Chapter 48: Beyond the Palace Walls, the Path of Choice

"I know what you want to say..." I drew a long-prepared map from my bosom and slowly unfolded it. "I have already arranged everything. We will leave this place and live the life we truly desire."

He Yunsheng’s eyes lit up. He snatched the map, his fingers tracing the winding route as a brilliant smile spread across his lips. "Wonderful! Wan'er, you are simply amazing!"

We discussed the details of our departure, longing for the freedom beyond the palace walls, never expecting that the news would grow wings and fly through the entire imperial palace.

Within half a day, my chambers were tightly surrounded by a flock of concubines and maids.

Imperial Noble Consort Xiao stood at the very front, her scarlet-painted fingernails almost poking the tip of my nose, a sneer hanging on her face. "Lu Wan'er, you have some nerve! You eat the emperor's food and use the emperor's property, and now that your wings have hardened, you want to fly away? What do you think this imperial palace is—a place you can enter as you please and leave whenever you like?"

The maids and eunuchs around her joined in the chorus, chattering away to accuse me of ingratitude. All sorts of harsh words washed over me like a tide, bringing immense pressure.

I took a deep breath and tried my best to remain calm.

Going head-to-head with this crowd was clearly not a wise move.

I smiled faintly, my tone a bit unexpectedly calm. "Your Ladyship the Noble Consort exaggerates. He Yunsheng and I have served the court wholeheartedly for so many years, and now we merely wish to change our lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with that, is there? Besides..." I paused deliberately, sweeping my gaze across the crowd, and hooked the corners of my lips into a meaningful smile. "The wealth we have accumulated over the years—it isn't impossible to share a portion of it with everyone..."

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd instantly quieted down. Imperial Noble Consort Xiao was also stunned, seemingly not expecting me to say such a thing.

Striking while the iron was hot, I continued, "Once we leave, we won't be able to take all these things with us. Rather than letting them gather dust in the storehouse, why not..."

Before I could finish, a shrill voice interrupted me. "Lady Lu, this servant has something to say to you." I turned my head and saw Eunuch Wang, a close attendant of the Emperor. He held a roll of bright yellow imperial edict, carrying an inscrutable smile on his face...

Eunuch Wang finished reading the imperial edict in a shrill voice, and I almost failed to keep my composure.

Three years!

The Emperor actually wanted us to stay for another three more years!

Talking nonsense about how the palace couldn't do without us—what utter rubbish!

The money I had worked so hard to save was waiting to be spent outside for my enjoyment!

In three years, even the daylilies would have withered!

I stole a glance at He Yunsheng. The boy looked completely bewildered, probably having no idea what three years implied.

I gave a light cough and signaled him with my eyes to stay steady.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace." I accepted the imperial edict with a smile that didn't reach my eyes, while cursing the Emperor from head to toe in my heart.

Back in my chambers, He Yunsheng finally couldn't hold it in anymore. "Sister Wan'er, three years! That is far too long!"

I sighed and comforted him, "Don't worry, there will always be a way." Naturally, there was a way; it all depended on whether the Emperor would accept it.

I dug out several thick ledgers from the bottom of my trunk. These were the records of my years managing the accounts for the palace, clearly detailing how I had increased revenue and reduced expenditure, and how I made the palace's finances thrive.

"Yunsheng, take these to the Imperial Study." I patted his shoulder. "Didn't the Emperor say he couldn't do without us? Then let him see just how important we truly are!"

Carrying the ledgers, He Yunsheng strode off to the Imperial Study with high spirits and high morale.

Meanwhile, I paced back and forth in my chambers, my heart fluttering like a trapped rabbit, beating up and down.

I don't know how much time passed before He Yunsheng finally returned, his face bearing undisguised joy. "Sister Wan'er, it worked!"

I grabbed his hand. "The Emperor agreed to let us leave?"

He Yunsheng shook his head and drew a new roll of an imperial edict from his bosom. "The Emperor said..." He paused and unfolded the edict. "Effective immediately, Lu Wan'er is bestowed the title of Lady of Honor of the First Rank, and He Yunsheng is appointed as the First-Rank Imperial Bodyguard, rewarded with a thousand taels of gold and a hundred mu of fertile farmland..."

My jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

A Lady of Honor of the First Rank?

Imperial Bodyguard?

A thousand taels of gold?

A hundred mu of fertile farmland?

What was the Emperor doing...

Was he trying to buy us off?

Just as I was thinking this, a sudden commotion arose from outside, and a maid rushed in panicked, crying out, "Bad news! Lady Wan'er, outside the palace walls... outside..."