Gu Lingyun waited for a long time, but the clingy woman still hadn’t come over. He glanced at the screen in that direction.
The woman’s crimson skirt was spread on the floor as she crouched there, doing who knows what.
He walked over, and only when he got closer did he hear her softly crying, as if afraid of something, covering her mouth with her own hand, sobbing and choking.
She looked quite pitiful.
“What’s wrong now?” Gu Lingyun’s expression was calm, showing no sign of annoyance. She had become even more prone to tears than in those past years.
Shen Si’s tears flowed before she could speak, thinking how wonderful it was to be his Imperial Consort—she could have whatever she wanted, and he would grant any request she made.
But Ning Ruoxue was the most vicious, utterly unworthy of His Majesty’s favor and trust.
She tugged at the man’s sleeve, heartbroken and distressed: “Do I really have to go apologize? She scolded me too, and said such terrible things.”
Seeing her reluctant and unwilling attitude, Gu Lingyun thought there was no one else in the harem like her—benefiting from a situation yet still acting coy. “She is the Noble Consort and is carrying the imperial heir. Showing her disrespect, according to palace regulations, could warrant a death sentence.”
“Your Majesty… I don’t want to go. If I apologize, how will I ever show my face again? Brother~, please have some pity on me.”
Shen Si only hated that she couldn’t reveal that what Ning Ruoxue carried was a pair of bastards, and without evidence to prove it, she couldn’t just kill that pair of adulterous scoundrels.
Gu Lingyun’s eyes darkened slightly—she certainly knew how to push her luck. “What did you call me?”
“Brother… Your Majesty.” Shen Si, seeing his dark and heavy gaze, didn’t dare to be presumptuous again, even though he used to like it when she called him that.
Gu Lingyun told her to stand up, his gaze falling on her tear-streaked face. “Did I say you had to go apologize?”
Shen Si’s face lit up with joy, and she immediately threw herself into his arms. “Really? So what Your Majesty promised the Noble Consort just now—you’ll go along with it?”
Gu Lingyun watched her shifting from tears to laughter, his expression profound. “You don’t have to go.”
This meant he had verbally agreed but wouldn’t actually force her to go. She could do as she pleased.
Shen Si was overjoyed. She knew His Majesty doted on her.
“Then, Your Majesty, could you not favor the Noble Consort anymore in the future?” she ventured cautiously, afraid she might inadvertently provoke the emperor’s wrath.
Gu Lingyun stared at her increasingly presumptuous behavior. “You are not to say such things again in the future.”
“Do you not understand your own position?”
Shen Si, frightened, let go of his sleeve and didn’t dare to press closer. No wonder they said serving the emperor was like serving a tiger. With reddened eyes, she watched His Majesty’s retreating back as he turned and left.
Gu Lingyun indeed had work to attend to.
The table was piled high with Memorials.
Shen Si hesitated about whether to follow, but Liu Cha’en stopped her.
“Lady Xie, please return for now.”
Shen Si gazed longingly at His Majesty, who was buried in state affairs inside the Imperial Study, before finally having to leave.
Liu Cha’en returned to serve.
“Your Majesty, regarding the Noble Consort…”
Gu Lingyun used the Vermilion Imperial Brush to write two characters, ‘Zhen Zhi’ (朕知, “I am aware”), on the memorial, not even looking up as he flipped to the next one. “Shen Si is young. Tell the Noble Consort to be more magnanimous.”
“Have the Imperial Household Department send some gifts over, and also reward the Ning family with a tray of lychees sent from Guangnan recently.”
Liu Cha’en acknowledged the order. Your Majesty, the Noble Consort is only a year older than Marquess Xie’s Lady. In the end, in His Majesty’s heart, the Second Miss Shen is just young and ignorant, capable of correcting her mistakes.
“Take these Imperial Papers to Qingshui Palace and have Lady Shen copy the palace regulations ten times,” Gu Lingyun continued to instruct, feeling that Shen Si really needed to properly study the palace regulations.
Liu Cha’en, holding the Imperial Papers, hurried out to carry out the task.
Qingshui Palace.
Shen Si knelt to receive the decree. Seeing the Imperial Paper brought by Liu Cha’en, her face was filled with melancholy and annoyance. “So much…”
“Couldn’t His Majesty show a little mercy and let me copy fewer times?”
Liu Cha’en’s expression shifted slightly. Oh, my Lady Xie, in your current position, it’s not appropriate to speak like this.
“Lady Xie, these are His Majesty’s own words, spoken from his golden lips. They cannot be changed. Take your time copying—His Majesty didn’t specify when it must be finished, after all.”
Shen Si thought for a moment and realized he was right. “I understand. Chief Steward Liu, rest assured, I will personally copy every single word by hand.”
But Liu Cha’en could not rest easy. His Majesty’s intention was also for her to behave herself during this period—not to run off to Ningde Palace whenever she pleased, nor to stir up trouble outside.
He had other matters to attend to and took his leave first.
Yichun Palace.
Ning Ruoxue and Xie Queshan, disguised as a eunuch, were entangled in passion within her bedchamber.
“Yan Xi, you’re so wicked. My belly is already so big.”
“Xue’er, next time I’ll disguise myself as a royal physician to visit you, alright?”
“Who knows when ‘next time’ will be? Yan Xi, in this palace, I tread on thin ice—nothing compares to the carefree days I spent with you outside the palace. I don’t want to serve His Majesty anymore.”
“Xue’er, don’t cry. It was my fault for having no choice but to send you into the palace. It’s alright. Once our child is born, if it’s a boy, we’ll make him the Crown Prince. After His Majesty passes, I will become a regent-minister, and then we can be together again, flying side by side.”
“But didn’t you say that woman wants a divorce from you? If she returns to the palace, His Majesty will favor her. How can I become the Imperial Consort then? And our child won’t be able to become Crown Prince either.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t let her divorce me. She loves me so much—how could she bear to leave me?”
“You’re awful. I’m the one who loves you most, Yan Xi. You must not fall for anyone else.”
Suddenly, her chief palace maid called from outside, “Your Highness, Chief Steward Liu is here!”
Ning Ruoxue was startled, and Xie Queshan’s breath deepened, urging her to calm down.
“Say you’re ill and go out in a moment,” the man said unhurriedly, showing no fear at all.
Ning Ruoxue bit her lower lip and hurriedly tidied herself up. Soon, she emerged with a pale face.
Liu Cha’en bowed respectfully. “Greetings, Noble Consort. His Majesty has issued a decree.”
“Your servant hears the decree,” Ning Ruoxue knelt.
Liu Cha’en recited the list of items bestowed by His Majesty and concluded, “His Majesty holds the Ning family in high regard. Your father and brothers have boundless prospects ahead.”
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s Great Favor,” Ning Ruoxue replied, puzzled. Why would His Majesty bestow so many things out of the blue? And this time, he even included the Ning family.
Only then did Liu Cha’en get to the main matter. “His Majesty’s Oral Decree: The Marquess Xie’s Lady is young and ignorant. Marquis Xie is loyal, righteous, and brave, a pillar of the court. His lady holds a noble status. The Noble Consort should be magnanimous and tolerant, and not take offense.”
“What!” Ning Ruoxue abruptly looked up at him. That’s not what was said earlier in Qinzheng Hall!
Liu Cha’en smiled at her. “Your Highness, have you clearly heard His Majesty’s words?”
Ning Ruoxue felt indignant. Why should I not take offense? But recalling the current Emperor’s methods, she suppressed her anger. “Your servant obeys the decree!”
Only then did Liu Cha’en depart.
Ning Ruoxue was so furious she wanted to smash things. No wonder he sent so many gifts—it’s just to smooth things over! Well, I refuse!
Lan Ying hurriedly stopped her mistress. “Your Highness, these are Imperially Bestowed Items. You must not break them!”
Ning Ruoxue was so furious she felt dizzy. What kind of Imperial Consort was she, unable to even punish the wife of a mere official? “Fine, fine! Shen Si isn’t even a palace consort, yet His Majesty favors her to such an extent. If she were allowed into the palace, it would be unthinkable!”
“Yan Xi schemed for years, achieving great merits—was it all just to protect her? I should have been the one to marry Yan Xi!”
Lan Ying’s eyelids twitched, and she quickly dismissed the others.
“Go, have someone keep an eye on that wretch. Find out if she has already met His Majesty.”