Chapter 96: Different Thoughts

The night fell slowly like ink. Su Jingyao actually didn't sleep for long before she was gently awakened by Miaoxia.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes. There was going to be a grand bonfire party in the evening, and as the imperial concubine, she had to accompany Jun Zechen to attend it.

Today's competition results were almost exactly what Su Jingyao had expected. The Ye family members successfully took the lead in each team, and Jun Zechen also generously rewarded the Ye family.

After the dinner, Jun Zechen followed Su Jingyao back to her account.

In the bathtub, Su Jingyao's cascading hair was neatly tied up. She looked a little relaxed, leaning lazily on Jun Zechen.

Jun Zechen also looked extremely lazy, leaning against the edge of the bathtub with one hand casually stretched out and the other hand around her slender waist, stroking it gently.

"After Yaoyao and I came back today, I took advantage of your sleep to find out the reason why Concubine Lin's horse went crazy today."

Jun Zechen's eyes were deep and dark, and his voice was also faint, as if without a trace of emotion.

"I heard that you punished Concubine Lin today. Was it Concubine Lin who did it?" Su Jingyao raised her head slightly and asked softly.

"No, it was Concubine Ling who did it." Jun Zechen's answer was concise and clear.

Su Jingyao couldn't help but frown, slowly turned her head and looked at Jun Zechen.

"Why did Concubine Ling do this and then allow herself to get hurt to save me?"

"Yesterday, Concubine Lin used similar means to frame Concubine Ling, but I originally wanted to make a big deal out of a small matter and let it go, but Concubine Ling came up with a plan for revenge today."

As Jun Zechen spoke, his facial expression remained unchanged.

Su Jingyao's eyes showed some disapproval of Jun Zechen's actions.

"Your Majesty, since you knew yesterday that Concubine Lin framed Concubine Ling, why did you ignore it?"

She frowned slightly, her tone was a little hesitant, and there was also a hint of dissatisfaction in her mood.

"If Your Majesty had handled the matter fairly at that time, Concubine Ling would not have done such a thing today."

When Jun Zechen heard her question, he actually found it a little funny. She was clearly the victim today, yet she was still thinking about Concubine Ling. How foolish.

"I can use Concubine Lin, so Yaoyao doesn't have to worry about her."

When Jun Zechen said this, there was no change in his facial expression, but his words revealed an extremely cold aura.

After Su Jingyao heard this, her eyes widened slightly, with a hint of surprise flashing across them. Then she said with a bit of coquettishness: "Your Majesty, when you say this to me, aren't you afraid that I will become arrogant because of your favor?"

"You have always been my darling."

Jun Zechen's eyes became fiery and possessive, as if he wanted to swallow her whole.

Su Jingyao lowered her head shyly at his passionate words, her cheeks slightly flushed. Without saying anything more, she turned her head and continued to lean on him.

Jun Zechen's hands had been unconsciously caressing the creamy skin of the woman in his arms, but his mind was full of thoughts.

He has now begun to dispatch imperial envoys and ministers to various cities in order to find out the Ye family's private soldiers. If he wants the Ye family to relax their vigilance during this period, then the Ye family's daughter will need more favors.

By then, the Ye family girl will be promoted to the same position as Concubine Lin, and Concubine Lin will be made aware of Concubine Ye's plan to secretly let her use contraception. In this way, the two of them will be able to check and balance each other.

Yaoyao has a pure mind and has never used her intelligence to deal with the women in the harem. Usually, she focuses most of her attention on managing the harem and taking care of Xingxing.

He was worried that these vicious women would secretly harm Yaoyao in places he had not paid attention to.

Didn’t my father’s concubine poison my mother in the past in an attempt to replace her?

What's more, Concubine Shu once poisoned Yaoyao in an attempt to kill her eldest prince.

Now, Concubine Shu is only fit to practice Buddhism in a temple with her hair uncut, yet she still dreams of following King Cheng to his fiefdom to enjoy a good life.

When Jun Zechen thought of this, a hint of gloom unconsciously appeared in his eyes.

Su Jingyao leaned in the man's arms, feeling his steady and powerful heartbeat. Her eyes drooped slightly, and she also fell into deep thought.

Now that Jun Zechen told her all this, she was almost certain that Concubine Lin was a target that Jun Zechen had deliberately set up in the harem.

Su Jingyao was naturally satisfied with this.

Concubine Lin was not only set up as a target for the concubines. For Su Jingyao, it was mainly set up for the Empress Dowager and the court officials to see.

Su Jingyao doesn't care about these concubines at all now. If she wants to become the empress, the support of the empress dowager and court officials is the most important thing.

She didn't want to become like Concubine Ling in the original book, who had only a false title, was hated by the empress dowager, and was criticized by court officials.

In the end, she had nothing except the position of queen.

So, did Ling Yue win or lose?

Moreover, Ling Yue has never had a son. If Su Jingyao remembers correctly, after Jun Zechen's son ascended the throne, he had two empresses dowagers, one was the Mother Empress Dowager and the other was the Holy Mother Empress Dowager.

She stopped watching the subsequent plots because she could almost guess Ling Yue's final outcome.

Jun Zechen did fulfill his promise to Ling Yue and made Ling Yue the empress. However, such an ending made other bystanders sigh.

But……

Concubine Lin and Concubine Ye, why did Jun Zechen choose Concubine Lin as his so-called "new favorite"?

As an emperor, Jun Zechen's arrangements in the harem often reflect the checks and balances of the previous dynasty. The last time she saw her brother, she only cared to ask him about the current situation of the Su family.

It seems that she still needs to learn more about the affairs of the court, at least to be clear about the current situation in the court.

Not knowing whether she would have the chance to see her brother again before Chunlie returned to the palace, Su Jingyao frowned slightly, with a hint of thought in her eyes.

Su Jingyao sighed softly, as if with a hint of sadness.

"What's wrong?" Jun Zechen asked softly.

Su Jingyao's eyes flashed with tenderness, and she said slowly, "Your Majesty, I knew that my brother would also come to the Spring Hunt this time, so I specially prepared gifts for my mother, father, and brother. I wanted to ask Your Majesty to give the gift to my brother so that he could take it home."

As she spoke, she frowned slightly, seeming a little regretful.

"Last time, Your Majesty allowed my brother to come and see me. I was so happy that I forgot about this matter. So I have to trouble Your Majesty again."

"After the archery competition tomorrow, Your Majesty, can you help me bring the gift to my brother?"

"Since it is a gift you prepared for your family personally, you should hand it to your brother personally. I will let your brother come to see you tomorrow." Jun Zechen said nonchalantly.

There was a hint of hesitation on Su Jingyao's face.

"But I just met my brother two days ago. If I meet him again tomorrow, I'm afraid it won't be a good idea."

Jun Zechen smiled indifferently.

"My Royal Consort just wants to see her family. Can't I make the decision on this small matter? Yaoyao, don't worry about it."

"Your Majesty is very kind."

Su Jingyao's eyes were full of affection. She then turned her head, stretched out her hands, held the man's face, and kissed him.

Jun Zechen was stunned for a moment, then his eyes became hot. He reached out and held her head, deepening the kiss.

Just seeing her family, as long as she is happy.

The two of them hugged each other tightly, like intertwined lovebirds, inseparable, as if time had stopped at this moment.

After a long time, Jun Zechen let her go, and Su Jingyao leaned softly on him, her chest heaving, her breathing still a little disordered, her red lips slightly parted, breathing softly.

After a long while, she spoke slowly, "Your Majesty, Concubine Ling and Concubine Lin are now full of resentment. After returning to the palace, I am afraid that they will cause more trouble. In addition, Concubine Shen is also not on good terms with Concubine Ling."

She raised her head slightly, a trace of worry in her eyes, and continued: "Although I have never forgiven Concubine Ling for causing me to lose my child, I also know that Concubine Ling is kind-hearted and pure, and I am afraid she cannot defeat Concubine Lin and Concubine Shen."

There was a hint of worry in her tone and her brows were slightly furrowed.

The reason why she asked this question was naturally because she wanted to know what Jun Zechen thought of Ling Yue in his heart now.

After hearing her words, Jun Zechen's eyes suddenly flashed with a complicated look.

Is Concubine Ling kind and pure?

If she was kind, she would not have treated Yaoyao's dress so carelessly when Yaoyao was her savior, causing Yaoyao to lose her child.

If she were pure, she wouldn't be so eager for quick success just to please the Queen Mother and become the Queen.

Concubine Ling wanted everything. She wanted his favor and the status of empress, so she was willing to lower herself and stay.

But she never thought about why he gave all this to her, was it because of his previous promise?

He no longer likes Concubine Ling. Is it his fault or Concubine Ling's fault?

Jun Zechen didn't want to think about this problem. He was the emperor, and all the thunder, lightning, rain and dew were his grace.

"Even if Concubine Ling no longer has the power to assist in managing the harem, she is still one of the only two concubines in the palace. She must learn to protect herself."

Jun Zechen's voice was very calm, so calm that one could hardly hear any emotion in it.

In this palace, everyone is struggling to survive, whether they are servants or masters.

Jun Zechen used to think that a heart could be divided into two halves, but now, the dividing line has gone to who knows where.

Just as Concubine Ling said today, if it didn't involve Yaoyao, why would he investigate so thoroughly?

It is hard to imagine how cruel Jun Zechen is to those he doesn't care about, otherwise he would not have ascended to the throne by stepping on the corpses of his two royal brothers.

After he ascended the throne, his other brothers were strangled by him and could only wag their tails and beg for mercy.

Su Jingyao turned around after hearing that, and her slender legs wrapped around his strong waist like a snake, and her delicate hands wrapped around his neck like vines.

There was a pitiful look in her eyes and a slight tremor in her voice.

"But I am also afraid. I am afraid that I cannot protect myself, and I am even more afraid that I cannot protect the stars."

Jun Zechen's brows wrinkled when he heard that. He exerted force with his arms and hugged her tighter. The woman's soft body and the man's hard skin touched tightly, which seemed to convey a full sense of security instantly.

"I will naturally protect Yaoyao." His voice was low and firm.

He used to think that she was as fragile and helpless as a dodder, which made people feel pity and protective of her.

Later he discovered that although she appeared weak on the outside, she was actually very strong on the inside. However, this strength made him want to protect her even more.

After ascending the throne, her mother asked her to manage the harem. She once again displayed the outstanding talents of a girl from an aristocratic family, allowing him to see her independent side.

But no matter what kind of person she is, he is determined to protect her, eager to put her in a high position, and will never allow anyone to bully her.

Even Ling Yue can't do that...

Su Jingyao rubbed gently in his arms, like an extremely docile little cat.

Unfortunately, she only believes in herself.

After they soaked for a while, Jun Zechen carried her back to bed. They were both tired enough today, and their bodies felt much more relaxed and slender after bathing.

Soon, they all fell asleep, their steady breathing sounds intertwined together, softly echoing in the quiet space.