Zhou Mingchong tightly shut his eyes, his voice hoarse.
“A-Chang, say no more…”
He knew better than anyone what kind of person his A-Chang was.
When their parents were alive, they had arranged a marriage for her.
But after their parents passed away, the family’s fortunes declined.
Last year, when A-Chang came of age, the Cen family did not send anyone to propose marriage. The siblings understood then.
The Cen family was waiting for them to take the initiative and break off the engagement.
The second son of the Cen family was a man; it didn’t matter if he married later. But A-Chang could not afford to wait.
A-Chang said, “The Book of Songs says, ‘Beneath the humble gate, one can find rest.’”
“The grand mansions and lavish feasts are their world.”
“But our simple bamboo fence and thatched cottage, quiet and free, may well be a blessing.”
“I would rather find a kindred spirit who treats me with sincerity and shares a life of contentment with me.”
“Plain tea and simple rice, mutual respect and harmony, are better than stepping into that world of wealth and power, where people fawn on the influential and warmth is fickle!”
His A-Chang had never been one to crave superficial glamour.
At that time, he thought to himself: study hard, make something of himself, and show the Cen family that he and his sister were not dependent on them.
His A-Chang deserved the finest man in the world.
But he never imagined that the sister he cherished and protected like a treasure would one day have to compromise, matched with an old man who could not bear children, yet still forced to put on a brave face…
Before being detained in the palace by Princess Zhaoyang, Zhou Mingchong still held some reverence for Emperor Qianwu.
But after that, that man shamelessly took possession of his sister…
In Zhou Mingchong’s eyes, he was nothing but a despicable old scoundrel!
Yet reality was laid bare before him, and he felt utterly powerless.
Zhou Mingyi could not bear to see her brother so dejected.
Her brother ought to be spirited and composed.
But the matter of the System was of great importance, and she had no choice but to keep it from her brother.
One day, when she entered the palace and gave birth to a child, her brother would understand.
Zhou Mingchong had already made up his mind: he would stop at nothing to climb higher!
Only then could he protect his sister, who was treading on thin ice in the imperial harem.
Meanwhile.
In the imperial harem.
Princess Zhaoyang was confronting Noble Consort Chen.
“Mother, you knew perfectly well that Zhou Mingchong was the one I had my eye on. We agreed to keep him detained in the harem to temper his spirit, and then send him to my princess residence in a few days. Why did you suddenly release him?”
“I don’t care—you must help me capture that Zhou… whatever his name is and bring him back!”
Noble Consort Chen was also at her wit’s end.
When Princess Zhaoyang first saw Zhou Mingchong, she was struck by his handsome appearance, tall and graceful stature, and dignified bearing. On a whim, she asked him on the spot if he would be willing to serve in her princess residence.
Zhou Mingchong had just achieved the third highest honor in the imperial examinations, the tanhua, and was at the peak of his life’s success. He was on the verge of realizing his ambitions and finally had the means to protect his sister.
Suddenly faced with such an absurd request, he sternly refused.
He even lectured Princess Zhaoyang seriously.
Enraged, Princess Zhaoyang immediately had him forcibly detained in the palace.
As the only and most esteemed princess of the Great Zhou, Princess Zhaoyang informed her mother, Noble Consort Chen, and ordered her to have someone keep an eye on Zhou Mingchong.
If he refused to serve in the princess residence, he was not to be allowed to leave the palace.
If he proved stubborn, he was to be tempered further.
Noble Consort Chen had always doted on her only daughter and naturally complied with every request.
Moreover, she knew that her daughter was different from ordinary princesses.
Ordinary princesses, no matter how noble, are still women.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, where the father is the guiding principle for the son and the husband for the wife, they naturally cannot act as they please.
But her daughter, Chaoyang, is different.
She is His Majesty’s only child.
With this unique honor, even if Chaoyang wanted the stars or the moon from the sky, His Majesty would not hesitate to grant it.
Of course, this was not the first time Chaoyang had acted recklessly and forcibly taken handsome men.
However, those men were all commoners without any significant family background.
To serve in the princess’s residence, even if they themselves were unwilling, their families would eagerly seize the opportunity.
For this reason, Noble Consort Chen and Princess Chaoyang tasted the sweetness of their actions.
And they also savored the wonderful taste of power.
But Zhou Mingchong was this year’s Tanhua (third-place graduate of the imperial examination).
Initially, Noble Consort Chen feared it might attract too much attention.
So she concealed it somewhat.
Soon, however, she discovered that even though Zhou Mingchong’s status was different, His Majesty did not inquire about the matter.
This emboldened Noble Consort Chen.
What does it matter if you are a Tanhua?
If my daughter Chaoyang takes a liking to you, you must obediently enter the princess’s residence to serve.
Refuse?
She naturally had the means to coerce and threaten, and she intended to first thoroughly grind down the pride of this scholar!
But Noble Consort Chen never expected that, within just a few days, Tanhua Zhou was released by order of both the Empress Dowager and His Majesty.
The Empress Dowager and His Majesty could not bear to reprimand their precious Princess Chaoyang, so naturally, they directed their displeasure at Noble Consort Chen.
No sooner had Noble Consort Chen been admonished by the Empress Dowager than Emperor Qianwu deliberately honored Consort Rong by granting her a portion of the authority to manage the rear palace. This was a public humiliation of Noble Consort Chen.
Emperor Qianwu had no male heirs, so he had not established an empress.
Noble Consort Chen had given birth to His Majesty’s only daughter. Although she was not the empress, she managed the affairs of the rear palace.
Now, most of that authority had fallen into Consort Rong’s hands, leaving Noble Consort Chen feeling as if she were sitting on pins and needles.
Now that her daughter was pressing her again, Noble Consort Chen felt aggrieved and could not help but harbor other thoughts.
“My child! It is not that your mother does not permit you, but your father and the Empress Dowager have spoken. How can I defy their wishes?”
Princess Chaoyang was exceptionally beautiful, holding her chin high with an air of fearless arrogance.
Upon hearing this, she immediately said, “I will go to Father!”
As soon as Princess Chaoyang left, the trusted matron by Noble Consort Chen’s side said, “Your Highness, since Tanhua Zhou is someone His Majesty and the Empress Dowager wish to protect, why let Her Highness run into a wall? It would only harm the affection between Her Highness and Their Majesties.”
Noble Consort Chen snorted coldly.
“What is a mere Tanhua worth?”
“I do not know what connections he used to make His Majesty and the Empress Dowager personally demand his release from me.”
“For my daughter to take a liking to him and ask him to serve in the princess’s residence is his good fortune!”
“A blessing others would eagerly seek, yet he pushes it away?”
Emperor Qianwu had no male heirs, and in the rear palace, only Noble Consort Chen had a princess. Thus, she derived her status from her daughter and was naturally proud.
“I want to see whether, in the hearts of His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, a mere Tanhua is more important or Chaoyang!”
As she spoke, a clear expression of sorrow appeared on Noble Consort Chen’s face. “It does not matter if the Empress Dowager and His Majesty reprimand me. I will make them understand that by protecting that Tanhua Zhou, they are hurting Chaoyang.”
“Then, the Empress Dowager and His Majesty will realize how foolish it is to upset their own precious darling for the sake of an outsider.”
The matron, observing her mistress’s expression, naturally understood that the noble consort was deeply hurt. She quickly said, “Your Highness is wise.”
“Your Majesty’s favor towards Consort Rong is merely a temporary expediency. Your Ladyship has borne His Majesty’s only princess. In His Majesty’s heart, Your Ladyship will always be the most important.”
These words struck a chord with Noble Consort Chen.
She turned her head, her expression visibly brightening.
“This consort’s grievances are of little consequence, but Chaoyang is His Majesty’s only child. Could it be that neither His Majesty nor the Empress Dowager consider her feelings?”
Her trusted matron naturally echoed her sentiments.
Noble Consort Chen then abruptly changed the subject, asking:
“Has the fetus-stabilizing medicine specially prepared for this consort by the Imperial Hospital been brewed yet?”