Chapter 40 - News of an old friend

In the rear hall, Consort Yue and Emperor Chunjia sat apart, playing Chinese chess on the table.

Consort Yue was holding a chess piece, and her jade-like fingertips were more immaculate against the black piece. However, she wore an angry look on her face. After a while, she messed up the pieces, saying, “I don’t want to play anymore!”

She dropped the black piece after she said that, stood up and walked to the round huanghuali-wood table inlaid with marble carved with a crane and a deer in the spring. Then she sat down at the round table and frowned slightly.

Emperor Chunjia followed, held the square silver teapot with a mandarin duck-shaped top on the table, poured two cups of tea, pushed one to her and said, “Then we won’t play. Let’s talk.”

Consort Yue bit her lip, and said, “Could Mammy Zhu convince that bitch?”

“… It’s hard to say.” Emperor Chunjia pondered, “It’s mainly because we can’t figure out what she wants.”

“What could the bitch want?” Consort Yue sneered, “She absolutely will demand a lot! She overestimates herself. Even if she dares to ask for it, could she be lucky to enjoy it?”

Emperor Chunjia hesitated and remained silent for a while. Then he couldn’t help but persuade her, “Don’t say this in front of others. If Gui Ren Yun knows, even if Mammy Zhu persuades her today, she will make another trouble.”

In fact, in the Emperor’s opinion, probably, Mammy Zhu could not persuade Yun Fenghuang. After all, everyone knew that he and Queen Mother Yuan paid more attention to Consort Yue, and there was a feud between Yun Fenghuang and Consort Yue, so, she would be foolish to compromise with Emperor Chunjia.

In particular, Emperor Chunjia now was at a disadvantage. They were able to do what other factions could do, but they could not do anything that other factions still could do… So, why would Yun Fenghuang choose them?

But Mammy Zhu insisted that she could have a try. Even she failed, it wouldn’t waste much time.

Mammy Zhu had a special relationship with Yuan’s Family, and even Queen Mother Yuan particularly valued her. So, Emperor Chunjia naturally would not deny her on this trifle.

But when he was with Consort Yue in the rear hall at the moment, he couldn’t help thinking that Mammy Zhu also knew these things which he thought, and though she knew that there was a little hope, she still insisted on it. Was there any hope or any other reasons?

Emperor Chunjia settled down and said, “Mammy Zhu did this for us.”

“She did this for you.” Consort Yue was unhappy, and said with a bitter face, “You don’t know what I have been through in these two days!”

She rolled up the sleeves and reached out her arms to show him. There were old and new bruises on her arms, and she said that all of these bruises were hit by Mammy Zhu.

“That’s because she loves you and wants you to be better…” Emperor Chunjia was heartbroken when he saw those bruises. However, Mammy Zhu was not a common maid, and he could not blame her. So, he could only comfort Consort Yue. But Consort Yue pushed him when he spoke and she said angrily, “She hit me because she thought that I dragged you down. Of course you say she is good!”

Emperor Chunjia was helpless. He stood up to look for ointment as he coaxed Consort Yue, “Mammy Zhu is from Yuan’s Family since they were in Fuyang County. How could you say that she doesn’t care about you? Considering our situation, if I do not take over the power, you and I, and my mother even Yuan’s Family would always be nervous. So, you have to bear it.”

“I have been bearing it for eight years, and you still say so!” Consort Yue suddenly became furious, shoved all the teapots and bowls on the table to the ground, and shouted, “You always let me bear! When will this kind of life end?”

“…” Emperor Chunjia’s action to open the ointment box paused. He smiled gently as before and persuaded, “Mammy Zhu is helping us. We are still young and we have a lot of time.”

Consort Yue burst into tears, “Are we young? The bitch in the front hall is really young, and she is only 14 or 15 years old like a bud. When you first met her, you were also obsessed, right? I saw it! And Yun Fenghuang is not the last one. Mei Ren Xue in Su Rong Palace is also beautiful. Otherwise, you would not choose her as the second one to serve you!”

“Among these who accepted cordial invitation, you haven’t been to the sister of Noble Consort Shu, right?”

“There are others…”

“In a few days, Concubine Messenger will add a large group of concubines to Imperial Harem. Will you be happy then?”

Emperor Chunjia was dumbfounded, and he pulled her arm. Consort Yue struggled a few times, and angrily let him spread the ointment… The young Emperor lowered his eyes, made a little brown ointment on her wrist gently, and slowly spread it with his finger. When he did this, he was focused and gentle, which made Consort Yue, who was originally full of complaints, slow down her tone, “… In short, I don’t allow you to find those women!”

“Originally, Mei Ren Xue in Su Rong Palace was the first one to serve me.” Emperor Chunjia sighed, and explained to her, “But Gui Ren Yun interrupted suddenly, so, I had to go to Xi Xing Building first. However, you knew it… If I could choose, I don’t want to go anywhere, and I just want to be with you. Don’t you know?”

Consort Yue was very satisfied, but she pretended to be doubtful, and said with heavy irony, “I don’t believe it! These concubines are very beautiful, and they are ten years younger than me. Are you really not interested in them?”

The Emperor smiled and said, “I am not a man who just likes beautiful women.”

As a result, Consort Yue, who knew that she was not so pretty and could not be regarded as an outstanding one among other beauties, said immediately, “What do you mean? Don’t you think I am pretty?”

When the Emperor found this bad situation, he persuaded and coaxed her, and even showed weakness to her… After a while, Consort Yue cooled down, and thought that she should give a lesson to him. So, she called the maid to take a dish of pine nuts and let him peel them and feed her.

If nothing happened, Emperor Chunjia would do that for her.

But now it was tricky for him, “I have not been to Yan Lan Palace for two days. Just now I paid respects to Queen Mother of Honor. She said the Empress Dowager had mentioned this…”

In fact, he should have visited Noble Consort Gui long ago, whether he liked her or not, or whether he expected the baby in her belly or not. After all, he was the father, especially he had no offspring so far. For the sake of his reputation, he should also express the joy of being a father and his concern about Noble Consort Gui.

But unfortunately, there were many trifles of Consort Yue. Emperor Chunjia cared about Consort Yue in Hu Zhu Palace and had no time to go to Yan Lan Palace. Although Noble Consort Gui did not complain, Empress Dowager Ji and Queen Mother Ji could not stand.

Since the two said that, Emperor Chunjia had to go there.

Otherwise, he was still the Emperor. Even if Empress Dowager and Queen Mother Ji were unhappy, they would not blame him directly. But once Consort Yue got involved… maybe Queen Mother Yuan could not escape from it.

“When I was pregnant, they didn’t say that!” Consort Yue was silent for a while, and her tears slowly fell down. She didn’t wipe it, just looked at the bricks not far away, and said sadly, “When Noble Consort Gui is pregnant, they order you to go there. Sure enough, in their eyes, I and my children are insignificant, and it would be better when we disappear in this Imperial Harem!”

Emperor Chunjia looked at the copper hourglass in the corner of the room. It was time for him to go. He felt so sorry, so, he took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, bent over to wipe her face, and whispered, “Don’t care about them. In my heart, you are the most beautiful one in the Imperial Harem.”

At this moment, in the front hall, Mammy Zhu slightly leaned close to Yun Fenghuang, and whispered, “… Why do you think you could only choose Empress Ji? Is there any contradiction between us? Is it because Consort Yue? If you thought so, you would underestimate our Yuan’s Family of Fuyang… We have a lot of offspring. Consort Yue is only one of legitimate daughters! Although her position is not low in the tribe, how can she be compared with the future of the entire tribe?”

Yun Fenghuang smiled and said, “Mammy Zhu, are you coaxing me as a child? Since there are many legitimate daughters in your family, Consort Yue is the only one who Queen Mother of Mercy and His Majesty favor!”

“His Majesty is still young, and has a crush on her for a while. It is not strange.” Mammy Zhu said casually, “However, the head of our Yuan’s Family is old, so is Queen Mother Yuan!”

“Yuan’s Family and Queen Mother Yuan intend to give up Consort Yue?” Yun Fenghuang was curious and said, “It is a good idea. After all, I’ve heard that Consort Yue did a lot of stupid things since she joined the Imperial Harem, and always dragged Queen Mother of Mercy and His Majesty to deal with those things for her… But, since His Majesty is still in love with her, will he agree?”

She smiled and said, “Since you said that it was dangerous but profitable, are you going to give me this credit?”

Mammy Zhu sneered, “Forgive me, but I have to say that. Consort Yue is the hostess of Hu Zhu Palace and has a high position in Queen Mother of Mercy and His Majesty’s hearts. Now, as for your status, you are still not qualified to take it, right?”

Yun Fenghuang didn’t want to be involved in, and she was not sure whether Yuan’s Family and Queen Mother Yuan really planned to give up Consort Yue or not. Even if it was true, it would not prevent them from using the death of Consort Yue to gain extra advantage. After all, as for an aristocratic family’s deeds, Yun Fenghuang knew it clearly.

It was a pie from the sky and was automatically delivered to the front of her. But, it contained many traps.

However, she still refuted, “If Consort Yue is really important in your eyes, how dare you talk about her fate?”

“I just wanted to let you know that since you can listen to Empress Ji, you also could work for Queen Mother of Mercy and His Majesty.” Mammy Zhu smiled, “After all, we have a lot of time, and who knows what will happen in the future?”

Yun Fenghuang said, “Mammy Zhu, you probably didn’t read many books, and didn’t know that a waver in determination shall not be trusted. It is not a good meaning. Moreover, you just said that I don’t have the qualification now… From that, I know that you don’t have to respect Consort Yue. It seems that you are a considerable person for Yuan’s Family, Queen Mother of Mercy and even His Majesty. But you came out to buy me personally. How could I afford this?”

Seeing that Mammy Zhu was about to talk, she waved her hand, “It is always not peaceful in the Imperial Court and the Imperial Harem. I have no family to rely on. Even if I succeed today, I still don’t know my fate in the future. Long-term commitments and promises mean nothing to me. You just say what you can give me now.”

Mammy Zhu pondered for a while, and said suddenly, “It’s late today, and presumably you have no time to stay… so, I will give you a message first.”

Yun Fenghuang smiled and said, “What message?”

She expected that it probably had a relationship with Xie’s Family, which she had considered long ago.

So, she was very relaxed and prepared for the alarmist words.

“In fact, it’s not a big deal.” Mammy Zhu smiled, “I heard that the eldest legitimate son of Qi’s Family in your hometown just got married a few days ago. He will come to Dijing City with his wife soon… His wife, Ms. Zhao, is also called Jingyou. You know her, right?”

Yun Fenghuang froze instantly.