Chapter 0004: The Emperor's Wet Nurse
Despite the thick skin of the Qie family, as an ancient woman, she could not withstand the fiery gaze of the young emperor. Her heavily powdered face unexpectedly flushed. "Your Majesty, this servant has come to request permission to leave the palace. Now that Emperor Tianqi is no longer here, if I remain in the palace, I fear it will invite gossip. I hope Your Majesty will grant this request."
A surge of ecstasy filled Ke's heart as she thought to herself that her beauty was indeed well-maintained. The seventeen-year-old young emperor actually had a preference for her? Although she questioned herself, feeling inferior compared to those noble consorts, and found it impossible to compare with Empress Zhou of Emperor Chongzhen and Empress Zhang of Emperor Tianqi, wasn't it true that Emperor Tianqi favored her more than Empress Zhang Yan?
Although Kebababa cannot claim to have understood the Emperor in just a second, the Emperor has already entered his own inner world, and Kebababa is well aware of this! Such a figure, such an imperial identity, can domineeringly penetrate the inner world of any woman in the realm without the slightest effort! Gazing at the vigorous silhouette of Emperor Chongzhen, Kebababa feels a wave of melancholy and confusion; she cannot discern whether this is the Emperor's scheme or if he harbors some feelings for her. She only perceives this seventeen-year-old man as unfathomable! He has left her kneeling on the ground for a long time, unable to awaken from her chaotic thoughts! Looking at the vigorous silhouette of Emperor Chongzhen again, Kebababa feels a wave of melancholy and confusion; she cannot discern whether this is the Emperor's scheme or if he harbors some feelings for her. She only perceives this seventeen-year-old man as unfathomable! He has left her kneeling on the ground for a long time, unable to awaken from her chaotic thoughts! She cannot help but wonder, is this truly the Emperor who is six years younger than her own son? Before entering the palace, she had a son, but according to court rules, as a member of the palace, even with immense power, she cannot meet her own son.
"The guests remain, while the others withdraw!" The imperial edict of Zhu Youjian astonished all the palace maids and eunuchs present. They were unsure of his intentions. However, the emperor's decree swiftly cleared the area, leaving only the emperor and this guest outside the garden gate.
You are weak, your world is weak; you are strong, your world is strong! Everything in the world is dialectical and relative
At the end of the imperial garden, there is the creaking sound of the spinning wheel, resembling a series of exquisite musical notes, filling the young emperor's heart with tenderness. His footsteps involuntarily come to a halt there
Zhu Youjian did not underestimate this woman; of course, he did not take her too seriously either. In his previous life, he had easily killed Cui Chengxiu and Wei Zhongxian, and he had also eliminated this woman. In this life, she should be even less of a match for him. Zhu Youjian pondered, as he was given a second chance, history could very well change due to his fresh start, potentially elevating previously simple opponents into formidable adversaries
If I am reluctant to let you leave the palace, what should I do
To be able to control the lives and deaths of the emperor's children, what significance does the lives of the subjects in the realm hold?
He knew that this was the frugal Queen Zhou Ke'er personally spinning yarn. The Queen not only washed clothes and cooked, but also spun yarn and wove fabric. His undergarments were all made by the Queen's own hands. Looking at a delicate patch on his cuff, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion, holding back his tears, as the saying goes, "Nostalgia brings shyness!" How much more so when he was about to meet his wife, whom he had yearned for a hundred years.
Ke's heart raced intensely, her eyes already filled with the tender essence of spring. Since entering the palace at the age of eighteen, the men she had been with were all half-men. First, she was with Wei Chao, then with Wei Zhongxian, and in between, she had affairs with several eunuchs. Only that Wei Zhongxian, who had self-castrated at the age of twenty-one to escape gambling debts, could satisfy her the most, but ultimately, none of them were real men! No matter how exquisite your skills are, they still cannot compare to the real thing! At this moment, looking at the rare handsome man in the world, the young emperor exuding such masculine vigor! How could this soon-to-be forty-year-old mature noblewoman not feel a shiver of excitement all over her body?
The guest discreetly patted her ample bosom, exclaiming that her attire was quite artistic. The neckline of her gown, reminiscent of the luxurious garments worn by noblewomen in the Ming Dynasty, was neither too high nor too low, allowing those looking from above to fully appreciate the generous curves of her figure. At this moment, her gesture of patting her chest was less about a mere tap and more akin to a caress, perfectly showcasing her form before the Emperor, almost revealing the grapes. "Your Majesty, you wouldn't have me, this old woman, kneeling like this indefinitely, would you?"
Kebaba was the wet nurse of Emperor Tianqi and was in a close relationship with Wei Zhongxian. This relationship refers to the practice where palace maids and eunuchs formed marital bonds. One was the emperor's wet nurse, and the other was the emperor's most favored chief eunuch. With these two individuals in such a relationship, and Emperor Tianqi Zhu Youjiao preoccupied with carpentry all day, was not the world under their control? Their roles were clearly defined: the woman managed the inner affairs while the man handled the outer matters, with Kebaba overseeing all matters within the palace. Even Empress Zhang Yan of Emperor Tianqi did not wield as much power as this woman. Throughout his life, Emperor Tianqi fathered three sons and two daughters, none of whom survived, highlighting the immense influence of Kebaba.
Observing the tense Wang Cheng'en and then looking at the Ke family, who was approaching with a grand procession, Zhu Youjian realized that Wang Cheng'en was deeply concerned about what the woman was plotting. Her influence in the palace might be even greater than that of Wei Zhongxian! She even had the capability to instigate a palace coup!
At this moment, Kebababa did not know how to express herself; she wanted to loosen her clothing but was afraid of being too explicit. She wished to say something more sophisticated to please the Emperor, but in the mind of a woman from a rural background, there were no such refined words. She stood there in a daze, unsure of what to do.
Emperor Chongzhen did not keep Ke Baba in his mind for long. Today, he did nothing to this woman, but for this woman at a critical point in history, his objectives have already been achieved. He not only approved Ke Baba's trial exit from the palace, thereby eliminating the greatest security threat within the palace, but also minimized the suspicions of Wei Zhongxian's faction to the greatest extent. A simple sentence, a simple action, can be seen as a display of remarkable political acumen. Compared to his past self, the current level is akin to that of a university professor, while his past self was, at best, at the level of an elementary school student.
Such blatant flirting! Even the most polite individuals have never encountered it. How could the culturally ignorant Emperor Tianqi and Wei Zhongxian possibly articulate such words? There is no doubt that although Emperor Tianqi accomplished a few things in the earlier part of his reign, he was indeed an uneducated emperor. Emperor Wanli consistently favored the Prince of Fu to inherit the throne, yet this prince was never given significant responsibilities. Having lost his mother at a young age, he lacked maternal love and proper guidance, which naturally led him to become a pleasure-seeking emperor. Wei Zhongxian, on the other hand, was a true rogue. Before entering the palace at the age of twenty-one, he was merely a street thug. It is undeniable that Emperor Tianqi, despite having done a few things, was indeed an uneducated emperor. Emperor Wanli consistently favored the Prince of Fu to inherit the throne, yet this prince was never given significant responsibilities. Having lost his mother at a young age, he lacked maternal love and proper guidance, which naturally led him to become a pleasure-seeking emperor. Wei Zhongxian was even more of a genuine rogue. Before entering the palace at the age of twenty-one, he was just a street thug, someone who lost money to the extent that he could sell his daughter, and he came from a family of performers. What kind of culture could he possibly possess? Therefore, the affinity between Emperor Tianqi and Wei Zhongxian is simply a case of like attracting like.
This sentence carries a certain power beneath the well-trained voice of Ke. If Comrade Zhu Youjian had not had modern experiences and observed numerous performances late at night in silence, he would definitely not be able to withstand it
Zhu Youjian's words are entirely consistent with his character; in his previous life, he was diligent in state affairs, yet he met with the tragic fate of national ruin and family loss. Furthermore, in his past life, in order to maintain the image of a loyal servant to his people, he refrained from any relations with women for a hundred years. In the end, he merely retired as a village chief, and though he was called an official, he was essentially just a grassroots cadre. Moreover, this was in a remote and impoverished area, where even if he wished to amass some wealth, there was little opportunity. In truth, his heart was quite dark; great loyalty can resemble treachery, and great treachery can resemble loyalty. The same person, in different environments, will continuously alter their character. After a lifetime of hard work, he ultimately became a deposed monarch, and after all that effort, he ended up as a retired village chief. Furthermore, he was a person with significant political ambitions. Such a journey of the heart is something an ordinary person cannot experience.
Zhu Youjian touched the chin of the guest, yet did not take any further action, restoring his tall and elegant posture. "Get up, it is good for you to leave the palace, to avoid those idle rumors. It is commendable that you can consider my situation! Once I have finished this busy period, I will bring you back."
Kebaba did not receive the emperor's intention for her to rise, remaining on her knees, unaware of what the emperor intended to do. After a long while, she had not heard a single sound, only feeling the emperor standing before her. Summoning her courage, she raised her head to take a look, only to see Emperor Chongzhen staring intently at her ample bosom with eyes more beautiful than those of a woman.
"Kè, you have come to see me; is there something you wish to discuss?" Zhu Youjian's expression remained calm, yet his eyes were fixed on the woman's somewhat intimidatingly ample bosom. It is truly puzzling that, even in ancient times without breast enhancement techniques, this woman, at the age of thirty-nine, nearing forty, managed to achieve such a remarkably swollen appearance.
Zhu Youjian made a sound of acknowledgment and surprisingly lifted the chin of the guest with a single finger, bringing his face very close to hers. From a man's perspective of appreciating a woman, if this guest were in the adult film industry, she would undoubtedly be a top-tier figure, at least dominating the mature female category
Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor for ten thousand years. Although Ke was merely an eighteen-year-old country girl when she entered the palace, by the time the Tianqi Emperor passed away at the age of twenty-two, this woman, still not yet forty, had developed a demeanor akin to that of a noblewoman. Even Zhu Youjian, who had not encountered any high-status women for over a hundred years, could not help but feel a hint of admiration.
Zhu Youjian looked intently at this woman, who was renowned throughout history. She had ample bosom and a slender waist, a beautiful face, and her skin was well-maintained, resembling that of a woman in her thirties. Her brows occasionally revealed an insatiable allure, what a lascivious and wanton woman! Although he had no concrete evidence, he believed that Ke Shi's relationship with his own elder brother, Zhu Youjiao, was incestuous. Otherwise, how could a man in his twenties require his wet nurse's service all day long? It was utterly unreasonable; this must be a relationship intertwined with both maternal affection and romantic love. Although he had no concrete evidence, he believed that Ke Shi's relationship with his own elder brother, Zhu Youjiao, was incestuous. Otherwise, how could a man in his twenties require his wet nurse's service all day long? It was utterly unreasonable; this must be a relationship intertwined with both maternal affection and romantic love.