Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 343 Tonight, I will rest here.
At that very moment, Zhu Youjian was strolling through the Imperial Garden.

Just now in the warm pavilion, he personally cut off the poisonous thorn that had been entrenched in his heart. He felt completely refreshed and much lighter, and even the air he breathed seemed to have become much fresher.

Instead of immediately returning to the Qianqing Palace to continue reviewing memorials, he inexplicably strolled out of the palace gates and wandered aimlessly through the Imperial Garden.

He needs this peace and quiet.

Zhu Youjian needed the cool moonlight and fragrant flowers to wash away the chill and bloodshed that had just stained his heart.

He stood with his hands behind his back beside a rockery made of Taihu stones, looking up at the bright moon, lost in thought.

Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of several halos of light slowly moving around the corner of the path ahead.

Immediately afterwards, a group of people carrying palace lanterns quietly approached. The person in the lead was graceful and walked with light steps; it was none other than Consort Zhou.

Under the moonlight, she seemed like a fairy descending from the moon, her whole body shrouded in a hazy and holy halo, untouched by any dust.

Zhou Jingshu also saw the emperor, who was alone, dressed in black, standing with his hands behind his back under the moon.

The figure was solitary and upright, seemingly blending into the night, exuding an indescribable desolation and majesty.

Startled, she quickened her pace and stepped forward, about to curtsy.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects..."

Before she could finish speaking, a warm touch covered the back of her hand.

Zhu Youjian stepped forward first and naturally took her hand. His firm and strong palm, with a hint of coolness, effectively stopped her from kneeling.

"There's no one here, so let's skip the formalities."

His voice rang out in the still night, more gentle and deep than the usual authoritative tone.

Zhu Youjian looked at her slightly surprised eyes and asked softly, "Did you just come back from your sister-in-law's?"

"Yes, I chatted with my sister-in-law for a while." Zhou Jingshu's heart was pounding like a deer.

She was completely struck by this sudden tenderness.

As a concubine, she was well aware of the difference between the emperor and his subjects, and that both thunder and rain were acts of imperial favor.

He could summon her at any time, but he had never held her hand so intimately and naturally in front of the palace servants.

A warm current, both surprising and delightful, instantly spread throughout her body from where the backs of her hands touched, almost making her lose her balance.

Zhu Youjian did not let go of her hand; instead, he gently held her soft hand in his palm.

He turned around, took her hand, and they walked slowly side by side along the garden path, casually waving to the palace servants following behind.

Wang Chengen and Su Xin were both very perceptive people. They immediately understood and stopped, leading everyone to retreat more than ten feet away, leaving only two palace lanterns to illuminate the area, so as not to disturb the emperor and empress, and to be ready to be summoned at any time.

The vast imperial garden seemed to instantly become empty except for the two of them.

"The moonlight is lovely tonight," Zhu Youjian's voice was exceptionally clear in the still night. "Come take a walk with me."

The two walked side by side on the moonlit pebble path, their footsteps making soft rustling sounds. Apart from that, the only sounds were the rustling of the evening breeze through the flowers and leaves and the chirping of insects in the distance.

No one spoke.

Zhu Youjian did not explain why he was alone there late at night, and Zhou Jingshu did not ask him whether he had eaten dinner or whether he had worked hard that day. She simply greedily savored this hard-won tenderness.

But this silence wasn't entirely comforting for her.

She could clearly feel that the imperial aura emanating from the man beside her, which usually kept people at a distance, seemed to have diminished considerably tonight.

He was no longer the aloof monarch who never showed his emotions, but more like an ordinary husband.

But she was no ordinary wife. The vacant position of Empress was like an invisible scar, standing between her and him.

She knew that the entire court and the entire harem were watching.

Zhu Youjian held her hand; his palm was dry and warm, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy, yet carrying an undeniable possessiveness and comfort.

Zhou Jingshu's heart gradually calmed down, yet a pang of sorrow welled up within her. She could sense that the emperor had shed much of his usual heavy facade tonight; his steps were relaxed, his breathing steady. Was he... making amends to her?
Just then, a slightly stronger night wind blew by, swirling up a few fallen leaves and bringing a chill to the bone.

Zhou Jingshu subconsciously shrank her neck.

Zhu Youjian, who was beside her, immediately noticed. He stopped and turned around to face her.

Under Zhou Jingshu's slightly surprised gaze, he released her hand and reached out to take off the black cloak embroidered with a coiled dragon pattern from his body.

The cloak, still warm from his body, was carefully draped over Zhou Jingshu's shoulders by his own hands.

Zhu Youjian bent down and fastened the knotted belt on her chest, his movements serious and focused, as if he were handling a rare treasure.

"It's late at night, don't catch a cold."

This simple action and these plain words were like a warm current that instantly broke through the dam in Zhou Jingshu's heart, and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

Zhou Jingshu slowly raised her head, meeting his focused and gentle gaze.

Those eyes, usually as deep as the sea, concealing countless thunderbolts and cunning schemes, now reflected only her image.

There was concern, pity, and appreciation in those eyes.

Tonight, for some reason, the emperor finally allowed her to see the tenderness hidden beneath the surface.

This is enough.

"Let's go back to the palace," Zhu Youjian said softly, gazing at her face, which appeared even more radiant in the moonlight.

The tone conveyed an unquestionable decision, yet carried a hint of gentle inquiry.

The emperor did not suggest returning to the Qianqing Palace. Instead, he took her hand again, turned around, and walked towards the Chengqian Palace where she resided.

Zhou Jingshu didn't say anything, but simply let him lead her, even happily.

Her hand tightened slightly in his palm, responding to his warmth.

"I will rest here tonight."

When they arrived at the gate of Chengqian Palace, Zhu Youjian said something indifferently to Wang Chengen, who had followed him.

Wang Chengen bowed and accepted the order, his eyes fixed on his nose, his mind seemingly at peace, showing no sign of displeasure.

The profound meaning behind this gave him a sense of ecstatic relief.

Inside Chengqian Palace, the palace servants were both surprised and delighted to hear that His Majesty was coming and would be staying overnight, and then they were overjoyed!
Everyone in the palace seemed to be infused with a new soul. They quickly lit lamps and made announcements. In an instant, the once tranquil palace came alive.

Inside the bedchamber, bright red candles were lit one by one, dispelling all the chill and filling the room with brilliance and warmth, like springtime.

Zhou Jingshu personally removed Zhu Youjian's outer robe and then brought him a silk undergarment for sleeping.

Her movements were gentle, her expression focused, and her eyes held a tenderness and joy that came from the heart.

Zhu Youjian simply stood there quietly, letting her do whatever she wanted for him.

He gazed at her gentle and beautiful profile in the candlelight, at her slender hands adjusting his clothes, and his eyes were filled with an unprecedented tranquility and contentment.

(End of this chapter)