Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 939: Chapter 850: Unwilling to Be a Slave

Because Lady Jing was worried about her father, she couldn’t eat or sleep well during this period, naturally becoming haggard. When she went to pay respects to the Emperor, he was worried that a strong gust of wind might blow her away.

The Emperor helped Lady Jing up with concern on his face and said, ”Why have you become so haggard, my dear concubine? Are you worried about your father? I have reinstated your father’s position and punished Wang Zheng, who falsely accused him, so you can be at ease now.”

With tears in her eyes, Lady Jing thanked the Emperor while bowing, ”I thank the Emperor for clearing my father’s name. My father and I are extremely grateful to the Emperor.”

Holding Lady Jing’s hand, the Emperor led her into the room. After sitting down, he looked at her and comforted her with a few more words, then, somewhat puzzled, asked Lady Jing.

”In these past days, the Empress has pleaded with me several times for her father’s matter, hoping I might spare his life. Why have you, my dear concubine, never come to plead with me?”

The Emperor’s question was particularly overdone. If Lady Jing had dared to plead, she would surely have been mercilessly sent back and demoted.

Lady Jing inwardly complained about the Emperor for a moment but remained outwardly meek, lowering her head. ”Naturally, I wanted to plead, but I was ashamed to, knowing that my father is mediocre. He reached his current position entirely due to your favor in elevating me.

My father has always been unremarkable in office, and I already felt guilty. I had thought that though my father was mediocre, at least he was honest and would not cause trouble for you, the Emperor, or bring you shame.

Who knew about the recent incident involving my father? I could only feel that my father had betrayed the Emperor’s grace and was so ashamed that I dared not plead for him. Knowing that you, the Emperor, are always just, I did not want to trouble you, so I chose to close the palace in contemplation.

Fortunately, my father did not betray the Emperor’s grace, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief, no longer ashamed to meet you. If my father really had betrayed the Emperor’s grace, I genuinely wouldn’t know how to face you, the Emperor.”

The Emperor felt very pleased by Lady Jing’s words, thinking her sensible, and in his joy, he bestowed a pile of good things upon her.

Due to the incident with Lady Jing’s father, Lady Jing had to close the palace in contemplation and naturally could not manage palace affairs, making her control over the harem virtually nonexistent. Rumors spread that Lady Jing was losing favor.

Now, these rumors have collapsed without attack; the Emperor’s three consecutive nights of staying and the rewards proved that Lady Jing was still a favored concubine. Most importantly, Lady Jing’s father did not make a mistake, so her position remained unshakable, and all the rumors vanished.

The crisis at Yingyue Palace was resolved, but an oppressive atmosphere settled over Fengchen Palace. The Empress’s health worsened; she was in a daze all day, rarely sober, and even when awake, her eyes were bewildered. The Empress had not eaten for several days, exhausting her body to the limit.

The Emperor visited the Empress every day, asking the Imperial Physician about her condition and whether it had improved, appearing very concerned. However, the Empress’s Lady Nuoxiang and close aide Xia’er repeatedly requested the Emperor to have Shuangshuang treated the Empress, but each request was refused by the Emperor.

Although the Empress was too sick to get out of bed, she was aware of the Emperor’s attitude. Clearly understanding this only deepened her sense of despair and resentment!

When the Empress first married the Emperor, she harbored youthful affection, hoping to be harmonious with her husband like an ideal couple. However, being an extremely intelligent woman, she quickly saw through the Emperor’s true nature. Once she understood his character, she completely abandoned that delusion.

The Empress knew the Emperor was cold, but she had never anticipated such coldness. She was already spent, yet the Emperor was unwilling to wait even until she lived a couple of more days.

Two lines of tears slipped down the Empress’s painfully thin face as she closed her eyes, and with a heart full of despair, she took her last breath.

Immediately after the Empress’s death, the Emperor sentenced her father to immediate execution, acting so swiftly that it sent chills down people’s spines. Simultaneously, the harem bustled, mainly with Lady and Lady Jing busy handling the Empress’s funeral affairs.

During this period, various factions plotted, all contemplating the Empress’s position. Courtiers weren’t concerned about the Emperor’s coldness; they only considered that being in favor with the Emperor might benefit their family. As for the concubines currently in the Emperor’s harem, no one considered them significant.

Because the two highest-ranking concubines, Lady and Lady Jing, had weak backgrounds, they certainly were unfit to become Empress. After all, the Empress differed from a regular concubine; she needed adequate familial backing.

However, Nangong Shuangshuang thought differently, having her own calculations. Of course, Shuangshuang’s plans were currently useless, as the Emperor had decided that for the sake of the Empress, he would not select a new Empress for a year, temporarily quelling the restless hearts of ministers with suitable aged daughters.

Under the joint management of Lady Jing and Lady, the harem remained peaceful. Throughout that year, the Emperor continued to treat Lady Jing well, viewing her as understanding, obedient, and relaxing rather than simply as a favored concubine, but more like an emotional receptacle.

In terms of true favor, Lin Cairen, once favored, was now truly cherished again, and even more so, having been promoted to Lin Pin by the Emperor.

Now, Lin Pin surpassed countless beauties in the palace to become the most beloved concubine of the Emperor, stealing the spotlight. This Lin Pin, however, was not of good temperament; arrogant when successful, she had already embarrassed Lady Jing and Lady several times.

Unfortunately, neither Lady Jing nor Lady was the Empress. Although the Emperor respected the Empress and allowed no concubine to overshadow her, this did not extend to concubines; he was not concerned about the face of high-ranking concubines when they competed against each other, for in his eyes, besides the Empress, all women were playthings meant to please and amuse him, and respect was never the issue.

Therefore, it was not uncommon for favored concubines to overshadow high-ranking concubines. However, incidents like Lin Pin, still a concubine, daring to challenge the Lady were rare, but the Emperor liked it. Though Lady Jing orchestrated two incidents displaying Lin Pin’s rudeness to her before the Emperor,

it was regrettable that while the Emperor noticed Lin Pin’s shallowness, he only mildly reprimanded her. He praised Lady Jing for not holding grudges against Lin Pin, even rewarding her several times, acting as though he was compensating for his woman’s actions.

The Emperor’s attitude revealed he did not care if his concubines were shallow or arrogant, as long as they could please and serve him.