Chapter 196: Peach Wood Sword

Wan Tang was startled by his sudden grand gift, her heart leapt, and she almost lost composure.

She forced down her shock, sat upright without moving, and spoke as evenly as possible: "Lord Su, what does this mean? Please rise quickly."

Her heart was as clear as a mirror, knowing what he sought, she therefore did not feign affection to assist.

Su Yanci did not stand, his head still lowered, his voice suppressed yet clear: "Subject humbly petitions the Consort."

Wan Tang was silent for a moment, then helplessly sighed, her voice bearing genuine powerlessness: "The young lady is in love, imperial grace is vast; such matters, I fear I have the will but lack the power."

Her words were not an evasion; within this deep palace, the emperor's heart is unfathomable, and who can truly influence it?

"Subject understands." Su Yanci's voice deepened, bearing deep fatigue and resignation, "I only ask the Consort to watch over what is within her power. Let us do our part and heed the Heavenly Mandate."

She too felt a swirl of emotions, a sense of shared suffering naturally arose.

She took a deep breath, solemnly said: "Lord Su, this palace Answering you."

Su Yanci heard this, his tense shoulders seemed to relax a few degrees, and only then did he slowly stand.

His complexion remained pale, but his eyes now held a hint of complex gratitude.

At that moment, Su Guiren returned holding a small pot of Peach Blossom Brew, her face bearing pure joy: "Brother, the last pot!"

"If you drink it, it'll truly be gone!"

Su Yanci swiftly suppressed all emotion, reverting to the indulgent older brother of his pampered sister.

He reached out, ruffled her hair, took the pot of wine, his tone light yet unquestionable: "This pot, brother takes it away."

"When you miss brother, brother will accompany you to drink again, okay?"

Su Guiren, though a bit reluctant, still nodded obediently.

Su Yanci lingered no longer, gave Wan Tang a slight nod, then turned and left, his back surprisingly hurried.

Xiao Susu watched brother walk away, eyes full of reluctance, muttering: "Why does brother leave so hastily?"

Wan Tang stepped forward, gently clasped her shoulder, softly comforting: "Your brother is a high-ranking minister of the court, naturally his duties are many."

"He can spare time to see you, that is already extremely rare."

"If later in the palace you feel bored, come to this palace to speak with me at any time."

【Su Yanci really still reached this point?】

【Mentioning this, I truly want to cry. Su Yanci just wants a carefree happy life, did he offend anyone?】

【Just because Dog Emperor is suspicious, always fearing Xu Yan Chuan will become a second Xu Chengyuan, he forces Su Yanci to become Grand General. When Su Yanci truly begins to display his talent, Dog Emperor gets scared again!】

【Continuously favoring Xiao Susu, Xiao Susu also foolishly loves the emperor deeply. Unfortunately, as the Su family's power grows, Dog Emperor becomes increasingly uneasy. In the original, when Xiao Susu was pregnant, Dog Emperor insisted on sending Su Yanci to campaign, yet at the crucial moment, gave no reinforcements.】

【After Su Yanci's death news arrived, Xiao Susu couldn't bear the blow, threw herself into a well, a double death.】

【Dog Emperor, his best brother and the woman who loved him so much, were all killed by him. Sob sob sob, their sibling bond is truly heartbreaking to me. If Xiao Susu hadn't been favored, Su Yanci wouldn't have taken the Tiger Tally, nor would he have died.】

Wan Tang's chest ached again.

She cursed inwardly, why must the story toy with every character's fate like this?

It seems villains always get a good end, while every person striving to live never gets a happy outcome.

Thinking of this, Wan Tang's eyes reddened terribly.

She has always tried to change her own destiny, but never imagined that along the way, so many others' fates also needed rewriting.

Wan Tang was gently comforting the reluctant Su Guiren, when she suddenly felt a highly present gaze fall upon her.

Instinctively she looked up, only to see a person lazily leaning against the carved doorway of the courtyard.

Arms crossed over chest, the dark palace attire accentuated her upright figure, her brows and eyes exuding a compelling heroism and ease.

Who else could it be but Hui Guifei?

She didn't know how long she had stood there, nor how many times she had observed the earlier scene.

The palace staff serving in the courtyard had long been frightened into holding their breath and bowing heads, none daring to speak a word.

Wan Tang felt a slight chill in her heart: "When did Consort Sister arrive? Why wasn't anyone sent a message?"

When Su Guiren saw Hui Guifei, she was like a rabbit seeing a hawk, trembling all over.

Instinctively she shrank back behind Wan Tang, clutching tightly onto her sleeve.

Wan Tang felt her fear, gently patted the back of her hand.

In a light tone she comforted: "Don't be afraid, Noble Consort Hui Guifei is beautiful and kind‑hearted, most gentle indeed."

She said this without changing expression.

Su Guiren stole a glance at Hui Guifei's forbidding aura, her little face wrote "I don't believe you one bit."

"Return." Hui Guifei finally spoke, her voice not loud, yet carrying an undeniable pressure.

Her gaze swept over Su Guiren, "I will chat with Virtuous Consort."

Su Guiren, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly performed a bow, almost tip‑toeing away swiftly.

Only the two of them remained inside the courtyard.

Hui Guifei walked up to Wan Tang, eyes slightly provocative as she sized her up.

She suddenly tugged at the corner of her mouth: "That little glutinous rice dumpling looks quite endearing."

Wan Tang kept her smile: "Indeed."

"Lord Su protects her extremely well, a display of innocence and frivolity."

Her tone paused slightly, tinged with an imperceptible bitterness, "Unfortunately, such protection, in this place, may actually become a hindrance."

Hui Guifei heard this, her heroic eyebrows lifted, she sneered.

With a world‑seeing sarcasm she mocked: "Coming to this palace doesn't automatically mean you'll climb onto the dragon bed and be favored."

A trace of sorrow flashed in Wan Tang's eyes as she whispered: "If only she could never reach sixteen, that would be good."

Hui Guifei stared at her for a moment, then suddenly let out an inexplicable laugh.

She didn't continue the conversation, but instead pulled something from her bosom and casually tossed it toward Wan Tang.

Wan Tang subconsciously reached out and caught it; her hand was slightly heavy, and it turned out to be a petite peach‑wood sword.

She examined it closely; the peach‑wood sword was polished to an extremely smooth, warm feel, fashioned plump and round, its goofy charm endearing.

On it were finely carved auspicious cloud patterns, the shape odd and cute, something she had never seen before.

Wan Tang's eyes lit up, and she sincerely praised, "How utterly adorable! Minghui will surely love it the moment she sees it!"

"Who wants her to like it!" Noble Consort Hui snapped, "Your Xiao Shunzi is so detestable! How dare she use her weightless little claws to grab this palace's hand!"

She snorted coldly, pointing at the peach‑wood sword: "Give this trinket to her, and have this palace hang it at her bedside."

"Let her stare at it day after day; this is the fate for daring to touch this palace!"

"If she dares such rudeness again," she narrowed her eyes, "this palace will replace it with a real Iron Sword!"

Having finished, she gave a deep hum, turned, the hem of her dark robe tracing a crisp arc, and strode away like a comet.

Wan Tang held the plump, childlike peach‑wood sword, watching Noble Consort Hui's almost fleeing silhouette, and for a moment felt both amused and helpless.

Wan Tang raised her voice toward Hui's vanishing back and waved her hand.

Her tone carried obvious delight: "Thank you, sister! This peach‑wood sword is so beautiful!"

She even deliberately lifted the little sword, adding, "When Minghui holds it, she will surely sleep extra sweetly and peacefully!"

Only when that dark figure vanished completely beyond the palace wall did Wan Tang's smile slowly fade.

She lowered her head, clutching tightly the round, cute little peach‑wood sword, her fingertips even feeling the carefully polished warm grain.

She turned back to the inner hall, her steps light as she approached the cradle.

Little Princess Minghui slept soundly, breathing evenly, her tiny mouth slightly pursed, utterly unaware of the world outside.

Wan Tang gently sat by the cradle, took out a pre‑prepared thin red cord, and delicately fastened the peach‑wood sword.

Then, even more gently and cautiously, she placed it into Minghui's empty little hand.

The plump little hand moved unconsciously, and truly grasped the tiny hilt.

Wan Tang stared at her daughter's tranquil sleeping face, a hazy mist unintentionally swirling in her eyes.

She leaned down, her voice as light as a sigh: "Minghui, my treasure."

"You must remember to thank Madam Hui properly, okay!"

"Definitely, I really, really like Madam Hui, understand?"

She bent forward and gently kissed her daughter's smooth, full forehead.

A warm tear finally could not be held back, slipping silently and landing on Minghui's tender cheek.

The little princess seemed to sense something in her dream, her tiny brows knitting slightly.

"Madam." Xiao Shunzi, having slipped up behind her at some point, whispered in a very low voice.

Wan Tang quickly straightened, flicking away the moisture at the corner of her eye with her fingertips.

She turned, her gaze sweeping over the nursing maid and palace maids standing inside, "Listen to this palace!"

"This peach‑wood sword shall from now on be an item the princess never parts with. Your primary duty in serving the princess is to guard it well."

"Shei dares to lose it…" she paused, each word like ice, "Where the thing is lost, your heads stay where this palace leaves them."

The nursing maid and palace maids trembled in terror and collapsed with a thud.

Their trembling voices repeatedly pledged, "I obey! I will be ever careful! I would never dare any negligence!"

Outside the hall, Langxia.

Xiao Shunzi slipped forward, whispering, "Master, everything has already been prepared according to your orders."

He hesitated slightly, then added, "Only Lord Qi Qi just sent word that the Emperor's men went secretly to Yunxiang Pavilion today."

Wan Tang's complexion suddenly turned cold, then she regained her composure.

"If they went, then they went."

"Opening doors for business, receiving and sending guests, naturally one must entertain every visitor."

Yet deep in her eyes flashed a swift, sharp glint.

Xiao Shunzi, seeing this, said no more, and drew a thin little Shice from his sleeve.

Respectfully presenting, "Master, this is what you asked for: all the information on General Huang."

Wan Tang took it, and by the dim light of the Langxia outside the hall, turned the pages one by one.

The more she read, the tighter her brows knit.

The Shice detailed: Huang Jianjun, a career soldier, rose step by step through military merit to his current rank.

He was upright and incorruptible, uninterested in women, never entered gambling houses or brothels; his greatest pastime was studying military strategy and training martial arts.

He treated subordinates generously, held his wife in equal respect, enforced strict family discipline, and his children were all of proper conduct.

He was almost a flawless perfect man.

Wan Tang could not help but murmur, her voice tinged with a complex sigh, "He is truly such a righteous gentleman."

Her fingertip brushed the "Heavy Drinker" entry, which noted: because he was stationed in a bitterly cold frontier early on, he developed a chronic condition requiring frequent strong liquor to warm his body.

Thus his capacity for alcohol was enormous, he never refused a drink, yet never let wine cause a mistake.

"A martial practitioner often enjoys a sip of wine to warm the body; it's common," she murmured, a bitter curve forming at the corner of her mouth.

Xiao Shunzi took in her reaction fully.

He, having been by Wan Tang's side the longest, knew the most secrets; now, seeing her expression, he understood about seventy‑percent of what she meant.

Deep worry involuntarily showed in his eyes.

He stepped forward, his voice pressed to a low whisper, bearing a reckless resolve: "Master, if General Huang truly proves difficult to handle, let Nubi take care of it."

Wan Tang always believed deep in her heart in the cycle of cause and effect, that Retribution would not be denied.

Yet now, she had to personally create a "cause" targeting innocents.

She cast a heavy gaze toward Xiao Shunzi.

Xiao Shunzi strained to push out a relaxed smile on his face: "Master, rest assured, Xiao Shunzi is merely an eunuch, a crippled body, already unable to enter the cycle of rebirth, and does not fear any Retribution."

"These filthy tasks should be done by Nubi."

"Nonsense!" Wan Tang's eyebrows immediately knit tightly, her voice bearing a rare sharpness as she stopped him, "Eunuchs are also people! Shei permits you to demean yourself so?"

She closed her eyes, inhaled a breath of slightly cool night air, and when she opened them again, the depths of her eyes held the fatigue and heaviness after struggle.

"Let me think a bit more."