Chapter 311: Heaven Does Not Agree

Wan Tang's eyes flickered with panic.

Hui Guifei also looked up sharply.

"What exactly is the Emperor doubting?"

For someone as suspicious as Chu Yunzheng, the more explanations he receives, the more he can speculate.

Wan Tang simply gave no explanation at all; the tears that had been gathering in her eyes suddenly fell.

Her hoarse voice: "After all, now I have become the object of everyone's sympathy, haven't I?"

She slowly lifted her head, staring directly at Chu Yunzheng's cold gaze.

All her grievances she could not conceal; her anger was laid bare.

She finally sneered, mocking herself: "I was once an orphan, merely scraping by, yet my heart was completely open."

"And now, besides the Emperor, I truly don't know who I could be worthy of?"

She was clearly heartbroken to the point of collapse.

Yet she never forgot her status.

She stepped back two steps, and solemnly knelt before Chu Yunzheng, saying: "I take my leave!"

Wan Tang left, her back resolute.

Chu Yunzheng remained planted where he was.

Seeing that there was no voice turning back, he felt a little dazed.

He even asked Xiao Dongzi: "Did the Empress just cry?"

Xiao Dongzi nodded repeatedly, and when mentioning Wan Tang, his voice grew more excited.

"The Empress has sacrificed everything for you. Now that an outsider replaces her brother, how could her heart be—like a knife cutting her?"

"But the Empress has swallowed all that pain herself, just so as not to put the Emperor in a difficult position!"

Chu Yunzheng's cold gaze lingered on Xiao Dongzi.

Xiao Dongzi hurriedly knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly: "Nubi was too outspoken, I beg the Emperor for mercy."

Was it being outspoken?

Or is it truly the case?

Chu Yunzheng's hand gently grasped the wide sleeve of his robe.

He let out a long sigh, turned and entered the house.

Kunning Palace.

Perhaps because of that lingering guilt, a steady stream of gifts arrived at Kunning Palace.

Pearl and agate ornaments filled the table, and silk brocades piled up like a small mountain.

Wan Tang didn't even glance at them; she simply sat by the window, holding two account books in her hands.

Hui Guifei sat beside her, wanting to speak but holding back.

Clearly two more hours had passed, and the evening meal time was evident, yet she showed no intention of leaving.

"You've been looking at the accounts for two hours,"

Hui Guifei said.

Wan Tang seemed only just awakened, hurriedly set the accounts aside, and gave an awkward smile: "It's all my fault, sister; I got so absorbed for a moment."

Mainly because in recent days she's been busy dealing with the Emperor, the backlog of accounts became overwhelming.

Hui Guifei only knows they're accounts, and has no idea whether they're from within the palace or outside.

Fixing her gaze on Wan Tang, she sighed: "If you want to cry, just let it out!"

"I would never mock you."

"Cry? Why should I cry?"

Wan Tang smiled sweetly, nonchalantly saying: "Just because of the Emperor's ridiculous decisions?"

"Isn't that already excessive?" Hui Guifei protested.

Wan Tang scoffed: "So what if it's excessive? Just because he says it doesn't mean it can be done."

"That useless Bai Zijun, together with the Bai family's deeds against the Mo Family, still daring to covet the Mo Family—what a dream!"

A strange gleam appeared in Hui Guifei's eyes: "Sister, what do you plan to do?"

"The person the Emperor constantly thinks of, of course must be fulfilled!"

Wan Tang turned back with a smile, murderous intent swirling in her eyes.

Imperial Kitchen.

Eunuch Cui was arranging the Emperor's meals.

Seeing the newcomer, he exclaimed: "Ah, Eunuch Shun, why have you, old man, come?"

Xiao Shunzi glanced at him, running a hand over his black sideburns: "Look at what you're saying, I'm not even thirty yet, how can I be old?"

"Look at this servant's mouth..."

After a couple of teasing remarks, Xiao Shunzi took out a bag of broken silver and handed it to Eunuch Cui.

Eunuch Cui's eyes lit up, hurriedly saying: "The monthly allowance for this month has already been given."

"The previous one was from the palace, this is from the Empress; in this scorching summer, the Empress understands the hardships of us servants and lets us buy some cooling supplies."

Eunuch Cui weighed the silver in his hand, delighted, realizing it was even more than the monthly allowance.

Xiao Shunzi only clapped his hands after seeing that.

A young eunuch reached out, filing in, his hands bearing only auspicious three treasures and other items.

"The Empress said the Emperor has indeed been exhausted lately and needs to replenish his health."

In this scorching heat, just eat some of these casually, and you won't become like a raging bull?

I just can't handle the huge amount of silver the Empress gave!

Eunuch Cui didn't dare to ask another word, his face piled with smiles.

Lian Lian said, "Yes, Nubi will prepare it right away."

The summer night was sultry.

After drinking the ginseng soup, Chu Yunzheng felt an unbearable heat throughout his body and strolled toward Kunning Palace.

Wan Tang had just coaxed Minghui to sleep when she saw the Emperor arrive and hurried forward to greet him.

"Emperor, you have come," Wan Tang greeted with a smiling face.

Chu Yunzheng reached out to pull her into the bedchamber, and Wan Tang obediently nestled close.

"I have said it before: tonight, I will cherish you properly."

Chu Yunzheng's mouth was dry, his tongue parched; with Wan Tang before him, she was like a delicate flower about to burst with beauty.

She made him want to possess her fiercely.

Wan Tang pretended to be compliant, yet when her sash loosened she unintentionally exposed her lower abdomen.

The fierce scar stood out sharply in the candlelight.

Chu Yunzheng's movement stalled, and the scene of that day suddenly flashed before his eyes.

At the critical moment of life, Wan Tang threw herself forward, using the child and her own life to protect her.

He also thought of the innocent Xu Yanchuan who was poisoned to death.

The scorching heat in his chest instantly turned into guilt, and he sank back to the couch in dejection.

Wan Tang calmly adjusted her collar, took out a scroll of Buddhist scripture, and softly said, "Emperor, if your mind is troubled, perhaps you would like to hear me recite a passage for tranquility?"

"When did you start reading the sutras?"

"They were sent by the senior nun of Jingxin An the day before yesterday."

Wan Tang lightly brushed the scroll with her fingertip, "It was hand‑copied by Miss Bai Li, who said it was in gratitude for my donation to the nunnery."

Chu Yunzheng took the scripture, ran his fingertips over the familiar graceful characters, and emotions surged in his eyes.

Wan Tang captured his absent stare, then furrowed her brow and pressed her lower abdomen, "I suddenly feel unwell; this scar seems to hurt a bit."

"Tonight, I'm afraid I cannot attend to the Emperor," Wan Tang said with a sorrowful expression, sighing.

"Please take a good rest," Chu Yunzheng exhaled noticeably.

He set the scripture down and reminded him repeatedly.

Yet his steps away left no pause at all.

The palace gates closed.

Wan Tang stared at the scroll, a chill spreading to the corner of her mouth.

The next day.

On the upper floor of Kunning Palace, Wan Tang leaned against the railing.

She watched the fish in the pond scramble eagerly for food.

Xiao Shunzi walked ahead, followed by the senior nun who presides over Jingxin An.

The nun stepped forward and knelt, "Your Majesty, today I will not regret sending the poor nun to prepare these items."

The list was handed to Wan Tang.

Seeing what was written, Wan Tang's mouth curved upward.

Especially the medicine with abundant yang energy stood out.

Wan Tang told Xiao Shunzi to pass the list back: "No regrets, it's Yan Wangfei; satisfy her fully."

"Yes!"

Xiao Luzi saw off the nun.

Xiao Shunzi leaned down and whispered, "Your Majesty, the medicines we normally add for the Emperor are already plenty; if we supplement this, I'm afraid there will be problems."

"For example…"

Xiao Shunzi was truly embarrassed to continue.

Wan Tang sneered, "Those poor lovebirds have waited ten years; naturally it should be a bittersweet separation."

Wan Tang said, then gave a cold smile.

She then asked, "By the way, has everything been arranged over at the Imperial Observatory?"

"All set."

Wan Tang nodded, "Then that's fine."

"Then issue the orders, inform all the ministers. Since Jingxin An has just been renovated, everyone should go take a look!"

The drizzle continued.

Jingxin An.

The matter should be kept low‑key; only a few ministers will accompany.

Smoke curled around the Copper Tripod, and the Imperial Observatory placed Bai Zijun's birth chart into the cauldron.

He shouted loudly, "We respectfully request Heaven's guidance!"

Before his words finished, the Copper Tripod suddenly erupted with a deafening blast, shards scattering everywhere!

"Heaven's wrath!" the Old Ministers knelt down in the rain one after another.

Bai Zijun collapsed onto the ground, his trousers spread with wet stains.

Chu Yunzheng stared at the exploding Copper Tripod, his brows furrowed, "Could Heaven truly be refusing?"

Bai Li, standing in the hallway, turned pale with hope dashed, and ran toward the back courtyard.

The fate that Bai Zijun could not, as the Mo Family genealogy dictates, for it is Heaven's will.

The ministers were on a mission to offer remonstrances.

Chu Yunzheng, however, was absent‑minded.

Seeing Chu Yunzheng keep glancing toward the place where Bai Li had left, Wan Tang let out a faint, cold snort.

Her expression instantly became serious.

She turned and said to the worried Emperor, "Your Majesty, I think this matter is suspicious."

"Then, why don't we all rest a moment while I investigate the cause…"

Wan Tang hadn't even finished speaking when Chu Yunzheng impatiently exclaimed, "Fine!"

The senior nun, seeing this, hurried forward.

"I, a humble nun, have prepared some vegetarian meals; please, esteemed ladies, do not disdain them and have a little."

"Very well, then." Chu Yunzheng gave a perfunctory reply.

The ministers exchanged puzzled looks.

The Duke of Ning watched the Copper Tripod explode, letting out a sigh of relief, but seeing the Emperor like this now, his heart became uneasy.

He kept saying, "What is this?"

"Is it still not obvious enough? Even the heavens disagree with Bai Zijun."

"Father, are you really my biological father?" Bai Zijun was clearly terrified.

But thinking that the great benefit that day would slip away, he could not be content and muttered a complaint nearby.

"Rebel son! Shut up!" the Duke of Ning roared, his face flushed with anger, and barked low.

Bai Zijun stepped back in fright, grumbling discontentedly, "No wonder Grandfather said that if you don't eat from the same pot, you're not family."

"Hmph!"

"I'm too lazy to deal with you; I'll go find my sister."

Wan Tang's smile remained unchanged.

Seeing the Duke's anger, she stepped forward to soothe him: "Duke, why not have some vegetarian food first?"

"This matter already makes everyone restless."

"Calm your spirits; perhaps the situation could turn around."

The Duke of Ning gazed deeply at Wan Tang.

His eyes were filled with pain.

Chang sighed, his tone laden with helplessness: "You, you love the Emperor far too much."

"Truly, such love brings both blessing and disaster!"

He crossed his hands behind his back, shook his head, sighed, and walked toward the vegetarian hall.

After only a few words, Chu Yunzheng's figure vanished.

The senior nun approached Wan Tang.

She whispered, "Empress, the items have already been delivered."

"The shopkeeper is very kind‑hearted and even sent incense."

"I have no regrets hearing it; I even like it, and have already lit it…"