A five-year-old goddess, raised to become an emperor for all time through a bronze mirror.

Chapter 188 She wants to climb into... bed...

He looked hurried, took a quick step forward as if there were wind in his feet, then swiftly bowed, clasped his hands in a respectful salute, and said in an extremely humble tone:

"Greetings, Consort Wan! If Your Majesty does not mind, you may call me Yun Jing by my given name."

Although he was already the Prince of Anguo and no longer needed to pay respects to the concubines, he still did not skip this step out of manners and courtesy.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, his gaze, which had been lowered, inadvertently swept over Consort Wan's hands.

Her slender, fair hands were trembling slightly, as delicate and weak as flowers swaying in the wind.

Seeing this scene, I couldn't help but feel a sense of concern.

Immediately afterwards, he turned his head slightly and gave a wink to the guard standing to the side.

The guard understood immediately and quickly stepped forward, presenting him with a bag he was carrying.

After taking the bag, he turned to Consort Wan again, smiled, and explained to her in a gentle voice:

"Your Highness, this is a rare treasure specially sent by Princess Sui Sui—it's called a hand warmer."

This treasure is truly magical; simply by gently opening it, it continuously emits a warm and pleasant heat source.

After saying that, he stretched out his right hand and gently and carefully tore open one of the bags of hand warmers.

Then, he gently placed the heat pack on his shoulder;

She even deliberately swayed her body from side to side a few times so that Consort Wan could see the effects more clearly.

"I brought these hand warmers especially for Consort Wan and Chang'an, hoping they can bring you some warmth in this cold winter."

Pei Yunjing smiled and spoke sincerely.

He knew the freezing rain was cold, and Chang'an was not favored by his father, so the Imperial Household Department certainly wouldn't allocate any charcoal for heating to them...

Upon hearing these words, Consort Wan's face immediately blossomed into a radiant smile. She gestured to the palace maid Chunhua behind her to come forward and take the hand warmer.

Then he nodded slightly to Pei Yunjing to express his gratitude, saying, "Yunjing is so kind!"

"Then I will take my leave and return to Shanghe Palace!" Pei Yunjing bowed slightly, then turned and led his men away slowly.

As she watched his figure gradually disappear from sight, Consort Wan's smile, which had been on her lips, suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon.

She snorted coldly and muttered under her breath, "Hmph! This guy is clearly a weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken—he's up to no good..."

However, before Consort Wan could finish speaking, Chunhua, who had been standing by her side, could no longer contain herself and coughed softly, "Your Highness..."

A subtle hint of warning flickered in her eyes, as if implying that Consort Wan should be careful with her words and actions.

After all, in the deep inner palace, even a casual grumble is acceptable;

They could all be used against them by people with ulterior motives, leading to unnecessary trouble or even disaster.

Consort Wan was naturally aware of the situation. When she realized Chunhua's hint, she gently bit her lip and wisely shut her mouth, refusing to say another word.

But her gaze remained fixed on the direction Pei Yunjing had left, her eyes flashing with a complex and unreadable light, a mixture of doubt, vigilance, and a trace of indescribable unease.

As night quietly fell and the sky grew darker, lanterns throughout the palace were gradually lit up.

The bright red lanterns, like twinkling stars, hung in a staggered pattern under the eaves and along the corridors of the palace, illuminating the entire palace as brightly and brilliantly as if it were daytime.

At this moment, Consort Wan remained standing quietly in place, without moving.

Although she was holding a delicate hand warmer tightly in her hand, which was constantly emitting warmth, she could not feel any warmth at all.

At this moment, her once calm heart was turned upside down by Pei Yunjing's sudden visit and the mysterious gift. All sorts of questions surged into her mind like a tide, making her feel upset and confused.

"Your Majesty, it's getting late. Let's hurry back to the palace to rest." Just then, Chunhua gently reminded her, finally breaking the oppressive silence.

Consort Wan came to her senses, nodded, and turned to walk towards her palace.

Her steps were heavy, but she was pondering Pei Yunjing's intentions.

After returning to the palace, Consort Wan walked slowly to her dressing table with light yet slightly heavy steps.

She sat down quietly, gazing at the woman in the mirror who had a beautiful face but looked slightly tired.

At this moment, her previously somewhat confused gaze gradually became firm, as if she had made some kind of important decision.

She knew that her long-standing passive acceptance and silent waiting could not change the status quo. If she continued to be so passive, she would not only completely lose the emperor's favor.

Even her only son, Pei Chang'an, will find it difficult to gain a foothold in this treacherous and fiercely competitive court.

Thinking of this, Consort Wan gritted her teeth slightly and secretly vowed to make a difference and never allow herself to be bullied and manipulated again.

So she took a deep breath, calmed herself, and then gently raised her hand to summon her personal maid, Chunhua.

As Chunhua walked quickly closer, Consort Wan whispered a few words to her.

Chunhua was slightly taken aback at first, but then nodded knowingly, indicating that she understood her master's meaning.

Immediately afterwards, Consort Wan began to carefully dress herself up.

She first took out a gold hairpin inlaid with gemstones from an exquisite dressing case and carefully inserted it into her hair;

Then she opened a box of rouge, dipped her finger in it and gently applied it to her cheeks, instantly making her already fair face even more beautiful and charming.

Finally, she also chose a pair of exquisite earrings to wear, which shimmered with a mesmerizing light as she gently moved her head.

By the time everything was ready, night had fallen, and the entire palace was enveloped in tranquility.

Consort Wan rose quietly, straightened her skirt, and then quietly pushed open the door, disappearing into the night like a nimble cat.

She walked alone along the winding path toward the emperor's palace.

Along the way, the moonlight shone like water on the ground, reflecting her graceful figure.

However, at this moment, Consort Wan had no leisure to appreciate the beautiful scenery; her mind was filled with thoughts of the upcoming meeting and how to successfully realize her plan.

Finally, after some twists and turns, Consort Wan arrived at the gate of the Emperor's palace.

Looking at the magnificent palace before her, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nervous and excited emotions.

Silently telling myself, "This time, I will not fail!"

No matter the cost, I will win back the Emperor's heart and reclaim all the glory and status I have lost..."