Chapter 6, An Unexpected Encounter in the Garden

Wang Qingjun felt her ears burning, and she pursed her lips in silence

Upon seeing her new mistress, Wang Qingjun, Mo Momo immediately knelt down, took out the jewelry she had originally received from Wang Qingjun, and held it in her hands, saying: "I deserve to die; I have failed to accomplish my task and do not dare to accept the noble person's reward without merit"

Wang Qingjun was taken aback, wondering if Chen Wen'an were a middle-aged lecherous man, would she still behave that way? Surely, she would hesitate

Wang Qingjun also smiled at the grapes and said, "Go play! Just don't wander too far, come back in a little while."

Eunuch Zeng said to Wang Qingjun after she received the imperial edict, "The Xiangyun Hall is located in a remote area and has always been the residence of talented young women. Now that you have received the imperial edict, I kindly request that you move to the Yujie Hall. It is not far from the Sanqing Hall, making it more convenient for the Emperor to summon you."

Wang Qingjun noticed that Mo Momo was not merely flattering her, and after some consideration, she gave a knowing glance to Putao. Understanding the cue, Putao went to stand guard at the door of the chamber

His Royal Highness Tang Tianzhi wishes to see me? I heard from Granny Mo that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it is likely that Tang Tianzhi will succeed to the throne. Since he wants to see me, I cannot refuse. Wang Qingjun thought to herself and then proceeded forward with Xu Zhimin.

After listening to a lengthy discourse from Granny Mo, Wang Qingjun gained a general understanding of the situation within the palace, and her heart felt somewhat more at ease

Wang Qingjun wanted to resist, but upon recalling something, she lowered her hands again. The last time she faced a life-and-death situation, driven by the instinct to survive, she had no choice but to commit such a reckless act, and afterwards, she did not even dare to think back on it. Now, suddenly being embraced by Chen Wen'an and placed among the flowers, she knew what was about to happen, yet she found herself unable to cooperate, remaining stiff in her body.

Xu Zhimin noticed that Wang Qingjun's cheeks were slightly flushed, and her eyes resembled autumn waters, truly a beauty. Feeling somewhat satisfied, he thought that if His Highness were to take action to pursue her, it would require a person of exceptional appearance. Therefore, he spoke in a gentle and courteous manner: "Noble one, do not be alarmed, I am a person close to His Highness. His Highness wishes to meet you, please come this way!"

Upon hearing this, the grape complied and followed a few palace maids to the other side

"Mamma, wake up quickly. This is a reward for you, so keep it well." Wang Qingjun assessed Mamma Mo, noticing that she was in her early forties. Her expression was not as gloomy as that of other mammies, but rather had a sense of openness. Remembering how she had advised her to consider leaving the palace on the Qiqiao Festival and had not taken the opportunity to scheme for all her jewelry, it was impossible not to feel a sense of goodwill.

Chen Wen'an said with a smile that seemed not quite a smile: "What kind of place is the palace? How can one not be cautious everywhere?"

Chen Wen'an quickly assessed the situation; the emperor's days were numbered. However, he did not issue an edict. Once he passed away, if the princes fought for the throne, the one with the strongest fist would prevail. The current situation, however, was most favorable for Tang Tianzhi.

"Indeed, the bystander sees clearly," Tang Tianzhi murmured to himself, and soon raised his eyes to say, "Alright, I agree to your request." As he spoke, he took a jade fish egg from his waist and handed it to Wang Qingjun, saying, "This jade fish egg bears the mark of the Wang residence, serving as a token."

Chen Wen'an lightly struck his left palm with his right hand, producing a soft "pa" sound, and then raised his eyebrows to say: "Doctor Wu is renowned for his composure, rarely showing his emotions. Since his fingers are trembling, it seems that..."

Chen Wen'an crossed his arms, glanced around to confirm that no one was present, and said, "Who is currently responsible for diagnosing and prescribing medicine?"

Chen Wen'an's expression changed, and he fixed his gaze firmly on Old Man Fei, after a long pause he said: "Where did you hear this?"

Wang Qingjun sighed and raised her eyes, saying: "What do you intend to do?"

Lady Li naturally knew that on the day of the Qiqiao Festival, ten Qiqiao maidens were summoned, nine of whom perished, leaving only Wang Qingjun. Upon hearing Wang Qingjun's words, she realized that the latter was still in fear, so she patted her hand and comforted her, saying: "That is their misfortune, and no one can be blamed for it"

Several palace maids, upon hearing this, could not help but feel overjoyed. After expressing their gratitude, they began to leave. Two of them walked a few steps, noticed that Putao was standing still, and turned back to pull her along, laughing, "The master has instructed us to relax, why are you still standing there?"

I entered the palace at the age of fifteen, and it has been twenty-five years since then. I remember when I first entered the palace, the current emperor was still the crown prince... Mo Momo reminisced about the past with a sense of nostalgia

"Hmph!" Wang Qingjun was just relieved to have escaped a calamity, but upon hearing those words, she broke into tears of laughter, wiping her tears and saying, "Does being handsome mean one can act recklessly?"

Chen Wen'an pondered for a moment before leaving

Master Siye, I have been out for a while now and am afraid of raising suspicion, so I must return. I will take my leave for now

On the morning of the second day, Master Zeng led the eunuchs, carrying the imperial edict for the noble consort to the Xiangyun Hall. After reading it aloud, he repeatedly congratulated her, saying, "The noble consort is blessed with profound fortune; it is truly rare to receive such honor upon entering the palace."

"I am dead now, and you gain nothing from it. If I do not die, I might still be able to provide some benefit to you in the future." Wang Qingjun quickly clarified, "Even Fei Gonggong is one of your people; I will not be foolish enough to seek refuge with the Crown Prince."

Chang Guiren and Wang Qingjun were conversing, gradually becoming more familiar with each other. Unable to contain her curiosity, she quietly asked, "Did you really succeed in serving the Emperor in bed?" Since the Emperor fell ill, he has been unable to consort with women, which is no longer a secret. Why was Wang Qingjun able to succeed in serving him?

Chang Guiren was also aware of his gaffe, feeling somewhat awkward. He stood up and said, "Please make yourselves comfortable, I will take a stroll and return shortly"

Chen Wen'an's expression turned serious as he said: "Of course, being handsome allows for some leeway. If I weren't handsome, would you have acted so recklessly last time on the dragon bed?"

Wang Qingjun still lowered her head and said softly, "I was just reminded of the few sisters who entered the palace with me that day! They were unsuccessful in serving the emperor and were all carried out."

Chen Wen'an placed Wang Qingjun on the ground, and upon peering through the gaps in the flowers, he found this place to be indeed concealed, which made him somewhat satisfied. He gently asked, "Does it still hurt?" As he spoke, his fingers lightly brushed against the circumference of Wang Qingjun's thigh.

Wang Qingjun scoffed coldly in her heart; that old emperor was a dying man. Even if he were to bestow upon her the titles of consort or concubine, it would not be long before she became a widow. What joy could there be in that? Moreover, with her father, brothers, and mother already deceased, she could not enjoy any blessings for herself. What fortune could there be? If it were not for her own vigilance, she would have long since turned to ashes. What glory could there be?

Those in power are often confused, while bystanders see clearly. Wang Qingjun nodded and said: If the Emperor wanted to establish the Third Prince as the Crown Prince, he would have done so long ago. The truth is that he does not wish to establish the Third Prince, but rather favors the Eldest Prince. However, he is wary of the Empress's influence and the Chen family's impact on the court, which is why he has delayed issuing the edict.

Wang Qingjun squatted until her feet went numb, yet she did not dare to move at all. Upon hearing Chen Wen'an's mutterings, she became even more hesitant to stir.

Tang Tianzhi was somewhat surprised to hear Wang Qingjun say such words and asked, "Does Your Excellency know the reason?"

Wang Qingjun stayed in the area, murmuring: "How cunning this is"

"Did the Emperor say this to you?" Tang Tianzhi was taken aback, but quickly suppressed his emotions and asked in a low voice, "Did the Emperor send you to see me?"

"Master Fei, how has His Majesty's condition been these past two days?" Chen Wen'an and the eunuch stood not far from the flower bushes, speaking only after turning their backs to Wang Qingjun.

Upon hearing the words of Lady Chang, Wang Qingjun's charming face flushed with a rosy hue, and she lowered her head in silence

Chen Wen'an nodded slightly, watching as Duke Fei walked away. He paced around the flower bushes and murmured to himself: "I must eliminate Tang Tianzhi before the Emperor passes away. Once Tang Tianzhi is dead, the Emperor, for the sake of the greater good, will not conduct a thorough investigation; he will only hastily establish an heir to stabilize public sentiment. At that time, the Third Prince will be able to ascend the throne with legitimacy."

Walking in front, with an upright posture, eyebrows like bamboo leaves, and a radiant gaze, who else could it be but the prospective prince consort Chen Wen'an? Following behind Chen Wen'an, however, is a eunuch who had torn her garments before the dragon throne.

Wang Qingjun could no longer care that the ground was covered in mud; she sat down on the ground, rubbing her numb knees, and slowly put on her shoes. After waiting for a while and confirming that Chen Wen'an had not come back to kill her, she finally stood up and emerged from the flower bushes. However, as soon as she looked up, she found herself staring into a pair of bright, shining eyes.

Wang Qingjun suddenly felt a surge of embarrassment and anger, turning her head away and refusing to respond

Fei Gonggong swallowed hard and said softly, "Our family has heard that when a long-sick person suddenly feels better, it is actually not a good sign. I wonder if this saying is true or not"

Chen Wen'an leaned in and said: "Last time on the dragon bed, thinking back on it now, it was indeed enchanting. This time amidst the flowers, how about I let you experience that enchantment as well?"

Wang Qingjun nodded. Granny Mo said that although Sun Shufei is the younger sister of Empress Sun and seems to be doing everything to assist Tang Tianzhi in obtaining the imperial edict, one must not forget that Sun Shufei is also a mother with her own son, Tang Tianning. It is possible that Sun Shufei intends to use Tang Tianzhi to eliminate Empress Chen and Chen Tiangu, and once they are both weakened, she can support her own son, Tang Tianning, in ascending the throne

Wang Qingjun was dejected, sighing, as a good path had come to an end like this. She knew she could not conceal what had just happened, so she had no choice but to speak up, ultimately placing the jade fish roe that Tang Tianzhi had given her into Chen Wen'an's palm

The Emperor is unwilling to take the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician, only consuming the Heart-Strengthening Pills given by Master Qingchen. As Fei Gonggong spoke, he noticed Chen Wen'an frowning, seemingly dissatisfied with his information, and quickly added, "However, yesterday, when I saw Physician Wu finish taking the pulse and leave, although his expression was as usual, his hand holding the medicine box was slightly trembling"

Wang Qingjun shook her head and firmly looked at Tang Tianzhi, saying: "Your Highness, do you think what I said has any merit?"

Madam Mo, well-versed in the affairs of the palace, chuckled and said: "Noble Lady Chang and Noble Lady Li are both under the influence of Consort Sun; it is likely that Consort Sun has sent them to win over the master."

Thank you, Your Excellency! Wang Qingjun hurriedly expressed her gratitude

Wang Qingjun nodded and smiled, saying: "Sisters, please do not leave me behind. I am new to the palace and am not familiar with this place. If there is no one to guide me, I might get lost later."

After speaking for a while, seeing that Lady Chang had not yet returned, Lady Li smiled and said, "Sister, please sit for a moment. I will go see what Lady Chang is doing. I will come back shortly."

Before the words were finished, Xu Zhimin had already approached quickly and whispered, "Your Highness, someone is coming from that direction"

Chen Wen'an nodded and said: "Report everything you said and did after meeting with His Highness the Crown Prince."

Chen Wen'an paused his actions upon hearing Wang Qingjun's sobs. To be honest, the activities on the dragon bed a few days ago were indeed stimulating, but at that time, the situation was sudden and beyond his control. In retrospect, he felt a slight annoyance, especially since Wang Qingjun, a young girl who had just entered the palace, dared to act this way towards him; he felt the need to take revenge. However, seeing Wang Qingjun in such tears now, he found it difficult to be forceful.

Grapes called out to Wang Qingjun. Chang Guiren laughed and said, "You silly girl, are you still worried that your master has no one to serve her? Don't worry, I'm here, and I will definitely serve her well". Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter

Wang Qingjun lightly raised her arm, pinching a bright red flower among the blossoms, extracting its vivid nectar. As the sensation of the sticky juice on her fingers came, her body also felt a similar stickiness, akin to that of the book. Lying on her back, she could see through the gaps in the flowers the blue sky with a few clouds drifting freely. In a moment, her eyes became moist, and she began to sob softly

Three people arrived at the Imperial Garden, entered the flower-viewing pavilion, where palace maids brought a basket, arranged fruits and pastries, and served tea before gracefully withdrawing.

Li Guiren gradually moved away. Wang Qingjun looked around, stepped down from the flower viewing pavilion, turned around the flower bushes, lightly raised her arm, picked a flower, and walked to the side of the pond. Facing the clear ripples of the water, she pinned the flower to her hair, looking left and right. Just as she was admiring herself, she suddenly noticed another shadow in the pond, which startled her. She raised her head and took a step back, asking, "Who are you?"

As Lady Chang walked away, Lady Li gently said, "Lady Chang is straightforward and speaks her mind; do not take it to heart, sister."

Chen Wen'an saw Wang Qingjun crying more and more intensely, so he had no choice but to roll off her and adjust his clothes, softly saying: "It's not a big deal, why are you crying? Given my handsome appearance, shouldn't you be secretly pleased?"

Chen Wen'an extended his hand, playfully lifting Wang Qingjun's dark hair, and chuckled softly, "Of course, if you are too unattractive, no amount of spring pills I take would make me willing."

Tang Tianzhi saw Wang Qingjun arriving and made a gesture of invitation. Once Wang Qingjun stepped into the pavilion and sat on the stone bench, he got straight to the point and said: "You must know the purpose of my visit, esteemed one"

"How long has the old lady been in the palace?" Wang Qingjun asked slowly

Lady Li stood up and walked outside. After taking a few steps, she turned back with a smile and said: "If you cannot wait for us to return, you may also summon a few nearby eunuchs to escort you out of the garden and back to the palace."

When Chang Guiren saw several palace maids standing outside the pavilion, she compassionately instructed, "We can chat casually without needing anyone to serve us. If you wish to play, feel free to do so nearby."

Madam Mo noticed that Wang Qingjun did not seem to harbor any resentment, and she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. She quickly expressed her gratitude, put away the jewelry, and stood up to comb Wang Qingjun's hair

Wang Qingjun quietly left the pavilion and returned along the original path. The Imperial Garden was vast, and for some reason, after turning around a few times, she could not find the original flower-viewing pavilion, nor did she see a single person. With no other choice, she had to look around for a place to sit and wait for the grape to bring someone to find her. Suddenly, she felt a slight pain in her foot, as if sand had gotten into her shoe, so she hid under a bush of flowers, crouched down, took off her shoes, and shook them. Before she could put her shoes back on, she heard footsteps approaching from this direction. In a hurry, she peeked through the gaps in the flowers, and upon looking, she was momentarily stunned.

A pair of men and women each have their own thoughts, yet both possess youthful bodies and handsome faces. Amidst the flowers, the fragrance wafts gently, and in this disheveled attire, their embraces and touches evoke a distinctly stimulating sensation

After Wang Qingjun moved to the Jade Steps Palace, the palace arranged various furnishings and maidservants for her according to her noble rank. Due to the illness of a hairdresser, no one was available to take her place immediately, and it was not until the next day that another hairdresser was dispatched. Interestingly, the hairdresser assigned to Wang Qingjun was the same Mo Mama who had helped her with her eyebrows and nails on the day of the Qiqiao Festival.

Tang Tianzhi simply focused for a moment and nodded, saying: "Indeed, there is some truth to that"

Chen Wen'an leaned down and kissed Wang Qingjun on the lips, then released her, slipped out of the flower bushes, and turned to leave

Xu Zhimin smiled gently, leading Wang Qingjun along a narrow path, carefully stepping aside the gravel on the path as she walked, and softly said: "Please be careful and walk slowly, esteemed guest"

After passing through a narrow path, they arrived at a secluded pavilion. Wang Qingjun saw a young man in a brocade robe sitting in the pavilion, with a pair of sword-like eyebrows and a nose resembling a suspended gallbladder. His appearance bore some resemblance to Tang Ruolong, and she realized that this was the Crown Prince Tang Tianzhi.

Lady Chang and Lady Li came to invite Wang Qingjun to stroll together in the Imperial Garden

Chen Wen'an picked up the jade fish roe and examined it before tucking it into his bosom. Suddenly, he extended his foot to hook around Wang Qingjun's knee. As she bent her leg, he swiftly wrapped his arms around her waist like lightning and pulled her into the flower bushes

Elder Fei respectfully replied: "Since that day when Noble Consort Wang successfully attended to the Emperor's bedchamber, His Majesty has been greatly pleased, and he has slept well that night. Over the past two days, his spirit seems to have improved significantly"

Due to Wang Qingjun's hasty promotion to the palace, she originally did not bring much with her and had no need to pack anything. She quickly arrived at the Yujie Hall accompanied by Eunuch Zeng.

Lady Li, sensing the awkward atmosphere, hurriedly tried to ease the situation and smiled, saying: "Sister, with your stunning beauty, it is only natural that the Emperor would be captivated; what is so strange about that?"

Fei Gonggong did not shy away from Chen Wen'an's gaze and replied: "It is what I heard from a eunuch who once served the late Emperor."

As they were speaking, Ren Bao Chang and Li Gui Ren arrived

However, do not forget that Tang Tianzhi has managed to survive until now amidst the various schemes of Empress Chen, and he should not be underestimated. If one wishes to preserve their life, there is no need to collaborate with dark women of the palace like Empress Chen and Consort Sun; rather, one might consider cooperating with Tang Tianzhi.

Seeing Xu Zhimin retreating far away, Wang Qingjun then said: "Your Highness, have you ever considered why the Emperor has been delaying the establishment of the Crown Prince?"

Since Your Highness believes that what I said makes sense, would Your Highness be willing to cooperate with me? Wang Qingjun said softly, I am merely a minor noble and cannot influence the Emperor's decisions, but if I can meet the Emperor and discern His will, I can find a way to inform Your Highness. Regardless of whether Your Highness can ascend to the throne afterwards, as long as Your Highness is alive, you must ensure my safety.

Wang Qingjun was indeed interested in familiarizing herself with the people in the palace and inquiring about certain matters within it. Upon hearing their intentions, she naturally agreed with pleasure

Chen Wen'an, upon hearing Wang Qingjun's words, gazed at her deeply for a moment, hesitated slightly, and then said: "Give me a reason not to kill you"