Since they were heading to the West Garden to go horseback riding, the maids helped Yirong style her hair into a simple updo the next morning. They secured it with a single red-gold hairpin and added no other jewelry.
Yet she was so beautiful that whether she wore an elaborate high bun and ornate attire in the past, dressed casually at home, or appeared in this simple and neat style now, she always looked vividly spirited.
The Emperor couldn’t help stealing a few extra glances. When he finally looked away, however, he spotted one of the Imperial Guards staring boldly at Yirong’s face.
At that moment, Yirong was quietly counting the number of guards accompanying the Emperor.
For an emperor, this was an extremely light escort—only about thirty or forty men in total. She had just begun to withdraw her gaze when it met that of a familiar face.
Yirong froze, unconsciously pursing her lips.
This man was Cui Cheng’s good friend. She had met his wife once, and the two women had hit it off so well that they occasionally went out together or visited each other’s homes. As a result, she had seen the husband several times too.
From afar, she could see deep shock in her acquaintance’s eyes.
The Emperor personally helped Yirong into the carriage before asking, “Do you know him?”
His tone was mild, but it carried a dangerous edge.
Yirong snapped back to her senses. Knowing the Emperor would never tolerate another man staring at her like that, she answered honestly, “He’s a friend of Cui Cheng’s. He’s probably just shocked to see me.”
By explaining clearly, there would be no inconsistencies if the Emperor decided to investigate later. It would be better for everyone that way.
The Emperor caressed her cheek, then turned and lightly rapped on the window. He murmured a few words to Fan Ying, who was waiting outside.
She couldn’t make out what the Emperor said, but she guessed that man would never have another chance to appear before him.
Yirong felt a pang of guilt but desperately reassured herself that it wasn’t her fault.
None of this was her fault.
Her face had gone somewhat pale. The Emperor glanced at her a few times before asking indifferently, “Are you so afraid of what others might say about you?”
Yirong nodded without thinking.
“Once you follow Zhen, no one will dare act impudently toward you while you’re alive.”
Yirong couldn’t help but tug at the corner of her mouth. “And after I’m dead?”
Zheng Yan replied airily, “What does it matter once you’re dead?”
She was a little surprised by his attitude toward life and death, yet she had to admit he had a point.
If she were a proper consort of the Emperor, her name entered into the imperial registry, then even if people gossiped behind her back, no one would dare hurl insults or mockery at the Emperor’s woman to her face.
Take the Cui family’s eldest young madam, for example. Relying on her age and her authority over household affairs, she had bullied Yirong several times. Even when Yirong struck back, she never received a sincere apology. Yet last time, the woman had come with a humble smile, begging forgiveness.
And that was when Yirong had no official status at the Emperor’s side.
As long as she cast aside her self-respect, endured, forgot her past humiliations, and numbed her heart enough to fully submit to the most powerful and influential man in the world—to bask in his favor and share a portion of his authority…
She would gain honor and wealth. She could even manipulate the fates of others as she pleased.
But how could anyone simply cast those things aside?
Yirong mulled it over, then pursed her lips in a smile.
It was the Emperor’s first time taking a carriage to the West Garden. He chatted idly with Yirong along the way.
When she listened intently, her dark eyes with their bright whites fixed on him, a gentle smile playing at her lips.
It was as intoxicating as a spring breeze.
The carriage rolled smoothly onward amid the scent of incense. They chatted the whole way.
Zheng Yan asked, “You truly don’t know how to ride? When you went traveling through mountains and rivers as a child, did your father ride with you?”
Yirong laughed. “A grown daughter avoids her father. It was my mother who took me riding. She said that once I grew a bit taller, she’d buy me a gentle horse and teach me herself.”
She trailed off, but the Emperor understood what had happened afterward. His heart softened.
His palm stroked her cheek as he said in a low voice, “Zhen will teach you.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a muffled thunderclap boomed with a rumble. A gale whipped up sudden sheets of rain, the downpour roaring and drowning out all the sounds of the carriage and horses outside.
The light inside the carriage dimmed.
Yet Yirong clearly saw bewilderment and stunned astonishment crack across the Emperor’s usually cold, handsome features.
She pinched her palm to stifle a laugh.
But she couldn’t hold it in entirely and covered her mouth, coughing several times to mask it.
Fortunately, they soon arrived at the West Garden. Palace servants were waiting with large yellow umbrellas and a sedan chair, which carried the two of them into the resting pavilion.
Yirong’s skirt hem had inevitably gotten a little wet. Palace servants led her away to change. When she returned, she had redone her makeup and hair, a peony bead flower swaying gently at her temple.
She saw the Emperor sitting casually by the incense warmer, drying the damp corner of his robe.
Yirong pretended not to notice and certainly didn’t suggest that he change his clothes too. She sat down a moderate distance from him.
The rain showed no signs of letting up, dark clouds blanketing the sky.
Yirong remarked, “This rain won’t last until evening, will it?”
The Emperor gave a noncommittal hum. “If our luck is bad, we’ll stay here overnight.”
He asked, “Have you ever been to the West Garden before?”
Candles flickered on stands throughout the room, illuminating his face with a faint sheen of moisture.
His brows and eyes were strikingly handsome, his jawline sharp.
As the rain poured down in torrents, Yirong walked to the window. She turned back and shook her head. “No, this is my first time.”
She squinted and spotted several eunuchs dashing through the curtain of rain.
Moments later, Gao Fuliang hurried in to report, “Your Majesty, the Grand Princess of Linchuan’s family was picnicking nearby and wishes to take shelter from the rain here in the West Garden.”
The Emperor smiled faintly.
Whether it was true or not, he hadn’t gone out of his way to conceal this trip. It wasn’t surprising that word had spread, and it hardly counted as spying on the Emperor’s movements. The Grand Princess of Linchuan was his father’s full sister—the only one he had agreed to such a request from.
Yirong smiled. “Your Majesty, shall I retire to the back?”
The Emperor nodded.
She added, “Your Majesty, I promise I won’t come out.”
He gave her a surprised look, as if puzzled by her words. “It won’t be a problem if you stay.”
When she shook her head at once, he smiled faintly. “Do as you like. Once the rain lightens, you can stroll around if you wish.”
Yirong thanked him. As soon as she opened the door, a wave of damp, rainy air rushed in. She walked back to the room where she had changed earlier, under the shelter of a large umbrella held by an eunuch.
The room had been tidied up, filled with a faint, pleasant fragrance and elegantly furnished.
Yirong had her lunch, but the sky remained overcast. Rainy days were perfect for sleeping, so she burrowed under the covers and slept for a long while. When she woke, the rain had eased.
Shuilian helped her up with a grin and served her as she rinsed her mouth. “Eunuch Gao came by. His Majesty said we’d be staying in the West Garden tonight. Since you’re awake now, shall I go invite His Majesty over?”
Yirong frowned. “Where is His Majesty at the moment?”
“He’s meeting with His Majesty’s uncle and cousin, I think. Though from what Eunuch Gao said, it sounds like His Majesty would come if you asked.”
“No need,” she said. “They’re elders, after all.”
Truth be told, the Emperor had no need to keep the elders company. She was just glad for the peace and quiet.
The Emperor’s servants had delivered plenty of indoor amusements, along with boxes of steaming-hot pastries. Yirong ate her fill of the snacks and grew tired of the pitch-pot game. Seeing that the rain had nearly stopped, she had Shuilian and Xingxiang hold an umbrella and accompany her outside.
The West Garden was an imperial hunting preserve, vast in scope. Xingxiang solemnly warned Yirong not to venture into the woods, which made her burst out laughing.
She wasn’t foolish—she knew there were fenced-in foxes, deer, and other beasts inside.
The three of them chatted and laughed as they walked. At a bend in the path, they encountered another group and slowed their steps.
Several servants clustered around a dignified young woman among the newcomers. She wore a sky-blue ruqun, her hair adorned only with a few gemstone flower hairpins. Her chin was pointed, her features delicate and small. She smiled at Yirong.
The maid holding an umbrella for her cleared her throat. “My young lady is the daughter of the Grand Princess of Linchuan.”
Yirong had seen her a few times at large and small banquets. She remembered that the girl was surnamed Liu, with the given name Zhilan.
Yirong politely curtsied to her. Liu Zhilan accepted the gesture and smiled. “Madam Lu, I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
The two exchanged a few polite words before going their separate ways.
Yirong had no desire to continue strolling and returned to her room.
Liu Zhilan’s gaze had left her deeply uncomfortable.
As a child reading history books, she had come across a story of a certain emperor on his deathbed telling his favored consort, “The Empress will be your mistress from now on.”
Liu Zhilan’s gaze had made it abundantly clear that she already saw herself in that role.
–
Having seen the woman, Liu Zhilan had no wish to wander in the rain any longer and hurried back.
Her mother, the Grand Princess of Linchuan, was sitting on a soft couch, personally brewing tea. She sighed. “You shouldn’t have gone. Who knows if your father and brother will babble nonsense in front of His Majesty. Sigh, if they can’t even utter a single good word, that’ll be even worse…”
“I saw the Lu woman.”
The Grand Princess paused, her clear, slender, dignified face betraying no change in expression.
“Mother, you said it yourself—we have to get rid of her.”
Having spent years in the palace and the capital, the Grand Princess of Linchuan had eyes and ears everywhere. Seeing the anxiety on her daughter’s face, she feigned nonchalance. “What’s the need? The Lu woman is of humble birth, and she’s already been married once. In any case, your cousin hasn’t given her any title. She’ll likely be forgotten soon enough.”
“No!” Liu Zhilan insisted urgently. “We have to get rid of her!”