[Fantasy] A Strange Encounter with an Immortal (Complete) - 16-18

Chapter Two: The Joy of Painting Eyebrows

These days, Zhu Chuanzong was busy with official duties while also using the guise of beauty treatments to massage Consort Mei at the palace. Firstly, Hua Caiyun had already bribed the chief eunuchs and other officials; secondly, Zhu Chuanzong was enjoying the Emperor's favor, a third-rank official, and the eunuchs and palace maids all wanted to curry favor with him; thirdly, the rumors of his eunuchhood were known throughout the capital, making his visits to the palace incredibly easy. Furthermore, the women of the Zhu family were very close to the ladies of the palace. When he was young, Zhu Chuanzong frequently visited the palace, and although he was simple-minded then, the palace lacked children, so many older palace maids and eunuchs knew him. Now that he had achieved success, they were all very pleased.

Thus, he met with Consort Mei every day to curry favor, juggling his cases and caring for the beauties at home, keeping himself extremely busy. One day, when he returned home, Hua Caiyun sent a maid to invite him for a chat, and Zhu Chuanzong recounted his experiences with Consort Mei. Of course, he dared not admit to being infatuated with Consort Mei, only saying that he had taught her some weight loss tips and massage techniques, which Consort Mei greatly appreciated. Judging from her attitude, she greatly admired him! Hua Caiyun was overjoyed to hear this.

Zhu Chuanzong and Consort Mei met daily, and their relationship deepened day by day. Consort Mei, Zhang Duanyi, truly lived up to her scholarly family background; her knowledge and insights were extraordinary. Zhu Chuanzong learned a great deal from chatting with her, gaining new understanding of life and existence.

One day, after Zhu Chuanzong finished his massage, he noticed that Consort Mei's left eyebrow was a bit light, so he smiled and said, "Your Majesty's eyebrows are a bit light; it would be better if you drew them on the left side."

Consort Mei smiled and, in front of him, began to draw her eyebrows in front of the bronze mirror, saying, "The pleasure of drawing eyebrows—would you be interested in trying?"

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and said, "I would be delighted."

He picked up the eyebrow pencil, composed himself, and began to draw on Consort Mei's face. Meifei's bright red, fragrant lips were right beside his, wafting a delicate orchid-like scent. Zhu Chuanzong's heart raced, and he broke out in a sweat.

Finally finishing the painting, Meifei smiled, looked in the mirror, and said, "Not bad, better than I could have done myself. But judging from your expression, it wasn't pleasant, was it?"

Zhu Chuanzong sighed, "The pleasure was exquisite! Like jade being cut and polished, like carving and grinding."

Meifei knew he meant the pleasure was indescribable. Seeing him starting to ramble, she laughed, "What's so special about that? There's more to it than this! The pleasures of the boudoir surpass even the pleasure of painting eyebrows." Zhu Chuanzong

asked, "Can I try the pleasures of the boudoir too?"

Meifei chuckled, her face flushed, her allure radiating, enough to captivate any man in the world. She said, "If you're so inclined, why not give it a try? Too bad..."

She gave him a sidelong glance, her cuteness beyond words.

Zhu Chuanzong was startled by these words, staring at Consort Mei with a look of utter infatuation. His heart was in turmoil, and in the end, he dared not utter a word. He dared not touch the Emperor's beloved consort; otherwise, the execution of his entire family would be disastrous.

Consort Mei, having spent many days with Zhu Chuanzong, was captivated by his courage, learning, gentleness, and handsome appearance. Seeing his seemingly dazed expression, yet ultimately revealing fear, she felt a pang of regret for his impotence—truly an injustice of fate. He came from a good family, was intelligent and handsome, and capable, yet he was disabled, a condition considered the most humiliating for a man.

Seeing Consort Mei's regret, Zhu Chuanzong knew she harbored deep feelings for him. She was young and beautiful, in the prime of her youth, yet she was married to an old man. Judging from her taste in life, she is someone who would go to any lengths to pursue beautiful things; she is a courageous and insightful woman. However, if they become entangled and their affair is exposed, it wouldn't be the worst thing if he were to be disgraced, but if his entire family were to suffer as well. Moreover, Consort Mei also has a family and relatives. If many people lose their lives because of their affair, it would not be worth it.

Zhu Chuanzong sighed upon thinking of this. Meifei said, "Don't be sad. Everyone has their own destiny; nothing is perfect."

Zhu Chuanzong saw that she had misunderstood his thoughts, but he couldn't tell her, so he could only nod helplessly. After a while, he smiled and said, "I came to cheer you up, Your Highness. Why think about unhappy things?"

Meifei returned to normal and smiled, "Your massage made me feel so good. I understand why you have a mistress and married a beautiful woman."

Zhu Chuanzong smiled and said, "Since that's the case, then I'll give Your Highness another massage!"

He caressed Meifei's soft, jade-like body with his large hands. Although he couldn't truly experience ecstasy, he was still quite fortunate.

That night, Zhu Chuanzong returned to the Zhu family. When it was time to retire for the night, he thought of Meifei's alluring figure, and his desire surged. So he summoned Xia Yu and the other two maids and vented his lust for them until the three beauties begged for mercy. Only then did he stop.

Consort Mei, having been skillfully massaged by Zhu Chuanzong, felt her blood flowing smoothly, her body relaxed and supple, as if floating on clouds. As she dressed in front of the bronze mirror, she saw a woman with spring-like eyes and a rosy,

alluring complexion, indeed more beautiful than usual. She assumed it was the massage's effect and was overjoyed, but that wasn't entirely true. She and Zhu Chuanzong had been together for a long time, their feelings for each other intensified, hence her pleasant mood.

The next day, Zhu Chuanzong went to the government office. Despite the previous night's unrestrained behavior, Consort Mei's image lingered in his mind. Seeing a writing brush reminded him of her slender waist; picking up a jade paperweight brought to mind her jade-like skin; seeing a beautifully curved vase ignited his passion, and he became lost in thought.

He sighed and muttered to himself, "She's the Emperor's woman, I have no hope!"

Thinking of Emperor Mingzong, over sixty years old, yet able to enjoy such a beauty every night, he couldn't help but feel a sense of wasted potential. However, if he were to have an affair with Consort Mei, the consequences would be unimaginable. Although he was merely a minor deity descended from heaven, the Emperor, being the Son of Heaven, was likely a higher-ranking deity. He would not fare well, and thinking of this, he was deeply troubled.

At this moment, a messenger arrived, informing him that the Left Chancellor, Pang Laixiao, invited him to his residence for a chat.

It turned out that two months prior, the Left Chancellor, Li Yiheng, had passed away, and the former Right Chancellor, Pang Laixiao, had succeeded him as the head of all officials.

Everyone was saying that Li Yiheng had died of anger because Zhu Chuanzong had executed his nephew, Li Mouren. He was a veteran minister who had served several emperors and enjoyed the highest position in the land for over a decade, yet he too had been angered to death by Zhu Chuanzong. As a result, Zhu Chuanzong's reputation was widespread; rumors circulated that he was ruthless and merciless, a cold-blooded killer, and that he was a harbinger of doom, among other things.

Zhu Chuanzong, believing it was official business, dared not delay and hurriedly went to pay his respects. Upon seeing him arrive, Pang Laixiao greeted him through the central gate. The two sat down in the hall and exchanged pleasantries for a while. Pang Laixiao was extremely polite and praised him highly.

Pang Laixiao, as the Prime Minister, was far superior to Zhu Chuanzong, who was merely a third-rank Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. There was no need for such formality. Zhu Chuanzong was puzzled and repeatedly said he dared not accept such praise. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Pang Laixiao casually remarked, "Lord Zhu, you recently took on a case. Someone has accused Li Shoutong, the Minister of Revenue, of embezzling government funds. Li Shoutong has served as an official for many years, and he is cautious and law-abiding. Although this has happened, as officials, we are not immune to having subordinates make mistakes, and we may blame ourselves for them. I think His Majesty is quite sorry!"

Zhu Chuanzong suddenly realized, thinking, "I've heard that Li Shoutong is Pang Laixiao's crony. So he's here to plead for him. Humph, he embezzled over ten thousand taels of silver; he deserves to die hundreds of times over. How can you let him off with just a word? And he's even using His Majesty's name! It's outrageous!" He

quickly bowed and said, "This humble official will handle this matter impartially. The law is clear, and no one will be wronged or escape justice."

He spoke with righteous indignation, and Pang Laixiao, seeing his official tone, knew there was no room for negotiation and he couldn't refute him. He was furious. Many of the corrupt officials Zhu Chuanzong had previously eliminated were connected to the former prime minister, Li Yiheng, who also had a close relationship with Zhu Chuanzong's father. Furthermore, Li Yiheng had a past affair with Consort Mei, and seeing Zhu Chuanzong and Consort Mei's increasingly close relationship, he assumed Zhu Chuanzong intended to curry favor with him and thus sought to win him over. He assumed it would be a mutually agreeable arrangement, but Zhu Chuanzong acted unexpectedly, rejecting his offer. It's unclear what Li Yiheng was thinking.

Pang Laixiao thought for a while, still unwilling to give up, and said again, "Now that I have just taken this position, there are many things to be done, and I am most lacking in talented young men like Lord Zhu. I will have to get closer to him in the future."

Zhu Chuanzong heard that he was trying to win him over, but pretended not to know, and said seriously, "Your Excellency is of high rank and great power, while I am of low rank. I only know how to serve the court wholeheartedly, and I dare not accept your praise."

Pang Laixiao brought it up a few more times, but Zhu Chuanzong glossed over them and refused to agree. Pang Laixiao finally calmed down and smiled, "Lord Zhu is busy with official business, so I won't disturb you any longer. Someone, see him out."

Zhu Chuanzong rose to take his leave, thinking, "Pang Laixiao is surrounded by treacherous villains. How can I collude with them? Pang Laixiao appears loyal, but he's done many bad things behind the scenes. It's just that the Emperor trusts him; there's nothing I can do."

Pang Laixiao watched Zhu Chuanzong's departing figure and sneered, "Originally, seeing your favor with the Emperor and your powerful family, I wanted to promote you, but you're so ungrateful. Once I catch you red-handed, I'll make sure you lose your head."

He gritted his teeth, his face dark and uncertain.

As the investigation into the embezzlement case of Minister of Revenue Li Shoutong progressed, the truth gradually became clear, and more and more people came to plead for him.

Zhu Chuanzong refused them all. Firstly, Li Shoutong wielded considerable power, and secondly, he knew that most of them were instigated by Pang Laixiao, putting pressure on him. However, this time he was directly responsible to the Emperor, and Pang Laixiao couldn't do anything to him.

Seeing that Zhu Chuanzong's path was blocked, some people turned their attention to his family and pressured Zhu Youji. Zhu Youji then came to Zhu Chuanzong to plead on his behalf.

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Chuanzong shook his head and said, "Father, this matter concerns the law of the land, and I cannot show favoritism. Li Shoutong embezzled last year's disaster relief funds for the Northwest, causing countless families to be ruined, and people to freeze and starve to death. How can you plead for such a person?"

Zhu Youji sighed and said, "How could I not know? But Li Shoutong is Prime Minister Pang's man. Most of the money he embezzled went into Pang Laixiao's pocket. If you investigate like this, what will happen if it leads back to the Prime Minister?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "If he's involved, then investigate him. No matter how high the Prime Minister's rank is, is he higher than the Emperor's?"

Zhu Youji earnestly advised, "Pang Laixiao has disciples and former officials all over the country, and now the Emperor..." "You favor him even more than you do; no one can touch him. Even if he embezzles a lot of money, it will all be forgotten. Why do you have to offend people like this?"

Zhu Chuanzong already harbored some resentment because of Zhu Shuiyue's affair, and hearing this, he became even more indignant, saying, "Father, you told me that the Emperor is the heaven of his subjects, and one cannot disobey the Emperor's decree; now I am ordered by the Emperor to investigate a case, and you want me to appease a powerful minister. I am at a loss."

Zhu Youji was speechless and tried to use his father's authority to suppress him, but Zhu Chuanzong had served as several imperial envoys and investigated many major cases. He was enjoying the Emperor's favor and his official power was growing daily, and his aura was no less than his father's.

Helpless, Zhu Youji could only say, "You'd better watch yourself! I hope you won't bring trouble to the Zhu family in the future."

Zhu Chuanzong argued with his father for a while, feeling frustrated. He didn't eat dinner and prepared to return to Xue Jinxian's place. Suddenly, Consort Mei sent someone to invite him, and Zhu Chuanzong's anger turned to joy. He thought, "She's already summoning me after only one day. It seems Consort Mei has deep feelings for me!"

Thinking of Consort Mei's captivating, autumn-water-like eyes, his heart warmed.

Zhu Chuanzong arrived at Consort Mei's palace and saw a table of food and wine laid out. Consort Mei smiled and said, "Lord Zhu, thank you for your care these past few days. I've specially prepared this feast to thank you today. Please drink a few more cups."

It turned out that last night, Emperor Mingzong had summoned her to his bedchamber and praised her for becoming even more beautiful, making Consort Mei extremely pleased. This morning, Pang Laixiao had sent his confidant to inquire about how to deal with Zhu Chuanzong, saying that he was relentlessly pursuing the case and that if things continued this way, he would have to take action against him. He asked Consort Mei to speak ill of him to the Emperor. However, after spending so many days together, Consort Mei knew that Zhu Chuanzong was a man of unwavering integrity, genuinely dedicated to eradicating evil in the world. Therefore, she admired him even more and sent someone back to Pang Laixiao, telling him not to act rashly against Zhu Chuanzong.

Consort Mei became even more determined to win over Zhu Chuanzong. Zhu Chuanzong, unaware of Consort Mei's ulterior motives, was captivated by her alluring appearance after drinking a little wine, his heart filled with inexplicable excitement and a hazy, dreamlike state. After they had poured each other two cups of wine, Consort Mei's face was flushed like fire, her eyes alluring and mesmerizing, further igniting his desire.

Consort Mei, seeing his expression, felt pleased to have won the heart of her beloved and became even more attentive.

However, their social statuses were vastly different, and they could not overstep their bounds. After a while, Consort Mei said softly, "Sister Caiyun is truly fortunate to have such a clever and quick-witted younger brother like you. My family only has one daughter, all alone and pitiful."

Zhu Chuanzong's heart stirred, and he smiled, "Having a cousin or a relative is just as good."

Consort Mei glanced at him and said, "My family is small, and I haven't found a good brother among my relatives."

Zhu Chuanzong felt relieved, knowing that Consort Mei didn't care about He Zhixiao at all, which made things easier. He then smiled and said, "If Your Majesty doesn't mind, I would like to recognize Your Majesty as my sworn sister. I wonder if I am worthy of such an honor?"

Consort Mei was overjoyed, and the two, being mutually agreeable, swore brotherhood.

They immediately swore brotherhood under the moon, and Consort Mei asked a palace maid to report this to the Emperor. The Emperor, having important matters to attend to, did not come, but he sent a valuable gift. Zhu Chuanzong was delighted to see how much Consort Mei valued him.

After everything was finished, the two drank to their hearts' content. In their drunken revelry, Consort Mei's cheeks were flushed red, radiating spring-like allure. Zhu Chuanzong helped her to the couch to rest, emboldened by the wine, and took advantage of her several times. Her skin was like smooth, creamy milk, breathtakingly beautiful, and he could never tire of touching her.

Consort Mei gave him a coquettish look and said, "You little devil, still not willing to stop?"

Zhu Chuanzong was taken aback and said, "So, sister isn't drunk."

Consort Mei laughed, "You're really bold, daring to take advantage of your sister. If I were really drunk, wouldn't you devour me?"

Emboldened by the wine, Zhu Chuanzong boldly said, "Even if I'm not drunk, as long as sister is willing, what's wrong with devouring me?"

Consort Mei snorted softly, "Hmm?" Her

bright, clear eyes fixed on Zhu Chuanzong, a hint of affection in them.

Zhu Chuanzong smiled, silently meeting her gaze. Their breaths mingled, their heartbeats audible; though not truly intoxicating, the sensation was even more intense than intoxication.

After an unknown amount of time, Consort Mei chuckled and said, "Look at me, I almost forgot the important matter after drinking. Bao'er, help me up, I have something to tell you."

Zhu Chuanzong reluctantly withdrew his gaze, reached out to help her sit up, embraced her on the fragrant couch, and took the opportunity to grab a soft and smooth jade hand, holding it in his own and gently playing with it.

Consort Mei glared at him playfully, but didn't pull away. She said, "I hold a certain position in the palace. The Emperor listens to my words. Besides my parents, I have no other close relatives. Now that I have you as my younger brother, of course I should help you out. I heard the other day that the Emperor said there was a disaster in the Northwest and he was selecting officials to handle it. Why don't you take this assignment? It's a good thing for the country and the people. If you do well, you'll gain the Emperor's favor. I can then speak to the Emperor on your behalf, and promotion will be a piece of cake."

Zhu Chuanzong was somewhat tempted, but hesitated and said, "But I'm currently investigating Li Shoutong's case, and it's not over yet. How can I leave?"

Consort Mei said, "Silly brother, you're really oblivious. Li Shoutong's case has already been investigated and is just waiting to be reported to the Emperor for punishment. Whether you're there or not, the result will be the same. The opportunity to gain merit won't wait for anyone. If someone else gets it first, where will you regret it?"

Zhu Chuanzong thought this made sense, and Consort Mei's thoughtful consideration for him moved him even more. He gripped her hand tightly and said, "Sister, you're so good to me."

Consort Mei said, "I'm just a weak woman, without any relatives or friends in the palace, living a precarious life. I only hope to have someone to rely on. If you become successful in the future, don't forget that you still have your sister. That would be the best you can do."

She sighed softly as she spoke.

The allure of this concubine emanated from her very bones, utterly natural, yet like mercury, penetrating every crevice.

Even her sighs carried a hint of seduction, making one's heart itch with desire, yearning to hold her in one's arms and cherish her at will. Zhu Chuanzong, upon hearing this, felt his blood surge and said, "Sister, rest assured, I will protect you for the rest of my life."

The concubine's delicate body trembled, and she grasped Zhu Chuanzong's large hand in return, gazing at his handsome face with a dazed look. Her small mouth opened and closed as if she were panting, and a wave of hot, fragrant breath washed over Zhu Chuanzong's face. His cheeks flushed a rosy hue, alluring with spring's allure.

Zhu Chuanzong couldn't resist lowering his head, gradually approaching those red, sweet lips. The concubine's breasts heaved, her eyes glazed over, and she half-closed them.

Just as their lips were about to touch, Zhu Chuanzong's intoxication subsided, and he sobered up somewhat. He then remembered that this was a forbidden area of the palace, and although the woman before him was incredibly beautiful, he could not touch her; otherwise, not only would he die, but his family would also suffer.

He sighed inwardly and sat up straight.

Meifei waited a moment, but he didn't come. Opening her eyes, she immediately understood his intentions. After catching her breath, she gradually calmed down and muttered, "Coward!"

But inwardly, she admired Zhu Chuanzong's composure even more. She knew her charm was irresistible to ordinary people, but Zhu Chuanzong's ability to do what others couldn't made him even more remarkable.

Zhu Chuanzong coughed lightly twice, wanting to change the subject, when he suddenly remembered Zhu Shuiyue's matter and decided to take this opportunity to resolve it. So, a look of hesitation and distress appeared on his face, and he said, "Sister, your suggestion is good, but I'm afraid I still can't go."

Consort Mei asked, "Good brother, is something on your mind?"

Zhu Chuanzong sighed and said, "It's all because of my sister!"

Consort Mei asked curiously, "I know, you have an older sister named Zhu Shuiyue, don't you? I remember a few days ago, my uncle, Prince An, asked me to arrange this marriage for her! We're now family, you should be happy, what's bothering you?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "It's because of this marriage! My sister has seen through the illusions of the world and is devoted to Taoism, she doesn't want to marry anyone. She's stubborn and has a fiery temper; a few days ago she even tried to hang herself and almost died. Alas, it's a pity this marriage was personally bestowed by the Emperor." "We, as your subjects, cannot disobey,"

Consort Mei laughed. "What's the big deal? I'll just tell the Emperor later, and he'll issue an edict to annul the marriage. I didn't know what you were thinking before; I thought you'd be happy that the Emperor had granted the marriage! I don't like forcing others or doing thankless tasks."

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed that things were resolved so easily and said, "Thank you so much, sister."

Consort Mei said, "Saying thank you is useless; we'll see how you behave in the future."

After talking for a while, she felt the effects of the wine and became sleepy. She said, "I'm sleepy. Go out of the palace and go find your beautiful wife to cause trouble! When you return from your meritorious service in the Northwest, I'll pamper you again."

With that, she closed her eyes, lay down on the couch, and fell asleep. Zhu Chuanzong was mesmerized by her languid sleeping posture. He stared at her for a while before getting up and leaving.

On the way, Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but put his hand to his nose and smell it. The fragrance was intoxicating, and the creamy texture seemed to linger on his fingertips. Although he knew that continuing like this might lead to disaster, love is something most difficult to control. Like a moth drawn to a flame, it's a death without regret. Zhu Chuanzong thought of Consort Mei's every smile and frown, knowing her feelings for him, and couldn't help but think to himself, "If I told her I wasn't a eunuch..." His

heart burned with desire.

Thinking that there was also progress in Zhu Shuiyue's matter, he was even more pleased and happier than ever.

Back home, when the matter was brought up, Hua Caiyun smiled and said, "It seems there's hope! When are you going to tell Shuiyue?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I won't tell her yet. I'll give her a surprise after I've asked Sister Zhang to get things done."

Hua Caiyun said a little jealously, "You call her so affectionately! 'Sister' this way and 'Sister' that way, I wonder if you're using Shuiyue as a pretext for personal gain."

Zhu Chuanzong felt uneasy and didn't dare to answer. He grabbed Hua Caiyun and said, "My dear wife, you recommended me to give massages to others, but I haven't tried it myself yet. Let your husband serve you!"

Hua Caiyun felt sweet inside from his address and sighed, "Don't be silly in broad daylight."

But she had already been pushed onto the bed.

After massaging for a while, Zhu Chuanzong looked down and saw Hua Caiyun's breasts half-exposed, her hair disheveled, her pretty face flushed, and he was completely captivated. He asked, "Was it good?"

Hua Caiyun, her body limp and panting, replied, "Not good at all!"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I forgot that my wife has tasted better things, so naturally she's not satisfied. I'll correct myself right away."

He reached out and undressed them, and soon the room was filled with the scent of passion.

Chapter Three: The Joy of Love

Two days later, Consort Mei reported to the Emperor that Zhu Shuiyue was devoted to Taoism and did not want to marry. Consort Mei used sweet words, and since it wasn't a big deal, the Emperor didn't pay much attention and naturally agreed. Moreover, after hearing Consort Mei's explanation, the Emperor, moved by Zhu Shuiyue's sincerity, not only granted her request to annul the engagement but also bestowed upon her a reward. Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and was about to go home to tell Zhu Shuiyue the good news when, upon entering the house, a palace eunuch came forward and announced an imperial edict. Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly knelt down to receive the edict.

The imperial edict first praised Zhu Chuanzong, saying he was diligent in his duties and upright and honest, and then stated that because disaster relief funds for the three northwestern provinces had been embezzled, Zhu Chuanzong was specially appointed as the Pacification Commissioner to escort the money and grain again and supervise the disaster relief work.

Zhu Chuanzong received the edict and said, "You two eunuchs, please inform His Majesty that I will take care of the affairs at the yamen and at home, and then go to take up my post."

The eunuch smiled and said, "The disaster in the Northwest is severe. Every day of delay will result in greater losses. Please, Lord Zhu, set off as soon as possible."

Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly said goodbye to his family, met with Xue Jinxian, and after everything was settled, he rushed to the Northwest.

After arriving in the disaster area, he saw thousands of miles of poverty, people living in misery, poor families selling their children, and even exchanging children for food, while some wealthy households were heartless, hoarding grain and raising prices, which made him even more hateful.

Enraged, Zhu Chuanzong issued a decree requiring wealthy households to sell their stockpiled grain to the government at market price within a specified period. The government would then distribute the grain to disaster victims, and those who failed to do so would be punished for treason. He also ordered local officials to record all money and grain they handled in their accounts, checking them every two days to prevent embezzlement.

In truth, although the disaster in the Northwest was severe, the Great Liang Kingdom had enjoyed favorable weather and abundant harvests in recent years, resulting in ample reserves. If the court's disaster relief funds and grain had truly reached the people, so many would not have starved to death. However, rampant corruption among officials meant that most of the grain was embezzled by those in the court before even leaving the capital, and then further exploited at each level, leaving the people with less than a tenth of what they received.

Zhu Chuanzong lamented, "This is not a natural disaster, but clearly a man-made one!"

Although he missed his beautiful wives and concubines at home, and especially missed Consort Mei, he could not simply let the suffering of the people go unaddressed. Thanks to Zhu Chuanzong's effective measures, the disaster victims were well resettled, and the people were deeply grateful. The name "Zhu the Upright Official" became a household name.

Three months later, when the disaster relief was completed and Zhu Chuanzong returned to the capital, tens of thousands of people spontaneously came to see him off, forming a dense line stretching for dozens of miles along the road. They knelt and shouted "Upright

Official!" like a tidal wave, and all who saw it were moved to tears. Zhu Chuanzong returned to the court and presented the imperial edict. The emperor praised him highly, and shortly after he returned home, the emperor's decree of commendation arrived, calling Zhu Chuanzong a "capable minister in times of peace," promoting him to the position of Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, a third-rank official, and bestowing upon him a large sum of silver and valuables.

Zhu Chuanzong's rapid promotion and the emperor's special commendation caused great joy to the entire Zhu family. The matriarch personally hosted a family banquet, and during the meal, her eyes reddened, she said, "My precious grandson has finally made something of himself! Now I can finally face the ancestors of the Zhu family in peace!"

Madam Zhu and the others also wept with joy.

After drinking, Zhu Chuanzong declined many social engagements and went to visit Mr. Wu. Wu Siyuan said, "You have made great contributions this time, and you have also been promoted. You can be said to have turned misfortune into blessing."

This time, he did not accompany Zhu Chuanzong to the Northwest, but instead requested to stay in the capital to observe the situation.

Zhu Chuanzong was taken aback and asked, "What makes you say this, sir?"

Wu Siyuan said, "While you were away from the capital, the case of Li Shoutong was closed. It was found that one of his subordinates had embezzled funds without his prior knowledge. The Emperor fined him three years' salary and only punished him for misjudging his subordinates."

Zhu Chuanzong was shocked and furious, saying, "This matter was clearly Li Shoutong's doing. How could the case be closed so hastily?" He thought to himself, "So Consort Mei sent me out of the capital to save this villain. She... she was using me."

He was furious, and his longing for Consort Mei intensified.

Wu Siyuan smiled slightly and said, "Haven't you figured it out yet? This was all orchestrated by Pang Laixiao, with the Emperor's tacit approval. They sent you to provide disaster relief, but they didn't have any good intentions. First, to get you out of the way so you could carry out your mission; second, the disaster relief work was extremely difficult, and if you messed it up, it would be a perfect opportunity to punish you. They just didn't expect you to be so skillful, handling the task so perfectly. Pang Laixiao must be furious now."

Zhu Chuanzong also smiled, then sighed, "With powerful ministers in power and the Emperor only knowing how to play power games, he clearly ordered me to execute corrupt officials, with solid evidence, but he didn't. He doesn't care about the common people at all. How can an official continue to serve?"

Wu Siyuan said, "You've already been promoted, how could you not continue? You can't handle things alone, so you absolutely mustn't fight those corrupt officials head-on. Just do what you can to benefit the people. The officialdom is corrupt now; if there aren't any good officials, the people will suffer too much."

Zhu Chuanzong nodded, finding his words reasonable. Thinking of Consort Mei, he remained somewhat melancholy.

Not long after returning to his room, Zhu Shuiyue summoned him. Upon seeing her, he was captivated by her beautiful appearance and charming allure, unable to look away, all his unhappiness vanishing.

Zhu Shuiyue said, "It's been so long, have you missed me?"

Zhu Chuanzong replied, "I've missed you day and night, otherwise I wouldn't have returned so quickly!"

Zhu Shuiyue smiled, "You have a conscience. The Emperor has decreed that I can cultivate Taoism, annuled my engagement, and even given me a title. My sister-in-law said you managed to plead with Consort Mei, and things are finally settled. However, you are never allowed to touch me again!"

Zhu Chuanzong asked curiously, "What's the reason for that?"

Zhu Shuiyue said, "The Emperor has bestowed upon me the title of Pure and Tranquil Taoist Nun, from now on I am a Taoist... " "A member of the sect."

Zhu Chuanzong's eyes darted around, and he said, "That's great! I've put in so much effort and suffered so much for you! How will you thank me?"

Zhu Shuiyue saw his unfriendly expression and blushed, saying, "You rascal, how can I thank you? From now on, you go your way, I'll go my way, and we'll have nothing to do with each other."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed loudly, "Who says Taoist nuns can't be intimate?"

After saying that, he kissed her face and laughed, "I haven't tasted the flavor of a Taoist nun yet, I'll taste it today."

He picked her up and rolled her onto the bed.

At first, Zhu Shuiyue deliberately struggled slightly, but after a while, she became aroused, moaning softly and yielding to his pleasure.

The two made love for a while, and it was late at night when Zhu Chuanzong sneaked back to his room.

As soon as he lay down on the bed, in his hazy state, a soft and smooth slender hand gently stroked his forehead. Zhu Chuanzong opened his eyes and saw that Shui Ling'er was sitting by the bed, her eyes full of tender affection.

Zhu Chuanzong exclaimed happily, "Ling'er, you've come to see me!"

It turned out that Shui Ling'er was elusive; she had accompanied Zhu Chuanzong on several cases last time before quietly leaving, but sometimes she would return for a few days.

Zhu Chuanzong would go and be intimate with other beauties whenever he felt like it, but Shui Ling'er was quite individualistic. She would only come to be intimate with Zhu Chuanzong when she was in a good mood, treating him like a concubine.

Shui Ling'er nodded, her cheeks slightly flushed, and smiled, "I knew I wasn't wrong. You're a good official who wholeheartedly serves the people. You've done so many good deeds, you're bound to be rewarded."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "You already know?"

Shui Ling'er smiled sweetly, "The news of your disaster relief has spread among the people. Who doesn't know the name of Zhu Qingtian? My godfather and master both speak highly of you and praise you endlessly!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Since you say I'll be rewarded, I think it would be best if I were rewarded now!"

Shui Ling'er chuckled, her pretty face slightly red, and said, "You lecherous devil, I just came to see you."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I've suffered so much doing what you asked for to serve the people! If it weren't for you, I would have become a big villain long ago, embezzling all the court's money. Look how much I've lost! You can't just look; you have to reward me."

He reached inside Shui Ling'er's clothes and began to caress and kiss her.

Shui Ling'er pushed him away and laughed, "Hasn't your family been greedy enough? Your father condoned unscrupulous merchants and corrupt officials buying and selling land, causing housing prices to rise, lining his own pockets. How much has he embezzled? He has no shame."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chuanzong's lustful desires subsided, and he frowned, saying, "I've figured out everything about the rising housing prices these past few years. Local officials and their relatives colluded to buy and sell land. The land itself wasn't worth much, but the approval procedures were extremely expensive, so ordinary people weren't even allowed to build houses in the middle of nowhere. In the bustling city center, those houses were bought up by those scoundrels, who wouldn't sell unless they were sold at exorbitant prices, deliberately spreading rumors to drive up housing prices."

Shui Ling'er said, "Look at any dynasty in history, which one is like the Great Liang Dynasty now? There's an old tradition that the wealthy don't build government offices, but these corrupt officials have broken that rule. Those government offices are built like palaces, and these officials have monopolized all these projects." "For their relatives, and for every government office repaired, a large sum of money flows into their pockets. Look at the mess you've made!"

Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly said, "Don't include me in this. I know about all this. The Ministry of Works is investigating these things now! But I don't think it'll work. The Ministry of Works official, Lü Bobing, is still saying the same old thing, telling ordinary people not to buy houses, but only to rent. What don't these idiot officials understand? They understand the principle of 'the poor move, the rich move their graves' better than anyone else. Renting is the most expensive, but they just pretend not to know. What can they do? Every government office is a mess. If we don't investigate, it's fine, but once we do, we find corrupt officials everywhere. Even if I had three heads and six arms, I couldn't do anything about it. Sigh, even my father was such an official. How can this country be good?"

The two talked about these annoying topics for a while, and then they lost interest in doing anything else. They hugged each other and slept through the night.

Shui Ling'er came, and the maids, including Xiao Yu, knew about it but didn't bother her. The next day, Zhu Chuanzong slept until very late. Shui Ling'er had long since disappeared.

Zhu Chuanzong shook his head and smiled bitterly. He ordered some food to be brought up, ate a little, and was about to go to the yamen to handle some business when the maids said that Consort Mei had sent a eunuch to see him. Although Zhu Chuanzong was unwilling to go, he had no choice but to go to the palace.

Zhu Chuanzong originally harbored some resentment towards Consort Mei, but when he saw her, noticing her somewhat thin face, although she was still incredibly beautiful and charming, she couldn't hide a trace of illness.

Upon seeing her, all of Zhu Chuanzong's resentment vanished. Lovers are strange like that; when they are apart, they always think of the worst things and hate each other intensely, but once they meet, they can't hate each other anymore.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Sister, are you ill? Why do you look like this? Although you are still so beautiful, you are different from before."

Consort Mei said resentfully, "It's all because of you. After you left, I found that I couldn't eat or sleep well without your massage. Alas! Life is really boring."

After saying this, she rested her forehead on her hand, looking intoxicated.

Zhu Chuanzong had never seen her like this before, and had long forgotten their respective social statuses. He said, "Since you can't live without me, why did you send me away to save those corrupt officials?"

Consort Mei asked in surprise, "What? I'm only doing this for your own good. Now you've made a great contribution and been promoted. What's wrong with that? There are no good officials in the world. You arrest one, and the one who comes up is the same. What difference does it make? A warning is enough! People travel thousands of miles to

become officials just for money. You should learn to be like that too." Consort Mei's words were contrary to the truth, but they were reasonable and true. Zhu Chuanzong's heart stirred. He thought, "She's right. I should recommend virtuous and capable people. Only in this way can we rectify the officials." Consort Mei

said, "Why aren't you saying anything? You've become distant after being apart for a few days? You've wasted my heart..."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Good sister, don't blame me. I know I was wrong."

Consort Mei saw that he admitted his mistake, but she hadn't seen him for many days and missed him terribly. How could she forgive him so easily? Her eyes were so charming that they seemed to drip water. She dismissed the palace maids around her and scolded, "You heartless little thing, you didn't even come to see me after returning to the capital. Do you still have me as your sister?"

She pinched Zhu Chuanzong's ear with her hand.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Of course I've been thinking of you day and night, I just wish I could sprout wings and fly back."

Meifei said, "You're still trying to lie to me? You've been home for days and haven't come to see me at all. I had to send someone to invite you. You're so arrogant!"

Seeing that she treated him like a lover, Zhu Chuanzong felt a sweet warmth in his heart and was very pleased. He said, "Sister, do you really miss me that much? I thought you'd forgotten me after all this time apart! Even noble people can be forgetful."

Meifei released his hand and sighed, "What kind of noble person am I? Just a lonely, all-powerful woman. Besides you, who knows..." "Besides friends and acquaintances, there's no one else to talk to. Besides the scheming and intrigue in the palace, you have to be constantly on guard; life is truly unbearable."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "Sister, don't be sad. Let me give you a massage! Isn't my technique excellent? Look, you've even lost weight after not having one for months! If you keep doing it, I wonder what amazing effects it will have!"

Meifei chuckled, saying, "You're so shameless. I lost weight because I missed you…."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Anyway, it's all my fault, isn't that right?"

He had her lie on the bed and began massaging her.

Zhu Chuanzong was fine at first, but then he smelled a soft, faint fragrance, and his stomach suddenly felt hot again.

He stared at Meifei's luscious lips and her slender, willow-like waist, and began to have some mischief. Seeing that Meifei ignored him, he became bolder. He saw Meifei's exposed, snow-white cleavage, large and alluring; if he could see the whole thing, what a beautiful sight it would be! If I were to touch it… Thinking this, Zhu Chuanzong steeled his resolve and pounced on it with his large hand, like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.

Meifei was startled, but not annoyed; she simply giggled, twisting her body and saying, “What are you doing? It tickles.”

Zhu Chuanzong realized his rudeness, his face flushing red, and his grip tightened involuntarily.

Meifei cried out, her body tensing before softening again, sighing, “You rascal, why are you squeezing me so hard? Are you trying to kill me?”

Though her words were reproachful, her expression was shy yet delighted, her watery eyes fixed on Zhu Chuanzong, and she thrust her voluptuous breasts upwards, seemingly reaching for his large hand.

Just as Zhu Chuanzong was about to let go, he heard Meifei murmur, “No, don’t stop. This feeling… is quite nice.”

Zhu Chuanzong had long coveted these two sacred peaks, and now that he had the beauty’s permission, what was there to hesitate about? He covered them with his large hands, gently kneading them incessantly. It was truly soft and warm to the touch, snow-white and smooth, like solidified cheese.

Meifei's body tingled from the kneading, she gasped softly, her breasts swelling even more, standing erect, their tips a vibrant red, like ripe cherries, so adorable. Zhu Chuanzong couldn't resist pinching one between two fingers, giving it a gentle squeeze, and chuckled, "Such fresh cherries."

Meifei, her eyes half-closed, smiled seductively, "How do you know if they're fresh or not if you haven't tasted them?"

Zhu Chuanzong's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Is it too late to taste them now?"

Meifei glanced at him with narrowed eyes, nodded, her alluring, shy beauty truly captivating. Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but press his head down, taking one breast into his mouth and sucking incessantly. With each suck, he felt its soft comfort, a secret fragrance entering his stomach from her tongue, sending tingling sensations through half his body. He couldn't help but suck harder.

Consort Mei felt extremely comfortable. When Zhu Chuanzong took her breast in his mouth, an unprecedented pleasure welled up in her heart, which was very pleasant. With each suckle and lick from Zhu Chuanzong, her heart opened up, and her body felt as if it were floating, with the wind on her feet. She felt incredibly good and still, letting Zhu Chuanzong kiss and lick her.

Just as Zhu Chuanzong was enjoying himself, he suddenly smelled a strange fragrance that was like orchids and musk, which was refreshing and invigorating. He couldn't help but sniff, asking, "What perfume are you wearing, sister? It smells so good!"

Meifei's cheeks flushed crimson, and she asked sweetly, "Do you like it?"

Zhu Chuanzong, still greedily inhaling the fragrance, nodded, "I love it! I've never smelled such a wonderful perfume before. Sister, could you give me a bottle?"

Meifei laughed heartily, saying, "It's my natural scent. You can have it if you want."

Zhu Chuanzong asked doubtfully, "Sister, are you kidding me? If it's your body scent, how come I've never smelled it before?"

Meifei gave him a seductive glare, her face flushed, and leaned closer ... He whispered in her ear, "This is what I... only say when I'm aroused, you little rascal, stop teasing me. You've set me on fire, but you can't put it out. If you make me suffer, I won't forgive you!"

Though she said she wouldn't forgive him, her body writhed like a water snake, making Zhu Chuanzong feel hot all over. The increasingly intense, alluring fragrance was like the most potent aphrodisiac. He gasped, "What if I could put out the fire?"

Consort Mei was taken aback, remembering the rumors in the palace that some eunuchs and palace maids engaged in sham affairs, called "mutual feeding." Since Zhu Chuanzong was married and a castrated man, he probably had some tricks up his sleeve, and such sham affairs wouldn't be considered betraying the Emperor. She had already fallen for Zhu Chuanzong. Gazing at his handsome face, she said intoxicatedly, "You little rascal, do whatever you want, I'll do whatever you want."

The affairs between men and women are like a river; once it bursts its banks, it flows forth uncontrollably. At this moment, both were consumed by passion, their desires irrevocably akin to the tension of impending doom.

Zhu Chuanzong, his lust raging, caressed her breasts with one hand while the other reached towards Meifei's crotch, teasing her labia with his fingers. His fingers lingered on the petals, finding them slippery, plump, and full. He then pushed his fingers into her vulva, finding it warm, tight, and glistening with a clear fluid that soaked his hand.

Although Meifei possessed a natural allure, she had entered the palace at a young age and had only ever served Emperor Mingzong. However, Mingzong was old and lacked energy, preoccupied with his own gratification, paying little attention to a woman's feelings. Therefore, Meifei had never witnessed such a sensual display before, and she was instantly overwhelmed, moaning softly.

Hearing her cries, Zhu Chuanzong's own lust flared, and he quickly removed his hand, bringing his mouth close to hers. Before even touching the petals, a delicate fragrance wafted towards him, a subtle yet unique scent, different from his previous body fragrance. He was filled with wonder and quickly kissed the petals, finding them sweet and sour with a hint of osmanthus. He thoroughly enjoyed it and began to suck on the petals.

The two petals were soft, delicate, and incredibly smooth. He bit one petal with his teeth, pulled it upwards, and released it with a "snap," the petal springing back.

Meifei moaned softly, saying in a seductive voice, "You rascal, be gentle. I'm all yours, enjoy me slowly, don't be naughty."

Hearing this, Zhu Chuanzong couldn't resist and bit Meifei's genitals even harder. He then extended his tongue into Meifei's vagina, finding it even more fragrant inside, tight and moist, with streams of vaginal fluid overflowing. Although not very slippery, it was still charmingly wrinkled. His tongue stirred inside, and Meifei couldn't resist, her pink legs trembling slightly, and she involuntarily climaxed.

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "Sister's fire died down so quickly? Do I have the ability to put out fires?"

Meifei felt ecstatic, even more pleasurable than her actual intercourse with Mingzong. She moaned, "Good brother, good darling, you licked me so well... Your skills are amazing, incredibly powerful!"

Zhu Chuanzong continued, "I helped sister put out the fire, now it's time for sister to help me."

Meifei said absentmindedly, "Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say."

Zhu Chuanzong's golden spear was already swollen and erect, burning hot as if it were about to explode. Seeing Meifei's eyes tightly closed and her body flushed, he raised his upper body, spread Meifei's legs apart, stroked his jade stem with one hand and touched Meifei's lips with the other, bent down, and inserted his jade stem into her. Meifei cried out in surprise, arching her upper body and opening her eyes. She saw Zhu Chuanzong's thick, large penis, erect and inserted into her vagina. Both shocked and delighted, she exclaimed, "Good brother, you're not…!"

Zhu Chuanzong feigned equally shock, saying, "Ah? What's going on? Sister's charm is too powerful! Even I, a eunuch who can't have sex, have regained my true nature! Sister, you can't blame me! It's all because of your great charm!"

He lifted Meifei's plump buttocks, leaned forward, and began thrusting vigorously.

Meifei was voluptuous and exquisitely beautiful, possessing three unique qualities. First, her flesh was soft and supple; during intercourse, her entire body would become limp, making the man feel as if he were lying on soft cotton. Second, when aroused, her body emitted a unique fragrance, further arousing the man's lust. Third, her vagina was unusually narrow, with countless layers and folds inside, making the man's penis feel as if it were tightly bound by countless fleshy rings, an incomparably pleasurable and intoxicating experience.

Consort Mei possessed this extraordinary gift, a supreme treasure in the bedroom, no wonder she had captivated Emperor Mingzong.

Zhu Chuanzong felt the flower's stamens contracting repeatedly, tightly enveloping his manhood. Each thrust brought immense pleasure to his member, waves of ecstasy washing over his entire body, his pores seeming to explode, causing him to gasp and moan incessantly. Consort Mei

wrapped her arms around Zhu Chuanzong's neck, her jade-like legs hooking around his waist, her thighs thrusting forward with force, her soft moans never ceasing. She felt the large thing pounding inside her flower, as if her heart was being ripped apart. The walls of her flower opened and closed with each thrust of the penis, the sensation incredibly pleasurable. She cried out sweetly, "Good brother, dear brother, even death wouldn't be in vain after this."

Zhu Chuanzong remembered that the woman beneath him was the emperor's favorite concubine, and this thought fueled his excitement. His penis grew even thicker and harder as he worked, asking, "Am I good? How do I compare to the emperor?"

The concubine cried out, "How can he compare to you? Oh, heavens, be gentle, you're killing me!"

In the blink of an eye, the concubine had climaxed four or five times, her body limp from the intense pleasure, her hair slightly disheveled, and she cried out repeatedly. Zhu Chuanzong thrust over two hundred more times, then carried the concubine to the bed, climbed behind her, and inserted his wet, fiery-hot penis again. He thrust and pumped wildly once more, and the two of them cried out as they both climaxed.

Consort Mei lay limp in Zhu Chuanzong's arms, panting softly, her face flushed with satisfaction. Zhu Chuanzong, recalling how he had brought the imperial concubine to ecstasy right there on the dragon bed, felt a surge of pride. Stroking her smooth, supple body, he felt a renewed urge. Consort

Mei grabbed his crotch, scolding, "You naughty thing, still trying to kill me?"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "Who was it that was shouting 'I want it, I want it,' and now you're kicking me while I'm down?"

Consort Mei blushed, glancing at him with watery eyes, and said, "You rascal, you've been lying to me for so long, I haven't even settled the score with you yet! Tell me, weren't you plotting to seduce me all along? You've got some nerve!"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I didn't lie to you. My sister cured my illness, thank you, sister. (To die under the peony flower) " "Even as a ghost, I'd still be romantic. If you think I'm lying to you, or that I've disgraced you, then hand me over to the Emperor for execution!"

Meifei covered his mouth with her hand, softly saying, "How could I bear to? In all these years in the palace, I've never felt so happy. But Bao'er, you must come and keep me company more often, don't tire of me. Humph, if you wrong me, I have ways to punish you."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I wish I could melt into water on you, sister, how could I bear not to come!"

Meifei retorted coquettishly.

The two lingered for a while, and seeing that the afternoon was almost over and the Emperor was about to arrive, they had to reschedule their meeting and bid each other a reluctant farewell.

When Zhu Chuanzong left the palace, his back ached, his legs were weak, and his eyes were blurry. This was because Meifei's constitution was special; while making love with her was several times more pleasurable than usual, it also consumed several times more energy—truly a captivating beauty.

Thinking of his recent ascension to the throne as an imperial concubine, and the presence of his sisters-in-law, Nuanyun, Ying'er, Chunfeng, and a host of other beauties waiting to comfort him,

Zhu Chuanzong felt immensely pleased. Upon returning to the outer residence, Zhu Chuanzong saw Xue Jinxian sitting by the bed, embroidering. Her snow-white neck was translucent, as if carved from jade, and he was overjoyed

. He smiled and said, "Jinxian, didn't you go to keep your father company?" Xue Jinxian looked up and saw Zhu Chuanzong's return, her face lighting up with surprise, then her eyes reddened, clearly from longing.

Zhu Chuanzong embraced her soft body and said, "What are you embroidering? You're my wife now, don't work so hard."

Xue Jinxian said, "You've been gone for so long, I've missed you terribly. With nothing to do, I dared not be idle… Look how pretty the purse I embroidered for you

is!" Zhu Chuanzong looked closely and saw that it depicted two mandarin ducks entwined and playing, the ducks lifelike and their affectionate posture full of tenderness. Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "We're like them, a loving couple."

Xue Jinxian's eyes sparkled with spring, her face flushed, and she laughed, "You've been away from home for so long, who's been loving you?"

Zhu Chuanzong quickly apologized, and Xue Jinxian chuckled softly, "I was just joking! I've heard that you spoke up for the people this time, and they all praise you highly. The people have suffered enough; it's rare to have an official like you. You've worked so hard."

Zhu Chuanzong said guiltily, "Not at all. Jinxian, you... you waited for me in the room, were you planning to reward me?"

Xue Jinxian gave him a coquettish look but didn't answer. Leaning against the bed, she reached out and pulled down the bed curtains.

Zhu Chuanzong saw her fair skin and radiant beauty, like a celestial being, and could no longer restrain himself. He exclaimed, "So be it!"

He took off his clothes and slipped into the tent.

Zhu Chuanzong was quite pleased with Xue Jinxian's gentle charms, but with so many women around him and the demands of official duties, he rarely saw her more than a few times a month. He said to her apologetically, "We're always apart, don't you blame me?"

Xue Jinxian smiled and said, "I'm not an ordinary woman, husband, don't worry. Actually, since you're not always by my side, we're naturally happy when we meet. If we were always together, I might have gotten tired of you and left you long ago. When you're not around, I do what I like—reading, playing with flowers, plants, insects, and fish—it's quite enjoyable."

Zhu Chuanzong was speechless and said, "You're truly an extraordinary woman, with such peculiar thoughts. But fortunately, I've also met ..." "I've been there once, otherwise I'd think you're the only one like you in the world!"

Xue Jinxian laughed. "You mean Miss Shui, right? She comes and goes as she pleases, treating you like a pet, only visiting you when she feels like it. I've already heard about it. She's really brought honor to us women, letting you know that we women aren't all cowards."

Zhu Chuanzong blushed and said, "How could I dare to look down on you? I'm just too busy. So you know everything!"

Xue Jinxian laughed, "What's so hard about knowing your affairs?"

Zhu Chuanzong chuckled sheepishly. She was indeed incredibly intelligent, living up to her reputation. He thought she was keeping it a secret, but it turned out he was the only one kept in the dark.

Chapter Four: Spring Breeze

Since the disaster relief in the Northwest, Zhu Chuanzong's reputation grew even greater, and the Emperor valued him even more. In addition, Consort Mei whispered in the Emperor's ear, and Zhu Chuanzong's official position rose again and again.

He was first promoted from the position of Minister of the Court of Judicial Review to the third-rank Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, and then, just over two months later, to Right Censor-in-Chief, becoming a high-ranking official of the second rank. He had served in the Court of Judicial Review, the Censorate, and the Ministry of Justice, making him quite an exception.

Pang Laixiao grew increasingly wary of him and was determined to eliminate him. However, the Zhu family was powerful, and Zhu Chuanzong was

known for his integrity, so they couldn't find any major faults to use against him. Moreover, not only Consort Mei but also some upright officials protected him, so they couldn't openly eliminate him and could only plot in secret. Zhu Chuanzong and Consort Mei developed feelings for each other and finally consummated their relationship. Having tasted the sweetness, they met secretly every ten days or so. Fortunately, Zhu Chuanzong was known as a "heavenly eunuch" and was Consort Mei's adopted younger brother, so their meetings were kept secret and no problems arose.

With Consort Mei's support in the palace, Zhu Chuanzong had a keen understanding of the Emperor's thoughts, making his investigations more aligned with the Emperor's wishes. Emperor Mingzong increasingly praised him, and although Pang Laixiao harbored resentment, he dared not act rashly.

However, Pang Laixiao had cultivated his influence in court for many years and had numerous cronies, making Zhu Chuanzong's investigations less smooth, and he often felt isolated and powerless.

Recently, he investigated the case of an official, finding ample evidence and clear guilt. He originally intended to request the Emperor to issue an edict to punish the official according to the law. However, the official turned out to be a confidant of Pang Laixiao, who personally defended him. Zhu Chuanzong argued with him briefly, and immediately more than a dozen ministers spoke in support of Pang Laixiao. As the saying goes, public opinion can melt metal, and Emperor Mingzong, seeing so many people pleading for leniency, naturally believed them, and the case was dropped.

After court, Zhu Chuanzong didn't even return to the yamen; he went straight home to sulk. Frustrated and with nowhere to vent his anger, he sent someone to invite Wu Siyuan for drinks and a heart-to-heart talk.

After hearing his story, Wu Siyuan pondered for a moment and said, "Does Your Excellency know why you couldn't defeat Pang Laixiao today?"

Zhu Chuanzong replied, "What else? He holds a high position and is eloquent and charming, so the Emperor naturally believed him."

Wu Siyuan shook his head and said, "Handling cases is different from ordinary political affairs. If you and Pang Laixiao each had your own version of events, as a Ministry of Justice official in charge of criminal cases, you would report the case to the Emperor, and the Emperor would naturally listen to you. Besides, Your Excellency, your intelligence and eloquence are no less than Pang Laixiao's; how could you not win the argument? The key is that there are too many ministers secretly supporting him, and there are reasons..." "Some speak ironically, others feign to speak the truth. If they're all connected, one or two may not matter, but with so many, the Emperor will surely believe they're right,"

Zhu Chuanzong said, distressed. "Most of the officials in court are Pang Laixiao's protégés and former subordinates. Am I powerless to fight back?"

Wu Siyuan laughed, "How can you be so confused, sir? Pang Laixiao cultivated his cronies, and so can you. Promote more trusted confidants, and when your power grows, you'll naturally be able to rival Pang Laixiao."

Zhu Chuanzong suddenly understood, and then thought, "Isn't this the perfect person right here?" On the verge of granting Wu Siyuan a substantive official title, Wu Siyuan waved his hand and laughed, "My ambitions have faded; I only hold a nominal title in the Hanlin Academy. Offering you advice is enough. Besides, opposing treacherous officials is extremely risky. Someone needs to be behind the scenes to plan your escape route. Please choose another loyal person. Drink, drink!"

Zhu Chuanzong then began planning this matter. He recalled Tao Mianzi, whom he had met while investigating a case in Ningzhi Province. Tao had gained considerable prestige in recent years, becoming a prefect and achieving some notable accomplishments. Zhu Chuanzong reported this to the Emperor, praising Tao's talent, and Tao was promoted to Vice Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review. However, he had few talented people around him, and even fewer he could trust. After much thought, he concluded that his four servants were the most loyal.

These four were Wang Daniu and the others whom Zhu Chuanzong had brought back on his way to handle the case of Yue Ke's family. Don't let their initial awkwardness and clumsy attempts at making a fool of themselves fool you; after two years at the Zhu family, they've gained considerable experience. As the saying goes, even a lowly official can only enter the prime minister's gate; the Zhu family was a wealthy and powerful clan, one that ordinary officials couldn't even get through the door. During holidays, those who came to deliver gifts, seeing that they were Zhu Chuanzong's close subordinates, would fawn over them. Over time, they all became much wiser.

Zhu Chuanzong summoned them all, intending to test them.

The four men entered the living room, waiting respectfully for instructions, behaving with great decorum, unlike their initial impetuousness.

Zhu Chuanzong nodded in satisfaction and asked, "Do you know why I've summoned you? Is it something good?"

He then observed their expressions.

The four men exchanged glances, somewhat pleased but also puzzled. Wang Daniu couldn't help but ask, "Is Young Master going to raise our wages?"

Zhu Chuanzong didn't answer, but asked the other three, "What do you think?"

Zhang Laowu said, "A raise is great! I'm almost saved enough to buy a house in the capital, and then I'll bring my mother here."

Qian Laoliu said, "Don't embarrass yourself. The steward could handle such a small matter as a raise. Is it really necessary for Young Master to come personally?"

Zhu Chuanzong smiled and said, "Laoliu is right. This good thing is much better than a raise."

Zhao Laosi's eyes lit up and said, "Is Young Master assigning us a good job?"

Zhu Chuanzong nodded secretly, having a good idea of these men, and smiled, "Yes, do you want to be officials?"

The men were immediately overjoyed. In the hearts of ordinary people, becoming an official was like rising to the top in one step. Besides, these men came from poor backgrounds, and they were already grateful to be able to make a living in the Zhu family. Such a wonderful thing was something they never dared to dream of! The men, regaining their senses, knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Zhu Chuanzong, laughing and crying, unsure of what to do.

Zhu Chuanzong helped them up and instructed them, "You are all now considered members of the Zhu family. When you're out there, you must do your jobs well and not disgrace me. If you do well in the future, I will promote you to help me."

Needless to say, the four men thumped their chests and swore oaths.

Zhu Chuanzong assigned them jobs according to their strengths. Wang Daniu, strong and courageous, was sent to the city guard as a junior officer; Qian Laoliu, meticulous, and Zhang Laowu, the most honest, were both sent to local government positions, Qian Laoliu as the head and Zhang Laowu as the deputy, complementing each other perfectly; Zhao Laosi, the most intelligent and literate, was given a small position in the capital's government.

Zhu Chuanzong, now wielding immense power, could easily place a few subordinates in positions of authority. Within days, official documents from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War arrived, and the four men, after profusely expressing their gratitude, happily went to their new posts.

These past few days, Zhu Chuanzong had been busy handling cases and arranging positions for Wang Daniu and the others. Furthermore, he had deliberately distanced himself from Consort Mei, not visiting the palace for over ten days. Consort Mei missed him dearly and sent someone to invite him.

Upon entering her boudoir, Consort Mei's face lit up with joy, but then her expression hardened, and she turned away with a huff.

Although Zhu Chuanzong had already been intimate with her several times, seeing her charming and coquettish demeanor still captivated him. He laughed and said, "Good sister, who made you angry? I'll get revenge for you." Meifei

glanced at him and said, "It was you, you rascal, who angered me. How can you get revenge for me?"

Zhu Chuanzong knew she was upset that he hadn't visited for several days, and he knew that he held a significant place in her heart. He was actually pleased and said, "Then punish me by letting me die on you."

Saying this, he pounced on Meifei and hugged her, his large hands reaching inside to knead and caress her.

Meifei was naturally alluring, and she melted into water at Zhu Chuanzong's touch, collapsing into his arms and panting softly. Zhu Chuanzong's heart burned with desire, and he carried her towards the bed.

Meifei said sweetly, "Don't be naughty, put me down first."

Zhu Chuanzong deliberately said, "No, I'm going to avenge you."

Meifei's body went weak from his touch, and she couldn't struggle. She could only beg for mercy in a sweet voice, "Good brother, sister is not angry anymore! Let me go first, I have something to tell you."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "We'll talk about it later."

Meifei said angrily, "Later... I won't have the strength to talk."

Zhu Chuanzong's heart fluttered when he heard this. Seeing that Meifei was holding onto her clothes tightly, he had no choice but to put her down and said, "What is it? Tell me quickly."

Meifei straightened her clothes, gave him a reproachful look, and her alluring charm almost made Zhu Chuanzong touch her again.

Meifei smiled smugly, then took something from the cabinet and carefully placed it on the table; it was a stone.

Zhu Chuanzong asked curiously, "What is this?"

Meifei said, "This is a rare stone from Guangyuan Province, called Lingbi Stone. It is a priceless treasure, so I invited you to admire it together."

Zhu Chuanzong examined it closely and saw that it was about the size of a plate, two inches thick, crystal clear, and covered with dark brown stripes that shimmered and reflected each other. Nodding, she said, "Indeed, it's very beautiful."

Meifei giggled, "What's with this talk of beauty? It sounds like an amateur's opinion."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I don't understand! Sister, teach me, and I'll be able to appreciate it!"

Meifei looked at him gently and said, "Lingbi stone is the foremost of the four great stones in the world, named for the saying 'The mountains and rivers are beautiful, and the stones are all like jade.' Appreciating stones involves considering shape, color, sound, texture, pattern, artistic conception, and spirit; it's not just about being pretty."

Zhu Chuanzong praised, "Sister, you know so much!"

Meifei smiled, "You don't need to flatter me. You're a famous person in the Hanlin Academy, so your knowledge is naturally greater than mine. However, you mostly handle criminal cases, so you inevitably carry a bit of a murderous aura, which isn't good for your health in the long run. Appreciating stones can cultivate your temperament and help you experience nature. You should learn more about it in the future."

Zhu Chuanzong knew she cared about him and was deeply moved. The two sat facing each other, carefully appreciating the spirit within the stone; indeed, it was all-encompassing and delightful.

Just as they were engrossed in watching, the palace maid on lookout outside called out, "His Majesty has arrived!"

Zhu Chuanzong and his companion were slightly startled. Two eunuchs pushed open the door, and Emperor Mingzong entered.

Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly knelt down to pay his respects, thinking to himself, "Luckily, I had Shi Tou to watch today, otherwise I would have been in a complete mess. Although someone tipped me off, so I won't be caught red-handed, it would still be troublesome if something went wrong."

At this moment, Consort Mei stepped forward and said sweetly, "Why didn't Your Majesty inform me of your arrival? I haven't even dressed up yet."

Emperor Mingzong laughed heartily, "Consort Mei is so beautiful, why would she need to dress up?"

He then embraced Consort Mei and kissed her. He glanced at Zhu Chuanzong and asked in surprise, "Isn't this Lord Zhu? How come..."

It turned out that Zhu Chuanzong had never met the Emperor in private. In court, he always conducted official business with the Emperor, always appearing solemn. The Emperor assumed he always had an incorruptible face, but he was surprised to see him smiling and kneeling on the ground in private.

Consort Mei hurriedly said, "I already informed the Emperor that I had recognized him as my younger brother, didn't I? The Emperor even sent a congratulatory gift!"

Emperor Mingzong then remembered. He knew Zhu Chuanzong was a eunuch, and when he entered, he saw the two sitting opposite each other, behaving very politely. He wouldn't have thought of anything else, so he laughed heartily and chatted with Zhu Chuanzong for a while.

Consort Mei intentionally helped Zhu Chuanzong curry favor with the Emperor, engaging in lively conversation. However, seeing Consort Mei sitting in Emperor Mingzong's lap, acting coquettishly and seeking his favor, Zhu Chuanzong felt a pang of jealousy.

This was human nature. Although there was a distinction between ruler and subject between him and Consort Mei, and they had broken the rules by having an affair, seeing his lover intimate with another man still inevitably caused him bitterness. However, he dared not show it, and could only sit beside her, forcing a smile, feeling incredibly sad.

Emperor Mingzong glanced at the unusual stone on the table and smiled, "Consort Mei, is this the new treasure from Guangyuan Province? Do you like it?"

Consort Mei replied sweetly, "Yes, I was just admiring it with my brother. I love it very much, thank you, Your Majesty."

She then offered him a kiss. Emperor Mingzong didn't treat Zhu Chuanzong as an outsider and laughed heartily, saying, "My beloved consort is very knowledgeable, tell me about the origin of this stone."

Consort Mei had no choice but to obey. As Zhu Chuanzong listened to her recount the knowledge and stories she had just told him to Emperor Mingzong, he felt increasingly distressed. He thought, "She and the Emperor are so intimate, as if they are truly in love. When she's intimate with me, does she really love me? When she's in bed with the Emperor, is she also so wanton and ecstatic?"

Thinking of Consort Mei writhing and submitting to Emperor Mingzong, he felt a surge of anger. Although he knew he shouldn't think like this, he couldn't control himself.

Emperor Mingzong sat for a while, then a eunuch came to summon him. He said, "My beloved concubine, I have other matters to attend to. I will come to see you again tonight."

He then said to Zhu Chuanzong, "Since you and Consort Mei have become sworn siblings, please visit the palace more often to keep her company."

Zhu Chuanzong agreed. After seeing the Emperor off, Consort Mei turned around and saw Zhu Chuanzong's extremely unpleasant expression. Her eyes darted around, and she immediately understood his thoughts. She giggled, "My little rascal, are you jealous?"

Zhu Chuanzong, seeing her charming demeanor, snorted and said, "Why are you so affectionate with the Emperor in front of me? At first, the Emperor was even a little embarrassed! And you, deliberately trying to annoy me, what do you mean by that?"

Consort Mei laughed, "You don't appreciate my kindness. I'm only doing this for your own good. The Emperor considers you a confidant; promotion and wealth will be a piece of cake for you in the future. Look at how the Prime Minister fawns over the Emperor; when the Emperor is sick, he even empties the chamber pot! You should learn from him."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "That's so despicable; I can't do that."

He was filled with jealousy, feeling both bitter and angry. Seeing Consort Mei's nonchalant attitude, he pushed her onto the couch, cursing, "You rascal, let's see if you can still annoy me now!"

He slapped her pink bottom.

Meifei let out a soft cry, collapsing onto the couch. She then raised her rosy face and smiled seductively at Zhu Chuanzong,

saying, "It hurts so much! Brother Bao'er, you're so powerful! Come and fuck me to death!" She swayed her shapely buttocks from side to side as she spoke.

Zhu Chuanzong could no longer restrain himself and cried out, "You slut, see how I'll get you!"

At this moment, aroused by Meifei, he didn't think twice and picked her up, rolling her onto the bed. Zhu Chuanzong turned and pulled down his trousers, then Meifei's skirt as well. His large, round, white breasts were partially visible beneath her clothes. Zhu Chuanzong spread Meifei's legs, took his thick jade rod in one hand, and with the other hand, spread her legs, thrusting forcefully, penetrating her and pumping it in and out. After a

few thrusts, Zhu Chuanzong felt unsatisfied and lifted her up by the waist, taking advantage of her. He was angry, unlike his usual flirtatious manner, and his movements were extremely rough. Meifei felt as if her body was floating in the air, completely weightless. Her body moved back and forth as the large thing rapidly thrust in and out of her flower core. Several streams of fluid squeezed out from her flower core and slowly flowed down her inner thighs. The thick head moved in and out quickly, thrusting left and right, rubbing against her body, causing an intense itching and heat within her. But Consort Mei felt no pain; instead, her lust intensified. She moaned, "My darling, use more force, fuck me to death!"

Zhu Chuanzong thrust in and out, saying, "You slut, you were calling me 'Your Majesty' so affectionately just now. Did Your Majesty enjoy it as much as I did?"

Consort Mei cried out with her eyes closed, "Brother Bao'er...darling...ah, he can't compare to you, heavens! You're the best, I'm going to die!"

Zhu Chuanzong continued, "Aren't you a noble imperial concubine? Why are you lying under me, moaning so loudly?"

Consort Mei cried out, "I'm not an imperial concubine, you're Master Bao'er, I'm your servant, I belong to you alone, I love being fucked by you! Harder, harder!"

Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed, thrusting and pounding with all his might. Before long, Consort Mei had climaxed twice.

Then Zhu Chuanzong lowered Consort Mei and began to thrust into her, penetrating her completely each time.

Consort Mei felt as if that thing was pounding inside her, pressing tightly against her clitoris each time. She felt as if her clitoris was being stretched open, and she curled up, as if she were holding her breath, only able to gasp and scream.

Zhu Chuanzong then asked, "When the Emperor is having sex with you, do you moan?"

Consort Mei replied, "I moan... um... no."

Zhu Chuanzong pressed his jade stem against her flower core, thrusting hard several times, and roared, "Are you going to scream or not?"

Consort Mei, enjoying herself immensely, was driven to the brink of ecstasy. Suddenly, she cried out, "You are the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Spare me! You've killed me!"

Zhu Chuanzong paused, then asked, "What did you call me?"

Consort Mei, her face flushed with desire and drenched in sweat, squinted and said in a seductive voice, "I called you Emperor, Your Majesty. Do you like it? You've already slept with the Imperial Concubine, so aren't you the Emperor now?"

Hearing this, Zhu Chuanzong's lust intensified, his jade stem growing even thicker, thrusting into Consort Mei until she was completely out of her mind, repeatedly calling out "Emperor" and "Your Majesty." Suddenly, she screamed and fainted from a violent orgasm.

Zhu Chuanzong, now consumed by lust, wouldn't allow her to fall asleep. He thrust forcefully, penetrating her completely. After a few thrusts, Consort Mei regained her senses, moaning softly.

Meifei felt the large thing constantly pressing against her clitoris, pricking it like a butterfly fluttering over a flower. Her vaginal muscles went numb and painful, and her entire vulva swayed up and down with the large thing. She couldn't help but moan loudly.

At this moment, Zhu Chuanzong thrust in and out with great force until Meifei was drowsy and confused, and then he ejaculated.

After a while, Meifei woke up, opened her pretty eyes, and said angrily, "You rascal, how come you were so fierce today? You almost killed me!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "If you don't listen to me again, I'll fuck you to death."

Meifei laughed and said, "So what if I die? I'm not afraid of you!"

She looked down at the large thing, which was soft and small, completely different from when it was furious just now. She smiled and stroked it, saying, "Strange, it was so strange just now, but now it's so quiet and small. It's really fun."

She gently played with it with her hand.

The more Consort Mei stroked it, the more pleased she became. A moment later, she even took it into her mouth, feeling it grow even thicker and longer. Like a baby suckling, she made soft, sucking sounds.

Zhu Chuanzong, aroused by this intense sucking, felt his member grow even thicker. He roared, "You shameless, fearless slut!"

He quickly pushed Consort Mei down, spreading her snow-white, smooth legs, revealing her flower bud, white with a hint of pink, already dripping with lustful fluid.

Zhu Chuanzong's spear was unstoppable, thrusting up and down, left and right, flowing with lustful fluids, like a flood inside. He began to quench her thirst, causing Consort Mei to moan incessantly, feeling blissful. At the crucial moment, her flower bud tightened. Zhu Chuanzong's glans felt itchy and tingling, also incredibly pleasurable. Seeing he was about to ejaculate, he quickly inhaled and closed his eyes, but a few drops of nectar still leaked out.

Zhu Chuanzong, consumed by lust, saw the beautiful Consort Mei beneath him, writhing in agony, and said, "You lowly wench, how dare you play tricks on me?"

Consort Mei, still in a daze, saw Zhu Chuanzong teasing her and laughed, "Your Majesty, please don't make fun of me. When you do this, I'll naturally have to squeeze tighter with all my might."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Alright, let you squeeze me tighter."

He then thrust vigorously for a while, penetrating hundreds of times. Consort Mei was shaken all over, dizzy and blissful, unable to speak, only moaning softly.

As she played her melodious music, Zhu Chuanzong looked down at his thick, reddish-purple member thrusting in and out of her flower core. After a while, he stopped, exhaled a few breaths, and said, "You slut, did I do a good job? Do you know how to do it?"

Meifei uttered a soft, drawn-out cry, her voice sweet and melodious, "Brother...brother...husband, you...you've made my heart itch and tighten. Your skills are truly superb, you know how to do it so well."

Zhu Chuanzong heard it like a bird's song, clear and melodious, captivating his soul. He could no longer restrain himself. His iron arms stretched like a monkey's, embracing the jade-like woman's delicate body tightly, almost touching her completely. The two soft mounds on her chest were squeezed into a flaky shape. Then, his jade stem forcefully pierced through her flower core, penetrating her, making Meifei feel hot and tingling inside, almost unbearable.

Meifei's heart was already in turmoil, and her jade gate overflowed with lustful fluids, which flowed out, causing a tingling, itchy, and numb sensation, alternating between pain and itch, difficult to distinguish. Meifei cried out, no longer caring about the rhythm of her thrusts, her cries high and low, long and short, unpredictable, like a stream originating from a mountaintop, rushing down the mountain, twisting and turning, swift and slow, truly unpredictable.

Zhu Chuanzong was also enjoying his thrusts, feeling his large head both intensely pent up and extremely pleasurable with a tingling sensation. This time, both of them thrust to their hearts' content, ending in complete ecstasy.

Their previous encounters had been ordinary, none of them as unrestrained as this. They looked at each other and smiled knowingly.

Meifei said, "My little rascal, are you calmed down now?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I know this isn't my fault, but I still got angry when I saw you being intimate with the Emperor. Sister, I was a bit rough today, please don't blame me."

Meifei gave him a charming glance and whispered, "I really like it this way! If you like it, I'll do whatever you want. I'll call you Emperor from now on, be your servant, and serve you, okay?"

Zhu Chuanzong's eyes darted around, and he said, "Really? Let me see if it works."

Meifei smiled and said, "How do you want to try?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I'm dirty down there, you clean me up."

Meifei's eyes were alluring, and she smiled, "You little rascal."

But she still leaned down and took his limp little thing into her mouth. Zhu Chuanzong was so comfortable by the warm, wet little mouth that he felt like he was dying. Moreover, the beauty beneath him was not only the most beautiful woman in the world, but also of noble status, truly a rare gem. Chapter 5 (May 15th): The affection between Zhu Chuanzong and Consort Mei

deepened daily. Zhu Chuanzong adopted the air of an emperor, acting as if he were the emperor the moment he entered Consort Mei's palace. Most of the palace maids and eunuchs around Consort Mei were her confidants, and under the combined influence of Zhu Chuanzong and Consort Mei's power, money, gifts, and jewels, who dared to disobey? They all turned a blind eye, some even helping to bring the two together. Once the palace gates were closed, it was their own private world. Consort Mei, young and beautiful, had tasted the sweetness of love, and therefore was completely obedient to Zhu Chuanzong. The palace was a place of intrigue and danger; one could never be sure when she would lose her head. Since she had committed a crime punishable by death if the emperor found out, she simply let go of her feelings and treated Zhu Chuanzong like the emperor himself, going to great lengths to flatter and please him. As soon as Zhu Chuanzong arrived at her palace, Consort Mei personally removed his boots and clothes, attending to him meticulously and taking care of him with utmost care. She bestowed upon him treatment that even the Emperor did not receive. Zhu Chuanzong was now incredibly powerful, the imperial concubine treating him like a servant. If he was displeased, he would strip her naked and spank her smooth, white buttocks, which he thoroughly enjoyed. Consort Mei didn't get angry and let him have his way, further emboldening Zhu Chuanzong . Their love affair was boundless and indescribable. Moreover, under Consort Mei's influence, Zhu Chuanzong gained even more favor from the Emperor, and within a year, he was promoted to Minister of Justice, a position he had never held before. The Zhu family had two ministers—truly a source of immense prestige. Emperor Mingzong initially viewed Zhu Chuanzong as a tool to intimidate officials and kill enemies, only to be used in military matters. However, under the flattery of Consort Mei, he came to regard Zhu Chuanzong as a confidant. Furthermore, Zhu Chuanzong's grandmother had raised him, sharing a deep bond with him and regarding him as a mother, thus treating him differently from others. Moreover, knowing that Zhu Chuanzong was a eunuch and could not have offspring, he understood that everything Zhu Chuanzong did was for the court and for the Tang family's dynasty, so he had no doubts and trusted him implicitly. With the emperor as his backer, and having handled several major cases, executing many corrupt officials, Zhu Chuanzong was universally applauded by the people, and officials trembled at the mere mention of his name. Unbeknownst to him, Zhu Chuanzong earned the nickname "Living Yama." Zhu Chuanzong wielded both power and women, becoming incredibly powerful and awe-inspiring, believing himself to be no more than the emperor himself. That day, Zhu Chuanzong returned home and went to Zhu Shuiyue's courtyard to see her. Ever since the emperor bestowed a title upon her, the Zhu family had specially built an embroidered pavilion for her, named Shuiyue Nunnery, so that she could live there and cultivate in seclusion.

Zhu Shuiyue also had some knowledge of Buddhism, so she actually prayed to Buddha every day for the Zhu family's well-being.

When Zhu Chuanzong arrived, Zhu Shuiyue left the Buddhist hall and went to a place far away from Shuiyue Nunnery, then said, "Why did you have to come today of all times? What bad timing!"

Zhu Chuanzong was puzzled and said, "Do I have to pick a day to come see you?"

Zhu Shuiyue laughed and said, "Yes, I was just being paranoid."

Zhu Chuanzong saw that she was dressed in plain clothes, which made her even more beautiful and charming, with a hint of otherworldly grace, like a fairy, noble and generous, but with an even greater attraction. Zhu Chuanzong then leaned forward and tried to make love to her.

Zhu Shuiyue sighed, "I clearly told you earlier that you came at an inopportune time, yet you still cause trouble. It's outrageous!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chuanzong's face darkened, and he reluctantly withdrew his hand, saying, "Sister, you were inconvenient, so why did you stir up my fire? Now I'm almost burning up, what should I do?"

Zhu Shuiyue glanced at the bulge between his legs, blushed, and giggled, saying, "Serves you right. Who told you to be so lecherous? Besides, I already said that some people are as stupid as fat pigs, and now you're blaming others. It's truly unreasonable."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "It's alright if you call me stupid, I admit it. But how could you make fun of my past appearance?"

Zhu Shuiyue remembered Zhu Chuanzong's former appearance and giggled. Seeing her shy appearance, Zhu Chuanzong was even more tempted and began to touch her.

Zhu Shuiyue laughed and dodged, saying, "You brought this on yourself, so you can't blame anyone else. Just bear with it."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Sister, please have mercy and help me with your mouth..."

Zhu Shuiyue spat, "You filthy boy, how dare you have such dirty thoughts about your sister?

You deserve a beating! I'm going to sleep, get lost." Zhu Chuanzong lingered, unwilling to leave. Zhu Shuiyue leaned close to his ear and said, "What are you pretending to be pitiful for? Don't think I don't know that your maids will do anything for you. Why are you humiliating me? Those maids haven't seen you in a long time and miss you terribly. Go find them to vent your frustrations." "Go ahead and get fired."

Zhu Chuanzong had no choice but to take his leave. He originally intended to go find his sister-in-law, but he met Ying'er on the way. Seeing her shy and delighted expression, he thought to himself, "Meifei and I have tried every position imaginable, but Meifei's back garden is something I've never explored. I can't afford to mess around with Meifei's back garden; if I do something wrong, she'll laugh at me. Why not try it on Ying'er? What a brilliant plan!"

Zhu Chuanzong went up to Ying'er and talked to her for a while before asking her to lead the way. Ying'er understood perfectly well. She glanced at him shyly and happily, then lowered her head and led him to her room. Zhu Chuanzong was already burning with desire, and as soon as he entered, he pulled her into his arms.

Ying'er let out a soft cry and collapsed into Zhu Chuanzong's arms, blushing, "Young Master, it's been so long since I've seen you. I've missed you terribly."

Zhu Chuanzong unbuttoned his clothes and said, "I'll deal with you slowly later. First, give me a blowjob."

Ying'er obediently responded with a soft moan, squatted down, and vigorously stroked his jade stem a few times. She opened her cherry-like mouth and placed it inside, sucking it with all her might.

Zhu Chuanzong felt her lips tightly holding the head, swallowing and spitting out his jade stem, sucking incessantly. Her tongue moved and teased it, her teeth gently biting the shallow groove. He couldn't help but feel hot all over, his lower abdomen contracting.

His jade stem throbbed and pulsated in Ying'er's mouth. Ying'er felt that his jade stem was exceptionally cute and beautiful, and she liked it immensely, so she worked even harder.

Zhu Chuanzong felt incredibly comfortable. In his ecstasy, he held Ying'er's head with both hands and gently thrust his jade stem into her mouth

. At the same time, he tilted his head back and groaned loudly, saying, "Good Ying'er, you're getting better and better at sucking, making me feel so good." Ying'er's pretty face was pressed against Zhu Chuanzong's lower body, swallowing most of the jade stem into her mouth from time to time. With most of the jade stem in her mouth, she wasn't idle either. She reached out and gently lifted his scrotum, squeezing the two testicles back and forth, playing with them for a while.

After playing for a while, Ying'er stood up, took off her clothes, revealing her snow-white and tender body, and guided the jade stem towards her flower core. Zhu Chuanzong couldn't hold back any longer. He hurriedly grabbed Ying'er's plump jade buttocks and thrust hard, inserting his jade stem inside.

Although her flower core had been explored many times before, the jade stem still stretched her tightly. Ying'er felt that she had never felt so happy. The jade stem plunged tightly into the flower's heart, pressing against the petals, so hot that the flower's heart contracted several times, and several streams of lustful fluid squeezed out from the petals.

Zhu Chuanzong held Ying'er's slender waist and thrust forcefully, slowly thrusting a few times, then thrusting hard again, his hands tightly holding Ying'er's slender waist, pulling hard, thrusting hundreds of times.

Ying'er gradually became more aroused, tightly hugging Zhu Chuanzong's neck, wrapping her legs tightly around Zhu Chuanzong's lower back, Zhu Chuanzong thrusting a hundred more times, and Ying'er had already climaxed twice.

Seeing Ying'er's dazed eyes and incessant moans, Zhu Chuanzong knew the time had come. He said, "Turn over, young master will teach you a new trick."

Ying'er did as he was told, turning over, her hands supporting her on the couch, raising her plump, pink buttocks. In the center was a small, lovely pink chrysanthemum, expanding and contracting with her breath, the folds on the chrysanthemum appearing and disappearing, reflecting the fluid that had flowed from her jade gate, shimmering and sparkling, making it hard to look away.

Zhu Chuanzong was tempted. He smeared some of his semen on his penis and rubbed the head against her anus.

Ying'er was startled and turned around, saying, "Young Master, you've gone into the wrong place."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "You haven't gone into the wrong place. Today, Young Master wants to taste the flower of the back garden."

Ying'er trembled in fright and said timidly, "It's so dirty there, how can I do that?"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "It's fine, you'll enjoy it later."

With a thrust, he penetrated more than two inches.

Ying'er cried out, leaned forward, and softly cried out in pain. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried out, "Young Master, be gentle, be kind."

Zhu Chuanzong smeared some more semen and thrust in forcefully. His entire jade stem was inserted into her anus. He felt it was soft and tight, and a suction force came from deep within, almost causing him to ejaculate. Zhu Chuanzong took a deep breath, held his penis, and supported Ying'er's fair waist and buttocks as he began to thrust.

Her small anus was stretched open, like a fish mouth, swallowing and spitting. The enormous penis, resembling a giant dragon, roamed freely within her.

Ying'er felt as if her body was being torn apart, the pain piercing to the bone, yet there was also a strange, indescribable sensation. She swayed her slender waist and pert buttocks, tears and snot streaming down her face, moaning incessantly. Zhu Chuanzong, pitying her newly opened rear, fearing she couldn't withstand it, thrust two hundred times before releasing his pent-up desire.

Ying'er lay on the bed, her buttocks wide open, blood seeping from her anus, mingling with Zhu Chuanzong's semen, flowing down the bed in streams. Seeing her covered in cold sweat, Zhu Chuanzong took out a handkerchief and wiped it for her, saying, "Did I hurt you?"

Ying'er blushed and said, "It hurt more than when you first did it to me, young master, but... later it didn't hurt so much anymore, it was warm, hot and numb, like flying."

Zhu Chuanzong smiled smugly, "Isn't this young master amazing? If you behave well from now on, young master will naturally cherish you." He

then held her and whispered some sweet nothings. Ying'er was completely captivated, clinging tightly to him with a blissful, intoxicated expression.

Zhu Chuanzong chuckled, "You said you missed me earlier, is that true?"

Ying'er nodded shyly, "Young Master is so good to me, and so skilled at charming people. Which of your sisters wouldn't miss you? These past few days, Young Master has been staying away, and Chunfeng and Dongxue have been talking about you in private."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "All your sisters received gifts from me. What do you like? Young Master will buy it for you."

Ying'er opened her mouth, hesitated, and shook her head, saying, "Young Master has helped me a lot, he's been so good to me, I don't want anything more."

Looking at her obedient appearance, Zhu Chuanzong was even more enamored. Being so clever, he quickly understood Ying'er's thoughts and asked, "Are you thinking about your brother again?"

Ying'er, realizing Zhu Chuanzong had guessed her thoughts, could only say, "I have no worries about food and clothing in the manor, and I'm loved by the young master. What I worry about most is this younger brother. I heard that the young master recently found jobs for Da Niu and the others, but I don't know... He's always working in the manor; he's just a servant after all..."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "You want to find a better position for your brother too?"

Ying'er nodded shyly. Zhu Chuanzong thought for a moment; he only had four subordinates, which was indeed a bit too few. He had met Ying'er's brother before; he was a clever and quick-witted person, kind-hearted, and had some education. He had done his family a favor several times, so his loyalty was not a problem. Thinking of this, Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "Alright, since my dear Ying'er has said so, how could I, your young master

, refuse? Tomorrow I'll send someone to the Ministry of Personnel to see if I can find him a job." Ying'er hadn't held out much hope, but to her surprise, Zhu Chuanzong agreed. She was both astonished and delighted, her eyes filled with tears, and she said, "Young master, you're too good to me. In our next life, my family will repay you by serving you like cattle and horses."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "Now, let's become horses for you to ride."

He mounted his horse and began to ride.

With a recommendation, Zhu Chuanzong also secured a position for Ying'er's younger brother in the Ministry of Works. Although he easily placed several of his cronies in positions of power, he was quite unhappy when discussing this matter with Wu Siyuan.

Wu Siyuan laughed and said, "Since ancient times, relatives have always helped relatives, which is understandable, as long as they don't do bad things. It's just a pity that most people who get promoted through connections don't cherish the opportunity. They often think it's easy and then do whatever they want."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I know this person. Although he's mediocre, he's not capable of doing bad things. Compared to the officials in the court, I think he's still better. The current system of the court can only select corrupt and mediocre officials, which worries me greatly! The talented people I know have all been reported to the Emperor and given important positions, but there are really too few talented people."

Wu Siyuan said, "I know what you mean. You just want to ask me how to select people." " Talent. Under the current system, I have no choice. In the future, unless those who appoint officials are not officials, there will be no political clarity. And even if those who are not officials are, they will be gradually eliminated."

Zhu Chuanzong asked curiously, "Those who appoint officials are not officials? What do you mean?"

Wu Siyuan said, "Let the people choose and appoint officials. That is the key to solving the problem. My idea is not very new. Many people have written books on this topic before, but they have all been banned by the court. It's not surprising that you haven't read them."

Zhu Chuanzong really didn't understand Wu Siyuan's idea, so he asked him to bring some books on the subject for him to read carefully.

Zhu Chuanzong tasted the pleasure of the harem with Ying'er and immediately became addicted. Just thinking about Meifei's soft and pert buttocks and her slender waist, he wondered how pleasurable it would be. He couldn't wait to press her onto the bed and try it. However, although Meifei loved him, she was, after all, a royal concubine. He didn't know if she would agree.

Just then, the yamen received a case: villagers from Dushan Village in Paolv County, Guangyuan Province, were suing a local Taoist temple for "disturbing the people's livelihood." Normally, such a minor case would only require the handling of lower-level officials, but as Zhu Chuanzong reviewed the case file, a thought struck him. He remembered that the Lingbi stone that Consort Mei had shown him was a specialty of Guangyuan Province, and Dushan Village happened to be a production area for Lingbi stones. He decided to personally inspect the area and, incidentally, buy a few rare stones to present to Consort Mei.

Guangyuan Province was not far from the capital, and Zhu Chuanzong arrived in Paolv County two days later. The county magistrate, Fei Gongfu, had been eagerly awaiting his arrival. Meeting a high-ranking official from the capital was a great honor for this lowly magistrate, so he was overjoyed and went out of his way to curry favor. Zhu Chuanzong, used to this, let him be. Along the way, he saw that Paolv County was a beautiful place with clear waters and lush mountains, and the streets were clean and tidy.

Zhu Chuanzong praised Magistrate Fei's effective governance, but he was no longer the naive youth he once was. He inquired privately and learned that Magistrate Fei, using funds from the imperial court, had achieved remarkable results over more than a decade.

Paolv County had established a special "Cleaning Office," mobilizing tens of thousands of officials and civilians to clean up stinking ditches and streets. Paolv County's accounts were now in deficit, and the need for help for widows, orphans, and the lonely was being neglected. Magistrate Fei's public relations efforts had made Paolv County a model county for the entire province, and he was on the verge of promotion.

Zhu Chuanzong was angry after learning the truth, but this was a common problem among officials in Daliang, and not a particularly egregious matter, so he temporarily restrained himself.

He traveled incognito with two attendants to Dushan Village, intending to secretly buy some stones, but what he discovered instead was infuriating.

It turns out that Dushan Village was not only rich in stones, but also boasted beautiful mountains and clear waters. A few years ago, the imperial court encouraged the people to plant trees and sell fruit. However, in the last two years, the price of stones rose, and knowing that many officials in the court had developed a fondness for unusual stones,

the court ordered all the fruit trees to be cut down. One family owned two thousand osmanthus trees, worth several hundred taels of silver, but the county government, in the name of the imperial court, gave them only ten taels of silver and cut them down overnight. The family was heartbroken and helpless, unable to fight back against the officials. The head of the household, unable to bear it any longer, hanged himself.

And that wasn't all. The workers who smashed stones and salvaged unusual stones from the river received very little pay, practically living like slaves, with no freedom, subjected to beatings and abuse. Every ten days or so, some couldn't endure it and died. Zhu Chuanzong, upon hearing this, was furious. He revealed his identity, accepted the petitions from the people, and began to hear the case.

Magistrate Fei Gongfu tried to argue that the merchants were the ones who did it, but when Zhu Chuanzong tortured them, they all confessed, saying that Magistrate Fei Gongfu was their mastermind.

Fei Gongfu turned pale; he had long heard of Zhu Chuanzong's formidable reputation and was so frightened that his pants were wet. He stammered, "These were all for the higher-ups, the court… the court ordered me to do it."

Zhu Chuanzong knew that higher-ups were definitely involved, even high-ranking officials, which complicated matters. He immediately sentenced Fei Gongfu to death, reported the verdict, and had him imprisoned.

Zhu Chuanzong saw how miserable the people of Paolv County were. This place was famous throughout the country for its rare stones, but the people there received no benefit whatsoever, instead becoming homeless, landless, and on the verge of slavery. The officialdom was too dark; these local officials had lost their humanity. What would become of the Great Liang? Deeply worried,

Zhu Chuanzong returned to the capital and, taking advantage of the Emperor's absence from Consort Mei's palace, went to meet him.

Upon seeing Zhu Chuanzong arrive, Consort Mei immediately knelt down, exclaiming "Long live the Emperor!" and saying, "Your Majesty is here! I've missed you so much!"

Zhu Chuanzong snorted angrily, ignoring her, and went straight into the room to sit down. Consort Mei noticed his unpleasant expression, which seemed genuine, and felt a little strange. She cautiously approached him and said in a seductive voice, "Your Majesty, who has upset you? Tell me, and I'll avenge you."

Zhu Chuanzong angrily said, "It's you!"

Consort Mei asked in surprise, "What about me? I'm very obedient and well-behaved."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Those stones of yours were obtained by the lives of ordinary people. Your hobby is not a good thing. Do you know how many people have suffered?"

Consort Mei said coquettishly, "Since I'm so wicked, then please punish me, Your Majesty!"

After saying that, she turned around and stuck out her buttocks.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Alright, let's see how I punish you."

He pulled down her skirt with his large hand, revealing her snow-white and tender buttocks, which were incredibly smooth and alluring.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Raise it higher... higher, even higher... Spread your petals open so I can see."

Following Zhu Chuanzong's command, Consort Mei knelt on the ground, straining to raise her lower body, her body arched into a bow shape, her round breasts hanging upside down. She was a beauty beyond compare, and now, with her jade-like body lying prone, her hands spread open for anyone to admire,

her beauty was boundless. Zhu Chuanzong's blood boiled at the sight. After examining her for a while, he began to caress her chrysanthemum, which no one but the emperor had ever touched. Consort Mei, unaccustomed to such treatment, immediately groaned.

After a while, Zhu Chuanzong suddenly thrust his jade stem deep into Meifei's body. Meifei felt a hard, round object being inserted directly into her wet flower path, and she couldn't help but groan.

Zhu Chuanzong thrust his jade stem into Meifei's petals and began to thrust vigorously, slapping her snow-white buttocks as he did so.

Meifei became increasingly aroused and groaned loudly. Zhu Chuanzong, responding to her cries, thrust even more violently, as if trying to pierce Meifei's body, thrusting all the way in, hundreds of times, until Meifei collapsed to the ground. Only then did Zhu Chuanzong stop and let her rest.

After a moment, Zhu Chuanzong said, "Don't play dead, get up now."

He made Meifei kneel between his legs again and have her suckle.

Zhu Chuanzong leaned back in his seat, enjoying the pleasure of the imperial concubine's lips and tongue while ordering her to produce her own nectar. He also fondled her breasts, saying, "Don't worry, as long as you behave, I'll spare you this time."

The concubine's mouth was stuffed full, and she sucked vigorously. After a while, Zhu Chuanzong cried out and ejaculated.

The concubine leaned naked against the edge of the couch, giggling, "Your Majesty, are you satisfied? Have you forgiven this servant?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Your humble servant has served very well, but I don't know if you are truly good to me."

The concubine said, "This servant has given you everything, how can it not be sincere?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Your maid, Fa Ruyi, is quite lovely. If you are truly good to me, give her to me, that will show your sincerity."

The concubine glared at him, exuding charm, and said, "Whether she stays with you or not is your business, I can't control that."

Zhu Chuanzong, who had been afraid she wouldn't agree, was overjoyed and said, "My good servant, you truly care about your master." He leaned forward and kissed her.

The two lingered for a long time before parting. As they parted, Consort Mei said to Ruyi, who had been keeping watch for them, "Go and see Lord Zhu off. Also, you have peach blossom dew in your room; apply some to him."

She whispered to Zhu Chuanzong, "Let's see how good you are."

Ruyi, understanding the implication of the Consort's words, blushed immediately and shyly led the way.

Chapter Six: Cherishing

Beauty. Zhu Chuanzong, filled with joy, bid farewell to Consort Mei.

This little Ruyi was a maidservant Consort Mei had brought from her maiden home. She had been with Consort Mei for four or five years, always obedient and clever. Zhu Chuanzong often visited Consort Mei, and whenever he had free time, he would tease her. They had long harbored feelings for each other, but out of respect for Consort Mei, they dared not be presumptuous.

At this moment, Zhu Chuanzong entered Ruyi's room and immediately embraced her tightly, kissing and smacking his lips repeatedly. He then moved his hands to her breasts, roaming over them, before moving down to her lower body, kneading and fondling them. This aroused Ruyi, causing her to moan incessantly.

Zhu Chuanzong quickly removed Ruyi's clothes, revealing her fair and delicate skin. Ruyi let out a soft moan and collapsed into Zhu Chuanzong's arms, burying her head in his chest, blushing shyly.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "What's there to be shy about? You're a grown woman now. Didn't you want this in the palace?"

He then removed his clothes, revealing his hard, erect penis.

Ruyi glanced at it sideways, finding it incredibly cute. Zhu Chuanzong guided her small hand to caress it, and Ruyi gradually grew bolder, reaching out to stroke it as if admiring a precious treasure.

The jade stem was large and hard. Zhu Chuanzong said, "It's delicious. Your master likes it."

Ruyi had secretly watched him and Consort Mei's pleasure, and knew it was true. She couldn't help but suck on it, opening her mouth to take it in, sucking it incessantly with her tongue, making the treasure almost break. Zhu Chuanzong became more and more aroused. Seeing Ruyi's fair skin and delicate bones, so exquisite that no one would not admire and fall in love with her, his interest grew even stronger, and his jade stem became even thicker. Unable to bear it any longer, he pressed down on Ruyi. He kissed her

from her forehead to her neck, then from her neck to her thighs, then from her thighs to her toes, and finally reached her flower heart. This place was even more exquisite, like a white steamed bun, except that there was a thin slit in the middle. The slit was tender and fresh, and it was also gurgling with clear spring water, exuding a fragrance that could make one intoxicated at the mere smell. At the top of the slit, the grass was lush and green. When the wind blew, it was all messed up, and a few strands fell into the slit, like grass on the bank of a small river, indescribably beautiful.

Seeing such a beautiful sight, Zhu Chuanzong's mouth went dry. He moved his mouth away and inserted his tongue into the crevice, stirring it around greedily. After Zhu Chuanzong had tasted enough of this virgin's paradise, he finally stopped and rubbed his jade stem against the edge of the crevice. After a while, the flowing fragrant spring wet his jade stem, making it slippery and sticky. The veins on his thick jade stem bulged high, swollen and crimson, standing straight up with an unstoppable momentum. After this teasing, Ruyi's slit grew wider and wetter, and she couldn't help but moan softly, pleading, "Good brother, please stop teasing me, I'm so itchy!" Seeing that Ruyi was

in high spirits, Zhu Chuanzong thrust in and penetrated more than halfway. He found it very tight and incredibly hot inside, and found it very interesting. He couldn't bear to pull out. Ruyi hadn't been deflowered, so his jade stem couldn't penetrate further, and she felt unbearably itchy. She pleaded softly, "I see that Your Majesty is really enjoying it, so why am I so uncomfortable! Please don't tease me, sir!"

Seeing that she looked so ecstatic, Zhu Chuanzong thrust in again until he was completely inside her. Ruyi's flower core was filled, but it was already flowing with lustful fluids, so Ruyi didn't feel much pain. However, it was still the first time she had experienced such a sensation, and she moaned.

Seeing that she could resist, Zhu Chuanzong began to work on her. Gradually, Ruyi felt the pain subside and sweetness return, an intense tingling sensation washing over her. She couldn't help but sway her slender waist, her starry eyes sparkling, and she uttered sweet, seductive words, calling out "Dear Brother."

Zhu Chuanzong was secretly pleased, knowing she must have learned this from peeping at Consort Mei. He said, "This little girl knows what's good for her." He then began to

work on her vigorously. Ruyi, being a virgin, couldn't take it after a few hundred thrusts and softly begged for mercy.

Zhu Chuanzong was enjoying himself immensely and refused to stop. Soon, Ruyi's vagina was gushing with lustful fluids, each thrust completely absorbing his large member, bringing her immense pleasure.

Ruyi was so overwhelmed that her body swayed uncontrollably, as if floating on clouds, her mind blank. Zhu Chuanzong was even more ecstatic, disregarding his own safety. The two of them worked up a wild and unrestrained passion before finally ejaculating, embracing each other tightly.

Ruyi said to Zhu Chuanzong, "Good brother, it's truly so interesting. Now that I've tasted it, my life hasn't been in vain. If it weren't for you, I would have died an old man in the palace and never known this."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Yes, it's not just you who will die without ever seeing the light of day."

Ruyi said, "Good brother, don't forget me in the future. When the Empress is free, please give me a little attention."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Your flower buds are so tender and tight, so interesting. How could I bear not to do it?"

Ruyi blushed when she heard him speak so roughly. Seeing her shy appearance, Zhu Chuanzong played with her for a while longer before stopping.

Meanwhile, Zhu Chuanzong, having tasted Ying'er's chrysanthemum, thought of playing with Consort Mei. One day, Zhu Chuanzong acquired a rare stone and presented it to Consort Mei. Taking advantage of her good mood, he whispered something in her ear. Consort Mei looked at Zhu Chuanzong with alluring eyes and repeatedly said that he was too lustful. After Zhu Chuanzong pleaded for a while, Consort Mei asked with a sidelong glance, "Can I still do it there?"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed and said, "It tastes quite good. Why don't you try it? If you don't like it, you can stop later." He untied Consort Mei's fragrant sash, removed her jade rings and hairpins, and kissed her pair of snow-white and tender breasts wildly. Consort Mei had a peculiar constitution; as soon as she was near a man, her whole body would go limp and soft as cotton. At this moment, she was already limp in his arms.

Zhu Chuanzong continued to caress her, kissing Consort Mei until her jade pot flowed with water, her whole body felt wonderfully pleasurable, as if a thousand ants were crawling all over her, extremely uncomfortable. She couldn't help but cry out softly, like a nightingale singing in a tall forest, or a swallow chirping on a carved beam. Zhu Chuanzong was pleased to hear this and breathed a sigh of relief. Then he began to gently thrust and slowly move, performing the nine shallow and one deep technique.

After a long while, Consort Mei, thoroughly aroused by the penetration, cried out and moaned, eagerly responding to the thrusts, her breath coming in soft gasps. Zhu Chuanzong then thrust into her again with great force, and Consort Mei cried out in a loud moan, uttering lewd words such as "Good brother" and "Dear husband."

Zhu Chuanzong was also tempted, and in an instant, he thrust over a hundred times, causing the embroidered curtains to sway.

Zhu Chuanzong grasped Meifei's jade breasts with both hands, kneading them incessantly, eliciting moans and groans from Meifei. Zhu Chuanzong thrust wildly, withdrawing completely and then plunging in again, his arrows never missing their mark, each strike hitting the very core of her flower, leaving Meifei drenched in fragrant sweat, her limbs trembling, as if in a cloud of mist, completely unaware of her surroundings.

Meifei's flower petals flowed with lustful fluids incessantly. Seeing that the time was right, Zhu Chuanzong made her turn around, first slapping her plump buttocks repeatedly with his large hands, causing Meifei to moan incessantly. Zhu Chuanzong said, "You little slut, your master is beating you, isn't he?"

Meifei said, "I was born to be beaten and fucked by my master, so don't stop."

Zhu Chuanzong was satisfied and inserted his middle finger into Meifei's anus. He felt his middle finger being enveloped by tender flesh all around, which felt very comfortable and warm. After a few thrusts, he felt that her anus was becoming lubricated. Zhu Chuanzong was puzzled and thought, "Could it be that her anus, like her vagina, can also produce vaginal fluid?"

Zhu Chuanzong pulled out his middle finger and found that it was covered with a layer of white, sticky oil. He brought it close to his face and smelled a strange fragrance.

Zhu Chuanzong burst into laughter, saying, "You little slut, you really are a gem! You can even make water flow here. If it weren't for me, you'd never know this place was such a wonderful spot."

Hearing this, Meifei looked up and giggled, "Master, you're teasing me again."

Zhu Chuanzong pulled Meifei into his arms, saying, "My darling, how could I tease you? You're my heart and soul. I'd even die on your body."

Seeing how beautiful Meifei's chrysanthemum was, Zhu Chuanzong was no longer in a hurry.

At this moment, Meifei was kneeling on the edge of the bed, her head facing inward and her buttocks outward, her two white, tender thighs spread wide, revealing her vulva in its entirety. A deep red crevice in the middle, already flowing with lustful fluids under Zhu Chuanzong's constant caresses, was visible.

Zhu Chuanzong's jade stem nodded wildly, and with a thrust, a "plop" sound was heard as his large jade stem head plunged straight into Meifei's vagina. As it went deeper, Zhu Chuanzong felt his hard jade stem being tightly enveloped by layers of tender flesh, feeling incredibly comfortable and warm.

Lubricated by the vaginal fluids, Meifei's vagina was incredibly slippery. Zhu Chuanzong simply lay down on Meifei's back and began to fuck her.

Zhu Chuanzong's thick jade stem thrust in and out of Meifei's soft vagina, making lewd "tsk tsk" sounds. With each thrust, the vaginal fluids from Meifei's flower core flowed out and dripped onto the embroidered quilt.

Zhu Chuanzong gripped Meifei's firm, full breasts tightly with both hands, kneading them incessantly. With each powerful thrust, Meifei began to moan and groan, "Oh! Oh! Ah... thrust... thrust me to death! Oh! Harder... fuck me harder... fuck me!"

Seeing that Meifei had invented a new way of moaning, Zhu Chuanzong said, "You filthy bitch, that's good, keep moaning like that."

Zhu Chuanzong gripped her slender waist tightly with both hands, thrusting and pulling with great force, causing Meifei's large breasts to sway like waves, her nipples rising and falling with her snow-white breasts, like a helpless little boat adrift on the sea.

At this crucial moment, Zhu Chuanzong roared, "You filthy bitch, has your chrysanthemum ever been fucked?"

Meifei, as alluring as if dripping with water, trembled and said, "No... no one else, this is reserved for Big Dick Brother, I'll give you everything... hurry up and do it!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "You think I'll just do it because you say so?"

As he said this, he suddenly thrust forward, directly penetrating Meifei's tender, plump, snow-white buttocks. Meifei let out a long moan unexpectedly. Zhu Chuanzong felt something tight and deep inside, warm as spring, even more pleasurable than her vagina. He couldn't help but exclaim, "It feels so good here! Aren't I amazing?"

Meifei replied, "Amazing, amazing! You've fucked this little slut to death! Fuck me to death already!"

Zhu Chuanzong thrust forcefully, asking, "Has the Emperor been here?"

Meifei said, "Only with you, the Emperor wouldn't..."

Zhu Chuanzong thrust hundreds of times in one breath. Meifei's anus was so tight and pleasurable that he suddenly ejaculated, collapsing onto Meifei's soft, cotton-like back and falling into a deep sleep.

Afterward, Zhu Chuanzong discovered Meifei's wonderful qualities, and that she was his sole enjoyment, so he became addicted to it.

When they were alone, Meifei treated Zhu Chuanzong like her master. One day, Zhu Chuanzong sat in a chair, and Meifei gave him a blowjob. Seeing that it was a noble imperial concubine giving him a blowjob, Zhu Chuanzong's lust was ignited. He ordered Meifei to turn her snow-white buttocks around, and then his hot penis squeezed into her flower path.

Consort Mei's petals, which had been closed within her jade gate, curled up and tightly wrapped around the thick, fleshy rod. Her round, snowy buttocks rubbed against his waist and abdomen, bringing a blissful, slippery sensation. The tight, elastic walls of her flesh were incredibly supple. Zhu Chuanzong still cursed, "You slut! Squeeze tighter! Hurry up!"

He pulled his rod out from the warm, moist petals and then thrust it hard into her anus, pumping forcefully into her tight rear passage. Consort Mei felt an intense pleasure, almost to the point of death, but she still clenched her teeth and remained silent.

Zhu Chuanzong roared, "You slut, you dare not utter a sound in front of the Emperor?"

Consort Mei groaned, "Your Majesty does it well. You are the most powerful Emperor, the Emperor who specializes in fucking holes."

The two of them had tried every novel thing imaginable. That evening, Consort Mei secretly kept Zhu Chuanzong in the palace. The two chatted in each other's arms, and Zhu Chuanzong said, "Although the Emperor dotes on you, he only visits a few times a month. What do you do when you feel itchy?"

Consort Mei replied shyly, "I use a jade ruyi! To be honest, many concubines in the palace have one."

Zhu Chuanzong had never seen one before, so he begged her to show it to him. Consort Mei, having no other choice, took out a gold-inlaid jade ruyi. The ruyi

was about eight inches long, shaped like a lingzhi mushroom, with a white jade handle, flat and wide, and two gold-inlaid protrusions about half a finger's height along its waist, gleaming softly in the dim candlelight.

Zhu Chuanzong played with it for a while and said, "Is this thing fun?"

Consort Mei laughed, "Since I've had you, why would I need anything else? Yours... is the best."

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I haven't seen it before, how about you play with it for me?"

Consort Mei initially refused, but couldn't resist Zhu Chuanzong's repeated pleas. Finally, he adopted the airs of a master, leaving Consort Mei with no choice but to pick up the jade ruyi, lie on the ground, spread her legs wide, and place the handle between her petals. She held her breath and slowly exerted force. The smooth handle squeezed little by little into her tender flesh, stretching the narrow opening into a flat, elongated rectangle.

After inserting about two inches, the petals touched the thick gold edge, and the handle, only an inch and a half wide, stretched Consort Mei's lower body painfully. There was no gap left, so she took a deep breath and slowly pulled the ruyi out with both hands. The flesh walls were not yet completely wet with her juices; a ring of bright red, delicate flesh wrapped around the white jade handle, turning out from inside the opening like another layer of exquisite petals.

Just as Consort Mei was about to return the Ruyi scepter to her body, Zhu Chuanzong grabbed it and thrust it forcefully, the shaft plunging straight into her abdomen, the gold-plated inlay drawing in the petals as well. Consort Mei groaned, her jade legs clamping tightly together, her body curling up.

Zhu Chuanzong was thrilled and shouted, "Open your orifice!"

Consort Mei's eyes gleamed with excitement, she bit her red lips, parted her legs, and gripped the blanket tightly behind her. The Ruyi scepter moved in and out rapidly, Consort Mei's body swaying back and forth, her breasts trembling on her chest. The jade shaft was polished very smoothly, and after more than ten thrusts, her secret place oozed with lustful fluid, Consort Mei's face flushed red, experiencing wave after wave of orgasms.

At this moment, Zhu Chuanzong smelled a soft, faint fragrance, and his abdomen suddenly felt hot. As he stared at Meifei's luscious lips and supple waist, seeing her slender waist and snow-white buttocks, Zhu Chuanzong became increasingly satisfied. He tossed the jade ruyi aside and roared, "Open your little hole!"

Meifei lay on her back, spread her legs, and used her jade fingers to pry open her secret place.

Seeing Consort Mei's beautiful face, so gentle and obedient, Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed and laughed heartily. As soon as his laughter subsided, he thrust his enormous member into her. Consort Mei's captivating voice rang out again, a sound only she could enjoy.

While indulging in his pleasures with the imperial concubine, Zhu Chuanzong also rectified the officialdom. As Minister of Justice, he had the opportunity to thoroughly reform the bureaucracy. Over the years, he investigated numerous cases, and although the court had gradually become more transparent, these reforms were like icebergs hidden beneath the surface, ready to be revealed and startling.

Regarding the Ministry of Works' failure to pay workers' wages, Zhu Chuanzong reported to the Emperor and, together with his father, tackled the issue. Zhu Youji, having already amassed considerable wealth and controlling lower-level officials, was happy to do a favor, and thus issued a nationwide order forbidding any further delays in workers' wages.

After the imperial decree was issued, things improved somewhat. However, the lower-level officials, accustomed to their lawlessness, and having already embezzled a significant amount to bribe their superiors, were naturally inclined to follow suit. Furthermore, the saying "like father, like son" applies; seeing their superiors embezzling large sums while restricting their own corruption, they were bound to be resentful. Therefore, such incidents continued to occur.

One day, news arrived from Dongyuan County in Guangyuan Province that over two hundred workers from Shuangqing County, owed more than four months' wages, had protested to demand payment. Unexpectedly, the merchant brought fully armed guards who then carried out a deliberate act of retaliation against the workers.

The merchant, who owed over a million taels of silver for the project, was beating the workers. Leading the charge was the guard captain, Fatty Ahua, who charged ahead, shouting, "Whoever shouts for money, beat them!"

Several gentlemen and scholars who came to intervene were also beaten to the ground.

These guards were all armed with clubs, knives, and spears. Even after the yamen runners arrived, they didn't stop, shouting to kill them. Some of the scattered workers continued to be beaten by the armed guards. Four of them were forced to jump from a retaining wall more than ten meters above the water into the raging river, while the guards above continued to pelt them with stones.

Two workers swam two or three hundred meters to shore and escaped, while the other two drowned. About ten workers were killed on the spot, and countless others were injured.

The case was suppressed for a long time until someone came to the capital to stop the emperor's carriage to file a complaint. Only then did Zhu Chuanzong learn of it and immediately sent people to investigate. The local magistrate had also been involved in the project, and the merchant involved had a relative who held an official position in the court. As soon as Zhu Chuanzong investigated the case, someone pleaded for leniency, and it was said that Dongyuan County had already classified the case as a "mass vicious brawl," a private fight among the common people, and the case was already closed.

Although Zhu Chuanzong couldn't round up all the corrupt officials behind the scenes, he kept their names in mind, waiting for an opportunity to deal with them later. He overruled objections and had the merchant and the magistrate of Dongyuan County executed. He reported to the emperor that they had defied the court's laws, defaulted on wages, and committed murder. He also confiscated their property, selling the women into slavery and sending the men to the army.

The officials in the court were shocked by Zhu Chuanzong's severity, even though they knew his methods.

Although Zhu Chuanzong worked hard to reform the bureaucracy, he was only the Minister of Justice, only able to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials. These officials were adept at embezzlement and fraud; unless they were caught red-handed, he couldn't touch the rest. The Ministry of

Rites was in charge of education and examinations, as well as local academies. Officials caught cheating in examinations were sentenced to immediate execution, even dismemberment. Zhu Chuanzong received a lead and arrested a presiding judge. After that, the officials became even more cautious, making it much harder to catch them. However, local academies were arbitrarily charging exorbitant tuition fees, all claiming it was mandated by the imperial court. Zhu Chuanzong, seeing the suffering of these common people, felt helpless and secretly resolved that if he could seize control of the government, he would kill all corrupt officials, no matter how high their rank.

As Zhu Chuanzong rose higher and higher in rank, his crackdown on officialdom became increasingly severe. Moreover, he showed no respect whatsoever to the imperial concubines. Hua Caiyun, fearing he would become arrogant, subtly reminded him to be more discreet.

Zhu Chuanzong was extremely pleased with himself. He recounted how obedient Consort Mei was to him, reassuring his sister-in-law, saying, "Consort Mei treats me so well. With her helping me in front of the Emperor, and the Emperor also knowing my talents, you can rest assured, sister-in-law. The atmosphere in the court is gradually improving, and the officialdom is much more transparent. Many officials are currying favor with me. I work for the people, so what do you have to worry about, sister-in-law?"

Although Hua Caiyun knew that matters between men and women were very mysterious, she was still worried about Consort Mei's behavior. After all, Consort Mei was an imperial concubine, and she was extremely intelligent. She feared that Consort Mei might be angered by Zhu Chuanzong's antics and that if she no longer loved him, she would hold a grudge. So, she found an opportunity to visit Consort Mei.

Hua Caiyun dared not speak openly about this matter, only revealing a hint of worry. Meifei, being exceptionally intelligent, immediately guessed her meaning. Meifei smiled and said, "Don't worry, Lord Zhu and I are truly in love. Even under any circumstances, I would never harm him. You're afraid that I might stop loving him and find someone new, and then harm him, aren't you? A day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness; you can rest assured about that. And I promise you, even if I no longer love him, I will not harm him. I will keep my promise to you today, no matter what

. Now you can rest assured!" Hua Caiyun was overjoyed. She knew that although Meifei was cunning and shrewd, with countless methods and a smile that concealed a dagger, she would keep such a solemn promise. She said, "How could I not believe you? As women, even if we don't help our lovers, why would we harm them!"

The two looked at each other and smiled.

Zhu Chuanzong was doing his utmost to crack down on corrupt officials, but he encountered great resistance. Although no one openly opposed him, the passive treatment he received greatly displeased him. These people were all high-ranking officials, and there was nothing they could do. Some cases, when traced back to their source, even involved princes and dukes, so they were usually left unresolved, which greatly frustrated him.

One day, Zhu Chuanzong investigated a gold mine case. It was said that someone was illegally mining gold in a county, polluting the water and making it undrinkable. Zhu Chuanzong sent people to investigate and found out that the Fourth Prince was the mastermind behind it. He wanted to report to the Emperor, so he asked Consort Mei to sound out the Emperor's opinion. However, Consort Mei said, "The Emperor hasn't even decided on the Crown Prince yet. Why would you offend a prince? If he comes to power in the future, how will you continue to be an official? I will support you no matter who you side with, but offending a prince is absolutely out of the question."

Zhu Chuanzong was very frustrated. When he returned home, he took his anger out on the three maids, Qiuyue, Chunfeng, and Xiayu.

Three maids entered the room. Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed to see that each of them was as beautiful as a flower, fragrant and graceful, their faces radiant with beauty. His worries vanished.

The three girls had rosy cheeks, dark complexions, cherry lips, and captivating eyebrows. The more Zhu Chuanzong looked at them, the more he loved them. He ordered the three girls to undress themselves and then bend over on the ground. This wasn't the first time the three girls had been played with like this, and besides, they were with their beloved lovers, so they all willingly raised their snowy buttocks high.

Zhu Chuanzong looked at the three girls from behind, then roughly teased their tender petals with his toes.

The three women, unable to withstand his teasing, blushed and moaned incessantly. Zhu Chuanzong took his enormous jade rod and thrust it into each of them from behind, saying, "Whoever begs me, I'll thrust into her more." The

three women, unable to endure it, soon knelt before his rod, their voices soft and sweet.

Zhu Chuanzong, smug and pleased with himself, was extremely happy.

That day, after several years of warfare, Wang Dingli led his army to a great victory over the Western Liao Kingdom and returned to the capital. Wang Dingli's merits were immense, and he was appointed general, enjoying unparalleled prestige.

Zhu Chuanzong and Wang Dingli, having not seen each other for a long time, greeted each other warmly, drinking heartily and recounting their experiences over the past few years. Both sighed with regret. As they drank until late into the night, Wang Dingli lamented, "With our army's strength, destroying the Western Liao Kingdom would have been a piece of cake, yet the Emperor ordered a halt to the attack. It's truly perplexing."

Zhu Chuanzong sighed, "I also supported your plan to destroy the Western Liao Kingdom, but that's why I've never been the Emperor's most favored minister!"

Wang Dingli stared in disbelief, "I don't understand either."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "This was Prime Minister Pang Laixiao's idea. He advocated keeping the Western Liao Kingdom alive, saying it would benefit the people of the country. Because if corrupt officials make the people suffer, the court can claim it's because of foreign enemies that the people can't eat. When the people hear the list of soldiers who died on the border and the Western Liao people raping our women, they'll be furious, thinking that the chaos in the world is all the fault of the Western Liao Kingdom."

Wang Dingli exclaimed in amazement, "Brilliant, truly brilliant! Such foresight is beyond our reach. No wonder we can't destroy the Western Liao Kingdom. If we had, we would have no excuse to govern the people. We could just blame everything on the Western Liao Kingdom and be done with it. It's indeed a good idea."

Zhu Chuanzong nodded repeatedly, saying, "Compared to our country, the Western Liao Kingdom is just a small country, yet it has been able to contend with our dynasty for so many years. That's the reason."

The two sighed deeply, thinking of how the people were unaware of the truth and suffered so much deception.

The next day, Zhu Chuanzong was to attend the morning court session. He had been drunk the night before, so Nuanyun had to accompany him in the carriage. Zhu Chuanzong woke up in the carriage and, seeing Nuanyun's delicate, white hands and bright red lips, his manhood stirred. He said to Nuanyun, "Good sister, we haven't played together for days. Give it to me today!"

Nuanyun glared at him and said, "My little darling, how can I do that here?"

Zhu Chuanzong pointed to his crotch and said, "It can't wait."

Nuanyun covered her mouth and laughed, "Think of a way yourself."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Then I'll think of..." "Will you agree to my method or not?"

Nuanyun rolled her eyes at him and said, "Anyway, we can't take off our clothes here."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Fine, I won't take them off then. I'll borrow your cherry-like mouth for a bit."

Nuanyun initially refused, but couldn't resist Zhu Chuanzong's pleading, so she loosened his belt, took out his hard, hot white jade whip, first licked the glans with her tongue, then teased the urethral opening with the tip of her tongue, opened her small mouth and slowly took half of it in, beginning to swallow and suck. Her left hand held the other half of the jade rod, and her right slender fingers played with his scrotum, teasing his two little testicles.

Zhu Chuanzong only felt that the small mouth was tight and wet, which had a different flavor compared to the vagina. He watched the beauty playing the flute, and heard the laughter of the passersby outside. He felt a surge of pleasure. Nuanyun gave his glans a few deep throats, her throat clamping the glans. Zhu Chuanzong finally ejaculated with a feeling of pleasure.

Nuanyun swallowed the semen, quickly tidied Zhu Chuanzong's clothes, and sent him into the palace hall.

Chapter Seven: The Scandal Exposed.

Zhu Chuanzong rectified officialdom, executing a number of corrupt officials, which drastically changed the atmosphere of the court. Officials were all in fear and dared not be excessively corrupt. He also recommended virtuous and capable officials, and Emperor Mingzong approved all his recommendations. Although he was the Minister of Justice, a rank lower than Pang Laixiao, the emperor's favor towards him made him more powerful and influential than Pang Laixiao, making him virtually the most important minister in the land, second only to the emperor.

Zhu Chuanzong was young, hated evil, and held a high position of power. Naturally, some upright officials gathered around him. Even those who resented him came to curry favor with him. In this way, even if Zhu Chuanzong did not want to form cliques, he gradually gathered a group of capable assistants.

Pang Laixiao had initially believed that with Li Yiheng's death, the throne would be his. However, Zhu Chuanzong suddenly appeared, rising rapidly through the ranks in just a few years. Moreover, seeing Consort Mei's unparalleled favor towards him, she grew increasingly cold towards him, fueling Pang Laixiao's resentment.

Originally, Pang Laixiao had collected rare stones from across the land to please Consort Mei, and the two had a harmonious relationship, mutually exploiting each other. However, one day Pang Laixiao found a rare stone called "Like a Painting of Rivers and Mountains," a naturally formed ink-wash landscape painting on a dark green stone, extremely precious and priceless. Consort Mei was captivated by it, admiring it intently. Just then, a palace maid announced that Zhu Chuanzong had arrived to pay his respects. Overjoyed, she immediately dropped the stone and rushed to greet Zhu Chuanzong. This completely thwarted Pang Laixiao's attempts to curry favor with Consort Mei and compete with Zhu Chuanzong for her affections. Consort Mei no longer even loved the stone; she was completely infatuated with him, demonstrating that no amount of flattery would be effective.

Pang Laixiao was utterly baffled by Consort Mei's change in behavior. Finally, he spent a fortune planting spies throughout the palace to uncover the truth: Zhu Chuanzong was a fake eunuch, having an affair with Consort Mei. Consort Mei, deeply in love, naturally treated him differently.

Pang Laixiao was initially unsure, until one of his subordinates learned of a relative of the Zhu family, Zhu Dalong, a notorious womanizer who coveted the Zhu family's wealth. Pang Laixiao bribed Zhu Dalong and obtained concrete information from him, finally revealing the truth. After weighing his options, he decided to eliminate Zhu Chuanzong, a thorn in his side, and expose their affair. As for Consort Mei, she was merely a woman being used; now that he could no longer help her, he was willing to sacrifice her as well.

Pang Laixiao harbored malicious intentions and was scheming, yet outwardly he appeared upright and honest, diligently performing his duties. The common people and some officials, unaware of the truth, praised him highly. The court and the public alike lauded the two upright ministers, Pang Laixiao and Zhu Chuanzong, believing that having such pillars of the state was a blessing for the nation, a once-in-a-century stroke of good fortune.

While winning people's hearts, Pang Laixiao secretly plotted against Zhu Chuanzong. One day, he spent a large sum of money to bribe his spy, Chief Eunuch Fei, who had planted a spy in the palace, to inform him that everything was arranged. Pang Laixiao was overjoyed, thinking, "Zhu Chuanzong, I don't believe you won't die this time. From now on, there will be no one in the court who can rival me! The Emperor is getting older every day; he won't live much longer, hehe..."

He immediately went to see the Emperor with Chief Eunuch Fei.

Zhu Chuanzong, unaware of the impending doom, continued his clandestine meetings with Consort Mei in the palace as if they were commonplace. After their lovemaking, the two dressed. Normally, Zhu Chuanzong would have taken half an hour, but because Shui Ling'er had visited the day before, he was a little tired. After a while, they embraced and whispered sweet nothings.

As they were playfully teasing each other, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a group of people rushed in. The guards and eunuchs parted to the sides, revealing a stern old man with an angry face in the center—Emperor Mingzong.

Zhu Chuanzong was horrified, thinking, "Shouldn't His Majesty be inspecting the Imperial Guards in the capital today? Has word leaked out? This is bad!"

When he saw Pang Laixiao behind the Emperor looking at him sternly, and Ruyi, the trusted maidservant sent by Consort Mei to keep watch at the door, her mouth gagged with a handkerchief, he panicked even more, his heart pounding with fear.

Emperor Mingzong was furious. Seeing the two, though fully dressed, in such intimate poses, with Consort Mei's face flushed and radiant like a bride, he turned pale with rage and roared, "How dare you! Zhu Chuanzong, I have treated you well, yet you dare betray me! I will exterminate your entire clan!"

Although Zhu Chuanzong was startled, his years of experience allowed him to quickly regain his composure after a brief moment of reflection. He knelt and kowtowed, saying, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty..." "Your Majesty," said Consort Mei, "I was ordered to enter the palace to help Your Highness with your weight loss and beauty treatments. I don't know what crime I have committed to offend Your Majesty's countenance."

Consort Mei rushed to the Emperor's side, tightly embracing his arm, and said, "Your Majesty, I have already informed you about Zhu Chuanzong's adoption as my younger brother and his help with my beauty treatments. Do you doubt me? Fine, since Your Majesty doesn't believe me, there's no point in me living. I am willing to die to prove my innocence. Please, Your Majesty, issue an order to execute me!" As she spoke, she began to weep, her tears soaking her dragon robe.

Zhu Chuanzong, seeing Consort Mei's pitiful appearance, felt a pang of sympathy, and although he knew she was faking it, he felt an urge to comfort her. The Emperor, needless to say, was already softened upon seeing his beloved consort's beautiful, seemingly wronged appearance.

Moreover, both of them appeared composed, as if their innocence had been defiled, and both were deeply aggrieved. One was his most capable minister, and the other was his most favored concubine. The concubine, in particular, was in tears, looking truly pitiful, and he hesitated for a moment. He couldn't help but look at Pang Laixiao.

Pang Laixiao, observing the Emperor's expression, immediately understood his thoughts. He inwardly cursed Chief Eunuch Fei for his incompetence; the two hadn't been caught red-handed. As the saying goes, "If you can't catch them red-handed, don't admit to adultery." Their clothes were intact; would they be foolish enough to confess to adultery?

Seeing the Emperor's expression soften suddenly, Chief Eunuch Fei hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, why should a massage and beauty treatment be done in secret, or why send someone to keep watch outside? Please, Your Majesty, investigate this carefully. The Prime Minister is wise and decisive; please, Your Majesty, hear what Minister Pang has to say."

Pang Laixiao said, "In my opinion, the Empress has always been of dignified character and renowned throughout the palace. Please, Your Majesty, reconsider. Perhaps Chief Eunuch Fei has misunderstood this time. Although Chief Eunuch Fei is commendable for his loyalty to Your Majesty, he has been too reckless."

Chief Eunuch Fei was greatly surprised and said, "Minister Pang, you are always

wise; how can you say such a thing?" He had already discussed this with Pang Laixiao; otherwise, how could he, a mere chief eunuch, have dared to expose such a major matter? He was also a cunning and shrewd man, and seeing Pang Laixiao turn to protect Consort Mei, he dared not expose him.

Seeing that someone was protecting her and the situation had taken a turn for the better, Consort Mei burst into tears again, throwing herself into the Emperor's arms and threatening suicide. Finally, Emperor Mingzong was furious and immediately threw Chief Eunuch Fei out, giving him twenty strokes of the cane. The commotion was thus averted.

Pang Laixiao was both angry and resentful, yet helpless. He secretly sighed, thankful that he had been shrewd enough not to intervene personally; otherwise, if Consort Mei had found out that he had slandered her before the Emperor, he would have been in deep trouble.

Consort Mei and Zhu Chuanzong were also quite shaken by this incident and behaved themselves for a few days. However, lovers in the throes of passion often disregard such matters, and after a few days, seeing the calm, their passion rekindled.

Consort Mei had weathered many storms in the palace. Although she knew many were jealous of her and that things were very dangerous, such scandalous affairs were common in the palace. As long as she carefully deceived them, she would generally be safe.

Firstly, such royal secrets were off-limits to the Emperor; even if she were removed from power, those who reported her would likely suffer no benefit. How could the Emperor allow someone who knew his shameful secrets to live? Secondly, given her favor with the Emperor, those who opposed her had already been severely punished; who would dare to offend her again? Thirdly, with Pang Laixiao's intervention, she framed Chief Eunuch Fei, leading to his execution, thus convincing herself that no one dared oppose her anymore.

Initially, Consort Mei and Zhu Chuanzong were cautious, but seeing no one dared disobey them, they gradually became unrestrained, their behavior escalating to a point of debauchery. Zhu Chuanzong reveled in the emperor's life, serving as his subject in court but enjoying imperial treatment within the palace—a truly blissful and unrestrained existence.

After this incident, although such scandals concerned royal secrets and no one dared to spread them, Hua Caiyun still received word of it. That day, she personally went to see Xue Jinxian, told her what had happened, and asked her to persuade Zhu Chuanzong to pull back from the brink, sever ties with Consort Mei, and for the sake of the Zhu family, his wife, and his sisters, to never provoke Consort Mei again.

Xue Jinxian sighed, "Sister-in-law is a shrewd woman. Even with your position in his heart, you can't persuade him. You know it's useless to try, so why bother sending me?"

Hua Caiyun said, "But you are, after all, his wife. He'll listen to you. Besides, you're incredibly intelligent and well-educated. If you're willing to think of a way, you'll definitely come up with something."

Xue Jinxian said, "He's my husband. I understand his temperament. If I could find a way to make him break off his relationship with Consort Mei, I could do it. But have you thought about it, sister-in-law? Consort Mei is the Emperor's most favored woman. She can wield immense power in the palace. What kind of person is she? The palace is the most cruel and treacherous place in the world. If she can still wield such power and rise above others, her wisdom, talent, and ruthlessness are beyond our reach! Right now, she's treated us well and hasn't harmed us out of jealousy. We should be grateful. But if we push her too far and make her leave her husband, what will she do to me?" "If they attack, how could we possibly be a match for them?"

Hua Caiyun broke out in a cold sweat. Recalling the ruthless methods Consort Zhang Duanyi used against her enemies, she greatly admired Xue Jinxian and said, "It's such a pity you're not good enough. If you were a man, you could definitely become a high-ranking official. But are we just going to sit idly by now? What will we do if something happens in the future?"

Xue Jinxian sneered, "Everything is predestined. Look at any family that can be powerful for a hundred years. The Zhu family has been able to command the wind and rain for decades, which is already an anomaly. What more do you want, sister-in-law?"

Hua Caiyun was stunned and sighed, "I finally understand why you were so unwilling to come to the Zhu family. It turns out you were leaving yourself a way out."

Xue Jinxian said, "Since you know, sister-in-law, I don't need to teach you anymore."

Hua Caiyun nodded helplessly, but she was still unwilling to give up. Together with Zhu Shuiyue, she taught Zhu Chuanzong a lesson, telling him to make plans early and not to play with fire anymore. Zhu Chuanzong listened for a few days at first, but after a while, he forgot about it again.

Zhu Chuanzong was surrounded by beautiful women and wielded immense power in the court, cracking down on corrupt officials. He was riding high. With absolute power, his actions were unchecked, and everyone fawned over him. Even the princes treated him with extraordinary respect, wishing they could be his sworn brothers, especially since the emperor had deposed the crown prince and hadn't appointed another. Zhu Chuanzong

and the eldest prince, Tang Zhi, were practically friends, but Tang Zhi was of humble origin, had little power, and held the lowest position in the emperor's eyes. He was utterly powerless to help Tang Zhi.

One day, after drinking with Tang Zhi, Consort Mei invited him to a secret meeting. They agreed to meet in a secluded pavilion in the imperial garden.

When Zhu Chuanzong arrived, he saw Consort Mei standing with her back to the pavilion, her figure graceful and alluring. His heart fluttered, and he tiptoed over, embracing her from behind.

Consort Mei exclaimed "Ah!" and turned to see Zhu Chuanzong. She sighed, "What are you doing, so clumsy?"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed, "I only have clumsy hands, not feet. Why don't we find a place to be clumsy?"

Consort Mei's pretty face flushed slightly, her alluring eyes sparkling. She rolled her eyes and said, "It's only been a few days, and you're already so impatient. His Majesty isn't busy these days and often comes to see me. You'll have to wait a few days!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Alright, there's plenty of time. There's no rush."

The two clasped hands, smiled at each other, and were deeply in love when suddenly a furious voice rang out, "Plenty of time, indeed!"

The two were startled. A figure emerged from behind the rocks by the pavilion—Emperor Mingzong. They had no idea when this dignified emperor had hidden there.

He was pale with anger, his lips trembling, pointing at Zhu Chuanzong and Consort Mei, speechless for a moment! It seemed he had overheard their conversation.

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "This is it!"

He could deny it when Emperor Mingzong caught him in the act last time. But this time, he was caught red-handed, and no matter how much he thought, he was speechless. Consort Mei's hand was still being held by him, and she forgot to let go, her delicate body trembling with fear.

The Emperor roared, "You two adulterers, how dare you be so rebellious! You've enraged me! I will exterminate your entire family, I will tear you to pieces!"

Thinking of how much he valued Zhu Chuanzong and how much he favored Consort Mei, yet he had suffered such a great humiliation, Emperor Mingzong's anger rose higher and higher, almost suffocating him. He shouted, "Guards! Guards!"

Emperor Mingzong, recalling the scene of Consort Mei and Zhu Chuanzong embracing intimately, shoved Consort Mei to the ground, then stamped his foot and roared, "Throw this disgraceful woman into the Cold Palace! Take Zhu Chuanzong to the Imperial Prison!"

Zhu Chuanzong, as the Minister of Justice, had interrogated prisoners at the Imperial Prison many times, and the jailers all knew him. Seeing him suddenly brought in by palace guards and immediately locked in the death row, forbidden to ordinary people, they were all astonished.

Several jailers on duty sat outside the cell and whispered among themselves. A young jailer said, "The Zhu family is very powerful, and Lord Zhu is an honest official. He was even commended by the Emperor a few days ago. How could he be convicted today? What crime did he commit?"

An elderly jailer sighed, "Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger! Something must have disobeyed His Majesty's wishes."

A thin, shrewd jailer chimed in, "What do you know! I heard that Lord Zhu and Prime Minister Pang are at odds, often arguing in court. This time, Prime Minister Pang must have found a pretext to bring him down."

The young jailer retorted angrily, "Prime Minister Pang eliminates dissidents; everyone knows this except the common people! We finally have an honest official like Lord Zhu, and His Majesty listens to slander! He's utterly foolish!"

The elderly jailer quickly covered his mouth, glanced cautiously around, and whispered, "Are you out of your mind? How can we control this? If Prime Minister Pang finds out, we're all finished."

No one dared speak further, but out of respect for Zhu Chuanzong, they tried their best to provide for his needs. Zhu Chuanzong didn't suffer any real hardship.

Zhu Chuanzong sat alone in his cell, thinking, "It seems this time the odds are against me. I wonder if it will implicate my family? My sister, sister-in-law, Ling'er, and Jinxian—they must be heartbroken to know I'm in trouble. If I die, who will take care of them? Consort Mei will surely be executed by the Emperor later."

He was a celestial being descended to earth, having long since seen through life and death; death was merely returning to heaven, so he wasn't afraid. His only worry was his family and loved ones in the mortal realm. He

also thought of his banishment to the mortal world. He thought, "Didn't Laozi say I could meet the Purple Silk Fairy in the mortal realm? So many years have passed, yet I haven't even seen her. I'm about to die; I certainly won't see her again. He's a high-ranking celestial being, yet he doesn't keep his word. When I return to heaven, I must confront him."

Thinking of the Purple Silk Fairy's unparalleled beauty, his mind became hazy.

He was imprisoned for two days, but no one came to interrogate him, and no one from his family came to visit him. Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "I wonder if my grandmother and father know I'm in trouble? Will they try to save me? But with such a serious crime, it's a miracle they're not implicated; I'm afraid they can't save me."

Taking advantage of a jailer bringing him food, Zhu Chuanzong asked, "Young man, have any of my family members come to visit me? Have any officials come to interrogate me?"

The jailer shook his head and whispered, "The palace has issued a gag order; we are not allowed to reveal any information about you."

Not daring to say more, he hurriedly left.

Zhu Chuanzong suddenly understood: "The imperial concubine's affair with a minister has tarnished the royal family's reputation. Therefore, the emperor had no choice but to secretly execute the person and then find an excuse like a sudden illness to cover it up. This way, without a public charge, the family won't be implicated."

Thinking this, Zhu Chuanzong felt somewhat relieved. Sure enough,

in the middle of the night the next day, a group of palace guards arrived, their menacing aura drawing Zhu Chuanzong away.

Reaching a secluded spot, Zhu Chuanzong remained silent, closing his eyes to await death. Just as the blade was about to strike his neck, a woman's voice suddenly cried out, "Spare his life!"

The executioner groaned and collapsed limply, a cloud of smoke rising from the scene.

The smoke, combined with the darkness, threw the guards into chaos. Someone grabbed Zhu Chuanzong by the collar and whispered in his ear, "Don't make a sound, run!"

Taking advantage of the night, they escaped.

The person knew the route intimately, and the two weaved through the streets and alleys, quickly shaking off their pursuers. Entering a farmhouse, the person lit an oil lamp. Zhu Chuanzong, using its light, exclaimed in surprise and delight, "Ling'er!"

Shui Ling'er glared at him, then turned away, ignoring him.

Zhu Chuanzong stepped forward and said, "Ling'er, thank you for saving me."

Shui Ling'er retorted angrily, "Why are you thanking me? You're so audacious, you don't even want to live yourself. It was no trouble for me to save you."

Zhu Chuanzong knew she was heartbroken because of him, and felt both guilty and pity. He put his arm around her shoulder and said softly, "How could I not want to live? I couldn't bear to part with my dear Ling'er!"

Shui Ling'er said, "What am I? You're so obsessed with that concubine, how could you remember your poor sisters, how could you remember me, Shui Ling'er? Go find your concubine!"

Zhu Chuanzong smiled and said, "Are you jealous?"

He stroked her hair and said, "I did this to save my sister, and there's a reason for it."

He then recounted how He Zhixiao had used the emperor to force the Zhu family into marriage.

Shui Ling'er listened and gradually became less angry. However, he still kept a straight face and said, "Even if it's to save someone, you don't have to seduce her! Why don't you just beg her properly?"

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "This is killing two birds with one stone, of course I can't let it go."

Naturally, he didn't dare to say it out loud, but only apologized to Shui Ling'er.

Zhu Chuanzong saw that Shui Ling'er was wearing black night clothes and had a curvaceous figure. His heart stirred, and he sighed.

Shui Ling'er sighed, "I almost lost my life, what's there to sigh about?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I remember you came to assassinate me dressed like this, and now you've come to save me... Life is so unpredictable, it's truly poignant."

Shui Ling'er recalled the time they met, and a sweet feeling welled up in her heart. She said softly, "Back then I thought you were a corrupt official, but now that I know you're an honest official who stands up for the people, of course I won't kill you, I'll save you. It's not easy for the court to produce a good official; your life belongs to all the people, how can you be so careless?"

Zhu Chuanzong pretended to be displeased and said, "So you came to save me because I'm an honest official?"

Shui Ling'er blushed and whispered, "Who told you to be my husband?"

Zhu Chuanzong laughed heartily.

After talking for a while, Zhu Chuanzong remembered something and asked, "Does my family know about this? Has the Emperor punished the Zhu family?"

Shui Ling'er shook her head and said, "You went to the palace the day before yesterday and didn't come back. The palace blocked your news, so the family was in a panic. But the Emperor doesn't allow the Zhu family to enter the palace, so there was nothing we could do. My sister-in-law came to me privately, saying that she was afraid your affair with Consort Mei would be exposed, and asked me to sneak in and find out. Luckily, as soon as I came in, I ran into the guards who were ordered to kill you. I followed behind them and rescued you."

Only Hua Caiyun vaguely knew about Zhu Chuanzong's affair with Consort Mei. Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "My sister-in-law is shrewd and decisive; otherwise, I would truly be dead."

But then he thought again and sighed, "Even if you save me today, the Emperor can't kill me, but he certainly won't let the Zhu family go. I still can't escape."

Shui Ling'er said, "My sister-in-law instructed that you tell the family as soon as you find out anything. I'll tell her now. You wait for me here."

05-15

Chapter Eight Joint Trial

After midnight, Shui Ling'er returned, followed by a sedan chair. Zhu Chuanzong hid in the sedan chair and returned to the Zhu residence under the cover of night.

The Old Madam and Zhu Youji and his wife were waiting in a secret room. Zhu Youji asked bluntly, "You wretched child, what have you done to cause such a disaster?"

Zhu Chuanzong dared not say that he had an affair with Consort Mei, only that he was ordered to massage and beautify Consort Mei and was slandered and plotted against by Pang Laixiao. Zhu Youji scolded, "I told you not to oppose Pang Laixiao, but you wouldn't listen. Now you've caused a huge disaster. Who can save you?"

Madam Zhu didn't dare to persuade her, but only lowered her head and wept. The old lady, however, remained calm. After thinking for a while, she sneered and said, "Grandfather risked his life to save the late emperor, and that's how the Great Liang Kingdom came to be. Now the emperor actually wants to extinguish the Zhu family's lineage. The Zhu family is not to be trifled with."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Grandmother, your grandson is unfilial and can no longer serve you. I will go and turn myself in now, so that the emperor can sentence me to death, so as not to implicate the Zhu family."

The old lady held Zhu Chuanzong's head, tears streaming down her face, and said, "My dear grandson, if you die, the Zhu family will have no descendants. How can I face my ancestors? I went to the palace to see the emperor this morning and have him publicly try your case. You can't let my grandson be wrongly accused like this."

Zhu Youji hesitated, "Mother, if we hold a public trial and find Bao'er guilty, the Zhu family might not be able to survive."

The old lady retorted angrily, "Even if the family line ends, the Zhu family won't survive. Besides, if we just admit it, do you think the Emperor will let the Zhu family off? He'll find another excuse to punish them later. Today, I'll get to the bottom of this and clear my grandson's name. I'll risk my old life for it!"

Zhu Chuanzong was moved and wanted to tell the truth, but then he remembered what the old lady had said: if the case wasn't overturned now, the Zhu family would be doomed. Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "Everyone knows I'm a eunuch, and I can control my reactions. As long as Consort Mei doesn't say anything, no one can convict me." The old

lady put on the official robes of a Lady of the Imperial Decree bestowed upon her by the late Emperor early that morning and stormed into the palace.

The old lady's actions were no small matter. Emperor Mingzong had originally intended to cover up the matter secretly, but the old lady's arrival in the palace brought it to the forefront.

In truth, the palace was a place of utter debauchery. Of the supposed three thousand beauties in the harem, the emperor could only truly favor a few dozen. The palace maids, lonely and beautiful, inevitably had secret affairs with eunuchs and guards, engaging in forbidden acts—a fact Emperor Mingzong was well aware of.

If it were a mere eunuch, guard, or minor official, Mingzong could simply execute him with a word. However, Zhu Chuanzong's status was extraordinary. Not only was the Zhu family a powerful clan, but the Dowager Empress, as the emperor's wet nurse, held a position of great prestige in the palace. Since she had personally come to him, the emperor could not afford to be careless.

On the other hand, if it were an ordinary palace maid, or even a concubine of low status, Mingzong wouldn't have paid much attention. But this Consort Mei was his favorite woman in recent years; Emperor Mingzong favored her immensely, to the point of blindly following her every word. Therefore, knowing of her affair with a minister caused his fury. Yet, he also hesitated; if he wronged his beloved consort, it would be too late for regrets.

Thus, Emperor Mingzong, wanting to get to the bottom of things, broke with the usual practice of handling palace affairs in secret and decided to thoroughly investigate this case.

Emperor Mingzong even issued an imperial edict, ordering Zhu Chuanzong to be temporarily imprisoned in the Imperial Prison to await trial, with the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate conducting a joint trial—a truly unprecedented case.

Although it was to be a public trial, the matter was too sensitive to be openly discussed. A courtroom was set up in the Imperial Prison, and the proceedings were conducted in secrecy.

Zhu Chuanzong was brought to the courtroom, where he found the atmosphere solemn and dignified, with the bailiffs on either side looking menacing. Seated side-by-side in the center were three officials: Mo Jiangli, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; Huang Tianyou, the Right Censor-in-Chief; and his subordinate, Zeng Huaishun, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Chuanzong inwardly groaned. Huang Tianyou was alright; he was always upright, and although he and Zhu Chuanzong only had official dealings, they were always considered to be on the same side. However, as the deputy judge, his influence was limited. But the other two presiding judges were his mortal enemies. He thought to himself, "This case is probably going to be difficult to overturn."

It turned out that Zeng Huaishun and Mo Jiangli were both henchmen of Pang Laishun, and both were notorious for their corruption and bribery. The common people called Zeng Huaishun "Zeng the Scoundrel" and Mo Jiangli "Mo the Reasonable," which showed how bad they were as officials.

Mo Jiangli slammed his gavel and asked in a deep voice, "Zhu Chuanzong, you are incredibly audacious, committing adultery in the palace. The evidence is irrefutable. Confess now!"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I am innocent. Everyone knows I am a eunuch. How could I have an affair with the Empress? Please, Your Honor, investigate thoroughly."

Zeng Huaishun said, "Who can prove whether you are a eunuch or not? Perhaps you have been cured? Lord Zhu, we are fellow officials and have a long-standing friendship. I guarantee that as long as you confess truthfully, I will plead with the Emperor at all costs to spare your life."

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "This guy is up to his old tricks again. If I confess, he'll probably beg the Emperor to execute my entire family!"

He kowtowed and said, "Whether I am a eunuch or not, Your Honor can have a physician diagnose me!"

Huang Tianyou thought this made sense, but Mo Jiangli and Zeng Huaishun were determined to convict Zhu Chuanzong and wouldn't give him any chance to turn the tables, so they prevented them from calling a physician.

Huang Tianyou, facing two opponents, was helpless. He devised a plan and deliberately asked, "That's right, you, an outsider, are able to enter and leave the palace and even become acquainted with the imperial concubine. There must be something going on. Do you have any accomplices? Confess quickly!"

He then glanced at the two men beside him.

Huang Tianyou was straightforward and had grudges against both Mo Jiangli and Zeng Huaishun. Upon hearing this, the two men, fearing Huang Tianyou would use this opportunity to implicate them with Zhu Chuanzong and frame them, immediately panicked and quickly stopped him.

Zeng Huaishun immediately ordered someone to summon doctors, and after thinking for a moment, specifically instructed that several be summoned from the Imperial Hospital and the common people.

Several renowned doctors, along with the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital, examined Zhu Chuanzong for a long time, but Zhu Chuanzong showed no reaction. After a brief discussion, they reported in unison, "Your Excellency, Zhu Chuanzong is indeed a castrated man, unable to have sexual intercourse."

Mo Jiangli and the other man exchanged bewildered glances, speechless. Huang Tianyou nodded to himself. He had always admired Zhu Chuanzong's integrity and believed that Zhu Chuanzong had been framed by Pang Laixiao. Now, after seeing the doctor's diagnosis, he was even more certain and determined to help Zhu Chuanzong escape punishment.

Mo Jiangli and his companion were at a loss; no matter how they threatened or bribed him, Zhu Chuanzong remained adamant in his denial. They privately suggested using torture. Huang Tianyou firmly opposed this, saying it would be a forced confession and that if they dared to do so, he would petition the Emperor. Mo Jiangli and his companion had no choice but to adjourn the court.

They went back to Pang Laixiao and told him what had happened. Pang Laixiao found a pretext to send Huang Tianyou away. When the court convened for the second time, Huang Tianyou was not present, leaving only Mo Jiangli and Zeng Huaishun as the two presiding judges.

Without Huang Tianyou by their side, the two became increasingly arrogant. After several questions, Zhu Chuanzong refused to confess, insisting that he was a eunuch. Mo Jiangli grew anxious and roared, "I don't care if you're a eunuch or not! Guards, give him the severe torture! I refuse to believe you won't confess!"

Zhu Chuanzong retorted arrogantly, "I am a second-rank official of the court. There is a law in this dynasty that prohibits torture of high-ranking officials. Does Your Excellency intend to extract a

confession through torture?" He then sneered, "Leave some room for maneuver, so you can meet again in the future. My Zhu family is not to be trifled with. Are you not afraid of the calamity of having your entire family executed in the future?"

Zhu Chuanzong's words were barbed, startling Mo Jiangli. Although he had extracted confessions through torture countless times before, Zhu Chuanzong was no ordinary man. The Zhu family was wealthy and powerful, with extensive connections, and their influence far surpassed that of Mo Jiangli, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. If he failed to bring down the Zhu family this time, he would be in serious trouble. Moreover, Zhu Chuanzong held a high position and could not be tortured.

He looked at Zeng Huaishun questioningly. Zeng Huaishun said, "If Your Excellency says to torture, then torture him."

He himself refused to express his opinion. Mo Jiangli said, "You expect me to take the blame for offending someone? I'm not stupid!"

He waved his hand and said, "Then take him away first."

Zhu Chuanzong turned and left. As he reached the door, he vaguely heard Zeng Huaishun say, "We can't torture Zhu Chuanzong, but we can torture his servants. As long as the maids who serve him confess to having affairs with their master, wouldn't that prove he's capable of sexual intercourse?"

Zhu Chuanzong was shocked to hear this, thinking, "This is terrible! I've already deflowered Nuanyun and the others; a simple investigation will reveal the truth. They're delicate and weak; they certainly can't withstand torture. What should I do?"

He returned to the cell, anxious and helpless.

Three days passed, and no one came to interrogate him again. On the fourth day, the yamen runner who delivered the food and drink placed the food and drink on the ground, but instead of turning away as usual, he called out softly, "Bao'er."

Zhu Chuanzong recognized the voice, looked up for a moment, and exclaimed in surprise, "Sister-in-law!"

It turned out that Hua Caiyun had bribed the jailer, smeared her face with straw ash, dressed in a uniform, and disguised herself as a jailer to visit Zhu Chuanzong.

Zhu Chuanzong was so moved by her willingness to risk danger for him that he was speechless.

Hua Caiyun, disregarding her grief, said anxiously in a low voice, "Nuanyun, Xiaoyu, and the other maids were all arrested and imprisoned a few days ago. I heard that they were severely tortured and have confessed that they had affairs with you. Bao'er, what should we do now? It's all your fault for being so lustful and taking advantage of them. If you are punished, I...we will..."

Zhu Chuanzong was also somewhat regretful and helpless, and could only comfort her. After a while, he had a sudden thought and asked, "Xiaoyu was also tortured and confessed?"

Hua Caiyun nodded and said, "She confessed."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "But I didn't take advantage of Xiaoyu. She's still a virgin!"

Hua Caiyun didn't understand: "Impossible, right? Xiaoyu is so beautiful, wouldn't you just leave her by your side?"

Zhu Chuanzong blushed and said, "I did try twice, but she slapped me away both times."

Hua Caiyun suddenly had a bright idea and said, "I have an idea."

After discussing it for a while, Hua Caiyun pretended to be a jailer and quietly left.

That night, the Zhu family secretly sent someone to invite Wu Siyuan over, and they discussed the matter all night. The next day, Zhu Youji personally visited Huang Tianyou again.

When the court session resumed, Huang Tianyou, contrary to his usual behavior, began to fabricate charges against Zhu Chuanzong, clearly intending to pin a charge of treason on him.

Mo Jiangli and his companion were initially puzzled, but later thought, "It seems that Huang, seeing the Zhu family is about to fall, has finally realized he's going to kick them while they're down."

For them, the bigger the charge against Zhu Chuanzong, the better. If they could truly convict him of treason, then all the ministers of the Zhu family's faction would be implicated, and the court would then be entirely under the control of their

faction, Pang Laixiao's. This thought was exactly what they wanted. They answered Huang Tianyou's every word, and before long, Zhu Chuanzong was indeed convicted of treason. Moreover, the confession listed all the ministers close to the Zhu family, a densely packed list that filled a long page.

Having presented their confession to the Emperor, Mo Jiangli and his companion were smug and rushed to Pang Laixiao to boast of their success.

Pang Laixiao, initially puzzled, pondered for a moment before his expression suddenly changed, and he roared, "You two idiots! You've ruined my grand plan! I'm furious!"

Mo Jiangli and his companion dared not retort, and, bewildered by the insult, were stunned.

Pang Laixiao sighed in exasperation, saying, "You two idiots! Don't you realize that most of the officials in court are my cronies? Only the Zhu family faction can barely stand against me. Now, you've listed all the ministers from that faction in your confession. Anyone with eyes can see that I'm eliminating dissidents! The Emperor is so shrewd, a master of balancing power; how could he allow me to become too powerful? This charge of corrupting the palace was enough to condemn Zhu Chuanzong to death, but your superfluous actions have only made things worse."

Mo Jiangli and his companion, as if waking from a dream, were filled with regret and repeatedly begged for forgiveness. Zeng Huaishun flattered, "We are dull-witted, but the Prime Minister's wisdom is superb! The Prime Minister is truly a genius!"

Mo Jiangli also joined in the flattery.

After hearing a few words of praise, Pang Laixiao's anger gradually subsided. These two were his confidants, and he couldn't do anything to them. He waved his hand and said, "It's not entirely your fault. Such a scheme is not something an ordinary person could come up with. The Zhu family has a mastermind behind them! After the Emperor reads the confession, I will think of a way to deal with it."

Pang Laixiao was not wrong; this plan was indeed devised by Wu Siyuan himself. After Hua Caiyun secretly met with Zhu Chuanzong, she found a flaw in the case and asked Wu Siyuan to discuss it. Wu Siyuan felt that this one flaw alone would not shake the Emperor's decision, so he simply decided to put the matter to the test and devised this strategy of retreating to advance.

After reading the confession, Emperor Mingzong indeed had doubts and was unwilling to punish Zhu Chuanzong immediately. After hesitating for a long time, he sent someone to the Zhu family to invite the old lady to the palace.

The Dowager Empress entered the palace without bowing, directly asking, "Your Majesty, is there any progress in my grandson's case? Has his innocence been proven?"

The Dowager Empress was Emperor Mingzong's wet nurse; he had been raised on her milk and was, in name, her infant. Therefore, she held a position of high esteem and was not required to kowtow to the Emperor. Emperor Mingzong

replied amiably, "Dowager Empress, you repeatedly claimed that Zhu Chuanzong was a eunuch and had been wronged. Now it has been verified that all of Zhu Chuanzong's maids had had sexual relations with him, proving that I am not wrong."

The Dowager Empress took the confessions and saw that they indeed bore the signatures of Nuanyun, Xiaoyu, and Siji, all admitting to having affairs with Zhu Chuanzong. There were also many other charges, claiming that Zhu Chuanzong had colluded with his cronies and plotted a rebellion. The old lady sneered, saying, "Your Majesty suspects the Zhu family of disloyalty? Then go ahead and execute our entire family. I have nothing more to say."

Emperor Mingzong laughed, "How could I possibly suspect the Zhu family? How could I not know their loyalty? This is merely Zhu Chuanzong's own lechery and immorality; it has nothing to do with the Zhu family. I will only punish him; I will not implicate others."

The old lady shook her head, saying, "Your Majesty may punish us for treason. But we will never admit to my grandson's adultery."

Emperor Mingzong said, "The confession is here. What else does Your Majesty have to say?"

The old lady said, "I know all too well the sordid affairs of prison. After several rounds of torture, even the greatest injustice will be..." "If she confesses, I don't think this confession counts."

Emperor Mingzong's face darkened. "I have repeatedly stated that torture must not be used to extract confessions. Isn't this just sophistry, Old Madam?"

The Old Madam said, "These maids and servants do some shameful things, so it's not surprising that they've lost their virginity. Xiao Yu, however, is someone I watched grow up and loves the most. She has always been chaste and virtuous. This confession was clearly obtained through torture. I'll make a bet with Your Majesty: Xiao Yu is still a virgin. If she has lost her virginity, I won't complain even if you confiscate the entire Zhu family's property, let alone my grandson."

Emperor Mingzong nodded and said, "It's a deal."

There were old palace maids in the palace who could examine women's bodies. Emperor Mingzong ordered Xiao Yu to be brought in for a thorough examination. The old palace maids examined her for a long time and all determined that Xiao Yu was still a virgin.

Emperor Mingzong looked at the results of the examination and was speechless for a moment.

Seeing Xiao Yu kneeling pitifully on the ground, he asked, "Since you have no affair with Zhu Chuanzong, why did you confess? Do you know this is a crime of deceiving the emperor?"

Xiao Yu pouted, and tears began to fall like broken beads. She sobbed, "Those high-ranking officials and soldiers wouldn't let us speak. The confessions were all pre-written. If we didn't confess, they would torture us. I couldn't bear it, so I had to confess. Your Majesty, please do justice for us!"

As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves to show the emperor the scars on her arms.

Sure enough, her delicate, lotus-root-like arms were covered with scars, some from whipping, some from being pinched with a clamp, a truly gruesome sight.

The old matriarch watched as Xiao Yu sobbed and complained, growing more and more satisfied. She thought, "This little girl is truly clever. Her words are even better than what I taught her the other day. She's so endearing! And so quick-witted; I'll have to cherish her in the future. Hmm, she'll be my grandson's concubine. It's settled then."

While the old matriarch was happily choosing a wife for her grandson, Emperor Mingzong couldn't sit still. A ruler's word is law; he had just assured her the investigation was fair, and Xiao Yu's affair was like a slap in the face. He ordered Xiao Yu taken away, then looked at the matriarch with a bitter smile, speechless.

The old matriarch sneered, saying, "As expected, someone is trying to confuse right and wrong, determined to destroy the Zhu family. Your Majesty, our Zhu family is loyal to the court, and to be framed like this is truly disheartening. We beg Your Majesty to make the decision."

With that, she returned to her residence.

Emperor Mingzong stood there for a long time, his own suspicions growing. He thought to himself, "Could it really be that Pang Laixiao took advantage of the situation to abuse his power and frame Zhu Chuanzong?"

After thinking it over, he sent someone to summon Pang Laixiao, intending to investigate him personally.

Pang Laixiao had already devised a plan. Upon entering, he knelt on the ground, crawled to Emperor Mingzong's side, and wept bitterly, saying, "Your Majesty, this Zhu Chuanzong is incredibly cunning! He bribed Huang Tianyou, implicated him in a rebellion, and made it seem as if I had framed him, hoping to seize power and divert attention to get Your Majesty to spare him. I am utterly loyal and have no selfish motives. Your Majesty

, please see the truth!" Pang Laixiao appeared honest and was adept at flattering Emperor Mingzong. Emperor Mingzong had always considered him a loyal minister, and now that he had confessed upon entering, his doubts vanished.

He helped Pang Laixiao up and explained the matter of Xiao Yu, saying, "Now that we have evidence of a tortured confession, the Zhu family will surely object. I have no way to punish Zhu Chuanzong." Pang

Laixiao was stunned. He hadn't expected that even the seemingly indisputable affair involving Zhu Chuanzong had changed. He couldn't help but curse Mo Jiangli and his companion inwardly; they were truly more trouble than they were worth. His eyes darted around, and another idea came to him. He smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I have another way. Have you forgotten that there is a peerless physician in the palace? If she examines him with her skillful hands, wouldn't the truth about Zhu Chuanzong faking his eunuchhood come to light?"

Emperor Mingzong said, "Are you talking about Princess Chang Le? Although her medical skills are superb, she dislikes seeing outsiders the most. For so many years, she has never stepped out of the palace. Even when she examines my body, I have to go in person. How could she be willing to see a strange man?"

Pang Laixiao smiled and said, "Princess Chang Le is Your Majesty's daughter. She must obey Your Majesty's decree. It's just a small favor. Your Majesty has given the order, and the princess will not refuse."

Emperor Mingzong slammed his hand on the dragon table and sighed, "That's right. Now that things have come to this, I have no choice but to do it this way."

Chapter Nine: Reunion with the Purple Gauze

Zhu Chuanzong was anxious for several days in prison. Every day, he received news from the Zhu family that the "Xiao Yu incident" was very successful and that the confession had been overturned. Only then did he feel relieved.

In prison, he was well-fed and well-clothed, and Zhu Chuanzong simply let go of his worries. Mo Jiangli and the other two interrogated him again, their tone much softer. Mo Jiangli no longer shouted for torture, and Zeng Huaishun even started addressing him as "Lord Zhu." Seeing that they were all preparing for their escape, Zhu Chuanzong knew that things were becoming increasingly favorable for him, and his mood became even more reassured. In

these past few days, he had experienced a dramatic change from heaven to hell. He had been on the verge of death several times, experiencing extreme joy and sorrow. Recalling his past experiences, Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but sigh at the impermanence of life.

Three days later, several palace guards came to escort Zhu Chuanzong into the palace. Zhu Chuanzong was overjoyed, thinking to himself, "It seems that the Emperor believes I am innocent and will exonerate me."

However, after entering the palace, he did not go to the main hall of council or the imperial study, but went straight to a side path. Zhu Chuanzong often came here to meet with Consort Mei, and he knew that this was the direction of the inner palace. He couldn't help but feel strange. The guards escorted him with a stern expression, and he didn't dare to ask. After many twists and turns, they finally arrived at a courtyard surrounded by bamboo groves. Although the location was secluded, the bamboo groves and trees were serene, and the stream murmured, creating a unique ambiance.

The leading guard stopped at the courtyard gate and reported, "Your Highness, the guest sent by the Emperor has arrived."

After a moment, a young palace maid of about fourteen or fifteen years old emerged from the courtyard. She looked Zhu Chuanzong up and down a few times and said to the guards, "I'll take her in. You all wait here."

Only then did Zhu Chuanzong realize that he was to see Princess Chang Le, and the place he had arrived at was the Purple Bamboo Courtyard, Princess Chang Le's residence. Legend had it that Princess Chang Le had an eccentric temperament and didn't associate with anyone. He was usually careless and unconcerned. Why was he going to see her now? Following her inside, Zhu Chuanzong was filled with doubt: "Why isn't it the Emperor seeing me, but Princess Chang Le instead? Isn't the Emperor going to exonerate me?"

They arrived at an elegant room, where a young palace maid asked Zhu Chuanzong to sit and wait. Zhu Chuanzong frowned, noticing the unusual furnishings, and wondered, "Why does the Emperor want me to see Princess Chang Le?"

Suddenly, he remembered the legend that she possessed some extraordinary skills and strange magic. It was said that once, the Emperor joked that the hardest thing in the world was to get someone to tell the truth. A few days later, Princess Chang Le would send him several pills, calling them "Truth Pills," which would make people tell the truth. The Emperor had a eunuch test them, and they were indeed incredibly effective. However, the truth the eunuch told was too terrifying, and the Emperor was displeased, so he dared not try again. Nevertheless, Princess Chang Le's reputation spread. And that wasn't

all; legend had it that the Emperor, now over sixty, was still as healthy as a young man, all thanks to Princess Chang Le giving him a pill every day, which kept him refreshed and energetic like a youth. Therefore, if we were to name the Emperor's most favored person, Princess Chang Le would undoubtedly be the most favored, and the only one he couldn't live without. However, Princess Chang Le always lived a secluded life, detached from worldly affairs, which is why few people had ever seen her.

Thinking of this, Zhu Chuanzong exclaimed in alarm, "Could it be? Could it be that the Emperor asked her to determine if I'm lying? Oh no…"

Just as Zhu Chuanzong was filled with fear, he suddenly heard a captivating zither melody emanating from a distant house. The melody was ethereal and beautiful, yet strangely familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before. Suddenly, the floodgates of Zhu Chuanzong's memory opened.

A scene from the past appeared in his mind: amidst swirling clouds and mist, a stunningly beautiful fairy bathed in the Milky Way. Her skin was as white as snow, her face as beautiful as a flower, incomparably gorgeous. Zhu Chuanzong, without thinking, sang along with the song: "The sky is clear and the earth is vast and boundless, all things return to their origin, the vast sky stretches endlessly, I ride a raft lightly beside the sun, where can I reach the end of the world, what joy does my heart know that is endless?"

As he sang, Zhu Chuanzong followed the music, slanting through the bamboo path, winding through the corridors, and turning into a hall on the first floor.

A little palace maid shouted, "How dare you! Who let you in? Get out! You dare to trespass into the princess's quarters? Are you tired of living?"

Zhu Chuanzong ignored her, only staring at the inner room. At this moment, a beautiful woman lifted the embroidered curtain and walked out gracefully. Her face was like a peach blossom in the rain, her waist like a willow in the wind, and her movements were like a willow swaying in the breeze, delicate and timid, with unparalleled beauty.

Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but exclaim, "Purple Gauze Fairy! Heavens! In this vast sea of people, I never thought I'd see you again!"

Purple Gauze Fairy trembled, staring intently at Zhu Chuanzong. The little palace maid beside her, who had just seen someone barge in, was about to scold him and call for the guards, but seeing the princess's dazed expression, she realized something was amiss and froze.

Time seemed to stand still as Zhu Chuanzong and Purple Gauze Fairy stared at each other blankly. Zhu Chuanzong thought, "Purple Gauze is Princess Chang Le? Yes, since I was able to be reborn into the Zhu family as Zhu Chuanzong, she could naturally be reborn into the royal family as a princess."

He stared at Purple Gauze Fairy, noticing that although she still retained seven or eight parts of her former appearance, she had gained a delicate and gentle air, like a sickly beauty, lacking the ethereal fairy aura, but even more endearing. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Zisha, you've lost weight!"

Zisha Fairy replied wistfully, "I've grown thin for her sake."

The little palace maid, seeing their inexplicable conversation, was even more at a loss, asking, "Princess, what's wrong? What should we do now?"

Zisha Fairy then waved her away, leaving only the two of them in the room.

Zisha Fairy stepped forward, stroking Zhu Chuanzong's cheek, trembling as she said, "You are Miao Richen Jun, this isn't a dream!"

Her body went limp, and she was about to faint.

Zhu Chuanzong was startled and quickly caught her, supporting her waist as they slowly sat down by the bedside. Zisha Fairy nestled in his arms, panting for a long time before finally catching her breath, and said softly, "Heaven have mercy, I've finally seen you. Do you know how hard I've searched for you?"

As she spoke, two lines of tears streamed down her jade-like face.

Zhu Chuanzong tenderly wiped away her tears and said, "I've been thinking of you too, but in this vast world, I thought I'd never see you again! How have you been all these years?"

The Purple-Clad Fairy replied softly, "I'm fine."

She then recounted her experiences after falling to the mortal realm.

It turns out that she was born into the womb of Emperor Mingzong's most favored concubine, who died in childbirth. Mingzong believed this jinx had killed his beloved concubine and disliked her ever since; even the court officials were unaware of her existence.

Four years ago, Mingzong, due to his advanced age and excessive indulgence in lust, fell seriously ill, and the imperial physicians were helpless. At this time, the Purple Silk Fairy, retaining her celestial memories and knowing many elixir recipes, concocted several for the emperor. While she couldn't create true elixirs, they could extend the lifespan of mortals. After taking them, Mingzong was cured and his health improved, almost returning to his forty-year-old state.

Only then did Mingzong remember his neglected daughter, now not only beautiful as a fairy but also possessing the medical skill to bring the dead back to life. Mingzong immediately rekindled his affection for her, bestowing upon her the title of "Princess Chang Le" and ordering her to manage his health.

Zhu Chuanzong said, "The Emperor has no taste! It's his blessing that the most beautiful fairy from heaven came to his family, yet he doesn't know how to cherish and love her."

He then looked tenderly at the Purple-Clad Fairy.

The Purple-Clad Fairy blushed and lowered her head, saying, "What do you mean by 'most beautiful'? Don't laugh at me."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "It's true, even the gods in heaven know!"

The Purple-Clad Fairy recalled how, in Laozi's alchemy furnace, Miao Richenjun had praised her in the same way. That enchanting time seemed to flash before her eyes, and she became even more shy. Zhu Chuanzong couldn't help but reach out and grasp her soft hand.

After a while, Zhu Chuanzong asked, "When did you remember things from heaven?"

The Purple-Clad Fairy looked at him strangely and said, "I've remembered since I was born. Didn't you eat the elixir Laozi gave you?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "I did eat it, but I only regained consciousness a few years ago. Before that, I was always in a daze and as fat as a pig."

He then recounted his past.

The Purple-Veil Fairy covered her mouth and chuckled, saying, "Who told you to curse him on the Ascension Platform?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Fine, it's clearly because Laozi has a past relationship with you, so he's showing favoritism. You still dare to laugh at me? I'll let you laugh your fill."

He reached out and tickled the Purple-Veil Fairy. The Purple-Veil Fairy begged for mercy repeatedly, but Zhu Chuanzong, having finally gotten a chance to get close to the fairy, wasn't about to let it go. After a while, the Purple-Veil Fairy, laughing, suddenly burst into tears again.

Zhu Chuanzong quickly stopped, flustered, and said, "Are you angry with me? I was rude to you, I'm bad, I deserve to die!"

The Purple-Veil Fairy sobbed, "You're so good to me, you can just forget. I've been thinking about you since I was born, for over ten years, and I've almost cried all my tears for you. What do you have to complain about?"

Zhu Chuanzong hurriedly said, "Yes, it's my fault, how could I forget you?"

As he spoke, he hit himself hard several times.

The Purple-Veil Fairy smiled through her tears and said, "You used to be a fool, you didn't even know who you were, so naturally you wouldn't remember me. It's not your fault."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Even if I forgot myself, I shouldn't have forgotten you."

The Purple-Veil Fairy felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

Zhu Chuanzong wiped away her tears, saying, "Women are truly made of water; you've already cried twice in such a short time."

The Purple-Veil Fairy said, "I don't know why, I've loved to cry since birth, so my name is Tang Xi'er, hoping I'd be happier. But how can I be happy? I cry so much when I think of you, and yet there are so many heartbreaking things in the world. My cat died, the flowers withered in autumn, and I couldn't help but shed tears. Birth, old age, sickness, death, love, hate, separation—this world is too bitter. It was better when I was cultivating in heaven."

Zhu Chuanzong smiled and said, "That's because you are too pure and kind. The ways of heaven are unpredictable..." "It's inevitable, we're all part of the mortal realm now!"

The Purple Gauze Fairy nodded, then remembered and said, "You haven't told me your name in the mortal realm yet. I'm called Tang Xi'er now, you can just call me Xi'er! Calling me 'fairy' is laughable."

Zhu Chuanzong said, "Xi'er, Xi'er, that's a very nice name. But I still prefer your original name. How about I call you Purple Gauze in private from now on?"

The Purple Gauze Fairy rolled her eyes at him, her eyes full of affection, and said, "Whatever you want."

Seeing how compliant she was with him, Zhu Chuanzong was even more delighted. He pulled her into his arms, and their eyes met, filled with tenderness and affection.

The Purple Gauze Fairy leaned on his shoulder and suddenly laughed, "Do you know why Father Emperor sent you here today?"

Zhu Chuanzong was puzzled. The Purple-Veil Fairy blushed and whispered, "He asked me to diagnose a man named Zhu Chuanzong, to see if he... to see if he's impotent. I never imagined that Zhu Chuanzong was you. The immortal's methods of preserving the spirit and storing essence are minor; no wonder they couldn't see through it."

Zhu Chuanzong suddenly understood, thinking, "So that's how it is. Luckily, I know the Purple-Veil Fairy, otherwise my tricks really wouldn't have fooled her."

Seeing that he didn't speak, the Purple-Veil Fairy couldn't help but raise her head: "Are you... not going to marry for me? Or is it really... really impossible?"

Zhu Chuanzong puffed out his chest, proudly saying, "I'm a man among men! Every time they're in bed, I've utterly defeated them, making them beg for mercy."

The Purple-Veil Fairy's face turned pale, and she asked, "Who are they? Are they your women?"

She buried her head in Zhu Chuanzong's chest. Inside, Zhu Chuanzong couldn't see her expression and continued to boast, "Yes, I have many women, all beautiful and lovely. You'll definitely like them. Nuanyun, Jinxian, and Ling'er are not ordinary women. You can be friends with them..."

The Purple-Gauze Fairy shoved him away angrily, "You actually had so many women? You...you broke your promise!"

Zhu Chuanzong was stunned and said, "How did I break my promise? Ah, I know, you're upset that I had other women, aren't you? But I've always been thinking of you!"

The Purple-Gauze Fairy said angrily, "When a man and woman are in love, they should be loyal and devoted to each other. Yet you are so philandering and lustful. All these years I've thought of you day and night, shedding countless tears! I ask you, is the rumor in the palace about you and Consort Mei true?"

Zhu Chuanzong couldn't bear to lie to her and nodded.

The Purple-Gauze Fairy's face darkened even more, and she said in a trembling voice, "Consort Mei is my stepmother! You actually...you're shameless!"

Zhu Chuanzong was speechless for a moment. He had originally cultivated in heaven and knew nothing of love between men and women. After descending to the mortal realm, he found that the customs of the Great Liang Kingdom were patriarchal, and it was common for men to have multiple wives and concubines. The women who loved him never complained about him having other women, so he took it for granted. Now, hearing the words of the Purple-Gauze Fairy and thinking of her suffering, he vaguely felt that he had indeed wronged her.

The Purple-Gauze Fairy was in tears, ignoring Zhu Chuanzong's explanations, and only wept. After a while, she stopped crying and softly recited: "The rain and wind are bleak under the dark sky, my sorrowful heart is withered before the falling flowers. It seems our fate is destined to end in this life, how many years have passed in vain, my soul yearning for you? How high is the Milky Way like a wall, when will the vast waves become shallow land? Jia's daughter's peeping through the curtain became a beautiful story, when will the broken mirror be mended again?"

After reciting, the Purple-Gauze Fairy said, "It seems I was just being sentimental."

Zhu Chuanzong said regretfully, "I did miss you..."

The Purple-Gauze Fairy shook her head, and then... She said, "Though I've grown accustomed to sleeping alone, autumn brings only sorrow. A brazier keeps my feet warm, a canopy sits by my bedside. My brows, once dark, are now furrowed, tears streaming down my face. Who can be without sorrow, left only to guard this empty tower? For so many years, whenever I think of you, I recite poems to console myself. I often feel fortunate that poetry exists in this world; otherwise, how could I dispel this overwhelming longing? Now I return it all to you, listen carefully."

She then recited, "You were once a banished fairy from the Jade Terrace, now fallen to the ends of the earth, who will pity you? Your sisters in the Jade Pool must remember you, but the Peach Banquet is missing one."

The Purple-Veil Fairy recited many poems, all exquisitely beautiful and poignant love poems. Zhu Chuanzong, however, had no heart to appreciate them; he listened with a heart-wrenching pain. Finally, the Purple-Veil Fairy finished reciting, and with the last word, she said, "My Lord Miaori Chen, from this day forward, I, the Purple-Veil Fairy, sever all ties with you. We shall never meet again, neither in heaven nor on earth!"

After speaking, the Purple-Veil Fairy instructed the palace maids to send Zhu Chuanzong away. At the door, Zhu Chuanzong feared that she, now so hateful, would expose him. He didn't care about his own life, but the Zhu family... He thought, "Those beauties are doomed too!" Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he cried out, "Do you know that the wicked Fiery God was reincarnated as the Left Prime Minister, named Pang Laixiao? He wants to kill me and seize power in the court! He's the one who ruined everything!"

The Purple-Clad Fairy, pale and swaying, said, "So many of your women, and he ruined them too?"

Seeing her so frail, Zhu Chuanzong felt even more pain in his heart. He broke free from the palace maid beside him and went to the Purple-Clad Fairy's side, wanting to help her. The

Purple-Clad Fairy pushed him away, called over a young palace maid, and said, "Send him out!" She turned away

, tears streaming down her face, and went into the inner room.

Zhu Chuanzong walked out dejectedly. He thought to himself, "She refuses to see me again; she won't forgive me. Alas, why did fate arrange for me to see her so late? But these beauties around me are all exceptional women, all good girls. How could I bear to abandon them?" He

couldn't help but sigh at the capriciousness of fate.

Seeing that Zhu Chuanzong had upset the princess, the young palace maid beside him glared at him angrily as she walked away. Zhu Chuanzong wanted to inquire about the Purple Silk Fairy, so he asked ingratiatingly, "Sister palace maid, may I ask your name?"

The young maid replied irritably, "I entered the palace when I was young, and Her Highness the Princess named me Sichen."

Zhu Chuanzong murmured, "Sichen, Sichen..."

Thinking of the meaning of the name, he froze.

Zhu Chuanzong was taken back to prison, thinking, "The Purple Silk Fairy is angry at my philandering and unfaithfulness; she'll definitely tell the Emperor that I'm not a eunuch."

But he didn't resent the Purple Silk Fairy, thinking, "I wronged her first; let her vent her anger. It's just that my sisters will suffer because of me. Alas, I'll leave it to fate!"

Chapter Ten: Love is Giving.

Zhu Chuanzong pondered this in prison for two days. Suddenly, someone from the palace arrived and released Zhu Chuanzong without charge.

Back at the mansion, the Zhu family celebrated. The matriarch personally prepared a calming wine to wash away the lingering stench of prison for Zhu Chuanzong.

After the wine, back in his room, the maids, including Nuanyun, had already been released. They had suffered greatly in prison, their faces haggard. Seeing Zhu Chuanzong, they were naturally filled with sorrow and grievance, weeping uncontrollably. Zhu Chuanzong, feeling guilty for unjustly implicating them, gently comforted each of them without hesitation.

That evening, Hua Caiyun called Zhu Chuanzong to her room alone and asked, "Bao'er, what method did you use to deceive Princess Chang Le, whose medical skills are divine? She's no ordinary person; she concocts elixirs that prevent people from lying, and her other methods are even more formidable. How did you manage to persuade her?"

Zhu Chuanzong was stunned. Hua Caiyun smiled and pinched him, saying, "Little rascal, what is there to hide now? I inquired in the palace, and Princess Chang Le personally testified that you are a cripple, and she spoke many good words about you, which is why the Emperor believed her. You were able to get out safely thanks to her."

Zhu Chuanzong thought to himself, "So she hasn't forgotten our past relationship and didn't want to harm me. But judging from her attitude, this is a complete break!" He

felt increasingly sad and guilty, and his face changed.

Hua Caiyun questioned him for a long time, but Zhu Chuanzong only sighed and said nothing. Hua Caiyun assumed he was still shaken from the shock of being in prison and had no choice but to let him go.

The next day, Emperor Mingzong summoned Zhu Chuanzong to the palace. His face, no longer contorted with rage, softened, and he said gently, "Minister Zhu, I misunderstood you before, and you suffered injustice."

Zhu Chuanzong kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty is a benevolent and wise ruler, discerning even the smallest details. I would give my life for you, even unto death."

The emperor was pleased, thinking to himself, "Zhu Chuanzong is indeed a great loyal minister. I wronged him so much, yet he has no complaints. This is the way of a minister." The more he looked at him,

the more he liked him.

He immediately praised him greatly, bestowing upon him many treasures, and his words were full of implied appreciation and promotion.

The court officials, having heard the news, understood immediately. The Ministry of Justice held great power, and Zhu Chuanzong was already its Minister. Moreover, he was so young and had studied in the Hanlin Academy; a future appointment as Grand Secretary was highly probable. They all came to the Zhu family to congratulate him and curry favor, even Pang Laixiao sent gifts. However, Zhu Chuanzong knew this was merely a delaying tactic; the enmity between the two men ran deep, and a peaceful resolution was impossible.

Zhu Chuanzong was riding high, and the entire Zhu family was overjoyed. However,

Zhu Chuanzong himself was always sullen. He kept thinking about the Purple Silk Fairy, and even spent less time playing and cuddling with Zhu Shuiyue and the others.

As time went on, even Xue Jinxian and Shui Ling'er, who didn't live in the Zhu family, noticed. The women gathered together and discussed the matter, unanimously choosing Zhu Shuiyue to go and find out what was going on with Zhu Chuanzong, because he was her closest confidant and never hid anything from her.

Sure enough, after talking with Zhu Chuanzong for a while, Zhu Shuiyue learned about the Purple Silk Fairy. Because she already knew Zhu Chuanzong was a celestial being descended to earth, she wasn't particularly surprised and laughed, "You little lecher! I always said that besides beautiful girls, what else in the world could make you so restless? I was right!"

Zhu Chuanzong said with a bitter face, "Sister, I'm already so troubled, and you're still laughing at me."

Zhu Shuiyue thought for a moment and said, "This isn't difficult to handle! The princess is just having a temporary hard time. Why don't we find an opportunity to persuade her, and everything will be fine." Zhu

Chuanzong's face lit up with joy, but then he said sadly, "I'm so fickle; she doesn't love me anymore. How could she forgive me?"

Shuiyue smiled slightly and said, "You silly boy, how could you understand a girl's feelings? If she really didn't love you anymore, why would she lie to save you?"

Zhu Chuanzong said, "It's scary that she helped me like this. I'd rather she hit or scold me, to prove she still cares about me. She helped me this time to repay my past kindness, and we'll have nothing to do with each other again!"

Zhu Shuiyue nodded slightly and said softly, "Don't be sad yet, there's still hope. Let me try! Maybe we can salvage the situation."

Meanwhile, Zisha had inexplicably deceived Emperor Mingzong that day, saving Zhu Chuanzong's life. After returning, she lost her appetite and couldn't sleep at night, her heart filled with turmoil and sorrow.

Zisha sat alone by the lamp, tears streaming down her face. Sichen couldn't console her and could only stay by her side. Zi Sha recalled her descent from heaven, her only wish shattered like a dream, and she was heartbroken. She couldn't help but recite: "This matter in this life is already impossible to fulfill, the nightmare is clearly unbearable. Even if the herbal medicine could prolong the days, there is no way to arrange the withered chopping block. My soul is consumed by the moonlit night in the hibiscus tent, my hatred is tied to the jade hairpin in the spring breeze. Half of my silk handkerchief is stained with red tears, every time I examine it, I am filled with sorrow!"

As she recited, her heart ached again, and she couldn't help but shed tears.

Sichen, watching from the side, advised, "Your Highness, you're reciting those love poems again. You always cry when you recite them; I've never seen you happy in all these years. You are a princess of noble birth, why are you so sad? He's just a man; are you afraid no one will love you?"

The Purple-Gauze Fairy sighed, "Things in this world are always unsatisfactory. Even being a princess of noble birth can't buy true love. What I love no longer belongs to me; what I don't love, there's no point in talking about it."

Hearing this, Sichen wanted to comfort the princess but hesitated, saying, "Your Highness is the most beautiful and noble person in the world. Who wouldn't love you? Is there some misunderstanding? Sometimes, Your Highness's overthinking is not good."

The Purple-Gauze Fairy thought to herself, "If only it were a misunderstanding! It's a pity he has beautiful wives and concubines and has long forgotten me. Otherwise, why hasn't he come to see me these past few days?"

She had forgotten that she was the one who had driven Zhu Chuanzong away that day and ordered him not to be let in. Now, she was filled with resentment and anger, caught between a rock and a hard place, her heart filled with grievances.

Just then, someone reported that a woman named Xue Jinxian was requesting an audience. The Purple Gauze Fairy, having already learned of Zhu Chuanzong's identity and situation, knew that this was his wife. She felt a strange mix of surprise and bitterness. After a moment's thought, she ordered her to be invited in.

When Xue Jinxian entered, the two women met and were both startled, thinking, "Such a beautiful woman exists in the world! No wonder he's fallen for her!"

After exchanging pleasantries and some rambling conversation, the Purple Gauze Fairy decided to see what Xue Jinxian's purpose was.

After chatting for a while, Xue Jinxian picked up the poem Zisha had placed on the table. After reading it, she shook her head. Zisha, who was always quite confident in her knowledge of poetry and literature, was annoyed by Xue

Jinxian's expression and sneered, "It seems you are quite knowledgeable about this, elder sister. Why don't you give me some pointers?" Xue Jinxian smiled and said, "I have a rudimentary understanding of literature and have read a few books. I can't write poetry, but..."

Zisha asked, "But what?"

Xue Jinxian said, "Sometimes I can tell a good poem from a bad one."

Zisha perked up, thinking, "Let's see what you know. I don't believe you know more than me."

She said, "Then please tell me, elder sister! Speak frankly. In matters of learning, there's no distinction of status or position. Don't hold back just because I'm a princess."

Xue Jinxian said, "The poem is good. Your talent is truly rare in the world, but it lacks a bit of the flavor of everyday life; it just... " "It's not beautiful anymore."

Zi Sha sneered, "This isn't cooking, what do you need oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar for? What kind of poem do you think has this flavor?"

Xue Jinxian recited softly, "Hoeing the fields at noon, sweat pours down the soil. Who knows that every grain in the bowl is the result of hard work?"

She also said, "One grain of millet sown in spring yields ten thousand grains in autumn. There is no idle land under heaven, yet farmers still starve to death!"

Zi Sha Fairy said, "These two poems are 'Sympathy for the Peasants' by the poet Li Shen of the previous dynasty. They are good poems, but they are also very ordinary. Where is the flavor of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar that you mentioned?"

Seeing that she didn't understand and was simple and cute, Xue Jinxian was pleased and said, "If the princess doesn't mind my rambling, I'll tell you another story. Would you like to hear it?"

Zi Sha said, "I've never heard these words before. What do you need oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar for writing poetry? This is the first time I've heard this. Whether it's right or wrong, I want to listen carefully."

Xue Jinxian said, "'Not working with one's body,'" The phrase "unable to distinguish the five grains" comes from a book. In ancient times, there was a teacher. One day, one of his students got lost while walking through the forest. Just as the student was getting anxious, he encountered an old farmer working in the field. He approached the farmer and asked, "Have you seen my teacher?" The old farmer glanced at him and replied irritably, "You don't work with your hands, and you don't distinguish the five grains; who are you to call yourself a teacher!" The old farmer meant that since he neither worked nor knew crops, how could he be worthy of being called a teacher!

Zi Sha's face changed color, and she angrily said, "Are you saying I don't distinguish the five grains and am unworthy to write poetry?"

Xue Jinxian was not afraid and said, "How dare I! What is your status, Princess? How could I dare say such a thing about you? I am praising you! In this world, the people are suffering. My petty romantic feelings are truly insignificant compared to their hardships." "It's nothing. Although I am my husband's concubine and, by all accounts, not a proper wife, among all the officials in the court, I am the only one in the world who sympathizes with the common people, helps them, and truly cares about them! Many corrupt officials have tried to frame my husband, but you, my lady, have shown compassion for the people and helped him through his difficulties. Today, I have come to thank you, my princess, on behalf of all the people."

Zi Sha was stunned. Xue Jinxian, observing her expression, sighed, "The food we eat is all the result of the people's hard work; I have some needlework skills, and the clothes we wear are all the result of hard work, stitch by stitch. These people suffer so much, yet they are still beaten and exploited by corrupt officials. It's enough for them. Thank you, my princess, for upholding justice. I present you with a garment that I wove myself; please accept it."

Xue Jinxian presented a purple garment and explained how hard she had worked and how she had embroidered it. Since birth, Zi Sha had always been preoccupied with her own emotions. Having lost her mother at a young age, she had never thought about or been interested in the complexities of life, never paying attention to anything. But today, suddenly hearing so much, she realized that the mortal world wasn't what she had imagined.

Two days later, Zhu Chuanzong's sister-in-law, Hua Caiyun, came to pay her respects to the princess. Zi Sha usually avoided people, but after meeting Xue Jinxian, she felt that the women around Zhu Chuanzong were all extraordinary, completely different from the image of a vixen she had previously held in her mind. So she let Hua Caiyun in.

Hua Caiyun greeted the princess. The Purple-Clad Fairy waved for everyone around her to leave, saying, "Should I call you Sister Hua or Madam Zhu? What brings you here?"

Hua Caiyun smiled slightly and said, "I've come to congratulate the princess."

The Purple-Clad Fairy felt a pang of sadness and said sadly, "What is there to be happy about?"

Hua Caiyun said, "Isn't it a joyous occasion that the princess has found her beloved?"

The Purple-Clad Fairy's expression changed slightly. "Did Zhu Chuanzong send you? Go away, I don't want to see him, I will never forgive him!"

Hua Caiyun said, "I think the princess is being a bit hypocritical."

The Purple-Clad Fairy stood up angrily and said, "How am I being hypocritical? That person has nothing to do with me now."

Hua Caiyun smiled and said, "Is someone you have nothing to do with worth the princess getting so angry about?"

The Purple-Clad Fairy was taken aback and looked up at Hua Caiyun. She felt that this woman was gentle and graceful, with eyes full of wisdom, as if she could see right through her. She wanted to remain defiant, but for a moment, she couldn't say anything.

Hua Caiyun continued, "He hasn't been eating or drinking these past few days, and he's gotten so thin. If the princess doesn't forgive him, I'm afraid he..."

The Purple Gauze Fairy interrupted, "He's already married ten or eight women!"

Hua Caiyun chuckled inwardly at her pouting red lips, looking jealous. She said, "Although he has many women around him, he only truly loves one." She

smiled and gazed at the Purple Gauze Fairy.

The Purple Gauze Fairy knew she was being referred to, and a sense of joy welled up within her.

The Purple Gauze Fairy was a kind person, and at this moment, she felt a pang of guilt towards Xue Jinxian. He said, "I've met his wife, Xue Jinxian. Is it worth it for her to be with him? I can tell she doesn't care about money or power."

Hua Caiyun smiled slightly and said calmly, "Shuiyue pretended to be a Daoist for him; Ling'er and I, on the other hand, are born to dislike being bound by wealth and status. We only want to stay with him and refuse to marry into a wealthy family. We don't want any titles or honors in this life."

The Purple-Gauze Fairy was moved and said, "Why must you suffer such injustice?"

Hua Caiyun smiled and said, "Because we love him!"

The Purple-Gauze Fairy asked blankly, "Because you love him?"

Hua Caiyun nodded and said, "Yes, because we love him, we don't care about his power and official position, or that he has other women. As long as he is safe and happy, we are content." The

Purple-Gauze Fairy said, "But...but he's not devoted to you; his heart is divided among other women!"

Hua Caiyun said, "So what? I only know that I love him, and he loves me too, that's enough. Love is about giving, not possessing, so I don't force him to stay by my side."

The Purple-Gauze Fairy's face was thoughtful upon hearing this. Hua Caiyun knew she couldn't understand for the time being, so she got up to take her leave. The Purple-Gauze Fairy sighed, "Even if I'm willing to give for love, his affair with my stepmother makes it impossible for me to live with myself!"

Hua Caiyun frowned slightly, thinking, "Bao'er's actions are indeed a bit absurd, but understandable." After a moment's thought, she said, "There's more to this than meets the eye; I think he'll give you an explanation later. Princess, you should think about your own feelings first."

With that, she left.

"Love is about giving, not possessing."

The Purple Silk Fairy pondered these words carefully, her resolve slowly wavering. She murmured, "Could it be that I was really wrong?"

Episode 7

Synopsis:

The alluring concubine is pregnant, but her attempt to conceal it failed, and the Emperor ultimately discovered her affair. Lust is a double-edged sword; how will Zhu Chuanzong escape this time?

Confined to his hometown, his ambitions are thwarted, but what great things can a wanted criminal accomplish? Unexpectedly, the visitor spoke bluntly: "Raise an army!" This is a crime punishable by the confiscation of property and the extermination of one's entire clan, but the current situation seems to force one to do so...

Chapter One: A Love in

the Mortal World. The Purple Gauze Fairy and the Mysterious Sun Lord were banished to the mortal realm because of their love affair.

The Purple Gauze Fairy was reincarnated as Princess Chang Le, but upon meeting Zhu Chuanzong, the reincarnation of the Mysterious Sun Lord, she discovered that her lover was already surrounded by beautiful women. The Purple Gauze Fairy was a carefree, innocent, and beautiful fairy in heaven. After reincarnation, because she had consumed the elixir of immortality from the Supreme Lord Laozi, her memories remained. Seeing so much suffering in the mortal realm, she couldn't help but feel sorrow, and thus cried incessantly from birth

. Emperor Mingzong had many wives and concubines. Princess Chang Le's mother was of low status, and the emperor already had many children, so he didn't pay much attention to the child's crying. Princess Chang Le's mother, already of low status, now received no favor, and in such a complex environment in the palace, she inevitably became depressed and died when Princess Chang Le was three years old.

Princess Chang Le, having lost her mother's protection, was about to suffer endless scorn when the Emperor fell ill. She then pretended to have received a dream from a celestial being, who told her that a certain herb could cure her ailment. Emperor Mingzong was greatly surprised and, after consulting the imperial physicians, decided to try it. To his astonishment, the treatment was incredibly effective. From then on, Emperor Mingzong began to value Princess Chang Le highly, believing it to be a divine intervention—otherwise, how could a child possess such miraculous abilities? Therefore, whenever he was unwell, he would consult her. Princess Chang Le, as if divinely inspired, possessed superb medical skills. Under her care, Emperor Mingzong's various ailments were completely cured, making Princess Chang Le the most important person in the Emperor's heart. Princess Chang Le lived a secluded life, rarely venturing out, devoting herself solely to studying medicine in her palace, which further increased the Emperor's favor towards her.

Princess Chang Le, so highly regarded by the Emperor, naturally didn't escape Emperor Mingzong's notice of her sullen demeanor after meeting Zhu Chuanzong. Seeing his beloved daughter constantly unhappy, although he knew it was her nature—a woman prone to tears at the sight of flowers and the moon—he found her recent melancholy unusually pronounced. He personally visited her and offered her comfort.

Princess Chang Le, seeing her father's kindness, was even more furious, remembering Zhu Chuanzong's deception of her father and his affair with the Imperial Concubine. However, Xue Jinxian and Hua Caiyun had discussed the meaning of love with her, so although she resented Zhu Chuanzong, she understood his predicament and didn't want to harm him. Instead, she simply acted coquettishly in front of her father.

Princess Chang Le was deeply loved, and the father and daughter were inseparable. Emperor Mingzong suddenly remembered that she was getting on in years and should find a good husband, so he jokingly said, "Is it because you want to get married and you're angry with your father for not finding you a suitable husband?"

Princess Chang Le blushed and said, "Look at what Father is saying, I'm not that pathetic, I won't marry anyone. Besides... besides, men all have three wives and four concubines, I don't want that." Emperor

Mingzong laughed heartily and said, "You are my daughter, who would dare to treat you like that?"

Princess Chang Le pouted and sighed, "If someone is only good to me because of their power and royal authority, I'd rather not have such a person. Father, why do men in the world fall in love with every woman they meet?"

This question left Emperor Mingzong speechless. As the emperor, he had always loved whomever he wanted and had never thought about this question before. He was momentarily speechless, stroked his beard, and smiled, "Child, you always ask such strange questions."

Princess Chang Le saw him... Without answering, he said, "Then isn't Consort Mei your favorite? If you love her, would you be willing to only care for her and ignore the other concubines?"

Emperor Mingzong laughed and said, "You, your little head is full of wild thoughts. I am the emperor of a country, and having three palaces and six courtyards is indispensable. Otherwise, where would you be?"

Princess Chang Le said, "Then if you weren't the emperor, you would only love one person?"

Emperor Mingzong laughed heartily and said, "Silly child, your father is so wise and mighty, how could he only have one woman he likes? Even if he weren't the emperor, he would definitely have three wives and four concubines. Alright! Your father knows your thoughts and will definitely find you a good husband so that he will only love you. You are my precious darling, what man in the world would dare not to pamper and worship you? Making him only love you is a piece of cake."

After saying that, he got up and prepared to return to the palace.

Princess Chang Le remained unsuccessful and sullen. It was common knowledge that Emperor Mingzong favored Consort Mei, but it was impossible for him to love only her. She was deeply unhappy, thinking, "I always thought love was about mutual devotion and unwavering commitment, but it turns out that's not the case. No man in the world is good; they all fall in love with every woman they see."

That night, she sighed deeply under the moon, shedding many tears.

Hua Caiyun and Xue Jinxian, having learned of the princess's continued melancholy, found an opportunity to invite her on a trip.

Princess Chang Le had initially been afraid of everything outside. Having finally found her lover, only to discover he had fallen for someone else, she felt somewhat more relaxed after losing her goal. She thought it would be good to meet the two women and see what was so special about them that could have caused her lover to change his mind. Besides, she understood nothing about the human world, and her rivals had mocked her for being unreasonable. Therefore, she also wanted to see what was happening in the human realm.

The three women concealed their identities and traveled together, with guards secretly following behind. Their purpose was not only to enjoy the scenery but also to connect with the common people, observing their busy lives and hard work. Two months passed in this way, until the dead of winter. One day, a heavy snow fell, and the weather was bitterly cold. The three women stayed in a luxurious inn, where a fire was lit in the stove, keeping them warm.

Unable to go outside, they drank wine in the warm pavilion, admired the snow through the window, and recited poems to each other. The snow fell heavier and heavier, and Princess Chang Le exclaimed with delight, "The ancients said, 'Snow foretells a bountiful year.' This year's snow is so heavy, such an auspicious sign! Next year will surely bring a bountiful harvest, and the people will have good days ahead. I hope it snows even heavier!"

Xue Jinxian chuckled and said, "We're in a warm house, so naturally we hope the snow falls even harder."

Princess Chang Le was taken aback, not understanding, and asked, "What? Did I say something wrong? Isn't heavier snow beneficial to the people?"

Hua Caiyun quickly said, "Yes, you're right."

Seeing her delighted by the snow, she took advantage of her drunken mood to coax her into a drinking contest with Xue Jinxian, where they composed poems while admiring the snow.

Princess Chang Le was exceptionally intelligent and had always loved poetry and songs; it was her greatest pleasure in the world. After drinking a few cups of wine, her poetic inspiration surged, and she composed several poems. Just as she was enjoying her drink, she noticed a fragrant aroma wafting through the air. Looking outside, she saw several winter plum trees blooming in the courtyard. She exclaimed in admiration, "In such cold weather, the winter plum blossoms are so vibrant; it's a sight I've never seen before!"

Seeing the heavy snow and dazzling plum blossoms outside, she felt a surge of playfulness and dragged the two girls out for a stroll.

The three girls donned thick mink coats and went out to admire the snow. Along the way, they occasionally saw wealthy people, also dressed elegantly, enjoying the snow in groups.

Before long, the three girls arrived at a market. They saw several people dressed in thin clothing, stamping their feet from the cold, yet still calling out to sell their wares. Princess Chang Le asked curiously, "In such cold weather, why are they dressed so lightly? That's fine, but why are they out selling things?"

Hua Caiyun said, "Princess, you don't know, their family is poor. If they don't come out to sell things for a day, they might run out of food. Besides, in this cold weather, things like timber and charcoal sell well."

Princess Chang Le then understood. Just then, a pastry vendor passed by, cursing the terrible weather that was making his business so bad. Several passersby heard him and echoed his words. Glancing sideways at the three women with their servants, someone sighed, "Damn it, if I had money, I'd stay home drinking and reciting poetry, or bundle up and go out to see what's going on."

The servants with the three women heard this and were furious, making a move to teach them a lesson, but Hua Caiyun stopped them.

Princess Chang Le immediately lost interest, and the three of them turned back.

On the way back, they saw a little beggar, his clothes tattered and barely covering his body, his nose running from the cold. Princess Chang Le was disgusted by the sight. She quickly grabbed a hairpin and tossed it to him before turning and walking away. Hua Caiyun, following behind, smiled and shook her head, instructing her servants to give the little beggar one tael of silver to retrieve the hairpin before following her.

Back at the inn, Hua Caiyun returned the hairpin to Princess Chang Le. Princess Chang Le frowned and said, "I gave it to that poor child. Why did you take it back?"

Xue Jinxian laughed, "She did it for the little beggar's own good. If he tried to sell something so valuable, he'd be mistaken for a thief and arrested! Even if he didn't, he wouldn't know its value and wouldn't get much money. Wouldn't he be at a huge loss?"

Princess Chang Le was taken aback and nodded.

The details are unnecessary. The two women accompanied Princess Chang Le on her travels for over three months before returning to the capital.

Although Princess Chang Le's journey was only three months long, everything she saw and heard deeply moved her.

Although human life is filled with joys and sorrows, separations and deaths, and is extremely painful, unlike the immortals who are free from such troubles, the common people are not afraid of these things. What they fear is being unjustly bullied and mistreated by powerful and wicked people. Although she had not seen or heard much, she was exceptionally intelligent, able to understand many things from a single observation. Therefore, she was well-versed in social affairs and often heard people talking about Zhu Chuanzong. She knew he had an excellent reputation and was an honest official who cared for the people. Many people placed their hopes on him, so she began to examine herself, wondering if her treatment of Zhu Chuanzong was right or wrong.

Hua Caiyun often inquired about Princess Chang Le's impression of Zhu Chuanzong. Seeing that Princess Chang Le was gradually forgiving him, she was overjoyed. However, although Princess Chang Le no longer hated Zhu Chuanzong, she still harbored resentment about his affair with Consort Mei.

After Hua Caiyun and Xue Jinxian returned to the Zhu family, they told Zhu Shuiyue about the situation. After discussing it, the women understood that the Purple Silk Fairy had not forgotten Zhu Chuanzong. Now, the only knot in her heart was with Consort Mei.

Finally, the three women unanimously elected Hua Caiyun to persuade Consort Mei to go to the palace to discuss the matter. Hua Caiyun explained the advantages and disadvantages to Consort Mei. Although she was deeply infatuated with Zhu Chuanzong, she was ultimately intelligent and thought, "Bao'er and I are too far apart in status; we can't be together forever. Moreover, ever since the Emperor suspected me last time, he's been watching me very closely and still doesn't trust me. If he could marry the princess and become a member of the royal family, the Emperor would naturally be at ease, and we would have more opportunities to be together."

Therefore, she suppressed her jealousy and resolved to find a way to bring the two together.

Two days later, Consort Mei sent someone to invite the princess over for a chat.

Princess Chang Le no longer resented Zhu Chuanzong as much, but she still harbored resentment towards Consort Mei. Hearing Consort Mei's invitation, she felt a hint of disdain, but also wanted to see what Consort Mei had to say.

Princess Chang Le lived in a secluded place and rarely went out, disliking interaction with outsiders. Therefore, she had never met Consort Mei before. Upon meeting her, she was slightly surprised; Consort Mei was so young and beautiful, seemingly only a few years older than herself, and so gorgeous—no wonder the Emperor favored her so much! However, remembering the saying "beauty is a curse," she couldn't help but feel contempt.

Consort Mei changed her usual attire, dressing elegantly and respectfully. She treated Princess Chang Le with utmost respect and praised her endlessly. Princess Chang Le, being naive, was no match for Consort Mei, and her dislike for her lessened considerably.

Consort Mei had already dismissed the servants, and under her smooth-talking, Princess Chang Le's opinion of her grew increasingly favorable.

After this, Consort Mei began to study Princess Chang Le's interests, often sending her precious books of poetry and engaging in conversations about topics she enjoyed. The two gradually became acquainted. Princess Chang Le, kind-hearted, gradually dispelled her contempt for Consort Mei.

The two women chatted amiably that day, and when the topic of Zhu Chuanzong came up, Consort Mei's eyes reddened. She said, "It's all my fault. I'm sorry not only to the Emperor, but also to the Princess. I'll apologize to the Princess right now. I know the Princess will look down on me, please forgive me!"

She began to sob.

Princess Chang Le, seeing her pitiful state, assumed she was filled with remorse and her heart softened. She sighed and said, "If only you had known this would happen! You were so foolish."

Consort Mei wiped away her tears and said, "Although I have broken the rules and committed a grave crime, I do not regret it."

Princess Chang Le's eyes widened in surprise. Consort

Mei continued, "I entered the palace at seventeen, and I am only twenty-four this year. May I ask, Princess, how old is His Majesty this year?"

Princess Chang Le hesitated and said, "My father is sixty-two this year."

Thinking of her father, although he was in good health thanks to her care, he still had a full head of white hair and a face full of wrinkles. He seemed mismatched with the radiant Consort Mei before her, and she felt a pang of pity.

Consort Mei gave a bitter laugh and said, "That's right, I'm sixty-two years old. He has two grandsons who are older than me. When he issued the decree to select consorts, I was chosen directly because of my outstanding appearance, and I had no say in the matter. For the past five years, I've been accompanying someone old enough to be my grandfather, fawning over him and trying to please him in every way. Such a life is worse than death."

Princess Chang Le said sympathetically, "You've indeed suffered a lot. However, this..."

Consort Mei said, "I know this is against the law, a capital offense. But one's feelings are not something one can control. For Bao'er, I'm not afraid of death. The princess must also know that love is so profound that even death is acceptable."

Hearing this, Princess Chang Le couldn't help but think of her own experience. Speaking of which, her own feelings for Miao Ri Chen Jun were also strictly forbidden in the Heavenly Realm. Weren't the two of them violating the law and committing a great crime?

Putting herself in Consort Mei's shoes, she felt even more sympathy for her, feeling a deep sense of shared sorrow, and she also shed tears.

After crying for a while, Consort Mei said, "I am now a withered flower, and the princess is ashamed to associate with me. I have nothing more to say. I only ask that you forgive Bao'er. I will never see him again."

Princess Chang Le, being the kindest of all, seeing Consort Mei so distressed, no longer cared whether she still blamed her. She held Consort Mei's shoulders and sighed, "You are also a person of misfortune. Alas, I understand your difficulties. From now on, let things take their course with Zhu Chuanzong! I will not blame you."

Consort Mei seized the opportunity to plead, "Since the princess does not blame us, please promise me to forgive Bao'er! Otherwise, I will feel guilty and have no choice but to die to atone for my sins."

Princess Chang Le thought of Zhu Chuanzong's disappearance for many days and felt a pang of self-pity, saying, "Even if I forgive him, what then? He still doesn't know if he wants to see me!"

Suddenly, a voice was heard saying, "I am willing!"

A person emerged from behind the screen—it was Zhu Chuanzong.

It turned out that Zhu Chuanzong had been hiding in Consort Mei's room all along, waiting for Princess Chang Le to speak her mind so that he could take the opportunity to express his feelings.

Princess Chang Le was startled, her face flushing red. She said, somewhat embarrassed and angry, "You, why were you hiding and eavesdropping? You, you…"

Zhu Chuanzong grabbed her hand and knelt at her feet, saying emotionally, "If I didn't eavesdrop, how could I understand your feelings? Zi Sha, I'm so sorry, please forgive me?"

Princess Chang Le struggled, saying, "Get up quickly, look at this mess!"

But she wasn't as strong as Zhu Chuanzong and couldn't break free, so she slowly sat down and leaned against him. After a while, she said softly, "Who told me to owe you something in my past life? I can only let you, you wicked man, have it! I forgive you this time."

Consort Mei giggled, "Such tender affection, it makes one jealous. Bao'er isn't this good to me! So humble, it's truly enviable!"

She sighed, feigning envy.

Princess Chang Le lowered her head, both sweet and shy. Zhu Chuanzong knew that Consort Mei was deliberately trying to curry favor with Princess Chang Le, but he didn't expose her, laughing heartily and holding her even tighter.

Zhu Chuanzong and Princess Chang Le were reconciled, and their biggest unresolved issue was resolved. His journey to the mortal realm could be considered a complete success. To gain Princess Chang Le's forgiveness, he pretended that Pang Laixiao was the reincarnation of the Fiery God, constantly opposing him. Little did he know that his words would become a prophecy; Pang Laixiao indeed made things difficult for him at every turn and committed countless evil deeds behind his back. However, the Emperor was deceived by him, not only protecting him but also placing great trust in him. Zhu Chuanzong deeply hated this corrupt official, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that Pang Laixiao's demeanor was indeed similar to that of the Fiery God.

After Zhu Chuanzong and Princess Chang Le reconciled, they met frequently, and their feelings deepened day by day. One day, he brought up the matter of Pang Laixiao, wanting to ask her how she felt. However, as soon as he mentioned him, Princess Chang Le covered her mouth with her hand and said, "Don't mention him. I've seen that scoundrel. Even after he descended to the mortal realm, he still wouldn't let me go. If I weren't a princess, I think he would definitely cause me trouble."

Zhu Chuanzong exclaimed in surprise, "He really is that scoundrel who descended to the mortal realm? I thought it was just my imagination!"

Princess Chang Le shook her head and said, "How could I be wrong! Although his figure and appearance have changed somewhat, his temperament remains the same. Even if he were reduced to ashes, I would still remember him. You must be careful! Although he lost his memory in heaven, his nature hasn't changed, and he will definitely oppose us.

" Chuanzong nodded and said, "This villain has descended to the mortal realm to bring disaster to the country and its people. No wonder we were also implicated and sent down to the mortal realm; it turns out we were here to stop this villain from doing evil. Zisha, you must support me. I know this goes against your nature, but if we stand aside and ignore worldly affairs, the people of the world will suffer. This villain pretends to be a good person on the surface, but in reality, he is utterly wicked, deceiving the Emperor. His heart is despicable, and we must not let him succeed."

Princess Changle looked at Zhu Chuanzong with deep affection and said, "I know, don't worry, I will definitely help you."

With Princess Changle's help, Emperor Mingzong increasingly appreciated and valued Zhu Chuanzong, and he was riding high on his success, his official career naturally rising step by step.

Another year passed in the blink of an eye. Wang Xifan, old and frail, resigned due to illness. Zhu Chuanzong took over as the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, a high-ranking official of the second rank, holding the power of supervision and interrogation over officials throughout the court, becoming a veritable nobleman in the court.

Another advantage was that Zhu Chuanzong's sworn brother, Wang Dingkun, had repeatedly distinguished himself on the border and now commanded a large army, guarding a region. With such a powerful ally, even Pang Laixiao dared not easily touch him.

After taking office, Zhu Chuanzong worked diligently, handling several major cases and punishing a number of corrupt officials. He also promoted many honest and capable officials, earning widespread praise from the people, who not only called him "Zhu the Upright Official," but some even rumored that he was a celestial being, the God of Literature, descended to earth to uphold justice.

When Zhu Chuanzong secretly met with Princess Chang Le, he proudly boasted about this to her. Princess Chang Le covered her mouth and chuckled, "They guessed wrong. You are indeed a deity descended to earth, but you are not the famous Wenqu Star Lord, but rather an unknown little Miao Richen Lord!"

Zhu Chuanzong didn't mind and puffed out his chest, saying, "The Wenqu Star Lord spends all day hiding in his cave sleeping. How could he care about the suffering of the common people? He's not even as good as a little stone like me."

Princess Chang Le tilted her head and looked at him with admiration, saying, "Yes, although he is of higher rank than you, he is not as kind-hearted as you, nor does he do as well as you."

After a while, she said with some worry, "Your official position is getting higher and higher, but you have less and less time to spend with me. I'm not even as good as someone with a lower official position." Zhu

Chuanzong was taken aback at first, then laughed and said, "That's easy. If you marry me, we'll have more time together."

Saying this, he grabbed Princess Chang Le's small hand and said, "Would you like to marry me? If so, I would be overjoyed. I'll go to the Emperor to propose marriage tomorrow!"

Princess Chang Le lowered her head shyly, but then shook her head and said, "I don't..." "I will marry you."

Zhu Chuanzong looked disappointed and said, "Why? Don't you know my heart?"

Princess Chang Le said, "I know you are fickle."

Zhu Chuanzong sighed, "I know it's my fault, but what will it take for you to marry me? Just tell me your conditions, and I will do anything, even go through fire and water. We have gone through so much hardship to be reunited in this world, don't you appreciate how hard this was?"

Princess Chang Le was silent for a while, then said, "What I want, you can't do, so I won't make things difficult for you. As long as you don't associate with Consort Mei and sever ties, I will agree to your marriage. This is for your own good."

Zhu Chuanzong was stunned for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I agree. It was my fault to begin with, and I think Consort Mei is reasonable and won't make things too difficult for me. I will propose to your father tomorrow."

Princess Chang Le said, "Fool, you can't propose so rashly. Have you forgotten that everyone thinks you are a eunuch? How could your father agree to marry me to you?"

Zhu Chuanzong then realized this and was extremely annoyed. Princess Chang Le smiled and said, "It's not like there's no way, why are you in such a hurry? I've thought of something. I'll pretend to prepare some medicine for you, and then announce to the public that I've found a secret formula for curing your illness in an ancient book. After a few months, I'll announce that I've cured you, isn't that fine?"

Zhu Chuanzong couldn't resist picking up Princess Chang Le's slender body and spinning her around, overjoyed, "Zi Sha, my good wife, you're so clever!"

Princess Chang Le's ears turned red, and she gasped, "Put me down quickly!"

Although the two were deeply in love, Princess Chang Le always maintained proper etiquette, and Zhu Chuanzong dared not be presumptuous.

The two thought that they could live together happily ever after, and they were both extremely joyful until it was time to part, when they reluctantly said goodbye to each other. Princess Chang Le said worriedly at the end of the day, "From now on, you must be more careful with your words and actions, and especially you must not have any more contact with Consort Mei. Otherwise, without the cover of your eunuch status, you will surely be accused of defiling the harem."

Zhu Chuanzong nodded and said, "She will probably be unhappy. But there's nothing we can do about it, I will try to persuade her."

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