Chapter 53 The Depraved Old Emperor!

Chapter 53: The Decadent and Reckless Old Emperor!

A palace attendant brought a golden basin for handwashing, and A Wu washed her hands alongside the emperor, drying them with a towel, rinsing her mouth, and so on.

Once this was done, the Jingxi Emperor instructed, "Today is the Winter Solstice (a festival day in imperial China), so we’ll just have a casual meal. No need for formalities—you may all withdraw and leave us be."

The attendants were clearly taken aback, as this was a duty they usually performed without fail.

However, they quickly bowed their heads in deference and silently filed out, closing the door softly behind them.

A Wu, however, felt lingering unease. If they all left, would the palace chronicler (the official record of imperial consorts) still take note? Would the Records Office log it? If not, wouldn’t it count against her favor in the records at the end of the year?

The Jingxi Emperor noticed her expression. "What’s the matter?"

A Wu hesitated before asking cautiously, "Your Majesty, since they’ve all left… will they still know that you’ve summoned me to your bedchamber tonight?"

The Jingxi Emperor: "?"

A Wu continued, "I mean… will it be recorded in the official ledger?"

Understanding dawned on the emperor, and he chuckled. "Yes, it will be recorded. Every single day will be recorded for you."

A Wu: "Even on days when we don’t… you know… and just drink tea, it was still recorded?"

The Jingxi Emperor gave her a long look before turning away and saying indifferently, "Let us dine."

The emperor’s words were always measured, never fully explained—one had to guess, to read between the lines. For instance, this "Let us dine" clearly meant—code for *Drop the trivial matters.*

By now, A Wu had become quite adept at reading the emperor’s cues, so she dropped the subject. "Alright, A Wu is hungry."

The Jingxi Emperor smiled faintly and nodded gracefully.

Only then did A Wu pick up her chopsticks and begin eating. The imperial cuisine had her salivating.

The Jingxi Emperor watched her eagerness. "Are you that famished?"

A Wu: "Mhm!"

The emperor personally served her a portion of savory egg pudding. "Try this."

A Wu examined the dish—it was peculiar, an egg still in its shell but with a small hole at the top, through which a delicate silver spoon could be inserted.

She took the spoon, scooped a bite, and upon tasting it, she marveled. "This is delicious!"

Tender, smooth, with the richness of the sea yet the delicate texture of egg pudding.

The Jingxi Emperor explained, "This is made by extracting crabmeat, removing the yolk from the egg, whisking the whites into a paste, tossing in mushroom bits and ham, then steaming it all together."

A Wu: "No wonder! This is no ordinary egg."

Seeing her enjoyment of the dish, the emperor ordered a servant to fetch wine, specifically specifying warmed Shaoxing wine.

A Wu: "What for?"

He usually forbade her from drinking freely, warning her against overindulgence.

The Jingxi Emperor: "Your stomach is sensitive, and crab has a cooling effect on the body. Since you’re eating crab, you should have some wine to warm your stomach. Today is the Winter Solstice—a little won’t hurt."

A Wu had to admit he had a point. "Your Majesty is so considerate!"

The Jingxi Emperor tilted his head slightly, studying A Wu's ravenous expression closely. "Didn't you have enough for lunch?"

At the mention of this, A Wu couldn't help but complain, "It wasn't even enough to fill a tooth gap!"

The Jingxi Emperor: "?"

His consorts never complained about this before. Could it be that everyone had been going hungry all along?

He grew serious, intending to inquire further. A Wu blushed and stammered, "Actually, I was full."

She was just peckish and felt she hadn't eaten enough.

Hearing this, the Jingxi Emperor understood and smiled without saying a word.

As the emperor, his meals were naturally far more elaborate than those of the consorts—breakfast, lunch, supper, and dinner, each spread across an entire table. Even a single fish dish came in several new variations, though most of the time he only took token bites.

Fortunately, watching A Wu eat now whet his appetite. She ate with such relish that it made others want to try the dishes too.

He personally picked up his chopsticks and served her some delicacies—chicken mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and other exotic delicacies that were hard to come by outside the palace.

He said gently, "Today is the winter solstice. Have some dumplings and roasted lamb—they represent yang energy's rebirth."

A Wu didn't understand. "What does 'yang energy's rebirth' mean?"

As recorded in *Kezun Yunhui*, "The sun reaches its southernmost point, the day is at its shortest, and the shadows are at their longest—hence it is called the winter solstice. It marks the peak of yin energy and the beginning of yang energy's rise."

A Wu's stomach dropped, and her eyes darted about. She wondered what this *Kezun Yunhui* was and desperately hoped he wouldn't say, "A Wu, I’ll have someone bring it to you—read it and you’ll understand."

The Jingxi Emperor glanced at her, recognizing her thoughts, and his eyes twinkled with amusement, choosing not to mention it further.

The poor girl—now even the mention of reading scared her.

Toying with his chopsticks, he pondered silently, wondering if he had been too strict with her.

Seeing the Jingxi Emperor brooding, A Wu grew even more uneasy.

But then he smiled and asked, "A Wu, what did you eat at home during winter?"

A Wu replied, "Fish and shrimp, all fresh."

The Jingxi Emperor said, "When it gets colder and snows, we can grill some fish and shrimp to eat."

A Wu, however, couldn’t muster enthusiasm. She felt that certain foods were about who you ate them with. Eating with the emperor—what was the point?

He didn’t enjoy it much, just took token bites.

During their meals together, she had never seen him truly relish anything. He remained impassive and detached.

Hmph—all poise and no passion. Made for dull company.

Just then, the Jingxi Emperor gave a quiet laugh.

A Wu widened her eyes and looked at him in confusion.

Amused by her cowering like a quail, he prodded teasingly, "Did you attend your lessons today?"

A Wu nodded. "Mm."

The Jingxi Emperor said, "The one invited is a female disciple of a contemporary great scholar. I have summoned that Lady Hu before—her speech is extraordinary, quite insightful. You should learn more from her."

The Lady Hu mentioned by the Jingxi Emperor was today’s female palace official.

A Wu replied, "Mm, I know."

She recalled the events of the day. If she wanted to lodge a complaint, now would be the perfect opportunity, but she had no intention of doing so.

She had long resolved that no matter what the Old Emperor said, she must always know her place. In the harem, she could afford to offend anyone—except the Empress Dowager and Princess De Ning, one being his own mother and the other his beloved daughter. She must keep her distance at all costs.

Her goal was to rise quickly, at least securing the rank of Zhao Yi first.

Just then, dinner concluded. Seeing the whole table of barely touched dishes, A Wu suggested, "Could some of these dishes be given to the maids of Langhua Palace?"

She knew the usual practice was to give leftovers to the Jingxi Emperor’s attendants, but she also wanted to secure some for her own palace maids.

—Though they were leftovers, many dishes had barely been touched. For the palace eunuchs, this was naturally excellent—they could even regift what they couldn’t finish, building favors.

The Jingxi Emperor agreed, "Fine."

He then ordered the extra food to be distributed among the servants, including the maids of Langhua Palace.

Beyond that, he specifically rewarded both the maids and eunuchs of Langhua Palace. Hearing this, they knelt outside the door, all thanking him at once.

The Emperor visited Langhua Palace almost daily, and the palace received plenty of rewards. Everyone understood this was due to their lady’s favor, and thus waited on A Wu even more attentively.

In this regard, the Jingxi Emperor was purposely helping A Wu win people over.

From the moment he accepted A Wu and decided to bring her back to the palace, he had resolved to train her properly.

He had never truly cared for anyone—each had their own fate. Even his own daughter, he knew, was not a bonsai to trim as he pleased.

But A Wu—he wanted her, wanted her to belong to him completely.

Every inch of her would be shaped and controlled by him.

The palace servants around her were all meticulously selected by Fu Tai, ensuring she wouldn’t pick up any bad habits. Thus, they were all honest and straightforward, making this place the Emperor’s private retreat.

At this moment, eunuchs swiftly and silently tidied the hall, serving tea and fruits. No one was really hungry, but with the chill setting in outside, drinking tea by the fire was rather pleasant.

The Jingxi Emperor’s slender fingers cradled a small white porcelain teacup, the steam rising gracefully.

A Wu, however, had no interest in this. Her mind was fixated on one thing—their nightly duties.

Come on, come on—let’s go all night!

The Jingxi Emperor had long noticed her distraction. "What’s the matter?" he asked.

Perhaps too relaxed, his voice had a warm, teasing lilt, laced with amusement.

A Wu mumbled vaguely, "It’s nothing. I’m just a bit tired and want to rest."

Then she let out a big, fake yawn.

The Jingxi Emperor smiled understandingly. "In that case, Noble Lady Ning should retire. I won’t disturb you further."

With that, he rose as if to leave.

Wait, what?!

A Wu panicked—how could she let him go? She quickly grabbed his sleeve: "Don't go!"

The Jingxi Emperor lifted his gaze: "Oh?"

A Wu bit her lip, gazing at him with pleading eyes, a flicker of desire gradually swirling in their depths.

The Jingxi Emperor hesitated.

In an instant, the air in the bedchamber thickened.

A Wu stepped forward, her slender, delicate hands clinging to the Emperor’s shoulders as she whispered, "Your Majesty, won’t you stay with A Wu tonight?"

The Jingxi Emperor’s tea-colored eyes remained unruffled: "Want to attend me tonight?"

A Wu nodded eagerly, her demeanor obedient.

Yet the Emperor only smiled gently, calmly calling her bluff: "What exactly are you plotting? Speak plainly."

A Wu was startled, then deflated. The Emperor was trickier than Princess De Ning.

The Jingxi Emperor waited with composed amusement.

She hung her head and ventured cautiously, "Your Majesty, A Wu doesn’t want to attend the court ladies’ lessons anymore. May I skip them?"

The Emperor’s reply was succinct: "No."

A Wu groaned, wrapping her arms around his arm. "A Wu obeys Your Majesty—reciting scriptures, practicing the zither every day—but aside from these, A Wu doesn’t wish to study. She only wants to focus on serving you."

The Jingxi Emperor countered, "Part of serving the Emperor includes overseeing the harem—"

A Wu protested, "A Wu’s just a lowly consort, and still young. The other sisters among the imperial consorts are all graceful and wise. A Wu can’t compare, so why must she learn?"

The Emperor parted his lips, his voice deep and mellow as he uttered the same word: "No."

A Wu slumped in defeat.

How did she end up like this? She was just a concubine, wasn’t she? Even if she was the Emperor’s concubine, she was still a concubine.

Why did a concubine need such high standards?

The Jingxi Emperor studied her, his expression tinged with exasperation.

The imperial consorts had always abided by these expectations, yet here she was, scheming to shirk her duties. She slumped like a limp kitten—even if you pinched its scruff to lift it, it would still sag downward!

He said coolly, "It’s just attending lessons. It’s not as if I’m sending you to ride into battle. Is it truly so difficult? Keep disobeying, and I’ll spank you."

A Wu whined, flopping onto the bed and sticking her bottom out. "Go ahead, spank me! Quickly!"

The Emperor’s gaze burned instantly: "Look at you—so shameless."

It made him want to take her right there!

Did she not realize how impossible to resist this mix of innocence and seduction was to any man?

Yet A Wu insisted she had ambition, clenching her fists. "A Wu won’t settle for just being a consort. She wants to be a Zhao Yi, and even—"

She dared not continue, knowing such words bordered on treason in the palace.

The Jingxi Emperor pinched the nape of her neck lightly, scolding with a laugh, "Lazy and greedy, but full of ambition."

A Wu remained silent, thinking it was quite difficult—promotions are especially tough. Without any special reason, it seemed those concubines must have had to endure God knows how long before attaining their positions. It wasn't easy.

The shortcut she had painstakingly thought of, yet he wouldn’t help. Back when they were outside the palace, he had pestered her daily, but now he was distant, holding back, as if acting like he'd sworn off women entirely.

Sometimes he did it on purpose, withdrawing just when she was most eager, as if deliberately emphasizing that she shouldn’t become too obsessed.

She bit her lip, her eyes reddening at the corners. A wave of sadness washed over her.

So she pushed him away and buried herself dejectedly in the blankets, muttering into the blankets, "Fine, I’ll just be a Noble Lady for the rest of my life then."

The Jingxi Emperor was equal parts amused and annoyed.

The concubines in his past harem had never needed his attention. As for his children, they were naturally raised by the female palace officials assigned to them. The princes and princesses were surrounded by carefully selected female palace officials, so he never had to worry about anything!

But now he ended up with this one, forced to fuss over every little thing—and after all his effort, she wasn’t even grateful, throwing fits and refusing to cooperate.

Still, seeing her sprawled on the brocade bedding, whimpering and sulking, he couldn’t help but soften.

He hiked up his robe and sat beside her on the bed, coaxed in a gentle tone, "You’re still young. If I rashly elevate you too quickly, it would only invite jealousy. Of course, I can protect you, but I’m occupied with court affairs and can’t oversee everything."

Leaning down, he brushed his thumb lightly over the delicate skin behind her ear, patiently reasoning with her. "These past few years, I haven’t favored anyone in the harem, nor will I in the future. Doesn’t that already give you more going for you than the others?"

A Wu knew, of course—he no longer favored anyone else, only her.

Thinking of this, she felt slightly better.

But she still wanted more.

She crawled up, clinging to his arm, pressing her flushed face still buried against him and pleading in a tiny voice, "Your Majesty loves A Wu best, doesn’t he? Didn’t you say that whatever A Wu wants, Your Majesty will give?"

The Jingxi Emperor studied her with calm amusement. "Hmm?"

A Wu continued, "A Wu reads stories and listens to operas. In every dynasty, women favored by the emperor could get whatever they wanted, couldn’t they? With just one word from Your Majesty, A Wu could become an Imperial Consort. Won’t Your Majesty help A Wu…?"

Her girlish voice was sweet as honey, begging for a promotion.

The Jingxi Emperor gently stroked her hair, his long fingers full of tenderness.

But his words were merciless. "No."

A Wu pouted. "Why not?"

The Jingxi Emperor replied, "The harem has its protocols. I cannot disrupt order. I am determined to be remembered as a wise ruler, treating the court and the harem with equal fairness, rewarding and punishing justly. I cannot compromise my wisdom for this."

A Wu froze mid-motion.

After a moment, she irritably shoved his arm away and flung herself back onto the brocade quilt in frustration.

Ugh! What wise ruler? What wisdom? He had outright stolen his son's woman—what reputation was there left to protect?

All for show!

The Jingxi Emperor watched her little tantrum but made no move to console her this time. Instead, he said, "In the palace, just because I favor you doesn’t mean you can do as you please. Lectures are a centuries-old tradition in Great Hui's harem. They cannot be abolished on a whim. Think carefully about this yourself."

With that, he got up without another word, straightened his sleeves, and left.

A Wu watched him go, her heart sank. He was truly heartless, unwilling to show even the slightest leniency!

Men’s sweet words were never to be trusted—all lies!

Right after the Emperor left, the palace maid Yi Lan hurried in to report, "Noble Lady, Noble Lady, something awful has happened!"

A Wu listlessly replied, "What’s so awful about a noble lady?"

Yi Lan: "After His Majesty left our Langhua Palace, he headed straight for Langqin Palace next door!"

What?

Langqin Palace—where Consort Hui resides?

What’s that supposed to mean? Is that old lecher really going to Consort Hui?

A Wu flew into a rage. She had nothing against Consort Hui, but if he were to visit her, then—

Her thoughts spun wildly before she finally sighed, "Fine, Consort Hui is wonderful. Let him go to her! That depraved old tyrant!"

So debauched and tyrannical, and so old—he’ll probably drop dead in a couple of years anyway!!

*************

By evening, after her meal, with nothing else to do, Consort Hui took out the newly acquired "Nine-Nine Winter Solstice Chart," issued by the Directorate of Ceremonial and distributed to the inner palace halls. She figured she’d start with the sheep painting template and ordered her maids to prepare the ink.

Just as she was about to begin, eunuchs came rushing in to announce that the Jingxi Emperor had arrived.

Consort Hui froze in surprise. With the Emperor arriving so suddenly, there was no time to prepare properly. All she could do was hastily smooth her hair and straighten her robes before hurrying out to greet him.

In moments, the entire Langqin Palace was kneeling. Consort Hui stepped forward, kowtowed, and ushered the Jingxi Emperor inside.

Caught off guard with no warning, Consort Hui could only offer some fruits and personally brew tea.

Distracted, the Jingxi Emperor waved it off. "No need. I’ve just eaten. I was in the area and wanted a word."

Consort Hui dipped her head. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Still, she presented the tea.

The Jingxi Emperor casually accepted it and made small talk with Consort Hui.

Consort Hui had been in the palace for ten years, making her a palace veteran. In earlier years, the Jingxi Emperor had held her in high regard, but with his recent neglect of the rear palace, he rarely visited, cutting off her chances to speak to him directly.

Consort Hui was adaptable by nature—intelligent and studious, excelling in her annual evaluations, which had earned her rapid promotions. Through her own efforts, she had risen to her current position as a consort.

Now twenty-seven, she had no lofty ambitions, content to maintain her rank and live peacefully.

The Emperor’s sudden appearance at Langqin Palace set her mind racing, but after the initial flurry, she composed herself.

After half a cup of tea’s worth of small talk, the Jingxi Emperor got down to business.

He asked offhandedly, "Today’s lecture—what did the great scholar’s female disciple teach?"

Reading between the lines, Consort Hui hesitated briefly before summarizing the day’s events.

As someone who avoided conflict, she naturally wouldn’t complain about Princess De Ning—nor could she afford to offend her. But since the Emperor asked, she had no choice but to answer.

After finishing, she subtly observed the Jingxi Emperor, whose expression remained unreadable.

Consort Hui ventured cautiously, "After returning, Noble Lady Ning cried for a while."

At these words, the Jingxi Emperor’s eyes snapped to hers.

She immediately understood and continued, "I consoled her for a while before Noble Lady Ning stopped crying. Then she started counting on her fingers, working through some numbers."

Jingxi Emperor: "Calculating what?"

Consort Hui hesitated slightly before answering, "Tearfully and pitifully, she was calculating how long it would take to rise to the rank of Jieyu, then Zhao Yi, then Consort..."

She glanced at the Jingxi Emperor and added, "Noble Lady Ning hopes to share Your Majesty's bed, as that would help her advance faster."

The Jingxi Emperor cleared his throat.

Consort Hui quickly stopped speaking and stole a glance at him, only to see the Emperor pursing his lips, his face even faintly flushed.

She suddenly felt she had said something inappropriate...

At this moment, the Jingxi Emperor took a sip of tea and said diplomatically, "She still doesn’t quite understand the rules."

Consort Hui: "Your Majesty is right. Noble Lady Ning has an artless, spirited nature, which makes her quite endearing."

The Jingxi Emperor dropped the subject of A Wu, instead shifting the conversation to the tea, praising its flavor and Consort Hui’s skill at preparing tea.

Hearing this, Consort Hui naturally poured him another cup, making polite conversation.

She had assumed the Jingxi Emperor wouldn’t drink more, as the tea she had couldn't compare to what the Emperor usually enjoyed.

To her surprise, he leisurely drank it and continued chatting, complimenting her further.

Consort Hui suspected the Emperor felt exposed and was dragging out the conversation to mask his discomfort.

The Jingxi Emperor made a point of admiring Consort Hui’s calligraphy and paintings. When the topic turned to writing implements, he rewarded her with a fine inkstone and a set of newly arrived tribute brushes. Naturally, Consort Hui was delighted and profusely thanked him.

After two leisurely cups of tea, the Jingxi Emperor finally rose to leave.

Before departing, he ordered the Office of Imperial Household Affairs to issue the usual gifts.

According to the Jingxi Emperor’s unofficial practice, whenever he visited a consort’s chambers, it was considered an imperial favor, and gifts were always given.

A Wu, who received his favor daily, didn't receive these gifts.

Consort Hui naturally kowtowed gratefully and bid him farewell. Watching his procession leave, she sighed in relief, thinking he had finally gone.

His presence had made the air stifling over the entire Langqin Hall.

Still... today’s rewards were truly excellent!

After leaving Langqin Hall, the Jingxi Emperor hesitated momentarily as he passed by a side alley.

Fu Tai, standing nearby, cautiously asked, "Your Majesty?"

Gritting his teeth, the Jingxi Emperor muttered under his breath, "That impossible girl! She’s ruined all my dignity!"

Fu Tai was taken aback and suddenly had to stifle a laugh.

Suppressing his amusement, he advised, "Your Majesty, perhaps you should be more indulgent toward Noble Lady Ning. She’s new to the palace, and everything is difficult for her."

The Jingxi Emperor looked conflicted, remaining silent for a long while before suddenly scoffing, "I’ll ignore her! Let her sleep alone!"

Despite his words, he immediately summoned the female palace official on duty and others to press them for details.

Clearly, his Little Noble Lady had been wronged, bullied—perhaps even shedding quiet tears.

Recalling her calculated maneuvers today, the Jingxi Emperor smiled faintly and felt a pang of tenderness for her.

Not wishing to constrain her too much, he had seldom interfered with her affairs in the palace. Who would have thought she would harbor such quiet resentment without ever mentioning it to him?

Was she afraid? Though she usually seemed bold, she was no match for De Ning and could only endure it alone.

However, the Jingxi Emperor reacted calmly to De Ning's actions, showing no anger. He had long been aware of his daughter’s temperament.

Her mother, Li Shi, had initially appeared dutiful, but after conceiving, her demeanor became overbearing. The Jingxi Emperor couldn’t even bear to look at her, let alone visit her chambers. He merely tolerated her for their daughter's sake, summoning her once a month for an obligatory tea session to maintain appearances.

Before De Ning turned five, he had ascended the throne young and was overwhelmed with state affairs, unable to spare time for her. By the time the court was in order, he looked back to find De Ning's personality already mirroring that of Consort Kang.

Naturally displeased, he had once intended to correct her behavior. Yet, with the separation of palace and court affairs, and as his daughter grew older, it was no longer appropriate for him, as her father, to intervene directly. Compounded by the Empress Dowager’s indulgence and De Ning's own stubbornness, he let it go.

But now she had grown even more audacious, meddling in his harem affairs and acting with such arrogance.

Against De Ning's bullying, the little thing was completely out of her depth.

After a brief contemplation, the Jingxi Emperor instructed the Seal Eunuch and others to await his decree. He then rushed to the Empress Dowager’s quarters.