69novels Chapter 221 Pairing Up
Chapter 221 Pairing Up
Xie Tingwan, supported by Bingyan, bowed to the Empress. The Empress waved her hand, "You're quite unwell now, so don't stand on ceremony. Please sit down. What matter requires your personal presence? Couldn't you have sent someone to inform you?"
Xie Tingwan then said, "I haven't seen Your Majesty for a long time, and I've been missing you terribly. I'm about to give birth, and I'll be in postpartum confinement for another month, so I thought I'd come to pay my respects to Your Majesty before the delivery!"
The Empress then understood her purpose. "Don't worry, the Emperor has returned, so your pregnancy should be fine."
The Empress might not know that the Empress Dowager would not tolerate her, but she also did not want to take on this job.
Xie Tingwan hesitated, then the Empress dismissed all the servants, leaving only Tingqin. "Just say what you have to say!"
She was genuinely afraid that Xie Tingwan would be born in her palace.
Xie Tingwan said, "I have witnessed something very interesting that I wish to report to Her Majesty the Empress. However, this matter concerns Zhaoyang Palace, and I am unsure whether I should speak of it."
The Empress said, "Since this concerns Zhaoyang Palace, and now that Imperial Noble Consort Chenyuan also has the authority to manage affairs of the six palaces, why don't you go and talk to her?"
Xie Tingwan said, "I am going to see Imperial Noble Consort Chenyuan, but she is not interested. No matter how much favor Imperial Noble Consort Chenyuan enjoys from the Emperor, she is still a concubine. In matters of the palace, I think the Emperor still hopes that Her Majesty the Empress will make the decisions!"
This last sentence truly pleased the Queen, who smiled and said, "Then tell me! What is it?"
Xie Tingwan struggled to kneel down, "From now on, this humble servant is willing to follow Your Majesty the Empress's lead!"
The Empress was greatly surprised and quickly ordered someone to help her up. "As the Empress, I have a duty to take care of my concubines. Why are you being so polite?"
"It is Your Majesty's duty to take care of me, but it is a great favor to me." Xie Tingwan sat down. "I have heard that there are some palace maids in Zhaoyang Palace who are not virtuous and have done shameless things with one of the eunuchs in my palace."
Upon hearing this, the Empress was shocked. "Is this true?"
"Absolutely true!" Xie Tingwan used this matter to pledge her allegiance. "I also discovered that this eunuch was originally from the palace of the deposed Consort Xianmin. I wonder if Madam Chen knows about him."
Consort Min, the deposed concubine, was the one who plotted against Shen Shixi's elder sister, Consort Shu, and was sentenced to death by the emperor. Chen Shi was Consort Min's younger sister, who threw mung beans at Shen Shixi and is now waiting to die in the cold palace.
Having the Empress protect her is one thing, but Shen Shixi was simply waiting for her to make a mistake.
The Empress then said, "I know about this matter. Just relax and give birth. Everything will be fine. I will have Midwife Fan deliver your baby."
"Thank you very much, Your Majesty!" Xie Tingwan left happily.
Tingqin was very excited. "Your Majesty, it's time to use Chen Shi. I'm sure she would be very happy to see the Imperial Noble Consort die."
"Both of her sisters were killed by Lady Shen. Now that Lady Shen is the most favored concubine, no one can swallow this insult. There's no need to do much more; just let Lady Chen know about Cao Zhong's affair with a palace maid from Zhaoyang Palace."
Cao Zhong is Wu Yingde's godson.
The Empress knew very well that she could not get involved in such matters at all. If anything happened, the Emperor would be able to find out the truth if he wanted to.
As soon as Xie Tingwan left, Chao En came in and told her about what happened in Zhaoyang Palace, about Guan Hua and the eunuch from Huilan Palace having a relationship. "At first they said they were from the same hometown, but they got closer and closer. They even bought a small courtyard outside the palace and started going in and out together."
Shen Shixi was quite interested. Whether the eunuch could perform was another matter. After all, people have emotions and desires. It's understandable that he would seek companionship in the lonely palace.
She joked with Chao En, "You're not actually envious, are you?"
Chao En panicked and cried out, "I'm innocent! I wouldn't dare! I didn't do it!"
"Oh, what do you want to say? Just say it!"
Chao En then warned, "Cao Zhong was originally from the palace of the deposed Consort Chen. I'm worried that something bad might happen to him in the future!"
Shen Shixi said, "That's good. Let's not alert her for now; have someone keep an eye on her!"
"yes!"
That evening, Li Yuanke came over after finishing his work. Shen Shixi was playing cards with Bai Ping and Bai Kui. When the two saw the emperor arrive, they quickly threw down their cards and knelt down to pay their respects.
Shen Shixi rushed over, "Your Majesty~~~, you've finally arrived! I've missed you so much!"
They spoke of it like a wronged woman in the deep palace, like a beautiful snake coiling around her.
Li Yuanke caught her, cradling her most rounded parts with both hands. Watching her act mischievously, he smiled, and all the fatigue of the day vanished.
"Why are you being so solicitous? What are you after now?"
"Can't I think about you even when there's nothing wrong? Honestly, do you want to come back and see me all gloomy or giving you a hard time? Tell me, how can you be so ungrateful?"
"Yes, I am ungrateful, I am not a good person, I judged others by my own petty standards!"
"Your Majesty is wise!"
"You bastard!"
The two bantered back and forth, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Bai Ping and the others listened from the sidelines, utterly speechless. The Emperor and the Imperial Concubine were acting like two ignorant children.
The atmosphere was indeed pleasant; the palace maids and eunuchs walked with light steps.
Zhaoyang Palace was always like this; every time the emperor came, he could feel a very joyful atmosphere here.
Shen Shixi is a simple person. As long as everyone does their job well, there's nothing else to do, and he usually gives a lot of tips.
Even if there were extra tasks, they weren't the kind of heinous crimes that occur in other palaces. There were even rewards to be won, so everyone was quite enthusiastic and eager to work.
After eating, the two decided not to go to sleep right away, so they went for a stroll in the small garden to digest their food.
Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival. The moon is beautiful tonight, and the air is filled with the fragrance of osmanthus. The two of them walk slowly hand in hand along the pebble path, like an old, white-haired couple who have been together for many years.
Li Yuanke and she held hands, strolled around for a while, and then sat down on a stone bench.
Shen Shixi sat on his lap, and the two embraced and kissed.
Their breathing became unsteady, and with the urge to part, they separated.
Shen Shixi rested her chin on his shoulder, humming a little tune leisurely. Her two jade feet, barefoot, swung back and forth, and Li Yuanke touched her tailbone.
"What are you doing?" Shen Shixi laughed and slapped his hand away.
"Let's see where your tail is!"
Shen Shixi laughed, "You're the one with a tail, your whole family has tails."
Li Yuanke pressed his face against hers, "Doesn't my whole family include you?"
Shen Shixi took a deep breath of his scent; it smelled wonderful. She sighed, "Li Yuanke, are you some kind of male vixen? How can you be so alluring?"
Li Yuanke lowered his head and kissed her, "Didn't you know?
Shen Shixi reached into his collar and grabbed at his body haphazardly. As his fingertips brushed against him, Li Yuanke shuddered.
"I don't know, I just know you're really delicious, so delicious that I never get tired of eating you."
"Where do you want to eat me the most?" He tightened his grip on Shen Shixi's waist, waiting for the sensation to subside.
Shen Shixi chuckled, "Li Yuanke, you've learned to talk nonsense now. Where did you learn that? Confess!"
Li Yuanke laughed. He had heard countless absurd things during his two years in the army. "Later, let me have a meal first!"
Shen Shixi's legs tightened.
But we didn't get to eat it.
People from the side hall of Huilan Palace arrived, saying that Consort Xie had gone into labor.
Bingyan dared not look up, but when she saw that the Imperial Noble Consort's two feet were dangling over the edge of the Emperor's dragon robe, clearly sitting on the Emperor's lap, she felt very sorry for her mistress.
"Your Majesty, please have pity on my lady and go see her! She's in so much pain, calling out for Your Majesty. Only with Your Majesty by her side can she give birth to the imperial heir in peace!"