Chapter 83 It's so nice to celebrate the New Year!

Kunning Palace

Looking at the furious, pale-faced Empress Wang before her, Wang Xihui couldn't help but sigh deeply and said softly, "Your Majesty, Consort Jiang has now given birth to twins..."

"I know!"

Empress Wang's expression grew increasingly irritable.

"She doesn't need to show off her children in front of me again and again!"

"There are plenty of concubines in this palace who have given birth to imperial heirs, and there are many princes. We don't need another one."

Empress Wang then sneered, "An auspicious omen?"

"Twins born prematurely look like 'little frozen kittens,' and it's uncertain whether they'll even live to be a month old!"

"Your Majesty!"

Empress Wang's words startled Wang Xihui, who felt a chill run down her spine.

"Now His Majesty is personally overseeing things at Guanju Palace, and the imperial physicians frequently take the pulses of the princes and princesses..."

"I don't want to hear any more of this!"

Empress Wang angrily swept the teacup off the table and onto the ground.

Whether it's a rumor or a figment of the imagination, nothing beats the suffocating feeling of seeing it with one's own eyes.

Empress Wang, who had been trying to keep herself calm by ridiculously claiming that the emperor was "possessed by an evil spirit," finally broke down.

"His Majesty has been on the throne for decades. There should be all kinds of women in the palace by now. How could he, how could he, be so bewitched that he has lost all reason?!"

Recalling Emperor Xuanpei, who was completely different in Guanju Palace, Empress Wang's rationality was torn apart by a sense of powerlessness and a burning rage that made her want to tear the sky apart.

"How can such a 'demonic creature' swagger into this house so brazenly?!"

"What's so great about her?!"

"Has he truly gone mad, completely disregarding me in the slightest?!"

"Is Heaven truly blind, allowing such a person to ruin the Great Yuan Dynasty?!"

Seeing Empress Wang suddenly go almost insane, Wang Xihui didn't dare to approach for a moment and stood there hesitantly.

"Back then, Jiang Qingxue was a fame-seeking scoundrel. Relying solely on the Crown Prince Chongde's admiration, she acted as if she couldn't see anyone else and only knew how to feign high-mindedness!"

"Now her younger sister has surpassed her mother completely!"

"Even after the entire Jiang family is wiped out, they still won't behave themselves."

"At such a young age, she has already mastered all the skills of a vixen. I really want to peel off her skin to see if she is a fox spirit or not."

Didn't her cousin, who was the Empress, have already decided to stay away from Consort Jiang?

What did they see in Guanju Palace again...? Why did they suddenly change their expressions and become so confrontational?

Looking at the Empress Wang, whose temperament was so unpredictable and fickle, Wang Xihui felt her fingertips go numb.

"Your Majesty, Consort Jiang and her two children... are at the time when His Majesty should pity them the most. Your Majesty, please reconsider."

The "twins" in the palace certainly inspired envy and jealousy.

But now that he looks so sickly, who can think about the long term?

Even if they could raise a large one, it would only provide Jiang with another source of support for the rest of her life.

After all, there are more than just one or two princes in the palace. It's not a simple matter of choosing one over the other, so it's not the Ninth Prince's turn.

"Whatever she asks for now, the Emperor will truly grant it..."

Empress Wang murmured, her gaze deep and somber.

"Her appetite has grown quite large these days; she immediately asks for the position of Imperial Concubine."

"What they want now is the position of Imperial Concubine, but what about after that?"

"Does she want the title of Imperial Noble Consort? Does she also want a legitimate position as the Empress?"

"With such shamelessness, sweet talk, insatiable greed, and boundless desires, what good could her child possibly be?"

"So it turns out there was only Consort Jiang."

"Now it's the 'little demons' born from the 'big demon,' one isn't enough, so three of them are coaxing the emperor together."

If we were to talk about Empress Wang's life, there were two things she valued most: her position as Empress and her position as Crown Prince.

The fierce power struggle between Empress Wang and Consort Zhang stemmed from Empress Wang's resentment towards Consort Zhang for harboring ambitions to usurp her position.

Now, not only was Consort Zhang not eliminated, but Jiang Zhu, the reincarnation of a "vixen," has also appeared.

"His Majesty disregarded palace rules and favored Lady Jiang, allowing her to rise to power and gain influence."

“Zhang has tried to take advantage of the situation several times, only wishing she could instigate the Emperor to depose me.”

"These two ambitious wolves have always coveted my position as Empress. If they conspire to do something wicked, I'm afraid..." Empress Wang shook her head. "I will never let them have their way."

Look at Empress Wang, who was furious and almost out of her mind, yet what she said made a lot of sense.

Ensuring the smooth ascension of the crown prince to the throne is the expectation of everyone in the Wang family, and no one is allowed to disrupt it in the slightest.

Therefore, even Wang Xihui did not offer any advice on this matter, only saying, "If Your Majesty has any ideas, you should consider them carefully to ensure there are no mistakes."

A faint smile appeared on Empress Wang's face as she seemed to be thinking of something.

“Our Consort Zhang used to boast that she was favored by the Emperor and came from an extraordinary background. She had served the Emperor in the palace for many years, and even Prince Qi was of marriageable age... Now she is just a Consort.”

"But Consort Jiang is so young, and she's already being asked to be on equal footing with her. How can she be willing to accept that?"

Even if Consort Zhang could truly swallow this insult, there are so many useful people in the palace, and with Empress Wang watching over her, her "willingness" could easily turn into "unwillingness."

"Let me think about it..."

Empress Wang narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Let me think about it carefully."

......

Guanju Palace

Having eaten and slept well, the Ninth Prince and the Seventh Princess were unusually energetic, their eyes wide open. At this moment, A-Zhu and Emperor Xuanpei each held one of them in their arms.

The two children, who used to be tiny and skinny, have grown up so fast that they no longer seem so frightening.

Even though they were still babies, you could already tell that the two children had completely different personalities.

The Ninth Prince remained very quiet.

He is very well-behaved whether he is nursing or being held.

Most of the time he is quiet, staring at the person holding him with his round eyes. He rarely cries, and when he does cry, it is not loud.

The seventh princess, however, was completely different.

Although she was born later, she was much more mischievous than the Ninth Prince. She was strong and energetic, and when she was nursing on A-Zhu's chest, she would wolf down her milk, as if she wanted to eat one and take it all.

No one can hold her if it's not comfortable for them.

Too hot or too cold won't work either.

If the direction of food is not right when eating, it's even worse... If things don't go well, she'll pout and start crying loudly.

As soon as she started crying, the Ninth Prince, no matter what he was doing nearby, would start crying too.

One child was crying loudly, while the other sobbed softly with tears in his eyes; the two children looked extremely pitiful.

Of course, when they're not crying or making a fuss, they look just like the golden boy and jade girl in the New Year paintings—fair-skinned and tender, with round, dark eyes, and incredibly cute.

Just like now, the Ninth Prince in A-Zhu's arms is obediently opening his eyes and looking at A-Zhu.

Meanwhile, the seventh princess in Emperor Xuanpei's arms kept glancing at the ruyi pendant hanging on the embroidered curtain.

Emperor Xuanpei smiled and gently touched the Seventh Princess's forehead.

Both children resembled A-Zhu; they were not only fair-skinned but also had long, curled eyelashes.

After a while, Emperor Xuanpei glanced at Azhu's arm a few times and then reached out to take the Ninth Prince as well.

He held one in each arm, holding them very securely.

Seeing this, A-Zhu smiled and picked up the rattle drum, turning it back and forth to attract the two children. Then, she shook it in front of Emperor Xuanpei as well, making a "clang clang clang" sound.

Emperor Xuanpei was taken aback, then shook his head and laughed along with Azhu.

After playing with the children for a while, Emperor Xuanpei saw that the Seventh Princess was whimpering and closing her eyes to sleep, so he ordered the wet nurse to take the two children back to the side room to rest.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

After turning the rattle in her hand, A-Zhu looked up at Emperor Xuanpei.

"Your Majesty."

The smile in Emperor Xuanpei's eyes hadn't faded yet, and he responded with a smile, "Hmm?"

Seeing Ah Zhu's hesitant expression, Emperor Xuanpei reached out and smoothed the frown between her brows.

"Are you worried about your promotion?"

Ah Zhu grabbed Emperor Xuanpei's sleeve, nodding and then shaking his head.

"As greedy as I am, Your Majesty would be more than willing to bestow blessings and favors upon me, but..."

Azhu bit her lip and looked up at Emperor Xuanpei.

"But now, I am still afraid of damaging His Majesty's reputation."

Emperor Xuanpei smiled and patted Azhu's head.

"Silly girl."

"Is your so-called reputation something that can be damaged by simply being granted the title of Imperial Concubine?"

"Even if I don't bestow upon you the title of Imperial Concubine, if you spend your days indulging in oppressive policies, levying exorbitant taxes, and allowing corrupt officials to collude with each other to impose heavy corvée labor... do you think the people of this land will praise me as a wise ruler or commend my good reputation?"

Ah Zhu shook his head blankly.

"Isn't this it?"

When he was with A-Zhu, Emperor Xuanpei would unconsciously rub against her and touch her face with a smile.

"How the people of the world will view me, and what my reputation will be, will ultimately depend on the policies of the officials in the court, and whether they can enable the people to live in peace and prosperity with surplus grain, rather than on what kind of concubines I have in my harem or what rank I have given them."

Ah Zhu had heard these phrases like "femme fatale" and "bewitching the emperor" far too often, so much so that she didn't immediately understand them.

Emperor Xuanpei kissed her forehead and said softly, "...In the end, I am not a saint, and I cannot ignore my own emotions, desires, and selfishness."

“Ah Zhu, I cannot be a heartless and emotionless ‘clay bodhisattva’ in the high halls of the court, unmoved by the eight winds. If something were to happen... I’m afraid you would not be able to escape this infamy either.”

Ah Zhu smiled brightly and radiantly, her eyes truly sparkling like a galaxy.

She held Emperor Xuanpei's hand, his image reflected in her eyes.

"His Majesty promised to hold my hand for a lifetime."

"Your Majesty is enough for me, why should I fear mere infamy?"

Emperor Xuanpei reached out and embraced Azhu, then slowly closed his eyes.

Although he was truly holding her in his arms, Emperor Xuanpei, who had almost been separated from Azhu by life and death, was already filled with fear of parting.

These days, Emperor Xuanpei often thinks about how his Azhu is still so young and innocent, and is even more vulnerable and pitiful in the palace. Who can guarantee her safety and happiness in the future?

Even though she was only a Noble Consort, the Empress couldn't tolerate A-Zhu.

What will happen to his son, Azhu, after he passes away?

Emperor Xuanpei considered taking Azhu with him.

But Ah Zhu was lively by nature, and even in the palace she loved to stroll in the garden, ride horses in the hunting grounds, and enjoy all the splendor of the world... The underground was too dark and desolate.

I couldn't bear to take her with me, but I was also afraid that she would be bullied by others in this world all by herself.

Ah Zhu gently patted Emperor Xuanpei's back.

Occasionally, the emperor would suddenly become somewhat indecisive and melancholy. She didn't need to pry into the details; she just needed to comfort him.

Consort Gui... After hearing what Emperor Xuanpei just said, Azhu no longer felt so anxious and worried.

But Empress Wang—

She's been causing trouble for so long, jumping around and making a scene, but she just can't bring down Empress Wang.

Empress Wang hated her to death, but she couldn't get around Emperor Xuanpei to deal with her.

During the time that Ah Zhu was pregnant... Empress Wang and Ah Zhu both really tried hard to adapt to each other, attempting to accept each other and survive together.

But really, it's impossible to "forgive and forget with a smile".

A-Zhu, whose loyalty had been trampled into pieces, could not trust Empress Wang with peace of mind, nor could she obediently "be a dog" and entrust the safety of herself and her two children to Empress Wang.

She could only rely on Emperor Xuanpei.

But the more she clung to Emperor Xuanpei, the more Empress Wang hated her, and she felt nothing but unbearable resentment and anger towards her.

The more miserable her life was, the more virtuous and benevolent Empress Wang could appear to bestow favors upon her.

But A-Zhu was unwilling to endure hardship.

Why would she give up a life of luxury and honor to willingly remain in a lowly position, enduring hardship and misery, all just to appease Empress Wang and dispel her resentment?

Is she crazy?

Look, things have come full circle.

Moreover, everyone in the palace knew that Empress Wang had a bad temper, which even angered Emperor Xuanpei to the point that he stormed off several times... But no one thought it was wrong, and no one said that Empress Wang was being presumptuous.

Emperor Xuanpei never punished Empress Wang for this or reprimanded her in public, and he has trusted the Crown Prince to oversee the country ever since... No wonder Empress Wang is so arrogant.

If it were her, she'd be just as arrogant.

Ah Zhu, feeling utterly helpless at the thought of Empress Wang, couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu and asked, "What's troubling you so much?"

A Zhu, snapping out of her daze, looked at Emperor Xuanpei and ultimately chose to tell the truth.

"This concubine was just thinking about Her Majesty the Empress."

"The Empress?"

A-Zhu nodded, but didn't want to mention Empress Wang to Emperor Xuanpei while she was taking advantage of the situation, lest she be accused of sowing discord.

"Your Majesty."

A-Zhu clung to Emperor Xuanpei and rubbed against him.

"I got up too early today and I'm really tired."

Emperor Xuanpei paused for a moment, but ultimately said nothing more, only nodding: "You should rest for now."

As he spoke, he bent down and placed A-Zhu back on the couch.

Ah Zhu tilted her head and smiled at Emperor Xuan Pei, who smiled back at her. Only then did Ah Zhu close her eyes contentedly.

Emperor Xuanpei sat by the bed for a while, then got up and went to his small study.

Inside the study, the first memorial marked in red, lying on the table, was particularly eye-catching—Grand Secretary Wen had submitted a memorial requesting to retire and return to his hometown due to old age and declining health.

Emperor Xuanpei agreed.

Wisps of smoke rose from the small bronze incense burner in the study, slowly drifting towards the embroidered landscape painting on the screen not far away.

Emperor Xuanpei remained calm, quietly stroking the memorial in his hand.

The sky outside the window gradually darkened.

......

As Lunar New Year's Eve approached, Jangryeong Palace was finally reopened.

Upon waking up early, Zhao Jieyu, looking somewhat dazed, changed into her auspicious attire and began to dress.

Looking at the jewelry presented to her by the palace maid, she casually nodded and replied, "This is it."

With the lifting of the ban, there was a joyous atmosphere both inside and outside the palace. Even the Imperial Household Department rushed to send new New Year's jewelry to Changli Palace, all of which were meant to bring good fortune.

After the jewelry was chosen, Hongzhu applied a lot of rouge to Zhao Jieyu's face to cover her complexion, so that Zhao Jieyu would look rosy-cheeked and cheerful.

"Alright."

Zhao Jieyu stopped Hongzhu's hand. "This is enough."

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Zhao Jieyu finally seemed to have regained some energy. Her first question was about the culprit behind this unexpected disaster.

Where is Lu Yinyue?

"Could she have moved to another palace?"

Hongzhu shook her head.

"Since the day Lady Lu offended the Emperor, there has been no news of her and she has never returned."

Changli Palace was sealed off, and there was nowhere to inquire about it.

Zhao Jieyu gritted her teeth, her face hardening.

"You've caused me so much trouble, and you just turn around and run off to another palace to enjoy yourself?!"

"Hongzhu, find her for me!"

“Yes.” Hongzhu nodded repeatedly, and then said, “Your Majesty, today is New Year’s Eve.”

“Except for Consort Jiang of Guanju Palace, who is currently in confinement and unable to attend, all the other concubines must go to Huayan Palace. Consort Lu should also be at the banquet.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jieyu, who had already finished getting ready, immediately stood up.

"It has been a long time since I paid my respects to Her Majesty the Empress. Let's go now."

*

The custom of staying up all night during the Yuan Dynasty has never changed, and the emphasis is on the emperor and his subjects enjoying themselves together.

Therefore, by late afternoon, officials and noblewomen in the capital were already preparing to enter the palace.

The concubines would then go to Kunning Palace to pay their respects to the Empress.

As the auspicious hour approaches, the Empress will go to Huayan Palace, and the noblewomen will pay their respects to the Empress in advance. Afterwards, the ministers will also bow three times to the Emperor, and the court, the harem, and the emperor and his ministers will stay up all night to welcome the New Year.

This wasn't the first time A-Zhu had spent New Year's Eve in the palace.

When she was a palace maid in the Yeting Palace, Azhu looked forward to this meal on New Year's Eve the most.

The nannies, who are usually so strict that they would slap anyone who ate an extra bite, would sometimes be kind and gentle, and would not scold anyone for eating a few extra bites.

Last year, A-Zhu, who had already become a palace concubine, had a lively time, but this year she was alone in Guanju Palace to celebrate the New Year.

As Emperor Xuanpei said, there was still a long time to recover, and Azhu indeed kept to himself and did not go out.

Not only that, but she also changed into auspicious clothes with Emperor Xuanpei in a rather ceremonial manner from the moment she got up in the morning.

The Guanju Palace was brightly lit, and the gold and silver embroidery on the crimson auspicious robes shone even more brilliantly under the dazzling lights.

Hearing the sounds of bells and drums coming from ahead, two nannies holding children stood on either side of Azhu.

Ah Zhu, on the other hand, was seated at the head of the table.

The palace servants began to kowtow to Azhu to offer their New Year's greetings.

The Imperial Household Department then delivered a pile of peanuts, melon seeds, and golden beans, which came in handy at this time.

Si Xi, who was squeezed at the front, was dressed especially festively today. He smiled and kowtowed, saying auspicious words.

May Your Majesty be safe and sound every year, and may all your wishes come true and everything go smoothly.

A-Zhu smiled and nodded. She reached into a box full of purses beside her, grabbed one, and gave it to Si-Xi.

This is a "joyful" gift in addition to the traditional New Year's money; the person who gives the lucky bag is happy, and the person who receives it is also happy.

Si Xi held the purse, looking at the golden peanuts inside, and laughed so hard his eyes disappeared.

The others were not to be outdone, with one shouting "May Your Majesty enjoy a prosperous and peaceful year," and another wishing "May Your Majesty have lasting good fortune."

The hall was filled with joy and laughter, and even the two children, wrapped up like lucky bags, were happy to see the festivities.

You don't have to get angry with those two-faced people in the hall, nor do you have to listen to veiled accusations and barbed remarks after only a few bites of food.

Even the food was piping hot, and all of A-Zhu's favorite dishes were there. There were also so many people celebrating New Year's Eve with her... It was so pure, lively, and joyful that A-Zhu's eyes crinkled with laughter.

"Whoosh—!"

Fireworks exploded in the sky.

Inside Guanju Palace, people gathered around the windows or stood at the palace gate, exclaiming "Wow!" from time to time, and occasionally arguing about which one was more beautiful.

However, the people inside Huayan Palace clearly had no interest in watching the fireworks.

Amidst the bright lights, the singing and dancing were graceful, and the toasts were exchanged. In addition to toasting Emperor Xuanpei, the court officials also repeatedly toasted the Crown Prince.

Even Prince Qi and Prince An took their wine cups and went together to toast the Crown Prince.

Prince Qi, holding a wine pot in one hand, rambled on with auspicious words, and then repeatedly raised his cup with a smile, saying, "This cup of wine is for you, little brother."

Perhaps due to excessive drinking, Prince Qi's face was flushed and his eyes were somewhat glazed.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, you are so wise! My younger brother was ignorant before, but in the future, please, please be lenient with him..."

"Third brother, you're drunk." The Crown Prince pressed down on the wine pot that Prince Qi was about to pour more wine from. "You should sober up first."

The Prince of Ying quickly helped the Prince of Qi up and said repeatedly, "Haha, Third Brother, your alcohol tolerance is not good. You're already drunk. Quick, let's take a break."

"I am not drunk!"

Prince Qi broke free from Prince Ying's grasp.

He laughed heartily, pointed at the crown prince, and gave him a thumbs up.

"Our Crown Prince has only been regent for a few months, yet he is already accomplished in both civil and military affairs, and his reputation is illustrious. Even the Grand Secretary Wen, who has served two emperors, has retired to his hometown. Hahaha, who wouldn't say that this is truly amazing?"

"Third brother!"

"Third Imperial Brother!"

The Crown Prince was already the focus of attention, but Prince Qi's drunken shouting drew even more attention.

Seeing that Prince Qi was bothering the Crown Prince again, and the atmosphere seemed off, Empress Wang gave Consort Zhang a displeased look.

Emperor Xuanpei also looked over.

Emperor Xuanpei's face flushed after drinking several cups of wine. He swirled the wine cup in his hand and said with a faint smile, "What's all the noise about?"

In an instant, the entire hall fell silent.

The Crown Prince, along with Prince Qi and others, hurriedly went to the foot of the imperial steps.

......