Chapter Twenty-Eight: Pleasure
After the morning court session, Gu Yanjing returned to his bedchamber, lazily lay down on the bed again, and casually picked up a book of erotic literature.
Upon receiving the news, Yuanbao knelt down respectfully, his expression filled with endless flattery: "Your Majesty, this morning all the concubines went to pay their respects to the Empress."
Gu Yanjing didn't speak, indicating that she was listening and letting him continue.
Just like the imperial court, the women in the inner palace had to get up early in the morning. While the court officials discussed state affairs with the emperor, the concubines in the inner palace chatted and drank tea with the empress.
However, it was clear this morning that the newly appointed Empress and the concubines who had long resided in the inner palace could not possibly get along peacefully.
Yuanbao continued, "The lady-in-waiting by the Empress's side reported that this morning, Consort Li offended Her Majesty the Empress and was punished by the Empress to kneel for two hours."
He paused, then added, "Consort Li is still kneeling before the Empress."
Gu Yanjing remained silent, only nodding casually.
Yuanbao spoke again, gently adding a little water and birdseed to Gu Congxin's food.
He couldn't understand where Gu Yanjing placed the Empress in his heart, or whether she didn't care about him at all.
After all, you could say Gu Yanjing cared about her. He went through the trouble of sending her out and bringing her back in, and still managed to marry her into the palace and give her a lot of power. It doesn't seem like he didn't care.
But even if you say he cared, I've never seen an emperor who was cuckolded and didn't care at all. Besides, last night he threw the person into the cold palace to scare them before dragging them out, and he didn't let them stay overnight in the palace.
After serving His Majesty, this stubbornly surviving phoenix, he was still completely baffled.
Just as he was about to leave, he heard Gu Yan exclaim in surprise.
"By the way, have the Empress go to Qingping Palace and tell her clearly who is being held inside, and remind her not to forget what I told her last night."
Yuanbao finally understood.
How stupid must he be to think that His Majesty has any feelings for the Empress? He's clearly just using her.
However, the most tragic one was Qi Wang's eldest son, Ji Qingqing, who was famous throughout the capital, but because he offended His Majesty, he was tortured to the point of being neither human nor ghost.
In the Jiaofang Palace, Nan Wan'er stood under the palace corridor, looking at Consort Li kneeling under the bright sun, and smiled contentedly.
I'm so happy!
So this is what it feels like to have someone else's life and death in your hands.
Now I finally understand why novels often depict female rulers who hold absolute power and rule from behind the curtain.
Who wouldn't like the feeling of power?
Under the sun, Consort Li, who was delicate and frail, suddenly fainted. Her two maids immediately screamed and tried to take her back to the palace to rest.
Six burly, rough-looking palace maids held down Consort Li's maids, preventing them from taking Consort Li away.
Nan Wan'er watched this scene with great joy, feeling extremely happy.
The current Consort Li is just like her younger self when she refused to obey, stubborn yet powerless.
Finally, she's not the only one being treated so unfairly anymore; that's good.
Just then, a cold voice came from behind her.
"This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress."
She turned around and saw Yuanbao kneeling in front of her.
For a moment, she seemed to see that night again, when she had just come into this world, got lost in the palace, and finally found her way back, only to be chased by this old eunuch to the imperial kitchen to cook.
If she hadn't been forced by that old eunuch to work in the imperial kitchen, she wouldn't have met Duan Xingyue, and she wouldn't have been treated that way.
Nan Wan'er felt a surge of hatred, yet also a sense of immense pleasure.
The powerful eunuch who once pleaded so desperately for my life, who could decide my fate with a single word, now kneels before me.
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