Chapter 15 Childhood sweetheart

At midnight, when Consort Yue awakened from her dream in Ning Bi Hall, she happened to see a familiar figure moving in within a blink.

Instead of being panic, she choked with sobs, “It’s so late. You shouldn’t come here.”

As she said, she got up and lighted up a lantern beside her bed, which was used for bathroom use at night, and then a pale face showed under the light. With tears in her eyes, she looked more dejected.

“I worry about you, so I have to see you in person.” Emperor Chunjia sounded a bit exhausted. He came forward and held her hands, and then the two of them sat down on the bed. The Emperor said softly, “I just haven’t seen you for two days. Why do you look thinner? Haven’t eaten anything?”

Consort Yue smiled bitterly and said, “I have no appetite.”

“That’s exactly how Queen Mother Ji and the Empress want you to suffer.” Emperor Chunjia stretched out his hand to fix the shattered hair at her temples, and his head got closed to hers, whispering in her ear, “But seeing you suffer, Queen Mother Yuan and I are heart-broken… You are just grounded. It sounds bad, but you can still enjoy the same living standard as other consorts. It’s unnecessary to ruin your own body.”

Consort Yue was silent for a moment, and then laughed faintly, saying softly, “Being grounded… It’s not even worth mentioning. Since we came to Dijing City and entered the Palace, Queen Mother Ji and Empress Ji, these two bitches, have insulted us so many times and I have long been used to it. How could I lose my appetite for this?”

She took a deep breath, “I’m just angry about the bitch in Xi Xing Building!!! I can’t accept that she makes up a lie to get me in such a bad situation, while she can still sleep with you.”

Emperor Chunjia’s eyes showed pity. He patted the back of her hand, comforting her, “You know naming her to sleep with me is for your sake.”

Consort Yue said with hatred, “I know, so I hate this bitch even more. She deserves to die. You are the dignified Emperor, but she is nothing. How dare she? How dare her!”

How dared she let the dignified Emperor feel aggrieved like this…? She didn’t speak this out, but the Emperor knew what she meant. In fact, they were both aware that Yun Fenghuang was nothing. It was Queen Mother Ji and Empress Ji who made them feel so wronged and restrained in the final analysis.

But at present, they were not able to fight against the two women…

So, they could only transfer their anger on Yun Fenghuang, who was just an insignificant Cheng Gui.

“She will die very soon.” Emperor Chunjia said softly, “But she can’t die in Hu Zhu Palace. I plan to take her out for a walk tomorrow, making a chance for others to kill her… Just put up with her for a while.”

“…” Consort Yue sobbed for a long breath and fell into his arms, choking with sobs, “Such a life… When will it get a…?”

Before she finished, she realized that Emperor Chunjia froze slightly. She looked up in surprise and happened to see his frown, hurriedly asking, “What’s the matter?”

Emperor Chunjia shook his head awkwardly and said, “Nothing.”

But Consort Yue didn’t believe him.

She asked him a few times, but he always changed the topic. She cried, “Do you blame me? My aunt and you told me not to screw around with the bitch Yun Fenghuang before, but I didn’t listen to you… Now not only I am grounded, but my aunt loses face and you have to go to Xi Xing Building because of me…”

“You are overthinking.” Emperor Chunjia sighed. Although his childhood sweetheart was a bit arrogant, being spoiled since she was a child, she was straightforward and cheerful when she was in Fuyang County. After she entered the Imperial Harem and became a consort, she gradually acted like a dissatisfied housewife.

The Emperor thought about their carefree life in Princedom Fuyang’s Mansion in the past. Consort Yue’s infant name was Yuan Lianniang. At that time, she was so energetic and full of vividness and joy. There used to be no haze between her brows, but now she was hysterical and couldn’t bear if he hid anything… Emperor Chunjia felt pity in his heart, saying, “I just recall that we went to see apricot flowers together that year. It’s been ten years, but the scene is still lively.”

His words reminded Consort Yue of her old memories. She stopped crying and said, “You think it’s still lively, but for me, it’s like a thing of last life.”

Emperor Chunjia took her into his arms and whispered, “All these years…you really suffered a lot.”

“You, too.” Consort Yue compressed her lips, and she looked a little bit guilty. “Noble Consort Shu… I shouldn’t offend her before.”

In fact, when she joined the Imperial Harem at the beginning, her aunt, Queen Mother Yuan, had told her the last person to offend was Noble Consort Shu. As the eldest legitimate daughter of Duke Yi, Noble Consort Shu was sent to the Imperial Harem by her father as soon as Emperor Chunjia ascended to the throne, showing his loyalty. Duke Yi was a mainstay of the royalists, and his such action should deserve the attention and return of Emperor Chunjia and Queen Mother Yuan.

So, Emperor Chunjia went to Tong Xia Palace many times during that period.

But Consort Yue was jealous. Even if Queen Mother Yuan and Emperor Chunjia brought out the facts and reasons from every aspect, it was still difficult for her to accept. If that’s the case, it was okay. After all, concubines were always jealous of each other.

Consort Yue and Emperor Chunjia grew up together and loved each other. They should have been happy lovers, but Emperor Chunjia was enthroned accidentally, and she almost could not even become a concubine. So, it was understandable that she was hostile to other concubines in the Imperial Harem.

But when she heard that Noble Consort Shu was pregnant, she was so jealous that she lost her mind, ordering someone to poison in the diet of Tong Xia Palace… Later, Noble Consort Shu had a miscarriage, and the imperial doctor found out that it was not a normal miscarriage. The Empress Dowager was super angry and issued an imperial decree to investigate this thoroughly. Afterwards, Consort Yue’s evilness was exposed.

What’s ridiculous was that although she bought off someone of Noble Consort Shu’s kitchenette, Noble Consort Shu’s miscarriage had nothing to do with her. In fact, it was someone else who caused the miscarriage.

That’s to say, even if Consort Yue did nothing, Noble Consort Shu could not give birth to the child, either.

But how could Noble Consort Shu not hate her after she did this?

Later, it was Consort Yue’s turn to be pregnant. Empress Ji found her fault deliberately to punish her to kneel. Noble Consort Shu described her fault more serious on the spot, and the Empress changed the punishment time from two hours to a whole day. At the same time, they also schemed to prevent Emperor Chunjia and Queen Mother Yuan from coming to the Empress’s palace. Without their help, Consort Yue was isolated and no one helped her. In this situation, she lost the unshaped fetus because of long-time punishment… She was originally a Xiu Yi, one of the Jiu Pins. Because of her miscarriage, she was promoted to be Consort Yue as a remedy.

This was the case at the beginning of last year. Consort Yue hated Noble Consort Shu even more from then on. She was blamed several times by Queen Mother Yuan, but she still refused to admit that she was wrong. After all, in her opinion, she should be Emperor Chunjia’s wife, his only wife. All the concubines in this Imperial Harem were latecomers and robbers who wanted to take her husband away!

Therefore, she never felt it wrong to do something bad to Noble Consort Shu, but it was Noble Consort Shu’s fault to retaliate against her. So, when Yun Fenghuang joined the Imperial Harem as Noble Consort Shu’s sister in Yun tribe, she showed no mercy to her.

But Consort Yue reflected herself at this moment. It was definitely not because she felt guilty, but because she finally realized that the puppet Emperor not only couldn’t shelter her, his childhood sweetheart, but even each of her action had to be careful… She was too stupid to offend an important official’s legitimate daughter who joined the Imperial Harem with her family’s intention to support the Emperor.

Dijing City was not Fuyang County, so they had no qualification to do anything they wanted to do now.

“You were instigated by other people that year.” For the first time, Emperor Chunjia heard Yuan Lianniang take the initiative to admit her mistake. Apart from being surprised, he was distressed. Generally speaking, the Princedoms in this dynasty lived a relatively comfortable life, and Yuan’s Family was a premier clan in Fuyang County. Yuan Lianniang was the legitimate daughter, her aunt was Ms. Yuan (now Queen Mother Yuan), wife of late Princedom Fuyang, and her fiancé was Princedom Fuyang (now Emperor Chunjia). She was so arrogant, bossy, dignified and swanking like a princess in Fuyang County… She had been obstinate since she entered the Imperial Harem, but she gave in finally.

If it wasn’t for his powerlessness, how could she be aggrieved like this?

At this moment, he sighed, “Duke Yi is a wise man and he won’t hate us for this.”

Emperor Chunjia only said that Duke Yi was a wise man, but he did not mention Noble Consort Shu. After all, Consort Yue’s miscarriage had a direct relation with Noble Consort Shu.

And he had no position to blame Noble Consort Shu. Even if Consort Yue’s original behavior was somewhat deceived by someone, the fact was that she personally instructed her trusted attendants to buy off the servants of Tong Xia Palace to murder Noble Consort Shu. Noble Consort Shu had never been against Consort Yue before. Even if Consort Yue was jealous about her, she was forbearing all the time… After that incident, she just counterattacked. Emperor Chunjia still had conscience. Although he favored Consort Yue, he could not say that Noble Consort Shu was vicious.

Consort Yue understood his meaning, so she cried louder. In fact, there was another reason that she said that she should not offend Noble Consort Shu. Before the miscarriage incident, although Emperor Chunjia often went to Tong Xia Palace, he only regarded Noble Consort Shu as a target that needed to be drawn over to his side, and he still loved Consort Yue. However, after Noble Consort Shu cried sadly for a long time for her miscarriage, the Emperor had a little regret for her in his heart while he comforted her.

Although she could not be compared with Consort Yue, the relationship between her and the Emperor was closer.

It was reasonable. The growth environment of Emperor Chunjia was different from that of Consort Yue. Consort Yue was the legitimate daughter of Yuan’s Family, and was favored by her aunt Queen Mother Yuan. She used to be a pride and egoistic beloved daughter, only caring about her own feelings, and it was difficult for her to think in other’s shoes. However, Emperor Chunjia was not that kind of person. Although he was also regarded as a treasure in Queen Mother Yuan’s eyes, and was the dear heart of Princedom Fuyang’s Mansion, he had never been spoiled.

This was not because Queen Mother Yuan wanted to treat him badly, but he was the son of a concubine, i.e. he did not have the natural right to inherit the title like a legitimate son. In order to get the special blessed title from the Imperial Court, Queen Mother Yuan invited excellent teachers to teach him writings and martial arts from his childhood, and strictly supervised and urged his actions and personality. In this way, Emperor Chunjia was trained to be brainy, brawny, modest, filial, tolerant and polite. Besides, she spent lots of money on buying off people, so that he won the title of Shizi and became the Princedom after his father died… In fact, it was Queen Mother Yuan’s actions that made Ji’s Family later notice Emperor Chunjia when they tried to select an heir to be enthroned.

The Emperor had been recognizing as a person of kindness, forgiveness and fairness, and he was famous for understanding and sympathizing with the people in the fiefdom. With such personality, even if he preferred Consort Yue, it didn’t make it right for her to get Noble Consort Yun miscarried, but wrong for the latter to fight back.

Under the same standard, although the Emperor planned to kill Yun Fenghuang for Consort Yue, he didn’t mean to humiliate her. In fact, Emperor Chunjia didn’t hate Yun Fenghuang. After all, it was Consort Yue who found her trouble first. However, considering the big picture and personal feelings, he had to stand with Consort Yue.

“… You have lessons to learn tomorrow, so you’d better return to Xi Xing Building now.” Consort Yue cried, “I still have no appetite now, but I promise to eat tomorrow morning whether I want to eat or not.”

She wanted to say that she didn’t want him to feel guilty about Noble Consort Shu. It’s not him who tried to murder Noble Consort Shu, and that was just a grudge between two concubines. She would deal with any tricks of Noble Consort Shu, and she didn’t need him to make up for her, let alone he felt guilty because of her.

But she knew clearly in her heart that Emperor Chunjia’s guilt and pity couldn’t disappear even if she begged piteously.

So, she said nothing in the end.

“We still have time before dawn. I’ll sleep for a while here.” Emperor Chunjia did not know what she was thinking, but when he saw her tearful eyes, he could not bear to leave. He held her hands and whispered softly, “I’ll go back when it’s dawn.”

Consort Yue said, “If that bitch knows this, she will probably talk nonsense to the Empress.”

Emperor Chunjia shook his head, “There were only three servants, so they wouldn’t discover.”

The Emperor said this to comfort Consort Yue, but the latter felt a pain in her heart when she heard this. He could ask the three servants to leave, but what about Yun Fenghuang? She was supposed to sleep with Emperor Chunjia the whole night, but why couldn’t she realize it? Consort Yue subconsciously glanced at Emperor Chunjia’s clothes, and wanted to ask him, but then she remembered the exhaustion the Emperor showed when he came in. In the end, her heart softened. She just agreed with him, saying, “I’ll dim the lantern… Let’s sleep together for a while.”

Emperor Chunjia was very tired. It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep, but Consort Yue felt painful in her heart and couldn’t fall asleep.

After a while, when she heard the sound of the even breathing on her side, she gently called him twice. Seeing that Emperor Chunjia was motionless, she got up carefully and unfolded his clothes quietly.

The young Emperor’s strong chest just exposed a little, but Consort Yue gasped in astonishment subconsciously!