Lady Kelpi Translations

Chapter One Hundred and One:
Flogged

Shaoshang had already been worried about Ling Buyi and, upon hearing this information, she felt like she was on pins and needles. She was so nervous that she could barely speak. “Your Majesty, I… can I…?” She looked outside the door.

The Empress, however, was not as eager as Shaoshang. She felt in her heart that something was strange. The Emperor loved Ling Buyi even more than his biological sons. Not only because he wasn’t involved in inheriting imperial power, but also because he carried guilt and pity towards the entire Huo family.

Over the years, not to mention beating and scolding, the Emperor would become distressed for half the day if the equestrian and archery teacher would reprimand him. He would suspect that the teacher was bullying Ling Buyi, who had no father, mother, or family background, until he would realize that if Brother Huo Chong were still alive, this unknown equestrian and archery teacher would not be able to put on airs. The entire Huo family were all very skilled and not just anyone could teach their only nephew.

And today he was just going to beat their adopted son? Did Cen Anzhi say the wrong thing? Or, did Ling Buyi really do something seriously wrong?

Despite her confusion, the Empress still said, “Shaoshang, don’t worry. Okay, you can go and take a look first. Speak well and don’t contradict His Majesty. I will come immediately. Old Lady Zhai, come and help me change my clothes…”

Shaoshang ran out of the hall as soon as she heard the Empress’s words. The Empress, realizing something was wrong, quickly called for several tall and robust palace maids to follow to avoid any further accidents.

It took more than a quarter of an hour from Changqiu Palace to Xuanzheng Palace if you used a shortcut. However, along the way, you needed to pass through an alley that separated the front and back palaces. There were usually few people there and was very quiet. Shaoshang was bold and wasn’t afraid of encountering any devils in animal forms. She originally worried that she’d be stopped by the guards outside of the entrance to the alley and not allowed to pace. This time, she took the initiative and was allowed through. She wasn’t sure if Cen Anzhi had talked to the guards beforehand.

She ran with all her might down the palace alley, nearly bumping into someone at the corner. Yuan Shen was holding two bamboo scrolls that almost shattered from the collision. He stood there as if he was experiencing a ghost in the daytime. But he was young and quick witted, and was there in the blink of an eye.

“Did something happen with Ling Buyi? Just now, His Majesty and several officials were arguing and I was writing down notes. I don’t know what Head Eunuch Cen said to His Majesty but His Majesty called us out.” Yuan Shen’s expression was both bewildered and suspicious.

“What can happen? Don’t talk nonsense,” Shaoshang gasped for breath, leaning against the palace wall. “If you turn around and spread rumors, it will make Master Ling fall out of favor with His Majesty… His Majesty called us to discuss our wedding.”

Yuan Shen reluctantly gathered up the heavy bamboo scrolls. “You don’t have to be afraid to say anything, I won’t harm you.” Very good, her temperament hadn’t changed at all. She was always prepared in case of trouble and was a thief in front of others.

“Oh, right. Last time you asked me to inquire about Lou Yao’s situation. I asked about it, but you’ve been in the palace and I wasn’t able to send a message. What’s wrong with you? It’s been rumored outside that you and Ling Buyi have been arguing and are locked in the palace and not allowed to leave?”

Shaoshang climbed back up against the palace wall and slowly straightened up with an exhale. “Let me ask you this. Can you think of a good reason that I can’t stay in the palace and help plan a birthday banquet because I’m valued of the Empress? How many daughters of officials in the capital want to enter the palace and serve as her aide? Their envy makes me see red! It’s just jealousy, pure jealousy!”

“Why not say they’re jealous that you’re marrying Ling Buyi?” Yuan Shen rolled his eyes.

“Oh, thank you for the reminder, Young Master Yuan.” Shaoshang said bitterly, bent over and gasping for breath. “A talent such as Master Ling. You’d also be hated by others if you married him!”

Yuan Shen stumbled back and nearly dropped his bamboo scrolls. “You… you really make no sense!”

Shaoshang took a deep breath; she didn’t want to delay this any longer. She passed by Yuan Shen and continued to run forward.

Yuan Shen struggled to hold onto the bamboo scrolls in one hand and pulled Shaoshang’s sleeve with the other. His fair and gentle face blushed red. “Don’t you want to know about Lou Yao’s recent situation? Why don’t you ask me now?”

Shaoshang thought about it and wished she could slap herself for being such a big mouth. Everything was caused by this. If she had known this would have developed to this point, she wouldn’t have inquired too much in the beginning. Young couples should have the doors closed when they wanted to discuss what happened to outsiders, especially if it was an ex-fiancée. It was too late to avoid suspicion.

She really made a rookie move in this relationship. She had been living a comfortable life for too long without any sense of crisis. She deserved to be in this situation now.

She turned around and tugged on her sleeve, frowning. “Thank you very much for fulfilling the promise of asking about the Lou family for me. However, I thought about it later and realized that our current identities should not be implicated anymore. Let’s just let this matter go. Young Master Yuan, I’m going to face His Holy Emperor, so let’s say goodbye…you might as well let me go.”

“My family has lined up several young ladies for me,” Yuan Shen said, pursing his lips. “I… I haven’t made up my mind yet…”

“Then continue to see them! Why are you pulling at me for?” Shaoshang couldn’t pull back her sleeve and became extremely angry. “If they aren’t to your liking, we can always see what you like. As the saying goes, everything depends on human actions, not arrogance or impatience. Where there is a will, there’s a way. The old man can move a mountain… now, let me go!”

A sensitive, irritable, and imaginative fiancé was now forming a conditioned reflex and she was now very afraid of getting involved with unmarried men of the appropriate age.

At that moment, four tall and robust palace maids caught up from behind, obviously looking for Shaoshang. Yuan Shen’s eyes went dark and he slowly let go of his grip.

Shaoshang immediately pulled back her sleeve and beckoned the four palace maids from Changqiu Palace to come with her. Yuan Shen watched the girl’s galloping figure for a while, then slowly walked away, straightening his posture as he walked.

Cen Anzhi had been anxiously waiting at the entrance to Xuangzheng Palace when Shaoshang rushed towards him. “Aiyo, Young Mistress Cheng,” he whispered. “You finally arrived. His Majesty is getting angry with Master Ling inside!”

Shaoshang swallowed painfully, grabbing Cen Anzhi’s arm. “What’s going on?”

Cen Anzhi didn’t dare delay and led Shaoshang towards the inner hall while quietly recounting the story.

The matter was very simple. In a nutshell, Ling Buyi beat up the fathers and eldest brothers of the households of those eight little girls who pushed her in the water. According to his meticulous and rigorous style, each of them had a broken hand and foot.

“…Master Ling did all of that in just an afternoon?” Shaoshang felt strange. She looked at the sky outside – Ling Buyi had left the palace in anger after breakfast. It wasn’t quite dinner yet. The efficiency of his round-trip excursion was beyond the scope of agricultural society.

Cen Anzhi had no other option than to explain.

This matter was originally very complicated and had to be implemented for a few people in each household. However, Ling Buyi had numbers and power on his side. As long as the dog-legged Fifth Prince said the girl’s family name, there would be someone who would clearly detail the family’s background.

Ling Buyi didn’t care about a family’s third or sixth aunt. He only cared about severely punishing the girl’s direct father and brother. He wrote a message to invite the families. When the father and son thought they had a chance to befriend Ling Buyi, they happily arrived at the Ling Mansion, opened the door and let the dogs out to beat people. If there were a few of them that were nearby, they just called them directly. And this was how the seven families were dealt with.

“So he didn’t kill anyone, just injured one or two. Why did His Majesty lose his temper?” Shaoshang muttered a twisted and heretical theory that was extremely inconsistent with the Five Speeches, Four Beauties, and Three Favors. In order to favor her fair-skinned, beautiful and bad-tempered fiancé, she also fought hard.
[Five Speeches, Four Beauties, Three Favors was a PRC policy introduced in 1981 that included the emphasis on manners, beauty of language and love of socialism.]

Cen Anzhi also agreed with this. “If that was all, His Majesty wouldn’t lose his temper,” he whispered. “But it was the last family that something bad happened!”

The father of the last family was on duty at the Imperial Censorate as a minor official. After beating up several of the girls’ brothers, the Liang Qiu brothers suggested that Ling Buyi take another day to complete his mission. Even the Fifth Prince, who didn’t mind watching the fun, thought it wouldn’t be good if the situation escalated. Ling Buyi ignored them and went straight to the Imperial Censorate’s station. In front of several other officials, he dragged him out and beat him like the others.

Then things went bad.

Those eight households were not worth worrying about, but the Imperial Censorate was still a government agency and Ling Buyi was like a tavern or a restaurant. He couldn’t just go in, grab someone and beat them up. That was considered disrespectful to the Imperial Censors.

The Left Grand Tutor of the Imperial Censorate, Old Master Chu, and Ling Buyi had a been together the night before. When he saw this, he quickly began to calm down his colleagues, suppressed the situation, and then quietly went to the palace to present himself. After he kicked the ball into the Emperor’s court, he slipped away as fast as he could.

Shaoshang didn’t even know where to begin after hearing the entire sequence of events.

Cen Anzhi ignored the complex and conflicted emotions passing across her face and led her into the inner hall. Along the gap of the lacquer wood screen were the words ‘King Mu drives eight horses to rule the world.’
[I believe the King Mu here is King Mu of Zhou, who was the fifth king of the Zhou dynasty around 976-922 BCE.]

Shaoshang saw the Emperor sitting upright at the top of the hall. When the Emperor heard the sound inside, he called out, “You’re here. Go fast and tell her to get out of here.”

She immediately slipped in and knelt down.

Shaoshang originally wanted to kneel close to the Emperor so that when she was begging for mercy, she could be more sincere and genuine. Ling Buyi was kneeling in the center of the room and, as she went by him, he dragged her down next to him. This caused her foot to slip and she fell directly onto him.

The familiar refreshing scent on the young man’s body, the wall-to-wall hardness of his chest hit her forehead, and his strong arms pulled her up slowly. Shaoshang was extremely indignant. Even at time like this, he still behaved like that!

She vigorously pounded on his chest. Ling Buyi’s face remained calm and he placed the girl beside him as easy as lifting a cabbage.

The Emperor saw that and sneered at them. “Alright, tomorrow the Imperial Censor will attend court. Yet you still dare to act recklessly…”

Shaoshang didn’t care about his personal grievances. She quickly bowed down and began begging for mercy. “Your Majesty, forgive him. Although Master Ling acted recklessly, it’s understandable why he did it!”

“You don’t need to plead for me,” Ling Buyi said ungratefully, glancing sideways at her. “I will avenge and punish myself if I have done something wrong. There’s no need for anyone else to worry about me.”

That had been exactly what Shaoshang said to him before. “Is that your revenge?” she retorted in a fit of anger. “It’s clearly my revenge! They pushed me into the water, not you! Who are you pretending to be?”

The Fifth Prince, who was kneeling beside Ling Buyi, chuckled lightly, enjoying this immensely. He had been caught by Ling Buyi early that morning to testify for Cheng Shaoshang and hadn’t had breakfast or lunch yet, but he didn’t feel hungry at all. Actually, he was full of energy. It was true that people could skip meals during happy occasions.

Shaoshang glared fiercely at the man gloating and made up her mind. If Ling Buyi couldn’t escape this, she would drag that extra cargo down into the water!

Ling Buyi looked at the girl and said slowly, “If you weren’t engaged to me, you wouldn’t have had to enter the palace. If you were married to an ordinary husband, you wouldn’t have suffered this kind of punishment! In the end, it was me who brought you here. You secretly complain in your heart, but can’t say it out loud. You can only make things difficult for me, right?”

“You, you…” Shaoshang became anxious. How could he say these things in front of the Royal Uncle?! Even if what he said was correct.

She glanced at the Emperor suspiciously and lowered her voice. “You and I are already engaged. What’s the point of saying these things? Today, you intentionally committed a big mistake. What exactly do you want to do?”

She caught a glimpse of the Emperor’s face sinking like water. She grit her teeth and decided to break through the paper window and shout loudly.

“Do you want to withdraw the engagement?”

“I want to withdraw from my official position and retire with you to the countryside you long for!”

The two sentences were spoken at the same time, the last one spoken by Ling Buyi. They were both stunned when they finished talking. Ling Buyi heard Shaoshang’s words clearly and began to smile bitterly. Shaoshang heard Ling Buyi’s words clearly and stared at him, mouth open and tongue tied.

The Emperor heard the two of them speaking and cursed loudly, “Nonsense! What resigning? What countryside? I’m not dead yet!”

Seeing the Emperor’s anger, everyone knelt down around him. Ling Buyi kowtowed and said, “Your Majesty, the Spring and Autumn Annals are upon us. Please be cautious when speaking. If His Majesty says so, I will refuse to resign.”

The Emperor couldn’t bear to get angry at his adopted son, so he turned his attention to Shaoshang. “Did I stop him from going to avenge you?” he shouted. “But it did cost a lot to fight so openly! You are arrogant and reckless, disregarding the law and court for nothing! Absolutely arrogant and domineering!”

When the champion marquis killed Li Gan, no one was around. Although everyone later knew it was him who did it, as long as there was no evidence or witness, the Emperor could firmly believe that Li Gan died from being carelessly bucked off a horse, and the courtiers could only acknowledge it by suffering in silence.

“Your Majesty, please be clear!” Shaoshang forcefully pushed Ling Buyi’s arm aside and knelt in front of the Emperor, pleading for mercy with a mournful expression. “Master Ling has always been cautious in his actions. I often hear people praise him for being humble, polite, and kind to others and that he has the aura of a dignified gentleman. Today, he did such a crazy and rebellious thing. Doesn’t Your Majesty think it’s strange? The Imperial Censorate is an important part of the country and it can’t be collided with. Who knows…”

“Do you know?” Ling Buyi suddenly asked. His eyes were clear, as if he didn’t feel like this was a precarious situation, and began to casually tease the girl. “I don’t think you do. Tell me, where is the Imperial Censorate?”

The corners of the Emperor’s lips curved upwards slightly. He forced them down.

Shaoshang was furious. She was working so hard to plead for him, but he only wanted to cause trouble. She wished she could immediately give him three knives and six holes and find someone else to marry! After taking a difficult, calming breath, she ignored the man and continued to plead to the Emperor. “Although I don’t know where the Imperial Censorate is, not knowing where it is isn’t important! You Majesty, since even I know this, why did Master Ling knowingly violate the Imperial Censorate and forcefully rush into it?”

“What is your opinion on it?” the Emperor asked, slowly sitting down.

“It’s because Master Ling intentionally set aside his anger with me…” Shaoshang sat up straight and began to speak in a bashful way. She saw her Royal Uncle staring at her again. “Well, today I had another argument with Master Ling…”

The Emperor slapped the table and barked in a deep voice, “I knew it! Zisheng wouldn’t do anything wrong for no reason! You little woman, you have been in the presence of the gentle and kind Empress. Why do you have to argue with Zisheng all day long?”

“Replying to His Majesty,” Shaoshang pleaded in a small voice. “It’s actually Master Ling who argues with me every time. How dare I start it?”

“Okay. Why do you insist on having Zisheng argue with you all day long?” the Emperor continued to question.

Shaoshang choked on her words. Teacher, this question was beyond the scope of the outline. She couldn’t answer it.

She assumed that her Royal Uncle would do anything to protect his calf and wouldn’t punish Ling Buyi. Unexpectedly, the Emperor turned on Ling Buyi. “If you argue with Shaoshang, you’re willing to run into the Imperial Censorate. If you end up arguing with me next time, will you run into my Ming Guang Hall?! Tell me how this matter should be handled!”

Ling Buyi bowed low, looking as if he was willing to fight or scold. “This is up to His Majesty’s decision.”

The Emperor nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. Make a decision? You want to make your father judge? If he could make such a simple decision, why was he so anxious and angry? He touched a pair of copper talismans that were placed on the table, picked one of them up and threw it. His mind was going in all directions and he almost hit the Fifth Prince who was still huddled to the side.

Fifth Prince: …Father, is Ling Buyi actually your biological son?

“To rush into the Imperial Censorate and beat officials in front of them would require at least exile, but…” the Emperor said.

Shaoshang’s ears twitched. Exile? That didn’t sound bad.

“Your Majesty, I am willing to follow Master Ling’s footsteps… um, into exile…” She quickly tried to express her feelings.

“I haven’t finished speaking yet, don’t interrupt!” In a fit of anger, the Emperor grabbed the other copper talisman from the table and threw it. Once again, it almost hit the Fifth Prince.

The Fifth Prince began to silently cry.

“However, since Zisheng is usually calm, loyal, diligent and proper, it doesn’t have to be exile,” the Emperor said, taking a calming breath. “Let’s change it to…”

“Your Majesty.” Ling Buyi suddenly raised his head, his eyes clear. “I have done something wrong and should be punished. I was also angry and confused at the time, causing trouble for you. Please punish me, do not show mercy.”

“As long as you know you were wrong, this matter can be big or small,” the Emperor said, nodding. “You will have to be charged later on.”

“Your Majesty is wise,” Shaoshang said happily, feeling her chest lighten.

“However, simply pleading for forgiveness is not enough to stop people from talking. Let’s do it this way, and add an additional fifty strokes,” the Emperor said.

Ling Buyi bowed respectfully and said, “I will obey this order.”

“Wait, what?” Shaoshang began to panic. “Your Majesty, you still wish to punish him?” She had been beaten before, and the feeling of being flogged with a can was so sour she could still taste it. Although there were no scars left, her fear continued to this day.

At that moment, the Third Prince entered the hall. The Emperor looked at his son and asked, “Has everything been arranged outside?”

“I have done what you asked,” the Third Prince said.

“Fine. Off you go.” The Emperor waved his hand.

“Zisheng,” the Third Prince gestured to the door that led outside. “The cane and punisher have been arranged outside.”

Ling Buyi didn’t need to be escorted out. He saluted the Emperor with dignity and slowly stood up, tall and beautiful as if he was Penglai emerging from the sea. He calmly followed the Third Prince out.
[Penglai is one of the three fabled islands in the Eastern sea and is a place where immortals live.]

“Hey…” Shaoshang crawled over to Ling Buyi and tried to pull him, but it was too late.

She watched him walk out of the hall, then turned to look at the Emperor and burst into tears. “You have such a cruel heart, Your Majesty. Master Ling has been lonely since childhood, almost without a father or a mother. In his heart, he regards you as his true father! He was angry with me today, so he trespassed on the Imperial Censorate. Although the law cannot tolerate it, the situation is understandable. Not only do you not understand, but you also want to punish him… This… how can this be your relationship with Master Ling…”

“He is being punished because of you,” the Emperor said with a stern expression. “Remember, Zisheng’s beating today is for you!”

Shaoshang held onto the corner of the Emperor’s robe, pleading and earnestly explaining how tough Ling Buyi had it. Her tone was sincere and profound, her dialogue skills honed by the Drama Society and polished by verbal criticism. This nearly made the young eunuchs around them blush. The Emperor had already pitied Ling Buyi and he gradually couldn’t bear it anymore. Thankfully, the Fifth Prince decided to interject at that moment.

“Mistress Cheng, it seems like it’s about to start outside. Um… why don’t we go and take a look…?” He wanted to go and watch, but felt it was the wrong thing to do to go out alone.

Shaoshang’s anger began to bubble over. “Your Majesty,” she complained, “look at how pitiful Master Ling is. His father is not kind and his mother is not well. He found a wife who isn’t sensible, and now the Fifth Prince is taking pleasure in all of this!”

“Hmm, you’re right,” the Emperor nodded his head. “Old Fifth, you must have had a hard time today accompanying Zisheng all the way. Someone, take the Fifth Prince and give him five strokes.”

The Fifth Prince’s misfortune descended from the heavens, hitting him like a bolt of lightning. “Father!” he cried out. Why was he always guilty by association?

“Your Majesty,” Shaoshang continued, “yesterday, the Fifth Prince even flirted with me! He recited Master Sima’s ‘Phoenix Seeks Phoenix” to me and began praising me for my beauty and grace. Many people heard him!”

“Add on five more lashes, for a total of ten lashes,” the Emperor said. “Take him out.”

The Fifth Prince became paralyzed.

Shaoshang saw that there was no hope in pleading anymore, so decided leave the Emperor. Crying, she followed the eunuchs that were holding the Fifth Prince hostage and chased after him all the way to the execution ground. When she arrived at the heavily guarded side hall, she stood in the courtyard and saw through the railings that Ling Buyi was pinned down to the ground. His outer robe was removed and he was left in his snow-white middle coat. The two punishers had already started the beating with one, two, three, four hits.

The Third Prince stood with his hands behind his back, looking leisurely.

It took a moment for Shaoshang’s heart to shatter.

When she had been beaten, Director Xiao had used a cane that wasn’t very thick, and the punisher was also a weak old man with barely any energy or strength. This was not like the two crutches the Third Prince had brought out. They were wide and thick, almost as wide as her own waist. The punisher was even more agile and strong, with an energetic demeanor as he struck Ling Buyi. She could hear the faint swish of the board cutting through the air every time it was brought down.

Shaoshang was unable to contain her anger any longer. She reached down and picked up a small stone, throwing it forward as hard as she could. It hit the Third Prince on his left shoulder. He immediately glowered at her. “Shameless!”

Shaoshang rushed up the stairs without any regard and towards Ling Buyi. She whimpered as she was firmly held down by two healthy women who looked like they had been waiting for her.

Shaoshang was pressed into the ground and could only watch as Ling Buyi was hit on the back with a heavy punishment cane. He didn’t shout or cry out. He only stubbornly bit his pale red lips, his forehead dripping with sweat, and his face pale like a white sheet of paper.

The two punishers were fresh faced and their thick crutches were like two raging, venomous snakes, ravaging Ling Buyi’s beautiful and slender body. Shaoshang felt the same way and wept as if she had been beaten at the beginning of the year. Her skin burned and flesh split apart. The pain was as if her flesh and bones were being separated inch by inch.

A strange anger suddenly washed over her, one that she had never experienced before. She felt that this man was hers; his head, body, and limbs were all hers and she couldn’t bear to beat or curse herself. Why should she suffer this kind of pain?!

“Stop hitting him!” Shaoshang finally couldn’t take it anymore and burst into tears. “Hit me instead, stop hitting him! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I won’t argue with you again in the future. If I argue with you again, you’ll be beaten. You have a brain disease and it has to be treated!” She was full on blubbering now. “Stop hitting him. Why haven’t you finished? Your Highness, you are so ruthless. His Majesty said to punish Master Ling but didn’t say the severity of it. Yet you’re exerting a lot of effort to beat him to death! You have such a cruel heart…”

The Third Prince rubbed his left shoulder and stood there expressionless. He felt as if he had become the villain in a play, filled with anger and nowhere to go. At this moment, his caring subordinates quickly brought the Fifth Prince to him for an outlet.

Before the cane fell, the Fifth Prince was already crying out for his father and mother, tears streaming down his face.

For a moment, the side hall was bustling with excitement. The sound of the cane swishing through the air, the sound of flesh being hit, and the wailing of the girl made the Fifth Prince scream and shout. The always serious Third Prince’s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

…

At that moment, on a platform opposite the side hall, the Emperor held a gilded wine goblet and stood by the windowsill, smiling as he looked down. The Empress, who had just arrived, sat to the side. Consort Yue, who had followed the Third Prince out of curiosity, sat opposite the Empress.

“Your Majesty, as respected people, how can we behave like this?” the Empress said helplessly.

The Emperor waved his hand backwards. “I understand it well. I can’t hear it clearly… Alright, Shaoshang is really crying this time. Hmm, she’s already cried herself hoarse. When this is over Shen Xuan will send her some throat moistening decoctions. You don’t have many strong qualities, don’t actually hurt your throat.”

Consort Yue heard the Fifth Prince’s pained cries to the heavens and pondered, “When I was in the army, I heard that the punishment of flogging was very well-known. It seems that the skin and flesh are not harmed but, in reality, it’s the internal muscles and bones are broken and the limbs are weakened. The skin is not injured but it’s the heart that deeply hurts, and there seems to be more blood than usual. But, in fact, it’s not a big deal… What did you do this time, Your Majesty?”

“I can’t hide anything from you, A’Yan,” the Emperor smiled, turning his head to look at her. “After listening to the report, I had this idea. I could kill two birds with one stone. Old Third’s original suggestion was to kill two birds with one stone, but I thought we still needed to see blood and deep bruises. That way it’ll stop the Imperial Censorate from talking, and also…” He broke off, giggling.

“The children are fighting and we should do our best to comfort them,” the Empress sighed. “How can we add fuel to the fire like this?”

“I understand, but we cannot speak on it,” the Emperor said solemnly.

“Zisheng isn’t foolish,” Consort Yue sneered. “Even if he doesn’t understand now, once the punishment is over, he will still be able to see that his injuries are different.”

“We cannot hide it from Zisheng,” the Emperor said. “But we can hide it from the other one. I understand clearly what you’re saying but, remember, don’t tell Shaoshang!”

Although the Empress was softhearted, she was also very trustworthy. She said she wouldn’t tell Cheng Shaoshang that she could go home until after the birthday banquet, so she silently endured it until after.

The Empress turned her back in frustration.

The Emperor approached the windowsill again. “Cen Anzhi,” he said solemnly, “ask the person who is holding Shaoshang down to let her go but stop her if she gets two or three feet away from him. She can look but not touch. She’ll see Zisheng being beaten, covered in flesh and blood, sweating profusely, and she will be powerless and helpless. This will make her heart even more sad…”

Cen Anzhi accepted this command with a forced smile and left.

“Your Majesty!” The Empress finally couldn’t bear it anymore, her face turning sour.

The Emperor turned around and sighed with satisfaction. “I understand deeply that when their children will gather, they will be grateful to us and other elders.”

After speaking, he turned back and continued to watch with relish.

The Empress was at a loss for words. She held back her anger and suddenly said to Consort Yue, “Sister.”

“Please speak, Your Majesty,” Consort Yue trembled inexplicably.

“I heard that you and His Majesty were childhood sweethearts. I have to ask, what exactly did you see in His Majesty back then?”

Consort Yue glanced at the Emperor standing by the windowsill, stretching his neck to watch the scene outside. “Back then,” she said after a long pause. “His Majesty was known as the number one beauty in Feng County.”

She would rather admit that she was young and ignorant at the time, and was obsessed with beauty.

…

The entire first half of the chapter could be titled, “Is now REALLY the time?”

It didn’t even comprehend with me that last chapter was our 100th chapter! Holy crap where has the time gone? We’re now getting closer to the end.

Also, giving my goldendoodle Sadie a shoutout for her second birthday today! I got her at 8 weeks and she had parvo virus. Poor thing was in the vet hospital for about a week and there were a few moments where we didn’t think she’d make it. Now she’s a normal, hyperactive, fucking annoying spoiled princess and I wouldn’t have her any other way.

As always, thanks so much for the comments, likes, and donations. You guys give me warm feelings like puppy snuggles.

Next Chapter: Just Then