The Concubine's Daughter Travels Through Time and Space and Takes the Road of Confrontation

At midnight in the Purple Palace, Wang Quan, sitting with his back against the wall, heard a few soft noises coming from the kang under the south window. He calmly opened his eyes and saw that a corner of the mattress under the kang had been lifted, and a small figure emerged from it.

There was no candle lit in the room. Dashou climbed down from the kang, walked inside and reached out to push the person on the bed.

Wang Quan still didn't move until he heard His Majesty coughing. Then he got up from the ground and said, "Your Majesty."

The guard outside the door heard the noise in the room, turned his head to take a look, then perked up and continued to keep watch.

Roujia came the next day, and even a thick layer of foundation could not cover the dark circles under her eyes.

Also coming was Concubine Li Guifei. "A Tao is a little unruly. Please bear with her."

Lu Yun smiled. "A Tao is not much older than me, and there aren't that many rules in Xianfu Palace. However, I really don't like to sleep with the door open."

Concubine Li was unconcerned, saying to herself, "People who are so hardworking back home, become lazy when they have nothing to do in the palace. Is there any more of that potato we brought back last time back home? Bring some to your sister Yongle. She used to love playing with these strange things back in the palace."

Roujia immediately became nervous. "Empress Li, is Ning An's marriage really finalized?"

Concubine Li was visibly taken aback, but she reacted in time and sighed, "Although His Majesty's decree has not yet arrived, the journey to Cao State is long. It's better to prepare early to avoid mistakes and forgetfulness in the rush."

He looked as if he was certain that Lu Yun would be sent to marry a foreign prince.

Lu Yun looked dejected. "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I really don't have the mood for this right now."

Tears were welling up in Roujia's eyes, and she kept twisting her handkerchief with her hands.

Seeing this, Concubine Li had no choice but to stand up and said, "The days you sisters can see each other are getting shorter and shorter. I will not disturb you. Ah Tao——"

"I'm here." A Tao appeared at the door.

Concubine Li's face was calm. "Take good care of the princess. If you make mistakes again, I will hold you accountable."

A Tao moved forward and stood behind the two of them.

After escorting Concubine Li to the palace gate, Lu Yun brought Roujia back to the house, with Ah Tao following closely. Roujia gave Lu Tan a wink, who nodded slightly. Together with Cai He, they took Ah Tao out and closed the main hall door.

"Ning'an, is your entry into the palace related to Empress Li?" Roujia felt complicated.

Lu Yun's expression remained unchanged. "Perhaps Yongle is very concerned about this matter, and Empress Li feels sorry for her and is helping her out."

Hearing this, Roujia thought about it for a moment, and felt relieved. Then she took out a letter from her sleeve and put it on the table. "This is what Yuanfu asked me to bring to you."

Lu Yun took the envelope, opened it in front of Roujia, and read it. A smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. "Dashou said that everything is fine in the manor and asked me not to worry. By the way, what are you doing in the palace today?"

A trace of disgust flashed across Roujia's eyes. "The Crown Princess is hosting a banquet at the East Palace tonight. She has invited my third sister-in-law and several ladies from noble families. I guess she wants to pick some servants for the Crown Prince."

The prince is now very powerful, so Roujia has no choice but to give face to the crown princess.

"Didn't you receive the letter?" Roujia's face darkened.

Lu Yun didn't care much and comforted her with a smile, "You know, I don't like these things except chanting scriptures and farming."

A princess who was destined to marry a foreign prince was worthless in the eyes of the Eastern Palace.

Roujia was already shaking with anger, tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't lie to me. Look at where you live. Just two steps away is the cold palace. This is outrageous. If it were my father, he would never agree to send you to the Cao Kingdom for marriage, and he would never allow those people to abuse you."

Lu Yun was afraid she would get sick from anger, so she tried to comfort her, "I can't live in such a big place by myself, and Madam Zhao and Madam Li have never given me any hardship. Given the current situation in the palace, it would be a good thing to live in the secluded Xianfu Palace."

Then he stretched out his hand to push open the window and looked at the sky outside. "Have lunch here at noon today. Yesterday, Concubine Li gave me a jar of wine, which was very good. Please have a few drinks with me at noon today."

Roujia wiped away her tears and slammed the table. "Okay! I know more about the palace than you do. I'll go to the imperial kitchen now and ask for the best food on the table."

After she left, Lu Yun took out the letter and read it again, then put it on the candle and burned it.

Caihe first asked A Taozhi to make tea, and then walked into the house, opened all the windows and doors, and finally added a handful of sandalwood to the small incense burner in the inner room.

Lu Yun dropped the remaining ashes into the tea bowl and stirred it with her fingers. Cai He brought a tray and cleared the tea bowls away, then, in front of her master, poured the tea under the osmanthus tree on the porch.

"Master, everything is fine."

Lu Yun glanced in the direction of the teahouse and lowered her voice, "There's a banquet at the East Palace tonight, and Madams Zhao and Madam Li will also be there. Xianfu Palace is located in a remote area. No matter how loud the noise is outside, don't go out, and don't let anyone leave. Wait for me to come back."

Cai He's eyes turned red. "Master, you must come back."

Lu Yun suppressed her fluctuating emotions and forced a smile. "Sister Caihe, if I'm not back by tomorrow noon, you can follow Roujia out of the palace and don't have to wait for me anymore."

"Master." Cai He shook her head with red eyes, "This servant——"

There were faint footsteps outside the door. Lu Yun and Cai He exchanged a glance, raised their hands and threw the tea bowls on the table to the ground, and said with a cold face, "You are looking at me for my marriage, and you slaves are becoming more and more lawless. You can't even pour tea properly."

Cai He knelt on the ground and said, "Please forgive me, my lady. I know I was wrong."

A palace maid in green walked in quickly and said with a smile, "Princess, calm down." She turned to look at Caihe who was kneeling on the ground and said, "Sister Caihe, A Tao is looking for you."

Caihe wiped her tears and walked out without saying a word.

Lu Yun's expression remained grim, and she snorted coldly, "You're quite clever. What's your name?"

"In reply to the princess, my name is Biluo."

Lu Yun lowered her eyes and said, "You should stay by my side and serve me for the next few days."

At noon, the imperial kitchen sent a table of delicious dishes to Xianfu Palace. Eight auspicious hot pot, crispy duck with cream, tofu in a box, and white fungus in a soup—

There was also a dish of crispy, golden brown, and shy Yinbiluo. A thin celadon wine glass was filled with plum-colored wine.

One cup, two cups, three cups——

Roujia's cheeks flushed, and she held the wine jug tightly, unwilling to let go. "Lu Xiaosan, drink."

Lu Yun picked up a Cherry Blossom for her and one for herself. The sweet cherry jam filled her mouth. Hmm, it wasn't as delicious as that night.

Lu Yun put down her chopsticks, picked up the tea bowl and took a sip. The slightly bitter tea immediately washed away the sweetness in her mouth.

Lu Tan leaned over and wanted to replace the wine pot in the princess's hand with tea to sober her up.

Lu Yun smiled and said, "Just let her drink Lu Tan. This wine isn't intoxicating. She'll be fine after a good night's sleep and won't delay anything."

Lu Tan tried to persuade her a few more times, but Rou Jia still held on to the wine jug and refused to let go, so she had no choice but to give up.

The meal lasted until the end of the afternoon. Roujia drank the last drop of wine and Lu Yun also ate the last Yinbiluo.

Caihe and Lutan together carried the unconscious Roujia to the bed in the inner room. Lutan was afraid that she would miss the palace banquet tonight, so she hurried to make some sobering soup.