Chapter 42 Jia Azhu: Go your way. Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon, Mommy, Mommy…
"A-Zhu?"
They had barely stepped through the gates of the Prince's residence and taken a few steps when they saw Ah Zhu suddenly stop. Emperor Xuanpei, who was standing beside her, also paused, then whispered, "What's wrong?"
Ah Zhu wanted to shake her head and say she was fine, but that elusive thing clearly hadn't let her go yet.
[“Beep—System self-check initiated, repeated verification, already bound to host 'Jiang Zhu'???”]
[“Buzz buzz buzz—Host has successfully bound and activated. Bound character is clear and cannot be duplicated. Unknown fault cannot be resolved at this time.”]
[“Buzz buzz buzz—The newbie gift pack has been successfully distributed and cannot be retrieved. The gift pack is currently in an abnormal open state, with unknown side effects. Please patiently record the effects of using the gift pack and provide timely feedback. Please provide timely feedback.”]
The piercing noise that rang out again, and the clear voice that had just spoken, left A-Zhu unsure which was more terrifying to her.
Ah Zhu is very patient; she is truly patient.
But pain isn't something you can just endure and get through.
When her body reached its limit, out of self-preservation... Ah Zhu's eyes rolled back and she fainted.
Emperor Xuanpei caught the person.
Without hesitation, he picked A-Zhu up in his arms, turned around, and strode out of the Wang residence, heading straight for the carriage he had come in.
As everyone knows, the best doctors in the world are all in the Imperial Hospital.
It only took Ah Zhu a few moments to go from being stunned to fainting.
Here, having just presented her visiting card, Miss Lu, being led towards the inner quarters, subconsciously looked in the direction of the slight commotion and only saw the back of someone turning and leaving.
Lu Wu Guniang indifferently withdrew her gaze, clearly not wanting to care about these unimportant strangers.
Like Miss Lu, there were quite a few young ladies from noble families who came here today.
After all, in the Yuan Dynasty, there was no particular adherence to the broken rules of not leaving the inner gate, being completely covered up, or even binding one's feet.
On the contrary, a virtuous woman from one family is sought after by many.
Regardless of gender, people with great fame are especially sought after, of course, this fame must be a virtuous one.
This time, Lu Wu Guniang was determined to go to the capital for the imperial selection; she would not go anywhere except the imperial family.
Thus, the narrow-minded and jealous Empress could not escape it no matter what.
Miss Lu looked coldly at the magnificent and wealthy noble family in front of her, a gentle smile on her face.
*
Seeing Emperor Xuanpei leave, Commander Wei naturally turned around and followed without asking any questions.
Hearing the order to hurry back to the palace, Commander Wei immediately took out his waist token to reveal his identity and led his guards to clear the way at high speed.
Soon, the group returned to Hanyuan Hall.
The people who had been summoned to the Imperial Hospital early on, along with the imperial physicians, were already waiting inside.
Azhu has taken off his conical hat.
Seeing her pale face, sweat on her forehead, and even deep teeth marks on her lips from biting them, Emperor Xuanpei's expression turned displeased. He had no interest in listening to any of her empty greetings and simply waved his hand.
"Come and take a look at her right away."
Even the most advanced medical skills are somewhat powerless when it comes to things that cannot be described by common sense.
Although Ah Zhu's complexion was indeed terrible and his pulse was weak, the cause of his illness... even the physician Geng couldn't figure it out.
He knelt tremblingly before the emperor.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me."
"Your humble servant's medical skills are shallow, and I am truly... at a loss."
Seeing that Imperial Physician Geng was useless, Emperor Xuanpei didn't even bother to get angry. He simply ordered all the imperial physicians on duty in the Imperial Hospital to be summoned to the Emperor's presence, including those who were off duty at their residences that day.
Seeing Emperor Xuanpei issue such an order, Eunuch Chen mustered his courage and stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty."
"Such a large-scale mobilization to suddenly summon the imperial physicians, I'm afraid the entire court and the harem will be in danger..." There was much discussion and panic among the people.
"I have already summoned the imperial physicians; do I need them to say anything more?!"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This servant has spoken out of turn."
Seeing that Emperor Xuanpei was truly enraged, Eunuch Chen trembled, shrank back to the side, and dared not say another word.
Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu on the bed.
He's usually very energetic.
She is full of vigor, as if no matter where she is, she will try her best to take root and then strive to absorb the sunshine and rain.
But now, she lies here, her face pale and ashen.
They won't whisper sweet nothings in your ear with blinking eyes, they won't whine and beg for forgiveness, and they won't tell jokes that they probably don't even believe themselves to fool you...
Ah Zhu, who had nearly emptied the Imperial Hospital, fainted from the pain but woke up on his own shortly afterward.
She was still groggy and wondering where she was when she saw the familiar dragon-patterned brocade curtain.
With a slight turn of his head, he saw the imperial physicians kneeling all over the ground.
"Your Majesty," Qingliu, who was serving nearby, said hurriedly, "the young lady has woken up."
"A-Zhu." Emperor Xuanpei hurried over and touched A-Zhu's forehead. "How are you? Do you still feel unwell?"
She's unwell; she needs an exorcism!
Ah Zhu, who was internally screaming, moved her lips, but in the end, she held back.
An emperor is an emperor.
If she were considered a demon, she would probably be burned alive immediately.
Even if I were to soften my heart and let her off now, who knows if she might suddenly bring up old grievances later—no, no, she has to keep this to herself and not tell anyone.
"Your Majesty..."
The tears that Ah Zhu shed in pain back then, she no longer needs to hold back, and they fall uncontrollably in a continuous stream.
She threw herself into Emperor Xuanpei's arms in a panic.
"Waaah, Your Majesty, I thought I would never see you again."
Because of this damned unlucky thing, when Ah Zhu was young, as soon as he entered the palace, he was slapped in the face by the nanny in front of everyone. His face was swollen from the slap, and he almost died from high fever due to fear.
Now it's gone even further, trying to kill her. Ah Zhu doesn't want to wait any longer; she wants to immediately have someone perform a ritual to get rid of it!
Seeing that Ah Zhu had truly fainted from the pain, and that her fear and panic were genuine...
Emperor Xuanpei held his Azhu tightly, kissed her temples, and then pressed her firmly into his arms, repeating this gesture repeatedly, seemingly to comfort Azhu or perhaps to himself.
"I'm here, don't be afraid, A-Zhu, I'm here."
After calming the terrified A-Zhu, Emperor Xuanpei said, "I had the imperial physician examine you, but you were still unconscious. The incident happened so suddenly that they dared not draw any conclusions. A-Zhu, what exactly happened just now?"
"Your Majesty..."
"This servant was following you to the Prince's mansion just fine."
Ah Zhu nestled in Emperor Xuanpei's arms, looking aggrieved, and said, "I didn't expect that as soon as I stepped into the mansion, I suddenly heard some piercing and noisy sound, and then my head started to hurt."
As she spoke, A-Zhu raised her head, her eyes red and brimming with tears, as if she wanted to reach out and gesture.
"It's like... like a needle this long is piercing you and being violently stirred inside, it hurts terribly..."
As soon as A-Zhu spoke, the imperial physician kneeling outside the screen didn't dare to breathe, and the entire hall fell silent.
After all, this pulse diagnosis is incomprehensible, and it sounds... more like witchcraft.
Ah Zhu's words were all true, without the slightest falsehood. Emperor Xuanpei's aura suddenly hardened—those young ladies, those precious daughters of noble birth, were naturally well protected.
Even though he was renowned for his virtue, no information about him would ever leak out.
But Azhu is different.
She was imprisoned when she was young, and when her identity was verified, all her information was clearly recorded... In other words, her birth date and time were very easy to find out.
Before, Azhu was just a palace maid.
Her belongings, her hair, even the old clothes she wore next to her skin—someone could collect them all with almost no effort.
But coincidentally, today she concealed her identity and went to the Wang family. As soon as she entered the mansion, she suddenly fainted from the pain, as if pricked by needles... In this palace, who hates A-Zhu the most right now?
Tell me, with all these crucial conditions piled up, isn't it obvious to anyone what to think?
Even more rebellious, and with a darker interpretation—this time the one who cast the curse was A-Zhu, even if it was just a momentary act of venting anger.
But seeing how surprisingly good the results are, who will be next...?
You must understand, the Empress is already the Empress, and the Crown Prince is already the Crown Prince.
It's said that talking to smart people is exhausting, since they can interpret ten different meanings from a single sentence.
Feeling uneasy, Eunuch Chen knew that it was best to hear as little as possible about certain things.
Therefore, he bowed slightly to Emperor Xuanpei and quietly withdrew with everyone in the hall.
As for the ghost that had been haunting her since childhood, A-Zhu wouldn't even consider witchcraft. Of course, who would go to such lengths to curse a tiny child?
Given Ah Zhu's former status, the nobles could have easily killed her with a flick of their fingers.
Holding Emperor Xuanpei's hand, Azhu, who truly wanted to get rid of this devilish thing, said with utmost seriousness, "Your Majesty."
"This time, I was able to escape danger entirely thanks to your mercy and the protection of the dragon's aura."
"Your Majesty, I wish to ask for your mercy and allow me to go to Fahua Temple to properly meditate and worship Buddha."
"Buddha is compassionate, saving all sentient beings..."
Where can one find a master who can compare to the eminent monks of the royal temple?
It's a perfect match for my major; may Buddha's light shine upon me and bring me relief from troubles.
Ah Zhu also made up her mind.
She was determined to get rid of this ghostly thing, even if it meant eating vegetarian food and praying to Buddha every day.
Just wait, she'll have a high monk perform a ritual to help this thing pass on to the afterlife.
Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu, who had a sincere expression, and gently patted her head.
After such an incident, Ah Zhu was naturally afraid and wanted to hide.
But where can she hide?
If you can prevent it this time, can you prevent it next time?
Moreover, A-Zhu was right there in Hanyuan Hall, right under his nose, and yet something still happened.
If we let her out, we'll be too far away to help, and if something really happens, we'll regret it.
Seeing that Emperor Xuanpei shook his head in refusal, Azhu suddenly panicked.
She held Emperor Xuanpei's hand, pleading and promising, "Your Majesty, I promise I will not cause you any trouble."
"It's fine if I go alone."
“I traveled lightly to Fahua Temple. I didn’t go anywhere else. I just ate vegetarian food, chanted Buddhist scriptures, and worshipped Buddha devoutly. I didn’t even step out of the temple.”
Seeing Ah Zhu's pitiful and flustered appearance, Emperor Xuanpei patted her hand.
"I am not at ease letting you leave the palace and go to Fahua Temple on your own."
"I will issue an edict to allow them to enter the palace."
"They set up an altar at Qingyang Palace to pray for blessings and to ward off disasters and difficulties."
Upon hearing this, A-Zhu felt relieved.
She nestled back into Emperor Xuanpei's arms, her voice unusually soft as she expressed her gratitude.
"Your Majesty's grace is immense; I thank Your Majesty greatly."
With the heavy weight lifted from her heart, A-Zhu was finally able to focus on other matters—her planned trip out of the palace had come to nothing.
Emperor Xuanpei held the dejected Azhu in his arms and comforted her, saying that there was still plenty of time left and that the hunting season would be coming soon. He promised to take her out and even taught her how to ride a horse and hunt, which cheered Azhu up immediately.
Seeing that Ah Zhu, who was like a child, whose emotions came and went quickly, was no longer pale and frightened, Emperor Xuanpei finally put him down.
He reached out and pulled the quilt over A-Zhu's body, then touched her face and instructed, "You should rest well first, and then have a good sleep after drinking the calming soup."
Seeing Ah Zhu lying on his couch, looking at him with gentle eyes and nodding obediently, Emperor Xuanpei smiled, leaned down and kissed Ah Zhu's forehead, then took her hand.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here with you."
The pain had taken its toll, and Ah-Zhu closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.
The slight smile that had been comforting vanished the moment Emperor Xuanpei stood up. His expression darkened, and he coldly rose and headed out of the hall.
Seeing Chen Delu appear just in time, Emperor Xuanpei ordered, "Send someone inside to wait carefully."
"If she is still asleep, that's fine. But if she suddenly has a nightmare, let her drink some calming soup first."
Eunuch Chen quickly replied, "Yes."
"Go to Kunning Palace."
"Prepare the carriage for Kunning Palace—!"
Naturally, Eunuch Chen, who was serving the emperor, gave Fu Hai a look as he left the palace.
Fu Hai nodded repeatedly, instructing Lü Fu and Qing Liu to wait in the inner hall, while he himself stood guard outside, listening for any sounds.
*
Among the officials in the capital, there are very few foolish, blind, or idiotic people. Who else could make the Imperial Guard Commander rush ahead to clear a path for him without any regard for the consequences?
Just imagine the Empress Wang's grandfather's birthday celebration. The Emperor not only issued an edict to bestow congratulatory gifts, but also personally visited him incognito on the day of his birthday. What immense face and honor that must have been!
But now it's ruined, completely ruined!!!
"Bang, bang, bang—!"
Empress Wang smashed everything within reach in Kunning Palace.
"You vile wench, how wicked her heart is!!!"
"That vicious, filthy, and shameless slut!"
Empress Wang was so angry she gritted her teeth.
Seeing that Emperor Xuanpei was infatuated with Azhu, he even went so far as to personally intervene and offer advice amidst the power struggles among the women in the harem.
Empress Wang swallowed her anger and decided to turn a blind eye to A-Zhu for the time being.
Although Empress Wang constantly complained that she only had dignity left, she would never allow that dignity to be damaged.
She let Ah Zhu continue jumping around for a few days.
After all, there's still a long time to live in the palace.
Once the new concubines entered the palace, the emperor abandoned A-Zhu.
Empress Wang naturally had a thousand ways to make her wish she were dead.
Even after Empress Wang had to compromise so much, Ah Zhu still dared to take advantage of her and bully her shamelessly.
Seeing Empress Wang smash things to vent her anger, the people in the palace busied themselves cleaning up the mess. Nianqin, Aunt Hua, and others also tried their best to persuade the hot-tempered Empress Wang.
After much pleading and persuasion, a shout came from outside—
"His Majesty has arrived!"
Nianqin and Aunt Hua quickly helped Empress Wang to her feet, preparing to welcome the imperial procession.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty has arrived."
Seeing that Empress Wang's expression was not good, they quickly said, "His Majesty must have left our residence in such a hurry."
"Your Majesty, His Majesty originally intended to visit your residence..."
"Yes, Your Majesty, today is, after all, the old master's birthday."
Historically, at times like these, His Majesty would fill in the gaps elsewhere. Thinking about how well the task was handled, the renowned Prince Qi, whose virtuous reputation had spread throughout the court and the country these past few days... Empress Wang managed to put on a proper and dignified smile.
However, Empress Wang, who already felt incredibly wronged and had only exchanged a few words with Emperor Xuanpei, was dealt another devastating blow—
"They even want to summon a high-ranking monk to the palace to ward off misfortune and pray for her blessings?!"
Given how much Ah Zhu seemed to want to "leap to the sky" in Kunning Palace, how could you say she was physically weak?
Nonsense!
This is utterly absurd!!!
She heard that Emperor Xuanpei had not come to apologize for leaving hastily at her grandfather's birthday banquet.
Instead, they wanted to summon some high-ranking monk to pray for the "delicate and frail" Ah Zhu, who was "would collapse at the slightest breeze." Empress Wang's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Of course, given Empress Wang's completely unashamed demeanor, and even her furious expression that made her seem like she was about to burst into flames, she certainly didn't seem like someone who would use witchcraft or sorcery to harm others behind their backs...
Seeing that Empress Wang was angry, Emperor Xuanpei's expression softened slightly without him even realizing it.
"A-Zhu developed a chronic illness in her childhood, and now..."
Emperor Xuanpei, who had just been cold-faced, suddenly softened his expression when he mentioned Jiang Zhu. Empress Wang, who was so angry that she felt dizzy, stood up abruptly in a fit of rage.
"Your Majesty!"
"You insisted on bringing her to Hanyuan Palace, and repeatedly showed her favoritism without regard for the rules... I have seen it all!"
Empress Wang looked at Emperor Xuanpei as if he were a foolish ruler bewitched by a seductive spell, while she herself offered her remonstrance with unwavering resolve and deep sorrow.
"She was a slave chosen by the late emperor, a slave!"
"His crimes are heinous and unforgivable!"
"Your Majesty, how many daughters of noble families are there in the palace?"
"Even if His Majesty is not satisfied, what's wrong with waiting for the imperial selection next year to find a beautiful woman... She's just a mere foot-washing maid, what virtue or ability does she have to serve His Majesty?!"
"presumptuous!"
Seeing Emperor Xuanpei's anger, all the palace servants in the hall knelt down in fear.
Empress Wang also panicked for a moment.
But the anger she had been holding back for so long turned into a thorn, stubbornly holding her neck in place, refusing to bend down.
Seeing that Empress Wang was still trying to say something, Nianqin and Aunt Hua were so frightened that they turned pale.
They disregarded everything else and scrambled to Empress Wang's side, clinging to her legs and pleading, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please be careful what you say, Your Majesty."
Looking at the three servants in front of her, who seemed to have been bullied terribly, crying and begging, and wishing they could hug each other and cry together.
Then look at Empress Wang, who is both afraid and flustered, yet unwilling to lose face and put on a brave face.
Emperor Xuanpei, who was so angry that he was about to burst into tears, also felt like sighing.
From the moment she entered the Prince's residence, Wang Yushu had always acted this way in front of him, as if she was afraid someone would say she was afraid of something, and she refused to lower her head even a little bit.
How old was Wang Yushu when she entered the manor?
There's no point in arguing with a teenage girl about this...
Over the years, everyone has changed, but Empress Wang seems to have remained in the same place, clinging to her pride and refusing to let go.
When Emperor Xuanpei first ascended the throne, he was overwhelmed with the mess he had left behind, and his relationship with Empress Wang was extremely strained at that time.
The constant arguments, the endless quarrels, the countless times they seemed to be tearing each other apart with their own blood and sweat, the vicious words exchanged between them... Empress Wang had never sent anyone to the imperial court before, but this time she did.
She pushed A-Zhu over herself, yet felt wronged.
Even when things don't go her way, she feels as if she has suffered some great injustice, and that everyone owes her something.
Look, Ah Zhu has become a vixen who bewitched the emperor, and he is a foolish and immoral ruler.
The imperial court was filled with powerful families, forming cliques and colluding to deceive their superiors and subordinates.
The late emperor was too ruthless, so much so that all the civil and military officials in the court were somewhat wary and banded together...
Sometimes one has to endure it. Emperor Xuanpei, who was sulking alone, looked at Empress Wang in silence. She always wanted both face and substance; she wanted it all.
"Empress."
Emperor Xuanpei neither questioned nor became angry; he simply and calmly informed Empress Wang.
"Three days later, the monks from Fahua Temple will enter the palace."
"No one else in the palace may go to Qingyang Palace at any time to interfere with the prayers."
"On the sixth day of next month, I will confer the title of concubine upon Lady Jiang and grant her residence in Guanju Palace."
"Your Majesty!"
Looking at the Emperor Xuanpei who remained calm and composed, Empress Wang felt a little flustered and subconsciously took a few steps forward.
"Your Majesty, Jiang Zhu is a slave, she is..."
"I know."
"I know better than anyone else who A-Zhu is and what his status is."
Emperor Xuanpei rose with a flick of his sleeve and looked indifferently at Empress Wang.
"I don't want to hear it anymore."
"Your Majesty, you should take care of yourself."
After saying this, Emperor Xuanpei turned and left Kunning Palace.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Empress Wang staggered after him for a few steps.
Never before had she felt so lost, as if she couldn't grasp onto anything.
Even when Emperor Xuanpei had argued with her in the past, it was never like this today.
Empress Wang's legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground. Nianqin and Aunt Hua quickly tried to help her up.
But to his surprise, he saw tears on Empress Wang's face.
Empress Wang, who was always proud and had even angered Emperor Xuanpei to the point of storming off several times, would never show weakness and shed tears in front of others like this.
"His Majesty is gone, he... he's just gone like that." Empress Wang's expression was panicked and bewildered. "I... I shouldn't have..."
Nianqin and Aunt Hua couldn't hold back their tears.
They helped Empress Wang.
"Your Majesty, the ground is cold, please get up."
"His Majesty is only angry for a moment. Your Majesty, in a few days, in a few days, His Majesty will come. Your Majesty, you can apologize then."
"Admit your mistake...admit your mistake?" Empress Wang murmured a few times, her eyes gradually lighting up, but it was a fierce, resentful light.
She shook her head, gritted her teeth, and resolutely declared, "I am not wrong!"
"I am the Empress!"
"I am the Empress of the Great Yuan Dynasty, the mother of the Crown Prince, and the role model for all the women in the palace!"
"Now that I see His Majesty being deceived by treacherous officials and bewitched by demons, what wrong has it been for me to offer my advice?!"
"I am not wrong!"
Empress Wang was extremely agitated.
"His Majesty has never treated me like this before!"
"It's all because of Jiang Zhu!"
"It's all because of her that His Majesty is treating me this way now!"
It's all her fault!
Empress Wang was clearly no longer listening to anything.
Nianqin and Aunt Hua were unable to persuade her any further and could only try to appease her by going along with what Empress Wang had said.
For example, the Emperor currently favors Lady Jiang, so the Empress must be patient for now and deal with her later.
Empress Wang finally calmed down a bit. She was helped to the inner palace to rest, but her resentment was replaced by a fierce determination in her heart.
Even if she can't deal with her now, she won't let Jiang Zhu be so smug, absolutely not.
Conferring the title of Imperial Concubine?
No matter what title she is given, she has to come to Kunning Palace and kneel at her feet.
We'll see.
......
-----------------------
Author's note: Let me see some melodramatic stuff... Hmm... if I stir it up a bit more, it'll be a real disaster.
Haha, thank you for your support, my little cuties! Sending you a kiss!
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