Chapter 124
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Winter of the twenty-fourth year of Kangping.
The heavy snow this winter seemed unusually frequent. It is said that a good snowfall foretells a bumper harvest, and with the new emperor's ascension to the throne, it is considered a good omen.
The eldest prince was taken away by his wet nurse and coaxed to sleep. Xiao Jin sat by the window, holding a cup of hot tea, quietly watching the snowflakes dance in the air. She sat there for the entire afternoon. In the vast harem, she was the only one who could be called a mistress, so she didn't need to deal with anyone else.
"Your Majesty, you've been sitting for almost two hours. Be careful not to hurt your back!" Xiao Jin's health had been poor since giving birth. Seeing Xiao Jin's dazed expression these past few days, Huan Yue felt a pang of heartache and said, "The Emperor will be worried if he finds out!"
Hearing Huan Yue mention Yun Shu, Xiao Jin's somewhat unfocused gaze finally sharpened. Coming back to her senses, she noticed a sharp pain in her lower back. She sighed softly, then obediently helped Huan Yue to slump onto the chaise longue in the bedchamber.
Zisu and Dongshuang came over and quickly massaged Xiao Jin to make her feel more comfortable.
"Your Majesty, what exactly are you worried about?" Huanyue couldn't help but ask, "Was it because the young ladies from Jiangnan were sent over the other day—"
The Governor-General of Jiangnan was a very astute man. Seeing that Yun Shu's harem was empty, he brought ten beautiful and graceful women from Jiangnan to be sent over. Each of them had her own unique charm, yet they were all humble and submissive. Xiao Jin glanced at them and had to admit that he had indeed put in a lot of effort.
"Oh?" Xiao Jin came to her senses and smiled. "Are you worried that I might lose favor if the Emperor takes them into the harem?"
"That's not what I meant!" Huan Yue knelt down in a panic. "His Majesty has deep feelings for Your Highness and would never hurt your feelings!"
Xiao Jin curled the corners of her lips slightly, remaining silent without replying.
Huan Yue was right. Everyone in the harem knew how Yun Shu treated her; he cherished her dearly. Even before he ascended the throne, during his conquest, countless noble families wanted to send their daughters to him, but Yun Shu resolutely refused them all, despite the pressure. After becoming emperor, he immediately made her empress, again rejecting countless court officials who wanted to send their daughters to the palace.
He has gone to such lengths, truly deserving the title of "deeply affectionate."
But she had more to think about than just that.
******
"What did the Empress do this afternoon?" Yun Shu sat on the dragon throne in the Imperial Study with a gloomy expression, listening to Han Guang, who was now a first-class palace guard, reply.
Han Guang felt a chill run down his spine. Reporting on the Empress's actions, though simple, was far from thankless. Especially since the Emperor's face would turn ashen every time he replied. "Your Majesty, after Her Majesty woke up from her afternoon nap, she first spent some time with her son, the First Prince, and then sat by the window watching the snow for an hour and a half."
With a "snap," a fine blue-and-white porcelain brush with scrolling grass patterns was broken in two by Yun Shusheng.
Tan Lang, who was also in the Imperial Study, felt immense pressure. However, he was puzzled. He had witnessed the affection between the Emperor and Empress. After Yun Shu ascended the throne, she gave up her three thousand concubines for Xiao Jin. If it were anyone else, they would have been overjoyed. Why was Xiao Jin becoming more and more depressed?
After her anger subsided, a deep sense of despondency and helplessness nearly overwhelmed Yun Shu. Since entering the palace, Xiao Jin's expression had become increasingly gloomy. He thought she was worried that there would be other people in their relationship. Yun Shu had stated early on that she would not appoint any other concubines besides the Empress, and all the beauties sent from various places would be returned.
Every day after returning home, Yun Shu would spend a lot of time with her, telling her her feelings. Although Xiao Jin would nod in agreement each time, he could always detect the melancholy in her eyes and faint smile; Xiao Jin was not truly happy.
"Your Majesty, you need not worry." Yun Shu's face was cold, and Tan Lang, as a subject, had no choice but to reassure her, "Perhaps Her Highness is simply not used to life in the palace—"
"I don't know where I haven't done enough." Yun Shu suddenly stood up, walked to the window with her hands behind her back, and looked at the white mess on the floor. Her tone had never sounded so insecure. "Where did things go wrong that makes her unable to rest easy every day?"
Yun Shu's rare display of weakness left Tan Lang speechless.
"I'll summon the Empress in a moment. Just say that Princess Yunyang asked you to deliver a message." Yun Shu looked at Tan Lang with displeasure. "Try to ask her indirectly."
The ways of fate in this world are truly unpredictable. Xiao Jin, wanting to elevate Ning Huiyun's status, asked Yun Shu to bestow upon her the title of Princess Yunyang, hoping to find her a suitable husband. Unexpectedly, Tan Lang proposed marriage. Xiao Jin was surprised and asked Ning Huiyun's opinion, to which she was surprisingly satisfied!
Tan Lang came from a humble background, but now he is a close advisor to the emperor, so the Marquis of Ningyuan has nothing to object to.
Although the couple's marriage has not yet been announced to the public, everyone around them knows that their wedding is imminent, which is the only thing that can arouse Xiao Jin's interest.
Tan Lang inwardly groaned. It would be better if he didn't get any information; if the Empress actually told him, that would truly be the end of him. He had already experienced the Emperor's jealousy back in Yucheng. He didn't want to experience that again.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will do my best."
******
When Xiao Jin, wrapped in a thick fox fur coat, was carried into the outer hall of the Imperial Study in a sedan chair, he was still somewhat uneasy.
She breathed a slight sigh of relief when she saw that only Tan Lang was there.
"Your Majesty, this humble subject greets you." Tan Lang bowed respectfully to Xiao Jin before slowly recounting the reason he had just prepared. "The princess misses Your Majesty very much. She said that the plum blossoms at Huguo Temple are in bloom, and asked me to inquire whether Your Majesty is feeling better and wishes to invite you to go see them together."
Yun Shu, standing behind the black lacquered stained glass window, was not happy about it. Xiao Jin was in a weak state, so how could he go to such a cold and freezing place!
Indeed, Yun Shu's idea of eavesdropping surprised Tan Lang greatly. To be honest, an emperor who could go to such lengths was unprecedented in history.
Xiao Jin smiled and nodded, saying, "That's a good idea. I'll consult the Emperor before making any plans."
The moment she mentioned Yun Shu, her expression darkened noticeably. At the same time, Tan Lang was already drenched in cold sweat. The emperor's sharp gaze through the lattice window made him feel like he was being pricked by needles, not knowing which word he might say wrong and suffer the consequences.
"Your Majesty, is there some unpleasantness between you and the Emperor?" After exchanging a few pleasantries with Xiao Jin, Tan Lang had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask the crucial question. "The Princess said that when she saw Your Majesty last time, Your Majesty looked rather gloomy. The Emperor was present at the time, so she didn't dare to ask. Today, upon learning that I had entered the palace, she asked me to ask Your Majesty no matter what."
Tan Lang's words were full of holes, but Xiao Jin, who had been distracted lately, didn't notice anything amiss. She had been holding back some things for too long and wanted to talk to someone. And the only person who could keep it a secret and not reveal anything was Tan Lang.
"When the Emperor was in distress in the palace, I followed him in and was granted the title of Princess overnight. Do you find that strange?" Xiao Jin pondered for a moment before uttering this seemingly unrelated sentence.
Tan Lang's eyes showed doubt. This had almost become a taboo subject for them, something they could never mention. Rumors in the capital said that Xiao Jin had slept with Yun Xu, and although they absolutely trusted Xiao Jin's character, it wasn't impossible that she might have done so in her haste to save Yun Shu—
"The rumors circulating in the capital are incorrect," Xiao Jin chuckled. "Given my status back then, even if I were truly so shameless as to climb into Yun Xu's bed, would I have been so easily bestowed the title of Princess?"
"And when I offered Yunxu my advice, he really didn't suspect anything, which you all find strange!"
Not only did Tan Lang's expression turn serious, but Yun Shu also listened intently.
“Because I don’t belong here.” Xiao Jin sighed softly, her eyes empty and unfocused. “I came from another world. My body is Xiao Jin’s, but the soul inside is someone else’s.”
Xiao Jin's two casual words were like a bolt from the blue, exploding in Tan Lang and Yun Shu's ears.