CH 9

The news that the virtuous consort was put on house arrest because of a rascal immediately spread throughout the forbidden palace.  Secretly, many rejoiced at her misfortune.  Meanwhile, the usually unheard of gracious consort suddenly became the target to curry favor with for the concubines of various palaces. It couldn’t be helped, the emperor currently was on bed rest and hasn’t come to the inner palace for nearly a month.  Even when Noble Consort Li kneeled outside Qian’qing Palace pleading to see him he hadn’t come out to see her.  At the moment the gracious consort has been the only consort that has been able to get a word in with the emperor.  Who else did they have to suck up to?

Being on a pedestal pampered like no other, this was everything I should have! The gracious consort savored the beautiful taste of power as she walked through the underground passage into the secret room of Qian’qing Palace.

With various expensive medicines to keep him alive, Emperor Zhou’wu had only slightly thinned, with his eyes tightly shut and breathing barely perceivable. From far away, it was as if looking at a corpse.  Staring blankly at the unconscious man, the thought that it would be nice even if he never work up again suddenly emerged in the gracious consort.

The harem recruitment when she was 16 coincided with her mother’s death. To follow through her filial duties, she missed the chance to enter the palace.  After the filial period, she originally could marry into a noble family to be an official wife in charge of the household, but she rejected her father’s suggestion.  She was determined to wait for Gu Shaoze to bring her into the palace.  That was the promise they made when they were young.  When she was 19, the long waited harem recruitment came once again and came to Gu Shaoze’s side as she wished.

But the cruel and cold reality gave her a brutal wound, forcing her to step out of her illusions.  She watched as Gu Shaoze pampered the virtuous consort and left her to the side. She watched as the virtuous consort rose to the top step by step, a step above her no matter where.  And she could only watch, holding in her pains and pretending to be generous.

Gu Shaoze told her to wait patiently.  Starting at 16, she waited three years.  Then starting from 19, she waited another three years.  Adding it all up, that was six years.  How many six years could a woman just throw away?  And the virtuous consort who stole everything from her was still at a blossoming age, her face more beautiful than a lotus, capturing everyone’s gaze.  She often felt alarmed and anxious, scared Gu Shaoze would not be able to avoid her bewitchment and ultimately throw her away for the virtuous consort.

Half a year ago, big brother was heavily wounded by Meng Yanzhou and scarred his face, ruinning his entire life.  But Gu Shaoze easily let the Meng family off, refusing to allow her to bring up the topic again.  At that time she had already felt that her patience was at its end.

Shen Huiru came to from her gaze.  Using a complicated gaze to stare at the Gu Shaoze’s silent sleeping face, the look on her face kept changing and her heartbeat became faster and faster.  Stiffly standing for quite some time, she shakily reached out her hand and quietly covered Gu Shaoze’s mouth and nose.

Gu Shaoze’s breath brushed past his palm, thin and weak.  She only needed to exert a little bit of force to cut it off.  This thought penetrated the depth of her heart, a thought she couldn’t brush away.  The force in her palm slowly increased, but the person beneath her palm still had his eyes tightly shut with no reaction.  Shen Huiru’s eyes widened to its limit, she stared down at Gu Shaoze’s face without blinking.

The candle light in the room flickered and the shadow beneath Gu Shaoze’s lashes wavered with it, as if it were trembling.  Deceived by this illusion from the light, Shen Huiru quickly moved away her palm and panted heavily, her pale face twisted like a monster’s.

What happened to me? Why would I want to kill Shaoze? I must have gone mad!  She pressed her hand to her chess, trying with all her might to press down the waves of shock going through her heart.

She was right.  Shen Huiru has indeed gone mad.  Six years.  2,190 days and nights.  The hatred and dissatisfaction that has accumulated in her heart has long since reached its limit.  As soon as it found an opening, it would overflow through and erode away the target of her hatred.  She has always had an apathetic and proud personality.  This type of person is the type that is scarier when bursting out.

“Your Ladyship.  Is Your Ladyship no feeling well?” The head of the hidden guards Yan Junwei appeared in the secret room without a sound, asking while staring at Shen Huiru’s expression.

“It’s nothing.  It’s just that His Majesty has not awoke in a month and I am a bit worried.” Shen Huiru replied in alarm, her heart coming out of her chest.  It’s good that I stopped in time! She reflected fearfully.

“It’s all thanks to Your Ladyship’s care of His Majesty this past month.  Your Ladyship must be tired, please quickly return to rest.” Yan Junwei’s voiced his gratitude.

“Traveling all around in search of prestigious doctors, Sir Yan has also worked hard.  We are indeed a little tired.  In fear of passing sickness to His Majesty, we will leave the rest here to Sir Yan.” Shen Huiru did not dare to stay long, immediately taking leave at this notion.

Waiting until she left, Yan Junwei slowly walked to Emperor Zhou’wu’s side, dazing off while staring at Emperor Zhou’wu’s young face.  Suddenly, his eyes focused and he bent down to inspect carefully.  When he straightened back up, his cold expression exuded a dense killing intent.  The area around His Majesty’s nose and mouth actually has a few pale finger marks, clearly formed from pressing down with a heavy force.  Who was it? Who wanted to suffocate His Majesty?

The gracious consort’s unnatural expression immediately appeared in Yan Junwei’s mind.  He walked outside the secret room and asked Chang Xi who was waiting outside at the door, “Just a while ago, other than the gracious consort, has anyone else entered?”

“No, Sir Yan.  The gracious consort said she wanted to be alone with His Majesty for a moment.”  Chang Xi respectfully replied.  Yan junwei’s position was high and always had a dangerous atmosphere about him, not to mention that the king would trust him with his life.  He did not dare to flaunt his Head Manager attitude before Yan Junwei.

“She said she wanted to be alone with His Majesty and you just let her? If something had happened to His Majesty how would you repent your sins?” Yan Junwei coldly demanded.

“This… Her Ladyship and His Majesty have known each other and loved each other since they were little, why would she harm His Majesty? Sir Yan is thinking too much!” Chang Xi retorted.

“A person’s heart easily changes, no one can predict how it changes.  From now on, arrange for a few more people to take care of His Majesty.  Do not allow anything to happen!” Yan Junwei’s voice was cold and heavy.  He paused momentarily, but ultimately did not reveal the gracious consort’s doings.  At the moment he couldn’t alarm her.  It would be bad if he forced her into action.

No matter what Chang Xi was still the Head Manager Euniche of the inner palace.  Even the higher up concubines have to curry to him, since when has he been admonished in such a way?  He was dissatisfied in his heart, but he didn’t dare to go against this murderous diety before him and quietly heeded.

After Chan Xi retreated away, Yan Junwei crossed his arms and stood at the door of the secret room, furrowing his brows and thinking to himself: the gracious consort has already become disloyal, and has a strong grasp on the fake emperor; Chang Xi appears to have sided with the gracious consort; Grand Preceptor Shen has also taken the chance to take hold of the court.  It is dangerous for His Majesty to remain in the palace. We must quickly send him outside and hide him in a safe location.  If the emperor does not awaken, he also could not do anything.  As long as that fake emperor steps out to say he was treasonous, he wouldn’t be able to explain himself. Also, this swapping the real out with a fake is unheard of.  If even a little of this situation is leaked out, the stability of the entire Zhou would be put into question.  If that happens, when the emperor awakens, he would not be able to repent even with death!

Thinking of this, Yan Junwei called over a group of hidden guards and ordered them to stay hidden around the secret room and not allow the gracious consort and the servants interact with His Majesty alone. Even Chang Xi, who has taken cared of the emperor since youth, is not allowed to.  He, on the other hand, will be making preparations for leaving the palace.

The Emperor Zhou’wu right now did not know that he had just taken a stroll to the gates of hell and back.  He was still submerged in Meng Sangyu’s biting words, unable to pull himself out. He was dissappointed and angry at the two-facedness of Grand Preceptor Shen and Shen Huiru.

While also two-faced, the feeling the two women brought him were polar opposite.  Towards Meng Sangyu, he went from disgust to appreciation, and towards Shen Huiru, he didn’t know how to feel anymore.  But it couldn’t be avoided that a seed of doubt had quietly planted itself in the bottom of his heart, and was rooting and growing with the passage of time.

The Meng Sangyu at this moment was not aware that she had unintentionally worsened the impression of Grand Preceptor Shen and Shen Huiru.  After she finished instructing her confidant, she took out her sewing box and continued to make little cotton sweaters for A’Bao.

“Your Ladyship. It is time for you to drink medicine.” A female physician brought up a steaming hot bowl of medicine.

“First leave it there.  When it’s a little cooler we will drink it.”  Meng Sangyu waved her hand, her expressionless face stiffening momentarily.

“Your Ladyship, please drink it while it’s hot.  This is medicine was prescribed especially for you by a prominent physician His Majesty found just for you.  The medical herbs used are also rare to find.  If it gets cold, it’ll be less effective.”  Looking at the bowl, Head Nurse Feng’s worried expression immediately became that of joy. She complimented, “Even if the gracious consort gets pampered, how could her pampering exceed Your Ladyship’s? To cure your cold uterus condition, and for you to conceive a royal offspring quickly, how much effort His Majesty has spent.  This pampering cannot be matched by anyone in this entire palace!  The gracious consort’s pampering is completely because of Grand Preceptor Shen.  When the duke returns with the army, she will not be able to stay lively for long.

“Is that so…” Meng Sangyu responded ambiguously. She looked at the bowl with a shred of mockery – mockery for herself.

Bi Shui and Yin Cui exchanged complex gazes.

Hearing the two words ‘drink medicine,’ Emperor Zhou’wu, curled in Meng Sangyu’s lap, immediately woke in alarm. Then hearing Head Nurse Feng’s compliments, his face paled.  Other than those prominent physicians, no one knew more clearly the he did what was up with this bowl of medicine.  He hurriedly climbed up with his paws on the side of the table. Sniffing a whiff of the smell of medicine, he almost drowned in guilt.

Meng Sangyu seeing such quickly picked back up and pat his head, scolding, “this isn’t anything good, A’Bao don’t touch it!”

To prevent A’Bao’s curiosity leading him to take a lick while she wasn’t paying attention, Meng Sangyu picked up the bowl and chugged down the medicine. When she passed the bowl back to the female physician, she had a cold smile on her face.

This expression fell into the eyes of Emperor Zhou’wu who was closely attentive of Meng Sangyu. And it made him froze – as if struck by lightning.

She knows! She does know everything after all, but has silently accepted everything!  No wonder when she was so cold and unmoving speaking of me!  This thought stripped away his ability to think.  There was a stifflying pressure on Emperor Zhou’wu’s chest along with a stabbing pain.

Suddenly, he was scared to face the virtuous consort.  He was scared to see hatred in her eyes.  But he couldn’t control himself.  He had to know how the virtuous consort felt in order to be at ease. This is his first time caring so much for a woman, even Shen Huiru could not compare.

“What’s wrong A’Bao? Why are you looking at me like this?” The little puppy blankly stared up at her with his large watery black eyes.  She responded with a sad smile to his adorable expression.

In her smile there was mockery, there was acceptance, there was calmness, but there was no hatred! Good! Emperor Zhou’wu’s lifted heart fell back in place.  He felt thankful, but as to what he was thankful about, he didn’t think deeply about it.

When we find back our body, we will make amends to you!  He subtly promised this and gave a whimper as he jumped into Meng Sangyu’s arms, missing the warmth of her fingers.