Xuan Ling put down the black piece,

On the chessboard,

The black pieces pressed the white pieces step by step, encircling the white pieces in the center of the board. Even the few black pieces with air holes in the corners seemed to be embarrassed and struggling.

He picked up the white jade cup beside him and sipped half a cup of ginseng tea.

Concubine Wang stared at the man in the distance with her eyes fixed and full of affection.

The emperor rules the world, holds great power, and decides the fate of millions of lives.

And I want to be the woman by his side, precious and doted on, that's what's exciting.

"emperor....."

As soon as he finished speaking, Emperor Xuanwu got down from the couch.

He shouted outside the hall: "Someone come."

The voice was low and authoritative.

Eunuch Fu and the chief steward of the Jingshifang bowed as they entered the palace gate.

Xuan Ling put his right hand behind his back and said solemnly:

"Wang Jieyu is graceful and elegant, and I am quite satisfied with her. I will promote her to the rank of Wang Shuyi."

Wang Shuyi was extremely surprised. How come he was promoted without sleeping with the emperor?

Eunuch Fu reminded him, "Young Master Wang, why don't you quickly express your gratitude?"

Wang Shuyi immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace. Long live the emperor."

I thought there would be a next step, but when I looked up again, the emperor was no longer in the hall.

Wang Shuyi collapsed in despair.

The chief steward of the Imperial Household Department urged, "Young Master Wang, you should not stay any longer. Your servants must take you back."

Several eunuchs came forward, rolled her up, carried her out of the West Hall, and stuffed her into the Fengluan Chun'en carriage.

Wang Shuyi kept muttering, "What's going on?"

She soon realized that the emperor was satisfied with me, otherwise I would not have been promoted.

As for why the emperor didn't visit me, it was probably because he was tired tonight.

It must be like this.

The next day, the entire palace paid their respects.

As newlyweds, Wang Shuyi and Cui Nianmi stepped out to pay their respects to Queen Duan and introduced themselves.

Wang Shuyi wore a pink crabapple brocade dress, looking beautiful and pretty.

Cui Nianmi wore a moon-white silk dress with ink-and-wash landscape painting, looking extremely low-key.

Queen Duan smiled and said:

"Wang Shuyi, I heard that the Emperor was very pleased with you last night. I am giving you deer antler cream. I hope you can have children for the Emperor soon."

Wang Shuyi smiled brightly and knelt down to express her gratitude:

"Thank you, Her Majesty, for the reward."

Concubine Jia scolded: "Don't think that you can become ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth just because you have been favored by the emperor once."

Wang Shuyi had made a comprehensive investigation before entering the palace. She knew that Concubine Jia was the Empress Dowager's beloved niece, so it would be difficult for her to offend her since she had just entered the palace.

She said with a smile: "Sister Jiafei is right. I will keep a low profile, even lower profile."

As she spoke, she placed her hands on her waist and rubbed it with extremely exaggerated movements, saying coquettishly:

"Empress, can I please sit down? I accompanied the Emperor last night and am very tired."

Anyway, no one knows what happened last night, and she will be happy if she makes them jealous.

Concubine Jia rolled her eyes and said, "What a shame! I just stayed in bed for a stick of incense. What's the big deal?"

But she had never been in love before, and she was still a virgin, so she couldn't understand why she was so tired.

Concubine Liang smiled and said, "Wang Shuyi has a graceful figure. No wonder the emperor likes her. Who do you think she resembles?"

Defei noticed the clue first, but said nothing.

Concubine Shu said nothing.

Concubine Dun laughed shrilly.

"Isn't she a bit like Concubine Chen? Big breasts, thin waist, and round butt."

“It’s quite similar.”

It’s a pity that the Concubine Chen didn’t come. It’s okay. She will come to see this scene after her leg injury heals.

Empress Duan smiled and said, "Wang Shuyi, go and sit down."

Cui Nianmi said nothing, as if she was in a trance, and sat in the back with Wang Shuyi.

For two consecutive days, the scenery in Zhuixia Palace was magnificent.

Emperor Xuanwu gave rewards first, and Empress Duan also gave rewards afterwards.

Wang Shuyi was promoted to become the new favorite concubine by virtue of her first time serving the emperor in bed.

That day, at noon, in the Yangxin Palace.

Xuan Ling returned from the South Fourth Institute after finishing his government affairs.

After changing clothes, he asked, "How has the Concubine Chen been these days?"

Eunuch Fu was leading the palace maids to prepare afternoon tea.

"In reply to the Emperor, Judge Wu went to see her yesterday. Her leg injury has healed, but she's still a little nervous, nothing else."

Xuan Ling sat down to enjoy the tea and opened the lid of the teapot. It was a new tea.

Eunuch Fu said:

"Your Majesty, it's noon. The Concubine Chen sent me some osmanthus tea, saying that osmanthus can moisten the lungs, relieve coughs, and promote the production of body fluids and dissolve blood stasis.

It's strange, how did the Concubine Chen guess how many times the Emperor coughed today?"

Xuan Ling slowly savored the cup of osmanthus tea. In addition to the sweetness of osmanthus, it also had the fragrance of chrysanthemum.

Sheng Xiyan, what do you think about when you make osmanthus tea?

Are you sad that I favor others?

Was the tea served as a gesture of goodwill to preserve one's honor, or something else?

"I think the crabs are delicious. Tomorrow, we will hold a crab feast in the Imperial Garden."

Eunuch Fu said with a smile, "The Emperor has not been to the harem for a long time. He is holding a crab feast. The ladies will surely be very happy to see him."

"Go ahead and do it."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The concubines in the harem loved to hold banquets because they could dress up beautifully to attend and meet the emperor they had been longing for.

Each palace was busy and cheerfully preparing clothes, hairpins and jewelry, and studying hair accessories and makeup.

In Guanju Palace.

Sheng Xiyan leaned on the beauty couch and read a book.

Hua Xia came in, "My Lady, rest your eyes for a while."

Serve the donkey-hide gelatin, lily and black chicken soup.

Sheng Xiyan picked up the white-glazed porcelain cup and drank slowly.

"My Lady, what color clothes do you plan to wear for the crab feast tomorrow? I'll get a few for you to review."

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!