NFBE Chapter 122 The Ruthless and Cold-Hearted Emperor and His Beloved Concubine 20
Chapter 122 The Ruthless and Cold-Hearted Emperor and His Beloved Concubine 20
"Confer the title of Noble Lady upon them all, and do as I say!" The emperor did not wish to say more.
Xiao Shunzi was heartbroken. He wondered if he would even survive to return from delivering the imperial decree.
Demoting one's wife to a concubine... How could the Crown Princess, no, Consort Xu, accept this?
Just as Xiao Shunzi had expected, when Consort Xu received the imperial decree, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She froze on the spot, and murmured in disbelief, "Is this... His Majesty's will?"
"Consort Xu, how dare this servant convey His Majesty's decree without my permission?"
Xiao Shunzi sighed. The new emperor was even more ruthless than the retired emperor. His iron-fisted methods applied equally to both the court and the harem.
"No, no... I don't believe it, I want to see His Majesty!" Consort Xu didn't believe it and ran outside.
Xiao Shunzi quickly stopped her: "Your Excellency, please do not make things difficult for this servant. His Majesty is busy."
Consort Xu suddenly pulled out her hairpin and held it against her neck, threatening Xiao Shunzi: "Take me to see His Majesty, or I'll die here!"
Xiao Shunzi was both anxious and angry; this job was truly inhuman.
Consort Xu still stubbornly threatened him, while Xiao Shunzi was covered in sweat: "Consort, come with me, put down the hairpin first, don't hurt yourself."
"go!"
Consort Xu ignored him and ordered him to lead the way.
The others were stunned with fear and were taken away to be settled separately.
When Xiao Shunzi led Consort Xu to Zhaohua Palace, the Emperor was playing chess with Chu Yue.
Seeing that she was about to lose, Chu Yue grumbled unhappily, "Your Majesty, I won't accept this... Your Majesty didn't even let me win."
The emperor chuckled helplessly, "How else should I give in to you? Tell me."
If we didn't give way to her, would she have stayed down for so long?
"Your Majesty always bullies me..." Chu Yue put down the chess piece, turned her head away, and ignored him.
"Alright, alright, I'll give in to you," the emperor coaxed her gently.
The sound reached outside, and Consort Xu's expression changed. She went straight inside, and Xiao Shunzi couldn't stop her, so he simply gave up and let her die soon!
As soon as Consort Xu entered, she saw the Emperor gently coaxing Chu Yue, and she stood there stunned.
The emperor stared at the person who had barged in, his face ashen. He had been so engrossed in talking to the pampered girl that he hadn't noticed anyone entering. By the time he realized what was happening, Consort Xu was already inside the hall.
How can these people be in their positions, allowing people to trespass without permission!
Chu Yue turned pale with fright; the sudden intrusion of someone had truly startled her.
"Your Majesty..." Chu Yue hid behind the emperor.
The emperor held her close: "Don't be afraid, it's alright."
Xu Guiren's eyes turned red from the shock; she never imagined that her long-cherished wish would be snatched away by Chu Yue.
She was the Crown Princess, and should have been the Empress, but now she was a concubine. She could not accept it no matter what!
"Your Majesty... what have I done wrong to deserve this treatment?"
Consort Xu's voice choked with emotion, she felt extremely aggrieved.
"Don't you know what you've done? I've already issued the decree, and there's absolutely no way to take it back!" The emperor's face was grim, and his tone was even harsher.
"Your Majesty is the Crown Princess and should be the Empress, but Your Majesty has only granted me the title of Noble Lady and demoted me from wife to concubine. I must go to see the Empress Dowager and ask her to make the decision."
Consort Xu was so angry that she trembled.
The emperor snorted coldly: "It's no use finding anyone; I'm the one who decides."
The Empress Dowager devoted herself to tending to flowers and plants, feeding birds, and raising fish, living a very comfortable life and would never interfere in any affairs of the inner palace again.
She was already fed up with managing things in the first half of her life, and hearing about these things only made her feel annoyed.
The emperor naturally understood his mother and wouldn't let these matters bother her.
"No...no, I am the Crown Princess...I am the Empress."
Consort Xu could not accept this fact and shook her head, muttering to herself in anguish.
“I am…the Crown Princess…and the Empress.”
"Since you keep calling yourself the Crown Princess, I will grant your wish. I will have someone send you back to the Eastern Palace. You will always be the Crown Princess! And only the Crown Princess!"
The emperor was furious at her madness. As the crown princess, she had only thought about status and position, and she had never even glanced at him when he was so despicable.
She repeatedly caused trouble in the Eastern Palace, and even when it was time to bring them into the palace, she was still playing tricks.
At first, we were thinking of giving her a title and letting her stay in the palace, but she still came over and made a scene.
How could the emperor tolerate this? Since that's the case, he might as well stay in the Eastern Palace until he dies.
Consort Xu stood frozen in place for a long while before letting out a heart-wrenching roar: "No!"
She didn't want that; she was the Empress, and she should be the Empress.
"Guards, take him away!" the emperor roared.
Soon, someone took Consort Xu away, and the heart-wrenching screams gradually faded into the distance, and the hall returned to silence.
Chu Yue glanced at the emperor, whose face was ashen, and hesitated before speaking. This Consort Xu was imprisoned in the Eastern Palace.
"His Majesty……"
The emperor looked at her and lowered his voice as much as possible: "Ignore those few invisible women in the palace. You are the only one by my side. In a few days, I will make you empress."
"Your Majesty... is this really alright?" Chu Yue asked somewhat nervously.
"I am the emperor, and what I say goes."
"Alright, Your Majesty, I'll do as you say."
"Ah."
……
Just as the emperor said, those nobles were as transparent as if they didn't exist.
In the palace, only Consort Chu Yue accompanied the Emperor.
The emperor stayed overnight at Zhaohua Palace every night, eating and sleeping with her, treating her with gentleness, consideration, pity, and care.
Recently, Chu Yue has been troubled. The emperor has been pestering her every night, which is making her feel overwhelmed. After they finish, he doesn't leave, saying that he has made her receive his favor so that she can conceive a dragon child.
Sigh, completing tasks is not easy.
Chu Yue rubbed her still sore lower back and prepared to go for a walk when the emperor came towards her, followed by the imperial physician.
"My beloved concubine, let the imperial physician take a look." The emperor entered and pulled her to sit down.
Chu Yue was a little confused: "Your Majesty... what's wrong with me?"
"Imperial Physician, examine Consort Yu first."
The imperial physician stepped forward respectfully: "Your Highness, please allow me to examine you."
Chu Yue obediently sat down and then extended her hand for the imperial physician to take her pulse.
The emperor stared intently at the imperial physician taking his pulse, as if he wanted to bore two holes through him.
"How is it?" the emperor asked anxiously.
The imperial physician withdrew his hand and said respectfully, "Consort Yu is in good health and there is nothing wrong with her."
"Has the examination been thorough? Is Consort Yu pregnant?" the Emperor asked again.
Chu Yue: "..." She was bewitched.
"Your Majesty... Consort Yu is not pregnant, but..."
"But what!" the emperor retorted angrily. "Just say what you have to say, instead of stammering."
"Your Majesty... Consort Yu's health is somewhat weak, and she is probably unable to withstand the emperor's favor... Your Majesty should... be gentle, so that Consort Yu can conceive the imperial heir."
The imperial physician tried to phrase it tactfully, saying that Consort Yu was the only favored concubine in the palace, and if His Majesty were too fierce, Consort Yu would inevitably be unable to bear it.
Chu Yue wished she could disappear into a hole in the ground. Her cheeks were flushed as she glared at the emperor, her face steaming.
"Ahem... Go down first and carefully treat Consort Yu's health." The emperor was also a little uncomfortable, but he wasn't angry even after being glared at a few times.
After the imperial physician left, the emperor put his arm around the sulking concubine and asked, "Are you angry?"
"The concubine dare not..."
The emperor chuckled softly, "My beloved concubine is too frail to withstand my affections..."
"Your Majesty... why are you like this?" Chu Yue was so angry she was almost crying.
The emperor then stopped teasing her: "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. I was just joking. Don't be angry anymore, okay?"
"Humph……"
"good……"