Chapter 25: So It Was the Ex-Husband

"Stand up!" The Empress Dowager did not bother to hide her displeasure.

The royal heirs were her bottom line, and she felt the Emperor’s punishment for the Noble Consort’s actions against them had been far too lenient.

"Noble Consort, were you not confined? How is it that you have wandered out on your own?"

Noble Lady Fang’s voice was not quiet, and those present began to exchange thoughtful, wary glances.

Feng Yu knit his brows, but upon looking up, he saw Wei Ranzhu gazing at him with eyes brimming with tears, looking utterly pathetic.

"Your Majesty, I know I have done wrong and dare not hope for your forgiveness. I only wished to contribute what I could to celebrate the Empress Dowager’s birthday."

After speaking, Wei Ranzhu knelt and kowtowed twice.

"Now that my wish is fulfilled, I shall take my leave."

The hurt and grievance in her eyes made his heart ache. When he was merely an obscure prince, it was Wei Ranzhu who had accompanied him through the struggles to reach his current position.

Though much time had passed and his own heart had changed, he still pampered her, if only to compensate her for the past. Seeing her in this state, Feng Yu could not help but recall those earlier days. Furthermore, with the Noble Consort’s family present at the banquet, he did not want her to lose face.

His resolve softened. "The Noble Consort has a heart for the Empress Dowager’s birthday. Sit by my side."

The Emperor’s words were a harsh slap in the face to those who had assumed the Noble Consort had fallen out of favor. Wei Ranzhu cast a triumphant, sidelong glance at Jiang Daiyin.

*Wait, is she actually trying to provoke me?* Jiang Daiyin curled her lip, her mind looping with the thought, *Are you quite alright?*

The seating had been arranged in advance, so adding a place required shuffling, but it was easy to simply add a stool next to the Emperor. As Jiang Daiyin sat below Feng Yu, Wei Ranzhu "accidentally" knocked over the wine on Jiang Daiyin’s table while taking her seat.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty the Empress, I did not mean to." Wei Ranzhu rushed to wipe the spilled liquid from Jiang Daiyin’s clothes in a fluster.

"Get away!" Jiang Daiyin pushed her hand aside. Having seen this trope played out countless times in palace dramas, she stared coldly at Wei Ranzhu.

Her gaze was stern and intimidating enough that Wei Ranzhu retreated, looking sheepish. Though she suspected this might be a trap, Jiang Daiyin could not stand the feeling of wet clothes clinging to her skin. Besides, the weather was turning cold, and it was easy to catch a chill. She stood up and offered a formal bow.

"I shall go and change my attire."

Chunyu did not forget to glare at Wei Ranzhu as they left. Feng Yu nodded, thinking nothing of it.

"I am weary as well. I shall take my leave." The Empress Dowager felt her good mood had been thoroughly spoiled.

"I respectfully see you off, Mother," Feng Yu said. He and the concubines rose to bid the Empress Dowager farewell.

The banquet continued with music and dance, and as the guests were preoccupied with their toasts, no one noticed a figure slipping away to follow Jiang Daiyin.

"Your Majesty, that Noble Consort Wei did that on purpose! The Emperor is truly muddled to let her off so easily, and even allow her to sit by his side!" Chunyu’s cheeks were puffed up in anger, making her look like a little frog.

"Then take a guess—why do you think she went to such lengths to draw us away?"

"Your Majesty, you mean..." Chunyu’s eyes widened in sudden realization.

The thought was too terrifying to contemplate. She stopped mid-sentence, glancing around nervously to ensure no one was listening before breathing a sigh of relief.

"Your Majesty, let us hurry. I am beginning to feel quite afraid."

Nothing happened while Jiang Daiyin changed her clothes. Just as she began to wonder if she had been overly sensitive, they were intercepted in a secluded corner on the path back to the banquet.

The night was hazy, and the moon was shrouded in dark clouds. It was impossible to see the face of the figure blocking their path, but his broad, upright silhouette suggested a man of sturdy build.

"Who goes there?" Chunyu stepped cautiously in front of Jiang Daiyin, her eyes scanning the surroundings in hopes of finding someone to call for help. But the silence was deathly, and Chunyu’s heart sank.

"Empress, it is I."

A handsome, elegant face was revealed. Jiang Daiyin was startled to see who it was. So, this was the "ex-boyfriend."

"Su Chen, why are you here?"

Chunyu’s guard lowered. She had entered the palace with Jiang Daiyin, yet she had no idea that her mistress had a history with this Master Su. Especially when she saw the yearning and profound expression in Su Chen’s eyes, she remembered the day her mistress entered the palace. Su Chen had stood in the pouring rain all day long—it had rained so hard that day. Her mistress had cried silently but intensely inside the carriage, and it had pained Chunyu’s heart to watch. Later, once in the palace, her mistress had tried every way to vie for favor, as if it were the only way to keep herself occupied.

"Your Majesty, I will keep watch," Chunyu said, as if having made a firm decision, and hurried off before Jiang Daiyin could speak.

Jiang Daiyin was speechless. She wanted to say that she wasn't even familiar with this man! Now, things were even more awkward.

"Your Majesty, it has been a long time." The affection in Su Chen’s eyes was unmistakable as he gazed deeply at her.

*That look—he’s looking at me with the same devotion one might give to a pet,* she thought.

"There was no need to meet. After all, our stations are different," Jiang Daiyin straightened her sleeves, her tone icy and undisguised.

"Yin'er, are you truly so heartless toward me?" A flash of hurt crossed Su Chen's eyes.

"Are you quite alright? I am the Empress." *Even if I had feelings for you, do you want me to lose my head?*

"I do not care. Yin'er, if you have need of me, I can find a way to stay by your side." Su Chen’s tone was filled with servility; he looked at her with such pleading eyes, like a puppy afraid of being abandoned.

If Jiang Daiyin were merely an observer, she would certainly have told them to just live their lives well, but unfortunately, she was the one caught in the middle. She remained silent, merely shaking her head and backing away. She truly did not want to be involved with a fool. This man was either stupid or malicious, and either way, keeping her distance was the best policy.

"Yin'er, I will bribe the men at the Department of Palace Affairs; I can stay by your side from now on, alright?" Su Chen spoke urgently. Seeing her fearful expression, he only felt pity for her, and for every step she took back, he took one forward. He knew what happened in the inner palace—the Emperor did not love her, and she could not bear children, forced instead to raise the children of others. She must be living a life of bitterness and exhaustion; at this moment, a sturdy shoulder was what she needed most.

Hearing this, Jiang Daiyin raised her voice. "If you want to die, don't drag my entire family down with you! If you dare to touch me again, I will not be so polite!"

It turned out that one really could let out a sharp laugh when angry. Jiang Daiyin wore a mirthless smile. "Who gave you the courage to come to me and say these things? If you don't have a mirror, surely you have a basin of water to look at your reflection? Compared to the Emperor, what do you have that even comes close?"

"You think yourself so deeply in love, but in reality, you are just someone who didn't get what he wanted."

Neither of them noticed a shadow lurking in the nearby darkness, watching everything. Jiang Daiyin knew she could not give anyone a reason to suspect anything was amiss; besides, in times like these, someone was almost certainly eavesdropping. She would not let them catch her in a trap.

Sure enough, a moment later, the system notification chimed:

【Favorability with Feng Yu +1】

Since Feng Yu was there, she needed to leave at once!

Su Chen’s pupils dilated; he swayed, his face filled with hurt. "Was it not you who sent me a letter saying you were living in misery and wanted me to take you away? Yin'er, you are lying to me, aren't you?"