Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

"You want to be a concubine?!"

Granny Wei was stunned speechless by Chen Furong's words.

"You, a mere palace maid in charge, dare to dream of becoming a concubine?"

Chen Furong, you've been in the palace for over ten years. You know all the rules of the palace, and you know better than anyone how the concubines came to be.

Even if Her Majesty the Empress agreed, she still couldn't do it!

"Granny Wei, of course I know how the imperial concubines came to be."

Chen Furong chuckled softly.

"In order to prevent the interference of the empress's relatives in politics, the Ming Dynasty stipulated that the empresses and concubines should be selected from virtuous women from respectable families with good moral character and clean backgrounds."

The Empress, along with the two empresses before her, and most of the concubines in the palace entered the palace through the imperial selection process.

However, palace maids also had a path to becoming imperial concubines: after being favored and visited by the emperor, they would be granted a title.

I also know that although the Empress is the head of the harem, she only has the power to assist in managing palace affairs and the daily affairs of the inner court, and has no right to confer titles on concubines.

The power to appoint and promote imperial concubines belonged exclusively to the emperor.

I never even considered that the Empress would bestow upon me the title of concubine.

Wei Mama, tell Her Majesty the Empress that the night before Consort Wang Ning and others murdered the Emperor, Consort Cao Duan sent someone to summon me to the inner palace and help her to rest in a side hall.

Unexpectedly, although His Majesty had just finished cultivating with Consort Cao, he was still not satisfied and directly pulled me onto the imperial bed.

After about half an hour, His Majesty finally fell into a deep sleep.

"You dare to spout such nonsense?"

Granny Wei shook her head repeatedly.

"You are not particularly attractive, and you are not young either, almost thirty years old. Why would His Majesty take a liking to you?"

His Majesty has long favored Consort Cao, and you are the head maid of Yikun Palace, appearing under His Majesty's nose at least a hundred times.

Even if His Majesty has unique tastes and has taken a liking to you, he wouldn't have waited until now.

Moreover, if such a thing does happen, it will be reported and recorded.

"His Majesty acted on a whim and naturally did not have time to report it."

In the dark, His Majesty wouldn't care which palace maid it was, much less remember clearly.

Chen Furong waved her hand.

"This matter should have been reported the next day, and there were quite a few people who could testify to it at the time."

Unfortunately, before the report could be filed, all of these witnesses were beheaded.

"Besides Consort Cao, the witness is the palace maid who murdered the emperor, right?"

Granny Wei sighed deeply.

"Alright, I can report this matter to Her Majesty the Empress. I think Her Majesty won't mind. Have the eunuchs in the Imperial Archives and the female officials in the Imperial History record this matter in the Imperial Favor Book and the Imperial History."

Even so, you are merely a palace maid who has been favored by His Majesty; you are far from being a concubine.

"Then I'll have to ask Your Majesty for another favor."

Chen Furong brought her face closer to Granny Wei.

"Arrange for me to stay at Renshou Palace and take care of His Majesty's daily life during His Majesty's recuperation period."

If Your Majesty awakens, I will appear before you immediately.

"All I need is for Her Majesty the Empress to do for me. Whether I become a concubine in the future depends entirely on my own abilities."

. . .

Renshou Palace, East Side Hall.

Lu Chen sat alone, cross-legged on the soft couch.

Emperor Jiajing was assassinated and was seriously injured and unconscious. As the emperor's only younger brother, it would be inappropriate for him to return to Chonghua Palace at this time.

But there's no need to stay by the emperor's bedside all the time.

Even Xu Kun was resting in a side room next to the rear hall.

After all, no one knows when the emperor will wake up again, and guarding him day and night is something no one can endure.

Empress Fang was in the same situation as Lu Chen.

As evening approached, Empress Fang went to the west side hall of Renshou Palace to rest, while Lu Chen went to the east side hall.

These two side halls were actually the sleeping quarters of the concubines who had been summoned to serve the emperor.

Consort Cao was staying in this east side hall during the palace coup last night.

Living in a side hall meant that if the emperor woke up, they could receive the news and rush there immediately.

After being assassinated at the Marquis of Wuding's residence last night, Xu Kun came to the residence first to retrieve the long sword for him and bandage his wounds.

Before Xu Kun had even left, Huang Jin came to the Marquis's residence again, bringing news of the Renyin Palace Coup.

He rushed to the West Garden and stayed by the emperor's bedside all day. He also performed a series of minimally invasive surgeries on the Jiajing Emperor, pulling him back from the brink of death.

After a brief awakening at noon, the Jiajing Emperor fell into a coma again. Fortunately, his vital signs had recovered, and his life was saved.

However, Emperor Jiajing's asphyxiation and shock lasted for far too long, likely causing irreversible damage to his body. He had no idea what the aftereffects would be or when he would wake up again.

After all, I'm not a neuroscientist, and I don't dare to use my telekinesis to touch the brain.

I did something like that in a dilapidated temple in Tongbai Mountain back then. With a gentle tug of my mind, that junior sister "Guoshanfeng" became a vegetable.

Moreover, Lu Chen felt that the Jiajing Emperor's period of coma was actually beneficial to him!

Duan Chaoyong and his disciple Wang Ziyan had already been killed by Guo Xun, so no one else could refine the "red lead" elixir for the Jiajing Emperor.

Even if there's still some inventory left, it won't last long.

Guo Xun was in a similar situation to the Jiajing Emperor.

Both of them have been skating on ice for over two years, and their addiction is quite severe.

Once the supply is cut off, the withdrawal symptoms can be quite unpleasant!

Guo Xun had no choice but to rely on himself to bear the burden.

But what about the Jiajing Emperor?

He is the emperor, the supreme ruler. Once he is tormented by withdrawal symptoms and suffers unbearable pain, who knows what he might do?

The acute withdrawal symptoms of "ice" generally last from one week to two weeks, and this period is the most painful and difficult to endure.

This process will not change because of being in a coma.

If the Jiajing Emperor could get through the most difficult stage of his coma, it would definitely be a great thing!

Of course, even if you get through the acute withdrawal period and the physical withdrawal symptoms subside, the psychological dependence still exists.

This is also why people who have successfully quit drugs in modern times are very likely to relapse once they have the opportunity to come into contact with them again.

"Yes, tomorrow morning, I will send people to search the residence of Duan Chaoyong and his apprentice, and find and destroy all the remaining goods."

After the Jiajing Emperor woke up, no matter how much he wanted it, he couldn't get it!

Naturally, the abstinence is then successfully achieved.

Lu Chen unwrapped the bandages covering his abdomen and looked at the wound on his lower abdomen.

Last night, after Xu Kun took out the long sword, the wound closed up on its own, with only a little blood seeping out. In fact, it did not need to be stitched up or have any medicine applied.

Lu Chen felt that even bandaging was unnecessary.

But to avoid attracting attention, Xu Kun still carefully bandaged it up.

Xu Kun was quite a character. He clearly realized that his injuries were very strange and could not possibly have happened to a normal person.

But he didn't ask a single question!

It seems that this Physician Xu is not only highly skilled in medicine and has a strong sense of responsibility, but is also very sensible.