lcionline Chapter 75 The Wife-Killing, Childless Emperor and His Favorite Concubine 10
Chapter 75 The Wife-Killing, Childless Emperor and His Favorite Concubine 10
After that day, life returned to normal for a long time. The Empress Dowager stopped asking about the matter, but the Emperor still came to the Jade Jade Palace every night.
Chu Yue was eager to increase her favorability with the emperor, and finally reached 60%. With a little more effort, she could basically secure 80%.
She's the only one in the harem right now, but there's no guarantee that more people won't come in the future, so she needs to max out her favorability now.
Chu Yue carried pastries to the main hall where the emperor handled state affairs. Xiao Xizi respectfully stepped forward: "This servant greets Consort Chu..."
"Is Your Majesty busy?" Chu Yue gestured for him to stand up, then asked softly.
Xiao Xizi smiled and said, "His Majesty is busy. Would Consort Zhao like to go in?"
"Then I won't bother. Take this pastry inside for His Majesty and let him rest for a while before continuing his work. I'll be going now."
Chu Yue handed it to him and was about to leave when she realized the emperor was busy. She decided it was best not to go in and disturb him.
"Consort Chu, you..."
"Come in, all of you."
Before Xiao Xizi could finish speaking, the emperor's voice came from inside.
The two had no choice but to go inside.
"This concubine greets Your Majesty..." Chu Yue said softly as she entered.
Xiao Xizi put down her things and quickly left.
"Come here." The emperor was extremely annoyed. Seeing Chu Yue coming over, his frustrated mood was somewhat relieved.
Chu Yue came to his side: "Your Majesty..."
The emperor put down what he was holding, scooped her up, and held her in his arms.
With a beautiful woman by my side, I'm not so irritable anymore.
"Your Majesty... have I disturbed you?" Chu Yue dared not move.
The emperor lowered his head and buried it in her neck, inhaling the familiar, faint scent of peach blossoms, which eased his mood considerably. He said softly, "No, you've come at the perfect time."
Chu Yue nestled against him obediently.
The emperor held her the whole time, reading memorials with one hand and embracing her with the other.
This unexpected method actually put him in a surprisingly good mood. The emperor raised an eyebrow and felt even more tenderness for the person in his arms.
Chu Yue stayed in the main hall until the afternoon. She wanted to go back for a nap, but the emperor wouldn't allow it and carried her into the inner hall.
Inside is the bed where the emperor rested.
"Try this?" Although the emperor asked her, he had already taken action.
Chu Yue blushed and let him do as he pleased.
That evening, the emperor carried her back to the Jade Jade Palace.
……
After some time, there was still no movement from Chu Yue's side, and the Empress Dowager could no longer sit still in Anning Palace.
That day, she had Jinxiu summon the emperor to Angong Palace.
"Chen'er, how long has it been since you last dined with your mother?" Since Consort Chu has been with her, her son has hardly ever dined with her.
The emperor felt guilty: "Mother, it is my fault."
"Your mother is not angry with you. Have dinner with her today. She has prepared a lot of your favorite dishes."
The Empress Dowager pulled him to sit down and personally served him food.
The emperor looked at the food in his bowl, his thoughts drifting to the Jade Jade Palace, wondering if Consort Chu had eaten it yet.
That spoiled woman is getting bolder and bolder; sometimes she even dares to throw tantrums at him.
Yesterday, I failed to appease him, and he didn't even need to have dinner.
It took a long time to coax her. The emperor was a bit of a headache. At his age, having to coax a young girl was more difficult than handling state affairs.
"Chen'er, eat quickly." The Empress Dowager urged the Emperor, who was lost in thought.
The emperor came to his senses and slowly ate what was in his bowl.
"Chen'er, back then, how many open and covert struggles did my mother and I go through to get to where we are today? Even now, when I think about it, I feel scared. Fortunately, everything is fine now."
The Empress Dowager was deeply moved, reminiscing about the past.
"Mother, I'm sorry you've suffered so much." The Emperor knew that the Empress Dowager had a difficult time.
"Don't talk nonsense. Your mother is willing. As long as you are well, your mother is willing to do anything."
The Empress Dowager loved her son dearly and naturally had no regrets.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."
"Chen'er, your uncle also played a significant role in helping you get to this position. It's a pity he passed away so young. Your mother... is truly heartbroken."
The Empress Dowager choked up a little; the loss of a loved one is the hardest thing to accept.
"Mother, I know that my uncle has made contributions and has already been properly rewarded. My uncle's family is doing quite well now."
"Chen'er, your uncle has passed away, leaving your aunt and cousin as orphans and widows. Your mother is really worried."
"Your cousin is all grown up now..."
"Does Mother Empress want me to arrange a marriage for my cousin?" the Emperor asked.
The Empress Dowager choked: "Chen'er, your cousin Yu'er is of marriageable age. Now that your uncle has passed away, we should take good care of your cousin."
"Now that your harem is almost empty, why not let your cousin enter the palace to serve you? That way, Mother can see Yu'er more often, which will be a comfort to Mother."
The emperor stopped what he was doing and looked at the Empress Dowager expressionlessly. His harem was not empty; wasn't Consort Chu Zhaoyi one of them?
Does taking care of my cousin mean I have to go to the palace?
"I already have women in my harem, I don't need anyone else."
The emperor's tone was somewhat unpleasant; he felt that it was quite fine for him and Consort Chu to live together.
"Chen'er, you are the emperor. Look around, which emperor has only one woman in his harem? You are not young anymore, and you don't have a single child..."
"Mother, this matter cannot be rushed." It all boils down to the issue of having offspring.
"Emperor, now that you've ascended to this throne, you must take responsibility. Is the fate of the empire and its descendants something to be trifled with?"
"The ancestors of the Xiao family would not agree to this, so don't act rashly."
The Empress Dowager was also a little angry. It was just a matter of letting his cousin enter the palace. Why was she so resistant? Shouldn't relatives have a better relationship?
The Liu family was supposed to have a woman enter the palace. If it weren't for the rumors surrounding the emperor all these years, Yu'er would have entered the palace long ago.
Now that Consort Chu has broken the deadlock, why can't her cousin enter?
“If Mother wants to take care of my cousin, there is more than one way: to enter the palace.”
The emperor said in a deep voice, "I just want an offspring with the blood of the Liu family."
“If it’s not your cousin, it would be someone else. It’s impossible that it’s just Consort Chu alone.”
The Empress Dowager decided to make things clear.
"Mother!" The emperor didn't understand why his mother was being so aggressive.
Consort Chu was fortunate enough to escape the predicament; now it's time for others to enjoy the fruits of her labor.
Isn't that too heartless?
The emperor felt a lump in his throat whenever he thought of Consort Chu's aggrieved appearance.
The Empress Dowager looked at the Emperor, refusing to budge an inch. The Emperor, unwilling to go against his conscience, said, "Mother, you need not worry. I know what I'm doing," and then left.
The Empress Dowager was so angry that her chest ached, and she couldn't react for a while.
The emperor walked along the palace path expressionlessly, feeling a surge of displeasure. Consort Chu had served him perfectly well, without making a single mistake.
They even made him select more people to enter the palace, and they were even from his mother's family. Why didn't they do this earlier? Now they know they're coming.
That's utterly nonsensical.
Xiao Xizi trotted behind, not daring to get too close. The emperor's aura was too terrifying, and he was afraid of being affected.
"To the Jade Jade Palace!"
The only way is to go to Consort Chu and let her soothe my troubled mind.
"Yes, yes, yes, to Yuyao Palace." Xiao Xizi was secretly delighted. With Consort Chu around, everything would be fine.
As soon as the emperor arrived at the Jade Jade Palace, he grabbed Chu Yue and tormented her for a while. By the time he was refreshed and went to wash up, Chu Yue had already fallen into a deep sleep, feeling utterly exhausted.
Upon emerging and seeing the frail beauty on the bed, the emperor breathed a sigh of relief. With Consort Chu by his side, that was enough; he didn't need any other women.
The emperor pulled the person into his arms and held them tightly before finally falling asleep peacefully.