Chapter 134: Fool

Tangtang, are you trying to win over Noble Lady Qi?

Winning over is a good thing, after all Noble Lady Qi's father holds a fairly high position in the Ministry of Revenue. If we can win him over, we'll have our own people in the Ministry.

That's true; Qi Qi manages the finances in the Ministry, his rank isn't the highest but it's quite important. The key is, Qi Qi is a love‑sick man who loves only his own wife. He has a son and a daughter.

The reason Noble Lady Qi is so naive and sweet is entirely because her brother and father spoiled her. If she hadn't entered the inner palace, with her family's favor she would surely have enjoyed boundless glory.

Wan Tang listened quietly, her mouth corners slowly lifting.

"Master, are you trying to win over Noble Lady Qi?" Li Ping'er adjusted her wind hat for her, her voice pressed down to a whisper.

A flake of snow landed on Wan Tang's eyelashes, turning into a droplet when she blinked: "Hmm."

Li Ping'er hesitated as she handed over the heater: "But Noble Lady Qi is really of little help."

She glanced back at the vermilion palace gate, "Moreover, she is usually arrogant and overbearing, never giving the Master any regard. She has also caused you many difficulties."

Whenever Noble Lady Qi is mentioned, Li Ping'er can only complain.

"Master, you're trying to save her, aren't you!" Xiao Shunzi suddenly interjected, his eyes unusually bright.

Seeing Wan Tang glance sideways, he hurriedly slapped his own mouth: "Nubi, I spoke out of turn."

His fingers under the fox fur coat paused slightly, as Wan Tang stared at a withered plum at the far end of the palace wall.

Her gaze was colder than the lingering snow on the branches: "A prince, wherever he is placed, is not as reassuring as having him in one's own hand."

"In the harem, everyone has a delicate heart."

"Yet the more noble the status, the more frail the body, and the harder it is to bear children."

"Who would wish for their child to have two mothers?"

Xiao Shunzi inhaled a sharp breath of cold air.

Only then did he notice that the Master had deliberately worn that gold‑inlaid jade armor today, a symbol of the Emperor's grant to co‑manage the Six Palaces.

"But, Master, Nubi has spoken out of turn," Xiao Shunzi hurried two steps ahead, "Saving her brings you no benefit whatsoever."

"It might even offend the Empress. Is it worth doing?"

His voice trembled, unsure whether from cold or fear.

Wan Tang suddenly let out a light laugh.

She reached out and brushed the snowflakes from Xiao Shunzi's shoulder, her fingertip lingering there for a moment.

"No problem," she withdrew her hand, looking toward the Imperial Medical Institute.

One of the imperial doctors hurriedly walked toward the West Hall of Jingren Palace.

Following her gaze, Xiao Shunzi suddenly felt enlightened: "It seems Noble Lady Qi has heard your words."

"It's only a single life at stake," Wan Tang's voice drifted on the wind, light as a snowflake landing on a dead branch, "Help a little if you can."

The snowflakes suddenly grew dense, striking the oiled paper umbrella with a soft pattering sound.

Li Ping'er's face showed a look of joy.

With a naive, radiant expression she laughed, "The snow shrinks day by day."

"It seems this winter will pass quickly."

Wan Tang's mouth curved into a pleasant arc.

She said from the bottom of her heart, "May the coming year bring favorable winds and rain."

"It will!" Li Ping'er nodded emphatically.

Looking at Wan Tang's face, her eyes were all sparkling: "Having a Master with a bodhisattva heart thinking of them is a blessing for the common folk."

"Your rescue plan is excellent; it solved the disaster problem most quickly."

"Nonsense!" Wan Tang cut off Li Ping'er with a cold tone.

Her tone heavy, she said, "This is Xu Yanchuan's merit; it was his idea."

"I, a woman of the inner palace, have only contributed a little money."

"Indeed!" Li Ping'er hurriedly fell silent, yet her gaze toward Wan Tang remained full of admiration.

"Auspicious snow foretells a bumper year; after the snow disaster comes spring plowing, and everything will improve," Wan Tang murmured, staring at the tall red wall.

Wan Tang, just after passing the screen wall, saw bright‑yellow ceremonial guards parked beneath the Han White Jade Steps in front of Yangxin Hall.

Chu Yunzheng, draped in a dark‑fox great cloak, stood in the Langxia, his fingertip twirling a half‑bloomed red plum.

"Master, it's the Emperor," Li Ping'er exclaimed, nearly dropping the heater from her hand.

Wan Tang's heart leapt suddenly, and the child in her womb seemed to sense something, moving restlessly.

She quickly adjusted her breathing, a gentle smile already on her face.

Just as she was about to bow, Chu Yunzheng strode forward, the packed snow beneath his boots creaking.

"Tangtang," he said, reaching to support the arm she was about to kneel with, the warmth of his palm seeping through his sleeve, "Why are you wandering around in such cold weather?"

"Be careful not to catch a cold."

Li Defu hurried from behind, snowflakes on his dust‑brush fluttering down: "Ah, my Imperial Grandfather, please wait a moment, old servant!"

Looking up at Wan Tang, the senior eunuch forced a smile, but his eyes flashed coldly: "Princess Consort Wan, upon hearing you went to Jingren Palace, the Emperor became so anxious he couldn't even approve the paperwork."

"I had to come out to look for you."

"My Imperial Grandfather truly cares for you from the bottom of his heart!"

Snowlight reflected on Wan Tang's suddenly pale face.

Heard?

She calmly brushed past Li Defu's newly replaced ivory‑jade pendant at his waist, a style common in the Empress's palace.

What for?

Xu Luoyan is no longer able; is this old fox starting to switch sides again?

"Lord Li is joking," she said, slightly bowing, the pearl hairpin in her hair unmoving, "I am merely concerned about Noble Lady Qi."

"I'll go take a look and see if there's anything that needs help."

"Tangtang." Chu Yunzheng suddenly interrupted, his thumb gently rubbing her wrist, "What did you say to Lady of Grace Qi?"

His voice was soft, as if asking about tonight's moonlight, but the chill in his phoenix eyes made Wan Tang's fingertips instantly cold.

Snow fell silently.

Wan Tang felt a tightness in her throat and another spasm of pain in her abdomen.

Chu Yunzheng never said meaningless words.

Combined with his earlier tension and concern, Wan Tang grew increasingly uneasy.

She slowly knelt in the snow, the chill from the blue stone slab rushing up through her knees: "Subject…"

Her voice was as fine as a mosquito's, "Subject asks Lady of Grace Qi to be careful, I'm afraid… I'm afraid…"

"Someone might be acting against her, is that so?" Chu Yunzheng finished for her, then let out a light laugh.

When he bent down to help her up, the ambergris fragrance enveloped them, "Fool."

The nickname was so intimate that even Li Defu's expression changed, "Some people aren't the ones you want to rescue; they can simply crawl out of the water along your bamboo pole."

Wan Tang stared at him blankly.

Chu Yunzheng brushed the snow from between her brows with his fingertips, his tone gentle to the point of cruelty: "Lady of Grace Qi is a fool."

He leaned close to her ear, his breath sweeping over her earlobe, "I'm afraid it will, and it will harm you."

Before the words finished, a clatter of footsteps suddenly came from the end of the palace corridor.

Bai Wei hurried forward with six palace maids, and upon seeing His Majesty, she knelt hurriedly.

Her skirt swept up a spray of snow: "Long live the Emperor! The Empress commands Consort Wan to go to Jingren Palace at once."

She looked up, glanced at Wan Tang, and the corner of her mouth lifted, "Some matters need Consort Wan to explain a bit."