At that moment, Huang Jiu lifted the curtain and entered from outside. He was about to speak when he noticed something unusual about his master.
“What is it?” Xiao Lin’s voice was frighteningly cold.
Huang Jiu nearly knelt on the spot, but years of experience serving Xiao Lin told him the master’s anger wasn’t directed at him.
Glancing at Liu Chan, Huang Jiu lowered his voice, “Chun’er from Weiyang Palace has come. She says she’s here to escort Miss Liu back.”
The room fell silent for a moment.
Liu Chan nodded, “Very well, I shall return now.”
As she spoke, she immediately bent down to put on her shoes, but hesitated the moment she touched them.
Her feet were swollen, making it impossible to wear the shoes properly.
A trace of distress appeared on Liu Chan’s delicate face as she carefully slipped her feet into the shoes and stood up.
“Miss Liu.” Huang Jiu perceptively offered his arm for support.
He assisted the limping Liu Chan as they moved toward the exit.
Just before reaching the doorway, Liu Chan seemed to remember something. Steadying herself, she turned back to look at Xiao Lin.
Their eyes met.
Liu Chan performed a proper curtsy, “This humble girl takes her leave.”
Xiao Lin: “…”
After Liu Chan exited, she was warmly received by Chun’er who rushed forward. “Miss Liu, our lady heard you sprained your ankle and was extremely worried. She immediately summoned the imperial physician to wait at Weiyang Palace.”
While supporting Liu Chan, Chun’er slipped a high-quality jade pendant to Huang Jiu. “Thank you, Eunuch Huang, for looking after our young lady.”
Huang Jiu smilingly tucked the jade pendant into his sleeve.
Knowing Jing Guifei’s character well, he thought to himself that the Emperor’s actions would likely provoke Jing Guifei’s displeasure toward Miss Liu.
After some consideration, he cheerfully said, “Our Emperor considers Miss Liu to be the Guifei’s sister. He was concerned the Guifei would worry, which is why he summoned her to Taiji Hall.”
“Indeed.” Chun’er responded with a light laugh, “Our lady deeply appreciates His Majesty’s kindness toward her.”
Seeing her response, Huang Jiu thought it best not to say more.
He could only give Liu Chan a look that said “you’re on your own,” but Liu Chan was too preoccupied examining her swollen feet to notice his “thoughtful warning.”
Liu Chan was helped into the palace sedan.
Chun’er bid farewell to Huang Jiu with a smile and directed the sedan carriers to return to Weiyang Palace. However, once they had put some distance between themselves and Taiji Hall, her expression darkened immediately and her pace quickened noticeably.
Xiao Cui, following behind, looked anxiously at Liu Chan, then hesitantly toward Chun’er as if wanting to explain on Liu Chan’s behalf.
Seeing this, Liu Chan quickly gave Xiao Cui a reassuring look to stop her from intervening.
The group soon arrived at Weiyang Palace.
Supported by Xiao Cui, Liu Chan entered and immediately sensed the unusually tense atmosphere in the room, quite different from usual.
When she looked up, she nearly laughed aloud.
Talent Sun stood twisting a handkerchief in her hands with a haughty expression, looking at Liu Chan with contempt and smugness. Seated in the elevated position, Jing Guifei sipped tea calmly with an indifferent gaze.
What a perfect scene for an inquisition!
“Miss Liu, how could you openly seduce the Emperor after all the kindness Guifei has shown you?” Talent Sun stood up indignantly. “And you even lured the Emperor into taking you to Taiji Hall! Could it be you’ve set your sights on the Dragon Bed in Taiji Hall?”
As these words left her mouth, even Jing Guifei seated above showed signs of embarrassment and unease.
“Enough,” Jing Guifei raised her voice.
Then she looked at Liu Chan, her usual warmth gone, and said calmly, “Is what Talent Sun said true?”
In truth, she was only half-convinced by Talent Sun’s words.
Ever since Talent Sun entered the palace, she had been swaggering around like a crab, constantly boasting about her noble background, which greatly displeased her.
Moreover, she knew Liu Chan’s temperament all too well—timid, cowardly, and stubborn.
When the two clashed, Talent Sun was likely more at fault.
But it was also possible that Liu Chan had developed ambitions for the palace’s wealth and glory…
Upon hearing this, Liu Chan looked up at her with disbelief on her small face. “Sister, you don’t believe me?”
Her gaze was firm. “The Emperor did summon me to Taiji Hall, but it was because I sprained my ankle, and he was afraid you would worry. As for climbing the Dragon Bed… Talent Sun is talking nonsense!”
At this point, she trembled with anger and pointed at Talent Sun. “I… I’ll tear your mouth apart for trying to drive a wedge between me and my sister!”
She lunged forward abruptly.
Chun’er, standing nearby, quickly stopped her.
Liu Chan’s eyes were red, her expression resolute as she defended their sisterly bond, her voice trembling with anger. “In the Imperial Garden, you tried to have me beaten to death, showing no regard for my sister’s face. If the Emperor hadn’t passed by, I would have died at your hands… And now you dare to come here and complain to my sister!”
With just a few words, she laid the truth bare, and the atmosphere in the hall shifted instantly.
Talent Sun panicked, instinctively turning to Jing Guifei to explain. “No, Your Highness, I didn’t… She’s slandering me!”
Although she prided herself on her family background being far superior to Jing Guifei’s and often flaunted it, she couldn’t openly display such arrogance in front of Jing Guifei.
After all… aside from Jing Guifei’s rank and favor, she also had the Empress Dowager as her backer!
“Slandering you?!” Liu Chan flared up, her almond-shaped eyes widening. “My relationship with the Emperor is pure and innocent. Not only is he the person my sister loves most, but I also have a fiancé. How could I be like you, scheming day and night to steal the Emperor from my sister, even throwing yourself at him in the Imperial Garden!”
Her voice was loud and her reasoning sound, leaving Talent Sun speechless.
Talent Sun twisted her handkerchief so hard it nearly tore, glaring hatefully at Liu Chan. “You… you’re talking nonsense…”
Now, seeing the reactions of the two, everyone in the hall understood the situation.
Clearly, Talent Sun had tried to bully Miss Liu, only to be reprimanded by the Emperor when he happened upon the scene. And now she had the audacity to come here and complain?
Instantly, everyone looked at Talent Sun with disdain.
Naturally, Jing Guifei believed Liu Chan’s words. Her gaze, once filled with coldness, shifted from Liu Chan to Talent Sun. “It seems Talent Sun is quite dissatisfied with me as well. Talent Sun has offended a superior, behaved improperly, and spoken out of turn. Return and copy the Admonitions for Women a hundred times. Bring it to Weiyang Palace in three days. If you fail to complete it, you may come to Weiyang Palace to write it.”
She picked up the teacup beside her. “Someone, escort Talent Sun out.”
Liu Chan glared hatefully at Talent Sun as she was led away. Once Talent Sun had left, she limped forward and lifted the hem of her trousers.
Now, she was on the verge of tears. “Sister, look at my foot… Talent Sun bullied me.”
Seeing the back of her foot severely swollen, Jing Guifei momentarily forgot about Liu Chan being taken to Taiji Hall. She couldn’t help but frown, “How could it be this serious?”
Chun’er looked at Xiao Cui, “You tell her.”