Chapter 16 I'm the One Who Indulges You
Jiang Shuyi knew nothing about what happened in Xianfu Palace.
She cried so hard this time that Pei Yan had to stop and comfort her.
He released his hand that was pressing on her wrist and pinched her face. His hoarse voice remained as gentle as ever: "Don't bite your lips. Tell me why you are crying."
Jiang Shuyi couldn't tell him that she was crying because she was sad because she remembered the last time he went to the battle in her previous life, so she just sobbed and begged him to hurry up.
The gilded animal head furnace emitted a curl of smoke. I don't know how long it has been...
Jiang Shuyi's cheeks were as rosy as if they were stained with rouge, with traces of tears still lingering on them. She leaned softly against Pei Yan's chest to calm her breath.
Pei Yan lowered his eyes and looked at her. After waiting for a while, he gently rubbed the back of her head and asked, "Do you still think I don't want you?"
Jiang Shuyi had just recovered when she heard this question. After being stunned for a moment, she finally understood why he suddenly wanted to favor her in broad daylight.
Does this count as coaxing her after questioning her?
Jiang Shuyi was relieved that she had gotten away with it, but she was also saddened by his cold words and half-hearted attempts to comfort her.
She gently rubbed Pei Yan's chest and said in a sad tone: "I don't feel it anymore, but it would be better if Your Majesty would stop being so cruel to me in the future."
Is that considered fierce?
Pei Yan felt that he had spoiled Jiang Shuyi too much, but with their skins touching and the warmth still lingering, it was not appropriate to teach her a lesson.
He just said helplessly: "I am just giving you a warning. If it was someone else who committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, I would not need to teach them a lesson in person. I would just punish them according to the law."
Jiang Shuyi really liked hearing Pei Yan say such words that showed favoritism towards her.
She stretched out her hand and hooked Pei Yan's neck. Her eyes, moist from crying, curved again and she looked at him with a smile: "That's different. They bullied the king and deserved death. I bullied my husband and only made a small mistake. How can we be punished with the same crime?"
Pei Yan paused slightly.
He never thought that he could make such a sophistry.
But Jiang Shuyi's eyes were as clear and bright as washed water, and just like the previous times, they were filled with unreserved and sincere dependence, as if he was the only one in her heart and eyes.
Pei Yan had no intention of delving into her words. After all, she was used to being unruly and knew her limits in important matters. But being looked at like this at the moment, he could not think of what to say for a moment.
He then continued to ask: "If you think so, wouldn't it be a minor offense for the concubines in the six palaces to deceive me?"
Unexpectedly, Jiang Shuyi shook her head firmly: "No, only I can regard Your Majesty as my husband. If others say so, it is a great rebellion and deserves death!"
Pei Yan couldn't help laughing.
"I indulge you."
He scolded with a smile, then laid Jiang Shuyi aside and wrapped her tightly in the quilt. Then he stood up, put on his outer robe, and rang the bell to call for water.
As an emperor, especially a wise and diligent ruler, one day is never enough.
This matter had already delayed him for quite some time, so after washing up, when he wanted to go back to the Qianqing Palace to handle government affairs, Jiang Shuyi could not keep him.
She respectfully saw the imperial carriage off in the corridor, watching the golden imperial procession shining in the midday sun gradually move away and disappear at the corner of the long street, without moving for a long time.
When Yuzhu turned her head, she saw her queen's lost face and felt a little surprised.
Obviously, I was always happy after being favored in the past, but what happened today?
She was about to ask with concern, but Jiang Shuyi suddenly asked her, "What day is today when the newcomer entered the palace?"
Yuzhu immediately replied, "It was only the second day."
"oh."
Jiang Shuyi's voice was muffled.
In other words, Pei Yan will summon Wen Yao to have sex tomorrow night.
In her previous life, Jiang Shuyi didn’t think it was a big deal, and was even annoyed that her sister was not the first one among the newlyweds to be favored.
But now, thinking that Pei Yan was going to favor other people and would not be as gentle and affectionate to that cousin as he was to me, I felt very uncomfortable.
Jiang Shuyi has never been the kind of person who hides away to be sad about the passing of time. When she is unhappy, she will find ways to make herself happy.
For example, in her previous life, she would get rid of those people who made her disgusted and anxious one by one. Now, since she was sad because Pei Yan was going to flip someone else's card, she would find a way to prevent him from doing so.
After returning to the bedroom, Jiang Shuyi asked Yuzhu to find the books she had put away after giving birth to Pei Yu.
Those were the books that Pei Yan had originally intended to teach her, from the introductory Thousand Character Classic and Jijiupian, to poetry and prose collections, and even the Four Books and Five Classics that scholars had studied hard, filling a large nanmu box.
When Jiang Shuyi was confused by her studies, she once suspected that Pei Yan wanted her to take the imperial examination.
But even if he really wanted to, he was not cut out for it. He had a headache understanding the words of the sages, and among the Four Books and Five Classics, the only one he could study was the Book of Songs.
Jiang Shuyi sat on the futon, looking down as she flipped through the books. There were some scattered vermilion comments on them, written by Pei Yan himself.
Although her original intention was not to remind her of someone when she saw the things, but when she touched the long-dried words, she still remembered Pei Yan's gentle explanation, and her confused heart gradually calmed down.
*
Everyone in the six palaces only heard about Concubine Jiang's demotion during the morning meeting the next day.
From noble lady to concubine, there is a beauty in between, which is a downgrade of two levels.
Jiang Wanqing's seat today moved three people down, from below Concubine Jin to directly next to Concubine Lin, with only Yun Da Ying sitting behind her.
She looked very bad, especially when she saw others looking at her in surprise.
Originally, Jiang Wanqing planned to not come today due to illness, but when the Queen heard about it, she actually sent the imperial physician over. The imperial physician was unable to diagnose the disease, so Jiang Wanqing was scolded by Suqin, who was beside the Queen, and had to come.
Thinking of this, resentment flashed in her eyes. The Queen had been so kind to her before, so why did she refuse to give her the slightest convenience when she saw that she was demoted?
She is just an old woman. Even her elder sister doesn't dare to offend her. Why is she showing off her power as the Empress Dowager?
Fortunately, this morning meeting was very quiet. Concubine Jiang was not there. Most of the concubines were horrified by the death of Qiu Da Ying yesterday, and few dared to say anything.
Soon, Queen Shen came out, and everyone knelt and saluted. After a long time, no one called her.
Concubine Wu frowned and looked up, and saw that the Queen's face was extremely cold.
"Everyone, kneel down before me!"
A sudden shout frightened all the concubines. When they came to their senses, they were afraid of the Empress's majesty and quickly changed from squatting to kneeling in confusion.
However, Concubine Wu was not afraid of the Queen.
She had the best family background. When she was in the East Palace, it was common for her to contradict the Queen, who was still the Crown Princess. It was only after Jiang Shuyi became favored that she gradually lost her power and had to make peace with the Queen. But asking her to bow down for no reason? That was impossible!
Concubine Wu did not kneel, and even stood up slowly, looking at the queen unhappily, with a fake smile: "Your Majesty, what kind of temper are you in?"
Queen Shen coldly ordered again: “Kneel down.”
Concubine Wu didn't listen at all and looked at her with a smile.
Queen Shen turned her head and said to her personal maid, "Suqin, go and slap her in the face for me."
The smile on Concubine Wu's face froze in an instant.
Is this old woman crazy?!
Although Queen Shen loved to nag with a stern face in the past, she had never hit a concubine in the palace. Therefore, when Concubine Wu saw Suqin approaching step by step without dodging, she thought that the queen was bluffing until she was slapped in the face.
Concubine Wu's eyes widened. The slap was not heavy, but the feeling of being humiliated in public made her face turn red in an instant, and her whole body began to tremble slightly.
Suqin stood in front of her and asked, "Is Concubine Wu still not kneeling?"
Concubine Wu no longer knew how to react. Her head was buzzing and she just wanted to rush forward and beat the slave girl to death. However, the slap made her a little timid and she dared not act as presumptuous as before.
It was Concubine Xue Shu who gently gave the way: "Your Highness, please kneel down quickly. The Queen must have something to say to me."
Only then did Concubine Wu clench her fists, grit her teeth and kneel down.
All the concubines were shocked by the Queen's behavior, only Jiang Wanqing was gloating. Concubine Wu was also embarrassed, so who would care about themselves?
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