My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 243 Jade Kun Palace

A heavy snowfall turned the roof of Xihe Courtyard white, but there was no trace of snow accumulation on the ground; instead, patches of water meandered through the courtyard.

The temperature difference between the two sides can be clearly felt, with the fence outside the courtyard serving as the dividing line.

When Lin Ziping was digging the ground last time, he discovered that the entire yard had a heating system similar to underfloor heating installed underground, and it got hotter the deeper you went.

The bamboo grove and the open space for planting vegetables should both be artificially filled in.

Underfloor heating technology was not uncommon in that era, but in this day and age, heating such an area is truly rare, even in Lin Ziping's many years of experience here.

Such a grand gesture convinced Lin Ziping that this courtyard was definitely not something that someone of Dongshan's caliber could possess.

But the doubts in my heart were even greater. If Dongshan was not a place to live, then why was I allowed to live here?

To be precise, it's more like a guard.

As time passed, Lin Ziping still hadn't received an audience with the emperor. Just when he thought he would be stuck in the palace like a parasite, an unexpected person arrived at Xihe Courtyard.

The person who arrived was the lady-in-waiting who had been by the Queen's side at the horse farm last time, followed by a group of flustered guards.

The female official walked up to Lin Ziping, paused for a moment, and asked, "Are you Lin Ziping from the Prefectural Guard?"

Lin Ziping clasped his hands in a respectful greeting: "Indeed."

At this moment, one of the guards behind her stepped forward and said, "Aunt Wanrong, we are just following orders. Your actions are putting us in a difficult position!"

Wan Rong glared sharply at the speaker: "On orders? On whose orders? Her Majesty the Empress has decreed that she must see Lin Ziping. Are you going to stop her?"

The guards knelt on one knee and said in unison, "We dare not."

Lin Ziping raised an eyebrow slightly. The waters were getting increasingly murky; even the Empress had gotten involved?

Wan Rong looked at Lin Ziping and frowned, saying, "Your Majesty the Empress is waiting. Come with me!"

"Aunt, please allow me to tidy up," Lin Ziping said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"No need, don't keep Her Highness waiting," Wanrong refused.

Lin Ziping said no more and followed Wan Rong, bypassing the kneeling guards on the ground and leaving.

Stepping out of the high palace walls of Xihe Courtyard, Lin Ziping felt as if he had been transported to another world. A gust of cold wind swept over him, and he couldn't help but shiver.

Wan Rong kept her eyes straight ahead, and the palace maids and eunuchs on the road bowed and stepped aside to the sides.

After walking for about half an hour, they arrived at the Yukun Palace where the Empress resided.

A long staircase leads to the entrance, with the three large characters "Yu Kun Palace" engraved on the plaque, overlooking Lin Ziping.

"This Jade Kun Palace was established since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and only the Empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty is qualified to reside here," Wan Rong explained as she saw Lin Ziping looking up at the plaque.

Lin Ziping withdrew his gaze and said, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Aunt Wanrong."

Wanrong nodded and stepped onto the stairs.

Lin Ziping straightened his clothes and followed closely behind.

After climbing the steps and standing under the "Yu Kun Palace" plaque, Lin Ziping turned around and saw the Taiji Hall in the distance.

"Hurry up, don't keep Her Majesty waiting." Wanrong whispered a reminder.

Lin Ziping didn't say anything, and quickened his pace to follow Wan Rong.

The two palace maids at the door greeted Wanrong with bows and said, "Greetings, Aunt Wanrong."

The two arrived outside the main hall of Yukun Palace. Wanrong bowed and said loudly, "Your Majesty, Lin Ziping has arrived."

One of the palace maids said, "Auntie, please wait a moment. Several imperial concubines are also here. Please allow me to go in and inform them."

Wanrong nodded and stood up to the side.

Before long, the palace maid who had gone in to announce her arrival came out and said, "Auntie, come in quickly. It's windy outside, and the ladies are roasting chestnuts in the inner room."

Wanrong smiled and said, "We've come at the perfect time."

"Yes, yes," the palace maid said, lifting the thick curtain on the door.

Wan Rong stepped into the house and turned to Lin Ziping, saying, "Come in quickly."

Lin Ziping nodded slightly and followed Wan Rong into the house.

Upon entering the house, it was noticeably warmer than outside.

At this moment, two more women came out of the house. Although they were also dressed as palace maids, the texture of their clothes and the jewelry they wore were obviously different from the two outside.

The two men approached gracefully, each carrying a jar in one hand and a tray in the other.

"Auntie, it's freezing cold outside, come and get rid of the chill," the palace maid carrying the tray said with a smile.

Wanrong picked up a bowl from the tray and handed it to Lin Ziping, saying, "Drink a bowl of ginger tea, so as not to bring the cold to the ladies."

"Yes, thank you, Auntie, and thank you both, sisters." Lin Ziping thanked her and took the bowl.

"Hehe, little brother, where are you on duty?" the palace maid carrying the jar asked, then smiled at Wanrong and said, "Auntie, come and warm your hands."

After saying that, he looked at Lin Ziping and said, "Little brother, you can warm your hands too."

Lin Ziping didn't reply, but turned his gaze to Wan Rong.

Wan Rong smiled slightly: "Qiu He, this is His Majesty's newly favored man, don't tease him."

"Haha, little brother, what color red are you? Scarlet?" the palace maid named Qiuhe laughed.

Wanrong and the other woman chuckled softly.

Although Lin Ziping didn't understand what the three were laughing about, he lowered his eyes and blew on the soup in his bowl, looking embarrassed.

Wanrong finished the soup in her bowl, put it on the tray, and gently tapped Qiuhe's forehead: "You naughty girl, why don't you learn from Dongyan and say whatever comes to mind?"

"Auntie," Qiuhe called out sweetly, "I don't have Sister Dongyan's cooking skills, but I can please the Empress and all the sisters with my sweet talk."

Lin Ziping couldn't participate in the banter between the three, so he could only stand aside and grin foolishly. Seeing that Wan Rong was fine after drinking it, he also picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

I don't know what's in the bowl, but after finishing it, my palms were slightly sweaty.

"Dongyan, put the bowl away. Qiuhe, lead us inside. Don't keep the ladies waiting," Wanrong instructed.

Upon hearing this, Qiuhe stopped smiling and, carrying the jar, said, "Auntie, please come with me."

Wan Rong slowed her pace and walked alongside Lin Ziping.

Lin Ziping looked at the jar Qiu He was carrying. It was an exquisitely crafted hand warmer, and through the cracks, he could see the red glow of the charcoal fire inside.

"Your Majesty, Lin Ziping has arrived." Wan Rong bowed, half-squatting.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress." Lin Ziping also clasped his hands in greeting.

"Get up."

A gentle female voice came from the head of the table.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." After saying this, Wanrong stood up and walked to the Empress's side.

Lin Ziping also stood up and straightened his back.

The Empress, dressed in a bright yellow palace gown, sat at the head of the table, holding a black cat in her arms, her slender, pale fingers gently stroking the cat's back.

Lin Ziping looked up and his eyes met the black cat's dark green vertical pupils.

"Sister, where did this little guard come from? You have to summon him personally?" A sweet female voice rang out from the side.

Lin Ziping looked at the person who spoke, a woman dressed in a purple palace dress. She looked to be no more than twenty years old. The purple palace dress did not make her look dull at all; instead, her eyes sparkled with a lively spirit.

Seeing that the Empress did not blame him, Lin Ziping looked up and saw that in addition to the Empress and the woman in purple, there were three other women dressed in palace attire sitting in the room.

A man dressed in green sat next to a woman in purple.

The other two sat to the left of the Queen. The one closest to the Queen wore a blue palace dress and looked older than the others.

The other person was sitting a little closer to the stove in the middle. He was holding a hand warmer, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed, his face was pale, and his clothes were very simple and elegant, making him look like a "sickly beauty".

The women were all beautiful in their own unique ways, and Lin Ziping couldn't help but feel envious and jealous of the emperor once again.