Chapter 137: Change of Decision

Chapter 137: Change of Decision

"Ayan."

The Emperor, having just slightly pushed Zhu Yan away, was again tightly embraced by her, her body clinging to him without any gaps. Such a tender embrace, ordinarily a source of joy, even now, he found hard to resist.

"Ayan," the Emperor called again, intending to stop her, wanting her to let go first.

In the close embrace, he saw Ayan slightly tilt her head up, her eyelashes trembling, her willow-leaf brows slightly furrowed, her apricot eyes misty like washed water, her lotus-like face glowing with a pearly radiance, utterly stunning. In a breath's distance, she whispered softly, "Jiulang, wouldn't it be better if Yuanyuan asked you? Let's not have anyone die, Yuanyuan is scared..."

Towards the end, her soft, delicate voice carried a hint of a sob.

The Emperor felt a tightness in his chest upon hearing this, with her fragrance filling his nostrils. His mind, which had momentarily cleared, was now overwhelmed, and he couldn't help but embrace Ayan tightly. Feeling her trembling slightly in his arms, he was startled, "Ayan, don't be afraid, it has nothing to do with you. It's all my doing."

But his words did not comfort Zhu Yan; instead, they made her more frightened. She buried her head in his chest, shrinking into his embrace, her crying low and suppressed yet breaking through, a release of pent-up emotions.

It was this very sobbing.

Soft whimpers, sorrowful and deep.

It was unbearable for him to hear, causing his heart to race with anxiety. He quickly soothed her, "Don't be afraid, I'll take you back to Yaoguang Hall, stop crying."

Seeing Ayan's emotional breakdown, beyond self-control, the Emperor immediately called out to his attendant Lin Fu outside the carriage, ordering to return to Yaoguang Hall first.

As the imperial carriage slowly started moving.

The Emperor abandoned his plan to alight early. Unable to avoid it, he focused on calming her down. He gently patted Zhu Yan's back and wiped her tears, reassuring, "Stop crying, everything will be fine. I am here."

Zhu Yan kept her head buried, ignoring him, and did not let go.

Kaiyang Hall was not far from Yaoguang Hall, and in about a quarter of an hour, the imperial carriage stopped at the entrance of Yaoguang Hall. Unfortunately, the weather was not on their side. While the morning had started with a brilliant sunrise, it had now turned gloomy with a sudden onset of rain.

A sudden spring shower came quickly and fiercely.

Fortunately, from the main entrance of Yaoguang Hall, there were sheltered corridors on both sides, extending along the flower gardens and leading directly to the outer veranda of the main hall.

The carriage stopped at the entrance, and seeing Zhu Yan still clinging to him, the Emperor considered carrying her down directly. However, concerned about her usually reserved nature and her current emotional state, he playfully warned, "Ayan, we've reached the entrance of the hall. If you don't let go now, I will carry you down myself."

Zhu Yan hummed softly, nudging her head up against the Emperor's shoulder, her arms still wrapped around his neck.

"If you feel embarrassed afterward, don't blame me," the Emperor glanced at her, reluctant to let go. Pleased inwardly, he still dismissed the inner servants and palace maids in advance before lifting her out of the carriage. They then proceeded along the sheltered corridor towards the veranda.

The heavy rain turned from a drizzle to a downpour, falling in sheets. Water dripped from the eaves like beads, wetting the railings and wooden floor of the corridor. In the garden, an apricot tree in full bloom swayed and shed its white blossoms in the rain.

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, descending from the heavens.

The reflection lit up Zhu Yan's slightly raised face, devoid of any color.

Then, the sudden rumble of spring thunder startled her, her grip on the Dog Emperor's arm tightening in fear, her misty eyes revealing a look of terror.

The Dog Emperor, feeling his neck constricted and struggling to breathe, had to stop and set her down, gently stroking Zhu Yan's back, puzzled, "Why are you suddenly afraid of thunder?"

He remembered Zhu Yan was never scared of thunder before.

With her feet on the ground and leaning into the Dog Emperor's embrace, Zhu Yan looked up at the sky outside the corridor and said blankly, "Jiulang, with the Thunder God above, do you think the people who died because of me will seek retribution against me?"

"Nonsense."

The emperor bellowed, startling Zhu Yan, her body bristling as she opened her eyes wide in fear. He immediately scolded her, "If anyone is to be blamed, it should be me, not you. And there are no unjust deaths, only those who deserved it. You must be delirious."

The emperor forcefully turned Zhu Yan's face towards him, insisting, "Ah Yan, look at me. Rain and thunder are normal. Don't let your mind wander."

But Zhu Yan seemed not to hear and continued, "But Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, protected by the aura of the true dragon."

"Then I can protect you as well."

The emperor spoke with utter dominance, becoming increasingly agitated as Zhu Yan seemed almost insane. His tone grew more urgent, "This is just your mind being restless. I'll immediately have Physician Chen come to see you. Let's go back to the hall first."

"Once you take a calming medicine, you'll feel better as your emotions stabilize."

Having said this, the emperor prepared to lift Zhu Yan up, but she resisted and struggled. Worried she might fall, he quickly steadied her and, after a long stare, reluctantly compromised. He gently stroked a stray lock of hair at her temple and coaxed, "Ah Yan, I promise you, as long as you stop worrying, I'll spare Empress Liu's life, alright?"

"Okay," Zhu Yan nodded in agreement, thinking she might have to persuade him further. She added, "Then call back Yang Xin right now."

"Why bring him up?"

"I fear he might harm the Empress," Zhu Yan’s voice echoed down the long corridor, lost in the curtain of rain.

Without a second thought, the emperor replied, "He wouldn't dare."

"What wouldn’t he dare? He even spies on me."

"Impossible."

"If not him, then it must be you," Zhu Yan leaned on the emperor's shoulder, her apricot eyes showing conviction and a trace of dissatisfaction.

The emperor quickly denied it, "I have never issued such an order."

"From now on, he is not allowed in Yuanguang Hall."

"Alright, alright, as you wish."

The emperor felt a headache coming on, feeling the pain at his temples. He had conceded on major issues; these smaller matters were inconsequential to him. "The weather is still changeable, and it's windy and rainy outside. It's easy to catch a cold. Let's go back inside the hall. I’ll take care of everything else for you. No more fussing."

Having said that, he carried Zhu Yan back to the main hall, simultaneously sending someone to call Physician Chen and another to summon Yang Xin back, though internally he couldn’t help but curse Empress Liu.

Without involving Zhu Yan, none of these complications would have arisen.

——

Meanwhile, Xing En escorted Princess Xiangyang into the old palace, settling her in Zhaoyang Hall, the foremost hall in the eastern part of the six palaces. He then led the eunuch supervisor Li Cheng from the Inner Eunuch Department, the supervisor assistant Xing You, and six female officials from the Bureau of the Imperial Household to meet Princess Xiangyang, relaying the emperor's decree.

Li Cheng was also a recent appointee.

He had been promoted from assistant supervisor to head supervisor, replacing the former head eunuch, Chen Dao.

On his return journey, Xing En encountered Yang Xin leaving Fengyi Palace. The two of them walked together as the rain had lessened, not bothering to have eunuchs hold umbrellas for them. They left Dayu Palace along the palace walls and eaves.

Along the way, perhaps it was the steady drip of rain that made one restless and irritable.

Yang Xin suddenly spoke, "I bet there's some commotion in Yuanguang Hall again." In the court and the harem combined, only a handful of people could make the emperor change his mind, and Yuanguang Hall is one of them.

Hearing this, Xing En halted abruptly, casting a wary glance at the eunuchs following at a distance, and cautioned Yang Xin in a lowered voice, "Watch your words."

Yang Xin turned and gestured for the trailing eunuchs to stop.

He turned back to Xing En and scoffed, "You’re running errands for Yuanguang Hall day in and day out, more diligently than Lu Ping'an. Yuanguang Hall can influence the emperor's decisions, yet I never saw her put in a good word for you to succeed Zhang as the Chief Steward. Instead, Chang Xing got the position."

He was referring to the recent retirement of Zhang Zhongguo, the former Chief Steward of the Imperial Household, whose position was taken over by another eunuch, Chang Xing.

"Shut up."

Xing En, usually mild-mannered, showed a flash of anger on his face. While constantly checking their surroundings, he fixed his gaze on Yang Xin, "Chang Xing is meticulous and well-suited for that position."

That position entailed being the liaison between the court ministers and the emperor.

As the emperor said, Chang Xing was meticulous, quick in action but reserved in speech, fitting for the role.

The highest rank among the palace eunuchs was Regular Fourth Rank, with only two positions: the Eunuch Supervisor and the Chief Steward of the Imperial Household. Below them were four Deputy Supervisors of Regular Fifth Rank.

As a Deputy Supervisor, the most suitable promotion for him would indeed be that position.

But since the emperor chose Chang Xing, Xing En had stopped aspiring for it. As long as he served the emperor, he never lacked respect outside, so he added, "I am only loyal to His Majesty. Whoever His Majesty favors, I am happy to serve alongside them."

"Coincidentally, so am I."

Xing En shook his head, "Everyone says you're the Grim Reaper with a black face. Now that you've developed personal desires, I only hope you can keep them in check and not let them grow out of control."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Yang Xin flatly denied any accusations.

"You know exactly what you were doing, searching for those women in that courtyard."

"His Majesty favors beauties, and I was doing it for His..."

Yang Xin's words were cut short by Xing En, who interrupted, "Yang Xin, considering our years of serving His Majesty together, I won’t report this to the emperor this time. But this is the only time I'll overlook it. Be careful from now on."

In the end, Xing En still reminded him, "Empress Yuan is not one to hold grudges."

He wasn’t sure if Yang Xin would heed the warning, but he felt that if Yang Xin continued to act selfishly, he would eventually bring about his own downfall.

The emperor likes using capable people, but that doesn’t mean they can use their abilities to meddle in his personal life.

Upon reaching Qixing Palace, receiving a message from eunuch Lin Fu, Yang Xin stayed in Kaiyang Hall to await an audience with the emperor, while Xing En went to Yuanguang Hall to report. Upon entering the hall, Empress Yuan was seated on a low couch, with Chang Xing also present.

The emperor was instructing Chang Xing, "...cancel this afternoon's imperial council meeting. For non-critical state matters, let the ministers decide on their own. If there's urgent military news, have Su Yiquan and Linghu report directly to Yuanguang Hall."

"Yes,"

Chang Xing bowed and replied, "There are two edicts that need to be issued today and require Your Majesty's seal."

"Let the ministers review them and affix the seal. Bring them to me afterwards, I’ll look them over and then apply the imperial seal." The emperor finished speaking, and Chang Xing immediately left to carry out the orders.

Xing En had just finished reporting about Princess Xiangyang when Empress Yuan interjected, asking, "Jiulang, if the Empress is alright, is it still necessary for Xiangyang to enter the palace?"

Author’s note:

Today's update, kisses~~