The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 139

The young eunuch knelt on the ground, trembling. “The fire started suddenly and very close to the bookcase by the desk. I was so frightened that I could only think about extinguishing the fire to prevent a disaster. After we controlled the fire, I caught my breath and came to report. This servant deserves to die.”

The Emperor glared at him coldly. “The fire was so large that it took you two moments to extinguish it?”

The young eunuch shivered and pressed his head to the ground. “This servant does not dare to lie.”

The Emperor’s face turned ashen with anger. In the great hall, no one dared to breathe.

The Empress glanced at Consort Li and then at Noble Consort Shu, who sat beside her, signaling her with a look. As sisters, they understood each other well. Noble Consort Shu immediately grasped the Empress’s intention. She frowned slightly and coughed. In the deathly silence of the hall, her sudden cough drew everyone’s attention.

Noble Consort Shu looked terrified and stood up to admit her fault. “This concubine deserves to die, but I…”

The Emperor knew her cough was unintentional and waved impatiently. “Sit down.”

“Yes.”

Whether Noble Consort Shu was truly unwell or just startled, she swayed as she sat, raising her hand to her forehead as if she couldn’t stand steadily. The Second Prince hurriedly stood up to support her. “Mother Consort.”

However, he was a step too late. Noble Consort Shu fell towards Consort Li. Consort Li immediately moved aside, but the Second Prince caught Noble Consort Shu just in time.

Noble Consort Shu held her forehead and apologized to Consort Li. “I’m sorry, sister. I couldn’t stand steadily.” Then she looked at the Emperor. “Your Majesty, please forgive me. This concubine was very dizzy just now.”

This commotion once again drew everyone’s attention. The Emperor didn’t look at Noble Consort Shu but turned his gaze to Consort Li beside her. Consort Li’s pale and ashen face showed a thin layer of anger due to Noble Consort Shu’s unsteady stance.

The Emperor felt a fleeting thought pass through his mind. He thought of the Duke. Seeing the Emperor’s gaze, Consort Li’s heart skipped a beat. She gripped her handkerchief tightly and sat upright.

The Crown Prince observed the commotion from across the dance floor. The Empress truly had a clever tactic. Shen Yue was just a prince whose fate clashed with the Emperor’s and had no maternal family backing. In the Empress’s eyes, he posed no threat.

But Consort Li was different. Although the Duke had fallen, the Great General was still around. The case involving The Duke hadn’t implicated Consort Li, making the Empress uneasy. After all, Consort Li had a son, the Twelfth Prince.

The Crown Prince had no interest in palace intrigues. Whether Consort Li challenged the Empress or the Empress challenged Consort Li, it didn’t matter to him.

However, if this were a typical story, Noble Consort Shu’s dizziness might not be just to highlight Consort Li. Dizziness… The Crown Prince’s eyes widened in realization.

The most likely reason was that Noble Consort Shu was pregnant. If that were true, why did she reveal it this way? Noble Consort Shu being pregnant could affect Consort Li…

The Crown Prince thought about the interests at play between these two women and frowned. He suddenly remembered that Noble Consort Shu’s brother was a general under Consort Li’s uncle, the Great General. What if Noble Consort Shu’s brother wanted to replace the Great General?

As the Crown Prince pondered, the Emperor ordered the Second Prince, “Take your mother consort back to rest.”

The Second Prince immediately complied, helping Noble Consort Shu leave. As they left, the Emperor glanced around the hall, then turned to the Empress Dowager. “Mother, I will go to the Imperial Study to check on the fire. If it’s not severe, I will return soon.”

A fire in the Imperial Study could be a big deal or a minor one. However, suddenly involving Shen Yue…

The Empress Dowager was no fool. Having survived many palace intrigues, she had seen all kinds of tricks. She glanced at the young eunuch and said to the Emperor, “You can ask him about the situation. I’m also concerned about the fire, so why don’t you question him here? It will put my mind at ease.”

With the Empress Dowager’s words, the Emperor turned to the young eunuch.

The young eunuch lowered his head and said, “Reporting to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty, the fire in the Imperial Study was intense and started suddenly. The Emperor’s desk was mostly burned.” Everything on the desk would have been destroyed. The Emperor looked at the eunuch steward, who immediately left the hall.

The young eunuch shivered and continued, “The Emperor’s belongings are confidential, so we didn’t dare to inspect them. We don’t know what was destroyed. After extinguishing the fire, we left the Imperial Study untouched.”

The Emperor’s expression was grim as he turned to Song Jin. “Why would someone falsely summon you to the Imperial Study?”

Song Jin was stunned. Why was he asking her?

Still, the treacherous Emperor had to be dealt with carefully. “Father Emperor, I don’t know…”

The Emperor interrupted her with a shout, “You don’t know? Have you forgotten I told you not to enter the palace without reason?”

Song Jin… Damn you, Emperor! You think you’re always right!

She straightened her back and replied, “I didn’t enter the palace on my own. It was the Crown Prince who personally invited me.”

This brought the conversation back to where it started when the Emperor first entered. The topic was picked up again. The Empress Dowager silently observed Song Jin. The more she looked, the more she felt he resembled her late daughter-in-law. Not in looks, but in demeanor.

The Emperor glanced at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince calmly said, “Father Emperor, the reason I invited the Fourth Brother is because I thought he should return the Heavenly Hound to you.”

Song Jin… Damn you!

The Crown Prince continued, “Father Emperor is busy with state affairs and might have forgotten, but the Fourth Brother, due to some issues, cannot enter the palace without permission. The Heavenly Hound can’t stay at his residence forever.”

The Emperor gave the Crown Prince a deep look. He didn’t believe this explanation, but he also didn’t understand why the Crown Prince had suddenly gotten close to the Fourth Prince.

Just as he was about to speak, hurried footsteps were heard from outside, drawing everyone’s attention.

At the entrance, a young eunuch shouted, “Your Majesty, Minister Liu from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau requests an audience.”

The crowd was puzzled. Why had someone from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau come here?

The Emperor’s voice was steady. “Summon him.” He then glared at Song Jin.

Song Jin… Treacherous Emperor!

Achoo!

In that serious atmosphere, the Emperor sneezed.

The Emperor…

The Empress…

Everyone…

After paying his respects, Minister Liu spoke respectfully and gravely, “Your Majesty, last night, a celestial calamity star appeared. According to its trajectory, we calculated that an anomaly would occur this morning. A comet is likely to appear, posing a danger to the Emperor’s well-being.”

He paused before continuing, “It represents fire and may harm the Emperor’s star.”