Chapter 134 Xian'er, I've always missed you too.
Feng Shunxiang stayed behind to find someone to escort Consort Yao... Now it is Noble Lady Yao who has returned to Yichang Palace.
Knowing that Feng Shunxiang held considerable influence by the Emperor's side, Yi Shuyao said with tears in her eyes, "Eunuch Feng, the Emperor must have misunderstood something... Could you please advise if there is any way to salvage today's situation?"
Before she could finish speaking, Feng Shunxiang shook his head and sighed, "My esteemed guest, our family is of little influence and has no say in this matter."
Having spent so many years in the palace, Feng Shunxiang naturally knew why Yi Shuyao, a concubine, dared to defy Consort Jin.
Consort Jin, after all, came from the Yi family. As her former mistress, Yi Shuyao easily looked down on Shui Xian.
Now that Consort Jin is under house arrest, many people believe that she will be deposed, just like Ruan Huan before her, who was formerly Consort Li.
However.
Feng Shunxiang, who served the Emperor every day, knew that Consort Jin was a far cry from falling out of favor.
Take the recent example: last night, Emperor Zhaoheng returned from Lihe Palace, and he clearly did not stay overnight.
Feng Shunxiang was unaware of the situation inside the room, but he knew Emperor Zhaoheng well. Judging from Emperor Zhaoheng's expression, he knew that the two masters had not yet fully discussed the matter.
Otherwise, the Emperor would have certainly lifted Consort Jin's confinement that very night and allowed her to stay overnight at Lihe Palace.
During this period, Consort Jin repeatedly refuted the Emperor's wishes, but the Emperor was not angry at all; instead, he always thought of the Consort Jin.
Last night in the Qianqing Palace, Feng Shunxiang was serving Emperor Zhaoheng as he washed up when Emperor Zhaoheng suddenly said something.
"Although she insisted on being confined to her quarters, she had just started bleeding, and it wouldn't do for her to stay at the Lihe Palace all the time."
What do you think?
He said...?
What could a rootless old eunuch say?
Feng Shunxiang still remembers replying, "How about we invite a renowned physician from outside the palace to come and take a look?"
"That's natural."
Emperor Zhaoheng pondered for a moment, “Feng Shunxiang, go to Lihe Palace early tomorrow morning to announce the decree. Say that although she is confined to Lihe Palace, in order to strengthen her body... no, say that for the sake of the imperial heir, she should go to the Imperial Garden for a stroll after lunch.”
Feng Shunxiang: ? ? ?
Having served in the palace for so long, this was the first time he had ever heard of the "confinement" that allowed people to go out for a walk every day.
Isn't this clearly telling the world that it wasn't the Emperor who wanted Consort Jin confined to her quarters, but rather Consort Jin herself who requested the confinement?
Following the imperial edict, Feng Shunxiang went to deliver it the next day.
After lunch, Emperor Zhaoheng sat in the Imperial Study for a while, with memorials on the table in front of him, and Feng Shunxiang grinding ink for him.
This was Emperor Zhaoheng's unwavering routine. If there was nothing else to do, he would stay in the Imperial Study after lunch and continue to handle government affairs until dinner time, completely focused on his work.
Today, Feng Shunxiang was serving Emperor Zhaoheng his writing materials when he suddenly saw the emperor raise his head from his busy political affairs and look at the sunlight streaming into the palace from a distance.
He said, "The sun is shining."
Feng Shunxiang had served Emperor Zhaoheng with his writing materials since he was still a prince, and he had never seen Emperor Zhaoheng distracted by books and political documents.
Then he understood: the sunlight wasn't shining on the palace, but into the emperor's heart.
Feng Shunxiang put down the ink stick in his hand, bowed and asked, "The red plum blossoms in the Imperial Garden are in full bloom. Would Your Majesty like to go and admire them?"
Consort Yao's voice pulled him out of his memories. Feng Shunxiang was momentarily stunned, and then met Consort Yao's puzzled gaze.
"Eunuch Feng, is His Majesty troubled by something today?"
Yi Shuyao still didn't believe that Emperor Zhaoheng punished her because of Shuixian, so she tried to find out from Feng Shunxiang.
She refused to believe that the emperor, a man of both virtue and appearance, would care about that lowly maid.
Feng Shunxiang, being a shrewd man, glanced at Yi Shuyao and instantly knew what she was thinking.
He gently shook his head. "My esteemed guest, let's go."
This Consort Yao can't even see this clearly, yet she dares to provoke Consort Jin. She's destined to be a mediocre person.
——
Emperor Zhaoheng took Shuixian's hand and escorted her back to Lihe Palace.
Throughout the journey, he frequently inquired about her health.
Shui Xian answered softly, but in her heart she was guessing what Emperor Zhaoheng was up to.
Last night, Emperor Zhaoheng took the Qilin (a mythical creature believed to grant children) from her inner chamber, so it won't be long enough for Pei Jichuan to test it.
Moreover, Shui Xian privately instructed Pei Jichuan to deliberately delay giving the results for a few days, so as to avoid arousing the emperor's suspicion that they had already prepared, thus adding to his doubts.
If he didn't come because of the Qilin that brings children, then what is he doing here?
With these questions in mind, Shui Xian and Emperor Zhaoheng walked side by side into Lihe Palace.
While Tinglu was leaning on her cane and directing the palace servants to clean the main hall while the Empress was in the Imperial Garden, she vaguely heard sounds coming from the courtyard.
She unconsciously turned around and saw her own empress... and Emperor Zhaoheng following beside her.
No, they were clearly walking side by side, so why did she use the word "following"?
Tinglu shook her head slightly, banishing the absurd thought from her mind, then picked up her cane and jogged down the steps.
She knelt before the palace to pay her respects.
"Smack."
It was the sound of her cane being placed on the blue brick ground in the yard.
This sound naturally caught Emperor Zhaoheng's attention again.
It was that little maidservant again, running around the palace with her cane. His gaze lingered on her for a long while.
Tinglu vaguely sensed the emperor's gaze, and she felt her hair stand on end.
Don't.
The Emperor must not take a liking to her. She only wants to rise through the ranks to become the head maid of a favored concubine, and does not want to ascend to the throne in one step!
Tinglu had subtly mentioned this matter to her mistress.
Just as Tinglu was extremely nervous, she heard Emperor Zhaoheng speak in a deep voice, "Your leg is not fully healed, so you don't need to come out to serve me. Go back and rest."
He didn't want Tinglu to continue lingering in front of Shuixian with the injuries related to the Shenxing Division, needlessly causing her distress.
But the maidservant suddenly exclaimed as if she had been granted a pardon, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"
She suddenly kowtowed to Emperor Zhaoheng and Shuixian, then grabbed her cane and crawled to the side, afraid of blocking their way.
After waiting for Emperor Zhaoheng and the Empress to enter the main hall, Tinglu hurriedly leaned on her cane and limped towards her room.
——
Seeing Tinglu flee in panic, Shuixian knew that the little girl really didn't want to be favored by Emperor Zhaoheng. At least for a while, she wouldn't need Shuixian's persuasion and could properly rest and recuperate in her room.
Although Shui Xian had never asked the palace maids nearby, she could sense their attitudes toward the emperor from the subtle details every time Emperor Zhaoheng came.
Shui Xian was not afraid of palace maids rising in rank; in fact, there were many palace maids in Lihe Palace who wanted to be favored by the emperor.
Perhaps they saw that Narcissus was also a maid, and felt that they also had a chance.
It's only natural for people to want to stand out from the crowd.
However, Narcissus did not punish them, nor did she make them serve her nearby.
Those around her must prioritize her interests in order to achieve a win-win situation.
If she harbors feelings for the Emperor, and her ideals clash with hers, she will naturally be hesitant and indecisive in her actions, which will cause her great trouble.
"Xian'er, why don't you sit down?"
Emperor Zhaoheng sat down on the soft couch, but when he turned around, he did not see the narcissus who had followed him.
Shuixian was standing by the window, her gaze fixed on Tinglu's hurried retreat into the side room. Sunlight streamed in from the window, making her skin appear even whiter.
Emperor Zhaoheng's heart skipped a beat; he was all too familiar with this scene.
Imperial concubines are always wary of their maids, since once they enter the imperial city, they are nominally the emperor's women.
If Emperor Zhaoheng wished, they had no right to refuse.
Previously, the concubines were not so suspicious, after all, Emperor Zhaoheng rarely favored palace women.
However, after the appearance of the narcissus, Emperor Zhaoheng heard Feng Shunxiang report many times that the concubines beat and scolded the palace servants in the following months.
"Xian'er, I just find her an eyesore..."
Before Emperor Zhaoheng could react, the explanation had already slipped out.
The man's brows furrowed slightly, his face darkening like the dark sky before nightfall.
Narcissus glanced at him and knew that his imperial ambitions were at play.
As expected, being a member of the royal family meant she was born with honors and privileges.
Narcissus would bet that he had never bowed his head to a woman.
However, it is precisely because of this that once he bows his head, he will never forget it.
"Your Majesty, I am worried about Tinglu's legs. The roads are slippery in winter, and I am afraid she will fall."
Narcissus seemed oblivious to the coldness in the man's eyes and stepped forward gently.
She dismissed Shu'er and the others from the main hall. Once only the two of them remained in the vast hall, Shui Xian personally poured Emperor Zhaoheng a cup of tea.
"This jujube honey rose tea is made by steeping jujubes and roses in fresh honey. Physician Pei said that I am pregnant now and should avoid drinking strong tea, so I came up with this method, and it is quite palatable."
The jujube honey flower tea is amber in color and has a faint rose fragrance.
Emperor Zhaoheng stared at her for a long while before picking up the teacup and drinking some.
The honey-sweet water carried the unique aroma of red dates. Emperor Zhaoheng did not like sweet things, and he intended to take a sip and put it down. However, when he looked up, he met the eager gaze of the narcissus, and was moved by the expectation in her eyes, so he took a few more sips.
Seeing that his teacup was empty, Shui Xian refilled it.
As she tilted, she suddenly said:
"Where did the Qilin ornament on my display shelf go?"
This question caught Emperor Zhaoheng off guard. Shui Xian replied softly, "I saw it yesterday morning, but it's gone this morning. Last night, only Your Majesty entered and left my room."
Emperor Zhaoheng caught the message in her words and raised an eyebrow slightly, "You admire those things on the shelf every day?"
His gaze held a hint of inquiry, and he asked the question casually, but the slight smile on his thin lips betrayed his true feelings.
The items displayed on the antique shelf, apart from the Qilin that brings children and the jeweled dagger, were all gifts bestowed upon him by the emperor.
She placed the items in the inner room and admired them every day...
Sure enough, Narcissus blushed slightly and said without looking at him, "Has Your Majesty never heard the saying... 'Seeing an object reminds one of a person'?"
Looking at her shy profile, Emperor Zhaoheng seemed to see a picture in his mind.
During this time, she was confined to the palace and harbored resentment towards him.
However, the heart cannot be moved at will, and he often plays with the things bestowed upon him by the emperor every day.
Emperor Zhaoheng's heart was soft, like the gentle ripples of a spring, with waves of affection welling up from the depths of his heart.
He reached out and grasped her hand; their body heat touched, and their hearts drew closer.
"Xian'er, I have always missed you too."
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