Chapter 311 Staying Overnight in the Imperial Study
"……What did you say?"
He spoke, his voice soft, yet carrying a chilling calm.
Narcissus met his gaze, her expression completely unmoved.
She even bowed slightly, performing half of a standard palace ceremony, her posture respectful, yet distant as if separated by thousands of miles.
"As the Empress, it is my duty to consider the imperial offspring."
She repeated herself, each word clear and distinct.
"Now that the harem is empty and I am pregnant, it is inconvenient for me to serve. In order to avoid criticism from the court and the public, and for the long-term benefit of the country, I humbly request Your Majesty to restart the imperial selection to ensure the continuation of the imperial line."
Every word was like a needle chilled to ice, piercing Emperor Zhaoheng's ears with fine, dense strokes.
He looked at her.
Looking at the face he saw day and night, looking at her submissive demeanor as she bowed slightly...
That submissiveness, however, felt like a knife, cutting deep into his heart.
Emperor Zhaoheng's hands, which were resting on his knees, slowly tightened.
The knuckles are white, and the veins are faintly visible.
But his expression remained calm.
Even the corners of her lips curved into a very faint smile.
That smile was devoid of warmth, like the cold light reflected off the ice in winter.
"The Empress is indeed virtuous."
He spoke, his voice calm and devoid of emotion, "You have considered everything so thoroughly for me."
Narcissus looked up at him.
Their eyes met.
In his eyes, she saw a bottomless, icy pool, where all emotions were frozen, leaving only a cold, calm surface.
But she knew him too well.
Beneath that calm lay a surging anger and an unbelievable pain.
But she did not back down.
She simply maintained that slightly bowed posture, her voice remaining steady: "This is my duty."
My duty.
What a fine job!
Emperor Zhaoheng suddenly chuckled softly.
The laughter was soft, yet it sent a chill down the spines of all the palace servants in the warm pavilion, causing them to bury their heads even lower.
"so……"
He slowly leaned back in his chair, his gaze still fixed on her face. "In the Empress's eyes, my dismissal of the harem is a declaration to the world that you are the only one for me in this life..."
"Is this all child's play?"
Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, were slightly curled up.
Looking into Emperor Zhaoheng's icy gaze and at the unsmiling outline of his handsome face, the chill in her heart sank even further.
Narcissus straightened up and sat upright again.
She met his gaze, her voice clear and calm: "Your Majesty's affection is deeply appreciated by your concubine."
"But the love of an emperor should extend to all people, not be confined to one person. Now that the harem is empty, there are already criticisms in the court and among the people. If this continues, it may shake the foundation of the country."
Emperor Zhaoheng looked at her for a long time.
Narcissus almost thought he would storm off or reprimand her harshly.
But he didn't.
He simply stood up slowly.
The tall figure cast a shadow in the candlelight, enveloping the daffodils.
He looked down at her, his gaze so deep it seemed he could see right through her.
"Good, good." He said "good" twice, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth. "The Empress is truly... thoughtful and considerate."
He turned away, no longer looking at her, and addressed the kneeling palace maids, trembling like leaves, speaking in a chillingly calm voice, word by word.
"Serve the Empress well!"
After saying that, he strode out of the warm pavilion.
With steady steps and an upright posture, he remained the emperor with natural majesty.
But as he passed the door, his steps paused almost imperceptibly for a moment.
Narcissus saw that the outline of his profile was taut in the candlelight, and his jawline was sharp as a knife.
But he didn't turn around.
He stepped out the door and his figure disappeared into the deep night outside.
——
Emperor Zhaoheng did not return to his bedchamber.
He went straight to the Imperial Study.
Feng Shunxiang followed behind him, not daring to breathe loudly.
He had served this master for nearly two or three decades and had never seen him like this before.
The surface is calm, but beneath that calm lies a terrifying frost.
It was as if something had been completely shattered in that warm room just now.
"Your Majesty, would you like to prepare a meal?"
Feng Shunxiang asked cautiously, "You haven't had dinner yet..."
"No need."
Emperor Zhaoheng sat down behind his desk and casually picked up a memorial. "I'm not hungry."
His voice was calm, revealing no emotion.
But Feng Shunxiang keenly sensed the undercurrents beneath the calm surface.
He secretly raised his eyes and glanced at the emperor behind the imperial desk.
In the candlelight, Emperor Zhaoheng lowered his eyes, intently looking at the memorial in his hands.
His profile remained handsome and sharp, but his tightly pursed lips and the white knuckles of his hand holding the memorial told a story that the emperor's mood was far from calm.
Feng Shunxiang sighed inwardly.
Throughout the entire palace, who doesn't know that the Emperor is truly devoted to the Empress?
Dismissing the harem, favoring only one person, and handing over the seal of the private treasury... which of these is not an unprecedented act of favor?
But today, the Empress actually took the initiative to propose a talent show.
This is simply... simply stabbing the Emperor in the heart!
Feng Shunxiang recalled the scene in the warm pavilion, the Empress's calm and expressionless face, and the Emperor's straight but stiff back as he left, and his heart tightened.
Having served the Emperor for so many years, he knew that although his master appeared calm and restrained, he was actually the most sentimental person at heart.
Once you've chosen someone, you'll be completely open and honest with them, allowing no room for ulterior motives.
But now...
"Your Majesty," Feng Shunxiang hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "It's late. Would you like to return to your bedchamber to rest? This servant will have the lamps lit in the Qianqing Palace bedchamber..."
"No need," Emperor Zhaoheng said without looking up. "I will be staying in the Imperial Study tonight."
Feng Shunxiang was taken aback.
Although the Imperial Study had a warm pavilion for the emperor to rest temporarily, the facilities were simple and far less comfortable than the imperial bedchamber.
Furthermore, since the Empress entered the palace, the Emperor has never spent the night in the Imperial Study. No matter how busy he is with state affairs, he will return to the Qianqing Palace.
Today is...
Feng Shunxiang secretly raised his eyes and glanced at the emperor behind the imperial desk.
The candlelight flickered, casting dappled shadows on Emperor Zhaoheng's face.
He remained focused on the memorial, but Feng Shunxiang felt that his gaze was not on the words at all.
The hand holding the memorial tightened its grip even more.
Feng Shunxiang sighed inwardly, said no more, and quietly withdrew, instructing the palace servants to prepare bedding for the warm chamber of the imperial study.
That's enough.
The Emperor is clearly angry with the Empress.
But this anger is probably intense.
——
Inside the warm pavilion, Narcissus remained seated in her original spot.
The dishes on the table had gone cold, and a thin layer of oil had condensed on the surface of the soup.
The plate of crab meat lion's head meatballs sat quietly in front of her, already cold.
When Yinzhu rushed over, this was the scene she saw.
The palace servants knelt on the ground, while the Empress stood alone, her back straight, her face pale, except for the striking red rouge on her lips.
"Your Majesty!"
"It's alright," she said softly, her voice a little hoarse.
Seeing that her face was pale, no matter what Shui Xian said, Yin Zhu hurriedly called for the imperial physician.
A rustling sound came from the warm pavilion. The palace servants lowered their heads and quickly finished preparing the evening meal, but no one dared to make a sound.
Narcissus watched them busy.
A sharp, throbbing pain was also throbbing in my chest.
She slowly raised her hand and touched her still flat stomach.
There, a life is being conceived.
It's her and his child.
And she had just pushed the child's father towards another woman.
No.
Narcissus closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She didn't push him to someone else.
She was protecting herself.
It's about planning for the future.
Emperor Zhaoheng treats her very well now, but only because she is young and can bear children.
But how long can this "good" last?
Three years? Five years? Ten years?
When she gets old, can no longer have children, and her beauty fades, will he, like the late emperor described by the old concubine in the cold palace, turn around and favor a younger, more fertile concubine?
At that time, how will she, the aging empress, conduct herself?
So, why not take advantage of the present moment?
While she is still pregnant and while he is still willing to give her some dignity, he takes the initiative to propose a talent show, thus seizing the initiative.
She can personally select women who are gentle and easy to control.
If they enter the palace in the future, they will only be a few more decorations, which will both silence the court officials and not threaten her position.
As for whether Emperor Zhaoheng would favor them...
Narcissus's fingertips trembled slightly.
She didn't want to think about it too much.
All she knew was that in this deep palace, love was the most unreliable thing.
Only power, only offspring, and only her position as empress are real guarantees.
She had to find a safe way out for herself and her children.
"Your Majesty," Yinzhu's voice rang in your ears, filled with worry, "Imperial Physician Pei has arrived. Shall we have him examine your wrist?"
Narcissus opened her eyes.
The turbulent waves in his eyes had returned to calm.
She gave a soft "hmm" and extended her wrist.
Pei Jichuan stepped forward with his head down, took the pulse for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, your pulse is somewhat disordered, indicating liver qi stagnation and restlessness, which is not conducive to a safe pregnancy."
"I will prescribe a remedy to calm your mind and relieve your anxiety. Your Majesty must take it on time, and... please do not get angry again."
Narcissus nodded slightly: "Thank you for your trouble, Physician Pei."
Pei Jichuan hesitated for a moment, then stopped talking and went to write the prescription.
Yinzhu stood to the side, her eyes slightly red, and whispered, "Your Majesty, why are you doing this to yourself..."
Narcissus looked at her and gently shook her head.
Yinzhu fell silent, but tears eventually streamed down her face.
She knew that the Empress was suffering.
But the Empress never complained about this suffering.
She simply kept everything buried in her heart, completely concealing herself with that calm and composed mask.
But if you wear a mask for too long, will you forget what your face actually looks like?
——
In the imperial study, the candles burned until midnight.
Emperor Zhaoheng finally put down his vermilion brush.
He had already reviewed most of the memorials piled up on his desk, but the knot of resentment in his heart had not dissipated in the slightest.
He got up and walked to the window.
I pushed open the window, and a cold wind rushed in, causing the candlelight on the desk to flicker violently.
The night was deep, and the outline of the Qianqing Palace was faintly visible in the distance under the moonlight. A faint light shone from the windows of the sleeping quarters…
...She's still awake?
Emperor Zhaoheng stared at that point of light for a long time.
In the depths of his eyes, which seemed to plunge into an icy pool, lay a regret that defied description.
He was so angry that he forgot to explain.
Ana has been taking care of his health lately; she must have misunderstood something...
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