Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: The Consort

“Oh, Princess Shenghua has arrived.” After saying this, Princess Shenghua took Xie Shu to the imperial study. Eunuch Li was already waiting outside. Seeing them approach, Li, holding a feather duster, stepped forward and said, “Your humble servant greets Miss Xie.”

“Eunuch Li, no need for formalities. Is the emperor inside?” Princess Shenghua, already quite familiar with Li, lifted her hand slightly and inquired.

Li’s eyes crinkled in a smile as he cheerfully replied, “Yes, Princess Shenghua. Please, Miss Xie, enter.”

Xie Shu glanced at Li and whispered to Princess Shenghua, “Perhaps Your Highness should go in first. I will wait outside.”

Li’s brow twitched as he was about to object, but Princess Shenghua smiled and said, “The wind is so strong today; if Sister Shu waits outside, she might catch a cold. It’s better to go in together.”

Li nodded in agreement and kindly lifted the curtain for them. The two young ladies entered. Having visited the imperial study several times, Princess Shenghua naturally bowed to the emperor, “Brother.”

Xie Shu followed suit with a proper bow. Perhaps from kneeling too long in the Cining Palace, her knees ached sharply, and she frowned slightly.

The emperor noticed and raised an eyebrow, asking calmly, “Is your leg hurting?”

At this, Princess Shenghua immediately helped Xie Shu up, pouting and complaining that their mother had been too harsh today. “Brother, you don’t know—if I hadn’t come, Sister Shu would still be kneeling on the floor.”

Though Princess Shenghua’s words were not explicit, the meaning was clear: when she arrived, Xie Shu was still kneeling in the Cining Palace.

Eunuch Li quickly glanced at the attendant waiting in the hall and sent him to summon the court physician.

The emperor’s handsome face darkened, his gaze dimming slightly. “Eunuch Li, bring a stool for Miss Xie.”

“Shenghua, the reward you requested has already been sent to the princess’s residence.”

Hearing the mention of the reward, Princess Shenghua was eager to return home but hesitated, thinking Sister Shu was still in the study. She intended to wait a moment, but Li was already before her. Confused, she followed him out. Once outside, the chill wind cleared her mind. She wondered why her brother was alone with Sister Shu again. Tentatively, she asked Li, “Eunuch Li, what do you think the emperor’s intentions are?”

Princess Shenghua had never seen her brother show such favor to any woman before. Last time, he met with Sister Shu alone in the Changting Pavilion; this time, because Sister Shu was summoned to the Cining Palace by their mother, the emperor was eager to “send her away.”

Could it be that the emperor truly had feelings for Sister Shu?

Li smiled and explained seriously, “The reason Miss Xie drew the Empress Dowager’s ire is because of His Majesty. Of course, he would not stand idly by.”

Li’s words were sincere, almost making Princess Shenghua forget that her brother was a resolute emperor, known for his iron will and ruthless measures to command his ministers.

Since Sister Shu was still inside, Princess Shenghua did not voice her doubts and nodded, “I understand.”

Everyone attending in the imperial study was astute; even if they sensed something amiss, they would not show it. Eunuch Li, especially, carried a warm cup of orchid tea to Xie Shu. “Miss Xie, please have some tea.”

“Thank you, Eunuch Li.”

After Princess Shenghua left, the study seemed to fall into a tranquil quiet. The emperor returned to casually handling the memorials, while Xie Shu sipped her tea delicately. The atmosphere was surprisingly pleasant.

After a long while, the young emperor set down his vermilion brush and fixed his slender phoenix-like eyes on the quietly sipping woman. “Miss Xie, your face is flushed. Are you feeling unwell anywhere else?”

“I am fine, Your Majesty.” The sudden question startled Xie Shu so much that she nearly choked on her tea. She maintained the poise of a noble lady and spoke softly, “Your Majesty, my parents are waiting at home. May I ask when I might leave the palace?”

Eunuch Li lowered his gaze. Besides Princess Shenghua, Miss Xie was the first woman from the inner chambers to enter the emperor’s study. An ordinary woman would have been overwhelmed, but Miss Xie remained calm, seemingly indifferent—a rare grace.

One thing Li overlooked was that Miss Xie did not seem to care much about the emperor either.

Qin Yu raised an eyebrow and leaned lazily against the throne’s backrest. “Once the physician has examined your leg, you may leave.”

In Xie Shu’s memory, the emperor was never this considerate toward strangers. His unexpected kindness puzzled her.

When the physician arrived, the emperor glanced at Xie Shu again and said calmly, “Take Miss Xie to the side hall.”

A maid led Xie Shu to the side chamber, where a faint scent of dragon incense lingered. Mei’er, having never been to such a lavish palace, dared not raise her head. Taking a deep breath, she gently lifted her mistress’s skirt to reveal her knee.

Xie Shu’s skin was fair and smooth as cream, making even the smallest mark noticeable. Now, her knee was bruised and swollen, a shocking sight.

The physician, after hearing Eunuch Li’s explanation, said the bruises were clearly from prolonged kneeling. She instructed Mei’er to lower the skirt before lifting the curtain and reporting, “Your Majesty, Miss Xie’s knees are severely bruised from kneeling too long. She needs a warm compress to disperse the blood stasis. I will prepare the materials immediately.”

The handsome young emperor nodded slightly and sat quietly on the throne before rising and heading toward the side chamber.

Inside, Mei’er was chatting lightly with her mistress. Seeing the emperor enter, she startled, and the smile on Xie Shu’s face faded. Qin Yu caught the change and asked in a low voice, “Are you afraid of me, Miss Xie?”

Xie Shu’s delicate body stiffened. She was not afraid; she simply wished to avoid too much contact with the emperor. In this life, she only desired to marry an ordinary man. The more she interacted with the emperor, the more uneasy she felt.

Before she could respond, the emperor’s tall figure came to rest three steps away. She hurriedly steadied her voice, denying, “I am not.”

“If not, then wait here calmly.” Qin Yu had no habit of bullying young ladies and smiled faintly.

Soon, the physician returned with a medicine box and warm cloth. Surprised to see the emperor, she wondered if His Majesty truly cared for Miss Xie—but showed nothing.

Mei’er cautiously lifted the pale blue skirt again to reveal the bruised knee. The emperor glanced at it and frowned slightly. “Let me do it.”

“Your Majesty, this is improper,” Xie Shu exclaimed in alarm.

Qin Yu’s phoenix eyes flickered. Suddenly, he found the thought absurd. He felt as if he had performed this action countless times before, yet as the sovereign emperor, how could he stoop to such things? Had he been bewitched recently?

Finding the notion ridiculous, the emperor said nothing and turned to leave the side chamber.

The physician quickly applied the warm compress and advised, “It will hurt a bit, Miss Xie. Please bear with it.”

“Bring me a cup of cold tea,” the emperor ordered.

Eunuch Li was momentarily stunned but quickly sent someone to prepare it. He mused inwardly that it must be because Miss Xie was too beautiful—even the emperor, who usually kept his distance from women, was unable to control himself.

After two cups of hot tea, the emperor’s unease faded. He pressed his slender fingers to his forehead, wondering why he lost all reason whenever he encountered Huaiyu’s sister.

Half an hour later, Xie Shu, accompanied by Mei’er, came to bid the emperor farewell. Her knee was no longer painful after the warm compress, and she walked lightly like a swallow. “I shall take my leave now.”

Qin Yu’s dignified figure remained composed, his usual indifferent demeanor toward strangers apparent. “Eunuch Li, escort Miss Xie out of the palace.”

“Miss Xie, this way please,” Eunuch Li said respectfully and prepared to escort her to the palace gate. As they exited the study, Xie Shu politely stopped him. “Eunuch Li, please wait.”

Eunuch Li paused, reminding Mei’er to take good care of her mistress. If his intuition was correct, Miss Xie might well become the emperor’s first consort.

Leaving the study, Xie Shu briefly exhaled, still feeling awkward around the emperor.

They quickly left the palace, and just upon reaching the western gate, Xie Shu bumped into Xie Huaiyu coming toward them. Seeing his sister, he stopped and looked her over. “Sister.”

Their mother had warned him that the Empress Dowager might make things difficult for his sister, so he had hurried to the palace to seek the emperor.

Xie Shu was somewhat surprised to see her brother. “Brother.”

Xie Huaiyu ruffled her hair, relieved to see her unharmed. His tone was affectionate. “Get in the carriage quickly. Father and Mother are very worried about you.”

Xie Shu rode with her brother in the same carriage. As soon as they sat, Xie Huaiyu asked, “Did the Empress Dowager trouble you?”

Before him, Xie Shu did not want to hide anything. “At first, perhaps she did, but Princess Shenghua arrived quickly, so the Empress Dowager did not cause me much trouble.”

“Princess Shenghua was indeed timely,” Xie Huaiyu mused, his gaze lingering on his sister before asking, “Then why didn’t I see Princess Shenghua earlier?”

The siblings were close as handkerchief companions; if one left the palace, the other would usually accompany her. Yet Xie Shu had come out alone just now.

Xie Huaiyu was usually keen and must have noticed something. Xie Shu pursed her lips and quickly fabricated a reason. “The princess had something to discuss with His Majesty, so I left first.”

Seeing his sister’s evasive eyes, Xie Huaiyu nodded slightly but thought to himself: Princess Shenghua’s timely arrival at the Cining Palace—could it have been under the emperor’s directive?

By the time Xie Shu and Xie Huaiyu returned home, dusk was near. Xie Huai’an was still at the military camp. The Marquis and Marchioness of Zhongyi waited in the main hall—one seated holding a tea cup, the other pacing.

The steward hurried inside, announcing, “Master, Madam, the young lady and eldest son have returned.”

The Marquis and Marchioness immediately moved toward the door. Yun, especially, reached out and took her daughter’s slightly cold hand. “Shu’er, why are you so late? Did the Empress Dowager trouble you?”

“Mother, please don’t worry. The Empress Dowager did not trouble me,” Xie Shu said warmly, her delicate features comforting Yun.

“That’s good. Your mother was nearly worried to death.” As she spoke, the Marquis approached, wrapping his arm around his beloved wife, smiling gently. “Let Shu’er and Huaiyu come in. We can talk after dinner.”

Yun agreed, “Your father is right. Let’s eat first.”

After dinner, the Marquis took the eldest son to the study, while Yun brought her daughter to her chamber for a private conversation. “Shu’er, there is something your mother must tell you. I hope you can give me an answer.”