Chapter 14: Studying by Imperial Decree

Waiting and hoping.

Half an hour passed, yet no sign of anyone from the Rainbow Dress Palace appeared.

Dugu Jin’s face grew increasingly dark as he slammed the book onto the table.

Du Heng said, “Your Majesty, please don’t be anxious. I will personally go and check.”

Afraid of wasting time, he hurried all the way to the Rainbow Dress Palace, only to find Yuan Peipei eating.

“Hm? Eunuch Du, is there something you need?” Yuan Peipei asked with an innocent look.

Surely, the emperor wouldn't be coming tonight and had sent Du Heng to inform her.

Yuan Peipei nodded understandingly and waved her hand. “Please tell His Majesty I know what to do. I’ll digest my meal myself and sleep when I’m tired. He needn’t worry about me.”

Du Heng was speechless.

He ran back to the study, panting, and relayed Yuan Peipei’s words exactly to Dugu Jin.

Dugu Jin’s brows furrowed in anger.

“She ate alone first?”

“And said she’d sleep on her own later?”

Du Heng was sweating profusely, bowing low and afraid to raise his head.

In all his years in the palace, he had never seen Consort Rou so magnanimous.

“Fine, if she wants to sleep alone, so be it. Does she think I can’t live without her?”

That night, Yuan Peipei was sound asleep when she suddenly felt someone removing her clothes.

Groggy, she opened her eyes. “Hm? Your Majesty? Weren’t you visiting Sister Ning Fei?”

Dugu Jin pinned her hands above her head. “Do you not care wherever I go?”

Yuan Peipei was confused. “You’re the emperor; naturally, you can go wherever you want.”

She understood that much.

But Dugu Jin was truly furious.

Ungrateful little wretch!

That night, he was far from gentle, not stopping even when she begged.

The next day, he left with a cold expression, not offering the usual tender concern.

This time, he was determined to teach this girl a lesson, to make her feel some sense of urgency.

But Yuan Peipei was utterly exhausted, sleeping so deeply she didn’t even notice when Dugu Jin left or that he wore a sour face.

After court, Dugu Jin asked Du Heng again, “Any word from the Rainbow Dress Palace?”

Du Heng cautiously replied, “No, Your Majesty.”

As expected, Dugu Jin’s expression darkened further, and he scolded several officials one by one.

At lunch, still no one came from the Rainbow Dress Palace.

Dinner brought the same result.

---

The palace was a place where even the slightest disturbance could not be hidden.

Everyone knew the emperor’s initial infatuation was fading; he hadn’t visited the Rainbow Dress Palace much these past few days and had become noticeably indifferent to Consort Rou.

Consort Ning felt hopeful.

It seemed the emperor’s health was nearly restored, and that fool would soon lose all usefulness.

She dressed ostentatiously, whether at the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility or the Imperial Garden, flaunting the attitude of the undisputed second lady of the harem.

Other consorts began scheming as well.

The emperor had favored Consort Rou for so long, with no issues; surely she was ready to attend the emperor’s bed?

They all thought so, but no one dared take the risk first.

“Sister Ning Fei is in such a good mood,” Consort Shu greeted her upon a chance meeting.

Ning Fei, feeding fish in the pond, smiled brightly. “Consort Shu, you keep ‘accidentally’ running into me—have you decided to surrender, or are you hoping to use me to see the emperor?”

Consort Shu was puzzled.

“Ning Fei, you jest. I’m truly just passing by.”

If she wanted to see the emperor, she wouldn’t come here.

Or perhaps Ning Fei had some assurance—had the emperor promised her something?

Soon, news that Ning Fei would be made empress spread without official word.

Everyone rushed to flatter Ning Fei, who beamed all day long, walking as if the wind followed her.

Cuizhi and Lanxin heard the rumors too.

“Your Highness, the whole palace is saying Consort Ning will be empress. Aren’t you worried at all?”

“Yes. If she becomes empress, she’ll overshadow you completely and surely make trouble for you.”

Yuan Peipei continued painting, barely distracted. “The empress position is vacant; someone will fill it. If not Ning Fei, then someone else. You’re all worrying needlessly.”

It seemed the emperor’s plan was proceeding smoothly, already using the empress position to appease Ning Fei.

That night, well past midnight, Yuan Peipei was again climbed upon, this time with her hands bound.

[Ugh! The villain is truly wicked—pretending not to care by day, but sneaking in attacks by night.]

[Peipei, darling, don’t be afraid. Cry for him—he gets more excited the more you cry!]

Tears flowed instantly, but it only made things worse.

[He acts fierce now, but when Peipei falls asleep, doesn't he carefully wipe her down?]

[Who sneaks in to kiss her every night? No one knows.]

[The villain hasn’t even mentioned the empress matter; those are just rumors stirred up by the women.]

[The emperor and empress consort have already confessed their feelings; she even tried to persuade the chancellor to help him!]

To incite rebellion against her father?

That was a grave crime indeed.

During the day, no matter how tired she was, Yuan Peipei returned to the chancellor’s residence.

---

“Father, the emperor is wonderful. Only after entering the palace did I realize how hard it is to be emperor. He rises earlier than anyone and sleeps later than anyone. Sometimes he’s so absorbed in reading memorials he forgets to eat.”

She tried her best to speak well of the emperor, hoping her father would believe he was a good ruler and not rebel.

Chancellor Yuan nodded, “Every emperor in history has been this way.”

Yuan Peipei returned to the palace reassured.

That night, the midnight visitor came again.

“Here, study this book thoroughly and master it. This is your task.” Dugu Jin handed over a manuscript.

It was written by his own hand.

He had compiled all the rumors of favor-seeking he had heard over the years into a book for Yuan Peipei to learn from.

But she hated reading most of all.

“Can I not read it?” Her big, watery eyes looked up at him, almost coaxing him to agree.

“No! This is imperial edict.” Saying so, he began removing her clothes again.

Cuizhi and Lanxin watched, curious.

“Why does Her Highness look more and more exhausted these days?”

“Yes, she seems to have little energy every day.”

They figured it was because the emperor hadn’t visited.

“Your Highness, don’t be sad. The emperor is probably busy recently, but he will come see you when he’s done.”

Yuan Peipei thought, of course he was busy—every night sneaking in to climb into bed then slipping away quietly.

“Don’t bother me; I want to read.” Yuan Peipei was already sleepy after reading the first line.

She had been like this since childhood—reading always made her drowsy.

Sure enough, she soon fell asleep on the couch.

But then Madam Yu Huan arrived.

“Your Highness, the emperor sent me to supervise your reading.”

Yuan Peipei woke up instantly.

Reading was an imperial edict.

To disobey an imperial edict was to risk extermination of nine generations.

Rubbing her eyes, Yuan Peipei resumed reading.

As she read, she found it surprisingly interesting.

“Wow, this woman was so ruthless—hurting herself for a man, it must have hurt terribly.”

“This is so cruel—hurting such a small child, the villain!”

“Why is it always coincidental meetings and performances? So many people competing for one man—aren’t they tired?”