Leaving the Changmen Palace - LTCP 11: Knock On the Door

Naturally, those who ought to know soon found out.

The grand empress dowager could not be kept in the dark. She would undoubtedly learn, whether Chen Jiao intended for her to know or not.

“You are too good at hiding your true feelings.” The elderly woman said, “People treat you with all their heart, but you just smile, you only know how to smile. You smile even though your mother-in-law is willing to help you this time, which is not often the case in life.” With an air of unfathomable discomfort and even a trace of resentment.

It was somewhat of a letdown that Chen Jiao was not fulfilling her potential. Despite her best efforts to plan for her, she simply refused to be ambitious. The elderly woman’s discomfort was understandable.

Chen Jiao heard the voice in her mind sigh bitterly.

“Your grandma has always been single-minded and only planned for you,” it said sourly.

Marrying into a relative’s family has this drawback. This grand empress dowager is a relative of all. She will unavoidably treat the Princess of Pingyang and the Princess of Nangong badly if she treats Chen Jiao well. There is nothing that can be done about the sisters-in-law’s growing distance from one another.

At least Chen Jiao is powerless to alter this in any way. She is not very talented, but she does have some talent.

“I know very well how the emperor feels about me.” Chen Jiao continued to defend Han Yan in a quiet voice, “A’ Che is not someone who lacks a sense of priorities. Around him, there are plenty of attractive men and women. Should I suppress all of his favorites? Emperor Gao could not even be subdued in this manner by Emperor Gaozu’s Empress Lu.”

The grand empress dowager could not help but look blank when Empress Dowager Lu was mentioned.

Despite being named after her mother-in-law, Lu Zhi’s name was always associated with taboos and a vague, unfathomable desire among the women in the harem. In particular, it was difficult to tell if there were more taboos or more desire when she grew to her current height.

Her grandson was the first thing that came to mind.

“All right. You have your own ideas,” the grand empress dowager said slowly after a long time, humming. “We have no right to make you jealous if you wish to be kind and generous. Simply put, everyone can relax if a prince is born early. This is your most significant duty as the empress, so you must remember it.”

Seldom had her grandmother addressed her with such gravity. When she had, it had usually been for a purpose. She had never done this before, just to caution Chen Jiao about what she had said.

When Chen Jiao responded, she winked at her mother who was quick to speak, “Mother, when has Jiaojiao ever disappointed you? Have you not consistently informed me that my daughter is more comforting than I am? The blessings of having children and grandchildren are their own, so you should simply enjoy life.”

The grand empress dowager loved her daughter even more now that both of her sons were gone. More than ever, the grand princess was lavished with attention by the grand empress dowager.

If she hadn’t seen her in a day, she would occasionally remark, “I haven’t seen my Guantao for a day.”

She merely snorted and appeared to be saying to herself, “I also want to train the emperor as soon as possible, so that I can enjoy my life…” Of course, she would not turn down her daughter’s request.

She questioned Chen Jiao once more, “Has A’ Che become more proficient in political affairs recently?”

In order to reassure the elderly woman, Liu Che had dragged Chen Jiao along as a shield and obviously brought her along as an informant.

In addition to being extremely rude and honest, the elderly woman occasionally questioned her about Liu Che’s whereabouts.

Neither of these two individuals—her most devoted grandmother and her most intimate husband—had ever considered how challenging it was for her to be in the middle.

Even the closest couples, grandparents, and grandchildren appear to lose some of their humanity when political matters are involved. It makes sense that they would push the softness and love of the past to the back of their minds.

With shyness, Chen Jiao lowered her head, exposing a swan-white, delicate neck.

She said, “You know,” in a voice so quiet it was nearly unintelligible, “I’ve never understood anything about the court. I’m exactly like my mother. Hearing about it makes me want to fall asleep immediately. As usual, A’ Che remains the same. I don’t understand anything else, but he jokes with everyone after handling official business.”

“Your mother never wants to listen, not because she doesn’t understand,” the grand empress dowager remarked.

What if she refused to pay attention? No one knew as well as she did.

Wang Zhi became the empress, the Crown Prince Liu Rong was overthrown, and the Prince of Liang was made the heir. Which of the major deposal and establishment events did she not take part in, despite her mother’s constant declaration that “I am a member of the Chen family”?

After a few hasty crawls, Chen Jiao placed her head on the grand empress dowager’s knee and whispered, “I’m just like my mother, I don’t want to hear anything. I just want to… get pregnant as soon as possible and have a child.”

The grand empress dowager chuckled right away, gave her a tender pat on the face, and blatantly accused her, “You, you’re so bad.”

…

Liu Che was equally appalled by Empress Dowager Wang’s behavior.

However, he was afraid to display it in her palace.

He was limited to returning and privately grumbling to Chen Jiao, “How old am I! Hasn’t my coming-of-age ceremony already taken place? I am treated like a child by everyone, and she even has opinions about who I am and am not close to.”

Filial piety governed the nation during the Han Dynasty.

Of all the sons, the emperor had to be the most filial. If not, what was the empress dowager’s reason for controlling Liu Che?

The empress dowager could repress others by using her authority as an elder. On the surface, Liu Che could not oppose her, regardless of his innermost thoughts. Since he was aware that the empress dowager disliked Han Yan, he ought to have avoided this favorite person of his if he truly was a filial son.

Without acknowledging or disputing, Chen Jiao cast a silent glance at him.

Her eyes startled him.

In his opinion, she was typically very giving. He had recently visited a few palace servants on occasion, aside from Jia Ji. She arranged the palace rooms appropriately, picked a day to check their vital signs, and refrained from becoming irate and making things difficult for them. He was almost as eager to have a child as she was.

She only brought up Han Yan twice, and judging from her remarks, she was a little envious.

When he looked into Chen Jiao’s deep pool-like eyes, he appeared three points shorter, but his soft waist straightened up again when he realized that she would actually be jealous.

“Are you jealous of Han Yan, or are you surprised that I promoted him the most among so many companions?” He asked, holding her in his arms and asking a slightly pointed question.

He did have other male favorites, but none of them were as popular as Han Yan. Even he and Han Yan were unrestrained in their speech and laughter.

Liu Che seemed concerned about Chen Jiao’s ambition and feelings, which made this question intriguing.

His probing was like a fire, burning and testing whenever he thought of it.

First, sleeping with palace servants and then speaking well of Han Yan in front of the empress dowager.

If the latter’s probing was like a mountain, pressing down from beginning to end, then these two things are comparable.

Chen Jiao had no idea why this young emperor would repeatedly knock her in this manner, as though he needed to totally defeat her in order to establish his masculinity.

In her heart, she was uncomfortable.

This year, after all, she was only sixteen. Even though she despised the idea of becoming Empress Bo, she was unwilling to mimic the empress dowager, who constantly flattered Emperor Jing and never expressed any criticism.

“The affairs of the court,” she muttered, “I don’t understand.”

As though making a significant choice, she bit her lip once more as she struggled out of his embrace.

Liu Che’s heart was compelled to beat.

“I only know that you are an emperor with great ambition,” she said quietly as she turned to face the ground. “Since you were a young child, you have wanted to kill all the Huns while riding a horse across the Hetao region. I will always support those who can assist you, whether they are Han Yan or Li Yan. Liu Che, how could I be the one to stifle you and cut off your wings when you are destined to have a successful career? As your spouse, I want to soar with you.”

With the exception of Liu Che, hardly anyone could clearly hear Chen Jiao’s voice due to its extreme softness.

Only a faint sound of an immortal being could be heard outside, as though someone had casually plucked the strings of a zither. Her hidden meaning was not even heard by Chu Fu, her closest confidant. She couldn’t even clearly hear the zither playing.

To Liu Che, however, these sporadic notes of music sounded like the dalu and huangzhong bells. Incredulously, he covered his heart and turned to face her.

It appeared that Chen Jiao had recovered her poise.

With a hint of shyness, she asked, “What are you looking at?”

She raised her head without avoiding or dodging and even turned it slightly.

He took hold of her hand; She was already in pain due to his immense strength.

After a long period of silence, he said, “It’s time to go to the front hall to ask about things,” with a slight cough. “No matter how lofty the goal, it must be accomplished gradually.”

Chen Jiao was unable to suppress a smile. She bowed her head and rose, taking slow, submissive steps to follow him.

Her inner voice let out a sigh, tinged with pride, “Among the millions of people, I’m afraid only you can be more certain than anyone else that he is indeed the one who will create an unprecedented great cause.”

Four or five generations of emperors had been powerless against the Xiongnu since Emperor Gaozu’s reign.

Marriage as a means of achieving peace was merely a temporary solution. How could it limit the Xiongnu’s ambition?

Right now, Liu Che’s aspirations were merely a pipe dream.

Who else, besides Chen Jiao, could have predicted that this young emperor, who was unable to hold his breath, would eventually expel the Xiongnu and let the Han Dynasty people yell, “Those who offend the strong Han will be punished no matter how far away they are”?

There was still pride in this resentment, after all.

“Being the wife of a great man is not easy,” Chen Jiao remarked quietly in her heart, the tone was slightly taunting.

After a while, it grew quiet and said, regretfully, “He actually did a pretty good job. We weren’t good either, after all.”

Love is still love, hate is hate, and resentment is resentment. After the disappointment, she had to say something for him: After all, they are not perfect. Even her joke was taken seriously.

After glancing at Liu Che’s back, she felt a sudden desire to find out if anyone in the world could win his heart.

Chen Jiao was just thinking this when he turned his head once more, as though he was uncertainly looking into her eyes.

Not without his own schemes, this young man is charming and full of energy. Compared to his parents, he actually has a much softer temperament. He is at least far more adept than the late emperor at waiting.

He doesn’t do a good job of hiding his youthfulness and ambition, though. A quick look at his towering frame reveals an endless amount of ambition and plans. He seems to be constantly attempting to touch the limitless sky.

Chen Jiao believed that one day, the entire world would witness his grand aspirations, his remarkable accomplishments, and the firm guidance he offered.

However, she would always remember the instant he looked at her.

Only she will be permitted to see the faint tremor in his legs when the entire world is staring at her.

Chen Jiao grinned and melted into his gaze as usual, but there was an unending sense of affirmation in her eyes this time.

Liu Che appeared to be moved; something briefly diverted his attention from his desire to grasp her hand.

He said absently, “Uncle is here!” as he entered the palace.

However, it will be a long time before then. He was correct when he said that the smallest details must come first, regardless of how ambitious the goal is.

They went inside without Chen Jiao following.

Her face gradually froze into an unending silence as she listened to the laughter and conversation coming from those in the hall.