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The Empress’s Scheme (1)
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Shen Lan Chi arrived in Cien Palace and greeted Empress Shen.
Empress Shen was full of smiles, just like in the past, using good tea and desserts to treat her, also wanting to bestow some exquisite accessories and expensive fabric. It was still the Liu mama by Empress Shen’s side that was attentive, hurriedly whispering by the empress’s ear, “Your Highness, afraid you must have remembered wrong. Miss Lan at present doesn’t like these things anymore.”
Empress Shen finally recalled that this niece of hers has already changed her past preferences, now just liking to dress in a clean and simple manner.
“Then, just bestow some……” Empress Shen’s words got stuck in her throat. In the moment, she really was unable to think of what she should bestow down and could only look towards her trusted confidant, Liu mama. Fortunately, Liu mama was still clever, immediately saying, “Those rare scrolls and limited-copy books that your Highness had specially prepared for Miss Lan previously, we forgot to send to the An Duke Manor last time. Now, can let Miss Lan take back home with her.”
“Ah, precisely.” Empress Shen casted a look of approval towards Liu mama, saying, “Lan Chi, remember to take them back home. Paternal aunt has always doted on you. What you like, paternal aunt has all taken to heart.”
At night, when it was time to rest, the empress ordered the eunuch to lead Shen Lan Chi to Xiwu Pavilion that was next to Cien Palace to rest.
Shen Lan Chi in the past just stayed in Cien Palace’s side hall. That place also had her usual clothes, pillows, and mattress prepared. This time, Empress Shen unexpectedly let her rest in Xiwu Pavilion, which she more or less found somewhat strange.
This Xiwu Pavilion was somewhat remote, very rarely having people go there. Normally, it was just used as a place to read or nap. Moreover, it was also near the Eastern Palace.
The eunuch of Cien Palace, Sun Fu Lin, held a lantern as he led the way in front, very quickly arriving before Xiwu Pavilion. The air was cold, the night dense, the cold wind directly giving people goosebumps. Between the half-opened scarlet red doors of Xiwu Pavilion, a bit of warmth seeped out, as if urging one to enter.
“Eunuch Sun, why am I resting here tonight?” Shen Lan Chi asked.
“Miss may not know,” Sun Fu Lin’s fingers that were holding the lantern slightly curled, his voice sharp, “Cien Palace’s side hall’s underground furnace somewhat doesn’t work well. Her Highness fears that miss will get cold at night, thus specially ordered us to have Xiwu Pavilion tidied up.”
Shen Lan Chi nodded and said, “Paternal aunt really is considerate.”
Although saying this, Shen Lan Chi still felt that there was something off.
Her paternal aunt was the master of the six palaces. The underground furnace in her palace would actually not work? To not break sooner, to not break later, just happening to break the day she enters the palace, it inevitably will make one have thoughts.
Shen Lan Chi never felt that this paternal aunt of hers who’s able to steadily sit in the empress’s position was a pure and kind person.
She’d heard her mother, Shen first madam, mention before that when the empress had just entered the palace, she wasn’t considered favored. In his Majesty’s eyes, she was unable to even compare to a single strand of hair on the former De Consort, Ying Cai Zhi.
Afterwards, unknown as to what opportunity she borrowed, the empress became good friends with De Consort, letting her also enter his Majesty’s eyes. De Consort didn’t have good fortune, passing away very early, letting Empress Shen benefit and take control of the six palaces, becoming the mother of the country.
To be able to have this kind of ability, how can she be a simple person?
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Now that Shen Tong Ying has become disfigured, and the first branch and second branch have divided, she was afraid that Empress Shen won’t be able to bear losing her eldest brother’s support and be tempted to let Lu Zhao Ye marry her, Shen Lan Chi, instead.
Sun Fu Lin had Shen Lan Chi dropped off and just went to guard outside. Shen Lan Chi didn’t dare to carelessly go rest. She immediately started looking around left and right, seeing what she can use to protect herself. If by chance, in the middle of the night, Lu Zhao Ye were to come, she can immediately have Lu Zhao Ye stabbed to the point of ‘having difficulty to produce children’.
Inside Xiwu Pavilion, there were many collections of books, shelf after shelf of books and scrolls emitting the faint fragrance of ink. The crescent jade hook had the pearl curtains half gathered up. The small golden sparrowhawk incense burner spiraled with smoke.
Shen Lan Chi found a small pair of scissors and weighed it in her hand, finding it rather handy. Tonight, if there isn’t a need for this pair of scissors, then that would be for the best. If used, then hope that Lu Zhao Ye can endure a little and not be afraid of pain.
Right at this time, a floor tile by her foot shook, and then slowly rose up.
The creaking sound was piercing to the ears, just like sharpening a knife. Shen Lan Chi was startled, immediately retreating a step and pointing the scissors towards that raised square tile on the ground.
She saw that square tile get lifted up, revealing a pair of eyes.
The owner of that pair of eyes saw Shen Lan Chi holding a pair of scissors, and instantly blanked.
“Good…..good evening…..”
“Good…evening to you too…..?
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
Shortly after, the square tile closed shut, restoring to its original state, as if nothing had happened.
Shen Lan Chi: ……..
Isn’t this just deceiving oneself?!
She lifted her foot and violently stomped on that square tile for a while. Finally, the person hiding underneath couldn’t stand it anymore, quickly lifting the tile. A man swiftly crawled out from the hidden tunnel underneath, half-kneeling on the ground. He dusted off the dirt on his sleeve, asking in astonishment, “Lan Lan, you, what are you doing here?”
It was Lu Qi Yang.
No one knows why the heir would crawl out from Xiwu Pavilion’s secret passage, currently brushing off the dirt on his clothes while covered in dust.
“I’m staying here for the night.” Shen Lan Chi relaxed a breath, putting away the scissors and saying, “My paternal aunt said, the underground furnace in Cien Palace broke down. Therefore, she had me sent here for the night. What are you doing here?”
Lu Qi Yang stood up, saying, “It’s relatively close to go to Cien Palace from Xiwu Pavilion. In the past, I’ve always taken this path. However, this Xiwu Pavilion has never had anyone staying in it at night. This is even my first time encountering someone coming here to sleep.”
“What are you going to Cien Palace for?” Shen Lan Chi asked in suspicion.
“……You tell me what I’m going there for?” Lu Qi Yang asked back.
“How would I know?” She muttered.
Right at this time, Sun Fu Lin’s startled cry came from the outer room.
“Oh my! Heir, how come you’re here? This Miss Shen is her Highness the Empress’s noble guest. For you to intrude like this, it’s highly inappropriate!” Seeing Lu Qi Yang, Sun Fu Lin frantically ran around in a circle, “You better quickly leave, before anyone sees you.”
This appearance of Sun Fu Lin’s, rushing to get rid of the person, increasingly made Shen Lan Chi suspicious.
Empress Shen has always been strict in governing those below her. Her palace servants have also always abided by the rules. Whenever discovering something that went against the regulations, it will all be reported back to Empress Shen for punishment. This Sun Fu Lin not only didn’t have this matter reported back to Empress Shen, he even had the intention of covering up this matter, not the least bit like the trusted eunuch of many years by Empress Shen’s side.
“Oh? Making me leave?” Lu Qi Yang slightly narrowed his eyes and sized up Sun Fu Lin, “Eunuch Sun, what if this young master is unwilling to leave, just waiting for you to go have her Highness invited over, what will you do then?”
Sun Fu Lin’s forehead was covered in cold sweat, saying, “It’s best if heir doesn’t make things difficult for this humble one. Just this bit of trivial matter, how can this humble one dare to go disturb her Highness?”
“You won’t let me stay here, right?” Lu Qi Yang flexed his wrist and smilingly walked towards Sun Fu Lin.
“H-heir!” Sun Fu Lin was slightly startled, hurriedly backing away, saying, “What are you trying to do!? This humble one is her Highness the Empress’s servant……..”
Without a second word, Lu Qi Yang restrained Sun Fu Lin’s two arms and immediately tore down a muslin curtain, tightly binding Sun Fu Lin’s body. Sun Fu Lin was thin and small, simply unable to win against Lu Qi Yang who has practiced martial arts since childhood. He instantly lost all color, endlessly begging for mercy.
“Heir, have mercy! Begging heir to consider on behalf of her Highness and let this humble one go!”
The voice of a eunuch was sharp and piercing. Sun Fu Lin called out line after line, giving Lu Qi Yang a headache. Thus, Lu Qi Yang simply took off his shoe, had his sock pulled off, rolled into ball, and then directly stuffed into Sun Fu Lin’s mouth.
“Wuuuwuuwuu!” Sun Fu Lin was unable to speak, pitifully wiggling around on the ground.
“How I see it, that paternal aunt of yours is most likely up to something.” Lu Qi Yang said to Shen Lan Chi with one foot bare, “Don’t trust her.”
“I’m not an idiot. Of course I know that my paternal aunt isn’t a good person.” Shen Lan Chi glanced at Sun Fu Lin in pity, saying, “Just afraid that Sun Fu Lin was rushing to get rid of you because someone will come in a bit.”
“I’ll be here with you.” Lu Qi Yang said, “No matter who comes, all don’t need to be afraid.”
“You……” Shen Lan Chi glanced at this bare foot, quietly saying, “Put on your shoe first.”
A while later, Shen Lan Chi said, “I actually have a good idea. Isn’t there an underground passage in this Xiwu Pavilion? The two of us can hide in the underground passage and see which distinguished guest will grace us with their presence in a bit.”
When Lu Qi Yang heard, he pondered for a moment, then smilingly said, “Alright.”
After saying this, he had Sun Fu Lin who couldn’t move carried onto the bed, then covered him with the blanket, and put down the bed curtains. Shen Lan Chi sent Bi Yu to the outer room to sleep, while she blew out the candles.
Once the candles were extinguished, Xiwu Pavilion entirely went dark and was extremely quiet.
Lu Qi Yang went down the hidden passageway, then helped Shen Lan Chi down. Afterwards, he closed floor tile from underneath, just leaving a crack.
This hidden passageway was rather narrow, originally only allowing one person to pass through. Now that two people have squeezed in, they can only tightly stick together, feeling tight everywhere. Lu Qi Yang’s chest stuck to her back. Through the clothes, she could feel his chest rising and falling when he breathed, not to mention that warm breath by her ear brushing over her tender earlobes from time to time.
Very soon, Xiwu Pavilion’s doors sure enough got pushed open.
Lu Zhao Ye held his forehead, his body slightly staggering as he slowly walked in. After he steadied himself, he glanced around at the surrounding in the dark. He then turned around and muttered, “Wang Gui, you led the wrong way. This isn’t the Eastern Palace…..”
Before he could finish, he heard a ‘kacha’ sound come from the door. Turns out, it was a lock. When Lu Zhao Ye pushed again, he was unable to budge it.
Lu Zhao Ye was slightly shocked inside, immediately aware that someone had schemed against him. Tonight, he’d somewhat drank two cups in his imperial father’s palace. His alcohol tolerance wasn’t good, already somewhat drunk. As such, he specially ordered someone to support him back to the Eastern Palace. He never expected that he would actually get tricked, getting led to this unknown place.
Everything before his eyes was dark, only hearing the rustling sound of the quilt.
Lu Zhao Ye caught the scent of a faint fragrance at the tip of his nose, the scent rather familiar.
He’d once held Shen Lan Chi before, so immediately recalled that this was the incense Shen Lan Chi frequently used.
Could it be—–
The one staying in this room was……..
Shen Lan Chi?
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