Chapter 323 Requesting an audience with the Emperor as the Empress's younger sister!
It is unknown how much time passed before Emperor Zhaoheng spoke again; it was already late at night.
"Someone come here."
Emperor Zhaoheng spoke, his voice hoarse, but he had regained his imperial composure.
The leader of the secret guards appeared silently in the hall like a shadow. "Your Majesty."
"Investigate thoroughly."
Emperor Zhaoheng uttered two words, each carrying a chilling killing intent: "All the Empress's words and actions over the past six months, the people she has come into contact with, and... the possibility of a significant change in the Empress's emotions."
"I want everything, down to the smallest detail."
There is a reason for this.
He still remembered Narcissus's tenderness and the brief, sweet happiness they shared.
What exactly happened that made Narcissus so disheartened and determined to pursue freedom?
"yes."
The head of the secret guards accepted the order but did not immediately leave. He hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress is heavily guarded. If we were to investigate further, it might disturb her..."
"It was carried out in secret."
Emperor Zhaoheng interrupted him, "Use the most elite people. If they leak even a little bit, they will bring you their heads."
The leader of the secret guards felt a chill and bowed, saying, "As you command."
After the guards withdrew, Emperor Zhaoheng remained silent for a moment, then summoned Feng Shunxiang: "Summon Pei Jichuan... immediately."
Pei Jichuan arrived quickly, his forehead covered in a fine layer of sweat, clearly having traveled at a rapid pace.
"Your subject Pei Jichuan pays his respects to Your Majesty."
He knelt before the imperial desk, his voice slightly strained.
Emperor Zhaoheng did not allow him to get up.
He simply looked down at the imperial physician, who was most trusted by Narcissus, his voice eerily calm:
"Imperial Physician Pei, I will ask you one more time... What is the cause of the Empress's pregnancy complications?"
Pei Jichuan bowed even lower: "Your Majesty, pregnant women are often sensitive and prone to overthinking. Perhaps Your Highness is... perhaps the hardships of pregnancy, coupled with her recent period of rest, have caused her some distress..."
"Pei Jichuan."
Emperor Zhaoheng interrupted him, his voice suddenly turning stern, "I'm giving you one last chance."
"If you dare to conceal anything again, you will be guilty of deceiving the emperor!"
Pei Jichuan gritted his teeth; he knew the Emperor was truly enraged.
But that involves the taboo of regulating the emperor's health... If he were to reveal it, it would also be a capital offense.
"emperor……"
Pei Jichuan kowtowed deeply, "Your subject... Your subject truly..."
Emperor Zhaoheng slowly rose, walked to him, squatted down, and looked him in the eye.
“Pei Jichuan, I know you are loyal to the Empress. But I am asking you today not to harm her, but to save her.”
"In her letter to me, she expressed utter despair for the harem. Pei Jichuan, tell me, what exactly happened to make her have such thoughts?"
Pei Jichuan suddenly looked up!
He looked at the undisguised pain in Emperor Zhaoheng's eyes, and saw this usually dignified and aloof emperor appear vulnerable.
Pei Jichuan finally sighed and revealed the truth.
Deep down, he also hoped that the Empress could truly be happy.
In his heart, he never thought that the Empress could leave the palace; Pei Jichuan only wanted to help the Empress resolve her recent inner turmoil.
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty...Your Majesty once asked me privately..."
Pei Jichuan explained the matter in detail.
When he heard the last part, that Shui Xian might misunderstand that he was conditioning his body in order to procreate, Emperor Zhaoheng's pupils suddenly contracted.
That's really how it is!
She misunderstood that he was taking care of his health not so that he could stay with her forever, but so that he could have children.
Emperor Zhaoheng slowly straightened up, staggered back a step, and bumped into the imperial desk behind him.
The pen holder on the table wobbled, and several pens rolled to the ground.
I see.
So that's where the problem lies.
"I……"
Emperor Zhaoheng opened his mouth, his voice hoarse, "I am treating my old ailment because I fear the cold will relapse... I fear I will not live long enough to be with her until old age..."
Emperor Zhaoheng slowly closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and took a deep breath.
When I opened my eyes again, the surging emotions in them had been forcibly suppressed, leaving only a cold clarity.
"You may leave."
He said to Pei Jichuan in a very soft voice, "If even half of what I said today is leaked, you know the consequences."
Pei Jichuan kowtowed deeply: "Your subject... would rather die than do that."
He bowed and withdrew, and the palace doors closed again.
Emperor Zhaoheng stood alone in the empty imperial study, gazing at the gloomy sky outside the window, remaining motionless for a long time.
At the same time, at the Reiwa Palace.
After several days of overcast skies, the sun finally came out, bringing a rare warmth to the winter sun.
The narcissus came to the corridor to bask in the sun.
She is now nearly eight months pregnant and has great difficulty moving around.
The sunlight felt warm on her skin. She closed her eyes, leaned against the cushion, and seemed to be asleep.
Not far from the corridor, two palace maids were wiping the railings.
One of them was Qingdai.
As she wiped, she whispered to her companion beside her, seemingly unintentionally, but her voice was just loud enough for the narcissus in the corridor to faintly hear.
"...Hey, have you heard? That female imperial physician from the Southern Frontier at the Imperial Hospital has been taking the Emperor's pulse recently."
A companion whispered, "Is His Majesty unwell?"
"It's not discomfort!"
Qingdai lowered her voice, "I have a fellow villager who works in the Imperial Hospital. She secretly told me that the prescriptions that Physician Ana gave to the Emperor used extremely precious medicinal materials, such as century-old ginseng and deer antler blood... all of which are top-grade aphrodisiacs and kidney tonics!"
"Ah? Hasn't His Majesty always been in good health?"
"That's why I said it! His Majesty's health is already good, so why is he taking all these supplements? Isn't it all for... to have more children?"
She paused, then lowered her voice.
"Our Empress hasn't even given birth yet, and the Emperor is already in such a hurry to nourish her body... Sigh, so what does it matter how much favor a woman in the harem enjoys?"
Under the eaves, the narcissus still kept its eyes closed.
Sunlight shone on her serene face, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes.
It looks like she's really asleep.
In my heart, only a deep, cold feeling remained.
After an incense stick's time had passed, she summoned Tinglu and asked her to move Qingdai to the backyard to do chores.
Shui Xian was unaware that during this time, Shui Xiu was working tirelessly in the palace for her sake, as she was imprisoned.
Shui Xian is now a fifth-rank female official in the Palace Records, and she carries considerable weight in the palace.
However, when she requested an audience with Emperor Zhaoheng under the pretext of reporting on the affairs of the women's academy, she was politely but firmly stopped by the eunuchs of the Qianqing Palace.
"His Majesty is busy with state affairs and will not see any officials at the moment. Lord Jiang (Shuixiu), please return."
Shui Xiu stood outside the Qianqing Palace, staring at the tightly closed palace door, and gritted her teeth.
She did not leave.
Instead, she slowly took off the official hat from her head and placed it on the ground to the side.
Then, lifting her skirt, she knelt down straight in front of the cold stone steps.
"Your subject, Shui Xiu, requests an audience with Your Majesty as the Empress's younger sister!"
She raised her voice, clear and melodious, which resounded in front of the Qianqing Palace.
The eunuchs were startled and quickly stepped forward to advise, "Lord Jiang, why are you doing this? The Emperor has said he will not see you..."
"Then I will kneel until the Emperor is willing to see me."
Shui Xiu interrupted them, her back ramrod straight, her gaze fixed on the palace gate ahead, unmoving.
The cold wind howled, blowing up the hem of her thin official robe.
The stone steps were icy cold, and within moments my knees were numb with cold.
But she didn't move.
She wanted to kneel until the emperor would be willing to see her, until she could say a word for her sister.
One hour.
Two hours.
As darkness fell, the cold wind grew stronger.
Shui Xiu's face was pale and bluish from the cold, and her lips were purple.
But her back remained perfectly straight.
Feng Shunxiang hurriedly came out of the hall and saw her like this, so he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
"Lord Jiang, why are you doing this! The Emperor... he really won't see him..."
"Then let me kneel here and die."
Shui Xiu's voice trembled, but it was firm and resolute: "My sister is in Lihe Palace... As her younger sister, I have to do something for her."
Feng Shunxiang sighed and turned to go back into the hall.
About fifteen minutes later, the palace doors finally opened slowly.
Feng Shunxiang came out, his voice low and hoarse: "Your Majesty... Summon Lord Feng to the palace."
Shui Xiu gritted her teeth, supported her frozen legs, and struggled to stand up.
Her knee throbbed with pain, and she staggered, but quickly regained her balance, picked up her official hat from the ground, dusted it off, and put it on properly.
Then, straightening his back, he walked step by step into the Qianqing Palace.
Inside the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Zhaoheng stood by the window with his back to the palace door.
He didn't turn around when he heard footsteps.
Shui Xiu stopped three steps in front of the imperial desk and slowly knelt down.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
Emperor Zhaoheng did not turn around, but asked indifferently, "Why have you been kneeling outside the palace for so long?"
Shui Xiu raised her head. "Your Majesty, I know that I am of lowly status and should not interfere in the affairs of the imperial family. But... she is my sister."
She paused, and tears finally rolled down her cheeks:
“My elder sister, Narcissus. In her entire life… she never truly lived a single day for herself.”
Emperor Zhaoheng's back stiffened almost imperceptibly.
Shui Xiu continued, her voice filled with heartache.
"She was a slave from the day she was born, her life and death were not in her own hands. She was favored by the Emperor and rose to the position of Empress. She seemed to have endless honors and favors, but Your Majesty... do you know how many hours she sleeps every day? Do you know how much pressure she faced in order to promote the new policy of female officials? Do you know how much fear she felt every time she became pregnant?"
Her tears flowed freely:
"Your Majesty treats my sister well, I know that."
"The Emperor has bestowed upon my sister unparalleled favor, but this favor has also placed her in a very high position, surrounded by cliffs on all sides. She cannot make a mistake, cannot retreat, and cannot err even in the slightest."
"It's not that she doesn't trust the Emperor; she's just seen too many precedents in the palace where beautiful women lost favor before their time... She can't believe it!"
"She fears that today's deep affection may become tomorrow's sharp blade!"
Emperor Zhaoheng trembled violently!
He turned and stared at Shui Xiu, the darkness in his eyes churning violently, as if something was shattering inch by inch.
Shui Xiu kowtowed repeatedly, her forehead pressed against the cold ground.
"Your Majesty, if you truly cherish my sister, if you truly have her in your heart... could you try to believe her request? Even just a little bit?"
"She doesn't want to leave you, she just... just wants to rest. She wants to see what the sky over the capital looks like."
The Imperial Study was deathly silent.
Emperor Zhaoheng stood still, his back straight.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"...I understand."
He paused, then added three words:
"You may leave."
Shui Xiu raised her head, her eyes blurred with tears, and looked at him as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just kowtowed three times heavily, then got up and staggered out of the Qianqing Palace.
The palace doors closed.
Emperor Zhaoheng remained standing in the same spot, motionless.
The sky outside the window had completely darkened, and there were no lamps lit inside the hall, only the faint light of the charcoal fire casting his long, solitary shadow on the ground.
After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly chuckled softly.
He murmured to himself, his voice as soft as a sigh, "I have never...never regarded her as a tool for procreation."
But she believed it.
She believed he was treating her health so that she could have offspring.
She believed that his kindness towards her was for the purpose of having children.
That's why she decided to leave.
It's not that I don't love, it's not that I don't believe.
It's because I'm afraid to love, afraid to believe.
Just then, the deep voice of the head of the secret guards came from outside the hall:
"Your Majesty, we have a lead."
Emperor Zhaoheng turned around, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:
"speak."
"We've found a palace maid named Qingdai..."
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