Chapter 33 - 2#
His fingers pressed on Jingzhe’s most vulnerable and critical spot. The restrained force would only leave faint finger marks, with no other traces.
“Don’t say such things again.”
Jingzhe heard Rong Jiu’s suppressed restraint, which could be said to be the most emotion he had ever revealed.
Rong Jiu let go of his hand.
“It’s not a good habit to voluntarily offer your neck to the executioner.”
Jingzhe touched his neck, “You’re not just anyone else.”
After what just happened, Jingzhe’s attitude became a bit more relaxed, as if Rong Jiu not immediately strangling him was something to be happy about.
Once again, Rong Jiu really wanted to know what kind of messy thoughts Jingzhe was having.
Rong Jiu: “Don’t trust anyone easily.”
His tone was cold, as if he wasn’t talking about himself.
“No one in the world can be trusted.”
Jingzhe tilted his head: “Including you?”
Rong Jiu: “I am the most untrustworthy.”
Jingzhe laughed. He stepped on the steps two levels below, wiggled his toes, and said softly, “Rong Jiu, let’s take it slow, okay?”
Although they met every month, such time was too short, and it was impossible to truly understand each other.
Adjustment also takes time.
Jingzhe wasn’t scared away by Rong Jiu. He felt that he was already strong enough, but it was still impossible to immediately evolve to the next stage.
Rong Jiu: “A normal person would shake me off.”
Jingzhe: “Then if I shake you off, what would you do?”
Rong Jiu said as a matter of course: “But you can’t shake me off.”
Jingzhe rolled his eyes and kicked Rong Jiu.
Rong Jiu lazily moved his long legs, not even bothering to bend down to brush off the dust, just looking at Jingzhe.
Actually, what did they talk about?
It seemed like nothing.
But inexplicably, Jingzhe felt much more relaxed.
Only then did he dare to admit it.
During the “quiet time,” he also… missed Rong Jiu all the time.
Jingzhe: “However, I suppose you haven’t reflected at all.”
He was very pained.
Look at the terrifying things Rong Jiu just said, they were chilling.
Rong Jiu: “I have reflected.”
Jingzhe raised an eyebrow in surprise. Such words appearing on him would be called impossible.
“What did you reflect on?”
“Next time, I will apologize.”
Jingzhe: “…”
He fiercely kicked Rong Jiu again.
“Apologizing is for not doing it next time, not for doing it as a matter of course!”
Jingzhe really wanted to grab Rong Jiu’s shoulders and roar.
…
The atmosphere in the Zhidian Si had been very oppressive recently.
Of course, this oppression was not only in the Zhidian Si, but throughout the entire harem.
Consort Zhang died in the Empress Dowager’s Shoukang Palace.
Although no one dared to say who the murderer was, everyone knew… it was Emperor Jingyuan.
The Empress Dowager was furious.
And the civil and military officials of the court were even more agitated by Emperor Jingyuan’s actions. The continuous stream of remonstrances almost piled up on the steps in front of Qianming Palace.
If the emperor could slaughter concubines at will, wouldn’t sending their daughters to the harem be pushing them into a fire pit?
Both aristocratic families and officials who also had children in the harem were worried about this.
And because of the emperor’s reckless attitude, such fear would only burn layer by layer.
Under this terrifying atmosphere, every concubine in the harem was trembling, wishing they had no presence at all, let alone the palace staff serving them.
At this time, Gusheng was somewhat glad that they were not palace staff of any palace.
Otherwise, they would be suppressed to death.
Recently, Jingzhe, whether he was afraid of them getting into trouble or something else, arranged much more homework for them than before, squeezing out all their remaining energy.
Gusheng would go back and lie flat directly. The young eunuch sharing his room said that he snored every day, as if he was exhausted.
Indeed!
Gusheng had never known before that thinking would be such a painful thing.
However, the efforts of these days have also been quite effective for Gusheng and the others.
They have initially acquired the ability to read characters. Although some obscure characters are still unreadable, this is enough for them.
These few of them didn’t plan to take exams and become officials in the future. Being able to use what they learned was the most important thing.
Gusheng folded his well-practiced calligraphy, feeling a little heartbroken. Just the paper alone cost a lot of money, and this was the cheapest kind.
However, these leftovers were brought by Yunkui.
He paid out of his own pocket, saying it wouldn’t cost much.
After going to the Miscellaneous Affairs Office, the money in this kid’s pocket was obviously much fatter than before. These were said to be inferior quality, sold at a low price as an extra by bookstores, but for them, it was more than enough.
“Huiping, you wrote this wrong.” Gusheng said, “Didn’t Jingzhe say that this place should be drawn to the left?”
The trembling Huiping glanced at it and frowned: “Wrong again.”
In the distance, Jingzhe was helping Yunkui correct his pen-holding posture.
The places they found had been changed again and again. After all, it was not easy to find a place that was both hidden and could accommodate many people.
It was later that Zheng Hong guided them and found a place.
Before dusk today, Jingzhe finally managed to urge everyone to finish their homework.
In terms of progress, apart from the fastest Yunkui, Gusheng was the second, and Shi’en and Huiping were on par, but the basic “reading” had been mastered.
As long as they could understand some parts, the problem was not big.
Jingzhe stretched, and then shook his arms. While exercising his muscles and bones, he heard Shi’en and Yunkui talking.
Shi’en: “Yunkui, have you heard any special news recently when you’ve been out and about?”
Indeed, even if he restrained his gossiping ability and didn’t gossip with people outside, Shi’en would still inevitably gossip with his own people.
Yunkui: “I only heard that the matter of Consort Zhang is very strange.”
Shi’en loved to hear these things the most, and quickly leaned over. The sound of their conversation also attracted Gusheng and Huiping.
Yunkui didn’t hide anything: “Although many aristocratic families were stirred by the news and were very dissatisfied with this matter. However, the Zhang family did not say a word from beginning to end.”
No crying, no questioning in court, no action whatsoever.
This was not normal.
Gusheng wondered: “Such a big thing happened, and the Zhang family had no reaction at all. This is a bit heartless.”
Jingzhe’s stretching motion froze, and he couldn’t help but recall Rong Jiu’s words that day.
After they had finished talking—in fact, they hadn’t really come to any conclusion, just as Mingyu complained, if Jingzhe was willing to break it off, it would have ended long ago—Rong Jiu took the initiative to mention something about the imperial presence.
Perhaps it was because he remembered Jingzhe’s previous examination of him and knew Jingzhe’s worries.
Rong Jiu said, “Consort Zhang’s child is not the emperor’s. The emperor dug out the unformed child, and along with that guard, sent them to the Zhang family.”
Jingzhe choked.
He knew that Emperor Jingyuan had killed Consort Zhang, but he never thought it would be such a bloody and cruel method.
Jingzhe murmured, “…Didn’t you say that His Majesty didn’t care who gave him… that thing?”
Rong Jiu said calmly, “The emperor always knew.”
His gaze fell on Jingzhe.
“On New Year’s Eve, Consort Zhang and her lover were in the Xie Fang Hall.”
Xie Fang Hall?
Jingzhe jumped up suddenly, “Xie Fang Hall!”
Wasn’t that in the same place as them!
Jingzhe pursed his lips, a little melancholic.
“She’s dead, what are you afraid of?” Rong Jiu didn’t like Jingzhe suddenly being so far away from him, so he pulled him back to sit down. “The emperor always knew and didn’t care. But this time, Consort Zhang wanted to expose her pregnancy due to an accident, giving rise to desire, wanting to pin this child on the emperor.”
Rong Jiu was always a man of few words. To explain to Jingzhe, this was already considered a lot of talking for him.
Jingzhe was dumbfounded.
Consort Zhang having an affair was not too outrageous, but to be pregnant and then frame Emperor Jingyuan…
That was indeed unbearable.
Jingzhe wondered: “Consort Zhang’s courage is too great. This… whether His Majesty had anything with her, doesn’t she know herself?”
The child wasn’t even hers, where did she get the courage to be so crazy?
Rong Jiu’s voice was cold: “If this child were born, it would be the first offspring in the harem. Whether male or female, its status would be different.”
Jingzhe: “…But, she should also know what kind of person His Majesty is.” Rong Jiu served in front of the hall, and there were some things he didn’t want to say too clearly.
But in Jingzhe’s opinion, Emperor Jingyuan was a brutal, cold, bloodthirsty, and ruthless person. Compared to him, Rong Jiu was merely a small witch.
Such a cruel person, Consort Zhang’s courage was a bit too great.
“Over the years, the emperor has intentionally or unintentionally amplified their greed and ambition, and there are also those who have gained favor by fighting hard.” Rong Jiu said coldly, “What’s more… she guessed one thing.”
The man’s eyes were gloomy and dark, devoid of any emotion. When he mentioned Consort Zhang, it was as if she were a pure inanimate object.
“She guessed that the emperor didn’t have too many desires, and might not even have his own offspring.”
A desperate struggle…
If it really succeeded, it would be a world of difference.
Jingzhe was slightly stunned, not quite understanding what Rong Jiu had just said… What? Was the emperor really impotent?
However, he had learned his lesson.
This time, the words did not blurt out.
But regardless of whether the emperor was truly impotent or not, Rong Jiu’s words finally allowed Jingzhe to glimpse the hidden secrets of this matter from another angle.
He had also heard that in some families, if they couldn’t have children no matter what, or only had daughters, they would rather adopt other people’s sons than pass on the family fortune to their daughters, or give their wealth to their daughters. No matter the reason… this psychology was very twisted.
Jingzhe whispered, “The palace is truly terrifying.”
Rong Jiu pinched his face.
“Is this terrifying?”
Jingzhe: “I think His Majesty keeps these concubines in the harem like fighting beasts.”
He said honestly.
Rong Jiu: “More or less.”
He said coldly.
“But, it’s not like they weren’t given a chance.”
Slap!
With a crisp sound, Jingzhe’s shoulder was patted.
He suddenly came back to his senses and saw Shi’en close by.
“What are you thinking about?”
He had called several times, but Jingzhe hadn’t responded.
Jingzhe slowly said, “I was just thinking, how long will the Empress Dowager and His Majesty be at odds this time?”
Actually, there was another reason that Rong Jiu didn’t mention, but Jingzhe could guess.
One of Consort Zhang’s relies was probably the Empress Dowager.
At that time, Consort Zhang’s exposure was a foregone conclusion. She had to fight for it. If she succeeded, everything would be fine; but if not, being in Shoukang Palace, she would survive no matter what.
—She would survive no matter what.
It was this point that ruined Consort Zhang and also infuriated the Empress Dowager.
Even if the bloodstains in Shoukang Palace were washed away, even if all the things from that day were discarded and replaced with new ones, even if the palace staff present, except for trusted confidantes, were killed, the Empress Dowager could still smell the lingering scent of blood.
On the walls, in the air.
Permeating everywhere, making it impossible for anyone to calm down.