#84Does the Empress dislike me?
AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Chapter 84 Does the Empress dislike me?
The Empress's heart skipped a beat, but she still didn't show any panic.
"This is something I heard in a play, sung in the opera.
I don't understand it myself, but I just thought it had a good atmosphere, so I copied it down."
Emperor Ren nodded, "The Empress's calligraphy is excellent... Why aren't the flowers I sent you displayed in the room?"
In the past, whenever Emperor Ren sent flowers to the Empress, she would always be in her room, trimming and arranging them.
When one gives a gift, one naturally wants to see the recipient like it.
But this time, the Empress didn't even look at the flowers Emperor Ren sent; she was just practicing calligraphy, which gave him a sense of frustration.
The Empress said, "Your Majesty, I've put all the flowers you sent in the back garden.
I haven't been feeling well recently, and I'm afraid the scent of these flowers will make me feel worse."
"Oh, then you continue writing.
I'll watch you write."
The Empress nodded, picked up her brush, and continued writing.
Her calligraphy was as beautiful as ever, but the smile that had been on the Empress's face was gone.
Emperor Ren watched for a while, found it uninteresting, and then left.
Stepping out of the sleeping quarters, Emperor Ren frowned and asked.
"Don't you think the Empress is a little displeased with me?"
He Shun said, "Your Majesty, what are you saying! How could that be! It is their fortune for you to visit any concubine's sleeping quarters.
Perhaps Her Highness the Empress is unwell today, which is why she is not in good spirits."
"Is that so?"
Emperor Ren didn't think so.
When the Empress was just writing, she was smiling very happily.
But as soon as he arrived, the Empress became unhappy.
Emperor Ren shook his head, not wanting to think about those vexing matters.
The pressure of daily state affairs was already great enough; he was truly too lazy to speculate about these women's little thoughts.
"How has Consort Su been recently?"
He Shun's expression subtly changed, and his eyes darted around.
"Consort Su is still the same."
Consort Su was a rather special figure in the palace.
Among the numerous Imperial Harem concubines, the Empress was dignified and graceful, the Noble Consort was charming and seductive, and Consort Qing was gentle and elegant.
But to speak of the most beautiful, it had to be Consort Su.
However, Consort Su had been in the palace for two years, yet Emperor Ren had never favored her.
Only on the day she first entered the palace did Emperor Ren choose her, but the night of her attendance ended unhappily.
It was said that Emperor Ren was so angry that he slammed the door and left without even taking off his clothes.
Two years had passed, and Emperor Ren was actually thinking of Consort Su again?
"Let's go, let's go see her."
Perhaps Emperor Ren wanted to favor a concubine today.
He had originally intended to go to the Empress, but her attitude had left him uninterested, so he decided to switch to someone else.
Upon arriving at Consort Su's sleeping quarters, he saw that the courtyard was very desolate, with no attendants.
Other than a broom for sweeping fallen leaves, there was nothing else in the courtyard.
A soft cushion was placed on the steps, presumably for Consort Su to sit on when she occasionally sat in the courtyard.
Entering the room, Consort Su was doing embroidery.
He Shun said, "Her Highness Consort Su, the Emperor has come to see you."
Consort Su looked up, saw the Emperor, and immediately knelt to pay her respects.
"This concubine greets Your Majesty."
"Rise."
Emperor Ren couldn't help but look at Consort Su a few more times.
Even though he disliked this woman's family background, he was still inevitably attracted by her beauty.
"You have become much thinner."
Consort Su remained kneeling on the ground and said.
"This concubine eats vegetarian food daily, only to pray for my family's blessings.
My elder brother is still suffering in the army.
I beg Your Majesty to be magnanimous and pardon my elder brother!"
Emperor Ren was instantly furious.
"Nonsense!"
"I haven't been here for two years, and the first thing you say upon seeing me is this?"
"When you first entered the palace, I already said that your elder brother is a traitor.
I didn't kill him, nor did I implicate your family; that was already a special pardon.
You are truly pushing your luck!"
"Hmph!"
After speaking, Emperor Ren flicked his sleeve and angrily departed.
Consort Su knelt and chased after him, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty... cough cough..."
Emperor Ren walked out without looking back.
He Shun followed behind, not uttering a word.
As they neared the Imperial Study, Emperor Ren said.
"Tell Shen Yulou to go examine Consort Su.
Don't let her die in the palace, lest the world say I am heartless!"
"Yes!"
... Shen Yulou was currently returning to the palace from the Ministry of War; the steel plate prepared for Prince Zhao Ying was already ready.
The surgery could be performed in a few days.
As soon as he returned to the Imperial Heirs Residence, he saw He Shun waiting at the entrance, and Shen Yulou quickly jogged over.
"Eunuch Shun, why have you come?"
He Shun said, "By imperial decree, Minister Shen is to go treat Consort Su."
Shen Yulou paused, "What illness? Can't the imperial physicians treat it?"
Shen Yulou was, after all, the Deputy Head of the Imperial Heirs Residence; if a prince was ill, he was duty-bound, as it was part of his responsibilities.
However, for others who fell ill, it was usually the imperial physicians who went.
He Shun said, "His Majesty didn't send the imperial physicians; he sent you.
This matter needs to be kept low-key.
Consort Su's sleeping quarters are to the west.
I will take you there."
Shen Yulou nodded and followed He Shun.
Along the way, Shen Yulou said.
"Regarding the Autumn Festival banquet, thank you for your kind intentions, Eunuch."
Shen Yulou had heard from Li Hui that it was He Shun's suggestion to prepare meals for the Imperial Heirs at the Autumn Festival banquet.
He Shun's original intention was to give Shen Yulou an opportunity to distinguish himself and receive rewards.
And Shen Yulou had indeed received a reward from the Empress, though the reason for the Empress's reward was likely in consideration of his strenuous efforts last night.
"Lord Shen, there's no need to be polite.
This trip to Consort Su's is an imperial secret decree.
If it's handled well, there should also be a reward."
"What is the background of this Consort Su?"
He Shun looked left and right, then whispered.
"Consort Su was originally the daughter of a noble family, exceptionally beautiful.
She entered the palace as a Consort, and as long as she didn't make any mistakes, her promotion to Consort was a certainty."
"However, Consort Su's elder brother, in earlier years, was... was a subordinate of Prince Chen.
You know Prince Chen, don't you? He is Princess Siyi's father."
"Consort Su's elder brother was exiled to the army, and Consort Su pleaded for him many times, but each time His Majesty became angry..."
"The old servant cannot say more."
For He Shun to tell Shen Yulou this much was already quite considerate.
Shen Yulou nodded, roughly able to guess most of it.
Emperor Ren, out of consideration for Consort Su, did not kill her elder brother, which was already a show of leniency.
But a pardon was absolutely impossible.
Prince Chen was the one who contended with him for the throne back then, and how could he easily pardon someone who had followed him?
Yet, to eliminate them completely would seem heartless and might invite criticism from the world.
Therefore, not only was Consort Su's family not implicated, but Consort Su was even allowed to enter the palace.
However, he always held some reservations about her in his heart.
Upon reaching the entrance of Consort Su's sleeping quarters, Shen Yulou called out from outside, but there was no response from within.
Shen Yulou pushed open the door and walked in, at which point he heard a woman's scolding voice.
"How many times have I told you to embroider properly, instead of making the room so messy?
I clean up after you every day; don't I get tired?"
Shen Yulou walked to the doorway and looked inside, his eyes widening.
Inside the room, a woman dressed in luxurious clothes sat on the floor, weeping.
And beside her, a Palace Maid stood, pointing at her nose and scolding her.
A Palace Maid scolding her mistress—this was truly a rare sight.
"Cough cough."
Shen Yulou coughed twice.
The Palace Maid was startled and quickly bowed.
"Sir, who are you?"
"Shen Yulou, Deputy Head of the Imperial Heirs Residence.