Chapter 75 Happiness

Chapter 75 Happiness

Because she was pregnant, A Wu had to ride leisurely in a carriage, enjoying the scenery.

The Jingxi Emperor accompanied Princess De Ning on a hunt and taught her archery.

From afar, A Wu watched the scene, imagining that once her own children were born, the Jingxi Emperor would surely teach them with the same patience. She couldn’t help feeling wistful.

Her feelings were mixed. Sometimes, when she looked at Princess De Ning, she felt a pang of envy, thinking that her own children must not fall short in comparison.

But at other times, she thought Princess De Ning was actually nice—she actually quite liked her.

She recalled the Jingxi Emperor’s words, that she would have to act as a mother toward De Ning in the future, and immediately felt uneasy.

Ugh... no way! She absolutely refused!

Lost in thought, by noon, everyone gathered for a meal. Whether she imagined it or not, A Wu noticed that Princess De Ning’s attitude toward her seemed to have changed—she was being cautious, even somewhat trying to please her?

De Ning was especially attentive, encouraging her to eat more of the freshly picked mushrooms and even glancing at her belly, asking if she felt unwell.

This made A Wu feel both flattered and puzzled, so she privately asked the Jingxi Emperor about it.

The Jingxi Emperor said dismissively, “I don’t know.”

A Wu snorted and ignored him after that.

After resting for the night, they rose early the next morning, and the Jingxi Emperor accompanied A Wu and Princess De Ning for a boat ride on the lake. To keep things elegant, the boat was rather small, and no attendants were aboard—the Imperial Guard and others waited nearby, on standby just in case.

At the sight of the oars, A Wu recognized them and grabbed one excitedly.

Princess De Ning stopped her, offering, “You don’t need to row—I’ll do it!”

A Wu also wanted to row, but since De Ning had jumped in first, she felt a little disappointed and gave the Jingxi Emperor a pleading look.

The Jingxi Emperor smiled and helped A Wu sit at the bow of the boat. “Let her try.”

A Wu: “But I want to too!”

It was her chance—she wanted to have some fun.

Princess De Ning: “You don’t know how, do you?”

A Wu: “I—”

Of course I do!

Princess De Ning: “You look like you couldn’t lift a feather—watch me!”

A Wu: “…”

Helpless, she had no choice but to give up.

The Jingxi Emperor chuckled and slipped an arm around A Wu’s waist. “Let her row. We’ll just enjoy ourselves.”

In such a public setting, A Wu felt a little embarrassed and tried to push him away, but in the end, she had no choice but to lean slightly against his shoulder.

However, Princess De Ning lacked experience, and soon the boat was going in circles on the lake, no matter how hard she tried.

The Jingxi Emperor was about to take over when A Wu eagerly volunteered, quickly grabbing the oar. With a few strokes, the boat moved forward smoothly, easy and effortless.

Princess De Ning: "..."

She gritted her teeth, her face flushed red as she exclaimed, "You actually know how to do this!"

The Jingxi Emperor chuckled heartily, "She grew up by the water since childhood. De Ning, you were teaching a fish to swim."

Princess De Ning let out a frustrated squeak, fuming, and flopped down at the bow of the boat, ignoring A Wu outright!

A Wu had no choice but to talk her down, and only then did Princess De Ning's mood grudgingly improve.

Once ashore, the three of them took tea in the waterside pavilion, where they noticed a folding screen and curtains set up, along with incense burners and stands, among which crimson coral glowed.

The Jingxi Emperor smiled and said, "The scenery today is splendid. De Ning, you once learned the qin—play us something?"

At this, Princess De Ning stammered nervously.

Seeing this, A Wu perked up and teased, "No way, right?"

Princess De Ning shot her a glance, "And you can?"

A Wu: "I studied it, so of course I can."

Amusement glimmered in the Jingxi Emperor's eyes as he said, "Excellent. May we request Imperial Noble Consort to play us something?"

A Wu: "..."

She felt a bit guilty but still replied, "There isn’t even a qin here."

Princess De Ning immediately egged her on, "Father, fetch Imperial Noble Consort a qin!"

The Jingxi Emperor chuckled, "Very well."

A Wu grew even more uneasy and grumbled under her breath, "Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager said that Your Majesty excels in this art. Since that’s the case, why insist on having a novice like me perform? Wouldn’t that be teaching a fish to swim?"

Her clear, dark eyes slowly slid toward him as she added, "If I mess up, you’ll just laugh at me again!"

What’s worse, he’d probably drag Princess De Ning into mocking her too. She felt somewhat aggrieved, convinced that father and daughter were ganging up on her.

The Jingxi Emperor: "No teasing, I promise. How could I?"

Princess De Ning also chimed in, "Right! I’d never mock anyone!"

The Jingxi Emperor: "If you can manage to play even a simple melody, I’ll give you a reward."

A Wu: "Reward? What reward?"

The Jingxi Emperor smiled at her, "Name your prize."

Her face lit up: "Deal."

With a wave of his hand, the Jingxi Emperor summoned attendants, who promptly brought forth a qin.

A Wu looked over and saw that the instrument resembled a banana leaf—its head slightly curved downward like a stem, its edges gently upturned, the body gracefully curved, undulating like a stream.

Having studied the qin, she couldn’t help but admire, "This qin is truly exquisite."

Princess De Ning also leaned in, "This is a *jiaoye qin*." (A type of qin shaped like a banana leaf.)

A Wu was astonished. She’d heard that many qin-makers spent their entire lives striving to craft a single masterful *jiaoye qin*.

The Jingxi Emperor's finely carved fingers lightly traced the body of the qin as he remarked casually, "This was crafted by the contemporary qin-maker Zhu Gongwang. Observe the ripple-like grain patterns across its body—each undulation produces notes that undulate like flowing water, distinct from ordinary guqins."

He lifted his gaze with a smile. "Care to try?"

A Wu feared her mediocre skills would only waste such an exquisite instrument.

Reading her hesitation, the Jingxi Emperor reassured, "It’s fine. Even if it’s out of tune, I shall listen all the same."

A Wu laughed sheepishly. "Fine, I’ll try—but neither of you may laugh!"

The two chorused their agreement in unison.

Tentatively, A Wu began to play. The famed 'banana-leaf' qin lived up to its reputation—crafted by a master, its extraordinary quality was evident from the first touch.

Her fingers coaxed forth clear, resonant notes that undulated like flowing water, rising and falling with the leaf-like curves of the qin, flowing and lingering in graceful undulations.

She had recently practiced *High Mountains and Flowing Water*, and now seemed the perfect moment to perform it.

Encouraged by the emperor’s words, she relaxed, and though there were a few flubs here and there, the piece turned out pretty decent overall.

Princess De Ning gaped, dumbstruck, incredulous that after such brief study, A Wu could play so well.

As the final note faded, A Wu exhaled slowly and met the Jingxi Emperor’s gaze—only to find him watching her intently.

Their eyes locked, and he smiled, approval gleaming in his eyes.

A Wu sighed in relief. She must have played decently after all!

After this outing, Princess De Ning grew closer to A Wu, frequently visiting Langhua Palace to play. She would curiously touch A Wu’s belly, feeling for the baby inside.

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

Truthfully, A Wu harbored no dislike for the princess. Their compatible temperaments and similar ages fostered a deepening bond, to the point where even former allies like Consort Hui and Zhao Yi seemed pushed aside.

To the rest of the palace, this was downright shocking.

Consort Kang, however, was furious. She lashed out at Princess De Ning, accusing her of betrayal.

Yet the princess shot back, leaving Consort Kang speechless.

"Mother," Princess De Ning concluded, "Father’s coldness all these years—have you ever considered why?"

After her father’s earlier remarks, she had discreetly investigated and learned of her mother’s past—once cautious and humble, she’d gotten too big for her britches after bearing a child, even throwing other consorts under the chariot.

Great Hui’s harem strictly forbade such scheming, and the emperor, keen-eyed as he was, had noticed and grown displeased, gradually withdrawing his favor.

At first, he maintained minimal courtesy, summoning her monthly for appearances. But over time, he’d had enough, and cut her off completely.

"Given your past actions," the princess said bluntly, "without me, you might not even hold the rank of Zhao Yi now."

Her perspective broadened, and everything became clear.

With a sigh of exasperation, she admonished, "Father has always been fair and generous to his consorts. With a daughter at your side, your future is secure—he would never mistreat you. But if you insist on childish scheming and jealousy, your plots are nothing but petty games. Do you truly think Father doesn’t see through them?"

He had long seen—and coldly disregarded—them.

Consort Kang, however, refused to listen. "Now you’re taking that hussy’s side?" she spat. "One trip outside, a few trinkets, and you’d trade your own mother for scraps!"

A while back, that would’ve cut deep. Now, she just smirked.

"So what if I did?" A Wu retorted. "Isn’t the money, the rank, the cash you sneak to Uncle—all from Father? You eat off his table, yet demand more while condemning me. What logic is that?"

She continued, "If I were to follow the principle of 'whoever feeds me is my mother,' at least I would have a conscience and acknowledge her as such. But what about you, Mother? Isn't this biting the hand that feeds you?"

Consort Kang was stunned. Previously, this daughter had been entirely under her control, easily manipulated. How had a single trip outside changed her so drastically?

She glared in disbelief, "You—you must have been bewitched by that little fox spirit! First, she seduced the Crown Prince, then your father, and now she’s even got you doing her dirty work!"

This only further incensed Princess De Ning. "What nonsense are you spouting, Mother? Is this really Imperial Noble Consort's fault? She’s just a powerless woman—how could she possibly have any say in the matter? If anyone is to blame, shouldn’t it be my elder brother or Father? Deep down, you know this. You’re just kowtowing to those above you and avoiding those truly responsible, shifting all the blame onto a defenseless woman. In short, you're picking on those weaker than you!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Clenching her fists, she paced back and forth in her chamber. "You took advantage of my youth, telling me all these lies to deceive me!"

As the only princess in Great Hui’s imperial harem, Princess De Ning had been doted on by the Grand Empress Dowager, which fostered her spoiled and stubborn temperament—though this stubbornness also made her prone to seeing things in absolutes.

Before, she had bullied A Wu, believing she was punishing evil and praising good. But now, realizing she had been misled, she felt nothing but resentment toward those who had deceived her. Even the Crown Princess now seemed detestable in her eyes, nothing more than a bully relying on her status.

Ultimately, if she had simply tolerated A Wu back then, none of this would have happened!

Moreover, she had been told all these horrible things about A Wu, but after spending time with her, she knew the truth was entirely different.

In short, she would no longer trust those who had deceived her.

Consort Kang listened to her daughter’s reasoning, her face turned deathly pale, nearly fainting from rage.

In despair, she thought, *All my effort raising her was wasted!*

**********

Unaware of the conflict between Consort Kang and Princess De Ning, A Wu remained in the dark—Jingxi Emperor ensured no word reached her to avoid unnecessary worry.

One day, however, A Wu heard that Princess De Ning had moved into her own quarters, living separately. Surprised, she asked about it.

Princess De Ning said indifferently, "Living alone is much more comfortable—no more listening to complaints."

Her relationship with Consort Kang had deteriorated, their conversations ending in tears and frustration. She had nothing left to say.

In truth, after calming down, she considered her father’s stance. If her mother would just show some humility, she might be able to plead for her to regain her former status—provided her mother behaved.

But Consort Kang refused to listen. What else could she do? All she wanted now was some peace and quiet.

A Wu nodded. "I can understand that."

Princess De Ning sighed. "I’ve realized we can't see eye to eye with elders. When Father chooses a husband for me, I’ll make sure he’s an orphan!"

A Wu gave her an astonished look. What a shocking thing to say—only Princess De Ning would dare utter such words.

Princess De Ning added, "Or better yet, marry far away. That would be even quieter."

A Wu gave her a long, thoughtful look.

Truthfully, if Princess De Ning were to leave, A Wu would miss her—after all, she was one of the few people she could have fun with.

Lately, aside from the other consorts, Princess De Ning often visited to play leaf cards with her. A Wu’s days had become quite pleasant.

She had even grown fond of the game. Since she didn’t lose her own money when defeated, she played without a care. Sometimes, after heavy losses, she would whine to the Jingxi Emperor at night, who, unable to bear her distress, would lavish her with gifts—even opening his private treasury for her to pick out jewelry.

The only thing troubling her was Zhao Yi. Recently, Zhao Yi had been absent-minded.

During the recent Shangsi Festival, female palace officials and palace maids were allowed to send letters to their families and even briefly meet them outside the western gate.

Zhao Yi had received another letter from her childhood sweetheart, leaving her despondent.

Hearing this, A Wu's heart went out to her. Thinking of her own brother, Ye Han, she couldn’t help but empathize with Zhao Yi’s plight.

That evening, to A Wu's surprise, the Jingxi Emperor spent the night at Langhua Hall, as he had rarely done so since she became pregnant.

The palace physicians were strict about this matter and kept a close watch, more concerned than anyone about A Wu's well-being.

One could say that the safe and healthy birth of A Wu's child was their best opportunity for advancement in this lifetime—even a matter of life and death.

Noticing A Wu's surprise, the Jingxi Emperor gazed into her eyes and said, "I want to hold you while we sleep."

The affection in his eyes was unmistakable. A Wu lowered her head and gave a soft 'mm'.

Later, after washing up and changing clothes, A Wu assisted the Jingxi Emperor with his robes, though her large belly made it somewhat inconvenient.

The Jingxi Emperor said, "I can manage on my own."

A Wu smiled. "Alright."

As they chatted, the Jingxi Emperor asked what A Wu had been up to lately, and she recounted everything in detail.

When she mentioned playing card games, A Wu whined pitifully about losing money again, prompting the Jingxi Emperor to raise an eyebrow.

He leaned down, studying her closely with suspicion.

A Wu grew nervous, her eyes darting around. "What is Your Majesty looking at?"

The Jingxi Emperor said with a cold smile, "You've been losing money quite often lately, haven't you?"

A Wu sulked. "A Wu isn't skilled at cards, what can I do..."

The Jingxi Emperor shot her a frosty glance. "Who did you play with today?"

A Wu answered in a tiny voice, "Lady Sun the Zhao Yi, Attendant Wang, and Consort Li."

The Jingxi Emperor immediately understood, both exasperated and amused. "You little schemer!"

A Wu exclaimed. "Your Majesty! They're just small sums, and they are your imperial consorts after all!"

The Jingxi Emperor shot her a frosty glance, too lazy to respond.

A Wu edged closer carefully to explain, "Attendant Wang is just a minor ninth-rank attendant. Her monthly stipend isn't much, yet she has to reward her subordinates and support her parents and elder brother. She struggles to make ends meet."

The Jingxi Emperor scoffed. "You're spoiled."

Even a minor ninth-rank attendant could support her parents and brother—the imperial court's stipends were already generous.

Though the imperial coffers were currently full, Great Hui's vast territory meant endless expenses cropping up everywhere. As an emperor, the Jingxi Emperor naturally sought to cut unnecessary expenditures and accumulate wealth for the court's treasury, preparing for unforeseen needs.

In the past, he had also considered the costs of maintaining the imperial harem. The current imperial consorts remained as a matter of courtly prestige, but he saw no need to bring in new ones, which would only waste resources. Thus, for years, he'd stopped adding to the harem.

If truly talented women with ambitions wished to enter the palace, they could serve as palace administrators, assisting with the management of palace affairs—putting their talents to good use.

He had even once considered reassigning the current imperial consorts into palace administrators to help with palace duties, but the Empress Dowager pleaded with him in tears, forcing him to abandon the idea.

Recalling this, he glanced at A Wu and said indifferently, "After you give birth and recover, you ought to learn to run things."

A Wu retorted, "When we have Her Majesty the Empress, what need is there for me to run anything?"

The Jingxi Emperor listened without another word.

But A Wu felt there was something unspoken in his silence.

She glanced sideways at him, then thought his expression seemed normal—perhaps she had misread him.

The Jingxi Emperor arched a brow at her probing look. "The Empress is ill and won’t recover anytime soon. If you don’t step up, who will?"

A Wu shot back, "If I’m to manage the household, does that mean I can do whatever I want?"

The Jingxi Emperor eyed her ambitious look with suspicion. "What do you want to do?"

A Wu then brought up Zhao Yi, displeased. "If you’re not going to bed her, why keep her tied down?"

The Jingxi Emperor was slightly surprised, then amused. "Where’s this sourness coming from today?"

A Wu blinked in surprise.

The Jingxi Emperor smiled at her and patiently explained, "Zhao Yi is indeed exceptionally beautiful, and I do find her stunning. But relax—I’ve seen every kind of beauty there is."

A Wu grew even more surprised, realizing he had misunderstood.

She said disinterestedly, "Why would I be jealous? She’s yours to do with as you please. If you want to take her to bed, go ahead. What does it have to do with me?"

The Jingxi Emperor frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

A Wu blinked in confusion. "What could I mean?"

The Jingxi Emperor said seriously, "If I really did take someone else to bed, how would you feel?"

A Wu: "Harem rules forbid jealousy outright. We’re all sisters here—no petty grudges!"

The Jingxi Emperor iced her with a look. Seeing no pretense in her words, his gaze turned icy.

His lips quirking faintly, he said, "How *noble* of you, Consort."

A Wu looked at him in puzzlement before finally understanding.

She then sidled up to him, voice honeyed. "Naturally, I’d ache if you favored another. I just wouldn’t say it out loud. After all, all the harem ladies are your consorts—it’s only natural."

The Jingxi Emperor scrutinized her charming smile with a cold gaze. "Shut up."

A Wu looked at him, confused.

The Jingxi Emperor: "You can’t even fake jealousy properly. This jealousy’s faker than a three-dollar bill."

A Wu: "..."

She hadn’t expected him to be so difficult and grew somewhat annoyed. "So what’s your game, then?"

The Jingxi Emperor pressed his lips together. Truthfully, he didn’t know what he wanted from her either.

A prince since birth, he’d married young, before he even understood love, and then became emperor half-asleep to it all, acquiring an empress and consorts.

Burdened with state affairs, he saw the harem women as nothing but headaches—useless baggage. He treated them like court officials, detesting their catfights, even criticizing the Crown Princess for lacking the grace to share.

But now, he realized how wrong he had been.

His eyes darkened. "You really *are* heartless."

A Wu froze—those words rang a bell. Wasn’t that exactly what Lu Yunjian had once said?

Was she truly so unfeeling that two men had said the same thing to her?

She truly didn’t understand.

Emperor Jingxi turned his head to look at her: "What’s the matter? Has the heartless one lost her tongue?"

A Wu remained silent.

Helpless: "This concubine doesn't know what Your Majesty wishes to hear!"

The Jingxi Emperor stared at her in silence for a long while before suddenly crooking his finger, signaling her to come closer.

Sensing his displeasure, A Wu had no intention of provoking him further. She obediently stepped forward, putting on her most guileless look.

The Jingxi Emperor said without inflection: "So, what did you mean by bringing up Consort Meng?"

A Wu hesitated.

The Jingxi Emperor commanded: "Speak."

A Wu stammered: "If I speak, you mustn’t blame anyone else."

She bit her lip: "If I cause trouble for others because of this, I’d rather die."

The Jingxi Emperor coldly ordered: "Henceforth, never utter that word in front of me."

Only then did A Wu speak: "I think Consort Meng is truly a delicate beauty. Since you show her no favor, keeping her in the palace is meaningless. Could you let her leave?"

The Jingxi Emperor raised an eyebrow and sighed lightly: "Noble Consort, do you realize what you’re saying? Since ancient times, has there ever been a case of releasing someone from the harem? What, should she remarry then?"

Seeing his mocking expression, A Wu had no choice but to drop it: "I merely spoke thoughtlessly. If you don’t want to, forget it!"

She had tried to discuss it politely, only to be rebuffed. A Wu felt completely deflated.

She gave him a wounded look and couldn’t help muttering under her breath.

The Jingxi Emperor noticed her reproachful look and raised an eyebrow: "What did you say?"

A Wu quickly shook her head: "N-nothing."

What she had muttered was definitely not something he should hear—otherwise, she’d probably be consigned to the cold palace immediately.

If not that, she’d at least be forced to transcribe sutras a hundred times over and reflect in seclusion.

But to her surprise, a few days later, Consort Meng suddenly arrived. The moment she entered, she fell to her knees before A Wu, her face filled with gratitude.