On the third day, the Apricot Palace was enveloped by twilight.
The palace wall, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, took on a faint orange hue, like an abandoned scroll of time.
The apricot trees in the palace courtyard swayed gently in the breeze, rustling their leaves.
YU Yao sat in the chambers of the Apricot Palace, gazing through the ornate windows at the fading sky.
She thought to herself that if the Dog Emperor came again that evening, she would let him in.
Such things must be handled with moderation; one cannot go too far.
It's not worth angering the Dog Emperor; it won't benefit oneself.
As the saying goes, " Those who know when to adapt are truly distinguished." At appropriate times, one should also give the other party a way down.
Who knew, it was not until the hour of Wu (7-9 PM) that no message was brought.
She was taken aback, and her expression turned cold.
Lily, Amber, and Xiao Qingzi and others realized something was amiss when the emperor did not show up tonight.
Is the master going too far? Did they really anger the emperor?
The four of them looked at each other, and from their eyes, they all saw the worry, and they dared not speak.
"Close the palace gates and go to sleep."
YU Yao stood up coldly and returned to her chambers to sleep.
As the night deepened, the Apricot Palace was silent, save for the occasional wind sound, as if it were telling secrets within the palace.
In the Tianhe Hall, Emperor Jing sat alone on the dragon throne, and the tall dragon throne stood out even more imposing and solitary in the vast hall. His eyes were filled with anger and contemplation.
His fingers inadvertently tapped the armrest, producing a dull sound that echoed through the vast hall.
Since he was rejected by YU Yao at the door, his heart felt like a heavy stone.
He was both angry at YU Yao's stubbornness and couldn't help but recall her expressions and smiles in his mind.
And now, thinking of the Consort Jiu, who was still kneeling outside the Tianhe Hall, it further disturbed him.
That's right, Consort Jiu came again at night, and she came uninvited as usual.
She didn't even say anything like a request to see, just silently kneeling outside the Tianhe Hall for two hours.
At first, the Emperor was angry and didn't want to see her, thinking she could just kneel as she pleased.
But as he calmed down and thought, he realized that Consort Jiu had not done anything wrong.
It was merely that the eunuchs of the Imperial Kitchen did not have good judgment and gave only one serving of sea cucumber to Consort Jiu, who was favored.
The Emperor believed that he himself had done nothing wrong. As the Son of Heaven, it was only natural for him to favor concubines.
In his view, whoever could make him happy and comfortable, he would bestow favor upon.
YU Yao was his woman, Consort Jiu was also his woman. In essence, there is not much difference.
It's just that deep down, he preferred YU Yao more.
At the end of the day, Consort Jiu has always been his target for anger.
But this woman has no complaint, even if he says she is in the wrong, she thinks she really made a mistake.
She has been using various means to beg for his forgiveness, and now she has been kneeling outside the hall for two hours.
This has made the Emperor feel a bit uncomfortable in his heart.
In the Tianhe Hall, the Emperor sat silently for a long time.
Finally, he slowly stood up and called out to the hall outside, "Send Consort Jiu in."
Consort Jiu heard the summons and shook slightly. She supported her numb legs as she stumbled into the Tianhe Hall, supported by eunuchs.
Her face was pale, her eyes still had traces of un-dried tears, but she forced a smug smile and said, "Your Majesty..."
Seeing her in this state, the Emperor felt a pang of sympathy. "Get up, the ground is cold."
Consort Jiu heard this and was overjoyed, knowing that her kneeling had finally paid off. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
The Emperor sighed lightly, "I know that the incident in the Imperial Kitchen has nothing to do with you. It's just that I have been vexed and irritable recently, and I've taken my anger out on you."
Consort Jiu hurriedly shook her head, "Your Majesty, it's all the fault of the concubine. I failed to make Your Majesty happy. The concubine only prays to serve at Your Majesty's side, even if it is only a tiny bit of favor."
As she spoke, tears began to roll in her eyes.
The Emperor frowned slightly, "Enough. Go back to your palace first. I want to be alone for a while during this period, do not behave impetuously again."
Consort Jiu, though unwilling, dared not defy the emperor's will and had to retreat slowly.
After Consort Jiu left, the Emperor paced back and forth in the Tianhe Hall. He was refused entry for two days, and it was not a lie to say that he was truly angry.
I intended to coldly neglect her for a while to make her reflect on her mistakes.
But when I thought about her pregnancy, how sensitive pregnant women are, how they might overthink and get into a mood, it's normal for them to have emotional outbursts.
He sighed lightly and addressed the eunuch standing by the door, "Chariot, go to the Apricot Palace."
Lu Xi immediately promised and hurriedly arranged the chariot.
Now the night was deep, and the palace was silent.
The palace walls looked even more stern under the moonlight. The long palace paths were lit by dimly glowing lanterns, swaying gently with the wind.
The Emperor, accompanied by Lu Xi and a group of palace maids and eunuchs, arrived at the Apricot Palace and found the gates tightly closed.
His expression darkened instantly, and without a word, he turned and walked away, sweeping his sleeves.
Lu Xi called out urgently from behind, "Your Majesty..."
But the Emperor kept walking, heading straight out, with a cold look on his face.
Lu Xi watched the Emperor's receding figure and muttered to himself: "Trouble, Consort Qingzhao is likely to lose favor..."
The atmosphere inside the Apricot Palace was like a heavy curtain, oppressively weighing everything down.
The system alarm sounded abruptly in Yu Yao's head: "Host, this time you really messed up. The Dog Emperor just came by, saw that your palace gate was closed. Then he swept his sleeves and left, very angry."
Yu Yao's eyes snapped open instantly, and she was dazed for a few seconds before she came to her senses.
She had originally planned to let the Dog Emperor in tonight, but she didn't expect him to come so late. She thought he wouldn't come, so she went to sleep.
One could say it's a coincidence, and there's destined to be a misunderstanding between them.
But she had no intention of running to the Tianhe Hall to explain.
"He can be angry, after all, the world is big. There are plenty of places to play. Why should he fight for a shared cucumber with others?"
After speaking, she yawned and lay down to continue sleeping.
After all, her child was almost due, and even if the Dog Emperor shunned her, it would only be a few months.
And when she leaves the palace, no one will see each other.
Traveling the world, climbing mountains and playing water, or finding a place with beautiful environment to settle down.
She thought, if she were happy, having a few handsome men around would be more comfortable than staying in this palace.
She worried that her child might grow up to resent her.
But she wasn't afraid. There were plenty of good things in her space, enough for two children to squander a few lifetimes.
Even without a noble status, they wouldn't lead a poor life for a lifetime.
Thinking like this, she no longer cared and quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, the sun barely pierced through the clouds and spilled onto the courtyard of the Apricot Palace.
Lily and Amber got up early, and the two of them whispered to each other in the courtyard, their faces filled with worry.
They also heard that the Emperor came last night, which should have been a cause for joy.
But unfortunately, the Emperor came too late, and at that time, the palace gates were already closed. The Emperor did not have anyone announce his arrival either. Upon seeing the tightly closed gates, he thought that the mistress refused to see him and turned away on the spot.
This led to a misunderstanding between the Emperor and the mistress.
"Lily sister, what should we do?"
Amber spoke anxiously, her eyes full of worry, "The mistress looks indifferent. How can we go on like this?"
Lily furrowed her brow, "I don't know what to do either."
The mistress wants to leave the palace at all costs and is not likely to go and beg for forgiveness from the Emperor.
Zichen Hall, early morning court, the atmosphere was heavy as if it were covered with dense clouds.
The Emperor sat stiffly on the dragon throne, his face gloomy, his eyes full of anger and frost.
The ministers felt the abnormality of the Emperor today and lowered their heads, afraid to speak.
The court was so quiet that only the occasional sound of robes brushing could be heard.
The Emperor's gaze swept over the officials in the hall below, and his anger made him feel that these officials seemed to be secretly laughing at him for not being able to handle even a concubine.
"You, the group of ministers, every day on your lips saying to relieve my worries and to plan for me. But now? Look at the court from top to bottom, is there one thing that really gives me peace of mind?"
The Emperor's voice was low but filled with a sense of oppression, echoing through the vast Zichen Hall.
The Minister of the Ministry of Revenue stood up with a stiff back, "Your Majesty, we have always been diligent and have never been lazy. Recently, the Ministry of Revenue has been planning a new tax reform to replenish the national treasury for emergencies."
The Emperor snorted coldly, "Planning? Planning for so long and no results. I see that your Ministry of Revenue is nothing more than a title, even the tax matters are handled poorly."
The Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was terrified, his face pale, and he hurriedly retreated back into the ranks, too scared to speak again.
The Minister of the Ministry of Military Affairs saw the situation and, with courage, said: "Your Majesty, in recent times, the Ministry of Military Affairs has strengthened the defense deployment in Beijing, recruiting many strong men to join the army, training them day and night to ensure the safety of the city."
However, the Emperor was unmoved, "Humph, strong men? How have I heard that there are some slovenly and unmotivated soldiers in the military, with no discipline. Is this how you keep Beijing safe? I see that you are also idle and incompetent."
The Minister of the Military Affairs was scolded until his face turned bright red, and he lowered his head, too afraid to speak.
Seeing this, other officials in the hall became even more timid, afraid to say anything lest they get on the wrong side.
The Emperor's anger was like a flood breaking through a dam, spilling out unchecked.
"My harem is not peaceful, and neither is the court you officials govern. I see that each of your departments has its problems. Is it because I have been too lenient with you in the past?"
The Emperor's words were like ice picks, piercing the hearts of the officials with a chill.
The officials looked at each other in confusion, though they were full of grievances, but no one dared to defend themselves even half a word.
They knew that in the face of the Emperor's great anger, any misstep could be catastrophic.
After a fierce reprimand from the Emperor, the anger in his heart was slightly reduced, but his face was still gloomy and terrifying.
He also knew that he was venting his anger at the ministers today, but his heart was in a mess because of some damned woman, and he couldn't control his emotions.
"You all take this matter to heart. I hope to see you truly acting when you come to court next time, and do not let me down again."
The Emperor coldly cast this sentence aside and waved his hand to signal the dismissal of the court.
The ministers were as if they had received a pardon, bowed respectfully and hurriedly withdrew.
The Zichen Hall once again returned to silence, with the Emperor alone seated on the dragon throne, his eyes still holding traces of anger and contemplation.
The news quickly spread in the harem, the Emperor had flown into a rage in the Zichen Hall, and both the front and rear courts were filled with timid silence.
Each palace concubine was also aware that Qingzhao's position in the Emperor's heart was not ordinary.
The incident of Jushui Consort seizing the sea cucumber was originally a minor matter, but the Emperor went to the Apricot Palace for three consecutive days, each time returning with a grim expression, and no one knew what had happened in the meantime.
Other concubines discussed the matter privately. Some envied her, believing that Qingzhao had definitely used some enchanting tricks to gain the Emperor's favor.
Some concubines thought that the Emperor was concerned about the dragon's seed. Qingzhao's belly was so big that it might give birth at any time.
It was very normal for the Emperor to visit three days in a row to comfort her.
It's just that we don't know why he always leaves with a gloomy expression.
Only Jushui Consort understood that the Emperor was not simply concerned about the dragon's seed.
The Guanju Palace.
Zhang Consort leaned lazily against the beauty bed, gently waving a fan in her hand, and curling a cold smile on her lips: "Qingzhao does have some abilities to keep the table brother so worried. However, this is also a good thing for this palace. At least, the table brother hasn't called upon Jushui Consort these past few days."
The palace maid Hongmei echoed, "That's right, Your Ladyship."
Days went by one by one, and the anger in the Emperor's heart burned even brighter like a flame that kept on spreading.
He felt that as an emperor, he had never been so ignored, especially by the woman he loved.
At first, he had thought to neglect her for a few days, to make her reflect and realize where she had gone wrong.
Then, she came to the Taihe Hall to apologize to him.
However, after a whole month, there was still no sign of any movement.
This made the Emperor even angrier, and his anger burned more fiercely, and he found everyone unpleasant every day.
He cursed everyone in the front and rear court, whoever he caught, and everyone was terrified, afraid to make trouble for the Emperor.
The Jade Phoenix did not go to the Taihe Hall to make peace, and the Emperor also did not visit the Apricot Palace. The two seemed to have become archrivals.
Of course, during this time, the Emperor did not call any concubines, and for over a month, he had not entered the harem. This was something that had never happened before.
Days passed like this in the atmosphere of stalemate.
The atmosphere in the harem became increasingly oppressive, and each palace concubine was on the surface, being very careful. In their hearts, they were all calculating how to benefit themselves in this delicate situation.
In the Apricot Palace, Yu Yao's days seemed peaceful on the surface, but her heart was somewhat turbulent.
Although she pretended not to care about the Emperor's favor, seeing that Luli and Amber were frowning every day, she couldn't help but feel guilty in her heart.
"Luli, Amber, you have been following the mistress for a long time. How has the mistress treated you?"
Yu Yao asked softly.
Luli and Amber looked at each other and then both knelt down. Luli said: "The mistress has treated us like a mountain, our lives are all the mistress's."
Yu Yao gently helped them up, "The mistress is now in a deadlock with the emperor. You have seen this. The life in the palace, the mistress doesn't want to live any longer. Once the child is born, I will find a way to leave the palace. Would you like to go with me?"
Luli and Amber's eyes flickered with a hint of hesitation.
The two concubines pondered for a moment.
Then, Luli said: "The mistress, I am willing. As long as I can follow the mistress, wherever I go, I am willing."
Amber nodded in agreement: "Yes, Your Majesty. Although the palace seems prosperous on the surface, it is full of intrigue and contention. I have long wanted to leave this place of mischief."
Yu Yao smiled comfortingly: "With you two by my side, I can rest assured. However, leaving the palace is not going to be easy. We need to plan carefully."
However, their conversation was overheard by a small palace maid.
The young maid hurriedly told Grandma Zhang, who was in the Emperor's favor.
Upon hearing the report from the young maid, Grandma Zhang didn't dare to delay for a moment and rushed to the Taihe Hall.
At this moment, the Emperor was reviewing memorials, but his heart was still as restless as ever.
Upon seeing Grandma Zhang come, Luxi tried to intercept her, but seeing her urgency, he knew that something important must be happening and went in to report.
The Emperor, upon hearing that Grandma Zhang wanted to see him, frowned slightly but still allowed Luxi to bring her in.
Grandma Zhang came in and hurriedly kowtowed, "Your Majesty, the old servant has something to report."
The Emperor put down the memorials he was reviewing and said impatiently, "What is it? Speak quickly."
Grandma Zhang said cautiously: "Your Majesty, the old servant just found out that Qingzhao had told the maid Luli and Amber in the Apricot Palace that she would try to find a way to leave the palace once the child was born, and Amber and Luli seem willing to follow."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor was struck with a jolt, and his face turned even darker.
He never expected Yao to have such thoughts.
He originally thought that Yao was just angry with him, but he didn't expect her to really want to leave the palace.
"Is what you said true?"
The Emperor's voice was filled with a hint of coldness.
Grandma Zhang hurriedly replied: "Your Majesty, the old servant would never dare to lie. This is what the young maid from the Apricot Palace told me directly."
The Emperor was silent for a moment, then waved his hand: "Go down and don't speak of this to anyone else."
After Grandma Zhang left, the Emperor sat on the dragon throne, his mind filled with countless thoughts.
He was both angry at Yao's desire to leave him and worried that she might actually do something rash.
After all, she was pregnant. What should he do if something happened to her.
The Emperor paced back and forth in the Taihe Hall, trying to understand why Yao had such thoughts.
He knew that he had been somewhat cold towards her during this period, but he was also angry at her previous attitude.
"Does she really not want to stay by My side?"
The Emperor muttered to himself, thinking of her gentle and charming demeanor in the past, his heart ached with a sudden piercing pain.
It was as if his heart had been brutally cut open, and he was extremely uncomfortable.
