The emperor wasn't well - acquainted with her. Yet he had confided these long - buried secrets to her, a complete outsider, in such an enclosed space. Lan Miao thought it only natural for a normal person to voice her doubts.
The emperor fixed his deep, penetrating eyes on her.
The occasional glint in them sent shivers down her spine.
"Oh?" His tone turned nonchalant. "I just wanted Lady Lan to take a look at this jade and chatted a bit more. Lady Lan, please keep this to yourself."
"I obey, Your Majesty. I will never breathe a word of it."
Lan Miao knelt down, trembling with awe, and bowed properly.
"Your Majesty saved Xue'er. I will always be grateful for this kindness and will never forget it. If Your Majesty ever has any tasks for me in the future, I will spare no effort." Lan Miao took the opportunity to express her gratitude for the emperor's life - saving grace. Although the emperor might not think much of it, she had to show her appreciation.
The emperor slowly rose to his feet.
The black dragon - embroidered robe he wore trailed on the floor. He took steady steps towards Lan Miao in his black boots embroidered with circular patterns.
"Anything?"
Lan Miao thought she was hallucinating. There was a hint of ambiguity in the emperor's tone. She was no innocent young girl. She understood certain things.
But she was an old widow. How could she catch the eye of an emperor?
She quickly replied, "I will surely obey any order from Your Majesty."
Her faultless and respectful attitude, however, stirred a flicker of annoyance in the young - faced emperor. For some reason, he didn't like Lan Miao being so formal and polite.
He could understand her reaction.
But he just felt inexplicably unhappy.
The emperor twirled the jade pendant between his fingers, his face turning solemn. "Leave."
Lan Miao let out a silent sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I take my leave."
She slowly walked out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, her steps much lighter than when she had entered. In the room filled with candlelight, the emperor wore a displeased look on his face. He stared intently at Lan Miao's retreating back and steps, his eyes as if ready to devour someone, but he said nothing.
After Lan Miao left, An He quickly walked in and replaced the tea on the emperor's desk with a cup of soothing tea.
"How's the investigation going?"
The emperor picked up the tea and took a gentle sip.
"Lady Lan is the second daughter of Lan Cengui, the Minister of the Supreme Court. She was raised under the name of her step - mother. She married Wen Lingzhou, the eldest son of the Marquis of Yongyi at the age of seventeen. Five years ago, Wen Lingzhou and his father died on a mission outside the pass. After Wen Lingzhou's death, Lady Lan gave birth to their daughter, Wen Yinxue. She has been a widow for five years and never remarried. The shadow guards have thoroughly investigated. She is not the person from that night five years ago."
An He replied respectfully.
The emperor's expression instantly became complicated. There was both annoyance and a hint of reluctance. An He couldn't quite fathom the emperor's mood at this moment.
He felt panicked. As a eunuch who had served the emperor for many years, he found it increasingly difficult to guess the emperor's thoughts recently.
"Then stop bothering about her. Keep investigating."
The emperor coldly threw out these words.
An He lowered his head and took the order.
The emperor paced to the window. The dark clouds outside had dispersed, and the moon was bright with a few stars twinkling. The dappled light shone through the diamond - patterned window. Just as An He was about to leave, the emperor, with his back to him, asked, "Has she returned?"
An He guessed that "she" must refer to Lady Lan.
Didn't the emperor say not to bother about her anymore?
"Lady Lan has returned to the Palace of Eternal Faith to rest under the escort of the palace attendants."
"It's late at night. Send her there with a ceremonial procession."
The emperor said calmly.
An He took the order and left. But upon further thought, it was really a difficult task. What scale of the ceremonial procession should he use? The emperor's own? Definitely not. But there was no such procession in the palace for the wives of court officials.
An He didn't dare to ask the emperor and made his own decision.
Just a few steps away from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, a ceremonial procession caught up with Lan Miao. After An He's earnest persuasion and repeated emphasis that it was an order from the emperor, she nervously got on the sedan chair.
The soft gauze fluttered in the gentle breeze under the moonlight. The palace attendants carried delicate lanterns. The sedan chair carried by four people was soft and comfortable. Lan Miao's heart was in turmoil.
The emperor's attitude was so strange.
If he had really recognized her, she would have been long dead.
Since he didn't recognize her, why did he say those things? Was he suspicious? Was he testing her? Anyway, she had managed to dodge the bullet, and he hadn't discovered anything tonight.
The emperor's doubts should have been dispelled.
Lan Miao let out a sigh of relief.
The sedan chair moved smoothly, and she felt very comfortable sitting in it. Judging from the soft curtain and the cushioned seat, as well as the regulation of being carried by four people, this should be the ceremonial sedan chair used by the concubines in the palace.
The journey was peaceful. After returning to the Palace of Eternal Faith, Lan Miao tiptoed to check on Xue'er. Seeing that she was sleeping soundly, she finally felt at ease.
In the side hall of the Palace of Eternal Faith, a bed had been prepared.
The night passed, and things finally settled down.
After washing up, Lan Miao lay on the bed. Facing the moon in the palace again, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
So many things had happened that day.
Her state of mind was like the ebbing and flowing tides, constantly changing.
Neither the Marquis's Mansion nor the palace was a place where she could stay forever.
---
Early the next morning.
Lan Miao woke up early. Despite the accident at the Elegant Learning Hall last night, the studies were still going to continue today because the emperor didn't allow the students to slack off.
Princess Yujia found Lan Miao after she had finished her meal. She secretly promised, "Lady Lan, don't worry. I will definitely protect Xue'er from now on. I won't let her get hurt again. Please... don't take Xue'er away, okay?"
Looking at the cute and vulnerable expression on the princess's face, Lan Miao couldn't help but smile. She squatted down. "Then thank you, Princess, for protecting Xue'er. You two must support each other in the future."
"Okay, I will."
Yujia was very happy. After what had happened, Xue'er could still stay by her side.
Then, Lan Miao watched as the two of them went to the school together.
Lan Miao originally planned to go to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to bid farewell to the empress dowager. But Jiang He, who had been so mysterious last night, told her that the empress dowager had to deal with palace affairs today and that she could leave the palace on her own.
It wouldn't be too late for Lan Miao to visit the palace again for the empress dowager's birthday banquet in a while.
Under the arrangement of the palace attendants, Lan Miao returned to the Marquis's Mansion smoothly.
It was almost noon when she got back to the mansion.
When she went to pay respects to Old Lady Wen, she happened to catch her having lunch. At that time, Mrs. You and Wen Hongxin were also there. Seeing that Wen Yuanning wasn't there, Lan Miao felt relieved.
During the meal, Wen Hongxin and Mrs. You talked about Qingzhi.
The accident that happened to Xue'er in the palace last night made him realize that he had to speed up the matter of his daughter's schooling. He had heard that Master Zhang at the Elegant Learning Hall had spoken highly of Xue'er. But Qingzhi was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Marquis's Mansion and couldn't fall behind Xue'er.
"I've already made a plan for Qingzhi. I'm going to let her attend the classes in the mansion's school. I'll also hire a tutor for her. Just tell her about it."
Mrs. You looked indignant and was about to say something more.
Wen Hongxin waved his hand. "No need to say more. You're illiterate, but our daughter can't be."
Since Wen Hongxin had made up his mind, Old Lady Wen had no say in the matter. Lan Miao listened to their conversation and was quite satisfied with the outcome for Qingzhi.
After respectfully greeting Old Lady Wen, the maid beside her was about to set an extra set of tableware for her, but Old Lady Wen frowned and stopped the maid.
"It's inauspicious for a widow to sit at the table for a meal."