Quick Transmigration Cannon Fodder's Record of Counterattacks

Chapter 3592: The Most Favoured Woman in the Inner Palace (11)

Ao Tianze consistently had the shadow guards sleep with the imperial consorts from time to time, but the frequency was very low—perhaps only one or two a month.

It was likely that Ao Tianze felt quite uncomfortable watching a shadow guard bed his own consorts right now.

This was especially true since he seemed to be struggling with his own performance.

Because Ning Shu had to take care of Consort Xuan and was living in Consort Xuan’s palace, Ao Tianze stopped visiting Ning Shu’s Jiaofang Palace on the first and fifteenth of every lunar month.

Let alone having a shadow guard sleep with her.

As for the consorts who were bedded by the shadow guards, Ning Shu genuinely did not know what to do. If she told these consorts not to serve in bed, they might even resent her for it.

What did the empress mean by that? Was she jealous that they could serve in bed?

However, Ning Shu could not tell them the truth. Knowing the truth would only be worse for them. Therefore, even if it was just to save herself, she had to destroy Ao Tianze.

Since there were shadow guards to serve them, they might as well enjoy it.

Consort Xuan’s belly grew larger and larger, and she applied more and more powder to her face. It seemed that pregnancy spots had appeared on Consort Xuan’s face in the later stages of her pregnancy, making her act as if she were facing a formidable enemy.

She was already disdained as ugly by the emperor, and now she really had grown spots. This put Consort Xuan under immense pressure.

She muttered nervously all day long about how ugly she was.

Ning Shu merely watched and said nothing. She was pregnant. How could she expect to remain as beautiful as a flower or a beauty capable of toppling a nation? It was impossible.

Hormonal changes in the body would always cause a woman to change a bit. This was especially true for Consort Xuan, who was carrying twins. Her belly was stretched incredibly large. When the time came and the children were born, her belly might turn into dried orange peel.

When that time came, Consort Xuan would probably go crazy.

Ning Shu rubbed the space between her eyebrows. Consort Xuan spent all day feeling sorry for herself in front of the mirror, but Ao Tianze didn’t even visit, so what was she afraid of?

Ning Shu also couldn’t be bothered to console her. Consoling her wouldn’t do much good anyway. No matter how much she said, it wouldn’t be as effective as a single ‘you are very beautiful’ from Ao Tianze.

Fortunately, the children in her belly were healthy.

Ning Shu asked Xi’er, “Has the message this empress wanted sent back to the Tan family been delivered?”

Xi’er replied, “It has been delivered.”

Ning Shu nodded. She was a virtuous wife. She had to help her husband solve his problems!

Not long after, an old Daoist priest with an ethereal, transcendent aura entered the palace. This old Daoist was sent into the palace by a minor official.

This minor official had always been obsessed with alchemy and the pursuit of immortality.

He accidentally heard that there was a problem with His Majesty’s health, so he wanted to resort to unconventional methods to curry favor with Ao Tianze. He then sent the Daoist priest into the palace.

Of course, before sending him into the palace, he laid some groundwork. He bribed a eunuch by Ao Tianze’s side, and the eunuch presented the alchemical pills to Ao Tianze.

As a young and vigorous emperor, Ao Tianze naturally did not believe in these things. He lacked the desperate thirst for life that an old emperor would possess, so he completely refused to touch them.

Of course, Ao Tianze ultimately ended up using them. The reason was that when he went to see Fu Min, he couldn’t bear to see the disappointed expression on her face.

Fu Min, who felt sad and disappointed, asked Ao Tianze, “Your Majesty, have you grown tired of this woman?”

Ao Tianze hugged Fu Min. He could not bear to see such an expression on her face. This girl should be someone whose inner poetry and literature naturally shone through her appearance, someone who was always composed and at ease. He couldn’t bear seeing her sad.

Knowing that her sadness was because something he’d done, Ao Tianze gritted his teeth and swallowed the pill of immortality. To Ao Tianze’s pleasant surprise, his body felt as if it had received divine assistance. He felt as if his entire being had been brought back to life.

This gave Ao Tianze an immense sense of satisfaction. A man didn’t need to hunt to display his power. This method was precisely the time to show a man’s strength.

It made Ao Tianze feel like he was walking on air. The effects couldn’t have been better.

After getting such a perfect experience, Ao Tianze summoned the ethereal old Daoist priest into the palace to exclusively refine pills for him.

This old Daoist was quite interesting. He had crane-white hair but the face of a child. He looked old, but there wasn’t a single wrinkle on his face, and his complexion was rosy. At a glance, he looked like a Daoist with profound cultivation.

Furthermore, this Daoist told Ao Tianze that these pills of immortality would not only make him full of energy but also prolong his life. They were good things. He claimed that he was so handsome and young precisely because of these pills of immortality.

Ao Tianze remained skeptical about the life-prolonging effects, but the fact that they made him full of energy was undeniably true. He even specifically opened up a palace for the old Daoist to refine pills.

Ao Tianze also rewarded that minor official.

The old ministers in the outer court all furrowed their brows. He inexplicably rewarded a minor official and even gave him the title of a fourth-rank official. What was wrong with him?

Originally, this minor official was a local official in some remote place. Now he had been transferred to the capital. Firstly, he had no outstanding achievements, and secondly, he was not the protégé of any important minister in the court. What was going on?

Thus, people voiced their opposition. Ao Tianze completely ignored the voices of opposition in the outer court.

The more they opposed, the more displeased Ao Tianze felt. He was the emperor! Could it be that he couldn’t even promote a minor official?

Being an emperor like this was truly frustrating.

With his potent supplements, Ao Tianze began visiting Fu Min much more frequently. Every time beforehand, he would take a ‘tonic pill.’

Ao Tianze now exclusively favored Fu Min. The other women in the inner palace were already dirty. Ao Tianze would no longer touch women who had been defiled by his shadow guards.

While favoring Fu Min, he would occasionally have a shadow guard bed the other consorts.

Ning Shu knew about these things but continued to remain silent. In the inner palace, Ning Shu’s presence as the empress was extremely low. She did not go before Ao Tianze to tell him to be a good emperor or to ‘share his rain and dew’ equally.

Even if consorts ran to Ning Shu to complain, Ning Shu would merely smile with elegant nobility and boundless magnanimity. “Who His Majesty favors is His Majesty’s decision. What we need to do is avoid stirring up trouble, understand?”

Now that Ao Tianze treated the pills of immortality as his lifesaver, he bestowed many rewards upon the old Daoist priest. He constantly rewarded him with gold and silver, as well as various rare treasures, and even granted him the title of State Preceptor.

Because Ao Tianze advocated for immortality and alchemy, it even started to become a trend among the common folk to pop some mud-like pills for no reason.

Of course, the majority were those pedantic, sour scholars who only knew how to talk about military tactics on paper and spout empty rhetoric about state affairs.

Ordinary commoners would consider themselves lucky just to have enough food to eat and clothes to wear. Why would they eat pills of immortality?

Ning Shu clicked her tongue. Thinking about the cinnabar, lead, mercury, silver, and women’s menstrual blood that Ao Tianze was ingesting made her want to laugh.

Aside from these things, there was also something called ‘cold-food powder.’ This was a type of Chinese medicinal powder, but it was highly addictive and extremely toxic.

The old Daoist priest had Ao Tianze take the alchemical pills in conjunction with cold-food powder. Previously, Little Ao Tianze was always drooping, but now he gave Ao Tianze boundless confidence and combat prowess.

Ao Tianze became obsessed with the alchemical pills and cared less and less about most of the women in the inner place. Only Fu Min could catch his eye.

The imperial physicians checked Ao Tianze’s pulse and advised him to consume fewer alchemical pills. They warned that the pills were harmful to his body and would hollow him out. They were essentially overdrawing his life force.

These words immediately displeased the old Daoist priest. “Do not compare this Daoist’s alchemical pills to those concocted by half-baked amateurs. This humble Daoist’s pills can prolong life.”

Aside from taking the alchemical pills, Ao Tianze also took the tonic medicines prescribed by the imperial physicians. Unless he was going to be with Fu Min, he rarely took the alchemical pills at other times.

Ao Tianze’s mind was clear. He knew that taking too many alchemical pills was no good for his body.

By taking the alchemical pills this way, along with the yang-warming and kidney-nourishing medicines prescribed by the royal physicians, his body did not experience any major problems.

Just like that, Ao Tianze’s distress completely vanished, and he began to focus on managing the affairs of the royal court.

However, taking the alchemical pills had a side effect: sometimes he couldn’t control his temper. Furthermore, to prevent Ao Tianze’s body from being depleted after taking the pills, the royal physicians had prescribed warming and nourishing supplements.

Right now, Ao Tianze’s body was essentially being roasted over a fire. It was perfectly normal for him to have a bigger temper.

Sometimes, when he encountered unpleasant matters in the royal court, the old Ao Tianze might have clenched his fists and endured it. He would endure these turtle bastards until he had his own people in the court.

Moreover, these old ministers opposed him purely out of consideration for their own families’ interests, yet they spoke with such righteousness and morality. It simply infuriated Ao Tianze.

Sometimes, halfway through the morning assembly, Ao Tianze would flick his sleeves and leave, leaving a bunch of court officials wondering if they should leave or stay.

When Ao Tianze suffered grievances in the outer court, he would seek out Fu Min. Only by Fu Min’s side could Ao Tianze find brief moments of relaxation. Just quietly watching Fu Min read a book was a kind of enjoyment. Fu Min was unlike those vulgar women in the inner palace.

She wasn’t vain. She was a woman of substance.

Sometimes, Fu Min would say some kind words to bring a little comfort to Ao Tianze’s heart.

Ao Tianze said that he was an incompetent emperor. Back then, when the late emperor suddenly passed away, he hurriedly ascended the throne. He had very few of his own people in the outer court.

Then Fu Min would say that Ao Tianze was merely biding his time. When the right opportunity arose, Ao Tianze would soar into the heavens like a true dragon.

Fu Min was not the type of person to make unreasonable demands. Putting aside serving others with beauty, even when simply falling in love with someone, a person would become careful and considerate of the other’s emotions.

Right now, Fu Min was encouraging the man she loved.

Ao Tianze grasped Fu Min’s hand. “With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?”

Fu Min’s expression was somewhat shy, but also held a hint of disappointment. “Your Majesty, this woman is not your wife. Your wife is Your Highness the Empress. You cannot say such things in the future.”

“In this emperor’s heart, you are this emperor’s only wife. In the future, this emperor will crown you as empress and make you the mother of the nation,” Ao Tianze promised Fu Min.

Whenever Ao Tianze thought about how the person he loved was merely a concubine while another woman sat in the empress’ seat throwing her weight around, and how his beloved had to bow to another woman and act subserviently, he felt exceptionally uncomfortable.

He detested the woman sitting in the empress’ seat.

“This woman does not care about these things. As long as I can always stay by Your Majesty’s side, this woman is satisfied,” Fu Min said while shaking her head. “The position of empress concerns the foundation of the nation. Your Majesty cannot speak of it so casually, lest someone hear it and make an issue of it.”

“You… you are just too kind-hearted.” With Fu Min asking for nothing like this, Ao Tianze felt very unsettled. He didn’t know what to use to tie Fu Min down. Because of this, he instead wanted to give all the good things to her.

“This woman is not kind-hearted. This woman also has selfish desires. When this woman sees you go to other consorts, this woman feels awful inside, and my heart feels very sour,” Fu Min said.

Fu Min’s honest words did not anger Ao Tianze. Instead, they made his heart bloom with joy. He felt that Fu Min cared about him in her heart and was jealous.

“Rest assured, this emperor will definitely not let your feelings down.” Ao Tianze held Fu Min’s hand. “This emperor will certainly fulfill the wish in your heart.”

Ao Tianze knew what Fu Min desired in her heart. It was a lifetime of devotion to a single partner. The time was not right yet, so he would not tell Fu Min for now.

Fu Min merely forced a smile. Her wish was impossible to achieve in this lifetime. Men all had three wives and four concubines. Even under reasonable and lawful circumstances, demanding a man to remain faithful to just her would be considered highly treasonous.

Furthermore, Ao Tianze was an emperor.

Ao Tianze kissed Fu Min’s forehead and pulled her into his embrace, thinking, ‘Silly girl, I will definitely fulfill your wish.’

What he needed to resolve right now were the children in Consort Xuan’s belly. He could not allow those children to be born safely. He heard that the empress’ side had already started looking for midwives.

His inner palace could only be home to Fu Min’s children, and the children in Consort Xuan’s belly were not even his.

Ning Shu was inspecting the midwives. Consort Xuan sat in a chair, supporting her lower back. Her belly was absurdly large. It wouldn’t be long before she was due to give birth.

Looking at the four midwives, Consort Xuan said, “This consort’s delivery will be troubling you.”

The four midwives looked very honest and capable. They said in unison, “This servant does not dare accept such praise. I will definitely do my utmost.”

Consort Xuan stood up with some difficulty. Her hands and feet were somewhat swollen.

When she got cramps while sleeping at night, it was Ning Shu who got up to massage her.

Naturally, there were many hardships involved. She had narrowly escaped the gates of hell several times.

Consort Xuan had also realized that someone in this inner palace did not want the children in her belly to be born. She looked at everyone as if they were the culprit. Sometimes she even suspected Ning Shu. However, seeing how dedicated Ning Shu was to her, despite her suspicions, she had relied on the Empress to get through many close calls.

Consort Xuan was constantly trembling with fear. Everything would be fine once the children were born. However, there were also many dangers after birth. Even the slightest carelessness could lead to premature death.

The closer she got to giving birth, the more panicked Consort Xuan felt in her heart. She was now living in constant anxiety. Furthermore, the emperor never came to see her at all. She was carrying dragon fetuses after all! Why did she feel so despised?

Looking at the eagerly anticipating Consort Xuan, Ning Shu took a sip of tea and said, “Just wait peacefully for the delivery. As long as you give birth to dragon heirs, your future will be limitless.”

Ning Shu whispered to Consort Xuan, “This empress quietly asked the court physician. The children in your belly might be a boy and a girl. An auspicious pairing of a dragon and a phoenix.”

“Really?” Consort Xuan’s eyes lit up. “Is it really a boy and a girl?”

“Of course. It was Imperial Physician Zhu, a master of gynecology, who checked your pulse. It is almost certain. So do not let your thoughts wander. Nurse your body well for the delivery,” Ning Shu said calmly.

Ning Shu set down her teacup, then said, “When the time comes, this emperor will be with you during the delivery.”

Consort Xuan furrowed her eyebrows. Pregnant women tended to overthink things. Right now, a terrifying thought surfaced in Consort Xuan’s mind. Did the empress want to kill her and steal her children?

Otherwise, why would she be so attentive to her and go to such great lengths for the sake of the children in her belly?