This man was about to take in such a beauty, yet he remained as steady as Mount Tai, unshaken by any influence.
But then they thought he had never been one to be swayed by feminine charms…
Just as the concubines were speculating wildly, the Empress also caught sight of Awu’s face.
At that moment, it felt as if a massive boulder had struck her chest.
She could barely stand.
In fact, some things had happened in the past few days seemingly minor, but they had planted seeds of doubt in her mind.
She had tossed and turned, considering one possibility, but the thought was as fleeting as a wisp of smoke, disappearing before she could fully grasp it.
But now, what did she see?
The new woman of Emperor Jingxi, soon to be admitted into the harem, bore a face identical to that of Lady Ning from the Crown Prince’s residence, the very same Miaozhen.
Emperor Jingxi and her?!
The Empress could neither comprehend nor accept this.
How could this be?
Emperor Jingxi lazily raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping smoothly over the assembled crowd, pausing only briefly when it passed over A Wu before moving on without a trace.
He lightly pursed his thin lips, as if admiring the bouquet of flowers on the nearby tea table.
The Empress Dowager, at this moment, paid no attention to Emperor Jingxi.
She beckoned A Wu closer, took her hand, and began to ask her questions with evident delight.
A Wu answered accordingly, stating her surname was Ning, her given name was Wu, and that she was sixteen years old.
All the concubines present pricked up their ears, wondering who this person was, which family had presented such a beauty, and how she had suddenly entered the palace!
Facing his mother’s evident joy, Emperor Jingxi smiled and said, “Since Mother finds her agreeable, let her come daily to pay her respects and serve by your side.”
At his words, the concubines were even more taken aback.
Such warm, smiling words, such subtle paving of the way for the newcomer-it left them all feeling sour.
They had been in the palace for years, yet they had never known Emperor Jingxi to speak of any woman in such a gentle tone.
Especially in recent years, he had rarely set foot in the harem, his imperial thoughts inscrutable, which only deepened the women’s awe of him.
But now, he could be like this…
A Wu, too, was surprised by Emperor Jingxi’s words.
Though she didn’t fully understand, she sensed a subtle care in his tone, as refreshing as a spring breeze.
It was the way a man would bring the woman he favored to his mother, wanting her to appreciate the woman’s virtues.
She felt somewhat overwhelmed by the favor.
In her eyes, the Emperor had always been lofty, even when he showed her affection, he maintained his imperial demeanor.
She had never imagined he could display such humanity in the presence of the Empress Dowager.
Hearing Emperor Jingxi’s words, the Empress Dowager glanced at him in surprise, then laughed and sighed, “Look at this… it’s rare for you to say such things.”
Emperor Jingxi slightly lowered his eyes and said respectfully, “Mother, this is also a token of my filial piety.”
The Empress Dowager chuckled, “If the Emperor has such thoughts, I am truly touched. But this young lady, where did you find her? She is truly…”
She couldn’t help but look at A Wu again, utterly smitten.
Not only the Emperor, but even she herself wished she could hold her close and dote on her.
At this moment, Emperor Jingxi’s gaze naturally fell upon A Wu.
Today, she was dressed in a lilac palace gown, a common attire he had been accustomed to since childhood.
Yet, on her, it added an extra touch of delicate charm.
This attire, belonging to the forbidden palace, also gave him a sense of reassurance.
This mischievous young lady had finally fallen into his trap.
From now on, she could no longer regret her decision.
Unless the Great Hui Dynasty fell, or he ascended to the heavens as a dragon, she would always belong to him.
His lips curved into a pleased smile.
The Empress, upon seeing A Wu’s face, was completely stunned.
Her mind came to a halt, and her vision turned white.
A Wu, A Wu, this was A Wu!
The A Wu who once belonged to Yun Jian, the A Wu who nearly drove Yun Jian out of his mind!
The A Wu who was given to the Crown Prince, the A Wu who pitted the Crown Prince against Emperor Jingxi!
A Wu, she had also seen herself, she knew that she was aware of everything between her and Lu Yunjian.
If A Wu were to reveal all this to the Emperor, then, then-
The Empress’s heart raced uncontrollably, fear seeping out from the very marrow of her bones.
This A Wu, a mere ant, should have been crushed, should have been kept in eternal darkness.
But now, she had appeared in the imperial harem, in Changshou Hall, in front of the Empress Dowager!
And… she had become Emperor Jingxi’s favorite!
How could this be?
The Empress’s trembling gaze fell upon Emperor Jingxi.
She saw him looking at the woman.
The man, usually stern and authoritative, now had a soft curve to his brows and eyes, smiling subtly, like a young man of seventeen or eighteen, just discovering love!
She had known Emperor Jingxi since she was nine, married him at sixteen, and they had been together for sixteen years as a young couple.
But she had never seen him like this!
The young Emperor Jingxi was cold and ruthless, a lone wolf.
As he grew older, he became more composed, began to emphasize imperial virtue.
Now, Emperor Jingxi cared for nothing, he held everything in his hands, he was the supreme god.
But now, he was looking at a woman with such gentle, subtle, and restrained eyes.
Clearly fond of her, yet deliberately avoiding her gaze, trying to cover it up like a bashful young man!
The Empress panicked.
For so many years, she and the Emperor might not have had much love, but she believed she understood him, could assist him, could support him.
She was qualified to sit on the phoenix throne, and she could decipher this man’s thoughts.
But now, she was no longer sure.
And with this uncertainty came a fear of the future.
If the Emperor knew that she had set her sights on his only son, if he knew that A Wu was the one she had placed by the Crown Prince’s side, then-
The Empress shuddered.
She had a faint feeling that the Emperor already knew.
Maybe not about Yunjian, but he was probably suspecting her!
He was a man of deep schemes.
Even if he knew something, without a perfect plan, he would not act rashly.
Once he acted, it would be with thunderous force.
At this moment, Emperor Jingxi was discussing A Wu’s position with the Empress Dowager.
Everyone perked up their ears, all eyes on them.
Emperor Jingxi, however, smiled as if it were of little consequence, “She has just entered the palace, still young and not yet familiar with the rules. In the future, Mother Empress will have to take the trouble to teach her. For now, just place her anywhere.”
Everyone was taken aback by the words spoken.
The affectionate tone and the doting expression were as if a parent was leading their mischievous child into school, both humble and protective…
Oh my, everyone couldn’t bear to watch.
Just how much love was this?!
The key point was… this wasn’t just anyone-it was the emperor.
Could the emperor really act like this?!
He hadn’t even treated his own children this way!!
The Empress Dowager also smiled, “Such a beautiful lady. If her rank were too low, I wouldn’t have the heart for it. But if it’s too high, we’d have to make an exception.”
As she spoke, she glanced at the Empress beside her, “Empress, what do you think? How should we arrange this?”
Hearing this, the Empress struggled to suppress her trembling emotions.
She stepped forward and respectfully said, “Mother Empress, this new lady is indeed charming and captivating, but I wonder what her background is?”
The Empress Dowager, upon hearing this, also looked at Emperor Jingxi.
They had been so focused on the beauty that they had forgotten to ask.
Emperor Jingxi smiled, “As for her…”
The Empress Dowager, hearing this, realized something and scrutinized her son, “What is it?”
Emperor Jingxi: “A few days ago, Sun Wenbo, the Western Censor and Director of the Imperial Observatory, submitted a memorial. He observed that the Big Dipper had shifted south, Venus had eclipsed the Pleiades, the White Tiger had ascended to the heavens, and the Purple Star had moved east. He feared it might affect my health. Do you remember this, Mother Empress?”
The Empress Dowager nodded, “I do remember.”
But what did this have to do with the harem?
Emperor Jingxi: “Therefore, I ordered the Imperial Observatory to seek a solution. They needed to find a practitioner whose birth chart aligns with mine to accompany me in the palace and ward off the calamity.”
The Empress Dowager was momentarily stunned and looked at the lady in confusion, “So this is…..”
Emperor Jingxi: “This is Miaozhen, an enlightened nun from Yan Yang Temple. Her birth chart aligns with mine. She is my lucky star.”
All the concubines present were stunned upon hearing this.
The emperor had actually brought a nun into the harem?
Was this the emperor’s taste?
Would it be too late for them to start studying Taoist scriptures and chanting spells now?
Emperor Jingxi continued, “The essence of Taoism mentions that the Mysterious Feminine is the ultimate yin, the root of heaven and earth, the origin of all things before the creation of the universe. Therefore-“
The Empress Dowager didn’t want to hear him spout these grand theories and directly interrupted, “Just say it plainly. You’ve brought a Taoist nun into the harem. What exactly are you planning?”
At this moment, the Empress suddenly spoke up, “Your Majesty, could it be that this nun was mistaken? I seem to recall having heard the name Miaozhen somewhere before.”
As soon as she said this, Emperor Jingxi’s gaze swept over her coldly.
The Empress Dowager was surprised, “You’ve heard of her?”
The Empress frowned, somewhat puzzled, “I seem to remember “
Emperor Jingxi still wore a smile, but there was a hint of mockery in his coldness.
The Empress felt it but pressed on, “Previously, the one who was dismissed from the Crown Prince’s residence-what was her name again?”
She smiled and looked at Miaozhen, “Nun Miaozhen, do you know the Taoist name of the nun who left the Crown Prince’s residence?”
She hesitated, words caught in her throat.
From the subtle smile on the Empress’s face, the crowd suddenly realized something.
Upon closer thought, everyone was horrified, their hair standing on end.
No one dared to speak; they held their breath, afraid of disturbing something.
The Empress Dowager’s smile also faded.
She glanced at her son, then at the Empress, and finally her gaze settled on A’Wu.
Her grandson had opposed his father over a woman, and the conflict had escalated beyond repair.
Now she remembered that woman’s surname was Ning.
A’Wu’s surname was also Ning.
That woman had gone to Yan Yang Temple, and A’Wu also came from Yan Yang Temple.
The crucial point… their ages were almost the same.
When the Empress Dowager realized this, her expression gradually darkened.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the bedchamber became exceptionally heavy, so silent that not even a crow’s caw could be heard.