IV. The Xu Family

As Amber was about to go out, I suddenly changed my mind: "Slow down! I will personally go to greet her."

No

The maid, filled with fear in her heart, slowly knelt at the foot of my bed, covering her face and sobbing

I can only feel a heart full of pain, a heart full of sorrow, a heart full of... ... scarred and battered.

You should yield and submit, as your identity as a new recruit should not pose too much difficulty for you

The room fell silent for a while, and after some time, Amber responded softly, "Mm."

Putting down my brush and ink, I adjusted my attire and slowly walked towards the palace exit. As I approached the door, I quickened my pace, feigning an expression of urgency and anxiety: "What has happened?"

I took a step back, paused for a moment, then took another step back, looking up at the sky. The sky was a clear blue, with not a cloud in sight, and the sun was just rising, blazing like fire. However, I felt not a trace of warmth. Hu Po quietly supported me from behind. I lowered my head and smiled at Guo Shengtong, saying: "Your Excellency Guo, you speak too heavily; this is originally... a joyous occasion, why blame yourself?"

How could it be her

Amber remained silent, but after a moment, she suddenly began to sob quietly.

Miss—do not abandon this servant—

"Sister, please forgive me, spare the Xu family." As she wept, she earnestly attempted to kneel before me once more, "She has always been well-behaved and understanding, Your Majesty... Your Majesty also likes her very much..."

"You could never betray me, yet it is clear that you are hiding something from me. What could it possibly be for?" I smiled gently, a tear slowly oozing from the corner of my eye

Guo Shengtong wore an awkward expression, her large eyes, filled with bloodshot veins, held a timid glimmer of tears. She stammered shyly: "Indeed, it is my fault, Your Majesty... Your Majesty visited last month... Ah, I am with child, and it is inconvenient to serve in the bedchamber... Therefore... Your Majesty favored one of the maidservants in my palace, but I never expected that... as a result, a dragon fetus was conceived. This... this matter... Although it does not violate the rules, still... The situation was sudden, and ultimately it is due to my poor management. If I had reported this to my sister earlier, we would not have ended up in such an awkward situation. Sister, you see... Although that Xu family is of humble origin, she is indeed pregnant. Could we... perhaps grant her a title? I am young and ignorant, and I dare not make decisions on my own. I am filled with trepidation, and can only... come to plead for forgiveness from you."

At that moment, I almost lost control and instinctively reached out to support her: "What happened to you?"

Yin Shi, along with leaders such as Jia Fu and Liu Zhi, led troops south to attack Yancheng. It is reported that they have already forced Yin Zun, the King of Yancheng, who was conferred by Emperor Gengshi, to surrender. The Yingchuan Commandery is gradually returning to the control of the Jianwu Han Dynasty.

Rouge is also a person of unfortunate fate. At first, she followed the noble person through hardships and dangers, surviving near-death experiences. She hopes that the noble person will remember their past master-servant relationship and show her kindness, not... not to her. Although she is in the palace of Lady Guo, her heart still belongs to you, noble person. Noble person... noble person. Rouge does not wish to compete for favor with the noble person; truly... she does not dare to entertain such thoughts. Noble person... Rouge does not wish to compete for favor with the noble person; truly... she does not dare to entertain such thoughts.

Noble one! The palace maid was so frightened that she hurriedly helped me up

Guo Shengtong did not wait for me to extend my hand to assist him; suddenly, his knees buckled, and he knelt down, choking back his words: "The Guo family has failed in its supervision and has come specifically to apologize."

Perhaps I am too inclined to measure a gentleman's heart with the mindset of a petty person, but I simply cannot find peace of mind to regard her silence as mere acceptance of fate

Other maids arrived upon hearing the sound, all in a state of panic, wanting to intervene yet too afraid to approach me. Amber lay on the ground, crying to the point of becoming a complete mess of tears

It is unclear how much time has passed, when a series of soft, rustling footsteps echoed in the room. I endured the headache and, with my eyes closed, asked in a hoarse voice: "Did you see it?"

She was both startled and frightened, nodding with a choked voice. I loosened my fingers and despondently let go.

What are you afraid of? I am asking you knowingly.

Ah—" a cry of astonishment, filled with grief and indignation, ultimately intensified into a long, mournful wail. I jumped out of bed and frantically smashed every item in the room.

Why are you crying? What is there to cry about?

"Rouge?" I retorted

Amber suddenly trembled, his complexion changed drastically, his face turned ashen, and he stammered: "Noble one..."

During this period, Guo Shengtong has been living in seclusion, hiding in her palace under the pretext of resting during pregnancy, and has hardly shown her face again. Regardless of how fervently the public opinion promotes my ascension to the position of empress, on her side, it is like a tranquil Dead Sea, not stirring even the slightest ripple.

Sister

Miss—do not abandon this servant—

So... is it really true? I suddenly widened my eyes, and the weight above me seemed to have suddenly decreased significantly, pressing down on my head, making it hard for me to breathe

Hmm? I did not understand.

What I witnessed in the Chang Le Palace regarding the struggles within the harem is closely related to state affairs. Those undercurrents are surging, concealed yet brutal. Has the Nangu Palace under Liu Xiu now been transformed into a harmonious new environment, both externally and internally, so that there are no longer any interests driven by the gentry, no power struggles, and no political conflicts?

Guo Shengtong was momentarily taken aback, seemingly unable to comprehend what I was saying, a look of confusion fleeting across her face. After a brief moment, she gathered her robes and bowed, saying, "Well... I shall take my leave now."

I straightened my back, revealing a hint of interest: "Oh?"

"Your Highness Guo, please take care." I smiled as I sent her off to the palace gate, watching as Amber led a group of Western palace maidens and eunuchs to escort Guo Shengtong away. Then, my vision darkened, and the hand that was supporting me against the doorpost slowly fell, my weakened body gradually sliding down to the ground.

This sudden kneeling took me by surprise, causing my previously muddled mind to snap back to attention. I hurriedly called to the maids on either side to help her up: "Lady Guo, what are you saying? Such a grand gesture of apology will only make Yin Ji feel extremely apprehensive."

The absence of Yin Shi by my side leaves me with a sense of unease, as if I have lost an arm. Fortunately, Yin Xing has been appointed as the Huangmen Shilang and serves as the Shijimen Pushe, which has actually increased the opportunities for him to enter and exit the Yeting. When encountering some information that is not too urgent, there is no longer a need to use the Feinu.

Lady Guo, you must take good care of yourself and return to rest as soon as possible. Amber, you will personally escort Lady Guo back and ensure she is well settled. If anything were to happen to her, how could I explain it to His Majesty? As for that Miss Xu... let His Majesty decide. I smiled at Guo Shengtong, my heart bleeding, yet I had to smile as brightly as the morning glow, "Do not worry, my lady. Did you not say that His Majesty favors her? Now that she is with child, His Majesty will certainly not treat her poorly. What is there for you to be concerned about?"... Let His Majesty decide.

My mind is a blank, my eyes have lost focus, and all I can see is that pair of cherry lips continuously opening and closing before me

Guo Shengtong stood outside the door, her appearance haggard, with unmade-up face and uncombed hair. Her small face was pale, her eyes swollen, and she looked pitiful. She was dressed in thin clothing, which further highlighted her slender frame, and her abdomen was protruding. Although the weather in May was hot, the mornings and evenings were still slightly cool. As a pregnant woman, she had come a long way, braving the morning dew to reach me, trembling and in tears, her sorrowful demeanor striking deeply at my heart.

Young lady—do not abandon this servant—do not abandon this servant—do not—abandon ... ...

As May arrived, Liu Xiu, amidst his busy schedule, would occasionally stroll through the inner palace and subtly mention the matter of establishing me as empress. I would hesitate and refrain from responding. However, the issue of appointing an empress pertains to the state system and involves extensive implications, which is beyond the control of Liu Xiu alone. The officials submitted memorials, their urgency surpassing that of the emperor, inadvertently pushing the matter of appointing an empress to a point where it could no longer be delayed

Am I truly being overly sensitive, causing a state of alarm and anxiety, and worrying excessively for no reason?

How could it be rouge

"Noble Lady." Early in the morning, Amber arrived in a hurry with a tense expression, whispering, "Noble Lady Guo has been crying all the way to the Western Palace."

The sound of thunder reverberated within my cochlea, and I stood there, dazed and muttering: "Rouge... rouge..." The cry of Amber was loud, and in a moment of impulse, I grasped her wrist tightly, my eyes bloodshot, "Xu family?"

In a flurry of activity, they hurriedly carried me into the palace. I lay there dazed on the bed, my limbs weak, and my head felt as if it had just been run over by a heavy tank, my thoughts completely shattered into fragments.

However, Xing'er, I cannot leave him behind. Liu Yan's rebellious actions are a grave offense that warrants the execution of his entire family. If Xing'er falls into the hands of the officials and soldiers, he will undoubtedly face death

Amber tears streamed down her face

The more this is the case, the more I feel a sense of alarm

"Rouge?" I sat up from the bed, staring at her with wide eyes. She shrank back, "Rouge..."

I am sorry, Rouge... I cannot take you away...

"Are you afraid of me?" I turned my head to look at her. She slightly shrank her shoulders and averted her gaze. I said coldly, "I have no reaction; there is nothing strange about that. What is strange is why you would help others keep secrets from me."

Noble one!" She bit her lip and suddenly bowed her head heavily, "Please spare the rouge, noble one.

"Noble one, if you wish to cry, then cry!" She suddenly burst into loud sobs, "The noble one now is nothing like the young lady she used to be at home. In the past, when the young lady was angry, she would strike if she wanted to, and smash things if she wished. Although the servant was very afraid of the young lady's temper, she... was even more afraid of seeing the noble one like this now"

Miss—do not abandon this servant—

A sharp and piercing scream suddenly echoed in my mind, causing my whole body to tremble as if I had been struck across the face with two resounding slaps, a stinging pain burning fiercely.

In the end, all the objects in the room were smashed by me. Facing the chaos that filled the room, I stood barefoot, panting on the cold floor tiles, silent tears of shame and anger sliding down my cheeks

Before the words had left my lips, the sound of sobbing had already drifted in from afar. I tilted my head back and glanced outside the door, saying in a low voice: "Let her in"