I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 179 Jasmine
"Your Majesty, the emperor is here." Qingyi walked quickly into the hall, her face full of joy.

Chun Zhaoyi was also a little surprised. She quickly put down her chopsticks, rinsed her mouth, ordered people to take the food away, and re-applied lip balm before going out to greet the emperor.

"Your Majesty, may you be well." Concubine Chun bowed.

"Stand up." Xiao Jingfan's expression was gentle, "I suddenly want to eat the radish cake made in your palace."

Qingyi at the side said with a smile: "Your Majesty and the master are really in tune with each other. The master asked the kitchen to make carrot cake as a midnight snack."

"Then I came at the right time." Xiao Jingfan stretched out his hand to pull Chun Zhaoyi, but suddenly saw her earrings and frowned, "Jasmine?"

Confused, Chun Zhaoyi looked up and asked, "What jasmine?"

"Your earrings." Xiao Jingfan stared at the small and delicate earrings, "They look like jasmine buds."

Consort Chun raised her hand and touched it. "Your Majesty has a keen eye, but is there anything wrong?"

Xiao Jingfan shook his head.

"Your Majesty, it's windy at night, let's go inside and talk." Chun Zhaoyi smiled and tried to hold his arm, but unexpectedly Xiao Jingfan put his hands behind his back and dodged.

Chun Zhaoyi glanced at her empty hand and asked in confusion, "What happened?"

"Nothing." Xiao Jingfan said, "I suddenly remembered that I still have some government affairs to deal with, so I won't go in. You should have a good rest."

Chun Zhaoyi: ???

She looked in astonishment at the dark figure walking further and further away.

Qingyi stepped forward cautiously to help her up: "Master, the imperial carriage has left, please go in."

"Yes." Chun Zhaoyi nodded.

Sitting down on the soft couch in the hall, Chun Zhaoyi took a sip of the fragrant tea and looked at Qingyi: "Have you heard any news about Qiu Shui Zhai?"

Qingyi nodded: "It is said that His Majesty left in the middle of the meal, and he did not seem angry. He came to Maohua Palace after leaving Funing Palace."

Concubine Chun frowned: "But has Lady Zhu displeased His Majesty?"

"I haven't found out." Qingyi shook her head. "With the Empress looking after us, Qiushuizhai is no longer the same as before."

"What could it be about?" Concubine Chun raised her hand and touched the pair of jasmine bud-shaped earrings, guessing, "Could it be that His Majesty doesn't like jasmine?"

Qingyi thought that was not the case. "This pair of earrings was given to you by His Majesty. Last time I saw you wearing them, you praised them for being beautiful."

"What's that for?" Concubine Chun held her chin with one hand and sighed, "Your Majesty's thoughts are becoming more and more difficult to figure out."

Qingyi squatted down and massaged her legs, whispering, "Madam sent a message in, saying that she heard that there is a doctor in Jiangnan who is very good at treating women's unspeakable diseases and is also known as a fertility expert. Madam has sent someone to Jiangnan to invite him."

"Really?" Chun Zhaoyi's brows brightened immediately, and she stopped sighing and asked Qingyi about the details.

In the harem, no matter how favored you are, you can only gain a foothold if you have children.

On the other side, the emperor was escorted to Changchun Palace.

Xiao Jingfan waved his hand to signal Zhou Yuande not to inform him. He turned to look at the door of Changchun Palace, his eyes changing, and no one knew what he was thinking.

In the bedroom of Changchun Palace, Empress Zhong leaned against the head of the bed, reading a book by candlelight.

Qiu Sui pushed aside the pearl curtain and came in, saying softly, "Your Majesty, His Majesty is at the palace gate, but he hasn't gotten off the imperial sedan."

Empress Zhong was startled, and looked up at her: "Your Majesty has turned over Lady Zhu's card, and she should be in Qiushuizhai now."

"Perhaps something has happened." Qiu Sui said, "Madam, would you like to go out and greet His Majesty?"

Empress Zhong looked at the candlelight and thought for a moment, then put down the book and stood up: "Please change my clothes for me."

Unexpectedly, just as she put on her clothes, Gao Yongfu came to the door and reported: "Madam, the imperial sedan has left."

Queen Zhong took off the phoenix hairpin she had just inserted in front of the mirror and asked, "Did you leave any message?"

Gao Yongfu said, "Your Majesty, His Majesty did not leave any message." Empress Zhong stood up and asked Qiu Sui to change her pajamas while she asked Gao Yongfu outside the door, "Did His Majesty come from Qiushuizhai?"

"To answer your Majesty, His Majesty first went to Qiushuizhai and stayed there for about two quarters of an hour before coming out. He then went to Maohua Palace to see Consort Chun, but left without even entering the palace." Gao Yongfu told the information he had found out. "From what I've seen, the direction the imperial carriage is heading to is probably the Yangxin Palace."

"I understand." Queen Zhong said, "Please leave."

"Yes." Gao Yongfu bowed and left.

Qiu Sui helped Empress Zhong lie down on the bed. Seeing that she picked up the book covering the pillow again, she gently advised: "Your Majesty, be careful not to hurt your eyes. Read it tomorrow."

"It's okay, read two more pages." Queen Zhong rested her arms on the soft pillow, with a faint smile on her lips, "This book becomes more and more interesting the more I read it. Tomorrow you can take someone to find the second volume and put it in the study."

Qiu Sui glanced at the book cover and hesitated for a while before speaking: "Madam, this book..."

Queen Zhong glanced up at her and asked, "What's wrong with this book?"

"No, nothing." Qiu Sui pursed her lips and swallowed the words of persuasion.

Empress Zhong turned a page, her eyes never leaving the book, but she said, "Tomorrow morning, Lady Zhu will come to pay her respects. Bring her to the inner room first. I have something to ask her."

Qiu Sui asked, "What if Miss Zhu comes late?"

"No." Empress Zhong said firmly, "Your Majesty came and left again. Given her personality, I'm afraid she won't be able to sleep well tonight. She will come earlier than usual tomorrow morning. If I'm still asleep, don't disturb me. Just give her a cup of refreshing tea and wait until I wake up."

Qiu Sui nodded and wrote them down one by one.

*
The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

The imperial kitchen sent over a bowl of silver noodles in chicken soup, accompanied by four refreshing side dishes.

"Your Majesty, please use more." Zhou Yuande held the bowl of noodles to persuade his master who was willful, troublesome and did not take his health seriously.

"I have no appetite." Xiao Jingfan rubbed his temples with both hands and glanced at the small incense burner on the table. "What kind of incense is burning?"

The maidservant in the palace bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this incense is called Xueqixiang. It is mainly made of agarwood, sandalwood and jasmine oil. It was delivered by the imperial pharmacy yesterday."

It's Jasmine again.

Xiao Jingfan frowned and said coldly, "Throw it out."

His expression suddenly changed, and the palace maid was so frightened that her face turned pale. She hurried forward and took the incense burner and left.

Zhou Yuande followed them for the whole night and finally understood that the problem lies with this "Jasmine".

He wondered in his heart, when did His Majesty dislike Jasmine so much? No one loves...

Wait! An idea suddenly flashed through his mind. If there was someone who was related to Jasmine and could cause His Majesty to be so abnormal, there must be someone.

He was secretly shocked, and before he could even utter a single sigh, he heard Xiao Jingfan calling him, "Bring me some wine."

Zhou Yuande immediately looked bitter and advised: "Your Majesty, drinking on an empty stomach hurts your stomach, you should eat something first."

Xiao Jingfan glared at him coldly: "Give it to me!"

Zhou Yuande knelt down and said, "I dare not."

Xiao Jingfan, who was already inexplicably unhappy, kicked him. Zhou Yuande knelt down and let him be kicked. He was determined not to let his majesty drink on an empty stomach.

If he gets into trouble from drinking, he'll have ten heads left to chop off.

Xiao Jingfan kicked twice but was too lazy to continue, and said coldly: "Drag him away and punish him with a stick..."

Before he could finish his words, Xiao Anzi ran in in a panic, "Your Majesty, there's a fire in Nongyun Garden!"

Xiao Jingfan was shocked and didn't bother to punish his eunuch. He walked out quickly.

"Your Majesty!" Zhou Yuande hurriedly got up and trotted to catch up.