Chapter 35 Learning to raise Azhu in Hanyuan Palace

In the rear hall, heavy arched curtains blocked out the sunlight, and a subtle fragrance wafted from within the embroidered tents.

Even with Ah Zhu's eyes covered, Emperor Xuanpei could imagine how enthusiastically Ah Zhu, with his eyes darting around, was scolding him, just from the soft, ticklish sensation of his eyelashes brushing against his palm.

Thinking of this, Emperor Xuanpei suppressed a laugh and abruptly removed his hand—

Sure enough, Ah Zhu, who was secretly furious and embarrassed, and whose face was full of grumbling, suddenly froze for a moment, but then immediately changed her expression.

She blinked shyly, her voice slightly hoarse, soft and sweet as she called to him tenderly.

"...Your Majesty."

Upon hearing this voice, Emperor Xuanpei truly felt his ears go weak for a moment.

To be honest, Ah Zhu, who had been thoroughly soaked from the outside to the inside of the palace, feeling like dough being kneaded from head to toe, was no longer so afraid of Emperor Xuanpei.

Empress Wang shattered A-Zhu's almost self-deceptive notion of "unwavering loyalty" with a single slap. A-Zhu now understood everything very clearly—

Take Emperor Xuanpei for example. He had acted so kind, tolerant, and easy to talk to her before, but it wasn't because he was some kind of compassionate and benevolent master!

He was simply lusting after her body!

Now that the emperor has triumphantly achieved his goal, he will probably just casually give her some position like a maid and send her away.

Ah Zhu, who was originally a loyal and devoted fan of Empress Wang, experienced a massive "disappearance" of fans. He wished he could just run naked in front of Empress Wang, tear off their faces and stomp on them!

But... Ah Zhu wasn't crazy after all; she knew her place perfectly well.

She had just been expelled from Kunning Palace, and if the news of her climbing into the emperor's bed were to spread like that, Empress Wang would have torn her to pieces before she even had to make a trip!

You have to admit defeat when necessary, survive first, and then you'll have a chance to plan for the long term.

Therefore, Ah Zhu, who was leaning to one side, wanted to get closer to the emperor so that he could feel the soft breeze.

Unexpectedly, she couldn't muster any strength at all, so Emperor Xuanpei supported her waist and helped her to lean against him.

With her lower abdomen pressed against the position, Ah Zhu's face went blank for a moment as she sensed something slowly emerging. Then, while cursing Emperor Xuanpei in her heart for being filthy, lustful, shameless, and vulgar, she pretended not to notice anything and looked at Emperor Xuanpei with admiration in her eyes.

Fearing that Emperor Xuanpei would use the oath he had made while kneeling in the hall, vowing to be loyal to Empress Wang, to mock and ridicule her, Azhu took the initiative to speak first.

"Your Majesty."

“I was originally a lowly palace maid in the inner palace, of humble status.”

"The ladies of the palace are all from distinguished families, beautiful and intelligent, with outstanding charm, as pure and bright as the moon. I, on the other hand, am but a willow branch, with the appearance of a stubborn rock, yet I am like the light of a firefly..."

A-Zhu, who was flexible and adaptable, and exceptionally willing to swallow her pride and bend her back, won over the usually harsh matrons in the inner palace with extraordinary kindness. Sweet words came naturally to her.

"Your Majesty is of noble bearing and handsome appearance, as imposing as a mountain... Such a great man as you, whom we look up to, has suddenly shown me such favor and affection. I am extremely apprehensive and feel ashamed of myself. I ask myself, what virtue or ability do I have to serve Your Majesty?"

With her delicate eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes full of affection, A-Zhu lay on Emperor Xuanpei's chest, gazing at him tenderly without blinking. Tears, like tiny pearls, would fall at any moment, like pear blossoms in the rain or cicadas on autumn branches.

Her body was a mix of deep red and light white, her face flushed, like a delicate flower lying on water, her waist limp and soft.

Emperor Xuanpei, who had been watching Ah Zhu's "chanting, reciting, and meditating" with a smile, slowly changed his expression.

To avoid losing control and accidentally killing A-Zhu on the bed, Emperor Xuanpei reached out and stroked A-Zhu's head, his eyes closed, his head slightly tilted back—

Pack!

Still pretending!

Ah Zhu was so angry at Emperor Xuanpei's pretentious behavior that he almost wanted to bite him.

She's already pleaded and coaxed him so much, even untied her skirt and sash herself... how else can he vent his anger?

But then there's the image of the monstrous-faced Empress Wang, who could have devoured her alive.

Imagine the steward being slapped repeatedly with a ruler in front of everyone, a near-humiliating punishment, and the old woman crying out in pain, her buttocks and legs stained with blood...

A-Zhu reached out and grabbed the hand that Emperor Xuanpei was using to touch her head, slowly pulling it to her eyes. Then, she cupped it in her own hands and rubbed her soft cheeks against the back of his hand.

Completely oblivious to her own allure, A-Zhu relentlessly rubbed against him while pleading softly for mercy.

"Your Majesty, this servant knows she was wrong, she really knows she was wrong."

"You are a magnanimous person, please don't hold it against a servant like me, okay?"

"Your Majesty, I beg you, you..."

Before A-Zhu could finish speaking, she was suddenly forced back onto the couch in a dizzying motion.

"Jiang Zhu, I'm not angry with you anymore."

Looking into Emperor Xuanpei's dark gaze so close to her, Azhu felt a chill run down her spine. But when she heard the emperor say this, all she could think about was smugness.

Haha, she knew it!

She knew that no one in this world could escape her whispers; even the nanny was no exception... Wait, wait, Ah Zhu's smugness didn't last long before her expression changed.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

Seeing that she couldn't push him away or dodge him, Ah Zhu felt a chill run down her spine and, still shaken, hastily and recklessly kissed the face in front of her.

As she kissed him, she quickly found reasons to beg for mercy.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this servant has not eaten or drunk a single grain of rice since this morning..."

Seeing that Emperor Xuanpei loosened his grip on her waist slightly, Azhu, who was terrified, didn't dare to delay and kissed Emperor Xuanpei's cheeks repeatedly to appease him.

"Your Majesty, we beg you to have mercy..."

Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu, who was standing beneath him, her eyes wide with fear, begging for mercy in a panic, not even bothering to curse or complain in her heart.

If you catch a gerbil at the border, it will stare at you with its eyes wide open and its fur standing on end... No, it's different. Gerbils will only kick their legs desperately trying to run away, while Azhu will be all soft and affectionate.

Much cuter.

Emperor Xuanpei, whose eyes had held a hint of a smile, slowly lost his energy.

He let himself go and recklessly collapsed onto that soft, fragrant bed.

Feeling the hot breath on the side of her neck, even though her body was as soft as a lump of mud, and she was so sleepy and tired that she wished she could fall asleep immediately, A-Zhu dared not continue to lie there like that.

She rolled her eyes, but the words that came out were pitifully soft and gentle.

"Your Majesty, may I... may I beg you to grant me a meal?"

Her fair and delicate neck trembled as she spoke. Emperor Xuanpei controlled his urge to bite down, and only kissed her gently, smiling, "Alright."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanpei sat up and casually picked up the undergarment that had been tossed aside and put it on.

Lifting the embroidered curtain, before getting up, Emperor Xuanpei glanced back at Azhu on the couch. Azhu looked extremely obedient, blinking his eyes and lying quietly without moving, not daring to breathe loudly, for fear of accidentally upsetting him again.

Emperor Xuanpei couldn't suppress his smile any longer. He shook his head with a smile, released the embroidered curtain, stood up, and said to the outside of the hall, "Chen Delu."

Soon, the all-powerful Eunuch Chen entered the hall as instructed.

Before long, well-trained palace servants filed in. Some helped Emperor Xuanpei wash and change his clothes, some tidied his bed, and four palace maids helped Azhu, who was wrapped in a brocade quilt, to wash and groom himself.

Having already come this far, having already lost all face, Ah Zhu, who cried and begged, and even untied her dress herself, what is there left to be ashamed of?

She lay sprawled in the bathtub, wishing she could fall asleep immediately, her body limp as she was at the mercy of the palace maids.

It was almost lunchtime, and the palace maids serving the bath were quick and efficient, afraid of missing the meal.

In no time, Ah Zhu, dressed in a rose-pink silk ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), was helped to the inner palace.

According to the rules of dining in front of the emperor, A-Zhu was naturally not entitled to sit, but after being made to go through all this trouble, would Emperor Xuanpei still allow her to stand aside and serve him?

"Please sit down."

Looking at Azhu, Emperor Xuanpei not only had a gentle expression, but also seemed very easy to talk to. "If there is anything else you want to eat, just tell them."

Hearing Emperor Xuanpei's unprecedentedly gentle voice, Eunuch Chen was so shocked that he felt as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight. He pinched his thigh hard and was jolted by the pain.

The dramatic Eunuch Chen didn't spare Emperor Xuanpei any attention; he was completely focused on Ah Zhu.

As expected, Emperor Xuanpei perked up the moment he saw Azhu.

She probably thought to herself that he was easy to fool, and she raised her head slightly with a hint of smugness.

The only thing missing was a pretty little tail sticking up proudly behind it, swaying back and forth.

Having remembered where she was, and in front of Eunuch Chen, A-Zhu quickly lowered her eyes and prepared to get up to express her gratitude.

"You may eat while seated; there is no need to get up."

With a smile that couldn't be hidden in his eyes, how could Emperor Xuanpei resist teasing Azhu?

He rarely had a mischievous thought, and seeing that A-Zhu was somewhat restrained because Chen Delu was there, he simply sent Eunuch Chen away.

Eunuch Chen: "...Yes."

"Try this."

As they were leaving the palace, Eunuch Chen saw His Majesty personally place a piece of honey-glazed ham on the jade plate in front of A-Zhu.

Ah Zhu, whose energy was short-lived, quickly became listless. The hot bath he had just taken not only failed to energize him, but actually made him even more drowsy.

Not to mention noticing the dazed look on Eunuch Chen's face, Ah Zhu didn't even have much appetite for the imperial meals that she used to only dream of.

She wasn't hungry; in fact, her stomach had been so full it hurt. All A-Zhu wanted to do was get a good night's sleep.

Seeing that A-Zhu was so sleepy that he could barely keep his eyes open and could even fall asleep while sitting, Emperor Xuanpei, who had no choice but to withdraw his "supernatural powers," was clearly very disappointed.

He put down his silver chopsticks, got up, and went to pick up Ah Zhu.

!!

Ah Zhu was startled awake.

She grabbed Emperor Xuanpei's robe and immediately pleaded, "Your Majesty, please don't send me away..."

Emperor Xuanpei stopped in his tracks.

He looked down at A-Zhu in his arms, and his heart started beating faster and faster again.

Ah Zhu's smug and self-satisfied demeanor is endlessly fascinating.

You see her pleading softly, her tearful eyes, her ingratiating smile, her furrowed brows, and her smiling face after getting what she wants... It gives you a terrible sense of satisfaction that she can only depend on you, and that you have all her joys and sorrows under your control.

"I won't rush you."

Emperor Xuanpei's voice was soft, his eyes filled with an almost candid, extreme possessiveness—no one could force him to give up his preferences anymore.

He was no longer the young man who, forced to endure, could only helplessly tidy things up again and again, staying up all night until dawn.

No one can take his things away.

Just as A-Zhu, nestled in Emperor Xuanpei's arms, was beginning to relax, he heard Emperor Xuanpei say again, "I will give you a title."

Isn't this considered kicking her out?!

Ah Zhu immediately bristled—

Given her status as both a convict and a palace maid, even if she weren't a low-ranking ninth-grade maid, she would at most be a eighth-grade concubine.

This status is not even as thick as a cow's hair.

Given Empress Wang's temper, it was no surprise that she was arrested and executed by slow slicing the moment she stepped out of Hanyuan Palace.

The emperor has already had his fill of novelty and vented his anger, and he has three thousand beauties in his harem. How could he possibly remember her then?

It was certainly a good thing that the emperor wasn't going to just eat and forget and was willing to take responsibility, but A-Zhu was clearly more afraid that the emperor's words would lead to her death.

Ah Zhu had made up her mind early on—

She wouldn't leave Hanyuan Palace, or rather, even if she were to leave, the later the better, to let Empress Wang calm down and prevent her from killing her in a fit of rage. Ideally, she could also save face for the Emperor.

"I will bestow upon you a title..."

Considering that the emperor is always petty, because he lost face, he not only made her kneel and beg, but also tortured her to death. If he were to say those words, it would be difficult to take back his order!

In a moment of desperation, A-Zhu raised her head and silenced Emperor Xuanpei's solemn and authoritative words with her soft lips.

"Your Majesty."

Having done even more shameful things, Ah Zhu looked up with a gaze full of lingering, admiring eyes, filled with reluctance.

"I was born a palace maid, and it is already an honor to serve His Majesty. How could I possibly ask for any rank..."

The lips that came close and nuzzled against each other were fragrant and soft, but the only flaw was... that they left too quickly, which felt a little perfunctory.

Emperor Xuanpei, having already made his own assessment, clearly understood the unspoken meaning behind Azhu's words.

But instead of immediately granting A-Zhu's wish, he raised an eyebrow slightly, looking somewhat surprised, and asked, "You really don't intend to hear about the rank I'm going to give you? I'm going to bestow upon you..."

Sure enough, soft lips pressed against his again, and Emperor Xuanpei's eyes crinkled with laughter.

"Your Majesty..." Ah Zhu, who had been eager to shut up, didn't believe that the stingy emperor would give her any good rank.

As soon as she raised her head and was able to speak, she quickly said, "This servant knows that I am of lowly status. I am content to stay by your side as a maid who serves you tea and water."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanpei frowned, looking somewhat distressed for her.

"Isn't it too unfair to keep you by my side as a tea-serving maid? In my opinion, it's better to..."

A-Zhu clenched her fists, her eyes blazing with fury, as if she wanted to bite Emperor Xuanpei.

"Your Majesty, I am not wronged at all, I am really not wronged at all."

A-Zhu, who hadn't spoken to Emperor Xuanpei, raised his head again and leaned in to touch him.

"As long as I can stay by His Majesty's side and serve him, I will be content."

"Your Majesty, would you please leave me to serve you?"

"Your Majesty, I beg you."

"Your Majesty..."

Finally, Ah Zhu's lips were numb from all the kissing, and his eyes were somewhat dazed.

When the satisfied Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu, he had an expression of utter helplessness, nodding in agreement: "Alright, alright."

A-Zhu: ......

Even though she was cursing Emperor Xuanpei in her heart in various ways, when she actually received the emperor's guarantee, Azhu felt a sense of certainty in her heart.

Within a few breaths of being placed on the couch, Ah Zhu, who hadn't had a good night's sleep in days, fell soundly asleep without uttering a sound groan.

Emperor Xuanpei didn't leave; he just sat by the bed, quietly watching Azhu sleep.

She belongs to him.

His mark is etched all over his body, inside and out.

As she slept, Ah Zhu's thick eyelashes drooped, the corners of her eyes were red, and the tip of her nose was also a little red. Her lips, which were insincere yet seemed to be soaked in honey, and could utter very sweet words, were even redder.

Just a while ago I was terrified of him, I would tremble at the sight of him, and kneel down if I looked at him again. Now I've become bolder, like I've given up all hope.

Reaching out to gently smooth the furrowed brow of Ah Zhu, Emperor Xuanpei shook his head with a smile, "Even in your dreams you're this angry, truly..."

Emperor Xuanpei touched Azhu's slightly cold hand, realizing that he had indeed lost control of his strength at that moment, and then turned around and summoned Imperial Physician Geng into the palace.

It wasn't easy. The imperial physician, Geng, was extremely anxious outside the palace. He was almost in tears when he finally received the summons.

He hurriedly bowed and greeted the emperor, then knelt before Emperor Xuanpei to take his pulse.

Emperor Xuanpei, being strong and healthy and having worked up a good sweat, was naturally unharmed. However, Ah Zhu...

Through the dragon-patterned brocade curtain, Imperial Physician Geng naturally couldn't see which empress was inside. He concentrated and carefully took her pulse for a while, and after some deliberation, he replied to Emperor Xuanpei.

"Your Majesty, perhaps... Her Highness caught a cold when she was young but did not take proper care of herself. She also used some strong medicines in an attempt to recover quickly, which has damaged her vital energy, made her blood and qi weak and cold."

"Nowadays, with the changing seasons and the fluctuating temperatures, or if one catches a chill or is exposed to cold wind, it can easily cause a high fever..."

As Geng Yuanpan was still "dropping his medical bag," he inadvertently looked up and was shocked to see Emperor Xuanpei's unusually gloomy face.

Where had Judge Geng ever seen Emperor Xuanpei look like this?

He skipped all the nonsense and spoke quickly, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, as long as the Empress takes her medicine on time and takes good care of herself, she will surely be able to cure her stubborn illness and get rid of her chronic diarrhea.”

"Geng Nianliang, from now on, I entrust all of her medical records to you."

Physician Geng, who had always been only responsible for consulting Emperor Xuanpei, suddenly had an additional heavy responsibility.

"No matter what medicine you use, if anything is missing..." Emperor Xuanpei looked at Chen Delu, "just order someone to find it."

Eunuch Chen bowed solemnly and agreed.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will remember."

Emperor Xuanpei looked at Imperial Physician Geng and solemnly instructed him, "You must cure her. When the time comes, I will reward you handsomely."

"Your humble servant obeys the decree."

After receiving the order, Judge Geng withdrew to prepare the prescription and decoction.

Seeing that Emperor Xuanpei's expression had turned cold and indifferent again, Eunuch Chen didn't dare to say anything more and silently followed Emperor Xuanpei to the outer hall with his head down.

By the time Emperor Xuanpei finished reviewing the memorials, it was almost sunset.

As Eunuch Chen brought forward the tea, Emperor Xuanpei asked, "Has she not woken up yet?"

"Your Majesty, the palace servants waiting in the hall have just checked and found that Miss Azhu is sleeping soundly, so they did not dare to disturb her."

Seeing that Emperor Xuanpei's expression softened, Eunuch Chen asked at the opportune moment, "Your Majesty, would you like me to pass on the order to prepare a palace for Miss Azhu?"

It was clear that A-Zhu's service to the emperor was a done deal, but Eunuch Chen was unsure what rank Emperor Xuanpei intended to bestow upon A-Zhu.

According to the rules... alright, let's not follow any rules anymore. The scene of "seeing a ghost" at noon is still vivid in my mind. Eunuch Chen will stop guessing and just wait for Emperor Xuanpei's instructions.

When this matter was mentioned, Emperor Xuanpei subconsciously thought of soft and cuddly... well, his Azhu was indifferent to fame and fortune, and only wanted to stay by his side.

Emperor Xuanpei, with a mischievous thought in mind, stroked his thumb ring, his voice laced with laughter: "What need do palace maids who serve tea before the Emperor have to tidy up palace rooms outside Hanyuan Hall?"

? ? ?

Eunuch Chen was caught off guard.

When A-Zhu was mentioned, Emperor Xuanpei spoke more than usual, saying, "She's timid and always looking out for the Empress."

“Yes.” Eunuch Chen nodded subconsciously, echoing Emperor Xuanpei’s words, “Miss Azhu is indeed the most loyal.”

Yes, for Eunuch Chen, the fact that the girl Azhu, who had successfully served him, remained loyal was not contradictory at all.

Look, isn't this the person that the Empress insisted on recommending to the Emperor?

Even after being expelled from Kunning Palace, Miss Azhu didn't even want a title... Well, luckily she ran into their Emperor.

Emperor Xuanpei looked at Eunuch Chen with a slight surprise upon hearing his words.

When Emperor Xuanpei discovered that Chen Delu, who was usually sharp-eyed and shrewd, was actually praising Azhu's unwavering loyalty from the bottom of his heart... he rubbed his temples; he had smiled far too much today.

Seeing that Eunuch Chen was about to order someone to clean up the side room, Emperor Xuanpei waved his hand to stop him.

Even gerbils have spacious burrows, so he can't let his pet Azhu be pitifully crammed into a place where it's hard to even turn around.

Emperor Xuanpei thought for a moment and said, "Go and tidy up the side hall."

"This, this, this..." Eunuch Chen didn't respond for a moment.

It should be noted that Hanyuan Hall has always been the exclusive residence of emperors throughout history; even the empress was not allowed to reside there permanently...

But seeing the unquestionable look in Emperor Xuanpei's eyes, Eunuch Chen slowly lowered his head and said, "Yes."

As soon as he responded, Eunuch Chen was already thinking about how to shut his men up when he got back.

"By the way, she's in poor health and weak, so we need to find two more people to take care of her."

Eunuch Chen nodded: "Yes."

Thinking of Ah Zhu's pitiful yet adorable appearance as he sulked in his sleep, Emperor Xuanpei thought that it was fine for him to tease him, but not for others, so he added an instruction: "Remember to find two clever palace maids."

Eunuch Chen nodded again: "Yes."

Emperor Xuanpei, who was raising someone in Hanyuan Palace for the first time, was "slightly" excited.

He continued with undiminished enthusiasm: "From now on, her meal portions will follow mine. She likes desserts, so have the imperial kitchen prepare more."

"The clothes she wore from the back..."

"Since she is still serving tea to the Emperor, it's best not to be too ostentatious. So, I'll have the Imperial Wardrobe re-tailor her clothes according to the palace's rules and styles."

"The Jiangnan Textile Bureau just sent some fabric as tribute, so we'll use this."

"......"

As Eunuch Chen kept his head down, memorizing these instructions, he secretly pinched himself hard. Ouch!

***

Kunning Palace

Seeing that the dinner, which had been served for only a short while, was about to be taken away exactly as it was, Aunt Hua earnestly advised Empress Wang.

"Your Majesty, nothing is more important than your health. How can you not eat or drink?"

“Yes, Your Highness,” Huiyue hurriedly advised, “If the food is not to your liking, why don’t you have the kitchen prepare it again? You can eat some, however little you like.”

Meal?

Ha, ever since he learned that A-Zhu had entered the imperial court, Emperor Xuanpei hadn't come out of the inner palace all morning, and even missed his lunch time... How could Empress Wang, who was full of anger, eat?

She waved her hand impatiently to silence everyone else, then said with a grim expression, "Has Chen Delu delivered the imperial edict?"

"What rank was given to that lowly maid?"

The chief eunuch of Kunning Palace has been keeping a close eye on the emperor's messages, but has yet to receive any news.

When Empress Wang asked, Eunuch Luo lowered his head and carefully replied, "Your Majesty, no imperial decree has been issued yet."

"You vixen, you despicable thing, you're insatiable!"

"Hmph, no matter how long it drags on tonight, she must come to pay her respects to me first thing tomorrow morning. That's the rule!"

With gritted teeth and fierce eyes, Empress Wang looked like a storm was brewing.

"I really want to take a good look at her, to see just how much guts she has!"

......

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Author's Note: Hehehe, they're here! Hugs and kisses to all the lovely readers who have been supporting me and the new ones who joined! [Heart][Heart][Heart]