After the Substitute Male Bride Fled, the Emperor Turned Dark - Chapter 17

However, he was somewhat surprised. He wondered if Xiao Huan’s departure from the palace with such a large entourage for such a major folk event would dampen the spirits of the ordinary citizens.

As if reading his mind, Xiao Huan said, “We shall keep a low profile and simply dress as commoners.”

“And perhaps observe the state of the people while we are at it?” Fang Zhiyan added.

Xiao Huan nodded in agreement.

While Fang Zhiyan responded perfunctorily, his mind drifted to another matter. Because Fang Zheng’an was away from the capital on official business, he had been unable to enter the palace for the Empress Dowager’s birthday. Furthermore, Lady Fang had likely stayed away out of fear that seeing him would cause her to act unnaturally and reveal their secret.

Fang Zhiyan had been in the palace for some time now, and he needed to see the Fang family. Before entering the palace, he had given three thousand taels of silver to Fang Zheng’an, instructing him to send someone to Suzhou with the money and bring back several handwritten letters from his maternal grandmother. Calculating the time, the letters should have arrived by now.

At this thought, a look of joy appeared on his face. His peach blossom eyes were filled with gratitude and emotion as he said, “Then I shall respectfully obey. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The two shared another pot of tea before Xiao Huan left, citing official business. Fang Zhiyan remarked to himself that the Emperor was actually quite a decent person; by now, he had learned to find his own excuses to leave at the appropriate time.

Lan Ruo, however, acted contrary to her usual self. Instead of relaxing as she normally did, she appeared somewhat strange. When she looked at him for the fourth time, Fang Zhiyan asked, “You are acting odd tonight.”

Lan Ruo hesitated, then leaned in and whispered, “Is His Majesty not staying the night?”

Fang Zhiyan was even more confused than she was. “Do you want him to stay?” He wondered if she had finally realized how perilous the harem was and wanted to get things over with quickly.

Lan Ruo pursed her lips and paced anxiously for a few steps before finally summoning the courage to ask, “Did you and His Majesty not already consummate your marriage last night?”

The tea in Fang Zhiyan’s hand wavered. After a moment of reflection, he gave her an indescribable look. “Have you misunderstood something? Last night, His Majesty was simply applying medicine to my wounds.”

Lan Ruo remained silent, her expression complex and difficult to read.

“What industries does the Fang family own in the capital?” Fang Zhiyan asked, turning to serious matters. “Since we are finally leaving the palace, I must obtain the letter from Suzhou.”

“That will not be difficult,” Lan Ruo replied as she knelt beside him to clear the table. “You have your own rouge shop in the busy market district. The key is to find a way to get word out so that Lady Fang can have everything prepared.”

“What do you suggest?”

Lan Ruo thought for a moment. “Palace regulations strictly forbid concubines from corresponding privately with the outside world. However, in private, there are always masters who bribe the purchasing eunuchs to conduct transactions. Given your unique situation, to avoid being caught by those with ill intentions, we should send a letter expressing your longing for home. Lady Fang will understand your meaning. Even if the letter is intercepted, it would merely be a violation of palace prohibitions.”

Given his current level of favor, such a minor mistake would be inconsequential.

“We shall do as you say,” he agreed immediately. “Go and prepare paper and ink; I will write it now.”

Lan Ruo complied and returned shortly with the supplies. Fang Zhiyan lifted the brush but then handed it to Lan Ruo. “My imitation of your young mistress’s handwriting is not accurate enough. You write it.”

Lan Ruo took the brush, wrote down the details they had discussed, and sealed the letter. The following day, she found a familiar purchasing eunuch and had the letter quietly sent out of the palace.

Once everything was arranged, Fang Zhiyan breathed a sigh of relief and waited to leave the palace. As long as he received his grandmother’s letter and knew that all was well in Suzhou, he could finally ease his troubled mind.

Three days later, it was the Thousand Lantern Festival.

As dusk fell, the world outside the palace was already a sea of brilliant lights and bustling crowds. Xiao Huan arrived as promised, dressed in an ordinary dark blue silk robe without a crown. His long hair was tied back, and his features appeared handsome and refined. Without his imperial majesty, he truly looked like a gentle and elegant son of a prestigious family.

Fang Zhiyan had changed into a light green traditional skirt. His long hair was loosely pinned up with a simple silver hairpin, giving him a more understated appearance. Lan Ruo did not dare to say it, but many times she felt that the two of them looked very well matched in every aspect. She wondered if her young mistress would feel any regret if she knew her substitute had won the Emperor’s exclusive favor after entering the palace.

Eunuch Li led his men at a distance, not daring to approach, acting as guards in the shadows. Xiao Huan glanced at Fang Zhiyan, his gaze lingering for a moment. “This attire suits you well.”

Fang Zhiyan smiled, appearing gentle and obedient because of his good mood. “Your Majesty is joking; you look very handsome in that outfit as well.”

The journey out of the palace was perfectly smooth. The streets were lined with various lanterns, such as lotus lanterns and rabbit lanterns, casting a vibrant glow that brightened the night sky. Street vendors called out their wares, offering exquisitely crafted sugar paintings and candied haws. Everywhere he looked, there was the noise of people and the warmth of everyday life.

Fang Zhiyan had never seen such a lively scene. Dazzled by the sights, his footsteps became much lighter. Eventually, they reached the street where the rouge shop was located. He inconspicuously slowed his pace and said casually, “Your Majesty, I remember there is a rouge shop ahead that belongs to my family’s estate. Since I have not visited in a long time, I would like to take a look.”

Xiao Huan nodded slightly. “Very well.”

However, Fang Zhiyan stopped and negotiated with him. “Your Majesty, please do not go inside. It would cause too much of a stir, and I am afraid of scaring away the customers.”

He was quite blunt, and Xiao Huan looked at him for several moments with an unreadable expression. Just as Fang Zhiyan was considering whether to change his mind, fearing that if he did not, the Emperor might drag him back to the palace, Xiao Huan agreed. His expression remained normal as he said, “I shall wait outside the door.”

Fang Zhiyan thought that Xiao Huan was actually quite reasonable at times. He then took Lan Ruo into the shop.

The shopkeeper was a middle aged man. Upon seeing Fang Zhiyan, he immediately hurried forward and whispered for them to follow him to the back room. Once inside, the shopkeeper’s face lit up with joy. He knelt and kowtowed, saying, “This humble servant greets Lady Concubine Zhuang. I give my respects to Your Ladyship. It has been two months since I last saw you, and you seem to have grown taller. It appears the rumors are true; His Majesty truly treats you with great favor.”

“Please, stand up,” Fang Zhiyan replied.

Lan Ruo glared at him. “Manager Wang, do not chatter so much in front of Her Ladyship. If you disturb her peace, there will be consequences.”

Manager Wang immediately silenced himself. He took a letter wrapped in oiled paper from under the counter and handed it over with both hands, lowering his voice. “Your Ladyship, this is the letter sent by Lady Fang. She gave specific instructions that it must be delivered into your hands.”

Fang Zhiyan’s fingertips trembled as he took the letter. Having spent so much time in the palace living in fear and maintaining a false identity, his only concern was his grandmother in far off Suzhou. Now that the letter was finally in his hands, he waved the manager away. “You may go back to your work.”

The shopkeeper obediently left. Lan Ruo, showing great awareness, stood by the door to keep watch with her back turned.

The envelope was of high quality, but the stationery inside was the most common bamboo paper.

“Yan’er, I am greatly relieved to finally hear from you. The Fang family has hired a famous doctor for me, and I am in good health, so do not worry. While you are there, live in harmony with your relatives and study hard so that you may have a bright future.”

When the Fang family had gone to Suzhou to fetch him, the reason they gave was that the Fang family had a quota for enrollment in the Imperial Academy this year and asked if he was willing to go. His grandmother had originally despised the Fang family and wanted to drive them away, but she hesitated upon hearing this. She realized her health was failing year by year and that Fang Zhiyan’s future might depend on that unfaithful man, Fang Zheng’an. Therefore, she insisted that he go to the capital. No one had expected the Fang family to be so audacious as to perform such a substitution.

Now that things had come to this, Fang Zhiyan took a deep breath and intended to burn the letter. However, as the flames neared the paper, he could not bring himself to do it. He refolded the letter and called out to Lan Ruo, “Hide this letter on your person; I cannot bear to burn it.”

Lan Ruo stepped forward, took the letter, and without a second’s hesitation, tucked it into her bodice.

Fang Zhiyan was speechless. It seemed Lan Ruo was increasingly treating him as one of her own.

After composing himself, Fang Zhiyan picked up several boxes of popular rouge and left the shop. Upon exiting, he met Xiao Huan’s gaze. The man stood under the lanterns, the lights reflecting in his deep, inscrutable eyes.

Fang Zhiyan ran over to him and held up the small boxes. “I am sorry to have kept Your Majesty waiting. I picked out a few boxes to give to the other concubines.”

Xiao Huan did not press for details or investigate. Instead, he changed the subject. “There is a riddle guessing competition ahead. Would you like to go and see it?”

Fang Zhiyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. “Yes, let us go.”

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