Chapter 180: Let Her Come

"Emperor!" Xiao Mingshu completely collapses, lets out a hoarse cry, but only receives the Emperor's cold profile.

Chu Yunzheng no longer looks at anyone, speaking lightly to Wan Tang, his tone revealing no emotion: "Tangtang, you're also tired. Go back and rest."

Wan Tang lowers her head: "Yes, I, your humble servant, take my leave."

When she rises, her gaze uncontrollably lands on the blood‑stained figure on the ground, a flash of worry passing.

Without the intense emotion imagined, Li Ping'er appears too calm.

It seems all this, once it happened, just happened; it doesn't matter.

Chu Yunzheng has turned to Su Yanci, as if the earlier matter was a trivial task: "Your arrival is timely; accompany me for a walk."

The two walk side by side, gradually farther, their low voices drifting faintly with the wind:

"How have the recent movements in the Capital been investigated?"

Wan Tang immediately gathers all her spirit, watches eyes, nose, heart, as if she heard nothing,

turns, straightens her back, and steps away from this place of controversy.

When the Emperor departs, the tension in the hall suddenly relaxes, only to be swiftly replaced by another subtle feeling.

The Imperial Concubines exchange tacit glances, each seeking an excuse to take leave, hurrying lest a slower step entangle them in trouble.

The previous scene made everything clear to everyone.

Who stands at the Emperor's heart's tip, and what precarious thing looms over the phoenix throne?

Towards the Empress, everyone offers only perfunctory courtesy, their bows and greetings tinged with haste to depart.

But towards Wan Tang, they instantly gather with eager smiles, endless compliments pouring, as if the cold observers earlier were not them.

Consort Shun hunches her shoulders, blending into the crowd to slip away quietly.

"Consort Shun." Wan Tang's voice, neither loud nor soft, cuts clearly through the clamor, bearing unmistakable force, "I still have an unclear matter; may I ask a few questions? Please stay."

Xiao Mingshu forces the last of her dignity, blocks ahead, her voice hoarse: "Consort Shun still needs to return to tend the Princess; she likely has no time…"

Wan Tang interrupts directly, her gaze calm yet sharp as she looks at the Empress: "Your Majesty, having labored all day, aren't you tired?"

"Could it be that when we sisters speak a few personal words, the Empress must intervene in everything?"

Xiao Mingshu did not expect Wan Tang to dare such a direct retort, her face turning pale with anger, about to erupt.

But Wan Tang lightly adds, half sighing, half lamenting: "Never mind. Since the Empress forbids, my humble words are insignificant; I naturally dare not press."

"Then we shall wait until the Emperor is free, and ask him to give a wise verdict."

"I am available!" Consort Shun, terrified to the point of soul fleeing, immediately shouted sharply, no longer caring about the Empress's expression.

Almost stumbling, she lunged back before Wan Tang, "Virtuous Consort, may I ask, I will speak all I know!"

Xiao Mingshu watches Consort Shun's meek, step‑following posture behind Wan Tang.

Her heart flares, yet has nowhere to vent.

Wan Tang internally scoffs, truly cannot understand.

With only Consort Shun's timid demeanor, where does she draw the courage to face public accusations?

She no longer watches the Empress's ashen face, only says lightly to Consort Shun: "Come with me."

Xiao Mingshu's voice follows coldly from behind, bearing an unmasked threat: "Consort Shun, watch your mouth."

"What's appropriate to say, what's not, think it through yourself."

Consort Shun trembles all over, lowers her head further, almost curling into her neck.

Yet her steps dare not stop, still trembling as she follows Wan Tang.

In the Palace of Eternal Joy courtyard, Su Guiren and Liu Guiren see Wan Tang return to the palace and hurriedly approach to bow.

Su Guiren laughs heartily: "Consort Shun has arrived? What a rare guest!"

Liu Guiren sees Consort Shun, her eyes visibly panic, instinctively averting her gaze.

Wan Tang, recalling Su Yanci's assistance, shows a few friendly tones toward Su Guiren.

She removes her own cloak, drapes it over Su Guiren's shoulders, tone gentle: "Early spring's chill is strong; take care of yourself."

Su Guiren, flattered, is moved, her face full of emotion.

Liu Guiren stands aside, a trace of coldness flashing in her eyes.

Wan Tang leads Consort Shun straight into the main hall.

Xiao Shunzi immediately carefully shuts doors and windows, guarding outside.

Inside the hall, Wan Tang blocks left and right, looks straight at Consort Shun, and gets straight to the point: "Did you truly witness Li Ping'er's matter with your own eyes?"

Consort Shun shakes her head.

"Why do it?" Wan Tang's voice is clear and cold, "Knowing the Empress intends to put me to death, why willingly become an accomplice?"

Consort Shun's face shows pain, a mix of struggle and cowardice.

Yet she still bears a strange firmness: "I had no choice; I only wanted to protect my child!"

"As fellow mothers, you should understand this feeling…"

"I do not understand." Wan Tang cuts off cleanly, "I will not, to protect one, slaughter those who once helped me."

Consort Shun suddenly lifts her head, tears brimming at her lashes, voice trembling: "I also didn't want to…"

"Whether you wanted to or not, you have already acted." Wan Tang's tone is decisive, leaving no room, "I will not listen to reasons, nor will I forgive."

Consort Shun, puzzled: "If you will not forgive, why bring me here?"

Wan Tang sneers: "Bringing you here is not for forgiveness."

"As for the reason," she says, eyes like knives, "think it yourself."

Consort Shun's complexion turns ghastly white, voice shaking: "You want the Empress to suspect me? Yet I said nothing!"

"Whether you speak or not is irrelevant." Wan Tang smiles lightly, "As long as I know enough, that's sufficient."

Consort Shun, panicked, tries to rise and leave.

"Since you're here," Wan Tang's tone suddenly chilled, "just sit calmly. When the time comes, I will let you leave."

"Yes, Wan Tang should do exactly that; no need to play mind games with them, let them turn on each other."

"Lady of Grace Liu is still eavesdropping outside; as long as Consort Shun stays here long enough, the report back will be enough to anger the Empress."

"Come to think of it, Lady of Grace Liu really is a clever little spirit. She even thought of this method, becoming a double agent to pit Wan Tang against the Empress."

"The Yan Wang family truly teaches its daughters, each more scheming than the last."

In the main hall of Palace of Eternal Joy, tea fragrance wafted.

Wan Tang leisurely sipped her tea, posture relaxed.

Consort Shun sat at the lower seat, as if on a needle mat, fingertips cold, occasionally glancing anxiously at Wan Tang's expression.

Time slipped by little by little until the sun shifted westward, and Wan Tang still had not ordered the meal prepared.

She set down her teacup, her gaze finally landing on Consort Shun, her tone even: "It's getting late, Consort Shun, return now."

Consort Shun, as if granted a pardon, hurried to rise and take her leave.

Wan Tang suddenly rose, escorted her personally to the hall doors, even reaching out to smooth Consort Shun's slightly disheveled sideburns, an intimacy that felt abnormal.

A faint smile curved her lips, her voice gentle, yet each word struck Consort Shun's heart:

"If in the future you encounter any difficulty, or feel unsettled anywhere, feel free to come to my Palace of Eternal Joy."

"I may not dare speak of other things, but I can protect you for a while; I am still capable of that."

Upon hearing this, Consort Shun's complexion drained of color, leaving only deep sorrow.

She forced a bitter smile uglier than crying, whispering, "Thank you, Virtuous Consort, for your concern."

She finally turned away helplessly, her silhouette desolate.

In the Langxia outside the hall, Lady of Grace Liu stood quietly with her head bowed, and upon seeing this, immediately stepped forward.

Her posture humble and obedient, she bowed carefully: "Respectfully escorting Consort Shun, Your Majesty."

That deferential and cautious demeanor was no different from usual, as if she merely happened to pass by, adhering to Palace Rules.

The good drama was over; after Consort Shun returned, the Empress still wouldn't give her a kind expression.

Consort Shun kept struggling, desperately proving loyalty, claiming she hadn't said anything.

In fact, does it even matter? Lady of Grace Liu has already left; after adding embellishments to the Empress, Consort Shun has already become Wan Tang's informant placed in Kunning Palace.

It seems Consort Shun's future days will not be easy.

Wan Tang listened quietly to the barrage, finding it amusing inside.

She always believed that everything has cause and effect.

Whatever cause one sows, one reaps the corresponding result.

At dusk, the hall's light grew dim.

Xiao Shunzi glanced at the barely touched dishes, stepped forward quietly, and whispered, "Master, Lady of Grace Liu just left the palace."

Wan Tang gave a faint "Hmm," her gaze still fixed on the delicate peach blossom pastry in the dish, a little absent.

"Sister Ping'er loves these peach blossom pastries the most," Xiao Shunzi whispered suddenly.

Wan Tang's complexion darkened abruptly.

Xiao Shunzi, watching her expression, hesitated before continuing, "Sister Ping'er is covered in wounds; how shall she serve the Emperor tonight?"

"I suppose Ping'er is also pitiful, how did she get captured?"

"And she was beaten so badly, her whole body covered in blood."

Xiao Shunzi spoke while carefully observing Wan Tang's expression.

Seeing Wan Tang show little reaction, she tentatively asked, "Master… do you wish to see her?"

Wan Tang sneered, raising her eyes to him: "Xiao Shunzi, do you think I should see her?"

Xiao Shunzi's heart fluttered, and she immediately knelt, "Nubi, I spoke out of turn! I was wrong!"

"Where was the mistake?"

"Nubi, Nubi should not make decisions for Master…"

Wan Tang said nothing, simply watching him quietly.

A thin sweat beaded on Xiao Shunzi's temple as she stammered, "Sister Ping'er has been pleading desperately, saying she wants to see you, that she has something extremely urgent…"

Wan Tang's fingertip lightly tapped the table, after a pause she said slowly, "She now, oddly, recalls that she still has a Master like me."

Her tone carried a barely perceptible bitterness: "Xiao Shunzi, speaking of it, the three of us entered the palace together, our hearts linked."

"I once thought that, at least in this palace like an Ice Cellar, we could lean on each other for warmth."

Xiao Shunzi hurriedly nodded, "Yes, Master, your kindness to us is as heavy as a mountain…"

Wan Tang's complexion grew ever more somber, the last warmth in her eyes fading, leaving only a cold clarity.

She let out a faint, chilly snort from her nose, "It was my fault."

"I have come to believe a saying: the moment compassion arises, it is the beginning of a moth flying toward lamp oil."

Xiao Shunzi, hearing this, had red circles around her eyes, tears silently streaming, for the bygone bond that could never return, and for this bone‑deep chill.

Wan Tang looked at her, reached out, and gently wiped the tears from her face with a silk handkerchief, her movement light, her voice calm and unruffled: "Don't cry."

She withdrew her hand, gazed toward the deepening night outside the window, and finally said lightly:

"Let her come."

She still softened; actually Li Ping'er has always been Yan Wang's person. She truly likes Yan Wang, but Yan Wang has never been moved by her.

Including after Li Ping'er was captured, she spoke of her bond with Yan Wang, which was also something Yan Wang had anticipated. Yan Wang had said that this could keep her alive, but it would be painful.

Li Ping'er probably feared implicating Wan Tang, which is why she made this choice!

Honestly, I truly don't understand—does genuine sisterly affection really exist within the harem?

Wan Tang listened to the barrage, her heart growing cold in waves.

Don't say that the people in the Barrage don't understand; she doesn't understand either.

When she was trapped in Cuivei Palace and saw that there was no future, Wan Tang truly thought she had a younger sister.