Chapter 72 Chapter 72 The Queen is Deposed
The emperor turned away expressionlessly. Nanny Chun was unsure what the emperor, who never showed his emotions, was feeling, so she looked to Su Peisheng for help.
Su Peisheng scratched his head, unable to make up his mind for a moment. The emperor's mind was unpredictable. Ever since His Majesty ascended the throne, it became increasingly difficult to glimpse into the emperor's heart.
In a blink of an eye, it was the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month in the first year of Yongzheng's reign. Chu Xian had been busy preparing for the family banquet in the Forbidden City, but she had an unexpected guest.
Empress Dowager Uya walked into the Yangxin Palace with an arrogant attitude, not even looking at Empress Nara.
"Nara, the selection of concubines will begin in the spring. I think Nian, the sister of Nian Gengyao, the Governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi, is suitable. I will give her to the Fourteenth."
Chu Xian was secretly delighted. She was worried that she couldn't find an excuse to deal with Nian, and it was just the right time to use the name of the empress dowager to get things done.
Having said that, I have to pretend to be embarrassed.
"I am a humble servant, and my words carry no weight. According to the rules, the concubines must be selected by His Majesty, and only those who are not selected can be given to the princes."
"Waste, what use are you to me? You're just a little concubine. Let it be settled. I'm not here to discuss this with you, but to inform you that Nian is bestowed upon the Fourteenth."
Uya was too lazy to waste any more time talking to Nara. If it weren't for the fact that Little Fourteen had been obsessed with Nian's daughter for many years and had been writing to her relentlessly for the past few months begging her to give Nian to him, she would have even felt it was dirty to look at Nara for even a second longer.
After the Empress Dowager left, Xianrong couldn't help but mutter, "Fourteenth Master was banished by His Majesty to Jingling Mausoleum to guard the late Emperor's tomb. How could the Empress Dowager have the heart to harm a young girl?" Nanny Chun, however, beamed, "What do you know? The Empress Dowager's presence today was a blessing."
Rather than letting a troublemaker like Nian enter the harem and stir up trouble, it is better to let her go to Jingling to accompany the Fourteenth Master.
"Madam Chun, watch your mouths. Don't let anyone know about this before the audition begins."
Chu Xian's gloomy expression faded, and her eyes were filled with joy: "Go and heat up a pot of wine. I want to have a drink today."
Chu Xian happily hid in the inner hall drinking and celebrating, but she didn't know that as soon as the empress dowager left, everything that happened in the Yangxin Palace was reported to the imperial study without missing a word.
"The Queen spoke in a cheerful tone and even ordered Nanny Chun to heat a pot of wine for her to drink in the inner hall..."
When the Flying Guillotine said this, he raised his eyes cautiously and looked at His Majesty.
"Your Majesty, it's time for you to set off for Jingling to pay homage to the late emperor." Su Peisheng bowed and reminded.
At the end of the twelfth lunar month, even the emperor had to be busy. For the past seven or eight days, His Majesty was either offering sacrifices to his ancestors, presiding over sacrifices in the Fengxian Hall, or presiding over the winter taboos. It was only today that he reluctantly put down his pen and sealed the ceremony.
"Your Majesty, you still need the imperial calligraphy to bless you on your way. The princes and ministers are waiting."
"Yeah." Yinzhen was just about to go back to the Yangxin Palace to spend half an hour with his wife and children, but upon hearing this, he reluctantly took back his steps.
"Your Majesty, the imperial carriage has been waiting outside the imperial study for a long time." Su Peisheng continued to remind.
Yinzhen walked out of the imperial study with a cold face, and suddenly stopped.
"Su Peisheng, Nian Gengyao's sister, must be selected into the final selection of concubines."
"I obey your order." Su Peisheng was shocked. Nian Gengyao's sister, Nian, was famous throughout the city. He didn't expect that the Emperor was also interested in Nian.
While he was happy, he couldn't help but feel frightened. The Queen was jealous, and if she knew about this, she would definitely turn the Forbidden City upside down.
The Nian family is at its peak of power, but there is no one to support them in the harem. The current minister in charge of the Imperial Household Department is Nian Xiyao, the brother of Nian Gengyao.
Therefore, Nian Xiyao soon learned from Su Peisheng that his younger sister had been selected for the final selection of the concubines.
The whole Nian family was jubilant, but they kept a low profile and never revealed a single word to the outside world.
Everyone in the mansion knew that the Nian family was about to have a royal concubine.
At the same time, the Queen's family was in a gloomy situation, and the Queen's brother Wu Ge was now just a minister with no power in name only.
What is a Sanshi Minister? To put it simply, it is the guard who guards the emperor.
The personal guards who guard the emperor are almost all related to him. Those who serve with him are either the emperor's maternal cousins or his uncles within the fifth degree of kinship.
Wu Ge's treatment was considered the best, not to mention his brothers who were only minor officials of the third or fourth rank.
"Oh, I don't know when the blessing characters bestowed by His Majesty this year will be delivered to our house. We are the Queen's family. It should be delivered early tomorrow morning." Wu Ge murmured.
"Just take a rest. If Xian'er hadn't become the queen, you wouldn't even be able to get the second-rank minister of Sanma." Wu Ge's wife Dong E rolled her eyes at her husband.
Wu Ge frowned. "Women's opinions, what do you know? Even if I'm a minister of rank, I still have to be the first in everything. I represent the face of the empress. Only when the Ulanara family lives a decent life can the empress have confidence in the Forbidden City."
Dong E remained silent. Who could say it wasn't true? Ever since Xian'er became the prince's wife, she had always been the center of attention among those sisters she had known since childhood.
Now that Xian'er is the queen, relatives and friends who were not related to her in the past have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, and the threshold of the mansion has been trampled down.
"By the way, Mrs. Narbu has been visiting with her daughter these past two days. I think her daughter is quite good-looking."
"What do you want to do?" Wu Ge's eyes lit up.
"That girl is only six years old, which is exactly the same age as the Fourth and Fifth Princes. What I mean is, instead of letting other families get involved in the position of the prince's wife, it is better to strengthen the relationship between the relatives."
"If the Ulanara clan can produce another queen in the future, who will dare to look down on us?"
Dong E was a woman with her own ideas. Her only daughter got married last year, and she couldn't let her half-brothers' daughters get married, so she naturally set her sights on the relatives with whom she had a better relationship.
"Come on, my brother-in-law, the emperor, is very smart. How could he not see through our little tricks? We are not from a prominent family in the court. The prince's wife will definitely be selected from the eight major surnames. It is not the turn of the women of our Ulanara clan."
When Wu Ge thought of his brother-in-law, the emperor, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
"If you don't try, how do you know it's impossible? Even if you can only get a concubine, it would be good."
"You have a good relationship with the Fourth and Fifth Princes. You are their uncle. Would they mistreat the women of the Ulanara clan?"
"For the sake of her mother's family's reputation, the daughter of Narbu has a similar status in the prince's harem."
Wu Ge nodded repeatedly and said: "You are right, then we will do as you say, by all means..."
"That's not right. If the three princes all give away women from the Nara clan, His Majesty and Xian'er will definitely think we are greedy."
"We can't give it all away, we have to place a bet."
"Then let's bet on the Fourth Prince." Dong E said without any hesitation.
"Hongli?" Wu Ge pondered for a moment, then nodded solemnly, "Hongli is indeed excellent. The Hanlin who teaches the princes comes to the Imperial Study to report on their studies, and the Fourth Prince always ranks among the top."
"But the eldest and fifth princes must not let their guard down either. I will secretly send two reliable women to serve them."
"If we bet on the wrong thing, there is still room for maneuver. You should go to Liang Amu's house more often when you have nothing to do. My father told us before he died that if you are undecided, you can go to Liang Amu for a decision." Dong E reminded carefully.
"Ah, I know I don't have much ability, and I don't expect to become Tong Banchao. I just hope not to drag Xian'er down. Otherwise, I will not be ashamed to be her brother, and I will not be able to face my father and mother in the afterlife."
Wu Ge sighed with guilt.
Dong E was also melancholy. As the saying goes, when brothers are united, they can cut through metal.
But it was a blessing that Wu Ge and his other brothers did not fight to the death. Moreover, in the second year after their father-in-law Fei Yanggu passed away, the four brothers separated and lived separately.
The Queen's family was in disarray and declining.
"That's settled then. I'll be looking for suitable women in the clan to cultivate these days."
Wu Ge sighed bitterly, "We, the descendants of the Ulanara clan, used to rely on our military exploits to gain a foothold. How come we've now fallen to the point where we have to rely on the women of our clan to win favor in the harem to maintain our foothold?"
Dong E was silent for a moment, then consoled her, "At least we have established ourselves, and are now the Queen's family."
After New Year’s Eve, the Imperial Household Department submitted the list of this year’s selections in the first month of the lunar year.
The names and portraits that came before the Empress had been carefully selected, and the defective ones had been eliminated.
"Your Majesty, there are 8,123 women participating in this selection. After the first five rounds, a total of 31 women have been selected for the imperial selection."
Nanny Chun brought the list of concubines to the queen, and along with the list were the graceful portraits of the concubines.
Chu Xian took the list and read it carefully. If nothing unexpected happened, most of these beauties would be given to princes and ministers.
There are only surnames and family names on the list. How sad it is that they are not even qualified to leave their names.
Chu Xian smiled bitterly. Wasn't she the same? In history, the names of Yongzheng's empresses were never recorded.
At this time, Chu Xian's eyes fell on the first column of the first page: Nian, the sister of Nian Gengyao, the Governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi.
"Only thirteen." Chu Xian murmured bitterly, "At thirteen, she's already stunningly beautiful."
"Huh? Why is Nian's name still here?" Sui Qing was shocked.
The Queen had secretly ordered that Nian be eliminated from the selection of concubines. Why did Nian still appear on the final list?
"Your Highness, the Queen Mother has issued a secret order. Nian is too eye-catching. If she is eliminated early, people will criticize her as unfair. Instead, she will be kept in the final palace selection. At that time, you only need to say a few words to eliminate Nian. The Queen Mother will then make the final decision and give her to the Fourteenth Master."
Chu Xian felt uneasy. The Empress Dowager Uya was so cruel that she made her the villain in front of the Fourth Master and tried to sow discord between her and him.
It’s a pity that Uya underestimated the love between her and the Fourth Master.
"Come on, on the day of the selection, the Queen Mother will definitely make excuses and refuse to come, and she will clear herself of all charges."
Chu Xian threw the list aside in disgust and said, "Then let's schedule the selection of concubines for the day after tomorrow, in Xiefang Palace. We'll have a day off the day after tomorrow."
"Xianrong, go to the imperial study and tell Su Peisheng later."
"Your Majesty, would you like to send the portrait to the Imperial Study so that His Majesty can view it in advance?" According to the rules, after the Empress has reviewed the list of concubines, she must present it to the Emperor for a final report.
"No need. Your Majesty is busy with many things and has no time for this." Chu Xian paused and then instructed, "Let Nian enter the palace last."
"Let Prince Lian's wife and Noble Consort Song assist in the selection process."
This was Chu Xian's first time dealing with a talent show, and she was overwhelmed, so she naturally had to find the most reliable helper.
"By the way, His Majesty has had a cough recently. Please send him the Sichuan Fritillary Bulb and Snow Pear that I cooked."
Chu Xian originally wanted to go to the Imperial Study to see the Fourth Master in person, but she was worried that the Queen's appearance in the Imperial Study would cause gossip among the outside ministers. She could only suppress her longing for the Fourth Master and let Xianrong go.
Xianrong carried the food box to the imperial study. Su Peisheng stood by the door with his hands in his pockets, grinning, "I heard the Imperial Household Department delivered the list of concubines today? Where's the list and the portraits of the concubines? Let me take a look first."
"No, the Empress said it's such a small matter and His Majesty doesn't need to worry about it."
Xian Rong handed the food box to Su Peisheng: "This is the Sichuan Fritillary and Snow Pear Soup that the Empress personally prepared. His Majesty has had a cough these past few days. You can give it to His Majesty to drink later."
Su Peisheng's smile froze for a moment. "Ah... According to the rules, after the Queen has reviewed the list of concubines, she must present it to the Emperor."
"What do you mean? Has His Majesty taken a fancy to someone?" Xian Rong put her hands on her hips.
"Even if he doesn't like anyone, as a servant we must remind the master to follow the rules, you, you." Su Peisheng was very disappointed.
"Go and serve the soup quickly. I'll take my leave now!"
After Xianrong finished speaking, she turned and left.
Su Peisheng stared at Xian Rong's departing back, wanting to say something but stopping himself. Did the Empress really not know or was she pretending not to know? Couldn't she see that His Majesty had been visiting the Yangxin Palace less and less recently?
Su Peisheng clutched the food box tightly and nervously entered the imperial study.
"Your Majesty, the Empress personally prepared Sichuan Fritillary Bulb and Snow Pear Soup. Also... the list of concubines that the Imperial Household Department presented to the Empress today has not been delivered. Her Majesty sympathizes with Your Majesty's busy schedule and does not want to disturb Him with such a trivial matter."
Su Peisheng kept complaining. Although the emperor still had a blank expression on his face, if the trusted servant in front of the emperor could not see that the emperor was in a bad mood at the moment, he would have died hundreds of times.
The bowl of pear soup remained untouched until after dinner.
At night, after Chu Xian took a shower and changed her clothes, she sat in front of the mirror and combed her hair. The Fourth Master had just come last night and probably wouldn't come back tonight.
"Mammy, what has His Majesty been busy with in the Imperial Study today? Has he rested yet?"
Nanny Chun was combing the empress's hair. Upon hearing this, she spoke slowly, "Your Majesty, the Emperor is meeting with the princes of Khorchin today, and will host a banquet for them tonight."
"I know. The banquet isn't over yet, is it? Remember to have someone send over some hangover soup later."
Chu Xian returned to the empty bedroom in a bad mood. As night fell, her heart felt empty as well.
In the past, in the Qiandi Palace, the couple ate and slept together. Even if he had to deal with memorials assigned by Emperor Kangxi, he would do it in the inner room, and she would lie comfortably on his lap and read the script prepared by the Fourth Master.
How long had it been since she had read a storybook on his lap and laughed heartily? She couldn't remember.
The day of the audition came. Chu Xian had a restless sleep the previous night. When she woke up early this morning and looked in the mirror, she was shocked by her haggard face and was speechless for a long time.
"Mammy, how old am I this year?" Chu Xian reached out and grabbed a glaring white hair.
"Your Highness, you are twenty-nine years old."
"Oh, you're only 29, how come you have white hair?" Chu Xian still didn't pull out the white hair.
"Apply more makeup." Chu Xian closed her eyes and didn't even look at the person in the mirror until she stood up.
Unexpectedly, the Queen Mother was waiting in Xiefang Palace early.
When Chu Xian saw Empress Dowager Uya, she inexplicably felt a strong sense of unease.
"Your Majesty has arrived!" Su Peisheng's voice came.
Everyone prostrated themselves on the ground to welcome the emperor, except Chu Xian and the empress dowager who stood to welcome him.
When the emperor took the throne, the concubines were called out by the eunuchs and lined up one by one.
Without exception, almost all the beautiful women who entered the palace were given to princes and ministers by the Fourth Master.
"Sister of Nian Gengyao, Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi, surnamed Nian, thirteen years old."
"Your servant, Nian, pays respects to His Majesty, may He live long and long. I also pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress, may Her Majesty live a thousand years and a thousand thousand years."
Nian was wearing a plain Manchu dress today, but her beauty was still undeniable.
Chu Xian sat up straight and glanced at the Queen Mother.
"Nian is okay, but the emperor has always disliked beautiful women. How about giving this girl to your fourteenth brother?" Uya didn't even pretend and asked for the person directly.
Chu Xian spoke at the right time: "Your Majesty obeys..."
"Who said I don't like it?"
Chu Xian was like being struck by lightning. She was stunned for a long time and didn't come back to her senses until Nanny Chun gently pulled her sleeve.
"Nian was granted the title of Imperial Concubine and granted the residence in Yikun Palace."
"Today's draft ends here. Everyone, please withdraw."
Everyone was shocked. It turned out to be the Yikun Palace. Everyone knew that the Yikun Palace was a palace where only the favorite concubines of all dynasties could live. The last concubine to move into the Yikun Palace was the most popular Concubine Yi.
After everyone left, only the emperor, empress and queen mother were left in Xiefang Palace.
"Yinzhen! Are you determined to oppose me forever? You have banished your fourteenth brother to Jingling Mausoleum to guard the tomb. He just wanted a beautiful girl, so why did you kill him?"
Uya was so angry that she started cursing.
"Nara! You promised to give Nian to Fourteenth, why did you go back on your word? If Nian enters the palace, you will definitely not be rewarded well!"
"I suddenly feel unwell, so I'll take my leave."
Chu Xian lowered her head, never looking at the man again, and left in a daze.
After leaving Xiefang Palace, she staggered and walked quickly towards Jingren Palace.
"Empress, the Yangxin Palace is not here." Nanny Chun reminded worriedly.
"I know. From today on, I will live in Jingren Palace. Nanny Chun, go move my things out of Yangxin Palace."
When Nanny Chun heard the Queen addressing her as "me" instead of "this palace", she was shocked.
"Go!"
Chu Xian pushed open the red door of Jingren Palace, and found that there were four unknown young concubines living in Jingren Palace.
The four of them were sitting around playing mahjong in the empty main hall when they suddenly saw the Queen rushing towards them with a menacing look on her face. They were so frightened that they immediately fell to the ground.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me."
"You are innocent. Go ahead and move to Yongshou Palace immediately." Chu Xian felt hopeless and lay on the cold couch with her head tilted back.
"Xian'er!" Wan Ning hurried to Jingren Palace.
"Xian'er, what are you doing? Do you want to give the position of Queen to Nian? Don't be afraid, I will help you get rid of Nian."
Wan Ning's eyes flashed with ferocity.
"Ten years..." Chu Xian choked.
"What do you mean ten years? Xian'er, you need to cheer up. Right now, getting rid of the Nian family is the top priority."
"Wan Ning, it's been ten years. He promised to love me alone for ten years. The day before yesterday, Hui'er just turned ten, and it ended..." Chu Xian sobbed.
"Xian'er, even if you kill Nian, His Majesty will definitely not blame you. Just kill her, don't panic."
"No need, I can afford to lose." Chu Xian sat up with tears in her eyes.
"From now on, I will just be the unloved queen living alone in Jingren Palace. If you dislike me, you don't have to come to the palace. I don't blame you."
"What are you talking about! Xian'er, listen carefully. It's because you are the queen that I treat her with such respect. If you weren't the queen, why wouldn't I be the queen myself?"
"Xian'er, I, Guo Luoluo Wanning, will only submit to you in this life."
"Wan Ning, don't touch Nian, promise me."
"You...ah...okay." Wan Ning held Xian'er, who was crying, in her arms to comfort her.
"Your Majesty..." Nanny Chun's eyes were filled with anxiety.
"What's going on?" Wan Ning felt uneasy when she saw that Nanny Chun looked unhappy.
"Something happened at the Jiangning Weaving Factory. Lord Cao was dismissed by His Majesty, and his property was confiscated. The entire Cao family is being escorted to the capital."
"What!! Where is Liang Amu? Where is he? Why was his property raided? Haven't all the deficits been made up? Why?" Chu Xian was filled with grief and indignation.
That person knew clearly that she had a close relationship with the Cao family, but he still took action against the Cao family without even saying a word to her.
"I'm going to ask him to let the Cao family go. Uncle Cao is old, and how could he endure the hardship of being escorted back to the capital in the bitter wind and rain?"
Chu Xian wiped away her tears and hurriedly took off her hairpin: "Find some plain clothes."
"Xian'er, no, you are the queen. If you take off your hairpins and wear plain clothes to apologize for Cao Jiaxing, the Emperor will be furious." Wan Ning was shocked.
"I can't care about so many things!" Chu Xian pushed Wan Ning away, quickly changed into plain clothes, and ran towards the imperial study with disheveled hair.
As soon as Chu Xian stepped out of Jingren Palace, the news that the Queen took off her hairpin and wore plain clothes spread throughout the Forbidden City.
Su Peisheng almost rolled and crawled, his eyes full of fear as he stopped the Queen in front of the door of the imperial study.
"Empress, I beg you to return quickly. If you continue to overstep your bounds, His Majesty will be furious."
"Su Peisheng, could you please ask His Majesty how I can let the Cao family go? I can abdicate and exile myself from the Forbidden City."
Chu Xian knelt on the steps, holding up the phoenix seal. "Your Majesty, I beg you to depose me as Empress and leave the Forbidden City immediately. I beg Your Majesty to forgive the Cao family."
This Forbidden City suffocated her. Even if nothing happened to the Cao family, she couldn't stay there for a moment.
"Your Majesty, I beg you to depose me as Empress and immediately leave the Forbidden City. I beg Your Majesty to forgive the Cao family."
With a bang, a bright yellow figure rushed out of the imperial study. The emperor, with a sullen face, rushed to the empress who was taking off her hairpin to apologize, grabbed the empress and dragged her into the imperial study.
"Ulanara Chuxian! I am the Son of Heaven! How dare you! How dare you!"
"I know that you are the Son of Heaven, Your Majesty." Chu Xian lowered her eyes in disappointment, not wanting to see his furious expression.
"The ten-year period has passed. Thank you, Your Majesty, for keeping your promise and favoring me for ten years."
"I have no other request but to be released from the palace and to be kind to my relatives and friends."
"Ulanara Chuxian, you are the Queen! Why are you still as childish and selfish as before, despising the Emperor's grace!"
"There are many people vying for the position of Queen. If you depose her today, you will regret it for the rest of your life." "I have no regrets." Chu Xian pushed the man away and prostrated herself at his feet: "I thank Your Majesty for your favor."
"Ulanara Chuxian! Sooner or later I will be pissed to death by you!" Yinzhen roared angrily.
In this whole world, only the woman before him could leave him helpless time and time again.
"Unless I die, you will never leave the Forbidden City in your lifetime. You will be my queen even in death!"
The sound of tearing silk was endless, and the tear-stained white clothes were torn apart by the furious emperor.
She was like a plaything, being pampered by that man on the cold floor tiles.
Chu Xian closed her eyes tightly to hold back her tears. It had been many years since she had been humiliated so violently since they had opened up to each other.
Until the evening of the next day, the emperor and empress did not leave the inner hall.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Nian entered the palace today." Seeing that His Majesty ordered people to remove the ointment for swelling and pain relief for the second time, Su Peisheng spoke with a stiff upper lip.
But the noise in the inner hall became more and more intense. The Queen's sleeping with the emperor was different from that of the concubines. Other concubines were not qualified to stay overnight. After half an hour of sleeping with the emperor, they had to leave the dragon bed.
The servants in the Jingshifang were required to remind the emperor not to harm himself when the concubines were sleeping with him.
But the empress and the emperor were a legitimate couple and there was no need to be shy about these formalities.
Since the emperor ascended the throne, he never stopped attending court even when he was unwell. However, he made an exception for the empress and did not attend court for two consecutive days.
In the Yiku Palace, Concubine Nian sat alone in front of the window waiting for the Emperor to visit.
According to the rules, the Emperor would definitely visit a high-ranking concubine on the night she entered the palace.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty has been staying in the Queen's Palace for two consecutive days and will not be coming tonight."
"How could it be..." Nian was furious. "The Empress of the Central Palace is actually using the tricks of a concubine in the harem to win favor. How unreasonable!"
"Your Majesty, please be patient. You are a beauty of the country. The Queen must be worried that you will lose her favor and threaten her position. But how can the Queen dominate her favor forever? Your Majesty must still have a chance."
The nanny who served Concubine Nian was a carefully selected servant of the Nian family. She comforted Concubine Nian calmly and helped her bathe, change clothes and rest.
The next morning, Chu Xian was awakened by the pain. The man was applying medicine on her face with a stern face. She gritted her teeth in pain and refused to shed another tear for him.
"Your Majesty, it's time for you to go to court." Su Peisheng reminded outside the door.
Chu Xian grabbed the quilt, covered her head and face, and didn't look at him.
The sound of light footsteps gradually faded away.
After the imperial carriage left, Nanny Chun and Sui Qing anxiously entered the inner hall.
The scent of lovemaking was still lingering as Xianrong held back her tears to clean up the mess, while Suiqing helped the filthy queen bathe and change her clothes.
"Madam Chun, prepare the contraceptive soup." Chu Xian ordered in a hoarse voice.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Your Majesty has just instructed you not to take contraceptive soup."
"oh."
"Let the Eighth Concubine enter the palace immediately."
Wan Ning entered the palace and saw the dense teeth marks on Xian'er's neck. She stood up in fear and asked, "Xian'er, is he going to eat you alive?"
"Let's not talk about this, Wan Ning, I need contraceptive medicine."
Chu Xian rubbed her waist in pain.
"Contraceptive pills are harmful to your body, so the ones I secretly carry are long-term. If you take one, you won't have to worry about getting pregnant for a year. However, your menstrual cycles will be affected by the pills, making them very irregular. Every time you have your period, you'll writhe in pain. Are you sure you want to take them?"
Wan Ning crushed a red southern red bead from the eighteen-bead bracelet she was carrying, revealing a dark green pill.
Just as I was about to dissuade her, Xian'er grabbed the pill and swallowed it.
"Xian'er, have you thought it over... Hey, hey, hey, you're really determined!"
"Xian'er, why are you doing this? Every emperor has his own harem. The current emperor's harem is considered to be peaceful."
"Just bear with Nian for now. If you really can't bear it anymore, I will definitely get rid of Nian for you."
"No need." Chu Xian shook her head: "It's no longer necessary."
Wan Ning tried to comfort her carefully all day, but to no avail.
At dinner time, the Jingshifang came to deliver green cards to the concubines according to the rules.
Su Peisheng came to the emperor with a silver tray filled with concubines' green cards: "Your Majesty, do you want to turn over the cards tonight?"
"Yeah." Yinzhen lowered his head and ate absent-mindedly. He almost subconsciously picked up the queen's green card. After a moment of surprise, he snorted coldly and threw the queen's green card back to the silver plate, and casually turned over the green card of Concubine Nian.
Su Peisheng glanced at the silver plate, then turned around and asked someone to notify the Queen of Yiku Palace to come to the Yangxin Palace to sleep with her tonight.
"You little dog slave, no one is allowed to sleep with me in the Yangxin Palace!"
His Majesty suddenly spoke in a low voice and gave instructions.
Su Peisheng was stunned for a moment, remembering that the queen had lived in the Yangxin Palace for a long time.
The Emperor still doted on the Empress and even did not allow other concubines to sleep with her in the Hall of Mental Cultivation where the Empress slept.
Su Peisheng let out a sigh and turned around to have the inner hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity cleaned up. Except for the empress, all the concubines in the harem would sleep in the Palace of Heavenly Purity from now on.
The news that Concubine Nian would be sleeping with the emperor tonight quickly reached Jingren Palace, where Chu Xian was lying on the couch in a daze.
"Your Majesty, Noble Concubine Nian will be in bed tonight. According to the rules, concubines must come and help the Empress comb her hair the next morning after her bedtime."
"No need to come. Just pretend to be sick and let Concubine Song take charge of the affairs of the six palaces temporarily." Chu Xian turned her back and closed her eyes in despair.
"Your Majesty, there are now two imperial concubines in the Forbidden City. It would be inappropriate to let only one imperial concubine assist in managing the harem." Nanny Chun reminded cautiously.
"Oh, then let Nian handle it together."
"Madam Chun, there's no need to report who will sleep with you from now on, and there's no need to ask them to come and wear flowers the next day."
"As you command."
"Your Majesty, would you like Suiqing to check your pulse?" Nanny Chun noticed that the Queen's face was unusually flushed, as if she had a fever.
"No need, everyone go back." Chu Xian endured the pain from the high fever and dismissed everyone.
Just after midnight, Yinzhen bathed, changed his clothes, and walked to the inner hall with a heavy heart.
In the light of the red candle, the beauty lies on the bed, waiting for favor.
I have to admit that Nian is very beautiful. No wonder my fourteenth brother has been thinking about her for many years.
He is the Son of Heaven, and the best things in the world should belong to him. So what if he doesn't like it?
But why is my mind full of that person's every frown and smile at this moment?
He had been really reckless those past two days. If the man hadn't been so swollen and in so much pain, he would have...
Yinzhen closed his eyes, feeling angry and ashamed. He despised the thought that had just occurred to him.
He is really useless. He is already the king of a country. How can he be led by the nose by a little girl and bow down to her?
I felt a surge of anger, and I felt like something was missing tonight.
"Your Majesty, the Queen has fallen ill and fainted, and has a high fever that won't go away." Su Peisheng's voice came at an inopportune time.
Yinzhen smiled faintly, and the inexplicable anxiety was instantly swept away.
"Hmph, I'm not an imperial physician, why are you telling me?" Although he said this, he quickly walked around behind the screen, dressed himself, and hurried to Jingren Palace.
After the imperial carriage left, the naked Nian was carried out of the Qianqing Palace by the eunuchs and returned to the Yiku Palace. Nian no longer cared about her dignity and covered her face with her hands and sobbed softly.
She had never suffered such a great humiliation. She never expected that the queen, the mother of a country, would use the tricks of a concubine in the harem to snatch the emperor away from her bed.
"Mammy, this is such a shame and humiliation. I'm going to write a letter and tell my second brother. Woo woo woo woo... The Queen is really going too far."
That night, Nian wrote a letter overnight and sent it to her second brother Nian Gengyao who was far away on the battlefield in the northwest.
At the same time, the lights in Jingren Palace remained on all night, with servants and imperial doctors coming in and out. Ye Tianshi and Sui Qing hid in the corridor, as if they had lost their parents.
"This... how can I put it... If we don't do it right, we'll both lose our heads, and our two children will become orphans without a parent."
Ye Tianshi had a sad face. Seeing his wife crying out of fear, he couldn't bear it. He had to suppress his fear and comfort her in a soft voice.
"I'll report it later. If I make any mistake, Zhen'er and Zhen'er will be left to your care." Sui Qing gritted his teeth, his eyes showing determination.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I am a man. It is not your turn to do such a thing that will cost you your head." After Ye Tianshi said this, he protected his wife behind him and walked straight into the inner hall.
"Your Majesty, the Queen... the Queen has taken something extremely cold from somewhere. I'm afraid it will be difficult for her to conceive from now on."
With a bang, the emperor was furious and the medicine cup shattered and splashed everywhere.
The servants crawled on the ground trembling with fear, not daring to breathe.
"Your Majesty, there will never be such cold food in Jingren Palace. I swear with the thing hanging on my neck that today...today the Queen has only seen the Eighth Concubine, a person outside the palace."
Su Peisheng argued tremblingly, saying that the Emperor had already issued an order forbidding the Empress to take contraceptive soup, and the servants in Jingren Palace naturally did not dare to give the Empress contraceptive soup privately.
The only omission was the Eighth Concubine Guo Luoluo.
If we can't clear this matter today, all the servants will die. Su Peisheng gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, please send someone to search the Eighth Lady's courtyard. They will definitely find the strong contraceptive drug."
After a long pause, the emperor shouted angrily, "Aqinna's wife, Guo Luoluo, is cruel and vicious. Aqinna is ordered to divorce her immediately! Guo Luoluo, her bones shall be ground into dust and scattered into ashes!"
“No…don’t…”
The unconscious queen unconsciously grabbed the emperor's wrist and cried and begged.
Nanny Chun suppressed her fear and crawled to the feet of the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. The Empress and the Eighth Concubine have always been good friends. If the Empress wakes up and learns that something happened to the Eighth Concubine, she will be heartbroken. We need to wait for the Empress to wake up before making a long-term plan. In my humble opinion, nothing is more important than the Empress's health."
"Hmph, from now on, the Guo Luoluo clan is strictly prohibited from entering the Forbidden City. Anyone who disobeys this order will be killed."
It was not until February 14th that Chu Xian woke up after sleeping for half a month.
"Water, Mammy, drink some water..." Chu Xian's head was splitting with pain. Her eyelids seemed to be glued together, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't open them.
She felt someone helping her up and poured the warm tea into her mouth. Her tongue hurt so much. Why did this cup bite her?
Chu Xian rolled her tongue, thinking something was wrong... She suddenly opened her eyes in shock and saw the man's sinister face.
"No...I don't want to drink anymore..." Chu Xian pushed the man away with a red face.
"snort."
The man stood up with a cold face, snorted coldly, and walked away.
Chu Xian was confused.
"Empress, you are finally awake. Your Majesty has been staying at home for half a month to take care of you."
"Half a month? Madam Chun, go and explain to him. I have no intention of competing for favor."
Chu Xian’s first reaction was that the man thought she was feigning illness to win favor, and that Nian might have hated her to the core.
"Your Highness, your Highness has you in his heart. He is the Emperor, and every Emperor has harems and courtyards. Why are you so obsessed with this?"
"Mammy, there's no need to persuade me anymore. I know what I'm doing. Mammy, why don't you see the Eighth Lady?" Chu Xian looked around, but couldn't see Wan Ning.
She has been seriously ill for several days, and Wan Ning would never disappear at this critical moment.
Chu Xian was extremely anxious, thinking that something must have happened to Wan Ning.
"Your Highness, the Emperor has issued an edict strictly forbidding the Eighth Concubine from entering the Forbidden City. Violators will be executed. Although the Eighth Concubine cannot enter the palace, he has sent Nanny Gui to pay her respects daily. Now that Nanny Gui has heard that you have regained consciousness, she has left the palace to inform the Eighth Concubine."
"Is Wan Ning okay? Did His Majesty give her any trouble?"
"The Eighth Lady is fine, please rest assured, Your Majesty."
"Yes." Chu Xian did not ask anyone to invite Wan Ning into the palace. She was already in a difficult situation and could not bear to implicate Wan Ning further.
As he was speaking, the sound of the bronze bell of the Fengluan Chunen carriage was heard.
Chu Xian smiled bitterly. He was not willing to let himself down. He could not wait to summon his concubines as soon as he returned.
"Mammy, let's go back to Jingren Palace and vacate the dragon bed for the concubine who will be sleeping with us tonight."
That person actually moved her bed to the Yangxin Palace to recuperate. The appearance of the Fengluan Chun'en Carriage at this time was not just a reminder to her that the dragon bed should be vacated for the concubines serving the emperor in bed?
Chu Xian staggered to her feet and wrapped her cloak tightly around herself.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty never summons his concubines to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but rather to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Sleeping in the Hall of Mental Cultivation is a privilege bestowed upon the Empress."
"Oh, I don't need this favor." Chu Xian smiled bitterly.
"Your Highness..." Nanny Chun advised with great sorrow, "You are the Queen. You must have the bearing of a mother to the country. You must not be intolerant of the women in the harem."
"Go tell him that I don't need to be the queen."
"Your Majesty..." Nanny Chun was speechless.
"Xianrong, prepare the sedan chair."
In a short while, Chu Xian, supported by her servants, hid in the Nine Phoenix sedan chair.
In less than a quarter of an hour, the sedan chair was lowered without any warning. Chu Xian was bewildered: "Mammy, why did you stop the sedan chair?"
Chu Xian raised her hand to open the curtain of the sedan chair and found that she had returned to the Yangxin Palace after going around in circles.
The man was sitting upright on the dragon throne, reviewing memorials calmly without even raising his head.
The servants who carried the sedan chair, as well as Nanny Chun, Xianrong and others, were nowhere to be seen.
"Your Majesty, I will help you get out of the sedan chair. You have just recovered from a serious illness and need to rest in bed for a few days." Su Peisheng lifted up his horseshoe sleeves and raised his hand to reach for the phoenix sedan chair.
"I want to go back to Jingren Palace to rest." Chu Xian was unmoved.
"Your Majesty, please don't make things difficult for me..." Su Peisheng said with a bitter face.
"go out."
The man's cold rebuke was heard, and Su Peisheng retreated from the Yangxin Palace with a slender waist.
Chu Xian stubbornly curled up in the sedan chair, facing the man across the imperial table, but she never raised her eyes for him.
"Why? Your Majesty, do you want me to serve you together with the concubine who sleeps with you? I don't have that habit. If Your Majesty wants me to do that, I will commit suicide immediately."
The man didn't respond and continued to deal with the pile of memorials. Chu Xian felt bored and continued to curl up in the sedan chair in silence.
At midnight, a servant finally came and helped the emperor bathe and change his clothes.
The man was dressed in bright yellow pajamas and walked into the phoenix chariot with his hands behind his back.
"Queen, what's the matter? Do you like sleeping in the Phoenix Chariot?"
"No!" Chu Xian blushed and quickly started to argue.
"Oh, then why don't you come out?"
"Will you please let me go, Your Majesty? You can summon Noble Consort Nian. If Noble Consort Nian is not enough, you can summon other concubines. I will never speak to displease you again."
As long as he doesn't let her sleep with him, he can favor whoever he wants in the future. This man has gone back on his word time and time again. If she believes a word he says again, she will die a miserable death.
"Ulanara Chuxian! Don't be so ungrateful. My patience has its limits. Have you made enough trouble?"
There was no tenderness at all. That night, Chu Xian was forced to humiliate herself in the cramped sedan chair.
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