Chapter 44: Worthless

A pile of items was thrown on the ground, and the pink box among them was especially eye‑catching.

When she saw the box being handed over, Xu Luoyan's expression changed instantly, her body went limp and she collapsed onto the floor.

Xiao Mingshu saw the items, a flash of delight crossed her eyes, but after a moment her gaze became firm and resolute.

She walked steadily to the pile and examined it closely.

The Empress's voice was full of shock: "For ten years the correspondence began with the affectionate name Yan'er and ended with Sanlang. These embroidered pieces are also signed by Sanlang; they look as if—"

Her voice faltered, and Xiao Mingshu carefully gauged the Emperor's gaze.

Seeing that the Emperor's emotions did not waver, she slowly said, "This time, the Noble Consort was truly overstepping."

The Empress's reminder made Wan Tang awaken at once; she knew the chance must not be missed. If she didn't seize this opportunity, it would be hard to overthrow Xu Luoyan.

Wan Tang cried until her voice choked, growing ever weaker: "If you want to add crimes, why lack accusations? The Noble Consort's slandering should have been silently endured."

"But the women's precept says, a husband may remarry, a wife has no right to a second match."

"Although I, a low‑born concubine, still know how to write about frugality and shamelessness."

Wan Tang spoke heavily, heartbroken to the point of tearing her own mask, accusing Xu Luoyan of disloyalty to the Emperor.

【The Emperor's ideal white moonlight is, after all, a second husband, isn't it?】

【It's a thorn in the Emperor's heart; you must not even touch it!】

White moonlight?

Wan Tang was surprised, glanced silently at the Emperor, and felt a few more degrees of coldness. She told herself that this was not the act of a petty poisonous woman; in the deep palace, there are far too many people with no agency.

She knew that in Xu Luoyan's heart there had never been genuine love. She only enjoyed splendor and coveted power. As for men, there was no sincere regard; otherwise she would not repeatedly exploit Rong Ruo.

And regardless of Rong Ruo's fate, it was not worthy of sympathy. How innocent Wan Tang was, yet Rong Ruo was also draining the last ounce of her value.

Wan Tang stopped looking at Xu Luoyan, turned to Rong Ruo, and asked, "Since the day the Noble Consort entered the palace, your bond was broken; why do you persist?"

Rong Ruo wanted to speak but stopped, looking at Xu Luoyan's eyes full of deep affection. At this point his emotions were hard to control; he lowered his head and said, "It was all my reckless daring; it has nothing to do with the Noble Consort!"

That excuse completely cemented the feeling between the two.

Wan Tang knelt on the ground, appearing to rummage through a stack of envelopes, but actually she let the letters hidden in her wide sleeves fall out.

She then pretended to have just picked them up, slowly unfolding: "Emperor, it is 'Hairpin Phoenix', a cup of sorrow, years of longing, wrong, wrong, wrong…"

Wan Tang looked toward the Emperor.

Xiao Mingshu sighed, "This isn't Lu Mother, beating the mandarin ducks…"

Chu Yunzheng's face was as dark as iron; the phrase 'Lu Mother beating the mandarin ducks' had already tugged at his deepest pain. He stared at Xu Luoyan on the ground and coldly said, "Wretch!"

"Am I the one delaying you?"

Before the iron evidence, Xu Luoyan's face was gaunt, tear stains mottled, and there was no trace of the earlier haughty charm.

She no longer pointed the spear at Wan Tang, kneeling and lamenting, "My wish, I have never loved Rong Ruo, so how could I have written such verses."

"I have only corresponded with ancient scholars, purely a friendship, and I did not realize the Emperor had misunderstood. I beg the Emperor to forgive my ignorance."

Chu Yunzheng, enraged, inhaled sharply, the veins on his forehead bulging: "You claim ignorance? Yet when these were found in your quarters, you kept insisting it was Wan Tang's doing!"

Xu Luoyan had never seen Chu Yunzheng so angry; frightened, she lowered her head, tears falling, unable to speak, her eyes darting everywhere as if searching for a straw of salvation.

Lady of Grace Qi could no longer sit still and stepped forward: "If we hadn't met today, who would dare believe that Commander Rong's loyal guard is not for the Emperor but for you, Noble Consort!"

Xu Luoyan was terrified, kneeling and shuffling forward, pressing her face against Chu Yunzheng's shoe and weeping: "It has nothing to do with anything; how could the guards be on duty, and how could I possibly influence that?"

She suddenly realized, pointing at the Empress beside her, she shouted, "It was you? You deliberately placed Rong Ruo in the palace and assigned him to protect the women?"

"Noble Consort," Xiao Mingshu said, her face full of compassion but her eyes tinged with disappointment, "Before I took charge of the Phoenix Seal, you already moved Rong Ruo to the harem on the grounds of his outstanding ability."

"And this trip, Commander Rong came specially, pleading desperately to my palace. Though I have doubts, I dare not think about what I am to protect…"

The Empress found herself unable to speak.

Wan Tang immediately added, "It's the same childhood sweetheart bond, but times change and people are different; why must the Noble Consort cling to it?"

"Shut up! You all caused this!" Xu Luoyan roared, then turned to the Emperor and, like a lamb, said, "It's just a childhood sweetheart bond, what's there to cherish? Emperor, please trust me."

"Childhood sweetheart ties are merely childish nonsense; only a fool takes them seriously."

Such a bond, a woman called it worthless, Chu Yunzheng laughed, "Well said; you, a heartless, ungrateful woman, how could I dare expect your true heart?"

He paused, his tone growing heavier: "The wretched woman is so vicious, yet she dares to blacken all childhood sweetheart ties!"

Xu Luoyan was at a loss; she was merely echoing Wan Tang and others' words to rebut, yet why did it enrage the Emperor so?

"From the moment you entered the palace, you are born a palace person and die a palace ghost." Chu Yunzheng grew angrier, glaring at her with disgust, "Even in death, you must die within the palace."

"As for you!" Chu Yunzheng's gaze fell on Rong Ruo: "You are so loyal to me and think solely of my harem."

"I could also betray your loyalty; keeping you in the palace to serve is not impossible."

"It so happens that Li Defu has, almost, a young and spry person in his hands."

Those words, once spoken, felt like the sky collapsing and the earth sinking for both of them.

【Obediently, isn't this about executing Xu Luoyan and making Rong Ruo a eunuch?】

【Does this count as Wan Tang's great revenge?】

【How strange, it feels like the plot is oddly following the Barrage's development? Never mind, as long as it's fun it's over.】

The onlookers around wore varied expressions, but during the palace search, some had already been running about.

Xu Luoyan anxiously looked around.

When she saw people sprinting from afar, her eyes brightened instantly, and she shouted, ignoring decorum, "Mother, the Emperor wants to kill me."

"I don't want to die yet, Mother, hurry and save me; you must have a way."

To survive, Xu Luoyan had long cast aside everything Wang Jingyi taught her, shouting regardless of her status.

Wan Tang's heart also rose, not expecting those people to still arrive.

Several people ran over together.

Before they could get close, they were stopped by the imperial guard with swords.

The people then knelt on the spot, thumping "thump— thump— thump—", continuously kowtowing and shouting, "Emperor, spare us!"