Chapter 49 A Magical Pair in the City

Hanyuan Hall

Eunuch Chen, who was standing to one side with his head down, holding his breath, felt a chill run down his spine from the silence in the hall.

No one knows what the Emperor and Empress Dowager said in the Shou Kang Palace just now.

But ever since leaving Shou Kang Palace... Eunuch Chen quietly glanced up at Emperor Xuanpei, who was hidden in the lamplight, his expression half-lit and half-dim. He had not read any memorials and had not uttered a single word.

Emperor Xuanpei pinched the bridge of his nose.

His mind was in turmoil. One moment he saw Ah Zhu's tearful face as she looked up and wept, and the next he saw the scene of the great chaos in the capital back then, when everyone was in danger. Empress Dowager Shu's words were chilling, as if they were seeping into his bones.

As the Empress Dowager said, it concerns the throne, so why should we hesitate?

When Emperor Xuanpei raised troops and entered the capital, he had no interest in distinguishing between the innocent and the innocent, and suppressed all the unrest without the slightest hesitation.

But now... can he give Jiang Zhu a cup of poison or a three-foot-long white silk ribbon to execute him?

The Jiang family, the Jiang family, the Jiang family... Emperor Xuanpei was unusually troubled and indecisive.

Did A-Zhu know about what happened back then? Or rather, how much did she know?

"Your Majesty, A-Zhu is Your Majesty's."

"From the moment His Majesty issued the decree, A-Zhu became His Majesty's person; she was before, and she will be even more so from now on..."

This is his Azhu.

She was a smooth talker, but lacked any real charm.

She is Azhu, who can be both happy and angry, and can talk and move.

It was Ah Zhu, lying on his lap, pitiful everywhere.

She was Ah Zhu, whose every smile and frown was captivating, and who belonged entirely to him.

......

The Xuanpei Emperor, who was so disciplined as to be almost boring, had very little that truly belonged to him since childhood.

The lifeless object, neatly arranged again and again, would not embrace him with a tender expression, would not shake his arm with a smile in its eyes, would not promise to be with him for life, or stay with him for eternity.

None of them belong to him, only Azhu does.

Emperor Xuanpei gazed at the clusters of lamps and candles, his eyes seemingly flickering with candlelight.

*

Guanju Palace

"Your Majesty."

"The kitchen just made some red date and donkey-hide gelatin soup, please have some first."

A-Zhu looked at Qing Liu, whose bruises had not yet completely subsided.

Whether she was pregnant or not had been going on and on several times, to the point that even she herself was starting to lose track, let alone the palace maids around her.

Afraid of touching on her painful memories, Qingliu and the others dared not say anything more.

If Emperor Xuanpei said that she had suffered a miscarriage and needed to rest, then even if it was a lie, it had to be true!

There has been no laughter or joy in Guanju Palace these past few days, and Azhu has been lying quietly on the bed taking her medicine and recuperating.

After taking a couple of sips of soup, A-Zhu looked at Qing Liu and asked softly, "Where is His Majesty?"

"Chief Steward Chen said that the Empress Dowager had invited His Majesty, so His Majesty went to Shou Kang Palace."

Azhu was taken aback, then nodded gently, shook her head to avoid the jujube and donkey-hide gelatin soup that Qingliu continued to feed her.

"Qingliu, I want to rest."

"Your Majesty..." Qingliu paused, then put the soup bowl aside and helped Azhu lie down again. "Your Majesty, please rest well. This servant will take her leave now."

Hearing the palace gates of the inner hall being gently closed, A-Zhu's previously furrowed brows and sorrowful expression turned into one of tension.

"Your Majesty, could it be that Empress Dowager Shu has discovered that I am not pregnant at all, and has summoned the Emperor to interrogate me?"

"No, Ah Zhu."

"You don't need to think of the people in this palace as omnipotent and all-powerful."

Seeing that A-Zhu was a little uneasy about telling a big lie in front of everyone for the first time, Consort Feng smiled and comforted her.

"Calling a deer a horse and turning black into white are common occurrences in this palace."

"As long as the emperor keeps the imperial physicians from revealing the truth, and your palace doesn't leak the news, the matter is settled. Anyone who dares to raise objections is just framing someone."

With Consort Feng's assurance, A-Zhu relented.

"Your Majesty, is it true or false that the Emperor personally promised to make me a concubine?"

Emperor Xuanpei has not mentioned this matter again in the past few days, and Azhu does not dare to show too much disgust. He keeps asking the emperor, but he can't help but feel conflicted.

"A promise is a promise; since the emperor has made it, he must have this intention."

It is often said that those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly.

Consort Feng was terrified by Emperor Xuanpei's "generous" demeanor.

"A-Zhu, it should be a good thing that you've been promoted, but... isn't this a bit too fast?"

Consort Feng sorted out her thoughts and slowly said, "I have heard about how Emperor Xuanpei acts, but the people in the palace only know the rules."

"If a thousand people say the same thing, there must be a reason for it."

"But the Emperor's rules, Ah Zhu, frankly speaking, I haven't seen much of them in you. Now that I think about it, I feel that Emperor Xuanpei is too extreme... He loves you so much that he wants you to live, and hates you so much that he wants you to die."

"Now all I see is your grand and spectacular success, but what about the future?"

"If anything goes wrong, you'll definitely have to take back what he gave you a thousandfold. Ah Zhu, what did you use to earn his kindness? And what will you use to repay him in the future?"

Hearing Consort Feng's words, A-Zhu's eyes glazed over. Granny Sun's words rang out again, "A-Zhu, taking shortcuts in the palace always comes at a price..."

"The emperor made me make promises again and again, so I made promises to him again and again."

Ah Zhu murmured, "He knows everything about me."

"He wouldn't argue with my romantic lies, but I've kept one fatal secret from him from the very beginning, and that's all..."

"The Jiang family's affairs."

The more Consort Feng thought about A-Zhu's identity, the more uncomfortable she felt.

“A-Zhu, the things in this world love to play tricks on people repeatedly.”

Having died once, Consort Feng was all too clear-headed.

“You used to be just an insignificant sinner, and no one cared about you.”

"But once you vie for the emperor's favor, for a position in the palace, and for all the benefits, countless people will want to crush everything about you into dust, picking out every single flaw..."

Since both the imposter and the person being implicated are guilty of capital offenses, Ah Zhu dared not mention this matter when he first climbed into the emperor's bed.

Later, later... everyone knew that the emperor had ordered the rescue of the sixth daughter of the Jiang family. The more benefits A-Zhu received from this title, the less she dared to speak out.

“A-Zhu, you have now broken ties with Empress Dowager Shu.”

"Your identity makes you the perfect target."

"I'm afraid things might not go as planned. You need to be prepared for this. Ah Zhu, have you considered speaking frankly to the Emperor?"

"Your Majesty, things have come to this point... I cannot simply confess like this."

Ah Zhu shook his head.

"The emperor was especially stingy."

"If he knew that I had been hiding my identity from the very beginning, keeping it a secret from him, and now I'm almost toying with him like this... awakening that venomous snake, I would die a terrible death, a terrible death, without a burial place."

"I can't know."

Ah Zhu touched his head.

"I was hit on the head."

"Yes, I don't know any Madam Qian, and I don't remember any manor. When I woke up, I only remembered that everyone said I was the sixth daughter of the Jiang family."

"Even if it is found out later... I am innocent."

"I know nothing."

Consort Feng nodded repeatedly as she listened.

But a moment later, Consort Feng had to remind her again.

“A-Zhu, if you know you are not Miss Jiang Liu, it’s normal that you never care about the Jiang family.”

“But if you don’t confess and admit this identity, then the affairs of the Jiang family… logically speaking, you can’t just ignore them.”

A-Zhu: ......

She lowered her hand from her head, momentarily at a loss for words.

After going around in circles, she ended up back where she started.

Ah Zhu shook his head and laughed self-deprecatingly.

There is indeed no such thing as a perfect, all-encompassing good thing in this world.

Just as A-Zhu was about to rest as they approached the palace gates and the gates were about to be locked, Emperor Xuanpei suddenly arrived.

"Your Majesty."

A-Zhu hurriedly tried to get up, but Emperor Xuanpei reached out and carried her to the chaise lounge in the outer room.

After spending so much time together, A-Zhu could more or less sense whether Emperor Xuanpei was happy or not.

She let Emperor Xuanpei hold her.

After Azhu reached out and took the teacup from Qingliu, he nodded, and Qingliu led all the other palace servants out.

"It's late now, so it's not good to drink strong tea."

A-Zhu lifted the tea lid, held the teacup, and presented it to Emperor Xuanpei.

"Your Majesty, please try this Five Flavors Cloud Tea. It is excellent for clearing heat and moisturizing the lungs."

Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu in his arms.

It was a little late today, and she had already changed into a pink and white nightgown, and removed all the hairpins and ornaments from her hair.

It's a soft, fragrant ball of a creature. When it tries to play tricks on someone, its expression is so gentle and obedient, its warmth like the winter sun or the summer clouds, making one want to be as close to it as possible.

With his eyes lowered, Emperor Xuanpei took a sip of tea from Azhu's hand.

It's so bitter, like it's spreading from the tip of my tongue all the way to my heart.

Seeing Emperor Xuanpei take a big gulp of tea without any suspicion, Ah Zhu, who had succeeded, immediately laughed.

"Hehe, hahaha." Realizing she had laughed too heartily, she quickly coughed twice. "Your Majesty, this tea..."

Before he could finish speaking, Emperor Xuanpei lowered his head and took another sip, his expression unchanged.

? ? ?

Perhaps because Emperor Xuanpei was too calm, Azhu took a sip of tea with some skepticism.

!!

Her face instantly contorted in pain, and just as she was about to vomit, Emperor Xuanpei grabbed her chin and silenced her with a kiss.

A-Zhu didn't even know when the teacup in her hand was taken away. All she knew was that with her eyes closed, the tea tasted bitter and astringent, but had a sweet aftertaste.

Feeling dizzy after being released, Ah Zhu immediately sobered up when he saw Emperor Xuan Pei going to drink tea without changing his expression.

She quickly leaned in and gave Emperor Xuanpei a series of kisses.

After kissing him several times, A-Zhu held the teacup in Emperor Xuanpei's hand with both hands.

"Your Majesty, it is late at night. You should not drink too much tea."

Looking at A-Zhu, who was smiling obsequiously, Emperor Xuanpei's eyes showed a faint smile, but he still said in a serious tone, "I think this tea is fragrant and sweet."

Muttering to himself about how Emperor Xuanpei was different from ordinary people, A-Zhu smiled and leaned in to kiss Emperor Xuanpei.

Only after Emperor Xuanpei released his grip on the teacup did she hurriedly place it on the table and push it far away.

The lights were lush and bright, and the beauty's face was brushed by peach blossoms. The person in her arms looked languid, with brimming eyes and a gentle smile.

Emperor Xuanpei, who had been sitting in the Hanyuan Hall for nearly two hours, seemingly with countless questions to ask, suddenly found himself wanting to ask nothing at this beautiful moment.

Surrounded by the fragrant and soft world, Emperor Xuanpei's eyes softened, and he slowly reached out to stroke Azhu's black hair.

Originally, she wanted to tentatively inquire about the matter of being made a concubine, and incidentally begin to tentatively mention A-Zhu of the Jiang family. At this moment, she did not try to speak, and slowly nestled in Emperor Xuanpei's arms.

......

Not far from Guanju Palace is Changli Palace.

The lady currently seated in the main seat is Consort Jing, the birth mother of the Third Prince, Prince Ying.

These days, Consort Jing has been confined to her quarters and has not left the palace.

She was not released from confinement until two days before Empress Dowager Shu returned to the palace. On that day, in Shou Kang Palace, she pointed at A Zhu's skirt and shouted that the blood was hers.

During her months of confinement, Consort Jing cursed almost every concubine in the palace, but it wasn't A-Zhu's turn yet, as she had little interaction with him.

As for the so-called imperial favor that A-Zhu was supposed to enjoy, the confined Consort Jing didn't get to experience much of it, but she first witnessed the "farce" in Shou Kang Palace.

Having witnessed so many accidents and misfortunes, big and small, in the palace, how could you expect Consort Jing to have any empathy for Azhu?

At most, they'd shake their heads and sigh a few times, which would be quite good.

In the past few days, seeing that Emperor Xuanpei was always accompanying Azhu who was recuperating from the miscarriage, Consort Jing was thinking that since Consort Jiang was unwell and unable to serve the Emperor, the nearest Changli Palace would be the best place for her.

So she waited and waited with great anticipation, but no good news came at all.

Upon hearing that Emperor Xuanpei had gone to Guanju Palace again tonight, Consort Jing's expression darkened.

When she heard the faint sound of a zither, she immediately threw the wooden comb in her hand to the ground.

"What kind of music is that, playing in the middle of the night?!"

"You have disturbed my peace and quiet."

Hearing the commotion, Hongyun hurriedly entered the palace.

Hearing Jing Jieyu's instructions to find the person playing the zither, and even ordering that they not be allowed to play it again... Hongyun did not move her feet for the time being.

She lowered her head and whispered, "Your Majesty, this zither music... this zither music is coming from Guanju Palace."

Jing Jieyu sneered upon hearing this.

"She really is a vixen with despicable methods."

"He was kicked out of Kunning Palace by the Empress for being unruly, but he still managed to climb into the Emperor's bed."

"Now look what's happened! I've truly seen something new. She's only had a miscarriage for a short time, and she's already in the mood to play the zither and seduce His Majesty?!"

"When I pay my respects to the Empress tomorrow, I must have a proper talk with her about this matter."

Consort Jing relied on the Empress for survival.

Unfortunately, she was very lucky. Not long after entering the Prince of Qin's mansion, she gave birth to the Prince of Ying and became someone of some importance in the palace.

But as for her methods... well, one can only say that she was willing but unable to do so.

For example, she was loyal to Empress Wang and fought bravely for her. She was only confined for half a year because of Consort Zhang's matter... Empress Wang was even willing to promote A-Zhu to serve the emperor, and never had the idea of ​​pushing Consort Jing again, which shows how loyal she was.

"This place is so peaceful and clean; we really can't let this vixen bring harm to it. If we could use this incident to force her to move to another palace..."

Seeing that Consort Jing was about to go further and further astray, Hongyun quickly said, "Your Highness, Consort Jiang was originally a palace maid in the Yeting Palace, and she entered the Yeting Palace at a very young age."

"The rules in the inner palace are strict, and the matrons really don't teach palace maids anything like music, chess, calligraphy, or painting."

"I haven't heard of any musicians being summoned by the Guanju Palace tonight..."

Jing Jieyu was slightly taken aback.

She was the eldest daughter of a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Rites. She was formally selected to enter the Prince of Qin's mansion through a talent show. While she wasn't an expert in all the arts, she certainly had basic appreciation skills.

She could tell what was being played in Guanju Palace at that moment: "Floating Clouds and Falling Geese".

Such passion cannot be achieved by simply learning for a few months.

But if Consort Jiang truly doesn't know how to play the zither, then who is playing it in Guanju Palace...?

After realizing what had happened, Jing Jieyu became even angrier.

She swept everything on the table to the floor with a single slap.

"This is absolutely outrageous!"

"This vile slave, this shameless bed-climbing maid, what virtue or ability does she possess? What virtue or ability does she possess?!"

"Your Majesty."

Feeling a headache coming on, Hongyun stepped forward and repeatedly advised, "Your Majesty, walls have ears."

"Your Majesty, think about it. Now, because of that lady in Guanju Palace, His Majesty has even punished Jin Mama, the Empress Dowager's most trusted servant, in front of everyone."

"The Empress Dowager has fallen ill because of this, and the Emperor has not changed his mind. Your Majesty, you must think it over carefully."

Can a few words of advice from others cure all ailments?

Obviously not!

Jing Jieyu gritted her teeth, feeling indignant.

"In the past, it was Consort Zhang who was arrogant and domineering, and now there's Consort Jiang too. There's never going to be any peace in this palace!"

Jing Jieyu, who hated it most when others had something that she didn't, tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep well.

The next day, when Jingjieyu went to Kunning Palace to pay her respects, both of her eyes were dark circles.

After "sacrificing" Consort Jiang and sealing Empress Dowager Shu directly in Shou Kang Palace, the atmosphere in the entire harem became light and cheerful, even during greetings.

Looking at Consort Jing, Consort Zhang smiled, half teasing and half mocking, "Oh, look at Consort Jing's face. Did she stay up all night and become a thief?"

Jing Jieyu, who was extremely unhappy, made a choice without hesitation that made everyone unhappy.

"Replying to Your Highness the Imperial Concubine."

Consort Jing wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. "I can no longer be a thief."

"It's all thanks to Consort Jiang that I had a real treat for my ears last night."

Before Consort Zhang could reply, Consort Jing put down the embroidered handkerchief in her hand and looked at her with surprise.

"Does Your Highness not know?"

"Our Emperor is an excellent zither player."

"Last night, the poem 'Floating Clouds and Falling Geese' in Guanju Palace was truly heartfelt, tender, and full of emotion. It was so moving that even across the long street, I was deeply touched and almost shed tears."

Consort Zhang stopped smiling.

None of the concubines in the hall could laugh anymore.

Consort Tang bit her lip. "Consort Jing, could it be that you misheard, Your Majesty..."

"What are you saying, Consort Tang?" Consort Jing laughed.

"Whether or not a musician was summoned to Guanju Palace last night is not a big secret in the palace. Consort Jiang, humph, if she could learn such skills in just a few months, I would kowtow and become her apprentice."

Jingjieyu, who had successfully made everyone uncomfortable early in the morning, didn't leave after paying her respects. Instead, she eagerly approached Empress Wang.

"Your Majesty the Empress."

"As you know, my Changli Palace has always been a quiet and peaceful place."

Consort Jing, who wished she could immediately drive A-Zhu far away and avoid seeing him, encouraged Empress Wang to support her.

"Now that Consort Jiang has moved here, if she makes a scene every few days, it will really be a headache."

"Your Majesty, why don't you issue an edict for her to move to another palace?"

Empress Wang looked at Consort Jing speechlessly.

If she could decide where Lady Jiang went, do you think she would have allowed that lowly maid to move into Guanju Palace so openly in the first place?

"Guan Guan cry the ospreys, on the islet in the river; a fair maiden, a gentleman's ideal..." Ha, the emperor gave her such a name, isn't Empress Wang already feeling quite annoyed?

"Your Majesty the Empress."

Seeing that Empress Wang remained silent, Consort Jing pressed on, "Why don't we take advantage of these clear and pleasant days and have Consort Jiang set off as soon as possible?"

For the sake of the King's continued association with the Crown Prince, the Queen barely managed to suppress the word "get lost."

Empress Wang, suppressing her emotions, instructed, "You live close to Guanju Palace, so keep an eye on things here. If it's Consort Jiang..."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I understand."

Before Empress Wang could finish speaking, Consort Jing felt as if she had received some kind of "get-out-of-jail-free card" from the Empress Wang's orders. She rubbed her hands together, looking eager to try.

Empress Wang: ......

To be honest, in a daze, Empress Wang was even a little glad that she hadn't brought A-Zhu under her command.

Otherwise, someone who claims to be loyal and devoted might do all sorts of stupid things that make people tremble with anger.

One of them, who believed in "killing a hundred enemies while losing ten thousand of his own," was always eager to rely on her for support and act arrogantly.

If she could gather both the "Sleeping Dragon" and the "Young Phoenix," she would probably be able to ascend to heaven long ago.

Imagine the scene where Consort Jing confronts Lady Jiang...

No, Empress Wang, who had already given up on even thinking about it, waved her hand and decided to withdraw her "supernatural powers."

"That's enough, that's enough."

"You don't need to concern yourself with Consort Jiang's affairs. Just stay quietly in Changli Palace."

"Your Majesty the Empress!"

Consort Jing looked resentful. "I only received six months of confinement before leaving the palace, Your Majesty. I will definitely keep a close eye on her, no, I will definitely teach Consort Jiang a lesson!"

"You've been locked up for six months and you still haven't improved at all!" Empress Wang tried hard to keep her temper in check, but to little avail. "Do you want to serve another six months?"

"Your Majesty..."

"Get out of here."

"Your Majesty the Empress..."

"roll!!!"

Having failed in her mission and already feeling defeated, Jing Jieyu slunk away.

But let her stay in Jangrye Palace peacefully and do nothing?

Ha, it's obviously impossible.

Since her release from confinement, the emperor has neither summoned her to his bedchamber nor even inquired about her.

Just thinking about how Guanju Palace was like the Spider Cave, entangled with Emperor Xuanpei... Consort Jing had a sudden thought, and had someone prepare generous gifts before going to Guanju Palace under the guise of "visiting" Azhu.

......

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

Author's Note: [Dog head carrying a rose][Dog head carrying a rose][Dog head carrying a rose]

Empress Wang: What a strange pair... I must not be fully awake.

Hey cuties, thanks for your support, hahaha! [Fist bump][Fist bump][Fist bump]