Chapter 318 As Long as Freedom
After returning from the Deer Garden, Emperor Zhaoheng clearly noticed the unusual state of Shui Xian's emotions.
He felt uneasy.
So the next day, he specially arranged a surprise.
"Xian'er, I'll take you somewhere."
After getting up in the morning, Emperor Zhaoheng did not leave the tent directly, but waited for her to get up, took her hand, and walked towards the depths of the hunting grounds.
After passing through a dense pine forest, the view suddenly opened up before us.
This is a cleared-out area, not very large.
Guards stood watch at a distance to ensure that no wild animals would venture in.
In the center of the open space stood several archery targets, and a simple shed was built at the edge, with soft couches and charcoal fire inside.
"This is……"
Narcissus paused, taken aback.
"I will teach you archery."
Emperor Zhaoheng's eyes shone with a youthful light as he took a bow from a guard.
That wasn't a hard bow used in the military, but a specially made light bow with a small body decorated with silver patterns.
Clearly, it was prepared for women.
He walked behind her and gently put his arms around her.
His arm went around her side and took her hand, placing it on the bowstring.
“Relax,” he whispered, his voice as gentle as if coaxing Yongning. “Aim at the bullseye…yes, just like that…”
His palm enveloped hers, guiding her to slowly draw the bowstring.
The sound of the taut bowstring was exceptionally clear in the silent snow.
Narcissus looked at the target in the distance, its bright red center standing out starkly against the snow.
"put."
The moment his voice faded, she released her grip.
The arrow left the bowstring and soared into the sky.
"Whoosh!"
The arrow tip grazed the edge of the target and then sank diagonally into the snow behind it.
Missed the bullseye.
But Emperor Zhaoheng laughed, his eyes wide with delight, even more so than if he himself had hit the bullseye: "Good! Xian'er, you have excellent skills!"
He released her, strode over, personally pulled out the arrow, carefully examined the tip, and then returned.
"To hit the target on the first try is already quite remarkable. When I was learning archery, my first arrow hit a tree directly."
Looking into the light in his eyes, Narcissus took the arrow and said softly, "It's because the Emperor taught you well."
Emperor Zhaoheng's smile deepened, and he wrapped his arms around her again: "Again! This time, I'll teach you how to aim!"
They spent the whole morning in this open space.
He taught her how to draw the bow, aim, and release the arrow, again and again.
She actually learned very quickly; she hit the target with her third arrow and was able to consistently hit the target with her fifth arrow.
But he seemed to enjoy it immensely, always finding various reasons to continue teaching her.
He adjusted his posture and corrected the angle, keeping her close to his arms the whole time.
Lunch was eaten in the shed.
The imperial chef sent over roasted venison.
They didn't bake it themselves; the cook baked it, sliced it thinly, and served it in a thermos.
The meat was roasted to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with an irresistible aroma.
Emperor Zhaoheng personally removed the bone, picked up the tenderest part with silver chopsticks, and brought it to her lips.
"Try it."
His eyes were full of anticipation. "I hunted this morning, it's very fresh."
Narcissus opened her mouth and ate it through Emperor Zhaoheng's hand.
The meat juices melted on the tip of the tongue, and it was indeed tender and delicious.
"Is it tasty?"
He asked.
She nodded.
Emperor Zhaoheng smiled, picked up another piece, and continued to feed her.
I didn't eat much myself; I spent most of the time watching her eat, occasionally wiping her mouth or handing her warm milk tea.
Outside the shed was a world of ice and snow, but inside it was warm and cozy.
The charcoal crackled, and the aroma of meat mingled with the fresh scent of pine, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
She should be content.
She knows.
But……
"Xian'er?"
Emperor Zhaoheng noticed that she was lost in thought and called her softly.
Narcissus snapped out of her daze and looked up at him.
Emperor Zhaoheng looked at her and suddenly said, "After the child is born and the weather warms up, I will take you to Jiangnan."
"No entourage, no disturbance to the local area, just the two of us."
"Like an ordinary couple, rent a painted boat and slowly sail along the canal. I've even planned the route. You can stop wherever you want and stay as long as you want."
He spoke earnestly, considering every single detail.
Narcissus listened quietly.
After a long silence, she asked softly:
"Your Majesty said you would take me to Jiangnan... Is this an incognito visit, or a royal southern tour?"
"His Majesty said he would take me to Jiangnan so we could travel and enjoy the scenery like an ordinary couple."
Emperor Zhaoheng smiled: "Yes, I promised you, and I will not go back on my word."
"But Your Majesty."
Narcissus slowly interrupted him, "We are not an ordinary couple."
Emperor Zhaoheng's smile faded slightly: "Xian'er..."
“Even if the emperor dresses in plain clothes and pretends to be a wealthy merchant, he will still have secret guards following him, and local officials will secretly greet him wherever he goes.”
Emperor Zhaoheng's expression changed; he didn't understand why Shui Xian had suddenly launched an attack.
Actually, Narcissus didn't know either. Perhaps it was because she was pregnant, or perhaps it was the accumulation of events over this period of time that finally erupted at this moment.
"Xian'er, what do you mean by this?"
His voice deepened, "I will do my best to give you the best..."
"I know."
Narcissus's voice was as soft as a sigh, "His Majesty has given me the honor of Empress... He has given me everything, except freedom."
She spoke the last two words very softly, yet they struck Emperor Zhaoheng's heart with tremendous force.
He stared at her as if he were meeting her for the first time.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse: "You want freedom? Where in this palace are you confined? I've even allowed you to participate in the women's academy..."
"But I still can't leave this imperial city!"
Narcissus raised her voice for the first time.
Her eyes welled up with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
"When I went to Jiangnan, it was Your Majesty who 'took' me there... Everything I did was 'permitted' by Your Majesty."
She took a deep breath, and tears finally streamed down her face.
"Your Majesty, I am like those deer in the deer park... No matter how large my range of movement is, I am still within the enclosure!"
"You're comparing yourself to a domesticated deer?!"
Emperor Zhaoheng was furious, his deep voice carrying a hint of coldness.
"Empress, don't you know how I treat you?!"
"I even canceled the imperial concubine selection for you, and I disbanded the six palaces for you. You are the only one in this harem!"
He gripped her shoulders, his eyes filled with surging pain and confusion.
"I've given you my heart, what more do you want from me!"
Narcissus looked up at him, her vision blurred by tears, but her eyes were coldly cruel.
"Your Majesty, I wish... that one day I could decide for myself where to go, who to see, and what to do."
Emperor Zhaoheng was startled.
He looked at her as if she were a stranger.
After a long silence, he finally spoke: "I am the Emperor!"
The tent was deathly silent.
The only sounds were the crackling of the charcoal fire and the heavy breathing of the two people.
Narcissus slowly knelt down.
Kneeling on the cold ground, bowing with the utmost respect, forehead touching the ground.
Then, she uttered the words that had lingered in her heart for a long time, but which she had never dared to say aloud.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you grant me permission to leave the palace after this child is born."
Emperor Zhaoheng took a step back.
As if struck hard by something invisible, he staggered backward and bumped into the table behind him.
The teacups on the table rattled, making a jarring clinking sound.
His eyes went from initial shock to anger... and finally, to a cold emptiness.
"……What did you say?"
The narcissus raised its head.
"I wish to leave the palace. I do not desire honor, I only wish for freedom."
Emperor Zhaoheng smiled.
He looked at her as if she were a joke:
"Narcissus, I've done so much for you... and you still want to leave?"
Narcissus closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face again. When she opened them again, she looked at him with a deathly clarity in her eyes.
"Your Majesty, I am like a canary in a cage. No matter how magnificent the cage or how exquisite the food... it cannot change the fact that it is a cage."
The smile on Emperor Zhaoheng's face gradually disappeared.
He looked at her for a long time.
Narcissus thought he would get angry and storm off like last time.
But he didn't.
He simply turned slowly around, his back to her, his voice eerily calm:
"well."
He said "good" twice, each word sounding as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.
"I understand."
After saying that, he strode outside.
Just as Narcissus was about to disappear from his sight, he stopped in his tracks without turning back:
"The Empress is unwell; she should rest well."
He paused, then added the last sentence:
"Tomorrow... return to the palace."
——
Emperor Zhaoheng did not spend the night at the temporary palace.
After he left, he went straight to the stable, led out his horse, mounted it, and rode off into the night without looking back.
When Feng Shunxiang arrived after hearing the news, he only saw the emperor's departing figure speeding through the snow and quickly disappearing into the dark mountains and forests.
He was terrified and quickly summoned his guards to give chase.
But Emperor Zhaoheng's horse was a fine steed chosen from thousands, and it was galloping at full speed in a fit of rage, so how could it catch up?
Feng Shunxiang led his men in a half-hour chase through the snowy night, but ultimately lost track of the emperor.
He knelt in the snow, tears streaming down his face, and could only pray for the emperor's safety.
Inside the tent, Narcissus remained kneeling on the ground.
With Yinzhu's help, she slowly got up.
My legs are numb from kneeling, and my lower abdomen is also a little uncomfortable.
I was too emotional just now, and it upset the baby.
Tears welled up without warning.
She knows.
She hurt him, she hurt him deeply.
But……
Narcissus raised her head and looked up at the cold, clear moon above.
But she doesn't regret it.
If she continues to stay in this lavish cage, she will go mad sooner or later.
Just like the deer in the deer park.
They appear docile and at ease, but deep within their eyes lies a deathly stillness.
She doesn't want to become like that.
Even if the price of leaving is unbearable for her, she must go.
——
The following day, news of the discord between the Emperor and Empress spread like wildfire throughout the hunting grounds.
Those powerful families who were intimidated by Emperor Zhaoheng's ruthless methods yesterday are starting to stir again.
Several noble ladies gathered in the warm chamber, lowering their voices, their tone full of secret delight:
"Have you heard? Last night, the Emperor rode back to the capital alone, leaving the Empress alone at the temporary palace!"
"It seems the Empress has truly fallen out of favor? Has our chance finally arrived?"
"Exactly, exactly. The Empress was pregnant and still managed to drive the Emperor away. She's clearly immature. Once the Emperor's novelty wears off, won't he just choose new concubines to enter the palace?"
As they talked, their eyes gleamed with greed, as if they could already see their future as concubines, enjoying the most favored position in the palace.
But in the post station just a wall away from them, the scene was quite different.
Several young women preparing to participate in this year's selection of female officials are packing their bags, ready to return to Beijing to prepare for the exam.
Hearing the discussion next door, one of the women in blue sneered.
"Still dreaming of becoming a concubine? Haven't you heard the news from the capital? This year, the number of positions for female officials has tripled, and girls' schools are being built all over the country. If you're so capable, go take the exam to become a female official and earn your own future. Isn't that better than scheming and fighting in the harem?"
Another woman in blue chimed in, her tone full of pride:
“My aunt is a female official in the Ministry of Revenue. When she came home last month, she said that women now have a second path to take, all thanks to the Empress’s new policies. If we pass the exam to become female officials, we will truly bring glory to our ancestors and honor to our family.”
Their voices were not loud, but clear and firm.
Like a clear stream, it flows quietly through this hunting ground.
On the carriage back to the palace, Narcissus sat alone.
Emperor Zhaoheng did not ride with her.
He returned to Beijing alone last night and is probably already in the Qianqing Palace.
The carriage jolted and bumped, with the wind howling outside.
Narcissus lifted the carriage curtain and looked out the window at the palace walls that were getting closer and closer.
The majestic nine-tiered palace gleamed with a cold light under the winter sun.
Like a lurking beast, with its gaping maw, waiting to swallow her whole again.
When will she finally have freedom?
True freedom...
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