Chapter 24

Empress with No Virtue – Chapter 24

AUGUST 20, 2015 ~ LAMLAM1990

When Ji Wu Jiu wore plain clothes to visit the markets to see how the citizens are doing, he once saw people at the market haggling prices, like a war, and never ending, it can be compared with the bickering of the ministers at court.

Today, he was lucky to be able to witness the haggling process of inner palace women; The empress dowager and the empress was negotiating about what level title and how should Xu Wei Rong enter the palace.

Ye Zhen Zhen was thinking, no matter what Xu Wei Rong is still related to the empress dowager, she will be closer to empress dowager compared to Xian Concubine, so it will be best to not have a high position for that woman, if not there will be more problems later.

Furthermore, even if the emperor wants to give title to any woman, she can’t enter with a high title from the start, Xian Concubine was a different case, she was brought in with that title thanks to Ye Zhen Zhen’s marriage to the emperor. Xu Wei Rong’s father is just a small minister, definitely did not make any big contributions to the country, and also not to mention was pushed down by Ye Xiu Ming, so the empress dowager cannot use the family status as a reason.

Ye Zhen Zhen was clear that although she was not officially in bad terms with the empress dowager, but they both know they don’t like each other, so she didn’t really give face to her, so she was trying her best to haggle with her. The empress dowager said that Xu Wei Rong “Gentle and humble”, Ye Zhen Zhen replied “all the woman in this palace, which one is not gentle and humble”, the empress dowager said “good in literature and arts”, Ye Zhen Zhen replied “ why not ask her to become a female scholar, and help the emperor at the court, it would be the same, why should a woman with such knowledge be covered by the woman that only knows how to be pretty here”, the empress dowager said Xu Wei Rong is “a well known pretty maiden in the capital” Ye Zhen Zhen laughed coldly “if the whole capital knows she is pretty, looks like she has been showing her face very frequently”.. Empress dowager :…….

Empress dowager can’t continue saying anything.

She is a normally quiet person, meeting Ye Zhen Zhen , this type of straightforward person that does not even takes time to take a breath before replying, and what ever she says is a strong wind that will slap the other persons face, making her unable to withstand anymore.

Therefore, the empress dowager look at Xian Concubine. Xian Concubine was brought here purposely, thinking that it would be better if there were someone backing her, but who knew that Xian Concubine will remain quiet as well.

Of Course Xian Concubine understood what the empress dowager wanted, but these two days, she slowly came to a realization, on to why the emperor was angry with her, most probably because he didn’t liked her interfering with Xu Wei Rong’s case, if that is the case, she shouldn’t say anything now. Also she found out, Ye Zhen Zhen appear to be abit crazy ,and will sometimes speak nonsense but in reality she really is someone clever, she, Fang Liu Yue did things too rashly, and made a mistake, next time definitely no more.

That’s why Xian Concubine was sitting down quietly, not looking at anyone, not saying anything.

The empress dowager than turned to look at Ji Wu Jiu, supposedly Xu Wei Rong is brought in by the empress dowager for the emperor, the emperor will only be required to wait for the pretty maiden to be sent to his arms, and previously he was not involved as well, but now if he takes the initiative to give the title to her, the empress would not be able to do anything.

However, the person who said that he wanted his cousin sister to enter the palace, today he is like Xian Concubine, only sitting and not saying anything.

The empress felt weird that the two of them who proposed the idea are now keeping quiet, initially she thought she will win the argument, but now she wants to vomit blood from the words that are coming out from Ye Zhen Zhen. Both of them continued to negotiate, one of them wants to give Xu Wei Rong a second rank title, another one wanted to simply give her a ninth rank Shu Nu, and according to both sides argument, the rank starts to head to the middle, in the end they finally came to an agreement, sixth rank, Cai Ren.

Coming out from Kun Ning Palace, Ji Wu Jiu said, “It didn’t know that your haggling skills were so great”

Thinking about how the empress dowager was early, she was actually rather tired, but hearing the praise from him now, she got abit happy, and said rashly, “of course, next time if you divorce me, I will be a merchant, I think I will be able to get a fortune at least”

Ji Wu Jiu stopped walking, and frown “When did I say I want to divorce you?”

Ye Zhen Zhen looked down, thinking in her heart, it would be too late, when I hear you say that.

Seeing Ye Zhen Zhen not saying anything, JI Wu Jiu opened his mouth and wanted to say “I would not divorce you” but he felt that even if he said that, the both of them would not believe it as well, so he closed his mouth and continued to be silent.

***

When Ye Zhen Zhen returned to Kun Ning Palace, she was down, thinking that everyday passing by like this was truly pointless, she has to fight back the various smart people in the palace, and also to avoid the traps set by JI Wu Jiu, and also the scariest was not sure when will he let the knife he is holding drop.

He can let her live, he can also let her die.

Ye Zhen Zhen thought that maybe she needs to attract his attention as well, but thinking back, on how Li Concubine boot licks to him, on how good Xian Concubine treats him, he has never been soft hearted to them, what would it be for Ye Xiu Ming’s granddaughter?

Ye Zhen Zhen starts to get moody, and wants to go out, so she made Su Yue and the rest stay at Kun Ning Palace, alone she went to Tai Ye Lake. Su Yue was worried, so she stood outside Xi Hua Gate, and look at her from afar.

It was early winter, it was dark at the side of Tai Ye Lake, even the sky was gloomy, Ye Zhen Zhen mood was getting worse. She stopped her chair by the side of the lake, and looked at a big bird nest that was on the tree, the leaves have all dropped, so there was nothing covering the bird nest.

Ye Zhen Zhen was holding her gun, and wanted to test it out on the bird nest. The gun has been reloaded by her a massive container with gun powder that can shoot a few times. She held the gun and tried to aim, towards the bird nest and shot.

Peng!

The gun let out a black smoke, and started to shake, Ye Zhen Zhen felt that there was a pain of something tearing apart between her thumb and pointing finger, not knowing her own reaction the gun flew from her hands. Her natural reaction was to go backwards, however the chair was not stable enough for the sudden action, she lost her balance and fell into the water.

Putong!

Su Yue say these scene from afar and got scared, but when the lake made a huge water splash, she finally reacted “Niang Niang!, anyone here? The empress fell into the water!” Nearby a few maid servants and eunuch ran towards Ye Zhen Zhen. Before they were even near, they say at the side of the lake there was someone jumping into the water, and in a short while, Ye Zhen Zhen was brought up by that person.

Ye Zhen Zhen was not in any danger, she only drank a few mouthfuls of water, but she was very cold, her hands and leg were in pain. After shaking of some water from her hair, she looked up and say who saved her, then cannot take it anymore she started to cry, “Cousin brother, wu, wu, cousin brother!” In her heart there was many unhappy things, and felt that something was tying up her heart, that made her unable to breath, so she can only cry, her tears cannot be stopped.

Lu Li has never seen her cry like this, and thought she was scared, and slowly pat her back, tone down his voice and consoled her “don’t cry Zhen Zhen, don’t cry, all is well”

Su Yue was leading a group of maid servants and eunuchs, running towards them, “empress!” She looked into the lake and saw that the wheelchair is broken, and even if they bring it up, it cant be used anymore. Su Yue quickly called the people at the back “You guys, carry the empress back to the palace”

Lu Li let go of Ye Zhen Zhen, and a few eunuch came forward, carrying Ye Zhen Zhen’s arms and legs separately, one of the eunuch did not use his strength properly and touched her broken leg, and in exchange Ye Zhen Zhen screamed in pain, her crying increased.

Lu Li was unhappy, and pushed away the eunuchs, and carried Ye Zhen Zhen up, and seeing that she was finally quiet in his arms, he frowned and sighed.

Su Yue was abit worried, “Lieutenant Lu… “ he is a man, to hold the empress like this, it would not be proper.

Ye Zhen Zhen stopped her, “I want to return faster” her voice still sounded like she was crying.

Lu Li did not put Ye Zhen Zhen down, and said “let’s go”. The empress was already hurt, needs to quickly returned to the palace to be taken care of, people should not say much about this most probably.

From Tai Ye Lake to Kun Nin g Palace there are two routes, one is from the imperial garden, and another is via the front palace. Lu Li looking at the shivering and wet person in his arms, didn’t want to use the longer route, so he bring Ye Zhen Zhen through the doors towards the front palace, and when he pass by Yang Xin Hall, he saw that Ji Wu Jiu was heading towards Yang Xin Hall.

“Greetings to the emperor!” Because he was carrying Ye Zhen Zhen, he couldn’t kneel down.

“What happened?” Ji Wu Jiu saw Lu Li carrying a girl from a far, so when he walked near, he saw that the woman was actually Ye Zhen Zhen.

“Replying to the emperor, the empress was unlucky and fell into the water, Lieutenant Lu is sending the empress back to the palace” Su Yue answered.

JI Wu Jiu looked at the person in the arms of Lu Li quietly. Her clothes was all wet, sticking to her body, and her forehead had wet hair sticking onto it, with a pale face: her whole body turning green from the cold, and was shivering non stop in Lu Li’s arms.

Not knowing why also, Ji Wu Jiu felt that this scene was a bit uncomfortable to him. He walked towards them, and took Ye Zhen Zhen into his arms from Lu Li, and looked at Lu Li without an expression.

Lu Li immediately kneeled “I was too anxious to save her, and offended the empress’s body, please punish me your majesty!”

Ji Wu Jiu looked down at Ye Zhen Zhen’s crying face “Forget it, it is even”

“Thank you your majesty”

Ji Wu Jiu carried Ye Zhen Zhen and walked towards her palace, in between the tall red walls and empty corridors, they brought up colours to the scenery. The cold wind was blowing towards them, when it hit Ye Zhen Zhen’s body she was going to be numb from the cold.

Ye Zhen Zhen was then a bit impatient, and said “ Can you be faster, I am dying of cold here”

Ji Wu Jiu replied “You don’t want your legs anymore?”

Not wanting to say anything, she closed her eyes, today it seems this road is especially long, like it has no ending.

After walking a while, Ji Wu Jiu suddenly said, “why did you cry just now?”

Why do you bother, Ye Zhen Zhen thought.

“I have never seen you cry before, my empress”

Note: i am so tempted to translate the following chapters.. but my work T_T. arggh.. dilemmaaaaa… maybe after lunch hour.. ehehehehehe

Uhm, in case you guys don’t know, i post up the moment i finish translating them, and each chapter takes around 1 hour or so (depending on the length) and seldom edit them.. hahaha… so if there are any spelling mistakes or grammar errors, kindly forgive. I will somehow next time, someday, fix them.. i hope? kekekekee