Chapter 139: Turning the Tables
Taiji Palace was the height of luxury, its air thick with a bewitching fragrance.
Inside the bedroom, a massive display rack, the size of an entire wall, showcased a wide array of items: tea sets, musical instruments, fans, carvings, jewelry…
It had everything imaginable.
Liang Wan stood quietly before the display rack, examining the items one by one.
“You seem to like them?”
Gao Qian approached from behind and stopped beside her, watching her with an amused smile.
“I do.”
“Do you know what these are?”
“I do.”
“Heh… and you’re not afraid?”
Liang Wan tilted her head to meet his smile. “I’m not.”
“Why not?”
“Taiji Palace is a place of supreme honor. To find a home here is a blessing they must have cultivated for several lifetimes.”
“Oh?”
“Rather than being devoured by worms and ants in the yellow earth, turning to a pile of rot, how could it not be a fortune to remain here?”
“You truly are interesting!”
Liang Wan lowered her gaze. Her thick, curled lashes were like tiny fans; with a gentle flutter, they could send a breeze stirring through one’s heart.
Gao Qian smiled and reached out, grabbing her arm and yanking her forward. He was about to strip off her clothes.
But Liang Wan knelt and looked up at him. “This servant does not wish for just a single night of passion with Your Majesty.”
Gao Qian released his grip. He leaned down, his dark eyes fixed on her, and said nothing.
“This servant wishes to remain by Your Majesty’s side always.”
“Always?” Gao Qian straightened up, his smile turning wicked. “Can’t you see that I’ve killed them all?”
Liang Wan gazed up at him with a gentle smile. “They were fragile vases. They shattered with a single touch. You can’t blame Your Majesty for that.”
“Then what are you?” Gao Qian raised a hand to her head, his tone chilling, as if he might twist her head off at any moment.
Liang Wan stared at him without blinking, a smile on her face. “I am the blade that will sever Your Majesty’s chains, and the shield that will fend off your critics.”
Gao Qian’s smile vanished. He stared at her for a long time.
Liang Wan met his gaze openly.
Suddenly, he stroked her hair. “Go on.”
Liang Wan prostrated herself in a respectful kowtow.
As she reached the door, a voice drifted out lightly.
“Hanguang Hall. I’ll keep it for you.”
Hanguang Hall was adjacent to Zhaoyang Palace.
Leaving Taiji Palace and passing through Xuanhua Gate, Liang Wan made her way toward Duan Gate.
‘Who would believe that after a drunken killing spree, Gao Qian would stand in Taiji Palace amidst a floor of corpses and weep helplessly?’
‘The Emperor was the person with the most supreme power in the world, yet he also lived in the greatest fear.’
‘It was laughable, really. Everything she knew now, they had taught her.’
‘Lu Xiu liked her demure and forbearing; Gao Qian liked her wild and untamed… ‘
‘They didn’t love her, but rather the image of her they had carved to suit their own tastes.’
‘The real her had been trampled underfoot by them. She had died long ago.’
…
Bai Lu was waiting by the carriage, her cheeks red from the cold.
Liang Wan was surprised, but only for a moment. Understanding dawned, and she obediently climbed into the carriage.
The carriage curtain was flung open, her wrist was seized, and she was yanked inside.
“Can’t you people try something new for a—”
Liang Wan cried out in pain, her brow furrowed in complaint. But halfway through her sentence, she saw a face as black as thunder and swallowed the rest of her words.
“Taiji Palace.”
Liang Wan was pushed down. Her high-pinned hair tumbled from her shoulders, tickling her face. She wanted to brush it away, but he held her fast.
His voice was cold enough to freeze water.
Unable to resist, Liang Wan simply gave up struggling and lay there obediently.
“You know I couldn’t have done anything. At most, I could have drugged him unconscious. Besides, it’s not like he’s short on women.”
His dark, stormy eyes showed no sign of softening at her words. Instead, his expression grew even grimmer, and he remained silent.
Liang Wan blinked. “However, he did promise me Hanguang Hall. In ancient times, Fan Li presented Xi Shi, and Lü Buwei gave Zhao Ji as a gift. Though this servant is of humble appearance, perhaps the Grand Commandant might also consider—”
Before she could finish, he bit down on her lips—hard.
Yes, bit. Her already slightly swollen lips throbbed with pain from his bite.
‘He’s like a dog!’
Liang Wan gave up resisting. Fighting him head-on would only bring her more pain, so she decided to turn the tables and take the lead…
The man, who had been radiating hostility, finally softened. He loosened his grip, seeking more.
He looked down at her, his eyes red-rimmed. “If you dare betray me, I will kill you with my own hands.”
There wasn’t a trace of desire in his eyes, only a cold, merciless, mocking gaze.
‘If that day ever came, he would do exactly as he said. Of this, Liang Wan had no doubt.’
‘He was good to her now, but only on the basis that she belonged to him.’
Liang Wan let out a soft laugh and wrapped her arms around his neck. “How could I possibly have the skill to escape your grasp, my lord?”
Lu Xiu narrowed his eyes. “I advise you to think carefully about what you should call me.”
Liang Wan gritted her teeth, her smile sweet. “Mas… ter.”
She didn’t expect that single address to unleash an even greater storm.
Her skin, exposed to the cold, shivered.
His hot breath washed over her ear as Lu Xiu asked in a hoarse voice, “When will you finally give in?”
Liang Wan’s shimmering eyes, brimming with tears, turned red.
Lu Xiu sighed, pulled the fox-fur cloak that had slipped to the floor up around her, and held her in his arms.
After a moment of silence, he called out coldly to the driver, “Go.”
The Master’s Mansion was not far from the Imperial City.
Along the way, he did nothing more than kiss her temple.
Even when they reached the entrance of the Master’s Mansion, he showed no intention of letting her go.
He didn’t move, so Liang Wan didn’t dare to either. She only peeked up at him, but was caught in the act.
His face, which had been cold the entire journey, finally brightened.
He gave a soft laugh, stood up with her still in his arms, and headed straight outside.
“You madman!” Liang Wan gasped, curling into a ball. ‘How could I be seen like this?!’
Lu Xiu acted as if he hadn’t heard. “You’re the one who drove me to it.”
Bai Lu, her hand frozen as she lifted the curtain, gasped in shock.
Although Liang Wan was wrapped up tightly, the sight only fueled one’s imagination all the more.
The guards and attendants immediately lowered their heads.
The sudden cold air slipped under the fox-fur cloak, making her shiver and burrow deeper into his arms.
Lu Xiu carried her toward the rear courtyard.
Liang Wan buried her head in his chest, grinding her teeth in frustration. ‘I can never show my face in public again!’
“Isn’t my reputation bad enough already?!”
“It’s better if no one else wants you,” he said, his steps light, not even glancing at her.
As he stepped into the small courtyard, his pace faltered noticeably. Liang Wan didn’t need to look to know he hadn’t expected so many people to be there.
‘The thought that I had just imperiously dealt with my detractors this morning, only to rush to give them more fodder for gossip by noon, makes me want to die!’
Lu Xiu was only surprised for a moment before he continued toward the bedroom as if no one else was there.
Worried about the people in the courtyard, Cao Luyun kept stepping out to check on them. She was caught off guard when she saw Lu Xiu carrying a bundle of white. Looking closer, she realized it was a white fox-fur cloak wrapped around a—person?!
Cao Luyun’s mind went blank with a BUZZ. Her face burned hot, red to the tips of her ears, and she quickly lowered her head, not daring to look again. Her heart plummeted as if dropped into an ice cellar.
‘Everyone in Jinye knew that the Grand Commandant was abstinent and ascetic, with no interest in debauchery. When I first learned I might marry him, I had been secretly delighted at the prospect of a husband with such excellent character. But ever since this Liang Wan appeared, not only has the woman’s own reputation been ruined, but now she’s dragging down—’
“Lady—Liang?” Shuangjiang murmured in surprise.
Cao Luyun shot her a look, then turned and went back inside the room.