Chapter Twenty-One: The Emperor

"There is no need for you to be anxious about this matter; just wait and watch the show unfold."

"I will keep you in the palace for a few more days on the pretext of having you keep me company. You need not worry about the Gu family."

The Empress curled her lips into a smile, her voice soft and reassuring. She subconsciously rested a hand on her belly, her expression one of gentle, blissful contentment. What did it matter if Consort Wan enjoyed the Emperor's favor now? She, herself, carried the Emperor's eldest son. Once she gave birth to the imperial heir, her status would rise with her child’s. As for Consort Wan, by then, she would be nothing more than a pile of dust.

"Your Majesty, here is your prenatal medicine for today."

Yun Ling presented a bowl of steaming, thick, dark liquid. Suddenly, Su Zhinian recalled that in her previous life, the Empress and the Empress Dowager had both passed away inexplicably, one after the other. At that time, there had been no news of the Empress giving birth to an imperial heir; Su Zhinian did not know the specifics. After a moment's thought, she decided to intervene.

"Your Majesty, every medicine carries some toxicity. Since you are already three months along, it is better to drink less of it."

"Madame Gu, please do not worry. This prenatal tonic was prescribed by Imperial Physician Zhang, and I have personally overseen its preparation. There is nothing wrong with it," Yun Ling quickly explained.

Hearing this, the Empress set down the bowl and nodded. "Niannian is right. From now on, let us stop taking this medicine."

The Empress cherished the child in her womb deeply. When she was still living at her family estate, she had once been pregnant, only to suffer a miscarriage at the hands of another. Because of this, she was exceptionally cautious with this pregnancy.

"Understood," Yun Ling replied, nodding.

Soon, the Empress took Su Zhinian to pay respects to the Empress Dowager. Meanwhile, at Yanxi Palace, Ren Xixi could not sit still upon hearing the news of Su Zhinian entering the palace.

"Wanwan, why has Su Zhinian entered the palace again? Since when did she have such a good relationship with the Empress?"

"This is bad! Could it be that she failed to get what she wanted from the Empress Dowager and turned to the Empress instead?"

Ren Xixi’s face changed. Clearly, the lack of news from Gu Shijin for so long had made her insecure. She feared that Gu Shijin might fall in love with Su Zhinian, and she feared even more that he had already forgotten her. Under the weight of this double torment, Ren Xixi was nearly driven mad. She rushed over to Bai Wanwan.

"Wanwan, when are we finally going to act? I am being consumed from within!"

"Every time I think about Gu Shijin falling for another woman, I want to strangle her!"

Her expression was sinister and fierce, her words cold and ruthless.

Bai Wanwan felt only annoyance at her lamentations. "Xixi, calm down. Whoever makes the first move loses!"

"Don't you want him to love you to the bone? If you break down now, you will lose everything!"

"But why is there not a single message from Brother Jin? He was never like this before," Ren Xixi said, her face pale.

In the past, Gu Shijin would have wanted to tie her to his side with a rope. But now, since returning to the capital and seeing that woman, Su Zhinian, everything had changed.

"Xixi, men like him do not bow their heads so easily. Trust me, once our plan succeeds, Gu Shijin will love you so much he won't be able to live without you."

"Don't you want to see him chase after you in regret?"

Bai Wanwan's voice carried a hypnotic, magical quality. Ren Xixi’s eyes grew brighter until she finally stood up. "I must see him chase after me in regret!"

"By then, that Su Zhinian won't even be worth a single finger of mine." Her expression turned frantic.

After visiting the Empress Dowager, Su Zhinian stayed in the side hall of the Empress’s Jingren Palace. Toward evening, the Emperor arrived. This was the first time Su Zhinian had seen the man who, in her past life, had condemned her and her entire family to death with a single word.

"Your subject, Su Zhinian, pays respects to Your Majesty. May you live ten thousand years."

Suppressing the rage within her, Su Zhinian performed the ritual with perfect etiquette. Helian Yunhui sat beside the Empress, his voice calm and devoid of emotion.

"So you are Gu Shijin’s wife? Look up."

He did not call her the Empress’s cousin, nor the daughter of the Su family, but rather Gu Shijin’s wife. The title felt deeply uncomfortable. Su Zhinian clenched her fists and slowly lifted her head. Even when ordered to look up, one could not stare directly at the Emperor’s face, so Su Zhinian kept her eyes lowered as propriety dictated. Another reason was the fear that if she opened her eyes fully, the hatred within them would be seen.

"Heh, Gu Shijin is truly a lucky man," the Emperor sneered.

"Your Majesty, you have been reviewing memorials all day; you must be tired. This is the 'Hundred Herb Broth' that I ordered the Imperial Kitchen to prepare," the Empress said, trying to smooth over the tension.

A young maid stepped forward to offer the porcelain bowl. The Emperor took it, but as the bowl was scalding hot, he flinched, causing the boiling broth to spill entirely onto the maid.

"Ah!"

The maid shrieked. Upon realizing what had happened, she immediately knelt, trembling violently.

The Emperor’s face turned grim. "Clumsy fool. How can I trust you to serve the Empress?"

"Guards! Drag her out and beat her to death!"

The maid was terrified out of her wits. She dared not even wail, for that might bring disaster upon her entire family. Su Zhinian watched this scene coldly, a deep chill rising in her heart. The Emperor was fickle and cruel; a single sentence from him could take a life. He had no regard for human existence. Yet, this was the man with all-encompassing power, and one day, she, Su Zhinian, would make him suffer the same pain and despair.

Su Zhinian lowered her gaze, standing meekly to the side. After this incident, the Emperor had no appetite left.

"That is all. Empress, get some rest. I still have memorials to review."

"We respectfully see Your Majesty off—"

Everyone bowed as the Emperor departed. Fu Linhai, noticing the Emperor’s foul mood, approached the imperial sedan to inquire.

"Your Majesty, shall we go to Yanxi Palace?"

Helian Yunhui thought of Bai Wanwan’s nonchalant, detached demeanor and felt a surge of inexplicable irritation. She always seemed so calm, as if she were incapable of any other emotion—never jealous, never angry for his sake. It felt as though something were blocked in Helian Yunhui’s heart. If this little woman did not care for him, why should he lower himself to seek her out?

He glared at Fu Linhai. "Loose-tongued fool!"

Terrified, Fu Linhai immediately knelt. "It is this servant’s fault for speaking out of turn! It is this servant’s fault!" As he spoke, he slapped his own face.

"Enough. Return to the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

"As you command."

Fu Linhai exhaled a long breath, wiping away the cold sweat from his narrow escape. Fortunately, the Emperor had not pursued the matter further.

In the middle of the night, word came that Prince Yu had fallen ill, and the Imperial Physicians had been summoned to the palace. But when Su Zhinian opened her eyes, she discovered that, inexplicably, there was someone else in her bedchamber.