CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 29 CONSORT YUN LODGES A COMPLAINT 2

"My beloved concubine, you’ve worked hard!"

"To serve Your Majesty, this concubine feels blessed for three lifetimes!" Consort Yun declared, her eyes filled with deep affection.

Zhao Junyao couldn’t help but glance at her twice.

She was, indeed, quite beautiful.

He was the Emperor, but also a man. Busy with state affairs, he naturally wanted to relax in his leisure time. If there was a woman who could make him feel relaxed in body and mind, he was naturally willing to pamper and cherish her. Consort Yun met his standards perfectly: gentle and beautiful, with a pleasant voice, and a lively, not stodgy, character.

But Zhao Junyao picked up the ginseng soup, took a sip, squinted his eyes, and said warmly, "The soup is good, but I still have documents to review. If my beloved concubine has nothing else, you may leave first."

He was not a negligent ruler; the Imperial Study Room was a place to deal with matters of state and was no place for women.

However, Consort Yun hadn’t thought that far. Seeing the Emperor’s gentle attitude towards her, she grew bolder. She approached slowly, her tender body lightly pressing against Zhao Junyao. Her large eyes, misty and wet, gazed up at him.

"Your Majesty, you must stand up for this concubine, Your Majesty!"

Before she could finish, she grabbed a handkerchief and started wiping away tears. She cried as if drenched by a pear blossom rain, as though she had suffered a great injustice.

If this had happened in the intimacy of the bedchamber, Zhao Junyao would naturally have been interested and willing to comfort her.

But this was the Imperial Study Room; as the sovereign of the country, he would not, and could not, act inappropriately! Zhao Junyao’s expression remained unchanged, but inside he was growing impatient.

Yet on the surface, he still patiently asked, "What’s the matter?"

Upon hearing this, Consort Yun’s heart leaped with joy. Without much consideration, she recounted how Xia Ruqing had affronted her in the Imperial Garden, embellishing her story with exaggeration. Afterward, she took up her handkerchief again to wipe away tears.

"Your Majesty, Lady Xia is disrespectful and rude! You must discipline her properly!"

Zhao Junyao’s face darkened considerably.

Such trivial squabbles, and she brought them into the Imperial Study Room to fuss about? Besides, without reason, would an Honored Lady confront a senior consort? Wasn’t that seeking death? Without thinking, Zhao Junyao already had an idea of what was going on.

He pushed away Consort Yun, who was leaning against him, and spoke with a chilling tone, "I understand. My beloved concubine, return first."

After speaking, he added, "The Imperial Study Room is not a place for you to come!"

"Your Majesty..."

Consort Yun was stunned; the Emperor’s tone was so unfamiliar.

Could it be... she was mistaken?

"Your Majesty! This concubine... this concubine..." In her panic, she couldn’t speak clearly, still somewhat unwilling to let it go so easily.

Seeing her falter and remain standing, Zhao Junyao’s patience ran out. His gaze turned somewhat icy as he spoke tersely, "Leave!"

"Your Majesty, this concubine... this concubine realizes her mistake!" Consort Yun dropped to her knees with a THUD and said through tears.

No matter what, she couldn’t imagine the consequences of angering the Emperor!

Zhao Junyao looked at her, his gaze cold. "It seems I have been too lenient with you before!"

News of Lady Xia confronting Consort Yun in the Imperial Garden spread throughout the entire harem within the span of an afternoon nap.

Consort Zheng Pin, who lived next to Consort Yun, received the news immediately. She was leaning on her bed, preparing for her noon rest, when she heard the news and spoke with a half-smile, "Lady Xia has quite the nerve!"

Who was Consort Yun? Even she did not dare to offend her!

"Indeed, it is said that Consort Yun has already gone to Zhaochen Palace!" Senior Palace Maid Hong Yun said as she adjusted the charcoal basin for her.

"I’m afraid that when Consort Yun returns, Lady Xia will be in trouble!"

Consort Zheng Pin felt a bit relieved. As long as there was someone more miserable than her, she didn’t feel so bad about her own difficult days.

Honored Lady Hu was delighted to receive the news. "Haha... utterly ignorant of the ways of the world! Dare to offend Consort Yun? I really want to see how Lady Xia is going to die this time!"

As for the others, the Empress virtually blocked out any news about Xia Ruqing, pretending neither to see nor hear. Consort Ning and Consort Hui Pin were busy with their daughters and daily lives. Since the Empress didn’t care, they paid even less attention and certainly wouldn’t intervene. Those not involved couldn’t care less.

The only one left was Noble Concubine Shih. Receiving the message, she smiled enigmatically. You guess, will I help Lady Xia?

In summary, the entire harem was either waiting to see her become a laughingstock or was ready to play deaf and dumb, pretending to know nothing.

Xia Ruqing held her forehead and sighed deeply. What a precarious situation!

She slept until the Shen Hour, around four in the afternoon by her calculations.

Zi Yue was on the verge of tears. "Master, you really sleep too much!"

Xia Ruqing, still sleepy, saw Zi Yue’s anxious face and quickly asked, "What happened?"

"Consort Yun went to Zhaochen Palace! Everyone in the palace is talking about it, saying disaster is about to befall you!"

"Ah?" Xia Ruqing was somewhat shocked, but she still couldn’t understand the inevitable connection between ’Consort Yun going to Zhaochen Palace’ and ’her impending misfortune.’

Seeing her confusion, Zi Yue and Xiao Xizi immediately took turns lecturing her. They thoroughly analyzed the ’consequences of offending the Emperor’s favored consort.’

In the end, she nodded vaguely, as if she understood. "I provoked his favored consort... He isn’t going to punish me for that, is he?!"

Zi Yue and Xiao Xizi teared up with emotion.

Finally, our master has come to realize the situation!

Xia Ruqing began to feel nervous too; all remaining drowsiness swept away. She was trembling with fear! Her mind couldn’t stop recalling the books of unofficial histories she had read in the twenty-first century, "Ten Great Tortures of the Qing."

No... it can’t be! Please, don’t let this happen! I haven’t even begun to enjoy life! I don’t want to die!

She calculated further: If I have to die, it must be quick and painless, definitely not through torture!

While she was imagining this, a voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

"Master! Eunuch Feng is leading people this way!" Xiao Xizi burst in from outside, bringing with him a chill.

Xia Ruqing shivered unexpectedly. "Ah?"

Zi Yue scolded him, "When will you learn to be steady, always rushing around? You startled Master!"

Xiao Xizi looked guilty. "This servant is at fault!"

Feng Anfu entered. After the courtesies, he smiled respectfully. "Congratulations, Lady Xia, the Emperor has called for you today! Get ready quickly; the Chunen Cart will come to fetch you soon!"

"Thank you, Eunuch Feng!" Xia Ruqing tried to remain calm.

"I’ve delivered the message. If there’s nothing else, this old servant shall take his leave!"

"Farewell, Eunuch!"

Xia Ruqing then had Zi Yue take a purse and politely see Eunuch Feng out.

Once he was gone, Xia Ruqing was utterly panicked. "It’s over, it’s over! The Emperor is going to punish me for my crimes!"

"Master, what should we do?" Zi Yue also grew anxious.

Xiao Xizi scratched his head, thought for a moment, and then tentatively reassured her, "Master, don’t panic yet; we still don’t know the outcome yet!"

That was a moment of enlightenment.

"Yes! It’s not certain yet!"

I’ve already boarded the Emperor’s "pirate ship"; surely he wouldn’t kick me off now, would he? Yes, he probably wouldn’t!

Putting aside her worries, she dressed up as usual and boarded the Chunen Cart.