After Discovering The Emperor Was A Woman… - Chapter 16

And that was not even the worst of it.

The emperor had also bestowed three chests of oranges upon Jiuning—only to decree that she was allowed to look at them but not eat them!

No one could understand what the emperor was thinking.

If the emperor disliked women so much, why issue an imperial decree claiming to have fallen in love at first sight?

Now that Jiuning had recovered, the emperor had begun tormenting her like this.

It was far too cruel!

No matter how indignant they felt, the young ladies knew they could only keep such thoughts to themselves. Criticizing the sovereign was never a wise idea.

Once the maids and female physicians had withdrawn, the girls placed the gift boxes they were carrying beside the bed. After Guan Feilan, who stood by the door, closed it tightly, they all gathered around Liu Jiuning.

Looking at her frail figure, so thin that even a gentle breeze seemed capable of knocking her over, they hesitated to speak. Their lightly made-up faces were filled with unconcealable sorrow.

They all shared a single thought—

The emperor was truly committing a terrible sin!

The innocent girl who had once been so lively was now pale and weak. It was simply heartbreaking.

“Jiuning, are you feeling any better? Does… does anywhere still hurt?”

Shen Yunlan asked with great care and tenderness.

After speaking, she worried that the question had been inappropriate and might upset Liu Jiuning. Glancing around, she secretly pulled a small wrapped bundle from her sleeve.

As she opened it, she leaned closer and whispered, “Feilan told me you’ve been craving the pastries I make, so I secretly brought some today. You’re still recovering, so you may only eat two pieces. The rest must be shared among everyone else. You mustn’t be greedy right now. Just have a little taste.”

“Yes, yes! Hurry and give them to me. I want the two biggest pieces!”

Although Liu Jiuning had not been particularly interested in sweets lately, she certainly would not reject her friend’s kindness.

Besides, her friend’s homemade pastries were entirely different from those in the palace. They were sweet without being cloying. Eating a few extra pieces would surely be no great problem!

With this thought, she eagerly stretched out her hand and waited for the pastries to be placed in her palm.

Unexpectedly, a slender, fair hand stopped Shen Yunlan.

Chen Jingxian snatched the bag of pastries away and stuffed it directly into her own sleeve.

“She’s still sick. What pastries are you giving her? Did none of you listen to what the female physician said? Once Jiuning recovers, we can bring her an entire basket. It won’t be too late then.”

Far too many eyes were watching Jiuning’s small courtyard right now.

Who knew whether any of them harbored malicious intentions?

Jiuning was now the future empress. No matter how much the emperor disliked her, she had still been personally named by imperial decree!

Yet these naive and adorable friends of hers had dared bring in food that had not been inspected by the female physicians.

Had they behaved this carelessly within Chen Jingxian’s own household, they might have died without ever learning how it happened.

Thinking of this, Chen Jingxian frowned.

Jiuning would soon enter the palace. The imperial harem was far more dangerous than even the most vicious noble household.

She first made certain that both the doors and windows were tightly shut. Then, facing Shen Yunlan and Liu Jiuning’s equally aggrieved expressions, she slowly explained the dangers involved.

At the same time, she warned the other confused girls that they must always be cautious with anything they put into their mouths.

Worried that the more innocent girls might not understand, she even used the new concubine whom her father had recently banished to a country estate as an example.

Everyone listened with fascination.

Had Chen Jingxian not forbidden them from eating the pastries, they might have started munching on them as snacks while enjoying the story.

Several of the girls came from rather turbulent households and understood immediately after only a few hints.

As for the pampered and innocent ones, Chen Jingxian’s detailed explanation finally made the danger clear to them as well.

Liu Jiuning, meanwhile, had grown up during the information explosion of the technological age. Television dramas about household and palace intrigue had aired constantly. She had watched so many that she could practically recite several lines beginning with “You little wretch” from memory.

Understanding such things, however, was entirely different from putting that knowledge into practice.

Listening to Chen Jingxian’s analysis, Liu Jiuning was filled with admiration.

As expected of the eldest daughter of a man with eighteen concubines and twenty-eight children—yet who still sat securely in her position and remained deeply favored by her father!

On further thought, Chen Jingxian’s father was rather impressive too.

He had somehow managed to support such an enormous family…

But how could they listen to such a thrilling tale of household intrigue without something to eat?

Liu Jiuning gestured for Guan Feilan to take the oranges from the table and distribute them among everyone.

By the time Chen Jingxian’s story ended, orange peels were scattered all over the floor.

Seeing that she had finally stopped speaking, Liu Jiuning quickly handed her a peeled orange segment.

“This orange is quite good. It’s very sweet.”

Chen Jingxian took a bite and found that it tasted even better than those purchased by her own household, so she casually praised it.

Liu Jiuning nodded vigorously, her tone full of regret.

“Right? They were carried out of the palace. Even the scent is wonderful. Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to eat them. I can only look.”

The emperor had bestowed three chests of oranges upon her but forbidden her from eating any.

What kind of logic was that?

Was she supposed to sit there and watch them rot?

So Liu Jiuning had thoughtfully distributed them among her elders and rewarded some to the servants.

And then…

The palace simply sent out chest after chest of fresh oranges.

Whenever her supply ran low, it was immediately replenished.

At times, Liu Jiuning almost felt like some highly favored enchanting consort. Others had lychees delivered over thousands of miles; she had oranges.

Except she was not allowed to eat them.

It was incredibly frustrating.

She even suspected this was the emperor’s revenge!

But revenge for what?

Liu Jiuning did not understand, nor could her cheerful mind comprehend the thoughts of an emperor who spent every day gloomy and silent.

Perhaps the emperor missed hearing her chatter?

The moment she said this, nearly every girl eating an orange began choking.

Their faces turned bright red as they coughed violently.

They wanted to say something, but they could neither speak nor catch their breath.

Terrified, Liu Jiuning sprang straight out of bed.

She patted one friend on the back, helped another breathe, then quickly poured tea for all of them.

Once everyone had recovered, they realized that Liu Jiuning had been rushing around the room and somehow looked healthier than the girls who had nearly coughed themselves breathless.

“Why are you all staring at me? Is it because I’m especially beautiful today?”

Liu Jiuning had barely finished teasing them when countless hands reached out to drag her back toward the bed.

“I’m allowed to get out of bed!” she protested. “The female physicians said I need an appropriate amount of movement! I’m really not as fragile as you think. Look at me. Don’t I seem perfectly well?”

When Liu Jiuning refused to lie down, Guan Feilan went outside and confirmed the matter with a female physician.

Only then did the girls stop trying to force her back into bed.

“I told you I’m not as delicate as you imagine.”

Liu Jiuning strutted around the room with a radiant smile, looking as though she had just won a battle.

Glancing back, she decided that her friends truly looked far too plain today. She opened her jewelry box and selected several beautiful, exquisitely made hair ornaments.

She walked from one girl to the next and placed the ornaments in their hair, refusing to accept any objections.

Whenever someone tried to refuse, she lowered her eyes and put on a wounded expression.

No one could resist Liu Jiuning while she was still recovering from a grave illness. They could only allow her to decorate their hair with jeweled flowers and hairpins.

Even Guan Feilan, who never wore floral ornaments or jewelry, ended up with a white-cloud hairpin tucked into her hair.

“All right, all right. We’ve tried them on. Hurry and put them away. I haven’t forgotten how precious these are to you. If we accidentally damage them, we could never afford to replace them.”

Chen Jingxian smiled as she began removing the delicate butterfly hairpin decorated with kingfisher feathers and pearls.

Jewelry was practically half a young lady’s life.

Most girls were reluctant even to let others handle their favorite pieces, yet Jiuning was in such a good mood today that she had allowed everyone to try hers.

Liu Jiuning moved quickly and pressed the butterfly hairpin back into Chen Jingxian’s hair before she could remove it.

“If it breaks, then it breaks. Once it’s on your head, it belongs to you. It has nothing to do with me anymore.”

“Take them back. Stop teasing us.”

Shen Yunlan also reached up to remove the silver tassel hairpin shaped like two intertwined begonias.

These ornaments were extremely delicate and certainly expensive.

If any of them truly broke, everyone would be heartbroken. Their monthly allowances might not even cover the cost.

“Hey! Don’t touch them! All of you must keep them on. They’re my return gifts to you. They may look valuable, but they’re only a small token of my affection.”

As she spoke, Liu Jiuning rearranged the large number of ornaments that remained in the jewelry box.

Afraid her friends would refuse, she casually added, “I probably won’t have any use for them anyway. Isn’t it better to give them to all of you?”

The lively room immediately fell silent.

Then one sob followed another.

Liu Jiuning raised her head in confusion and looked at her friends, who were covering their eyes with handkerchiefs.

Only belatedly did she realize what she had just said.

It sounded exactly as though she were nearing death and distributing her possessions while making arrangements for her funeral…

She hurriedly explained, “What I mean is that I’ll be entering the palace as empress soon. When that happens, I’ll use the fine things provided by the palace.”

She was going to become empress.

Naturally, she would have even better jewelry!

Besides, when she had planned to become a fake nun, she had already intended to divide her ornaments among her friends as additions to their dowries.

Giving them away now would simply make everyone happy a little earlier.

Yet somehow, they had all begun crying!

The more Liu Jiuning tried to comfort them, the harder they cried.

Even the usually strong Guan Feilan had tears gathered in her eyes.

Liu Jiuning did not know whether to laugh or cry.

“I’m going to the palace to enjoy a life of luxury! Just look at all of you. What exactly are you imagining?”