Chapter 38 Fa Azhu: I won't drink the medicine.
Ganquan Palace
It was afternoon, and the summer cicadas' chirping, along with the bright sunlight, streamed in through the gauze window, casting dappled shadows.
Inside the palace, a light blue satin canopy embroidered with flowers and birds hung down. It was a hot day, but considering that the sixth princess was only five years old, no ice chests were placed in the palace to keep her cool.
At this moment, Consort Xian leaned against the bed, her face already covered in a fine sheen of sweat, yet she still held the fan firmly, slowly and gently fanning the sleeping Sixth Princess.
Guan Qi tiptoed in.
Seeing this, Consort Xian waved her hand, Guan Qi nodded slightly, and stepped aside, not daring to say anything to disturb them.
Turning her head, Consort Xian handed the round fan in her hand to the wet nurse who was taking care of the Sixth Princess. She then wiped the fine sweat from the Sixth Princess's forehead before getting up and taking Guanqi outside.
After leaving the inner palace, Consort Xian, who was helped to sit on the chaise longue, asked, "Tell me, what exactly did Her Majesty the Empress and Consort Zhang have to argue about again over the tea-serving maid?"
"Your Majesty."
Guan Qi's expression was slightly complicated. She raised her eyes to look at Consort Xian and said softly, "The palace maid who served the tea is named Jiang Zhu. She is a slave who was sent to the inner palace as a slave ten years ago."
"Jiang Zhu..."
Consort Xian murmured the name, then, as if remembering something, she suddenly looked at Guan Qi.
"You mean, you mean she's from the Jiang family...!"
Guan Qi nodded.
“Your Highness, it is indeed her, she is indeed the sixth young lady of the Jiang family.”
Consort Xian suddenly clenched her handkerchief.
Back then, seeing that Crown Prince Chongde was deeply in love with the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, and that the Jiang family had a promising future, the Marquis of Chengen's mansion began to have some designs on her.
Because he didn't want others to gossip behind his back, saying that the Marquis of Chengen's family was trying to curry favor with him, he intended to arrange a marriage for the younger generation first.
The marriage arranged between the two families in jest was between the fourth young master of one family and this sixth young lady, Jiang.
Later, seeing that the late emperor had gone mad with bloodlust and that entire families were being beheaded and punished, who would dare to get involved in anything?
Consort Xian's aunt was none other than Consort Shu, who is now the Empress Dowager.
When Consort Shu learned that her younger sister's husband's family, the Marquis of Chengen, was involved with the Jiang family, she was terrified. She wished she could sever all ties with the Jiang family overnight and cut off all ties completely.
Later, even knowing that the sixth daughter of the Jiang family had entered the palace as a servant, Consort Xian dared not ask any further questions out of consideration for Empress Dowager Shu.
Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye... Who would keep thinking about a little palace maid for ten years?
Of course, they had long forgotten about it.
Unexpectedly, I've heard news about this Miss Jiang again.
Consort Xian was momentarily flustered.
She looked at Guan Qi and said, "What about her? Does she still remember her engagement to our family?"
"Your Highness," Guanqi said softly, "it was just a joke between the master of the manor and the Jiang family back then; the formal betrothal had not yet taken place."
"Besides, Miss Jiang was still very young back then, and after experiencing so much later, she's probably long forgotten..."
"Over the years, she has always stayed quietly in the Yeting Palace and has never come to Ganquan Palace to disturb the Empress's peace."
"No, you don't understand. In the past, because of her elder sister, Empress Wang truly hated the Jiang family to the core... She even dared to go to Kunning Palace, and now she's gone to the Emperor's court like this, risking her life."
Consort Xian, feeling agitated, rubbed the handkerchief in her hands. "What do you think she's trying to do?"
Back then, the Marquis of Chengen's mansion was so terrified that when they hastily severed ties with the Jiang family, they really went too far.
When this happened to the Marquis of Chengen's family, there was a thousand kinds of helplessness and ten thousand kinds of understanding, but who knows what this Miss Jiang was really thinking?
"Your Majesty," Guanqi said, stepping closer slightly, "the past is gone."
"No matter what, she is now a slave, appointed by the late emperor... I'm sure the current emperor knows what he's doing."
Consort Xian remained silent for a moment, and the hall was unusually quiet. Suddenly, the voice of the little princess came from inside. Consort Xian could no longer think about Jiang Zhu and quickly got up and went to the inner hall.
*
Around 3:45 PM, the imperial carriage returned to Hanyuan Hall.
A-Zhu, who was originally focused on preparing tea and snacks, received a few subtle reminders from Eunuch Fu Hai—that the Emperor dislikes outsiders disturbing him when he is handling state affairs.
Putting everything else aside, listening to advice was one of A-Zhu's generally good qualities, but since she still hadn't quite figured out Emperor Xuanpei's temperament, she simply took a cup of tea and went to the Emperor's presence.
Emperor Xuanpei was sitting behind the imperial table, looking at something.
When he was silent, his expression was slightly cold and stern, exuding an imposing aura without anger. The palace servants lowered their heads, holding their breath and concentrating, making the hall very quiet.
Seeing the atmosphere so oppressive that it made one's legs go weak even before entering the hall, A-Zhu didn't want to go in anymore. She just wanted to give the teacup in her hand to Eunuch Chen.
Eunuch Chen quickened his pace to avoid the teacup that A-Zhu was trying to offer, not giving her a chance to speak.
Nonsense, their Emperor specially gave Miss Azhu the title of Tea-Serving Maid, does he expect him to have this old face carrying tea and strutting around?
Since Eunuch Chen refused to answer, A-Zhu had no choice but to go in by herself.
The further they went, the more uneasy Ah Zhu felt. Why was it still so scary?
Could it be that the emperor who held her that day, with a gentle expression and seemingly easy to fool... was just a figment of her imagination in her delirium?
Fearing this, A-Zhu wanted to run away.
The timing isn't right; the emperor might be preoccupied with state affairs. Perhaps she could try again later during the meal?
With this thought in mind, A-Zhu quietly placed the teacup on the imperial table, then took a step back, intending to slip out of the palace quietly.
Throughout this series of actions, Ah Zhu didn't make a sound, but did she really need to open her mouth?
As soon as you get close, the subtle, sweet fragrance wafts over.
Emperor Xuanpei shifted his gaze from the memorial and then saw Azhu lowering his eyes and tiptoeing out of the palace like a thief.
Hmm... Tell me, who could resist teasing her?
Emperor Xuanpei looked at the person with a hint of a smile in his eyes.
As he watched Ah Zhu retreat to the palace gate, a look of relief appearing on his face, he looked back at the memorial in his hand and suddenly spoke.
What kind of tea is brewed today?
!!
Azhu was startled. She looked up with a wrinkled face and saw that Emperor Xuanpei was still looking at the memorial in his hand. She quickly took a few steps forward as if floating, and then whispered, "Your Majesty, it is Fangshan Dew Sprouts."
Emperor Xuanpei raised his hand, using the folded paper to cover the laughing expression on his face. When Azhu was bold, he could cause a huge commotion.
Why are you so afraid now that you've only been gone for a moment?
"It's a bit too hot."
Huh? Upon hearing this, A-Zhu's eyes widened. She hadn't brewed the tea herself, so who in the tea room wanted to harm her?!
But now was clearly not the time to worry about that, so she quickly stepped forward and tried to pick up the teacup.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I will go and get you a fresh cup of tea right away."
Seeing Emperor Xuanpei look up at her, Azhu subconsciously withdrew her hand and blurted out, "Or should I blow on it for you?"
Just as A-Zhu wanted to pinch his own mouth after hearing this, he was surprised to see Emperor Xuanpei nodding as he flipped through the memorials.
A-Zhu: ......
She looked at Emperor Xuanpei with a strange expression, only to see that he still had that serious look on his face.
Azhu stepped forward with some doubt, squatted down in front of the teacup, and seeing that Emperor Xuanpei did not stop her, she lifted the lid and slowly began to blow on it.
After blowing on it for a while, she touched the teacup and found it wasn't very hot anymore.
Before A-Zhu could even speak, Emperor Xuanpei picked up his teacup and casually fed her a sip of tea.
"Your Majesty."
Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu, who was squatting to the side, smiled and patted her head, then raised his hand and took a sip of tea.
"I'm busy with court, and I heard you've been busy all morning too... Have you found the things left in the Cold Palace?"
"If not, I will send you some more people."
Ah Zhu, who becomes exceptionally honest when it comes to lying, pulls out his blue satin pouch with a white background from his bosom.
"Found it."
Emperor Xuanpei glanced at it a few times, and then he remembered it—the first time he saw Azhu outside the Imperial Garden, she was crawling around frantically looking for this purse.
Looking at it now, you can see that the embroidery is very well done, with intricately embroidered patterns. The original material used was also quite luxurious... But no matter how good it is, it is already very old.
"Since you like it so much, I will have them make some more for you."
Ah Zhu put the purse back into her bosom, lowered her head and said softly, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
It seems that A-Zhu wasn't very excited—of course, A-Zhu treasured the gold coins and silver notes hidden in his purse, who would care about a tattered purse?
This was something that Qian's mother had casually slipped into her arms when she was changing her clothes years ago.
Ah Zhu has gotten used to it over the years and hasn't changed it.
But when Emperor Xuanpei saw Azhu's appearance and thought about the old yet exquisitely crafted purse, he immediately thought of something else—this purse was probably brought by Azhu from outside the palace.
A-Zhu keenly sensed that Emperor Xuanpei's aura had indeed softened in an instant.
Regardless of the reason, seeing that the atmosphere was right, A-Zhu seized the opportunity, without getting up, and simply crawled a few steps on his knees, placing his head on Emperor Xuanpei's lap.
A soft, warm body suddenly pressed against her.
Emperor Xuanpei paused slightly, then heard Azhu's soft sobbing.
To be honest, even Emperor Xuanpei couldn't quite tell the difference between truth and falsehood at this moment.
He even, for a moment, wished that Ah Zhu wasn't truly heartbroken.
Instead, she pretended to be pitiful while muttering and grumbling about him.
Hey, you know what, Ah Zhu actually did it.
Sure enough, while she was inwardly complaining about how hard Emperor Xuanpei's body was, she was also cursing him for being so petty and still thinking about feeding her medicine that would harm her health.
But knowing that the emperor was more responsive to gentle persuasion than force, Ah Zhu was indeed incredibly soft-hearted, even shedding tears.
Then she thought about how few people in the palace believed her or praised her for being "loyal," even Granny Sun... Ah Zhu was overcome with grief and cried even harder.
Seeing that the emperor didn't push her away with disgust, and even reached out to pat her head... Ah Zhu went from silently shedding tears to sobbing slightly.
Emperor Xuanpei stroked Azhu's head and patted her back gently, without urging her, but patiently coaxing her with his actions and letting her vent.
"...Your Majesty."
"Hmm," Emperor Xuanpei responded softly.
"I don't want to take my medicine anymore... okay?"
Emperor Xuanpei gently pulled Ah Zhu's hair, which was draped over her knees, and said softly, "What's wrong? Is it too bitter?"
Is this a question of whether it's bitter or not?!
Bah! What a convenient excuse for avoiding the important issues!
Seeing that A-Zhu was trembling and silent, and that her tears were like hot wax seeping through her clothes and sticking to her body, Emperor Xuanpei's voice became even softer.
"You still need medication."
"I'll have Geng Nianliang think of a way to make the medicine less bitter for you, is that alright?"
Seeing that Emperor Xuanpei was still spouting useless nonsense, Azhu, unable to bear it any longer, suddenly raised his head.
Ah Zhu was born with exceptionally beautiful features.
Her eyebrows were emerald green, her skin as white as snow, and her plump, fair skin seemed so delicate it could be broken with a touch... It was as if a meticulous painting had been carefully and slowly, bit by bit, painstakingly drawn.
But the beauty in the painting doesn't move, while Azhu is alive.
As she sobbed, her almond-shaped eyes glazed over with a hint of anger, her willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed, and she pitifully clung to Emperor Xuanpei's sleeve.
“This servant knows that I am of lowly status... but thanks to His Majesty’s mercy and profound kindness, he has truly allowed me to serve before him.”
As she spoke, tears, like pearls, streamed down A-Zhu's face as she looked up.
"If Your Majesty is only acting out of pity, but is actually disgusted and displeased... this servant will stay far away and dare not upset Your Majesty."
It doesn't sound like it's for the Jiang family's sake.
But this whole scene doesn't seem like it's all for a couple of doses of nourishing and invigorating medicine. Why is this happening out of the blue?
Looking at A-Zhu, whose nose and eyes were red and who was crying pitifully, Emperor Xuanpei was truly baffled this time.
He frowned slightly and reached out to wipe the tears from A-Zhu's face.
"If I disliked you, why would I keep you by my side?!"
"The Emperor even bestowed a contraceptive soup!"
As soon as she spoke, she realized that her tone had been a bit harsh. Fearing that Emperor Xuanpei, a petty emperor, would hold a grudge against her, Azhu's expression softened quickly.
She gently tugged at Emperor Xuanpei's sleeve and shook it.
"Your Majesty, I beg you, please don't give me any more of this medicine, okay?"
Emperor Xuanpei: ......
Oh, I see, I see!
Emperor Xuanpei was so angry that he actually laughed.
"Jiang Zhu, oh Jiang Zhu."
Emperor Xuanpei shook his head while letting out a cold laugh in anger.
The hand that was wiping A-Zhu's tears turned to pinch the soft flesh on her face.
Enraged, Emperor Xuanpei even grabbed Azhu's face with both hands and managed to make her make a funny face.
"I wonder what grand performance you're putting on today with all your might?"
"So this is what they were waiting for me all along."
Knowing that Ah Zhu was not being honest with himself was one thing.
But her heartlessness in openly and blatantly blatantly accusing him of his good intentions is another matter entirely.
"I was worried that you would get sick from the rain, so I specially asked Imperial Physician Geng to take your pulse."
"He said you've developed a chronic illness and are physically weak, so I had him prescribe a special herbal decoction for you, and had others carefully prepare it, bringing it to you at just the right time..."
Azhu: ...Aba, Aba.
She was twisted into a grimace, staring blankly at Emperor Xuanpei.
Help! Someone please save her!
The more he talked, the angrier he became. Emperor Xuanpei, so angry that his teeth itched, actually chuckled through gritted teeth.
"Great, that's wonderful."
"Today I finally understand what kind of person I am in your heart."
"Your Majesty!"
Emperor Xuanpei released his grip, and Azhu, finally able to speak, disregarded her reddened face and quickly grabbed Emperor Xuanpei's arm to get up, then shoved herself into his arms.
"Your Majesty, I was wrong, I was really wrong."
"It was I who judged you by my own petty standards..."
Seeing Emperor Xuanpei's cold face and unmoved expression, Azhu quickly moved closer and began to act pitiful again.
"Your Majesty, this servant is afraid, truly afraid."
With her face red from being pinched, and tears welling up in her eyes, A-Zhu sat in Emperor Xuanpei's arms, clutching the side of his robe.
"I know my place and I never dare to ask for too much."
"But His Majesty took pity on me and saved me from dire straits... and gave me hope."
"This servant, this servant cannot help but harbor delusional thoughts."
"I've also heard that if you take too many contraceptives, you'll never be able to get pregnant again."
"Your Majesty." Ah Zhu, who would use whatever trick worked, took Emperor Xuan Pei's hand and pressed it against her cheek.
"I misunderstood in my haste, and I won't do it again. Please don't be angry, Your Majesty."
Like spring water transformed into A-Zhu, her skin was porcelain white but her body was incredibly soft. As for just how soft, Emperor Xuanpei personally tested her inch by inch.
Right now, she's sitting on me, soft and tearful, pleading and coaxing. No matter who it is, even the angrier they are, they should all calm down...
Emperor Xuanpei reached out and rubbed Azhu's flushed face, which he had pinched.
Good heavens, it wasn't easy! We're finally about to calm her down!
Ah Zhu breathed a sigh of relief and leaned her face closer.
"Your Majesty, it hurts so much! Could you please blow on it?"
Emperor Xuanpei shook his head, but in the end he couldn't help but lean forward and gently blow on it for her.
Looking at Azhu's half-closed eyes, her tail wagging, and her smug expression, Emperor Xuanpei's eyes held a hint of a smile. He suddenly touched her lower abdomen and said, "In this palace, there's never any need for contraceptive soup."
"A-Zhu, from now on, whether you have ten or eight children, I can afford to raise them."
Pooh!
Who wants to have ten or eight babies for you!
You lecherous scoundrel, shameless!!!
Ah Zhu blushed so deeply she looked like she was about to burst into flames.
She jumped off Emperor Xuanpei's lap as if her pants were on fire, covered her face, and ran away.
Emperor Xuanpei leaned back on the dragon throne and laughed.
Hearing the laughter, Ah Zhu blushed not only her face but also her ears, and she disappeared in a flash.
Ah Zhu ran past Eunuch Chen like a gust of wind.
Eunuch Chen was stunned for a moment, and then he heard Emperor Xuanpei laughing from inside the hall.
Ah~ Eunuch Chen was not flustered at all, calmly looking up at the sky and down at the ground.
Azhu ran back to Chonghua Palace.
Without letting Qingliu and Lüfu follow, she jumped onto the couch herself, then, with a smug look on her face seeking praise, she said to the box containing the broken hairpin, "Your Majesty, I've figured it out."
"That's not a contraceptive soup, it seems to be some kind of tonic soup."
Consort Feng couldn't leave the palace, so she could only silently hope that A-Zhu would succeed. Hearing this good news, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Ah Zhu's entire body is white, and when she gets emotional, her whole body turns pink, which is particularly noticeable, let alone when she's all rosy.
Consort Feng asked curiously, "Why is your face so red?"
Subconsciously rubbing her face, A-Zhu honestly said, "The Emperor pinched me."
? ? ?
In Consort Feng's mind, only those palace concubines who were like resentful women in their secluded chambers would vent their anger by slapping their maids, so she sounded quite surprised and her whole demeanor changed.
"He's a grown man, an emperor at that, and he actually reached out and grabbed someone?!"
How twisted and perverted must this behavior be?
All the princes from back then are dead, completely dead, so this thing has finally been allowed to succeed to the throne.
Shaking her head seemed inappropriate, and nodding was also unsuitable. Hearing Consort Feng's concern, A-Zhu had no choice but to recount the whole story.
"......"
"Hahaha." Consort Feng was easily amused by A-Zhu, and she nodded repeatedly, "A-Zhu, you are really capable."
But Consort Feng saw that although A-Zhu was embarrassed and annoyed, his words and hugs were incredibly natural... unlike the expectant yet apprehensive and shy demeanor of the other concubines in the palace when facing the emperor.
She didn't complain to her face or dwell on whether the emperor liked her.
Although it's said to be in the palace, there are really only a few things between men and women. Consort Feng leaned closer and asked, "A-Zhu, do you like the current emperor?"
Do you like it?
Ah Zhu, who never hesitated to address the issue of Consort Feng, thought carefully for a moment and then shook his head seriously.
"No."
Then, Ah Zhu's voice became slightly shy, "To be honest, Your Majesty, the kind of man I like... is a handsome, refined, and gentle gentleman."
These kinds of storybooks are popular in the Yuan Dynasty today.
The people who wrote these stories were basically pedantic scholars or poor students who fantasized about all sorts of wonderful things, dreaming of having multiple wives and enjoying the blessings of having two women on each side.
Ah Zhu, who would secretly read these storybooks under the covers, would roll around excitedly in bed. From that time on, her aesthetic preferences were basically set.
Seeing that A-Zhu's eyes sparkled when she talked about these things, showing that she genuinely liked them, Consort Feng smiled gently.
That's fine too. Even if I like the little lover I imagine, it's much better than being anxious and uncertain in this palace and hoping for the emperor's bullshit sincerity.
But after thinking it over, Consort Feng still wanted to remind Azhu a couple of things, to prevent any potential problems.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, A-Zhu understands."
"I was destined to stay in this palace for the rest of my life anyway, and besides, I've climbed into the emperor's bed. Even if the emperor gets tired of me in the future, he won't let me leave the palace."
That's true. The palace is filled with eunuchs and guards who live far away; it's unlikely A-Zhu will have any contact with anyone else...
Consort Feng looked at A-Zhu on the couch, whose bright eyes had dimmed again, and said softly and reassuringly, "A-Zhu, keep up the good work. I hope you can become the mistress of a palace one day."
"By then, there will be so many new women in the palace, you won't need to serve the emperor."
"I don't need to see him even once every ten days or half a month."
"I have all the dignity I need, I have no worries about food and drink, I have plenty of money, and I can watch plays, visit gardens, and buy whatever I want when I have free time."
Hehe, Ah Zhu laughed as she heard this, feeling both hopeful and a little apprehensive.
"Your Highness, the lowest rank for a concubine in this palace is a fourth-rank Jieyu, but in reality, it is usually a Zhaoyi or even a Consort."
"I am now a slave, and I fear I will not be able to..."
“You came from the Imperial Palace. You were once the Imperial Noble Consort of Emperor Gaozu, or a lowly slave in the Imperial Household Department.”
"What's the use of others pointing out your identity? As long as the emperor doesn't seize on it, it's fine, isn't it?"
"Besides, you're not really a member of the Jiang family."
Consort Feng truly couldn't bear to see A-Zhu suffer such humiliation while clinging to some ridiculous notion of repaying a debt of gratitude for her birth. She disliked A-Zhu carrying this "shit pot" that only dragged her down.
"A-Zhu, since you don't want to overturn the case for the Jiang family, have you ever thought about getting rid of this identity?"
Ah Zhu quickly shook his head.
"Your Majesty, this matter was specially decreed by the newly enthroned Emperor, who made an exception for you."
"Otherwise, I should be working as a courtesan in a brothel right now."
"Everyone says the emperor's grace is boundless. If some ugly thing like substituting one thing for another suddenly happens, I'll be doomed."
Tsk, that makes sense. What wouldn't these people do to preserve the so-called royal face?
Consort Feng, whose emotions were unstable, remained silent.
When A-Zhu returned to Chonghua Palace, no one came to urge her. However, at dinner time, the palace servants invited A-Zhu to dine before the Emperor.
During the meal, A-Zhu kept his head down and pretended to be dead the whole time, and Emperor Xuanpei seemed to have let the matter drop.
Just as the bowls and chopsticks were being cleared away, a palace maid brought a bowl of medicinal soup and placed it in front of A-Zhu.
Emperor Xuanpei then solemnly pushed the eight-treasure box containing candied fruits in front of Azhu.
"This fruit is sweet. After taking the medicine to 'nourish the body,' the sweetness will make your mouth feel sweeter and less bitter."
Aaaaaah!!!
I knew that stingy guy would still remember it.
Ah Zhu picked up the medicine and gulped it down, then grabbed some candied fruit and stuffed it into his mouth, eating several in a row.
Emperor Xuanpei smiled.
Suddenly, an amber-colored apricot covered in sugar appeared before his eyes.
Looking up, she saw Ah Zhu, her cheeks stuffed full, looking at her with bright eyes, and said earnestly, "This servant has tried them all, Your Majesty, this is the best."
Emperor Xuanpei stopped laughing.
He looked at A-Zhu, then at her round face, lowered his eyes, and ate the apricot from A-Zhu's hand.
It's not cloyingly sweet, nor is it a tooth-achingly sour treat.
The sweet and sour taste slowly filled his mouth, and Emperor Xuanpei slowly smiled.
"Your Majesty, is it delicious?"
He nodded. "It's delicious."
......
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Author's note: Come on, let me feed each of you a sweet candied fruit, mwah.
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