Chapter 156 Narcissus, if one day you dare to leave me...
Once, Yi Xingyao had begged his father to assign Shuixian to him as a bed warmer.
Despite Madam Yi's earnest persuasion, she couldn't stop them. Shui Xian was carried into Yi Xingyao's courtyard. Just when the wedding was about to take place, the war in the Northwest became urgent, and Yi Xingyao had to go to war. That's why Shui Xian didn't end up with him.
About a year later, Yi Guichun entered the palace. Madam Yi did not mention the past when Shuixian was betrothed to Yi Xingyao. Instead, she had Shuixian accompany Yi Guichun into the palace as a dowry maid.
In her previous life, Narcissus thought she had escaped a calamity.
Although Yi Xingyao was handsome, the obsessive and predatory look in his eyes always made her uneasy. She even felt grateful to Madam Yi, feeling that Madam Yi had subtly protected her and helped her escape Yi Xingyao's clutches.
Little did they know, Madam Yi's plans were far more far-reaching and more covert.
Narcissus gently stroked her increasingly swollen belly, her thoughts drifting back to Yi Guichun, who was threatening her in a low voice.
"My brother is about to return in triumph. If the Emperor finds out about your affair..."
"How could the Emperor possibly still want you!"
A cold smile appeared on Narcissus's face. "If you dare to bring up what happened back then, what wouldn't I dare to say?"
"General Yi has just returned victorious, and it is precisely the time for him to make a name for himself. Does he really intend to interfere in palace affairs?"
If Yi Guichun dares to smear her, how can Yi Xingyao remain clean?
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Yi Guichun was taken aback. She hadn't considered this aspect when she spoke out in anger.
However, being lectured by Narcissus in this matter made it seem that her thinking was not as profound and comprehensive as Narcissus's.
Yi Guichun was about to get angry, but Shuixian had already led Tinglu past her, leaving her with only her back view.
Yi Guichun grew angrier the more she thought about it, but she was helpless and could only leave quickly with a heart full of resentment.
——
Days passed by in this seemingly ordinary way.
When the emperor and his consorts returned to the palace, the empress, despite her illness, dressed in auspicious attire to greet them.
The Empress bowed gracefully before the Golden Palace. Although her voice was weak from illness, she still maintained the dignity of a queen mother: "Your Majesty, I am not yet fully recovered and am unable to accompany you. I am truly ashamed."
"But recently, both inside and outside the palace, people have been praising His Majesty and Consort Jin for their trip to the Flower Goddess Festival. They have shown compassion for the people and bestowed blessings upon them. The people are praising the imperial benevolence. When I heard this, I was very pleased and happy."
The light and shadow fell on her swaying phoenix hairpin, reflecting a bright golden light. This was a symbol of the Empress's status and a mark of her noble identity.
Emperor Zhaoheng stepped forward and gently helped the Empress up.
His gaze lingered for a moment on her slightly pale face, his tone remarkably calm:
“The Empress stayed in the palace to maintain the affairs of the inner palace, which was also hard work.”
At this moment, Narcissus slowly stepped forward from beside the Emperor.
Her makeup today was simple and elegant. Although she was surrounded by pearls and jade, she chose a set of jade ornaments with a warm and lustrous color, which made her appear more restrained compared to the bright yellow auspicious robes that exuded majesty that the Empress wore.
She gave a slight curtsy, her voice clear and melodious.
"Empress is unwell, yet she still cares about the royal reputation; she is truly a role model for the six palaces."
"When we were worshipping the Flower Goddess, we did not forget Your Majesty. We sincerely prayed before the goddess, wishing Your Majesty a speedy recovery."
This refers to someone who is impeccably polite and whose manners are impeccable, leaving no room for criticism.
The Empress raised her eyes, her gaze meeting that of Narcissus, and a faint smile appeared on her face, as if she were extremely close to Narcissus.
She said slowly, "I know that Consort Jin is always considerate and thoughtful."
Narcissus's eyebrows curved slightly, but the smile did not reach her eyes.
Her tone grew increasingly humble, yet her words carried a hidden barb: "How dare I compare myself to Her Majesty the Empress... In terms of thoughtfulness, Her Majesty is truly meticulous."
"Even though Your Majesty is unwell, you still do not forget to be considerate of Consort Yi's longing for the Emperor's favor. You specially assigned the capable Jin Gui to escort Consort Yi to Wanfang Garden, hoping that your sister can receive the Emperor's grace. Such magnanimity is beyond my reach."
Upon hearing this, Yi Guichun, who was standing in the rear of the concubines' line, suddenly froze, appearing somewhat out of sorts in the afternoon light.
Shui Xian's words subtly attributed her trip to the imperial palace to her "longing for the emperor's face," thus tearing apart the carefully cultivated image of her as a recluse, vegetarian, and Buddhist!
It was as if she was still that restless concubine vying for the emperor's favor.
Yi Guichun couldn't help but feel his chest heaving, and his lips moved slightly as if he was about to speak in defense.
Consort Wan, who was standing next to her, tugged at her sleeve very lightly.
Yi Guichun suddenly came to her senses and looked up as Wanfei suggested. She saw that Shuixian, now a Noble Consort, was standing in front of the Emperor and Empress. She was no longer the lowly maid she could scold at will!
Now, she could only lower her head and swallow her resentment.
Ahead, the Empress seemed completely unaware of the undercurrents behind her. She did not respond to Shui Xian's words about Consort Yi. Instead, a look of sorrow appeared on her face, and she sighed softly, changing the subject.
"Speaking of Jin Gui... that child was truly pitiful, suffering such a tragic fate, her life cut short."
She spoke with a hint of regret, then casually glanced up at the daffodils, her words carrying a suggestive undertone:
"But... how could such rampant bandits suddenly appear in the outskirts of the capital, right under the emperor's nose?"
"Has the thief who murdered Jin Gui been captured? And has the true culprit been identified?"
Upon hearing the Empress mention "thieves," the concubines standing in the back row exchanged glances, and many of their eyes involuntarily shifted to Consort Jin in front of them.
The scene of Consort Yi rushing into the palace with the Eastern Pearl in her hand is still vivid in my mind.
How could ordinary bandits possess such a precious pearl?
If it really was a murder-for-hire, who else in the harem could be so ruthless and have such a conflict of interest with Consort Yi and Consort Yi? Who else could it be but Consort Jin, who is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor?
Faced with the Empress's veiled question, Emperor Zhaoheng remained expressionless, and his tone was exactly the same as when he had told the other concubines.
"Upon investigation, it was found that the crime was committed by a group of ruthless bandits who had fled to the outskirts of Beijing. Their actions disturbed His Majesty's presence and were unforgivable."
"I have dispatched troops to wipe out their stronghold, and all the bandit leaders have been executed. Your Majesty can rest assured that I will provide compensation to Jin Gui's family."
Upon hearing this, the Empress's face showed a relieved expression.
Her expression was gentle, and she slowly nodded, "I see..."
"Your Majesty is wise and has brought justice to Jin Gui. Your concubine thanks Your Majesty for your grace on her behalf."
She paused, the worry still lingering between her brows, which, combined with her pale face, made her appear even more grief-stricken.
"However, I am still a little scared. The capital is a heavily guarded area, yet bandits were able to sneak into it..."
Emperor Zhaoheng did not allow her to elaborate further. He extended his well-defined hand, gently grasped the Empress's shoulder, and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, it is windy here. You are not fully recovered and should not stand for long."
"We can discuss this in detail when we return to the palace."
The Empress stopped speaking at the right moment. She nodded obediently, raised one hand and gently placed it on the back of the Emperor's hand, smiling gently.
"It was my oversight, Your Majesty. Thank you for your understanding."
Narcissus could sense the speculative glances from the concubines around her.
She wouldn't defend herself for something she didn't do.
And most importantly, no matter how much you try to persuade those concubines, they will still not believe you.
Now, it's enough that Emperor Zhaoheng trusts her.
Shui Xian knew that she was now pregnant with twins and had been through a lot with Emperor Zhaoheng, so it was expected that Emperor Zhaoheng would choose to believe her first.
However, she also knew.
If she fails to produce convincing evidence later, the emperor's suspicions may follow.
Favor is fleeting, like the wind, and extremely difficult to retain.
In particular, there's Yi Xingyao, who hasn't returned yet...
With Tinglu's support, Shuixian slowly followed in the footsteps of the Emperor and Empress.
Deep within her eyes, however, lay a hidden apprehension about Yi Xingyao's return.
How could that be?
Why did Yi Xingyao return so early this time?
What on earth happened?!
——
"You shameless woman, seducing me wasn't enough, you even went to the palace to seduce the Emperor... You deserve to be punished!"
"How could you be so shameless! You insist on using this soft flesh to seduce men..."
"But I can't live without you, I can't live without you, Narcissus, even if you die, you must die here with me!"
......
Inside the Red Night Pavilion.
The crimson bed curtains, the man's whispers... it was as if a spell surrounded her.
She seemed to be trapped in a nightmare from which she could not escape. It was the first time that Narcissus had known how painful it was to be whipped with a thin leather whip that had been wet.
Yi Xingyao returned triumphantly from the Northwest after she had been imprisoned in the Red Night Pavilion for several months.
The night he approached her, Narcissus nearly lost her life.
Later, he kept her as his mistress for six whole months.
Sometimes he would drink too much and torment her, and other times he would hold her and tell her how much he loved her.
He said he loved her so much that he collected several women similar to her in the Northwest to warm his bed.
He said he loved her terribly, that she was already so lowly, and that he would still patronize such a filthy woman.
He said...
Narcissus didn't want to listen to him at all; she just wanted to live.
However, sometimes he would bring her to the brink of death, and Narcissus gradually became numb.
"Narcissus, if one day you dare to leave me..."
"I will personally peel off your skin, make clothes from it, and put them at the bottom of my trunk. When I die, I will sew you onto my body so that I can sleep with you forever."
His low, husky voice echoed in her ears, yet it was like a venomous snake's hiss, making it hard for her to breathe.
"call."
Narcissus clutched her neck, suddenly sat up, and began to breathe heavily.
Everything went black, and a sudden, overwhelming fear welled up inside her.
Suddenly waking up from her dream, Narcissus was even a little confused about whether she was dreaming or in reality.
She almost hastily went barefoot to find a lamp.
The next moment, her groping wrist was grasped by the man's large hand.
Feeling the man's hot palm, Narcissus seemed to be burned and instinctively tried to pull her hand back.
Emperor Zhaoheng sensed her panic and, ignoring her struggles, held her in his arms, gently stroking her back.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Upon hearing Emperor Zhaoheng's voice, Shui Xian finally relaxed completely.
Yes.
She remembered.
She was no longer the lowly prostitute in the Red Night Pavilion, but Consort Jin, Narcissus.
Thankfully, she's still alive.
Fortunately, she could still make Yi Xingyao die!
Shui Xian hugged Emperor Zhaoheng back, hot tears rolling down her cheeks like a broken string of pearls...
......
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