Rong Qing still had that fair-skinned, delicate appearance, claiming he had come to deliver medicine and incidentally inquire about the injury.
Jiang Wan reclined on the couch, sighing with a mix of sincerity and pretense, “If only the Lord of a Thousand Years could come see me, I’m sure I wouldn’t feel any pain at all.”
Rong Qing paused, thinking to himself that if His Eminence heard this, he would surely scoff, “Could I possibly be some miraculous cure?”
But he showed no sign of this on his face, bowing his head respectfully and saying, “This servant will convey your words.”
Jiang Wan didn’t actually expect Xie Changlin to come. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Rong Qing, she sent him away.
She ate quite heartily at dinner, read a bit of a storybook afterward, and went to bed early.
Meanwhile, in Qian’an Hall, cries of agony could be heard.
“Be gentler! It hurts like hell!”
Huan Cheng cursed bitterly as Li Dequan applied medicine to his wounds, grinding his teeth in frustration.
Ever since he ascended the throne at the age of ten, Xie Changlin would always beat him up whenever he disobeyed, forcing him into compliance. But the last time Xie Changlin had come to discipline him was a year ago. Just now, he had suddenly shown up, saying he wanted to see if Huan Cheng’s martial arts had improved and proposed a “sparring match.”
A sparring match? It was a one-sided beating, plain and simple!
Now, there wasn’t a single part of his body that didn’t ache. It felt as though his bones were about to shatter. Thankfully, Xie Changlin avoided hitting the face, or else Huan Cheng would surely be bruised and swollen beyond recognition.
But Huan Cheng truly couldn’t understand—where had he disobeyed this time? Lately, he had been lying in bed all day, doing nothing at all!
In the end, he reached a conclusion.
Xie Changlin was insane!
If he was in a bad mood, why not go kill someone instead of tormenting him?
But Xie Changlin didn’t care whether he was angry or not. Before leaving, he merely glanced indifferently at the half-dead Huan Cheng and said, “This is the last time I’ll remind you—don’t cause trouble for me, understand?”
Li Dequan couldn’t bear to watch any longer and gently reminded him, “Your Majesty, the incident of punishing the Empress by making her kneel yesterday has prompted the Chancellor’s Residence to take action.”
Huan Cheng finally understood. “What did the Chancellor’s Residence do?”
Li Dequan shook his head and said nothing more.
The next day, several palace consorts came to Eternal Joy Palace to pay their respects to Jiang Wan. Jiang Wan didn’t want to see them, but upon hearing that Consort Ning was among them, she changed her mind.
She was genuinely curious to see what kind of arrogant temperament Consort Ning possessed.
After the group entered the inner hall, Jiang Wan immediately guessed that the glamorous beauty dressed in purple, nearly covered in jewelry, was likely Consort Ning.
As soon as she spoke, her voice was coquettish. “This consort is she.”
“I ordered you to be confined to your palace for five days. Have you already disregarded it so quickly?” Jiang Wan took a sip of tea. Though she reclined on the couch, her demeanor was impeccably poised.
Consort Ning lowered her eyes, her red lips parting slightly. “This consort has already finished copying the palace regulations and has brought them specifically for Your Highness to inspect.”
“You could have sent a palace maid to deliver them. Coming here yourself—are you trying to embarrass me?”
Consort Ning knelt, frowning as she explained, “Your Highness, please forgive me. That was not my intention. I heard that Your Highness injured her knee yesterday and came specifically to pay my respects. I also brought a skin-soothing ointment that my father gifted me before I entered the palace, to offer to Your Highness.”
Jiang Wan chuckled lightly, her tone indifferent. “Very well, rise. I accept your goodwill. Just be careful not to repeat such mistakes in the future.”
“Yes, thank you, Your Highness.” Consort Ning rose with a smile, her peach-blossom eyes revealing no emotion.
Jiang Wan felt she hadn’t read enough palace intrigue novels. Everyone before her was so respectful and proper that she couldn’t discern anything meaningful. Finding it dull, she exchanged a few more polite words before dismissing them all.
Then she got up and changed her clothes herself, wanting to go find Xie Changlin.
She couldn’t count on him to take the initiative, but she herself couldn’t slack off.
Qiaoqiao couldn’t dissuade her, so she could only accompany her to the Qu Palace.
Xie Changlin was in a rather poor mood today, his whole person gloomy and somber. His eyes appeared indifferent as snow, yet buried deep within them was a heavy, fierce aura.
Rong Qing didn’t know if the little Empress coming now would only add fuel to the fire and tried to persuade her to go back, “Your Majesty, the Lord of a Thousand Years hasn’t slept all night. Perhaps you should come later.”
“How could he not have slept all night?” Jiang Wan’s knees were actually just a bit sore, but she still pretended to limp as she walked inside, “Has he rested yet?”
“The Lord of a Thousand Years just finished bathing.” Rong Qing paused, “If Your Majesty goes in now, he might take his anger out on you.”
He might as well have written “the Lord of a Thousand Years is unhappy” on his face—how could Jiang Wan not see it? She smiled appreciatively, “Rong Qing, you’re actually quite a good person.”
Having followed Xie Changlin for so long, his heart hadn’t turned black—truly not easy.
Rong Qing was taken aback, lowering his head with some trepidation.
Jiang Wan, still holding onto the idea that since she’d already come, she shouldn’t leave empty-handed, chose to face the difficulty head-on.
But before she could walk upstairs, Xie Changlin had already come down. His gaze lightly swept past her as he instructed Xin Chang, “Tell Cheng Xi to go to the Western Depot, clear out the people, and come back to receive punishment.”
“Yes.”
Jiang Wan pretended not to have heard anything and smiled, “Is Your Eminence going out?”
Xie Changlin glanced at her knees, “What is Your Majesty running around blindly for?”
Jiang Wan pouted aggrievedly, “Does Your Eminence not miss me? Look, even with my legs injured, I hurried over here, only to be met with Your Eminence’s cold stare. I might as well leave.”
Rong Qing: “……” He hadn’t heard anything.
Xie Changlin frowned, quietly watching her act.
Jiang Wan hadn’t taken two steps before her knees went weak, and she only managed to stand steady with Qiaoqiao’s support.
She turned back with teary eyes, “Your Eminence, it hurts…”
Rong Qing: Wasn’t it said that Your Eminence was a miraculous cure?
He felt he could no longer stay here and discreetly withdrew, even shooing away the servants working nearby to clear the space for this little Empress to do as she pleased.
Jiang Wan had to praise him for being perceptive!
Then she stretched out both hands, looking sincere, “Your Eminence, carry me!”
Qiaoqiao was truly afraid they’d be kicked flying the next second, secretly clutching Jiang Wan’s clothes tightly, her little face pale.
Unexpectedly, Xie Changlin actually leaned forward slightly and effortlessly scooped Jiang Wan up into his arms.
Even Jiang Wan herself was startled, but she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, her face flushing and heart racing, nearly forgetting to breathe until a pleasant, cool, faint fragrance reached the tip of her nose.
It made her feel even more euphoric.
Xie Changlin lowered his gaze, his eyes showing no ripple of emotion, “And then? What else does Your Majesty want this servant to do?”
Jiang Wan’s mind went blank. Looking at the handsome face so close, her cheeks burned hot, “Today… I haven’t… haven’t applied the medicine yet…”
As soon as she finished speaking, the person holding her walked steadily upstairs, placed her on the couch, and had someone bring the ointment.
Although Xie Changlin wore the deadpan expression of someone completing a task, these actions already made Jiang Wan feel she had gained something.
A proper first physical contact!
She would record it in the annals of history!
Her skirt was lifted, revealing knees still bruised and discolored, starkly conspicuous against the fair skin.
“Truly a delicate, precious person.”
Jiang Wan didn’t respond, only stared at him unblinkingly.
Her eyes sparkled brilliantly.
Xie Changlin washed his hands and then crouched before her, gently lifting her delicate foot. With his long, clean fingers, he applied the ointment with just the right amount of pressure.
The crane embroidered on his sleeve seemed to come alive with his movements, adding an extra touch of elegance to the scene.
Rong Qing stood nearby, holding a tray. When the Lord of a Thousand Years lifted the hem of her skirt, he turned aside, not daring to look, yet still worrying whether his head would remain on his shoulders.
But it had been hundreds of years since the Lord of a Thousand Years had last performed such a service for anyone, ever since his second year in the palace. Rong Qing truly felt he was witnessing something extraordinary.
The sensation on her knee made Jiang Wan unable to hold back a smile, her eyes curving like crescent moons, her voice sweet as honey.
“Your Eminence’s technique is truly excellent.”