Chapter 40: Sending Coal in the Snow

All the people in the institute wore a pale expression.

If the Emperor wants to see it, then of course the entire female ring must be copied in full.

Only Wan Tang remained composed, calmly giving thanks.

Their arrival was like a gust of wind, sweeping through the Lotus Breeze Imperial View Palace.

Qiu Ju reddened her eyes and said plaintively, "They bully people too much."

"Clearly the Master was bullied, yet the Emperor still makes things difficult for the Master."

Besides coughing and weakness, Wan Tang's tone was still calm: "The Emperor has always been suspicious of me."

"There are people whispering by the bedside every night; the Emperor didn't cast me into the Cold Palace, which already shows his lingering affection over the past two months."

"Compared to death, punishment seems not so severe."

Li Ping'er's pupils suddenly dilated, and she silently stepped forward: "Master, I will grind for you."

【Wan Tang is right; this matter really can't be blamed on Chu Yunzheng.】

【Xu Luoyan produced numerous letters and tokens, confirming that you and a man exchanged privately.】

【The Emperor even thinks there's a green patch over his head; the fact that he hasn't killed you yet means he truly loves you.】

Wan Tang's hand trembled as she held the brush; a tear fell unexpectedly, smearing the characters.

"Master?" Li Ping'er called softly.

Wan Tang gave a slight shake of her head, indicating she was fine.

But her chest felt as if someone had torn a huge gap open.

She cannot accept the Emperor's love.

Her heart was heavily blocked; the Emperor's coldness flickered before her eyes, along with Xu Luoyan's smugness and the Empress's admonition.

Finally, she took a sheet of paper from beside her.

Trembling, she gripped the brush with her left hand; once she wrote, the script seemed as if a different person had penned it.

A letter was completed.

Throughout the process, Wan Tang never avoided Li Ping'er. Li Ping'er's expressions changed many times, and she seemed to understand Wan Tang's intentions.

The most extravagant thing in the Imperial Palace is trust, and she would never betray it.

"Master…" Li Ping'er clutched the letter with both hands, her face still dotted with fine beads of sweat from nervousness.

"Do you think I'm too despicable?" Wan Tang gave a bitter smile.

Li Ping'er shook her head fiercely: "It's them who kept pressuring us."

"Don't try to comfort me; I never imagined that one day I would live in a way I despise."

Wan Tang patted Li Ping'er's hand: "No need to appear publicly; hide near Rong Ruo, mimic a three‑note cuckoo call, and he will trust you."

The night was terrifyingly deep; tonight even the moon refused to show itself.

The candle's dim yellow flame flickered as Wan Tang wrote, tears falling from her cheeks one by one.

She recited a hundred times in her heart: Mother, I'm sorry, I have broken the vow I made to you. So many things, even if I endure them they won't pass. I'm sorry, the daughter still grew into the form you despise most…

That night's female ring always carried too much sorrow.

After Li Ping'er returned, Wan Tang was still writing.

It wasn't until the morning star rose that Wan Tang finally finished the last character.

"Master!"

Li Ping'er and Qiu Ju hurried forward to help; Wan Tang was dazed, her vision slightly blurred.

Everything became somewhat hazy.

Li Ping'er's curses.

Qiu Ju's sobs.

Xiao Shunzi's worried voice.

Wan Tang's whole body was scorching hot, her weight as heavy as a thousand‑jin boulder, making even opening her eyelids a luxury.

In her daze, she seemed to feel a cold hand placed on her pulse.

She felt several ant‑bite pains on her body, yet somehow gathered enough strength to slowly open her eyes.

In midsummer, the Lotus Breeze Imperial View Palace was unusually chilly.

Only the face of Xie Taiyi, wrinkled and lying beside the bed, radiated warmth.

He looked at Wan Tang's opened eyes, his tone inevitably reproachful: "Lady Wan, you are suffering from summer heat invading the lungs, a reverse transmission to the heart sac."

"If heat toxin penetrates inward, causing delirium, incoherent speech and the like, it indicates the dangerous sign of 'reverse transmission to the heart sac.'"

"Had I arrived a bit later, your life would have been in danger!"

Xie Taiyi sighed: "It's only the beginning, a minor ailment treatable with a few doses of medicine."

"Xie Taiyi, you're unaware that we have already gone to the Imperial Medical Institute several times. Everyone is busy and never had time to come."

"It's hard enough to beg our way here, and we're still robbed halfway. The ladies of Songbai Palace are always sore here and uncomfortable there."

Qiu Ju's grievance.

A trace of anger appeared on Xie Taiyi's face, and his eyes also held deep helplessness.

He shook his head: "Alas! In the future, if needed, send it when I'm on duty!"

He removed the needle and wrote a new prescription.

Wan Tang's silver had long been exhausted, and the house's valuables were looted. Now the only valuable things left were the three items Xu Luoyan used to mock her.

"Xie Taiyi." Wan Tang's voice was weak, yet she still called him: "I can never repay the life‑saving grace you gave me, let alone you have saved me three times."

"Those three items, though meant to humiliate me, are indeed precious and do not hinder anything."

"I hope you will accept them."

"No." Xie Taiyi hurriedly refused, "Consort Wan, treating illness and saving lives is my duty; where could I ask for revenge."

"Adding flowers to brocade is easy, sending charcoal in snow is hard. Now everyone avoids me, and only you still pity this ruined life."

"A physician's benevolent heart, in my eyes, life is not distinguished by rank or status; as long as there is a sliver of hope, I will spare no effort to heal."

Xie Taiyi earnestly refused the silver, waving his hands repeatedly, respectfully stepping back, "Consort Wan, I have already applied the acupuncture for you."

"After the meridians are cleared, you should feel more comfortable; a gentle walk will be no problem."

"To recover, you must still take the medicine on schedule."

"I take my leave."

After speaking, Xie Taiyi decisively took his leave, hurrying away, with not a hint of greed for money.

"Xiao Shunzi, quickly, see off Xie Taiyi for me," Wan Tang called hurriedly.

"Xie Taiyi really is a good person!" Li Ping'er sighed beside, "How many people are truly ungreedy?"

"Look at him, so impoverished; I, serving woman, have watched his cuffs wear out and still cannot bear to replace them."

Wan Tang's gaze deepened, sighing, "Emerging from the mud untainted, even with noble virtue, one who does not go with the current is destined to be ostracized."

"Two sleeves of clear wind, yet still destined for a household unable to be warm and full."

"Though the sea of learning is boundless and hardship is the boat, hiring renowned teachers, buying books, traveling for study—none of these are without cost?"

"Alas!"

Wan Tang waved her hand, "In the future, keep a close eye on Xie Taiyi's condition."

"Yes, Master." Li Ping'er, looking at the prescription, finally showed joy in her eyes, "I, serving woman, will fetch the medicine right away."

"No." Wan Tang's gaze deepened, "If you can walk, that's enough; this medicine, drink it after tomorrow."

After all, a healthy person is like a withered plum battered by cold wind; how could that stir the Emperor's protective desire and guilt?

The next day.

A cloudy summer day is rare.

Wan Tang's steps were arduous; with Li Ping'er and Qiu Ju's support, she walked step by step toward Blue-Viewing Tower.

Blue-Viewing Tower is a rather magnificent tower‑shaped building; from its highest floor one can even overlook the entire palace complex.

Wan Tang's front foot just arrived, and she saw Rong Ruo.

He stood at the side of Blue-Viewing Tower; the spot was empty, relatively secluded.

Rong Ruo, sword in hand, stood beneath the palace wall, his dark‑blue woven‑gold guard commander attire making his figure as slender as a pine.

The man who once made Wan Tang yearn to grow old together, upon seeing him now, she could not help but tremble all over.

Her palms also exuded fine beads of sweat.

Wan Tang resented him; despite countless vows, he only used her.

She hated him even more; with just one step, Wan Tang could have escaped to live an ordinary life.

It was he who, of all people, dragged her back into the demon's den.

Wan Tang clenched her palm hard, her nails digging into the flesh, yet she felt no pain at all.

【Rong Ruo really came, the relationship between him and Xu Luoyan is indeed a profound love!】

【Unfortunately that letter was fake, it was actually forged by Wan Tang.】

【What exactly does Wan Tang want to do? Still unwilling to give up on Rong Ruo?】

【Could it be that after being neglected by the Emperor, she couldn't bear the loneliness and turned to Rong Ruo?】

Barrage chattered nonstop, yet Wan Tang made Li Ping'er and Cai Wei wait on the spot while she went up herself.

She still held a delicate box in her hand, cradling it carefully.

"Is that you?" Seeing Wan Tang, Rong Ruo felt surprised.

He immediately rebuked coldly, "Leave quickly, I don't want to see you."

Rong Ruo's disgust toward Wan Tang was hard to conceal in his eyes.

Wan Tang, harboring a private motive, thought there were at least some questions to ask: "Rong Ruo, I already know, you have been helping Xu Luoyan all along."

"Being used by her like this, do you truly have no grievance in your heart?"

Whoever wanted to hear that, Rong Ruo's gaze instantly turned cold and fierce: "Consort Wan, if you still know how to write the words 'shame', leave at once."

"Of course I know; aren't those without shame you?" Wan Tang calmly retorted.

Rong Ruo, like a bristling hedgehog, raised his tone sharply: "What exactly do you want to do?"

"You were merely a maid of the Xu Family, it was Yan Er's sympathy for you, pitying you, that kept you by her side, treating you like a sister."

"And you? Without any gratitude, you compare yourself to Yan Er everywhere. What she has, you also desire."

"A maid, yet she imitates a miss in grooming, composes poetry, studies music, chess, calligraphy, and painting…" Rong Ruo's eyes were full of contempt: "It is only because Yan Er is kind‑hearted that she continuously indulges you."

"Let a maid live as if she were a miss."

Wan Tang listened to these words, finding it amusing in her heart.

It was truly ironic; originally Wang Jingyi promised Mother these conditions, and Mother willingly became a concubine, swallowing all grievances.

"I understand now; that is to say, in your view, my ten years serving her in the palace was also taking advantage of her."

"That's your vanity." Rong Ruo's voice rose sharply: "You want to use this as a condition to marry me."

"Pressuring the Xu Family to scheme for you. A slave‑born, also daring to become the matriarch of the Rong household."

"Hehe." Wan Tang felt a bitter sorrow in her heart, knowing this, yet hearing the truth from Rong Ruo still made her heart sour.

After a cold laugh, when she asked, there was a hint of sincerity: "Since you despise me so much, why did you personally promise, after ten years, to splendidly marry me into your household?"

"Isn't it simply to prevent you from harming Yan Er? She is too pure and kind; she could never match someone as scheming as you." Every word Rong Ruo uttered was through clenched teeth.

He even added, "You don't even know how disgusting I feel each time I have to speak with you."

Wan Tang's smile on her face vanished completely.

She is deeply scheming?

That adjective, you said it perfectly.

【What is Wan Tang still doing? Does she really want to resume the previous fate? Has she not yet seen Rong Ruo's true face?】

【The Emperor is about to arrive; I already suspected them—anyone who bumps into them must die.】

【Alas! In the end she's just a supporting female character; although I still like her role a bit, I can only log off now.】

Has the Emperor arrived?

Wan Tang instantly changed her expression, immediately flashing a ferocious cold smile: "Rong Ruo, you're absolutely right."

"I never expected you to see through it."

She said slowly, "What a pity, the Xu Luoyan in your eyes— is she really just simple and cute?"

"Don't you think you're being foolish, always being used by her?"

"You don't understand at all!" Rong Ruo's eyes showed a hint of contempt, completely ignoring Wan Tang's words: "She isn't exploiting, but is helpless."

"Between us, there is no choice."

Rong Ruo shouted angrily.

Just as I was about to step forward, a thunderous shout rang in my ears.

Chu Yunzheng, walking ahead, spoke as if a rolling thunder: "What are you doing!"