Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Su Peisheng had been serving the emperor since childhood, and without his master making any gesture, he already knew what his master was about to say.

Before the other palace maids and eunuchs could detect the change in Yinzhen's eyes, Su Peisheng turned his head with unexpected agility, despite his slightly plump figure.

Upon seeing that it was the head female official from Cining Palace, the very person who had been discussed as the ‘wanton widow,’ Su Peisheng's heart sank.

The emperor probably didn't know who this was, and he couldn't allow his master to lose his temper now.

Nor could he allow Geng Shuning to greet first, otherwise the fact that the emperor had been eavesdropping would be confirmed, and that wouldn't look good.

Feeling a sharp and unfriendly gaze from the new emperor, Geng Shuning was confused and startled.

Wow, no wonder they called him the Fourth Master. Without even a display of overwhelming presence, he could make people feel cold inside and want to kneel from the knees giving out.

Was this the imperial presence?

Being someone who feared death, she immediately wanted to perform a curtsy as her knees went weak.

But just as her legs bent, Su Peisheng shouted at the top of his voice—

“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!”

The palace maids and eunuchs at Cining Palace, who had been holding their breath, were drenched in sweat, feeling a sense of relief as if they had just crawled out of the ocean, and thudded to the ground, kneeling.

“Paying respects to His Majesty the Emperor! Long live the emperor, may you be forever safe and sound!”

Yinzhen remained expressionless, and without dismissing them, he calmly withdrew his gaze from Geng Shuning, stood still for a moment, then strode into the main hall.

“Everyone rise,” Su Peisheng said, first giving a meaningful glance to the palace maids and eunuchs at the door.

He then gave a forced smile to Geng Shuning before quickly following his master.

Geng Shuning: “?”

What was that look all about?

She hadn't offended the chief steward, had she?

In the memories of her original self, Su Peisheng had always been polite to the head female officials of Cining Palace.

She had thought about asking the maids and eunuchs at the door, but seeing how they looked like they had just crawled out of the ocean, their heads hanging low, she dropped the thought.

Clearly, something had happened.

But... why should she care?

Geng Shuning's eyes flickered, and as she stood up, her body swayed slightly. She turned on her heel and slowly made her way back to the rear hall.

The kitchen of Cining Palace was to the east of the alley between the rear and front halls. She hadn't eaten since returning from her errands.

She hadn't eaten since breakfast and couldn't immediately go to the empress dowager to report on her errands. It was reasonable to fill her stomach first to prevent fainting, right?

After finishing her meal, since she had been out running errands under the hot sun and felt dizzy and nauseous, she asked Nanny Zhou, who was by the empress dowager's side, to report on her behalf. That was even more reasonable, right?

After all, she was just in charge of the storeroom, far from the emperor. As long as she stayed away from the master, she didn't want to get dragged into anything, right?

She had some appreciation for the historical Yongzheng but had no desire to get involved with him at all. What she admired was Yinzhen's indifference to the harem.

The claim of wanting to serve the Retired Emperor well in hopes of receiving his blessing for a marriage was just to convince Niuheru Jingyi and Tong Siya, so they would believe that she had no intention of stirring up trouble in the palace.

She would be twenty in just one more year.

After her birthday passes, her family could arrange for her to leave the palace.

The stepmother who managed the household—in the original body's memory—had not mistreated her, but she was more focused on her own son's and daughter's futures and did not want the original owner and her brother to occupy too many resources from the Geng family.

Once she leaves, if she wants to marry a compliant and good-looking man from a lower class, her stepmother would likely be pleased.

If she chose a scholarly man for his future prospects, her father who prides himself on being 'far-sighted' would likely not object either.

She only needed to choose a family that was easy to get along with, use the dowry left by her late mother, and open more shops with her own skills to live as freely as she wished.

By then, she could also take the opportunity to visit more temples and see if there was a way to return to her previous life.

As for watching the guards wrestle... well, even if she wasn't interested, making friends with those who had such hobbies shouldn't be difficult!

Geng Shuning went to the kitchen to collect the lunch that a young eunuch had saved for her and pondered while eating in her room.

After leaving the palace, wanting to live freely wouldn't be as easy as it sounded, and she was prepared for that.

But in her previous life, she had risen from a humble background to become a success, earning everything through her own efforts, so she wasn't afraid of difficulties.

The prerequisite was to keep a low profile and leave the palace without drawing attention.

*

As Geng Shuning ate, her mind wandered to a beautiful vision of the future, while in the front hall, the mother and son exchanged a few pleasantries before falling into an awkward silence.

Yinzhen had been raised by Empress Dowager Xiaoyi. At that time, the Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia was distant and reserved, and did not become close to Yinzhen.

Even more so after the passing of Tongjia, he had grown up and, according to the rules, could not be too intimate with his mother.

So he had no experience of being close to his mother.

Uya favored her younger son and had little to say to her older son as well.

It had always been this way, and over time, they had grown accustomed to this distant yet respectful relationship.

Who would have thought that one day, the world would change drastically, and Yinzhen would ascend the throne to become emperor—something Uya wouldn't even dare to dream of.

From then on, her and her younger son's futures would depend on the favor of the elder son.

Uya had risen from a palace maid to a consort in just over a decade because of her ability to serve the Retired Emperor well, so she wasn't a fool.

She knew that things couldn't remain as they were before; she needed to become closer with her son, the emperor.

Since the Retired Emperor was still alive, she couldn't even assert her authority as a mother and had to rely on gentle persuasion, which left Uya feeling quite frustrated.

But no matter how frustrated she was, she still had to do what was necessary.

Seeing the atmosphere cool down, Uya looked at Yinzhen with a loving smile.

"Yesterday, I had the Imperial Physician review your medical records, and it was said that you have a deficiency in qi and blood, as well as kidney weakness, and need to nourish yourself."

"The affairs outside will always be endless; the emperor needs to take better care of himself and get more rest."

Yinzhen responded faintly with a "Yes, son listens to Mother."

Relieved, Uya recalled the Retired Emperor's advice and softened her voice even more.

"You're always staying in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Even when you're not busy, you're still thinking about court affairs, always keeping your mind tense."

"If you have time, you should walk around the rear palace; it might help you relax a bit."

Yinzhen recalled what he had just heard. He lifted his cold phoenix eyes and gave the Empress Dowager a faint glance, suppressing the urge to argue.

He lowered his eyes and held the teacup, pondering for a moment.

In his impression, his mother had always been a gentle and obedient woman. He didn’t expect that she would be interested in vulgar and filthy matters.

When he was young, he heard his Third Brother Yin Zhi boast about sleeping with his mother, which sparked a misguided desire in Yinzhen. He evaded the servants' supervision and hid in Consort Tongjiashi's chambers, intending to wait until she fell asleep and then secretly accompany her as a mother would.

The details of the scene he witnessed that night were already blurred in his memory, but the subsequent chaos, reprimands, and strange coldness remained unforgettable to Yinzhen.

Thus, he had some aversion to such matters and had never been enthusiastic about them.

Although his temporary avoidance of the rear palace wasn’t for this reason, his own mother was already a grandmother, and yet she still harbored such filthy thoughts, which infuriated Yinzhen greatly.

Not only did she seem to wish for the Retired Emperor’s early death, but did she plan to take male favorites after his passing?

This was... completely devoid of proper conduct!

If this were to be known, the imperial family’s dignity would be ruined!

After suppressing his inner resentment and displeasure for a moment, Yinzhen took a sip of tea, then set the teacup down, his tone even colder than before.

"Matters of the rear palace are under my consideration. It's scorching hot, and I heard that you, Imperial Mother, are having trouble eating and sleeping. I wouldn’t dare let you worry anymore."

Uya-shi was startled for a moment but didn’t mind her son's particularly cold tone. After all, this son of hers had always been an ice block, but she sensed his displeasure.

What else could he possibly be considering if not visiting the rear palace?

Could sleeping with a consort jeopardize the empire? At present, there was no one in the palace like Hai Lan Zhu or Dong E Shi.

Thinking of the multiple messages from the Retired Emperor, Uya-shi sighed. Despite knowing her son’s unhappiness, she felt compelled to say more.

"Logically, I shouldn't say more; this should be the concern of the Empress."

"But you also know that she... has a weak constitution. Managing the palace affairs is already a struggle, and she can hardly take care of your side."

Pausing, Uya-shi glanced at Niuheru Jingyi and Tong Siya, revealing her thoughts.

"There are only a few insignificant maids and nannies in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, which isn’t fitting for an emperor. There should be a few in charge... These two by my side have been well-trained..."

Niuheru Jingyi and Tong Siya felt their breath catch. Hearing the Empress Dowager's implication that both of them could go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, they felt great joy, and a flush appeared on their cheeks.

Before they could fully compose their coy expressions, Yinzhen interrupted his mother.

"Let them stay with the Imperial Mother; they can keep her company and chat with her. I don’t need too many maids by my side. There’s the lesson from Jiajing in the previous dynasty."

The faces of Niuheru Jingyi and Tong Siya turned pale instantly.

That emperor had nearly been strangled by a maid; both of them felt particularly aggrieved. The Qianqing Palace wasn’t lacking in maids to serve, so why wasn’t the Retired Emperor afraid?

Uya-shi understood more clearly than the two young girls.

She knew that the emperor had overheard their conversation in the hall just then, and it was almost blatantly saying that he didn’t need maids who were eyeing to become a widow.

Her face darkened slightly. Was he also disgusted by his own mother, who harbored such widow's thoughts?

The hall fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Su Peisheng was on edge, fearing the worst. The emperor shouldn't go against the Empress Dowager at this moment!

Who didn’t know that the Retired Emperor valued filial piety above all?

Now that the Retired Emperor’s injuries were gradually healing, he began to second-guess his decision to abdicate.

At his age, he still craved the power and influence of the throne.

Recently, the Retired Emperor had been quite dissatisfied with some of the emperor’s overly harsh policies. If rumors of a disagreement with the Empress Dowager were to spread, a determined Retired Emperor might even replace the emperor!

The emperor had not yet fully consolidated all power in his hands.

Su Peisheng clenched his teeth secretly, quickly picked up the teapot, and poured tea for his master Yinzhen, almost daringly nudging Yinzhen with his hip.

Yinzhen: “……” This fool!

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm his anger.

“The worst of the disaster is behind us. A few days ago, I went to Changchun Garden to discuss with Imperial Father, and we both felt it’s time to bring some liveliness back.”

“The nearest festival is the Empress Dowager’s Thousand Autumns Festival in half a month, which must be celebrated grandly.”

“My intention is that you have people who are accustomed to serving you, and they can assist the Empress.”

Uya’s expression darkened, but she didn’t want to argue with her son, so she merely nodded faintly.

“I understand, son. You’re busy; you don’t need to stay.”

Yinzhen knew the Empress Dowager was still angry and that he couldn’t appease her. Staying longer would only make her angrier, so he immediately got up to leave.

After he left, the main hall remained silent for several moments. Uya abruptly slammed her teacup onto the table.

Niuheru Jingyi, Tong Siya, and nanny Wu Ya knelt silently, too afraid to utter a word or beg for the Empress Dowager to calm down.

What could they say?

No one dared to let it be known that the Empress Dowager was angry with the emperor. Spreading such news would be fatal.

Uya understood the gravity, but the fire in her heart was too hard to suppress.

This son is nothing but trouble!

She vented her anger on Niuheru Jingyi and Tong Siya.

“No wonder the emperor looks down on you! Don’t you know what’s appropriate to say? What kind of training did the Imperial Household Department give you?”

Niuheru Jingyi and Tong Siya’s faces turned even paler.

They had previously served the Grand Empress Dowager in Shoukang Palace, where her gentle nature had made them more relaxed and less cautious in their speech.

Now, concerned about the Retired Emperor’s health, the Grand Empress Dowager had gone to Changchun Garden, leaving them to serve in Cining Palace.

They hadn’t grasped the true nature of the current Empress Dowager in over a year and had momentarily lost their composure.

Their regret was beyond words, and they dared not beg for mercy, only bowing their heads to the ground. “This servant is wrong, please punish us, Empress Dowager!”

“Punishing you won’t solve anything!” Uya slammed another teacup down.

"Besides spreading the rumor that I’m an unkind mother, will there be an additional prince or princess in the palace?"

The two bowed their heads in sorrow, too afraid to speak further.

After letting off some steam, Lady Uya felt slightly relieved. She knew she was taking out her anger on someone else, but she still didn’t want to suppress her frustration.

Suppressing it would only harm her health.

"Since the emperor and the Retired Emperor want to hold a grand celebration for my birthday, then let’s do it!" She paused, recalling the culprit behind today’s incident, and sneered.

"My birthday celebration will be assisted by you several female officials and the empress."

"We need to make sure those idle courtiers at least catch the emperor’s eye!"

"Geng Shuning has been eager to take on the role of the head of the household. Let her take the lead in this task. If she does well, I will grant her a good marriage. If she fails, she can spend the rest of her life in the palace as a spinster!"

*

Geng Shuning, having finished her meal, had already handed the ledger from the storeroom to Nanny Zhou by the Empress Dowager’s side, so she had nothing else to do.

She had planned to take a stroll to help digest her meal, but since she was still ‘suffering from heatstroke,’ it wasn’t appropriate to go out. She decided to copy Buddhist scriptures in her room instead.

This practice was always beneficial in the palace and helped her get familiar with the original owner’s handwriting.

She calmly washed her hands, burned incense, opened the scriptures, and leisurely ground the ink. Every movement was as beautiful as a painting.

This was a habit Geng Shuning had developed in her previous life. She had been angered by clients too many times. Rushing in haste would only ruin things.

Knowing that she had a bad temper, she forced herself to move as slowly as possible, like a sloth, making her actions as slow and her voice as gentle as possible to avoid mistakes.

Once the ink was finely ground, Geng Shuning nodded approvingly, slowly picked up the brush, dipped it in the ink, and focused to write—

‘Bang!’

"Shuning, something’s wrong!"

"The Empress Dowager wants you to take the lead in organizing the birthday celebration!"

A thick droplet of ink splattered onto the pristine white paper, rapidly spreading and mirroring her growing anxiety.