Selling wife for fame? Kick out the scumbag and marry the new emperor to enjoy the harem of favors

Chapter 56 Mixed truth and falsehood
"Your Majesty, please stop trying to fool me. I don't believe it."

Xie Jiu struggled to get up from his arms.

Zhao Xingjin only held her waist tighter. "Alright, alright, if I didn't care about you, why would I punish Concubine Zhuang today and ask you to come to Chengming Palace? I just wanted to understand the whole story. It was my inappropriate wording that caused you to misunderstand. Now, please don't be angry with me anymore."

"Really?" Xie Jiu turned his head to look at him, pursed his lips tightly, and looked stubborn.

"Of course it's true." Zhao Xingjin nodded, and at last reached out and pinched the tip of her nose. "I really didn't realize that when you get angry, I'm afraid of you!"

This is just a joke.

The corners of Xie Jiu's lips curled up slightly, but were then suppressed by her, as if he was trying to hold back a laugh.

She tapped Zhao Xingjin's chest lightly with her finger and snorted, "Then Your Majesty, please don't make me angry in the future. Otherwise, if I get angry, the anger in my belly will burn down Your Majesty's Chengming Palace!"

Calling yourself a conversion is just a step down.

Zhao Xingjin smiled and held her hand.

"I've learned my lesson this time."

After that, he asked softly, as if coaxing a child, "What would you like for lunch? Ask the imperial kitchen to prepare it early. Let's eat here together today."

"Peony fish fillets and drunken crabs." Xie Jiu whispered.

Zhao Xingjin agreed with a smile, and then loudly ordered Yang Zhian to go to the kitchen to prepare.

After he finished giving the order and turned around, he saw Xie Jiu with his eyes half closed and tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Why are you crying?" Zhao Xingjin frowned.

He really didn't know what he had done wrong, which made Xie Jiu suddenly burst into tears.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for laughing." Xie Jiu picked up the handkerchief and quickly wiped away the tears on her face. "I just thought that apart from my mother, there are Qingfang and Chunrong, the two maids who have been with me through thick and thin. No one else treats me this well."

Zhao Xingjin heard this and was thinking about how to comfort him when Xie Jiu spoke again.

"I know. The Emperor remembers what I said to you when we first met and wants to make a deal. However, I am also a woman. Unless there is something drastic happening, why would I bother to do it myself? After all, I still want to have someone to rely on."

"I wanted to make a deal with the Emperor, firstly to save my life, and secondly because I felt I was already married and would never have the chance to serve him. I only hoped that the Emperor would avenge me, and then I would have no regrets. But I never thought that the Emperor would take me into the palace. Although I appear calm, I am actually very panicked."

Zhao Xingjin watched her crying and sobbing as she spoke, like a child complaining about her grievances. He couldn't help but want to laugh, but he also felt that Xie Jiu was very real.

It makes people feel that when she takes off her gorgeous disguise, she is actually a stubborn and fragile girl.

"Why are you so nervous?"

There was a tenderness in Zhao Xingjin's eyes that was hard to tell whether it was true or not, and he gently wiped away her tears.

Xie Jiu's beautiful eyes were filled with water, as if covered by a layer of gauze. She just frowned and looked at him.

"I'm afraid the Emperor will be like Wu Que, like my father, treating me like a mere pawn. Once he's used me, he'll abandon me. By then, I'll be all alone and helpless, like a rootless duckweed. I've already risked everything once, and I honestly don't have the courage to risk it a second time."

Having said that, Xie Jiu raised his hand and gently grabbed Zhao Xingjin's sleeve.

Like a child afraid of being abandoned. "Your Majesty, I know you dote on me now because of the things that happened in the past. I don't feel wronged. After all, I have my own grudges to avenge, and I rely on Your Majesty. But I hope that one day, when Your Majesty's plan succeeds, you won't abandon me too far. I've already been abandoned and forsaken before, and I really don't want to experience that feeling again in this life."

Having said this, Xie Jiu lowered his head, no longer looking into Zhao Xingjin's eyes, and stopped talking, as if waiting for his response.

After a long time, a long sigh came from Zhao Xingjin's ears.

Immediately, a gentle force pulled her shoulders into Zhao Xingjin's arms.

"Don't think too much. Since I have accepted you into my harem, you are mine from now on. I will protect you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xie Jiu leaned in his arms, his voice muffled, but there was a hint of excitement in his tone.

After lunch, Xie Jiu continued to stay in Chengming Palace and take a nap with Zhao Xingjin.

When people in the harem heard that Xie Jiu had stayed in Chengming Palace for a full half day, had lunch and took a nap, many people were angry, especially Concubine Zhuang.

Copying Buddhist scriptures is already tiring and annoying, and then I have to listen to people outside talking about how much the emperor dotes on Concubine Xie. It's really enough to make me want to overturn the table.

Especially since there was a pregnant Sun Baolin living in her palace.

It made her even more irritated.

But there was nothing she could do. Sun Baolin had a miscarriage last time, which scared her half to death. Now the empress dowager has repeatedly expressed her appreciation for the dragon fetus in Sun Baolin's belly. Even if Concubine Zhuang had a hundred more courage, she would not dare to take it out on Sun Baolin.

If I were to go find Xie Jiu, that would be even easier.

She suffered a great loss today. Although she was angry, she really didn't dare to provoke anyone for the time being.

Concubine Zhuang had just that kind of personality. She was very cheerful when she was jumping around, but she became very timid when she got into trouble. She would only lose her temper in her own nest and dared not say a word in public.

Of course, this is only a temporary thing. After a few days, she will be fully recovered.

Putting aside what happened here, Xie Jiu went to Changle Palace as usual in the afternoon to teach Princess Wenxi. At that time, on the other side, in Zhongcui Palace, Concubine Wei, who lived in Yinmeixuan, was staring at the crabapple tree outside the window in a daze.

"What are you thinking about, Concubine? The sun is very strong this afternoon. You should stay by the window for a while. Be careful not to get your skin darkened by the sun, which will not look good." Nian Ci, the palace maid who came with the dowry, came over with a cup of ice cream.

"It's okay. This little bit of heat is not as strong as you say." Concubine Wei waved her hand. "Besides, I don't use my beauty to please others."

Nianci put down the ice cream and sighed, "That being said, which concubine in the harem doesn't cherish her appearance? Concubine, you'd better be careful. Today, the Queen gave you the Jade Cream. I've checked it out and it's excellent. If you use it now, in about a month, your skin will become even whiter, tenderer and smoother. The Emperor will definitely like it more when he sees it."

"I don't need it. You and Siwei can share it." Concubine Wei lowered her eyes.

"What are you talking about? I dare not use such a good thing and ruin it." Nianci frowned, "Okay, Concubine, be obedient. Even if you don't want to show it to the emperor, you will feel more comfortable if you take good care of it yourself, right?"

When she said this, Concubine Wei paused holding the spoon, looked up at Nianci with a complicated look.

"Nianci, serving the Emperor, do you really have to care so much about your appearance? Doesn't the Emperor know that honest advice is unpleasant to the ear but beneficial to action? Why is it that someone as eloquent as Xie wins the Emperor's favor? I really don't understand. Father said that the Emperor is a wise ruler, but now I look at him, I don't think so."

(End of this chapter)