Chapter 20 Chapter 20 [VIP]
Half a month has passed since what happened that night.
But every time Yuan Mu was awakened by a nightmare, Zhang Qin's face would always appear in front of his eyes.
Thinking of his body lying in the middle of the warm room, she could not sleep well and could not eat.
This was actually not the first time Yuan Mu had seen such a situation.
During the Jingzhao Rebellion, she had witnessed countless more horrific scenes, including the gruesome sight of people being disemboweled.
But this was the first time Yuan Mu killed someone with his own hands.
Blood gushed out, splattering her face. The hot, sticky blood dripped down her arms, as chaotic as an inescapable nightmare.
The instigator of all this was her father.
It was just because he wanted her to give birth to a child as soon as possible.
Yuan Mu looked at Yuan Wei. She was like a little beast on high alert, her nerves tense, but her eyes and eyebrows showed strong disgust.
Yuan Wei's expression was too calm.
He always seems to have that attitude, as if he doesn't care about many things, like a famous and romantic man, but in fact he is obsessed with money and will do anything to achieve his goals.
Yuan Wei said modestly, "Of course, I came to visit Empress Zhaoyi at your Majesty's invitation."
"I don't need your visit," Yuan Mu said harshly, "You..."
She really wanted to say something very unpleasant to scold Yuan Wei.
But not long after, the emperor came back. He had changed into a wide-sleeved casual suit with a faint scent of incense on it.
Hearing what seemed to be an argument in the main hall, he gently asked, "What's going on?"
Yuan Wei was a trusted and loyal minister of the emperor. He had made great contributions to the emperor and had been loyal to him even when he was in the emperor's palace, earning him great favor.
His desperate support and sacrifice of his life in times of turmoil made his position unshakable.
The foundation of maintaining power is not cronyism or generous salaries, but the emperor's grace from beginning to end.
But Yuan Wei did not have a family background or an official position for nothing.
He is an outstanding person. Over the years, he has been a general and a prime minister. The founding heroes and their descendants who were once painted in the painting "Lingyan Shang Ganquan" gradually pale in comparison to him.
Empress Yuan was favored by the emperor for many years, and apart from the emperor's preference, it was all due to Yuan Wei's support behind the scenes.
The front court and the harem are one.
Even though Yuan Mu was ignorant about state affairs, he understood this principle.
Even if there were a hundred of her put together, perhaps none of them would mean more to the emperor than Yuan Wei.
What happened that day was so ridiculous.
But Yuan Mu couldn't say a word to the emperor.
First, there was no way he could believe her; she had no credibility with him at all.
The second reason is that even she knows that Yuan Wei cannot be overthrown.
Yuan Mu hated Yuan Wei to death, but he had to admit that she was dependent on him.
Even if he didn't love her at all.
But she really couldn't live without him.
Even Empress Yuan was like this. The moment she was born as a woman, this was her fate that she could not escape in her lifetime.
Yuan Mu lowered his eyes, his knuckles drooping: "Nothing."
She didn't know she was going out to see Yuan Wei, and thought the emperor was calling her over. Her long black hair was a little messy, and her face was still slightly flushed.
Yuan Mu played with the kitten for too long today.
The emperor naturally pulled her to his side and raised his hand to help her smooth her messy hair behind her ears.
Yuan Mu sat beside the emperor, she lowered her eyes, not wanting to meet Yuan Wei's gaze at all.
"Who said they didn't want to raise a kitten?" the emperor asked softly. "Don't you feel tired?"
He had a gentle complexion and a slight smile on his lips.
Yuan Mu lowered his head and shook it gently: "Not tired."
The emperor chuckled and rubbed Yuan Mu's face: "Be good, eat first, and think about your kitten later."
Yuan Wei's expression remained calm and peaceful. He said softly, "A Luo is childish. Your Majesty, please bear with me."
The relationship between the two was very good, and the boundaries between the monarch and his subjects seemed to be broken at this moment.
This is different from the emperor's closeness to the Xi brothers and sisters and the King of Chu.
In addition to closeness, there is also obvious trust.
Yuan Mu was not used to such occasions, especially since something like that had just happened. She felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, and when she sensed Yuan Wei's gaze, she felt uncomfortable all over.
Dinner arrived quickly.
Fortunately, they still had other things to talk about and did not bring the topic up to her.
This should be considered a family dinner, a private dinner among private dinners.
Only a handful of people in the court could dine with the emperor.
But Yuan Wei's expression did not seem unusual at all, as if he was already used to it.
Yuan Mu was concentrating on the food on the porcelain plate without even raising her eyes. This was the most serious time she had ever eaten.
When the emperor placed the cup in front of her, she was still concentrating on eating the fish fillets.
After the main course, there are snacks and drinks.
The emperor was feeding Yuan Mu some snacks when a servant suddenly came in to report that there was an urgent matter that required His Majesty's attention.
After he left, the palace
Yuan Mu clenched his palms tightly, pushed the plate in front of him away, and stood up: "Get out."
There was a long-suppressed anger in her eyes.
Yuan Mu's personality is not strong,
Those clear, watery eyes seemed to never show any extreme emotions.
But now Yuan Mu can no longer suppress his emotions.
Yuan Wei leaned back, his eyes slightly lowered,?
"I am your Majesty's biological father," he said calmly, "as long as your Majesty and your Highness summon me, I will come, even if it means going through fire and water."
Yuan Wei spoke in an official tone beautifully, and others who spoke flatteringly always sounded petty.
He is very good at dealing with people and is good at networking. Even when he speaks flattering words, it does not offend people at all.
But Yuan Mu can't.
Now, just seeing Yuan Wei would make her feel extremely nauseous.
Whenever Yuan Mu felt that her understanding of politicians was sufficient, Yuan Wei would always go further to break her bottom line.
She gritted her teeth and said, "You will get your comeuppance."
Yuan Wei believed in prophecies and fate. He might not care about other things, but he cared about this kind of thing the most.
He raised his eyes and looked at Yuan Mu with a cold gaze.
That coldness was like a wolf lurking in the woods at night, not at all like a father.
Yuan Wei's words were icy: "Take back what you said."
Yuan Mu never knew that making people angry could be such a joyful thing.
She met Yuan Wei's gaze directly, her tone becoming even more stern: "People like you who do evil things will not have a good ending."
Yuan Wei's eyes seemed calm, but they contained a hint of raging anger.
He holds a high position of power and is used to being in a superior position. No one has dared to speak to him like this for many years.
But this is the Ziwei Palace.
So Yuan Wei finally suppressed his temper.
He stood up, turned his head, and whispered, "Ask His Majesty to agree to the selection of concubines in the spring."
What draft?
Yuan Mu was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect Yuan Wei to suddenly change the subject.
"It's okay if you don't want to have children," Yuan Wei gave her a look, motioning her to leave the palace, "someone has to have children in this palace."
Yuan Mu stayed with the emperor for a long time, but she was not sensitive enough to political affairs. Every time she understood what had happened, she had to listen to what others said.
However, when she heard Yuan Wei say this, her thoughts suddenly became clear.
The risk of finding someone to make her pregnant is still too great. If the emperor really finds out, the consequences will be unimaginable.
The heavy snow of the past few days has stopped, but the weather is very cold and the snow has not completely melted.
Yuan Mu walked out with Yuan Wei against the wind.
Under the pillars, the father and daughter rarely stood side by side.
"Get him to agree to the draft," Yuan Wei said softly, "and you don't have to worry about the rest."
This was something Empress Yuan had mentioned to the emperor before he went to Shuofang.
Yuan Mu didn't know whether he agreed or not, but now it seems that he didn't agree.
The incident with the two girls from the Cui family had left a deep shadow on her, and she instinctively responded, "That's inappropriate."
Yuan Mu's words were slightly irritated: "You can go and talk to them yourself, or ask your sister to lobby for them."
Empress Yuan coaxed her into doing things, and she also used some benefits to comfort her.
Yuan Wei forced her to do it every time.
"Are you blaming me?" Yuan Wei suddenly scolded, "When will you grow up?"
His robe shone silver in the moonlight, and was as transparent as mercury in the darkness.
It was a coldness that was even more indifferent than ice and snow.
Yuan Mu looked at Yuan Wei, with deep fatigue in his eyes.
But just as she was about to say something, Yuan Wei interrupted her and said, "Think about your aunt and sister."
"Your sister will be coming of age soon, and I want to find her a good husband," he said calmly, "but you know about her eye disease."
No one knows Yuan Wei's cold-bloodedness and cruelty better than Yuan Mu.
Once a person has a weak spot, he is like a clam that has lost the protection of its shell.
Yuan Mu's expression suddenly changed.
She said in a trembling voice: "Are you threatening me?"
"Father just wants you to think it over carefully," Yuan Wei said calmly, "After all, I've raised them for so many years, and it's cost me a lot of money and effort."
He looked up at the night sky and said calmly, "You have to get something in return, don't you?"
Yuan Mu's face looked extremely ugly.
The wind outside is biting, blowing from the extremely cold land in the northern border, and is filled with frost and snow all year round.
But no matter how cold it was, it couldn't be colder than Yuan Mu's heart at this moment.
"Within three days, as long as he agrees," Yuan Wei said softly, "you will choose Yuan Yin's husband from among those in the capital."
He finally softened his tone.
But Yuan Mu couldn't feel relaxed because of this.
Her knuckles were clenched in her palms, and at some point, she wanted to tell the emperor everything.
However, when she thought about how she had just entered the palace and naively told the emperor about her past, but he had suppressed her in such a cruel way, Yuan Mu didn't dare to think about it anymore.
He had no trust in her, and even if she spoke a few more words to the servant, it would be regarded as seduction.
The emperor has been very fond of Yuan Mu recently. He hasn't even punished her much, but he just loves her very much.
This feeling was no deeper than her feeling for the kitten.
She had to remember who she was.
A toy that can be tortured at will in bed, a tool used to give birth to offspring and spread the family.
After the emperor returned, the two returned to the main hall.
They chatted for a few words and then said nothing more.
The emperor said softly, "It's getting late, Yuan Qing, please go back early."
After seeing Yuan Wei off, he carried Yuan Mu to the bathroom, washed him clean, and then carried him back to the inner hall on his shoulders.
The emperor had not touched her these days because he was busy with government affairs.
Now that I am done with my work, there is no reason to be like Liuxia Hui.
The emperor put out the wick, pinched Yuan Mu's jaw and kissed her. She had eaten dessert in the evening, and the sweetness of lychee still lingered between her lips and teeth.
The tender red tip of her tongue resisted weakly, and was kissed deeper by him instead.
They rarely kissed before.
We have done many more intimate things, but kissing is rare.
However, since when, Yuan Mu's red lips have always been swollen from being kissed.
Tenderness is like the water in a hot spring, which will make people deeper and deeper.
The emperor was extremely indifferent to matters between men and women when he was young, and later, because of the affairs of the previous emperor and the previous empress, he completely lost interest in this matter.
But when Yuan Mu's white arm climbed onto his shoulder, an almost terrifying impulse surged up.
Perhaps she felt comfortable being kissed, so her tongue stopped resisting and she kissed back awkwardly and immaturely.
Saliva flowed from the lips, and a rich aroma burst out.
Strong emotions constantly attacked the defenses of reason, making the emperor want to give everything he could.
Even when his knuckles touched the thin bracelet on Yuan Mu's wrist, the strong emotion was not diluted.
But what does Yuan Mu really want?
The emperor suddenly realized that he didn't know what Yuan Mu liked or desired.
He raised her to be like him, rarely showing her emotions and rarely letting others know of her joy.
But the emperor gradually let it go.
It doesn't matter what she wants, what matters is that he can give her everything.
The significance of ascending the throne finally became clear at this moment.
-
Yuan Mu woke up very late the next day. It was not so much that he was too tired to just want to sleep, but rather that he didn't want to wake up.
Today is the Lantern Festival, the final day of the New Year.
After the Lantern Festival, the New Year is completely over.
Local government offices also had to prepare to start printing, and many matters had to be put on the agenda.
Even children have to carry their school boxes to school.
For many people, the Lantern Festival is a festival that is both happy and sad.
The only advantage is that the weather will gradually become warmer after spring.
Yuan Mu did not leave the tent after waking up.
The Emperor had not permitted the kitten to approach the curtains, but now that he had left, she carefully brought it up.
Yuan Mu first spread a soft blanket, and then gently stroked the kitten's fur.
Its heterochromatic eyes are very beautiful, and it has a proud, beautiful and majestic long coat.
But the kitten had a very good personality. It didn't make any noise and just nestled in Yuan Mu's arms. She stroked its soft and warm fur, and her mood gradually became less bad.
After playing with the kitten for a while, Yuan Mu looked up at the clepsydra.
Seeing that the emperor was about to return, she quickly folded up the blanket, then got out of bed, picked up the kitten, and carried it to the terrace.
Yuan Mu has been staying in Ziwei Palace for a long time recently and is almost able to figure out the emperor's pattern of behavior.
Sure enough, in less than a quarter of an hour, the emperor returned.
He came back from Yifeng Palace.
Empress Yuan had angered him some time ago, and she had been extremely cautious recently. She no longer dared to do whatever she wanted as before, and even for small matters she would ask for their opinions again and again.
She had been queen for many years and nothing had gone wrong.
After the emperor calmed down, nothing happened.
But only he himself knows how deep the thorn is stuck in his heart.
Yifeng Palace was not too far from Ziwei Palace. Empress Yuan walked in with the emperor, carrying a food box.
"This is a fresh soup I made myself," she said gently, "If you don't mind, please try it."
Throughout the year, there are actually not too many festivals that the emperor and empress have to attend at the same time.
But they mainly gather around the New Year.
They must attend the Lantern Festival banquet together in the evening.
There were also court meetings and audiences in the morning. After the emperor finished his affairs, he went directly to the Yifeng Palace.
The stability of the harem is as important as the stability of the previous dynasty.
After he punished Concubine De and Concubine Xian by confining them to their homes before the New Year, everyone became much calmer and no longer gathered together to talk without restraint as before.
Matters in the harem are easy to handle, but the emperor is still too lazy to intervene.
Empress Yuan was stupid, but she could still handle this kind of thing to some extent.
"Thank you for your help," the emperor said calmly. "You won't have to do this kind of thing yourself in the future."
He turned his head to look at Empress Yuan and asked the eunuch to take the food box and place it on the table.
The ancients said: The highest and brightest are the sun and the moon, the closest and the most distant are husband and wife.
The two of them treated each other with respect. If Empress Yuan stopped harboring malicious intentions, the Emperor would be willing to be polite to her.
Empress Yuan had a gentle smile and was usually a respected and noble empress.
But in front of the emperor, she was just a little woman who was dependent on her husband.
Empress Yuan looked up at the Emperor, her voice gradually lowering, "Your Majesty, for tonight's banquet, do you think I should wear scarlet or my new lotus-pink dress?"
Her expression was very gentle, as if she had turned back into the innocent girl of fifteen or sixteen.
"It's all right," the emperor said softly. "You can wear whichever one you like."
The words between the two were somewhat distant, but because of their status as husband and wife, they seemed close.
The corners of Empress Yuan's lips rose even higher.
She smiled gently, and even her eyebrows showed joy.
But when she walked into the center of the main hall and saw Yuan Mushi standing on the terrace, all of Empress Yuan's good mood disappeared.
Why is Yuan Mu here? Shouldn't she be living in Qingning Palace?
When did she start sleeping and living with the emperor?
Panic filled Empress Yuan's heart before jealousy.
At this point, she completely understood where her father's warning came from.
It was only at this time that the emperor realized Yuan Mu was there. She went to bed late last night, and according to her usual schedule, she would not wake up until at least the afternoon.
He was stunned for a moment, and inexplicably thought of what happened before the Qianqiu Festival.
Did she hear it too?
When offering sacrifices to heaven, the ritual officer suddenly made a mistake, and the emperor always treated it calmly and indifferently, but at this moment he suddenly didn't know what to say.
Yuan Mu held the kitten awkwardly.
She was squatting, with a long red cloak draped over her shoulders and a tassel that dragged on the ground, but underneath she was only wearing a furry white petticoat.
Yuan Mu didn't expect that Queen Yuan would come back with him.
The emperor and the empress stood side by side, chatting in an intimate and polite manner. Anyone who saw their matching and noble postures would think that they were a perfect match.
No. They are already husband and wife.
That kind of instinctive feeling of guilt suddenly arose.
When Yuan Mu was alone with the emperor, he usually didn't feel anything particularly strange.
But when she looked at their figures standing side by side, she suddenly became so clearly aware of the embarrassment of her identity.
A concubine who serves a man with her beauty.
A concubine who is supposed to serve the master at night so that she can give birth to a child for the mistress as soon as possible.
The emperor favored Empress Yuan so much that he only touched her among the three thousand beauties in the harem. For two years, it could even be said that she was the only one he favored.
But at this moment, Yuan Mu suddenly realized that she was so out of place.
Her very existence is clear evidence of the dark side of the friendship between the emperor and the empress.
Yuan Mu cannot stand in the light of day.
Her knuckles unconsciously clenched as she held the kitten, and it felt hurt and scratched her with its claws.
The back of Yuan Mu's hand was bleeding, but her mind suddenly became clear.
She stood up, bowed, and said, "...I greet Your Majesty and the Empress."
Yuan Mu hadn't greeted anyone for a long time, so his movements were a little unfamiliar.
She pressed down her bleeding hand.
Blood began to flow along his finger bones, but Yuan Mu seemed to be unaware of the pain.
She pursed her lips and stood there silently.
On the first and fifteenth day of every lunar month, the concubines in the harem would go to see Empress Yuan. Yuan Mu only remembered that today was the Lantern Festival, and only now did he remember that today was also the fifteenth day.
There was a look of embarrassment and helplessness between her brows, but she did not glance at the emperor.
Is this what a favorite concubine should be like?
Why did Yuan Mu still act like a stranger every time he met him in public even though he had done so much?
The emperor stared at Yuan Mu for a moment, and his heart felt as if someone had poured cold water on him, and he felt a little frustrated.
But his emotions were never shown on his face, and he still maintained that respectful and calm demeanor.
The emperor remained silent for a long time, and Empress Yuan had no choice but to speak.
"It's almost noon, please have your meal quickly," Empress Yuan said repeatedly, "I will withdraw first."
The emperor said "hmm" softly, and she left quickly.
Only he, Yuan Mu, and the kitten at her feet were left in the hall.
Yuan Mu's back of her hand was in great pain, but when she saw the kitten anxiously scratching the corner of her robe, she still bent down and picked it up.
She lowered her eyes, put her hands in her sleeves, and gently stroked the kitten's fur.
Yuan Mu stood motionless on the terrace, but the emperor always walked towards her. When the shadow fell, she pursed her lips slightly.
He is unhappy.
The emperor's temperament has always been like this, but Yuan Mu is not good at understanding.
Her expression became even more uneasy, and she didn't dare to raise her eyes.
The emperor had probably stayed in Yifeng Palace for a long time, and his body was stained with the scent of that place. The kitten couldn't get used to the smell, and meowed with its teeth bared and claws clawed.
Yuan Mu looked frightened, afraid that it would catch the emperor.
But before she could hold the kitten down, the emperor grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and threw it aside.
His voice was extremely cold: "You are an untameable beast."
Yuan Mu screamed, but fortunately the kitten climbed up and down all day and ran away in a flash.
After it left, the already solemn atmosphere in the hall became even more heavy and suffocating.
Yuan Mu didn’t know what she had done wrong, nor did she know what the kitten had done wrong. She stood in front of the emperor with trembling eyes and eyebrows.
The back of her hand was very painful. The bleeding seemed to have stopped, but there was still a sharp stinging pain.
Yuan Mu didn't dare to say anything, fearing that the emperor would punish the kitten after finding out.
She bit her lips tightly, and when the emperor carried her to the bronze mirror, she tried her best to suppress her fear and leaned forward to kiss his lips to please him.
But such flattery is of no use.
The emperor pinched Yuan Mu's jaw so hard that tears fell from her eyes.
Her body was shaking constantly, but she tried her best to suppress it and continued to kiss the emperor's lips.
The weak are most sensitive to danger.
This is Yuan Mu's instinct for survival.
The bronze mirror is as tall as a person's body and can clearly illuminate most of the main hall.
The lush green plants, the vertical flower and bird paintings, the low table by the window, all the scenes in the elegant palace can be taken in.
Yuan Mu hid the scars on the back of his hand and called out repeatedly, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't dare say a word that might anger the emperor.
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