Chapter 45 Jin's Special Forces Deal with All Kinds of Dissent

Hanyuan Hall

Since today is the first day of the lunar month, A-Zhu originally planned to go back to Chonghua Palace to rest early, but Emperor Xuanpei had no intention of setting off at all.

So A-Zhu had no choice but to continue grinding the ink, while Emperor Xuanpei picked up his brush and wrote something on the memorial.

The entire hall was quiet.

The quiet, mechanical, and slowly repetitive movements made Ah-Zhu unconsciously begin to feel sleepy.

In order to serve the nobles well, palace maids and eunuchs alike developed the skill of sleeping standing up to rest.

Ah Zhu is right now.

She didn't change her posture much, nor did she make any sound; her hands moved slower and slower, and her head drooped even lower.

Emperor Xuanpei suddenly stopped writing.

He looked up at Azhu with a hint of surprise.

Just moments ago she was saying she didn't want to leave His Majesty, and then she eagerly came over to grind ink for him...

But Xuan had never seen someone fall asleep right in front of him while he was studying ink.

Eunuch Chen also noticed A-Zhu's appearance.

Generally, unless Emperor Xuanpei tells Eunuch Chen to leave or is cuddling with Azhu, Eunuch Chen, being very perceptive, will leave on his own. Usually, he will stand by and serve, ready to give the emperor any instructions.

Just then, Eunuch Chen was about to quietly wake A-Zhu, but Emperor Xuanpei waved his hand, telling him not to make a sound.

Eunuch Chen lowered his head slightly and wisely remained silent, preparing to retreat out of the hall at any moment.

Emperor Xuanpei wrote as he did so, occasionally glancing up at Azhu.

When A-Zhu swayed awake, blinked, and began to fidget, Emperor Xuanpei put down his pen.

He closed the folded document in his hand and said to Azhu, "If you are tired, go to Chonghua Palace to rest first."

No.

Ah Zhu opened his eyes and was about to lie, but then he saw the smile in Emperor Xuanpei's eyes.

Well... Just a moment ago she said, "This servant wants to accompany His Majesty," but the next moment she was slapped in the face. She put down the ink stick and naturally squeezed into Emperor Xuanpei's arms.

"Your Majesty."

“When you were not here, Chonghua Palace was truly freezing cold.”

"My bed is cold and damp; how can I possibly sleep peacefully?"

"I feel so at ease being with Your Majesty like this."

A-Zhu hugged Emperor Xuanpei's waist.

"Please don't send me away, okay?"

Emperor Xuanpei smiled and tapped Azhu's nose, then said, "Now that things have come to this, you still won't change your mind?"

A-Zhu buried her head and then snuggled and rubbed against Emperor Xuanpei's chest.

"Your Majesty, I... am just a little embarrassed."

Emperor Xuanpei put his arm around Azhu and teased her in a serious tone, "I thought you wanted some money to pay for changing your address."

"Really?"

Ah Zhu suddenly raised her head, her round eyes sparkling as she looked over.

Emperor Xuanpei couldn't help but lower his head and kiss him, then laughed and said, "Yes, now it's really true. I'll give you whatever you want."

Ah Zhu looked at Emperor Xuanpei, who was so close to her, his eyes smiling, seemingly incredibly gentle.

When A-Zhu first entered Hanyuan Palace, she was just happy that her life had been saved. She even thought that she would be happy to be a palace maid serving tea to the emperor.

Later, she gradually became dissatisfied and wanted more.

She didn't want the positions of dresser or concubine; they were too low.

She wished she could pester Emperor Xuanpei day and night, clinging to him tightly, demanding more benefits from him, and filling up her future security as much as possible.

Later, the emperor said that he had bestowed upon her the title of concubine and allowed her to live in Guanju Palace.

A-Zhu was happy to have a place of her own to relax, but at other times she felt that the emperor's fickle nature might change very quickly.

She was hoping to gain more favor from him.

At the very least, she could ensure her position in the harem should the emperor find a new favorite...

A-Zhu always knew that Emperor Xuanpei was pampering her and taking care of her.

Consort Feng also reminded him repeatedly that the emperor was trying to elevate her to a high position.

So elusive is the fact that if he were to withdraw his hand in the future, she would surely end up torn to pieces.

Ah Zhu really kept enduring it.

She endured, endured, endured, almost exhausting all her reason to suppress her greed, lest she fall and be completely destroyed.

But Ah Zhu had to admit that she didn't seem to be able to hold back, especially now that it was almost time for her audience with the Empress.

Empress Wang was a noblewoman in the palace.

Ah Zhu used to be most afraid of influential people, yet she automatically added a beautiful and sacred halo to them...

Looking back now, I realize that the way Empress Wang looked at her always carried contempt, as if she were examining her skin after stripping her naked, wondering how much it was worth.

A-Zhu ran away, hastily hiding in Hanyuan Palace.

But when she could no longer willingly remain a tea-serving maid, it was destined that she could not hide forever.

Empress Wang had been waiting for this day, while Azhu had been terrified of it.

But Emperor Xuanpei's subtle and seductive manner remained as obvious as ever—as long as Azhu was still being fawned over like this, she could try to experience the feeling of bullying others by taking advantage of others' power in an instant.

The first day of the lunar month, the first day of the lunar month, the first day of the lunar month... Today is the day she once desperately tried to coax Emperor Xuanpei to visit Kunning Palace more often on other days.

But now... it's impossible for her to reconcile with Kunning Palace with a smile.

Unless she is first brutally tortured to the point of being unrecognizable and begging for mercy, then we'll see if Empress Wang will show leniency and let her go when she's calmed down.

But Azhu was clearly unwilling to simply wait to be slaughtered.

No, while she was deceiving herself, she was also beautifying herself.

Admit it, Ah-Zhu, you've always wanted revenge.

Ah Zhu has never been petty.

Even if she kowtowed to Empress Wang countless times afterward, she would never stop thinking about kicking someone when they were down.

"Your Majesty."

"Um?"

"This concubine... I have been feeling unwell these past few days."

A-Zhu reached out and slowly took Emperor Xuanpei's hand, placing it on her heart.

"This is it. Sometimes it jumps fast, and sometimes it jumps slow."

Emperor Xuanpei's eyes were amber in color, and when he looked at someone up close with his eyelashes drooping, it gave people the illusion that he was almost amorous.

It's hard to imagine that a cold and indifferent person would have such tender and affectionate eyes.

Azhu looked at her reflection in Emperor Xuanpei's eyes.

She seemed to clearly see greed, hypocrisy, and an impulse to take revenge despite knowing it was wrong.

Emperor Xuanpei reached out and pressed his hand against Azhu's chest.

"Bang, bang," it sounded like a little bird flapping its wings rapidly.

For nearly four months, A-Zhu never clung to him like this on the first and fifteenth of the month; she would only go to Chonghua Palace early in the morning.

This is the first time... but once it starts, it will never be the last.

“A-Zhu”.

Emperor Xuanpei's voice sounded almost like a sigh.

His eyes were filled with laughter as he affectionately nuzzled Ah Zhu's nose. "Have you thought it through?"

Upon hearing this, A-Zhu suddenly thought of Consort Feng.

While people in the palace whispered among themselves about the many loves and hates in the imperial court and the inner palace, they often sighed with regret for Consort Feng.

They asserted with absolute certainty that as long as she was willing to submit to the emperor and leave the cold palace, she would definitely still be the favored imperial concubine.

But at that moment, A-Zhu suddenly realized very clearly that Consort Feng was undoubtedly elevated a hundred times higher than her—

That imperial concubine can't turn back now.

She was unwilling to live like a shameless person like her, no matter how she lived. The Empress would not accept humiliation, so she resolutely committed suicide.

"A-Zhu?"

Ah-Zhu placed her hand on Xuan-Pei's hand, blinked, smiled, and nodded repeatedly.

"Your Majesty."

"Whenever I can't see you for a long time, I feel a dull ache all over my body."

"Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda."

"Please, have mercy and come to Guanju Palace more often to see me, okay?"

Emperor Xuanpei chuckled softly.

"Jiang Zhu, I remember, and you must remember too."

Ah-Zhu smiled softly as usual and nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, a promise is a promise."

......

Kunning Palace

The entire Kunning Palace was eerily quiet.

It wasn't until dusk that Aunt Hua cautiously whispered, "Your Highness, it's getting late. You should rest early."

Logically speaking, no one in Kunning Palace found it strange that Empress Wang smashed everything in her anger.

It was only when the Empress was so quiet that it was truly terrifying.

On the fifteenth of last month, A-Zhu was still praying for blessings at Qingyang Palace, which still gave people a glimmer of hope.

Now, even that veil covering up the ugliness is gone.

"His Majesty is now being bewitched by demons and evil spirits."

"Those sycophants and opportunists were so infatuated that they lost all sense of propriety and never left his side for a moment."

"But I failed to properly advise His Majesty... It is my fault."

These days, the Crown Prince would occasionally pay his respects to the Empress and subtly mention this matter to her. As a result, Prince Rui would also frequently come to the palace to request an audience, while the Wang family would work hard outside the palace... Everyone had only one wish—that the Empress would not blindly make trouble.

She was just a woman, a woman whose family ties had been severed, a woman who drifted aimlessly in the court like duckweed.

It's much better for her to be favored than for Consort Zhang to gain favor along with Prince Qi.

Moreover, there are so many women in the palace; it's only a year or two, and sooner or later, new favored concubines will appear.

Even if Jiang Zhu's children are born in the future, how could they possibly compete with them?

They only wanted Empress Wang to look down on all the concubines in the palace from a high position, letting them fight and scheme among themselves, rather than the Empress herself getting involved and causing chaos.

Never before had the Empress been in such distress as she was now.

It was as if she had a breath she couldn't exhale, nor could she swallow; finally, clenching her fist, she could only say, "Now, I truly cannot persuade His Majesty..."

"Your Majesty."

Nianqin whispered from the side, "The Empress Dowager's entourage has set off from Futai Mountain. If all goes well, they should be back in the palace in about half a month."

Empress Wang received warnings from Emperor Xuanpei time and again, and she actually felt a sense of fear that she didn't want to believe—she could no longer feel that she could dispose of Azhu at will just like before.

She...she's already starting to worry about the consequences.

Even knowing that Jiang Zhu was pregnant, even though he wished he could drag her to the Censorate for severe torture, and ideally beat her to death so that she would never be able to stand up again and be thrown into the cold palace.

But Empress Wang could only dream about it.

Perhaps it was because they had been in the palace for so long that everyone seemed to understand each other perfectly. After thinking it over, Empress Wang could only think of Empress Dowager Shu as the only person who could help with this matter.

To be honest, although she always felt that trying to bring back this old lady who chanted Buddhist scriptures was like shooting herself in the foot, Empress Wang couldn't care less about that now.

The Empress Dowager was very particular about rules, and Jiang Zhu, this filthy thing from the Jiang family who came from a criminal background... was like a grain of sand stuck in her eyes.

......

The eleventh year of Yongchun, the sixth day of the ninth month.

This is an auspicious day, suitable for all activities.

Azhu received the imperial decree early in the morning in the newly prepared Chengqian Palace.

Since it was merely the conferment of a concubine's title, there was no overly grand or elaborate procession. The one who arrived was the Grand Eunuch of the Inner Palace, who was dressed in a red auspicious robe and read out the imperial decree.

"...Serving diligently in your duties, we now have a daughter of the Jiang family who is respectful and cautious, gentle and obedient, and in accordance with the will of Heaven. We respectfully obey the Empress Dowager's benevolent decree to bestow upon you the title of Consort Jiang. Respectfully yours."

Jiang Zhu listened to the imperial edict read aloud by the eunuch in charge of ceremonies.

This imperial edict was written by Emperor Xuanpei himself, but he did not show her the specific contents.

She didn't come from a proper talent show, and her family background was even more disgraceful, so the entire article only mentioned her as a person.

"Your concubine receives the imperial decree."

A-Zhu, who was kneeling to receive the imperial decree, performed a grand salute, bowed his head and kowtowed to express his gratitude: "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress Dowager!"

After receiving the imperial edict of investiture, and since Empress Dowager Shu was not yet in the palace, A-Zhu went straight to Kunning Palace.

*

This was the first time Ah Zhu had returned to Kunning Palace in so long.

Clearly, Jiang Zhu's goal of escaping into Hanyuan Palace was achieved—Empress Wang was unable to take her away and deal with her immediately.

Today, Empress Wang wore a bright yellow auspicious robe, with dragon and phoenix patterns all over the skirt and sleeves. Her high-set hair was adorned with a phoenix nodding its head and pearl-holding headdress. Her jewelry, jade rings, and sachets were mostly decorated with peonies, showcasing the noble status of the Empress in every way.

Looking at the Empress Wang in her magnificent attire, Ah Zhu belatedly recalled the scene when she first visited the Empress Wang at Kunning Palace.

It was just a few palace maids, yet Empress Wang dressed so richly and solemnly... It turns out that Empress Wang was already giving her a hard time back then.

Seeing that A-Zhu suddenly stopped moving after entering the hall, the official in charge of rites and ceremonies behind her quickly whispered, "Consort Jiang, you should pay your respects to Her Majesty the Empress."

Ah Zhu came to her senses, but she wasn't flustered at all.

Before the emperor threw her off, she had nothing to fear now.

If we fall down in the future... then we'll see what happens when we fall.

She had finally been released from Hanyuan Hall, and the emperor hadn't had time to tire of her yet, so let her enjoy herself for a few days first.

Once Empress Wang thinks you're easy to manipulate, she'll relentlessly trample on you and humiliate you to death.

Once she finds you unusually sharp, she'll back off.

They consider themselves precious and valuable, and it would be a real shame to get hurt by bumping into broken bricks and tiles.

Then she began to pin her hopes on the crown prince, on the future...

Since there's nothing more to say to my former master, let's just go down this path to the bitter end.

With a beaming smile, A-Zhu looked up at Empress Wang with deep affection and knelt down before her.

"This concubine, Lady Jiang of Guanju Palace, greets Your Majesty the Empress."

May Your Majesty be blessed with good fortune and endless happiness.

Poor maid! ! !

He was arrogant at first but obsequious at second; a shameless and despicable person!

Thinking back to how Ah Zhu had knelt before her in fear and trembling, begging for mercy, Empress Wang had initially felt a slight smile.

But what about now?

Disrespectful and aggressive!

Empress Wang gritted her teeth, secretly resenting the situation. If it weren't for the Emperor's favor, where would this foot-washing maid get her confidence?

After glancing a few more times at Ah Zhu's abdomen, which was covered by her blue auspicious robe, Empress Wang wished she could tear open this wretched woman's belly right now and see just how many audacious creatures she had given birth to.

They're already this arrogant now; what will they be like when the little devil in their belly is born?

Empress Wang, feeling suffocated and dizzy, repeatedly told herself to wait for the Empress Dowager to return, but still couldn't help being exceptionally harsh when she spoke.

"Jiang Shi".

Empress Wang reprimanded her with a stern face: "You were originally a slave in the inner palace, of lowly status, from a wretched family, and with shallow learning."

"Now that you have been fortunate enough to serve the Emperor, I hope that you will be careful in your words and deeds and strictly abide by the palace rules!"

Despite identifying herself as a member of the Jiang family, A-Zhu had never even seen what the other noble ladies in the Jiang household looked like, let alone the young ladies and wives. How could you expect her to empathize with the Jiang family?

What Empress Wang said had absolutely no effect on her.

After gracefully bidding farewell to Empress Wang, A-Zhu was helped into a sedan chair and headed to Guanju Palace as soon as she left Kunning Palace.

Eunuch Chen was already waiting here with a group of palace servants.

Upon seeing A-Zhu, he first bowed to her, saying, "This servant greets Consort Jiang. May Your Highness live a long and peaceful life."

"Steward, get up quickly."

Upon seeing an old acquaintance, A-Zhu's face was full of smiles, and her tone carried an uncontrollable joy.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Steward."

From the very beginning, Eunuch Chen never thought that A-Zhu would only be a palace maid; it was just that the time had come a little too late.

He smiled slightly at Azhu and said, "His Majesty was unable to attend the court assembly today, so he sent me ahead. Your Highness, please come inside."

Eunuch Chen led A-Zhu into the palace.

This newly renovated palace is truly spacious, magnificent, and exquisite.

Not only is the courtyard full of exotic flowers and herbs, with a fragrant aroma, but the side hall also contains many treasures.

Except... this place is similar to the layout of Chonghua Palace, and even Azhu's usual items are still in their original places, nothing is missing.

Tsk, Ah Zhu doesn't know whether to praise Emperor Xuanpei for his dedication or to condemn his extraordinary "rigid" controlling nature.

Indeed, ever since that time in Hanyuan Palace when Emperor Xuanpei tried to straighten her hairpin for the second time after they had been inseparable, Azhu had discovered this quirk of his.

She once tried to tilt the memorials on the imperial table slightly when Emperor Xuanpei was not around, and the memorials would be quietly put back in place shortly after Emperor Xuanpei returned.

When A-Zhu ate, he would place his silver chopsticks crookedly on the porcelain plate, and Emperor Xuanpei would be unable to resist glancing at them a few more times before quietly putting them back in their place...

Well, when the reckless Ah Zhu first discovered Emperor Xuanpei's quirk, he was utterly astonished.

She was incredibly audacious and tried it several times with great enthusiasm, only to be caught red-handed by Emperor Xuanpei. What happened after that... well, let's not talk about it.

When Eunuch Chen asked A-Zhu if there was anything else she was dissatisfied with, A-Zhu shook her head repeatedly. It was only the beginning of the palace move, so it was best to be cautious and not offend anyone with a petty temper.

When Eunuch Chen returned to report, the palace servants of Guanju Palace stepped forward to pay their respects.

Qingliu and Lüfu naturally became Azhu's personal maids, so this time, the two eunuchs, one fat and one thin, were leading the palace servants kneeling at the front.

"This humble servant is filled with joy and gratitude. I kowtow to Consort Jiang. May Your Majesty be blessed with good fortune and endless happiness."

The name was truly auspicious; Ah Zhu remembered it immediately.

After rewarding the palace servants, A-Zhu asked another question: "Is 'San Cai' the 'Cai' in 'treasure'?"

Sancai immediately knelt down.

He bowed to Azhu with a joyful expression.

"Yes, this servant Sancai thanks Consort Jiang for bestowing this name upon me."

Qingliu and Lvfu exchanged a secret glance at her quick wit.

Si Xi, standing beside Jiang Zhu, stared longingly at A Zhu. But since his name couldn't be wrong, he replied when Jiang Zhu asked, "Back then, I was doing odd jobs in the kitchen. The head chef made a dish called Four Happiness Meatballs. It smelled so good that I couldn't resist, so I just named it that."

She was also a food lover, and Ah Zhu smiled as she asked the palace servants to add a few more dishes of Four Happiness Meatballs to the lunch menu, considering it a blessing since it was their first meeting.

Because of Sixi, Ahzhu rarely felt like eating anything for lunch.

I just ate two bites of Four Happiness Meatballs...

"vomit."

Ah Zhu vomited again.

Qingliu and Lvfu quickly helped Azhu to rest, and ordered people to remove the food from the table. They opened the windows in the hall to let in fresh air, and Azhu drank a few sips of water before feeling a little better.

Perhaps due to the mildness of the imperial medicine, A-Zhu's menstrual cycle is still not regulated. She still feels tired and weak all day long, has no appetite, and can't stand even slightly pungent smells...

Seeing this commotion, San Cai and Sixi hurriedly followed along.

After Qingliu and Lüfu finished helping Azhu rest, they approached her with worried expressions and cautiously inquired, "Sister, our Empress is not feeling well... Should we call the imperial physician to take a look?"

The imperial physicians were summoned countless times, but the empress's symptoms only appeared because she was "eager to have a child." What could anyone else do?

Not only were they anxious, but even the Emperor was... The Empress hasn't returned to Chonghua Palace since then.

Qingliu couldn't respond to Azhu's question, and only vaguely said, "The imperial physician has come to see Her Highness. It's just that her health is weak, and now she needs to take good care of herself."

"By the way, keep a close eye on her. Her Majesty's health is of utmost importance right now, so make sure no bad rumors get out."

Ah~

Upon hearing Qingliu's words, Sancai and Sixi exchanged a glance, and seeing the undisguised joy in each other's eyes, they knew that the two of them must have thought of the same thing.

The two bowed in unison and said earnestly, "Sister, rest assured, this servant will certainly not let anything else disturb Your Majesty's rest."

【“Beep—”】

[“Due to an error in opening the newbie gift pack, a side effect has occurred—the host is experiencing symptoms of ‘false pregnancy,’ which the host cannot regulate on their own. Request testing assistance.”]

[“Detection buzzing—buzzing—side effects cannot be relieved for the time being. Currently, three solutions have been identified for the host: wait for the ten-month pregnancy to resolve on its own; simulate a ten-month pregnancy to resolve; simulate a miscarriage to forcibly resolve.”]

When the sizzling sound rang out again, Ah Zhu, still half-asleep, weakly said to Consort Feng, "Your Majesty, it's back again! Waaah, I couldn't get rid of it. The high monk's skills weren't enough..."

*

Meanwhile, Ah Zhu, this vixen who had captivated the emperor to the point of disregarding her status as a slave, was pregnant but still clung to him day and night. The concubines in the harem, whose sensitive nerves were being constantly troubled, could no longer sit still.

Everyone disregarded the potential consequences and worked together with one mind to reach the "Old Buddha" on Mount Futai.

What you keep in mind will eventually come to pass.

And so, amidst the mixed emotions of everyone's eager anticipation, a mixture of joy and sorrow, the "Empress Dowager," who found everything unclean, disliked everything, and whose silence was so piercing that one dared not breathe, and who was the master of disciplining all kinds of misbehavior in the palace, finally returned to the palace.

......

-----------------------

Author's Note: A-Zhu: Tsk tsk tsk, I can almost hear the horn sounding for the scapegoat.

Thank you all for your support. Hope you're well-fed, warmly dressed, and healthy – that's the most important thing.