As for everything that had happened in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Su Yuewu had no way of knowing. The reason she had sent the lamb leg today was simply because the imperial kitchen happened to have roasted a whole lamb, and she had spent quite a bit of silver to obtain that plump leg.
At the moment, Su Yuewu was reading letters from home sent into the palace by candlelight.
There were two letters in total, both explaining the incident of the carriage breaking down on the day she entered the palace. One was from Concubine Feng, detailing the investigation results: the broken axle had been tampered with beforehand. The coachman was a servant of the Su family and stubbornly refused to admit guilt. However, investigations revealed that his wife had once served in Concubine Yun’s household. A few days before the incident, his wife had been summoned by Concubine Yun and inexplicably received a reward of one hundred taels of silver. Upon returning home, she made a great fuss about arranging a marriage for their foolish son, making the entire Su household aware of it and leaving no room for denial.
Putting these pieces together, anyone could figure out what had happened. Although the coachman and his wife were cunning, they were also timid as mice. A little interrogation would surely have revealed everything. Yet Su Ziyuan would not allow it, leaving the matter at a standstill. The letter asked Su Yuewu how to handle the situation.
The other letter was from Father. In it, he first harshly criticized Concubine Yun for misjudging people, mistakenly believing the coachman and his wife to be pitiable, honest folk. Seeing that their only son was foolish and no girl was willing to marry him, and recalling that the coachman’s wife had once served her, Concubine Yun had wanted to help and thus gave her one hundred taels of silver to arrange a marriage.
He then stated that regardless of whether anyone was behind the incident, the coachman was undoubtedly involved. However, subjecting him to torture might damage the Su family’s reputation if word got out, so it would be better to simply sell him off. As for Concubine Yun, she was now filled with regret, fearing that Su Yuewu might suspect her involvement. Her Heart Malady, which had not yet fully recovered, was showing signs of worsening.
He concluded by saying that this matter had nothing to do with Concubine Yun and was likely the work of someone in official circles who bore ill will toward the Su family, jealous of Su Yuewu’s appointment as a concubine and entry into the palace. As for who specifically it was, it would be uncovered in time.
Finally, he asked Su Yuewu if she was satisfied with this resolution. Since she had just entered the palace, she should act cautiously and not run to His Majesty over trivial matters, as it would only annoy him and bring trouble upon the entire family.
After reading both letters from start to finish, Su Yuewu felt rather indifferent.
What could she say? It was exactly as she had expected.
If she hadn’t threatened to report the matter to His Majesty, Su Ziyuan likely wouldn’t have even offered this perfunctory explanation and would have simply suppressed the entire incident.
“Luzhi, keep these two letters safe. Don’t lose them.”
After giving her instructions, Su Yuewu picked up her brush to write replies to Concubine Feng and Su Ziyuan. Once sealed, she handed them to Zheng Tiande, instructing him to send someone to deliver them to the Su residence the next day.
Zheng Tiande was a clever man. Ever since he had revealed to Su Yuewu that he had come from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he had guessed that she understood whose person he was. Thus, he never spoke out of turn and simply focused on his duties.
As for Qingwen, she managed everything in the Palace of Earthly Honor impeccably, and no further disturbances had occurred.
The next day, at dusk.
Over the past few days, Su Yuewu had intentionally used the opportunity of delivering meals to gauge Shen Heng’s attitude, allowing him to gradually grow accustomed to her presence so that their eventual reunion would not feel too abrupt.
Now, judging that the timing was about right, it was time to find an opportunity to meet.
Thus, Su Yuewu personally steamed a plate of mung bean cakes in the imperial kitchen today and “accidentally” scalded her finger. She then placed the unassuming pastries in a food box, added ice to keep them cool, and brought them to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
However, this visit marked the first setback in her mission of delivering food.
“Consort Su, His Majesty’s words have already been conveyed to you. Please take this back with you.”
Zhang Guide stood blocking the entrance to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, wearing an awkward smile.
This was something Su Yuewu had not anticipated.
Observing Zhang Guide’s expression and confirming that his attitude was firm and unyielding, she nodded gently, lowered her long lashes, and softly replied, “I understand.”
With that, Su Yuewu turned and left without hesitation.
Zhang Guide was taken aback.
He had prepared himself for questioning and persistence, but he never expected her to be so straightforward. His carefully prepared explanations stuck in his throat, and he could only shake his head helplessly.
It seems she truly has no interest in His Majesty.
Outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Su Yuewu did not go far.
She took the food box from Luzhi, glanced around, and whispered, “Return to the Palace of Earthly Honor first.”
Luzhi looked at her with concern. “And what about you, my lady?”
Su Yuewu smiled, gazing up at the golden clouds glowing under the setting sun, and said meaningfully, “My heart belongs to His Majesty. I personally made pastries and brought them here, only to be turned away at the palace gates. I am filled with melancholy and confusion, so naturally, I am stubbornly determined to wait for His Majesty in this sweltering summer heat.”
She absolutely could not leave the Hall of Mental Cultivation at this moment.
If she left, it would confirm Shen Heng’s suspicion: that her actions over the past few days were merely to avoid his resentment and secure her future prosperity.
But stubbornly insisting on entering would be too inconsistent with her attitude from the previous days, making him feel something was off.
Thus, the best approach was to feign pitifulness.
However, the premise of feigning pitifulness was that the person would pity you. If not for the special treatment she had received since entering the palace, Su Yuewu would not dare to take this gamble.
Luzhi understood her mistress’s intentions. Though her heart ached, she knew what was more important and had no choice but to leave.
It was the end of June, on the verge of entering the dog days of summer. Even though dusk had fallen and the setting sun was no longer as scorching, the air remained stiflingly hot.
After standing for only a short while, Su Yuewu was covered in a thin layer of sweat, with strands of damp hair clinging to her cheeks. Palace maids and eunuchs occasionally passed by on the palace path. Though they dared not voice their thoughts, the glances they exchanged were filled with all sorts of speculations.
In the blink of an eye, the sun sank below the horizon, and the palace lit up with lanterns.
On either side of the palace path outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, blue stone carved lanterns illuminated the way.
When the emperor’s imperial carriage approached, the bright yellow color shone brilliantly under the candlelight. On both sides, teams of eunuchs followed, carrying hexagonal palace lanterns.
“Your Majesty, there seems to be a consort ahead… and she’s holding a food box.”
Xiao Chengzi, with his sharp eyes, was the first to notice something unusual. He hurriedly approached the imperial carriage to report.
Shen Heng leaned back in the carriage with his eyes closed, massaging his temples with one hand. His weary expression made his exhaustion evident.
Upon hearing Xiao Chengzi’s report, his narrow eyes suddenly opened.
His gaze swept urgently around before settling on the figure beside the blue stone lantern not far away.
Su Yuewu crouched on the ground, the familiar vermilion lacquered carved food box placed beside her feet. The dim, flickering candlelight fell on her slender figure, making her shadow appear especially frail and pitiful.
As if noticing his gaze, the woman raised her head. Her Peach Blossom Eyes slowly turned toward him, then suddenly froze, staring directly at him without looking away.
Her gaze was shallow, seemingly devoid of emotion, yet Shen Heng could read within it resentment, confusion, and sorrow…
Shen Heng simply watched her, remaining silent for a long while.