Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Chen Zhen was exactly thirty years old this year. Given that she had married early, she could be a grandmother in just two years.

Nanny Chen, on the other hand, had even less reason to deal with such matters. As a forty-year-old self-combed nanny, she had never had to engage with these things in her life.

The aunt and niece never imagined they'd end up learning about bedroom techniques.

It wasn’t that they didn’t understand; they were just shocked that Geng Shuning, who had never been married, knew about these things.

But after a glance between them, remembering Geng Shuning’s warning, neither dared to ask.

Geng Shuning, however, laughed and explained, “It’s not something dirty. The *Book of Rites* says that food and sex are the greatest human desires. I originally wanted to marry someone I could control, to avoid repeating my mother’s mistakes, so I learned more about these things.”

Chen Zhen felt a twinge of bitterness. When it came to matters between men and women, she actually knew more than most women, especially after studying medicine.

But she had never wanted to control anything, and her husband had been indifferent to her, never standing up for her at home.

His sudden death left her in her current position.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded respectfully, “Since Miss has given her orders, I’ll do my best to learn.”

Geng Shuning, worried about eavesdroppers, thought for a moment. “I’ll teach Nanny Chen first, and Nanny Chen can relay it to you in a more open space.”

The aunt and niece both thought this was appropriate. Such delicate matters needed to be handled with care.

In her past life, Geng Shuning had mostly been the one lying back and enjoying, without much practical experience. But she had seen a lot of ‘movies,’ and her boyfriend had been quite skilled.

From meeting to seduction, from foreplay to... well, finishing things off, these should be considered common knowledge in the age of information.

But what Geng Shuning wanted Chen Zhen to learn wasn’t just about intercourse.

The most important thing was how to naturally overpower the man, drain him dry, increase the chances of pregnancy, and stir up some excitement in the palace.

Seducing a man required the right atmosphere, mood, and a bit of strategy.

When it came to pregnancy, it wasn’t just about calculating ovulation. It required attention to diet, the position after intercourse, and various other details.

Geng Shuning’s experience in sleeping with men who were aloof but desirable didn’t come from her boyfriend.

The PR women from the brands she had worked with, and the female executives from her company’s marketing department, had shared insights that were... well, Geng Shuning felt that any man who wasn’t a eunuch would be taken down.

She loved hearing those stories. Although she hadn’t needed to use them before, why should only men take the lead in seduction?

Before the Empress Dowager returned from the Chun Garden after the New Year, Geng Shuning was in charge of the Cining Palace, which gave her some quiet time.

Talking with Nanny Chen near the open stove, she felt a bit shy. She had originally thought there was nothing to it, having listened without changing expression in her past life, but facing Nanny Chen’s flushed face, she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

Nanny Chen couldn’t help but sigh, “This servant now feels especially at ease. With Miss’s skills, any man would... cough, die in your bed. Miss’s wishes will surely come true one day.”

Geng Shuning: “...” Well said, but please don’t say it again.

Feeling embarrassed, she continued to talk while poking more holes in the dried honeycomb coal, quietly placing it in the brazier to keep warm.

On the fifth day of the New Year, after welcoming the Wealth God, Geng Shuning led the servants of the Cining Palace to welcome the return of the Empress Dowager at the palace gate.

*

Despite the festive New Year, Geng Shuning noticed deep fatigue and impatience on the Empress Dowager’s face as she stepped down from the phoenix carriage.

After only a few days away from the palace, fine lines had appeared at the corners of the Empress Dowager’s eyes, and both Nurse Wu Ya and Nurse Zhou looked exceptionally haggard as well.

Geng Shuning was secretly shocked. It seemed that the consorts of the late emperor, even though they had become imperial consorts, were still restless.

Compared to the current emperor, the number of consorts and concubines of the late emperor was... Geng Shuning’s resolve to leave the palace only grew stronger.

Even the Empress had so many troubles. Empress Ula Nara was still keeping a low profile in the Palace of Eternal Longevity, enduring silently. If she had a choice, Geng Shuning would avoid this mess altogether.

With these thoughts in her mind, Geng Shuning personally assisted the Empress Dowager back to her bedroom and immediately ordered the nourishing soup to be brought up.

She stood behind the Empress Dowager, helping her relax her muscles and bones.

*

Wu Ya had been serving the Empress Dowager for nearly ten days, and every day she had to listen to the acidic words of those concubines, carefully dealing with their calculations for the sake of their children and families. These past few days felt longer and more exhausting than years.

When she was Consort De, she didn’t have to engage in court intrigues or deal with matters from the previous reign. She only needed to take care of herself and occasionally concern herself with the late emperor and their children.

As the Empress Dowager, even the emperor in the palace had to show her respect, and those troublesome matters didn’t come her way.

After enjoying a comfortable life for so long, the sudden change to Changchun Garden was somewhat disorienting.

Geng Shuning's warm, slender, white fingers gently pressed on the Empress Dowager's forehead and slowly moved down to her neck, the appropriate amount of pressure gradually relaxing Wu Ya.

After another sip of the refreshing sweet soup, slightly hot, Wu Ya gently sighed, feeling even closer to Geng Shuning.

"If there's anything, just have the servants do it. Take good care of your health so you can continue to serve by my side."

Geng Shuning smiled and agreed, gently teasing, "I should have crawled into Changchun Garden to pester you for more rewards, knowing how much you rely on me."

Wu Ya was amused by Geng Shuning's words, and after relaxing, she suddenly instructed—

"Niuheru Jingyi had a disturbance with her pregnancy in Changchun Garden. She's already six months along, so we need to be careful. Nurse Zhou, go to the Imperial Medical Office and have Imperial Physician Sun check on her regularly."

After saying this, Wu Ya couldn't help but sigh, "There are too few children in the palace. All the women in the palace have their eyes on Niuheru Jingyi, like a lamb among wolves. She's probably scared."

Not only Niuheru Jingyi, but she was also upset by those imperial consorts.

The emperor’s lack of heirs was a persistent problem. In the palace, there was only one heir, and Wu Ya had no way to refute it.

Geng Shuning smiled more gently, massaging the Empress Dowager's shoulders, lightly soothing her.

"With the new year comes new opportunities, perhaps before long, you won’t have to worry about it."

Wu Ya laughed, thinking that it would be faster to achieve in a dream.

On the sixth day of the new year, Yinzhen opened his brush in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Before the next day's court session, he ordered Zhang Tingyu to draft an imperial decree, which was issued to the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue, setting the procedures for the posthumous promotion of Emperor Duane on the day of the Dragon Head-Raising Festival.

*

As for the grand ceremony to install the Crown Prince, it was to be held twenty-seven days after Hongxi had completed mourning for Emperor Duane, in the Hall of Heavenly Purity.

Afterward, the Crown Prince would move into the Crown Prince’s residence adjacent to the Prince Zhi’s Mansion and formally enter the court to give lectures at the Wenyuan Pavilion.

Two consecutive decrees were issued before noon, causing a flurry of activity within the six ministries.

The dates for the two grand ceremonies were too close.

The mourning of the emperor and the installation of the Crown Prince weren’t just matters for the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue.

From the Imperial Household Department to the Nine City Gates' Guard, and then to the Workshop and the Six Ministries, the cooperation of almost all civil and military officials was required.

There was only one month to prepare, and even though many preparatory tasks had already been completed, it kept everyone scrambling.

Yinzhen intended for them to stay occupied.

Just after the new year, there weren’t many memorials in Yangxin Hall, and no one had the time to stir up issues. Most were simply memorials for greeting and paying respects.

Uninterested in reading them, he sent the memorials to Changchun Garden, ostensibly to give Hong Xi some practical experience.

But he wasn’t idle. The various small items that Geng Shuning had given him in Qingyu Pavilion were handed over to the Workshop to handle.

Regarding duck down and cashmere, Geng Shuning had provided not only clothing but also over a dozen design blueprints.

There were many things that could be made with duck down, and promoting poultry farming would benefit the people, which Yinzhen genuinely took to heart.

However, to collect duck down, there needed to be a solution for the duck meat as well. Ensuring that these benefits reached the people would not be straightforward, and the court would need to carefully consider what policies and regulatory systems were necessary.

More importantly, there was wool.

Sheep wool yarn could be woven into clothes, and cashmere could be spun into fabric for cutting. These were softer types of wool.

Slightly coarser wool could be used to produce woolen fabrics, felt, and other materials. Whether for making great cloaks or blankets, they provided much better windproof effects than ordinary thick fabrics.

The most significant advantage was the low cost.

After all, with hundreds of years of evolution and improvement, Geng Shuning’s methods were far simpler than the traditional techniques used by the Imperial Clothing Bureau for making woolen felt and blankets.

This required consideration not only for the people but also for dealings with the Mongols.

Yinzhen couldn't spare Yunxiang for the Ministry of Justice just yet, so he first assigned him to the Board of Ritual. Then, together with Yunxiang, Zhang Tingyu, and Chen Tingjing, he carefully discussed and deliberated the intricacies.

As for the Ministry of Revenue demanding the repayment of overdue silver, Yinzhen didn’t want to let Yunxiang take credit for it. He would wait until after the grand ceremony, when Yunxiang resigned from his position, and then he would arrange for someone else to take over.

The method of demanding repayment of debts was inappropriate. To deal with the imperial clansmen and court officials, a more comprehensive edict was needed to prevent them from causing trouble.

There was still time, and Yinzhen had the opportunity to think about how to confirm the procedures, but he was worried that he didn’t have enough people available to help.

This worry carried over until the Lantern Festival.

As the days passed, he felt that there weren’t enough hours in the day. He hadn’t realized how quiet Geng Shuning had been recently.

It wasn’t until the banquet at the Qianqing Palace, when he saw her standing gracefully next to the Empress Dowager with a smile, that Yinzhen was momentarily distracted and found himself glancing several times at her particularly delicate-looking lips.

There wasn’t a single scar in sight. It seemed that the white jade ointment sent from the Hall of Mental Cultivation had been very effective, making her smile even more beautiful.

But this ungrateful woman didn’t remember at all who had sent the ointment.

This time, Geng Shuning didn’t avoid Yinzhen’s gaze. When their eyes met unintentionally, her smile remained sweet, and she courteously bowed in greeting.

Her brand-new lake green palace dress had a few wintersweet plants embroidered at the collar, bringing some festive luck. The vibrant colors made her look especially appealing.

Yinzhen unconsciously ate more dishes and drank quite a bit of the wine that the imperial concubines cheerfully offered him.

With so many pressing matters on his mind and the imperial relatives causing a commotion, he told himself it wasn’t because she had captured his attention. Yinzhen felt somewhat irritably hot and bothered.

He didn’t notice that tonight, from the Empress down to the lower-ranking concubines, everyone’s gaze on him carried a hidden, burning intensity.

*

Recently, a female physician surnamed Chen in the palace presented a fertility formula to the Empress Noble Consort of Yongshou Palace without deliberately hiding it from others.

When it came to having children, the consorts never hesitated and immediately began inquiring at Yongshou Palace and the Imperial Medical Office.

The Empress knew her health wasn’t suited for more pregnancies, and the Imperial Medical Office, not wanting to offend the consorts, cooperated in leaking the fertility formula.

Though called a fertility formula, it was really a conception aid, offering tips on the most fertile periods, positions for intercourse that increased the chances of conception, and dietary recommendations to support a healthy pregnancy.

Chen Zhen came from a family of former Imperial Physicians. She conceived soon after entering the palace and had both a son and a daughter, though she lost her son. Still, her pregnancies were easier than most women’s.

Even the Imperial Physicians in the Imperial Medical Office had reviewed this fertility formula. If there had been any issues, they would never have allowed the consorts to use it, which gave the consorts even more peace of mind.

And so, they all began studying it closely.

When they looked closer, they realized their calculations had been off all along. No wonder there had been so few pregnancies back at the prince’s residence.

They couldn’t understand why some households had more children while others did not. Now that they had the formula, the consorts were all wondering the same thing: how could they get the Emperor to notice them?

After all, the Emperor hadn’t visited the imperial harem in nearly two years. What good was the formula without the Emperor’s attention?

The highly valued Imperial Physician Chen secretly went to Cining Palace again and presented a method that, while ostensibly for fertility, was actually meant to entice.

Uya had also heard about the fertility formula and was worried about the incompetence of the palace consorts. How could she wait?

After heavily rewarding Chen Zhen, she issued an imperial decree—except for Niuheru Jingyi, all other consorts were to go to Cining Palace daily to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and accompany her in Buddhist practices.

At least, that was the information received by the Yangxin Hall.

As to whether it was truly for Buddhist practices or something else, Nanny Chen sided with Geng Shuning, while Nanny Wu, out of concern for her master, believed it was better to have more offspring in the palace. Everything was kept tightly under wraps.

When Yinzhen heard about the activities at Cining Palace, he assumed his mother was just venting after feeling wronged at Changchun Garden. He was too preoccupied with court matters to give it much thought.

He had no idea that the dishes delivered daily to the Imperial Kitchen now included many items like deer antler, tiger penis, cloves, and cinnamon—foods that could easily cause internal heat.

He was also unaware that after paying their respects at Cining Palace, the consorts had all hurried back to their own palaces and shut themselves in.

On a bitterly cold day, the consorts practiced the flexibility exercises Chen Zhen had taught them, working up a sweat in their private chambers.

In the present, Yinzhen felt so overheated he could barely sit still. He’d had a fair amount of wine, but not enough to be drunk—just enough to make him restless.

*

Not one to deny himself, he took Su Peisheng outside to get some fresh air to clear his head. If the Empress Dowager hadn’t still been at the banquet, Yinzhen would have likely returned to the Yangxin Hall to rest.

For now, he rested briefly in the side hall, waiting for the fireworks display at the Lantern Festival to finish before attending to the Empress Dowager’s return to the palace.

As soon as Su Peisheng stood outside, Consort Qi, née Li, arrived with Hong Ying. Seeing Su Peisheng, she smiled warmly instead of giving him her usual cold look.

“The Empress Dowager sent me to deliver a hangover soup for His Majesty. Please inform him, Lord Su,” she said.

Su Peisheng hesitated but, not wanting to offend the Empress Dowager or Consort Qi, went in to inform the Emperor.

Because of Hong Yun, Yinzhen would not refuse Consort Li. He indifferently allowed her to enter.

Hong Ying and Su Peisheng waited outside to attend to them.

Su Peisheng expected the Emperor to dismiss Consort Li soon, given his discomfort, but instead, he quickly heard the unmistakable sounds of intimacy coming from inside.

Seeing the obvious joy on Hong Ying’s face, Su Peisheng couldn’t help but feel something was off.

This... how could the Emperor possibly visit a consort in the side hall of the Qianqing Palace? He specifically chose the Hall of Mental Cultivation to show his respect for the Emperor Emeritus and doesn't even wish to sleep in the Qianqing Palace.

I hope Consort Qi hasn't acted inappropriately.

He quickly ordered guards to watch the area, suppressing his worry, afraid that someone might notice what was happening here.

He shot Hong Ying a cold glance, then avoided her and quietly instructed Zhao Song to summon the Imperial Physician.

After some time, Yinzhen's low voice called out for water from inside, as if struggling to contain something intense.