Chapter 108 Another confinement
The emperor rode in a sedan chair toward Consort Su's palace. The night was beautiful, with a full moon hanging high, casting a hazy and exquisite light on the surrounding scenery.
He thought of how Consort Su looked when she first entered the palace—charming, lively, lovely, and alluring… Back then, he could use every beautiful word to describe her.
He knew that as an emperor, excessive favoritism towards a single concubine would disrupt the balance of the harem and even affect the court. However, at that time, the various powerful factions in the capital were deeply entrenched, and the imperial family's control over the court was weakening. He had to support new forces to reduce the influence of powerful families on the court.
He naturally favored Consort Su, granting her power in the harem and bestowing upon her family the title of Earl. In recent years, Consort Su and the Qingshan Earl's Mansion have enjoyed unparalleled prestige.
The emperor looked up at the full moon overhead, and for a moment, he even felt that the moonlight was a little dazzling.
The Qingshan Earl's family went too far last time. It was one thing for a young lady to have an affair, but they even wanted her to marry the top scholar chosen by him in the competition between the Qingshan Earl and the Xie family. That top scholar was also the fiancé of the Duke of Chu's lost granddaughter, and they even wanted to kill the Duke of Chu's granddaughter.
This time, Consort Su bribed a palace maid again to inquire about matters concerning the Imperial Study...
Countless memorials have been submitted impeaching the Qingshan Marquis's family for their arrogant actions, but he paid little attention, because what he wanted was a new force to suppress the powerful clans. Moreover, their arrogance made them easier to control. A family that didn't know how to restrain itself was always safer to use than one that remained silent and patient.
However, he could not tolerate Consort Su inquiring about matters concerning the Imperial Study.
The emperor then thought of the Duke of Chu. He had relied heavily on the Duke of Chu in those years for two reasons: first, the Duke of Chu had contributed greatly to his struggle for the throne; second, the Duke of Chu's power was previously concentrated in the military, and his influence in the court was not significant, so the emperor felt at ease using him.
Moreover, the Duke of Chu's family having no heir was something he wanted to see; no emperor wanted to see powerful clans grow ever stronger. But now, the Duke of Chu wanted his granddaughter to enter the court as an official...
The emperor sighed, and Zhang Fuquan's voice rang out, "Your Majesty, we have arrived."
The emperor's gaze shifted to Consort Su's palace, magnificent and brightly lit. He suddenly thought of the empress's palace, quiet and even somewhat gloomy.
He hummed in agreement, and the sedan chair landed. Zhao Fuquan helped him down. As soon as he stepped across the threshold, he saw Consort Su, dressed in a barely visible nightgown, running towards him like a butterfly, just as she had in her youth.
The emperor seemed somewhat dazed when he saw Consort Su bow to him and then rush over, "Your Majesty, how long has it been since you last visited me?"
Her voice, tinged with a hint of melancholy and coquettishness, would make any man's bones melt. The emperor's gaze softened considerably as he looked at him. "I have been very busy with official duties lately."
"Hmph!" Consort Su let out another coquettish snort, then tugged at the Emperor's sleeve and pulled him inside, her eyes carrying a bold hint. The Emperor had to admit, he liked Consort Su's style.
Upon entering the palace, Consort Su pulled the emperor directly into his bedchamber, and soon a soft moan could be heard...
The palace maids guarding outside were already used to this. When the head maid thought it was almost time, she ordered someone to prepare a bath. Sure enough, not long after the bath was prepared, Consort Su's voice came from inside asking for water.
A group of palace maids filed in, attending to their two masters as they bathed and then returned to their bedchamber to rest. After their bath, the emperor, embracing his beloved concubine's soft body, closed his eyes and savored the moment on the high bed, with her soft pillows and his beauty in his arms. Perhaps this was one of the perks of being an emperor.
The emperor unconsciously smiled, just then Consort Su’s sweet voice rang out, “Your mother sent word yesterday that my niece Yuezhen will be marrying Qi Yuanhong in a few days.”
The emperor's upturned lips drooped, and then Consort Su said again, "They are both fools, but... in my opinion, Jiang Yu is also a bit too arrogant."
The emperor kept his eyes closed and remained silent. Consort Su glanced at his face, found nothing amiss, and continued, "I'm not saying it's wrong for her to seek revenge, but a woman should be virtuous and gentle. Look at how aggressive she was in the Imperial Study that day, even more domineering than a man. I believe a woman should be virtuous, gentle, and devoted to her husband and children."
The emperor slightly opened his eyes, glanced at her, and said, "My beloved concubine, have you heard any news?"
Consort Su was taken aback and immediately said, "I was previously confined by His Majesty and have only just been released. What information could I possibly hear?"
"Hmph!" The emperor snorted heavily, pushed away the person in his arms, sat up, and called out to the outside, "Change your clothes."
Hearing this voice, Zhao Fuquan, who had been waiting outside, sighed inwardly. After what happened last time, Consort Su still didn't understand that things were different now.
He jogged into the bedchamber and quickly dressed the emperor. Consort Su was still trying to figure out why the emperor had suddenly become angry, since she hadn't said anything!
She knelt seductively on the bed, tears welling in her eyes. "Your Majesty, what are you doing? What have I done wrong? Please tell me directly."
The emperor turned to look at her, his gaze sharp. "The women of the inner palace are not allowed to participate in the affairs of the court. Don't you know that?"
Consort Su was stunned. She opened her mouth to defend herself, but the emperor had already strode out. Consort Su hurriedly got out of bed to chase after him, only to hear the emperor say again: "The palace maid who delivered the message to you has been beaten to death."
Consort Su collapsed to the ground, and then the Emperor, who had just reached the palace gate, stopped and looked at her, saying, "I think you should continue to reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors."
This meant she was to be confined to her quarters again. Consort Su collapsed to the ground. If she had known it would end like this, she wouldn't have uttered a word even if Jiang Yu had become prime minister. But there's no going back.
The emperor got into his sedan chair and headed back to his bedchamber. Halfway there, he said, "Go to the empress's."
Zhao Fuquan thought to himself, "You just got off the Consort's bed and now you're going to the Empress's. Doesn't the Empress feel uncomfortable?" But he dared not say it aloud. Many things are just a matter of being blinded by those involved, or rather, the Emperor never considered the feelings of the concubines in the harem.
Of course, in a sense, the emperor really didn't need to care about the empresses' feelings.
"Go to the Empress's Lizheng Hall," Zhao Fuquan ordered. The sedan chair turned a corner and headed towards the Lizheng Hall. At the same time, a eunuch went to the Lizheng Hall to announce that the Emperor was coming.
The Empress had already gone to sleep. When she heard that the Emperor was coming, she frowned deeply and said, "Why are you coming at this hour?"
The head maid helped her put on her clothes and said, "I heard she just came from Consort Su's place, and I heard she was angry."
The Empress smiled mockingly and said softly, "Things are different now. The world is changing."
The palace maid didn't understand what she meant, but she didn't ask. She quickly dressed her, and then they heard Zhao Fuquan's voice from outside, "His Majesty has arrived."
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