~ Please support this site by disabling your ad-blocker ❤️ ~
______
Translator's note: Finally there are advance chapters availaible on Kofi
Chapter 73
Lu Yu acted swiftly and decisively. Before Gu Han could guess what he would do, he'd already suppressed the palace rumors. Gu Han heard that the Office of Careful Punishment had arrested quite a few palace servants. When Little Fangzi spoke of this, he was evasive, clearly avoiding details out of concern for Gu Han's pregnancy.
Just from his attitude alone, Gu Han could guess that scene must have been bloody.
Nanny Zhao looked disapprovingly at Little Fangzi, feeling these matters shouldn't be mentioned to her mistress. If her mistress were frightened into some mishap, who could bear the responsibility?
Little Fangzi laughed awkwardly and lowered his head, not daring to speak further.
However, His Majesty's series of actions did indeed terrify everyone in the rear palace. Forget continuing to discuss the matter, even in their daily movements, they wished they could make their footsteps inaudible.
Yu died on a rainy night.
When the news arrived, Gu Han was sleeping soundly. She was suddenly awakened by a commotion. Jiu nian helped her sit up. Gu Han raised her hand to cover her mouth as she yawned, too sleepy to open her eyes. She slumped against Jiu nian's shoulder and asked in a soft, drowsy voice:
"What's wrong?"
Mindful of the child in her belly, Jiu nian didn't dare make any sudden movements. She wiped Gu Han's face clean. The coolness roused Gu Han completely awake, and she heard Jiu nian say urgently in a low voice:
"Yu is gone."
Gu Han's eyes flew open.
Just then, a muffled thunderclap crashed. Gu Han was somewhat startled and looked up outside. Seeing her like this, Jiu nian felt uncomfortable. She glanced around, confirmed no one was nearby, then said: "Your Ladyship, this matter has nothing to do with us. You mustn't blame yourself."
Gu Han said nothing. She indeed felt no self-blame, but she also couldn't shamelessly claim this had nothing to do with them.
The rumors had been spread by Little Fangzi at her instruction. The idea to eliminate Yu so Yè Xiūróng wouldn't harbor resentment had also been suggested to His Majesty by her. But one thing, Yu shouldn't have died so soon.
Gu Han watched His Majesty's methods with cold eyes. Using medicine to weaken Yu, letting her slowly die of illness, who had interfered to make Yu's life end prematurely?
Seeing her silence, Jiu nian dressed her while explaining what had happened tonight:
"Yu suddenly fell ill. Xia Qiao rushed out of Rongcui Hall and kowtowed and begged before Kunning Palace. I heard the ground before Kunning Palace was stained with blood, which moved even the Empress. But by the time the physicians rushed to Rongcui Hall, Yu had already..."
Jiu nian didn't dare describe Yu's wretched state in detail, only saying she had died with her eyes open.
When the Empress and others arrived, Yu's eyes were opened so wide they seemed ready to bulge out, staring fixedly at the hall entrance. Blood was splattered everywhere. The blood she had vomited had completely soaked her garments.
During the selection year ago, she had the highest rank among the new consorts. Yet after entering the palace for barely a year, after giving birth to an imperial heir, she had met a miserable end in this rear palace.
Jiu nian said hastily: "Yu's death was too wretched. The Empress was furious and ordered everyone to go to Rongcui Hall."
Gu Han's expression darkened. She said nothing more, letting Jiu nian dress her. As she prepared to leave, she glanced at the torrential rain outside, frowned slightly, and instructed:
"Don't use the palanquin. With such heavy rain, the road will be very slippery."
She was now pregnant. If she truly slipped and fell by accident, walking on foot would at least allow Jiu nian and the others to protect her somewhat. If she were riding in a palanquin, Gu Han dared not imagine the consequences.
Jiu nian also knew what she was worried about. She fastened her cloak securely. A group of people protected her tightly with oiled paper umbrellas.
Perhaps because of the rain, the lotus lanterns and red lanterns around them were battered and scattered, making the road very dark. Servants from Changchun Pavilion carried lanterns to ensure Gu Han could see the path ahead.
For some reason, Gu Han felt uneasy.
This small path she usually walked seemed longer than usual, making Gu Han feel somewhat irritable and restless. Just then, Gu Han heard someone call out:
"Noble Lady Zhao?"
The voice was familiar. Gu Han quickly looked up to see Zhou Měirén being protected by palace maids as she came around the corner, struggling step by step against the wind and rain. Seeing this, Gu Han was about to tell her to wait where she was when Zhou's foot suddenly slipped and she fell to the ground.
For some reason, the servants beside her tried to catch her but fumbled about as if they themselves couldn't stand steady. Gu Han's heart immediately sank with a thud. She suddenly called out:
"Little Fangzi!"
—
Not far away, raindrops pelted the imperial palanquin, making progress somewhat difficult. Suddenly, the palanquin was tapped twice from inside. Liu An immediately raised his hand and the palanquin stopped.
Lu Yu lifted the curtain, his brows knitted tightly. He asked Liu An in a light voice:
"Did you hear something?"
Liu An was bewildered by the question. The rain was too heavy, drowning out many sounds. He listened carefully and could only vaguely hear some commotion. Not quite certain, he said hesitantly:
"It seems so."
Lu Yu glanced in that direction. Not knowing what he thought of, his expression suddenly darkened: "Go take a look!"
Liu An was startled by his expression and quickly waved his hand, directing the palanquin to change direction.
Meanwhile, on Gu Han's side, chaos had already erupted. Moans of pain and cries filled the air. Gu Han gripped her handkerchief tightly, her fingertips pressing through the fabric into her palm. Jiu nian reacted quickly, pulling her back several steps to avoid the disaster ahead.
Little Fangzi also stepped forward to shield Gu Han. In the panic, the umbrella had long been cast aside. Everyone present was drenched like drowned rats.
But no one cared about that. As soon as Zhou Měirén had fallen, she'd cried out:
"Don't come over!"
Even with people cushioning her fall, Zhou Měirén had fallen hard. Her knees struck the cobblestones, making her face go pale with pain. After a moment of silence all around, Gu Han spoke:
"Little Fangzi, take people and help Zhou Měirén up."
Her tone seemed to suppress some emotion. Little Fangzi immediately brought people forward. Zhou Měirén's leg hurt too much to move easily. Disregarding her image, she removed her cloak and sat directly on the ground. Though in pain and sobbing, she still didn't forget to remind Gu Han:
"Don't come over!"
She clutched Gu Han's hem tightly, afraid Gu Han would follow in her footsteps.
Gu Han stroked her forehead. Zhou Měirén froze, her pained groans pausing. She looked up at Gu Han. The woman was soaked by rain, more bedraggled than ever before. But even so, it couldn't hide her beautiful face. Yet none of this was the point.
No matter how gentle the woman's comforting gesture, it couldn't hide her deathly pale complexion. Moreover, her hand was trembling slightly.
This slight tremor, perhaps even the woman herself hadn't noticed it.
Jiunian finally retrieved the umbrella and held it belatedly over Gu Han's head, though it was futile. Gu Han didn't stop her useless effort, only staring fixedly at Little Fangzi.
Little Fangzi knelt on the ground, reaching out to touch the cobblestones. After a moment, he said through gritted teeth:
"Your Ladyship, someone poured oil on this ground!"
Beauty Zhou's fall wasn't an accident at all. With suspicions confirmed, Gu Han's heart kept sinking.
This path was the necessary route from Changchun Pavilion to Rongcui Hall. Someone had poured oil on this path, they weren't trying to harm Zhou Měirén at all. If Zhou Měirén hadn't just spotted Gu Han and wanted to find her, she wouldn't have needed to step onto this path.
Similarly, if Zhou Měirén hadn't come over, the person who stepped on that oil slick would have been Gu Han alone!
The rain had soaked the ground but oil residue still remained. Moreover, if no one discovered it in time, the rain would quickly wash away the oil, and Gu Han's fall would have been just an accident!
Yu had died today, was it truly an accident?!
Gu Han already had her suspicions. She barely managed to say: "What fine methods."
Using Yu's wretched state to force the rear palace to go there. Gu Han had been recuperating in the palace. His Majesty hadn't issued an explicit decree, so she also had to go. Once she left her palace, they would have ways to deal with her.
Gu Han closed her eyes. The danger just now kept stimulating her, making her emotions difficult to calm.
…"What's going on?!"
A voice suddenly came from behind. Gu Han whipped around to see Lu Yu descending from his palanquin, walking this way. Gu Han immediately rushed forward and threw herself into his arms, not caring whether she'd wet his clothes.
When she fell into Lu Yu's embrace, her whole body was trembling. There seemed to be a chill at her neck. Lu Yu's heart sank. He knew the woman's character. For her to lose composure like this, clearly something had just happened. Lu Yu held her protectively. When he felt wetness on his hand, he finally couldn't control his anger:
"How did you look after her? You let her stand in the rain?!"
His words had barely fallen when the woman in his arms slid down. Lu Yu's heart seemed to stop for a moment. He immediately grasped her waist and heard her weak, suppressed voice:
"...Your... Your Majesty, it hurts... this concubine hurts..."
Tension appeared on Lu Yu's face, along with a trace of barely perceptible panic. He shouted at Liu An: "Quickly summon the physicians!"
He even forgot the purpose of coming out at this time. He picked up Gu Han horizontally and turned to stride quickly toward Changchun Pavilion. He walked urgently and rapidly, for the first time in his life feeling that Changchun Pavilion was too far away!
The palace servants couldn't keep up with his pace. Bean-sized raindrops pelted him. He only covered the woman with the cloak from his body, not pausing his steps even once—in fact, growing ever more urgent.
Hearing the commotion, servants from Changchun Pavilion came out to look and immediately opened the main gate in panic.
When Lu Yu placed her on the bed, his hands trembled slightly. He seemed unaware, clenching his hands tightly, staring at the woman on the bed who was in such pain she was nearly shaking. She curled up, continuously calling his name softly.
Lu Yu's composure broke for a moment. He suddenly stood up and shouted coldly at those in the chamber: "Where are the physicians?!"
Imperial Physician Zhuo was practically dragged in by palace servants.
Zhou Měirén was also carried in late by palace servants. Fortunately, the Imperial Medical Bureau wasn't so oblivious, more than one physician had come. Hearing the commotion from the inner chamber, Zhou Měirén couldn't help but freeze. She anxiously twisted her soaked handkerchief:
"Did I bump into her?"
Ayu was startled and nearly covered her mouth with her hand: "Your Ladyship, please don't speak carelessly! Jiu nian and the others pulled back quickly, we never touched Noble Lady Zhao at all."
They hurt all over from the fall, but at this moment, few paid attention to them, including themselves.
Nanny Zhao's heart had dropped the moment she saw His Majesty carry the Noble Lady back. She had only just left, how had she returned like this? But there was no time for her to be dazed. She immediately reacted, directing the palace servants to heat water.
When news reached Rongcui Hall, the Empress's expression immediately changed:
"What did you say?"
"Noble Lady Zhao seems to have had a pregnancy scare on her way here and was brought back to Changchun Pavilion by His Majesty. The physicians have all rushed there!"
Commotion immediately arose in the hall.
Consort Shu said leisurely: "How coincidental, Yu had an incident tonight, and Noble Lady Zhao also had an incident tonight."
The Empress looked at her coldly. She immediately couldn't sit still in Rongcui Hall and ordered:
"To Changchun Pavilion!”
Translator's note: guys please i am looking for a volunteer editor, chat me up on dis cord if you are interested. Discord: d_ladypresident
Author's Note:
Kunning Palace: Empress
Yi'an Palace: Consort Shu
Xianleng Palace: Imperial Consort De
Zhaoyang Palace → Main Hall: Xiuyi He
Zhaoyang Palace → Side Hall: Rong Baolin
Yihe Palace → Changchun Pavilion: Female Lead
Rongcui Hall: Beauty Miao
Cuizhu Pavilion: Beauty Lin
Changning Courtyard: Zhou Meiren
Hanleng Palace → (Main Hall transferred to Side Hall): Talented Lady Yuan
Also appearing: Noble Lady Lin, Liu Baolin
Here are the ranks of imperial consorts:
- Empress (皇后 Huánghoù) — Head of the Imperial Harem
- Imperial Noble Consort (皇贵妃 Huáng Guìfēi) — Rank 1
- Noble Consort, Pure Consort, Virtuous Consort, Worthy Consort (贵妃、淑妃、德妃、贤妃 Guìfēi, Shūfēi, Défēi, Xiánfēi)** — Senior Rank 1 (The Four Consorts, with Noble Consort as the highest)
- Consort (妃 Fēi) — Junior Rank 2
- Bright Deportment, Bright Countenance (昭仪、昭容 Zhāoyí, Zhāoróng) — Senior Rank 3
- Cultivated Deportment, Cultivated Countenance (修仪、修容 Xiūyí, Xiūróng) — Junior Rank 3
- Noble Lady (贵嫔 Guìpín) — Senior Rank 4
- Imperial Concubine (嫔 Pín) — Junior Rank 4
- Beauty (美人 Měirén) — Senior Rank 5
- Talented Lady (才人 Cáirén) — Junior Rank 5
- Precious Grove (宝林 Bǎolín) — Senior Rank 6
- Imperial Woman (御女 Yùnǚ) — Junior Rank 6
- Palace Maid (宫女子 Gōngnǚzǐ) — Senior Rank 7
Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/
TRANSLATOR
please vote on novel updates
Hi guys, please if you have any questions about a character or i made a mistake somewhere, please do not hesitate to let me know in the comment section. i currently have no editor.
We hope you enjoyed this chapter! You can vote for this novel translation and drop a review on Novel Updates!
Show support by clicking on the Support Us button below!❤️
Eid Mubarak to all our dear readers 🌙✨
We’re sending you our warmest Eid Mubarak wishes as this beautiful day arrives. May this Eid celebration bring you peace, happiness, and countless moments of joy with your loved ones.
To everyone celebrating Eid ul-Fitr / Eid ul-Adha, we hope your prayers are answered, your hearts feel light, and your homes are filled with laughter, love, and blessings. May this Happy Eid Mubarak season mark a fresh start, new strength, and quiet happiness for you.
We know many of you have been patiently waiting for updates, and today especially, we want to give back a little of the love you’ve shown us. As part of our Eid Mubarak celebration, we’ll be dropping a special mass release of chapters, so you have something sweet to enjoy during your rest and celebrations.
Thank you for being part of our community. Your support, your messages, and your patience mean everything to us. If our stories have ever made you smile or brought you comfort, your support and donations help us continue bringing you more free translations and consistent updates.
Once again, Eid Mubarak 🤍
May your day be soft, joyful, and filled with blessings.
With love,
Royalty Writes 📖✨
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
0 Comments
What's on your mind...