Chapter 69: My Whispers Are Not Without Their Use!

The process of selecting a husband was proceeding intensely; because Feng Bao was away, the Wanli Emperor also had a rare moment of free time.

Every day after finishing state affairs, his greatest pleasure was to go and frolic with Zheng Defei.

Only with her could he truly experience what is called the pleasure of a man.

This woman seemed to possess magic; accompanying you in conversation could fill your heart with joy, and accompanying you in bed could make your bones melt and your spirit dissolve.

As long as she was there, the three thousand beauties of the Inner Palace instantly lost their luster.

On this day, after the hour of Chen, a burst of laughter rang out in the Imperial Garden.

The Wanli Emperor was seen holding Zheng Defei, sitting on a stone bench in a small pavilion; Zheng Defei, showing no avoidance, wrapped her arms around the Wanli Emperor's neck and bit his cheek with her cherry lips.

"Look at you, all chubby, just like a big fat cat."

The Wanli Emperor chuckled, stretched out a finger, lightly tapped Zheng Defei's jade nose, and teased, "If I am a big fat cat, then you are a little mother cat, and a clingy little mother cat at that."

"Your Majesty, you are too bad, I won't talk to you." Zheng Defei pouted her little mouth and turned her head away in a huff.

"My beloved concubine, don't be angry." The Wanli Emperor panicked slightly; he wanted to say, "I know I was wrong," but as soon as he remembered the dignity of an emperor, he could only stand there blankly, not knowing what to do.

Just at this moment, Zhang Jing stuck out his backside and trotted into the Imperial Garden.

The Wanli Emperor released Zheng Defei and scolded with a straight face, "You dog of a servant, do you have no manners left? Without being announced, who allowed you to enter and disturb me?"

"Wei Qing, Wei Qing, and you old dog, how are you performing your duties?"

???

Zhang Jing was full of question marks; wasn't it you who said before that I could enter without asking for permission?

Although he thought this in his heart, Zhang Jing could only back away and say respectfully, "Your humble servant Zhang Jing requests an audience with the Emperor."

"Come over here." The Wanli Emperor waved his hand impatiently.

Walking forward a few steps, Zhang Jing carefully took ten banknotes from his bosom and said with a hint of fawning, "Your Majesty, I have looked into it; the three-hundred-thousand-tael wedding banquet, I bargained down to two hundred thousand, so I am returning these one hundred thousand taels to you directly."

"You blockhead, you really have a wooden head." The Wanli Emperor took the banknotes and scolded with a frown.

"This is all what I should do, it is not worth the Emperor's—"

Zhang Jing had thought he would receive praise from the Emperor, but he did not expect it to turn into a reprimand. He was stunned for a moment, looking at the Emperor with a face full of astonishment.

"One look and I can tell you were cheated. Bargaining is all about cutting the price in half; you only cut off one hundred thousand taels, if that isn't being cheated, then what is?" Wanli glared at Zhang Jing and said with sound logic, "In the future, learn more from Zhang Yunxiu, so you don't get cheated and then help others count their money."

Hiss... Could it be that the Emperor knows everything?

Zhang Jing was given a great fright; the original cost was three hundred thousand, and after his own haggling and beating down the price, it had actually only cost one hundred thousand.

Plus the bribes he received, just from this one trip, he had earned one hundred and eighty thousand.

After a moment of silence, the Wanli Emperor waved his hand impatiently: "Enough, enough, you go down first, and bring that... what's his name..."

"Liang Bangrui," Zhang Jing reminded him.

"Right, Liang Bangrui!" The Wanli Emperor nodded sharply and ordered, "In a few days, bring him for me to see. I want to see for myself if my brother-in-law is as good as you say."

"Ah?!"

"Ah what ah, hurry up and go!"

The Wanli Emperor roared at the top of his lungs and kicked Zhang Jing over. Zhang Jing struggled to climb up from the ground, then nodded like a winnowing sieve: "Yes, yes, yes, this servant will go at once." Having said that, he scrambled away.

"Pfft." At this moment, Zheng Defei, who was to the side, suddenly burst into laughter.

"You laughed, you laughed, hehe, laughing means you aren't angry with me anymore." The Wanli Emperor felt relieved and pulled Zheng Defei into his arms again, frolicking.

"That's not it, your concubine just thought of something funny." Zheng Defei shook her head with a smile.

"What funny thing?" The Wanli Emperor asked with great interest.

"Your concubine was thinking that Your Majesty was cheated by that Zhang Jing." Zheng Defei had drafted her words for a moment before saying them softly.

Wei Qing, who was to the side, was startled and thought to himself: Shouldn't these words be coming from me? Could it be that that brat Zhang Yunxiu was afraid I wouldn't dare offend Zhang Jing, so he found this new favorite?

While he was pondering, Zheng Defei continued: "Your Majesty also said that bargaining requires cutting the price in half. Just think, the generous way Zhang Jing looked just now, he must have pocketed even more silver. Next time Your Majesty sees him, a little interrogation will reveal everything."

The Wanli Emperor widened his eyes, and after a moment of silence, he gritted his teeth and cursed: "Good dog of a servant, daring to scheme even for my money. Just wait until I see him next time, I'll show him how I'll deal with him."

"Your Majesty must never say it was your concubine who told you." Zheng Defei curled her eyes and said pitifully.

"Why?"

"When I entered the palace, I knew how formidable this Zhangin was. Not a single palace maid or eunuch in the palace is not afraid of him. I am afraid that if he knows it was me who instigated this, I will surely be retaliated against later." As she spoke, she buried her head in the Wanli Emperor's chest, revealing only a pair of watery eyes.

The Wanli Emperor felt his heart breaking as he watched, and he roared angrily: "That dog of a servant wouldn't dare!"

"He is a powerful and influential high-ranking Eunuch. Although I am a Concubine, I am already envied by others. If one day Your Majesty goes to court, I fear I might die in the palace without anyone knowing why."

"Sob, sob, sob..."

When she reached the emotional part, Zheng Defei wept like rain on pear blossoms.

There were at least dozens of Concubines in the palace, and everyone longed to receive the Emperor's favor.

She alone received all the favor; although she was infinitely glorious, she was envied by all the Concubines, and even she felt the cold winds blowing.

The Wanli Emperor was flustered and comforted her repeatedly: "Don't worry, that dog of a servant wouldn't dare do anything to you. And in this Inner Palace, I am the one who has the final say. Whoever dares to move a finger against you, I will fight them to the death."

"Th-thank you, Your Majesty, for your deep love." Zheng Defei stopped her sobbing, raised her red-rimmed eyes, and replied in a soft, sweet voice.

"You are my good treasure; without you, what meaning would I have in being this Emperor?" The Wanli Emperor asked with a smile.

Zheng Defei smiled in cooperation and returned to her previous lively appearance.

She did not like Zhang Jing, nor did she like Feng Bao; these two were both ruthless characters who were simply beyond her control.

However, this Wei Qing, whom Zhang Yunxiu had pointed out, was currently in a neither-high-nor-low position.

As the Managing Eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, although he was considered prestigious in the palace, there was still a gap compared to the Drafting Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

If she could get rid of Zhang Jing this time and help Wei Qing up to become a Drafting Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial...

Once Feng Bao left and Wei Qing ascended to the position of Seal-Holding Eunuch, in this Inner Palace, besides the two Empress Dowagers, who would dare to give her a cold shoulder?

Since she had entered these layers of palace walls, if she was going to do it, she would naturally be the woman who was below one person but above ten thousand! Having figured this out, Zheng Defei smiled charmingly and said with a fragrant breath: "Your Majesty, the weather is hot, why don't we go back to my bedchamber to rest?"

"Oh, good, good, good."

(End of this chapter)