After another day of toiling like a beast of burden, Ling Shan keenly sensed that Jun Wuyuan was in a bad mood in the study. But she didn't take it to heart. Once she got back to the bamboo cottage in the Peach Garden, she flopped onto the bed and fell asleep, not even noticing that Yang Qiyuan next door didn't show up as usual.
It wasn't until early the next morning, when she got up early to serve Jun Wuyuan for the morning court, that she noticed something was off. There were obviously several new faces among the servants in the Taiji Palace. What caught Ling Shan's attention the most was that Ban Dong was no longer the same Ban Dong. It was hard to imagine that the Ban Dong who had been acting so arrogantly in front of her just yesterday had died overnight. Tsk tsk, she wondered what mistake that Miss Ban Dong had made to meet such an untimely end.
[Is there something unclean in the corner of the silly goose's eye?] Ling Shan's eyelids twitched as she was fastening Jun Wuyuan's belt. She wasn't! She didn't! The dog tyrant shouldn't talk nonsense! How could a beauty like her with natural charm not wash her face clean? She was beautiful even without washing! And she wouldn't accept any refutation! It must be that Jun Wuyuan's eyesight was failing because he was getting old!
[The black jade dragon - patterned pendant inlaid with pearls seems a bit plain. It's not as imposing as the one with the dragon leaping into the sky.] Ling Shan's hand paused slightly as she was about to pick up the black jade dragon - patterned pendant. Without a trace, she chose the green jade coiled dragon pendant instead. After putting it on, she saw Jun Wuyuan's lips curl up slightly. He was such a pretender.
[After court, I want to eat crab - powder steamed buns, chicken - shred and shrimp congee... and the silly goose's cucumber salad... preferably with more vinegar and more chili.] Ling Shan: "......." There was no cucumber salad, but did he want a slapped mouth? He had so many demands if he wanted to eat her cooking? However, Jun Wuyuan's preference for sour and spicy flavors was largely the same as hers. For the sake of maintaining her persona and trying to win over the tyrant as soon as possible, Ling Shan yawned and headed towards the small kitchen.
After so many days in the palace, Ling Shan still wasn't used to the palace's schedule. Especially Jun Wuyuan's schedule of getting up earlier than a rooster and going to bed later than a dog. These days of serving him up close had worn Ling Shan out. She was sleep - deprived but still had to serve Jun Wuyuan with all her might, which made her extremely exhausted.
On her way back to the Peach Garden from the Zichen Hall, when passing by a small bamboo grove, she heard some gossiping voices.
"Have you heard? That Ban Dong died yesterday because she overestimated herself and offended Miss Ling Shan."
"Really? It can't be. Even if Miss Ling Shan is in the emperor's good graces, it can't be that serious, right? Moreover, I think Miss Ling Shan is kind and gentle. She doesn't seem like that kind of person."
"Tsk, you're really stupid. She was sent from the Cining Palace. How could she survive in the Taiji Palace without any tricks? Have you ever heard of the emperor being kind - hearted? She's not simple. I accidentally saw the bruises on Ban Dong's face yesterday."
"You mean Ban Dong looked down on her and went to pick a fight but ended up getting beaten and losing her life?"
"What else? It must be that... " The woman lowered her voice. "That vixen blew into the emperor's ear. Otherwise, why would Ban Dong die so suddenly?"
"But you said the emperor has never been kind - hearted. Maybe it was Ban Dong who offended the emperor herself. More than one person died last night."
Hearing this, there was a momentary stillness in the rockery in the woods. Ling Shan almost burst out laughing, but her eyes were deep in thought. What exactly had happened last night?
"Do you still want to listen or not? If it weren't for the fact that we're from the same hometown, I wouldn't bother to tell you."
"Good sister, I... I'll listen to you. Don't be angry."
"That's better. I'm telling you, it's not easy to work in the Taiji Palace. You have to listen to me from now on. I tell you to go east... "
Pfft. Ling Shan couldn't help laughing. The voices in the rockery stopped immediately, and then there was a rustling sound as they fled from the other side.
Humph. Ling Shan sneered. All the clues from the past few days were connected in her mind. No wonder Jun Wuyuan had been so "amiable" recently. There were no air - tight walls in the palace. Everyone knew that Ling Shan was highly regarded by Jun Wuyuan. The commotion last night would make the queen mother furious, but with her as a scapegoat, she was like a piece of meat bone, dangling in front of the queen mother. It made the Cining Palace think that everything was going according to plan. A few insignificant cannon - fodder were nothing compared to Ling Shan, the "fat meat". She would definitely add more vinegar and more chili to the cucumber salad later!
—
In the Golden Luan Hall, there had already been a fierce debate about the dragon - boat activity during the Dragon Boat Festival. The emperor, the queen mother, and all the ministers would attend, so safety was of utmost importance. Especially since there had been too many previous "emperors" who died, and the current emperor had only been on the throne for half a year. For the stability of the Great Yan, the dragon - boat festival naturally had to be grand and solemn.
The Wang family and the royalist faction were vying for the right to guard the Luoshui River. Neither side would give in to the other, and neither trusted the other. Obviously, in matters of life and death, they only trusted their own people.
Jun Wuyuan had already mastered the skill of letting the quarrels of these people go in one ear and out the other. He had gone to bed late last night and got up too early. At this moment, he was already drowsy.
When the court officials had almost finished arguing and the candidates were more or less decided, they were just waiting for the emperor to make the final decision. As a result, when all the ministers looked towards the dragon throne, they saw a sleeping emperor. And after the Golden Luan Hall fell silent, there was a long and even breathing sound, which clearly indicated that the emperor was sleeping soundly.
All the ministers: "......"
The rivals who usually didn't get along with each other rarely showed a look of confusion and glanced at each other. A voice popped up in their minds simultaneously: What were they arguing about? What was there to argue about? After all the arguing, the emperor was sleeping so soundly.
Jun Wuyuan, who was having a wonderful sleep, naturally didn't know the indescribable and complex state of mind of the court officials. Even if he knew, he probably wouldn't care.
At this moment, the court officials were at a loss. Was this the first time Jun Wuyuan had fallen asleep in the Golden Luan Hall? No, the ministers were already used to it. But in the past, there had never been such a crucial matter. The emperor could sleep if he wanted to. But today was different. No matter how much the Wang family controlled the court, they couldn't openly exercise the emperor's power at certain moments.
The Golden Luan Hall was very quiet. Dozens of ministers silently listened to the not - so - pleasant snoring of the emperor. Liang Jiusi was still cleaning the chamber pot. Today, the one accompanying the emperor was his little apprentice, Xiao Bazi. Xiao Bazi was an honest boy who didn't know how to "read the situation". He seemed not to notice the hint from the grand preceptor, Wang Yuyao. In this world, there's nothing more important than the emperor's sleep!