Chapter 86 Night Talk at Yikun Palace

Late at night, only a dim palace lantern was lit in the sleeping quarters of Yikun Palace.

Consort Niohuru removed her elaborate imperial robes from the daytime and wore only a simple, moon-white nightgown.

I sat blankly on the warm kang by the window, while outside, the winter night wind howled.

The personal maid brought in another bowl of calming soup, watching her master's profile as he gazed out the window, lost in thought.

His face was full of unspoken words.

She gently placed the soup bowl on the table.

"Your Majesty, it's getting late. Please have some soup and get some rest. You must have been quite frightened at Qianqing Palace today."

Niohuru did not turn around, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible weariness as she spoke softly.

"Granny, what can't we say directly? This back-and-forth, this hesitant speech, is exhausting to watch."

Seeing her like this, the old woman leaned closer, her voice low and ruthless.

“Your Majesty, this old servant was thinking about the events at today’s New Year’s banquet. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor have spoken on this matter. If Consort Jin and the child in her womb suffer even the slightest mishap, the blame will fall on the Hesheli family. This is a golden opportunity for our Niohuru family.”

Niohuru slowly turned her head. In the candlelight, her face remained aloof, but her eyes held a hint of confusion.

"A good opportunity? What do you mean, Granny?"

A glint of cunning flashed in the old woman's eyes, and her tone became even more sinister.

"Your Majesty, if Consort Jin were to accidentally have an accident, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager would be furious and would surely punish the Hesheli family severely. The Empress would lose the support of her maternal clan and would not be favored by the Emperor. It would only be a matter of time before she was deposed. At that time, who else but Your Majesty, of noble birth, could shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Empress? This is a golden opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and clear away the obstacles to your ascension to the position of Empress."

Niohuru frowned immediately, her tone clearly showing disapproval.

"Granny, do you mean I should harm Consort Jin?"

"Exactly."

The old woman nodded emphatically, her tone filled with disgust for Jiang Nan.

“That Consort Jin has been tormenting you in various ways lately, speaking inappropriately and behaving erratically. She is a scourge that everyone hates. We can take this opportunity to get rid of her. Then, Your Majesty will be the only one in the harem, and the glory of the Niohuru family will reach new heights.”

Looking at the undisguised murderous intent and ambition in the old woman's eyes, Niohuru felt a mix of emotions welling up inside her.

There was disappointment, but also an indescribable sense of alienation.

She shook her head gently, her tone firm.

“Granny, you are wrong. Consort Jin did not mean to torment me.”

She recalled Jiang Nan's teaching methods, which were so humiliating and infuriating, that they made her feel incredibly awkward.

But upon closer reflection, Consort Jin's eyes were clear and bright, devoid of any sinister scheming; she only possessed a strange, mischievous sense of "doing what's best for you."

All I can say is that her experience at Yongshou Palace left her both amused and exasperated.

She was too ashamed to tell her nanny about such coquettish and cute behavior.

She paused, then steered the conversation toward a more practical direction, which was also her true thought.

"If I were truly obsessed with the power of the Empress and only wanted to get rid of Hesheli, why would I go through such a roundabout way? Wouldn't it be more efficient to let her die of illness? If I kept her alive, letting her carry that legitimate son who might not survive, and let her suffer endless torment from the moment she gives birth, wouldn't that be more satisfying for me than letting her die a quick death?"

These words are cruel, but they are also the truth.

The old woman was still unwilling to give up; the family's glory was what her master should be concerned about.

With Consort Jin around, given the Emperor's mindset, it's hard to say whether the Empress position will go to someone from the Niohuru family.

"But Your Highness, Consort Jin is ultimately an unpredictable factor, and she has been so disrespectful to you..."

Niohuru raised her hand to interrupt, her tone becoming serious and cold.

"Granny, you must remember, Consort Jin is completely different from the Empress. The Emperor might weigh the pros and cons if he were to harm the Empress, but if he were to harm Consort Jin..."

She looked sharply at the old woman, her gaze carrying a warning.

"Do you think the Emperor and the Empress Dowager are so easily fooled? Our people can make sure there are no witnesses left, but the Emperor doesn't need solid evidence. If the Emperor has even the slightest suspicion about our Niohuru family, guess what he will do? At that time, not only will I be in danger, but the entire Niohuru family will face annihilation. This is not an opportunity, but a foolish act of courting destruction."

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A fierce glint flashed in the old woman's eyes, and she still wanted to persuade her.

She knew very well that with the Empress deposed and Consort Jin gone, what did it matter if the Emperor was suspicious?

Only the Empress is suitable to ascend to the position of Empress in this harem.

This matter is nothing more than someone dying. If we find someone with a clean background, even if the emperor wants to investigate, he won't be able to find anything.

He will only hold Hesheli responsible for this.

"Your Highness, it's not wrong for Consort Jin to humiliate you in every way possible. This old servant sees it all and feels deeply for her. She's a menace. Now that we have the opportunity to use her as a tool to kill her, why don't we do it? And what about the honor of the Niohuru family..."

Niohuru felt a wave of weakness wash over her, and she tried to explain.

“Granny, Consort Jin really meant no harm. She came to me to… to teach me how to get along with the Emperor.”

In order to dissuade the old woman from her idea, she finally managed to find the words to be very difficult. If the old woman were to harm people without her knowledge, it would be far too dangerous.

However, she felt even more alienated from her, and she was determined to find an opportunity to send the old woman back to the Niu Kulu family to live out her old age.

"How will you get along with the Emperor?"

The old woman spoke as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world, her voice rising with disdain for Jiang Nan.

"What could a vixen from a bondservant family possibly teach Your Majesty? Is she teaching you how to seduce the emperor? Your Majesty, you are of noble birth, virtuous and dignified. How could you learn such crooked and evil ways? That would tarnish the reputation of the Niohuru family."

"Unorthodox methods? Disgracing the family name?"

Niohuru repeated these words.

A surge of anger and resentment that had been suppressed for a long time suddenly welled up inside him, and his voice trembled.

"Granny, in your eyes, was I born to be an object representing the Niohuru family? I can't have joy or anger, I can't have preferences, even... even thinking like an ordinary woman, hoping for my husband to look at me more, learning to say a few soft words, is considered shameless, disgraceful, and a vixenly act?"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, and her pent-up emotions burst forth.

"Yes! I am the daughter of the Niohuru family. From a young age, I was taught not to sway when I walk, not to make noise when I eat, not to show my teeth when I laugh, and not to cry out loud. I am required to be dignified, virtuous, and to be the mother of the nation. But I am also a living, breathing person. I get tired, I feel lonely, and I also... I also hope that someone will cherish me. Is that wrong?"

The old woman was stunned by her master's unprecedentedly strong reaction. She opened her mouth and stammered for a long time before finally speaking.

"Your Majesty... this old servant is doing this for your own good, for the sake of the family..."

"A family? Another family?"

Niohuru smiled sadly, tears welling up in her eyes.

"If it's truly for my own good, why never ask if I'm willing? For the sake of my family, must I live like a wooden doll? Will the Emperor value the Niohuru family more then? Consort Jin is arrogant and domineering, but she lives authentically. She dares to laugh and curse, dares to love and hate. I envy her, do you understand? I envy her."

She practically shouted those last words, carrying years of pent-up grievances.

The old woman was completely stunned, staring at her mistress's tear-filled eyes.

Looking at her shoulders trembling slightly with excitement, he was speechless for a moment.

She had never seen her master so out of control, so openly revealing his feelings.

After uttering these words, Niohuru seemed to have exhausted all her strength.

He slumped back onto the couch, waved his hand, and spoke in a hoarse and weary voice.

"You may leave... I wish to be alone."

Looking at her mistress's pale face and resolute expression, the old woman could only offer a deep bow in the end.

"This old servant... takes his leave."

Then, he gradually withdrew from the bedchamber.

——————

The old woman who had retreated to the shadows outside the hall did not leave immediately.

She stood under the eaves, looking back at the tightly closed door, her aged face a mixture of heartache and a hint of ruthlessness.

Her master's changes alarmed her, and Consort Jin's seduction filled her with resentment.

Your Majesty, you are confused.

This old servant cannot stand by and watch you be misled by treacherous people, and see the future of the Niohuru family ruined.

She clenched her hand in her sleeve, and a vague yet dangerous thought quietly took shape in her mind.

There were some things that the master couldn't do himself, so she, the loyal servant, would do them.

For the sake of the Empress and the Niohuru family, she was willing to risk everything, even if her hands were stained with blood and she was punished by her master afterward.

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The number of recommendations dropped to around 2,000.

Jiang Nan: Chunlan, my head hurts so much! Do I have a terminal illness? I feel like I don't have long to live.

Chunlan: Your Majesty, don't worry. If the book doesn't flop, Your Majesty can become the emperor.

Jiang Nan: This year's readers are too lazy. Look at the dozens of emojis at the check-in point. Nobody pays any attention. They're impossible to engage with. I guess I won't live to see the day I ascend the throne.

Chunlan: The Empress is gone, that's all. I heard that the Emperor is out of money to buy spicy snacks and has to go deliver food. When the Empress is gone, everyone will be buried with her.