Chapter 55 Jia Azhu, so many people.
Historically, during hunting expeditions, emperors who visited Kowloon Gardens would stay at Zhengyang Palace, and this time was no exception.
Before arriving, Azhu had tried her best to refuse Emperor Xuanpei's offer to let her stay in the side hall.
She pleaded and begged for several days before finally persuading Emperor Xuanpei to agree.
A-Zhu didn't dare to choose anything too far away, so she picked Songxiu Pavilion, which was closest to Zhengyang Palace.
Seeing that it was still early, and considering that Ah Zhu had begged him several times about riding a horse, Emperor Xuanpei decided to go to Songxiu Pavilion and take her to the horse farm to choose a horse first.
Upon entering the hall, they found that A-Zhu was nowhere to be seen.
Emperor Xuanpei looked at Sancai, who had hurriedly come over to pay his respects.
"Where is your empress?"
San Cai replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty."
"Our Empress went to the horse stables, saying she wants to choose a horse for practice as soon as possible, so as not to embarrass His Majesty..."
Emperor Xuanpei smiled and shook his head. "So anxious?"
Thinking he would go directly to the horse farm to find A-Zhu, Emperor Xuanpei took a few steps, but stopped before leaving the palace.
"Since you've rushed straight to the horse farm upon arrival, I'm afraid you won't even have time to drink a cup of tea."
Then Emperor Xuanpei turned around and instructed, "Your empress has been coughing a bit these past few days. Take out the pear lung-moistening syrup that the imperial physician prepared and soak it in hot water to make a good batch for her."
San Cai nodded repeatedly in agreement, "Yes, yes, yes."
Seeing that San Caiguang was responding, and that Emperor Xuanpei was not going out of the hall, Eunuch Chen quickly reminded him, "Foolish thing, why don't you hurry up and make some pear syrup soup?"
Realizing what was happening, San Cai quickly prepared some pear syrup, poured it into a leather bag, and ran over with both hands. Eunuch Chen quickly reached out and took it, and then turned and headed towards the horse garden with Emperor Xuan Pei.
......
Horses selected for the Royal Garden Horse Ranch are naturally top-quality horses.
The emperor also permitted the young men who had accompanied him on the hunt to select horses at the horse ranch.
If someone rides these horses and wins first place or performs exceptionally well, these horses kept in the gardens may even be given to them directly so that they can ride them back to their residence.
Since ancient times, beautiful flowers have been paired with beautiful women, and great generals with fine steeds.
Few gentlemen would dislike these top-quality horses, especially since they were imperial gifts. Riding them would make one look incredibly dashing; who wouldn't want one?
But there are only so many horses in the horse farm, so naturally not everyone can have one. As a result, private gambling and fighting to snatch horses became rampant.
Those who can arrive at the horse farm so quickly are certainly not nobody.
These people's fathers and brothers were either important officials in the court or related to the imperial family, so they had little fear, and the lively noise started right from the door.
So, seeing that Ah Zhu had chosen a famous breed from the Grand Garden, some people started to urge the young man named Ah Ye to have a contest with Ah Zhu.
"Ah Ye, this famous breed from the Great Garden has a bad temper, hahaha. This young man looks tough, but he's got quite a heart. What if he gets trampled by this horse?"
“Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Go up and have a good competition with this young man so that he will back down and choose some ponies to ride around.”
“Yes, Ah Ye, this horse hasn’t left the stable yet, and it hasn’t been selected. It’s not against the rules for you to try it out.”
Sheng Ye, who had come specifically for this renowned breed from the Grand Garden, actually smiled and took a few steps forward when he saw a rather slender figure not far away. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the person in the orange-red riding and archery uniform turn around—
Ah Zhu, who no longer needs to be careful when greeting these young men from wealthy and powerful families, is completely different from before.
What was A-Zhu like when she was in the Yeting Palace?
When they met, she had to be obsequious and careful in everything she did. Among the palace maids of the same age, she was also outstanding and competitive, which made it clear that she was not to be bullied.
When leaving the inner palace and carrying out official duties, one always keeps their head down and carefully delivers things, being alert to any "noble person" they see and quickly bowing and greeting them.
Even with all that, Ah Zhu wasn't even getting enough to eat.
For a few taels of silver, she could argue back and forth with someone until her face contorted with rage, almost to the point of tearing off her mask.
A confused ambition and resentment mixed with utterly obsequious and vulgar flattery... Ah Zhu, the palace maids who were talking about her were full of contempt in their words.
It is said that when the granaries are full, people know etiquette.
As for Ah Zhu, she is now being taken very well.
The emperor sits upon the four seas, and the world provides for him.
Emperor Xuanpei also kept Azhu under his watchful eye, pampering her with great care and attention.
Now, Azhu possesses far more than she ever imagined.
For example, when it came to daily meals, A-Zhu almost always followed the Emperor Xuanpei's imperial meals.
Emperor Xuanpei was always concerned about Azhu's weak health and the fact that she had previously damaged her vital energy. Therefore, the imperial physicians and the imperial chefs in the kitchen had to try their best to research suitable medicinal diets.
Even when Emperor Xuanpei was not present during meals, he would still ask a few questions.
The imperial physician would come every few days to check on his health.
In the small kitchen, following the solar terms, suitable fresh ingredients are selected and prepared in various ways, such as stewing donkey-hide gelatin or bird's nest to make nourishing soups;
The Imperial Wardrobe was stocked with Suzhou embroidery and Sichuan brocade for A-Zhu, and he was always provided with soft brocade curtains for his bed...
Ah Zhu, who is well-versed in the saying "a dog relies on its master's power" and has even mastered its application, no longer needs to feel uneasy.
Aside from appeasing Emperor Xuanpei, she basically no longer needed to consider the opinions of other people in the palace... no, in fact, she began to deliberately provoke and publicly show Empress Wang a bad attitude.
It is said that one's environment shapes one's character and upbringing shapes one's temperament. Ah Zhu, who was so cherished by the emperor, is now truly a delicate flower blooming amidst royal power and wealth.
Because she was disguised as a young man, and because noble ladies wouldn't normally come to the stables to wash the horses' coats, even though she was thin, these people casually assumed she was just some young man who had sneaked over.
But Ah Zhu turned around...
Sheng Ye and Zhou Sanlang, who rushed to the front, were caught off guard and instinctively took several steps back after seeing her face clearly.
"Ah...it's a young lady."
Seeing their surprised movements as they took several steps back in unison and stammered out their words, Ah Zhu, whose sleeves were rolled up and whose hands were wet, smiled without covering his mouth.
In the distance are the vast, dark green mountain peaks, and nearby, the sweet fragrance of wildflowers is carried on the breeze, along with the clear chirping of birds.
Her smile made the young men present blush.
Even though her appearance as a young master makes it impossible to discern her identity using the hairstyle of an unmarried lady from a prominent family or a married woman, just looking at her age...
Sheng Ye, who had just been pushed to the front, couldn't help but secretly glance at her again. Then, blushing, he politely cupped his hands to A Zhu.
"The second son of the Sheng family of the capital has been rude today. Please forgive him, young lady."
Who's so eager to introduce themselves like that?!
After a slight pause, everyone present realized what was going on and decided not to let Sheng Ye have all the credit.
Especially Zhou Sanlang and the young master of the Fu family.
So the two of them squeezed behind Sheng Ye from the left and right, and began to introduce themselves with clasped hands.
One spoke of the Fu family of Luyang, and the other of the Zhou family of Nanlu, both of them only bowing and saying that it was presumptuous.
Song Chan and He Rongxu, who were deliberately or unintentionally blocked by the three, exchanged a helpless smile.
Song Chan laughed and cursed a few times, and He Rongxu also smiled, shook his head, and stepped back a little.
In this place free from the constraints of the palace walls, A-Zhu felt as if she had shed some kind of shackle, and her whole being felt much lighter... Having lived deep within the palace for so long, she rarely interacted with these "normal" people of marriageable age.
Seeing these dashing and unrestrained young men laughing and joking with such joy, A-Zhu smiled, wiped the water off his hands, and then, imitating them, clasped his hands in a fist and bow to them.
With hands clasped in a respectful gesture and a serious expression, A-Zhu was about to say something when he saw a group of people being escorted from a distance.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
Hearing the shout, the people who were originally facing A-Zhu quickly turned around, and everyone in the entire horse park knelt down with a "whoosh".
"Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"
Despite being of a different status from these people, Ah Zhu, who only used the curtsy, subconsciously knelt down as well.
She even bowed her head, just like these young men, and kowtowed to the emperor, calling him "Long live the Emperor."
When they were in the palace, A-Zhu would always rush forward to greet Emperor Xuanpei the moment she saw him, or cling to him affectionately. But this time, she followed the crowd and avoided him...
But since she had already knelt, it was hard to expect her to suddenly stand up in public and then shamelessly and eagerly greet him... Ah Zhu couldn't stand up.
Ah Zhu, caught up in the mistake, listened intently to Emperor Xuanpei's every move.
"Get up, everyone."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Surprisingly, his identity wasn't revealed.
When Azhu breathed a sigh of relief, she wondered if the Emperor hadn't seen her.
After all, the clothes she was wearing were newly delivered riding and archery attire, and she hadn't shown them to the emperor yet. She originally intended to surprise Emperor Xuanpei and let him see something new.
"You all arrived quickly, gathered here..."
Hearing Emperor Xuanpei's voice approaching from afar, Azhu, with her head down, quietly moved her feet and hid behind Sheng Ye.
Sheng Ye was slightly taken aback when he noticed A-Zhu's actions.
He glanced at Emperor Xuanpei not far away, then looked closely at Azhu.
Seeing that A-Zhu was dressed in brocade and looked very noble, and upon closer inspection, he noticed that she not only wore a gold token at her waist, but also had a jade belt in the style of the palace. And now she was sneaking around and hiding from the emperor... Sheng Ye immediately guessed A-Zhu's identity.
He smiled slightly, then began to stretch his body as much as possible, facing Emperor Xuanpei, adjusting his steps to block Azhu.
Eunuch Chen watched this scene unfold with utter disbelief, a spectacle so comical it bordered on absurd.
Having spent many years navigating the palace, Eunuch Chen was always a shrewd and observant person. Besides, since the Emperor had come specifically for that concubine, how could Eunuch Chen not notice her?
Seeing A-Zhu's actions and the foolish behavior of the Sheng family's sons, Eunuch Chen just wanted to cover his face and kneel down to beg A-Zhu to stop making trouble.
Did Emperor Xuanpei see it?
He saw her; he saw A-Zhu as soon as he arrived.
The tall and imposing Emperor Xuanpei saw clearly the person's furtive actions.
After glancing twice at Sheng Ye, who was foolishly blocking people's way, Emperor Xuanpei's gaze slowly fell on He Rongxu.
He Rongxu was from the Chengen Marquis's household and was also a nephew of the Consort Xian, so Emperor Xuanpei naturally had a good impression of him.
He was skilled in both literature and martial arts, yet possessed a refined and elegant demeanor, exuding a gentle and graceful charm.
Having spent so much time together, it was no wonder that Emperor Xuanpei could not hide Azhu's preferences from him.
Ha, she is exceptionally loyal, her preferences have remained unchanged from beginning to end... When she was still in the palace, first it was Prince Rui and then Prince Ying, and now, I'm afraid we'll have to add He Rongxu to the list.
Emperor Xuanpei kept fidgeting with the thumb ring on his hand, and laughed through his teeth.
With the auspicious time approaching, Emperor Xuanpei would not linger in the horse garden for long.
Because of the horse selection, more and more people have come to the horse farm.
Sheng Ye blocked A Zhu from getting close to Emperor Xuan Pei, and the two of them naturally moved further and further away from the imperial carriage.
A-Zhu had no interest in listening to what the large group of people surrounding Emperor Xuanpei were saying.
Seeing that Emperor Xuanpei was about to leave, Azhu, who had been secretly hiding his true self from beginning to end, breathed a sigh of relief and, together with everyone else, respectfully saw the emperor off.
Seeing the imperial carriage leave, Sheng Ye, who had been protecting A-Zhu, turned around. Although he had already guessed most of A-Zhu's identity, Sheng Ye still wanted to confirm it one more time.
"May I ask if you are a second-year student...?"
With her heart pounding, A-Zhu really had no mood to listen to Sheng Ye's rambling. She hastily cupped her hands in a respectful gesture towards Sheng Ye.
"Young Master Sheng is so kind, thank you very much."
After saying that, A-Zhu hurriedly took Qingliu and Lüfu, who were also hiding with their heads down, and ran away without looking back.
Zhou Sanlang watched Azhu's figure disappear quickly, then nudged Sheng Ye, who was standing there dumbfounded, with a hint of jealousy.
"You good-for-nothing Erlang, you always act so proper, but you're actually quite the flatterer... What were you saying to her? Did you even ask which noble lady she is from?"
Sheng Ye chuckled, ignoring Zhou Sanlang's question. He wasn't in the mood to choose a horse anymore and just ran quickly toward the palace in the garden.
Earlier, Consort Sheng in the palace said that she wanted to marry the second princess, whom she had raised herself, into the Sheng family, so that she could trust her with confidence.
Sheng Ye was afraid he wouldn't be able to serve such a delicate princess well, so he didn't even want to hear about it. Anyway, the Sheng family had several branches, and they could always find someone to marry the princess.
But now...
He only regretted that he didn't have wings like an eagle on his back, because he wanted to marry the princess and no one could take her from him!
Ah Zhu was also running away in such a hurry.
Ah Zhu comforted herself, telling herself that her chestnut horse was fierce and wouldn't be going with her anytime soon.
The Sheng family... that big, simple-minded guy is quite loyal; he protected her from beginning to end, so let him have that horse.
A-Zhu hurried to Songxiu Garden, then thought of pretending nothing had happened and that she could ask Emperor Xuanpei for a ride on his imperial horse later.
San Cai brought over the soup bowl.
Ah Zhu took it, tasted it, and saw that it was water infused with loquat lung-moistening paste.
This stuff is so cold and it stings your throat, A-Zhu doesn't really like drinking it.
Seeing this, San Cai quickly said, "Your Majesty, His Majesty just instructed me to remember to brew this for you."
"Please have some more."
!!
"Cough cough cough."
Ah Zhu choked on the water in his mouth and coughed it up.
The group quickly wiped her hands and soothed her.
Ah Zhu, however, couldn't care less about any of that and just stared at San Cai, saying, "This is... cough cough, when did His Majesty give this instruction?"
"He, cough cough cough, he came to Songxiu Pavilion again?"
Seeing that A-Zhu was anxious, San Cai did not dare to delay and quickly said, "Your Majesty, less than half a cup of tea's time after you went to the horse garden, His Majesty arrived. He not only instructed me to prepare this soup, but also filled a leather bag to take with me."
"Your Majesty...didn't you encounter His Majesty at the horse ranch?"
The emperor must have seen her just now, he must have!
In other words, he must have seen her bowing and avoiding people from the very beginning... Emperor Xuanpei was petty and vengeful; this was something Azhu had personally experienced.
If he gets upset about something and throws a tantrum on the spot, that's fine.
But if he sees it and keeps it in mind, yet chooses not to mention it, then this debt will accumulate to a staggering amount, even more frightening than the compounding interest of a donkey.
Don't panic, A-Zhu, don't panic... Just as A-Zhu was racking her brains for a solution, Consort Sheng, separated by several palace chambers, looked at Sheng Ye, who was acting like a rogue and playing the victim, with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
"What am I supposed to say to you?"
Consort Sheng grabbed Sheng Ye and berated him.
"Who was it that ran away without a trace when they heard about marrying the princess? They were terrified and dared not do it."
"Now you've suddenly changed your tune."
"Luckily, I haven't gone to ask His Majesty for permission yet, otherwise you would have accused me of disobeying the imperial decree, wouldn't you?"
Just as Sheng Ye was begging for mercy, the sound of drums rang out outside.
Hearing the drumbeats outside, Consort Sheng smiled, shook her head, and got up to walk outside.
"The auspicious time will arrive after the drums have been beaten three times."
"Ah Ye, if I were you, I would be preparing for a live hunt right now."
"If we win first place, wouldn't it be far more legitimate and glorious to ask the Emperor for a marriage decree in public than to beg me here?"
"Yes, thank you for the reminder, Aunt!"
Feeling like he had inexhaustible energy, Sheng Ye ran off again, riding the horse prepared in the mansion, his face full of fighting spirit.
Zhou Sanlang and Fu Xiaogongzi, who vaguely guessed that Azhu was a princess in the palace, squeezed through together, their faces full of resentment, staring at Sheng Ye with wide eyes.
Two resentful eyes stared at him, but Sheng Ye glared back without hesitation, raising his head even higher.
Seeing this, Song Chan and He Rongxu reined in their horses and retreated, distancing themselves from the three people who were glaring at them like black chickens.
The drums thundered, and on the third beat, Emperor Xuanpei appeared on the high platform.
Empress Dowager Shu was also present, along with Empress Wang, who sat on either side of Emperor Xuanpei.
At this moment, not only the concubines were accompanying the emperor, but also the second princess, the third princess... The seventh prince, who was only twelve years old, and the eighth prince, who was only eight years old, were also sitting beside their respective mothers.
Ah Zhu, Ah Zhu was there too... She was even still wearing that bright orange-red riding outfit.
Seeing Ah Zhu sitting there all alone, Sheng Ye subconsciously glanced at Consort Sheng, secretly thinking, why not summon the Second Princess to his side as well.
The expressions of Song Chan and He Rongxu, who had remained calm and uninvolved, changed instantly. If the princess they encountered in the horse park was not the princess, then this place... is not right?
During the three shouts of "Long live the Emperor!", Emperor Xuanpei did not take the bow and arrow. Instead, he had the Crown Prince take the imperial bow and shoot the first arrow in front of everyone.
The courtiers at the hunting grounds had different thoughts. Consort Zhang remained calm, while Empress Wang nodded and smiled with a dignified expression.
As the hunt was about to begin, Eunuch Chen personally led over an imperial horse.
Emperor Xuanpei took off his cumbersome cloak and simply laughed, "Today I'm just looking for a hunting trip and want to stretch my muscles."
"You can compete as you like. Whoever comes out on top, I will grant him an imperial decree."
Amidst cries of gratitude for the Emperor's grace, Emperor Xuanpei descended from the high platform, nimbly mounted his horse, and then smiled as he extended his hand toward Azhu.
"Come, let me teach you how to ride a horse."
In an instant, the entire hunting ground fell silent, save for the howling wind and the fluttering banners.
If they were still in the palace, Ah Zhu would have pounced on Emperor Xuanpei with a smug smile upon receiving such preferential treatment.
But we are outside the palace now.
All eyes were fixed on A-Zhu, as if they were being pricked by needles.
Those gazes included those of the concubines behind them, and those of the court officials below the high platform, all filled with calculation and estimation.
There were noble ladies from various families who had come with their parents, and young men on horseback, poised to gallop forth...
When Azhu looked up, she seemed to see Sheng Ye, Zhou Sanlang, and... she saw many other noble ladies and many other people looking at her with disbelief and contempt.
What could Ah Zhu, who was born a slave and now enjoys great favor from the emperor, possibly be unhappy about?
After she got up, she naturally walked towards Emperor Xuanpei.
Standing on one side of the high platform, A-Zhu looked at Emperor Xuanpei, who was smiling gently as he nodded to her.
After a pause, A-Zhu suddenly smiled at Emperor Xuanpei, and before anyone could react, without saying a word, calmly leaped down.
"ah!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Consort Jiang!?"
The entire hunting ground erupted in chaos.
Even though the platform was only two stories high, Ah Zhu's sudden jump was still quite frightening.
!
Emperor Xuanpei, who was closest and riding away at top speed, reached out and caught Azhu.
Even though he had caught her and was holding her tightly, Emperor Xuanpei, whose whole body suddenly went numb and whose heart felt like it was being tightened by a rope, still felt a dazed sensation as if his soul had left his body.
He held her so tightly that it hurt, but A-Zhu didn't struggle.
She only heard Emperor Xuanpei call out softly, "Azhu".
Ah Zhu, on the contrary, was able to laugh.
Her voice was still as soft and coquettish as ever.
"With Your Majesty here, I am not afraid at all. You will surely catch me."
Emperor Xuanpei, whose heart was still pounding with excitement, looked at Azhu and saw her nonchalant demeanor.
Emperor Xuanpei laughed.
He said nothing more, only holding Ah Zhu and gripping the reins tightly.
"drive--!"
Emperor Xuanpei left with Azhu.
On the high platform, Empress Dowager Shu, who was startled by the sudden turn of events, closed her eyes and kept chanting Amitabha Buddha.
Empress Wang was both shocked and furious. Her hands trembled as she muttered under her breath, cursing Ah Zhu for being so audacious and trying to attract attention.
Consort Sheng stared intently at Sheng Ye, who had subconsciously spurred his horse through the crowd and was still gazing at A-Zhu's figure in a daze.
Well, she was wondering why this kid suddenly started clamoring to marry the princess.
But just now, she didn't even glance at the Second Princess beside her, only staring at Consort Jiang in her riding attire... What else could Consort Sheng not understand?
Just thinking about this audacious and wicked idea made Consort Sheng feel breathless and dizzy.
She grabbed Yunxi, who was serving beside her, and gritted her teeth as she ordered, "Go, go tell your second young master that Consort Jiang in the palace is currently enjoying great favor, and he would never dare to offend her!"
There was a great deal of discussion among those below the platform.
“That’s…that’s Consort Jiang.”
"Consort Jiang?"
"Yes, I heard they're from the Jiang family."
"Isn't the Jiang family...?"
"You don't know? His Majesty showed mercy back then and allowed the girl left behind by the Jiang family to enter the palace as a slave... The one who miscarried in Shou Kang Palace was this Consort Jiang."
Those who had been to the horse farm at that time all looked terrible.
The Jiang family... Song Chan suddenly turned around and looked at He Rongxu, only to see him pursing his lips and tightly gripping the reins in his hand.
Song Chan and He Rongxu were friends since childhood.
He Rongxu, who was only ten years old at the time, foolishly showed off to Song Chan that he had a little wife and had given him a sachet, and even mocked Song Chan for not having one.
Because of this, Song Chan once threw a tantrum in the Song family mansion, constantly shouting that he also wanted a young wife, and as a result, he was given a good beating by his father.
“...Rong Xu”.
Saying more is pointless; it's all in vain.
If we were powerless to save them back then, how can we possibly mention it now?
He Rongxu was speechless, only staring straight at Song Chan.
Song Chan sighed and simply nodded.
“I understand. What’s past is past. We’ve known each other for so many years. I know what’s important. Don’t worry.”
......
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Author's note: Melodrama is my favorite trope (runs away with a pot on my head)
Thank you for your support, my lovely readers! Mwah!
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