Chapter 29 He Was Wrong
"Your Majesty is so protective of that bitch!"
After receiving the imperial edict from His Majesty to confine her to her house for a month, Concubine Xian was so angry that she smashed things around in the palace. Her personal maids stayed away from her, fearing that the Empress would vent her anger on her.
At this time, only Danzhu, who had recently been very popular with Consort Xian, dared to step forward and comfort her, saying, "Don't be upset, Your Majesty."
After venting her anger for a while, Concubine Xian calmed down a little. She held her face in her hands and cried, "How could Your Majesty treat me like this?"
Even during the time when she was least favored before giving birth to Yun Che in the palace, His Majesty had never slapped her in the face like this. Now, she, a dignified First-Rank Consort and the mother of the Emperor's eldest son, was put under house arrest on the pretext of being unable to manage palace affairs, and was also punished to copy the palace rules. How could she have the face to reprimand the concubines in the future?
Danzhu handed her a silk handkerchief and whispered, "Everyone in the palace, except the Imperial Concubine, has been confined. Concubine Shu and Concubine De are also under house arrest, just like you."
Hearing that her old rival was being treated the same as herself, Concubine Xian felt a little better. She took the handkerchief and wiped the tears from her face, then said with resentment, "It was clearly the Imperial Concubine's family that made the mistake. It's one thing for His Majesty not to punish the Imperial Concubine, but to drag us down with you is truly too partial."
This was different from what she thought. When the Queen's family abused their power to interfere in government affairs, His Majesty had ignored the Queen. Why was it that His Majesty ignored the Imperial Concubine?
"Yes, your majesty dotes on the imperial concubine so much that it reminds me of the favor bestowed upon Concubine Liu in the previous dynasty." Danzhu seemed to realize that she had said the wrong thing just as she finished speaking, and hurriedly covered her mouth with her hands.
The previous emperor was incompetent and favored Concubine Liu Hui and her family, even going so far as to depose the Empress's son and install her own son as crown prince for Concubine Liu, sparking widespread public outrage. The favor enjoyed by the current imperial concubine is strikingly similar to that enjoyed by Concubine Liu back then.
However, after hearing the name "Liu Fei", Concubine Xian fell into deep thought.
Seeing that Concubine Xian had no intention of blaming him, Danzhu boldly continued, "Your Majesty, your Majesty, your Majesty's father has done such a heinous thing, yet Your Majesty still insists on protecting your Majesty. If your Majesty really gives birth to a prince in the future, then your Highness..."
"Your Majesty won't..." Concubine Xian murmured, trying to convince herself.
Her Yun Che is the eldest prince of the emperor. Since ancient times, the eldest son has always been the heir apparent. Now that there is no legitimate son in the palace, it is natural that her Yun Che should be given priority, not to mention that her Yun Che is so outstanding.
Danzhu continued whispering in her ear, "I'm also worried about our Highness. His Majesty hasn't appointed him Crown Prince yet, despite his outstanding talent. This has me worried. Furthermore, I heard that His Majesty has concealed the fact that Noble Concubine's father committed a crime, fearing that Noble Concubine would be heartbroken if she knew. Even Concubine Liu of the previous dynasty couldn't match this level of care and love."
The virtuous concubine clenched her palms. The more she compared herself to the emperor, the more unattractive she seemed to him, and the more jealous she became.
"Alas, you said we were locked up and forced to copy palace rules all day long, but the Imperial Concubine is so innocent and carefree, how enviable! I wonder what the Imperial Concubine will do if she finds out about this. His Majesty has said he will investigate thoroughly and will not tolerate any leniency, even if it's the Imperial Concubine's biological father. If the Imperial Concubine finds out and goes to His Majesty to plead for mercy, will she create a rift with His Majesty and anger him..."
Danzhu seemed to be talking to himself, but was suddenly interrupted by Concubine Xian.
"Yes, His Majesty is most averse to the harem interfering in government affairs. If the Imperial Concubine pleads for her family, it will surely displease His Majesty!"
A strange light suddenly flashed in Concubine Xian's eyes. She would never allow anyone to threaten Yun Che's position, even if that threat had not yet been born.
Danzhu smiled when he saw this.
…
Chan Zhen had originally seldom ventured into the Imperial Garden to avoid encountering the other concubines. She had planted a large field of crabapple blossoms in her own palace, a scene not dissimilar to the Imperial Garden's, and admiring the flowers in her own palace was enough for her on weekdays. Now that the other concubines were confined, she was the only one who could move freely, feeling less cautious.
In the past few days, she walked around the Imperial Garden more often with Lu Zhu, looking at the scenery that was different from her own palace. She didn't have to worry about running into other concubines, and her mood was much more relaxed and happy.
"These flowers are blooming so beautifully." Everywhere you look, you see clusters of flowers, and there is a lingering faint fragrance lingering around your nose.
Chanzhen recalled admiring flowers with His Majesty at the Prefectural Governor's Mansion. His Majesty had said the scenery there was far inferior to that of the Imperial Palace, and it seemed to be true. This Imperial Garden was much larger, with a greater variety of flowers, all arranged in a seemingly regular pattern, with varying heights and a well-arranged layout. From any angle, it was a breathtaking sight.
Lu Zhu supported her and said with a smile, "If your Majesty likes it, please ask the flower shop to send more flowers to our palace."
Chan Zhen shook his head and smiled, "The flower shop sends enough flowers to our palace on a daily basis. Other palaces also need floral decorations. Why should I compete with them?"
Chanzhen herself now lacked nothing, and His Majesty constantly gifted her with treasures and jewels, until her palace storehouses were nearly overflowing. Since she was His Majesty's exclusive favorite, she felt compelled to be even more generous to the other concubines, unable to leave them without the Emperor's favor and without food, clothing, and other necessities. So, after taking charge of palace affairs, she increased the allowances for each palace, and occasionally, when a concubine came to see her, she generously gave away some of the treasures from the storehouse.
"Your Majesty is the kindest of heart."
Zen Zhen just smiled faintly at Lu Zhu's words. The other concubines in the palace were more experienced than her and had accompanied the emperor for a longer time, but she took away all of his favor as soon as she came. She felt somewhat guilty.
Her father's backyard alone had several concubines. Some of the concubines who had fallen out of favor were often deducted from their allowances by the servants, and their lives were extremely miserable. It was likely that the concubines who had fallen out of favor in the palace were not much better off. She couldn't actively push His Majesty out, but she could still make their lives better.
As he was walking towards the depths of the imperial garden, Chan Zhen suddenly heard a voice coming from the front, as if two palace maids were talking.
"Have you heard? The Imperial Concubine's father committed a crime in the previous dynasty, which caused a huge controversy..."
Chan Zhen originally wanted to turn around and leave without disturbing them, but he stopped when he heard this.
Lu Zhu's smile froze on her face, and she wanted to pull her away, but the imperial concubine was unmoved and wanted to continue listening. She was anxious and shouted, "Who is here?"
Suddenly startled, the two palace maids hurriedly crawled out from the flowers. Seeing that it was the Imperial Concubine, they knelt down in panic, "Greetings, Imperial Concubine!"
The smile on Chanzhen's face had faded. How could she not know that Luzhu was deliberately interrupting their conversation? But the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to know what her father had done wrong. Why did even these two little palace maids hear about it, but she was kept in the dark.
"Stand up, you just said my father committed a crime, can you tell me the details?"
A palace maid timidly glanced at Lu Zhu, then suddenly broke down in tears. She kowtowed to Chan Zhen and cried, "I didn't say anything. Your Majesty, please just pretend you didn't hear anything. Don't punish me with a stick!"
Chanzhen covered her chest with her hands. When had she ever punished a palace maid with a stick? And what on earth had happened that made this palace maid so afraid of her knowing?
She tried to put on a gentle smile and said in a soft voice, "Get up. Don't worry and tell me. I promise I won't let anyone beat you."
"Your Majesty..." Luzhu wanted to stop her.
Zen Zhen looked at her with some disappointment, "Luzhu, you know that too?"
It was the first time that Luzhu was looked at like this by the empress, and she suddenly became speechless.
The maid trembled as she wiped away her tears before whispering, "I just heard that your Majesty's father is abusing his favor and running rampant in the village. He even beat someone to death. Now he's been impeached by many ministers, and..."
Having said that, she looked up at Zenzhen with some fear.
Zenzhen barely controlled himself from losing his composure on the spot, "Go on."
The maid was encouraged to speak out the following words: "Some people also say that it was the Imperial Concubine who deliberately condoned her father's evil deeds..."
Zen Zhen's face turned pale and he suddenly felt a little breathless.
Lu Zhu worriedly supported her and said, "My Lady."
Zen Zhen slowly turned his head to look at her, and asked in a trembling voice, "You knew about this? His Majesty also knew about it, and all of you knew about it but you kept it from me?"
No wonder His Majesty suddenly put the entire palace under house arrest. It turned out that it was to hide it from her. Thinking back to that day, His Majesty looked a little strange after returning from meeting with the Minister of the Dali Temple, but he didn't tell her.
"I want to see His Majesty..." Tears seemed to fall from her eyes.
She wanted to ask His Majesty why he had kept such a big thing from her.
…
Zen Zhen couldn't wait a moment and ran straight to the Qinzheng Hall.
Guo Kai had originally been smiling when he saw her approaching, but upon closer inspection, he saw the Imperial Concubine approaching with red eyes and tears streaming down her face. He suddenly became nervous, "Oh my! What's wrong with the Imperial Concubine?"
Chan Zhen was both sad and confused at this moment, and he didn't bother to be polite to him. He just said, "I want to see Your Majesty."
Guo Kai didn't dare to stop her, and quickly stepped aside to let her in. He only asked Lu Zhu in a low voice: "What's wrong, Madam?"
Lu Zhu's face turned pale, and her lips trembled: "The Queen knows."
Guo Kai came back to his senses after a while, and his face changed suddenly. He felt that the sky would fall down if the queen went in.
The room was completely silent. His Majesty sat at his desk, his head bowed, reviewing memorials. Everything was normal. Chan Zhen paused, staring at him in amazement. His Majesty's calm demeanor made her unsure how to begin.
Sensing someone coming in, Chen Dingyao thought it was Guo Kai who had something to report. After hearing no movement for a long while, he raised his head in annoyance. The moment he saw Chan Zhen, his expression instantly changed to a gentle one.
"Why haven't you spoken since you came here?"
After he asked, he realized that Zen Zhen's expression was a little strange, and his eyes darkened slightly.
"Your Majesty, I have something to ask you?" Chan Zhen did not step forward, but asked softly on the spot.
Seeing Chan Zhen's expression, he couldn't help but guess what she was here for. He put down his pen and waited silently for her verdict.
"Your Majesty, a few days ago, my father used my name to bully others and kill people. Is this true?"
Chen Dingyao frowned and said, "There's something fishy about this matter. I'm investigating."
Zen Zhen bit his lip tightly and took several deep breaths before he could stop himself from crying. Instead, he asked calmly, "Whether there's something fishy about this matter or not, why did Your Majesty hide it from me?"
If she had not accidentally learned about this matter from the palace maid today, would His Majesty have kept her in the dark forever, like an actor immersed in the one-person stage carefully constructed by His Majesty, being ridiculed and commented on by others.
"I didn't mean to deceive you." Chen Dingyao stood up and walked towards her, wanting to hug her as usual, but she avoided him. His eyes suddenly dimmed, "I was just afraid that you would worry."
"Your Majesty, Zenzhen is not your canary in a cage."
Zen looked at her sadly, his bright eyes filled with tears.
"If it was really my father's fault, Zen Zhen would never plead for him even if he was sad and disappointed. Why would you rather hide it from me than believe that I can bear it?"
She knows good and evil, and knows what is right and wrong. Even if it is her father, he should be punished accordingly if he does something wrong.
"I am your Imperial Concubine. Shouldn't I stand by you through thick and thin when we encounter any problem? I strive to learn poetry and literature, and to manage palace affairs. I know I am timid, but I am also striving to become a qualified Imperial Concubine. I also want to stand shoulder to shoulder with you, rather than just be protected by you."
She took a deep breath and said in a tearful voice, "Your Majesty, Zen Zhen is not a dodder that can only be pampered!"
Chanzhen is another name for the dodder flower. From the moment her father brought her from the courtyard to the Song family and named her "Chanzhen," his only desire was to cultivate her into a dodder flower, dependent on men. He forbade her from learning poetry and literature, only teaching her songs and dances to please men. He suppressed her personality and prevented her from interacting with outsiders, all in the name of securing her, a dodder flower, for the bed of the powerful.
She had thought her fate in this life was to be a dodder, but His Majesty appointed her a noble concubine, helped her take back the palace affairs, and personally taught her writing and arithmetic, showing boundless expectations for her. So she also had boundless expectations for herself, hoping that she could truly possess the ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. However, His Majesty still felt that she could not withstand the slightest storm and, like her father, still treated her as a dodder.
She cried so sadly that his heart ached, so he walked forward and hugged her tightly in his arms despite her resistance.
"I know, I was wrong."
He always thought that Chan Zhen was weak, but forgot that she was actually very strong-willed at heart. Otherwise, after she was forcibly taken into the palace in her previous life, she would never have accepted him until her death even though he doted on her.
Zenzhen clutched the hem of his shirt tightly, "Your Majesty, please don't hide it from me."
She raised her head in his arms and looked at him with tears in her eyes, "I will be scared."
She had only known His Majesty for a few months, but she had already become accustomed to his pampering. She trusted His Majesty and relied on him, but His Majesty did not trust her.
Chen Dingyao kissed her eyes and tasted the bitterness of her tears.
"I will not deceive you again, Zenzhen... my Zenzhen... only you can stand shoulder to shoulder with me."
He suddenly recalled his past life. When he first got her, he locked her in the Zichen Palace and did not allow her to see outsiders for three whole months. He forced her to have sex with him every day.
At that time, Zen Zhen was completely desperate for him, so no matter how much he offered his true heart later, she would not look at him straight in the eye. Zen Zhen hated being a man's plaything the most, but in her previous life, he forced her to become that person.
A strong sense of regret and self-loathing instantly flooded his chest.
"I was wrong..." He suddenly burst into tears, a self-deprecating smile appeared on his face, and he lowered his head and pressed it tightly against her neck, "I was so wrong..."
Feeling the tears falling on his neck, Zenzhen suddenly froze.
"You should hate me."
Even he hated himself.
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