Consort Wang arrived.
Besides herself, she was followed by two palace maids and three eunuchs, quite an impressive entourage.
Rendong led Lianxin and Xiao Dongzi out to investigate, feeling somewhat confused.
But remembering Yanshu's instructions, they tried to speak politely, "Consort Wang, our mistress has already retired for the night. It's so late, could any matters wait until tomorrow?"
However, Consort Wang smiled strangely and said, "Asleep? That can't be right. Someone just heard a man's voice coming from her room."
What? A man?
Rendong anxiously said, "How can you slander our mistress's virtue like this? Where would there be men in the inner palace?"
Consort Wang laughed again, "Well said. Where indeed would there be men in the inner palace? So why was there a man's voice in Beauty Li's room?"
Rendong forgot to be patient in her anger, "You're just baselessly accusing someone."
Consort Wang looked at someone beside her, "I'm not making this up. Someone from your own Yongning Palace heard it with their own ears."
Rendong followed her gaze and saw it was Xiao Chunzi from Yongning Palace, who mumbled with his head down, "I just heard someone sneeze in the Beauty's room. It was clearly a man's voice."
Rendong angrily scolded him, "Our mistress has always treated you well, yet you betray her and slander her like this!"
Consort Wang snorted, "Whether it's slander or not, why doesn't Beauty Li come out and prove it herself? Or we could open the door and go in?"
She raised her voice again, "Beauty Li, it's too late to hide now. Come out quickly!"
Meanwhile, Consort An and Noble Consort Zhou were hurrying towards Yongning Palace.
"Hurry up!" Noble Consort Zhou kept urging the palace servants carrying her sedan chair.
If they were late and Consort Wang couldn't control the situation, wouldn't this golden opportunity be wasted? As the saying goes, to catch adulterers red-handed. Tonight she was determined to eliminate that little hussy once and for all.
As soon as they arrived at Yongning Palace, Consort Wang immediately went to greet them, "Noble Consort, you're here." Her voice was exceptionally loud.
Inside the room, Yanshu looked at Yuwen Lan with difficulty, "Your Majesty, the Noble Consort is here now. Can you still leave?"
If he left now, leaving her alone to face this, who knows what kind of fuss Noble Consort Zhou would make.
But if he didn't leave, and they really kicked down the door, wouldn't the situation be even worse?
This was truly a case of trouble falling from the sky while sitting at home. How on earth had she offended anyone?
How did this turn into such a dramatic scene without any warning?
Yuwen Lan sensed her strong displeasure and glanced down at her.
Before he could speak, they heard Noble Consort Zhou asking in a pretend manner outside, "What's going on?"
Consort Wang raised her voice again, "Noble Consort, in the middle of the night, a man's voice was heard coming from Beauty Li's room."
Noble Consort Zhou feigned surprise, "Is that so? Where is Beauty Li?"
Consort Wang gloated, "Beauty Li is hiding in her room and refuses to come out. I wonder if she has a guilty conscience."
Noble Consort Zhou spoke haughtily, "If she won't come out, then kick the door open."
With these words, the two eunuchs who came with Consort Wang immediately stepped forward, pushing aside Rendong, Lianxin, and Xiao Dongzi who were guarding the door, and were about to kick it open.
At this critical moment, the door suddenly opened from the inside.
A tall figure stepped out calmly, looked around at everyone, and said, "We are here. Is there a problem?"
The surroundings instantly fell silent.
Everyone stared with wide eyes, all looking as if they had been struck by lightning.
[My goodness, this, this, this is His Majesty???]
[His Majesty, His Majesty, it's actually His Majesty!!!]
[What??? His Majesty is actually, actually in, in our mistress's room???]
Someone took the lead, and everyone quickly knelt down saying, "Greetings to Your Majesty."
Noble Consort Zhou also slowly followed suit, her face full of disbelief as she said, "Your, Your Majesty, why are you here?"
Yuwen Lan's expression was cold as he asked in return, "In Our palace, where can We not be?"
Noble Consort Zhou choked, then stammered, "But, but hasn't the palace been locked down for the night?"
[He's actually spent the night here??? That little hussy Li Yanshu!!! Why didn't anyone tell her!!!]
Yuwen Lan looked around at everyone and said with a cold smile, "Indeed, the palace has been locked down. So how did you all come here?"
Noble Consort Zhou was completely at a loss for words.
Consort An was quick-witted and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Wang came to report to Noble Consort Zhou that there was a man's voice in Beauty Li's room. As it was a serious matter, Noble Consort Zhou came to investigate."
Noble Consort Zhou quickly agreed, "Yes, yes, yes, I only came because I wanted to uphold the rules of the palace."
Then she scolded Consort Wang, "Are you making a fool out of me?"
Consort Wang, terrified, quickly said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was only repeating what I heard from others."
She then pointed at Xiao Chunzi, "It was him, he came to tell me that there was a man's voice in Beauty Li's room. I was only concerned for Beauty Li's safety..."
Yuwen Lan couldn't be bothered to listen to her further and simply said, "Since you're so fond of not sleeping at night and concerning yourself with others' affairs, We shall grant your wish. From now until the beginning of spring next year, you will be responsible for night patrols and announcing the watches in the inner palace, regardless of wind, frost, rain, or snow. No excuses will be accepted."
What?
Consort Wang collapsed to the ground.
Making her patrol on such cold winter nights, did they want to freeze her to death?
Everyone else was also terrified, kowtowing with their faces to the ground, not daring to breathe loudly for fear of attracting the emperor's attention and being punished.
Next, Yuwen Lan looked at Consort An and Noble Consort Zhou, "If either of you wishes to accompany her, We can grant that wish as well."
The two were so frightened that they kept kowtowing, almost crying, "We wouldn't dare."
This late-night commotion had brought everyone who should have come. Even Fu Hai had received the news and hurried over from Qianming Palace. As he waited on the side, he thought to himself, no wonder His Majesty had been going out at night these past few days. So he was coming to Beauty Li's place.
These people, weren't they just asking for trouble!
Just then, the emperor scanned the crowd again and called out a name, "Pan Luhai."
As soon as he spoke, a fat-faced eunuch in a round-collared robe came forward and knelt down, stammering, "This, this slave is here."
Yuwen Lan said coldly, "Do you still remember who your master is? If you no longer wish to serve, We can replace you."
Pan Luhai was already pale as a sheet and could only keep kowtowing, "This slave knows his crime, this slave knows his crime."
Good heavens, how was he to know that Beauty Li had such powerful backing!
Everyone else was also trembling in fear, not daring to make a sound.
They all thought to themselves, Pan Luhai had been the head of the Internal Affairs Bureau for so many years, yet today he had fallen because of this mere beauty.
Mere beauty?
Yuwen Lan's brows furrowed slightly, and he spoke again, "Fu Hai,"
Fu Hai quickly came forward, "This slave is here."
"Proclaim Our decree,"
Yuwen Lan looked at Yanshu and said each word clearly, "Beauty Li Yanshu has greatly pleased Us. She is hereby promoted to Noble Lady and granted residence in Ganlu Palace."
What?
Everyone was stunned.
Yanshu herself was also dumbfounded.
Pro-promoted to Noble Lady?
And granted residence in Ganlu Palace?
Rendong, Lianxin, and Xiao Dongzi were the first to react, all congratulating her, "Congratulations, Noble Lady!"
The others could only follow suit, "Congratulations, Noble Lady Li."
Yuwen Lan looked at Yanshu.
It seemed only she had forgotten to thank him for the honor.
But he heard her inwardly click her tongue, [Oh no, now I've really become the enemy of the entire harem.]
Yuwen Lan: "???"
After a heart-stopping and bewildering night, early the next morning, Yanshu moved to Ganlu Palace.
Compared to Yongning Palace, it was like heaven and earth.
Ganlu Palace was the closest palace to Qianming Palace in the inner court. Not only was it spacious and bright, but it also had floor heating, making it as warm as spring.
Rendong and the others were overjoyed, excitedly saying, "Mistress has finally had her fortunes turn around. Good things really do come to good people. Heaven doesn't disappoint those who persevere!"
Yanshu sighed inwardly. This wasn't heaven rewarding the persistent, this was heaven deliberately going against her!
Originally, she just wanted to be an unnoticed nobody, but now everyone in the harem would hate her to the bone.
If the emperor were a normal man, it might be a different story. But he wasn't.
She even began to suspect that the emperor might be using her as a cover to hide the fact that he was impotent.
But why did he have to choose her, a poor girl with no background and a distant hometown, when he could have chosen anyone else?
Of course, since things couldn't be reversed, she could only face it head-on.
Actually, thinking about it, her living conditions had greatly improved, her rank had been raised along with her monthly allowance, and her family in Ande County might even benefit from this. Perhaps being a target wasn't entirely in vain.
To her surprise, there was something delightful - after her promotion in rank, the meals became even more satisfying.
Breakfast now consisted of six different pastries paired with soup, porridge, and side dishes that never repeated. Lunch also included several more dishes than before.
The dinner, in particular, was exceptional. The cherry pork was tender and sweet, the roasted chicken was spicy and succulent, the hung roast duck left a lingering fragrance with each bite, and the stuffed dace fish was deliciously fresh.
Yanshu felt like her mouth wasn't enough to savor it all, eating with great gusto.
Well, for the sake of all this delicious food, she grudgingly forgave that dog of an emperor for making her a target practice.
After thoroughly enjoying the sumptuous dinner, night had already fallen. Rendong and the others had prepared hot water, so she moved to the bathroom and indulged in a lovely hot bath.
Mmm, the bathroom was already warm, and Rendong had even placed two braziers beside the bathtub. It couldn't have been more comfortable.
When she finished and came out, Rendong wanted to apply makeup for her.
Yanshu asked curiously, "Can't I just dive into bed? Why do I need makeup?"
The large canopy bed was layered with several new quilts, looking soft, warm, and inviting. It would surely be comfortable to sleep in.
But Rendong, blushing, said, "Just now, someone from Qianming Palace came with a message. His Majesty said he would be coming over tonight. The lighting in this room is good, so if you put on some makeup, His Majesty will find it pleasing to the eye."
She then reproached Yanshu, "My lady, really! You and His Majesty have progressed to that stage, yet you still keep it from us servants."
Yanshu: "..."
What stage had she and the emperor progressed to?
Wasn't it just that the emperor peeped at her, and she bit him in return?
But, he's coming over tonight?
As she was still in shock, she heard an announcement from outside, "His Majesty has arrived..."
