Chapter 256: I Grant You Pride

Xiao Yurou glided gracefully into the main hall and gave a delicate bow to the Wan Tang seated on the main seat.

In a humble and obedient tone: "I, the subject girl Xiao Yurou, pay my respects to the Virtuous Consort."

"I dare to come unannounced, disturbing the Consort's tranquility."

Wan Tang lightly supported her, speaking calmly: "Xiao Gu Niang, no need for such formalities, please sit."

After taking her seat, Xiao Yurou's face bore just the right amount of shyness and apology: "I have come today for two reasons: first, to pay my respects to the Consort, and second, to retrieve the portrait that Sister Quiet Consort left in the Consort's palace that day."

"That portrait was commissioned by our elders at home; if it were to be lost outside, it would be improper. I ask the Consort to understand and permit the subject girl to take it back."

Wan Tang's expression unchanged, she ordered: "Go fetch the portrait of Xiao Gu Niang."

The Guanren obeyed and left.

While waiting, Xiao Yurou spoke gently, appearing completely naive and admiring the Wan Tang.

When the portrait was brought, Xiao Yurou took it with both hands and thanked again.

She rose to leave, steps light, and as she reached the hall doorway, the wide sleeves seemed to brush the doorframe unintentionally.

A small, wax‑sealed paper scroll slipped from her sleeve, fell to the ground, making a faint "tap" sound.

She seemed utterly unaware, walking straight away.

Li Ping'er, standing nearby, was sharp‑eyed and immediately bent down to pick it up, saying, "Sister, she dropped something…"

"Ping'er," Wan Tang called out to stop her, her voice low but with undeniable authority.

Li Ping'er froze, turning back in confusion.

Wan Tang's gaze swept over the paper scroll, a faint cold smile curling at her lips: "Since she came to 'present a gift,' how could we refuse it?"

She deliberately emphasized the words "present a gift," her tone tinged with slight sarcasm, "After all, this is a 'thought' from our Future Empress."

Li Ping'er still objected: "What Future Empress! In my sister's heart, no one surpasses the elder sister!"

Wan Tang smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes, carrying a few notes of worldly insight: "That throne is still undecided, storms keep brewing; it is not so easy to sit upon."

Seeing Li Ping'er still about to speak, she raised her hand to stop her, not letting her touch the scroll, and instead turned to the Little Clerk standing nearby, "Little Clerk, go pick it up."

"Yes." The Little Clerk hurried forward, carefully picking up the scroll.

Wan Tang remained seated, showing no intention of taking it, and simply said, "Recite."

The Little Clerk was startled, and as instructed, broke the wax seal and unfolded the scroll.

After reading only a few lines, his face changed sharply, his voice trembling as he stammered, "In the twelfth month of the Guiwei year, the Xiao family ordered red flower powder to be placed in the Beautiful Consort's meals, causing her miscarriage…"

"In the third month of the Jiashen year, the palace staff were instructed to mix the cough‑sick servant's belongings into the Beautiful Consort's palace, leading to another miscarriage, making pregnancy impossible."

"Also… also the incident where Wang Meiren drowned in the lotus pond was caused by the Quiet Consort's men pushing her…"

One by one, each case was a hidden piece of evidence of Quiet Consort Xiao Mingshu's plot to harm the Imperial Heir and the consorts, with time, place, and witnesses listed clearly!

The hall fell into dead silence.

Li Ping'er covered her mouth in shock, eyes filled with horror.

Wan Tang listened quietly, expression unchanged, and only after the Little Clerk finished did she let out a soft snicker.

Xiao Yurou's "great gift" was truly vile and clever.

It was meant to use Wan Tang's hand to completely eliminate the abandoned Xiao Mingshu, pleasing her and clearing a potential obstacle for herself.

Moreover, it was a show of goodwill, or rather… intimidation.

The Little Clerk's expression grew solemn.

Holding the great gift heavily, he said, "Consort, should we give it to the Empress Dowager?"

Wan Tang looked at the Little Clerk, a slight lift at the corner of her mouth.

Softly: "Go to Cining Palace and tell the Empress Dowager that Xiao Gu Niang's item was dropped."

【Right, right, right, Wan Tang never touched these things. It was Little Clerk who saw them.】

【If Little Clerk saw it, isn't that the same as Dog Emperor seeing it?】

【Tangtang did the right thing, they love planting spies, so let them plant enough.】

【We Tangtang are innocent, it's their spy abilities that have gathered too much information.】

Li Ping'er hurried, "Sister, give it to the Empress Dowager; she will, out of respect for the Xiao family, find a way to suppress this matter and turn a blind eye."

"This thing, only handing it to the Emperor is the safest!"

Wan Tang's expression remained calm, as if everything were under control: "No problem."

"Sister really doesn't understand…" Li Ping'er frowned, full of doubt.

Wan Tang lifted the tea cup, gently blew away the froth, a faint mysterious smile on her lips: "I will return the items to Cining Palace; I have already given the Empress Dowager enough face."

"Whether she chooses to sacrifice kin for righteousness or to protect them, that is her own decision."

Li Ping'er remained indignant: "Xiao Yurou's mind is so malicious."

"She clearly wants to use sister's hand to eliminate the Quiet Consort, that stumbling block."

"No matter what, the Quiet Consort is also of the Xiao bloodline; she disregards the bond!"

Wan Tang set down the tea cup, her eyes deep: "Bond?"

"Think about it, who would want to always have an experienced person nagging them, would it be comfortable?"

She paused, her smile deepening, "Moreover, this 'experienced person' not only failed to become her aid, but made her fall hard at the crucial moment, losing all face."

She rose, walked slowly to the rosewood desk, spread a Xue Tao paper, paused briefly, then took up the brush, writing a short letter with flowing strokes.

When the ink dried, she sealed it carefully and handed it to Li Ping'er.

"Have Xiao Shunzi go personally, and be sure to hand it to the intended recipient himself," Wan Tang said calmly, yet with undeniable seriousness.

Li Ping'er took the light yet weighty letter, not knowing its contents but sensing its great importance.

She immediately replied solemnly, "Sister, rest assured."

Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager sat upright on the phoenix throne, her complexion iron‑blue.

She hurled the tiny paper scroll onto the gleaming golden‑brick floor in front of Xiao Yurou with a hard smash, producing a crisp "snap" sound.

"How bold you are!" the Empress Dowager's voice was like tempered ice, bearing fury suppressed to the extreme.

"You still dare use it to test the Virtuous Consort?"

"Are you afraid others won't know about the unsavory secrets hidden within the Xiao Family?!"

Xiao Yurou trembled all over in fright, and with a "thud" she fell to her knees, her face turning instantly as pale as paper.

Her eyes were filled with panic and unease; the composed gentleness she had feigned in Palace of Eternal Joy was already gone.

She never could have imagined that Wan Tang would be so foolish.

Now that such useful evidence had fallen into her hands, she could easily hand it back.

She even talked about being hard to deal with, but she's really just a coward afraid of offending the Xiao Family.

Xiao Yurou lowered her body, her voice trembling with tears: "Grandmother, please calm down!"

"Rou'er… Rou'er only thought that Sister Consort Jing is already useless; keeping her is a disaster, so perhaps we should use this opportunity…"

"Rou'er knows she was wrong, begs Grandmother for forgiveness!"

The Empress Dowager looked down from her height, her gaze sharp as a blade.

After a long while, she finally spoke coldly, each word carrying a heavy warning: "Put away those pretentious little schemes of yours!"

"In this deep palace, some things can be done, but you must never leave a trace, nor let anyone obtain leverage."

"Especially, you must not let anyone use leverage to blackmail the Xiao Family."

"If you dare act on your own again and ruin the big plan, I will be the first to punish you!"

Xiao Yurou buried her head even lower, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind, repeatedly saying: "Rou'er will never dare again!"

The Empress Dowager saw her demeanor, her anger eased slightly, but her gaze remained icy.

She leaned forward slightly, lowered her voice, yet the words carried undeniable force, each syllable striking Xiao Yurou's heart:

"Make sure you remember this clearly for me."

"The phoenix throne of the inner palace can only be a possession of the Xiao Family."

"You won't have to wait long."

Palace of Eternal Joy.

Wan Tang was coaxing Minghui to sleep when she heard the report and hurriedly rose to greet the messenger.

A perfectly timed surprise appeared on her face: "Emperor?"

"Subject has heard that the Office of Court Affairs records that the Emperor turned over Lady Xi's signboard tonight, didn't he?"

Chu Yunzheng strode in, his complexion appearing somewhat dim and indistinct under the palace lanterns.

His tone also carried a barely perceptible irritation: "What, Tangtang, do you not welcome me?"

Wan Tang instantly showed a smile, stepped forward and naturally removed his cloak, her voice soft: "Emperor, what nonsense are you speaking? I would love for you to come every day."

She took his hand, led him to the bedside to sit, personally poured a cup of hot tea and handed it over, "Emperor, is there something troubling you?"

"Your complexion doesn't look good."

【He was, of course, upset; Xiao Luzi told the Emperor everything he saw.】

【Dog Emperor was already annoyed with Xiao Mingshu, and now his mind is full of anger. He's even angry at Wan Tang for giving the powerful evidence to the Empress Dowager.】

【But later the Dog Emperor also said that the relationship with the Xiao Family is already delicate; if Wan Tang truly gave the evidence to him, it would put him in a dilemma. Thus, separated by a layer of window paper, it's actually a good thing.】

【So what? The Emperor has already formed murderous intent. The Empress first publicized that Bai Li was the Emperor's White Moonlight, which already provoked the Emperor's displeasure. Now she further harms the Emperor's offspring; the Emperor can no longer tolerate Xiao Mingshu being alive.】

【Xiao Mingshu has become a complete castaway; even if she dies, the Empress Dowager probably won't bother to investigate.】

【After all, letting the Xiao Family continue to sit in the back seat is more important now.】

Wan Tang listened to the Barrage, yet her heart was extremely cold.

Even though everything unfolded as she had predicted, reaching this point was still hair‑raising.

Chu Yunzheng took the tea cup, but only held it in his hand without drinking.

His gaze fell on Wan Tang's serene face, both scrutinizing and tinged with a hint of seeking solace.

Between them flowed an atmosphere that seemed warm yet secretly harbored a sharp edge.

At that moment, the drowsy Minghui heard the commotion, opened his big eyes, and babbled, reaching out his little hands toward Chu Yunzheng.

He called out vaguely: "Father Emperor…"

That call softened Chu Yunzheng's stern brow and eyes a little.

He stretched his hand to bring his daughter onto his lap, teasing her plump little hand, his gaze gradually sinking, and he sighed low: "Minghui, my princess… you are still too lonely."

He paused, his voice carrying a heavy regret: "Originally, you should have many brothers and sisters, growing up lively in this palace."

Wan Tang nestled beside him, then spoke softly, her tone bearing a kind of tolerance and consideration: "If the Emperor feels Minghui is lonely, in his leisure you may also let the First Prince and Second Prince often visit Palace of Eternal Joy."

"The children are of similar age, they can always play together."

Chu Yunzheng heard this, suddenly turned his head to look at her, a flash of disbelief in his eyes: "Tangtang, their birth mothers all once harmed you that way, do you not resent?"

Wan Tang lifted her eyes, meeting his, her gaze clear and sincere, with a hint of just‑right grievance.

She then turned into deeper tenderness: "Resentment, of course, was felt."

"But whenever I, the Subject, see the Emperor, thinking that they also carry the Emperor's bloodline, they are the Emperor's flesh and bone."

"That bit of resentment then also dissipates like smoke."

"Children are always innocent."

These words were like a warm current; he moved emotionally, grasping Wan Tang's hand with a somewhat heavy grip, his gaze deep, his tone low and clear: "In this deep palace, there are always some people, some matters that are extremely obtrusive, blocking the way and hurting those who should not be hurt…"

"Tangtang, you are a clever person, knowing how to let me be at ease and also keep this harem cleaner."

He still did not mention that name, but the implication was already unmistakably clear.

He wanted Xiao Mingshu to die, tacitly approved it, and even hoped Wan Tang would be the one to act.

Wan Tang understood the implication, yet did not take up this bloody suggestion.

She only, taking advantage of the moment, nestled into his embrace, cheek pressed against his chest, with a hint of coquettishness.

Softly she said, "Emperor, by indulging me so much, aren't you afraid you'll spoil me, and later I'll become so arrogant I'll be lawless?"

Chu Yunzheng lowered his head, looking at the person in his arms, his fingertip gently caressing her delicate cheek, his tone bearing absolute certainty and a barely perceptible ruthlessness:

"No problem. I grant you indulgence."

"Because you have me."