Princess In The Palace

31. The Cold Dishes

Chapter 31.

recap: in the previous chapter, Astronomer Wei seemed to know who Ru Yao was. Yi Ran was fetched into the palace. Ceremony and banquet was held befitting of her position. Even though it was awkward for the couple at first, they managed to come to terms with the sudden change in their status and accepted their feelings. However, it all happened when Yi Ran had already set her heart to avenge the deaths of innumerable amount of people eighteen years ago.

---

"Is there anyone in the palace who lived through the incident eighteen years ago?" Yi Ran lowered her voice after turning her head left and right, ensuring that no one was eavesdropping her conversation with Bian Li.

"Even if there is any, they would rather keep quiet or distort the truth to keep living," Bian Li answered in a voice lower than her master's. She saw the nervous blinking of her master, who gripped her fists behind her sleeves to cover up her uneasiness.

"Actually...Your Servant is not sure if this person can still be trusted."

"Who?"

"Astronomer Wèi. He used to owe his life to Crown Princess after all."

The young woman remembered the man named Astronomer Wèi, who she had several encounters with. He was often seen dressed in weirdly colourful robes, perhaps just because of his profession.

"Why do you say you are not sure if he can be trusted?"

"Your Highness, even if he owed his life to Crown Princess, the Wèi family ultimately serves the Imperial family. Their loyalty belongs to the Emperor."

Yi Ran bit her lower lips out of confusion. Those people had really done an impressive job blocking all sorts of truth or sources of truth relating to the incident eighteen years ago. Even those remaining living truths were tight allies of the Emperor and Xin family and none of them would ever spill the truth for their reputation.

If Astronomer Wèi serves the Imperial family, I am also one of the Imperial family members.

"I will think of it another day, but now accompany me to visit First Princess."

---

Her servant carefully carried a plate of sweet lotus seed cake freshly made from the kitchen to her master's main palace. Past the wide wooden doors, she turned right, finding her master sitting alone by the low table on the cushion up on the platform. The servant looked around the quiet room that was splattered with small pieces of simple yet beautiful potteries. Plain but elegant, this consort definitely knew how to act humble yet noble at the same time.

"Your Highness, these are lotus seed cakes. Has Side Consort left?" Consort Yu picked up the top piece of cake that had just been placed on the table by her lady-in-waiting. Taking a bite, she chewed and swallowed the sweet delicacy before speaking up.

"She has left to find Qing Qing. Princess is very fond of her and they are good friends to begin with." She took another bite while her servant lifted up the teapot positioned in the middle of the wooden table, pouring the fragrant chrysanthemum tea into the precious porcelain cup.

"Your Highness, Second Prince took a concubine before his primary consort. Empress would definitely not let go of this opportunity to tarnish Second Prince's reputation."

"His Majesty personally arranged this without even consulting me. How would she dare to question His Majesty's decision? Furthermore, His Majesty just thought of Yi Ran's original status as a tomb cleaner and that no one might want to marry her. So she was made Heng Er's concubine. I just did not know that His Majesty would pay so much attention to this girl." Consort Yu rested her head on her hand, lazily and boringly staring on the wooden floor at nothingness. Her expression was that of a consort who had spent most of her life in the palace, bored and tired of the repetitive days.