Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 342 Cutting the Deadlock
When Zhou Quan arrived at the veranda outside the warm pavilion, Wang Chengen was standing by the door. The pale moonlight shone on his face, which was also devoid of any color, making him look like a clay judge.

Upon seeing Zhou Quan, Wang Chengen merely nodded slightly before silently pushing open the heavy palace door a crack.

Zhou Quan stepped inside, and the palace door slowly closed behind him, shutting out all outside sounds with a soft click.

He spotted the figure sitting on the throne at a glance.

Zhou Quan dared not be negligent in the slightest. He quickly walked a few steps to the hall, knelt down on both knees, his body as imposing as a mountain, and bowed his head in worship.

"Your subject, Zhou Quan, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Then came a deathly silence.

Zhou Quan lowered his head deeply, his forehead touching the gold brick, feeling the oppressive pressure of the emperor's might.

He dared not make the slightest movement, even his breathing was long and weak, as if he had merged with the surrounding shadows.

Zhou Quan knew that this was the moment when the emperor was thinking and weighing his options.

Finally, a very slight crisp sound came from the throne; it was the emperor's fingers, which had been stroking the paperweight, stopping.

Zhu Youjian's voice followed, flat and clear like an autumn lake, revealing no trace of joy or anger.

"I want him to disappear completely."

It gets straight to the point, without a single wasted word.

Zhou Quan's body trembled slightly, but he quickly regained his composure, as if those words were just a breeze passing by his ear.

Who is this "he"?

A question flashed through Zhou Quan's mind, but he quickly suppressed it with his iron will.

He even deliberately avoided guessing.

He only needs to obey orders, carry them out, and then keep the matter to himself until his death.

“But not now,” the emperor’s voice continued, each word like a cold chess piece placed on the board, sealing the deadlock, “and we must not let anyone see through it.”

Zhu Youjian's gaze finally broke through the shadow of the throne, piercing the darkness and striking Zhou Quan's brow.

"I want him to die of illness. A sudden illness that is reasonable, that even the Imperial Medical Academy cannot find any problems with after a joint consultation. It may be a relapse of an old illness, or a cold. In short, he must die in a natural and convincing way."

These words were spoken casually, yet their content was extremely ruthless.

"What I want is a result," the emperor said, his tone slightly more forceful.

As Zhu Youjian spoke, he picked up a purple-tipped brush from his desk and wrote two characters on a blank jade tablet.

Zhou Kui.

He didn't hand the paper over, but instead turned it over so that the two still-wet words faced Zhou Quan, who was kneeling below.

Zhou Quan's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of needles in that instant. It was the Emperor's father-in-law, Zhou Kui!

These two words, like a red-hot branding iron, instantly burned into his mind, making him understand the mountain-like weight behind this decree.

No wonder it had to be so secretive, so discreet.

Then, Zhu Youjian slowly moved the paper over the candlelight.

The Xuan paper was ignited with a whoosh, and the bright yellow flames illuminated his expressionless face.

The paper quickly curled up, turning into a wisp of black ash, which dissipated in the rising heat as if it had never existed.

The smoke dissipated, and all was reduced to ashes.

Zhu Youjian then spoke, asking his final question:

"This matter is entirely under the jurisdiction of your Eastern Depot. Can you handle it?"

A sudden gust of wind arose, causing the candlelight inside the hall to dance wildly.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Quan no longer hesitated. He took a deep breath and slammed his head heavily onto the gold brick.

"Your Majesty, I obey the decree. Apart from Your Majesty and myself, no one else in the palace, in the world, knows about this matter."

His words were impeccable, demonstrating both his loyalty and taking full responsibility.

"Okay." Zhu Youjian uttered only one word before slowly closing his eyes, as if he were somewhat tired.

Zhou Quan kowtowed again, then slowly retreated, his figure silently disappearing into the increasingly dense darkness at the entrance of the warm pavilion, as if he had never been there at all.

Only after the chilling aura completely disappeared did Zhu Youjian open his eyes again.

He picked up the paperweight with the dragon design, carefully examining it in his palm, feeling the coolness and warmth of the jade.

The knot that had been lingering in his heart for so long was finally severed by his own hands.

As this huge weight was lifted from his heart, an unprecedented sense of relief washed over him, like spring water thawing and slowly flowing through his limbs. Zhu Youjian suddenly felt that the warm pavilion was somewhat stuffy.

……

In stark contrast to the somber and cold atmosphere of the Qianqing Palace, the Cining Palace is warm and cozy, filled with a sense of warmth and tranquility.

Although a cool breeze was howling outside the window, the hall was surrounded by brocade screens, and the carpet on the floor was thick and soft, making no sound when you stepped on it.

In the central flower hall, Empress Zhang Yan was holding Zhou Jingshu's hand, chatting intimately.

Today, Zhang Yan wore a dark blue casual dress with a lotus flower pattern, over which she wore a dark purple brocade jacket with floral patterns. Her hair was adorned with only a single red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin, which made her look both elegant and noble without being overly ostentatious.

In terms of status, she was Zhu Youjian's sister-in-law and the most honored woman in the palace besides the Empress Dowager.

After Zhu Youjian ascended the throne, he treated his sister-in-law with great respect, and she was also highly respected by everyone in the palace.

Sitting to her left was Zhou Jingshu, who wore a plain white silk jacket and skirt with a cross-collar. The hem of the skirt was embroidered with several elegant orchids in silver thread. Her black hair was styled into a gentle, drooping bun, with a small pearl hairpin on it. It trembled slightly with her movements, shimmering with light.

With a gentle smile on her face, she listened attentively to Zhang Yan's words, her demeanor dignified and elegant, like a delicately painted portrait of a lady.

"Jing Shu," Zhang Yan gently patted Zhou Jing Shu's hand, her well-maintained phoenix eyes filled with concern and tenderness for her junior, and she complained seemingly unintentionally, "Has the Emperor been so engrossed in the endless meetings and documents of the court lately that he's neglecting you? I've noticed that you look a bit thinner these past few days. Are you perhaps worrying about him again?"

She sighed, her tone tinged with helplessness: "That's just his nature. Since ascending the throne, he has ingrained the eight characters 'rule of state with absolute authority and diligence day and night' into his very bones."

He shoulders everything alone, showing no consideration for those around him. This country and its people may be his, but you are his wife, his partner through thick and thin. How can you only care about one side and ignore the other?

These words were a mix of complaint, sympathy, and the clear-headedness of an observer.

Hearing this, Zhou Jingshu felt a warmth in her heart and quickly shook her head with a smile, softly defending her husband, "Your Majesty is joking. His Majesty is concerned about the affairs of state, working tirelessly day and night. I see it all and it pains me deeply."

"Now, with border troubles in the north and displaced people in the south, and countless affairs of state to attend to, this is a time when capable men are needed, and also a time for Your Majesty to devote yourself to governing. If I were to trouble him with such personal matters, wouldn't I appear to be an unreasonable woman?"

As she spoke, she lowered her eyelids slightly, her long eyelashes casting a soft shadow in the candlelight, and her tone became increasingly sincere: "As a wife, one should serve one's parents-in-law above, maintain harmony within the palace below, and manage the inner quarters in harmony, so that the emperor has no worries about the rear. This is one's duty."

As long as Your Majesty can focus on handling state affairs, that is my greatest duty. As for whether I've lost weight, it's just that the autumn weather is dry, and my appetite is a little smaller. My sister-in-law need not worry about it.”

Zhou Jingshu's words were considerate, thoughtful, generous, and virtuous.

Zhang Yan sighed again upon hearing this. She raised her hand and gently stroked Zhou Jingshu's slightly thin cheek with her fingertips, her eyes filled with the affection of someone who had been through it all.

"You're just too sensible, so sensible that it breaks my heart."

Zhang Yan's gaze became somewhat distant, as if she were recalling a long-ago past.

"Back then, I thought the same way. I always felt that the king had important matters to attend to, and we women should stay quietly behind and not cause trouble, which would be the greatest contribution."

But as time went on, I slowly came to understand that a husband and wife can't always be preoccupied with state affairs. That word 'affection' is like a fine vintage wine, requiring constant nurturing to develop its full flavor; it's also like a fine ancient zither, needing daily polishing to remain free of dust.

She took Zhou Jingshu's hand and said earnestly, "The emperor is also a human being, not a god enshrined in a temple. He's too tense. As his wife, you need to learn to let him relax occasionally and take a breather."

Sometimes, no words are needed; a cup of hot tea, a greeting, or simply sitting quietly beside him while he reviews memorials, grinding ink for him, is enough to soothe his utter weariness. Seeing his constantly tense and unwavering demeanor, I feel exhausted just looking at him.

These heartfelt words stirred ripples in Zhou Jingshu's heart.

She knew all too well the hardships Zhu Youjian had endured, and she longed for the warmth that belonged to an ordinary couple.
However, the emperor was usually too dignified and rarely showed signs of fatigue, even in front of her. This made her afraid of offending the emperor's majesty, despite her tender feelings.

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty. I... I understand," Zhou Jingshu replied softly, secretly memorizing her words.

As the sky outside the window grew darker and the palace lanterns began to light up, Zhou Jingshu rose to take her leave: "It's getting late, and I should return to the palace. I've troubled you for so long, I hope you won't mind. It'll also save the servants from worrying about me."

“Why are we, as sisters-in-law, saying such polite things?” Zhang Yan smiled as she stood up and helped her up. “If you ever feel bored, just come here anytime. My Cining Palace will always be open for you.”

After saying that, she raised her voice and ordered, "Someone, escort Her Majesty the Empress back to Kunning Palace."

Then he said to his personal maid, "Suxin, you personally escort them for a while. Be careful, it's windy at night."

"Yes, Your Majesty." A calm and composed head palace maid stepped forward, carrying a hexagonal palace lantern painted with plum blossoms, and respectfully led the way for Zhou Jingshu.

To return to Kunning Palace from Cining Palace, one must pass through most of the Imperial Garden.

It was now the last quarter of the 7 PM hour, and the moon was high in the sky.

A bright, jade-like disc hangs high above the dark blue velvet curtain, its clear light bathing the pavilions, towers, rockeries, and flowers in a layer of silvery frost.

The vibrant flowers of the day lose their splendor under the moonlight, leaving only hazy outlines and a refreshing fragrance.

A gentle evening breeze rustled the flowers along the roadside, making them sway softly and enhancing the tranquility of the night.

Led by the palace maid Su Xin, Zhou Jingshu, accompanied by several of her attendants, carried palace lanterns and walked slowly along the pebble path in the garden.

The warm orange light emanating from the lantern intertwined with the cool moonlight, casting swaying shadows on the ground.

She was still pondering her sister-in-law's words, her thoughts drifting away.

(End of this chapter)