Chapter 91 Her Grand Plan to Serve in the Emperor
In the days that followed, no matter how much Narcissus hinted, Emperor Zhaoheng remained unmoved.
More than three months have passed since she gave birth, and autumn is deepening, but Emperor Zhaoheng has not yet recovered from the fact that he almost lost her.
Shui Xian's plan to regain her position as a concubine was thwarted, but this only fueled her competitive spirit, making her even more proactive.
On this day, Emperor Zhaoheng stayed overnight at Yongle Palace.
On the previous occasions when he stayed overnight, Emperor Zhaoheng only accompanied her to sleep, and no matter how much Shuixian hinted, he did not make any intimate moves.
This time, after taking a bath, Narcissus specially changed into a light and thin nightgown that perfectly outlined her voluptuous curves.
Shui Xian deliberately lingered, only entering the inner room slowly after Emperor Zhaoheng had already lay down on his couch.
The inner room was dimly lit by candlelight, and only the two of them remained.
She pretended to be careless, and as she walked past Emperor Zhaoheng to the inside of the bed, she let out a soft cry and softly fell into his arms.
Narcissus, still warm and fragrant from her bath, looked up at him with just the right amount of panic in her watery eyes, her breath sweet as orchids.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me..."
Instead of getting up immediately, she used the position to press her body even closer together.
Emperor Zhaoheng's eyes darkened, and his hand unconsciously rested on her slender waist.
The thin nightgown couldn't cover much, and he could feel her warm and soft skin in his palm.
Emperor Zhaoheng couldn't help but gently stroke it.
"Aren't you getting up?"
He smiled slightly, his deep gaze sweeping over her, sensing the woman's subtle thoughts.
Shui Xian sat up slightly and noticed some subtle changes through the brocade quilt, which calmed her down a bit.
She lightly traced the fabric of his shirt with her fingertips, her voice carrying a seductive allure.
"It turns out that the Emperor was not entirely indifferent."
Her cool fingertips slipped inside the collar of his nightgown, and she said with a wronged expression:
"I thought you had completely forgotten me..."
Emperor Zhaoheng's Adam's apple bobbed violently, and his eyes instantly darkened.
He suddenly propped himself up with his other hand, while tightening his large hand covering Narcissus's waist.
Narcissus was gently pushed by his movement, and should have lost her balance, but he held her down with his hand around her waist.
The next moment, she felt the man's hot and urgent kiss, as if he wanted to release all the pent-up emotions of the past few months.
Narcissus was kissed until her body went limp and she was pressed deep into the brocade tent.
She put her arm around his broad shoulders, revealing herself to him without reservation.
However, just as the passion was at its peak inside the tent, and Narcissus, half-undressed and dazed, awaited further progress, the weight on her body suddenly lightened.
Emperor Zhaoheng, breathing heavily and sensually, rose and left.
Narcissus opened her eyes hazily, looking at him with lingering passion, thinking he was going to take off his clothes and get back into bed.
But what awaited her was a rather heavy brocade quilt that covered her completely from head to toe.
Emperor Zhaoheng's voice was terribly hoarse. He lifted the quilt, leaned down, and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Xian'er... just bear with it a little longer."
"Your body can't withstand this kind of strain. I... cannot take this risk."
Narcissus's heart full of beautiful expectations was instantly drenched!
The way she said that made her sound like an impatient, lustful glutton!
Annoyed, she yanked the quilt over, rolled over, and went to the innermost part of the bed, leaving Emperor Zhaoheng with only his tightly wrapped back.
Emperor Zhaoheng looked at the stubborn blanket, chuckled helplessly, and finally pulled her, blanket and all, into his arms through the blanket.
The man placed a tender kiss on the top of her head and whispered, "Sleep."
Despite her repeated setbacks in her plans to serve the emperor, Shui Xian was grateful for Emperor Zhaoheng's pity, but she also knew that such favor could not remain unfulfilled for long.
While relentlessly seducing the men who were constantly on the verge of exploding with impatience, she would often visit her daughter at Kunning Palace during her spare time.
Each time Shui Xian stepped into Kun Ning Palace, the Empress's care and gentleness would lessen her guard.
Seeing that Xiao Yuanzhao was well cared for in Kunning Palace and was chubby and full of energy, Shuixian felt a sense of gratitude towards the Empress.
If the Empress hadn't intervened in time to take over some of the power in the Imperial Household Department from Consort Li, who was formerly a Noble Consort, there would likely have been even more open and covert difficulties.
She made the right choice in entrusting her child to the Queen temporarily.
However, the still unseen epiphyllum remains like a thorn stuck in Narcissus's heart.
After much deliberation, she concluded that the prime suspect was still Consort Li, Ruan Huan.
Besides this vicious woman, who else would be so scheming to kill her?
Early winter has arrived in the blink of an eye.
As the cold wind rises, the flowers in the Imperial Garden have all fallen, leaving a desolate scene.
That afternoon, as usual, Narcissus came out of Kunning Palace.
She had just played with her daughter Yuanzhao for a while, and only left reluctantly after watching her being taken to nap by her wet nurse.
Shuixian wrapped her fox fur tightly around herself, took Yinzhu's hand, and walked slowly along the palace path covered with fallen leaves.
She had been some distance from Kunning Palace when she passed a small pond with a low house next to it called Tingyuxuan.
This place is a great spot to enjoy the lotus flowers and cool off in the summer, but now only withered lotus leaves and stalks remain in the pond, shivering in the cold wind.
As Narcissus approached Tingyuxuan, a familiar yet repulsive voice suddenly rang out.
"Your Highness, Consort Jin, please wait!"
Shui Xian's heart sank suddenly. She looked up and saw Prince Duan standing at the entrance of Tingyu Pavilion with a carefree smile on his face.
They're like a persistent ghost!
Narcissus's eyes instantly turned frosty; she just wanted to pretend she hadn't heard and leave.
"Your Majesty, please wait!"
Prince Duan strode forward, pointed to Tingyu Pavilion, and spoke with a tone that seemed quite matter-of-fact.
"Today, the Empress Dowager is enjoying the scenery at Tingyu Pavilion, and I am keeping her company."
"I just saw Your Highness passing by, and since Your Highness hasn't seen the Empress Dowager for a long time, I thought I'd go in to pay my respects and chat with the Empress Dowager to ease her boredom. The Empress Dowager will surely be happy to see Your Highness."
Narcissus looked in the direction he was pointing and indeed saw the Empress Dowager's entourage and palace maids standing by the Listening Rain Pavilion.
With Prince Duan present, she really didn't want to have any contact with him.
However, with the Empress Dowager present, it would be impolite for her, as a Noble Consort, to ignore her.
Seeing her hesitation, Prince Duan's lips curled into a barely perceptible smug smile. "Your Majesty, please. Don't keep the Empress Dowager waiting."
Narcissus could only suppress her disgust and, led by Prince Duan, entered Tingyu Pavilion.
Inside Tingyuxuan, the charcoal fire was burning brightly.
The Empress Dowager was holding the Crown Prince Cheng Ge'er in the main seat. Cheng Ge'er seemed a little sleepy, his little head nodding.
Prince Duan eagerly led Shui Xian forward: "Mother, you see, I just happened to meet Consort Jin outside, so I invited her in to pay her respects."
Shui Xian bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
The Empress Dowager raised her eyelids slightly, her gaze sweeping over the narcissus with a condescending scrutiny.
"Get up. Consort Jin is unusually free, even having time to stroll in the garden."
Shui Xian lowered her eyes and rose, respectfully replying, "Your Majesty, I just came from visiting Princess Yongning at Kunning Palace and was thinking of taking a shortcut back to the palace when I unexpectedly encountered His Highness Prince Duan here. Upon learning that the Empress Dowager was here, I came to pay my respects."
The Empress Dowager seemed more interested in Cheng Ge'er's drowsiness, gently patting him without responding to Shui Xian's words.
Seeing this, Shui Xian immediately seized the opportunity and said, "Your Majesty, it is inappropriate for a male to stay here now that His Highness Prince Duan is present. I have already paid my respects and it is not appropriate for me to linger. I will take my leave now."
She had already asked for help; she just wanted to leave this troublesome place immediately.
"Oh, Consort Jin, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"
Prince Duan immediately spoke up to stop him, his smile remaining unchanged.
"Although the scenery of Tingyu Pavilion is not as beautiful as in summer, it still has its own charm. Since Your Majesty rarely comes here, why don't you stay a little longer?"
The Empress Dowager seemed to be getting impatient with Cheng Ge'er in her arms. Upon hearing this, she glanced at Shui Xian with obvious disapproval.
“What Prince Duan said is true. Consort Jin, now that you are a consort, your status is noble, and you should act with more grace.”
"He is a prince, a gentleman who knows proper etiquette and upholds integrity."
When she mentioned her most beloved youngest son, the Empress Dowager's face became more lively.
"Even if the two of you were to stay here alone and talk, and someone saw you, no one would dare to suspect anything! Why be so coy and pretentious? It only makes you seem petty!"
These words were barbed and implied that she was deluding herself.
The Empress Dowager's disgust was written all over her face, but as her daughter-in-law, Shui Xian could not contradict her and could only sit by her side.
Soon after, Cheng Ge'er in the Empress Dowager's arms started to make a huge fuss, rubbing his eyes with his chubby little hands and crying loudly.
"Grandmother... Cheng-ge'er is sleepy! He wants to sleep!"
Despite being the heir apparent, Cheng-ge'er remained as ill-mannered as ever.
With the Empress Dowager's favoritism and protection, Cheng Ge'er has become increasingly arrogant!
"Oh dear, my darling, don't cry, don't cry!"
The Empress Dowager immediately hugged Cheng-ge'er tightly with heartache, forgetting all about Shui-xian, and repeatedly instructed the nanny beside her, "Quickly! Quickly take the young master to the inner room of the warm pavilion to settle him in! Be careful not to let him catch a cold!"
The nannies rushed forward and carefully took the crying Cheng-ge from the Empress Dowager's arms.
The Empress Dowager also got up, seemingly wanting to personally take care of her beloved grandson.
"Your Majesty, shall I accompany you to take a look?" Prince Duan immediately and attentively took the Empress Dowager's arm.
"No need. You stay here and keep Consort Jin company."
The Empress Dowager waved her hand impatiently, saying in a disregard for dissent, "Consort Jin, I'm going to see Cheng-ge'er. Please wait here for a moment; I have something I want to discuss with you."
After saying that, surrounded by maids and servants, she hurriedly walked towards the inner room of the warm pavilion without looking back.
Almost instantly, only Shui Xian and Prince Duan remained in the outer hall of Tingyu Pavilion!
Prince Duan, who had just maintained a respectable demeanor in front of the Empress Dowager, now revealed a sly smile.
He sat down next to Narcissus, then suddenly leaned forward towards her, took a deep breath, and a look of rapture appeared on his face.
"It smells so good... I wonder what kind of perfume the Imperial Concubine usually uses?"
As he spoke, he moved closer and reached out as if to touch Narcissus's cheek!
Shui Xian was shocked and furious. Just as she was about to get up and shout angrily, a cold, angry voice suddenly came from the door of Tingyuxuan.
"What are you saying, Prince Duan?!"
"I, too, would like to hear it!"
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