Empress with no Virtue

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Ye Zhen Zhen has never seen Ji Wu Jiu like that. It was like some parts of his soul was lost, his gaze was lost towards the person in front of him, but it also seems like he is lost in thoughts.

The empress dowager says, “Xiang Ru, I am transferring you to serve the emperor, from today onwards you would be the grade 1 maidservant, you need to take care of the emperor properly, understood?”

Xiang Ru kneeled down and bowed, “Yes, I will do my best and be loyal”

Ye Zhen Zhen used her handkerchief to wipe her mouth, and said “Mother, this girl seems like a very clever and loyal, may I ask who’s family daughter is this?”

The empress dowager smiled and answers “ she is the daughter of the ministry of rites, Bai Jian Cheng, also considered as a noble lady, now that she has entered the palace to be a maid servant, really not befitting.”

Seems like she is feeling bad for her? Can’t wait to turn her into a master tomorrow.

Ye Zhen Zhen’s eye brows twitched when she heard the name “Bai Jian Cheng”

That person seems to be involved in a case right now, although not sure if the mistake he made was real or not, but if its true then this Bai Xiang Ru will not be able to benefit much.

However, there is no 100% in this world, looking at Ji Wu Jiu’s attitude, it was obvious that he has deep relationship with this Bai Xiang Ru. Ye Zhen Zhen suddenly recalled something that Ji Wu Jiu mentioned to her, this Xiang Ru must be the old acquaintance that he mentioned. It looks like the empress dowager did not grant her death, not only did she not kill her, she purposely kept her under her wings. Seems like its now the right time to use her against the empress.

It’s just that why did this Bai Xiang Ru decide to appear now? The empress dowager is really not afraid of bringing trouble to herself?

Also, has Bai Xiang Ru been in the palace all along? Ji Wu Jiu has so many eyes in the palace, how is it possible that he didn’t know?

Furthermore, Bai Jian Cheng was once sent to exile in Liao Dong….

Ye Zhen Zhen suddenly thought of the signboard “Xiang Ru Gu”, so she smiled and said, “I heard that you are very good in making fragrances?”

Bai Xiang Ru answered, “replying your majesty, I do indeed know a little. If your majesty does not mind, If you need any fragrance please let me know”

If so, then things become clear. That shop in Liaodong could most probably be opened by Bai Xiang Ru, even if it was not directly opened by her, it definitely has something related to her. She was previously exiled to Liaodong, and when a great pardon was granted to the whole nation, did she only returned to the capital. The days she was invited in to the palace by the empress dowager should not have been long.

Ye Zhen Zhen answered, “That is good too, if in anytime I need to use you, I would borrow you from the emperor, just not sure if the emperor would be willing” she looks at Ji Wu Jiu and says “Your Majesty, what do you think?”

Ji Wu Jiu regained his senses from her call, “hmm?”

Ye Zhen Zhen stop bothering him. Eventhough in her heart, she was not happy, but she did not show it at all, afraid that the empress dowager will be happy.

That night, Ji Wu Jiu slept at Gan Qing Palace. Wang You Cai came to report and said Feng You De was leaning against the wall to eavesdrop, but the emperor did not call upon Bai Xiang Ru.

***

Zhuang Concubine has been with Ji Wu Jiu for a lot of years, when Xiang Ru left previously, Zhuang Concubine should have already been by Ji Wu Jiu’s side. Therefore Ye Zhen Zhen went to Han Guang Hall to look for Zhuang Concubine, wanting to hear directly from her about the past.

The moment Zhuang Concubine heard Xiang Ru’s name, she was shocked, “She is dead”

“Didn’t die” Ye Zhen Zhen shook her head, “Tell me about the past”

Zhuang Concubine knows about Ye Zhen Zhen’s temper, so she did not dare to bring her round the bushes, and told her everything, “She was the crown prince’s personal maid, and was of the same rank of the Meng Head butler. But his majesty seemed to rely on her more. Not to mention, she was pretty, not only during the day she helps him, at night too….”

Ye Zhen Zhen stops her, and asks “She slept with him before?”

Zhuang Concubine nodded, “Yes, that time there would definitely be 2 or 3 times in a month where she accompanies him”

“After that, she is still only a maid ? What type of rules is this?”

“Empress, you wouldn’t know, last time the head of the inner palace was the empress dowager, and she has never liked Xiang Ru, therefore….”

Ye Zhen Zhen can’t help but to think it’s funny. It seems like the empress dowager’s foolishness was not due to old age, but has been originally so. A maid servant, after serving the master, but was not given any title, she was really a small hearted person. The concubine’s ranking in the Eastern Palace can’t be very high either, and can only be considered as Cai Ren rank, simply giving her that rank will save face for all. However, a maid servant is still indeed to get rid of than a concubine.

Ye Zhen Zhen asks “The emperor did not try to get her a title?” Doesn’t seem like Ji Wu Jiu at all.

Zhuang Concubine answered, “Of course he did. The emperor knows his mother’s temper, and decided to ask the previous emperor to help grant the title, but it seems like Xiang Ru was the one that wasn’t willing. Saying that the moment she becomes a Cai Ren, she would not be able to serve him everyday, and was willing to be a ordinary maid only to hope to stay by his side. In the end the emperor was moved, so she didn’t receive ranking in the end”

Such a loyal servant. Ye Zhen Zhen laughed coldly, and asks “This should not have been known by others, how did you find out?’

“It was the deceased Su Jie Yu whom told me, last time Su Jie Yu was in very good terms with Bai Xiang Ru”

“Don’t tell me, the reason why Su Jie Yu was doted upon was because of Bai Xiang Ru”

“This… I am not sure. But the way the emperor treats Bai Xiang Ru, is indeed different from the others, In Xie Fang Hall, her drawing is still being hung on the wall.”

Ye Zhen Zhen closes her eyes, and a maiden in red plum blossom and snow appears, looking at her smiling. In a blink of an eye the maiden actually becomes real and came out from the drawing, slowly approaching her, but the moment she raises up her head, it became Su Jie Yu’s face.

Ye Zhen Zhen laughed, indeed that “You Suo Si” did have a back story, Bai Xiang Ru was using that fragrance to scold Ji Wu Jiu for abandoning her. If indeed he abandoned her, then why did she not keep her feelings aside, like how the poem speaks about “forgetting now and forever, no longer needed to be remembered”, wouldn’t that show she has pride? I really don’t believe that if you were not willing the empress dowager can force you!

The more she thinks about it, the angrier she gets, linking it to Ji Wu Jiu, she got even angrier. How is that fella any good, so many past lovers coming one by one, uncountable… Ignoring, those powdered women in the palace… now an old lover from many years back turned up, this type of men should have been thrown into the snow pants-less and get his **** frozed.!

***

Ji Wu Jiu slept in his own palace for two nights, so Ye Zhen Zhen felt a little cautious. She felt that this Xiang Ru is not easy to handle, Ji Wu Jiu also treats her very differently. Both of them had feelings for one another previously, after so many years, and unlike Ji Wu Jiu she does not have so many spies for her around the palace, what if the both of them…..n?”

Not to mention, this maid servant was given to him by his mother, even if the empress wants to do something, it would be hard to find a start.

Ye Zhen Zhen can only go find out what’s happening first. She was never a weakling, if that two really have something going on, she would naturally have a way to handle.

As a good emperor, Ji Wu Jiu is busy at work in Yang Xin Hall. When he saw Ye Zhen Zhen come in, his hands holding the pen did not stop, but only looked up and said, “Empress, you are here? Have a sit, Xiang Ru serve tea”

Bai Xiang Ru serves the tea as ordered, Ye Zhen Zhen receives the tea, and called her “I thought you are in charge of Gan Qing Palace, how come you are at Yang Xin Hall now?”

Bai Xiang Ru knows the empress is here to create troubles, looking down she answers calmly, “I have left my duties and post, please punish me your majesty”

Ji Wu Jiu places his pen down and answered for her, “It was me who asks her to come”

No wonder she is not afraid of anything, there is someone to back her up. Ye Zhen Zhen places her cup down, and said lazily, “If the master cannot leave you, then you should have said so, if everything requires your master to answer for you, do you have the virtue to receive it”

Bai Xiang Ru immediately knelt down “I know my wrongs!”

Ye Zhen Zhen answered, “Since you know you are wrong, there will be a need to punish, but since you are the emperor’s person I would be more considerate, go outside the gates and kneel for 4 hours”

This was just to test, if the maid servant sent by the empress dowager, the emperor’s personal maid, can she be punished by the empress.

Indeed, Ji Wu Jiu stopped her, “She was only working on my orders, you don’t have be like that”

Ye Zhen Zhen raises her eye brows and looked at him, smiling but no smiling she says, “Heartache?”

Ji Wu Jiu laughed, “Why are you in such a bad temper today?”

Ye Zhen Zhen got up and bid farewell.

Ji Wu Jiu looked at her back till she disappears from the door and then continued with his work.

***

Ji Wu Jiu once again worked till the night.

Fang Xiu Qing has submitted a very lengthy report and since Ji Wu Jiu wanted to be a good emperor, such work needs to be done and be done properly at that, he does not begrudge such work as well.

At night, when it was time to sleep, Xiang Ru along with 3 maid servants was preparing the imperial bed, when the bedsheets was ready, the rest of the maid servants left, and Bai Xiang Ru remained in the room, standing in front of Ji Wu Jiu, helping him remove his clothes.

Because he just got out from the bath, Ji Wu Jiu was wearing lighter clothes, and his clothes was very easy to remove. Bai Xiang Ru removed his outer clothes, and not sure if it was on purpose or what, but her fingers lingered at his waist, and lightly scratched him.

Summer clothes was thin, her finger’s temperature was able to pass through the thin clothing layers and reach his skin.

Ji Wu Jiu also didn’t know why, but when he was touched like that, he felt very bad as though as his heart grew furs. He pushed her away and said, “I will do it myself”

Bai Xiang Ru whom was still holding his waist belt, sighed and said “It’s my fault that I am not able to serve you well. Having not met you for these years, my hands are not good any more, I deserve a beating”

Ji Wu Jiu sighed and said “There is no need to say those type of words,” He pulls back his waist belt, and seeing her not moving, he said, “Nevermind, wear it back again”

Bai Xiang Ru surprised, “Your majesty?”

“Go Kun Ning Palace” Not seeing her for 2 days, he is missing her already.

Bai Xiang Ru returned to her senses and reacted, “The night is dark, why don’t the emperor sleep earlier? Most probably the empress is already asleep, if you are to go to Kun Ning Palace now…” It would be troublesome.

Ji Wu Jiu answered, “no worries”

Very quickly, Bai Xiang Ru understood what does the “no worries” means, the empress doesn’t even need to come receive the emperor! The emperor doesn’t let anyone announce his arrival, so she is sleeping nicely inside.

Bai Xiang Ru was not happy, what type of noble lady is this, treating the emperor like so. She followed Ji Wu Jiu to Kun Ning Palace, and wanted to serve him in front of her bed, however Su Feng blocked her path, “the emperor has arrived at Kun Ning Palace, we will serve him, Gu gu may rest. If you are still required to do it personally here, then we would have no face to meet people” Xiang Ru’s ranking was higher than Su Feng so she calls her Gu gu, Su Yue’s ranking was also higher than Su Feng, however their relationship was close, so they call each other sisters.

Bai Xiang Ru has no more excuses to go in. With a layer of curtain in between, she looks at whats happening inside, afraid that he might wake the empress up, he quietly and lightly climbed up to bed, the yellow bed curtains was pulled down by the maid servants, and covered the lady who was in a deep sleep on the bed.

Bai Xiang Ru became depressed.

Gu gu = what normally a children would call their father’s elder sister. but in this context of palace talk, it’s a honorific way to call maid servants that is of higher ranking.