Qiao Yu looked at Zhu Nian in surprise, seemingly not understanding her meaning.
Zhu Nian hadn't eaten meat for nearly a month since her arrival, and now there was someone who made her jealous. She absolutely did not want to see him.
"Your Majesty, what do you mean?"
"I said if you don't want to do this job anymore, you can leave the palace. If you want to marry her, I can grant you a marriage. Or, if you think she deserves to die, then drag her out and behead her."
This statement made everyone's eyes widen.
No one had expected Zhu Nian to say such a thing.
"Your Majesty, what did you say?"
Zhu Nian thought he was hard of hearing. "I said you can leave the palace and get married! Is there something wrong with your ears? Fine, think about it yourself. I'm leaving."
If she didn't want to do it anymore, she wouldn't. There were other people in the harem anyway, and there weren't many matters to handle.
As Zhu Nian reached the door, she turned back and said, "Oh right, arrange for the Crown Prince's marriage before you leave."
She was halfway through it, and it wouldn't be easy to find someone to take over.
"...Yes."
Zhu Nian eagerly went to seek comfort and, on the way, encountered Chong Yan. Chong Yan was walking towards her with an anxious expression. Upon seeing Zhu Nian, he immediately rushed forward, making a gesture as if to kneel.
"What is it?" Zhu Nian stopped him first. "Didn't I say you didn't need to kneel? Did you forget again?"
"Your Majesty, are you... alright?"
"What could happen to me?"
"This subject... I heard that Side Consort Qiao did something wrong. Your Majesty, please don't upset yourself."
"Why would I be upset?" Zhu Nian put an arm around him and walked back. "I don't like him. He's at most a subordinate. I can't control who he gets involved with. No, why are you worried about him?"
He had called her brother and sister before, and now he was the first to come when something happened. Zhu Nian suddenly felt something was amiss. She stopped, turned to stare at him, and asked suspiciously, "You don't happen to like him, do you?"
Her eyes were fixed on him, as if if she heard a positive answer or saw a hesitant expression, she would change her mind and have him killed.
Chong Yan was bewildered. "I, like who?"
"Qiao Yu." Zhu Nian knew she was overthinking. "I was joking."
Chong Yan's expression was one of horror.
What was His Majesty saying?
Zhu Nian pulled him along as they walked back. Chong Yan followed her in a daze, and it took him a while to process the matter before asking, "Your Majesty is not going to pursue Side Consort Qiao's mistake? Then how do you plan to deal with him?"
"I told him if he wants to leave the palace, he can. As for the woman he had relations with, if he wants to marry her, I'll grant them a marriage. If he wants to kill her, I won't stop him."
Chong Yan's steps halted.
"What is it now?"
"Your Majesty, you truly don't mind at all?"
Zhu Nian looked utterly perplexed. "I don't like him, why would I mind?"
She thought of something and her expression changed. "However, if you dare to do something like this, I will skin that woman alive and then kill you too."
Upon hearing her threat, Chong Yan felt no fear. Instead, a secret joy filled his heart.
Because he understood.
He was different from Qiao Yu.
She said she didn't mind Qiao Yu doing that with another woman at all, and even generously offered to grant them a marriage. All of this was simply because she didn't like him, and not liking him meant not caring. Sudan Novel Network
"I won't." He would never do anything to betray this person.
"That's for the best."
Zhu Nian thought to herself that if something really happened, she wouldn't do much to him.
At most, she would ruin his body and create a new, clean one for him. But as for the other person, she would truly skin them alive and scatter their souls.
Perhaps because she understood her feelings for him clearly, that night the two finally had a full intimacy.
Then Chong Yan discovered Zhu Nian's secret.
He was so surprised he couldn't speak.
"What is it?"
"Your Majesty, you, you haven't..."
Zhu Nian said indifferently, "I don't like them, so of course I haven't."
While Chong Yan was astonished, his entire being was filled with a sense of profound happiness. There was no one before him, which meant they belonged to each other completely.
At this moment, he no longer wanted to question the reason for this person's inexplicable affection. Regardless of the reason, he could be sure of one thing: this person truly liked him.
He didn't want to ask how long this kind of love would last, ten days or half a month, three to five months, three to five years, or forever.
It didn't matter anymore.
At this moment, in their hearts, their eyes, and their bodies, there was only each other. That was enough.
——
Qiao Yu's matter was not kept secret at all. Zhu Nian did not issue any orders forbidding discussion. The palace staff would whisper about it, even spreading the words outside, causing a great stir.
The imperial guard who had relations with Qiao Yu was Wei Ningjun, the second-generation offspring of an official in the imperial city. She joined the imperial guard more to pad her resume. She never expected such a thing to happen. The next day, after the morning court, her mother came to the imperial study to request an audience with Zhu Nian.
Zhu Nian signaled for her to enter. She immediately knelt on the ground. "This subject has failed to discipline her daughter. I beg Your Majesty for punishment."
Zhu Nian was in a very good mood today. She said, "The matter yesterday has been handed over to Side Consort Qiao for him to handle entirely. If he wishes to marry Wei Ningjun, I will grant them a marriage. But if he feels Wei Ningjun has committed insubordination and wants to kill her, I will not stop him."
Lord Wei was also extremely shocked.
But she was astute enough not to ask further questions.
A gentleman's word is his bond.
Regardless of the Empress's reasons for saying this, since she said it, it must be true.
Now, whether her daughter lived or died depended on that Side Consort Qiao.
With this thought, she quickly took her leave and departed the palace, intending to go find the Qiao family to discuss the matter.
The Qiao family had already lost one person due to a previous incident and incurred the Empress's displeasure. They had hoped Qiao Yu would use his influence, but he had ended up involved with someone else.
Therefore, the entire Qiao family was depressed.
They were also worried that Zhu Nian would vent her anger on them because of Qiao Yu's incident, and lived in constant fear until Lord Wei arrived to discuss the matter.
Upon hearing that His Majesty had entrusted the entire matter to Qiao Yu and was willing to grant them a marriage, the entire Qiao family breathed a sigh of relief. Marriage was something they didn't dare to imagine. As long as the person was still alive, it was already a great fortune.
They politely refused Lord Wei, only saying that they would send a family member to see Qiao Yu and ask for his opinion.
Qiao Yu survived safely until the third day, finally confirming that Zhu Nian truly had no intention of pursuing his responsibility. While relieved, he couldn't help but feel disappointed.
The complete lack of reaction was precisely a sign of indifference.
That day, he had seen Zhu Nian walk in with an enraged expression and thought he was certainly doomed. He hadn't expected her to say such words.
Naturally, he didn't dare to consider leaving the palace to marry someone else. On the third day, he remembered something and had the imperial seal for managing the harem sent to Chong Yan.
At that time, the two were discussing current affairs.