My Years in the Jianghu with the Prince: A Time of Unethical Conduct

Chapter 177 Recollection 2.0 - Entering the Palace

The fifteenth year of the Tianlong reign—

As dawn broke and fine snowflakes drifted down, the world was shrouded in a hazy mist.

Above the green bricks and red tiles, crows flew by, their clear cries echoing through the silent palace passage.

At the end of the palace path, a eunuch dressed in a long coat was walking slowly towards them.

The eunuch was short, his whole body huddled inside the wide collar of his robe, revealing only a pair of shrewd, triangular eyes.

As he walked, he muttered something to himself, as if he were talking to someone.

Passing the two palace maids carrying lanterns leading the way beside him, looking back, there were two thin young boys following behind.

“Young masters, this is the residence of the Heavenly Court, not some poor, remote place like Yingcheng. Since you are here, you should learn some manners and avoid making any mistakes that could bring trouble to yourselves and your families.”

The short eunuch had a high-pitched, arrogant voice, and when he glanced at the two boys, his tone carried a hint of warning.

Upon hearing this, the two boys exchanged a glance. Then, the taller one tugged at his younger brother, who lowered his head and obediently replied, "Thank you for your guidance, sir."

Seeing that they were somewhat sensible, a hint of satisfaction flashed in the eunuch's eyes before he "kindly" added a word of advice: "When His Majesty summons you later, you two must remember to be careful with your words and actions, and lest you behave improperly in front of the palace."

The cold morning wind lifted the hem of the two boys' clothes and blew away the snowflakes on them.

Amidst the swirling snowflakes, the two of them walked forward silently, heads bowed.

For a fleeting moment, the shorter boy suddenly stopped.

He turned his head to look back the way he came.

The vermilion palace walls on both sides of the palace path meander, meeting the sky at the end, stretching as far as the eye can see.

But soon, he looked away and walked forward step by step.

Snowflakes fell softly and gently, quickly covering their footprints completely.

It was bitterly cold, and the sky was not yet fully bright, but inside the palace walls, people were already coming and going in a flurry of activity.

The group passed through many palace gates and finally stopped in front of a magnificent palace.

The palace gates were tall, and the gold paint on them shimmered with mottled light in the morning glow.

Looking up, the plaque above the palace bore the inscription "Chonghua".

The boys knelt outside the hall, waiting to be summoned by those inside.

The cold wind came from all directions, and the boys were dressed in thin clothes.

Without permission, they could not stay under the eaves and could only kneel on the bluestone slabs outside the hall.

Snowmelt soaked their trousers and boots, and fine snowflakes fell on their shoulders, soon accumulating into a thick layer.

The eunuch who had led the way stood to the side, holding a hand warmer, and looked down at them, saying, "His Majesty is still resting. You should not disturb him, so please wait here for now!"

After saying that, he turned and went under the eaves, ignoring the people kneeling outside the hall.

The boy's breath turned into white mist, and the cold wind lashed their faces like knives, making their cheeks red with cold, but they could only hang their heads and remain silent.

As dawn broke, Chu Ling lost track of time. He felt his legs tingling and his head began to feel increasingly dizzy.

In the hazy light, the palace door suddenly creaked open from the inside.

He subconsciously looked up and saw a woman in formal attire gracefully walking out from behind the door.

The woman was dressed in a vermilion palace gown, and the pearls and jade ornaments in her hair gently clinked together with her steps, producing a pleasant, crisp sound.

A muffled cough came, and Chu Ling suddenly came back to his senses. Before he could see the woman's face clearly, he hurriedly lowered his head.

At the same time, a palace attendant waiting outside the hall called out to the woman, "Your Highness, Imperial Concubine—"

It turns out to be Consort Chen.

Even though Chu Ling was far away on the border, he had heard of her great reputation.

She came from humble origins, but possessed unparalleled beauty, a graceful figure, and was extremely skilled in music, singing, and dancing.

Her dance was unparalleled in the capital, and she was once the most famous dancer in the city.

Later, when she performed a dance for the emperor in the palace, she caught his eye at first glance and was taken into the harem.

After entering the palace, she enjoyed the emperor's favor and was promoted one after another in just a few years. After giving birth to a prince a few years ago, she became the head of all the concubines.

She is currently enjoying unparalleled influence, even overshadowing the Empress.

This is why it doesn't have a very good reputation among the people.

Everyone said she was a seductive enchantress who bewitched the emperor, and even blamed her for the current emperor's neglect of state affairs and his debauchery.

"How is this going?"

Consort Chen's voice was gentle. As she approached, she glanced at the two people kneeling below the throne and frowned slightly.

Upon hearing this, the eunuch hurriedly ran over, bowing and scraping, and said, "Your Highness, this is the person His Majesty has ordered to be summoned."

"But His Majesty is still resting at the moment, so I dare not make any arrangements on my own. I will have them wait here for now."

"In this weather, how can we let them kneel outside the hall? They'll freeze. Quickly take them to the side hall to warm up."

Consort Chen waved her hand and ordered the palace servants to bring hot water bottles, which were then distributed to the two boys kneeling outside the hall.

"this,"

The eunuch hesitated for a moment, then leaned closer and said, "Your Highness, these two are young men from the Chu family..."

His words were unfinished, but the meaning behind them was quite clear.

This whole thing is a deliberate act.

Upon hearing this, Consort Chen's brows furrowed even more, but she remained silent.

After glancing at the two boys, he turned around and walked back into the hall.

This time, not long after, a palace servant came out of the hall and said to them, "Rise, His Majesty summons you."

The Chonghua Hall was warm and cozy, with thick mink fur carpets covering the entire floor.

Incense smoke curled from the white jade table, carrying an aroma that made one feel drowsy.

The interior of the palace was extremely luxurious.

Chu Ling's legs were already frozen stiff, and even kneeling on the soft blanket could not alleviate the piercing pain.

Amidst the rising smoke, a gaze, hidden behind the smoke, intentionally or unintentionally swept over the two Chu brothers kneeling on the ground.

After a long while, a deep voice slowly rang out: "Raise your head and let me see you."

The two looked up and, through the swaying beaded curtain, finally saw the face of the person sitting in the superior position—

His Majesty is in his prime. Although he is handsome, his face is pale and his eyes are dark.

He clearly exhibits signs of excessive indulgence.

Chu Ling's gaze swept coldly across his face before settling on Consort Chen, who sat beside him.

She was indeed quite beautiful and charming, exuding allure with every smile and gesture.

At this moment, Consort Chen was nestled beside the Emperor, her head slightly turned to the side.

When she looked up at me, her eyes were gentle and her brows were full of affection.

The red mole under her eye added to her striking beauty.

Chu Ling withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes.