Chapter 978: I've locked up the Empress—how do I fix this?! 31

Jin Chen walked with his hands behind his back in the imperial garden, admiring chrysanthemums while thinking about how to get Wen Zhengheng to speak the truth.

After walking for a while, he gestured to Yan Fu'an who was following behind him.

Then, inside the Hall of Quiet Heart.

Wen Zhengheng learned the plague was under control, also relaxed quite a bit, but when he became idle, he was easily surrounded by gloomy emotions.

Alone in the Study, writing and reading, yet his heart could not calm.

Suddenly hearing noise outside the courtyard, and also Yun Wu's voice, he opened the window to look.

Palace maid: "Yun Wu sister, His Majesty went to Consort Jingliang's place to have a meal, and said he'd go there half an hour earlier."

Speaking, the palace maid acted annoyed, shaking her head disdainfully, "Consort Jingliang hasn't received His Majesty's favor for many days; now she's overjoyed! She wishes everyone would know."

Yun Wu hearing this felt annoyed; if it weren't for the recent tension between Your Highness and His Majesty, how could Consort Jingliang have found an opening?

"Go, go, go, do your work; our Your Highness wouldn't care for that. Lately, the plague in New An Prefecture—Your Highness has been accompanying His Majesty every day in the Imperial Study, thinking of solutions."

"That Consort Jingliang is merely a beauty serving others; how could she compare to our Your Highness?"

The few palace maids hearing this also thought it reasonable, then each went about their own business.

In the Study, Wen Zhengheng, having heard that conversation clearly, now had complicated thoughts and a downcast expression.

He closed the window, and when he lifted his brush again, the ink blurred the back of the paper, leaving two black blots, making it impossible to write.

Wen Zhengheng thought, he ought to be more magnanimous.

Just as Yun Wu said, lately he had almost daily been in the Imperial Study; although he and His Majesty rarely exchanged intimate words alone, he had already fulfilled the Empress's duties.

Now that the plague is under control, His Majesty, having become idle, wants to relax—this is perfectly normal.

Wen Zhengheng put down his brush, picked up a military treatise, and sat idly to the side, thinking thus, yet he could not convince himself at all.

But that is A Chen, not the former emperor.

He had clearly promised not to favor anyone else.

His eyes burned, and the characters on the book blurred.

Perhaps it's still because of that matter……

So, is A Chen truly angry, angry to the point of not wanting him anymore?

Wen Zhengheng's heart was in turmoil; things he previously didn't mind now, with a different person, actually felt so painful.

But how exactly should he tell A Chen?

If His Majesty speaks the truth, speaking it out would bring danger; should he change his approach?

Wen Zhengheng rubbed the pages, his phoenix eyes slightly narrowed in thought.

Actually, all along, what he worried about was merely fearing that A Chen would suddenly disappear or meet with mishap.

Then, would simply asking A Chen—asking him what his identity really is, whether he would suddenly leave—serve to verify whether the tyrant's words are true?

It seemed he had figured out the crux; among the methods available now with no other options, this was the only one that would let him act.

Wen Zhengheng set down the book, rose, and summoned Yun Wu.

"Your Highness."

He looked out the window, using for the first time a tactic of vying for favor that he previously disdained.

"You go… go to the Hall of Fragrant Splendor to find His Majesty, and say that this palace feels unwell."

Yun Wu hearing this understood that his own Your Highness was willing to lower himself; he smiled and accepted the order, "This servant will go now."

She bowed, stepped back a few paces, and left, heading straight for the Hall of Fragrant Splendor.

Hall of Fragrant Splendor.

Consort Jingliang leaned against the doorframe, looking at His Majesty who always refused to enter the inner chambers; his heart was both annoyed and helpless, clearly it wasn't like this before.

He is no longer favored; even the palace servants in the harem no longer respect him as before, merely a bunch of sycophants clinging to power.

"Your Majesty, the outside wind is cool; since you've come to see your servant, why won't you enter the hall?" His tone was truly aggrieved.

Jin Chen said nothing, standing alone like a punished one, admiring flowers in the courtyard.

"You might not believe it, but I just came to stand here; your hall is too fragrant, I fear being overwhelmed by the scent."

Consort Jingliang walked up to Jin Chen, pouting, about to slip an arm around him, "Your Majesty… how long has it been since you came to see your servant? What are you staring at the flowers for?"

Jin Chen shook off his hand, seizing the chance to say this.

"I merely came to tell you that henceforth all other consorts will certainly be sent out of the palace, you included."

Consort Jingliang's face turned white; he thought, you might as well not have come to see me—this will get me kicked out of the palace.

"Whether you like it or not, this is already decided; if you harbor no other thoughts, I will properly compensate your family, specially granting you the right to invite a son-in-law to reside."

"Otherwise, you just go accompany the tyrant; see whether you won't be beaten to death by that dog-thing."

Jin Chen thought silently.

"Loving to beat servants, and that tyrant are truly a match made in heaven."

Consort Jingliang hadn't yet reacted when Yun Wu hurriedly approached from outside the hall.

"Your Majesty, not good!" Yun Wu, seeing Jin Chen, hurriedly knelt and replied, "Our Your Highness suddenly feels unwell; he wishes you to come see him."

Consort Jingliang was already upset; now being jinxed by this palace maid, he gritted his teeth, "The Empress is unwell; just call the imperial physician—why have His Majesty come over?"

Jin Chen glanced at him, "Meddlesome; of course I must go see."

Having said that, he turned and walked away.

Consort Jingliang: "……"

He felt he might not even make it out of the palace before dying of anger.

On the way back to the Hall of Quiet Heart, Jin Chen especially asked Yun Wu, "Is Huai Feng truly unwell, or does he just want me to come over?"

Yun Wu dared not say the Empress Your Highness was lying—that would be gross disrespect; he merely lowered his head and replied, "His Majesty and Your Highness are of one heart and mind."

This is admitting there is no actual illness.

Jin Chen was very pleased, striding swiftly toward Resting Heart Palace, and, feeling sentimental, asked Yan Fu'an, "Do I really have to forgive the Empress so easily?"

Although he phrased it that way, the joy in his tone could not be hidden.

Yan Fu'an exclaimed, laughing, "The Empress simply cares for you; the love between emperor and empress is the fortune of our Brocade State."

Jin Chen burst into laughter, "Reward—I will richly reward!"

The hearty laughter carried into Resting Heart Palace, startling Wen Zhiheng, who had been hesitating whether to return to the couch and feign illness, wondering whether he had actually spoken of feeling unwell or simply taken off his outer robe and lain back on the bed.