Zhang Han'er is cunning and scheming, but Qi Zhenzhen is no pushover either. Faced with Zhang Han'er's provocations, she not only shows no fear but also always manages to outmaneuver her.
After all, she was a Noble Consort. No matter how good Zhang Han'er's family background was, or how high her father's official position was, he was still overshadowed by her rank. When they met, they still had to pay their respects to her.
Qi Zhenzhen was born into the Zhenbei Marquis's family. Her father was stationed on the border and commanded hundreds of thousands of troops. Therefore, she knew in her heart that becoming a Noble Consort was already the highest level, and she had no chance of becoming Empress.
Although she didn't know who this beautiful woman was, Qi Zhenzhen was happy as long as Zhang Han'er didn't get the position!
The news of the Empress's appointment shocked many people, but among them, Ji Ying'er was the most shocked.
When the news first arrived, the palace maids and eunuchs in Wutong Pavilion rushed to congratulate her, and only then did Ji Ying'er learn of the news.
When Shen Shi wanted to make herself empress, Ji Ying'er struggled to turn her head and glean the above information.
She found it unbelievable; could there be a mistake? With this in mind, Ji Ying'er hurriedly went to find Chen Shi to verify.
When Ji Ying'er arrived at Qingyang Palace, Shen Shi was reviewing memorials in the Imperial Study. When the guards at the door saw that it was Consort Ying, they quickly bowed and said, "His Majesty is busy inside. Please wait a moment while I go in to inform him."
"Thank you for your help, Guard Zhang," replied the maid beside Ji Ying'er.
Most of the guards who could serve in front of the emperor were wealthy young men of high status. These people loved to treat others differently based on their status. Seeing that Ji Ying'er was about to rise to prominence, he was extremely nice to her.
"Your Majesty, Consort Ying has arrived and is waiting outside."
Upon hearing that Ying'er had arrived, Chen Shi immediately raised his head from reviewing memorials. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and invite her in!"
"Yes." The guard was about to turn and leave when the Emperor spoke again: "From now on, whenever Consort Ying comes to see me, I will invite her in without reporting."
She could enter and leave the Emperor's study without even needing to announce her arrival—this was unprecedented, demonstrating just how important this beautiful lady, Ying, was to the Emperor.
After thinking it over, the guard secretly decided that he must not offend his master.
Ji Ying'er keenly noticed that when the guard came out to report, his attitude towards her became even more respectful.
"His Majesty is waiting inside, Your Highness, please go in quickly."
Ji Ying'er gestured to the palace maid beside her, who slipped him a purse, and then she walked toward the Imperial Study.
As soon as she entered the door, she saw Shen Shi's figure. "Why did the Emperor come out?" Ji Ying'er asked in confusion.
"Upon hearing the news of your arrival, I was so preoccupied that I couldn't even finish reviewing the memorials, so I rushed out to greet you," Shen Shi replied sincerely.
Upon hearing this, Ji Ying'er immediately smiled, "I never imagined Your Majesty missed me so much!"
As she spoke, she tugged at Chen Shi's sleeve with her slender, pale fingers.
Although the two had agreed to address each other by respectful titles in public, Shen Shi still felt uncomfortable hearing Ji Ying'er call him "Your Majesty" repeatedly.
He took Ji Ying'er's hand and walked into the study.
"It's chilly in autumn, why are you dressed so thinly without even a cloak? Did you catch a cold on the way here?" Shen Shi warmed Ji Ying'er's hand in his palm, his eyes filled with both reproach and heartache.
"Look at what you're saying, as if I'm a porcelain doll that can't be exposed to the slightest breeze. How am I so delicate?" Ji Ying'er held Chen Shi's fingertips, stopping him from rubbing his hands together.
“How can she not be a porcelain doll? In my heart, Ying’er is even more precious than a porcelain doll.” Shen Shi looked into her beautiful eyes, which held a sky full of stars and reflected his own image.
Their eyes met for some reason, and neither of them wanted to look away for even a moment, and the atmosphere became more intense.
Feeling the flutter in her heart, Ji Ying'er asked, "I... just now in the palace, I heard the news that you were waiting for me to become empress. Is... it true?"
It takes a lot of courage to ask this question. Becoming Shen Shi's wife is Ji Ying'er's dream. She was once very close to this dream, so close that she was just a step away from reaching it.
But fate had other plans. Her father's accusations left her an orphan with no one to rely on. Ji Ying'er was no longer the beloved Ji Ying'er, and becoming Shen Shi's wife became extremely difficult.
When Ji Ying'er married into the royal palace as a concubine, she had fantasized about how wonderful it would be if she were Shen Shi's wife.
Two years have passed since she married Shen Shi. She has watched the young boy grow into a king who reigns over the world. She has watched Shen Shi become more and more noble, but she has not yet become his wife. Even though she once thought she was just one step away, Ji Ying'er has never reached that point.
It can be said that becoming this man's wife has been her dream since she was a girl. Now that the news of Chen Shi's intention to make her empress has come, how could Ji Ying'er not be excited!
She stared nervously at Chen Shi, anxiously awaiting his answer.
Seeing Ji Ying'er so nervous, Shen Shi felt a pang of sorrow. He stretched out his long arm and pulled the person in front of him into his arms. Feeling Ji Ying'er's fragrance, Shen Shi suddenly felt ashamed.
"Good Ying'er, I'm sorry, this day should have come long ago. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long." Shen Shi hugged Ji Ying'er tightly, buried his head in the crook of her neck, and said in a muffled voice.
"There's nothing to apologize for. You have your difficulties, and I understand." Sensing the turbulent emotions surging within Shen Shi, Ji Ying'er immediately hugged him back and gently comforted him.
"Actually, titles and status are not that important. As long as two people who love each other can be together forever, that is more worthwhile than any title or status."
"The reason I want to be empress is not because I care about the empty title or the power behind it. I just want to be your wife."
"I want my name to be written in history books along with yours, so that future generations will know that we are husband and wife. I want to be with you forever. Can you understand my feelings?"
Ji Ying'er looked into Shen Shi's eyes and spoke touching words of love, one after another. Shen Shi's heart softened completely. He felt both heartache and pity for the person in front of him and simply didn't know what to do with her.
He had countless things he wanted to say, but facing Ji Ying'er's clear eyes, he could only say in the end, "I understand."
I understand your sincerity towards me, because I feel the same way about you.
Ji Ying'er stayed in the Imperial Study for a very long time, so long that the guards outside thought that the Emperor and Consort Ying were doing something indescribable.
In fact, Shen Shi was drawing a portrait of Ji Ying'er. As a learned emperor, this was just a small, insignificant skill among his many talents.
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