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Empress with No Virtue - Chapter 18
AUGUST 10, 2015 ~ LAMLAM1990
In order to showcase the power and strength of an empire, the Xing Palace was rather large for a hunting ground.
Ye Zhen Zhen's room is directly beside Ji Wu Jiu. Both of their rooms are very big, and are well decorated as well. In front of Ji Wu Jiu's room there were a few armed soldiers guarding, not moving with a straight face, almost like a tree. Below the window a tiger was lying there, the arrow on his head earlier has been removed.
There were people walking pass the door every now and then, everyone's gaze will fall on the tiger, and then after they will pass by. In their hearts thinking who will Ji Wu Jiu give the tiger too.
According to customs, every year during the hunt, the emperor will give away the things that he hunted himself, to the ministers. Even if it was a pigeon it, it was still from the emperor. Last time Ye Xiu Ming and Fang Xiu Qing has both received them before, though both of them will receive similar items so that they appear to have equal power, but this time it is different, there is only one tiger, who will the emperor gift it to?
Besides Ji Wu Jiu, everyone else was thinking about this matter.
At night, Ji Wu Jiu did not return to his own room, but went to Ye Zhen Zhen's place. Seeing that she was being cold towards him, and did not respond will to him, he felt bored and went to Xian Concubine's room.
Xian Concubine was removing her make up when he came in, Xian Concubine saw Ji Wu Jiu from her copper mirror and quickly pushed Qiu Feng away, and greeted the emperor. She was wearing thin clothes, hair untied, with no make up, making her look rather pitiful.
Ji Wu Jiu helped Xian Concubine up, and his gaze got attracted to an accessory on the table. A hair ornament, with a hole in the middle. The one that Ye Zhen Zhen's arrow gone through.
Seeing her hair ornament, Xian Concubine also felt that she was embarrassing earlier on, and quickly changed the topic "Your majesty, I heard that you caught a tiger today?"
"En". If it was not for him manage to arrive on time, Ye Zhen Zhen would have been swallowed by the tiger.
"Congratulations your majesty, you are truly brave and heroic"
Ji Wu Jiu held up that hair ornament, and looked at it carefully. Ye Zhen Zhen's unwillingness face from this morning floated into his mind, if he did not make her get rid of the hidden arrow, most probably she would not have gotten herself into that situation.
Ji Wu Jiu let out a sigh, and threw the hair ornament back to the table.
***
Ji Wu Jiu announced that he will gift the tiger to Ye Zhen Zhen. Most people felt surprised, thinking about the rumor about Ji Wu Jiu not liking the empress, on how much can that rumor be trusted, and in the same time congratulating Ye Xiu Ming.
Ye Xiu Ming, held his beard and laughed "What happens between the husband and wife, we don't really have a say". Although that was what he say, but in his heart he was thinking about Fang Xiu Qing's daughter, thinking that she isn't that good after all.
Currently Xian Concubine's expression is not too good as well, but lucky for her it was dark so it cannot be detected easily.
Tonight's banquet was held outside, they all held a fire and gathered around to drink some wine and to eat meat. Ye Zhen Zhen was holding on to a roasted lamb leg, and eating with great appetite, that definitely can't showcase her being the mother of the country. She thought it through, Ji Wu Jiu was originally not someone good, earlier on she fell into his trap, but it was because she was not clever enough, next time she just have to be more careful, that's all. Furthermore, he did save her, although the reason she nearly died, he also plays a part.
Anyway, not thinking about it would be best.
Ji Wu Jiu turned and saw the earnestly roast lamb eating Ye Zhen Zhen, and shook his head.
***
After three days, the whole entourage went back to the capital. The imperial doctor brought a chair with wheels for Ye Zhen Zhen, can be sat on, and also can be pushed around, as well as arm rests, very convenient to be used. Ye Zhen Zhen like it very much, and immediately give him some gifts.
Today, Ye Zhen Zhen brought the rest of the court ladies too Ci Ning Palace to greet the Empress dowager, she was sitting on the wheelchair, pushed by Su Yue and the rest of the ladies followed behind her.
Ji Wu Jiu already finished his morning court, and was at Ci Ning Palace as well, because Ye Zhen Zhen's leg is not well yet, she does not need to perform the greetings, and Su Yue pushed her to her position. Chatted with Empress Dowager a bit and wanted to leave.
This type of thing, she has to do daily, it was rather boring.
However, today the empress dowager was treating her with much care, and asked about her injury in detail. Hearing that she will need at least 3 months to recover, she frowned and forced herself to show that her heart aches for Ye Zhen Zhen and said "It is not convenient for you to move around, it is quite pitiful, to injure bones is not something easy to heal, you will need to recuperate properly"
Ye Zhen Zhen really don't what is the empress dowager acting for, and looked at Ji Wu Jiu for a clue, but Ji Wu Jiu just blinked without an expression.
"That is why before the you are healed, you no need to come here everyday"
"Thank you for your grace mother, but this injury is nothing serious, will just need a little bit more effort, I would not dare to lack in the greetings"
"Your fidelity I am well aware of" the empress dowager said and waved her hands "normally you have to handle the things in the inner palace, it must have been very tiring, now you are injured, you should take this chance to recover, and should not allow them to disturb you over the small things. I was thinking, what not you let Xian Concubine take over your job for a while, what do you think?"
Ah, now we know why..
Ye Zhen Zhen guessed that the empress dowager would have such an act, it must have been hard on her to only say after so many days. She looked at Ji Wu Jiu, and found that he was looking at her as well, with a calm expression.
Ye Zhen Zhen smiled and said "Your majesty, what do you think?"
"Since the empress is injured, she should rest"
"Since your majesty and mother are so caring towards my injury, then I will gladly accept, and take this chance to be lazy for these few months"
The empress dowager nodded and smiled "it should be so"
"But", Ye Zhen Zhen looked at Xian Concubine, "the things in the inner palace that needs to be done is very complicated, I am not sure if Xian Concubine will be able to take it?"
Xian Concubine, replied "Although I am not as clever, but I am willing to help your majesty to lessen your burden"
"Since you are not clever enough, I am afraid that you alone would not be enough" Ye Zhen Zhen smiled, and looked at Xian Concubine's change of expression, then looked at the person next to her "Zhuang Concubine".
"I am here"
"During the my resting period, you and Xian Concubine will work together" Ye Zhen Zhen said and turned towards the empress dowager "Mother, what do you think?"
You already gave out the order, why bother ask me, the empress dowager thought."A good idea"
Zhuang Concubine know that Ye Zhen Zhen is siding her, so she decided that she will definitely do her job well and keep track of Xian Concubine, and properly help the empress.
Ye Zhen Zhen also did not have a choice, the empress dowager and Xian Concubine has joined hands, definitely they would want to endanger her, so she can't sit and wait. As long as Zhuang Concubine is obedient, and does not trouble her further, she can still be considered as a good weapon. Further more the grounded Li Concubine would be another problem later. As soon as she gets out, the first person she will look for revenge would definitely be Ye Zhen Zhen.
As whether Li Concubine will be in grace again, Ye Zhen Zhen thinks she most probably will. She found out that Ji Wu Jiu as an emperor, actually does not care about women, in his heart all he thinks about is the country and how to manipulate people. As long as the woman is pretty enough, and treats him good, he will receive everyone.
Ever since Xian Concubine and Zhuang concubine took over the inner palace matters, Ye Zhen Zhen got more free time and could do things that she likes.
The first thing she did was to research on how to make the gun shoot more than once each time. The accident that happened in the hunting grounds was too engraving, if her gun can shoot more than once, most probably the hero now would be her.
Although her idea is good, it is not something that could be done in a day or two. So everyday she will think for a while, and when she gets tired she will do other things, such as bringing in Matthew to the palace and chat.
Matthew brought her a lot of things from his country. Such as books and drawings, but it was too bad that the books that he brought in were all written in Latin words. Matthew is also considered half unable to read. As it was different from his mother tongue, so when he tried to read it always got stuck, but he still had to explain the meaning to Ye Zhen Zhen. This two person played well together, Ye Zhen Zhen thought that the thinks that came from the books were very interesting, although some may be weird, but some are also very fun. She was most interested in their astrology and mathematics.
As for Matthew, this guy was actually a flirt, once he sees pretty ladies, he will be very keen. In his home country, he can still be considered handsome. Matthew's first impression on Ye Zhen Zhen was already that she was very pretty, but he could not portray his feelings out loud. Everyday he has to endure his thoughts and slowly started to turn perverted.
But before he can become crazy, another person got crazy first.
Help!!!! Can someone tell him why the emperor ordered people to hit his butt!!
"Ouch!, help me your majesty (towards the empress)!"
"Stop" Ye Zhen Zhen shouted.
But Ji Wu Jiu with a black face was looking over, who would dare to stop.
Ye Zhen Zhen thought that Ji Wu Jiu is really weird, she did not make him angry also, just that she was with Matthew in Wu Ying Hall, chatting about a drama, both of them were chatting happily and suddenly this person suddenly came in, looked at them once and without saying another word, he ordered Matthew to be dragged out and flogged.
"Your majesty, if you have something to say, let it out, don't keep it to yourself, you will feel frustrated" Ye Zhen Zhen said helplessly.
"You are the empress, who ever (men) see you more than once should be killed" Ji Wu Jiu looked at Ye Zhen Zhen, with a pair of cold eyes. He is a man, he can only understand too much about the way Matthew looked at Ye Zhen Zhen, "so, not killing him today, can be considered giving you face already"
"What type of crime are you naming him, without proof! You just don't like me, why don't you hit me, why are you implicating the innocent!"
Ji Wu Jiu ignored Ye Zhen Zhen, and seeing that the person hitting finally counted to 40 hits, he left.
Ye Zhen Zhen was speechless, and made a decision to create some trouble back for Ji Wu Jiu.
Note: In this chapter we have a jealous (though he may not realise it yet) Ji Wu Jiu.. kekekeke
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