Chapter 3606: The Most Favoured Woman in the Inner Palace (25)
Chapter 3606: The Most Favoured Woman in the Inner Palace (25)
It had been quite some time since Ao Tianze started taking those elixirs. How many people must have starved to death in that time?
Drinking only dew?
Did he think they were celestial maidens?
The old Daoist should try drinking only dew every day. Ao Tianze should try it too.
To think that a woman’s period could become a source of calamity. If they wanted her menstrual blood so badly, she could give them her used pads to soak in water. She was sure it would help them live forever.
Any man who vented their strength on the weak while cowering before strong enemies would eventually meet their end.
They would be too cowardly to fight in a real war. Their legs would shake until they wet themselves. Then, once the war ended, they would vent their ‘patriotism’ on the women who were deemed traitors or those who had served the enemy. They would strip those women’s clothes, cut off their hair, and parade them through the streets.
All to show the world the consequences of being unpatriotic. Such things happened all the time.1I don’t know if this happened in China, but I know this happened in France after World War II. Truly a sad piece of history, honestly.
What a bunch of ‘patriotic’ zealots.
“Save whoever you can. I will find a way here in the palace. Tell Father to keep the people of the third branch under control. We all come from the same root. If something happens, does the third branch really think they can just walk away? They’re dreaming.”
In ancient times, collective punishment often meant the extermination of nine generations. Three generations of their household was still connected. Their entire family could be utterly ruined.
Ning Shu had Xi’er send the message to the Tan family.
Ao Tianze was recuperating in Fu Min’s palace. The next day, Ning Shu gathered a group of concubines and headed there. They claimed they wanted to see how the emperor’s injuries were faring and refused to leave until they were let in.
Ao Tianze found the sight of these women irritating. He told the whole group to go back and stay in their own palaces. At a time like this, they still wanted to fight for favor and make their presence known? Did these women have any hearts at all?
Ao Tianze was once again so angry that his chest began to ache.
“The sisters of the inner palace have come to see you, Your Majesty. You should see them,” Fu Min suggested. “It will set their minds at ease. They are all worried about you, just as I am.”
“You are not like them. Their motives are too complicated. You don’t need to speak up for them,” Ao Tianze said, catching his breath.
“Your Majesty, even the empress has come. If we do not let them in, I will be the one seen as ignorant of the rules,” Fu Min said.
Seeing that Fu Min was in a difficult position, Ao Tianze couldn’t help but say, “I won’t make you wait much longer. I won’t let the women of the inner palace bully you anymore, nor will I let you spend your days watching others’ expressions. You and I shall be like a couple in an ordinary family, treating each other with mutual respect and harmony.”
Fu Min only managed a strained smile. Ao Tianze was the emperor. Sometimes she didn’t even dare to be willful, and there were things she didn’t dare to say for fear of upsetting him. There was no equality between them.
Fu Min quickly left the inner room and walked over to Ning Shu. She bowed. “This servant greets Your Highness the Empress.”
“Rise,” Ning Shu said. She noted that Fu Min’s face was pale and she looked quite haggard. She clearly hadn’t recovered her strength after the miscarriage. “Lady Min, is your body feeling any better?”
Fu Min lowered her head. “I am much better.”
“No need for such ceremony.” Ning Shu felt that Fu Min’s qi and blood were lacking. Her face was so white. Ao Tianze was ill, yet instead of resting in his own palace, he had run off to Fu Min’s.
With Ao Tianze here, did Fu Min even have the peace of mind to rest during her confinement?
Ning Shu led the crowd of concubines into the hall. They knelt in a rustling wave before Ao Tianze. Instantly, the room was filled with the scent of powder and rouge.
Ao Tianze felt as though these women had ruined the tranquility of Fu Min’s palace. They were utterly vulgar.
Ning Shu walked to the bedside and asked, “Your Majesty, are you feeling better?”
“This emperor would be much better if the empress didn’t come to annoy this emperor,” Ao Tianze replied.
Ning Shu’s smile didn’t waver. She spoke with a tireless air. “Seeing that Your Majesty still has the strength to snap at me, I feel much more at ease. It seems Your Majesty’s health is not in any great danger.”
Ao Tianze: …
Facing this empress, he felt a strange sense of unease that he couldn’t quite name. Excessive politeness often hid a sinister motive. If she was being this patient, she either loved him or wanted something from him.
Ao Tianze thought of Consort Xuan’s two children, who were now being raised by the empress. He wondered if the empress felt she now held a bargaining chip and wanted to put those young children on the throne.
The Ao family’s dynasty could not be allowed to fall into the hands of a child who, in truth, didn’t even have a surname, the offspring of a mere numbered shadow guard. If she wanted that, she was clearly daydreaming.
Ning Shu saw Ao Tianze staring directly at her with a gaze that seemed poisoned. She couldn’t help but touch her own face. “Your Majesty, is there something on my face?”
Ao Tianze gave a short laugh. “I have seen you now. You may leave.”
Ning Shu quickly bowed and began babbling about how Ao Tianze needed to take care of his health. Ao Tianze ignored her. In his heart, he regretted not letting Fu Min get pregnant sooner.
He had previously made Fu Min take contraceptives because no children were being born in the inner palace. Even if those other women had conceived, he wouldn’t have let the child be born, since it wouldn’t have been imperial blood. He had done it to protect Fu Min and keep her from standing out too much.
His original plan was to settle the affairs of the court and the harem first so that no one could threaten her existence. That way, no matter what he did, no one would have anything to say.
However, plans could not keep up with changes.
Ning Shu performed a bow. From under her long sleeve, her finger shot out a burst of energy. The fiery yang power was destructive as it struck Ao Tianze right between his brows.
Ao Tianze felt as if something had stung him on the forehead. He had felt this same sensation before.
He touched his forehead, but there was nothing there.
Ao Tianze scanned the people in the room—the respectfully bowing empress and the concubines—and waved them away.
Ning Shu retreated from the room. Fu Min bowed. “I respectfully see Your Highness off.”
“Lady Min, you should rest more. These things take a heavy toll on a woman’s body,” Ning Shu remarked. Whether Fu Min listened or not was not Ning Shu’s concern.
“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.” Fu Min lowered her body in a deep, respectful curtsey.
“Rise.”
Only after Ning Shu and her entourage had left did Fu Min stand up. Her face was quite pale. Ao Tianze said, “You are far too cautious. With this emperor here, there is no need to be afraid.”
“The empress was also just concerned about me,” Fu Min said, sounding slightly winded.
“She was only doing that for this emperor to see.” Ao Tianze shook his head. “Only you would think she was being sincere. I have seen through the women of this inner palace.”
Fu Min said nothing. The pain of losing her child would not pass easily.
The physician said she had failed to keep the child because her body was weak.
She felt physically and mentally exhausted.
Especially with Ao Tianze here. She had to look after his needs at every turn.
It was tiring, so very tiring.
There wasn’t a single woman in this inner palace who wasn’t tired.
“The emperor truly dotes on Lady Min,” Consort Xuan lamented as they walked away. “Even when his imperial body is unwell, he stays in her palace. Our emperor truly only trusts Lady Min.”
Ning Shu didn’t comment. What kind of ‘favor’ was that? Lady Min was supposed to be recovering from her confinement, yet now she had to take care of Ao Tianze. Besides, in their current conditions, neither of them was in any state to be intimate anyway.