PNB Chapter 53 The Person at the Heart of the Emperor
Chapter 53 The Person at the Heart of the Emperor
Inside the Jade Hibiscus Palace, Consort Rong leaned against the doorframe, gazing outside. "Feihua, do you think the Emperor will come? He dislikes people using illness to curry favor. I'm afraid he'll dislike me for this!"
Fei Hua advised, "Your Majesty has no choice. The Duchess asked you to win over the Emperor's heart recently, but the Emperor is still being pestered by that little slut Shen."
But the war outside isn't going well right now. If the Emperor gets angry, the Duke won't know how to explain himself!
Consort Rong said with tears in her eyes, "I just want to be with him. Why should I be involved in whether their war is going well or not? Does he treat me well because their war is going well, and he won't treat me well if their war is going badly?"
Could it be that the love between us is due to these reasons? Have I wasted my time and energy on him again?
Fei Hua was exhausted and wanted to stomp her feet. "Oh, Your Majesty, why do you think about these things? It's because the Emperor cares about you that the Duke and the others said they wanted you to help out in the palace. If the Emperor didn't truly care for you, who would dare to ask you to do such a thing?"
Consort Rong leaned her head weakly against the door frame, her tears glistening in the faint light of the new moon.
"Who can I help? I'm just the most pitiful and pathetic person in this palace. I know you're just saying these things to make me happy! He doesn't care about me at all. Look, he hasn't come yet, and he probably won't come."
"Oh dear, Your Majesty, please go back inside and sit down. If the Emperor comes later and sees you standing in the wind, he'll be worried about you!"
Fei Hua helped her sit down, mainly because since she was faking illness, she wanted to make it look convincing.
"He must have gone to Peach Blossom Village today, right? He won't even look at me anymore. My heart is shattered into a million pieces!" Consort Rong clutched her chest.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor has arrived!" a eunuch announced from the doorway.
Immediately afterwards, the eunuch's announcement was heard: "His Majesty the Emperor has arrived! His Majesty the Empress has arrived! All the ladies-in-waiting have arrived!"
Then a large group of people rushed in, leaving Consort Rong stunned. She was overwhelmed by an unprecedented humiliation.
"Your Majesty?" Her face was still bearing the marks of the past, and new tears welled up again.
"I heard you had chest pains and was worried it might be a serious illness. Fortunately, the Empress also found out, so we came to see you together!" the Emperor said, taking his seat.
"Yes, why is your heart suddenly aching?" the Empress asked.
The Empress was notified by Li Fude's messenger; she had just finished her dinner.
Originally, Shen Shixi had sent Chaoyu, but the emperor, seeing that she was determined to make a scene, had no choice but to have Li Fude arrange for someone to go and inform her.
With the emperor and empress present, how could the others not come?
They've all arrived dressed to the nines!
Apart from Song Jieyu.
Consort Rong clutched her chest and said, "I don't know either. It suddenly started hurting after dinner tonight. It's so late, and I don't dare to call the imperial physician for fear of disturbing the palace."
"Yes! His Majesty is having his meal at my place. Hearing that Consort Rong was experiencing chest pains, His Majesty dropped his chopsticks and rushed over," Shen Shixi said, looking at her.
"However, Consort Rong, aren't you covering the wrong area? The chest is a little above the left side; the area you're covering is your stomach. Your stomach pain is probably from eating too much!"
puff!
Finally, someone inside the hall couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Consort Rong was both ashamed and furious. "Your Majesty, I know Your Majesty is with Consort Zhao. It was inappropriate to invite Your Majesty here, but Consort Zhao has no reason to make fun of me like this!"
Shen Shixi said, "Your Majesty must have misunderstood me! I was just telling the truth. What does Your Majesty and the Emperor's little tantrum have to do with me? I was just worried about the Emperor, so I came without even having dinner. It turns out that Your Majesty ate too much and got an upset stomach!"
"Yes! Consort Rong, today's state banquet was exhausting, not to mention the Emperor, even we were all tired! Since you ate too much, just drink some hawthorn water to aid digestion, or call a royal physician to come and see you. We can just tell the Empress tomorrow. Why insist on having the Emperor come?" Consort De said with a smile.
Shen Shixi said, "Your Highness, Consort De, probably doesn't know that if Consort Rong truly has a chest pain, it will require His Majesty's presence..."
"Shen!" Li Yuanke said sternly, fearing she would say those words aloud.
Shen Shixi rolled her eyes at him, "She really is the Emperor's darling, isn't she? I've been rude!"
She gave Consort Rong a perfunctory bow.
The others were speechless. How could she say such things so confidently? Who could be less afraid of death than her in front of the Emperor?
Everyone was hoping that the Emperor would get angry and lash out, and that he would bestow upon Consort Zhao a white silk noose.
To everyone's surprise, the emperor simply smiled and said to Consort Rong, "Since it's an upset stomach, give her some digestive medicine or summon the imperial physician."
Consort Rong said, "Your Majesty, I have never liked drinking that bitter soup!"
Shen Shixi chimed in, "Then what would Your Majesty like to do? Would it be alright if His Majesty rubbed them for you? Oh dear, His Majesty's hands are like dragon claws, no wonder they have such wondrous uses. Your Majesty~, my head aches, my whole body aches, my heart and lungs hurt everywhere, I need Your Majesty to rub them for me!"
She fell onto the emperor, who had no choice but to catch her.
Consort Rong burst into tears, pointing at Shen Shixi, "You, you, you... how could you do this?"
Shen Shixi stood up straight. "Oh my! Your Highness has such a high rank, so you can act like this? Only officials are allowed to set fires while common people are not allowed to light lamps? You can feel heartache, but others can't?"
If you are truly ill and unable to get out of bed, and it seems you will not see the sun rise tomorrow morning, even if Your Majesty does not say so, I will persuade Your Majesty to come!
"You dare swear on the Duke of Wei's mansion? Are you really insane? Do you think I'm dead? You stole my favor, and I have to kneel down and be grateful to you!"
She exuded a powerful aura from behind, while Consort Rong, feeling guilty, retreated step by step!
Shen Shixi stopped there, bowing to the emperor and saying, "Your Majesty, without you tonight, I only lose a night's sleep. But without you tonight, Consort Rong would likely lose her life. I cannot do such a thing as taking someone's life, so I will take my leave now!"
She bowed to the Empress again and was about to leave when the Emperor grasped her hand and stood up. "Accompany me to Qingyan Palace!"
Then, he said to the Empress, "Empress, summon the imperial physician to Consort Rong and give her a thorough examination to determine what illness she has that is so severe!"
Even after boarding the imperial carriage, Shen Shixi was still seething with anger. The emperor held her close, and the night breeze was cool as they draped a cloak over each other.
"Still angry? Haven't you gotten over your anger yet?" The emperor pinched her cheek and pulled her into his arms. "After we're done with these busy days, let's find a nice day and I'll take you hunting?"
[Hunting my ass! Oh my god, this bastard isn't trying to use me as bait, is he?! Screw you, he's up to no good!]
Li Yuanke couldn't help but chuckle. "What's wrong? You don't want to go?"
"Go, why wouldn't you go? At a time like this, shouldn't we, your concubines, be the cannon fodder charging into battle? Who told your favored concubine to be such a sickly beauty, panting with every step, moving like a willow swaying in the breeze? Even if she wanted to go, you couldn't bear to part with her, could you? We, with our frail and delicate appearance, are only fit to accompany you to fight tigers!"
Li Yuanke was amused by her, and he choked on his laughter, coughing all the way to Qingyan Palace.
Cen Yin was already waiting. "Your Majesty, I happened to have something to report to you. I came from the capital and encountered a eunuch on the way. Fortunately, I didn't miss him."
"What do you have to report so late at night?" The emperor had a premonition.
"Your Majesty, Tianfei Pass has fallen!" Cen Yin lowered his head, awaiting the emperor's thunderous wrath.