Chapter 14: Disliked by Him
He said it casually, but it made Zhao Yiyi’s heart skip a beat. Her eyelashes fluttered rapidly several times, and she hesitantly said, “Your Majesty…what do you mean?”
“Nothing, I just thought that the Empress acted strangely after getting drunk last night. If the Empress has forgotten, it’s a good thing.”
A surge of irritation suddenly flashed through Gu Zhen’s heart, and his voice was somewhat cold.
Zhao Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief, secretly thinking that aside from those two things, what else had she done that was strange? She merely lowered her head and said, “I got drunk last night and caused Your Majesty trouble. Please forgive me.”
A strange feeling suddenly arose, yet she couldn’t tell what it was.
For some reason, Gu Zhen felt that the Empress was somewhat different from usual.
In his confusion, he subconsciously looked down at Zhao Yiyi’s wrist. The camellia-patterned cuffs were slightly raised, revealing a string of green jade beads. Her smooth and delicate skin was almost indistinguishable from the jade.
He secretly thought that the gold bracelet was even more suitable for her.
“You know it’s fine,” Gu Zhen snorted lightly, his gaze sweeping over her ankle, hidden by the light purple skirt, he asked in a low voice, “Since it wasn’t fully healed yesterday, why did you go horseback riding?”
Zhao Yiyi lowered her head, after a long time, she softly said, “I thought it was already healed, and it was such a rare opportunity to go out…”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly.
The atmosphere around them stiffened again.
After last night, this was the first time Gu Zhen realized that the Empress’s character was so unique; she wouldn’t even share a bracelet with others. Occasionally stubborn, she was more stubborn than anyone else.
Gu Zhen took a deep breath, turned his head unwilling to look at her, and his gaze inadvertently swept over the string of jade beads. He said in a slightly cold voice, “This bead string is quite suitable for the Empress’s complexion.”
Zhao Yiyi was startled and lowered her head to respectfully say, “Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty.”
At this point, Gu Zhen finally understood what was wrong.
Normally, the Empress would have eagerly shared with him where she obtained the jade beads, what materials they were made of, and how much she liked them.
Today, however, she only said a simple thank you.
Her expression was also somewhat weary.
Thinking that it was his previous words that had frightened her, Gu Zhen paused and said softly, “Since it’s not yet healed, don’t stand.”
After he left, Zhao Yiyi visibly relaxed. His thoughts were always profound, and she didn’t know whether he believed her words or not.
However, whether he believed it or not, it seemed that he didn’t intend to pursue it further.
Last night’s incident was still a thorn in her heart.
After all these years, she finally took advantage of her drunkenness to be bold, tentatively reaching out, only to have him cut her off at the elbow.
After returning to her ceremonial carriage, Zhao Yiyi took out a small piece of paper from her sleeve and slowly unfolded it with her slender fingers.
It was given to her by Zhao Weimin before he left.
After seeing what was written on it, Zhao Yiyi couldn’t help but chuckle.
Yunzhu curiously asked, “Your Majesty, what is this?”
“Nothing, just some messy things,” Zhao Yiyi said calmly, rubbing her temples.
According to Zhao Weimin, this was a prescription for women to conceive, supposedly found for her by Mrs. Xu. She had been married for two years without any news, and it was time to use it.
If a new woman enters the palace, she won’t even have a chance to cry.
He hid it well, but Zhao Yiyi still heard the disdain in his words.
At the beginning of their marriage, countless people had given her this kind of prescription; all kinds of them. The most ironic thing was that all these prescriptions were not as reliable as the Empress Dowager’s.
Suddenly feeling annoyed, Zhao Yiyi forcefully threw the paper into the tea.
During these few days at the Xianong Altar, all major government affairs were directly sent to the Xianong Altar. Therefore, the government affairs were not neglected, and not many documents piled up.
Gu Zhen handled them with ease.
However, palace affairs were not as important as government affairs, so no one specifically sent them to the Xianong Altar. As soon as Zhao Yiyi returned, she was faced with a mountain of palace affairs.
She was never fast at handling official matters, and now, she was busy until it was time to light the lamps.
Like the Empress’s apartments, the atmosphere in Wanchun Palace was somewhat tense these days.
“The Emperor came back today and immediately immersed himself in the Zi Chen Palace to handle government affairs; he didn’t even come to see me,” the Empress Dowager turned her head and sighed to Concubine He.
She had finally brought someone into the palace, and it just so happened that the Emperor had to go to the Xianong Altar. Even so, he actually took the Empress with him.
Concubine He gently comforted her, “His Majesty is busy with state affairs, he naturally doesn’t have much free time.” Seeing the worry between the Empress Dowager’s brows, she couldn’t help but suggest, “His Majesty is tired from paperwork, why doesn’t my elder sister have someone make some snacks His Majesty likes and send them over?”
As for who to send, it went without saying.
The Empress Dowager thought about it and found the method feasible, and slowly smiled, “Not bad, Xunling is beautiful and attractive, who would not be interested?”
However, she felt insecure. Before the Empress got married, her beauty had already been renowned throughout Luoyang City. Even women would be attracted to that face.
He Xunling was indeed quite pretty, with a pink face and a peach-like complexion. She was a charming little beauty. However, when she stood next to the Empress, she was like a star next to the moon.
Bathing in the moonlight, she had no light of her own.
“I’m a little insecure,” the Empress Dowager patted her chest and looked at the迎春(迎春花 – Jasminum nudiflorum) outside the window, lost in thought, “In a few days, the迎春 flowers will bloom, let’s hold an appreciation banquet.”
Gu Zhen was in a good mood today. From the intelligence sent back by Jiang Jiayan from Henan, things were progressing smoothly.
Holding the secretly sent list of corrupt officials in Henan, he sneered at Prince Yan, “Henan is adjacent to the capital, these people are mostly my father’s confidants, spoiled by him. Now, they are becoming increasingly arrogant, thinking that I have only been on the throne for a short time.”
The person in front of him was already Emperor, so it was fine for him to say a few words. However, Prince Yan dared not criticize his late father. He lowered his head slightly, only saying, “They even dared to touch the relief funds sent by Imperial Brother; they should be severely punished. Mingchen’s methods are enough to silence those people.”
Mingchen was Jiang Jiayan’s courtesy name. He ostensibly carried out relief efforts and secretly investigated corruption. In just a short period of time, he thoroughly investigated the officials in Henan and submitted the list and evidence to Gu Zhen.
Gu Zhen put away the list and casually picked up a memorial on the desk to read.
As soon as he read the beginning, he frowned, “Zhao Weimin, is his mind not clear these days? He seems to love opposing me. These trivial matters make me angry just looking at him.”
And the Empress was as stubborn as he was.
“Perhaps he’s trying to get Your Majesty’s attention,” Prince Yan thought this method might work on his father, but it would only disgust his Imperial Brother. After saying this softly, he added, “Marquis Huai’an is the Imperial Sister-in-law’s father. Since they are trivial matters, Your Majesty can simply ignore them and let him think about it himself.”
Gu Zhen felt inexplicably irritated. After Prince Yan left, he beckoned and asked, “Where is the Empress?”
Wu Mao had gone to the Empress’s apartments to deliver things today. Hearing this, he quickly replied, “There’s been a lot of palace affairs these days, and I only finished half of it this afternoon. Your Majesty must still be reviewing it.”
Gu Zhen closed his eyes slightly, thinking for a moment that she was so slow, then he worried about her ankle.
After a moment of contemplation, he rubbed his eyebrows in slight irritation and said softly, “Go to the Empress’s apartments.”
Hearing that His Majesty was going to the Empress’s apartments, Wu Mao hurriedly wanted to send someone to announce it, but he saw that the Emperor had already stood up, “No need to announce it.”
When the lamps were lit, Zhao Yiyi found that she still had a small portion of palace affairs left.
Yunzhu felt sorry for her and persuaded her to rest first and deal with them tomorrow morning.
But tomorrow, new affairs would come.
Zhao Yiyi looked at the palace affairs gloomily, reminiscent of her childhood, when she had to cram all night to prepare for her teacher’s next day’s inspection.
She suddenly felt like crying.
“Not finished yet?”
A clear voice suddenly sounded, Zhao Yiyi’s breath hitched, and she trembled as she turned to look.
Gu Zhen glanced at her, took the palace affairs from her hand, lowered his head and glanced at them, saying with a slight disdain, “Can’t you even do something this simple?”
This time, Zhao Yiyi really cried.
Author’s Note:
Gu Zhen: Let me see who is not being a good person again? Oh! It’s me!
Looking at the progress bar, there are probably one or two more big plots, I will try to write them out as soon as possible!
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