Chapter 60 Wen Azhu (Sobbing): Dare you give me a reply...?
Songxiuxuan
Looking at Emperor Xuanpei, who was leaning closer with a gloomy expression and a hint of gritted teeth, Azhu could hardly hear what he was muttering.
Ah Zhu may appear to be physically present, but in reality, her soul has already drifted far away, leaving her with only one thought in her mind—so the emperor wasn't going to order her to commit suicide after all?
That's not true at all.
Waaah, you should have said something sooner if it were this important.
Ah Zhu, who is "brave and fearless, not even afraid of death," is an extremely rare limited edition, and can only be summoned for a short while when "the time, place, and people are all in harmony."
Her impulsiveness and courage were only enough to sustain her in a moment of near-madness when her blood boiled.
Once he calmed down, Ah Zhu's "fearlessness" vanished without a trace, like a fart.
Despite her life being a complete mess, and her days being chaotic and disorganized, Ah Zhu still couldn't bear to close her eyes and hastily give up her life.
The feeling of waiting to die is not pleasant, especially when you are watching yourself send yourself to your death.
For a moment just now, Ah Zhu truly thought his life was in danger.
If Emperor Xuanpei were to loosen his grip even slightly and offer a glimmer of hope, I'm afraid that fickle and capricious Ah Zhu would kneel on the ground again, weeping and begging for forgiveness—better to live a wretched life than die a good death, right?
No one, nothing, was worth her sacrificing herself for no reason.
Having survived the ordeal, Ah Zhu, still shaken, completely collapsed.
She closed her eyes, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart, which felt like it was about to burst from her chest.
But in Emperor Xuanpei's eyes, this scene was that Ah Zhu, who had failed in his attempt to "die," was no longer willing to even look at him.
In the dimly lit hall, Emperor Xuanpei, with half his face hidden in the darkness, wore an expression that seemed to be both joyful and sorrowful, but the sorrowful look only flashed by for a moment before disappearing.
He looked at Ah Zhu, whose body was surprisingly supple but whose heart was as hard as a rock, and slowly nodded, muttering to himself, "Alright."
What's so good about it?
Just as A-Zhu came to her senses, her mind filled with questions, she was picked up by Emperor Xuanpei before she could even react.
Eunuch Chen, who was waiting at the entrance of the palace, immediately came forward to greet them.
"Your Majesty..."
Upon seeing the person Emperor Xuanpei was holding in his arms, Eunuch Chen immediately stopped in his tracks.
He didn't even dare to look closely, but kept his head down and reported softly, "The Empress Dowager just sent someone to bring some hangover soup, and the person is still waiting in the front hall of Zhengyang Palace."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanpei neither dodged nor avoided the conversation, and with a calm expression, carried Azhu towards Zhengyang Palace.
Emperor Xuanpei's figure was very conspicuous. Before he even got close, Granny Li, along with the two sisters from the Shu family, immediately bowed to him.
No need for formalities.
Emperor Xuanpei nodded slightly; he had always maintained a respectful demeanor towards Empress Dowager Shu when they were out in public.
"Granny, you're here so late. Does Her Majesty the Empress Dowager have any instructions?"
As Li Mama stood up, she naturally saw who Emperor Xuanpei was holding in his arms.
Even though it was dark and half of A-Zhu's face was resting in Emperor Xuanpei's arms, Li Mama, with her exceptionally sharp eyes, still recognized who she was at a glance.
? ? ?
Good heavens, is this still their stern and rule-abiding emperor?
And even, right there in public, he just carried her there?
Didn't they say that Consort Jiang had just fallen out with the Emperor?
This... this has caused such a huge uproar that the Emperor personally carried the child all the way from Songxiu Pavilion to Zhengyang Palace in front of everyone?
"Your Majesty."
To be honest, ever since Granny Jin passed away, Granny Li has truly learned her lesson.
Despite the near-roaring astonishment in her heart, she didn't dare ask any questions. She simply smiled, remained respectful, and spoke considerately when answering.
"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager said that it's cool at night, and you drank a few cups of wine at the banquet... so she specially sent us to bring you some hot soup, so that you can sleep more comfortably tonight."
No matter how nicely Li Mama spoke, just looking at the two sisters behind her, Empress Dowager Shu's true intentions were obvious.
"Thank you for your concern, Empress Dowager."
Emperor Xuanpei said gently, "It is getting late today, and I should not disturb the Empress Dowager's rest."
"I will go and pay my respects to her first thing tomorrow morning."
At the opportune moment, Eunuch Chen stepped forward and took the food box from Shu Junya's hands.
Just imagine, if these two sisters can't get into Zhengyang Palace tonight, it's no wonder the Empress Dowager can't rest in peace.
Granny Li glanced furtively at A-Zhu in Emperor Xuanpei's arms—that was the only way she could report back.
Seeing Emperor Xuanpei enter Zhengyang Palace directly, on the way back, Shu Junya looked back and couldn't help but ask, "Granny, was His Majesty carrying someone in his arms just now?"
Isn't that obvious?
Everyone with eyes saw it.
Regardless of what she was thinking, Li Mama's expression remained gentle as she nodded.
"Yes, the one His Majesty was just holding must be Consort Jiang."
Consort Jiang... indeed, it was both unexpected and reasonable.
Although they hadn't seen what A-Zhu looked like yet, the Shu sisters, who were certain to enter the palace, were certainly no strangers to the title of this empress.
Perhaps it was because the night was hazy and the moonlight was hazy, giving people a soft, clear glow.
When Emperor Xuanpei, dressed in a dark blue wide-sleeved robe, arrived under the moonlight carrying someone, his eyes and brows were gentle and his expression tender, quite unlike the cold and awe-inspiring figure he had been in Jingshou Garden that day.
So, it turns out that His Majesty isn't so unapproachable after all.
The two sisters, who had no choice but to enter the palace as long as the Empress Dowager needed them and the Shu family needed them, exchanged a glance. Their previously passive attitude had now changed somewhat.
Li Mama was naturally eager for these two to follow the Empress Dowager's wishes and quickly find a way to win over the Emperor.
"I'm sure you two young ladies have heard that our Lady does not come from a good background."
"But after being selected for the palace from the inner palace, this lady has been doing everything in her power to serve the emperor."
"And so, after all the twists and turns, she finally won the Emperor's favor and was promoted directly from a palace maid to the fourth-rank Consort Jiang."
"This kind of good fortune is truly the envy of others."
Granny Li spoke rather tactfully, but the matter of A-Zhu climbing into the emperor's bed was anything but ambiguous, causing everyone's thoughts to flutter like the night wind.
The group returned to Jingshou Garden with different thoughts on their minds.
No matter how much she tried to pin the blame on Azhu, Empress Dowager Shu, who had been overjoyed but felt she had lost face, threw another tantrum.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager..."
"Alright, alright."
Empress Dowager Shu rubbed her temples, feeling utterly irritated. "They're all useless people, and they're still complaining that they haven't embarrassed themselves enough?"
Granny Li dared not say more, and she and the Shu sisters slunk away.
......
Zhengyang Palace
Seeing that Eunuch Chen, who was guarding outside the hall, looked really bad, and that he looked like a pale ghost in the moonlight, Fu Hai rubbed his arms when the cold wind blew, but he still couldn't help but move closer.
"Master Steward, there are servants guarding here. You've had a long day, why don't you go and rest for a bit?"
Eunuch Chen just stared wide-eyed and gestured for Fu Hai to be quiet, while he himself remained on edge, carefully listening to the sounds inside.
After listening for a while without hearing any further sounds, Eunuch Chen looked at Fu Hai.
"Have the servants at Songxiu Pavilion been replaced?"
Fu Hai nodded repeatedly.
"Don't worry, Steward. When His Majesty returned with the Empress just now, they had all been changed."
"Those people who were transferred there were indeed all tight-lipped and quick-witted."
The hunting grounds were bustling with people and gossip. Even though Emperor Xuanpei only ordered that they keep a close watch, Eunuch Chen was extremely careful and meticulous, not wanting to let a single word slip out.
As long as there's no trouble in Songxiu Pavilion... there's nothing to worry about in Zhengyang Palace.
Spying on the emperor's whereabouts is a serious crime.
Those who served the emperor knew exactly what it meant to be "missing a tongue".
Eunuch Chen naturally trusted that Fu Hai could handle this kind of cleanup properly.
Seeing that Eunuch Chen's expression hadn't softened at all, Fu Hai didn't dare to ask about A-Zhu directly. After thinking for a moment, he carefully whispered, "Steward, Qing Liu and the others are still in the side room, this..."
"Let them stay put and behave themselves."
"How long should we wait?"
Eunuch Chen shook his head and gave Fu Hai a disapproving look.
Who knows?
After all, who could have imagined that their emperor and that empress would suddenly have such a falling out?
One bad thing after another followed, a series of tangled and complicated news.
These events came suddenly like a tidal wave, leaving no time for even the quickest to react, and in the blink of an eye, they turned into a "storm of lightning and thunder."
Consort Jiang...is determined to die.
When he heard that girl, Lü Fu, kneeling there, tears streaming down her face, saying those four words, it's no exaggeration to say that Eunuch Chen froze on the spot, his scalp tingling, and his whole body instantly turned cold from head to toe.
Even if we use medication now... it can only stop it temporarily, can it stop it forever?
How did things suddenly spiral out of control and get this bad?
Standing outside the palace, Eunuch Chen could only sigh, not knowing how to end this situation.
end?
Ah Zhu was too preoccupied to think about that problem at the moment.
No one knows where Emperor Xuanpei got some strange medicine from, but Azhu couldn't exert any strength at all.
Her expressionless face naturally became exceptionally "noble and aloof".
But the sensation on her body did not diminish in the slightest.
Because of her weak body, which allowed her to only react slightly, her senses became even more acute.
The dim candlelight from the palace lantern with the crane carrying a branch seeped through the brocade curtains, like shattered specks of light, falling on Azhu's jade-like skin, making it appear even more ambiguous and tender.
"Smack—!"
Although Ah Zhu had just received two slaps to his buttocks and thighs, he still tilted his head slightly, seemingly with an "ice-cold" and "unyielding" expression, but in his heart he was already begging for mercy.
The slaps that landed on my body weren't light, nor were they heavy. Just as I felt a burning pain, they were gently kneaded and soothed, and the pain subsided, replaced by a slightly numb and warm sensation.
Just as people were starting to relax, another slap suddenly landed on them unexpectedly.
This almost numbing tenderness is mixed with the fear and anxiety of not knowing where the next slap will land; this limbo is truly torturous.
Emperor Xuanpei looked at Azhu.
Seeing her holding her head high, staring at him fiercely and coldly, with a defiant and resentful expression, he was struck by her defiance.
It wasn't entirely unexpected.
After all, Emperor Xuanpei knew what kind of person Azhu was on the very first night she entered Hanyuan Palace—she was resentful and defiant, soft on the outside but prickly on the inside.
It's okay, it's not a problem at all.
Ultimately, it was her own choice. She clung to him, nuzzling him intimately, constantly promising to stay with him no matter what. She couldn't deny it.
Even if she's a fraud, it doesn't matter.
She had promised him in person, and she had to keep her word no matter what!
Ah Zhu, whose bones felt weak all over, looked at Emperor Xuanpei with an extremely pleading and sincere gaze, trying to make him see clearly—Your Majesty, she was wrong, she really knew she was wrong.
Yes, for A-Zhu, admitting his mistakes to the emperor was something he could do anytime, anywhere, and he wouldn't feel embarrassed at all.
The people who make her unhappy are all living well in this world, so how can she go and die?
It is absolutely true that there is great terror between life and death.
Having survived two near-death experiences, Ah Zhu really didn't want to try again.
Besides, if she dies, wouldn't she just relinquish her status as a member of the Jiang family?
Ah Zhu listened to what Jiang Liu Guniang said.
But upon hearing this, Ah Zhu had only one increasingly firm thought: she wouldn't allow it!
She just wouldn't allow it!
She, a wicked, petty, and malicious person, simply didn't want to easily give in to their wishes.
How much suffering did she endure for this identity?
Is it true that she is, or that she isn't?
Don't even think about it!
She is innocent.
She was knocked unconscious and suffered a brain injury without her knowledge, and ended up taking the blame for someone else without even realizing it!
If she's not happy, nobody else will be happy either!
Even if it harms others without benefiting oneself, it is worth it.
Moreover, she had already offended Empress Dowager Shu to the point of no return.
Even if she weren't a member of the Jiang family, could she have reconciled with the Empress Dowager and forgotten all past grievances?
fart!
Didn't you see how badly that "Buddha" tormented Empress Wang?
If she meekly bowed her head and let bygones be bygones, wouldn't Empress Dowager Shu take advantage of the situation to humiliate her to death?
The emperor didn't kill her.
It nearly drove her crazy... but in the end, he still couldn't bring himself to kill her.
They didn't abandon her to those people in the palace, tacitly allowing them to torment her in various ways.
Instead, he chose to take her back to his palace in a way that was extremely "low-class and degrading," and then personally did it... well.
Ah Zhu, actually, is quite good at reading people's expressions, and even better at seizing opportunities, using those "ladders to heaven" to get increasingly arrogant...
Although A-Zhu had calculated everything very clearly, his desire to beg for mercy and submit, and his willingness to continue to appease the emperor, was absolutely unwavering.
Unfortunately, because of A-Zhu's previous statement of preferring death to surrender and her intention to hang herself, her meaning was not clearly conveyed to Emperor Xuanpei.
On the contrary, the more earnestly she stared at Emperor Xuanpei, the more intense her gaze became, and the more chilling and terrifying Emperor Xuanpei became. Azhu received several more slaps to her legs.
Seeing Ah Zhu's languid face and resolute gaze, Emperor Xuanpei stopped.
He looked at her with a gaze that sent chills down Ah Zhu's spine.
That's the kind of expression she was most afraid of. To be honest, what Ah Zhu feared most was Emperor Xuanpei staring at her with such a gloomy and direct gaze.
That's really scary.
If she could move and speak, she would definitely pounce on Emperor Xuanpei and cling to him tightly, showering him with sweet words and flattery.
Let's leave aside what will happen in the future.
As long as she can make the emperor happy, what can't she have?
Ah Zhu may not be good at anything else in her life, but she is exceptionally flexible and adaptable!
But Ah Zhu, she just can't move!
She was about to cry.
The two of them just stared at each other for a long time.
Emperor Xuanpei smiled gently and touched Azhu's face, but his words were sinister.
"No rush."
“A-Zhu”.
"I have a lifetime to spare, and I can slowly while you go. We have a long future ahead of us."
A-Zhu: ......
Do you dare to let her speak?!
Do you dare?
She swore, she promised, whatever the emperor wanted to hear, whatever soft words he desired, whatever sweet nothings he longed for, she would say them!
In the silence, Emperor Xuanpei reached out and slowly touched Azhu's lower abdomen again.
“I have said before, I have never given you any contraceptive medicine.”
"I have said before that no matter how many children you and I have, I want them all."
As they were talking, Emperor Xuanpei suddenly smiled, seemingly lost in thought.
He looked at Azhu with a rather serious expression.
"However, in the end, it was indeed my fault... that made our poor Ah Zhu vomit for so long, suffering so much like he had morning sickness, only to have it all come to nothing."
"It is only right that you blame me for this matter."
It wasn't her!
It really wasn't her!
It was that weird thing that was trembling inside her that tried to torture her to death and that's why it did this!
Ah Zhu looked at Emperor Xuanpei with trepidation, wanting nothing more than to shout to the emperor—he was right, he was absolutely right!!!
Emperor Xuanpei never concealed his rather blunt desire for Azhu.
But when Ah Zhu blinked, snuggled up to him softly, begged him, and tried his best to stroke his fur, Emperor Xuanpei was clearly still willing to act like a human being.
But now...
Emperor Xuanpei slowly picked up A-Zhu, and with a smile, affectionately nuzzled her nose, asking, "A-Zhu, shall I try to stay with you all night?"
A-Zhu: ......? ? ?
Emperor Xuanpei nodded: "If you don't object, then it's settled."
Ah Zhu: ...... !! !
From the very beginning, A-Zhu had been vehemently criticizing Emperor Xuanpei for being petty and narrow-minded, and he was absolutely right.
Look at him, all dressed up but sighing, seemingly deep in thought about some awful thing.
“I am not a ‘good teacher.’ When we arrived at the hunting grounds, I didn’t teach our Ah Zhu how to ride a horse properly. But it’s never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost.”
......
The candles burned quietly all night, until the sky began to lighten with the first light of dawn, and the Zhengyang Palace remained utterly silent.
Something was poured into A-Zhu's mouth while she was fast asleep. She vaguely tasted something like the donkey-hide gelatin, milk, and bird's nest soup she usually drank, followed by a slightly bitter taste. She couldn't tell what kind of soup it was.
Ah Zhu ate as if in a dream, her eyes still closed.
Soon, the inner palace returned to calm, and I found myself back in a familiar warmth.
The scene felt like stepping back into the Guanju Palace, where the familiar Azhu had fallen asleep again without even struggling.
Unlike the imperial city, where court sessions were held, the hunting grounds were free for officials, their families, princes, and princesses to hunt and ride horses for leisure, as long as they didn't break the rules.
Therefore, even though Emperor Xuanpei did not leave the palace, no one dared to disturb him without cause.
......
Phoenix Palace
Even though this wasn't in the palace, the concubines at the hunting grounds still conscientiously came to pay their respects to Empress Wang early in the morning.
Last night, after learning that Emperor Xuanpei had fallen out with Azhu, Empress Wang, fearing that she might be implicated in the matter, quickly withdrew all her people and did nothing else.
As a result, Empress Wang waited all night, but she did not receive any news from Emperor Xuanpei about the punishment of Lady Jiang.
None of the originally envisioned punishments—demotion, confinement, or even execution—came to pass away.
Not only has there been no imperial decree, but we haven't even seen a trace of Ah Zhu yet.
Even though Ah Zhu was incredibly reckless, she hadn't really gone mad.
No matter how sarcastic or sarcastic his words, he always expressed his loyalty and respect for the Empress. Even if he didn't come to pay his respects, he would still send someone to apologize.
As Consort Zhao angrily berated A-Zhu for his lack of manners, Empress Wang had a sudden thought and deliberately made a scene to further escalate the situation and kick A-Zhu while he was down.
She shook her head with a solemn yet somewhat helpless expression, and said with great kindness, "This Consort Jiang is still young and new to this hunting ground. It's normal for her to be playful and curious."
Consort Zhang narrowed her eyes and silently watched Empress Wang, who was probably about to cause some trouble.
Consort Sheng then took over the conversation.
"Yes, I heard she injured her leg yesterday. I wonder how badly it hurts."
The people inside the hall chatted amongst themselves, and before they knew it, they decided to stop by Songxiu Pavilion to visit Consort Jiang, who was perhaps unable to move due to her leg injury, as part of their stroll through the garden.
Well, that's how Empress Wang arrived at Songxiu Pavilion with her large entourage.
"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"
The eunuch at the door shouted, but no one came out to greet him.
A group of concubines, surrounding the Empress with a displeased expression, forced their way into the inner palace of Songxiu Pavilion. However, after searching inside and out, they still couldn't find Consort Jiang.
The newly transferred palace servants only said that they hadn't seen Consort Jiang come out of the palace, but they truly knew nothing else.
How could a concubine disappear so mysteriously?
This is outrageous!
Given Ah Zhu's arrogant behavior, the concubines present only wished they could crush her to death, and had no intention of covering for her.
Of course, some people would seize the opportunity to say outrageous things.
Moreover, the Empress herself brought them to Songxiu Pavilion, and no one really saw Consort Jiang... The law doesn't punish everyone, so taking this opportunity to bring down A-Zhu is the most important thing.
Thus, this outrageous incident quickly became a hot topic.
......
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Author's Note: Ah Zhu (rolling around, roaring like a dragon, pounding the ground and shouting) It's just coaxing Old Deng, she's an expert at it: "Dare you let me speak? I'm willing to say what you want to hear, please, give me a chance!!!"
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