Chapter 106 Narcissus wouldn't take those tender words after intimacy seriously.
The matter is over.
Xiao Lizi quietly prepared water and brought it into the dilapidated inner room.
The cleaning process was filled with tender affection. Once everything was clean, Shui Xian, dressed in thick cotton clothes, draped the cloak that had just warmed the two of them over Emperor Zhaoheng.
"It's too cold here, why don't you leave this cloak here..."
Emperor Zhaoheng held her hand, only to find that her hand, which had been warm just moments before, had now become slightly cool.
After being sent to the Cold Palace, Narcissus had to do some chores herself, and her hands, which had been pampered and delicate, became somewhat rough.
Emperor Zhaoheng held it in his palm, feeling no disgust, only a deep pity.
Narcissus shook her head and tightened the brocade sash of his cloak, saying, "It's too conspicuous and might jeopardize His Majesty's plans."
Items used by the emperor must never be left in the cold palace.
Emperor Zhaoheng could not persuade her, but she persuaded him instead.
In the dead of night, he didn't want to leave, and even after she tied his cloak around his neck, he didn't let go of her hand.
Narcissus then said, "Your Majesty, it's late, you should go back."
If they don't leave soon, in a few hours, the entire harem will witness the absurd sight of the emperor emerging from the cold palace tomorrow.
Emperor Zhaoheng looked around at the desolation. He had grown up in the palace and had spent his youth in the military camp, living and eating with the soldiers. He had also experienced hardship.
But now, looking at the narcissus in this drafty palace, a different feeling welled up in his heart.
"Xian'er, sometimes I really want to disregard everything and bring you back to my side."
He reached out and pulled the narcissus into his arms.
Narcissus's face was covered in fur from his cloak. Fortunately, it was top-quality silver fox fur, which was soft and supple. She wondered if it was because of the precious fur or because it had undergone some kind of treatment.
She gently comforted him, saying, "For Your Majesty, for Yongning, I am willing to suffer."
Emperor Zhaoheng sighed softly, and under Xiao Lizi's cover, quietly left through the side gate, which was never seen by anyone.
Only Shui Xian remained in the hall. She slowly walked to the bathtub and touched the water, which had long since cooled down.
There wasn't enough charcoal in the cold palace, not to mention the drafts all over the place.
The water got cooler as she washed, just like her slightly cool complexion at that moment.
Emperor Zhaoheng's words of pity for her left no trace in her heart.
A man's words of concern are merely tender sentiments after intimacy; Narcissus will not take them seriously.
She was sent to the Cold Palace this time to use herself as bait to lure out the woman who wanted to kill her, or even the only woman who could bear the emperor's heir.
Emperor Zhaoheng was aware of the perilous nature of this journey not for the first time.
But in the Emperor's eyes, the imperial power coveted by powerful families was far more important than her safety.
Narcissus wiped her hands clean with a cloth next to the bathtub, then pushed the bathtub aside herself, planning to have Xiaoli clean it up at an inconspicuous time tomorrow.
He seemed to have practiced light-body skills, moving silently; he was quite formidable.
She lay back down on the couch and covered herself with the thick quilt again.
Narcissus, nestled in the quilt, gently stroked her lower abdomen, slowly closed her eyes, and continued her sleep, which had been disturbed by Emperor Zhaoheng.
However, she did have something in mind.
Emperor Zhaoheng wanted to use her to lure out the powerful families who harbored delusions, but she wanted to bring them down even more than Emperor Zhaoheng did.
The Yi family, the Ruan family, the Liu family...
In her previous life, she didn't quite understand, but now, being at the center of power, she vaguely sensed that powerful families were firmly entrenched in the Great Qi.
Whether in the imperial harem or the imperial court, they practically held absolute power, monopolizing the path for ordinary people to rise in society.
Such a powerful family... deserves to die!
——
The next morning, before dawn, the biting winter chill permeated the cold palace, making it appear exceptionally desolate and silent.
However, this tranquility was soon shattered by a barrage of insults.
"Narcissus! You heartless, shameless hussy! Get out here right now!"
Last night, Bao Xiaohuai thought about it all night, and she felt more and more that the disaster yesterday was the fault of Shuixian!
What a coincidence! The rats actually crawled in through the rat hole, first eating the things she had hidden, and then gnawing on the clothes and utensils in her trunk and cage!
Bao Xiaohuai didn't sleep well last night, so he jumped up early this morning and ran to Shuixian's door, hands on his hips, and started cursing at her.
Her words were extremely obscene. The three years she spent in the cold palace had stripped away her dignity, leaving only her already filthy core.
The commotion caused by Bao Xiaohuai alarmed everyone in the Cold Palace.
The commotion gradually rose from various rooms:
Some were shouting insults at Bao Xiaohuai with their windows open, while others were insane women who had lost their minds and didn't even know their own identities, running out to dance amidst the insults.
Bao Xiaohuai became increasingly agitated as he cursed, even banging on the broken door of the narcissus house.
"Open the door! You've got the guts to steal but not the guts to open the door? I'll tear your face to shreds today!"
Just as she was cursing until her throat was dry and was about to have two tall palace maids behind her forcefully break down the door, the broken door creaked open from the inside.
Narcissus stood inside the door, wearing a plain cotton coat and her hair simply tied up.
Her gaze was cold and condescending as she silently watched Bao Xiaohuai, who looked like a madwoman, outside the door.
She said nothing, but the cold sarcasm in her eyes made Bao Xiaohuai's curse stuck in her throat.
Seeing that Bao Xiaohuai had finally quieted down, Shuixian finally spoke.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it could penetrate the cold winter air and reach outside the Cold Palace.
"Have you finished cursing?"
Her tone was flat, carrying a sense of weariness at the thought of dealing with the situation any further.
"Did Consort Li send you?"
Upon hearing the name Consort Li, Bao Xiaohuai's pupils constricted sharply.
She instinctively wanted to deny it: "You...you're talking nonsense! What Consort Li! I..."
Narcissus scoffed, interrupting her bluster.
"You've been working so hard as her dog to bite people, what did she promise you in return? Was it gold and silver? Or... a promise of a chance to leave this cold palace in the future?"
Bao Xiaohuai seemed to have been struck by her own thoughts and immediately fell silent.
Seeing her reaction, Narcissus's sarcasm deepened: "Fool."
"You actually believed Consort Li's promise? You're utterly...foolish!"
Seeing the narcissus's sarcastic remarks, Bao Xiaohuai instinctively didn't want to lose.
"What do you know, you bitch!"
Bao Xiaohuai retorted, "That's all between me and Consort Li. Who are you to interfere!"
She was always outwardly strong but inwardly weak, and the more guilty she felt at this moment, the louder she spoke.
Narcissus glanced at the direction of the Cold Palace entrance. There were always patrolling guards outside the gate, and it just so happened that her residence was not far from the entrance.
Shui Xian knew that both her words and Bao Xiaohuai's words had reached outside the Cold Palace.
She glanced at Bao Xiaohuai, who was clearly furious, and casually raised the stakes.
"To negotiate with a tiger for its skin, you really aren't afraid of using it once and then discarding it, or even..."
Shui Xian slowly descended the steps and walked to Bao Xiaohuai's side, who looked terrified.
In a voice only the two of them could hear, she slowly uttered four words: "...murder to silence them."
They were very close, and Shui Xian could see Bao Xiaohuai's face suddenly turn deathly pale.
Seeing that the desired effect had been achieved, Shui Xian took a few steps back, distancing herself from Bao Xiaohuai.
“I have dealt with Consort Li far more than you have. If you don’t believe me, I have no other choice.”
After saying this, Narcissus turned around without looking back and went back to her palace, closing the palace door behind her.
Just as she closed the door, she noticed that the door to the opposite room had opened at some point, and an elderly woman was standing in the doorway looking at her.
The old woman was very old, well into her eighties, and her cloudy eyes looked over like a still, deep well.
Narcissus quietly closed the door, blocking the other person's view.
——
Not long after, in Zhaoyang Palace.
Consort Li received a report from her confidante. When she heard Bao Xiaohuai standing in the courtyard of the Cold Palace, admitting with a bright and charming voice that they had a close relationship, Consort Li almost vomited blood.
"idiot!"
She'd seen stupid people before, but never anyone this stupid!
A trusted palace maid stood guard beside Consort Li, watching her expression, and cautiously asked, "Bao Xiaohuai's maid also asked me... Your Highness, will you kill her to cover your tracks after the deed is done?"
Unlike Fangfei, who had served Consort Li from an early age, she couldn't figure out Consort Li's temperament and was always cautious in her words and actions.
"Useless! A piece of trash who's more likely to ruin everything than get anything done!"
Consort Li immediately threw the hand warmer in her hand. The hand warmer landed on the ground with a crisp sound, and the charcoal inside rolled out and dirtied the ground.
Her trusted confidant, who was standing beside her, was clearly not used to her temper and was so frightened by her that he trembled violently.
Consort Li noticed that a sharp glare swept over the palace maid.
"What? Do you have a problem with me?!"
The palace maid quickly replied, "No, this servant wouldn't dare."
As she spoke, she apologized to Consort Li, immediately kneeling down on both knees, looking extremely humble.
Consort Li became even angrier after seeing this.
This maid's outburst only made it seem as if she herself had a terrible temper!
Consort Li couldn't help but think of Fangfei; that servant Fangfei was much more useful...
This one... well, it'll do.
A flash of impatience crossed her face, and she said in a low, resentful voice, "Go ahead, you know what to do!"
The palace maid stood up cautiously, stealing glances at Consort Li's expression, a hint of hesitation flashing across her face.
"Your Majesty... what should we do?"
Consort Li has never liked to say those cruel words herself, because that would make her seem vicious.
"idiot!"
Enraged, she raised her hand and slapped the lowly maid across the face.
Consort Li slammed her fist on the table. "Do I have to spell everything out for you?! Of course, we need to get rid of that idiot in the Cold Palace. She knows too much and she's stupid. What's the point of keeping her around?!"
The maid covered her face, but dared not cause any trouble, and quickly agreed.
Consort Li said angrily, "Remember, clean it up thoroughly, make it look like an accident..."
Before she could finish speaking, Emperor Zhaoheng's deep voice suddenly came from the entrance of Zhaoyang Palace.
"What are you dealing with?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the figure in bright yellow stepped into the hall. He looked at Consort Li on the main seat with a cold glint in his eyes.
Consort Li was startled, realizing something was wrong, and quickly curtsied to pay her respects.
"Your Majesty...this concubine..."
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