Chapter 73: Closest Kin

【Wan Tang, the Emperor does care about you. Hurry and beg for mercy!】

【The Emperor is only wary of the civil and military officials; he doesn't truly want to punish you. As long as you plead, anything is possible.】

【Bah! A scum dragon is a scum dragon—selfish and self-serving. If he truly loved Tangtang, he should believe her unconditionally.】

【Wan Tang is innocent. She has a mouth, can she not speak?】

【The poster above is sick. Didn't she say it? She did, but did anyone believe her?】

Wan Tang kept her head lowered, dark hair spilling beside her pale cheeks.

She could feel Chu Yunzheng's burning gaze, yet stubbornly stared at the ground.

She bit down hard on her lower lip until she tasted the flavor of rust.

She had a mouth, but could not open it.

She could play the victim, could apologize again and again, but that way, someone was bound to be sacrificed.

Once she cleared herself, what about Xie Taiyi?

That upright senior imperial physician was innocent to begin with. The blood and storms of the Imperial harem—why drag others into it?

Chu Yunzheng's dragon-patterned boots lingered before her eyes for a moment, then finally turned away resolutely.

Wan Tang was dragged off roughly.

Xu Yanchuan's eyes held intense emotional turbulence; he stared at Wan Tang, his lips trembling, and ultimately lowered his head as well.

Xiao Mingshu elegantly smoothed the creases of her Phoenix Robe: "Just a little interlude."

She swept her gaze over the crowd with a smile. "The banquet continues."

The Emperor and the Empress Dowager had both left; those with some clout departed one after another.

Those who remained were either of low status or those seeking to curry favor with Xiao Mingshu.

The heavy Gongmen crashed shut behind her, and Wan Tang stumbled and collapsed onto the cold floor tiles.

"My lady!" Li Ping'er threw herself forward. "Does it hurt? How could they treat you like this?"

Her tears fell onto the back of Wan Tang's hand, so hot they made Wan Tang's heart ache.

Xiao Shunzi was also furious: "Who exactly betrayed the young prince? Qiu Ju—why has Qiu Ju disappeared? Could something have happened?"

Wan Tang gazed at the sky darkening beyond the window and suddenly laughed out loud.

That laughter was exceptionally desolate: "It was Qiu Ju who delivered the letter."

The air instantly froze.

Li Ping'er's sobbing caught in her throat, and the copper basin in Xiao Shunzi's hands crashed to the ground with a clang.

"Impossible!" Li Ping'er suddenly shrieked. "Sister Qiu Ju has always been on our side."

Her voice came to an abrupt halt.

In the Imperial harem, amid its narrow cracks, what was ever truly impossible?

The Gongmen was suddenly kicked open, and eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department filed in.

The Chief Eunuch at the front looked down his nose: "By imperial decree, we reclaim all items of overstepping rank!"

"How dare you!" Li Ping'er spread her arms and blocked the storeroom like a hen protecting her chicks. "These were all bestowed by the Emperor!"

Xiao Shunzi clutched the ice chest desperately: "My lady fears the heat most."

The Chief Eunuch kicked him over with one foot: "A criminal deserves this?"

Silks and satins, Gold and Silver Vessels, even the pot of green-calyx plum that Wan Tang had planted with her own hands—all were tossed roughly into rattan trunks.

Wan Tang watched quietly as they tore apart the half-embroidered infant's bib.

Watched as they ransacked Cuivei Palace into utter wretchedness.

Xiao Shunzi and Li Ping'er struggled continuously.

"Let them be." She brushed nonexistent dust from her sleeve, as though what had been taken was nothing more than dead branches and withered leaves.

Cuivei Palace's vermilion doors were sealed with paper strips, flapping in the wind.

The once-prosperous palace was now desolate and cold; the wind chimes at the eaves had snapped their strings and hung there alone, no longer able to produce their crisp sounds.

Li Ping'er wiped her reddened eyes with her sleeve, her voice choking: "My lady, even your favorite celadon tea set was taken away."

She gazed at the empty display shelf. "Nothing is left."

Xiao Shunzi squatted by the threshold, his eyes still looking toward the small kitchen: "Without these things, how will we get by from now on!"

His throat bobbed, his voice trembling: "House arrest is even worse than the Cold Palace. In the Cold Palace, at least someone delivers meals every day, but here, everything is left to fate."

Wan Tang stood at Langxia, the moonlight stretching her silhouette long and thin.

Her tone was so calm it bordered on indifference: "Since life is hard, you should find somewhere else to go."

"My lady!" Li Ping'er dropped to her knees with a thud, her forehead striking the bluestone slab hard. "Even if I die, I will follow you!"

Xiao Shunzi also hurriedly knelt: "This worthless life of Nubi has long belonged to my lady."

Wan Tang's eyelashes trembled faintly, a glint of emotion flashing through her eyes.

She walked slowly toward the pear tree in the courtyard.

"Look," she said, gently stroking the trunk, suddenly smiling. "This tree hasn't bloomed in over ten years, yet no one has ever dared to touch it."

She crouched down, brushed away the soil at the roots, and revealed an iron box. "In my eyes, this is a lucky thing."

"So I buried some of my favorite things inside it."

The moment the lid was lifted, golden light blazed forth—the box was full of gold ingots!

"My lady!" Li Ping'er gasped, tears still clinging to her cheeks.

Xiao Shunzi's eyes went wide, stammering: "This is lifesaving money!"

"Our lady really can see the future!"

Wan Tang smiled bitterly, her fingertips brushing the cold gold: "Fortune and disaster come in an instant. I had to leave a way out for myself, for us."

She looked toward the tightly shut palace gate, her voice light as a sigh, "I hope these gold will be enough to hold out until the day the truth is revealed."

The three were counting gold ingots by candlelight when a "Bang" thundered from outside the palace gate.

Xiao Shunzi grabbed the box, ran inside, and hid carefully.

The vermilion-painted great door of Cuivei Palace was kicked open violently, the heavy door slab slammed against the wall, emitting a "Bang."

Xu Mingde, clad in a dark blue brocade robe with a gilded sword at his waist, swaggered across the threshold.

Two guards followed him, both Xu Family soldiers, also bearing swords at their waists, seemingly disregarding Palace Rules.

"Yo, isn't this our honored Lady Wan?" Xu Mingde stood in the courtyard, looking down from above at Wan Tang seated on a stone stool, a mocking smile curling his lips.

"How did it come to be like this?"

Wan Tang slowly lifted her gaze, her fingertips lightly brushing a cup of cold tea on the stone table.

Today she wore only a plain white ru skirt, her hair unadorned, yet she could not conceal her cool aura.

"Xu Great Young Master," she said calmly, "trespassing the Imperial harem is a capital crime."

Xu Mingde laughed heartily, even sitting directly opposite her, one foot on the stone stool: "Capital crime? Just because of who you are now?"

He leaned in a few steps, lowering his voice, "A deposed consort, does she even deserve to discuss protocol with me?"

Fallen leaves in the courtyard were lifted by the wind, rustling.

Wan Tang's fingertips paused briefly, she lifted her gaze to stare at Xu Mingde: "You came today, Xu Young Master, just to say this?"

Xu Mingde slammed the table, the tea cup rattling, "Don't think that because the Emperor spared your life you can turn things around! My Xu Family wants you dead by the third watch; even Yama King wouldn't dare keep you until the fifth watch!"

Wan Tang let out a light laugh.

She slowly rose, the plain white hem fluttering in the wind: "Xu Young Master, what grand authority you have."

"But this is ultimately the Imperial harem, not your Xu Family's training ground."

Xu Mingde's expression darkened: "What do you mean?"

Wan Tang turned, her eyes cold as knives: "Is your arrogance, Xu Young Master, because you don't regard the Emperor?"

The words fell like a bucket of cold water.

Xu Mingde sprang up, his expression wavering.

He certainly understood the weight of those words; even though Wan Tang was deposed, Cuivei Palace remains the Emperor's domain.

"Such a sharp tongue," Xu Mingde sneered, "what a pity, the Emperor now probably doesn't even want to mention your name."

Wan Tang's fingertips trembled, yet she kept her back straight, a cold laugh: "So what? As long as I am in the palace for a day, your Xu Family cannot move me."

"Is that so?" a cool voice suddenly came from outside the hall.

Wang Jingyi entered gracefully in a crimson‑purple palace outfit, her skirt sweeping the threshold and releasing a sharp whiff of Incense.

A fierce smile on her face, her fingers painted with rouge brushed the jade bracelet on her wrist: "You probably don't know, today the Empress Dowager feels deep remorse toward the Xu Family."

She walked slowly to Wan Tang, looking down: "Now I am permitted free entry and exit to see my daughter."

Xu Mingde saw this and rushed forward: "Mother! This scoundrel caused my sister to be despised by the Emperor, reduced to Answering, making you take medicine every day!"

He pointed sharply at Wan Tang, "Today I want you to kneel, kowtow and apologize, and slap yourself!"

Wan Tang lifted her gaze, a flash of cold light in her eyes: "You are dreaming."

"Dreaming?" Wang Jingyi giggled, clapping her hands.

The hall doors opened again, Xu Yanchuan entered.

The young man's face was pale, a bloodstain at his mouth corner, and when he saw Wan Tang, a flash of guilt crossed his eyes.

Immediately a servant brought a carved rosewood chair; Wang Jingyi sat gracefully, smoothing her skirt: "Mingde, the rest is yours."

She curled a meaningful smile at the corner of her lips, "You've grown up; you must learn some tactics."

Xu Mingde's face instantly showed pride: "Rest assured, Mother."

He turned, gave a signal to the guards; the two immediately lifted Wan Tang's arms, forcing her to kneel on the cold floor tiles.

Xu Mingde drew a slender vine whip from his sleeve, flicking it through the air with a "whoosh."

"Lady Wan," he sneered, leaning close, "tell me, should I first smash your face or break your disobedient legs?"

Wan Tang bit her lower lip hard, her gaze passing beyond Xu Mingde to the narrow sky outside the hall.

There, a lone goose skimmed the palace wall, flying away.

The bird is free; she is not.

Xu Yanchuan was dragged by the guards, stumbling to kneel on the ground.

He looked up at Wan Tang, his eyes full of pain and struggle: "You don't need to do this for me."

The boy's voice was hoarse, "When I was young I liked you, wanted to treat you as a sister."

He abruptly turned his face away, his shoulders trembling slightly: "But later I also hated you, hated that you caused my elder sister suffering… why…"

A tear slipped from Wan Tang's eye corner, leaving a crystal trace on her pale cheek.

She looked at Xu Yanchuan, her voice barely audible: "Because… you are my brother."

Xu Mingde saw this, a twisted delight flashing in his eyes.

He grabbed Wan Tang's hair, forcing her to lift her head: "What kind of sibling affection is this?"

He snarled, "Since you care so much about this waste, then kneel properly and confess!"

Li Ping'er lunged forward to block, but a guard kicked her aside.

She lay on the ground, sobbing desperately: "Master, no, Master!"

Xu Mingde laughed wildly, his facial muscles grotesquely twisted: "Kowtow! Kowtow!"

He forced Wan Tang's head down hard, "Let everyone see, the once lofty Lady Wan, now kneeling like a dog before me!"

【Who will save Wan Tang.】

【Emperor, Wan Tang, quickly let the Emperor rescue you!】

Zha Long has already gone to Xu Luoyan, pfft, I no longer like his thin flesh.

If you have any skill, use Xu Yanchuan to threaten Tangtang.

Yes!

This time, no one can save her.

Once you touch the emperor's interests or offend his face, the relationship between them is completely severed.

Wan Tang's gaze never left Xu Yanchuan.

The youth's face was already streaming with tears, desperately struggling to rush forward, but the guard held him down tightly.

"Don't..." Xu Yanchuan shook his head, his voice shattered, "Don't do this."

Wan Tang slowly closed her eyes, and under everyone's watchful gaze, she banged her forehead heavily against the cold floor tiles.

"Dong."

A muffled thud echoed through the hall.

Li Ping'er let out a mournful wail, nearly fainting to death.

Xu Yanchuan finally broke free, lunged onto the ground beside Wan Tang, but was kicked away by Xu Mingde.

"Keep banging!" Xu Mingde shouted wildly, "Bang until I say stop!"

Wan Tang's forehead was already seeping blood threads, yet she kept her back straight and bent down again.

This time, her tears mixed with blood fell onto the floor tiles, blooming into a series of mournful, striking flowers.

Xu Yanchuan crawled forward on his knees, clutching Wan Tang with trembling hands: "Enough... really enough..."

The youth cried, his whole body trembling.

"Little brother." Wan Tang smiled at Xu Yanchuan: "As long as you're okay, that's enough…"

Wan Tang was in great pain, the blood stream winding, staining her eyes red.

Wan Tang, however, smiled, silently saying in her heart: Mother, did you see this?

Little brother is still alive.

I protected my little brother…