In the afternoon, the snow outside the window had not yet ceased. Though still unwell, Su Tiyue forced herself to make a trip to Cining Palace.
It was said that the Empress Dowager had awakened.
A few days earlier, due to her father’s affairs, Su Tiyue had sought an audience with the Empress Dowager but was refused. Although the matter was now resolved, she still felt she should visit the elderly Empress Dowager.
They say illness strikes like a mountain collapsing, but recovery is as slow as untangling silk. Though the Empress Dowager had recovered, her health was far from what it used to be.
Su Tiyue kept her company for a while—barely half a cup of tea’s worth of time—before the Empress Dowager drifted back into a drowsy sleep.
When Nanny Liu escorted Su Tiyue out, her wrinkled face held a trace of comfort:
“Consort Shu is most thoughtful. Among all the consorts and concubines in the rear palace, you are the one who cares most for the Empress Dowager. However, with the recent harsh snow and biting winds, Your Ladyship must also take care of your health.”
“You have worked hard, Nanny Liu. I shall visit the Empress Dowager again when the weather improves.”
With these words, Su Tiyue personally handed an exquisite wooden box to Nanny Liu. Inside were three priceless thousand-year-old ginseng roots.
“The Empress Dowager hails from Gusu. This is a special ginseng from Gusu, a small token of my regard. I trouble you, Nanny Liu, to convey it.”
“Yes, Your Ladyship. Please take care on your way.”
After leaving Cining Palace, the snow had lightened somewhat. Liu Wan held an umbrella as the two passed through the rear garden, where they heard faint sounds of playful laughter and commotion from not far away.
Hiding behind the layered rockeries, Su Tiyue stole a glance and saw the Emperor and Wan Pin in the pavilion, accompanied by several palace maids and eunuchs.
Xiao Heye was also there.
He stood expressionlessly to the side, dressed in a black cotton robe with a dark gray belt tied around his waist. At first glance, his figure appeared slender-waisted and long-legged, but his face… was far too cold and severe.
“Ah!”
Following Wan Pin’s sharp cry, Su Tiyue frowned and looked in the direction of the sound.
She saw the Emperor and Wan Pin in the pavilion, openly and shamelessly flirting with each other…
Well, perhaps it was even more exaggerated than mere flirting.
In such a public place, how could those two…?
Glancing again at Xiao Heye, who stood motionless nearby, she saw him merely wave his hand lightly. Immediately, everyone present obediently turned their backs to the Emperor and Wan Pin, not daring to take another look at the indecent scene.
When Xiao Heye turned his gaze toward the rockeries, Su Tiyue had already taken Liu Wan’s hand and quietly slipped away. He caught only a fleeting glimpse of a pale yellow cloak…
A moment later, his brow lifted slightly as he stared thoughtfully at the rockeries, lost in contemplation.
Clearly, Xiao Heye had no desire to linger there either. With a somber expression, he turned and walked out of the pavilion, all emotions and thoughts hidden deep within his unfathomable dark eyes.
Only after they had walked a considerable distance did Liu Wan speak softly: “Your Ladyship, have you truly decided to agree to Chief Eunuch Xiao’s conditions?”
Su Tiyue nodded slightly, her voice even hoarser than in the morning. “I’m afraid it’s too late for regrets now.”
Liu Wan said, “But you saw for yourself how the Emperor behaves…”
“Liu Wan… guard your words.” Su Tiyue glanced around, her expression suddenly turning serious. “Be careful—walls have ears.”
In this palace, one must not eat carelessly, and even more so, one must not speak carelessly.
Liu Wan lowered her head. “Yes, Your Ladyship.”
“You go back to Jinxiu Palace first. I’m heading to the South Garden. If I don’t return by evening, you know what to do.”
Liu Wan replied, “Understood. This servant will lock the courtyard gate. If anyone asks, I’ll say Her Ladyship is feeling unwell and retired early.”
Su Tiyue nodded in silent approval, then made her way alone toward the South Garden.
Perhaps all people are like this—until they reach a dead end, they cling to a mindset of wishful thinking.
Though she had agreed to Xiao Heye’s conditions, deep down, Su Tiyue still harbored a sliver of hope. She wanted to delay, to avoid the topic altogether. Bolder still, she even considered tearing up the agreement with her own hands.
Would striving solely for favor truly lead to a good outcome?
Like Wan Pin, who gained favor but lost all dignity and respect—no different, or even worse, than the courtesans in brothels.
Such favor is fleeting, humiliating, and devoid of humanity.
From beginning to end, the life Su Tiyue desired was never like that.