The joyful days of the home visit passed in a flash.
Since Siyu had left yesterday with the Eldest Princess, on the return journey today, only Qi Daiyu was in the carriage—she had sent Yan He and the others to the carriage behind.
Listlessly, she lounged, scrolling through her "phone."
Opening the trending page, her eyes were met with over a dozen consecutive "explosive" tags. It turned out a mega top-tier celebrity had had their reputation collapse, and to such an extent that they were now eating state-provided meals and treading sewing machines.
As luck would have it, Qi Daiyu had followed several of this star's dramas before and was somewhat of a casual fan. She immediately transformed into a gossip enthusiast, delving into the cause and progression of the incident.
After finishing the complete scoop, Qi Daiyu suddenly realized something was off. Why hadn't they arrived at the Prince's mansion yet?
She moved to the window and called out a question. Xiao Li, who had been following alongside the carriage, promptly replied, "A quarter-hour ago, His Majesty sent someone to fetch Your Ladyship to the Fragrant Garden. This servant informed you, but you didn't respond. This servant thought you had fallen asleep."
Qi Daiyu: "..." She had been so engrossed in the gossip she hadn't heard Xiao Li at all.
Where was the Fragrant Garden?
It was the Lianzhong Garden built by Prefect Liu and others. The Emperor had indeed graced it with a visit, and after doing so, had changed its name to Fragrant Garden.
During Qi Daiyu's few days at the Qi residence, Jiang Yuan had not had a moment of leisure.
First, he led the Crown Prince on an incognito inspection tour of the counties and villages around Jiangning to secretly investigate the people's livelihood. Then, he reviewed official case records to check for any unjust, false, or wrongly decided cases. In short, during this period, Jiangning's official circles were jittery and filled with apprehension. On the surface, nothing had happened yet, but everyone knew in their hearts that the real reckoning would only begin after the Emperor returned to the palace.
The carriage drove directly into the Fragrant Garden. Qi Daiyu lifted a corner of the curtain to admire the garden scenery. It was still architecture and landscaping steeped in the Jiangnan style. The garden was extremely vast, not inferior to the Prince's mansion. As it was for leisure, it featured mostly various scenic landscapes, with not many buildings.
The carriage stopped in front of a courtyard named "Falling Moon Lodge."
"Consort Hui, His Majesty is inside."
Qi Daiyu alighted from the carriage and walked in, looking around as she went.
This cluster of buildings was constructed by the water, comprising three to five rooms with a long waterside corridor. Reeds were planted along the lake shore, forming a broad, lovely expanse.
Entering the room, Qi Daiyu didn't see Jiang Yuan. Walking further in, she discovered that the wall on the other side, which should have been windows, had been removed and rebuilt into a platform overlooking the water. On the platform were rush cushions and a small table. Jiang Yuan was sitting on one of the cushions, holding a fishing rod.
He was dressed in plain gray cloth clothes, with a straw hat on his head—the full attire of a fisherman.
Seeing him like this for the first time, Qi Daiyu couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Hearing the noise, Jiang Yuan turned his head. Unperturbed, he smiled and asked, "Well? Does it have the carefree air of 'a jug of wine, a fishing rod'?"
A jug of wine, a fishing rod, how many in this world are as happy as I?
Qi Daiyu performed a curtsy: "What brings Your Majesty such fine spirits today?"
Jiang Yuan: "Two days ago, I went with Sheng'er to a village called Peach Blossom Village. We met an old fisherman angling alone on the river. I had a mind to emulate him, but I couldn't quite capture the old man's leisurely ease." He had been sitting here for an hour without catching a single fish.
With that, Jiang Yuan extended his hand, inviting Qi Daiyu to sit beside him.
Qi Daiyu removed her shoes and, using Jiang Yuan's hand for support, sat on another rush cushion.
The lake water was only inches below the platform; with the movement of the waves, it could even lap onto the platform's surface.
The water looked clear. Tempted, Qi Daiyu reached her hand into the lake, feeling its coolness.
Amusement tinged Jiang Yuan's voice: "Aren't you afraid of falling in?"
"How could I? Your Majesty is here," Qi Daiyu replied without turning her head.
Her mood was evidently relaxed and carefree.
Jiang Yuan: "It seems you were very happy at home? How is your grandmother's health?"
During her days at the Qi residence, Qi Daiyu had learned how Qi Caishang had managed to request the home visit from the Emperor. Her expression remained normal as she said, "Her health is passable, but her spirit is not what it used to be. This time when I returned, she almost didn't recognize me."
She added, "I must also thank Your Majesty for your gracious favor, allowing me to return home and reunite with my family." As she was genuinely grateful at heart, the smile she directed at Jiang Yuan was especially sweet.
That smile dazzled Jiang Yuan's eyes. Glancing at Qi Daiyu's hand in the water, he set aside his fishing rod and pulled her hand out.
"The water is too cold. Be careful not to catch a chill."
As he spoke, he used a handkerchief to gently dry her hand.
These hands had been exquisitely cared for—pale, delicate, soft and boneless. Jiang Yuan couldn't resist holding and toying with them, pressing the knuckles one by one.
After all these years, Qi Daiyu could now interact with Jiang Yuan without changing expression and could calmly attend to her bedchamber duties. But it was only with these intimate, couple-like details that she still couldn't adapt.
This kind of secretive, ambiguous intimacy shouldn't exist between her and the Emperor.
So, Qi Daiyu grasped Jiang Yuan's hand in return, stopping his kneading motions, her eyes innocent yet mischievous: "Your Majesty, I'm hungry."
She hadn't had lunch yet.
Jiang Yuan smiled helplessly and ordered the meal to be served.
While waiting, Jiang Yuan resumed fishing, listening as Qi Daiyu shared amusing anecdotes from her days at the Qi residence.
Before long, Quan Fuhai led the palace attendants in. "Your Majesty, shall the meal be served inside or...?"
"Set it up right here."
So, Quan Fuhai directed the attendants to replace the small table on the platform with a larger one, and dish after dish was laid upon it.
There were various types of dishes, but the ones that most delighted Qi Daiyu were the several plates of seafood.
Noticing her gaze, Quan Fuhai eagerly explained: "These were just transported from the coastal area, extremely fresh. These items are troublesome to transport and difficult to preserve, hence they are rare in the capital. Jiangning is close to the coast; they can be delivered via waterways in just two hours, kept chilled with ice along the way, and were still alive upon arrival. To best bring out the flavor of these ingredients, even the chef was brought over from the coast."
Of course, that chef, upon learning he could cook for the Emperor, would have gladly brought his entire family.
Qi Daiyu sampled the various seafood. Her favorite was the drunken crab—not only was the meat deliciously fresh, but it also carried a rich aroma of wine.
Seeing her fondness for it, Jiang Yuan ordered a palace maid specifically to shell the crab for her.
Quan Fuhai stood to the side, wanting to speak but hesitating. To properly infuse the crab with flavor, this dish used premium white liquor. As far as he knew, Consort Hui had little tolerance for alcohol...
By the time a plate of drunken crab was nearly finished, Jiang Yuan finally noticed something was amiss, but it was too late. Across from him, Qi Daiyu's cheeks were slightly flushed, and her eyes held a hint of daze.
She herself didn't seem aware of her condition yet. Catching his gaze, she grinned at him dreamily.
Jiang Yuan frowned. "Quan Fuhai, clear everything away." Worried she might be upset, he added, "Crab is cooling in nature. Too much is not good."
Taking it all away just like that? Qi Daiyu pouted but did not protest, allowing the attendants to carry the table away.
Quan Fuhai hastily led everyone out.
With the obstruction between them gone, Qi Daiyu's eyes immediately fell upon the fishing rod beside Jiang Yuan and the empty fish basket, devoid of even a single fish.
She suddenly clutched her stomach, laughing heartily, and pointed at Jiang Yuan. "Hahaha! Empty-handed fisherman!"
Jiang Yuan didn't understand the meaning of "Empty-handed fisherman," but he sensed mockery from Qi Daiyu's loud laughter. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "What is an 'Empty-handed fisherman'?"
The alcohol had greatly boosted Qi Daiyu's courage. She laughed heartily, "An Empty-handed fisherman is someone who can't catch a single fish! Hahaha, Your Majesty, you're so lame! 'Lame' means... you're no good!"
He was no good?
Jiang Yuan's face darkened instantly.
Looking at Qi Daiyu, who was laughing without a care for her image, he pulled her into his arms and asked through gritted teeth, "Who's no good?"
This movement made the dizziness hit harder. Qi Daiyu felt her mind go blank for a moment. She shook her head, trying to clear the double vision, but the images kept shifting—sometimes looking like Jiang Yuan, sometimes like a fish, then transforming into a butterfly, fluttering towards the lake.
"Butterfly!" Qi Daiyu tried to catch the butterfly and ended up slapping Jiang Yuan squarely on the face.
"Qi! Dai! Yu!" Jiang Yuan suddenly remembered years ago when this woman, drunk, had also slapped him. Now history was repeating itself!
Yet, the woman before him was completely unaware of what she had done, merely giggling foolishly.
But seeing her pure, unguarded smile, he found he couldn't stay angry.
After all these years, she truly hadn't changed a bit.
He scooped her up into his arms, carried her to the inner chamber, placed her on the bed, and removed her shoes and socks.
Thinking to make her more comfortable by taking off her outer robe, he had just undone her belt when her hand caught his.
Jiang Yuan looked up to see her eyes welling up with tears.
"Sister Zhu, you came to see me?"
Jiang Yuan: "...?"
Qi Daiyu suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, sobbing, mumbling things like "Sister Zhu, I've missed you so much," and then wailing, "Your Majesty the Empress, let me tell you a secret, the Eldest Princess has a sweetheart!"
One moment she was mistaking him for Si Yu, insisting on coaxing him to sleep; the next, she was nuzzling into his chest, calling him "Mama."
Jiang Yuan: "..."
They say drunken words are sober thoughts. His Consort Hui certainly had a lot of people on her mind when she was drunk.
But as Jiang Yuan listened, he realized he hadn't heard his own name mentioned once.
So, he cupped Qi Daiyu's face, forcing her to look at him. "Look clearly. Who am I?"
Qi Daiyu blinked. The figure before her was severely distorted. She hesitated, "A... Big Monkey?"
He didn't understand the term, but he was sure it wasn't a compliment.
Jiang Yuan began contemplating how to punish Consort Hui.
Though utterly disoriented by the drink, Qi Daiyu somehow sensed the danger. She immediately clung to the "Big Monkey's" neck.
Rubbing her face against him, she murmured, "Cuddles."
Quite the opportunist. Jiang Yuan raised an eyebrow.
"Don't think this will make me let you off." His thumb pressed against Qi Daiyu's lips, gently rubbing. The rouge from her lips smudged onto her cheek, creating a vivid, alluring stain.
He hadn't had any particular intentions before, but now a fire had been stirred within him.
Jiang Yuan gripped Qi Daiyu's waist and turned, pinning her beneath him.
...
After their passion, the light of the setting sun shimmered on the lake, its reflection bouncing off the water and through the window, filling the room.
Satiated, Jiang Yuan held Qi Daiyu, quietly watching her sleeping face.
The effects of the wine hadn't fully worn off. The corners of her eyes were still red, and he knew they would be swollen tomorrow.
Thinking of all the people she had mumbled about while drunk, especially the Empress, Jiang Yuan's gaze turned dark.
The Empress had been very close to her, even teaching her how to manage palace affairs when the Empress's own life was nearing its end. Perhaps Qi Daiyu saw it as the Empress's trust in her, but Jiang Yuan knew better. While the Empress did trust her, she was also using her.
The more grateful Qi Daiyu felt towards the Empress, the more devoted she would be to the Eldest Princess and the Crown Prince.
The Empress had always been clever. She had known the Qi family would rise ever since he began favoring Qi Caishang. So, she treated Consort Hui better and better. Later, when he sent troops to the northern frontier and promoted military officers, the Empress keenly realized that the Qi family—with a son and a son-in-law both serving as military officers—would become the new nobility. And the Qi family had simple social connections, without complicated marital alliances, making them ideal loyal ministers.
If the Qi family could pledge loyalty to the Crown Prince, it would be a significant boost for him.
To win over the Qi family, Consort Hui was the perfect entry point.
He and the Empress had been husband and wife; they understood each other too well. Just as the Empress knew he had developed reservations after uncovering certain things, and thus no longer trusted him to wholeheartedly support the Crown Prince, choosing instead to use Consort Hui to pull in the Qi family, he was equally aware of the Empress's calculations.
He did not interfere with, and even tacitly allowed, the Empress's actions. After all, the Crown Prince was his chosen heir. Anything beneficial to the Crown Prince, he would not oppose—just as his own father had done for him.
The late Emperor had doted on Consort Yu, yet soon after designating him as heir, Consort Yu passed away—yes, the world believed it was Consort Yu's death that prompted the late Emperor to begin grooming him, the legitimate son of the Empress. Jiang Yuan had believed that too in his youth. It wasn't until he grew up and became an emperor and a father himself that he realized the truth: the late Emperor had chosen him as Crown Prince first, and then, for his safety, had ruthlessly eliminated Consort Yu, who was then the most favored consort in the harem.
Such was the cold, ruthless heart of an emperor.
But...
Jiang Yuan's hand slid to Qi Daiyu's smooth abdomen.
He knew Consort Hui had been injured before, but she had recovered fully.
Yet, despite sharing his bed for years, she had never conceived.
The Empress had been willing to trust her, to confidently entrust the Eldest Princess and Crown Prince to her care, to let her manage the Six Palaces, all based on one premise: she would not become pregnant and bear a prince who could threaten the Crown Prince's position.
Had she ever considered these hidden truths?
Gazing at the woman's peaceful sleeping face, Jiang Yuan's heart swelled with guilt.
It had been a year since the Empress passed away. Recently, there had been occasional memorials from court officials requesting the appointment of a new Empress.
Within the harem, few consorts were suitable to become the next Empress. Unless he selected someone from outside the palace, which Jiang Yuan was unwilling to do.
He and the Empress had been married since their youth. Although their relationship had changed over the years due to various factors, he was willing to give her respect and would always maintain her dignity—just as when the Empress died, he suspended court for a month, letting the whole world know the Emperor deeply cherished Empress Jingxian.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yuan gently woke Qi Daiyu and asked softly, "Do you want to be Empress?"
Qi Daiyu was utterly exhausted, her head throbbing dully. Hazily hearing Jiang Yuan's question, she answered without thinking, "No! I absolutely don't want to!"
Being Empress was so much work; she'd be crazy to want that. Besides, the position of Empress belonged to Her Majesty the Empress. It could only be hers.
It was the answer he expected. Jiang Yuan smiled.
Given her kind nature and her feelings for the late Empress, she had probably never even considered becoming the next Empress, likely never entertained the thought.
"Then, be my Imperial Noble Consort," Jiang Yuan said quietly.
The Imperial Noble Consort, a position equivalent to a deputy empress, could oversee the harem when the empress's position was vacant. This would also silence the murmurs of the court.
Jiang Yuan: "Speaking of which, your previous promotions all happened outside my expectations."
When she was promoted to Jieyu, it was for saving the Empress. When she became Consort Hui, it was for saving the Eldest Princess and with the Empress's strong support. When she was elevated to Consort Hui, it was because the Empress needed her to assist in managing the Six Palaces and had specifically requested the edict from him.
Jiang Yuan chuckled wryly. Despite her being arguably the most favored among the consorts, he had never once taken the initiative to promote her rank.
"It seems the fault lies with me this time."
He offered a rare apology, though the inebriated woman failed to hear it.
Jiang Yuan didn't mind whether she heard him or not. "Noble Consort Hui," he murmured, "this time, I shall compensate you with a grand and lavish investiture ceremony."
