novelraw Chapter 597: The Cannon Fodder Consort Who Failed in the Succession Struggle (9)
Chapter 597: The Cannon Fodder Consort Who Failed in the Succession Struggle (9)
After a simple wash, An Ning emerged from the bathing chamber once more, a good while later.
As night fell, the inner hall was already lit by lamps tended to by palace servants. The warm yellow light wasn't glaring; instead, it made people's complexions appear even more lustrous and radiant.
Especially at this moment, clad in a gown of pearl-white silk, her hair, smooth and glossy like the finest satin, lay obediently over her shoulders. Although the willful arrogance on her face hadn't diminished, her slightly reddened eye rims and the crimson bead of her lower lip now inexplicably gave off a hint of docility.
And right now, without a word, she took off her shoes, climbed onto the bed, ignored everyone, and simply grabbed the quilt, burrowing into it.
Ah, so her temper tantrum wasn't over yet, but her body was already exhausted.
Even though he had just been angered back to "life" this morning, after all that fury, and now lightly inhaling her familiar scent, Emperor Xuanming couldn't help but feel a smile tugging at him.
Especially seeing this person unceremoniously snatch away most of his quilt, then, as if remembering something, reluctantly push a bit of it back towards him.
This consideration… truly hard-won!
His Majesty couldn't help but sigh, yet still reached out a hand to gently draw her closer.
In the darkness, a voice tinged with a hint of amusement spoke:"My beloved consort doesn't seem to mind the constant, hard-to-bear smell of medicine around me anymore!"
"Cough, cough… Earlier, I wonder who it was that wasn't too willing to stay and keep me company a little longer!"
He even silently counted down three, two, one in his heart!
Sure enough, just as he reached the last number, from beneath the brocade quilt, a foot unsurprisingly kicked him in the shin.
Following it came a muffled, sulky snort.
Perhaps mindful of something, even with that grievance, the kick wasn't very heavy. But seeing her like this today, unusually cautious, compared to her previous fearless boldness, His Majesty felt a complicated, sour taste in his heart.
Especially thinking of this morning's farce, a flash of something savage unconsciously passed through Xiao Qi's eyes in the dark. Yet, feeling the person beside him instinctively snuggling closer, his brow unconsciously smoothed.
Fresh from her bath, the person in his arms still carried the familiar, warm fragrance. With her movements, this domineering scent of osmanthus filled the entire bedding, dispersing most of the lingering bitter medicinal smell inside the bed curtains in moments.
But, speaking of which, the scent on Yue'er's body hasn't been changed for quite some time now, has it?
Thinking this, a trace of amusement returned to Emperor Xuanming's eyes in the darkness.
Having shared a bed and pillow for over a decade, Xiao Qi undoubtedly understood the preferences of the person before him.
A lover of magnificent clothes and beautiful adornments, or rather, someone who adored all beautiful things. On a whim, without needing anyone else, she could spend a long time admiring herself in the mirror, utterly enchanted.
Even back when she first attended the bedchamber, she had stared at his face, and his body, for quite a while before slowly crawling onto the bed.
This person loved luxury, and all kinds of incense were undoubtedly one of her great loves. But she was also the most impatient, her fickleness incredibly swift. Often, she loved rose scent today, only to toss it aside tomorrow and fall for orchid fragrance. Just like the piles of precious jewels, hairpins, and gorgeous robes she had worn only a few times before casually discarding them to gather dust.
Yesterday she thought butterflies were beautiful; after a while, she'd find the insects truly detestable.
A child's temper, quick to love, quick to loathe.
Just like the Empress Dowager position she had once yearned for heart and soul. In Xiao Qi's view, it was likely also a passing fancy, influenced by hearing others talk about its benefits. In reality, she probably couldn't even be bothered to think deeply about what that position truly represented.
Even death, which everyone fears, felt distant from her.
Thus, although Emperor Xuanming had been angry earlier, he wasn't truly incensed.
Yet, such a fickle person hadn't even noticed that the incense used for bathing hadn't been changed for a long while.
And today's various behaviors…
It showed that although the Imperial Noble Consort might be naive and unaware of many things, in her heart, she might not be indifferent to me.
Yue'er just hasn't had her heart awakened to love yet!
Gently stroking the satin-like hair of the person before him in the dark, feeling the soft body continuously snuggling closer, barely suppressing the restlessness in his heart, Xiao Qi couldn't help but think:
Even he himself, had it not been for this incident, wouldn't have realized that, unconsciously, the Imperial Noble Consort had already occupied such a significant place in his heart.
Even on the brink of death, hearing Yue'er's cries could still stir fury in his heart, even breaking through the boundary between life and death…
Yes, as An Ning had previously surmised.
After this battle, not only the civil and military officials of the Front Court and Rear Palace, the princes and consorts, but even Emperor Xuanming himself, unaware of the inside story, suddenly realized that he had, without noticing, fallen utterly, devastatingly in love with the Imperial Noble Consort.
"Ah, I originally thought His Majesty had lost his head over the Imperial Noble Consort, even to the point of… the Crown Prince's position… Now it seems, His Majesty… he was actually still too rational!"
After court adjourned, a minister couldn't help but sigh in relief.
Especially seeing that since that day, His Majesty had indeed been recovering day by day, and now could even manage to attend morning court.
Yet, just earlier, he had been at death's door.
What was this for, if not fear that a new emperor ascending the throne would not tolerate the Imperial Noble Consort's faction, especially the Imperial Noble Consort herself.
"This is all 'love'!"
Not far away, a civil official known for his poetic talent couldn't help but speak up.
Although most people present couldn't comprehend it.
The imperial family, and the emperor at that, talking about love, my ass!
But even so, upon realizing the Third Prince's lack of capability, he was still willing to set aside personal feelings for the sake of the nation. Personally deposing the son of the beloved he had desperately tried to protect.
And now, even though furious at the Crown Prince's birth mother for becoming arrogant upon success and intolerant of others, he hadn't truly taken it out on the Crown Prince.
This… was worthy of admiration. After all, in this life, who doesn't have some selfish desires? And to love to this extent…
"It shows His Majesty is not muddle-headed, but excessively rational! The nation comes first!"
As these words fell, the assembled ministers nodded one after another.
Many felt even more emotional in their hearts, especially putting themselves in his shoes. If one day, right after kicking the bucket, the successor one had painstakingly cultivated, or that successor's mother, destroyed everything one held precious… Just thinking about it, that would truly be…
Just the thought, no, my blood pressure is about to shoot up.
Perhaps due to this bit of regret, or perhaps because "a dead man coming back to life," especially the Son of Heaven himself, was simply too bizarre, aside from secretly mocking Beauty Qi for kicking her son's throne away at the very last moment, it wasn't long before this anecdote spread throughout the capital and beyond, even showing signs of spreading further.
For a time, in various places around the capital, many literati and scholars, inspired, wrote countless stunningly brilliant poems and essays, each with considerable circulation.
At first, everyone was stealthy, using anonymity. Later, seeing that His Majesty showed no intention of investigating, and with the law not punishing the multitude, plus it not damaging the reputations of His Majesty or the crown prince, this anecdote spread even more widely.
Poems, novels, and especially in places slightly farther from the capital, operas adapted from this story emerged endlessly. Of course, with a tragic protagonist who loved so deeply it transcended life and death, yet still sacrificed personal feelings for the nation, there naturally were corresponding villainous supporting characters.
Ah, without a doubt, Beauty Qi, who thought victory was assured, started celebrating at halftime, and kicked her son's throne away with one foot, was one of them.
Beauty Qi, still under house arrest, was "kindly" informed: "!!!"
"Your Highness, please do not worry. This matter ultimately damages Your Highness's pure reputation. The Crown Prince will surely not stand idly by."
Hearing this, a maid nearby hastily spoke up.
Although the Beauty has now fallen from favor and is despised by His Majesty, as long as the Crown Prince remains, there might still be a chance for a comeback in the future. Therefore, the personal palace maid was still quite diligent.
Unexpectedly, after she finished speaking, she heard the person before her sneer coldly:
"Yes, you said it damages my pure reputation, not his. Why should he be in a hurry?"
Uh, this… The young palace maid was just about to say something about shared glory and shared loss, but saw her mistress had already turned and walked into the inner hall without looking back.
The palace maid: "..."