Transmigrating into a book, seducing him to rise to power

Jun Zechen rushed to Yikun Palace, and the eunuch who was dozing at the door instantly showed a look of horror on his face.

Why is His Majesty here so late!

His body trembled violently, and then he knelt down as fast as he could, saying in a trembling voice, "This servant greets Your Majesty."

"Where is Consort Ling?" Jun Zechen asked in a deep voice, his lips pressed tightly together.

"Your Majesty, the master is in the Buddhist hall," the eunuch replied tremblingly.

As soon as he finished speaking, Jun Zechen strode towards the Buddhist hall.

Jun Zechen arrived at the entrance of the Buddhist hall. Just as he was about to step into the hall, he heard a question from the palace maid kneeling beside Consort Ling.

Jun Zechen's steps suddenly stopped.

"Your Majesty, two hours today is enough. His Majesty only instructed you to pray for the Second Prince for two hours each day, and you have already knelt in the Buddhist hall for the third hour today."

"It rained tonight, and you've already caught a chill. Now your body is burning hot. How can your body withstand kneeling down again?"

Juxiang's face was full of anxiety and worry. She frowned and looked at Consort Ling with pleading eyes, trying to persuade her.

Consort Ling knelt weakly on the prayer mat in the Buddhist hall, her face flushed and her eyes somewhat glazed due to the high fever.

She said weakly, "Juxiang, I can't sleep. You don't need to try to persuade me anymore."

Her voice sounded a little hoarse because of the fever.

"My lady, I know that His Majesty promised to accompany you every year on the Flower Festival, so you couldn't sleep tonight and thought of praying for the Second Prince. But you must also take care of your health."

Juxiang looked at Consort Ling with heartache, her eyes slightly reddening, and her voice choked with emotion.

"Juxiang, don't try to persuade me anymore. The Second Prince died because of me. Even though I wasn't the mastermind, it still caused Chun..."

Consort Ling paused here, her lips trembling slightly, before continuing.

"I have wronged the Imperial Noble Consort by causing her to lose her child."

After saying this, Consort Ling couldn't help but cough a few times, and the unhealthy blush on her face became even more obvious.

Then, with difficulty, she said, "I can't sleep. Praying more for the Second Prince will lessen my guilt, and perhaps then His Majesty will dislike me less..."

Her tone and expression carried a hint of self-deprecation.

"Even if you're going to pray for blessings, you need to be healthy. Are you putting on a show for me or genuinely praying for the Second Prince while you're ill?"

Jun Zechen's cold voice suddenly rang out. His face was somewhat gloomy. He then slowly stepped into the Buddhist hall.

When Consort Ling heard the familiar voice, a look of surprise first appeared on her face, then she quickly stood up and gracefully bowed.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

"Get up." Jun Zechen's voice was calm and indifferent.

"Why has His Majesty come to Yikun Palace?"

Consort Ling tilted her head slightly, her eyes full of doubt as she asked.

"Your personal maid caused trouble at Zhaochun Palace, so I had to come to Yikun Palace to rescue you. What, you didn't know?"

Jun Zechen's indifferent gaze fell directly on her, and his words were like sharp knives piercing her heart.

Upon hearing this, Consort Ling trembled violently and immediately knelt on the ground, her eyes filled with panic and helplessness.

Her head was spinning, her thoughts were all jumbled up, and she didn't even know what she was saying.

"Your Majesty, I absolutely did not allow Meixiang to seek an audience with you. It must have been Meixiang who saw me looking so depressed and felt sorry for me, which is why she took it upon herself to do so. I know I was wrong. I failed to manage my servants properly and disturbed Your Majesty."

"Mei Xiang has committed an offense against the emperor, and I have already sent her to the Ministry of Punishments," Jun Zechen said expressionlessly.

Upon hearing this, Consort Ling's eyes widened in horror.

She knelt down and moved to Jun Zechen's feet, clutching his clothes tightly with both hands.

"Your Majesty, I beg you to spare Meixiang. She has been by my side the whole time. She was only worried about me, so she acted on her own. Waaah, Your Majesty, I beg you."

Ling Fei's eyes were already blurry with tears, which flowed out like a burst dam, accompanied by her sobs, which evoked pity in people.

Jun Zechen frowned as he looked at her, his heart filled with complex emotions.

The reason he was so cold to her was that he didn't want Ling Yue to repeatedly hurt herself in order to gain his pity.

But seeing her so humble and submissive now, he couldn't help but recall the carefree and happy woman she used to be.

He hoped she would stop clinging to his favor, and that even without his favor, he would ensure Ling Yue could live well in the harem.

He hoped she could live peacefully in the harem, and he didn't want to see her become unrecognizable, much less see her perish because of the various schemes in the harem.

Ling Yue cried so hard that her heart-wrenching sobs seemed to be crying out her heart and lungs.

Her body was already weak and limp due to the high fever, as if she had no bones and was about to collapse. Her head was also dizzy, as if it were filled with a lump of paste.

Faced with the man's icy indifference, Ling Yue felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, and she fell straight backward, fainting.

Jun Zechen was startled upon seeing this, and a look of anxiety instantly appeared on his face. He quickly reached out and picked her up in his arms.

"Where is the imperial physician!" Jun Zechen roared, his voice filled with urgency.

After saying that, Jun Zechen carried Ling Yue and strode towards the sleeping quarters of Yikun Palace.

After entering the bedroom, Jun Zechen placed her on the bed.

Consort Ling frowned deeply, as if she were enduring great pain.

Her hand unconsciously clung tightly to Jun Zechen's sleeve, refusing to let go, and tears still clung to the corners of her eyes, making her appear especially pitiful in the candlelight.

Jun Zechen originally wanted to sit on a chair to the side, but seeing her like this, he couldn't bear to.

Not wanting to appear too cold in front of the many palace servants, since the servants in the palace were very good at judging people by their appearance, he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Juxiang followed behind, hurriedly leading the imperial physician who had been invited earlier into the bedchamber.

When the imperial physician entered, he bowed respectfully and greeted Your Majesty, saying, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."

"Come here and let Consort Ling take a look," Jun Zechen said with a stern face.

The imperial physician quickly responded and then began to carefully take the pulse and make a diagnosis, his expression focused and serious.

After a flurry of activity, the imperial physician wrote out a prescription, and then someone took the prescription to brew the medicine.

After Juxiang carefully fed the medicine to Consort Ling, Consort Ling finally regained consciousness.

She struggled to open her eyes, and when she saw Jun Zechen, her previously confused gaze suddenly cleared.

She abruptly threw off the covers and struggled to get out of bed.

Jun Zechen reacted quickly and stopped her, saying, "You're still sick, what are you doing getting up? Get some rest."

Unable to get out of bed, Consort Ling knelt on the bed, her eyes filled with tears, and cried as she spoke.

"No, Your Majesty, I beg you to spare Meixiang. It's all my fault. I'm willing to accept whatever punishment you deem fit. Please, Your Majesty, take Meixiang out of the Imperial Prison."

Ling Yue knelt on the bed, crying and kowtowing to Jun Zechen repeatedly, her forehead hitting the bed board with a dull thud.

Jun Zechen's face was filled with helplessness. He opened his mouth slightly and sighed softly.

Then, he slowly said, "Alright, rest now. I will release Meixiang."

Upon hearing this, Consort Ling slowly raised her head, her red and swollen eyes filled with tears. She stared straight at him, her eyes filled with pleading and gratitude.

"Your Majesty, I thank you."

Just as Jun Zechen was about to get out of bed, Ling Fei saw this and hurriedly reached out and grabbed his large hands.

His whole body was trembling slightly.

"Your Majesty, I have always longed to have you by my side during the Flower Festival, which is why I have been tossing and turning at night."

Ling Fei's voice was filled with deep sorrow and longing, and her eyes were brimming with grief and despair, as if the whole world had collapsed.

"Your Majesty, I know that I am not worthy to be by your side on this Flower Festival."

Ling Fei lowered her eyes slightly, her expression full of loneliness and inferiority, her voice low and trembling slightly.

"From now on, the Imperial Noble Consort will be your rightful wife."

As she said this, she raised her head, her eyes filled with pleading, as if she had used all her strength.

"But... the Flower Festival has already passed, Your Majesty... could you please have pity on my frail body and stay with me for this night?"

After Ling Fei finished speaking, her humble posture seemed to have sunk to the dust, and her words seemed to turn into fine needles, piercing straight into Jun Zechen's heart.

Jun Zechen's fists clenched and unclenched unconsciously.

It's almost past the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), and Yao Yao is already asleep. If we go back to Zhaochun Palace now, we'll definitely wake her up.

Jun Zechen frowned as he looked at her, a hint of hesitation and reluctance in his eyes.

"Go to sleep, I'll stay with you."

When Consort Ling heard his agreement, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. Tears still clung to her cheeks, yet she smiled with relief.

She trembled as she slowly moved into the bed, deliberately leaving most of the space for Jun Zechen.

Jun Zechen lay down on the outer side without even taking off his dragon robe.

Ling Fei held tightly to his sleeve, as if only in this way could she feel a sense of security. Her hands seemed afraid that if she let go, Jun Zechen would disappear.

Consort Ling closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling, her thoughts racing.

Now that Su Jingyao has been bestowed the title of Imperial Noble Consort by His Majesty, the position of Empress is within her grasp.

She lost her position as the principal wife and her husband's favor; it seemed as if everything had drifted away from her.

What does she have left to lose now?

Ling Fei gritted her teeth; she was determined to get what she wanted by relying on Jun Zechen's slightest bit of pity!

Outside the palace, a light rain was still falling, the sound of which seemed to tell a story of endless sorrow.

Ling Fei curled herself up into a ball, looking so pitiful. She slowly leaned her body closer and closer to Jun Zechen, even if it was just a light touch on his arm.

Jun Zechen was wide awake. When he felt Ling Fei approaching, he slowly opened his eyes, his brows furrowed, but he ultimately did not push her away.

Consort Ling breathed a sigh of relief; at least His Majesty hadn't completely grown to dislike her yet.

Even though she can't compare to the Imperial Noble Consort now, no one else in the harem can surpass her.

Suddenly, without warning, a blinding bolt of lightning flashed across the outside of the palace like a silver snake, illuminating the entire bedchamber for a fleeting moment.

Then, a deep and loud rumble of thunder suddenly rang out.

Jun Zechen was clearly startled and panicked. He then quickly sat up abruptly from the bed, his movements hurried and urgent.

Consort Ling sensed his movement, her face showing confusion, and softly called out, "Your Majesty?"

Jun Zechen hurriedly put on his dragon boots, saying, "You rest well. The Imperial Noble Consort is afraid of thunder. I'll go keep her company."

After saying that, Jun Zechen strode away.

Ling Fei stared blankly at Jun Zechen's rapidly disappearing figure, her fingernails digging tightly into her palms, where faint traces of blood had appeared.

Is it only the Imperial Noble Consort who is afraid of thunder?

His only worry now is that the Imperial Noble Consort might be frightened by the thunder...

She had clearly warned herself not to care about his concern for the Imperial Noble Consort, and not to have any further expectations of him.

But why, every time she saw him rush towards the Imperial Noble Consort without hesitation, did her heart still ache...?

Consort Ling quickly composed herself, a fierce glint flashing in her eyes.

She will no longer be obsessed with the illusory favor of the emperor; she will only use his pity and his guilt to get everything she wants.

For example, the child of Consort Chu...

She doesn't have a powerful family background, and the Ling family is no longer a solid support for her. She must have the power of the previous dynasty, otherwise how can she compete?

Therefore, she needs to join forces with Chu Meiren, and she needs the family power behind Chu Meiren.