Chapter 98

Chapter 98

The Grand Empress Dowager entered the Palace of Longevity and Health through the Gate of Supreme Harmony.

According to protocol, the Grand Empress Dowager should have resided in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.

However, the accident occurred so suddenly, causing most of the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to collapse, while the slightly smaller Palace of Longevity and Health only lost a few tiles, with its main structure remaining intact.

After Yinzhen ascended the throne, the Grand Empress Dowager, having lost several grandsons and being frightened by the incident at the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, fell ill and moved with the Retired Emperor to the Garden of Everlasting Spring.

This did not prevent the Grand Empress Dowager from relocating.

But the Grand Empress Dowager had lived in the Palace of Longevity and Health for decades and had grown accustomed to it. She felt that the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility had changed since her aunt passed away, and unsure of how long she would live, she refused to move.

No one dared to force the Grand Empress Dowager, and out of respect, the Empress was allowed to move into the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.

Privately, some said this also demonstrated the Retired Emperor's respect for the Emperor and his mother, openly expressing his willingness to abdicate and recognizing Yinzhen as the Emperor.

"Actually, these are just flatteries from those civil officials," Nanny Wuyunna translated the Grand Empress Dowager's plain words to Geng Shuning.

"It's obvious to anyone that my Palace of Longevity and Health is sturdier, as if the Eternal Heaven is protecting me in place of my aunt."

"The current Palace of Compassion and Tranquility was rebuilt later. The place where my aunt lived has since been relocated to the temporary palace. I have no interest in the palaces those corrupt officials from the Imperial Household Department built."

"Even if I don't live in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, Lady Wu Ya wouldn't dare to put on airs in front of me. It's closer to the place my aunt loved most."

Geng Shuning, having served as a female official in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility for a long time, knew that the Grand Empress Dowager was referring to the garden of the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.

The Xianruo Pavilion inside was Empress Xiaozhuang's favorite spot.

The Empress didn't like to visit the garden of the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility; she preferred to stroll in the Imperial Garden and rarely entered the garden of the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.

On the surface, it was out of reverence for Empress Xiaozhuang, but in reality, the Retired Emperor had instructed that no one should enter casually.

Geng Shuning was quite eager to see it. When they departed from the Hot Spring Palace, she accompanied the Grand Empress Dowager, planning to stay with her in the Palace of Longevity and Health first.

Su Peisheng soon arrived, following Geng Shuning with a troubled expression, trying to persuade her.

"Lady Sui Ning, have you thought it through? In the coming days, the imperial consorts will be coming from the Garden of Everlasting Spring to pay their respects to the Grand Empress Dowager, and the ladies of the inner court are no exception. The Palace of Longevity and Health will be bustling."

"His Majesty has sealed the brush now and won't officially appoint you as an Imperial Attendant until after the fifth day of the new year. With your status as a county princess, if you encounter them and the Grand Empress Dowager isn't watching closely, it will surely bring you trouble."

As Geng Shuning listened, her steps slowed. She knew Su Peisheng was trying to deceive her on behalf of his master, but she was still swayed.

How sneaky, the women in the inner court are experts at this.

She wasn't afraid of trouble, but if it could be avoided, and with her boyfriend to sleep with, naturally—

"Grand Empress Dowager, the Imperial Kitchen has been managing your meals recently, and Sui Ning is truly concerned. I'll go check on it ahead of time and won't be staying with you at the Palace of Longevity and Health these days."

The Grand Empress Dowager winked at her personal maidservant. What did she say?

Nanny Wuyunna chuckled and respectfully said to Geng Shuning, "County Princess, please go ahead. We'll trouble you to take care of Her Highness."

*

Geng Shuning, blushing, was carried to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. As soon as she entered the hall, taking advantage of the others not daring to look up, she punched Yinzhen.

The old fox knew everything, and the heat of the moment hit her face.

Although Geng Shuning was shameless, she was still flushed with embarrassment.

Yinzhen chuckled and pulled her to sit on the daybed.

"Didn’t you say you came to the palace to keep me company? I had people waiting for you in advance, but you didn’t even look back and followed the Empress Dowager instead."

"Shouldn’t I settle this score with you properly?"

Su Peisheng waved his hand, preparing to dismiss the servants.

Seeing the lingering glances between the two masters, he guessed that this score would be settled in person, and they needed to be tactful.

But before Su Peisheng could lead the servants out, Zhao Song hurriedly entered, his face filled with both distress and urgency.

Geng Shuning noticed and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Zhao Song hesitated, glancing secretly at his master, not daring to speak.

Although Yinzhen didn’t know why, he could understand his servant's demeanor and knew it was probably something Geng Shuning shouldn’t know.

He immediately stood up, "It must be something from the imperial court, I should—"

"Wait, master, don’t try to fool me into thinking I don’t understand anything," Geng Shuning interrupted Yinzhen with a smirk.

If it were a few months ago, she might have been fooled by Yinzhen.

But during the northern tour, Yinzhen didn’t avoid her.

Recently, Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager had told her many secrets about the imperial court and the harem, so she wasn’t so easily fooled anymore.

She leisurely pulled Yinzhen's large hand and gently shook it, her voice soft yet threatening—

"Didn’t I come back to the palace to serve you? What is there that I can’t know?"

She smiled at Zhao Song, "Is it something about the fate of the Qing Dynasty? Should we send someone to inform the Qianqing Palace?"

Yinzhen: "..." He didn’t know how this little fox had become so close to the old man.

But... it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

He helplessly looked at Zhao Song, "Speak here."

Zhao Song lowered his head and reported stiffly, "Your Majesty, Yonghe Palace sent a message saying that the third prince has a fever and has been crying for his father..."

"The head palace maid Chunhe from Yonghe Palace came to the imperial court to request, if Your Majesty has time, to please visit the third prince, fearing that his crying might harm his health."

Geng Shuning raised an eyebrow. The Empress Dowager had also criticized this tactic before; using children to compete for favor in the harem was all too common.

Many children were lost this way.

Not only did the Empress Dowager despise it, but she also felt disgusted when she heard about it. Who who truly cared for a child would be willing to torment them like this?

She meaningfully glanced at Yinzhen, "Does Your Majesty want to go see? Too much crying isn’t good for a child’s health."

Yinzhen felt an inexplicable chill but didn’t show it, maintaining his cool and detached demeanor.

He simply said, "I'm not an Imperial Physician. Go to Yonghe Palace and deliver the message: if the Imperial Physician is not attentive, replace him; if Consort Xi cannot take care of the child, send the third prince to Yanxi Palace."

Geng Shuning's lips curled slightly.

Previously, when Geng Shuning dealt with Niuheru Jingyi, she sent her to the palace of Consort Mao, who was secretly allied with her.

To prevent Niuheru Jingyi from thinking she's carrying the imperial heirloom seal just because of her bulging belly.

Yinzhen's current arrangement is quite similar to what Geng Shuning had done earlier.

No one should get used to this bad habit—using children as bargaining chips is unacceptable.

Su Peisheng and Zhao Song quickly escorted everyone out.

*

Geng Shuning took the initiative and pushed Yinzhen to sit on the Luohan bed.

"I returned to the palace over a month late, and someone is already targeting me. If I had come back earlier, wouldn't they have devoured me alive!"

Worried Yinzhen might not understand, she spelled it out more clearly.

"Consort Xi's move might not stem from knowing I'm in the imperial presence, but since I am here, I can't stop you from caring for your own son. Whether you go or not, I'm in a difficult position!"

"How should we settle this account?"

Once Yinzhen is taken away from Geng Shuning, her position as the Imperial Attendant would become a joke in the imperial harem.

If Yinzhen doesn't go, rumors would spread that the emperor favors a widow, disregarding the safety of the imperial heir, and is bewitched by a seductress.

The previously suppressed talk of the ill-omened star would inevitably resurface.

Geng Shuning always thought Niuheru Jingyi was straightforward, not as cunning as Tong Siya.

But now it seems her straightforwardness might be a facade; her acting skills are impressive, and her schemes outdo Tong Siya's, even daring to play open strategies in the imperial presence.

Yinzhen, following Geng Shuning's force, held her face to face on his lap, smiling as he watched her act.

Only when Geng Shuning glared did he lower his head to kiss her eyelids, afraid she might strain her eyes.

"As long as I don't comply with their wishes, it's ultimately my word that counts in the palace, and rumors won't surface."

"Consort Xi and the others won't do useless work. Ning'er, guess what their other purposes are?"

Geng Shuning raised her little face, squinting to enjoy her boyfriend's gentle pecks, thinking seriously.

It's too hard for her to think like a native in a short time, so she still uses planning thinking to diverge.

Consort Xi's actions must have her purposes; the demands of the client (imperial concubines) are nothing more than three points: family glory, personal status, and offspring's future.

Consort Xi is from the Niohuru branch, and since she had the third prince, her relationship with the Niohuru Duke’s mansion has been good.

But whether it's for the Duke to advance further or for her family's schemes, being a consort is still somewhat inadequate.

The third prince was born in May of the third year of Yongzheng's reign, and he won't turn three until after the new year. He’s barely old enough for enlightenment by the end of next year and isn’t yet stable.

The emperor is young and vigorous, and the Qing Dynasty isn’t as unstable as during the suppression of the Three Feudatories. With the recent incident involving Crown Prince Hong Xi, the hope of pushing for a crown prince’s establishment is slim.

Excluding all unattainable goals, the only remaining demand is that Consort Xi is not satisfied with her consort position.

What does this have to do with her inciting everyone against Geng Shuning?

Geng Shuning leaned on Yinzhen's chest, her little hand drawing circles intermittently, "I thought it would be Consort Qi who would oppose me."

So she had previously considered restraining the Li family and winning over Huai Ge, who is estranged from Consort Qi, to target Consort Qi, who is not very bright.

Unexpectedly, it was Consort Xi who made the first move, not taking Consort Qi seriously. Isn't Consort Qi going to react?

Yinzhen chuckled and pinched Geng Shuning's cheek, "Sometimes I can't tell if you're clever or just plain silly."

It's actually quite simple...

Geng Shuning struggled to get up, interrupting Yinzhen's words, "If you think I'm dumb, then don't have me serve you!"

Seeing that Yinzhen didn't let go, Geng Shuning's eyes flickered, and she pushed Yinzhen down.

"Let's not talk about this for now. Others are trying to lure you into their own palaces. I need to settle this score with you properly."

She couldn't always depend on others to remind her of the harem's rules.

The Grand Empress Dowager, Emperor Kangxi, even Qiao He and Qingfang, had told her many times what needed to be said. If she couldn't figure it out, something would eventually go wrong.

Niuheru Jingyi's little issue wasn't life or death, so she would treat it as her first battle upon returning to the palace.

This was her battlefield, and she wanted to fight on her own first. She couldn't fail at politics and lose in the harem intrigue to Fourth Master, could she?

After cutting him off, Geng Shuning leaned over Yinzhen, her hands roaming, biting his ear and chuckling.

"As long as I wear my man out, no one else can get a piece of him. Whether I'm satisfied or not depends on how much you can deliver!"

Yinzhen: "..." What man could withstand such provocation?

He smirked and hugged Geng Shuning, pinning her movements with his arms. With a forceful motion, he sat up and carried her into the palace.

Geng Shuning protested, "Not on the bed—does changing the spot mess with your performance or something?"

Yinzhen's temple veins started to throb again. When this little fox got into her antics, she dared to say anything.

"I've had my stuff replaced countless times. If you're uncomfortable, I'll have the bed changed later!"

Geng Shuning stubbornly refused to admit her jealousy, "That's not what I meant. Do you know the word 'romance'..."

"Shut up!" Yinzhen threw her onto the bright yellow bed, mercilessly silencing her murmurs.

Not long after, within the undulating and trembling curtains, softer, almost dripping sweet sounds began to emerge.

*

The next day, before dawn, Su Peisheng quietly brought Qiao He into the bedchamber.

"Your Majesty, it's time to rise," Su Peisheng called softly.

Yinzhen suddenly opened his eyes, looking confused for a moment before quickly regaining his sharp composure. His gaze fell on Geng Shuning, who was sleeping soundly with her mouth slightly open.

Her head was nestled against his chest, and for some reason, his inner robe felt a bit damp... Was she drooling from exhaustion, or did she always have this bad habit?

Her two small hands, one reaching into his inner robe... to the red bean, and the other tightly holding his arm.

Perhaps hearing some faint noise, both hands clenched tightly—

A muffled groan came from within the curtains.

Before Su Peisheng and Qiao He could understand what it meant, they saw the Emperor sit up with a dark expression.

"Your Majesty—"

Yinzhen glared at Su Peisheng and immediately turned back.

Geng Shuning only hummed twice, groping to hug the pillow Yinzhen had used, turned over, and lifted her leg to straddle it, rubbing against it.

Yinzhen remained silent...

Qiao He hung her head low.

She and Qingfang had hinted to their mistress several times, but the mistress still couldn't break this habit.

She always needed to cling to something while sleeping, otherwise she wouldn't sleep soundly and would wake up in a bad mood.

This wasn't due to their service; the mistress herself said it was due to a lack of security, a habit formed since childhood.

Qiao He and Qingfang were aware of the Geng family's situation and felt deeply for their mistress, so they were reluctant to bring it up again.

Fortunately, Yinzhen didn't say anything, just waved his hand and quietly led the servants to the outer hall for washing and changing.

*

Naturally, those serving in the imperial presence included more than just Su Peisheng and Zhao Song; there were many servants.

Previously, it was only heard that Geng Shuning was favored, but when Geng Shuning was in the imperial presence before, she was either still at odds with the Emperor or recuperating, so she didn't make much of an impression.

This time, staying overnight in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, seeing how careful the master was not to wake Geng Shuning, the servants finally understood the extent of her favor.

Especially since Su Peisheng and Zhao Song didn't dare to make a sound and even considerately had hot water and breakfast prepared, everyone knew how to serve properly.

Before heading to court, Yinzhen paused at the palace door, deep in thought, and instructed Zhao Song:

"You don't need to follow me today. Go to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility and transfer Nanny Chen to the imperial presence."

He also instructed Qiao He: "Look after your mistress well. If she wakes up before I return from court, serve her breakfast first."

"Tell her that I will take her to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Palace of Longevity and Health to pay respects later, don't let her go by herself."

Zhao Song and Qiao He both respectfully agreed.

*

But Yinzhen's concern that Geng Shuning might be troubled if she went out alone didn't happen.

She loved to sleep in, and after expending a lot of energy at night, she didn't wake up until mid-morning.

Yinzhen didn't wait for her to wake up, not wanting to disturb her, and simply went to the imperial study to handle the affairs of Shanxi and Qinghai.

When Geng Shuning opened her eyes, Nanny Chen and Qiao He were both by her side, ready to serve.

After opening the bed curtains, Nanny Chen beamed like a blooming flower, "Mistress, you've finally returned to the palace, I've been waiting for so long!"

Geng Shuning yawned, quite pleased, "You came quickly, I was thinking of sending someone to invite you. I'll need your help a lot in the future."

Zhao Song took the opportunity to speak up for his master.

"His Majesty knew that Mistress Sui Ning would remember Nanny Chen, so he specifically sent me to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to transfer her here."

This wasn't an exaggeration.

The Palace of Compassion and Tranquility was the Empress Dowager's palace, and it wasn't easy to just take a nanny away at any time. Someone had to take over Nanny Chen's duties, and there had to be a reasonable explanation to maintain the Empress Dowager's dignity. The balance was hard to strike.

Geng Shuning was wiping her face with a cotton towel, and upon hearing this, she smiled, revealing a charming face from behind the towel... though Zhao Song thought the smile wasn't quite proper.

"Then help me bring a message to the master..." Sure enough, Geng Shuning's voice was teasing.

"Tell him that as expected of the Emperor, he settles accounts clearly and thoroughly, very considerate. I still have a few accounts I want to settle with him at once!"

Zhao Song was a bit confused, this didn't sound entirely complimentary...

Seeing how County Princess Sui Ning was smiling, he figured he’d just relay the message exactly as the master instructed.

*

When Zhao Song returned to the imperial study, Yun Tao and Yunxiang—both close to Yinzhen—were already there.

Noticing Zhao Song looked like he had something to say, Yinzhen didn’t dismiss the other two.

"Go ahead, speak plainly."

Zhao Song carefully repeated Geng Shuning’s exact words.

Yinzhen chuckled. Who was it last night who kept whining about being too tired before anything even started? And now she’s fine?

Yun Tao’s eyes widened. How bold of the County Princess to dare challenge the emperor, who’s practically the King of Hell!

Yunxiang, though, was stuck on something else. Stroking his chin, he grew more and more puzzled—and honestly, a little hurt.

"Brother, you’re going toe-to-toe with County Princess Sui Ning, and she still thinks you’re being considerate? Seriously??"

"Come on, Brother, don’t play favorites. How about showing us a little more consideration too?"

Yinzhen: "..." Yeah, no. Not happening.