Chapter 381

No one understood Jiang Xinyue's preferences better than the emperor.

Even the vase on the rosewood antique shelf by the window was of the style and color she loved, filled with a bouquet of delicate pink and white flowers, pleasing to the eye.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Having only read about or seen the exclusive favor of the imperial concubine in books or on television, Jiang Xinyue now experienced it firsthand. She ran her hand over the priceless silk bedding beneath her, feeling rather pleased.

No wonder everyone in the palace vied for the emperor's favor—only by winning his affection could one enjoy the finest luxuries.

Having risen to her position solely through the emperor's favor, Jiang Xinyue didn’t want to be hypocritical, enjoying the benefits he bestowed while despising the fact that he had been generous to others in the past.

She leaned against the emperor’s chest and said, "Your Majesty, I know you’ve faced a lot of pressure in making me your empress. I will always remember your kindness to me and our child. I promise to do my best as your empress and never let you down."

She was so considerate, never taking his efforts for granted or assuming his devotion was her due.

This was why relationships were mutual.

Because Jiang Xinyue understood him, knew his struggles, cared for him, and chose to stand by his side even when she didn’t want to become empress.

How could he not offer her the very best?

The Xuanwu Emperor was deeply moved. He held her close, warmth filling his heart. "Silly girl, I made you my empress because I wanted to. You are the one I cherish, the one I’m grateful to have in my life. Everything I’ve done is out of my own will. You don’t need to feel any pressure. I don’t need a perfect empress—I just want you to be happy. To be with you day and night, to share a bed in life and a grave in death, that is the best life I could ask for."

He would take care of his country and his people, but he didn’t need Jiang Xinyue to sacrifice herself for the sake of propriety.

If he had wanted a perfect empress, Empress Zhu would have been the ideal choice.

But instead, he had fallen for Jiang Xinyue, who wasn’t particularly proper, reasonable, or virtuous, and who even had a bit of a jealous streak.

At first, it was her beauty that captivated him, but now he truly couldn’t live without her.

The empress wasn’t just the empress—she was the woman he loved most. What did the fate of the nation have to do with her?

Would choosing Jiang Xinyue as empress lead to the downfall of Great Yan?

Frankly, that was just an excuse used by the incompetent.

He considered himself a wise ruler, and the court was filled with officials selected through the imperial examinations and nurtured by noble families. If they couldn’t prevent the fall of a dynasty, what did the rise and fall of a nation have to do with a single woman?

It was the incompetence of those in power and the officials.

The collapse of a nation was rooted in its decay. Great Yan had been prosperous for too long, making its officials complacent and forgetful of the need to remain vigilant in times of peace.

In this era of prosperity, corruption ran rampant.

These parasites, having hollowed out Great Yan, would then shift the blame for the nation’s decline onto others, with power and women being eternal scapegoats.

So, from now on, whoever impeached Jiang Xinyue, he would investigate, and he was sure to find evidence of their misdeeds.

As for those who had harmed his child, he didn’t believe a mere consort like Consort Cheng had the capability to act alone.

He would uncover the mastermind behind it and eliminate the threat once and for all.

"Your Majesty, we’ve found her… we’ve found her…"

Consort Cheng probably never imagined that she would be remembered by the emperor in such a way. The Investigative Bureau had searched for half a month, turning over every possible hiding place in the palace, before finally discovering her body buried in the woods near Yanxi Palace.

The weather in April and May wasn’t too hot yet, and Jiang Xinyue still needed to wear a small cloak in the mornings, so Consort Cheng’s body hadn’t decomposed too badly.

Still, she had been dead for half a month, and her corpse showed signs of lividity and emitted a foul odor.

Jiang Xinyue wanted to inspect the scene herself, but the emperor, mindful of her four- or five-month pregnancy, didn’t want her exposed to such a sight.

He feared that if she saw it, the sweet, delicate little princess in her womb might also be affected.

Moreover, the smell was unpleasant, and he didn’t want her to feel nauseous.

So Jiang Xinyue had to rely on reports from Tang Shiliang to analyze who Consort Cheng’s accomplices might be.

"Consort Cheng died from a deep wound to her throat. The coroner from the Investigative Bureau believes it was caused by a sharp object like a hairpin. The wound was deep, suggesting she was struck without warning and died instantly. His Majesty has ordered an investigation into hairpins that match the size of the wound."

The clothing and accessories worn by the palace concubines were all made by the Mansion of Treasures and the Internal Affairs Department. The emperor deduced that the murderer must be someone who had lived in the palace for a long time and had influence within these departments.

Unfavored concubines were ruled out, and among those who had once been favored and were still in the palace, the number of suspects was small.

The emperor narrowed his focus to one primary suspect, and soon, clues emerged.

Jiang ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‍Xinyue frowned. "Zhang Wanrong? She has the nerve?"

Tang Shiliang thought for a moment and said, "Zhang Wanrong’s father is a minister in the Ministry of Works. During the recent selection of palace maidens, her half-sister was chosen—the one who aspired to be a royal chef. Your Majesty praised her ambition and allowed her to stay. It’s said that this half-sister and Zhang Wanrong didn’t get along well in their youth and often clashed."

Now that her half-sister was in the palace and had won the empress’s favor, it was possible that Zhang Wanrong harbored resentment.

Jiang Xinyue was truly exasperated by Zhang Wanrong.

She had chosen the aspiring chef because the girl had been stifled at home, unable to pursue her culinary talents. It was a pity to let such a gifted chef go to waste, so she had allowed her to enter the palace.

Since her arrival, the girl had practically lived in the imperial kitchen. The head chef, who was loyal to Jiang Xinyue, had even remarked that the girl was a culinary genius. If she were a man, he would have taken her as his apprentice.

Jiang Xinyue had encouraged him to mentor her regardless. Who said that important positions in the palace were reserved only for men?

In Jiang Xinyue’s eyes, capability mattered most.

The idea that women could hold up half the sky didn’t have to wait for future generations. As long as there were women willing to showcase their talents and brave enough to break free from societal constraints, she would provide them with opportunities.

This was the stage she, as empress, should offer to women.

What was Zhang Wanrong thinking?

How did this concern her?

The Office of Careful Punishment reeked of blood, with tortured eunuchs and maids lying in rows—all from Zhang Wanrong’s palace.

The Investigative Bureau officials whispered among themselves that the emperor and empress were a ruthless pair, each more formidable than the other.

It seemed their interrogation methods were too mild. They needed to learn from these two masters of cruelty to improve their efficiency in handling cases.