Chapter 28: The person given to Prince Rui climbed onto the Emperor's bed?! ...

After Consort Zhang was thoroughly disgusted by Empress Wang regarding the matter of choosing a palace, the people in Nianfu Palace kept a close eye on the movements in Kunning Palace regardless of wind or rain.

Upon hearing that Empress Wang, who hadn't sent anything to the Emperor for "eight hundred years," had suddenly sent someone to the Emperor's presence, Consort Zhang couldn't resist sending someone to test the waters.

"Manager Chen."

As Qingwen approached the palace, he smiled and said, "The small kitchen has just made some new snacks, and our Empress has been thinking that Your Majesty should also have a taste."

Normally, Eunuch Chen would exchange a few polite words and then go in to report, but this time, it was Jiang Zhu who was serving the emperor in the hall.

He hasn't come out since he entered the palace... Having served Emperor Xuanpei for so long, how could Eunuch Chen not know their emperor's temper?

If it were unintentional, they wouldn't have let anyone into the hall at all; they would have just let him take the food box and sent him away.

Even if His Majesty were to take her right now... Think of Emperor Xuanpei's nightmare in the middle of the night. If His Majesty were to truly take pity on Lady Jiang and allow her to enjoy himself in the palace, would he be so foolish as to barge in and ruin things? Does he have a death wish?

Therefore, Eunuch Chen glanced at Qingwen, then at the food box in her hand, a smile on his face, but he didn't move.

He shook his head, a hint of regret in his voice, and said, "Oh, what bad luck today. I didn't expect Her Majesty the Empress to send someone with refreshments as well... this..."

Eunuch Chen paused, then said tactfully, "Since the tea is made with dew picked from lotus leaves in early summer, and it's accompanied by many lotus flowers and lotus seeds, it will probably take quite a while just to taste it."

On the way here, Qingwen thought of many things. She even thought about what she would say when she saw the people in Kunning Palace in front of the Emperor.

To her utter surprise, Eunuch Chen refused to even enter the palace to announce his arrival!

Who is this person?

Qingwen, who had come to gather information, became even more reluctant to leave, clutching the food box with a troubled expression.

"Chief Steward Chen, there are also some pastries made by our Imperial Concubine herself here."

"Before leaving the palace, Her Majesty instructed me to personally present it to the Emperor..."

Seeing that Chen Delu still refused to go in and inform the emperor even after all that had been said, Qingwen was secretly surprised, but then decisively took another step back.

"If I were to return like this, Your Highness would inevitably..."

"Steward Chen, please have mercy and let me wait here. I will inform you when it is appropriate."

The Empress's face cannot be easily rejected.

Even if it meant losing face at Nianfu Palace, Eunuch Chen couldn't just brazenly trample on it.

Then I thought that once Lady Jiang had gained the emperor's favor, this matter couldn't be kept secret for long.

After all, she needed a formal title, and she would have to deal with the other concubines in the harem in the future...

After a moment's thought, Eunuch Chen nodded to Qingwen and waited with her outside the hall.

*

Inside the hall

Emperor Xuanpei, who never hits or scolds, never glares coldly or tries to scare people, and even allowed her to have several delicious snacks, saw his status in Azhu's heart rise rapidly.

Ah Zhu is very brave.

To put it bluntly, she's a "two-faced" person. No, after entering Kunning Palace, she's almost evolved into a "three-faced" person.

Perhaps because back in the Yeting Palace, Azhu knelt down quickly enough, readily admitting his mistakes and begging for forgiveness as soon as he knelt, he didn't really suffer much hardship. He had a certain naivety of ignorance.

Seeing that the Empress was kind and the Emperor was lenient... Ah Zhu became bolder.

"Your Majesty, this is delicious."

"This is delicious too."

"And that one is sweet too."

There is no doubt that feeding Azhu is a very rewarding thing.

She was warm, sincere, and exceptionally supportive, her smiling eyes as sweet as the osmanthus candy on the table.

When she eats something delicious, her eyes really do suddenly become bright and sparkling.

No one in the palace believed that Emperor Xuanpei liked sweets, and because Emperor Xuanpei valued rules, no one dared to disturb him casually. When the concubines sent snacks and soups to the emperor, it was usually because they had something important to say.

Even the things sent under the guise of caring for Emperor Xuanpei were particularly witty, elegant, exquisite, and beautiful. As for the taste... that didn't matter. After all, would His Majesty be short of a couple of plates of snacks?

As for Azhu, if she were among ordinary people, she would probably be the kind of person who imagines "the emperor holding a golden hoe".

She craved rich food and sweet treats, and this craving was directly reflected in her choices.

For Emperor Xuanpei, if someone suddenly appeared out of nowhere who was doing things that really offended him, his first reaction would be to drag that person away and investigate them thoroughly!

But Jiang Zhu... it's perfectly clear what she's thinking.

"Your Majesty."

Looking at Ah Zhu, who was blinking and smiling as she approached, Emperor Xuanpei really wanted to reach out and pat her head for a moment.

Stroking the thumb ring on his hand, Emperor Xuanpei calmly said, "Speak."

"This servant, may I come to the Emperor's presence more often to deliver refreshments?"

Putting aside everything else, even the imperial concubines rarely had the opportunity to dine with Emperor Xuanpei.

Moreover, is it A-Zhu serving the Emperor today?

Judging from the way Emperor Xuanpei's chopsticks were flying back and forth, it would be more accurate to say that he was serving meals to Azhu.

"You're greedy."

Judging from Emperor Xuanpei's tone, he didn't seem angry, so Azhu shamelessly laughed along.

Perhaps because he remembered that A-Zhu was someone he had saved with an imperial edict when he first ascended the throne, and also because he pitied her for the hardships she had endured during her ten years in the inner palace... Emperor Xuanpei finally granted her wish.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Overjoyed, Azhu repeatedly expressed his gratitude.

While her plans for the Empress were genuine, Ah Zhu also had her own thoughts on her own future.

Don't underestimate the small matter of serving snacks to the Emperor. With this qualification, Ah Zhu can hold his head higher when he goes out.

When the time comes, who will be able to compete with her for the position of head of the inner palace!

"Your Majesty's grace is boundless and your kindness immeasurable; this servant will forever remember it. Thank you, Your Majesty..."

Emperor Xuanpei was so flattered that he thought he had given him some extraordinary reward.

With a smile in his eyes, he shook his head and said, "Get up."

"Look at the commotion you're making. I've been thinking about what exactly I promised you."

A-Zhu, smiling in response, naturally steered the conversation towards Empress Wang: "His Majesty is benevolent, and Your Majesty the Empress is also..."

Emperor Xuanpei, who had been smiling, lowered his eyes and looked at Azhu again when she mentioned Empress Wang.

The perceptive Ah Zhu keenly sensed that Emperor Xuanpei, who had been amused and pleased by her comical begging for food, was now somewhat displeased.

Ah Zhu sighed inwardly—it turned out that it wasn't just their Empress who couldn't bring herself to do it.

Indeed, which of the most prominent nobles in the palace doesn't care about their reputation?

To get the Emperor and the Empress to reconcile... is a long and arduous task.

Since it was her first time serving the emperor, A-Zhu was not confident that she could please him a second time, so she could only know when to stop, obediently put away the food box and left the hall.

With a heavy heart, A-Zhu walked out of the palace gate. Just as he was about to try to build a relationship with Eunuch Chen, the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Household, he noticed a palace maid standing next to him, also carrying a food box.

Alright, now that the Empress has already sent someone to deliver refreshments to the Emperor, who would dare to be so persistent and push their way in?

Without a doubt, it's definitely Nianfu Palace!

As a member of Kunning Palace, Azhu immediately raised his head.

When Qingwen, who was waiting outside the hall, looked up and saw the person swaggering out, his eyes widened in disbelief, and he was speechless, as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight!

Ah Zhu!

Wasn't it said that Ah Zhu, she, she was the person that the Empress specially chose for Prince Rui?

The person chosen for Prince Rui turned around and went to serve the Emperor?

Is that correct?

This isn't right!!!

A note from the author:

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Welcome to the annual legendary palace drama, "The Mystery of Azhu's Ownership".