Chapter Thirty-Seven: Jailbreak

  It's been a month since I stayed in this temple, and the winter weather is naturally getting colder day by day. Although I'm from the north and used to the wind and snow of winter, this ancient winter seems even more unbearable than modern times. The continuous heavy snow for several days seems to have no intention of stopping.

  Snowy Chenyan Palace, still dazzling and extraordinary, bustling as never reduced a bit, every day the palace concubines who come to pay respects to Empress Chen are like flowing water, endless, from dawn till deep night, almost never stopped. Laughter and music echoes in Chenyan Palace, rare treasures seem to have lost their luster here, the most dazzling one is Empress Chen, no room for others.

  There is only one thing that I am unclear about, these unchanging visitors, are they here for Empress Shen Lie Ting or for something else?

  Compared with the bustling front courtyard, Xingyuezhai, located in a secluded corner, seems even more quiet and deserted.

  After Mu Yan returned to Lingbo Hall, we never saw each other again. We didn't even exchange messages. Maybe it's time for me to learn how to live alone in the palace.

  These days, except for Chen Taifu and Cifeng, I have hardly seen anyone else. Even the palace staff who deliver food and medicine every day only place the food basket at the door, knock on the door to indicate, and then turn around and leave without taking a step into Xingyuezhai, as if I had contracted some kind of contagious disease while living here, and was not allowed to get close.

  Compared to others, Consort Chen didn't care what illness I had contracted. Every day when Imperial Physician Chen came, she would always come with him, neither early nor late, not a single second off.

  She didn't say much, just sat on the pear-wood chair beside me, watching Dr. Chen diagnose and treat me, like a supervisor, until Dr. Chen finished diagnosing, then the two of them would leave together, not staying a moment longer.

  I'm filled with curiosity towards Empress Chun's behavior. As the master of the palace, she has a proud and arrogant personality, yet she comes to my place every day, even in the midst of recent heavy snowstorms. What's more surprising is that during this time, she seems to have lost her usual haughty and overbearing demeanor, replaced by a gentle and quiet temperament, like a young girl in love. She sits quietly, occasionally flashing a smile on her face, with a hint of shyness, as if she were a naive and shy young woman. This Empress Chun is really hard to figure out, what's gotten into her?

  "How are you today?" Dr. Chen's gentle tone was as soothing as a spring breeze.

  "Ah, it's about the same as yesterday!"

  "Can you remember to take your medicine on time?"

  Every sentence that Doctor Chen asked made me feel dizzy, I really didn't know if it was because of his face or my inability to resist a gentle-speaking man!

  "I dare not disobey!"

  I'm used to answering his questions in this humorous way, because I really want to see him try not to laugh, that's the real laughter, not the official courtesy.

  "Ah, obedient patients make a doctor's efforts worthwhile!"

  Although I knew that the Empress was present and some words were inconvenient to say, having been tied up here for so long, there were some things that I wouldn't ask, and naturally couldn't get an answer. So, on my 3782nd entanglement, I finally asked out loud.

  "Doctor Chen, when will my illness be cured?"

  Doctor Chen did not answer immediately, his eyes paused for a moment, looked at me slowly, and was stunned for a long time.

  Being looked at like that by him makes me feel a bit uneasy, Chen Taifu, the male god I've gotten to know since coming here, who can withstand such a gaze from a male god?

  At this moment, I felt a bit awkward and pretended to cough to interrupt his thoughts.

  "Do you want to leave here? What's wrong with this place?"

  How am I supposed to answer this question? Although the house is cozy, warm and well-equipped, with delicious food and a comfortable bed, every day I'm confined to this room, not allowed to go out or communicate with the outside world. No matter how beautiful the house is, it's just a gilded cage. And I don't want to be a canary living in a cage. At my age, I'm not suited for a life of retirement, when I'm young, I should be striving, shouldn't I?

  “。。。”

  This way, in my heart I couldn't stop shouting, I want to go out, return my freedom, but looking at Zhenfei beside me, I didn't have the courage to say it out loud, and was vague and tongue-tied.

  "I..."

  "Go out..."

  "I think..."

  I'm not going. I really hate my own life!

  "Do you want to go out and leave here, return to Lingbo Temple or return to Zhou Mansion?"

  Doctor Chen spoke in a calm and measured tone, echoing my inner thoughts. It was as if he had awakened me from a trance. I only wanted to leave this place, but where should I return to? Mu Yan's place? The Zhou residence? Or somewhere else?

  This was never mine to begin with. Apart from Umanya's body, I couldn't find anything that belonged to me, anywhere that could be tagged as belonging to me. I am an outcast in this world, and here, I have nothing.

  "Since you are here, then rest assured!" Doctor Chen's smile faded away as he spoke in a meaningful and gentle tone.

  "Since you have come, then rest here!"

  What choice do I have besides this?

  Something was quietly disappearing in his heart, but he suddenly thought of another thing, and grabbed Chen Taifu's sleeve. He glanced at the silent Empress Shun and whispered, "It's too early, Empress Shun, I've been pretending to be deaf all along. Do you think she'll find out that I'm deceiving her? I'm done for, I'm done for!"

  "People with hearing impairments often learn to read lips!"

  "Will she believe it?"

  "She'll believe me when I tell her!"

  "Oh!"

  Listening to him, I can ease my worries a bit, but where does his confidence come from? If Zhen Fei doesn't believe it, then I'm done for. I shouldn't have made up this lie in the first place. A child who tells lies will be eaten by wolves - that's what they call being dead!

  Chen Taifu tidied up his medical box, put on a dark fox fur cloak, bid farewell to Empress Zhen, and went out the door!

  As soon as Imperial Physician Chen left, Consort Shu naturally had to leave together with him. The entire Xing Yue Pavilion instantly returned to its quiet state, and my breathing sound along with the crackling of charcoal in the stove suddenly became disturbing!

  "Shh... shh... shh..."

  What a strange noise, an inexplicable sound is coming from outside the window. This is the inner palace, it can't be Zhou Mulang that guy, I must be hallucinating!

  "Psst, Manya, are you there?" A raised, shrill voice that sounded like a woman's, but upon closer listening, maybe not?

  "Who?"

  I picked up the candlestick and walked to the window, questioning him.

  "It's me!"

  What kind of answer is this? Heaven knows who you are!

  "Hurry up and report your name, otherwise I'll call someone!"

  "I am Sancai Tongzi!"

  This guy is so boring, "creak", the window opened, and snowflakes blew in with the cold wind.

  "Chen Songzhuo, this is the imperial palace, you're just a guard, bursting into the inner palace, you're asking to be killed!"

  "What rhythm? What's so special about the Cining Palace? This young master can still come and go as he pleases, without anyone noticing!"

  This guy is really calm, with an air of not caring about anything. At this time, he was hugging my golden fire pan to warm up, while taking out a wine bottle from his arms and drinking it painfully!

  "I said, you..." I really don't know whether to envy him or despise his behavior, so I just silently gave him a white eye and sat down beside him, propping my head up with my arm, admiring the scene of him getting drunk alone.

  "Look at you, it's great here, I don't know how much better than Lingbo Hall, outside is windy and rainy, rest assured to stay here to recover from your illness!"

  "You think it's easy? Try being trapped here for a day and see how you feel! You'll be thinking of escaping in no time!"

  "Hehe, maybe the outside of prison is more unbearable than the inside. Sometimes, prison is a utopia, and many people want to come in but don't have the chance." As he said that, he stuffed the medicine into my hand and pushed me, indicating for me to drink it down.

  With this guy, I didn't plan on having a ladylike image. Drinking and drinking, since entering the Star Moon Sect, I haven't tasted the flavor of wine, but now I really miss it. Raise my head and take a drink, refreshing!

  "You just stay here and behave yourself, let others handle things outside!"

  Slow down, take care of your illness, this sentence sounds like I just heard it. How did Chen Songzhao know that I wanted to leave? This matter was never mentioned by Chen Taifu to anyone else, so how did he know about it?

  As for what he said about outside matters, what outside matters? And who are others anyway?

  At this moment, my mind is all confused!