Youning Palace.
Her skin glistening with sweat, Noble Consort Li tried to push herself up, only to be struck by a wave of soreness throughout her body.
"Hiss..."
Zhao Zheng, sitting beside her in his inner garments, supported her delicate shoulder and asked softly, "How is my beloved consort feeling?"
Knowing full well what caused it, Noble Consort Li pouted playfully, "Your Majesty has not shared a bed with this concubine for so long that I am somewhat unaccustomed to it."
Recalling the tempestuous passion of the previous night, her pretty face flushed red.
Clearly, the Emperor had just recovered from a serious illness; how was it that he was now as full of vigor as if he had taken an aphorism tonic?
"Judging by what my beloved says, it seems you are still not satisfied!" Zhao Zheng chuckled, wrapping his arm around her slender waist.
Pleading for mercy, Noble Consort Li said, "This concubine wouldn't dare. Your Majesty's sacred body has only just recovered, how could I possibly..."
Before she could finish, Zhao Zheng pressed her down beneath him and smiled, "My love, I have already granted the request you made of me. Shouldn't you now grant one of mine?"
"This concubine doesn't understand Your Majesty's meaning?" Blushing, Noble Consort Li shook her head repeatedly.
"I issued an imperial decree releasing your family and restoring your father to his former official post. How do you plan to repay me?"
Hearing this news, Noble Consort Li's spirit surged. Overjoyed, she pushed herself up from the bed despite her exhausted body and knelt on the floor.
"Your concubine kowtows on behalf of her parents and family to thank Your Majesty for your boundless grace! Whatever request Your Majesty wishes of me, I am willing to give my all."
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Zhao Zheng looked down at her with a broad smile. "I want you to assist in managing the six palaces. You won't let me down, will you?"
Noble Consort Li never imagined happiness could arrive so suddenly.
In a single night, she had regained imperial favor, her father had been released, and she had now been granted the authority to assist in managing the six palaces.
For a moment, she found it difficult to fathom the emperor before her, unable to understand what he was really plotting.
Could His Majesty intend to entrust her with such a heavy responsibility so she could keep Empress Qian in check?
And what of Consort Zhang? Had she fallen out of favor?
Could the rumors in the palace that His Majesty and Consort Zhang had a falling out be true after all?
With tears welling in her eyes and not daring to ask too many questions, Noble Consort Li quickly prostrated herself.
"This concubine accepts the decree and gives thanks for the grace!"
"My love, I wish to make amends for the debt I owe you all these years. If you have any other requests, just speak them, and I will do my best to grant them."
For Zhao Zheng, Youning Palace was his stronghold.
No matter what kind of person Noble Consort Li truly was, if he wanted to secure a safe place to sleep within the inner court, he had to win over this foreign woman whom the Emperor of Dazhen had discarded like a worn-out shoe.
Snuggling into Zhao Zheng's arms, Noble Consort Li pouted coquettishly, "Your Majesty has already done more than enough for this concubine these past few days. I am already completely satisfied and dare not ask for anything more. Only recently Su'er has been making a fuss about wanting to see his imperial father. This concubine only asks that Your Majesty spare some leisure time to see Su'er!"
Zhao Zheng smiled.
As expected, none of the women in the Emperor of Dazhen's inner court were easy to handle.
One moment she claimed she dared not ask for more, and the next she was scheming for her child to secure the position of crown prince.
Having just been given the power to assist in managing the inner court, she now wanted to become the empress dowager — such was human nature!
As long as she had greed in her heart, she would be easier for him to control, which was a good thing for Zhao Zheng.
"What my beloved says is true. I fell gravely ill some time ago, and it made me realize many things. Life is unpredictable, and I would not want to pass away one day without having seen my princes and princesses more than a few times. Why not have my beloved arrange a family banquet, inviting all the consorts of the inner court as well as the princes and princesses to attend?"
Noble Consort Li bowed and said, "This concubine obeys the decree."
"My love, I still have affairs of state to attend to. I will come to see you another day."
Noble Consort Li widened her pretty eyes, momentarily stunned.
Why was His Majesty not staying the night at Youning Palace today?
Could it be that she had been too impatient and shouldn't have mentioned the Second Prince?
Watching Zhao Zheng's retreating figure, Noble Consort Li was filled with vexation.
Seeing the Emperor depart, Qingniao hurried into the bedchamber.
"Your Ladyship, why has His Majesty left?"
Sighing, Noble Consort Li said, "His Majesty is suspicious. Bringing up the Second Prince displeased him."
"Your Ladyship was foolish! Having finally won His Majesty's favor, you should have nurtured it slowly for the long term. Why rush?"
Taking a deep breath, Noble Consort Li said, "Things have reached this point; we can only focus on helping His Majesty arrange this family banquet first."
...
Having left Youning Palace, Zhao Zheng sat in the imperial sedan chair on his way back to Zhengde Hall.
Gao Li leaned in close to Zhao Zheng and reported in a low voice, "Your Majesty, it has been done."
Zhao Zheng's face remained as calm as still water, as if the deaths of the twelve eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial had nothing to do with him at all.
Killing the goose to get the golden eggs was his true objective.
If he didn't kill those old dogs of the Directorate of Ceremonial today, they would have murdered him tomorrow.
An emperor who seemingly enjoyed boundless wealth and honor was in reality walking on thin ice within the palace, surrounded by danger at every step!
Not to mention that he was currently nothing more than an imperial body double with zero freedom to speak of; even if he eventually ascended the throne and became the true emperor, he would never possess genuine freedom.
As today's morning court had made clear, the ones truly wielding power in the court were always those external clans and aristocratic families.
They constantly manipulated the court, forever keeping a tight grip on state affairs, and even plotted conspiracy after conspiracy behind the scenes, holding all the vital lifelines of the imperial family.
If he could not break this deadlock, he would be nothing more than a puppet emperor for the rest of his life, at the mercy of others.
Why had the Emperor of Dazhen cultivated a eunuch faction that the court officials despised to the bone, using them to stir up trouble in the court?
Was it not precisely to keep the external clans and aristocratic families in check and claw back a portion of power for the court?
And Zhao Zheng was not the kind of person willing to be manipulated at will.
He firmly believed that without destruction, there could be no construction; he would stop at nothing to reclaim every last shred of power belonging to the emperor.
Zhao Zheng turned his head and asked Gao Li, "Has there been any movement on the Empress's side?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant has had people keep a constant watch on the Empress, and has seen nothing unusual."
Who would have thought the Empress was quite clever, even knowing how to distance herself from the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
It seemed he would have to pay another visit to the Empress; otherwise, the feast he had set up for a few days from now would have no way to play out.
"Little Gao, arrange for me to go to Yongning Palace tomorrow night. I want to see the Empress."
"Understood."
Just as the two were about to return to Zhengde Hall, they were intercepted halfway by Consort Zhang, who was accompanied by two maidservants.
The moment Zhao Zheng decided not to stay the night at Youning Palace and his sedan chair departed, Consort Zhang realized this was her chance to see His Majesty.
Without waiting for a sedan chair, she took only two maids and hurried along a shortcut to catch up.
Even if she was out of breath and drenched in sweat, she was determined to see His Majesty tonight.
Ever since the Emperor fell gravely ill, she had not been able to see him once.
Previously, she was the most favored consort in the palace, enjoying all its splendor and luxury.
Yet just a few days ago, after finally waiting for His Majesty to return to the palace, she had inexplicably fallen out of favor, allowing that cheap woman Noble Consort Li to seize the opening.
Originally, she had not wanted to interfere with the Emperor's favor toward Noble Consort Li, because she firmly believed His Majesty would come to see her one day.
But recently, for some unknown reason, rumors had been spreading throughout the palace that she and His Majesty had fallen out!
Such baseless talk made her furious!
She had to find His Majesty and demand an explanation; she absolutely could not be cast aside in such an obscure and unclear manner!
Consort Zhang prostrated herself on the ground, bowing low.
"This concubine kowtows to Your Majesty!"