Chapter 205 Her Push and Pull
After the sacrificial ceremony, the emperor was supposed to go to the empress's palace, but then this happened...
Emperor Zhaoheng did not visit anyone's palace; he returned to the Qianqing Palace.
Moonlight streamed through the window lattices, leaving only a chilly stillness in the vast Qianqing Palace.
Emperor Zhaoheng sat alone behind his desk, not reviewing any memorials.
His fingers unconsciously caressed a warm, smooth white jade pendant, a relic of the late Emperor Wen, and a sacred place in his heart that he would never allow to be defiled.
Consort Wen, the woman who gave him the only pure warmth when he was young and lonely, had a heart so pure that you could see right through her.
He had assumed that Narcissus was also a woman of such purity and innocence...
But today, what a coincidence! Shui Xian took Pei Jichuan with her when she went up to the mountain on the Double Ninth Festival. And what a coincidence! The imperial physician who always examines the Empress's pulse was hit by a carriage as soon as he went out.
Emperor Zhaoheng's mind flashed to Shui Xian's calm and composed profile. He admired Shui Xian's composure and elegance, but what if her composure was because she was the person behind the scenes...?
He stroked the jade pendant in his hand, his mind swirling with a myriad of thoughts and emotions, like a ball of yarn tangled in his heart, making it impossible for him to sort them out for the time being.
“Your Majesty,” Feng Shunxiang’s cautious voice rang out from outside the hall, “Consort Jin has sent over a calming soup that she personally prepared. She said that seeing Your Majesty’s fatigue today, she specially simmered it over a low flame for two hours.”
In the past, Emperor Zhaoheng would have felt a warmth in his heart and immediately summoned someone in.
But at this moment, he paused slightly in his caressing of the jade pendant, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke in a calm voice: "Hmm, accept it. Tell the Imperial Noble Consort that I still have some memorials to deal with."
There was no immediate announcement, nor any further gentle words.
Feng Shunxiang understood, respectfully agreed, and left with much lighter steps.
Outside the Qianqing Palace, after hearing Feng Shunxiang's reply, Shui Xian still wore a polite smile, as if she didn't care at all.
Upon returning to Lihe Palace, he dismissed the other palace servants, leaving only his trusted confidants in the hall.
She walked to the dressing mirror and gazed at her stunningly beautiful face, which was still showing signs of postpartum weakness.
Narcissus gently stroked her waist, which had recovered considerably, while calmly considering her options.
She sensed the emperor's suspicion.
Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger, especially for an emperor who has lived in the depths of the palace since childhood, surrounded by intrigue and scheming.
His trust was never unconditional.
Explain? Cry and plead?
That would only confirm the suspicion that she is "cunning and scheming," making it seem like she is trying to cover up the truth.
She knew that it was better to guide than to block. Some thorns had to be pulled out by his own hands, and some roads had to be walked by him.
As for how to make him understand, she must take the initiative herself.
Narcissus softly called Tinglu and Yinzhu in.
——
For several days in a row, Emperor Zhaoheng was in a state of agitation.
He carefully put away the jade pendant and strolled out of the Qianqing Palace to clear his mind, but unknowingly ended up in the Imperial Garden.
The autumn night wind carried a chill, dispelling some of the restlessness and unease.
Suddenly, a delicate fragrance of osmanthus blossoms wafted through the air, accompanied by the faint sound of a branch breaking.
He looked in the direction of the sound and saw Consort Jing, Wen Jingfeng, picking newly opened golden osmanthus blossoms under the osmanthus tree with a young palace maid in the moonlight.
She was dressed in a moon-white dress, with a newly picked golden osmanthus tucked into her hair, which made her profile appear aloof and upright, yet also possessed a sweet charm unique to young women.
The way he looked down, focused, and the contours of his eyes and brows bore a striking resemblance to the late Emperor's Consort Wen, a figure I remembered.
Emperor Zhaoheng was momentarily dazed, as if he could see through time the woman who always had a gentle smile.
He blurted out instinctively, "Consort Jing."
Wen Jingfeng turned his head upon hearing the sound and saw the emperor. A hint of resistance, which he could not completely conceal, flashed quickly in his eyes.
But she immediately lowered her eyes and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
No need for formalities.
Emperor Zhaoheng looked at her, and the slight irritation he felt because of the narcissus seemed to have found a temporary haven. "What are you doing here?"
"Your Majesty, pick some osmanthus flowers to prepare some pastries."
Wen Jingfeng's voice, like her personality, was calm and unassuming.
Looking at her detached, aloof, and self-possessed demeanor, Emperor Zhaoheng's heart stirred, and he blurted out, "Is dinner ready? If not, then have some with me."
Wen Jingfeng's fingertips curled slightly. After a moment of silence, she finally replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I obey your command."
However, this dinner failed to alleviate Emperor Zhaoheng's depression.
During the meal, he casually mentioned the complexities of the previous dynasty's affairs, with memorials piling up like mountains. Wen Jingfeng simply served him food quietly, saying little, as if those political events had nothing to do with her.
Emperor Zhaoheng also needs her quietness. After all, Wen Jingfeng is not the late Emperor Wen Pin. If she talks too much, she will not be like the emperor.
He felt relieved, but deep down he couldn't help feeling a little melancholy.
If only Narcissus were as obedient and simple as Consort Wen of the late Emperor…
At this moment, Consort Jing, Wen Jingfeng, suddenly mentioned narcissus.
Wen Jingfeng looked up at the emperor and said, "The Imperial Noble Consort has given birth to an heir for Your Majesty and stabilized the foundation of the country. Her contributions are immense."
She paused, seemingly feeling it wasn't enough, and added, her intention being to get rid of this "big Buddha" as soon as possible so as not to disturb her peace, "If Your Majesty is feeling troubled, why not go to Lihe Palace for a walk? The Imperial Noble Consort is of a resilient nature and will surely be able to comfort Your Majesty."
But to Emperor Zhaoheng, who was already suspicious of Shuixian's excessive influence, her words took on a completely different meaning...
Even Consort Jing, who is usually out of touch with the ways of the world, is speaking up for Narcissus.
Her influence has silently permeated to such an extent?
Emperor Zhaoheng's face instantly darkened. He slammed his chopsticks down on the table with a crisp sound, his tone clearly displeased: "Where I go and when I go is none of your business?"
Wen Jingfeng lowered her eyes, concealing the fleeting annoyance in them, and remained silent, rising quietly: "Your Majesty, I have misspoke."
Far from feeling that she had done anything wrong, she only felt that this man was unpredictable and resolved to stay even further away from him in the future.
Seeing her submissive yet clearly aloof demeanor, Emperor Zhaoheng felt an unvented rage welling up inside him. He abruptly stood up, left without even finishing his dinner, and left with a cold expression.
Instead of returning to the Qianqing Palace, he took a displaced anger to a low-ranking concubine whom he hadn't thought of in a long time and summoned her to his bedchamber.
A man surnamed Lin was always present.
However, after leaving the Qianqing Palace where Shui Xian had lived for a long time, he came to the Chuxiu Palace. Looking at Consort Lin, who treated him with great care, Emperor Zhaoheng felt bored and absent-minded.
What lingers in his mind is the image of Narcissus, sometimes playful, sometimes smiling, and the unparalleled sense of security he felt when she was with him...
If she knew that she had slept with someone else, would a hint of disappointment flash across her eyes?
The next morning, he got up and changed his clothes, and casually asked Feng Shunxiang, who was standing beside him, "Was there any movement at Lihe Palace last night?"
Feng Shunxiang cautiously reported, "Your Majesty, everything at Lihe Palace was as usual last night. The Imperial Noble Consort retired early and, I heard, personally coaxed Princess Yongning and the two young princes to sleep."
Emperor Zhaoheng frowned slightly, feeling that Feng Shunxiang was a bit slow to understand today and that he had to ask him personally.
"Has anyone inquired where I have gone?"
Feng Shunxiang cautiously replied, "No...no one was sent to inquire about the Emperor's whereabouts..."
Emperor Zhaoheng paused, his hand holding the belt still.
There was no jealousy as expected, no cautious probing, not even... a ripple of emotion? She was so calm?
A nameless unease, like cold vines, coiled around my heart, more turbulent than the doubts of the past few days.
"I understand!"
——
Shui Xian soon learned from Feng Shunxiang about the emperor's whereabouts last night and his inquiries this morning.
Feng Shunxiang's intention was to mediate, and he left after speaking.
Little did he know that after he left, Narcissus was not nervous at all, but instead breathed a sigh of relief.
The timing is right.
She instructed Yinzhu beside her: "Go tell the kitchen that... there's no need to prepare special snacks and soups for the Emperor these days. The Emperor is busy with state affairs and may not have time to come over, so let's avoid wasting them."
A smile flickered in Yinzhu's eyes. "Yes."
She began to deliberately create a sense of distance, no longer taking the initiative to bring soup or water, and no longer sending people to inquire.
For three consecutive days, Emperor Zhaoheng received no further care from the Lihe Palace, and even the usual exquisite snacks sent to him after court ceased.
The Qianqing Palace seemed to have regained its former solemnity, but he felt an emptiness in his heart.
When reviewing memorials, his gaze would always unconsciously drift toward the palace gate, as if he were expecting that familiar figure to appear, or at least, a bowl of soup from the Palace of Rites.
He irritably put down his vermilion brush, and the handwriting on the memorial seemed to transform into the face of a daffodil.
Finally, he suddenly stood up and said to Feng Shunxiang, who was standing beside him, "Prepare the carriage...go to Lihe Palace to see the princess and the prince."
He made up a seemingly reasonable excuse for himself, as if he had just decided to go see the children on a whim.
But only he knew that the moment he stepped out of the Qianqing Palace, the only person on his mind was her…
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