Chapter 219: Blood Replacement

"There are far too many old people in this palace... it's time to add some 'newcomers'." Wan Tang's eyes flashed coldly as she whispered.

She turned and entered the room, quickly wrote a tiny note, rolled it carefully, wrapped it in waterproof oil paper, and then called Da Huang.

Skillfully she slipped the note into the special hidden compartment of its collar, and rewarded it with a large, fragrant meat bone.

Da Huang wagged its tail excitedly, clamped the meat bone in its mouth, and, knowing the way well, ran to a very hidden dog hole at the corner of the courtyard wall.

It curled its body, slipped out deftly, and vanished into the night.

A few days later, the night grew deeper.

Su Yanci's figure silently reappeared on the wall of the Cold Palace.

His originally lazy expression, upon seeing the courtyard scene, couldn't help but show a hint of surprise.

The small courtyard was tidy and orderly, the vegetable beds lush, and there was even a simple stone table added.

"It seems rumors can't be fully trusted; one must see for oneself," he chuckled lightly and floated down.

Wan Tang was sitting beside the stone table, pouring and drinking by herself under the cool moonlight.

Seeing him arrive, she was unperturbed, and simply raised her hand to indicate the empty seat opposite: "Since Lord Su has come, feel free to sit for a while."

Moonlight poured like water over the tiny courtyard.

The two sat opposite each other at the table, which held a pot of clear wine, a few simple side dishes, and the atmosphere possessed a rare tranquility and harmony.

After three rounds of wine, Su Yanci set down his cup, his expression growing solemn: "I have come today to bid farewell to the Empress."

Wan Tang's hand holding the jug paused slightly, and she lifted her eyes to look at him.

"The Kedan tribe has breached the border; the situation is tense. I have already petitioned Your Majesty for a decree to campaign," Su Yanci said calmly, yet resolutely, "Tomorrow at dawn, the great army will set out."

Wan Tang heard this and a faint, understanding smile appeared on her face.

As if she had long anticipated, "The frontier is critical; Lord Su, go without worry. I am here, wishing your banner to rise in victory."

Su Yanci looked at her composed demeanor, then surveyed the modest yet vibrant courtyard and the food on the table, far superior to the usual fare of the Cold Palace.

Understanding in his heart, his tone couldn't help but carry a hint of melancholy he himself hadn't noticed: "It seems... the Empress will soon return to the Emperor's side?"

Wan Tang scoffed, her laugh tinged with a bit of mockery and some complex emotion: "Yes! Probably... it's time to go back."

Su Yanci stared at her, a wave of indescribable feeling stirring within him.

After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "After many years away, Empress... is there anything else Su can serve you with?"

Wan Tang turned her head toward him; under the moonlight her eyes were clear and resolute: "No further need."

"Lord Su, just remember, no matter what, return in triumph."

Su Yanci felt warmth in his heart, taking it as her concern for him.

He nodded solemnly, tipped his head back and drank the cup dry, promising with a hint of drunkenness: "Empress, rest assured, Su will surely return alive!"

He drank several more cups in succession, the alcohol rising, and when he looked back at Wan Tang, his gaze was already a bit hazy.

Within that haze were mixed a few inappropriate feelings, which even he himself had not fully clarified.

The flickering candle cast light on Wan Tang's seated silhouette.

She stared silently at the hidden Xu Yanchuan outside the window, her gaze neither fleeting nor lingering, fixed on the window lattice, waiting calmly for dawn.

As the moon's coolness turned watery, Su Yanci's footsteps grew distant.

The east brightened slightly, and the heavy wooden doors of the Cold Palace creaked open.

Two guards carried foul-smelling trays, their faces impatient as they slammed the plates onto the floor.

Soup splattered everywhere: "Food, bring it quickly! Don't delay me handing over the shift!"

Before the words finished, Wan Tang suddenly rose.

The former softness and helplessness in her eyes had long vanished, replaced by a cold, icy resolve.

Before the guards could react, she stepped forward and lifted the foul tray.

With a flick of her wrist, the rancid food slapped "thwack" hard onto the two men's faces.

"Heaven's order is overturned!" the guard spat, wiping the grime from his face, eyes bulging, "A discarded consort dares to be so brazen, seize her!" he said, reaching out to grab Wan Tang's arm.

Wan Tang stood unmoving, a cold smile curling at her lips, shouting outward: "How much longer do you plan to watch this play?"

Footsteps approached, and Xu Yanchuan, clad in dark robes, stood at the doorway, his aura sharp and chilling.

The two guards heard the sound, turned, and when they saw the newcomer, their pupils contracted sharply, their arrogant faces instantly turning to shock.

"Commander Xu?" the guard's voice trembled, yet he forced himself to glare at Wan Tang, "This discarded consort dares to rebel, please decide!"

Xu Yanchuan gave them no glance, but sent a look to the Imperial Guard behind him.

A flash of cold light, two muffled groans fell, and the guards collapsed into a pool of blood, their eyes still holding incredulous terror.

"The Empress's people are a hindrance," Wan Tang wiped her fingertips, her tone as flat as if commenting on the weather, "Clean them up, just replace them with ours."

Xu Yanchuan nodded, his tightened jawline easing slightly, "Sister, you thought it through."

He scanned the empty Cold Palace, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes, "Though this place is desolate, it makes a good hiding spot."

Wan Tang looked toward the brightening sky outside the window, her eyes calm and unruffled: "A good show, and it's only just begun."

【Wow, so handsome, this should've happened all along.】

【The comment upstairs is too simplistic; does Wan Tang not want this? All of this requires money, and making money also takes a process. Do you know how many silver taels Wan Tang spent to train her own staff?】

【But now it's fine, the Forbidden City is completely invaded by my Milk Tea, and almost half the Capital's market is monopolized by Wan Tang. If she doesn't get rich, who will?】

【Indeed, money and power are bound together. With money, Wan Tang can cultivate her own influence.】

【Poor Xiao Mingshu still thinks she has completely grasped Wan Tang, that her attention is fully on Li Ping'er. What she doesn't know is that Li Ping'er is protected by Li Defu, making her even harder to deal with.】

【The laughable thing is, the Empress thinks that by forbidding Li Ping'er from approaching the Cold Palace, Wan Tang will have no chance to rise again, and Li Ping'er will have no way to gain favor?】

Wan Tang quietly listened to the Barrage, continuing her own plan.

Li Ping'er's favor was already within her calculations.

Not only did she win over Li Defu, but she could also protect Su Guiren, and even completely divert Li Ping'er's attention.

As for Chu Yunzheng…

Thinking of that man, Wan Tang's expression became much more indifferent.

If you use too much wind‑eggplant flower juice, it will probably hurt the body!

Since he is so willing to trust Li Defu, then yearning for the white moonlight and sacrificing his body to fulfill his dream, it should be worth it for him, right!

Wan Tang's smile was somewhat cruel.

Xu Yanchuan looked at Wan Tang's tense profile, and finally couldn't help but speak: "Sister, what are you thinking?"

Wan Tang glanced sideways and gently shook her head.

"Are you really sure you've thought it through?" Xu Yanchuan's voice deepened, a hint of hesitation in his tone, "If you take this path… do you truly have not a single ounce of love for the Emperor?"

Wan Tang snapped her head around, her pupils suddenly contracting as if the most hidden pain had been pierced.

She stared at Xu Yanchuan, shock and anger roiling in her eyes; before he could speak, she raised her hand and delivered a resounding slap.

"Slap!"

The sound of the slap was unusually clear in the Cold Palace.

Wan Tang's fingertips went pale, her voice as cold as ice: "Love? Ask the mother beneath the Nine Springs; she loved Xu Chengyuan, and what did it bring? The downfall of her clan, a death in grievance!"

She stepped forward, her aura pressing so hard that people could barely breathe, each word landing with weight: "I cannot be 'kind' like mother, nor can I learn to let myself be slaughtered!"

"I would rather bear a notorious reputation, become a poisonous woman scorned by the world, and still fight for a different ending!"

"For myself, for our Xu Family, for my child!" With each word, her gaze grew sharper, like a blade tempered with blood, "This Imperial harem, this imperial power, I must win!"

Xu Yanchuan was struck, his head tilting, a red mark instantly appearing on his face.

He offered no defense, only bowed his head, his eye sockets reddened heavily.

His voice carried a heavy nasal tone: "It's my fault… Sister, I shouldn't have brought this up."

Wan Tang looked at the clear imprint of the slap on his face, the cold in her eyes softened slightly, a trace of compassion welling up.

She raised her hand, her fingertips lightly brushing the swollen red, her tone deepening: "Yanchuan, we are different from others."

"Behind us is emptiness, no chance to start over; a single misstep leads to endless ruin."

"We cannot afford to lose."

Her fingertips paused, her gaze as firm as iron: "Therefore, we can only win."

Xu Yanchuan nodded vigorously, clenching his fist, his reddened eye sockets answering: "Hmm, we can only win."

Warmth in the Cold Courtyard.

The Cold Palace courtyard gate was pushed open, and six guards dressed in sturdy armor streamed in like fish in a school.

Their steps were synchronized; upon entering, they bowed and whispered in a low voice: "Master."

Wan Tang stood in the Langxia, her expression calm, gently correcting: "Having entered the palace, in front of outsiders, you are only allowed to call me 'Virtuous Consort Mother'."

"Remember your role: you are guards of the Cold Palace, nothing else."

"Yes, Virtuous Consort Mother!" The six responded in unison, their voices crisp and decisive.

Wan Tang lifted her gaze to scan the courtyard's mess, ordering: "Clean this place thoroughly, clear the dead branches and fallen leaves, then add some fresh flowers and plants to make it warmer."

Having said that, she turned to Xu Yanchuan, her tone adding a barely perceptible softness, "Find some timber and set up a small swing in the Langxia."

"Minghui… should be able to sit steady now."

Mentioning her daughter, the sharpness in her eyes instantly melted, a layer of gentle light spreading, as if she could see through the palace walls to that tiny figure.

"Hui Guifei is meticulous; she will surely take good care of Minghui," Wan Tang whispered, her tone full of trust.

As soon as the words fell, she suddenly sensed something off about Xu Yanchuan beside her.

She glanced sideways and saw his earlobes slightly reddened, his cheeks also tinged with a faint pink, his eyes downcast, unwilling to meet hers.

Wan Tang's heart suddenly fluttered, the warmth she had just felt abruptly halted, and she dared not continue speaking.

She only suppressed that odd feeling privately, turned to the waiting Xiao Shunzi beside her: "Tonight the wind is calm; you go prepare, and release a Kongming lantern into the night."

Xiao Shunzi bowed and replied: "Yes, Mother."

Wan Tang still cast a heavy gaze at Xu Yanchuan.

"So many long‑standing subordinates."

"After Su Yanci set out on the campaign, action began immediately."