Chapter 42: Private Feelings

On the letter, every character is written so profoundly.

Turning to the later pages, there are spreading ink blossoms, one after another, and just looking at them makes one feel sorrow.

The handwriting becomes increasingly crooked, and toward the end one can clearly feel the pen losing strength.

At the end, an extra line is added: "Pure and tranquil, keeping chastity and order."

This is Wan Tang's explanation to those lofty men of authority, making Chu Yunzheng think that Wan Tang is wholly willing to accept obedience.

When the letter is closed, a line remains: "When love runs deep, there is no resentment; even if we betray each other, we do not doubt."

After much hesitation, Wan Tang finally leaves this sentence, for she still needs Chu Yunzheng to know, I love you, regardless of whether you love me.

Wan Tang silently lowers her head, her body swaying violently, until she must press her hands on the ground to barely support herself.

Chu Yunzheng sees this, and his gaze softens.

【Sigh, what nonsense women's edicts, all feudal filth.】

【Wan Tang is so naive, these past days the scum dragon has been reveling in debauchery, when did he ever think of Wan Tang?】

【Wan Tang, stop being sentimental. It would be better to confront Xu Luoyan outright, after all all the correspondence between her and Rong Ruo is hidden in a pink box.】

A faint cold smile flickers at Wan Tang's mouth.

Li Ping'er watches Wan Tang's condition from beside, feeling deeply distressed.

With a choking, trembling voice she says, "Master, you're forcing yourself to hold on; you should summon an imperial physician at once!"

Seeing Wan Tang like this, Xiao Mingshu's gaze is calm and deep: "Wan Tang, what's wrong with you?"

"Yes, Empress, I am unhindered," Wan Tang's voice, thin as a wisp, softens the heart of anyone who hears.

Xiao Mingshu shakes her head, looks at Li Ping'er: "You speak."

Li Ping'er begins, her voice continuously choked, hurriedly bows and says, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, my Master has been ill ever since the day the Emperor departed."

"That day the rain poured down heavily; Master was heart‑broken, kneeling on the ground, unable to rise."

"That night a high fever broke out, and ever since has remained ill…"

Li Ping'er wipes tears as she speaks: "Day after day she kneels outside copying women's edicts; last night she wrote until dawn."

"Wuwu, Master's body is already at the end of a strong bow."

Speaking of this, Li Ping'er's eyes are full of compassion.

Chu Yunzheng's expression, dignified and deep, cannot help but show a trace of emotion upon hearing this.

He quickly regains composure, as if nothing had just occurred.

A cold smile returns in Wan Tang's heart.

It turns out that when the Emperor dotes on you, a single tear can make him flare with anger. When he doubts you, even if death is before him, the most affectionate expression is merely a slight frown.

A faint smile that only she can detect appears at Wan Tang's mouth; being ruthless is fine, for then when she tells a lie, her heart feels no guilt.

"It seems Lady Wan is also thoughtful, sending the women's edicts deliberately," Xiao Mingshu says with a worried face: "Lady Wan is so ill, Emperor, perhaps we should first summon an imperial physician to examine her?"

Upon hearing, Xu Luoyan gives a cold smile: "Lady Wan is truly sentimental, falling ill like this, and just happens to encounter Commander Rong?"

Wan Tang looks up, neither humble nor arrogant: "I came here indeed to deliver the letter."

"After all, the Emperor said he wanted to see it, so I must bring it."

"As for Commander Rong," Wan Tang slowly turns her head, looks at Rong Ruo and asks, "Is it truly a rendezvous between my palace and you?"

Rong Ruo's eyes clearly show panic.

He hangs his head gloomily, a fleeting glance at Xu Luoyan's side before swiftly withdrawing his gaze.

Chu Yunzheng's gaze is as sharp as a blade, seeming to pierce everything.

The prayer beads Chu Yunzheng spins in his hand suddenly halt; his five clearly jointed fingers slowly close, pinching the sandalwood beads to produce a faint crisp sound.

He suddenly turns his head, his gaze sweeping toward Xu Luoyan like a blade: "Consort… you also know Rong Ruo?"

Xu Luoyan collapses to her knees, her knees striking the blue bricks with a crisp sound: "I… I and Rong's guard are only… our fathers had some…"

From the azure tower below, the sound of a falling needle can be heard.

Chu Yunzheng rubs the prayer beads, a faint ambiguous smile curling his lips: "I merely asked in passing, Consort, why should you be alarmed?"

Xu Luoyan presses her fingertip hard into her palm, her face bearing just the right amount of bewilderment: "I am foolish; when the Son of Heaven inquires, my spirit panics."

She steadies her breath while adjusting her skirt, displaying a clumsy charm: "This etiquette is proper… but my legs are numb; I ask the Emperor to allow me a moment of impropriety."

Wan Tang is secretly shocked, not expecting Wang Jingyi to be so formidable; with a few moves she taught Xu Luoyan to cease reckless charging and instead understand how to assess the situation.

Chu Yunzheng's eyes flicker; he suddenly leans down, his fingernail grazing Xu Luoyan's jaw: "Legs numb?"

Those three words are chewed between his lips extremely slowly, evoking dread.

As cold sweat beads on Xu Luoyan's back, the Emperor himself lightly supports her.

She uses the momentum to stagger to her feet, her gaze shifting between Wan Tang and Rong Ruo: "Emperor, I am only worried about chaos in the palace, which is why I urgently wish to settle this matter."

"Wan Tang, after all, came from my palace; I know her too well."

"Please, Emperor, give her a respectable fate; sending her to the Cold Palace will suffice."

Xu Luoyan's few words sound plausible yet vague, directly condemning Wan Tang.

"Emperor," Wan Tang bows low, her voice cold, "Sister repeatedly pressures me; even a rabbit bites at times, so I ask the Emperor to search my body."

"You still dare to search me?" Xu Luoyan laughs, "Fine, fine, search then."

Rong kneels on the ground, hearing this, grips his waist‑worn sword tightly, his finger joints whitening.

His gaze burns as he stares at Wan Tang's silhouette, his Adam's apple bobbing; the urgency in his eyes shows he wishes to end this quickly.

"Emperor, I and the Empress are completely innocent, please trust us."

Rong would be fine if he stayed silent, but once he spoke, Chu Yunzheng's gaze dropped to ice.

"Search!"

Chu Yunzheng roars, his voice booming like thunder across the azure tower.

Two guards immediately stepped forward and restrained Rong Ruo.

Rong Ruo struggled, his gaze urgently fixed on Xu Luoyan, his eyes full of a plea for rescue.

Wan Tang stood nearby, her back straight as bamboo, her expression still calm, though the fingers in her sleeve curled slightly.

Xu Luoyan's brows and eyes were full of the frustration of iron that won't become steel, and she said, "You're simply muddle‑headed; since you don't want to be entangled, just tell the truth. After all, this isn't your fault."

A guard searched Rong Ruo's bosom and produced a letter; Xu Luoyan's eyes flicked, her hand swift, and she snatched the letter.

"Don't…," Rong Ruo's voice was hoarse.

Xu Luoyan glared at him fiercely, then proudly presented it to Chu Yunzheng, "Emperor, look! This is the evidence!"

Chu Yunzheng took the letter, his demeanor cold as ice.

He slowly unfolded the paper, his eyes scanning the script, his expression growing ever darker.

Xu Luoyan's outer eyes tilted, her crimson lips forming a sharp curve, "Emperor, Wan Tang truly knows no shame."

"Look at her flirtatious demeanor; how could she seem a proper Master?"

Before she finished speaking, Chu Yunzheng suddenly raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap squarely to her face.

Slap!

The crisp sound of the slap echoed.

Xu Luoyan staggered backward from the blow, her cheek instantly reddened and swollen, the jeweled hair ornaments scattering across the ground.

She covered her face, looking at Chu Yunzheng in disbelief, her eyes filled with grievance and shock.

"Emperor." she fell to her knees, her voice trembling, "What have I done wrong?"

Chu Yunzheng looked down from his height, his gaze like a blade: "Xu Luoyan, as a Noble Consort you lack restraint, spew reckless words, defame the Concubine, disturb the Imperial harem, a crime utterly unforgivable!"

His voice was low, yet carried unquestionable authority; each word struck Xu Luoyan's heart like a hammer.

She trembled all over, daring not to argue, only kneeling on the ground, her forehead pressed to the floor.

Chu Yunzheng looked down at the kneeling Xu Luoyan, his voice like an ice blade: "I saw you humbled yourself, cleaned your hands and cooked rice; I truly thought you were sincerely repentant."

"I favor you, yet you are merely kind‑faced but poisonous‑hearted; you were better off being straightforward and reckless before."

Chu Yunzheng slapped the letter onto her face: "What explanation do you have now?"