MCSCPM -Chapter 241 Red Walls and Green Tiles

Although Chu Helian cut her off, that sentence—“I have my own plans”—was like a riddle. No one could guess what he truly meant.

Lan Rao, fearless to the point of recklessness, asked again, “Your Majesty, if Prince Jing insists on marrying her, what will you do?”

Chu Helian’s expression darkened. He turned around—he had already made his decision. With displeasure in his tone, he asked, “Why has my beloved consort suddenly brought this matter up with me?”

“These past two days, I invited Yin Qingyue to stay in my palace. After spending time with her, I found her graceful and dignified. I truly like her very much, so I wanted to ask Your Majesty what you think.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

“I only wish to tell Your Majesty that you should still remember the matter of Ding Ying. Miss Shangguan is indeed the daughter of the Grand General, but…” She stopped just as the words reached her lips.

Chu Helian understood what Lan Rao meant. He had, of course, considered it himself. But his suspicious nature made him dislike others speaking too much in front of him. Lan Rao knew this well, yet for the sake of winning over Prince Jing, she still spoke.

“My beloved consort, I’ve already told you that I know about this matter and have reached a conclusion. You need not concern yourself with it anymore.” Chu Helian picked up a memorial and continued reading without even lifting his eyes.

Seeing that the emperor was displeased, Lan Rao said no more. She bowed and withdrew.

After she left, the emperor heavily tossed the memorial onto the table and sighed.

It was impossible for Yin Qingyue to become Princess Jing. At most, she could be taken as a concubine; if she later bore a son, she might be granted the title of secondary consort. Even if Shangguan Jiaoran were unsuitable, the position of Princess Jing could never belong to Yin Qingyue.

After all, Yin Qingyue was a woman from Xize, and she seemed to carry many secrets. Until those were fully understood, he could not allow his son to be with her.

Step by step—state affairs were pressing, and this matter would have to be set aside for now.

---

On the other side, Lan Rao returned to her palace, intending to look for Yin Qingyue.

When she reached Yin Qingyue’s residence and was about to enter, she saw her standing outside, head tilted up, gazing at the distant green tiles and red walls. Her profile was strikingly beautiful. For a moment, Lan Rao did not wish to disturb her.

Only when Yin Qingyue turned her head did their gazes meet.

At that instant, Yin Qingyue seemed to read Lan Rao’s thoughts. She knew Lan Rao had just gone to see the emperor. She also knew that what she had always suspected was true—Lan Rao had done all this to win over Prince Jing.

Yet Lan Rao was neither truly bad nor truly good. She could not bear children, and for the sake of her future, her actions were understandable.

Yin Qingyue found herself able to understand this woman.

“When did Your Ladyship arrive?” Yin Qingyue asked.

Lan Rao snapped out of her thoughts and walked over. “I just arrived. You seemed deep in thought, so I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“How could that be? I’ve already troubled Your Ladyship for so long—have I disturbed you? Perhaps I should—”

“It’s fine. Didn’t I say I wanted you to stay a few more days?”

This round of probing still yielded nothing.

No matter what Yin Qingyue said, Lan Rao seemed determined not to let her leave.

“If only it were possible, I truly wish you could stay here forever. My palace hasn’t been this lively in a very long time.”

Helplessness welled up in Yin Qingyue’s heart. This was the Beihou Imperial Palace. Given how Prince Jing treated her, she had to preserve his dignity. In the palace, she could not act forcefully—she could only retreat or use wit.

Of course, if someone targeted her, she would not allow herself to suffer quietly.

Turning her gaze away, Yin Qingyue pointed to the palace walls in the distance and asked, “Your Ladyship, do you think these walls are tall?”

“Why do you suddenly ask that?”

“These past two days, I’ve been thinking about something. Are the palace walls high or low? If they are high, why was it so easy to enter? If they are low, why do some people grow old and die within these walls, never able to leave in their entire lives?” Yin Qingyue spoke with deep emotion, her words tinged with resentment at the injustices of the world.

She had not expected that a single sentence from Yin Qingyue would seem to sum up the lives of so many women in the palace.

Lan Rao had never thought about such a question before. Since entering the palace, that feeling had been faint. Only in the dead of night, when she awoke suddenly, would it surface—but by morning, she would once again be jolted awake by the struggles of the inner palace, endlessly looping through its battles.

A trace of desolation curved Yin Qingyue’s lips. “In the end, this place is not a home, nor is it somewhere a woman truly wishes to spend her entire life. Your Ladyship, have you ever thought about this?”

“Qingyue, your words strike deeply. Every word feels like it’s hitting my chest. As for whether these red walls are high or low—if you hadn’t said it, I truly wouldn’t be able to tell. Still, I suppose I’m relatively fortunate. Within these red walls and green tiles, I can at least go out from time to time.”

In truth, Lan Rao did not fully understand her meaning. What Yin Qingyue truly referred to was not Lan Rao, but those women deep in the palace who had no title and no status.

If she truly had a future with Prince Jing, and if he someday became emperor, she too would be just one among many women. Perhaps she would not be as fortunate as Consort Lan. Perhaps she would become one of those women without name or standing.

Just thinking about it was pitiful.

But how could Consort Lan know that Yin Qingyue was really speaking of herself?

---

That evening, when Yin Qingyue returned to her room, Lian’er rushed in.

“Miss Yin, there is an imperial decree. His Majesty summons you to the Imperial Study.”

“His Majesty summons me?” Yin Qingyue replied calmly, though she had already anticipated it.

“Yes. The eunuch is waiting outside to escort you.”

She should have guessed earlier—how could Chu Helian not seek her out? His son’s heart was with her; how could he not?

So she went.

At the Imperial Study, the eunuch withdrew, leaving her alone with Chu Helian, who sat upon the dragon throne, his expression unreadable.

“This humble woman Yin Qingyue pays her respects to Your Majesty,” she said, lowering her head slightly.

Chu Helian asked gently, “Who taught a merchant’s daughter to wield a sword?”

“Your Majesty, my father hired a master to teach me. I was not diligent and only learned a fraction of his skill.”

“How could it be just a fraction? You amazed everyone present—and even I was amazed,” Chu Helian said seriously. “Lift your head.”

Yin Qingyue raised her head and met his gaze. In those ten seconds, she read his thoughts.

Chu Helian could not control his son Chu Jingcheng. His son loved Yin Qingyue, and he was powerless to stop it—but at most, he would allow her to become a concubine first, then perhaps a secondary consort.

If such a fate were forced upon her, Yin Qingyue would never accept it.

In fact, even becoming Princess Jing, she likely would not agree. She did not want to enter the palace, nor become one among countless women.

Unless there were only her alone…

Seeing her stare at him, Chu Helian asked, “Why do you look at me so?”

Realizing her gaze was inappropriate, she quickly withdrew it and found an excuse. “I only felt that Prince Jing’s eyes and brows resemble Your Majesty’s very much.”

“So that’s it. Jing’er is my son—some resemblance is only natural.”

“Your Majesty, may I ask how Prince Jing is now?” Yin Qingyue asked cautiously.

Chu Helian smiled. “I sent him to the prefectures to deal with corrupt officials. You seem quite concerned about him.”

“That is because Prince Jing has helped me greatly. Naturally, I worry about him.”

“Helped you? How so?”

Yin Qingyue decided not to hide it. “To be honest, when we were in Xize, Prince Jing once saved my life.”

Chu Helian’s expression changed—both surprised and as expected. He frowned slightly. “Miss Yin is a divine physician who helped Xize control floods and epidemics. How could you have been in mortal danger, needing Jing’er to save you?”

“The reasons are complicated. I am deeply grateful to Prince Jing—he saved my life, and I have yet to repay that debt.”

“Jing’er is fortunate to have met you. People of such loyalty and righteousness are rare,” Chu Helian said.

“Your Majesty flatters me.”

“Though I don’t know you well, it’s clear that this is why Jing’er cares for you so deeply. For your sake, he refuses to marry Shangguan Jiaoran, even defies me, his father, and would rather go to the prefectures than compromise.”

With a wave of his hand, Chu Helian said, “Enough. You may go.”

Yin Qingyue bowed and withdrew.

As she left the Imperial Study, her thoughts were still tangled.

He loved to tease her with frivolous words, yet kept important matters from her. He knew she was resistant to the palace, so he chose to avoid the topic.

But she was only resistant—not evasive. She feared trouble, but she was no coward.

Just then, a group of eunuchs suddenly appeared.

“Miss Yin, Lady Liu Zhaoyi invites you to her palace,” the leading eunuch said.

“At such a late hour? For what matter?”

“That, I do not know. Miss Yin should make the trip.”

“But Consort Lan—” Yin Qingyue hesitated. Before she could finish, several palace maids stepped forward and forcibly led her away.

“Miss Yin, please come with us. Don’t worry—Lady Liu has already sent word to Consort Lan.”

Half-invited, half-dragged, Yin Qingyue found it hard to resist. Lady Liu had clearly chosen this moment, knowing Yin Qingyue had just left the Imperial Study and was without Consort Lan’s protection.

At Lady Liu’s palace, pastries, fruits, and even a jug of fine wine were laid out.

Liu Sishui looked at Yin Qingyue with increasing fondness—especially at such a beautiful woman.

“Lady Liu, why summon me so late?” Yin Qingyue asked.

Lady Liu merely smiled, unhurried to answer.

Meeting her gaze, Yin Qingyue decided to see what medicine she was selling.

It turned out that Lady Liu was thinking entirely of her own son, Prince Ling. She hoped her son would settle down quickly. His princely title had been won through pillow talk; Chu Ling was carefree and dissolute, often absent from the palace. Lady Liu did not expect him to become emperor—she only hoped he would rein himself in, perform well before the emperor, and secure his princely title, so that others would stop gossiping.

Naturally, to make him settle down, she had to look to Yin Qingyue.