CH 131

Hong Xiu knelt on the ground, with her head resting on Han Lin’er’s lap, listening quietly. Her current identity was very ambiguous, she was not a concubine, but she was not a palace maid either. She was like Han Lin’er’s pet, appearing when she’s called and leaving when she’s waved away.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e ir on tr ee bl oo ms. c o m )

Even so, Hong Xiu didn’t dare to show impatience.

When Han Lin’er looked for her, the most he often talked about was his childhood and adolescence.

Han Shantong was still alive at that time. He admired and respected his father, always thinking that one day he would have his father look at him with pride.

But before he could have his father be proud of him, his omnipotent father died, and he had to go on the run while being protected by his uncles in order to become emperor.

However, this title of emperor was not passed to him by his father, and Han Shantong was not the emperor when he died. His position as emperor was unjustified and undeserving.

After the uncles pushed him to this position, they tried every means to control him. Although he was the emperor, he was not even as powerful as a small official. He could only be the emperor in the harem. His favorite officials and those who he was willing to entrust important tasks to had been killed by Liu Futong.

And more than one were killed.

Han Lin’er’s inner feelings of frustration and humiliation were increasing day by day, and never diminished.

But he was not a brave man by nature, he did not dare fight against Liu Futong.

He also didn’t dare to confide to the concubines in the harem. Although he lay on the same bed with them, the closest relationship in everyone’s eyes, Han Lin’er was not stupid. He knew that these concubines had their own families, and their families all listened to Liu Futong. He, the emperor, was not so valuable in the eyes of those people.

Hong Xiu was different. She was just a palace maid who was not valued by the empress. She did not have an excellent family background, she had not even received a good education and was illiterate. Moreover, she had the same experience as him, a great father who died young, under pressure from the outside world. They were so similar.

Han Lin’er stroked Hong Xiu’s hair, and he said softly, “Xiu’er, only you understand Zhen.”

Hong Xiu’s voice was very soft: “This slave understands.”

Han Lin’er sighed, as if thinking of something again, he suddenly said angrily: “What else does he want? Now the military tally is in his hands, and Zhen can’t intervene in the army affairs. He is also in charge of overseeing whoever enters the harem. And even during morning assembly, Zhen can’t even interject a word now.”

“What’s the point of being an emperor like Zhen? He is so domineering, so why does he let me be the emperor? Might as well hand it over to him instead, and let him be the emperor, which would be much better than Zhen’s current humiliating situation!”

Han Lin’er’s expression was angry and helpless.

Hong Xiu understood that this man was a cowardly man. He was not stupid. On the contrary, he was very smart, but he dared not change. He was afraid that if he lost in the battle with Liu Futong, he would lose even his current position. This throne was the only thing he had now, and without this throne, he would be even worse off than ordinary people.

It was as difficult as climbing the sky to get him to fight for power with Liu Futong.

Hong Xiu let out a sigh. She thought she could encourage Han Lin’er’s ambition, but now it seemed that he did not lack ambition. He only lacked courage, and courage could not be encouraged. She could provoke Han Lin’er into anger, but the anger was short-lived. When the anger subsided, Han Lin’er would choose to be hesitant and silent again.

“Your Majesty, the imperial tutor also wants to share your worries for you.” Hong Xiu said softly, “Maybe it’s just because the imperial tutor is too concerned about you.”

Han Lin’er sneered: “You don’t know. Zhen only appointed a small official before. But he ordered a team of soldiers to capture and kill him and then appointed himself as the imperial tutor and Taibao (TN: very high official in ancient China). From beginning to end, no one asked for Zhen’s opinion. As the monarch of a country, Zhen can’t even appoint an official. What’s the point of being an emperor then?”

He repeated over and over, saying only those few words, either “Zhen’s position as the emperor has no meaning”, or “It is better to let the imperial be the emperor”.

Hong Xiu could only comfort him continuously.

“Your Majesty is the lord of the world, I imagine the imperial tutor is just being momentarily stubborn.” Hong Xiu whispered, “There is no difference between a courtier and a concubine.”

Han Lin’er was amused by Hong Xiu’s words: “What an official can do, a concubine can’t do.”

Hong Xiu showed a timid look: “But both officials and concubines want to be favored by the emperor.”

Han Lin’er narrowed his eyes: “What they want is the favor of the imperial tutor.”

Hong Xiu stopped talking.

Han Lin’er thought that Hong Xiu was frightened, and said softly, “Zhen can only say these things to you. Zhen knows that Xiu’er is different from others.”

He sincerely believed that Hong Xiu loved him, and not the throne under his ass.

“Zhen wants to make you a concubine!” Han Lin’er said suddenly, “Zhen can’t control the court, but can’t Zhen control the harem at least?”

Hong Xiu was taken aback by Han Lin’er’s whimsy. She wanted to persuade him from the idea. After all, although she had no position now, she was always able to be by Han Lin’er’s side. For her, this was better than staying in the consort’s palace and waiting for Han Lin’er to come.

Hong Xiu looked at Han Lin’er with tears in her eyes.

Hong Xiu weeped: “This slave doesn’t want a position…..this slave just wants to be by Your Majesty’s side. If you confer a concubine title, this slave can only stay in the consort’s palace. If Your Majesty forgets this slave, what would this slave do?”

She clutched at her chest, and her tears couldn’t stop streaming: “Every time this slave thinks about this, this slave will feel an unbearable chest pain, and can’t sleep at night at all.”

Han Lin’er believed that Hong Xiu loved him. In this harem, Hong Xiu had no foundation. After following him, it was equivalent to falling out with the empress, so Hong Xiu would definitely hold onto him tightly. Her only means of having a standing in the harem was Han Lin’er’s favor.

Han Lin’er was very confident about this.

Hong Xiu could not do without him.

This was the first time Han Lin’er had experienced this feeling of being desperately needed.

He was not needed in his court as Liu Futong was in control of everything. Since the officials he appointed were killed, the civil and military officials of the imperial court no longer wasted energy on him, but instead focused all their energy on how to please Liu Futong.

And the women in the harem…..the women in the harem had their own way of surviving. They need Han Lin’er’s favor, but it was not that they couldn’t live without his favor. They were all selected by Liu Futong and compared with the emperor Han Lin’er, the most important in their hearts was their family.

Han Lin’er clearly understood how isolated and helpless he was in this palace.

The officials only wanted to rob him of power, and the concubines just wanted to give birth to his heir.

Even Noble Consort Li, Han Lin’er believed that even if he no longer visited her or favored her, she could live well in the palace.

So this emphasized Hong Xiu’s preciousness even more. This woman’s life was entirely dependent on him. He was her heaven and her earth.

In front of her, he was more like a real emperor than ever.

If he was gone, she would lose everything.

Han Lin’er stroked Hong Xiu’s beautiful face, kissed her with lingering affection, embraced her, but did not touch her further.

Hong Xiu had always wondered why Han Lin’er didn’t touch her. She had a way to conceal the fact that she was not a virgin. The women in the brothel would use these methods all the time. The brothel keeper always wanted to sell their first nights a few more times so that she could make more money.

After Han Lin’er left, Hong Xiu sat at the table and poured herself a cup of cold tea. It had been a long time since she passed any news to An Laosi and the others. Although she was with Han Lin’er, Han Lin’er himself did not have any intention of fighting Liu Futong for power. Even if she had the ability to reach the sky, she couldn’t use it at all.

She was more anxious in her heart than anyone, but she had to remain alert to deal with Han Lin’er and the empress.

The empress was also anxious. She tried every means to send Hong Xiu to Han Lin’er with the purpose of making Hong Xiu a concubine and have her live in or near Consort Li’s personal quarters, so that she could cause Consort Li to have a miscarriage which would then allow her to continue to securing her position as empress.

However, Hong Xiu was not conferred a concubine title despite a long time having passed, and it was impossible for her to ask Han Lin’er about it either.

After all, only when Han Lin’er believed that Hong Xiu was not acting on her orders could Hong Xiu get close to Noble Consort  Li.

Hong Xiu unfolded the secret letter sent by the empress.

The empress was asking why she hadn’t been conferred a concubine title, and why she hadn’t approached Nible Consort Li.

In addition to questioning, the empress also played on her emotions, expressing that she was worried that Hong Xiu could not sleep all night, she regarded Hong Xiu as her own sister, and promised that as long as she gave birth to a child in the future, she would be willing to let Hong Xiu raise the child together.

In the end, she also asked if Han Lin’er didn’t love Hong Xiu. If Han Lin’er had no interest in Hong Xiu, she would continue to think of other ways.

Hong Xiu looked at this letter and felt that although the empress was the mother of a country, she was also quite lamentable. Perhaps she was no different from a prostitute like herself.

The empress begged her in the letter, begged a little palace maid who had all the hopes of the empress pinned on her.

Hong Xiu burned the letter.

If this letter were to circulate, she could forget about establishing a foothold in the palace.

Moreover, her goal was never the empress, but Han Lin’er. Her gaze was not on the harem, but on the imperial court.

The empress was just her springboard which she used to approach Han Lin’er. She had achieved her goal, and the empress naturally lost any value and usefulness.

Hong Xiu but her lip, she was now in the harem, and she was just a small palace maid unable to touch the imperial court at all.

It would be better if she was a man. She could cut off that thing to be a eunuch, which would result in a better situation than she was in now. After all, the eunuchs were able to make contact with officials, and no matter what she would be able to think of more ways.

The more it was like this, Hong Xiu knew that she should be calmer. She found a eunuch and asked him who Han Lin’er had summoned to see. She would give him some benefits, no more, no less. If she gave too much, it would feed the eunuch’s appetite, and it would be more difficult to ask him to do things in the future.

She didn’t worry about whether the eunuch would suspect anything. After all, it was common for the imperial concubines to inquire about the emperor’s movements, and everyone knew about this.

The eunuch told Hong Xiu: “His Majesty has summoned Liu Yuanshi.”

Hong Xiu stuffed a gold bracelet in the eunuch’s hand.

Liu Yuanshi referred to Liu Liu, who had been given the official position as Ping Zhang Yuanshi and had real power.

He was conferred his title with Du Zundao back then, but Du Zundao was killed by Liu Futong.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e ir on tr ee bl oo ms. c o m )

Hong Xiu finally had a smile on her face.

She knew where to start.

She, a woman controlled by Han Lin’er, could not incite his ambitions.

But an important official with real power could.