“But…” Zhao Xu looked embarrassed. “But today is the first day of the new year, so I should sleep in the empress’ palace.”


  Ning Shu: →_→


  Frick, you even want someone to beg you to go when you want to leave?

  Jesus!

  “The emperor should hurry and deal with government affairs. Maybe it’s something important. There’s always the 15th of the new year,” Ning Shu told Zhao Xu shyly. “If two people share an eternal love then there’s no need to be together all the time.”


  “Ahem. The empress truly is virtuous,” Zhao Xu said as he turned and left.

  Ning Shu stared at Zhao Xu’s back and rolled her eyes.

  “Your Majesty…” Qiu Ling looked at Ning Shu helplessly.

  Ning Shu turned her head. “It’s time to prepare for the palace’s Mid-Autumn banquet. Tell the servants to do it well.”


  This banquet would serve as an unexpected excuse to free Attendant Zhou. In the end, Zhao Xu was still thinking about her.

  However, even if she was freed for a time, she could still be locked away again. When the bird flew out of her cage, Ning Shu would shove her back in.

  The consorts and concubines of the palaces were very busy in the time leading up to the banquet. They would stand before Ning Shu when they had nothing else to do, crying that their clothes were too old and that their jewelry was missing.

  Ning Shu asked the clothing bureau to make two outfits for each imperial concubine. This diverted the concubines’ attention. They were either busy getting clothes made and procuring new jewelry, or they were rehearsing the dance assiduously in an attempt to show the others up in front of Zhao Xu and gain his favor.

  At any rate, the entire harem was busy.

  On the night of the fifteenth day, the banquet took place. The palace was gorgeously decorated and brightly lit with beautiful women singing and dancing.

  Ning Shu and Zhao Xu sat at the top, looking down upon the rows of concubines below. In the middle, dancers enchanted the audience with their outstanding performances.

  Ning Shu glanced at Attendant Zhou. Attendant Zhou was very beautiful but was seated at the back due to her status. At that moment, she seemed to create a world of her own by just sitting there, her temperament exceptional.

  On occasion she would secretly sip a bit of fruit wine, causing her face to flush and giving her the alluring charm of a drunken beauty.

  Ning Shu noticed that Zhao Xu’s eyes were drifting towards Attendant Zhou.

  Even at the back, Attendant Zhou’s beauty and drunken naivety made her stand out.

  Consort Zhuang rolled her eyes at Attendant Zhou’s act.

  She was glad that she chose not to ally herself with such a person. Consort Zhuang had already disliked Attendant Zhou, and with how Attendant Zhou behaved now she was sure she wouldn’t get so much as a drop of the shared stew.

  Consort Zhuang came from a general’s family, so she couldn’t act the way Attendant Zhou did.

  Just then, a team of dancers slowly walked. The dancers were swinging their long sleeves, graceful and colorful, in time to the music.

  “Attendant Zhou, is this fruit wine that good? I think you already had several glasses,” Zhao Xu asked Attendant Zhou aloud.

  Attendant Zhou turned her head to look at Zhao Xu with a dazed expression. Her face was flushed and her beautiful eyes were like silk. She quickly stood up. “This subject, this attendant, has never had this kind of fruit wine before.”


  Zhao Xu smiled. “Drink less. This wine is sweet, but its effects aren’t mild.”


  Attendant Zhou smiled brightly. “This attendant understands.”


  “Attention, Host. There are assassins in the crowd-be prepared to rescue the emperor,” the favored concubine system said.

  Translator: Kaho

  Editor: Shark

  ?Chapter 1961: Save the Emperor!

  When Attendant Zhou heard the favored concubine system say that there was an assassin among the dancers, she felt a little nervous. She glanced at the dancers, trying to see which one was the assassin.

  Attendant Zhou noticed that she was far away from Zhao Xu. Even if something happened, it would be too late to save the emperor. So she picked up a wine glass and walked towards the main seats, ignoring the judgmental stares, and raised her glass to Zhao Xu and Ning Shu.

  “This attendant offers a cup to the emperor and empress, wishing them good luck in all things.”


  Zhao Xu looked happy, and teased, “It seems that I must drink this glass.”


  He took a sip as he spoke. Ning Shu also sipped her wine, a smile on her face.

  As the two leaders drank, Attendant Zhou downed her entire glass of fruit wine. Zhao Xu said, “Drink slowly. Aren’t you afraid of getting drunk?”


  “Your Majesty, this attendant can drink a thousand cups without passing out.” Attendant Zhou was starting to slur her words.

  “Haha. You’re still stubbornly saying that.” Zhao Xu squinted and his eyes swept across Attendant Zhou’s blushing face.

  When other concubines saw Attendant Zhou’s toast, they all said that the emperor was partial and wanted to toast Zhao Xu as well.

  Zhao Xu raised his wine glass. “Very well. Since everyone is toasting, I will drink this cup.”


  His expression was high-spirited. He looked around at all the beauties in the palace with whom he could do as he wished. The nation outside the palace was his. There was nothing more that a man could want in life than this.

  As Zhao Xu tilted his head back to drink, a dancer pulled out a dagger and rushed towards him.

  Attendant Zhou had been paying nonstop attention to the dancers. When she noticed the assassin rush forward, she immediately screamed, “Be careful, Your Majesty!” Then she rushed up to block the sword for Zhao Xu.

  In an instant, Ning Shu grabbed Zhao Xu’s arm and pulled him away from the seat. Then Ning Shu secretly extended a foot to hook Attendant Zhou’s ankle, unbalancing her and sending her straight onto the assassin’s knife.

  Things had happened so quickly that no one reacted until they heard the sound of a blade slicing into flesh.

  “Save the emperor! Save the emperor… ” Guards rushed in at the eunuch’s shouting.

  “Pfft, cough, cough… ” Zhao Xu had been in the middle of drinking when Ning Shu suddenly yanked him. The drink went into his nose, causing him to tear up.

  The dancer saw that she missed her target and noticed the incoming guards. In a panic, she pulled the dagger out of Attendant Zhou. She raised her blade and pulled Attendant Zhou to her. “Don’t come any closer or I’ll kill her!”


  Attendant Zhou’s face took on a deathly pallor. She’d been stabbed in the back. It hurt, it hurt a lot, and now she was being held hostage.

  She was confused. This wasn’t how the story was supposed to go! She should’ve stood in front of Zhao Xu and rescued him, but now she was being threatened instead.

  “Audacious. Who are you to dare assassinate me?” Zhao Xu glared at the dancer.

  Ning Shu held his wrist and checked his pulse. His body was very healthy, but infertility wasn’t always directly related to physical health.

  People who were infertile were no different compared to normal people when in good health. But with Zhao Xu’s heart beating as quickly as it was, his fear was obvious.

  “Empress, I’m fine. Let me go,” Zhao Xu said as he turned to Ning Shu. His expression was dark, even looking at Ning Shu with suspicion.

  Ning Shu ignored Zhao Xu’s gaze and pretended to be terrified. “It’s good that the emperor is safe. It’s really good.”


  “Damned emperor! I only regret that I didn’t kill you, you damned tyrant!” The dancer shouted at Zhao Xu, the look on her face grim.

  “Everyone in my Qi family was killed by you! My father was wrongly accused. I can’t believe that I couldn’t kill you, you incompetent tyrant!” The dancer was so agitated that the dagger at Attendant Zhou’s neck cut into her skin. Blood seeped from the wound.

  Editor: Shark

  Translator: Kaho