Chapter 46: Clingy

In her previous life, Han Shuwei had entered the palace in a haze because the Emperor had misspoken, and from then on was swept unwillingly into the intrigues of the harem, living each day as if walking on thin ice. In this life, she was determined to do everything in her power to protect herself and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Although the relationship between Liu Chuyan and Xue Tan was not close enough for her to ask for help lightly—indeed, she was less familiar with him than with Xue Ao—at this moment, she had no other choice.

Xue Tan also understood that if Han Shuwei entered the palace, her life would be ruined. Besides, Han Shuwei was a close friend of Huai Jin and Huai Yu; now that Liu Chuyan was pleading with him, he could not stand by idly. He nodded slightly and helped Liu Chuyan to her feet.

Liu Chuyan was terrified the Emperor might take notice of her again, so she hid behind Xue Tan. With such a dazzling gentleman standing before her, surely she would not catch the Emperor’s eye.

As expected, the Emperor did not look at her, but stared at Xue Tan, seemingly perplexed by his actions. Xue Tan, like the Emperor, had never shown interest in women. Yet today he was so attentive to Liu Chuyan—even more so than he ever was to Huai Jin and Huai Yu. Though it was only a few gestures and glances, those who knew him could easily tell.

Such a noble man should not be sullied by an ordinary woman, lest his noble air be diminished. Though that Miss Liu was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen—her delicate face, fine brows, and light makeup, with a jade hairpin set askew atop her head, clearly still a child, yet possessed a tender charm unmatched by ordinary girls, so lovely and pitiful—it seemed, in some ways, a fitting match. After all, such beauty is rare; these two, together, could almost be framed as a masterpiece.

At first, the Emperor looked only at Xue Tan, but then his gaze lingered on Liu Chuyan, and he fell into deep thought. The Emperor’s intentions were hard to predict, and even more so as he was ignorant of etiquette and law. Liu Chuyan grew nervous, gripping the armrest of the wheelchair; even Xue Tan could sense her fear.

“Your Majesty, this fourth daughter of the Han family is reckless and unfit for the honor of the royal household, much less the harem. Moreover, she saved your servant, not Your Majesty, and does not deserve such favor. A minor female official would suffice; Your Majesty must have mistaken her for a Talented Lady.” Xue Tan’s words were cool and clear, his expression unreadable, but he deftly redirected the Emperor’s attention.

The Emperor’s face froze; he knew nothing of harem ranks, only the Four Consorts and Nine Concubines, and had thought a Talented Lady was some sort of female official. Hearing Xue Tan’s words, he realized he had rewarded incorrectly and coughed awkwardly: “I thought Talented Lady meant someone talented—so it isn’t an official? I was mistaken. Then, Xue Qing, what do you suggest as a reward?”

“Just grant her some gold and jewels; that’s enough,” came Prince Xin’s interjection, “Elder Brother, it was only a dead cat—she was frightened out of her wits, hardly fit for a female official. Better to give her some treasures instead.”

The Virtuous Consort, hearing Prince Xin’s words, quickly ordered the dead cat to be taken away and disposed of, and had Lady Li escorted out as well. Rong Mingxiu, sensing the situation, quietly followed.

The Emperor glanced at Han Shuwei; sure enough, her lips pressed tighter, sweat beaded on her brow, and she trembled violently—clearly terrified. Once the cat was removed, her complexion calmed somewhat.

“Very well, grant her some jewels. Nurse, I leave it to you,” the Emperor said, taking the opportunity to delegate the task to Lady Fengxian.

Liu Chuyan breathed a quiet sigh of relief; indeed, Xue Tan was the one who could most influence the Emperor’s will.

Lady Fengxian had initially thought the Emperor favored Han Shuwei and felt comforted, but Xue Tan’s words had spoiled everything. Now, as the Emperor’s attention shifted from Han Shuwei to Liu Chuyan, she wondered if he had taken an interest in Liu Chuyan instead.

This could be a great boon. Since ordinary women failed to win the Emperor’s favor—and in fact, he was unusually averse—the Emperor remained without heirs. If he truly fancied Liu Chuyan, Lady Fengxian must help bring her to him, setting aside ceremony for the sake of securing a royal descendant. Otherwise, with Prince Hui’s influence growing, and the Emperor both childless and ineffective, and his health uncertain, who knows when the throne might change hands. If Liu Chuyan won the Emperor’s affection and bore a son, she might even become Empress or Dowager Empress.

“Your Majesty…” Lady Fengxian stepped forward, her face gentle and kind.

“Mm—” Suddenly, Liu Chuyan let out a soft cry, staggered a few steps, and collapsed into Xue Tan’s arms.

“What—?” The Emperor was about to speak when Lady Fengxian began, but after only two words, Liu Chuyan cried out in pain and fell—what did this mean?

Anyone with a discerning eye could see Liu Chuyan was clinging to the Duke of Xin to avoid calamity.

Lady Fengxian’s expression darkened. “Miss Liu, men and women should not be so familiar—you and the Duke of Xin, what does this look like?”

Suddenly enveloped in warmth and softness, Xue Tan was startled, but Liu Chuyan’s hand, hidden beneath her sleeve, gripped his wrist tightly. Others could not see it, but he felt her terror clearly—she was so frightened she might burst into tears.

“Is it a stomachache?” Xue Tan did not push her away; instead, he gently patted her back, holding her wrist, his expression tender and voice soft as spring rain. “Seems you’ve eaten something bad. Did you drink cold water this morning when you got up?”

Liu Chuyan truly had been frightened; the Emperor stared at her, his intent unclear, while Lady Fengxian’s eyes brimmed with calculation. She had come to the palace out of necessity and could not afford to be entangled here. Xue Tan had helped Han Shuwei; now she owed him a favor, and there was no way to repay it. In any case, damaging her reputation was preferable to being trapped in the harem. Reputation could be restored, rumors suppressed, but entering the harem meant ruin. So, heedless of anything else, she collapsed into Xue Tan’s arms, truly relying on him.

Fortunately, Xue Tan helped her.

Hearing his gentle words, Liu Chuyan was even more grateful, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Yes, I was thirsty this morning and hastily drank cold tea from the night before.”

“There you have it. Women are prone to cold ailments. Usually it’s nothing, but now that autumn’s come, a chilled stomach can cause pain. And you drank overnight tea; you must take care.”

The two, ignoring propriety, conversed like patient and physician before the crowd.

Lady Fengxian was furious, but powerless; the Emperor was stunned into silence, and the others pretended not to see.

“There, don’t cry. I’ve learned much from being chronically ill; I know a thing or two. I’ll write a prescription later—have the servants prepare the medicine for you.” Xue Tan said, wiping her tears.

“Thank you, Duke of Xin.” Liu Chuyan slowly rose from his embrace, but twisted her ankle and fell back down.

“Miss Liu?” Luckily, Xue Tan reacted quickly and caught her, though his composure faltered. “Did you hurt yourself?”

“I’m fine.” Liu Chuyan finally stood, but hissed as she turned her wrist.

Xue Tan had heard her hit the wheelchair earlier and instinctively took her hand. Seeing the pale skin reddened, he couldn’t help but gently stroke it, full of concern.

“Duke of Xin…” Liu Chuyan was stunned; she had been deliberate, but was Xue Tan intentional as well? Yet his expression was not feigned.

Prince Xin had come to watch for Xue Ao’s sake, ready to help if Xue Tan failed, but hadn’t expected such a scene. Was there no hope for his master? If his master saw them flirting openly, he’d surely go mad.

Everyone present was dumbfounded. Liu Chuyan and the Duke of Xin… already had a secret affair?

Lady Fengxian was the first to regain her composure; she wanted to call for the imperial physician, but could not embarrass the Duke of Xin publicly, nor the Emperor. She merely clicked her tongue. “Miss Liu, you…”

Xue Tan interrupted her, looking up at the Emperor. “Your Majesty, Miss Liu’s stomach pains persist, and she’s just fallen. Allow me to take her to rest.”

“Very well, do as you wish.” The Emperor, stunned, simply nodded.

Han Shujing nudged Songling and Qinghe. “Go quickly, help Cousin Liu walk.”

The two hurried forward to support Liu Chuyan.

“Now that Miss Liu is cared for, Xue Qing, let’s be off,” someone said.

Seeing Lady Fengxian’s displeasure—her face bruised by their actions—Xue Tan apologized, “I see Miss Liu is unwell and must write her a prescription at once. She’s staying with the Virtuous Consort; Your Majesty, why not accompany me to Dragon Virtue Palace? I heard there is a green sandalwood root carving there, most exquisite and rare; Your Majesty might enjoy it.”

“Green sandalwood root carving?” The Emperor’s interest was piqued, and he clapped his hands with a smile. “That is indeed a fine thing—let’s go together.”

The Virtuous Consort, hearing this, smiled quietly and hurriedly sent servants ahead to prepare.

Lady Fengxian knew she could not compete with the Emperor’s interest in wood carvings, nor with a word from Xue Tan, so she left, gritting her teeth and glaring at Liu Chuyan: Next time, I’ll deal with you.

Liu Chuyan had no time to worry about any of this; she bit her lip tightly, allowing Songling and Qinghe to escort her to Dragon Virtue Palace. She saw Lady Fengxian’s expression and knew she must leave the palace as soon as possible.

“Cousin, thank you so much today. If not for you, I might have…” Han Shuwei began to express her gratitude.

“Hush—” Han Shujing quickly covered her mouth, fearing eavesdroppers.

Inside the room, palace maids came and went. Liu Chuyan lay on the bed, still feigning illness, muttering a few sounds without replying. Only when the maids had left did she gently squeeze Han Shujing’s hand, lowering her voice, “Cousin, we must find a way out of the palace. Even staying here a moment longer makes me uneasy. And you need to settle matters with Master Zhou soon—Lady Li will not give up easily, and Yongkang Marquis’s family is not easy to deal with.”

“I understand.” Han Shujing whispered, “But the Virtuous Consort hasn’t mentioned it, and the Duke of Xin can’t say anything. Our sister-in-law has gone with Lady Li to the side hall; as younger sisters, we can’t leave her behind. Returning home will take careful planning.”

“All right.” Liu Chuyan agreed reluctantly, her mind racing but unable to find a solution.

“Perhaps we could say Grandmother is ill, and we must return to care for her. The Virtuous Consort wouldn’t keep us from being dutiful granddaughters.”

“How could you say that? Cursing Grandmother with illness!” Liu Chuyan immediately shut her down, slapping her hand.

“But…” Han Shuwei tried to argue, but a maid entered with medicine, and the three fell silent.

Liu Chuyan drank the medicine and leaned softly against the headboard, frowning in thought.

Once Lady Fengxian was distracted elsewhere and no longer paid attention to Dragon Virtue Palace, Xue Tan left with the Emperor, leaving Xue Zhu behind for errands. Liu Chuyan and the others could not bring their own servants into the palace, so having a page was convenient and they did not refuse.

Han Shujing smiled meaningfully. “Chuyan, this Duke of Xin is…”

“Cousin!” Liu Chuyan cut her off at once. “Cousin, you know why. Let others gossip if they must, but you mustn’t…”

“All right, all right, I understand,” Han Shujing laughed, “I won’t say another word. But you’re almost of age; you must pay attention to these matters.”

Liu Chuyan responded absent-mindedly, not really listening, preoccupied with today’s events. By tomorrow, rumors would sweep the city—what could she do? But at least Han Shuwei had avoided her fate in the palace, and she herself had escaped disaster. She should be content. As for the rest, she would take things one step at a time. If all else failed, she could always cut her hair and become a nun.

The three dared not go out and attract attention, so they stayed quietly in the room, chatting idly. The Virtuous Consort came by a few times, saw Liu Chuyan lying weakly and said nothing, then left to “instruct” Lady Li.

Lady Li, fallen from grace, was furious but dared not defy the Virtuous Consort, venting her anger at Rong Mingxiu instead.

Rong Mingxiu, unable to endure it, went to Liu Chuyan’s room. She and Liu Chuyan had never gotten along, but today she was dispirited, her arrogance diminished, and spoke softly. After all, her sister was in trouble while Liu Chuyan had the Duke of Xin’s support; she dared not bully her.

Her arrival made the room’s atmosphere cold; the girls sat staring, only occasionally exchanging trivial words.

Towards evening, someone from the Han household arrived, saying the Old Madam’s headaches had worsened, more severe than ever, and requested the young ladies return at once. Han’s eldest son was waiting at the palace gate.

The Virtuous Consort, unable to keep them, consulted Lady Fengxian and sent them off.

Even though the Old Madam’s illness might not be real, Liu Chuyan felt as if a thousand weights had been lifted from her heart, immediately relieved, and hurried to pack and leave the palace.

To her surprise, when they reached the palace gate, it was not Han Zhen waiting, but Xue Ao. The black-maned horse pawed the ground, flicked its tail, and snorted loudly, but none could match the sour expression of its rider.

Author’s note: Ah, the male lead, a match made in heaven with his horse, is back to “act cute,” ~(≧▽≦)/~ lalala~

Over 4,000 words updated today! I want flowers, or tomorrow I’ll only update 3,000 words, ╭(╯^╰)╮

Also: “Lingren” is a third-rank female official.