While Emperor Jingxi was taking a short rest, the Empress entered the inner chamber.
The Empress wore a crown adorned with nine dragons and four phoenixes, dressed in a deep cyan robe with large lapels, and draped in a red cloud- patterned shawl.
As she stepped into the hall, the golden hairpins and emerald clouds on her broad temples trembled slightly with her steps, exuding an air of nobility and solemnity, her demeanor majestic and graceful.
When she approached, the Empress knelt down and performed a grand salute.
Emperor Jingxi had a scroll of scriptures resting on his knee, which he was casually flipping through.
Hearing this, he said indifferently,
“Zitong, you may rise.”
However, the Empress still bowed deeply.
Today’s prayer was different from usual and naturally could not be taken lightly.
After the Empress completed her salute, Emperor Jingxi then said,
“Grant her a seat.”
A eunuch beside them lowered his head and silently stepped forward, bending to present the prepared embroidered stool.
The Empress thanked the Emperor for his grace before sitting down.
Emperor Jingxi then looked up at the Empress:
“These past few days during the external rituals, affairs have been complex and numerous. Zitong, you have worked hard.”
The Empress replied respectfully,
“Your Majesty, you exaggerate. These are merely my duties.”
Emperor Jingxi nodded approvingly and smiled gently.
The Empress slightly composed herself and then said,
“Your Majesty, earlier I saw the Crown Prince leave in a hurry. I am somewhat concerned. Is there something”
She hesitated.
Emperor Jingxi’s gaze swept over her face before he said,
“Zitong, if you have something to say, speak freely. Between us as husband and wife, there is no need for hesitation.”
Hearing this, the Empress’s expression paused momentarily.
The Emperor and the Empress were naturally husband and wife, but before that, they were first the Emperor and the Empress.
Emperor Jingxi valued rules and etiquette, holding great respect for his Empress.
In Emperor Jingxi’s harem, the Empress was the undisputed mistress, and no concubine dared to easily overstep.
But that was all.
Emperor Jingxi ascended the throne at a young age, internally revitalizing the court and rectifying governance, externally strengthening the military and expanding the empire, making bold moves that eventually led to the current peace across the land.
Such an Emperor naturally devoted much effort to the court, but this also meant that in the roles of Emperor and husband, he leaned far more towards the former.
Even occasionally, the Empress clearly sensed the Emperor’s suspicions and his guardedness towards her family behind her.
The harem of Da Hui mostly selected from ordinary, decent families, one reason being to prevent the relatives of the Empress from seizing power.
Yet, for various reasons, the previous Emperor had betrothed the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Zhen’an, who controlled the coastal navy, to Emperor Jingxi.
Such a background did not bring the Empress much convenience; instead, it reduced the intimacy that ordinary couples might have.
Today, when Emperor Jingxi said,
“Between us as husband and wife, there is no need for hesitation,” the Emperor could say, but the Empress could not fully believe it.
They had been married for sixteen years; she knew this man too well.
Beside his bed, he could not tolerate others.
So she merely smiled and said,
“Your Majesty, actually, there is nothing of great importance. It’s just that the Crown Prince has been fixated on that nun, the Ning family. Two days ago, when she first arrived at Yang Yang Temple, I saw her. She indeed seemed quite restless.”
“Later, when I inquired again, the temple’s priests had confined her to her room, not allowing her to go out, presumably to avoid trouble.”
After saying this, she noticed that Emperor Jingxi’s light brown eyes were fixed on her, as if deep in thought.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Emperor Jingxi chuckled lightly:
“Zitong, you seem overly concerned about this matter?”
The Empress took a deep breath.
She had always known of Emperor Jingxi’s sharpness.
Now that the Ning family was missing, since it had been concealed before, it seemed they would have to continue to conceal it.
She needed to be careful now to avoid arousing the Emperor’s suspicions.
She then smiled and said,
“After all, it concerns the Crown Prince. It’s not wrong for me to pay more attention. For that Ning family, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty have been deeply troubled.”
She sighed,
“It was also my mismanagement. If this leads to discord between father and son, it would indeed be my fault.”
As she spoke, her tone was gentle and melancholic, filled with unspoken words.
Emperor Jingxi was silent for a moment:
“Empress, saying this, do you think I have been too harsh and strict in the past?”
The Empress was surprised by Emperor Jingxi’s words and looked at him in astonishment.
He sat leisurely in the shadows, the dragon patterns on his yellow silk robe intricate and vivid, as if they might leap into the clouds at any moment.
This man’s sudden warmth and friendliness were perplexing and confusing.
Emperor Jingxi sighed, seeming to confide in her:
“Over the years, the Empress has been virtuous and diligent, carefully managing the harem, leading to harmony and order within the palace. I have always been grateful. The Crown Prince is still young and unrestrained.”
“As his mother, you have the duty to educate him without hesitation.”
The Empress was incredulous.
What was wrong with him today?
She was silent for a while, then pursed her lips into a gentle smile,
“Your Majesty, I understand.”
Emperor Jingxi tilted his head slightly, supporting his forehead with his fingers, somewhat helplessly,
“No matter how inadequate he is, he is still the Crown Prince of Da Hui… Empress, you must take more care. And as for the Crown Princess—”
He raised his eyelids and smiled at the Empress,
“How has the Crown Princess been these past few days?”
The Empress was unused to his smile, but she could only suppress her thoughts, sighed, and said,
“She’s still a child, after all, and has been pampered since birth. Yesterday I saw her, her eyes still red. But she knows the greater good and has boundaries, so she hasn’t said anything.”
Mentioning her daughter-in-law, Emperor Jingxi lightly rubbed the scripture scroll with his fingertips and said indifferently,
“She naturally feels wronged, and I am aware of it. But as the wife of the Crown Prince, this is just the beginning. How many women will there be in Mo Yao’s harem in the future?”
“Must she make a fuss over every concubine? She must learn some composure. She’s a married woman now, not a child, and she was raised in a noble household. She shouldn’t be too willful.”
Regarding this daughter-in-law, Emperor Jingxi was neither dissatisfied nor particularly pleased; at this moment, he was more concerned about his son.
Jealousy is human nature, but it must not go too far.
The Empress replied,
“Yes, so I have also advised her. She understands the reasoning. These past few days, when she mentioned it to me, she said that once things settle down, a few new faces should be brought into the Crown Prince’s residence to calm his heart.”
Emperor Jingxi said,
“There’s no rush. Firstly, Mo Yao is still young; take it slowly. There’s no need to indulge in women too early, lest it harm his foundation and delay his studies.”
“Secondly, they have just married; there’s no need to rush to bring in others. Let the young couple get along well. In my heart, I hope that our eldest grandson will come from the Crown Princess. Having a random illegitimate grandson would also be a potential problem.”
The Empress understood Emperor Jingxi’s thoughts and smiled, “I know.”
Emperor Jingxi then inquired about the Empress’s recent rituals, and the Empress answered one by one.
As the rituals were over, it was time to prepare for the return to the palace.
Emperor Jingxi lightly rubbed the sandalwood armrest and lazily said,
“These past few days in the mountains, I have felt a refreshing purity in the air, and my spirit has been much refreshed. I thought of staying here to recuperate for a few days. The Empress may return to the palace first.”
He thought for a moment,
“On the second day, I will return to the palace, just in time to attend the early court on the third day.”
The morning court of Da Hui was held once every ten days, currently on the third, thirteenth, and twenty-third days of the month, with the third being the grand court.
The Empress was completely surprised by Emperor Jingxi’s words.
Since ascending the throne, Emperor Jingxi had been strict with himself, diligent in governance, and had never lingered outside for leisure.
What is happening now?
As she glanced over inadvertently, she suddenly noticed something suspicious on Emperor Jingxi’s neck.
Though the light was dim and it was hard to see clearly, but-
Emperor Jingxi never used such powders, and naturally, the makeup servants below him dared not use them on him without permission.
Now that he used them, it was particularly conspicuous, so it must be to conceal something.
But the Emperor’s body was of utmost importance; how could there be marks on his neck?
This was no small matter.
The Empress’s heart was already in turmoil.
Emperor Jingxi had been too indifferent towards women in recent years.
The Empress Dowager and she had repeatedly advised him to take in new women, but Emperor Jingxi had shown no interest.
He had not visited the harem according to the rules for a long time.
This time, when he entered Nanqiongzi to pray, the accompanying concubines had followed the Empress to stay at Yang Yang Temple, and there were no women serving beside Emperor Jingxi.
So who could have left marks on the Emperor’s neck?
Could it be that someone had presented a woman to him?
The Empress’s thoughts were in chaos, but her expression remained unchanged.
She tentatively said,
“Your Majesty, the mountains are cold. I feel uneasy not being by Your Majesty’s side, and I fear that the eunuchs may not be attentive enough. Should I arrange for some concubines to accompany Your Majesty? After all, they would be more considerate than those below.”
Emperor Jingxi actually sensed the Empress’s gaze; she had noticed the unusual marks on his neck, but he didn’t care.
He was the Emperor, and this woman was his Empress.
They were also husband and wife, sharing glory and loss.
He ruled the court, and she managed the harem.
Perhaps she had her own thoughts, but as long as they were not harmful, he could tolerate them.
As for matters related to the Crown Prince, he only needed to grasp the major issues and let go of the minor ones.
Regarding her words, he merely said indifferently,
“Empress, you are too concerned, but it is unnecessary.”
In fact, the Empress was extremely beautiful, with a tall and graceful figure, eyes like autumn waves, and a face like morning clouds.
When the previous Emperor saw the nine-year-old Empress, he said she had the appearance of Guanyin, thus betrothing her.
But now, as the extremely beautiful Empress walked out of the hall, there was a hint of strangeness in her expression.
She walked out expressionlessly and returned to her room, summoning Lu Yunjian.
Lu Yunjian was playing with a jade gourd, which was radiant and complemented his elegant and slender fingers.
He lowered his eyes, “Your Majesty, what is the matter?”
The Empress looked at her brother,
“Yunjian, I should be asking you, what is the matter with you?”
Lu Yunjian sneered,
“Does Your Majesty not know that your brother has always been this way?”
The Empress raised her hand, picked up a small doucai cup from the table, and threw it to the ground.
The exquisite and rare cup shattered upon impact, fragments scattering.
At this moment, the Empress’s beautiful face was exceptionally calm.
She stared at Lu Yunjian,
“Do you think I don’t know? You’re just concerned about that woman, a humble woman who became a nun, flighty, and now has eloped with a man. Are you worried for her?”
She mocked,
“The Crown Prince is being reckless, and so are you?”
Lu Yunjian looked down at the shattered porcelain on the ground, the delicate patterns already fragmented, revealing the fine, snow-white porcelain body.
A splash of water had splattered onto his robe, but he didn’t care.
He continued to play with the jade gourd in his hand, indifferently saying,
“Your Majesty, you think too much.”
The Empress’s gentle brows formed a stern arc,
“Do you think I don’t know? Since that woman was expelled from the Crown Prince’s residence, you have already had people secretly watching her. What, can’t bear to part with her?”