Chapter 0006: My Zhou Ke'er
As she gazed at the emperor's back, Zhou Ke'er suddenly felt a sense of change; the emperor had matured! She could not explain why, but she distinctly sensed that today's emperor was very different from the past. He exhibited less anxiety and more confidence! A profound transformation had taken place! Although this change made Empress Zhou feel somewhat unfamiliar, it also brought her great joy. Regardless of how the emperor had changed, she loved her husband unwaveringly, until death do them part! Although this change made Empress Zhou feel somewhat unfamiliar, it also brought her great joy. Regardless of how the emperor had changed, she loved her husband unwaveringly, until death do them part!
Zhou Ke'er was sitting at the table sewing garments, and without needing to ask, it was clear she was making undergarments for herself. In this beautiful time and scenery, with a beauty as picturesque as a painting, the setting sun was descending, and her beloved was right before her eyes
Emperor Chongzhen gently embraced her, caressed the beautiful woman's silky black hair, inhaled her scent, and placed a kiss on her forehead
Emperor Chongzhen looked at the beauty in his arms with joy; this was the first time in his memory that Zhou Ke'er had taken the initiative to kiss him! He knew that this was very difficult for women in ancient times to do! Gently brushing his fingers across her delicate little nose, he said, "I am leaving"
Zhu Youjian said, "That's right. Moreover, you need not worry any longer about the matter of having a prince. From now on, I will diligently sow every day, and by this time next year, I will definitely reap a big, chubby little prince!"
Zhu Youjian seemed to be experiencing a tumultuous swell in his heart! He appeared to have endless words to say to the Empress, yet he did not know where to begin! After pondering for a long time, he could only utter one sentence, "I truly fear that in this lifetime, this moment is the only time I can truly gaze upon you!"
Three Lives, Three Worlds: The Pillow Book, Zhu Youjian's first love, beloved, lover, unforgettable, meeting too late, all of it, is just one woman, yet he is particularly content! Although the sea is vast, I only desire that handful of the most beautiful waves!
Until the emperor's large hand reached into the empress's garments, beginning to knead her full and alluring bosom through the thin fabric of her undergarments, Zhou Ke'er murmured as if in a dream, "Your Majesty, I am not feeling well today"
Zhou Ke'er reluctantly stood up and said, "I humbly bid farewell to Your Majesty."
Looking at the patch on his sleeve, Emperor Zhu Youjian felt a warm sensation in his heart. In his previous life, although he could not independently manage even the most basic tasks of dressing himself or putting on shoes and socks, he had always adhered to the habit of frugality, largely thanks to Empress Zhou Ke'er.
Zhou Ke'er looked up at the handsome jawline of Emperor Chongzhen, feeling that the emperor was strikingly handsome and tall from any angle. The setting sun cast a warm glow on the emperor's face, enveloping him in a golden halo. Such a moment was so beautiful! Unconsciously, she kissed the emperor's face.
Zhou Ke'er blushed deeply, wriggling slightly in the emperor's embrace, "Your Majesty"
It is indeed a stroke of luck for Emperor Chongzhen to be able to marry a girl from a humble background like Zhou Ke'er, yet of noble lineage.
A graceful figure stepped into the courtyard, startling several palace maids. Just as they were about to kneel and pay their respects to the emperor, Zhu Youjian waved his hand to stop them, made a gesture for silence, and then pointed outside, indicating that they should all leave.
Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, immediately understood, "Oh, I am the emperor! How can I apologize?" He smiled and said, "Let us make a pact: when we are in private, we will interact like ordinary mortal spouses, alright? You can say whatever you wish to me, and I will also share my thoughts with you, alright?"
What? Seventeen-year-old Zhu Youjian smiled as if he had returned to his youth. After waiting for a hundred years, what he received was the inconvenient response from the Empress today, which was rather disappointing.
Zhou Ke'er is meticulously sewing garments, each stitch infused with her love for the Emperor. Her rosy lips habitually pucker slightly, and her beautiful eyes occasionally blink gently, resembling the wings of a pair of butterflies, or the brightest stars in the night sky, making her delicate face appear even more fair and exquisite, with skin as smooth and translucent as white jade, seemingly capable of yielding water.
Zhu Youjian's eyes became moist; this scene had entangled him in dreams countless times, intertwining with his emotions as vast as the Yangtze River and the sea. A full century has passed! Yet upon seeing it again, it felt as if it were just a moment from a picture book! It turns out that his heart had never truly wandered far away!
The queen lay on the emperor's chest like a small cat, saying, "Your Majesty, you should prioritize state affairs and not be so kind to Ke'er. If you neglect state matters for the sake of Ke'er, would I not become a sinner throughout the ages?"
Zhu Youjian approached and heard the Empress softly humming a tune. He tiptoed to the back of Zhou Ke'er, maintaining a distance of one step from his Empress, causing his heart to race intensely. A hundred years felt like a mere afternoon nap; it might seem long, yet in reality, it is very short. Perhaps a person's life is like this. At this moment, Zhu Youjian had truly accepted the fact of his rebirth in his heart! Regardless of the trials of a mountain of knives or a sea of flames, or the purgatory of boiling oil, as long as he could be with his Zhou Ke'er again, he would not hold anything against it. A hundred years felt like a mere afternoon nap; it might seem long, yet in reality, it is very short. Perhaps a person's life is like this. At this moment, Zhu Youjian had truly accepted the fact of his rebirth in his heart! Regardless of the trials of a mountain of knives or a sea of flames, or the purgatory of boiling oil, as long as he could be with his Zhou Ke'er again, he would not hold anything against it.
Queen Zhou Ke'er was born into a humble family, possessing both intelligence and beauty, and hailing from a lineage of scholars. She was truly the best gift from heaven to Zhu Youjian, whose fate had been fraught with difficulties. Zhu Youjian often pondered how joyful it would be if he and Ke'er were an ordinary couple among the common people.
The queen shyly lowered her head, feeling an overwhelming sense of emotion. She wondered why the emperor had been expressing such sentimental words one after another today, thinking perhaps it was due to their recent marriage. Nevertheless, her heart felt sweet. "Your Majesty, if you speak like this, others might think I monopolize the harem. It has been nearly half a year, and I have yet to bear a son for the emperor."
Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, smiled gently as he lifted the tall empress onto his lap, saying, "I shall seek no one else; in this life and the next, all I need is my Ke'er."
At last, the Empress discovered Zhu Youjian, her fair face blushing a rosy pink. The sixteen-year-old girl remained infinitely bashful, playfully pouting as she said, "Your Majesty"
The Empress, feeling overwhelmed by the Emperor's touch, shyly nestled in his embrace, biting her lower lip in embarrassment, "Why don't you find another concubine instead?"
Zhou Ke'er mischievously blinked her eyes, shyly daring not to look at the Emperor, and smiled at the book, saying, "Emperor, keep it up"
In modern times, most relationships are based on free love; however, Zhu Youjian seems to have noticed that there are few couples who can grow old together in harmony. In contrast, during the 1980s and 1990s, and even earlier, couples introduced by matchmakers and brought together by their parents tended to have longer-lasting unions. For those born after the 1980s, it is actually quite difficult to find a partner who is liked, suitable, and with whom one can share a fateful connection.
Afterwards, upon inquiring with Wang Cheng'en, Zhou Ke'er came to understand the kind of suffering the Emperor was enduring. It was hard to believe that the Emperor's transformation would occur at such a time when the affairs of the Ming Dynasty were at their most weakened state. She could empathize with the pressure the Emperor faced and the anguish within his heart. However, she believed that her Emperor could overcome all difficulties and rebuild a prosperous and powerful Ming Dynasty
Zhou Ke'er was so frightened that tears were about to fall again, "Your Majesty."
The emperor gently lifted the empress's chin with his index finger and kissed her softly. It had been a century since their last kiss, and it felt almost addictive, as if he needed to practice diligently! To be precise, he had not summoned the consorts since the seventh year of Chongzhen, which meant it had been perhaps one hundred and ten years since he had engaged in such activities. He could hardly remember clearly, but at this moment, the thought made him feel a rush of warmth throughout his body
A few clever palace maids bent down and quietly slipped out in small, discreet steps, making not a sound, and the Empress, of course, did not notice anything unusual
Zhou Ke'er gently embraced the Emperor, saying, "You are in such a good mood today; that is why you are like this. If there comes a day when you are not happy, it will be just like before. I am most afraid that I will no longer see Your Majesty so joyful in the future"
Zhou Ke'er had lustrous black hair, elegantly styled into a beautiful bun atop her head, and her exquisite oval face exuded an air of grandeur. Zhu Youjian still remembered the day of their wedding; when he first laid eyes on the Empress, he was utterly captivated by her beauty. He had seen many beautiful women before, yet he willingly accepted this arranged marriage from a bygone era. An arranged marriage is akin to a double-edged sword; it is not entirely devoid of merits. It is like receiving a gift without knowing what it looks like. The surprise can be immense! Sometimes, the shock can also be significant, but evidently, the Emperor's fortune was favorable, as he encountered a delightful surprise.
Zhu Youjian gently brushed away the two crystal-clear tears from the corners of the queen's beautiful eyes, "I have already issued an edict. From now on, no one is allowed to cry in my presence; otherwise, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor. You are not allowed to cry either; I forbid you to cry. I want you to be happy forever. The greatest joy of my life is to cherish and love you, until the end of time."
Zhou Ke'er felt her face flush with embarrassment, unable to breathe as the emperor kissed her roughly, without any prelude, yet so passionately! Her delicate hands unconsciously wrapped around the emperor's waist. For a well-educated girl from a respectable family, such an embrace in broad daylight was beyond her imagination
Emperor Chongzhen gazed at the afterglow of the sunset outside the window, smiled, and said, "Nonsense, from now on I shall face each day like this! Whether happy or unhappy, it is still a day, so why not greet each day with joy? As long as my queen is present in every one of my dusks, that is all that matters!"
Zhu Youjian quietly approached the empress's window. The empress did not enjoy residing in the palace; she always preferred to stay in the courtyard of the imperial garden. This simple little courtyard was also Zhu Youjian's favorite place to visit. Whenever state affairs became overwhelming, this was his safe haven, providing Emperor Zhu Youjian with a sense of home.
Although the palace maids outside did not dare to look directly at the Emperor and the Empress, they still caught sight of everything out of the corners of their eyes. Two of the maids suppressed their laughter, covering their mouths, while the others exchanged gestures and hurriedly tiptoed out of the courtyard. No one expected the Emperor to be so romantic
Zhou Ke'er chuckled softly. Although she was the Empress, sitting in such a position and kissing the Emperor in broad daylight still made it difficult for her to maintain her composure. The etiquette of the Ming Dynasty was very strict, not to mention within the depths of the palace! "Your Majesty, please do not scare me. What on earth has happened? You seem like a completely different person. You have never smiled at me before, nor have you ever spoken so many sweet words to me."
Reflecting on my past life, there was a period when, due to my poor mood, I confined the queen to the cold palace for a full two years. She was locked in her own chambers and was not allowed to move freely. In hindsight, it was all due to my own incompetence, which in turn affected my wife. Lacking ability is one thing, but to take it out on my wife is an even greater display of incompetence. With a remorseful smile, I said, "I am sorry."
Zhu Youjian could no longer be restrained, allowing the emotions within him to erupt! He pulled the Empress into his embrace and passionately kissed the beauty's delicate lips! It seemed to be the most beautiful candy in the world!
The queen smiled, unable to contain herself, and although her beautiful eyes still held back two large tears, they appeared even more radiant and captivating than before. "Your Majesty, what is wrong with you today? Please do not frighten me. Is there something joyful that has happened?"
Zhou Ke'er felt somewhat perplexed, put down her needlework, stood up, and said, "Your Majesty, what is the matter with you today?"
The emperor held the empress's delicate face in his hands and kissed her soft lips once more, saying, "I must now attend to state affairs. The consorts are not to interfere in politics and are not permitted to inquire. You need only say, 'Your Majesty, keep up the good work.'"
Whether one likes or not, whether one is suitable or not, and whether there is fate to be together are actually three separate matters! In film and television dramas, there is often a tendency to create conflicts between emperors and empresses, which is mostly a product of later speculation or a necessity for the plot. In reality, emperors and empresses are generally harmonious, embodying the emperor's nobility and the empress's grace. Where then is the conflict? Even Wu Zetian only began to show her dominance after the man had passed away.
Happy things? Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, chuckled bitterly in his heart, yet his expression remained as calm as water! Being able to hold his Zhou Ke'er like this again, he was already so fond of her that he didn't know how to suppress his feelings! "To see my empress, I am happy every moment!"