Chapter 139 Empress
The inner hall of Kunning Palace.
As soon as the Empress finished speaking, the hall fell into an unbearable silence.
The Empress, supporting herself on the bed, sat up slightly, as if trying to see the expression on Emperor Zhaoheng's face through the dim light beside the bed.
However, Emperor Zhaoheng simply sat there quietly, his eyes as deep and cold as obsidian, so profound that they seemed not to stir up the slightest ripple.
After a long silence, Emperor Zhaoheng finally spoke, his voice low and calm, yet captivating all who heard it.
"The Empress is overthinking things while she is ill."
His eyes were deep and unreadable, revealing neither joy nor anger.
"We can discuss the management of the six palaces later when you are feeling better. Right now, your most important thing is to rest and recuperate."
Managing the six palaces is one thing, but making all the concubines in the harem perform the morning and evening greetings to the Noble Consort is another matter entirely.
This is almost equivalent to taking away a large portion of the Empress's power, which would normally be impossible.
Emperor Zhaoheng doted on Shuixian and was willing to give her honor and status, but deep down he always harbored reservations.
In a corner of Emperor Zhaoheng's heart, there was always a place that ordinary people could not reach.
That was the shadow of the late Emperor's Consort.
After the late Empress Yuan passed away, the late Imperial Noble Consort, though without the title of Empress, acted as Empress in practice, holding the same position and wielding immense power.
Even his mother had to bow and pay her respects to her. She stirred up chaos in the palace and the court, bewitching the emperor and abusing her power all day long. She was truly a bewitching concubine!
This was the chaotic scene he had witnessed during his youth, and he would never allow it to be repeated in his own harem!
Perhaps even he himself was not fully aware of how vigilant he was, and how deep his inner taboos were.
However, the ever-sensitive Empress clearly noticed the deep-seated apprehension in Emperor Zhaoheng's eyes.
The Empress appeared extremely weak, her body seemingly unable to straighten up, and she leaned weakly against Emperor Zhaoheng's arms.
However, a cold calculation flashed swiftly in Emperor Zhaoheng's unseen eyes.
She was well aware of Emperor Zhaoheng's concerns.
She wanted to take advantage of this concern to completely instill Emperor Zhaoheng's dislike for Narcissus!
Thus, a deeper sorrow settled over the Queen's already weak eyes. Though her breath was faint, she forced herself to continue, as if for the greater good:
"Your Majesty... I know very well that with my frail body, I'm afraid... I'm afraid I won't be able to serve Your Majesty for much longer."
The Empress looked sorrowful, and her gaze toward Emperor Zhaoheng was filled with reluctance.
"If that day ever comes... the emperor will always need an empress to rule the six palaces and stabilize the people's hearts."
"After much deliberation, I have found that Consort Jin has many children, is a meritorious official of the Great Qi, and is gentle and compliant in nature, and is becoming increasingly prudent in her dealings with others..."
At this crucial point, the Empress coughed softly again.
After a light cough, her voice slightly hoarse, she said, "She is indeed... truly an excellent candidate for Empress. Your Majesty, I implore you to consider this matter as soon as possible..."
She spoke such a long string of words as if she had exhausted all her strength, and as soon as she finished speaking, she coughed violently.
The sudden cough was hollow and loud, reminiscent of a broken bellows, making the Empress seem even more terminally ill.
Emperor Zhaoheng never expected that the Empress would suddenly bring up the selection of a successor, and what's more... she mentioned Shui Xian!
This was completely beyond his expectations and instantly touched upon the things he cared about most deeply.
Emperor Zhaoheng's gaze suddenly darkened. If it weren't for the Empress's illness, his voice would probably have been even colder.
"Empress!"
Emperor Zhaoheng pursed his thin lips, his voice low and resonant like an echo in an empty valley, "You're delirious from your illness. This matter is absurd; there's no need to mention it again!"
Upon hearing this, the Empress showed a look of self-pity.
Looking at the Empress's fragile appearance, as if she were about to perish at any moment, Emperor Zhaoheng finally softened his tone.
"With me by the Empress's side, I will surely protect her health and well-being. The Empress... will surely enjoy blessings for ten thousand years and share the vast land with me."
Upon hearing this, the Empress seemed greatly comforted, tears welling up again. Moved, she leaned on Emperor Zhaoheng's shoulder and choked out:
"I hope it can be as Your Majesty says... I wish to stay with Your Majesty for a few more years..."
Sensing the woman's dependence and vulnerability, Emperor Zhaoheng embraced her slender body.
The empress leaned against him, whispering about their past.
Emperor Zhaoheng rarely answered, but his occasional words already gave the Empress complete confidence.
The empress, whose face was pale from illness, seemed to regain some vitality as she spoke with him for a long time.
However, since she was still recovering from her illness, the Empress did not last long before falling asleep leaning against Emperor Zhaoheng.
A headache had tormented her all night, but now, even nestled in Emperor Zhaoheng's arms, a happy smile graced her lips.
However, her face was haggard, and the dark circles under her eyes betrayed the fact that her body was riddled with illness.
Emperor Zhaoheng did not linger in Kunning Palace. He woke the Empress and had her drink her medicine. Then, under the Empress's lingering gaze, he used state affairs as an excuse to get up and leave Kunning Palace.
On the way back, he refused the imperial carriage summoned by Feng Shunxiang and walked alone on the desolate palace road in the depths of winter.
The biting wind of the winter night blew, stirring his dark dragon-patterned robes. The towering palace walls cast shadows in the cold moonlight, and the overlapping shadows of the trees swayed with the sudden gust of wind, making a rustling sound.
Emperor Zhaoheng's shadow stretched long behind him, not overlapping with any other shadows. Although Feng Shunxiang and the others stood far behind due to etiquette, the emperor's loneliness was inexplicably highlighted at this moment.
On this cold night, Emperor Zhaoheng's heart was restless.
The Empress's recommendation of Shui Xian as the successor was like a pebble thrown into a lake; although he sternly rejected it, it inevitably stirred up ripples.
He was shocked to discover that, the instant he heard those words, what swept through his mind was not complete rejection, but a fleeting, extremely subtle wavering that he himself almost failed to detect…
This discovery startled Emperor Zhaoheng, and even stirred a deep sense of self-loathing within him.
Having a beautiful wife and concubines is every man's lifelong desire.
But a wife is a wife, and a concubine is a concubine. The hierarchy and ethical principles must never be confused!
This was a belief he had held since his youth when he witnessed the late emperor's concubine wreaking havoc in the palace, overstepping etiquette, and disrupting the lives of ordinary people. It was also a principle of the harem that he had strived to uphold since ascending the throne.
No matter how beautiful Narcissus is, how much she pleases him, or how fertile she is, she is still just a concubine!
How could he possibly have the idea that if the Empress were to pass away, it would be better to make Shui Xian the successor?!
This is utterly a rejection of his own principles and a contempt for his imperial beliefs!
The night wind blew by, icy and biting, but it was nothing compared to the chill in his heart.
He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the chaotic thoughts that shouldn't be there.
Looking up, the magnificent lights of the Qianqing Palace are right before your eyes, dazzling and symbolizing the supreme imperial power.
But the more dazzling something is, the more carefully it needs to be protected and the more rules must be followed in order to ensure its longevity.
Once the balance is lost and the order is disrupted, even the most dazzling light can collapse in an instant.
He stood before the cold white marble steps of the Qianqing Palace, the last trace of emotion in his eyes completely suppressed, replaced by an almost ruthless decisiveness.
Feng Shunxiang, who was standing to the side, took in all the changes in Emperor Zhaoheng's expression throughout the journey.
He had overheard the conversation between the emperor and empress in the inner palace while they were outside Kunning Palace.
He was an old man who had been by Emperor Zhaoheng's side since he was a prince. He had witnessed firsthand how Emperor Zhaoheng struggled to survive and carefully maneuvered under the shadow and oppression of the former imperial concubine who was the most favored concubine in the palace and held immense power in the court.
Those open and covert attacks, poisoning and assassination attempts were commonplace at that time, which aroused Emperor Zhaoheng's deep-seated hatred for the late imperial concubine!
Feng Shunxiang understood Emperor Zhaoheng's struggle at this moment, and he also understood the emperor's final choice, but in his heart, he couldn't help but feel a moment of regret for Consort Jin, who seemed to be enjoying the emperor's favor.
The position of Imperial Concubine may be the pinnacle she can climb; the next step... the Empress's throne beside the Emperor, is ultimately out of her reach.
——
A few days later, an imperial edict was issued throughout the palace.
The Empress is unwell and needs to rest for a long time. The affairs of the six palaces will be jointly managed by Consort Jin and Consort De.
The imperial decree sparked discussion among the concubines in the harem.
People speculated wildly, with various versions of the guesses emerging one after another.
What is the Emperor's intention in doing this?
Previously, Consort Jin held absolute power in the palace and was extremely influential. Now, Consort De, who has been low-key and almost forgotten for many years, has suddenly entered the palace to share power.
Does this mean that Consort Jin's favor with the emperor has wavered? Is the emperor intentionally suppressing Consort Jin?
Inside the Lihe Palace, even the usually composed Tinglu couldn't help but show a hint of anxiety on her face.
"Your Highness, what...what does His Majesty mean by this? Why did he suddenly order Your Highness to..."
Narcissus sat by the window, gently stroking her increasingly swollen belly, her expression unusually calm, as if the turmoil of the outside world had nothing to do with her.
As the days went by, her pregnancy became increasingly obvious. Even though it was the dead of winter and spring had not yet arrived, she always felt that fur coats were too hot and wore only light clothes in the palace all day.
Now she was dressed in a crimson satin nightgown, which added a touch of vibrancy against the backdrop of the shimmering white snow outside the window in the distance, making her skin look like jade and her beauty like a snow fairy.
Shuixian picked up the jujube flower tea that had been prepared beforehand and sipped it slowly, her eyelashes lowered, concealing the thoughts in her eyes.
Although she didn't know the truth, she had a vague guess in her heart.
That night, the Empress suffered a headache and insisted on taking the Emperor away from her side; she clearly had ulterior motives.
Since that day, although the Emperor often came to visit, he never stayed overnight again, and now he has issued such an edict that clearly carries the meaning of checks and balances.
It seems that the Empress must have said something in Kunning Palace that made Emperor Zhaoheng wary of her.
What's the rush?
Narcissus's voice was calm and composed, "Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles."
"Our rank hasn't changed, and the Emperor's favor hasn't diminished significantly. It's just that we have one more person to work with. What's the rush?"
She raised her eyes and looked out at the clear blue sky, her gaze distant and calm.
If only she knew what Emperor Zhaoheng was worried about.
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