Chapter 190: I Die, Yet Do Not Save Me

Hahaha, this will definitely ruin the Empress's headache; who let Wan Tang actually team up with Hui Guifei?

Everyone is about to die of anger, let alone any chance of it getting better.

But is what Wan Tang is doing really good? Isn't the Empress even more likely to be wary of them and strike at them?

I think Wan Tang wants to distract the Empress's attention!

Wan Tang lay on the bed, calmly listening to the messages in the Barrage.

When she heard that the Empress was quite angry, she couldn't help feeling a bit happy.

But seeing her daughter sound asleep beside her, she couldn't help getting nervous.

She must hurry!

If her own life is destined to be unchoosable, at least she must let her daughter be able to choose her own life in the future.

Early the next morning.

Word spread throughout the palace that the Empress actually took the initiative to find Hui Guifei to play chess.

Since the two entered the palace, this is the first time such a thing has happened.

Simply strange.

Wan Tang sneered inwardly.

When Xiao Shunzi said that Xu Yanchuan had entered the palace, she immediately took the already prepared pastries and went to Yangxin Hall.

At the palace corridor corner outside Yangxin Hall, the tree shadows swayed, blocking most of the view.

Xiao Shunzi silently retreated to a distance, vigilantly watching the surroundings.

Wan Tang and Xu Yanchuan stood opposite each other, the air so stagnant it was suffocating.

Before Xu Yanchuan could speak, Wan Tang suddenly raised her hand and, with a crisp "Slap!" she firmly slapped his face.

Xu Yanchuan's face was knocked sideways, and a red mark quickly appeared on his cheek.

He merely stood in silence, showing no sign of dodging or anger.

He didn't even shift his gaze, it remained heavily fixed on Wan Tang's face.

"Why?" Wan Tang's voice was pressed down to a whisper, yet trembling violently, each word squeezing out of her teeth, "Why did you rush out to save me?!"

"Do you know how dangerous that is! If anyone spots the flaw, both you and I will die!"

"Are you expecting me to watch you die?!" Xu Yanchuan snapped his eyes up, his voice equally suppressed yet hoarse at the edge of collapse, "I can't!"

Their gazes intertwined, and the air was filled with a desperate, sorrowful aura.

Both knew each other's identities, aware of the deep palace's heavy taboos; each approach was a dance on the tip of a blade.

Wan Tang closed her eyes, tears silently slipping from the corners of her eyes.

Her voice was filled with helplessness and lament, "Our current situation, you're not unaware."

"One misstep, and it's ten thousand eons of no return…"

"Never mind." Xu Yanchuan's voice suddenly steadied, bearing an almost masochistic resolve, "I'm saving the Emperor, not you."

"Everyone will think that."

"After all, everyone knows that if you die, I'll be happier than anyone."

Wan Tang opened her eyes, took a deep breath, suppressing the choke in her throat, "Hui Guifei saw through it."

A flash of brilliant light suddenly flickered in Xu Yanchuan's eyes, an instinctive admiration for that dazzling woman.

But it quickly dimmed, turning into deeper worry.

He whispered, his tone oddly carrying a barely perceptible commendation, "She truly lives up to it."

Those words were like a fine needle, gently piercing Wan Tang's heart, making her even more worried.

Silence spread between them, so heavy it almost crushed them.

After a long while, Wan Tang finally spoke again, her voice having returned to calm.

But it carried a heartbreaking resolve, "Xu Yanchuan, remember."

"From now on, no matter what danger you face, even if a sword is about to pierce my heart in a heartbeat," she stared at him, her gaze cold and firm, "you are not allowed to save me again."

"Even if you stand beside me, watching me die with open eyes."

"As long as the Emperor has not issued an order, you must never act! Understand?"

Xu Yanchuan clenched his teeth, his jaw set tight, his eyes roiling with intense struggle and resistance.

"Don't forget mother!" Wan Tang's voice suddenly sharpened, bearing a final, heavy weight, "And don't forget, you also have a little niece who needs her uncle's protection!"

Those words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly dousing all the unwilling flames in Xu Yanchuan's eyes.

He seemed completely drained of strength, his shoulders slumped, and finally, he gave a heavy, almost imperceptible nod.

He never glanced at Wan Tang again, merely turning away in silence, his back rigid and resolute.

Step by step, he merged into the cold shadows of the deep palace.

Just as Xu Yanchuan's figure vanished around the palace wall corner, Wan Tang hadn't yet had time to settle her emotions.

From not far away, Chu Yunzheng's puzzled call echoed, "Tangtang?"

Wan Tang felt a chill in her heart, hurriedly composed her expression, and briskly stepped out of the shadows.

Xiao Shunzi, anxious beside her, whispered low, "Master, your eyes are very red; shall I go report to the Emperor that you are unwell…"

"No need." Wan Tang cut him off, her tone decisive, "That's it."

She faced the approaching Chu Yunzheng, kneeling in a bow, "Emperor."

Chu Yunzheng's gaze passed over her, thoughtfully looking toward the direction Xu Yanchuan had left, his brows slightly furrowed.

Only when Wan Tang came close did he withdraw his gaze, letting it settle on her face.

At that look, his complexion darkened.

Wan Tang's eye sockets were noticeably tinged with an unnatural red, her eyelashes clumped together damply, clearly the look of someone who had just cried.

"What's going on?" Chu Yunzheng's voice lowered, carrying unmistakable concern and a hint of displeasure, "Why are your eyes red? Who provoked you?"

Wan Tang lifted her eyes, and instead of concealing them, she let the lingering tears and grievance swirl in her gaze.

She inhaled through her nose, then spoke openly and calmly: "Your Majesty, I truly couldn't hold back earlier and shed a few tears."

She paused, as if finding it hard to speak, and also bearing a hint of indignant resentment.

In a low voice she said: "I just ran into General Xu. He was being completely unreasonable!"

"I was irritated, so I argued with him for a few sentences,"

Chu Yunzheng's gaze tightened: "Xu Yanchuan? What did he say?"

Wan Tang seemed to recall a painful memory, her speech quickening, tinged with genuine sorrow: "I only thought of his meritorious rescue of the carriage in the training ground, and I praised him before Your Majesty, seeking his favor."

"To my surprise, not only did he not accept it, but he said that my small kindness couldn't possibly offset the Xu family's grudge!"

She stopped at that point, hurriedly bowing her head.

She pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her eye, her voice growing more hoarse and aggrieved: "It was I who overstepped."

As expected, Chu Yunzheng's complexion grew even darker.

He reached out, pulling Wan Tang into his arms, gently patting her back to soothe: "You troublesome thing! I promoted him for his rescue of the carriage, yet he dares to be so ungrateful and even tries to clash with you."

"What a waste of your goodwill!"

"However... his mood is not beyond understanding. Of course, I know these are not your fault."

"Tangtang, in the future, you need not think about repaying anyone or what to do?"

Wan Tang merely wept.

He lowered his head, looking at the faintly reddened eyes of the one in his arms, his tone softening: "Enough, getting angry over this is not worth it."

"I will dine with you; tell the Imperial Kitchen what you wish to eat. Do not be sad any longer."

Chu Yunzheng was placing a chopstick of Wan Tang's favorite steamed sea bass into her bowl when a messenger announced from outside the hall that the Empress had arrived.

Xiao Mingshu stepped into the hall and at a glance saw the two imperial consorts dining intimately.

Chu Yunzheng's expression was unusually gentle, and Wan Tang's smile blossomed like a flower, almost leaning half her body against the Emperor.

Her complexion instantly darkened, and she forced herself to maintain decorum and bow: "Your Majesty, I wish to have an audience."

Chu Yunzheng gave a faint "Hmm," his gaze still on Wan Tang: "Has the Empress arrived? Has she dined?"

Xiao Mingshu had not yet responded when Wan Tang acted as if she hadn't seen the Empress's displeased expression.

She scooped a spoonful of crab roe tofu with a silver spoon and handed it directly to Chu Yunzheng's lips.

Her voice was so soft it seemed to squeeze water out: "Your Majesty, please try this, freshly made by the Imperial Kitchen, it's very fresh."

He took the bite from her hand, nodded and praised: "Not bad."

He even lifted his hand, using the pad of his finger to naturally wipe away a non‑existent speck of sauce from Wan Tang's lip corner, his gaze doting.

This display of intimacy, oblivious to anyone else, completely pierced Xiao Mingshu's eyes.

She stood there, neither able to advance nor retreat, like an unnecessary joke.

She forced down her anger and said stiffly: "I have already used it."

"I only recalled that there are some palace matters to report to Your Majesty; since you are dining, I will come back later."

Having said that, she could hardly stay another moment, performed a hurried bow, turned and left.

Her silhouette was rigid, carrying an uncontainable anger.

Only after the Empress's footsteps faded did Chu Yunzheng withdraw his gaze.

He looked at the still charmingly smiling Wan Tang beside him, his tone tinged with curiosity and a barely perceptible indulgence: "Tangtang, you weren't like this before."

The Wan Tang of the past was always courteous in public, never flaunting favor so "recklessly", nor deliberately provoking anyone.

Wan Tang set down the silver spoon, her smile fading slightly, yet gaining a few more genuine laziness and slyness.

She tilted her head toward the Emperor and said bluntly: "Your Majesty has also seen it; the Empress has long been extremely displeased with me."

"Even if I lower myself further, being meek and cautious, she still would not have any goodwill toward me."

Her tone shifted, with a hint of reckless abandon mixed with a touch of coquettishness: "Since that's the case, why should I continue to wrong myself by being a trembling, overly good person?"

"Why not be a bit more unrestrained, and truly enjoy the rare moments alone with Your Majesty? Your Majesty, what do you think?"

Hearing this, Chu Yunzheng not only didn't get angry but let out a low laugh.

He liked her for being a little willful yet tying all her dependence and affection entirely to him.

He reached out and pinched her nose tip, his tone fully indulgent:

"That little willfulness, I permit it."

Xiao Mingshu is leaving, not flying.

All those words fell into her ears.

Inside Kunning Palace, the dead silence was terrifying.

All the palace staff had been barred, leaving only Bai Wei, who stared at the Empress Xiao Mingshu with trembling fear.

Xiao Mingshu faced away, her shoulders trembling slightly; the dignified composure she had forced in Yangxin Hall was already gone.

She raised her hand, vigorously massaging her throbbing temples, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.

Bai Wei stepped forward cautiously, her voice extremely gentle and soothing: "Your Highness, please take utmost care of your phoenix body, and do not let anger harm you."

"We will surely think of another way to restrain the Virtuous Consort."

"Restrain?! Restrain?!"

Xiao Mingshu suddenly turned, her eyes filled with blood vessels, the pent‑up anger and humiliation erupting at once.

"Now she claims to act on the Emperor's orders, yet she does not regard this palace at all!"

"Can't you see it?!"

"The Emperor lets her run wild! Pampering her to the point of lawlessness—what can this palace possibly do to restrain her?!"

Anger clouded their mind; Xiao Mingshu suddenly grabbed a delicate white jade paperweight on the nearby desk and slammed it to the ground!

"Crack!" a crisp sound rang out, and the jade shattered into pieces.

Yet this did not vent their fury; instead it only further provoked them.

Xiao Mingshu seemed to lose control, grabbing the tea cup and vase at hand and recklessly hurling them to the floor.

The sound of breaking porcelain was incessant, shards scattering.

Bai Wei was terrified and kept retreating, daring not to intervene.

In the midst of this frantic outburst, Xiao Mingshu swung their arm sharply, sweeping a modest brocade box from the corner of the dressing table onto the ground.

The brocade box cracked open, a clay figurine rolled out, and with a light "dang" sound its base struck a broken piece of porcelain.

A clear crack instantly snaked upward from the bottom, nearly bisecting most of the figurine's body…

Inside… it was hollow…