A wu nestled in his shoulder, winding her arms around his neck, murmuring with lingering affection, “Dear, Your Majesty is the best. A wu likes Your Majesty. Dear, Your Majesty…”
She said everything—things that made her blush.
Emperor Jingxi hunched his broad, strong frame over her delicate body, sheltering her completely.
He commanded again and again, wanting her to say she loved him most, that Yong Tianze was her husband, and that they would be together in the next life.
After she said much, he finally fell silent, and she stopped speaking.
She leaned silently against his chest, eyes half-closed, listening to his heartbeat.
His steady, calm pulse made her feel safe.
She thought, actually, these words were not lies.
As long as she stayed by his side, as long as his emperor’s ruthlessness never fell on her, she truly loved him—and could love him forever.
She also hoped to bear him two sons and two daughters so they could be together forever.
***
A wu thought the matter with Princess Dening was over, but a few days later, she happened to overhear someone mention that Emperor Jingxi had handed the matter to the Shanggong Office for handling, which dared not slacken.
After investigation, Princess Dening was found unable to distinguish right from wrong, easily believing slanders and misled by false words, which caused her to go astray.
At the Consort Kang’s Title Bestowal Ceremony, she had provoked a disturbance, disrupting the court order.
She was fined three months’ salary in grain and rice and ordered to stay behind closed doors for a month to reflect.
Female Palace Ladies would carefully instruct her to correct her mistakes.
Consort Kang, as the princess’s birth mother, had failed in her duty to educate her properly.
Considering past favors, she was demoted to the rank of Pin, fined a year’s salary, ordered to stay behind closed doors for two months, and forbidden from leaving her residence.
Additionally, the Empress, as the princess’s legal mother, was punished for dereliction of duty.
All the Nannies, Shanggong, Attendants, and Ceremony Officers around Princess Dening were severely punished as well.
A wu was surprised and incredulous.
Now she understood that Consort Kang was promoted from Pin to Fei because Princess Dening was coming of age.
It was for the princess’s face, to ensure a grand appearance at her marriage.
Now, with Consort Kang demoted back to Pin, it was a humiliation.
The key wasn’t the demotion itself, but what it signified—that the mother and daughter had fallen out of imperial favor.
The emperor’s only daughter had sunk to this point; that showed how little favor she had.
Princess Dening’s marriage prospects would surely be affected, and the family who would marry her might hesitate.
A wu thought this was making a mountain out of a molehill, so that night, she cautiously brought it up with Emperor Jingxi.
But Emperor Jingxi said, “This matter has nothing to do with you.”
Seeing this, A wu didn’t press further.
After all, it was a family matter.
Emperor Jingxi perhaps sensed his tone was too cold, glanced at A wu, and softened his voice as he explained, “The Golden Seal bestowed upon you was jointly decided by the Astronomer Royal, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Works. The Grand Secretariat petitioned, the Empress Dowager approved, and the Empress was also aware.”
A wu dared not act rashly and whispered, “Yes, A wu is grateful.”
The Golden Seal wasn’t something easily produced.
It had to pass step-by-step review before being sent to the Ministry of Works for crafting.
Without any one of those steps, it wouldn’t be possible.
Furthermore, the Golden Seal was presented with the Title Bestowal, personally handed over by the Grand Academician and the Minister serving as the bestowal envoy.
All these handlers were pillars of Great Hui, knowledgeable in the nation’s laws and traditions, capable ministers of the court.
Since none of them objected and were involved, for Princess Dening to question this was truly—
The court’s Title Bestowal ceremony was the most solemn and careful of affairs.
If there had been any risk of mistake, Emperor Jingxi would never have granted you the Golden Seal.
Once granted, it was set in stone with no room for negotiation.
At such a moment, how could a palace lady from the harem arbitrarily criticize?
If she was dissatisfied, she should question privately.
How could she directly challenge her own father, the emperor, in front of so many nobles?
One could only say the child was spoiled.
Having been sharply reprimanded by her father, she deserved it.
Emperor Jingxi said casually, “As for Princess Dening, since she was born into the imperial family and enjoys imperial grace, she must fulfill her duties as an imperial daughter, abide by palace rites, and embody royal dignity. If she feels wronged, that’s because I have failed to discipline her and indulged her too much. You needn’t blame yourself. I have long planned this but only had the chance today.”
A wu listened but felt uneasy despite understanding his intent.
Just then, Emperor Jingxi stroked her temple hair.
“A wu, don’t think about this. I will handle everything. You just need to be at ease.”
A wu opened her eyes wide, looking at Emperor Jingxi, seeing only affection shimmering in his tea-colored eyes.
She hesitated for a moment, hooking her delicate arm around his neck and softly said, “Yes, A wu understands.”
What surprised A wu was that one day, while Emperor Jingxi was reading with her in Langhua Hall, they suddenly heard a commotion outside.
It was Princess Dening, kneeling on the steps outside the chamber, crying to see her father.
The young girl had just come of age, crying heartbrokenly.
A wu guessed she never expected her father to treat her so coldly.
A wu looked up from her book and asked Emperor Jingxi, “Should we send someone to see?”
Emperor Jingxi still smiled, his gaze full of tenderness, but he ordered the eunuch beside him, “Why allow the princess to cause such disturbance? Consort Ning is carrying the heir and has been disturbed wantonly. What if this startles the child?”
The eunuch was frightened and quickly replied, “I was unaware, I will go ask immediately.”
He hurried outside.
Moments later, the crying stopped.
A wu lowered her head, unwilling to speak.
Emperor Jingxi lowered his eyes and saw her fingers nervously fiddling with the edge of the sutra, as if embarrassed.
He said lightly, “I told you, it’s none of your concern. Yet here you are, uneasy.”
A wu said, “This matter started with me. If you two separate, it’ll be my fault.”
She was always afraid that things would spiral out of control, and afraid she would become the culprit.
Emperor Jingxi said, “What I do, how could I blame you?”
A wu leaned into his arms, softly protesting, “Then find another excuse. If this continues, what will people think of me?”
Everyone in the palace knew the emperor favored her and punished Princess Dening for her sake.
Emperor Jingxi said, “Since I’ve taken charge, I will ensure proper discipline.”
A wu asked, “What does proper discipline look like?”
Emperor Jingxi said, “I want her to distance herself from Consort Kang and recognize you as her mother.”
A wu was shocked.
“What are you thinking?”
How could a biological daughter do that?
Had he become so used to ruling that he thought he could manipulate hearts at will?
Was he treating his daughter like a subject to rule by favor and fear?
Emperor Jingxi said, “Whether she accepts it or not, she must.”
A wu turned her face away and said, “I don’t want that!”
That spoiled little princess, if made to accept her as mother, would probably torment her endlessly.
Besides, the Imperial Palace was vast, not a small town where people constantly ran into each other.
If they avoided one another, it would be best.
Emperor Jingxi wrapped his arm around her waist.
“My children are yours. From now on, I will make sure they all respect you as their mother. If they misbehave, you may discipline them.”
A wu hurriedly said, “I wouldn’t dare to discipline them!”
Emperor Jingxi frowned, rubbing her cheek.
“If we are husband and wife, what I can do, you can naturally do as well.”
‘Husband and wife?’
A wu gasped.
Such words were too dangerous to imagine.
Seeing her resistance, Emperor Jingxi bent down and lightly bit her earlobe.
“Learn well. You will have to learn to discipline our children. Don’t worry. If they don’t obey you, I will punish them severely.”
A wu’s heart filled with tears.
Just then, the eunuch hurried back with a Remorse Letter, said to be written by Princess Dening.
Emperor Jingxi didn’t even glance at it, tossing it aside, then picked up the sutra he had just put down.
“Come, let’s continue reading.”
A wu carefully said, “The Remorse Letter… won’t you read it?”
Emperor Jingxi looked up, smiling.
“What, are you trying to slack off and not read?”
A wu wanted to cry but had no tears.
She pouted, “Fine.”
Emperor Jingxi held her close, accompanying her as they continued reading.
But A wu couldn’t focus.
Emperor Jingxi seemed to sense this, placing his finger gently on her wrist, speaking warmly, “Don’t worry. Since I intend to discipline my children, I won’t give up halfway, nor will I let Princess Dening harbor resentment toward you.”
A wu heard this but secretly wondered: ‘Princess Dening, resent me? What kind of mother was she? She was only a year younger than herself!’
If he dared think that, A wu certainly did not want to accept it!