26 Preposterous, Pan the Bold

"Sprained her ankle?"

Hearing the message from the young eunuch that Bao-lin Pan had sprained her ankle on the Long Street, Eunuch Wei, who was standing outside the Hanzhang Palace, furrowed his brow.

After clarifying the details with the young eunuch, Eunuch Wei waved him away and turned to head back inside the palace.

The Hanzhang Palace was exceptionally quiet. As it was not a time for a formal morning court, there were no other officials present; only Emperor Mingchong sat high upon the throne.

Although the Emperor had not retired until the hour of the Rat (midnight) the previous night due to reviewing memorials, he had risen early this morning, well before the hour of the Rabbit (5:00–7:00 AM).

Emperor Mingchong was dressed in a dark, nearly black dragon robe embroidered with auspicious clouds. Even while alone in the hall, he sat with a composed and solemn demeanor, as immovable and imposing as a mountain that no one could hope to scale.

Eunuch Wei entered on tiptoe, carrying fresh tea. Seeing the Emperor engrossed in a memorial, he dared not disturb him and stood quietly to the side.

It was only when the Emperor set aside the document and glanced over while lifting his teacup that Eunuch Wei stepped forward to report the news of the new concubine, Pan, spraining her ankle.

In truth, Pan Yulian was currently nothing more than a Bao-lin, the lowest rank in the harem. To put it bluntly, a concubine of such low standing barely even qualified to be noticed, let alone when she was already known for being particularly disliked.

Yet the issue was that today was the very first day the new concubines had entered the palace, and it wasn't even time for the midday meal yet. If she were to be targeted in public on her first day, it would be… it would be simply scandalous.

Upon hearing Eunuch Wei’s words, the Emperor’s hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly.

Pan Yulian…

Emperor Mingchong actually remembered her. Even now, as Wei Shunzhong mentioned her, he could clearly recall her appearance.

In his youth, the Emperor had been unrestrained and extravagant, even acting quite recklessly during the early days of his reign. As his time on the throne grew longer, that impulsive passion had gradually faded, and he had chosen to firmly grasp the reins of imperial power.

As for Pan Yulian’s appearance—when he had first seen her during the selection, he had subconsciously felt a sense of danger. Yes, danger—the kind that was… provocatively dangerous.

Honestly speaking, the Emperor both liked and disliked this feeling. He disliked it because his desire for control was immense—a desire that extended even to his own emotions. He did not like feelings that were beyond his grasp.

And yet, as for why he liked it… deep in his bones, there was an innate desire to chase that dangerous stimulation. That elusive, lingering, and tangled desire was adept at bewitching the heart. He had originally intended to let this "restless heart" go, but she had ended up in the palace regardless.

"…The eunuch leading the way was Xiao Guizi, and the accompanying eunuchs all confirmed that the mistress sprained her ankle accidentally…"

The Emperor took a sip of tea. The tea, which usually was at the perfect temperature, felt a bit too hot now. He set the cup down and, with his usual calm expression, opened another memorial. "Since it was an accidental sprain, let her recover in peace."

"Yes."

Eunuch Wei, who followed the Emperor, naturally knew his preferences. His Majesty had always favored ladies who were gentle, proper, and well-behaved. As for someone as unruly as Bao-lin Pan… Wei, who had not accompanied the Emperor during the selection and had never met Pan Yulian, shook his head inwardly. After receiving the order, he retreated softly.

Left alone in the hall, the Emperor’s gaze did not fall on the memorials. He stared idly at the birds chirping outside the window and suddenly gave a faint smile.

An emperor would restrain his desires. But when it came to a single person or a single matter, he would not retreat more than three times.

…

Linhua Palace.

"Sprained her ankle?"

Hearing this, Consort Wen frowned, her expression darkening. Ever since the selection process began, who in the palace hadn't heard a few things about this Pan candidate? Pan Yulian’s most profound impression was that she was shallow, arrogant, and disregarded the rules.

This impression was actually somewhat distorted; after all, the fact that Pan Yulian was able to participate in the selection meant her "misdeeds" were not that serious. Besides, was she the only one with a flighty temperament? To put it plainly, it was because her beauty was too striking—the kind of "vibrant and bold" look that had nothing to do with the gentle, graceful, and pure "white moonlight" image.

Among this year’s candidates, there was no one who could compete with her. Furthermore, rumors suggested that the Empress Dowager was particularly fond of her, which pushed her to the forefront and made her a target. Because of all this, the notion that Pan Yulian was unruly had become deeply ingrained.

Consort Wen valued rules above all else and deeply disliked the inappropriate trouble Pan Yulian represented. However, since even the Empress hadn't been able to intervene in the palace arrangements, she clearly had no room to object. Since she had arrived, there was no use dwelling on it.

While annoyed and disdainful, Consort Wen had prepared to properly discipline Pan Yulian’s character. As the head of the palace, if Pan Yulian caused some disgraceful scene, her own reputation would be dragged down with it.

But now, she was met with the news that Pan Yulian had sprained her ankle. Since the injury occurred on the Long Street in full view of everyone, the whole palace knew of it. Could she really be so heartless as to force someone to drag a broken leg to pay their respects?

That would be a disaster: a newly entered concubine failing to pay homage to her superior, forcing the superior to "pay a visit" instead. It was completely upside-down; it was simply outrageous!

…

The "outrageous" Pan Yulian was currently lying on a couch in the side hall.

Thanks to the "favor" of being injured on her first day, an imperial physician from the Medical Bureau was there to carefully diagnose her. Pan Yulian had fair skin, so tender it seemed as though it could drip water, and the swelling on her ankle looked quite alarming. When the medical attendant helped examine the injury, Pan Yulian would shiver at the slightest touch, appearing quite pitiful.

"The mistress has accidentally bruised the cartilage of her ankle. Once the swelling subsides, a poultice can be applied. I will prescribe some internal medicine for you to take on schedule," the physician said. After discussing the injury, he added, "For these next few days, I suggest the mistress does not move about; quiet rest is best."

"How long do I need to rest?"

The imperial physicians were always cautious. When asked by the nobility, the longer the recovery, the better. Thus, hearing Pan Yulian’s question, the physician pondered for a moment and said, "There is a folk saying that a broken bone takes a hundred days to heal. Fortunately, your injury is not severe, but it will certainly take at least half that time."

Half that time?

That would be fifty days? Rounding up, that was two months.

Hahahaha! Good, good, good! She could avoid the days of serving the Emperor without any effort at all; she truly was a clever little devil.

Beaming with joy, Pan Yulian suddenly covered her face with her hands. In an instant, she squeezed out tears and began to wail and sob.

Not enough tears? No matter, she would just howl to make up for it.

Suddenly, everyone in the room was startled by Pan Yulian’s outburst. Ting Mei, watching her with concern, was just about to ask if she was in pain again when she heard Pan Yulian wailing in a heart-wrenching, miserable tone:

"Wuu wuu wuu, I have to rest for three months? Does that mean… does that mean I won't be able to serve the Emperor for three months?!"

!!!

Nanny Lian, who had been sent by Consort Wen to check on Pan Yulian, and Nanny Ling, from the Empress's side, had just stepped into the side hall when they were met head-on with this "earth-shattering" howl.

The two women exchanged a look of utter bewilderment.

This… this…

Well, they had certainly seen something new today.