Huangming

Chapter 267 The Empress's Relative Enters the Palace: Sudden Power Brings Danger

The next morning.

As dawn broke and the eastern horizon began to lighten, a faint glow shone through the paper windows of Kunning Palace.

Zhu Youxiao and Zhang Yan opened their eyes almost simultaneously. When they looked at each other, they both saw a trace of lingering weariness in each other's eyes.

Last night's passionate and tender lovemaking was intense and lingering, as if it wanted to infuse the deep affection of their newlywed life into their very bones. In the end, they were both so exhausted that they could barely keep their eyes open, and before they could even adjust their embracing posture, they fell into a deep sleep.

Zhang Yan first propped herself up and sat up, the brocade quilt slipping off her shoulders, revealing her fair neck.

She raised her hand to tidy her slightly messy sideburns. Although her face had a touch of languor, it was also radiant as if touched by a spring breeze. Even the tips of her eyebrows were tinged with a faint blush, like a ripe peach, glowing with a healthy luster.

That's what it looks like when it's been thoroughly nourished.

Zhu Youxiao, on the other hand, yawned and sat up, his eyes and brows showing an undeniable weariness, and there were even faint bluish shadows under his eyes.

Looking at the Empress's radiant appearance, he felt a heaviness in his waist and couldn't help but sigh inwardly:

The old saying is indeed true: in this world, there are only oxen that die from exhaustion, never fields that are ruined by plowing.

Seeing him rubbing his temples, Zhang Yan couldn't help but chuckle. She reached out and pulled the brocade quilt back onto him, her voice soft and sweet from just waking up: "Your Majesty, would you like to rest a little longer? There are still some hours before the morning court session."

Zhu Youxiao held her hand, his fingertips caressing her delicate skin, then shook his head, the weariness in his eyes gradually replaced by clarity: "No, there are still memorials waiting to be approved."

He rolled out of bed and looked at Zhang Yan, wrapped in a brocade quilt and leaning against the headboard, and couldn't help but tease her.

"As for the Empress, she looks quite energetic. It seems you've thoroughly learned your 'lessons' from last night."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yan's cheeks flushed bright red. She glared at Zhu Youxiao reproachfully, but didn't know what to say in rebuttal. She could only lower her head and pretend to straighten her clothes, her ears turning so red they could bleed.

The emperor and empress had barely finished their intimate banter when the palace servants filed in with breakfast.

After getting dressed, the two went to the East Warm Pavilion of Kunning Palace.

Not long after arriving at the warm pavilion, the Imperial Kitchen staff began serving breakfast.

The two sat facing each other, and had just eaten a few bites of breakfast when Wei Chao, a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial, tiptoed in. He hesitated for a moment at the palace entrance before bowing and reporting:
"Your Majesty, the Earl of Taikang and his wife are waiting outside the Meridian Gate, saying they have come to express their gratitude to Your Majesty and the Empress."

"oops!"

The jade spoon in Zhang Yan's hand clattered against the rim of the bowl. She looked up abruptly, her face full of annoyance.

Last night, His Majesty kept me so late that I even forgot about my parents coming to the palace to express their gratitude.

How embarrassing!

Seeing her like this, Zhu Youxiao chuckled and waved his hand, saying, "It's alright, they were supposed to come anyway. Let them in."

He knew in his heart that when Zhang Yan was made empress, an imperial edict had been issued to confer the title of Earl of Taikang on her father, Zhang Guoji. Although it was a title without merit, it was still a first-rank honor. Her mother was also conferred the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady.

According to custom, after receiving the title, one must enter the palace to express gratitude. This is a rule and also gives the Empress's family ample face.

Wei Chao withdrew immediately.

"That's so embarrassing. I definitely can't stay up this late next time."

Zhang Yan complained, subconsciously straightened her robes, sat up straight, and a hint of anticipation and nervousness flashed in her eyes.

She hasn't seen her parents for several days since the talent show.

About fifteen minutes later, the sound of light footsteps came from outside the corridor of the East Warm Pavilion of Kunning Palace.

The first to enter was Zhang Yan's father, Zhang Guoji. He was originally a scholar and was used to wearing cloth robes. But now he suddenly changed into a scarlet first-rank earl's formal suit, with a seven-beam crown on his head. The jade belt around his waist made him feel a little uncomfortable, and even his steps seemed a bit restrained.

Behind him followed Zhang's mother, dressed in a dark blue robe of a noblewoman, with delicate phoenix patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. However, she had not read many books, and when she stepped into this magnificent warm pavilion and saw Zhu Youxiao sitting at the head of the table, she was immediately overwhelmed by the invisible imperial majesty. She lowered her head even further and did not dare to lift her eyelids.

Fortunately, the officials from the Ministry of Rites had led them in several rehearsals of the etiquette beforehand, so at least they didn't make any major mistakes.

The two entered the hall and knelt down respectfully, their voices trembling with nervousness: "Emperor Taikang, Zhang Guoji (Emperor's wife, Lady Zhang), respectfully wish His Majesty good health! Respectfully wish Her Majesty the Empress good health!"

Zhu Youxiao and Zhang Yan sat side by side on the throne covered with bright yellow cushions. Seeing the two perform the salutations to greet him, Zhu Youxiao nodded slightly and said in a calm tone, "Emperor Taikang and his wife, please rise. Please take a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The two responded in unison, and as they slowly rose, they kept their heads down, not daring to look directly at the throne.

The palace maids had already brought in two black lacquered and gold-painted stools and placed them about ten feet away from the main seat.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhang thanked them, sat down sideways with only a corner of their buttocks touching the seat, their backs straight, their hands awkwardly placed on their knees, and even their breathing became soft.

Seeing Zhang Yan's expression—wanting to protect her parents while also fearing they might break the rules and offend the emperor—Zhu Youxiao felt a warmth in his eyes and gently took her slightly cool hand in his.

His palms were warm and dry, his fingertips calloused from practicing martial arts and archery, as he gently caressed her delicate skin, offering her a reassuring look.

His eyes seemed to say, "With me here, there's no need to panic."

Zhang Yan felt the warmth from his palm, and her slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. A blush rose on her cheeks, and she secretly glanced at him before quickly lowering her head again, but her fingertips unconsciously squeezed his hand in return.

Zhu Youxiao then turned back, his gaze falling on the uneasy Zhang Guoji and his wife, and asked in a calm tone, "Emperor Taikang and his wife, are you settling into your new home in the capital? Is there anything about the food that you don't like?"

Zhang Guoji quickly bowed, clasping his hands tightly on his knees, his voice filled with gratitude:

"Your Majesty, all is well! The residence inside Chongwen Gate is very spacious. It can comfortably house not only our family but also more than a hundred or so people! As for the food... the dishes delivered daily by the Imperial Kitchen include chicken, duck, fish, meat, and delicacies from land and sea, many of which are rare items we have never seen before in our lives. We owe it all to Your Majesty's blessings!"

As he spoke, he was about to get up and kowtow again, but Zhu Youxiao stopped him by raising his hand.

"I'm glad you're satisfied." Zhu Youxiao smiled, turned to look at Zhang Yan, and spoke in a gentler tone.

"Since you entered the palace through the imperial concubine selection, it has been quite a while since you had a proper conversation with your family. So stay in Kunning Palace today and spend some time with them."

He then leaned close to her ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Recently, some ministers have been plotting against me, always trying to find you through connections, hoping you will whisper in my ear: all they want is for me to abolish the Imperial Guard and replace them with their own people, calling them 'virtuous ministers'."

His gaze swept over the slightly uneasy Zhang Guoji and his wife in the hall, and he lowered his voice even further.

“You are intelligent and insightful, so you will not fall for such a trick. But the Taikang Earl and his wife have lived in the countryside for a long time and have never seen the open and covert attacks in the capital. If someone tries to win them over under the guise of kinship or old friends, or speaks ill of the secret police and instigates them, and they believe it and are used as pawns, then they will be in trouble.”

Zhang Yan's ears burned slightly, but she instantly understood the deeper meaning behind the words.

The inner palace may seem calm on the surface, but in reality, every step is fraught with hidden dangers; the imperial court is even more treacherous and unpredictable, and a slight misstep could lead to utter ruin.

From the night of her wedding, she secretly resolved never to become a source of trouble for the emperor's harem or a burden to him.

Hearing Zhu Youxiao's reminder, she nodded quickly, looked at her parents with clear eyes, and said with an unquestionable solemnity: "Your Majesty, rest assured, my father and mother are honest people who listen to advice and would never easily believe the instigation of others."

Seeing that she understood, Zhu Youxiao released her hand, turned to Zhang Guoji and his wife, and resumed his usual calm tone.

"I still have official business to attend to, so I will not stay any longer."

As soon as he finished speaking, the eunuch standing to the side announced loudly, "Prepare the carriage for the Qianqing Palace!"

"Congratulations to Your Majesty!"

Zhang Yan and Zhang Guoji quickly stood up and bowed in unison. Only when Zhu Youxiao's bright yellow figure disappeared outside the warm pavilion and his footsteps faded into the distance did Zhang Guoji and his wife secretly breathe a sigh of relief. Their tense backs relaxed, and even their breathing became much easier.

Heaven knows how much they agonized when the emperor was seated there. The young man on the dragon throne spoke calmly, but the aura of authority he exuded was like an invisible net, making them afraid to even breathe, their palms already clenched and sweating.

"Yan'er... oh no, now you should call her Your Majesty the Empress."

Zhang Guoji turned around, looked at his daughter sitting in the main seat, and his voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement and pride.

Your Majesty!
This was the highest position that any woman in the world could achieve, and it was actually Zhang Guoji's daughter!
He was just a scholar in his life, yet he had a daughter who became an empress. If word got out, it would shock everyone in the village.

Zhang Yan smiled gently, her gaze falling on her parents' slightly awkward faces, her tone still as affectionate as when she was at home.

"Father and Mother, there's no need for such formalities. To your daughter, you are still Yan'er."

She paused, recalling Zhu Youxiao's earlier instructions, and added, "If you encounter any difficulties outside the palace, or if you lack any items, just send a message to Kunning Palace, and I will arrange it."

Zhang Guoji quickly waved his hand, his excitement gradually subsiding, replaced by a solemn expression: "Now, everything we eat, wear, and use is provided by the palace, and the houses and fields are all bestowed by His Majesty. We lack nothing. You should just focus on being a good empress, assisting His Majesty, and not making any mistakes. That would be the greatest honor for our Zhang family."

Although he was a country scholar, he had a rare insight. He knew that his daughter was in a high position and that the most important thing was to avoid interference from relatives of the empress. Rather than thinking about taking advantage of her position, it would be better to let her gain a foothold in the palace. This would be a blessing for the Zhang family in the long run.

It was precisely this open-mindedness—not coveting power and understanding the ways of the world—that enabled him to raise Zhang Yan, a woman who possessed both the grace of a well-bred lady and the wisdom to see through the ways of the world.

"It's good that Father understands."

Zhang Yan picked up her teacup, took a sip, and gazed calmly at her parents.

“The capital is not like our hometown of Xiangfu. In the county, the magistrate is the king, but here, not to mention that there are plenty of eighth-rank officials, even sixth-rank and fifth-rank officials from the capital are commonplace on the street. There are also countless high-ranking officials and nobles, and you may offend someone if you are not careful.”

Before she could finish speaking, Zhang Guoji chuckled and waved his hand, "Your Majesty, rest assured, your mother and I will certainly behave ourselves in the capital, saying little and looking around little. Just consider us guests."

"You may want to be honest, but no one will necessarily let you be honest."

Zhang Yan put down her teacup, her tone becoming more serious.

"Father and Mother, you must open your eyes wide and see clearly. There are many people in the capital who curry favor with the powerful and stir up trouble. If you do something wrong in a moment of confusion and are impeached by the censors, it will be difficult for your daughter to protect you. If you are really sent back to your hometown, your daughter, the Empress, will also be criticized behind her back for being an 'unworthy relative of the empress.' That would be a real disgrace to the Zhang family."

These words were like a wake-up call, striking a chord in the hearts of Zhang Guoji and his wife.

Zhang Guoji immediately straightened his chest and patted his chest to assure her: "Yan'er, don't worry! Your mother and I will stay in the capital for a few days to see what's new, and then we'll go back to Xiangfu! We're honest country folk, it's more reliable to stay in the fields."

He looked at his daughter with earnest eyes.

"I've heard that His Majesty is a diligent and capable emperor. Your assistance in the palace and the proper management of the harem would be far better than giving us mountains of gold and silver. Our Zhang family is already blessed to have produced an empress!"

Hearing her father's words, Zhang Yan felt a surge of warmth in her heart, and her eyes welled up with tears.

She is blessed to have such understanding parents.

"Father and Mother, rest assured, your daughter understands."

As long as her parents behaved themselves, she would take good care of the palace's rewards and daily expenses, and would never mistreat them.

But if a fundamental mistake is made...

Zhang Yan gazed at the eaves of the palace wall outside the window, her eyes gradually hardening.
She is the Empress of the Ming Dynasty and His Majesty's wife; she must not cause His Majesty any trouble because of personal feelings.

The atmosphere in the warm pavilion gradually relaxed. Zhang's mother held Zhang Yan's hand and chatted about trivial matters from her hometown. Those familiar local accents allowed Zhang Yan to temporarily shed the burden of being the empress and become the daughter who was loved by her parents again.

However, within this warmth, there is ultimately a subtle, unspeakable distance.

However, Zhang Yan was prepared.

From the moment she stepped into this deep palace, some paths she could only walk alone.

P.S.: I'll add a bonus chapter later if I get 600 monthly votes!

(End of this chapter)