Palace Intrigue?: I Make the Emperor Cry by Rewinding Time!-Chapter 104 - 98:

Just after leaving Changle Palace, Yun Jiao stepped back:

"Emperor, I can board the sedan chair myself."

Seeing her wariness, Xie Zhixing smiled and curled his lips: "So guarded against me."

"It’s not that I’m guarding against you, Your Majesty, it’s just that you’re always trying to lift me up. This is right in front of Changle Palace, you need to be mindful of the impression it gives, with so many people watching."

As Yun Jiao finished speaking, the palace maids and eunuchs around them all lowered their heads.

The only person who didn’t lower their head quickly turned away, pretending to look at the distant scenery when Yun Jiao glanced over.

"...Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager will blame me if she finds out!"

No matter the error, it’s always the concubine’s fault.

Yun Jiao was considering whether to eat more during meals, and actually gain weight so that the Emperor could no longer lift her easily.

"The Empress Dowager understands reason, it’s me who insists on doing this, not your fault."

Xie Zhixing raised his chin towards her, signaling for her to come over.

"Alright then."

Yun Jiao pouted and walked over with her head down, back towards the Emperor.

Her slender back was filled with resignation.

She was prepared to be lifted, but the Emperor picked her up horizontally instead. She felt a whirl, and in a flash, found herself in the Emperor’s arms, locking eyes with him.

Against the moonlight, the man in Dragon Robes chuckled lightly: "How about this?"

A princess carry just like in the dramas!

Xie Zhixing lowered his head, his prominent nose and lips were highlighted by the moonlight.

Every time she looked at him, Yun Jiao couldn’t help but be attracted by his beauty, and once again sighed—he truly deserved to be the Emperor in "Deep Palace", not only handsome but seemingly bathed in a soft glow, with the moonlight as his lighting crew.

"Does Your Majesty intend to carry me to Weiyang Palace?"

Changle Palace and Weiyang Palace weren’t far apart.

But along the way, many palace maids and eunuchs would see, such open favoritism.

Yun Jiao knowingly asked, a little excited for the upcoming romantic scene: "So many are watching."

She feigned shyness, pretending to resist while giving in.

"My beloved consort makes a good point."

Xie Zhixing thought it was indeed inappropriate, especially since the sedan chair was already prepared nearby.

So he placed Yun Jiao back on the ground, lifting her high by her armpits and placing her on the sedan chair’s seat.

"..."

At that moment, Yun Jiao felt like she had been transported to "The Lion King", becoming the little Simba lifted up to receive the reverent greetings of the animals.

The Emperor thus lifted her up and gently placed her on the sedan chair, as if she weighed nothing, placed perfectly square.

"Your Majesty, why does it still feel like lifting a child?"

"Are you not one?"

The Emperor retorted.

The little child turned her face away, puffing her cheeks.

...

Learning that the Emperor had taken Concubine Xi back to Weiyang Palace, Consort Jiang, who was already upset, began to cry again.

The Empress Dowager favored her so much!

How could they be so biased!

The palace maid brought by Consort Jiang from her family looked on with a face of wanting to say something but holding back—what the Empress Dowager did for her was not just once or twice, whenever there was an activity in the palace where one could appear, or a chance to accompany the Emperor out of the palace, Consort Jiang was inserted into the list through backdoor dealings.

In modern terms, Consort Jiang was a "resource aristocrat", a sore point of forced promotion!

"It’s all Concubine Xi’s fault, the Emperor favors her, the Empress Dowager likes her as well, I’m being squeezed in this palace, it’s unbearable! I need to write a letter, asking my father for help!"

After crying for a day and a night, Consort Jiang resolved to gather her strength.

Thinking it over, she still needed to seek help from her family, preferably to persuade the Empress Dowager.

...

On the next day, Yun Jiao got up from the Dragon Bed with a sore back, asking the Emperor a soul-searching question: "The Emperor always treats me like a child, yet favors me, wouldn’t this be somewhat against proper conduct?"

Xie Zhixing was dressing.

By his side, Ying Lu was leading a line of ten palace attendants, all standing solemnly with a golden basin and comb, waiting to assist the Emperor with his attire. Upon hearing this, his brow twitched, pretending not to hear.

"I don’t see you as a child, it’s just your behavior doesn’t match your age at times, so I tease you. If you don’t want me to tease, then just behave more properly, like that habit of hugging everyone, you could change..." he paused: "But not all of it, I’m the Emperor, you can hug me more."

The Emperor spoke slowly and arduously, his voice gradually lowering.

Psychologically, this often has a persuasive effect.

But Yun Jiao ignored the fancy words and always got straight to the point: "So, after all this talk, the Emperor is still unhappy about me hugging pretty sisters."

Pretty sisters?

It was a fresh term indeed.

"Is the Empress Dowager a pretty sister too?"

In Yun Jiao’s eyes, yes indeed.

The Empress Dowager was only in her forties, her beauty from long years of privileged living was worthy of being called a sister. But in ancient times, she was already someone who could be a grandmother, so Yun Jiao said: "Then she can be a pretty auntie."

Xie Zhixing held her hand, bringing it to his face, closing his eyes: "Then am I not a handsome Emperor?"

He hadn’t yet tied his hair and donned his crown, the black strands on his forehead were touching her hand.

The Emperor didn’t intend to be alluring, but handsome men and women seemed to seduce with any gesture. Yun Jiao couldn’t resist and touched his face. They say it’s risky to play coy with authority figures, but the feel of taking advantage of the Emperor wasn’t bad at all. She swallowed: "How can it be fitting to use such frivolous terms like handsome!"

"Then what should be used to describe it?"

The Emperor watched her perform unhurriedly.

Yun Jiao was troubled, as she tended to freeze up when nervous, every word that came to mind seemed too ordinary to describe the Emperor, until finally, she blurted out: "Majestic and solemn!"

"..."

The majestic and solemn Xie Zhixing glanced at the worried Xue Ya beside him:

"Make sure to escort Concubine Xi back carefully later, she’s still half-asleep."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

After the Emperor left, Yun Jiao got up to wash, dress, and went to Jianzhang Palace to pay her respects.

The Empress greeted her with a smile, publicly praising her for her effective care in nursing the ill and being favored by the Empress Dowager, and raised by her. When mentioning Consort Xu, the Empress’s smile faded: "The Xu Family holds a humble position, fortunate to serve the Empress Dowager, yet consistently causes trouble to her anger, did you reflect after returning? Have you finished copying the Palace Rules as instructed?"

Consort Xu stood up in terror, once again apologizing.

"The Empress Dowager’s hope for Concubine Xi to have a child stems from a sincere love and expectation of an elder to a junior, but Consort Xu turned it into a speculation that Concubine Xi’s prolonged childless state disappointed the Emperor and Empress Dowager, an utter misunderstanding of proper conduct."

In the vast main hall of Jianzhang Palace, only the Empress’s lecturing voice could be heard.

She changed her tone: "Even I know that Concubine Xi has been deep in favor since entering the palace, compliant in all matters, surpassing other concubines, which is why she ascended smoothly without a child, reaching the rank of Concubine."

Having said that, the Empress looked at Yun Jiao.

It seemed like she was stirring up resentment!

Yun Jiao took three seconds to think about how to perfectly resolve this, and ease others’ jealousy towards her.

She stood up and gave a formal bow: "The Empress is right, all of this is what I deserve."

...Clearly, she couldn’t think of any solution.