Chapter 1565: Faster Than Turning a Page

"I am, after all, a Noble Consort. Chen Jiang Jiang Yucheng, please speak to me more politely."

Liu's expression turned very ugly.

Chen Chen Guanlou's face showed a mocking look. "Before you sent me that invitation, you should have known I wouldn't give you a pleasant face. Complaining now? Too late!"

"What do you want me to do? It's just one last formality, but Empress Chen insists on being so rigid, following every rule to the letter. We're a widow and an orphan, without a single arm to lean on. I have no maternal family to rely on, and he hasn't even taken a wife. I have no idea how I'm supposed to get through the days ahead."

"If you can't afford food, go cry poor at the Court of the Imperial Clan. That's their job to handle. Besides, no matter how poor you are, the annual stipend and grain tied to the title will never short you—as long as you don't live extravagantly, don't be too lavish, tighten your belt a little, and it's enough."

An annual stipend of tens of thousands of taels, and grain from the title you can't finish—and you call that poor?

Chen Chen Guanlou was thoroughly disgusted. Liu was simply far too greedy.

"Chen Jiang Jiang Yucheng, must you be so heartless and cut ties with me?" Liu sobbed and wailed. What was framed as a challenge sounded more like a plea for help.

Chen Chen Guanlou wouldn't fall for her act. "Your Highness, first of all, you are not pitiful, and your son is even less so. Second, as long as you don't covet things that don't belong to you, you'll be far happier."

"Behave yourself from now on. Empress Dowager Sun has taken a strong dislike to you. If you don't want to fall into her hands and get dealt with, keep to your place and live your life well. Lastly, don't come looking for me again. I'm not that free."

"As for whatever little affection there was between us, it's long been worn out over all these years. If you don't want me to loathe you—loathe you enough to kick you when you're down—please heed my advice. Farewell!"

"Chen Jiang Jiang Yucheng, don't go!" Noble Consort Liu shouted, chasing after him.

Once she stepped outside, where was any trace of Chen Chen Guanlou? The man had long since vanished into the distance.

Chen Chen Guanlou ran in one breath all the way to Jade Spring Palace to find Pure Yang True Man for a chat and to clear his mind.

But upon arriving at Jade Spring Palace, he sensed something was very wrong.

The alchemy furnace had been smashed!

"Who did this? Under the Son of Heaven's very feet, who dares provoke Jade Spring Palace? Could it be the Jixia Academy next door?"

Chen Chen Guanlou was angry on Pure Yang True Man's behalf, looking as though he'd rush to avenge the culprit the moment he learned who it was.

Pure Yang True Man looked utterly exhausted. "You know this is right under the Son of Heaven's nose. Besides that one, who else could it be?"

Chen Chen Guanlou was shocked, unable to believe it.

Half in doubt, he asked, "You mean Emperor Yuanding?"

"Besides him, no one in Jingcheng has the nerve to come smash things up at Jade Spring Palace!"

Pure Yang True Man was also seething, but had nowhere to vent. That was the Emperor—a new one who'd only ascended the throne a month or two ago. He couldn't figure out what he'd done wrong to provoke this ancestor.

Chen Chen Guanlou's face drained of color. "Was anyone killed?"

Pure Yang True Man shook his head. "No one was killed. Just a pure smash-up. A warning."

"Why?" Chen Chen Guanlou couldn't understand.

"They say the late Emperor died from taking elixir pills. The pill poison ruined the late Emperor's body."

Pure Yang True Man spread his hands, showing how helpless he felt.

Chen Chen Guanlou laughed in anger and fumed, "Didn't he ever think that if Emperor Jian Shi hadn't suddenly fallen to Serious Illness and died, he'd never have had the chance to sit on the throne? If Emperor Jian Shi had been given another five or ten years, it would never have been his turn. Whether he could even keep his status as the legitimate son would be in question."

Nearly on his deathbed, Emperor Jian Shi still refused to name Emperor Yuanding as Crown Prince. Had it not been for the Zhengshitang's pressure, and had it not been for his status as the legitimate son, the outcome would be hard to predict.

If Emperor Jian Shi had managed to live a few more years, Empress Dowager Sun might well have been deposed. Once the Empress was deposed, Emperor Yuanding's status as the legitimate son would be lost along with her. When that time came, Prince Ning would have been the rightful heir, nailed down.

If Emperor Jian Shi died from taking elixir pills, Emperor Yuanding can hate anyone—except Jade Spring Palace. He should even be grateful to Jade Spring Palace, thanking Pure Yang True Man's pills for saving his precarious status.

"This kind of thought can only be thought, not spoken. Sigh… if the Emperor's anger doesn't subside, everyone in Jade Spring Palace will have no choice but to leave Jingcheng and find another place."

"It won't come to that! He only smashed things—no killing, no punishment. That shows the Emperor was simply venting his fury. You must have heard—the Emperor is being checked and suppressed by the Zhengshitang, and he's thrown several tantrums. All it got him was even harsher rebukes! The Emperor is powerless over state affairs, so he can only bully a soft target like you. He's nothing but a bully who picks on the weak and fears the strong—a coward!"

Chen Chen Guanlou despised Emperor Yuanding.

He used to look down on Emperor Jian Shi, despising the man.

Now he realized Emperor Jian Shi was far stronger than his son. After ascending the throne, he advanced step by step, steady and sure—worthy of having been Crown Prince for decades, his handling of state affairs quite skilled.

Emperor Yuanding fell far short compared to his old man.

An Emperor without even a single loyal faction or capable talent to use deserves to be suppressed. And he's even more petty.

If Emperor Jian Shi had faced such a situation, he would never have taken it out on Jade Spring Palace! It would only make one look narrow-minded and willful—not the bearing of a wise ruler!

"How about you present a few top-grade elixir pills to the Emperor?" Chen Chen Guanlou offered him a rotten idea.

Pure Yang True Man waved his hand. "The alchemy furnace has been smashed. For a long while to come, this poor Daoist won't be refining pills. This furnace was hard to come by, and of excellent quality."

Chen Chen Guanlou patted his shoulder. "Try to take it easy. Don't take it to heart with the Emperor. He's nothing but a fool—he'll capsize sooner or later."

"The Emperor is, nominally speaking, also your nephew-in-law," Pure Yang True Man reminded him.

"Forget it!"

Chen Chen Guanlou gave a self-mocking smile.

"Haven't you heard? In the imperial house, even father and son don't count."

"You don't think much of the Emperor's future?" Pure Yang True Man couldn't understand. Emperor for a day, Emperor for a lifetime—could there really be some change midway?

"What future or not, it's none of my business. If you've no heart for refining pills, how about coming to my place to relax for a couple of days?"

"To your place? To sleep in the sky prison. This poor Daoist isn't crazy!"

One line, and the mockery was maxed out.

Chen Chen Guanlou, exasperated, said, "I have several residences in the city. Stay at any one you like."

"No need! This poor Daoist must hold the fort at Jade Spring Palace. No matter the storm, I must stand at the front. At a time like this, I absolutely cannot leave. The moment I go, morale will collapse."

"True enough." Chen Chen Guanlou nodded in understanding. "If you need anything, just say the word."

"Don't worry. This poor Daoist still has a few tricks for keeping himself alive."

After tea, Chen Chen Guanlou left Jade Spring Palace. Passing by the neighboring Jixia Academy, he found the academy bustling with activity, all its former gloom swept away.

He concealed his form and slipped inside. It turned out Emperor Yuanding had summoned the Head of Jixia Academy, and the two were having a most pleasant talk. Emperor Yuanding's meaning was clear: he would place great trust in the talents of Jixia Academy.

This was the breakthrough Emperor Yuanding had come up with.

Since the Zhengshitang was not of one mind with him, he might as well pull in a group of people from outside to join his side and stand on equal footing against the Zhengshitang.

He had thought of Hou Fu, and hoped to gain its support. Unfortunately, Chen Chen Guanfu wouldn't take the bait and refused to play along.

He was furious to the extreme, and by extension came to hate Empress Chen, and even his own son did not receive a good look from him.

Just yesterday he was all "Zitong understands me best," and the very next day he was red in the face, looking as though he wished her dead. The speed of this turnabout was faster than flipping through a book!