Chapter 120: Gentle Indecision

Chapter 120: Gentle Indecision

The high-pitched announcement of the little eunuch brought an involuntary smile to the faces of the palace attendants in Fengyi Palace. The Empress had recently been reprimanded, and Princess Huaiqing had moved out, leaving them understandably anxious. Thus, the news of the Emperor's arrival was a welcome relief.

Stepping out of the palace hall, the night breeze, heavy with humidity, greeted them. The palace lanterns in the corridor illuminated the dignified figure of the Empress and the Emperor's calm, inscrutable face as he approached.

"This concubine greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy peace and prosperity."

The Empress bowed her head in salute. The Emperor, in his dark robe edged with gold, stopped before her. His deep voice emanated from above —

"No need for such formalities, Consort Zi."

Despite saying this, the Emperor did not wait for the Empress to enter the hall together. He walked straight inside, sat on the round-backed chair, and asked the Empress who had just entered, "Is Consort Zi preparing to retire?"

"Yes," the Empress replied with a smile, appearing composed. "I thought Your Majesty was busy in Liangyi Hall and did not wish to disturb."

The Empress, intending to retire without waiting for the Emperor, might be considered a lapse in protocol, but the Emperor did not pursue it. He sat quietly for a while, seemingly waiting for something, but only silence greeted him in the room.

The atmosphere was solemn. The Empress's fingers, hidden in her sleeve, curled slightly before relaxing. She personally took the perilla drink presented by Chunyan and offered it to the Emperor with a gentle voice, "It's getting late, not suitable for tea. How about a drink, Your Majesty? Would you like some snacks with it?"

"No need," replied the Emperor, lifting the cup of perilla drink. He glanced at it, took a light sip, then set it back on the table and stood up, saying, "Let's settle down for the night."

The palace servants attended to the Emperor and Empress for their evening washing and then withdrew from the inner chamber, leaving only Sheng An and Chunyan to keep the night watch.

In the midsummer evenings, the servants would typically catch cicadas with bamboo poles, and now the sparse cicada chirps were conducive to a peaceful sleep.

Sheng An, noticing Chunyan sweating at the forehead, flicked his dust whisk and said in a low voice, "It's hot, you should go drink some cool water."

Sheng An rarely interacted with the maids and eunuchs of Fengyi Palace and was mostly silent, even during night duties, often dozing off by himself. Chunyan was momentarily stunned before realizing he was speaking to her, and whispered in a low voice, "Alright, thank you, Eunuch Sheng."

She then tiptoed to the side room and returned a moment later, bringing Sheng An a pot of cool tea.

"I don't need it," Sheng An shook his head, "Drinking too much water is inconvenient for serving."

Chunyan knew he meant that drinking too much water during the night shift would be inconvenient for changing clothes, a fact well understood by anyone who served closely, but she had unconsciously drunk more cool water than usual.

She smiled at Sheng An, her expression as usual, nodded, and placed the sand pot on a side table, saying no more.

Inside the inner chamber, despite the candles being extinguished, the Emperor and Empress had not yet fallen asleep.

In the deep darkness, the Emperor suddenly seemed to remember something and said, "The memorial day of the Empress Dowager is approaching. I plan to offer some perpetual lamps at Proluo Temple."

The Empress, caressing the blood jade bracelet on her wrist that she hadn't removed, was caught off guard by the Emperor's sudden mention of the Empress Dowager. She missed a breath before responding, "I have already instructed the Gongye Bureau to prepare the sacrificial altar. I will join the princesses in fasting and praying for the Empress Dowager's blessing."

"You are considerate, Zitong," complimented the Emperor, seemingly overtaken by sleepiness. Soon, only the sound of his steady breathing remained.

The Empress lay quietly on the inner side of the bed, motionless, as if deep in slumber.

At midnight, the calming incense had burnt out. The bed curtains, made of ochre crepe for the outer layer and azure brocade for the lining, blocked the moonlight filtering in from the window completely.

Suddenly, the Empress opened her eyes. Groping, she reached for the nanmu bedpost with drooping flowers carved on it. Gently, she pressed her jade bracelet against the post, hesitated for a moment, then drew back slightly, as if she might shatter the delicate blood jade bracelet in the next instant.

However, she moved back and forth, repeating this action several times, before finally lowering her arm, pulling the silk quilt, and closing her eyes again.

If she did this... losing her life would be secondary, but the label of regicide would be inescapable. Even if the Second Prince ascended the throne, how many of the Wang family would survive? And what would become of Wanyi?

Tomorrow... If not tomorrow, then...

The next day, with a grand court assembly scheduled, the Emperor rose earlier than usual, and the Empress naturally got up with him to serve.

As she fastened the dragon-shaped jade pendant on the Emperor, she said, "It's too hot at noon. I've decided to hold Wanyi's housewarming feast in the evening. Please come early after finishing your documents, Your Majesty, or Wanyi will surely come looking for you at the Liangyi Hall."

The Emperor hummed in acknowledgment, adjusted his sleeves himself, and told the Empress, "There's a glass and gemstone screen in my inner treasury. Have it sent to Wanyi later." Everything seemed normal.

The Empress graciously accepted the gift on behalf of her daughter and then, with a room full of palace servants, watched the Emperor leave Fengyi Palace in his imperial carriage.

Only then did she turn to Chunyan and ask, "Did the Emperor have someone investigate last night's perilla drink and the cool tea in the side room?"

Since those items were neither poisoned nor contained any inappropriate substances, the Empress's inquiry was merely to reconfirm whether the Emperor had noticed her actions.

Chunyan shook her head and whispered, "Rest assured, my lady, the Emperor did not send anyone to check."

The Empress barely perceptibly sighed with relief and then asked, "Has Xiachan returned yet?"

Xiachan had been sent to escort Princess Huaiqing back to Wuyou Palace yesterday. The Empress had instructed her to stay overnight at Wuyou Palace and return to Fengyi Palace the next day.

"Not yet," Chunyan, assisting the Empress to a hoop-backed chair, whispered, "Xiachan is always cautious. Your Majesty need not worry."

The Empress, however, appeared somewhat distracted and sighed, "I just hope that Wanyi will not resent her mother in the future."

"How could she?" Chunyan comforted, "You are her birth mother, and everything you do is for the princess's sake. When she grows up, she will surely understand."

After a moment of silence, the Empress regained her composure and instructed, "Take the waist token and personally escort the troupe into the palace. Have them wait in the back hall of Wuyou Palace; and send Qing Momo to check if anything else needs to be arranged there."

After a pause, she added, "And have the performers from the Music Bureau go there earlier."

"Yes, I understand," replied Chunyan, then asked, "Should we remind Consort Yi and Noble Lady Sun?"

"No need," the Empress said coolly, "Consort Yi is still in confinement and can't come to Wuyou Palace. Besides, those two are mere opportunists. It doesn't matter if they're not involved."

Chunyan bowed her head in acknowledgment.

The Empress adjusted the golden hairpin at her temple, stood up, and said slowly, "Let’s go. The other sisters must be arriving for the morning greetings."