Chapter 52 Since I entered the palace to serve Your Majesty, my body and soul have belonged to Your Majesty.
As Emperor Zhaoheng stepped out of the boat's canopy, the palace servants and concubines around him knelt down to pay their respects.
Emperor Zhaoheng's fury was exceptionally clear in the darkness.
"I was resting quietly with Consort Jin and had no intention of appearing, but I never expected this farce to become so absurd!"
Emperor Zhaoheng stood at the bow of the ship, dressed in a dark blue guard's uniform, his face ashen.
He swept his gaze across everyone present, especially Consort Li and Consort Wen.
He could clearly hear Consort Wen's accusations through the boat awning!
Bastard?
She even accused Shui Xian of having an affair and questioned whether the imperial child in her womb was illegitimate!
Emperor Zhaoheng's face was tense as he suppressed the anger in his chest.
If Consort Wen hadn't gone too far, he wouldn't have needed to come out of the covered boat and stand here in his guard uniform for everyone to see!
"Your Majesty!
Consort Li was the first to react. She knelt on the ground and angrily looked up at Narcissus.
"It's Consort Jin! It must be Consort Jin who has corrupted the Emperor's heart!"
"She is pregnant with the Emperor's child, yet instead of resting and protecting her pregnancy, she shamelessly seduces His Majesty and commits such an outrageous act! Your Majesty, please be wise!"
Shui Xian stood beside Emperor Zhaoheng. Upon hearing this, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her eyes instantly filled with tears of grievance.
She gently stroked her slightly protruding belly and bowed gracefully to Emperor Zhaoheng:
"Your Majesty... I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have been so captivated by the gentle breeze on the lake, causing Your Majesty to stay up late and leading to this whole mess, disturbing Consort Gui and all the other ladies."
Emperor Zhaoheng never expected that Shui Xian would take all the blame for today's events on herself.
Compared to Consort Li, who would bite and gnaw at will, Narcissus seemed so considerate and obedient.
The narcissus lowered its eyes, and crystal tears fell on its lower eyelashes, like morning dew on the tip of a leaf, which was heartbreaking.
The next moment, she looked up with a wronged expression:
"Your Majesty, I am wrong, but Consort Wen just made those slanderous accusations that the child in my womb is an illegitimate offspring born of adultery... This is a great desecration of the imperial bloodline and the majesty of the Emperor!"
Narcissus raised her hand and gently tugged at Emperor Zhaoheng's sleeve, her crystal tears falling in a steady stream.
"Since I entered the palace to serve Your Majesty, my heart and soul have belonged to you. This is as clear as the sun and moon! I beg Your Majesty... to do justice for the innocent child in my womb!"
She clutched her lower abdomen, looking extremely aggrieved yet still strong enough to protect his bloodline, which deeply touched Emperor Zhaoheng's heart.
A protective instinct arose in Emperor Zhaoheng's heart for Shuixian and his son.
"Enough! This is ridiculous!"
"My imperial lineage shall not be questioned by others!"
Emperor Zhaoheng personally helped Shuixian up and protected her behind him.
"My dear concubine, you have been frightened. The night air is chilly, and your health is of utmost importance. You should return to Yongle Palace and rest properly."
He turned to Yinzhu and said in a deep voice, "Yinzhu, escort your mistress back to the palace safely! If anything goes wrong, you will be held responsible!"
As Narcissus and Silver Pearl left the Imperial Garden, Emperor Zhaoheng's gaze swept coldly over the silent crowd on the shore once more.
"The rest of you, return to the palace! What kind of behavior is this, gathering a crowd to cause trouble in the dead of night! If you dare to cause trouble again, don't blame me for not showing any mercy!"
His gaze lingered on Consort Wen for a moment, and the disappointment in his eyes made Yi Shuyao feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
It was already midnight when we returned to the side hall of Yichang Palace.
Yi Shuyao walked back in a daze, and as soon as she entered the house, her legs went weak and she sat down on the soft couch by the door.
"You bitch! Narcissus, you bitch!"
She pondered all the way, feeling that something was amiss.
"I always feel... I always feel like I've fallen into her trap!"
Although Yi Shuyao had no evidence, she had never been so unlucky. Thinking of Shuixian's pitiful, tearful appearance tonight, Yi Shuyao felt that something was wrong!
She closed her eyes and recalled the hideous look on her face as she pointed at the boat awning and sternly rebuked Narcissus for her adultery.
That demeanor was completely different from the gentle and quiet image of the late Emperor's Consort Wen!
Yi Shuyao could never forget the look of utter disappointment in Emperor Zhaoheng's eyes when he looked at her at the end.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty must be disappointed in me..."
Yi Shuyao said bitterly, "I've painstakingly imitated Consort Wen for years... and today... it's all been exposed! It's all that vile maid Shuixian's fault!"
A trusted confidante cautiously advised, "Your Highness, please calm down. Tonight's events were ultimately orchestrated by Consort Li, who was the one who aggressively demanded the search of the ship..."
"If His Majesty is to blame anyone, it should first be Consort Li for abusing her power and disturbing His Majesty's presence. Your Highness, you are merely confused by your concern and have been misled by treacherous people..."
Yi Shuyao shook her head and smiled bitterly, "Will the Emperor believe me? What if I completely lose the Emperor's favor because of what happened today?"
For the past three years, she has been training to enter the palace, transforming herself into a different person.
If the Emperor truly dislikes her because of what happened today... what means does she have left to compete for his favor?
Seeing Yi Shuyao's remorseful expression, her trusted maid hesitated for a moment, then took out a finely rolled-up piece of paper from her bosom and respectfully presented it:
"My lady... this was sent in from outside the palace by someone sent by the master this afternoon."
Yi Shuyao took the note with annoyance and unfolded it.
The handwriting above was familiar to her father, Yi Ming, but the content only added fuel to the fire of her already troubled mood.
In the letter, Yi Ming mentioned that the results of the imperial examination had been released, and the top scholar was actually a poor man named Lian Chenxi.
It is truly disappointing that all of Yi's disciples are ranked after them.
Yi Ming wanted her to whisper in the emperor's ear, implying that this poor scholar was of poor character and should not be given important positions.
After reading the note, Yi Shuyao was already furious because of her defeat in the palace intrigue. Now, being assigned this task of influencing her father by his pillow made her feel a surge of anger rush to her head!
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"
She ripped the note to shreds and threw it on the ground, then stomped on it several times, still not satisfied.
"What kind of trash does the Yi family raise! They can't even pass the exams for a poor commoner! And they expect me to whisper sweet nothings in their husband's ear? I'm not even sure if I've fallen out of favor yet, what am I supposed to use to whisper sweet nothings?!"
She paced restlessly in the hall, feeling as if the road ahead was shrouded in darkness.
She was outmaneuvered in the palace intrigue, and her father kept making things difficult for her...
Yi Shuyao thought bitterly, "Narcissus, you vile servant! It's all because of you!"
She focused all her hatred once again on that lowly maid in Yongle Palace.
——
On this day, in the main hall of Yongle Palace.
Emperor Zhaoheng valued Shuixian and the imperial heir, and bestowed upon her the special honor of entering the palace to accompany him.
This morning, Shui Xiu entered the palace alone, and Yin Zhu personally went to pick her up.
As soon as Shui Xiu entered the inner room, she personally closed the door and went to her sister's side.
Shui Xian leaned against the soft couch, removed her hairpins and jewelry, and wore only comfortable casual clothes. She looked at Shui Xiu in front of her and felt extremely gratified.
In just a few months, the changes in Shuixiu have been astonishing.
The fourteen-year-old girl had lost much of her childishness; her eyes were clear yet revealed a maturity beyond her years, and her demeanor carried a seasoned composure. She was no longer the naive little girl she once was.
"Sister," Shui Xiu said in a low voice, slowly recounting the news she had brought.
"The list of successful candidates has been released. The top scholar is Lian Chenxi, who is only eighteen years old this year. He comes from a poor family and is said to write exceptionally well. Even several senior officials have praised him highly."
She paused, then added, "Manager Zhou specifically asked me to tell you that this young master Lian... stayed at our Dengdi Inn for a period of time."
A look of understanding flashed in Narcissus's eyes.
With Zhou Yan around, Dengdi Inn indeed managed to catch a big fish.
She asked softly, "Oh? This newly appointed top scholar... has he become close to any prominent family?"
Shui Xiu shook her head, her expression serious: "Manager Zhou said that, according to his observation, Young Master Lian is an upright and honest person, neither arrogant nor humble. Although many prominent families sent invitations after the results were announced, he politely declined them all."
“What Manager Zhou said was,” Shui Xiu mimicked Zhou Yan’s calm tone, “This person… is usable.”
Is it available?
Narcissus instantly understood Zhou Yan's deeper meaning.
This means that Zhou Yan recognized the character of this talented man from a poor family during their interactions!
Zhou Yan told her through Shui Xiu.
Lian Chenxi is a promising investment with the potential to gain a foothold in the imperial court in the future!
Narcissus had made up her mind.
She gestured for Shuixiu to come closer, leaned down to her ear, and whispered some instructions.
As Shui Xiu listened, her eyes grew brighter and brighter, and she nodded repeatedly.
More than an hour later, the sisters moved to the outer room to talk.
After the court session, Emperor Zhaoheng went straight to Yongle Palace.
As the eunuch announced his arrival, he strode into the main hall. Seeing Shui Xiu there, a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"Shuixiu is here too? Good, spend some time talking with your sister."
Shui Xiu immediately stood up and gave Emperor Zhaoheng a proper salute:
"This humble woman, Shui Xiu, greets Your Majesty! May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"
She raised her head, her big eyes sparkling as she looked at Emperor Zhaoheng: "My sister just told me that she had never seen anyone as handsome, powerful, and considerate as Your Majesty! After seeing you today, you are indeed a hundred times more wise and powerful than my sister described!"
Emperor Zhaoheng was slightly taken aback, then burst into loud laughter.
He looked at Narcissus, a mocking glint in his eyes: "Oh? So Narcissus is praising me so much behind my back?"
A blush rose to Narcissus's face, and she glared at her younger sister, saying, "This girl, she's talking nonsense."
Shui Xiu smiled, revealing a girl's unique innocence and cleverness.
At this moment, Narcissus frowned slightly, raised her hand to her lower abdomen, and took a deep breath.
Emperor Zhaoheng had been watching her closely, and immediately stepped forward with concern, his large hand naturally covering her lower abdomen.
"Is something wrong? Should we call the imperial physician over to take your pulse?"
His hand covered Narcissus's hand, and she managed a weak smile.
"Your Majesty... I am fine, but as my pregnancy progresses, the baby is becoming more and more active. Sometimes... I feel a bit suffocated, and staying in the palace for too long makes me feel even more bored."
Just then, Shui Xiu interjected:
"Sister, don't worry! I heard the most exciting thing in the capital is the Apricot Grove Banquet in a few days! The Emperor is going to personally select the third-ranked scholar at the Qionglin Garden. I heard it's going to be a grand and fun event!"
"The flowers in Qionglin Garden are in full bloom, and there's so much delicious food! What a pity..."
Her face fell, filled with regret. "I heard that only those who pass the imperial examinations and are ranked in the top three can attend the banquet. People like us can only listen to the excitement."
Shui Xiu's seemingly unintentional words sparked an idea in Emperor Zhaoheng.
He glanced at Shui Xian's slightly annoyed profile and laughed loudly, "Who said only the top three can go? Qionglin Garden has beautiful scenery, is spacious and pleasant, and is a great place to relax and get some fresh air!"
"I think it would be better to take this opportunity to invite the concubines, female members of the imperial family, and eligible young ladies from the capital to the banquet!"
The more Emperor Zhaoheng spoke, the more reasonable it seemed to him.
"The banquet is set up on both sides, which not only fulfills the etiquette of celebrating the new Jinshi graduates, but also allows those of you in the palace and in your own homes to share in the joy and get some fresh air!"
He lowered his head and looked tenderly at Narcissus: "In that case, let my son go to that place of literary brilliance ahead of time and absorb the talent of the newly appointed scholars!"
Narcissus looked up and met his gentle gaze.
Everything went as smoothly as she had anticipated.
Narcissus's eyes flickered slightly, revealing an expression of admiration and respect.
"Your Majesty is wise and sagacious. Your humble servant is deeply impressed."
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