Chapter 95:

Laying Layue in his arms, Emperor Jing did nothing at all, simply holding her there.

After a while, he spoke, “Yue’er, what do you think about what happened today?”

Layue disliked being asked such questions and even more so answering them.

“I have no opinion, Your Majesty. When the Empress Dowager finishes her investigation, she will naturally reveal the truth.” Her reply was rather blunt.

The Emperor chuckled and pinched her breast lightly.

“Why are you so guarded with Me? Just speak your mind. What are you afraid of?”

Though the Emperor had said this, Layue still felt hesitant. She knew exactly what kind of man he was. Could she really trust him so easily? She certainly wouldn’t dare to speak carelessly in front of him.

She patted his hand. When the Emperor didn’t move, Layue pouted in protest, “Your Majesty always acts like this. It seems as if you think everything we say hides something else. Have you never considered that maybe I truly don’t know anything?”

The Emperor continued to gaze at her.

Layue continued, “I really don’t know. I was far away to begin with, and by the time I arrived, the incident had already occurred. How would I know what happened? Not making assumptions isn’t because I’m being cautious or suspicious of you. You’re my husband—why would I be wary of you? I don’t speak because I don’t want to give you incorrect information that might interfere with your judgment or delay your search for the real culprit.”

The Emperor hadn’t expected Layue to say something like this.

He rolled over and lay on top of her. Perhaps because they were in the water, Layue felt strangely uneasy.

“If you don’t speak, how can you be sure your judgment is wrong?”

Being pinned beneath him, Layue felt short of breath and lightly punched him, “I can’t breathe. Please move aside.”

That was quite bold of her. The Emperor snorted and exhaled heavily before rolling over again, this time letting her lie on top of him.

Seeing that he kept doing this, Layue was already exasperated.

“I can’t be certain whether my judgment is right or wrong. Isn’t that just interfering with you unnecessarily? You are the Son of Heaven, with knowledge and insight far beyond mine. What insight could a mere woman like me possibly have? I’m just a helpless vine clinging to you.”

The Emperor looked at her again, trying to see what was different about her. Perhaps even she herself hadn’t realized it, but by saying these things, she had already shown that she was not simply a helpless vine—she had her own opinions and abilities.

He genuinely laughed this time, then bit her neck gently, causing her to shiver.

That old scoundrel bit her again.

Waaah!

He didn’t have particularly gentle habits in bed, and Layue often felt he wasn’t tender enough with her. Yet despite that, she was often overwhelmed by him until she nearly fainted.

Now, the two of them, completely naked, were entwined together in a passionate embrace.

Naturally, the Emperor was stirred with desire.

Seeing her slight resistance, the Emperor smiled. Her reactions always brought him particular pleasure.

He pinned her restless hands with both of his and used his legs to press against her thighs as she tried to resist.

Deliberately rubbing his body against hers, he caused Layue to let out soft gasps.

How could a woman possibly match a man’s strength? Especially since Layue dared not resist him too forcefully.

Usually, she was obedient, especially when they were in the bedroom. But today was different—this was in the hot spring, and she felt deeply embarrassed.

Seeing that he looked like he was about to devour her whole, Layue’s heart raced, and she softly protested with her lips.

But how could he possibly listen to her at a moment like this? Soon enough, the inner chamber of the hot spring echoed with sounds of splashing.

After a long while, the two of them finally stopped, panting and resting.

Perhaps because of the recent pleasure, the Emperor’s expression was quite good—nothing like the cold demeanor he had shown earlier outside. Layue also knew that having lost several children in succession had certainly affected his mood.

After all, the Emperor’s lineage had indeed been sparse.

Lying together for a long time, the Emperor finally asked her, “Yue’er, weren’t you the one who said you’d give Me a great princess? When will you fulfill that promise?”

Layue turned her head to look at him. Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, she hesitated slightly before naively asking, “You really want a great princess from me?”

The Emperor laughed, “An emperor’s words are not to be taken lightly. Yue’er, wasn’t it you who promised Me this yourself? Don’t tell Me you’re already having second thoughts?”

Before he had even finished speaking, Layue shook her head vigorously and hurriedly explained, “Of course not! I do want to give birth to a great princess for you. But I also want my daughter to be healthy and strong.”

The Emperor was somewhat puzzled by her meaning and looked at her.

Layue continued seriously, “Earlier, I fell into the water. Although I’ve recovered, my body still feels a bit cold. If I were to try to conceive now, it might not be good for her. It would be better if I took the time to fully recover first, and then I could give birth to the healthiest little princess for you.”

Seeing her earnest expression, the Emperor smiled happily.

Burying his head in her neck, he murmured, “I want a daughter—a delicate little girl just like Yue’er, who can win My heart with her charm.”

Layue also smiled dreamily, “I never knew where I had won Your Majesty’s favor, but hearing you say this makes Me so happy.”

Seeing her genuine expression, the Emperor pinched her fingers, “I like how you don’t speak unnecessarily when I’m troubled. I like your little pouts, and I especially enjoy your small jealous complaints.”

Layue was momentarily speechless. These weren’t exactly the behaviors of a daughter.

She lifted her head to look at him.

“Since we don’t have a daughter yet, why don’t you raise Me as your eldest daughter?”

As soon as she said it, she realized her slip of the tongue. Her face suddenly turned red, but she couldn’t think of anything to take it back, so she felt awkward and shy.

The Emperor was initially stunned upon hearing her words, but seeing her regretful expression, as if she had bitten her own tongue, he became delighted instead and teased her, “Very well then. I’ve gained a delicate eldest daughter out of nowhere—surely this is a rare blessing in the world?”

Now Layue truly felt like she would die of shame.

No matter how bold she was, she hadn’t intended to say something like that. That sentence had just slipped out.

Now she had truly trapped herself.

She mumbled, “Your Majesty, please don’t mock Me. I just spoke without thinking and embarrassed myself. Please forget what I said.”

She paused briefly, then added that last sentence, which only made it more obvious.

The Emperor was even more amused, “Absolutely not. With such a good thing happening, how could I possibly forget it so easily? Even if Yue’er is willing, I certainly won’t.”

If she could, Layue would have bitten her own mouth off—how could she have said such shameless words? And now the Emperor was holding onto those words so tightly, she was truly embarrassed beyond words.

If others found out, wouldn’t they look down on her?

She coquettishly wrapped her arms around his waist and pleaded, “Your Majesty, please don’t tease Me anymore. Please forget what I said earlier, won’t you? Please…”

Her plea was sweet and tender, but the Emperor refused to give in. The two of them continued like this for quite a while.

By the time she left Xuanning Palace, the Emperor still hadn’t said whether he would forget or not, and Layue felt that she was truly becoming more and more foolish—how could she have spoken so recklessly?

Rubbing her waist, waaah! She had paid such a painful price, yet she hadn’t achieved the effect she had hoped for.

Seeing that her mistress seemed extremely tired, Apricot quickly helped her mistress rest after returning to her quarters.

Layue slept soundly until the next morning.

This matter shall be temporarily set aside.

As for Emperor Jing, his mood had improved greatly after Layue left.

Speaking of Concubine Shun, Shen Layue, she was indeed a remarkable woman who always brought him both physical and mental pleasure.

There were many women in the palace, but aside from Shen Layue, it was hard to find anyone else who could truly satisfy him.

Thinking of her skin blushing all the way to her chest, the Emperor smiled slightly.

Originally, the mention of a “great princess” had just been a playful joke, but after today’s events, the Emperor found himself genuinely anticipating the idea of a little daughter with Layue.

Imagining that the little girl’s eyes and brows might closely resemble her mother’s,

he smiled even more.

For some reason, a phrase suddenly came to his mind: “a pearl in the palm”—a cherished treasure.

In their Nanshun imperial family, daughters were indeed rare. Usually, sons were born, and rarely daughters. He himself had seven brothers but no sisters, and the same had been true for his father’s generation. Even his grandfather’s generation had only one sister.

Indeed, female children were extremely rare among the Yan clan of Nanshun.

After a brief moment of reverie, Emperor Jing adjusted his thoughts and summoned Laifu to enter.

Laifu appeared simple and honest, but in reality, he was not.

“Your Majesty, this servant greets you.”

Laifu was already aware of what had happened today. As the deputy director in public and the leader of the secret guards in private, he naturally wasn’t idle.

“Do you have any leads regarding today’s incident?”

Laifu had already actively investigated the matter. He wouldn’t wait for his master to ask before starting the investigation—such behavior would be disliked, and his position as head of the secret guards would be in jeopardy.

“This servant has already conducted a thorough investigation. This morning, the floor was confirmed to be free of talcum powder before the concubines arrived. If there had been any, they would have slipped and fallen before the performance ended. There are three suspects. The first is Consort Qi, who arrived last. If she did it while passing by, it would be highly possible. The second is Consort De, who also fell during the incident. Since the talcum powder was so obvious, it’s possible she used it to shift blame onto Concubine An. The third is Concubine Jing, who left early. She had already reached the gravel path but changed her route because of the strong sunlight, making her another likely suspect. Perhaps she didn’t intend to harm anyone in particular, but if someone fell, she could link the incident to herself and gain more of the Emperor’s protection.”

Laifu paused briefly before continuing, “Of course, it’s also possible that some palace maids or eunuchs were bribed by others to do it, but that possibility seems quite low. This servant has already verified that the palace maids present at the time have no suspicion. This servant believes that such a significant matter would not be easily entrusted to others. Therefore, the three main suspects remain the most likely.”

Laifu and Laixi had both grown up with Emperor Jing and were extremely loyal to him. They knew that they didn’t need to beat around the bush when speaking to the Emperor. The Emperor smiled slightly.

“They’ve all grown bold, thinking they can seize power for themselves.”

“Your Majesty, what shall we do next?”

Laifu asked for instructions.

The Emperor crumpled the paper in his hand into a ball.

“Since this matter has already been handed over to the Empress Dowager, let her handle it. You just need to observe secretly. Since they’re all so restless, then I shall let them know who truly holds the highest position in this palace.”

Such foolish women, always thinking that eliminating other women will earn his affection, never realizing that if he doesn’t favor them, even if there were only one woman in the entire harem, he could still find countless others outside the palace.

They entered the palace to serve him, not to scheme against other women. It seemed they had lost sight of their purpose. Since their minds are so unclear, I shall help them see clearly.

“Keep a close watch on these three.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Laifu carefully withdrew.

As Emperor Jing watched Laifu’s retreating figure, he suddenly asked, “Has there been anything unusual at Tingyuge?”

When Laifu heard his master mention this again, he quickly turned back.

“There’s nothing unusual. If we speak of all the concubines in the palace, Concubine Chun is absolutely the most normal one.”

Sometimes, being too normal itself becomes suspicious. Emperor Jing understood this, as did Laifu. However, Concubine Chun had no discernible flaws. Even her contact with her family outside the palace was minimal.

The palace maids around her, aside from their own agent Guo’er, were all under surveillance whenever they went out, making it impossible for any messages to be passed.

They had even placed another second-tier young eunuch, Xiao Lin, in Tingyuge specifically to monitor the movements of Concubine Chun’s more trusted senior palace maids.

Yet, they had indeed found nothing suspicious.

Tapping his fingers on the table, the Emperor thought for a moment and then said, “A few days ago, a young palace maid was sent to their quarters to trim the flower branches. Upon arrival, she was promoted to a second-tier palace maid. Have someone keep an eye on her as well.”

Laifu acknowledged and then withdrew.

Emperor Jing did not stop his actions, which was a small habit of his when thinking. He was somewhat puzzled about the fact that the girl who came to trim the flower branches was immediately promoted to a second-tier palace maid upon arriving at Tingyuge.

After thinking for a while, he summoned Laixi again.

“Bring Me the register.”

Flipping through the documents in his hands, Emperor Jing smiled slightly.

Whether it was Shen Layue’s father or her older brother, after carefully reviewing their records, Emperor Jing found that neither of them stood out particularly.

However, people who aren’t outstanding still have their uses, and not every position requires cunning and ambitious individuals.

Sometimes, being simple-minded also has its advantages.

Picking up a slip of paper, the Emperor thought for a moment, then smiled again, scribbled something quickly, and handed it to Laixi.

“Send this note to Chancellor Fu’s residence and deliver it to Jin Yu.”

No one could have predicted that the next day, during the morning court session, Fu Jin Yu would suddenly bring up Shen Layue’s father, Minister Shen.

Several routine official matters were highly praised, leaving even Shen Layue himself somewhat bewildered. Observing the Emperor’s apparent approval, some people began to speculate whether this was an implicit endorsement from the Emperor.

Everyone knew that Fu Jinyu generally refrained from recommending or criticizing officials in court. However, whenever he did take action, the results were always satisfactory. Over time, these keen observers began to think deeply. Fu Jinyu had once been the Emperor’s childhood companion, so perhaps his actions were merely carrying out the Emperor’s secret intentions.

With such suspicions in mind, people noticed that Fu Jinyu’s suggestions were often strongly supported by the Emperor. Even someone like General Song could be brought down, clearly indicating the Emperor’s support behind Fu Jinyu. The sudden promotion from a Hanlin Academy Shidu (a fifth-rank official) to the Guanglu Siqing (a third-rank official) was no small leap.

Although these were all civilian titles without substantial power, such a significant jump in rank was not lost on anyone. If there wasn’t the hand of Noble Consort Chun behind this, no one would believe it. Reflecting further on the steady rise of Shen Layue’s eldest daughter, Shen Layue, since entering the palace, who else could surpass her? Apart from Fu Jinyao, who came from a prestigious family, who else could it be?

Moreover, Shen Layue was still young, and even with new concubines entering the palace, there were still two years to go. Within two years, so much could be achieved. Some bolder individuals speculated that perhaps within two years, Shen Layue would also ascend to a high position. Noble Consort Chun’s influence was clearly not at an end.

Those who hoped their families could rise swiftly began to carefully educate their daughters. Having a clever and favored daughter in the harem could bring enormous benefits to their families.

At that time, Layue was indoors eating lotus seeds, unaware of her father’s promotion and the outside gossip. It was only when Ta’er hurriedly ran in, flustered and disheveled.

Jinxin, accustomed to her usual composure, scolded her twice, but Ta’er brushed it off by announcing it was great news. Puzzled, Jinxin quickly brought her to see the mistress.

Upon hearing that her father had been promoted to the rank of Guanglu Siqing, Layue was momentarily stunned.

Looking bewilderedly at Jinxin, she said, “Jinxin, pinch me to see if this is real.”

“Pfft,” several maids burst into laughter.

Jinxin was also very happy, having grown up in the Shen household. Naturally, she was delighted when the Shen family thrived. Moreover, as the Shen family grew stronger, her mistress would gain more confidence in the harem. This was a win-win situation.

Recalling how exhausted her mistress had been after serving the Emperor the previous day, Jinxin couldn’t help but tease, “I’m sure yesterday my mistress must have pleased the Emperor greatly. Otherwise, how could there be such a result today? After all, as you sow, so shall you reap.”

The maids all lowered their heads, hiding their smiles.

Layue felt somewhat shy but still scolded, “You naughty girl, even teasing your mistress now. Just wait until I teach you a lesson.”

Despite her words, she was smiling and made no move to carry out her threat.

Upon first hearing the news, Layue was momentarily shocked, but soon she became happy. Men naturally aspired to rise in rank; surely her father had hoped for such advancement. However, he had never asked her to do anything, instead constantly reminding her about life in the palace. It was precisely this attitude that made Layue feel even closer to him.

Regardless of the Emperor’s intentions, Layue was not concerned. It wasn’t that she was blinded by joy; rather, upon careful thought, she understood the position well.

The Guanglu Siqing was still a civilian post, primarily focused on scholarly duties. It was not a position entrusted with important tasks. Layue’s father was a genuine scholar, and his nature was not as flexible or cunning as others’. In Layue’s view, this position was actually very suitable for him.

It appeared that the Emperor had not given this position to her father with the intention of setting him up for failure. Thinking this through, Layue developed a slight fondness for the Emperor. It seemed that as long as she performed well, the Emperor was not entirely insensitive.

She was intelligent and perceptive, qualities that naturally drew the Emperor’s attention to her family.

Moreover, Layue thought about how she had always served the Emperor well, yet he hadn’t acted like this before. Today’s outcome must also be influenced by her actions from the previous day.

Perhaps the Emperor already knew something.

Was this the prelude to cultivating her position? In her opinion, the most stable relationship always involved three people, not two or four.

The Emperor disliked alliances among the palace women. Three people, especially those bound by an unbreakable connection, would maintain a more balanced power dynamic in the harem. This tripartite balance of power was essential.

Among these three, one was certainly Fu Jinyao. If the Emperor intended to elevate Layue, who would the other be?

Would it be Virtuous Consort or Qi Consort?

In her view, Virtuous Consort was more likely. Although Qi Consort was better at biding her time, the Emperor might not favor someone overly clever.

Given her status, she would inevitably need a child.

Now, what she lacked was a child.

If Layue was not mistaken, once she had a child, the existing balance between Virtuous Consort, Hui Consort, and Qi Consort would be disrupted, and the person likely to replace them would be herself.

She had always planned to rise steadily.

Only by reaching the top could others have no opportunity to trample her or her family.

After considering everything, Layue felt even better.

Calling out to Jinxin, she said, “Go tell Qiaoning, today I’m in a good mood, so make several more dishes. Yes, make my favorite dishes. I want to indulge.”

Jinxin smiled and agreed.

Not only that, she also reminded with a smile, “Mistress, would you like to prepare some food to send to the Emperor to express your gratitude?”

Layue shook her head, deeming it unnecessary.

“No. Matters of the court have nothing to do with me. How could the harem interfere with politics? The Emperor promoted my father because he did well, and it has nothing to do with me. Although I am his daughter, I am also the Emperor’s concubine. I’m sure the Emperor wouldn’t like me doing this.”

Jinxin realized her thoughts were not thorough enough, bowed slightly, and obediently went to the kitchen.

Nowadays, Layue rarely took meals from the palace stores, relying mostly on Qiaoning’s cooking, which improved her appetite.

Looking at the bright sunshine outside, Layue’s face blossomed into a beautiful smile.

How wonderful it was!