Chapter 71
Ruan Jiqing was shrewd. He had a vague sense that something had happened, but he could not ask, dared not ask, and could not even show any hint of it to others.
When Madam Wen came to visit Wen Wan, she noticed it: the Emperor's feelings toward Wen Wan—or rather, toward the Wen family—had grown distant. Things that had once been beneath notice now stood out starkly after the Emperor had mercilessly rebuked Wen Zhuo.
The Emperor's treatment of the Wen family had truly changed.
In the past, whenever she entered the palace, no matter how busy the Emperor was, he would appear, speak with her, and bestow gifts upon the Wen family—to show the Empress's status and the favor the Wen family enjoyed.
But now—nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Last time, Madam Wen still thought it was because Wen Wan was not gentle enough, that she had failed to hold the Emperor's heart. But this time, Madam Wen clearly felt a change in the Emperor's attitude toward Wen Wan.
All the furnishings in Weiyang Palace were old ones; not a single new item had been added in all these days.
Wen Wan's poor health was known to everyone. In the past, at the slightest change in weather, Qi Junmu would send her everything she might need to cope—medicines, fabrics—fearful that she might suffer the least mishap.
It had been that way even before they married.
Madam Wen had always believed the Emperor doted on Wen Wan as the apple of his eye. But now it seemed the Emperor had only been going through the motions.
At this thought, Madam Wen found herself speechless.
Wen Wan lived bitterly, and the Wen family suffered bitterly too.
With that in mind, the words Madam Wen had wanted to say died in her throat. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.
Madam Wen loved Wen Wan dearly, and naturally they were glad that Wen Wan had won the Emperor's favor.
Of course, they were not without their own selfish motives—the Wen family stood to gain from it. That was unavoidable. The Wen family was of modest standing, and Wen Wan was not only the Empress but also enjoyed the Emperor's sole favor.
They also wished to strengthen the Wen family so it could serve as Wen Wan's backbone—each supporting the other.
Now that she had accepted that Wen Wan had lost favor, Madam Wen naturally could not pressure her further.
The Emperor's heart was indeed the most fickle thing—affection when it pleased him, disdain when it did not.
Seeing what her mother was thinking, Wen Wan said softly, "I have heard of Father's situation, Mother. Do not worry too much."
Madam Wen was under great strain. At Wen Wan's words, tears fell from her eyes. She wiped the corner of her eye and said, "How can I not worry? I worry about your father, and I worry about you. In all of history, which woman in the rear palace who was not valued by the Emperor ever came to a good end?"
"I was mistaken before, thinking His Majesty was merely in a spat with you, and that if you coaxed him a little, he would come around. But after what happened to your father, I see clearly now—the Emperor cannot be trusted. And you have no heir to rely on. How can I not worry?"
Madam Wen sobbed softly. Not wanting her mother to dwell too much on it, Wen Wan said, "Mother, things are not as you imagine. His Majesty has been wholly focused on the West Frontier and North Frontier lately, so he visits the rear palace less often. If His Majesty truly did not care for me, the rear palace would long ago have been filled with others."
Madam Wen considered this and found it reasonable. If the Emperor truly felt nothing for Wen Wan, the rear palace would already be filled with other women.
But if he did care, then things should not be as they were.
What exactly had gone wrong?
Madam Wen could not figure it out. At last, she thought of one possibility and said to Wen Wan with a hint of implication, "Have you paid attention to those who attend His Majesty?"
Those palace maids were close to the Emperor and could seize his favor by virtue of their proximity.
It was understandable if a palace maid was not immediately conferred a title—after all, her status was what it was.
Wen Wan shook her head at this. "Mother, do not make wild guesses. Apart from Eunuch Ruan, His Majesty allows no one close to him—especially not maids. Moreover, His Majesty has been busy with state affairs lately; nothing of that sort would happen."
Madam Wen fell silent. "Then that is strange. What exactly does His Majesty intend to do?"
Wen Wan lowered her gaze. "His Majesty's thoughts are unfathomable. No one knows what he intends. Mother, please reassure Father and do not worry too much about what happens in the palace. Since the Wen family has incurred His Majesty's displeasure, we should act with even more discretion and not give anyone grounds to seize upon my brother."
Madam Wen nodded, then said apologetically, "I should not have come to the palace today to add to your troubles. But with your father ill, there is no one at home to make decisions. I acted in a panic—I fear I may have brought you unwanted attention."
This was the difference between being favored and being not. When Wen Wan was favored, Madam Wen had never given such things a thought. Entering the palace was no different from entering the Wen family's inner courtyard—even the Emperor had to flatter her.
Now that Wen Wan had lost favor, Madam Wen felt that merely setting foot in the palace was wrong, filled with dread.
With matters weighing on her mind, Madam Wen did not linger in the palace but took her leave.
After she had gone, Ruan Jiqing arrived. He came to convey the Emperor's decree—its substance being that Wen Wan, as Empress, must not interfere in state affairs.
Wen Wan received the decree with composure.
After Ruan Jiqing left, Wen Wan rose. Her legs gave way, and she stumbled, nearly falling—but Yutao caught her just in time.
Wen Wan settled into her armchair, dismissed all the attendants, and sat alone in thought.
Wen Wan knew her situation was far more difficult than Madam Wen perceived. The Emperor was particularly cold toward her—so cold that everyone could see it.
The Empress Dowager was even worse.
In the past, the Empress Dowager had shown her a measure of courtesy for the Emperor's sake. Now, whenever she felt the least displeased, she blamed Wen Wan and vented her fury on her.
The Empress Dowager's temper had grown much harsher lately—over matters of Fuhua and the Emperor. She could not speak her mind to others, but toward Wen Wan she could do many things. Without the Emperor's protection, Wen Wan felt every step she took was steeped in difficulty.
In the past, she had been dutiful and filial before the Empress Dowager, obediently receiving her words.
The Emperor would no longer speak for her or refute the Empress Dowager on her behalf. All of it she could only endure.
Wen Wan felt the Emperor was pressuring her—forcing her to yield. Making her taste the warmth and cold of the palace. When she truly surrendered, she would be completely subservient, unable to act willfully before him again.
At these thoughts, Wen Wan's face turned pale. Her fingers dug into the edge of the table. She felt lost, flustered, and a nameless ache rose in her chest. The calmness she had shown while comforting Madam Wen was gone entirely. Faced with all the pressures of the palace, Wen Wan did not know how much longer she could hold on.
If Qi Junmu knew what Wen Wan was thinking, he would only scoff.
He naturally did not know her thoughts, but that did not stop him from scoffing.
Qi Junmu admitted he was doing it deliberately. He was pushing Wen Wan.
Without affection, he too was utterly cold-hearted.
Wen Wan had been cherished in the Wen family, and after entering the palace, he had protected her.
Now the Wen family could no longer shelter her, and he turned a blind eye to her plight.
He wanted to see—would this Wen Wan, together with her paramour, still follow the same path as in the past life? Perhaps their meeting would come much sooner this time.
By rebuking Wen Zhuo and pressuring Wen Wan, he hoped to flush out the person lurking in the shadows who made his stomach turn.
With that thought, Qi Junmu licked his dry, chapped lips, his eyes gleaming with an ineffable coldness.
No one mentioned Madam Wen's visit to the palace before Shen Nian, but neither did anyone deliberately hide it from him—that would have seemed too guilty.
Shen Nian felt nothing particular about the matter. The Emperor's attitude toward Wen Zhuo at the time hardly seemed like how one treated family. Shen Nian knew the Emperor deeply. In his view, the Emperor's rebuke of Wen Zhuo had been utterly genuine.
For the Emperor to harbor such disgust, the Wen family must have done something truly unbearable.
Recalling the Emperor's half-smile when mentioning the Empress, Shen Nian could not help frowning slightly. He felt neither hurt nor troubled—only that the matter must be very complicated, perhaps containing many things he could not fathom.
Shen Nian did not dwell on what he could not understand. After all, sooner or later, the truth would reveal itself.
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