"Master, is Miss Lin going to stay overnight?"
It was already past midnight. If she wasn't sent back soon, she'd have to stay the night. But if she did, where would she stay?
The inner hall? Or the old Wen residence? The young eunuch didn't know, so he came to ask.
Dong Yuzhong opened his eyes impatiently, hit him on the head with a whisk, and lowered his voice to scold him.
"You really don't understand romance. If you go in now and disturb His Majesty at such a delicate moment, do you think anything good will come of it?"
"Yes, yes, Master is right."
Seeing his sincere expression, Dong Yuzhong began to instruct him more carefully.
"Have someone prepare a sedan chair—lightweight, carried by two people. Make sure the carriers clean the soles of their shoes thoroughly. Miss Lin mustn't slip when she gets on."
"But didn't Master just say—"
"Don't worry. I've served His Majesty for so many years and never seen him violate the ancestral code. Just wait and see—Miss Lin will come out soon."
Qiu Ming nodded. He'd served the Emperor for a shorter time than Dong Yuzhong had, so he trusted his master completely.
Sure enough, not long after, Emperor Yuwen Hong's voice came from inside the hall.
"Dong Yuzhong, have someone escort Lin Wanyi back to her palace."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Qiu Ming's admiration for his master grew another notch, and he rushed off to make arrangements.
When Dong Yuzhong entered the inner room, he saw Lin Wanyi putting on her shoes, with a medicine box nearby. He immediately frowned.
"Your Majesty, my lady—what happened?"
Lin Wanyi was a little embarrassed. It was silly to admit she'd injured her knee by accident. She hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
The emperor came to her rescue.
"Bring a sedan chair. Lin Wanyi has injured her foot and cannot walk back. Also, inform Concubine Lin that she is exempt from paying respects for the time being."
Lin Wanyi wanted to object, but since it was a direct imperial order and there were others present, it wouldn't be proper.
So she bowed her head slightly and said, "Thank you for Your Majesty's grace. I will remember it."
She had stayed in Qian'an Hall from noon until late into the night. Whether she wanted attention or not, it was inevitable now. Rather than suffer sour remarks at Linzhi Palace, it was better to stay in her own palace and quietly recover.
Qiu Ming helped her into the sedan chair and escorted her back to Yihua Palace.
It had rained earlier, and the night air was particularly fresh—though a little cold. The sedan was small but well-prepared, with cushions, pillows, and even a lambskin blanket to ward off the chill.
Lin Wanyi had to admit—the people who served the emperor were meticulous. Everything, from the sedan's arrangement to its comfort, was thoughtful and well-prepared. She felt warm and at ease.
When they reached Yihua Palace, not only were Chunqi and Xia An waiting for her, even Xiao Luzi was there.
"You haven't returned to the Inner Court yet?" Lin Wanyi asked curiously.
Xiao Luzi couldn't hide his excitement.
"Not long after you went to Qian'an Hall, the master sent word that I'll be serving you here from now on. No need to go back."
Lin Wanyi was a little surprised. She glanced at Qiu Ming.
"Eunuch Qiu, this is…?"
"Rest assured, my lady. This is His Majesty's intention. It's against protocol for a palace to be without a eunuch, so he ordered the Inner Court to assign one."
"I see… I've troubled His Majesty."
Qiu Ming bowed more respectfully. As Lin Wanyi was helped inside by Chunqi and Xia An, he turned to Xiao Luzi and gave him a few stern but kind words.
"You're a lucky one. From now on, serve Lady Lin with your whole heart, understand?"
How could Xiao Luzi not know this was a blessing from the heavens?
"Don't worry, Eunuch Qiu. I will serve her with my utmost devotion!"
After giving instructions, Qiu Ming departed with his men.
In the left hall, Chunqi and Xia An were both distressed.
"My lady, how could you be so careless? That injury will take at least half a month to heal!"
"It's fine. Just walking is troublesome. Besides, when I woke up and saw His Majesty's face, I got such a fright I hit my knee hard on the table!"
"Ah! I don't even know what to say to you."
Chunqi looked at Lin Wanyi with both worry and frustration. Meanwhile, Xia An opened the medicine bottle and sniffed it carefully.
"This is definitely an imperial gift—it has rare herbs that promote circulation and reduce swelling. It must be incredibly valuable."
Lin Wanyi smiled faintly. The medicine was indeed effective; after applying it, the pain was much reduced. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to talk with the emperor for so long.
Taking a deep breath, she buried the thoughts in her heart even deeper.
With her current status, she'd need years of quiet planning to secure a stable foothold in the harem.
Right now, her family's future—and her own life—hung in the balance. If she allowed others to manipulate her, she would surely meet a miserable end.
So today, when she brought up those old memories, it was not without purpose. If favor could buy her some temporary stability, it would also benefit her family outside.
"Still, relying on the emperor's affections as a plan..." She felt a faint unease at the thought.
"Bring some water—I want to freshen up."
"Yes."
Chunqi and Xia An went about their tasks, while Lin Wanyi looked up at the high-hanging moon, her heart restless.
Perhaps it was guilt, but she didn't sleep well that night. When morning came, her eyes were dark and bruised.
Xia An handed her a cup of warm water and asked gently, "Does the wound still hurt? You look so tired."
Lin Wanyi couldn't speak her true thoughts. Even Chunqi and Xia An, her closest confidantes, couldn't know everything. The fewer people who knew, the safer it would be.
So she replied lightly, "It hurts quite a bit."
Xia An walked over and lifted the hem of her robe. The bruising had deepened overnight.
Her whole knee looked terrible. If someone didn't know better, they'd think she'd been tortured.
"I'll apply more medicine after you wash up."
"Alright."
"But how will you pay respects like this? You can't go limping around the palace."
Lin Wanyi was about to mention the emperor's exemption when Chunqi walked in.
"What a coincidence. Linzhi Palace just sent word—the concubines are exempt from paying respects before the Dragon Boat Festival. They can wait until after."
Oh?
What a convenient coincidence.
But that worked in her favor. She could stay quietly in her palace for now.