Chapter 121: Empress Zhang’s Dilemma

In the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, Empress Zhang had been growing increasingly agitated of late.

She found it particularly infuriating to see her former close companion, Noble Consort Zhou, donning Taoist robes and feather cloaks, posing with an air of ethereal detachment. It kept her awake at night, seething with resentment. She was well aware that Noble Consort Zhou’s son, Zhu Wenjing, had been frequenting the palace and building up a network of allies, clearly aiming to seize the position of Crown Prince.

Initially, seeing the Noble Consort in her Taoist attire, Empress Zhang had assumed it was merely a performance meant to signal a state of "detachment" and "non-contention." She had even gone so far as to offer words of comfort to the Noble Consort, subtly hinting that such clothing was unbecoming of the dignity of a high-ranking consort. To her shock, that very same day, a eunuch arrived with an imperial edict from the Emperor, stating that it was "merely clothing" and not to be overly concerned. It was then that the truth dawned on her: Noble Consort Zhou’s "ethereal" act was not about disinterest at all; it was a calculated move to win the Emperor’s favor and gain leverage for her son’s bid for the throne.

Feeling like a clown in a play, the Empress grew more indignant and aggrieved the more she pondered it. She realized then that in the face of the Crown Prince title, the decade-long sisterhood she shared with Noble Consort Zhou was nothing but a farce.

She was lost in these bitter thoughts when a knock at the door startled her. The voice of the Chief Eunuch of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility followed: "Your Majesty, I have something to report."

"Enter."

Empress Zhang looked at the cautious Chief Eunuch and frowned. "Chief Eunuch Qian, what is so urgent that it requires your personal report?"

"Your Majesty, I bring good news."

Chief Eunuch Qian, a long-time servant, knew the Empress had been troubled, so he didn't beat around the bush. He leaned in and whispered, "Your Majesty, Supervisor Xu has returned to the capital."

Empress Zhang froze for a moment, then, as if something clicked, she stood up, her face brightening. "Are you certain that the Supervisor from the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility has returned?"

"I am certain, Your Majesty," Qian replied. "Ever since you instructed me to keep watch, I have kept it in mind and bribed the commanders of the palace guards to notify me. Just now, Commander Shen sent word, and I had my own men verify it at the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility. It is confirmed that Supervisor Xu is back."

"Good!"

After days of frustration, this news was like a lifeline to a drowning woman. A flush of joy appeared on her cheeks. She prepared to leave for the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility to visit her "dear sister" and "accidentally" encounter Xu Boqing, but as she noticed the sky had already darkened, she stopped in her tracks.

She knew that Xu Boqing was not a true eunuch and that his relationship with Empress Dowager Chen was far from ordinary. With night falling and Xu having just returned after half a year away, they would surely be engaged in intimate reunions. If she were to barge in, wouldn't it be terribly awkward?

Yet, once the thought arose, she couldn't help but picture the scoundrel and the Empress Dowager in their illicit affairs, which in turn triggered memories of her own previous, scandalous dance. Alongside her shame and anger, she felt... a strange, lingering sense of nostalgia.

Chief Eunuch Qian, unaware of her thoughts, saw her hesitate and assumed she was merely worried about propriety. He spoke cautiously, "Your Majesty, Commander Shen also mentioned something else regarding Supervisor Xu. I am not sure if I should speak of it."

"Speak!"

"Commander Shen said that when Supervisor Xu returned, he happened to cross paths with the Third Prince, Prince Jing. The Prince used the excuse of his son’s first birthday to invite the Supervisor to a banquet at the Prince’s residence in a few days."

Empress Zhang’s eyes narrowed, and she said coldly, her voice filled with disbelief, "Zhu Wenjing is using his son's first birthday as a pretext to invite Xu Boqing to a banquet?"

"Yes."

Qian, her confidant, knew the stakes of the succession battle and her current predicament. He hoped to warn her not to let such a valuable asset as the Western Depot be snatched away by others.

"Repeat every word Commander Shen told you, word for word!" she commanded, her face as cold as ice.

After listening to the report, Empress Zhang trembled with rage. Taking a deep breath, she left the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. As she walked, she dwelled on the Third Prince’s invitation and Noble Consort Zhou’s manipulative tactics. She felt a profound sense of injustice—though she was the Empress, the Emperor did not love her, and her own family kept their distance to avoid suspicion, leaving her and her son isolated, with no one of real power to support them.

Her eyes turned red with suppressed tears. Upon reaching the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, she dismissed her attendants and approached the Empress Dowager’s chambers alone. Noticing the lack of guards, she crept toward the door. Before she could knock, faint, seductive sounds drifted from within.

She pulled her hand back, her face flushed with shame and annoyance. "Shameless wretches," she spat inwardly. She knew it was not the time for discussion; to interrupt them now would only invite disaster. She sighed and turned to leave, but after a few steps, she stopped. The sounds from the room seemed to have a hypnotic power, echoing in her mind.

She recalled her initial, arrogant plan to toy with that scoundrel, the suffocating sensation of his grip, and the intoxicating, otherworldly pleasure that had followed her dance. For reasons she couldn't fathom, she found herself missing the very transgression and insult she had once loathed.

Seeing no one around, she noticed a window behind the chambers had been left ajar. Driven by a strange, irresistible impulse, she crept toward it. As she drew closer, the sounds became clearer. She felt her face burning with a heat that was terrifying, yet her curiosity was like a cat scratching at her heart, impossible to ignore.

She peeked through the window and saw them not far away. Her "dear sister" was facing away from the window, leaning against the vanity, arching her neck. Then, the Empress stiffened—the scoundrel was facing the window, and he seemed to be looking directly at her!

Inside the chamber, Xu Boqing paused, noticing the figure at the window. Empress Dowager Chen, her eyes clouded with passion, noticed his distraction and giggled, "Little scoundrel, what is it?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," Xu Boqing murmured, leaning toward her lips while casting a sharp, questioning glance at the window, wondering what Empress Zhang’s intentions were. Seeing the Empress flee in a panic, he flicked his finger, using the "Dragon-Capturing and Crane-Controlling Skill" to silently pull the window shut.

"Li-little scoundrel, I thought I heard footsteps..."

"You are overthinking it, Your Majesty."

Empress Zhang fled the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility in a state of utter panic. The thought of being caught red-handed while peeking made her face burn as if stained with blood. Once back in her own palace, she found her heart racing, only calming down after much effort.

After bathing and retreating to her bed, she tried to close her eyes and rest, but the images from the window kept flashing before her. She recalled the times she had been humiliated by the scoundrel, and though it was shameful and degrading, those memories acted like a spell, making her body tremble uncontrollably.

Deep in the night, curled under her blankets, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. With a dazed, conflicted look in her eyes, she bit her lip, hesitated for a long moment, and finally reached out to unlock the treasure box hidden in her bedside cabinet...

Who knows how much time passed before, with a long, weary sigh, she finally drifted off to sleep, left only with her own reflection for company.