Chapter 15: Crisis Approaches

"The Emperor has arrived?"

The two hurriedly grabbed their clothes and put them on. Qingwen lit a lamp, and Wenjuan ran to the bedroom to wake Jiang Ling.

Emperor Yuanming, filled with resentment, strode into the room. Seeing the lamps that were lit one after another, his face darkened even more than the night sky.

What an ungrateful wretch! How can she sleep soundly without a care in the world!

Jiang Ling was grumpy when he woke up, and every day after waking up, he would stare blankly for a while before he would come to his senses. He had just fallen into a deep sleep when Wen Juan pulled him out of bed, dressed him, and brought him to the hall, his eyes still glazed over.

"This guy, with a dark, sour face in the middle of the night, looks like Zhong Kui (a Chinese ghost exorcist), is he here to catch a ghost?"

Emperor Yuanming's breathing suddenly became heavy, and then she said, "Could it be that you've caught someone in adultery? The palace walls are so high, you can't climb them. Besides, there aren't any apricots in season!"

Distracted by her chaotic thoughts, Emperor Yuanming's anger dissipated at some point, and he listened very attentively, barely managing not to laugh out loud.

Jiang Ling stood there, and Wen Juan quietly tugged at her sleeve from behind. She snapped out of her daze, curtsied, and asked, "Your Majesty, are you still up so late?"

Emperor Yuanming paused, glanced at her, and walked straight to the head of the table to sit down, saying, "It's still early, only the hour of Xu (7-9 PM)."

He saw Jiang Ling looking dazed, as if she hadn't woken up yet. Her hair was loosely held in place with a pearl hairpin, not yet combed. Her black hair, hanging down in waves, cascaded down her back. He was momentarily stunned and couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Sit down," Emperor Yuanming said, gesturing to a chair in a good mood.

Jiang Ling walked over and sat down. Wen Juan and Qing Wen stepped forward to serve tea. A Ruo Fang He hurriedly got up and rushed into the room to serve.

Jiang Ling usually had little to do, so the two of them had a very easy job. As soon as the appointed time came, they would start to doze off and go to bed early.

Emperor Yuanming waved away the servants and asked curiously, "What time do you usually get up?"

“Chenshi...chu”

Jiang Ling actually got up at the end of Chenshi (7-9 AM), but she instinctively felt it was too late. Since she had already said "Chenshi," she changed the end to the beginning.

Emperor Yuanming chuckled, her face clearly showing her guilt; she was obviously lying.

“I get up earlier in the summer, around dawn,” Jiang Ling added, sounding much more justified now.

On the day she went to offer birthday wishes to Consort Zhao, she got up at the beginning of the morning to do her hair and makeup.

Not counting her midday rest, she spends most of her day sleeping.

Emperor Yuanming was in a bad mood after thinking about his hardships.

She did nothing but eat and sleep, yet she was promoted and granted a spacious residence in the Fan Ying Pavilion, and was rewarded with silk and jewelry.

Although there was no explicit rule in the palace, she still had to come to express her gratitude.

The Emperor's grace is boundless; any other concubine would have already come to the Chui Gong Hall to kowtow.

But no matter how long they waited, she never appeared.

Emperor Yuanming visited Fanying Pavilion but did not enter, waiting patiently for her to come in person.

After walking around and around, the little food I had eaten for dinner had long since dissipated, and my stomach was rumbling with hunger.

Thinking of her previous complaints, Emperor Yuanming could not help but come to Fanying Pavilion in person.

To my surprise, she had already retired for the night!

Emperor Yuanming took a sip of tea, glancing sideways at the riverboat, and couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

She was sitting quietly and upright, which was unusual for her; she must be dozing off!

"Are you satisfied with your lodgings?" Emperor Yuanming coughed, and seeing Jiang Ling tremble, his mood immediately brightened.

Jiang Ling was really sleepy, but she struggled to stay awake and replied, "Satisfied."

Emperor Yuanming's question was meant to remind her that he could support them and that she should not speak ill of others behind their backs in the future.

Jiang Ling remained unmoved, and Emperor Yuanming was at a loss for words. As an emperor, how could he possibly force someone to express gratitude?

After a moment of silence, Emperor Yuanming reminded him, "When you are in the palace, apart from eating and sleeping, you must remember the rules."

Jiang Ling said yes, and brought up the matter of reading "Admonitions for Women" while squatting on the toilet, emphasizing: "I usually read 'Admonitions for Women', and the book is almost worn out from reading it so many times."

Emperor Yuanming was taken aback and said, "It's a good thing that you can read 'Admonitions for Women' so well, as long as you cherish the book."

Jiang Ling almost laughed, thinking to herself, "A book like 'Admonitions for Women' is so rubbish that reading it while using the toilet will make it harder to poop."

Emperor Yuanming was truly dumbfounded. He knew she was audacious and reckless, but he never expected her to be so vulgar and unbearable!

"Why is he here so late at night instead of sleeping?"

Jiang Ling frowned inwardly, her expression gradually turning terrified: "Could it be that he's coming to sleep with me?"

She looked up and saw Emperor Yuanming staring at her with a tense face, his heart filled with rage and anger.

"Pah, shameless bastard! Do you think I'm short of women? Why would I come here to sleep with you like that!"

Emperor Yuanming ignored her, stood up abruptly, and walked outside, saying, "Go and get some rest!"

Jiang Ling hurriedly got up to see him off, but Emperor Yuanming left without looking back, fuming with anger.

Aruo Fanghe darted out from the side room, gazing regretfully in the direction Emperor Yuanming had left. Qingwen Wenjuan also came out, reminding her, "My beauty, it's chilly outside, let's go inside."

Jiang Ling yawned, turned around and went back to his bedroom. Lying on the bed, he suddenly felt more alert, pondering Emperor Yuanming's intentions.

Qingwen gently placed the bed curtains. Jiang Ling's eyes darted around; she was someone who served the emperor, so she must be very clever.

So Jiang Ling inquired, "Do you know why His Majesty has come to Fanying Pavilion so late?"

Qingwen hesitated for a moment, then said, "This servant dares not presume to know His Majesty's intentions. Earlier, His Majesty took a stroll to Fanying Pavilion and was very concerned about the beauty, asking a few questions about whether she had settled in properly. This servant guesses that His Majesty was worried and came to check on her personally."

Jiang Ling suddenly realized that Emperor Yuanming had rushed her to Fanying Pavilion, and she herself knew it was too hasty, so she felt a rare sense of guilt.

The more guilty he felt, the more at ease Jiang Ling felt, and soon he fell into a deep and sweet sleep.

"Beauty, beauty," Wenjuan called softly as she lifted the curtain.

Jiang Ling slowly opened her eyes. Wen Juan said, "My lady, Consort Zhao has sent someone to deliver a congratulatory gift to you. Congratulations on your promotion. This servant will help you get up. Fan Ying Pavilion must be very busy today. This servant will help you get up."

Qingwen lit the lamp, and A'ruo Fanghe entered the room one after the other, saying eagerly, "My beauty, this servant has prepared hot water and bath powder to serve you as you wash up."

Jiang Lingmu dressed in a daze, and only when he put on his shoes and stepped on the ground did his mind come to a clear.

Consort Zhao sent her a congratulatory gift to celebrate her promotion?

Some time ago, someone in the harem was promoted, and she did not send a gift. She wondered if Consort Zhao had sent one.

Just as Wenjuan had said, apart from Consort Zhao, Consort Zhao, Consort Liu, Consort Lin, Consort Li, and others, people sent congratulatory gifts one after another.

The most valuable gift from Consort Zhao was a white jade bracelet, while Consort Lin gave a painting or calligraphy, and the others, such as Consort Liu, gave bolts of cloth.

Qingwen was writing in a booklet, and Wenjuan was checking it with her one by one. A'ruo Fanghe snatched the key to the trunk, put it in and locked it, occasionally giving them a resentful glare.

Jiang Ling seemed oblivious to their discord, sitting there like a statue.

At this moment, her face showed no expression, but inside she was weeping: "Being targeted by a group of experts, I'm doomed, I'm doomed!"

After two days of such anxiety, Consort Zhao came to Fanying Pavilion in person. Before she even arrived, her laughter could be heard: "Sister, I've heard that this place is beautiful all year round. I've come to broaden my horizons!"

Jiang Ling was stiff all over as he stepped forward to accompany Consort Zhao as they strolled through the courtyard.

After the rain, the sky cleared, and under the late autumn sun, the courtyard was a riot of colors.

Consort Zhao plucked a camellia and, with a smile, dipped it into Jiang Ling's temple, looking her up and down: "I never noticed before, but now that I look closely, you are truly more beautiful than the flowers."

Jiang Ling felt a chill run down her spine. She subconsciously raised her hand to stroke the camellia, forcing a smile as she said, "Your Highness, Consort De, you flatter me."

"Look at Sister Jiang, how could I possibly lie? Who in the palace doesn't praise your beauty?"

Consort Zhao chuckled and said reproachfully, "Sister, would I possibly ask for a cup of tea?"

Jiang Ling hurriedly welcomed Consort Zhao into the hall and invited her to sit at the head of the table. Consort Zhao warmly took Jiang Ling's hand and led her to sit down on the couch together.

Qingwen stepped forward to serve tea. Consort Zhao glanced at her casually, took a couple of sips, put down her teacup, and said with a smile, "His Majesty's birthday is just a few days away. Today, the world is suffering from disaster, so the celebrations in the palace will be kept simple. Only the sisters in the harem will celebrate His Majesty's birthday together. Although we are all family, we are still the imperial family, so we cannot be careless. I have wanted to come and see my sister for a long time. I have been busy these past two days arranging and preparing the banquet."

She frowned, sighed, and said, "With Consort Lin, Consort Liu, and I managing all the affairs of the inner palace, there are often oversights. For example, something happened during the Mid-Autumn Festival last time. I have to take care of A-Jue, and my energy is really not enough. When you have free time, please come and help with the arrangements."

Jiang Ling was terrified and stammered, "Your Majesty, I can't. There are rules in the palace, I..."

Consort Zhao gently patted Jiang Ling's hand and comforted her with a smile, "I know you are a person who follows the rules, so you can rest assured. I have already mentioned it to the Emperor, and he readily agreed. I will share half of the things I have to do with you."

Jiang Ling almost fainted; she was indeed lifted up.

And at her feet, the fire had already begun to crackle and burn!