My Aloof Lord Ex-Husband Begs for Remarriage
Chapter 255 - 256: Thoroughly Disenchanted with the Emperor

Chapter 255: Chapter 256: Thoroughly Disenchanted with the Emperor

Chu Nanli is very likely to become a favored person in front of His Majesty; naturally, she should be kinder to Chu Nanli.

"I’ve put you to some trouble," Chu Nanli said, giving Laifu a bag of silver.

After Laifu left, a worried frown remained on the face of Princess Consort Yu.

This time she had suffered a misfortune, yet the Emperor had shown no interest.

Not only had he not seen her, without calling for her with a decree, he hadn’t even sent a word through Laifu.

Chu Nanli likely guessed what she was thinking.

"Would sister like to come with me to meet His Majesty?"

Princess Consort Yu sighed deeply, shaking her head,

"Let’s not."

At that moment, she had completely lost hope in the Emperor.

It seemed the Emperor’s affections toward her were just so-so.

After all, the man had so many women by his side; he wouldn’t miss one less.

Chu Nanli did not try to persuade her any further, seeing that Princess Consort Yu could slowly come to terms with it.

"Then sister, I shall be going now," Chu Nanli said.

"Go ahead, call for me anytime you need anything."

Chu Nanli nodded and after tidying up her clothes a bit, followed Laifu to Yangxin Hall.

Inside Yangxin Hall, Emperor Ye Jiujun sat on his throne, toying with a bodhi bead bracelet.

When he saw Chu Nanli enter, he slightly rose and stepped forward to greet her.

Chu Nanli was somewhat surprised and quickly performed the ritual kowtow appropriate for a princess consort, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"My dear daughter-in-law, please rise," the Emperor said with an approachable smile, though his eyes lacked much warmth.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Chu Nanli replied, standing up straight.

The Emperor returned to his throne and sat down.

"Please, take a seat," Ye Jiujun said.

He appeared gentle and carried a scholarly aura, but his gaze remained cool and unemotional.

He was nearly forty but still had a clean and handsome face; it was no wonder Princess Consort Yu had invested so much emotion in him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Chu Nanli said, sitting down slowly.

"Calling me ’Your Majesty’ feels so distant, call me ’Father Emperor’," Ye Jiujun said with a light laugh.

Although Chu Nanli did not wish to be overly familiar with Ye Jiujun, it wouldn’t be good to defy a direct command, so she nodded and replied, "Yes, Father Emperor."

Ye Jiujun looked at Chu Nanli with satisfaction, "My son has married a good wife."

"I do not dare to accept such a praise," Chu Nanli said softly.

"You are being too modest, daughter-in-law. You combated smallpox, preventing a major epidemic, saving our capital’s common people from disaster. Your merit is great, and should be rewarded."

"What kind of reward would you like?" Ye Jiujun asked with a smile.

"Saving lives and healing the wounded is a physician’s duty; no reward is necessary," Chu Nanli thought for a moment before responding.

The Emperor nodded in approval, "You have a noble heart."

"However, merit must be acknowledged with reward. This time, I shall grant you ten thousand taels of gold and one hundred acres of good farmland in the capital suburbs," Ye Jiujun declared with certainty.

Chu Nanli felt puzzled; the reward was too generous.

She had just treated an illness; such a high repayment seemed unlikely.

"These rewards are too precious; I cannot bear them. Please, Father Emperor, take them back," Chu Nanli refused.

She knew that to receive anything, there was always a corresponding price to pay.

"Do not be modest again, daughter-in-law. You can bear this reward. You have contained the smallpox, ensuring peace within and outside this palace. Otherwise, how many would have died in this royal city?"

Ye Jiujun said with a faint smile, "These rewards are but a trifle. What if I appoint you as Imperial Physician?"

A sense of alarm struck Chu Nanli’s heart.

That must be the Emperor’s true intention.

She naturally did not wish to be an Imperial Physician; first, it would restrict her freedom and limit what she could do.

Second, she did not want to get too entangled with palace affairs, making it even harder to distinguish her relationship with Ye Yunting.

Yet, when the Emperor speaks, it is as if his words are cast in gold and carved in jade. If she were to disagree, it would be resisting an order.

Chu Nanli slowly rose, first performing a courtesy.

"I thank Father Emperor for his kind intentions, but truthfully, my medical skills are quite ordinary and unfit for such an important responsibility."

Ye Jiujun’s lips tightened as he gradually withdrew his smile.

Chu Nanli felt a twinge of tension.

After all, the emperor before her held the authority of life and death, and she currently had no power to resist imperial authority.

...

Within Consort Yang Shu’s palace.

Ye Yunting was practicing calligraphy in the study when Ye Yi burst in, flustered.

Ye Yunting frowned slightly.

"Prince, something’s wrong," Ye Yi panted.

"What is it?"

"The Princess Consort, she’s defying the imperial decree!" Ye Yi said urgently.

He recounted the situation in the great hall to Ye Yunting.

Fortunately, his apprentice was on duty outside the Emperor’s hall and hurried to tell him when he heard the news.

"Prince, you must go quickly. If the Princess Consort truly angers His Majesty, we’ll all suffer the consequences!" Ye Yi said.

Before Ye Yi had finished speaking, Ye Yunting had already risen swiftly and walked towards Yangxin Hall.

Lin Fuying tried to speak to him but saw only his departing figure blur into the distance.

When she finally understood why Ye Yunting was in such a hurry, she stamped her feet in fury.

It was all because of that wretched woman Chu Nanli!

"She better offend the Emperor so severely that she is condemned to death!" Lin Fuying said viciously.

Meanwhile, Chu Nanli, after refusing Ye Jiujun, left him extremely enraged.

At this moment, the mild expression on Ye Jiujun’s face was nowhere to be seen, as if his scholarly appearance at the beginning was merely a façade.

"Chu Nanli, do you know that becoming an Imperial Physician is the lifelong pursuit of many physicians?" Ye Jiujun said with furrowed brows, the atmosphere oppressively heavy, making it hard to breathe.

Chu Nanli nodded, her tone neither submissive nor arrogant, "This consort knows, but it is not this consort’s ambition."

Her address changed from daughter-in-law to consort.

This signified her determination to distance herself from the royal family.

Ye Jiujun’s brows furrowed, and a hint of coldness flashed through his eyes.

"Are you aware of the consequences of defying the decree?" Ye Jiujun warned with a cold voice.

At this moment, his aura had totally shifted, gradually exuding the majesty of the sovereign ruler, sending chills down one’s spine.

But Chu Nanli wouldn’t easily compromise.

She guessed that the Emperor wouldn’t actually do anything to her.

After all, although she had temporarily controlled the smallpox outbreak, that didn’t mean no one would contract smallpox in the future.

In other words, the Emperor still needed her, so he wouldn’t let her die.

She steadied herself, about to speak, when she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hold on."

The well-known male voice was cold, with a hint of urgency.

Chu Nanli turned her head and saw indeed Ye Yunting, his face set, striding over.

"This son pays his respects to Father Emperor," Ye Yunting bowed deeply.

"No need for formalities," said Ye Jiujun flatly, his tone not pleasant.

Ye Yunting probably knew what had transpired earlier; naturally, he was aware that Ye Jiujun was angry.

"Father Emperor, please calm your wrath; I apologize on behalf of Nanli," Ye Yunting said earnestly.

"Hmm? You’re apologizing for her?"

Ye Yunting’s attitude surprised Ye Jiujun.

His son was always headstrong and rarely bowed his head.

Now, for a woman, he was willing to go this far.

It seemed that the rumors of discord between the War King and his Princess Consort were entirely false.

"Yes, allow your son to persuade Chu Nanli," Ye Yunting said gravely.

Ye Jiujun chuckled, "Very well, go ahead and persuade her."

He could tell that Chu Nanli was extremely stubborn and not someone who could be easily swayed.