After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 8

Inside the Pavilion in the Middle of the Lake, the people sensed the arrival of the emperor. Among those seated, one man gestured to a young eunuch, who approached the pavilion and parted the curtains.

 

“Your Majesty…”

 

“Your Majesty…”

 

The young eunuch looked at the emperor, who was trembling slightly.

 

“Your Majesty, this…”

 

“What are you waiting for?” The emperor said coldly.

 

The young eunuch was puzzled.

 

“Run, quickly!”

 

The small boat swiftly turned and sailed away from the pavilion in the lake. It sped away as if escaping from Jupiter in The Wandering Earth.

 

Zhao Xun: …

 

Zhao Xun watched as the boat rode the wind and waves, soon reaching the shore. Upon disembarking, the emperor still felt somewhat shaken. He grabbed Zhou Xun’s hand, saying to the young eunuch, “Immediately take me back to the Yangxin Hall!”

 

The young eunuch promptly arranged for a carriage. As the emperor was getting on the sedan chair, he saw a young eunuch who had raised the curtain earlier reaching the shore on the other side of the lake.

 

It seemed like he was sent to question why the emperor had left.

 

The emperor: …

 

“Your Majesty,” the young eunuch beside him said, “This is a little eunuch from Consort Zhao’s palace, and it appears that Consort Zhao sent him to catch up with you. Your Majesty, please…”

 

“What are you still standing around for? Hurry up and get me back to the Yangxin Hall! By the way, bring Mr. Xun along!” The emperor shouted. “Don’t let him fall into the water; he’s not easy to dry off!”

 

The young eunuch: …

 

The group hurriedly carried the sedan chair and left. The little eunuch sent by Consort Zhao to catch up with the emperor watched as the sedan chair quickly disappeared. He was left bewildered.

 

When he returned to the Pavilion in the Middle of the Lake, the one sitting in the main seat, dressed in imperial attire, was Consort Zhao, Zhao Yue.

 

Zhao Yue: “Where’s the emperor?”

 

Little Eunuch: “Well…”

 

He hesitated for a long time and didn’t dare to speak. Zhao Yue was displeased, so she angrily threw her chopsticks onto the table.

 

“Tell me, where’s the emperor?!”

 

Little Eunuch: “The emperor… the emperor ran away…”

 

Ran…

 

Ran away?

 

The little eunuch looked troubled. Seeing the darkening expression on Zhao Yue’s face, he recalled something and quickly tried to score points, “I vaguely remember that the emperor didn’t come here alone. There was another gentleman with him whom I haven’t seen before.”

 

“An unfamiliar gentleman?”

 

“That gentleman was wearing an embroidered Moonlight Purple Robe, and he had a slender and elegant figure. He looked somewhat unfamiliar, but I think I’ve seen him before…” the little eunuch hesitated, then continued, “He resembled someone… slightly. He looked a bit like Zhou Cai or Zhou Hanlin.”

 

“Who does he look like?”

 

“From his facial features… he looks somewhat like Zhou Cai or Zhou Hanlin, but Zhou Hanlin has drooping eyes at the outer corners, while this gentleman’s eyes slightly slant upwards. The emperor called him…”

 

“Called him what?”

 

“The emperor called him… Mr. Xun.”

 

Inside the Lakeside Pavillion, there was a sudden pause in conversation. Then, a person suddenly spoke, “Speaking of Zhou Cai, the younger brother of Zhou Hanlin, it seems his name is Zhou Xun.”

 

The speaker was a young man dressed in pale purple clothing, so pale it was almost silver. He was sitting quite far away from the others, playing with a white jade wine cup, looking like he was just here for the show, with a cheerful expression.

 

“Zhou Cai…” Zhao Yue murmured the name, grinding his teeth, “One Zhou surname was bad enough, and now there’s another Zhou, do all those surnamed Zhou in this world have a problem with the Emperor?! Damn, I’ve been in the palace for so long; I almost forgot what the Emperor looks like!”

 

He bit his lip, anger building up as he thought about Zhou Cai.

 

“I can’t control your older brother,” he muttered quietly, “but I can’t even control your younger brother?”

 

…

 

The carriage sped along the road, returning to the Lakeside Pavillion.

 

Zhou Xun watched the Emperor in the Lakeside Pavillion, drinking three cups of water before regaining his strength. He grabbed the eunuch and asked in despair, “Why are all the people in my harem men, where are the women?”

 

The eunuch hesitated for a moment, then said, “Emperor…”

 

The Emperor continued, “Or are you going to tell me that they are women, but they all look like men?”

 

Zhou Xun thought about what he had seen in the Lakeside Pavillion, and when he looked at the Emperor trying to find a glimmer of hope in despair, he even felt a bit sympathetic.

 

“Emperor,” the eunuch said, “You have always been known for your male demeanor…”

 

The Emperor remained silent.

 

“Your Majesty” The eunuch continued, “You only have two officially recognized consorts, Zhao Yue and Li Ruochen. Li Ruochen was recently put under house arrest. The rest of the women in your harem are from the Musi Palace, and they usually entertain you, chat with you to alleviate your boredom…”

 

“They are all men,” the Emperor muttered, “A harem filled with men… all of them.”

 

“I can’t handle this, my brother…” he said, “I can’t even control my brother?”

 

“…..”

 

The eunuch was still concerned, and he said, “Emperor, if you dismiss your consorts and dissolve the Musi Palace, what will happen to them in the future?”

 

The Emperor pounded the table, exclaiming, “A harem filled with men is something I’ve never seen since reading novels and watching TV series! I can’t! I need to dismiss them and dissolve the Musi Palace!”

 

The eunuch was shocked. He glanced at Zhou Xun and knelt on the ground, bowing his head, “Emperor, it’s not advisable! If you dismiss your consorts, how will they make a living in the future?”

 

The Emperor asked, “How much do they receive as monthly allowances?”

 

The eunuch reported the figures, “Empress Consort Zhao receives 6,000 taels of silver annually…”

 

The Emperor exclaimed, “6,000 taels?!”

 

The eunuch continued, “He also receives 10 pounds of pork daily…”

 

The Emperor rubbed his temples, feeling overwhelmed by the situation, and muttered, “Having a male harem and then discussing the allowances… I can’t handle this.”

 

“10 pounds?!” The Emperor gasped, “Why so much?! Is it just for one person to eat…?”

 

The eunuch explained, “Emperor, the allowances for the palace members are calculated differently. Consort Zhao can consume two pork knuckles in one meal.”

 

The Emperor was stunned, “Am I running a palace or a competitive eating live show?”

 

The eunuch continued, “And then there’s Consort Li Ruochen, who can eat even more than Consort Zhao. In one meal, he can have two trotters, a basket of xiao long bao, a bowl of sweet noodles, and a whole beggar’s chicken.”

 

The Emperor muttered, “Is this my harem or a food competition? I’m starting to think I’ve become the emperor of the dining hall!”

 

The eunuch coughed politely, “Emperor, men generally have larger appetites than women.”

 

The Emperor questioned, “How do they… exercise? Why do they all seem so…?”

 

The eunuch responded, “Emperor, you have a preference for new experiences and often go on incognito visits. When you find someone you like, you have them taken to the Musi Palace, and then you forget about their existence, enjoying your time with Zhou Cai and Zhou Hanlin. Consort Zhao Yue and Consort Li Ruochen were sent in by courtiers, and they are known for their spirited personalities. You have never been fond of them. The palace women are often bored, lively, and engage in intrigues.”

 

The Emperor asked, “What kind of intrigues? Are they fighting for my favor?”

 

The eunuch continued, “Your servant has occasionally witnessed them engaging in physical altercations…”

 

The Emperor:…

 

The eunuch added, “Emperor, have you forgotten? Just last month, Consort Zhao Yue threw Consort Li Ruochen into the lake from the rockery, and Li Ruochen swam back and pulled Consort Zhao Yue into the water. They had a fierce fight in the water. You were furious and shouted, ‘What if someone gets killed?!’ That’s why you put Li Ruochen under house arrest.”

 

The Emperor inquired, “How is Li Ruochen now?”

 

The eunuch responded, “Your Majesty, Consort Li Ruochen has ordered people to set up a sandbag in the courtyard and practices daily, vowing to redeem himself and erase the past humiliation when his house arrest ends.”

 

The Emperor:…

 

The eunuch continued, “Emperor, please don’t blame them. They are alone in the palace, bored all day long, so they engage in some trivial activities to pass the time.”

 

“Physical palace intrigues, physical wrestling…” The Emperor’s hand holding the cup trembled slightly, “In my harem… in the Musi Palace… it’s filled with strong fighters… I’ve raised a group of assassins for myself…”

 

The eunuch cleared his throat and said, “Emperor.”

 

The Emperor fell into deep contemplation for a while.

 

“I just want to ask, in my palace, where were the male concubines who failed in the palace intrigues sent to?”

 

The eunuch replied, “This… there are no such records yet. But I believe, according to protocol, they would be sent to the Cold Palace…”

 

“Why send them to the Cold Palace,” the Emperor said weakly, “I think they should be sent to the army… every single one of them is like one man against a hundred!”

 

“I want to disband the harem!” He stated firmly.

 

…The eunuchs, and palace maids outside wailed and protested. The Emperor was restless in the inner chamber.

 

Meanwhile, Zhou Xun sat in the outer chamber, sipping his tea.

 

“Master Zhou,” the eunuch implored him with a troubled face, “Could you please persuade the Emperor? Advise him not to disband the harem. You must understand that many of the palace women, especially Li Ruochen and Consort Zhao, if they are disbanded… it would cause great chaos!”

 

The eunuch pleaded with Zhou Xun for a long time. Zhou Xun replied, “The Emperor’s decision is not within my control.”

 

“Master Zhou, the Emperor listens to you more than anyone else. If you go and talk to him, he will surely listen,” the eunuch urged earnestly. “Considering your status…”

 

— My status?

 

Zhou Xun lowered his gaze, staring at his teacup. Just then, the Emperor emerged from the inner chamber. “If you have something to say, say it to me. Don’t keep bothering Mister with affairs!”

 

Upon seeing the Emperor, everyone knelt down hurriedly. The Emperor first smiled at Zhou Xun, then cleared his throat and addressed everyone. “Starting today—”

 

“From Consort Li Ruochen and below, half of the palace women will be sent out of the palace. They will be provided with a sum of compensation for their departure, to ensure their well-being.”

 

“Emperor,” the cautious eunuch inquired, “What will be the criteria for selection?”

 

The Emperor responded, “Let them compete in palace intrigues, and the best performers will be chosen.”

 

“Understood,” the eunuch said.

 

In addition to this, the allowances for the concubines were halved, and fighting was strictly prohibited.

 

“The above is the initial solution,” the Emperor declared. “We will gradually proceed with the next steps.”

 

As the Emperor detailed his extensive plan, someone entered from outside the door and whispered a few words into the Emperor’s ear. The person was dressed in a deep red official robe with cloud-pattern embroidery. Zhou Xun recognized this special official attire very well.

 

— The Vermilion Guards.

 

The Emperor’s direct security force responsible for espionage, investigation of major cases, and monitoring the imperial court.

 

After listening to the Vermilion Guards’ report, the Emperor’s brow furrowed. Then he turned to Zhou Xun and said, “There’s a matter I need to attend to. Will you be dining on your own tonight?”

 

Zhou Xun nodded.

 

In the evening, only Zhou Xun was dining in the side hall of the Yongxin Palace. The Emperor’s decision regarding the disposition of the harem quickly spread throughout the entire palace. Immediately, someone came to the Yongxin Palace for labor sanctions.

 

“Consort, you can’t go in…” Xiao Lee tried to stop the determined Zhao Yue, but he couldn’t hold her back. Zhao Yue entered the side hall and saw Zhou Xun having dinner. At first, he was surprised, but soon his face contorted in anger.

 

Zhao Yue was a descendant of General Zhao but had been spoiled and arrogant from a young age. While the Zhao family had declined, he continued to antagonize others, which eventually led to a brawl where he injured the legitimate son of a duke. This resulted in many problems for his family. Seeing that he was beyond redemption, the Zhao family reluctantly let him marry into the palace.

 

Relying on his family’s influence, he was granted the title of consort, but the Emperor’s heart and eyes were focused solely on Zhou Cai, hardly acknowledging Zhao Yue. He had just heard some rumors this morning about Zhou Cai facing difficulties. He was looking forward to celebrating his misfortune with a grand banquet when he found out about Zhou Xun, who had suddenly captivated the Emperor’s attention.

 

It seemed that the turmoil never truly ended in the palace.

 

“So, you are Zhou Xun?” Zhao Yue raised his eyebrows in a lofty manner.

 

Zhou Xun remained composed.

 

Zhao Yue clenched his teeth, trying to find a way to insult Zhou Xun’s appearance. He stared at Zhou Xun for a long time but couldn’t come up with anything substantial. All he could do was say, “I thought the person who captivated the Emperor would be a bewitching beauty, but you, standing at less than eight feet tall, with a face so deathly pale. How dare you consider yourself an enchanting figure that could lead the Emperor to disband his entire harem?”

 

Zhou Xun…

 

He casually wiped his hands and treated Zhao Yue’s voice as if it were background noise.

 

As for Zhao Yue’s accusations that the Emperor was disbanding the harem for his sake.

 

For such matters, why even bother explaining it to someone like Zhao Yue?

 

Boring.

 

Zhao Yue was clearly provoked by Zhou Xun’s attitude, “A brother was sent to jail, and now a brother is sent into the Dragon Imperial Bedchamber. All you people with the surname Zhou, are you all fox spirits? Locked up in a cell for over ten days, and you dare to seduce the Emperor. You return, immediately climb into the Dragon Bed, and make the Emperor disband his harem for you… What kind of bewitching spirit are you?”

 

Zhou Xun’s eyebrow lifted.

 

“Since you appear human, speak like a human would.” Zhou Xun replied casually. “Only animals know how to bark wildly.”

 

Zhao Yue said, “You dare to insult me? Do you know who I am? I am a descendant of the Zhao family, a founding general’s bloodline.”

 

“Is there something impressive about the surname Zhao?” Zhou Xun asked.

 

Suddenly, the Emperor’s voice echoed from the doorway.