Chapter 41 The "Lucky Koi Fish for Pregnancy???"
Once Emperor Xuanpei issued his decree ordering Prince Rui to move the palace into his residence, the matter was settled.
No matter how reluctant Empress Wang was to part ways, and no matter how much trouble she had gone through these past few days, on an auspicious day in early autumn, Prince Rui still obediently went to bid farewell to Emperor Xuanpei and Empress Wang, and led his entourage out of the palace.
Empress Wang already felt sorry for Prince Rui, and when he didn't cause trouble, she felt even more sorry for him, so she always tried her best to make up for it in terms of material things.
When Prince Rui left the palace and entered his residence, he was accompanied by countless palace servants carrying chests and cabinets and carrying ceremonial guards, as well as the Imperial Guards on both sides. The grand procession escorted him all the way, which was quite impressive.
Such a grand spectacle even caught the eye of the young lady from the Lu family, who was sitting in her carriage upon arriving in the capital.
Seeing this, Sun Mama, who had come to greet her, smiled and said, "Fifth Miss has just arrived in the capital, and coincidentally, today is also an auspicious day for Prince Rui's residence to leave the palace and enter the residence. This is a good omen."
With her eyes lowered, Lu Wu replied softly, her expression slightly shy yet generous, "Thank you for your kind words, Mother Sun."
The sudden sight of a member of the imperial family, a prince or grandson, and the strange auspiciousness in it, was all because of Lu Wu's current status—she was a candidate for the imperial concubine selection.
Next year is the year of the general election, and the selection of candidates in the Yuan Dynasty usually takes place in the spring.
Fearing that the late spring cold snap in February or March of the following year would make the snow difficult to melt or that the roads would be snowy and difficult to travel in winter, which could ruin important matters, people with some connections would take advantage of the clear autumn weather to travel to the capital in advance to prepare.
As for Miss Lu, she had been staying in Jiangning Prefecture with Lord Lu, but she came to the capital early to participate in the imperial concubine selection. She is currently staying at her maternal grandfather's residence.
The carriage traveled all the way to the Wen residence, and then the passengers disembarked at the side gate. Several old women carried a sedan chair to welcome Miss Lu Wu into the residence.
*
In autumn, besides the Mid-Autumn Festival, there is another day that court officials and concubines look forward to the most – Emperor Xuanpei's birthday.
The emperor's birthday was called "Qianqiu Festival," and the court would take a three-day break while the whole country celebrated.
Even if the celebration was not grand, gifts from officials in various regions and from vassal states would be sent before the emperor's birthday.
Even though Emperor Xuanpei's birthday is still nearly half a month away, congratulatory gifts from other places have already been sent.
As for the gifts from the imperial concubines or princes, they would be presented on the day of Emperor Xuanpei's birthday banquet.
Usually, it was Eunuch Chen who checked these congratulatory gifts.
After being registered, they were put into the emperor's personal treasury.
Emperor Xuanpei would look at the list, and if there was anyone he liked, Eunuch Chen would select one and present it to the emperor.
This is the usual rule and procedure, but this year...
Emperor Xuanpei watched with great interest as Azhu walked back and forth among the various gift boxes, taking out different gifts to verify and register them.
"A pair of square vases with dragon and longevity motifs presented by Jiangning Prefecture."
Ah Zhu looked at the pair of four-sided bottles in his hands.
Besides the longevity character and meander pattern, the yellow-based blue-and-white dragon-patterned bottle also features beaded patterns, fragrant herbs, and dragon patterns... Holding it in your hand and admiring it, you can only feel its warm and delicate texture; it is truly extraordinary.
"A pair of Lingzhi offering jade ruyi and a pair of cloisonné enamel longevity bonsai for the immortals to celebrate longevity." Changzhou Prefecture respectfully presents: "A pair of Lingzhi offering jade ruyi and a pair of cloisonné enamel longevity bonsai for the immortals to celebrate longevity."
The warm autumn sun streamed through the window into the hall, its soft glow lingering around A-Zhu, making her hands, which held the jade ruyi, seem to glow.
Emperor Xuanpei did not pay much attention to the so-called congratulatory gifts below.
He simply watched as the beautiful women, even more dazzling than these treasures, moved among them, smiling frequently.
Emperor Xuanpei waved his hand, and Eunuch Chen stopped shouting, bowed slightly, and led the palace servants around him to retreat.
"Your Majesty..." Seeing Emperor Xuanpei get up and step down from his throne, Azhu was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly put the jade ruyi in her hand back into the box.
Emperor Xuanpei pressed down on Azhu's hand, took it in his palm and squeezed it, then asked with a smile, "Do you like it?"
Your Majesty, look at the question you asked... How is A-Zhu, who almost broke off relations with Mingxia over a few taels of silver, supposed to give a dignified answer?
She nodded shyly, then shook her head, grabbed Emperor Xuanpei's collar with her other hand, looked at him with affection in her watery almond eyes, and began to make grand promises.
“This servant is now serving the Emperor by His Majesty’s great favor. This servant is truly, truly of humble status… Next year, this servant will certainly prepare a proper birthday gift for His Majesty.”
Look how sweet those words sound.
Ah Zhu was beautiful in life, and her words were even more beautiful. She never hesitated to please Emperor Xuanpei.
Emperor Xuanpei couldn't help but pat Azhu's head and nodded with a smile, "Alright, I'll be waiting."
Alright, after coaxing Emperor Xuanpei again today, seeing that he was in a good mood, Azhu was about to ask when he would take her out of the palace for a stroll when she heard the emperor say, "Your birthday is on the third day of next month."
Strictly speaking, this is not Azhu's birthday.
The third day of the eighth lunar month is the birthday of the real sixth daughter of the Jiang family, but the difference of one or two years between the young girls is not noticeable.
Azhu's birth mother didn't want Azhu anymore.
Not only did he cruelly smash her head with his own hands, but he also forced her to impersonate another wealthy young lady and go to prison. After leaving the brothel, she was sent to the palace to serve as a slave for the rest of her life.
So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Ah Zhu only vaguely remembers that her birthday was in winter, but she has forgotten the exact date.
Upon hearing Emperor Xuanpei mention Jiang Liu's birthday, Azhu nodded and readily agreed.
She deserves it.
Having served as Jiang Zhu for so many years, she has a name and surname; she is a young lady from the Jiang family.
Seeing that A-Zhu was not in a good mood, Emperor Xuanpei simply reached out and picked her up, and led her into the inner palace.
"I have also prepared your birthday gift."
"...Thank you, Your Majesty."
"The sixth day of next month is a rare auspicious day according to the Imperial Astronomical Observatory. I have already ordered people to repair the palace, and you will be able to move to the new palace then."
A-Zhu didn't speak, but quietly nestled in Emperor Xuanpei's arms, her eyelashes trembling as if she was trying to hold back tears.
Her appearance, even without speaking, is more heart-wrenching than when she speaks, gently tugging at one's heart until it melts completely.
His tender feelings were all entwined with her at his fingertips, and his very being was captivated by her; he simply couldn't bear to part with her.
Emperor Xuanpei sighed inwardly, then kissed Azhu's hair in a comforting manner and said softly, "I specially renovated Guanju Palace for you."
"The main hall is reserved for you."
"You will receive the allowances due to your rank as a concubine, and you will temporarily reside in the side hall. After a while, I will find a way to move you to the main hall."
Originally, Ah Zhu was focused on playing the reluctant character, but after hearing Emperor Xuanpei's words, she was stunned.
She suddenly looked up at Emperor Xuanpei, her lips trembling, "Your Majesty... what did you just say?"
Looking at A-Zhu, whose face was still wet with tears, Emperor Xuanpei reached out and wiped away her tears, patiently repeating the process again.
"On the sixth day of next month, I will inform the six palaces and issue an edict to confer upon you the title of Consort, and you will enter the Guanju Palace."
A-Zhu and Consort Feng, one human and one ghost, secretly speculated about what rank Emperor Xuanpei would give her.
Of course, saying that she was a low-ranking maid or concubine of the ninth rank was just a joke. Ah Zhu tried her best to imagine the best position, which was at most a talented woman of the seventh rank.
But the rank of concubine... is a fourth-rank position.
It belongs to the very tail end of the high-ranking imperial concubine rank.
But no matter how low one's position is in this high echelon, it still wields almost all the power—if the Empress Dowager were still in Shou Kang Palace, she would be qualified to request an audience.
They were able to enter the Kunning Palace to pay their respects to the Empress every day.
They could have their own table at various royal banquets;
When traveling by carriage... If she gives birth to a child, and there is no Empress in charge of the palace, A-Zhu can raise the child on her own.
Overwhelmed with surprise, Ah Zhu was completely blank-minded and even a little dazed.
Even Ah Zhu, who was used to bad things happening to him, didn't believe it at first; instead, he was suspicious and afraid.
She feared that the emperor was playing a joke on her.
They were even more afraid that this was just a whim of the emperor, and that when others repeatedly advised and criticized her for being granted a high position, he would secretly harbor resentment and take it out on her.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this servant...this servant is a sinful slave..."
"I know."
Emperor Xuanpei slowly wiped away the tears that Ah Zhu had involuntarily fallen from her eyes.
"The decree that punished you by sending you to the palace as a slave was personally issued by me."
Emperor Xuanpei grasped Azhu's trembling, somewhat cold hand.
"Your former identity was given to you by the Jiang family; it was something you were born with."
"Later, it was the late Emperor who decided it... But from now on, your status is only given to you by me."
Emperor Xuanpei stared intently at Jiang Zhu, his expression unexpectedly gentle.
"A-Zhu, do you understand what I'm giving you?"
“A-Zhu knows.”
“A-Zhu understands.”
With tears welling up in her eyes, A-Zhu nodded repeatedly.
She threw herself into the emperor's arms, sobbing as she kissed his cheeks, his nose, his chin... a chaotic flurry of kisses.
“A-Zhu is His Majesty’s.”
"The Emperor decreed that A-Zhu be brought back to the palace from the music academy, and A-Zhu is now the Emperor's person."
"It was true before, it will be true in the future, it always has been."
Ah Zhu truly tasted the sweetness brought by the emperor's power.
No wonder so many opportunists meet tragic ends and die badly, repeatedly risking their lives to become sycophantic and treacherous officials who are condemned and criticized behind their backs.
But at this moment, amidst his excitement, A-Zhu felt an even deeper fear of Emperor Xuanpei.
That blurry shadow sitting on the throne could truly grant a life with a single word, or decide a death with a single word.
If you don't like it, you just don't like it. There's no way to force someone to like it. A-Zhu was even afraid that one day he wouldn't be able to fool Emperor Xuanpei anymore.
It seems like a good thing that we were able to leave Hanyuan Hall early and hide in other palaces for a while.
*
A damp towel was gently placed on her face, and Emperor Xuanpei patiently wiped Azhu's face, which was covered in tears.
Emperor Xuanpei liked order and disliked anything messy or disorderly.
But Ah Zhu, ever since we met, she's been a mess and unruly person.
She crawled around on her knees outside the Imperial Garden, her hairpins were crooked when she served tea at Kunning Palace, she was soaked to the bone in the rain, and her clothes were disheveled when she snuggled close to him. At night on the bed, it was even more of a mess.
It's amazing that Emperor Xuanpei never once felt annoyed and thought of "out of sight, out of mind."
At this moment, Emperor Xuanpei even specially ordered Eunuch Chen to fetch a pair of hibiscus tourmaline hairpins, and personally reached out and inserted them into Azhu's temples on both sides.
After putting on her hairpin, A-Zhu swayed back and forth in front of the bronze mirror with the grape and ruyi pattern, then reached out and touched it with satisfaction, laughing.
"It's so beautiful."
Seeing that A-Zhu turned his head and looked at him expectantly, Emperor Xuanpei smiled and nodded.
After A-Zhu left the bronze mirror with satisfaction, Emperor Xuanpei instructed A-Zhu: "Now that it's getting cool, I've had Chen Delu change the thin summer blanket in your palace for you."
"You should rest early in Chonghua Palace tonight. I will take you out of the palace tomorrow."
Leave the palace!
Ah Zhu's eyes lit up immediately.
She had been waiting for several days and thought the emperor had forgotten.
No, no, she had to hurry and check on the emperor's movements. After all, she was a fourth-rank concubine, two ranks higher than a sixth-rank head lady-in-waiting!
Ah Zhu thought seriously that from now on she would be the emperor's "loyal servant"... By the way, who was the last person who made Ah Zhu swear allegiance and become a "loyal and brainless fan"?
Oh, it's that kind and respectable Empress who's still angry to this day.
"Your Majesty." A-Zhu grabbed Emperor Xuanpei's sleeve, looked up at him, and said shyly and hesitantly, "This servant... will this servant have to sleep alone in Chonghua Palace tonight?"
A-Zhu said softly, "This servant is afraid."
When you say you're scared, Ah Zhu, could you please stop smiling like that?
Emperor Xuanpei shook his head and reached down to press down on Azhu's lips, which were about to droop uncontrollably.
"Fear should make the corners of your mouth turn downwards. Press down firmly in the direction I'm pointing. Try it again?"
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't suppress the upturned corners of my mouth.
Ah Zhu successfully broke the spell.
She giggled and threw herself into Emperor Xuanpei's arms.
"His Majesty is still here, what do I have to be afraid of?"
A-Zhu rested her chin on Emperor Xuanpei's firm belly, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at him.
"As long as I see you, I am not afraid of anything."
Even before she had left, Emperor Xuanpei was already reluctant to let her go to Guanju Palace.
He stroked A-Zhu's head, looked down at her, and asked with a smile, "Then stay in Hanyuan Palace and accompany me for the rest of your life, okay?"
Let's forget about it then.
A-Zhu blinked and said softly, "I haven't even been inside the Guanju Palace that His Majesty bestowed upon me."
"Your Majesty, my skills are getting better and better."
"It will be even better in the future. How about you come to Guanju Palace to try it sometime?"
Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu and remained silent for a moment.
Ah Zhu tugged at Emperor Xuanpei's sleeve and started sticking to him, until Emperor Xuanpei finally smiled and tapped Ah Zhu's nose.
*
Seeing that Emperor Xuanpei had gone to the front hall to handle state affairs again, Azhu returned to Chonghua Hall.
Upon returning, she couldn't wait to share the good news of her promotion with Consort Feng.
Stingy, stingy, stingy... These two words were stuck on Emperor Xuanpei's mind over and over again, and it had almost become a fixed impression.
Upon hearing the title bestowed upon A-Zhu, Consort Feng was astonished.
"How generous of you!"
“You’ll start as a concubine. If you have children in the future, won’t you rise to the top in one step?”
"Your Highness, Imperial Concubine."
Ah Zhu excitedly rubbed the blanket, rolled around, and stuck out two fingers.
"Two whole ranks higher than the head lady-in-chief!"
Consort Feng laughed, wondering what kind of magic this head lady-in-chief possessed that made Ah Zhu so unforgettable.
After spending a lot of time with A-Zhu, Consort Feng would gently praise her, as if coaxing her, "Yes, A-Zhu is really amazing."
Hey, when Consort Feng praised him, even the usually shameless A-Zhu rubbed his face a little embarrassed.
After the jokes, Consort Feng got down to business with Ah Zhu.
"While you are still in Hanyuan Palace, before you leave and move into Guanju Palace, you should test Empress Wang's attitude."
"Now we're not afraid of her using underhanded tactics, we're just afraid she'll take you down and deal with you the moment she sees you, no matter what."
"By then, you'll be dead. What can the emperor do to her?"
The women in the palace were very patient.
As long as A-Zhu isn't beaten to death in the first round, once he gains power, it will naturally become a proper confrontation, just like between Empress Wang and Consort Zhang.
"That makes sense... I have to give it a try."
*
After dinner, A-Zhu was still pondering this matter in Chonghua Palace, while Emperor Xuanpei remained in Jinghe Palace.
Consort Sheng is the principal consort of Jinghe Palace.
The second princess was born to Consort Lin, who lived in a side hall of Jinghe Palace. She was nominally raised by Consort Sheng, and is now engaged to the third son of the Sheng family, Consort Sheng's maternal family.
The fifth princess, born to Consort Sheng, was only seven years old and lived in a side room.
Consort Sheng came from a scholarly family and was proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Sometimes she would play chess or play music with Emperor Xuanpei.
This sounds like a refined and sophisticated taste, far more sophisticated than that clingy, spoiled brat Ah Zhu who's always acting cute and rubbing against people.
Emperor Xuanpei visited the two princesses, chatted with Consort Sheng about the second princess's marriage, and also mentioned the health of Old Master Sheng. Consort Sheng even rose to express her gratitude for Emperor Xuanpei's repeated dispatch of imperial physicians.
Seeing that it was still early, Consort Sheng took out the chess manual and rare endgame puzzles that she had prepared in advance, and spent the time with Emperor Xuanpei.
"Thud—"
"Thud—"
The chess pieces were placed one after another.
As is customary, a small incense burner with a three-legged mythical beast design is placed beside the chessboard, with wisps of smoke carrying fragrance as they meander upwards.
Emperor Xuanpei, smelling the fragrance, felt that it was somewhat familiar... Yes, it was somewhat similar to the fragrance in Chonghua Palace.
Because she followed Emperor Xuanpei's rites and had her food, clothing and daily necessities taken care of by the emperor, Azhu rarely wanted anything. The only thing she asked the emperor for was the finest agarwood, and how could Emperor Xuanpei refuse?
With a wave of his hand, the Imperial Household Supervisor hurriedly presented it.
"Your Majesty."
Emperor Xuanpei came to his senses and saw Consort Sheng smiling at him.
"Your Majesty's hesitation suggests that I may have suddenly gained insight into chess and my skills have improved?"
Emperor Xuanpei glanced down at the chessboard and placed the chess piece he was holding onto it.
"You are quick-witted and intelligent; there are very few people in the palace whose chess skills can surpass yours."
The game of chess ended quickly.
Hearing the night wind rising outside, Consort Sheng was about to ask Emperor Xuanpei if he wanted to retire for the night when she saw him suddenly get up.
"I just remembered that there are foreign envoys who will be visiting in a few days. You should get some rest."
"......yes."
Consort Sheng opened her mouth, but could not say anything else. In the end, she could only lead her entourage to pay their respects to Emperor Xuanpei, who was boarding the imperial carriage.
"Respectfully seeing off His Majesty."
After Emperor Xuanpei left, Eunuch Chen arrived shortly afterward, carrying a pile of rewards, which he said were for Consort Sheng and the princess.
After Consort Sheng expressed her gratitude once again, the chief eunuch of Jinghe Palace escorted Eunuch Chen out.
"Your Majesty," Qiu Lan helped Consort Sheng sit up on the couch, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty has important matters of state to attend to."
Upon hearing this, Consort Sheng smiled with a hint of self-deprecation and said, "Even if it's not about court affairs, what can I say if His Majesty wants to leave?"
Turning her head to look in the direction of Hanyuan Hall, Consort Sheng shook her head.
"No wonder the Empress is keeping quiet and insisting on letting people come out first."
To put it bluntly, Hanyuan Hall was Emperor Xuanpei's own residence.
Spying on the emperor's whereabouts, openly probing for information about those in the imperial court, is a serious crime.
Ah Zhu hid in Hanyuan Hall and tried her best to move around, but her hand couldn't reach in at all. Emperor Xuanpei only talked about state affairs, as if he wanted to stay in Hanyuan Hall forever.
With the Empress Dowager not in the palace, there isn't even anyone in the palace who can talk to Emperor Xuanpei right now.
Empress Wang clearly realized that things couldn't continue like this, so she endured it and waited for A-Zhu to come out.
*
The next morning, Ah Zhu woke up to a familiar body beside her. She sat up instinctively, but was pushed back down.
Even Ah Zhu, who was familiar with the process, felt a little disoriented.
Climbing into bed too often can have side effects. Last night... she probably, maybe, likely slept alone, right?
"It's still early; the Wang family's gates aren't even open yet."
"It's not open yet, let's go later."
"The Wang family?"
Emperor Xuanpei grunted in acknowledgment.
"The Empress's maternal clan."
"Everyone says that place is a thousand-gold wall, a ten-thousand-gold garden, a brocade mountain, a white jade hall... and that's only what outsiders can see. These aristocratic families have a lot of good things. Today is the old man's birthday, so let's go and broaden our horizons."
A-Zhu simply nodded, slept for a while longer, and even had breakfast. Eunuch Chen then served Emperor Xuanpei a set of sky-blue casual clothes without any identification markings as he changed.
Just as A-Zhu was excitedly thinking about whether she should dress up as some kind of young gentleman, Emperor Xuanpei tapped her on the head.
"With your disguise as a young man, won't everyone see through you at a glance?"
Ah Zhu lowered her head listlessly.
"Then this servant will become a maid who serves His Majesty... and Master."
"If you become a maid, what if some纨绔子弟 (spoiled brat) forcibly takes you away? Where will I, your master, go to cry?"
Emperor Xuanpei smiled and patted Azhu's head.
"Go change your clothes."
In the end, A-Zhu, wearing a conical hat, boarded the carriage with Emperor Xuanpei.
Seeing Emperor Xuanpei beside her, Azhu resisted the urge to lift the curtain and look outside, maintaining the demeanor of a new bride and sitting properly.
After holding back for a while, she tugged at her sleeve and couldn't help but ask, "Your...Master, are you just going to go in like this?"
Emperor Xuanpei, who had been watching Ah Zhu with a smile, pointed to the Grand Commander riding a horse in front of him.
"Today, taking advantage of Commander Wei's name, let's go in and join the feast."
As we were talking, we were surprised to find that today, to celebrate Lord He Wang's birthday, the streets were bustling with activity, and even the main road was severely congested.
Emperor Xuanpei could only get off the carriage with Azhu and follow Commander Wei to the Prince's residence.
The presence of the Grand Commander was clearly sufficient, and the steward smiled as he invited them inside.
Today, in addition to the esteemed officials, there are also many female guests who have come to celebrate the birthday. After all, the matriarch of the Wang family loves a lively atmosphere and has specially set up a banquet in the back garden to entertain the young ladies from the inner chambers.
Sure enough, there was a respectable-looking mother standing on the other side of the housekeeper, receiving the name cards of the young ladies from various households.
As Azhu followed Emperor Xuanpei through the door, he happened to hear a gentle female voice.
"The Lu family of Songyang has come to pay their respects..."
"Beep—!"
[“Host Jiang Zhu has been detected. Her identity is that of a concubine awaiting selection. The Palace Intrigue Achievement System is in the process of binding. Once binding is complete, a newbie gift pack will be given to you.”]
"The palace is rife with intrigue and endless strife. My dear, are you still saddened by your lowly rank?"
Are you still worried about your lack of palace intrigue skills?
Are you still troubled by your failure in palace intrigue?
[Binding your account with the Palace Intrigue Assistance System now will grant you the most powerful weapon ever, the "Lucky Koi"—painless childbirth, two children in three years, eight children in ten years, leading you to the pinnacle of success!]
[“Buzz buzz buzz—The system has bound itself to host Jiang Zhu and has gifted a newbie gift pack: ‘Good pregnancy, pregnancy, pregnancy...? ? ? ?’”]
[“!!! Alert, alert! System binding detection has failed! A failure has occurred! Please check immediately, please check immediately, buzzing sound—”]
The monstrous thing that had tormented Ah Zhu for ten years finally began to speak clearly in human language.
Before Azhu could even react to what it had said, it felt like a red-hot iron had been plunged into her brain.
The clear voice quickly turned into a cacophony of noise again.
After battling this monster for ten years, Ah Zhu, who was almost evolving into a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle," had a deathly pale face under her cone-shaped hat. However, she gritted her teeth and kept quiet, swallowing the excruciating pain that was causing her a splitting headache.
She knew it!
Sooner or later, she'll get into trouble because of this piece of junk!
......
-----------------------
Author's Note: Okay, here we go, grab the system! Hehehe. A huge thank you to all my little darlings for your support, hugs to you all.
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