CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 96 ARE YOU AFRAID I CAN’T PROTECT YOU?

At night, Xia Ruqing felt a pain in her stomach. Her period had come, and according to the rules, she could not serve the Emperor. So, she went to bed early. But unexpectedly, at the Hai Hour, Zhao Junyao still took her into Zichen Hall and onto the dragon bed. Xia Ruqing felt quite helpless.

"Your Majesty, my body is unclean right now; I cannot serve Your Majesty at this time!"

Zhao Junyao, with his inner robe open and chest muscles exposed, didn’t care in the slightest. "I don’t mind..."

"But the rules..."

"Why so many rules!" He was a little disdainful. Although he valued rules, he was not inflexible. Besides, favoring a woman was nothing. It wasn’t as if he was so bewitched that he forgot to attend court.

Xia Ruqing wanted to say more, but Zhao Junyao took off his inner robe, tossed aside his book, and swiftly pulled her into his embrace. His eyes flashed dangerously as he whispered seductively in her ear, "Say one more word, and I’ll make you regret it!"

"But..."

The one being hugged was full of grievance. Your Majesty, why involve me when you’re arguing with your chief wife? I can’t afford to offend either side.

Zhao Junyao squinted. "What, are you afraid I can’t protect you?"

Xia Ruqing hurriedly nodded; she desperately needed reassurance.

Zhao Junyao became even more displeased seeing her react this way. So that was all this little girl worried about?!

Suddenly, he turned over, pinning Xia Ruqing beneath him, his gaze dangerous. "If it weren’t for your... condition, I would have dealt with you immediately! You’d better understand who you belong to! Not only does she belong to me, but all the women in the Harem are mine! Whom to favor or not is entirely up to me!"

"Your Majesty, my stomach hurts!" Xia Ruqing’s face was almost scrunched into a ball. Where did I offend him? Why is he being so fierce!

Zhao Junyao disliked bullying women, so he simply lay back down.

"Sleep..."

"Mhm!"

Some time passed, and just as Xia Ruqing was about to fall asleep, Zhao Junyao suddenly opened his eyes, staring at her intensely. "Rest assured, if I have the ability to bring you in here, I have the ability to protect you completely!" His tone was very firm and resolute.

Xia Ruqing, drowsy with sleep, heard someone talking and mumbled a couple of times, frowning uncomfortably. Like a little cat, she snuggled towards the "source of warmth."

Zhao Junyao’s gaze quickly softened. He sighed, held her in his arms, and covered her stomach with his warm hand as he fell asleep.

「The next morning.」

When Xia Ruqing woke up, the Emperor had already left for court. Xia Ruqing dressed and went to pay respects to the Empress.

As soon as she walked in and performed the greeting, the Empress smiled and asked her to sit.

"Thank you, Empress," Xia Ruqing said, turning to sit.

Honored Lady Hu snorted coldly. "Hmph, such a charmer. The Empress is too easygoing... It’s been a month! How can an Honored Lady live in Zhaochen Palace? You ought to have her beaten to death!"

The thirty strokes Honored Lady Hu had received on her buttocks hadn’t taught her any humility. On the contrary, she’d come to realize that fawning over the Noble Consort was useless; the one who held the power of life and death in the Harem was the Empress! So, for the past month, she had been very attentive to the Empress.

Consort Yun found her sycophantic behavior utterly distasteful. However, with the Noble Consort absent from morning greetings, she had no backing and didn’t dare go too far. She just snorted coldly. "Honored Lady Hu sure worries about a lot, even thinking of making decisions for the Empress!"

Consort Zheng Pin couldn’t sit still any longer and chimed in, "Although what Honored Lady Hu says is a bit much, for Lady Xia to be staying in Zhaochen Palace, isn’t that..."

Isn’t that just too good a fortune? she thought, almost dying of jealousy. In terms of beauty and status, Lady Xia was not outstanding, so why was the Emperor so fond of her?

When the Noble Consort first entered the Eastern Palace, the Emperor’s affection for her was so great that he stayed with her for an entire month, even forgetting the Empress. But even then, he hadn’t allowed her to live in his own palace, right by his side. And now... Lady Xia had received such favor.

The Empress just laughed. "It’s simply that she temporarily has nowhere else to live. The other halls have been vacant for a long time, and it’s not worth unlocking them just for a short stay. Lady Xia is staying in a secluded part of Zhaochen Palace, so it’s not against the rules!"

Consort Hui Pin added, "The Empress has considered this very thoughtfully! To clean another place would mean she is moving out to live there, and the Emperor has given no such decree." The implication was, if the Emperor hadn’t complained, what were they all fussing about?!

Everyone was buzzing with talk. Xia Ruqing sat in the corner, head bowed, saying nothing. A month had passed, and she had almost grown accustomed to it.

Hmph, it’s not like I haven’t stayed in Zichen Hall before, you bunch of gossiping fools! she fumed internally. It was irritating, but she had to admit, this matter had thrown the women of the Harem into an uproar. But so what if they’re in an uproar? I’m powerless to decide anything anyway.

As everyone was clamoring, the Empress spoke up. "Alright, that’s enough. Stop fussing. It’s not a big issue, nor is it worth discussing every day..."

The concubines below were on the verge of tears: Do you think we want to? It’s only because the Emperor hasn’t summoned any of us for a month! Lady Xia, that despicable woman!

"If there’s nothing else, you may all leave now..." Saying this, the Empress rose.

No matter what anyone else wanted, they had to fall silent.

「Jiaofang Hall」

Sister Ji was somewhat worried. "Empress, who would have thought that this Honored Lady Xia would have such skill to make the Emperor protect her like this!"

The Empress sneered. "It isn’t that Lady Xia is favored; the Emperor is trying to anger me..."

Sister Ji sighed. "That may be so, but Your Majesty was a bit too forceful that day. Those were words you should not have said." Now that she has angered the Emperor, what is to be done?

The Empress gave a bitter smile. "What’s the difference if he is angry or not? He refuses to come anyway..."

"Usually, the Emperor visits on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month..." Sister Ji reminded her gently.

The Empress felt like crying out of frustration. "What does it matter if he visits? It’s been months since he was willing to touch me!" she cried out. "After all, he and the Noble Consort were childhood sweethearts! He is simply trying to divert everyone’s attention to Lady Xia, hoping for the Noble Consort to bear the Crown Prince!"

Lady Xia, a mere Honored Lady, is not of great concern. The real threat, who must be dealt with first and foremost, is the Noble Consort! We must not let her bear a child!

"Sister, we must not allow the Emperor to be blinded!"

Sister Ji thought for a moment, then hesitantly nodded. "As Your Majesty says."

Actually, she wanted to offer a word of advice. You and the Emperor are husband and wife, not enemies; you shouldn’t fight like this. But... seeing the Empress in this state, she could only keep silent.

When Lady Xia was mentioned, the Empress sneered again. "As for Lady Xia, let the Emperor dote on her if he wishes. The one who should be most anxious is not me! If I don’t deal with her, someone else naturally will!"

The matter of shoddy workmanship had been covered up by the Emperor. As for Lady Xia, she would turn a blind eye. Your Majesty, this servant of yours can only do this much!

Xia Ruqing managed to avoid the Empress’s scrutiny, but she could not escape the Noble Consort’s.

Noble Concubine Shih had not shared the Emperor’s bed for a long time. Though she was pregnant and could not serve the Emperor, when Consort Ning and Consort Hui Pin were pregnant, the Emperor often visited and stayed over. Now, when it came to her...