Chapter 88: Snow Disaster

Ah, Li Ping'er originally came from Fengdu; what's so strange about that?

Her mother, of course, was also someone who fled the palace during the disaster, but unlike ordinary refugees, they went to Fengdu to seek refuge.

Fortunately, Wan Tang's people are truly good, for their kindness saved Li Ping'er and altered her predetermined fate.

Indeed, it turns out Li Ping'er followed Xu Luoyan, endured a lot of torment, and although the goal was eventually achieved, her death was truly tragic.

Li Ping'er died in the end?

Wan Tang felt a sudden sting in her heart.

This person who always rushes ahead for her, at some point Wan Tang has come to regard her as a sister.

In the original script, Wan Tang also met a disgraceful death, but she changed her fate by herself.

So this time, she will not allow Li Ping'er to die.

When Cai Wei burst into the hall, Wan Tang was trimming a green‑shelled plum.

The silver scissors "clack" as they cut the dead branch, and the sound made the newcomer's footsteps falter.

"Noble Consort, please have Consort Wan come over to speak," Cai Wei lifted her chin so high she could see her nostrils.

The scissors "clack" again, snipping off a half‑wilted flower, and Wan Tang didn't look up: "I'm not feeling well."

"You!" Cai Wei twisted her silk handkerchief into a braid, "The Noble Consort is still under house arrest; do you expect her to come personally to request?"

The plum branches in the celadon vase trembled slightly, and Wan Tang suddenly laughed: "I don't like doing things that have no benefit."

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, making the Eastern Pearl on her earring sparkle.

Cai Wei seemed to hear the biggest joke in the world: "Benefits? Would a few gold ingots be enough to get the Imperial Majesty to move?"

"That would of course be good," Wan Tang finally turned, her skirt sweeping over the dead branch on the floor.

"You… are insanely greedy!" Cai Wei was quite angry.

The tea tray in Li Ping'er's hand "clang" onto the floor, her eyes reddening to the point of bleeding.

Wan Tang brushed her temples, and with her fingertip made a weighing gesture in the air: "Remember to check the quality."

Half an hour later, Cai Wei returned, stamping the floor with steps that could shatter tiles, and the lacquer tray held fifty gold ingots arranged neatly.

The sunlight dazzled, making people's eyes spin.

"Can we leave now?" she squeezed out the words through her teeth.

Wan Tang wrapped a silk handkerchief around her hand, picked up an ingot, and examined its luster in the light: "Xiao Shunzi, record it."

She recited slowly, "The seventh day of the twelfth month, Year 13 of the Jinghe era, Xu Guifei presented fifty taels of gold, inviting my palace…"

Her gaze swept toward Cai Wei, "Continue."

Li Ping'er, holding back tears, draped a fox fur over her and muttered softly, "That's too humiliating."

"Master, the Noble Consort is now under house arrest, and you still hold real authority; why endure this humiliation?"

"Silly girl." Wan Tang paused, the hand that tied the sash lingering, her voice so light only the two could hear, "This is a knife they handed over themselves."

Wan Tang suddenly raised her voice, "Ping'er, go fetch that pair of gilt candlesticks from the storeroom; they'll match the gold for a new façade."

Cai Wei's complexion instantly turned paler than the snow.

Damn it!

To think she compared the Noble Consort's intention to those useless candlesticks!

Collect money? This method was clearly beyond our expectations, but should we really go for it?

In the Former Dynasty, Xu Chengyuan repeatedly pleaded with the Emperor, saying he had no capable aide, and asked the Emperor to recall Xu Yanchuan. The Emperor seemed to have consented.

After returning, he was to serve as deputy commander under Xu Mingde, which is insane; not only did he seize all the credit, but also brutally killed Xu Yanchuan.

It seems the Emperor didn't agree; he wants to strike from Wan Tang's side! Xu Yanchuan feels guilty about what happened to Wan Tang, and if Wan Tang gets into trouble, he will certainly return.

Wan Tang's heart burned with anger; they just won't let go of her younger brother?

It looks like this trip is truly unavoidable.

On the blue‑stone corridor outside Yangxin Hall, where the snow was just beginning to melt, Wan Tang, holding Li Ping'er's hand, had just turned past a screen when she ran into Su Yanci emerging from the hall.

"Yo, Consort Wan," Su Yanci bowed, a playful curl at the corner of his eye, "The snowy roads are slippery; you must watch your step."

Wan Tang gave a slight nod, "Lord Su, you're diligent, replying even in weather like this."

"Indeed." Su Yanci suddenly lowered his voice, "Otherwise the Emperor would send a message, and we'd just stay home sleeping."

He pretended to absent‑mindedly brush nonexistent dust from his cuff, "Coincidentally, General Xu Chengyuan also arrived today."

"He said there's no handy person nearby, so he asked Xu Yanchuan to return to help."

The cold wind tossed shards of snow onto Wan Tang's eyelashes; she didn't even gasp, "I'm unfamiliar with court affairs."

"If it were merely a matter of needing a scapegoat, that would be fine, but the Xu Family sent a family letter three days ago, saying Wang Jingyi is gravely ill, her life hanging by a thread."

Su Yanci suddenly leaned in half a step, a heavy incense mingling with ink scent, "I heard the lady's illness is peculiar,"

"Xu Yanchuan, upon seeing, panicked and rushed back overnight." He paused meaningfully, "The charge of abandoning duty carries a severe penalty."

Wan Tang's fingernails, hidden beneath her wide sleeves, suddenly dug into her palm.

"Lord Su," she laughed lightly, "I've heard you recently acquired a pair of mutton‑fat jade paperweights?"

Su Yanci was taken aback, then understood, "Your Majesty, you have keen information." He stepped back two paces, widening the gap, his voice returning to normal, "Just a humble reminder."

His gaze swept over her still‑unrevealed abdomen, "You are now a golden‑jade noble."

Shards of snow fell on Wan Tang's eyebrow, solidifying into a tiny glittering chill.

As she lifted her hand to brush it away, the gold‑threaded lotus‑vine embroidery on her cuff flashed before Su Yanci's eyes: "I have noted it."

Su Yanci raised an eyebrow, "Forgive my presumption, but what exactly is the matter between you and General Xu?"

"Since you know I'm presumptuous," Wan Tang lifted her gaze, her eyes like a frozen lake, "Why ask?"

Su Yanci touched his nose, sneered, and stepped back.

When that crimson figure vanished at the end of the palace corridor, Wan Tang suddenly grasped the icy white marble railing.

In the distance, Guanren were shoveling snow, the "chak‑chak" sound like a dull knife scraping bone.

"Master, are you all right?" Xiao Shunzi and Li Ping'er protected Wan Tang from left and right.

Wan Tang shook her head, gave a bitter smile: "Find a suitable excuse to send the treasured paper talisman of this palace over there."

"Yes!"

In front of the vermilion lacquered gate of Jingren Palace, Wan Tang had just stepped onto the steps when Li Pin rushed out of the Side Hall.

She grabbed Wan Tang's sleeve and pulled her into the shadow behind a corridor column.

"Sister, did you know?" Li Pin's lowered voice trembled, "Xu Luoyan has accepted the favor!"

Wan Tang's lips curled slightly; she raised her hand to smooth Li Pin's pearl hairpin at the side of her hair: "This is a happy occasion; the younger sister should offer congratulations."

"You!" Li Pin snapped her head up, eyes blazing, "Do you really consider her a sister?"

"A life‑and‑death grudge, unshareable under the heavens." Wan Tang chuckled lightly, her fingertips brushing the snow on Li Pin's shoulder, "Today she receives favor; that was expected."

Li Pin trembled with anger, the tassels of her golden Step Shake rustling.

"Could it be that you did this on purpose, deliberately helping her?"

Wan Tang suddenly grasped her icy hand: "Your father has served as Salt Inspector for many years, easing the Emperor's worries. In all these years in the palace, have you ever thought of bearing a child?"

Li Pin's eyes reddened quickly, "The Imperial Physician said my body was already damaged; I fear I can no longer conceive!"

She choked and could not continue, clutching Wan Tang's wrist tightly.

Wan Tang reversed her hand to seize her pulse: "What if I told you there is still a chance?"

Li Pin's pupils contracted sharply, and she "thumped" down to kneel in the snow: "Please, sister, grant me this!"

"Get up." Wan Tang leaned down to help her, whispering in her ear, "Before tomorrow, have your father secretly purchase all the cotton, cotton cloth, and charcoal on the market. Remember, act quickly and silently."

Li Pin hesitated, "The Imperial Palace has never lacked these items…"

"Just do as I say." Wan Tang's eyes darkened, and her aura made Li Pin involuntarily step back half a pace.

Cai Wei's sharp voice suddenly pierced the silence: "Noble Consort Wan, what a grand attitude! The tea we Noble Consort have been waiting for has gone cold!"

When Wan Tang turned, a gentle smile had already replaced her face: "I'll go right away."

She lightly patted Li Pin's back of the hand, gave a meaningful glance, and followed Cai Wei into the bottomless hall doors of Jingren Palace.

Inside the Zhudian of Jingren Palace, a golden incense burner exhaled fragrance; Xu Luoyan sat regally on a gilt phoenix throne, her fingertips lightly tapping the jade desk.

Wang Jingyi leaned casually nearby, her pale fingertips twirling a golden phoenix Step Shake; upon seeing Wan Tang enter, her red lips curled into a mocking curve.

The hall was scented with agarwood; Wan Tang's gaze swept over the Marquis Imperial Physician standing in the shadows.

She had just bowed in respect when Wang Jingyi suddenly rose, her embroidered gold horse‑pattern skirt sweeping over the blue bricks, stirring a biting cold wind.

Slap!

A hard slap was flung onto Wan Tang's face.

"You despicable scum!" Wang Jingyi's well‑kept face twisted, "Even my own Xu Family daughter dares to act?"

The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the hall, Wan Tang's cheek being struck to one side.

She slowly raised her hand to cover her burning left cheek, a few strands of crimson seeping between her fingers.

But when she turned her head, those almond eyes swam with a chilling smile.

Wan Tang let out a low laugh, her lips rising higher and higher until her stark white teeth showed, "Madam, was that slap delivered smoothly?"

Xu Luoyan slammed the table and rose abruptly, the tassels of her golden Step Shake flailing wildly: "You lowly maid dares to laugh!"

Her chest heaved violently, "Now I understand," she said, "You were deliberately provoking me!"

Wan Tang tilted her head, black hair slipping from the side of her hair, making the half‑swollen red side of her face even more terrifying: "Noble Consort finally sees the truth?"

She gently stroked her swollen abdomen, "What a pity… it's too late!"

Wang Jingyi's face turned iron‑blue: "Had I known you were such a snake‑scorpion‑hearted creature, I would have killed you long ago."

"You think these petty tricks can secure your seat? Yan'er has already reclaimed the Noble Consort title; as long as she bears a dragon seed, who can shake her position!"

Wang Jingyi's words were cut short as Wan Tang suddenly clutched her lower abdomen, her smile instantly twisting into pain.

"Ah! My belly." She bent over, slowly sitting on the ground, her voice suddenly weak, "It hurts…"

Xu Luoyan sneered, "Pretentious!"

Wan Tang was already sliding on the ground, she lifted her head, pain and provocation interwoven on her face.

Li Ping'er suddenly rushed in, standing before Wan Tang: "Who dares to touch my master!"

Her eyes glowed crimson, "If the Imperial Heir slips, it would be a crime of exterminating the nine clans!"

Everyone in the hall froze in place.

Wan Tang seized the chance to curl on the ground, but from a angle unseen by the others, she gave Wang Jingyi and her mother a sinister smile.

In the distant Langxia, Li Pin took in the whole scene.

She turned, lifted her skirt, and sprinted toward Yangxin Hall…