I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 19: Infiltrating the Imperial Palace

Why was Rong Heng’s attitude towards her today completely different from a few days ago outside the palace?

Where had she offended someone again? Gu Lan thought carefully and felt like she hadn’t.

Gu Lan thought of the tiring scene of Rong Heng and Jiu moving house with large bundles.

No, she had to go back.

She paused slightly, moved her wrist gently, then spun her body and seamlessly blended into the shadows of the wall.

Utilizing the shifting light of noon, a figure leaped over. The guards at the palace gates only saw a blur and, looking carefully, didn’t see anyone.

After a month of recovery and training, the original owner’s physique was no longer what it used to be. Although she couldn’t wall-climb yet, blending into the Imperial Palace using stealth methods from assassin training wasn’t difficult without encountering masters.

However, while it was easy to get in, Gu Lan overlooked one thing—

This Yan Imperial Palace was just too big.

How could there be no signs? What if she got lost!

Let alone reaching Rong Heng’s Xiaoxiang Palace, she couldn’t even find her way back to the Imperial Family or to the Empress Dowager’s Yongshou Palace.

Wandering within the palace for half a day, Gu Lan was feeling a bit anxious when she caught sight of two young palace maids carrying food boxes down a small path in the distance.

Her nose twitched slightly as she caught a faint scent.

Gu Lan landed lightly from a crooked-neck tree, adjusted her clothes, and waved the fan in her hand to stop the maids, politely saying: "Hello, sisters."

Each of the two palace maids was carrying a food box, clearly on an errand, and upon seeing Gu Lan’s distinguished attire and demeanor, they quickly lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.

One of them asked, "Who is this young master, wandering inside the palace?"

Gu Lan retorted, "Who are you sisters?"

The palace maid instinctively replied, "We are servants from the Imperial Kitchen. Today, it’s scorching hot, and they’ve prepared Jade Snow Tiao, which we are to deliver to various parts of the harem."

Gu Lan glanced down at the exquisite food boxes in their hands, raised an eyebrow, and Rong Heng’s slender figure flashed before his eyes.

The Imperial Kitchen? So, they weren’t from Consort Qian’s place.

According to the book, the current Emperor’s two Princes, the Crown Prince was raised by Empress Su, and the Second Prince was the son of Consort Qian.

In the harem, Empress Su and Consort Qian were as incompatible as water and fire. In the court, Prime Minister Su and Minister Qian were also arch-enemies.

Moreover, Consort Qian was Minister Qian’s sister and Qian Rui’s aunt.

Not from the Noble Consort’s palace, that’s good.

Gu Lan smiled slightly and kindly said:

"I am Qian Rui, son of Minister Qian. Today, the Empress Dowager summoned me to the palace to choose a companion for Prince Rui’s Princely Heir. However, I got lost due to the vastness of the palace and unknowingly ended up here at Xiaoxiang Palace. Could you tell me how to get to the Empress Dowager’s Yongshou Palace?"

"So, it’s Young Master Qian."

The young palace maid might not recognize Qian Rui, but she knew Minister Qian was a high-ranking official and also the Noble Consort’s brother. She had also heard about the recent selection of a companion for the young prince, so she hurriedly said:

"This isn’t Xiaoxiang Palace. Head west from here, and the first palace with green tiles is Noble Consort’s Zhongcui Palace, the second is Xiaoxiang Palace, and further inside, the largest palace is the Empress Dowager’s Yongshou Palace."

Gu Lan’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly realizing that if Xiaoxiang Palace was situated between the Consort’s and the Empress Dowager’s residences, it was indeed a strategic location.

She coughed lightly, covering her nose with the fan: "Thank you, sisters, for your guidance."

Watching Gu Lan’s departing back, one of the palace maids muttered puzzledly: "The nephew of Consort Qian, and he doesn’t know how to reach Yongshou Palace."

"Also, Zhongcui Palace, where the Noble Consort resides, was right ahead, didn’t he notice it?"

"Maybe he doesn’t visit the palace often."

"I should report this to the Chief Eunuch later, though I didn’t catch a clear look of his face..."

"The light was dappled earlier, so I didn’t see clearly either."

The Gu Lan, who was on the young palace maid’s mind, was swiftly maneuvering through the Imperial Palace, a cold, fragrant chicken shred cold noodle dish in her arms.

Unexpectedly, a grandiose name like Jade Snow Tiao turned out to be nothing more than ancient cold noodles with shredded chicken.

*

Inside Xiaoxiang Palace, Rong Heng bent down to carefully lay out the scrolls in his hand.

Yesterday’s heavy rain had dampened the books inside the box. During their move from the Imperial Court, the long journey had left the book box worn, and it got dropped several times. So today, in good weather, they were organizing these old books.

These books had been his companions since childhood, initially at Xiaoxiang Palace, then with him at the Imperial Court, and now they had returned once more.

This had been Princess Consort Xiao’s residence, the most lively and bright spot in Yan Imperial Palace.

Now, Xiaoxiang Palace lay empty and desolate. In the vast palace, apart from Rong Heng and Jiu as master and servant, there was no other palace attendant.

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds; at the corners grew a wild mess of tear bamboos. Ancient trees grew unpruned, reaching skywards and shading everything.

Beneath the trees bloomed clusters of sparse white ginger lilies, like white gulls scattered across a green lake, their shadows mottled on the old palace doors.

Such loneliness starkly contrasted with the nearby luxurious and splendid Zhongcui Palace.

Zhongcui Palace, where Consort Qian resided, juxtaposed the desolate Xiaoxiang Palace—a palace abandoned for seven years. The desolation here was akin to a Cold Palace, lacking only a formal declaration.

From outside the tightly closed palace doors came the faint laughter and chatter of unknown palace attendants. The intense sunlight fell on Rong Heng, unnoticed, as he methodically stroked the pages of a book, his eyes deep in thought about the recent scene.

"Today, that Young Master Gu dared to wipe His Highness’s face with a handkerchief in public—"

"Such audacity."

Rong Heng instinctively shook his head, then suddenly tweaked the corner of his mouth and looked at Jiu.

"Was that you speaking just now?"

"Who else," Jiu innocently displayed a toothy grin, pointing to Rong Heng’s sleeve, "Your Highness, the handkerchief in your sleeve is about to fall out."

Rong Heng took a deep breath, said nothing, but moved his left hand into his right sleeve, tucking in the handkerchief further.

Jiu mischievously chuckled, his round face looking quite amiable, while Rong Heng resumed his calm demeanor, picking up another book to lay out on the ground.

The courtyard floor was uneven, with a shallow puddle of rainwater in a nearby depression.

Jiu moved closer, cautiously circling around before saying in a low voice: "Oh yes, Your Highness, Rong Mu sent word yesterday that Yan Qing’s illness improved a lot after taking medicine, but still—"

He abruptly stopped, pupils contracting.

A drop of water plopped, breaking the stillness of the puddle before them, creating ripples.

Rong Heng’s previously indifferent expression instantly turned gloomy. He lifted his gaze, exchanged a look with Jiu, and then stood up, sweeping his gaze across the courtyard, his voice laced with cold murderous intent:

"Who are you, show yourself."