Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

After the emperor awoke, even Xu Kun left.

Having already been granted the title of Consort Jing, Chen Furong naturally no longer needed to live in the cramped side room next to the rear hall of Renshou Palace.

She needed to take care of the emperor at Renshou Palace, and the two side halls on the east and west sides, which were only a few dozen meters away from the rear hall, were the most suitable.

The Prince of Ying had lived in the East Side Hall for a while, and had just moved back to Chonghua Palace. It was obviously inappropriate for her, as the emperor's concubine, to move in right afterward.

Therefore, the west side hall where Empress Fang had temporarily stayed became the only option.

Chen Furong stopped shortly after walking along the corridor towards the west side hall.

With such heavy rain and occasional thunder and lightning, wouldn't the emperor, who is resting alone on his imperial bed, be frightened?

According to Xu Kun, drinking the calming herbal soup would make one sleep very soundly.

But even the deepest sleeper can be awakened by a series of thunderclaps.

Chen Furong naturally didn't care whether the emperor would be frightened.

However, as a concubine responsible for taking care of the emperor in Renshou Palace, if she did nothing and showed indifference at this time, someone might report her to the authorities.

Chen Furong turned her head and looked at the palace maids following behind her.

Among these newcomers, I only knew a few of them before, but we hadn't exchanged more than a few words, so I couldn't say I knew them well.

The rest were all unfamiliar faces I had never seen before.

Chen Furong would never believe that there weren't spies sent by others among them.

It's one thing for the people sent by Empress Fang to be harmless, since she wouldn't dare do anything to me anyway.

But what if it was sent by some other important person?

Chen Furong was well aware that her behavior on the day of the palace coup was highly suspicious in the eyes of many people.

For the past two months, thanks to Empress Fang's protection, no one has dared to openly harm me.

It's obvious even to a fool that the Imperial Guards had been secretly investigating for a long time.

It's inconvenient for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to operate inside the palace, so they're probably conducting investigations outside.

But the Eastern Depot was different; its top officials were eunuchs, making it easy for them to plant spies under their command.

If I were to appear indifferent to the emperor at this moment, it would likely cause trouble in the eyes of these people.

"Go to the back hall."

Chen Furong turned around and walked towards the back hall.

"The thunder is so loud, I'm afraid Your Majesty will be frightened. I must stay by Your Majesty's bedside tonight."

. . .

Midnight, the rear hall of Renshou Palace.

"It's late, Your Majesty, you should go back and rest."

The head palace maid, Pan Shuhui, spoke up to offer advice.

"His Majesty is sleeping soundly, nothing will happen."

"Your Majesty is pregnant; you must also take care of your health."

"It's alright."

Chen Furong turned and smiled at Pan Shuhui.

"There is also a reclining chair in front of the imperial bed. If I really can't hold on any longer, I can rest on it."

You guys should go back and rest first.

Before becoming one of His Majesty's concubines, I worked as a palace maid for over a decade, rising from a lowly maid to the head maid of Yikun Palace.

What you are doing now, I have done before, and I know how hard you work.

I can stay here with His Majesty; there's no need for you all to suffer here too.

"Go and rest, everyone. You'll be on duty again tomorrow."

"We, your servants, thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."

Pan Shuhui was a senior palace maid who had been in the palace for many years. She could tell whether her mistress really wanted them to rest or was just saying it casually.

After giving Chen Furong a deep bow, Pan Shuhui led several palace maids to retreat outside the hall and closed the hall door.

. . .

"Aunt Pan, wouldn't it be too impolite of us to leave Consort Jing alone by His Majesty's bedside?"

On the way to the palace maids' quarters at Renshou Palace, a young palace maid asked in a low voice.

"How can we servants go back to rest while our master stays up all night?"

"Our Consort Jing didn't enter the palace through the imperial selection process. Just two months ago, she was a palace maid, just like me."

Pan Shuhui smiled gently.

"You were all so sleepy, how could she not notice?"

The Empress has just become a concubine, and her subordinates are all newly transferred people; she has no truly trustworthy confidants.

Rather than having us stay up all night with her, we should go back and rest, and try to win people over.

"So that's how it is."

The young palace maid looked as if she had just realized something.

"But why does Your Highness insist on staying by the imperial bedside? His Majesty is clearly sleeping soundly; what's the point of her staying up?"

"Guess what Her Majesty is doing right now?"

Pan Shuhui asked in a low voice.

"Naturally, just like before, I will stand guard in front of the imperial bed and watch over His Majesty."

The young palace maid blurted it out.

"I knew you'd think that way."

A strange smile appeared on Pan Shuhui's face.

You guessed wrong!

After we close the palace doors and leave, the Empress will lie down directly on that recliner.

Do you think that only we are sleepy, and that the Empress is not sleepy?

She just didn't want to show it in front of us.

The Empress just told us to go back and rest. Actually, it was because she wanted to rest, but she also wanted us to think that she had been keeping watch by the imperial bedside all night.

Of course, we can't be the ones watching.

"Aunt Pan, I really thought Her Majesty wanted to keep watch alone all night..."

The young palace maid was dumbfounded.

"Once you stay in the palace for a few more years, you'll understand all these things."

Pan Shuhui stopped smiling.

"Remember, we should keep this to ourselves and never be foolish enough to reveal it to the Empress."

The empress is the mistress, and she has to save face.

Although it's not a big deal, if you make her lose face, she might have someone slap you or beat you.

. . .

They must have really gone far away!

After listening for a while by the palace gate, Chen Furong finally confirmed that no one was hiding outside, and turned to walk towards the reclining chair next to the imperial couch.

Among these palace maids, there must be spies sent by others, and there might be more than one or two.

My performance tonight will surely reach the ears of their masters.

In front of them, you have to constantly show that you really care about the emperor, which is actually quite tiring.

There are no outsiders in Renshou Palace now, so it's better to let them go back and rest first.

Now I finally don't have to pretend anymore.

Last night, the emperor woke up in the middle of the night, and I hadn't slept for more than twelve hours, so I was finally able to get some sleep.

Anyway, no one knows whether he was actually guarding the emperor when he was alone in front of the imperial bed.

Just as Chen Furong reached the recliner and before she could even lie down, she heard a chilling voice behind her.

"I heard the palace maids call you Consort Jing, so you're one of my concubines?"

Although his voice was still very hoarse, it was very clear and coherent, something that a fool could not possibly utter.

Chen Furong suddenly turned around, her eyes fixed on the emperor on the imperial couch.

"Your Majesty...you...you..."