abruptly changed tone: "Lady of Grace Qi and Xu Answering are both with child."

She fixed her stare on Wan Tang's belly, half‑smiling, "What do you think should be done with the one inside you?"

Wan Tang's heart thumped violently, but not a hint showed on her face.

Li Ping'er nervously clenched her handkerchief, Xiao Shunzi's temples beaded with cold sweat, and she quietly slipped a half‑step closer to Wan Tang.

"I understand, Sister," Wan Tang said sincerely, "Thank you for the reminder."

Consort Hui's face suddenly turned cold: "What do you understand?"

She swiftly drew her sword three inches from the scabbard, a flash of cold light!

The surrounding palace maids and eunuchs recoiled in shock.

"What I despise most are people like you, who think themselves clever."

"Clang!" the long sword snapped back into its sheath.

Consort Hui turned and left, her white cloak fluttering in the snow.

She vanished quickly into the depths of the plum forest.

Xiao Shunzi supported Wan Tang as they walked back, unable to help but whisper, "Your Highness, what exactly did Consort Hui mean just now?"

"But to harm the Empress? After all, that arrow was truly frightening."

Wan Tang's steps did not halt; her eyes were as calm as a deep pool: "She was helping me."

"The swan trapped in the icy lake, even if rescued, would be maimed." Wan Tang brushed the white‑fox fur on her cloak, "Consort Hui's arrow actually gave me a release."

She suddenly stopped, gazing toward the distant vermilion palace wall, "In this deep palace, sometimes a clean death is better than a living torment."

Xiao Shunzi seemed half‑understanding, about to ask again, when a rapid footfall sounded from behind the Jiashan.

"Finally found Madam Wan Tang!"

Bai Wei led four palace maids in a brisk stride.

She gave a cursory bow, a perfectly timed smile on her lips: "The Empress has specially invited people from the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau into the palace to tailor infant garments for the three pregnant masters."

Her gaze swept over Wan Tang's abdomen, "At this moment Lady of Grace Qi and Xu Answering are waiting in Jingren Palace."

Li Ping'er quietly squeezed her handkerchief tighter.

Xiao Shunzi's back sweated with cold.

Just now Consort Hui had mentioned those two pregnant concubines, and the Empress turned around to summon people—such timing was too coincidental.

"Thank you, Miss Bai Wei, for making this trip." Wan Tang smiled gently, yet pressed lightly on Xiao Shunzi's palm.

Understanding, Xiao Shunzi immediately produced a heavy purse and handed it over: "In this freezing weather, sisters, please have some wine."

Bai Wei pinched the purse, her smile sincere: "Your Highness, please go ahead, I heard the Empress even retrieved the soft‑smoked silk from the Western Regions tribute."

"Let us go." Wan Tang handed the hand‑warmer to Li Ping'er, "Do not keep the Empress waiting too long."

【Now Lady of Grace Qi is about to give birth, the matter concerns the Crown Prince's position, how could Xiao Mingshu be careless? This time is purely a test.】

【Xiao Mingshu has already appointed a female medical officer; whoever shows a desire to contest the Crown Prince will meet death.】

【Fortunately, they see farther than Xu Luoyan, and can still tolerate the Princess's existence. After all, the Princess is merely a pawn, later usable to win over ministers or even forge alliances with neighboring states.】

【The wars on the Northern Border continue unabated, the Duke of England is trapped there, and Consort Hui cares not for harem squabbles. Now the focus is on the Xiao Family and the Xu Family.】

Wan Tang felt a weight settle in her heart.

It seemed Concubine Hui had already received the news.

Whether in the Former Dynasty or the Imperial harem, one must keep eyes on six directions and ears on eight corners, and all of that requires silver to arrange.

Wan Tang had no natal family support, and her small storeroom had been entirely given to Xu Yanchuan for disaster relief; to cultivate herself, it seemed she would have to resort to other means.

Qiankun Palace.

The golden‑thread nanmu wood hall doors opened slowly; as Wan Tang stepped in, Xiao Mingshu sat upright on the phoenix throne, a perfectly placed smile on her lips.

"Your servant presents herself before the Empress." Wan Tang bent a knee and saluted.

In the remaining light, Lady of Grace Qi was seen gently rubbing her rounded belly on the left, while Xu Luoyan twirled a silk handkerchief on the right.

The brocade mats beneath both seats were embroidered with ruyi‑cloud patterns, but only her mat was plain, without embroidery.

"Consort Wan, you arrive at just the right moment," Lady of Grace Qi laughed lightly, "We have been waiting for you for some time; we even thought the younger sister would learn that Xishi‑style heart‑holding pose and claim illness to avoid coming."

Xu Luoyan immediately replied, "Lady of Grace Qi jokes, Consort Wan now assists in managing the Six Palaces, so of course she is busier than us."

She turned toward the phoenix throne, her tone growing ever more reverent, "I heard that just the other day the Emperor praised the festival‑banquet regulations drafted by the Empress as stronger than in previous years; clearly she has received the Empress's authentic teachings."

Wan Tang's eyes darkened; this was clearly a deliberate provocation.

Xu Luoyan had been granted permission to come; Wang Jingyi remained trapped in Jingren Palace. It seemed that before arriving, there had also been no instruction.

Xiao Mingshu brushed the folds at her cuff, her smile unchanged, "We are all sisters, saying these things only creates division."

"As long as we can relieve the Emperor's worries and solve his problems, it is a good thing."

Her gaze swept over the three women's abdomens, her voice softening, "The Empress Dowager was still murmuring yesterday, saying that the Imperial Heirs in the wombs of the three younger sisters are all auspicious signs for Great Chu."

With the sound of clapping, palace maids entered carrying red‑lacquered trays, fish‑in‑a‑line.

A longevity lock strung with South Sea pearls, a coiled‑dragon‑pattern swaddling cloth of Shu brocade, and even a bright‑yellow satin small jacket embroidered with a four‑claw python motif.

This regulation, clearly the pattern reserved for the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.

"These materials are all tribute," Xiao Mingshu ran her fingertip over the python‑pattern jacket, "the Emperor himself inspected them."

She suddenly looked at Wan Tang, "Sister, do you find this coiled‑dragon pattern pleasing?"