Chapter 82: Warm the Wine

"Your Majesty…" she panted lightly, pushing back, "Child…"

At that moment, a faint movement came from within the womb.

Wan Tang seized the chance, grabbed Chu Yunzheng's hand and pressed it to her belly: "Did you feel it? The child is kicking your concubine."

The pulse beneath his palm made Chu Yunzheng freeze.

He had to lean forward and press his ear to it, his whole body hot with irritation, turning into a sigh of resignation: "This little thing always picks the wrong moment."

Wan Tang's fingertips brushed his tense nape, her tone gentle: "Sister Li Pin asked Your Majesty yesterday, saying she had just learned a new piece called 'Snow Reflected in the Window'."

The fire dwindled, and Chu Yunzheng finally rose, smoothing her collar: "I shall go and return shortly."

After the dragon carriage disappeared, Wan Tang finally picked up the cold sweet potato from the ground.

The rhododendron branch in the ash had turned to charcoal, just like certain hidden old affairs that will eventually turn to ash.

The candle flickered as Xie Huairen's gaunt finger rested on Wan Tang's wrist, then trembled.

"Your Majesty!" they shouted, jerking their head up, eyes filled with terror, "Your pulse is abnormal; this is a sign of poisoning!"

Wan Tang leaned back against the soft pillow, and upon hearing it, merely smiled lightly: "Abnormal?"

Her fingertips brushed the tea cup on the small table, "Every herb and tree has medicinal properties, for example the wild rhododendrons in the courtyard..."

Doctor Xie Taiyi's pupils contracted sharply: "You burned the rhododendron branches?"

"Just adding a bit of firewood," Wan Tang said casually, running a hand over her abdomen.

The old physician's forehead beaded with cold sweat, and he hurriedly produced a silver needle: "Too risky! Fortunately the discovery was timely..."

He swiftly inserted the needle into Wan Tang's Tiger's Mouth, Hegu and other points, "This toxin, if mild, causes dizziness and vomiting; if severe, it can harm the fetus!"

Wan Tang watched the trembling tip of the silver needle, then suddenly said, "Isn't it unusual that every palace garden cultivates rhododendrons?"

Xie Huairen's hand paused mid‑insertion.

The candle flower burst with a 'pop', casting flickering light on his deeply‑lined face.

After a while, he slowly withdrew the needle: "Old Minister... I understand."

He bowed and stepped back two paces: "The Dog Empress's daughter‑in‑law is about to give birth; Old Minister wishes to request a few days off."

"Go then," Wan Tang folded her sleeves, "Send my regards to the young master on my behalf."

Only after Xie Huairen's silhouette vanished into the night did Wan Tang look out the window.

Tonight, there is actually a moon!

【We just mentioned roasting sweet potatoes, and she roasted sweet potatoes—could there really be telepathy?】

【This plot development is wrong!】

【In the original, at this point Wan Tang had not yet been tormented to death by Li Defu. I see that the original says Xu Luoyan obtained a remedy and became pregnant. She went to humiliate Wan Tang; Wan Tang could not endure, leapt to fight, and Xu Luoyan directly snapped Wan Tang's tendons.】

【So Xu Luoyan is pregnant; does this mean the story is returning to the original?】

【Not quite sure, after all this time the remedy came from Wan Tang.】

【The original also says that the Emperor at this moment indulged Xu Luoyan to the extreme, even listening to her bedside whispers and sending her useless brother to the Northern Border.】

Wan Tang sneered inwardly.

Only by constantly tormenting herself can she make Xu Luoyan happy?

She raised her own hand, as if to sever her own tendons, dreaming.

At this moment Yan River lies in the Northern Border, watching the Xu family members break away and prosper; how could Wan Tang let Xu Mingde, that blood‑sucking parasite, bring disaster upon her own brother?

Wan Tang's gaze was filled with chill.

Since fate is so unfair, Wan Tang decided to first serve everyone a little appetizer!

She slowly closed the book, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.

As dawn's light softened, Li Pin stepped onto the unmelted snow and arrived.

Upon entering, she beamed with a blessed smile: "Sister."

She covered her lips with a light laugh, a red flush at the corner of her eyes, "Last night the Emperor truly was vigorous, all thanks to my blessings."

Wan Tang, leaning by the window trimming a red plum branch, said without looking up, "Sister is joking."

"Scissors" click, the broken twig fell, "My body is heavy now, and the Emperor is still in his youthful vigor, so we must rely on the sisters to share the burden."

Li Pin quickly pledged loyalty: "Sister, rest assured, my Lin family will henceforth look to you as our guide."

The bronze scissors twirled on Wan Tang's fingertip, and she finally looked up: "Today is the fifteenth; the Emperor should go to the Empress now."

"Indeed," Li Pin leaned closer, "This morning the Emperor left in a hurry, even missed breakfast..."

Wan Tang's fingertip paused: "In such cold weather, the Emperor braves the Fēng xuě to travel; a warm pot of wine would be nice to heat his body."

Li Pin's eyes lit up: "I'll deliver it to the Emperor tonight!"

"Confused." Wan Tang lightly rebuked, the plum branch in her hand snapping in two, "The Empress and the Emperor hardly spend time together, why..."

She tossed the broken branch into the charcoal basin, "The Imperial Kitchen will have it ready."

The flame surged with a 'whoosh', casting fluctuating light on Li Pin's face.

She twisted the handkerchief in grievance: "My sister is too kind‑hearted..."

"Everything is entirely at sister's discretion," Wan Tang smiled lightly.

Li Pin hurriedly said, "Of course I will obey my sister; I'm going right now."

Wan Tang lowered her gaze, watching the plum branch turn to ash in the basin, a faint curl at the corner of her mouth.

【What does it mean? I didn't get it.】

【Accidental ingestion of certain toxic species of the Rhododendron family (such as *Rhododendron anthopogon*, also known as 'noisy sheep flower') causes poisoning, main symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, arrhythmia, respiratory difficulty, etc. During rhododendron poisoning, consuming certain foods may aggravate gastrointestinal irritation, increase metabolic load, or affect toxin excretion, thereby worsening the condition.】

【Ah! I get it!】

【You write a lot, you're right, I don't understand why Wan Tang would harm the Emperor.】

【Pah, that scummy dragon deserved it. Besides Princess Shunpin, later the palace also had Princess Yue Li, and the Dog Emperor personally killed her.】

What?

Chu Yunzheng actually killed his own flesh and blood?

Wan Tang felt a shock in her heart; she hadn't expected such a thing to happen next.

The lingering trace of guilt vanished completely.

Snow fell silently as Wan Tang stood alone in the courtyard, looking up at the night sky divided into squares by the palace walls.

Fine snow landed on her eyelashes, turning into a single icy droplet.

"Master, it's cold outside," Li Ping'er draped her fox‑fur cloak over Wan Tang's shoulders, "Your body is heavy now; be careful of the chill."

Wan Tang reached out to catch a snowflake, watching it melt into a water stain in her palm: "These palace walls are so high... so high that I almost forget what the outside looks like."

Li Ping'er followed her gaze; the vermilion palace wall stood out like blood in the snowy night: "Indeed... after so many days, I can't even recall the smell of my hometown's cooking smoke."

She sighed lightly, "People outside always think the palace is filled with gold and jade, yet they don't know the winter inside is extremely cold."

"Don't you want to stay here?" Wan Tang suddenly turned her head.

Li Ping'er twitched the corner of her mouth: "If one weren't at a dead end, who would willingly enter this place that devours people."

Snowflakes settled between Wan Tang's brows; her eyes deepened: "Ping'er, you entered the palace... do you also have grievances?"

"My mother is gravely ill and needs silver..." Li Ping'er's voice lowered.

Wan Tang reached out to brush the snow from her shoulder: "If there's a chance, may I escort you out of the palace?"

Li Ping'er suddenly lifted her head, tears streaming: "Master! I, your servant, am willing to follow you in life and death!"

After Li Ping'er stepped back, Wan Tang drew a secret letter from her sleeve.

"Li Ping'er, birth mother Shu Shi, Yongshou Palace maid…"

She let out a light laugh; the letter fluttered onto the snow, quickly becoming soaked.

"Sister! Something terrible has happened!"

Li Pin staggered into the courtyard, her hair bun in disarray: "The Emperor was dining in the Empress's palace when he suddenly collapsed! The imperial physician says it's poisoning!"

Wan Tang clenched the railing tightly, her knuckles turning white. In the distance, alarm bells rang through the Six Palaces.

The snow fell even harder.

【The drama begins: Xiao Mingshu sees one pregnant favorite after another in the palace and feels panic. The kitchen originally sent rice wine, but Xiao Mingshu heated a pot of strong liquor.】

【The strong liquor is poisonous; it damages the liver, and with the buildup of toxic gas, it's no wonder they don't collapse immediately.】

【Nevertheless, Xiao Mingshu lives up to being the one who serves the Empress; her reaction is truly swift. She immediately seized a man, a former junior eunuch who had served in Cuivei Palace, and forced him to confess to the poisoning.】

【She didn't expect that at this moment, she would still try to shift the blame onto Wan Tang.】

【The most astonishing part is that the junior eunuch thought it was a warning from someone of the Consort, believing she intended to sit back and watch the tiger fight!】

Wan Tang's gaze slowly fell on Li Pin.

Xiao Mingshu really has a clever scheme!

Her reaction was swift; when this happened, her first thought wasn't to rescue the Emperor but to immediately shift the blame.

Xu Luoyan wants to fight, but Wan Tang will not become that blind sword.

After all, Xu Luoyan's roots in the harem are tangled, and the Xu Family wields massive power.

Wan Tang, an orphan, holds no power in her hand; how could she fight?

Snowlight reflected on Wan Tang's half‑smiling face: "Oh? Such a major matter as the Emperor's poisoning, and it hasn't been announced to the Six Palaces?"

Li Pin twisted her scarf: "The court is in turmoil, so it must be kept secret…"

"Then how did you, sister, know?" Wan Tang's fingertip lightly brushed the rim of the tea cup.

Li Pin's expression froze, then she sneered: "I… I have a distant cousin serving in Qiankun Palace."

"I see." Wan Tang let out a light laugh, "But for something like this, must we beat drums and trumpets to broadcast it everywhere?"

The tea cup clattered onto the table with a "ka" sound, and Li Pin shivered all over.

"Sister is saying…" Her face turned ashen, "Someone dares to set a trap using the Emperor?"

Wan Tang leaned back against the soft pillow, brocade.

She stroked her abdomen, "... or is it a shortcut to death?"

Li Pin sprang to her feet, her jeweled hairpin rattling: "I—I only came to deliver the calming pillow!"

She flustered, pointing at the embroidered pillow on the table: "I heard pregnant women must avoid insomnia."

"Sister, you're thoughtful." Wan Tang suddenly changed tone, "But in Qiankun Palace there are many people with wandering eyes; you can't be sure which one can't keep a secret—once they see the Emperor collapse, they'll start shouting everywhere…"

She gazed at the swirling snow outside the window and said meaningfully: "Although the Empress Dowager is recuperating in Cining Palace, the elders who once served her in this palace have now all become important officials in their respective positions."

Li Pin's eyes darted, suddenly enlightened: "Sister is right! I'll go right away…"

"Go then." Wan Tang waved lazily, "It's late at night."

After Li Pin hurried away, Li Ping'er lifted the curtain and entered: "Master, would you like to rest?"

Wan Tang looked at the dying embers in the charcoal brazier, "Naturally."

Just as she fell asleep, a noisy crowd arrived outside the courtyard.

Auntie Bai Wei led people in, shouting angrily: "Take the person away!"

Qiankun Palace.

Wan Tang was hauled by two coarse palace maids into the hall, her snow‑white nightgown loose, black hair tangled and hanging at her waist.

She staggered to steady herself, then lifted her eyes toward the interior of the hall.

Chu Yunzheng lay on the dragon couch, his complexion pallid, a sweat‑soaked cloth covering his forehead.

Xiao Mingshu sat upright beside him; beneath the phoenix crown his face no longer held the former compassion, and a chilling light glinted in his eyes.

"Wan Pin, do you know the crime?"

Wan Tang gathered her robe, tears welling in her eyes at the right moment: "I, your servant, do not know… Empress, why did you drag me from the couch in the dead of night, and what is the purpose?"

Xiao Mingshu sneered, "Bring it up!"

The hall door "Bang" opened, and a young eunuch was shoved, collapsing to his knees on the ground.

He trembled all over, pointing sharply at Wan Tang, "It's her! Nubi saw with his own eyes a palace maid from Xitang Courtyard delivering a jar of wine to the Imperial Kitchen!"

"What else do you have to say?" Xiao Mingshu slammed the table, "Plotting against the Emperor is a crime that warrants exterminating the nine families!"

She paused, her tone suddenly softened, "Considering the Imperial Heir you carry in your womb, this palace will only send you to the Cold Palace. Once the child is born, regardless of gender, it will be raised by the Eastern Palace."

Inside the hall, the candle flames "crackle" loudly, casting Wan Tang's complexion into flickering light and shadow.

She suddenly smiled.

"I, a concubine, have never done that, so don't try to pin it on me." She straightened her back, her gaze like a blade, "But you, Your Majesty, are so eager to sentence—could it be that you're feeling guilty?"

【Although standing up to evil forces is the right thing, the Empress Dowager has always emphasized the distinction between legitimate and secondary wives. Now that she sees Wan Tang like this, who knows what will happen?】

【Indeed, the Empress Dowager has never liked Wan Tang; seeing her so arrogant, can she still listen to her defense?】

【It's over, the Empress Dowager is at the doorway, the whole drama ends!】