Hearing Yun Fei’s call, Wen Yunmian paused for a moment and set down the brush in her hand. “What is it?”
Just then, Yun Fei entered, scratching her head in confusion. “A moment ago, this servant heard footsteps from the side room and thought someone was hiding there, sneaking around. But upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a cat.”
She cheerfully placed the sweet cheese that Wen Yunmian usually enjoyed on the table. “Young Mistress, you should try this first. The Phoenix Carriage will be here soon to take you over. After eating this, you’ll be able to face everything calmly.”
Seeing Yun Fei’s innocent expression, Wen Yunmian smiled helplessly. After burning the characters she had just written, she sat down and ate half a bowl of the sweet cheese.
The cool treat made Wen Yunmian feel much more refreshed.
Outside, however, snow was falling. Yun Yang hurried in through the snow and, upon seeing Wen Yunmian eating sweet cheese again, lightly tapped Yun Fei’s head. “You silly girl, why are you indulging the Young Mistress in eating sweet cheese again? On such a cold day, eating too much could upset her stomach.”
Yun Fei pouted, but Wen Yunmian spoke up for her. “I wanted to eat it. Don’t blame her.”
Yun Yang sighed with a helpless smile. “Young Mistress, it’s almost time. You should go outside and wait for the Phoenix Carriage.”
Wen Yunmian acknowledged her words. She had nearly finished the sweet cheese, and it was indeed very cold, chilling her stomach and leaving her fingertips icy. Still, she paid it no mind.
As Yun Yang turned to fetch a cloak, Wen Yunmian pushed aside the heavy curtain and stepped outside. The cold snow mixed with ice crystals rushed toward her face, instantly sharpening her senses.
Seeing Wen Yunmian dressed in such thin clothing, Yun Yang quickly rushed out and draped the cloak over her. “The wind and snow are bitterly cold, Young Mistress. Don’t catch a chill.”
Just then, the Phoenix Carriage arrived outside the Peony Pavilion. Wen Yunmian boarded it, and as the imperial horses moved forward, the bells along the corridor rang out crisply.
When Wen Leyan heard the sound, she found it particularly grating. Especially when the palace maids standing outside whispered, “Yun Guiren truly is favored. Not only did the Emperor personally visit the Peony Pavilion, but whenever His Majesty enters the rear palace, her name plate is chosen. Her future prospects are surely limitless.”
“Who could argue with that? No one in the palace can compare to Yun Guiren. After all, with such a stunning beauty, who wouldn’t cherish her?”
The maids’ words pierced Wen Leyan’s ears like needles. She bit her lip hard, intending to reprimand the two gossips, but Madam Hong stopped her.
“Young Mistress, don’t act impulsively. Her Ladyship the Empress has already promised you today that once His Majesty has some free time in the next couple of days, she will remind him that he has yet to favor you. At this critical moment, it’s best not to cause trouble.”
How could Wen Leyan swallow such anger? Back at home, no one had ever dared to treat her this way, and Lady Meng had raised her to be willful and spoiled.
“The Empress’s words are useless. She’s just a sickly woman. I thought she would help me immediately, but she was only placating me. Tonight, it’s still Wen Yunmian who gets to attend the bedchamber. If you ask me, I might as well seize the opportunity myself.”
Madam Hong sighed. Though she wanted to say that Yun Guiren’s opportunity to attend the bedchamber tonight was due to her own capabilities, she feared further angering Young Mistress Le Yan and thus advised, “In this servant’s opinion, it would be better to have the Marquis speak a few words on your behalf at court. Although the front court and rear palace should not have any overt connections, if the reminder is made subtly, perhaps His Majesty will remember you.”
Wen Leyan was taken aback. This was indeed a good idea. Even if her father merely mentioned that two daughters had entered the palace, it would be enough to make the Emperor recall her.
“Then let it be done as you say. Quickly go and write a letter to Father.”
When Wen Yunmian arrived at Chaoyang Palace, she followed protocol by bathing, then changed into thin sleeping garments and entered the hall to wait.
Chaoyang Palace was even warmer than her Peony Pavilion. Sitting barefoot by the bed, Wen Yunmian’s thoughts swirled.
In her previous life, when she was the Imperial Noble Consort, she had nearly been secretly eliminated by the Emperor’s order using a blood dripper. Only by a stroke of luck and cunning did she survive, later learning by chance that her father had handed over all military power to Zhenguo Gong, and together with Zhenguo Gong, they had plotted rebellion, reaching the brink of forcing the Emperor to abdicate.
Pitifully, she had been kept completely in the dark and almost became a victim of the blood dripper.
By then, Imperial Consort Shu was no longer around, while Wen Yunmian had offspring, and the Houfu was sufficiently obedient. Thus, Zhenguo Gong intended to support her son’s ascension to the throne, then marry his own granddaughter to her son, making her the Empress who would mother the realm.
Just as the grand scheme was about to succeed, the Houfu along with Zhenguo Gongfu were completely annihilated by the Emperor. It was only then that Wen Yunmian realized the Emperor might have begun scheming and laying plans very early on.
Thinking herself doomed by association and not long for this world, she unexpectedly found the Emperor suddenly passing away while ordering the Grand Secretariat to draft an imperial decree. Thus, she narrowly escaped disaster and supported her son’s ascension.
But now fate had long been rewritten. The one with the ability to bear children was Wen Leyan, while she was destined to walk the path of a seductive consort, so all outcomes could be different.
If she did not wish to repeat past mistakes and successfully sit in the position of Imperial Noble Consort again, she must make the Emperor believe that she and the Houfu were not of one mind. Even if she had to pretend, she must pretend.
Faint footsteps suddenly pulled Wen Yunmian back from her thoughts. An idea struck her, and she pinched her thigh hard, tears instantly welling up in her eyes.
When Jun Chenyu entered, Wen Yunmian was standing by the window, her figure slender and frail, as if a gust of wind could blow her over, delicate and pitiable.
“Does Yun Guiren have something on her mind?” A cold, probing voice sounded from behind. Jun Chenyu’s tall, straight back blocked the light, his broad arms encircling her entire person in his embrace.
Wen Yunmian snapped back to reality, her performance beginning.
Her eyes reddened, tears falling brilliantly, her lychee-like, dewy eyes reflecting hurt and helplessness into Jun Chenyu’s phoenix eyes.
“Your Majesty…” she called out plaintively, then turned in his embrace, tightly wrapping her arms around his waist, pressing her face against his chest, softly sobbing.
Jun Chenyu’s mind wavered. In the flickering light and shadow, his high-bridged nose almost seemed to cut the light, his narrow eyes revealing no emotion.
His slightly rough palm stroked her dark, smooth hair. “Who has bullied Zhen’s Guiren, causing such a beauty to shed tears?”
Wen Yunmian looked up, tears streaking both cheeks. Jun Chenyu wiped them away for her. “Tell Zhen, and Zhen will uphold justice for you.”
“Your Majesty, this Concubine misses home so much.”
Jun Chenyu’s cold, sharp eyes darkened slightly, having initially thought she would bring up the matter of Imperial Consort Shu.
“Oh? So my beloved consort holds deep affection for the Houfu.”
Wen Yunmian bit her lip, her slender neck and shoulders trembling slightly from her tears.
Instead of answering Jun Chenyu’s words, she asked softly like an injured kitten, “Zhen is Mian’er’s pillar of support. Could Zhen protect Mian’er forever…”
Pillar of support? Jun Chenyu stared at the woman in his arms, whose tears had soaked a patch of his robe, and suddenly thought, what could such a timid woman possibly accomplish? Had he been overly cautious?
“Since you are Zhen’s woman, Zhen will naturally protect you.”