Did the Crown Prince's days actually pass in such straitened circumstances?!
Hard to Kill
The Star-Seizing Tower was not within the imperial palace, but it had not originally been built outside the palace.
When the old Imperial Preceptor had still been alive, there had been a "Star-Watching Hall" in the palace, located between the outer court and the inner harem. The old Imperial Preceptor had resided there year-round; if he wished to see the Emperor, it took only half an incense stick's time. As a subject of the Great Sheng Dynasty, Empress Lu naturally knew of the Imperial Preceptor's exalted status in the dynasty. Thus, after entering the palace, she had deliberately sought to curry favor with Imperial Preceptor Yutan.
Of course, there was also some gratitude mixed in. Had the old Imperial Preceptor not divined—and Yan not declared—that she possessed the bearing to become mother to the realm, her family background would never have allowed her to take command of the central palace. Not to mention that the old Imperial Preceptor had helped her several times afterward. If one spoke of who in the palace had grieved most over the old Imperial Preceptor's death, it was none other than Empress Lu.
The current Imperial Preceptor was True Person Yutan's direct disciple, named Lan Qiao. After the old Imperial Preceptor passed away, he followed his final wish and built another Star-Seizing Tower somewhere beyond the palace to pray for Great Prosperity's blessings. Only on the first and fifteenth of each month did he enter the palace to perform divinations.
By coincidence, today was the fifteenth day of the twelfth month. Empress Lu had repeatedly looked for chances to slip away in the Hall of State Affairs. In the end, Wen Xu could no longer stand watching and secretly "helped" her