stonecrandall Chapter 67 Yuan Jieyu
Chapter 67 Yuan Jieyu
If the emperor were in the palace, even if he didn't come to Fengyi Palace on the first and fifteenth of the month, he would have to stay alone in Qianyuan Palace. But here, he didn't have to follow any rules. In the past two months, the emperor had only spent two nights in Qifeng Palace.
One night I didn't do anything at all; you can only know the feeling by experiencing it yourself.
There were four pregnant women in the palace, one of whom was Consort De. The Emperor often visited Consort De's palace.
The Empress touched her belly, and couldn't help but feel anxious.
The imperial physician said her body was almost fully recovered, but the emperor wasn't coming, so how could she get pregnant on her own?
"Didn't anyone from the Imperial Household Department remind you?"
"Eunuch Zhang has already reminded me."
The next morning, after paying her respects, Shen Shixi asked for leave because she had started her period and was experiencing abdominal pain.
However, with Zhang Qinghao's help this time, it's much better than before.
"The medicine you prescribed isn't bitter at all. After drinking it, my lower abdomen feels warm and comfortable, much better than before."
Shen Shixi lay sprawled on the couch, her hair loose, wearing a pale yellow, high-waisted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). Her beauty was breathtaking, her eyes filled with autumn dew, like a fairy who had just emerged from the mountains.
As soon as Li Yuanke arrived, he saw this picturesque scene and his heart stirred. He stepped forward and hooked her cheek with his finger.
"Why has the Emperor come?" She saw Li Fude holding the imperial edict behind her.
"I've come to see you!" Li Yuanke sat down beside her, hugging her and asking, "Does your hand still hurt?"
[You bastard, how dare you ask!]
"My tenosynovitis flared up again!" She rolled her eyes.
Li Yuanke laughed.
"Please accept the imperial decree, Young Master Shen!" Li Fude said.
Li Yuanke knew that Shen Shixi disliked the title "Beauty," so he couldn't help but ask, "Li Fude, why don't you call her Beauty Zhao?"
Li Fude was speechless. Shen Shixi said, "I told him not to shout."
She knelt down to receive the imperial decree. Li Fude said, "By the Empress Dowager's decree, Consort Shen, daughter of Tao Weng Pizhi and Qing Shan, is hereby granted the title of Jieyu, with the honorary title of Yuan. This is the imperial decree!"
【Yuan Jieyu? Oh my god, what kind of title is this from Li Yuanke? Yuan from Yuanke? Does Li Yuanke have some deep-seated grudge against me and want me dead quickly?】
Seeing her kneeling on the ground in a daze, Li Yuanke suppressed a laugh, walked over, squatted down, and lifted her chin. "Aren't you going to thank me?"
Shen Shixi was on the verge of tears, and threw herself into his arms. "Thank you so much, Your Majesty! Waaah, Li Yuanke, I'm so touched! You actually gave me a character from your own name as a title. What have I done to deserve this? I love you so much!"
[You bastard, I'll bite you to death!]
She bit Li Yuanke's shoulder, and Li Yuanke cried out in pain. He slapped her, his palm sticky and wet. Shen Shixi also sensed something was wrong, her whole body stiffened, and she screamed.
She turned her head and saw Li Yuanke's hands covered in blood, and was immediately struck dumb.
The people inside the hall knelt on the ground, all burying their heads in the earth, wishing they could disappear on the spot.
Li Yuanke calmly stood up and looked behind Shen Shixi. Shen Shixi quickly covered her back, trying to avoid letting him see.
[Waaaaah, what a disaster this is! How am I supposed to live now?! If this gets out, I'll be burned at the stake! Li Yuanke has ruined me!]
Li Yuanke remained calm. Li Fude brought water, and he washed his hands. He then rubbed Shen Shixi's face with that hand. Shen Shixi felt it was dirty and tried to dodge, but couldn't.
"Would you like me to help you change your clothes?"
Shen Shixi glared at him fiercely, then turned and ran into the inner hall.
Once outside, Li Yuanke gave the order, "Nothing about today's events is to be revealed to the outside world, or your entire family will be executed!"
Li Fude shuddered. "Yes, this servant will give the order immediately!"
The inner palace was filled with the two men's confidants, so no one would dare to speak out against it.
The Emperor gave a special instruction, which shows how much he values Consort Yuan.
The morning meeting in the Empress's palace had not yet ended. Many people had asked for leave today. Yuan Zhaoyue was pregnant and did not come, mainly because the promotion did not involve her. She felt uncomfortable coming to pay her respects to others.
Needless to say, Consort Rong had injured her leg and broken a rib; the imperial physician instructed her to take good care of herself.
Lin Guiyou was injured in the abdomen and had just woken up. She was unaware that she was infertile and was therefore unable to move.
Consort Song is still in her postpartum confinement period and is trying to save herself. Although the Emperor has not yet punished her, he will not let her off easily after this incident. However, he has not yet taken action because she is still in her postpartum confinement period.
Shun and He have already passed away and are no longer under the jurisdiction of the mortal world.
Xue Wanrong was confined to her quarters. Her period was five days late, and it was not yet possible to detect pregnancy. She was to rest for the time being. If she were to become pregnant, her life would be spared for the sake of the imperial heir. However, only Li Yuanke knew what would happen after the child was born.
The only newcomers who came to pay their respects were Zheng Ruojin, Su Fuying, and Wang Yuehuai. All three had been promoted; Zheng Ruojin and Su Fuying were now at the rank of Cairen, and Wang Yuehuai was at the rank of Baolin. Together, they performed the grand salute to the Empress.
Consort Qing Zhaoyuan also came today; she wanted to visit her son, and now she had no choice but to curry favor with the Empress.
Originally, she wanted to stand up to the challenge, but now, her weakness has been exploited.
"Yuan Jieyu didn't come? How ridiculous! Everyone else is recuperating from their injuries and having a baby, but what is she taking care of?"
Qing Zhaoyuan hated Shen Shixi to death. Anyway, Shen Shixi wasn't here right now, and no one would tell her what she said.
The Empress said, "Haven't you been taught a lesson yet? What's the use of saying more now that the person is gone? You might as well say less."
Su Fuying understood the implication and smiled, "I heard that Consort Yuan was blushing yesterday, and the Emperor even went to see her. Your Majesty, the 'Yuan' in Consort Yuan's title is the Emperor's name! Before, I told Consort Yuan that the Emperor and Consort Yuan were childhood sweethearts, but we didn't understand what that meant."
"Yuan" is not only a character in the emperor's name, but also means "first wife" and "first". It is usually not used as a title for a concubine.
When the emperor was a prince, he was granted the title of king, and he was made crown prince, he never married. He was forced to make an empress after he ascended the throne, largely due to the political situation at the time, and it was a compromise between him and the Pei family to temporarily back down.
How could the Empress not mind?
The Empress would certainly not discuss such matters.
Qing Zhaoyuan then explained, "Shen's grandfather, Grand Tutor Shen, once taught the Emperor. The Emperor frequently visited the Shen family and had known Shen for a long time. Although Shen was young at the time, she was skilled at seduction and clung to the Emperor relentlessly."
Later, our Emperor took her elder sister as a concubine, and treated her, his sister-in-law, even better than her elder sister. If she hadn't been so young, perhaps they could have even created a beautiful story of sisters sharing a husband.
Su Fuying laughed without any politeness, "Grand Tutor Shen is a learned scholar of our dynasty. He taught the princes of the late emperor and also set up a teaching platform outside the palace walls. His students are all over the world. But if people knew that Grand Tutor Shen had such a granddaughter, what would the world think?"
The Empress smiled gently, "Grand Tutor Shen is indeed very knowledgeable."
Consort De smiled and said, "What Sister Su said makes some sense. Sister Su is also a lady from a distinguished family. Didn't you have some connection with Consort Yuan back then?"
Su Fuying said, "I have never heard of Consort Yuan in the capital."
Zheng Ruojin said, "As far as I know, Su's father was only transferred from a local position to the Ministry of Revenue three years ago. Before that, Su should have been in a local position, so it's normal that she doesn't recognize Yuan Jieyu."
Exposed, Su Fuying was furious and embarrassed. "What does this have to do with you, Sister Zheng? Isn't Sister Zheng's family from Xingyang County? Could it be that you still have a past relationship with Consort Yuan? What a pity. Even if you did, what kind of person is Consort Yuan? Would she associate with Sister Zheng?"