Chapter 31 If you want to stop the selection of concubines, I will be there to help you, Pei Qing…

Chu Yueyuan, who was behind the sandalwood peony embroidered screen, immediately stopped what she was doing and listened carefully.

The man's voice remained indifferent as always: "Let it go."

"This servant obeys."

The bamboo curtain of the Fragrant Concubine was lowered, and Eunuch Wang withdrew from the study. The room fell into silence, with only the soft rustling of the brushstrokes on the Xuan paper.

A moment later, a graceful figure slowly emerged from behind the peony screen. The woman's unique, sweet fragrance wafted from afar, not unsettling, but not to be ignored.

Pei Muwei paused, his hand holding the brush still. He glanced at the young Empress Dowager, who was leaning against the cloud and dragon patterned table, drinking tea. His expression was calm, and his tone was gentle: "What is it, Empress Dowager?"

Chu Yueyuan glanced at the tray full of scrolls, took a sip of tea slowly, and then said softly:

"Pei Qing is busy with state affairs all day long, so there should be a woman in the mansion who cares about his well-being. Lord Lin is thoughtful and has been running around for Pei Qing's marriage, collecting these portraits of young ladies for you to choose from."

"Did the Empress Dowager come here specifically to say these things in order to recommend Lin Sizhou for credit?"

"No, that's not it..."

Chu Yueyuan gently set down the pomelo petal-shaped tea tray, her jade-white fingertips lightly touching the ivory scroll on the tray. She smiled faintly, her eyebrows arching: "Leaving aside the distinction between ruler and subject, speaking of seniority, I am Pei Qing's elder sister-in-law. Both in terms of sentiment and reason, as an elder, I should be concerned about Pei Qing's lifelong happiness..."

Pei Muwei raised his head, his long, narrow phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, scrutinizing the elder who was seven years younger than him. His calm voice betrayed no emotion:

"Does the Empress Dowager truly think so?"

Seeing that the Regent's attitude was not opposed, Chu Yueyuan leaned down, rested her chin on her hand, and her watery peach blossom eyes were filled with sincerity:

"In his early years, Pei Qing went to Beiting to guard the border and was not very familiar with the noble ladies in the capital. I often attend poetry and painting gatherings, and I have not only seen the noble ladies in these paintings, but I have also had some dealings with them. With me helping Pei Qing to make the selection, I am sure I can find you a well-educated, gentle and virtuous princess."

The young empress dowager rested her elbows on a lacquered table, her pale pink cloud-patterned dress clinging to her slender waist, outlining her prominent waist dimples and rounded hips. Layers of hibiscus flowers were embroidered on her snow-white satin bodice, and two embroidered butterflies perched on the petals trembled with her breath, as if they were about to take flight at any moment.

Pei Muwei lowered his eyes, his brush and ink still moving, his tone becoming extremely indifferent: "Since the Empress Dowager is so kind, then she may offer her opinion on behalf of this humble subject."

"Okay!"

Chu Yueyuan responded cheerfully, pulled over a pear wood armchair without ceremony, and sat down. With her slender fingers, she took out a scroll from the tray, slowly unrolled the exquisitely framed top, revealing a beautifully painted full-body portrait.

The noblewoman in the portrait is about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a pomegranate-colored skirt, a fashionable style in the capital, with a soft green gauze draped over her arm. She has bright eyes and white teeth, a slender neck, and a quiet and composed demeanor.

Below the scroll, in small regular script, is written the woman's family background, birth date and time, and daily hobbies, the details of which are as detailed as a biography.

"Oh my, this is actually the daughter of Minister Yang of the Ministry of Revenue. If I hadn't looked closely at the small print below, I almost wouldn't have recognized her. The painter hired by Minister Yang is a master of painting, truly a divine work, which has greatly enhanced the beauty of Yang's daughter."

It wasn't that Chu Yueyuan was being mean; it was just that this Miss Yang, aside from being unattractive, was also of questionable character.

Relying on her father's high-ranking position as Minister of Revenue, Miss Yang had always looked down on those from humble backgrounds. At a poetry gathering, upon learning that Chu Yueyuan's mother came from a merchant family, Miss Yang covered her mouth and nose and took several steps back, her face showing disgust, as if she had smelled fish on her.

"She has the appearance of a seductive vixen from a brothel; she's not even fit to be a proper concubine. Just looking at her is bad luck."

Recalling Miss Yang's arrogant demeanor back then, Chu Yueyuan smiled faintly and casually tossed the man's scroll into the bamboo basket.

If the Regent was not Xiao Yun's biological father, then marrying such a woman would be a case of the wicked being punished by the wicked, and she would be overjoyed.

But in order to find a good stepmother for Xiao Yun, she had to keep her eyes open.

Chu Yueyuan picked up another scroll and unfurled it, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. "Grand Tutor Fu's eldest granddaughter." She paused for a moment, then slowly began, "Miss Fu inherited her grandfather's elegance and grace. She is exceptionally talented, beautiful, and dignified. In terms of status, speech, and appearance, she is first-rate, but..."

"But what?"

The young empress dowager kept chattering, so Pei Muwei simply closed the memorial, took out a set of sky-blue frosted stone tea set, rolled up his wide sleeves, and slowly refilled the teacups with tea, quite cooperatively taking over her words.

Chu Yueyuan took the celadon flower-shaped cup offered by the man, took a sip to moisten her throat, and then said:

"However, this Miss Fu was gentle and refined in public, treating everyone with courtesy, but behind the scenes she often beat and scolded her half-sisters in the Grand Tutor's mansion. Once, a half-sister kindly pointed out the inappropriateness of her poems, and she held a grudge and pushed her own sister into the lake. In the dead of winter, when the girl was pulled out of the river, her face was bluish-purple..."

Pei Muwei poured himself a cup of tea, his slender fingers holding the teapot handle as hot water slowly poured into the cup. Instantly, the aroma of tea filled the air, and his face was blurred in the steam, obscuring the soft light in his eyes.

"The Empress Dowager is all-knowing and has all-seeing eyes. If Lord Lin were to hear Your Highness's words, he would probably be so ashamed and indignant that he would submit his resignation."

Chu Yueyuan sipped her tea, and she could easily tell the teasing tone in the Regent's words.

She was not born into a noble family, but she was born with a beautiful face. There is a saying that if one's virtue does not match one's position, there will be calamities. Her appearance did not match her reputation, so she was bound to attract criticism.

Chu Yueyuan couldn't fawn over noble ladies like Chu Wanxi; she preferred to observe quietly from a corner where no one was watching.

Upon closer observation, one will discover that even noble ladies from prestigious families are not without flaws.

Jade may be flawless, but jade is an inanimate object, while people are living beings. As long as one is alive, one will make mistakes and cannot be perfect.

So be it, live an imperfect life.

Chu Yueyuan put down her teacup, her naturally charming eyebrows curving slightly as she looked calmly at the tea leaves through the misty steam:

"Lord Lin commands the Imperial Guards and holds military secrets. She is in charge of matters of great importance concerning the fate of the Great Qi Dynasty. Naturally, she cannot hear the gossip and disputes in the inner chambers of the boudoir. However, with me here, I will surely be able to select a perfect princess for Minister Pei."

"You're so kind, sister-in-law."

"This is all I should do..."

The emperor and his minister sat across the table. Chu Yueyuan picked up the scroll on the tray again, glanced at it quickly, pretended to ponder for a moment, and softly pointed out the flaws of the noble lady in the painting.

Pei Muwei leaned back in the rosewood armchair, his fingertips tracing the patterns on the teapot lid. His gaze fell on the Empress Dowager's fair face, which was lightly made up. He nodded occasionally in agreement and then refilled her tea.

The scrolls, as tall as a small mountain, quickly filled the bamboo baskets.

Chu Yueyuan's mouth was dry from talking. She picked up her teacup and took a few sips, then reached for the tray, only to find it empty.

She turned to look at the bare tray, paused for a moment, and began to wonder if her intentions were too obvious in interfering so actively in the Regent's private affairs, such as his marriage.

She coughed lightly to hide her guilt, and said softly, "Actually, the women that Commander Lin chose for Minister Pei are all excellent..."

She racked her brains, carefully choosing her words, her eyes shimmering with genuine sincerity: "Perhaps it is because Minister Pei is too perfect in my heart that I feel there is no woman in the world who can match you..."

The tea filling his belly gave rise to a praise that was overflowing with the aroma of tea.

Although Chu Yueyuan felt so disgusted that goosebumps rose all over her body, the Regent opposite her seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit. The man's handsome, thin lips curled up slightly, and the corners of his narrow eyes followed suit, as he looked at her with a half-smile:

"Your Highness is too kind in your praise."

Chu Yue decided to stop while she was ahead. She stood up, shook her wide sleeves, and said with a smile, "When Lord Lin sends over the new scroll another day, I will help Minister Pei make a decision. It's getting late, so I'll head back now."

Pei Muwei nodded slightly and said with concern, "The sun is scorching outside, Your Majesty should take care of yourself from the heat."

"Pei Qing is also..."

Stepping out of the palace corridor, Chu Yueyuan felt a wave of heat hit her face, which stirred up a restlessness in her heart. She twisted the silk handkerchief in her hand into a rope and then loosened it, tossing it over and over again, until she accidentally tied it into a knot.

Staring at the knot on the pale yellow silk handkerchief, her gaze gradually darkened.

It seems she needs to speed things up and confirm as soon as possible whether the Regent is Xiao Yun's biological father.

If not, then the path ahead for her is to reach the end of a cliff.

———

In the quiet study, the ice stored in the bronze ice chest melted away little by little, leaving only a few small pieces of ice floating on the surface of the water.

The eunuch quickly removed the ice chest, replaced it with new crushed ice, and used a palace fan to blow a refreshing breeze into the room.

The indoor temperature became cool and pleasant, and the sweet fragrance that had been lingering in the air dissipated.

Pei Muwei's expression remained unchanged. He took out a memorial from the gilded dragon-carved jade box, picked up a wolf-hair brush from the brush holder, dipped the tip in bright red ink, and smoothly drew on the Xuan paper.

A junior eunuch was about to take away the teacup on the table when he paused, then said in a low voice, "No need to tidy it up, you may leave."

"This servant obeys."

The man's thick, long eyelashes were bathed in sunlight, and he stared at the sunflower-shaped green pomelo teacup opposite him, his narrow phoenix eyes slightly narrowed.

The young empress dowager loved to admire flowers, and even her tea set consisted of a complete set of blue sky pomelo and sunflower cups. The cups had six indentations at the rim, shaped like flower petals, with beautiful lines and rich glaze.

A faint lipstick mark landed on the rim of the cup, outlining the woman's delicate lips.

The young empress dowager has been acting very differently lately. Not only does she pay close attention to him and go to great lengths to please him, but she also assumes he is upset because he ate tea and snacks from other women. Furthermore, she uses her respectable status as an elder to prevent him from choosing a concubine.

He pondered for a moment, and a drop of vermilion ink quietly fell onto the plain white Xuan paper, slowly spreading like a plum blossom blooming in winter. Suddenly, he looked up and saw that the branches were already filled with the fragrance of flowers.

Clearly, the young empress dowager was fond of him.

His nominal sister-in-law was in love with him.

Did he ever have feelings for the young empress dowager?

The man's gaze, which had been fixed on the memorial, suddenly darkened. His face was as cold as jade as he raised his hand and wiped away the ink droplets that had fallen onto the memorial.

No, he wasn't that man's flesh and blood, so how could he have harbored lustful thoughts towards that young woman...

————

June 22nd, the summer solstice.

Suitable for: travel, offering sacrifices; other activities are not advisable.

Taboo: It is not advisable to do anything.

The sky was high and clear, without a single cloud. The roads leading out of the city were cleared early in the night, and the people who wanted to pay homage to the emperor were blocked on both sides of the street by armored imperial guards.

A melodious sound of gongs and drums rang out, and the royal entourage marched in a grand procession, with colorful flags waving like auspicious clouds floating in the air.

Next, a carriage with a jade canopy slowly drove by, followed by several carriages with gold ornaments. The two generals, the chief and deputy generals, accompanied the carriages as well as eighty other carriages and nearly a thousand cavalrymen.

The lead carriage, Yulu, was driven by the Grand Master of the Palace. Its body was inlaid with gold and jewels, and its frame was made of precious golden nanmu wood, covered with pure gold and carved with exquisite patterns. The sixteen horses pulling the carriage were all black and shiny like satin, except for four white hooves on their steeds, known as Snow-Treading Black Steeds.

When the emperor traveled, he was accompanied by a magnificent carriage and a precious horse, and the people along the street stood on tiptoe and craned their necks to watch with great excitement.

While we're at it, let's take a look at the legendary, stunningly beautiful young empress dowager.

Unfortunately, the exquisitely carved windows were obscured by the hanging bright yellow crepe gauze, so that those outside the carriage could only see a blurry figure inside.

"It is said that the Emperor and Empress Dowager went to Tanzhe Temple to offer incense and pray for blessings, accompanied by the families of Prince Liang and Prince Chen."

"Did the regent go?"

"They must have gone. The back mountain of Tanzhe Temple is connected to the royal hunting grounds. My nephew guards the mountain in the hunting grounds. It is said that the Imperial General was worried that spies might take the opportunity to sneak into Tanzhe Temple, so he led a team of Buddhist soldiers to search the entire mountain inside and out. All the monks in the temple who had not practiced for ten years were put into solitary confinement. They will only be released after the Emperor and his entourage leave the temple."

"Hiss... Does that mean there are hardly any monks left in Tanzhe Temple? The Imperial Guards are being far too cautious."

"Hey, you can argue with that!"

The onlookers whispered amongst themselves as they watched the billowing yellow dust kicked up by horses' hooves outside the city gate.

Inside the Jade Carriage, which was covered in silk on all sides and had a cool jade mat inside, Xiao Yun waited until the carriage left the city. He couldn't wait to lift the bright yellow crepe gauze and his pair of big, dark eyes curiously looked at the world outside the palace.

Having never left the palace, Xiao Yun found everything fascinating. Even when he saw a sparrow perched on a branch, he would excitedly pull Chu Yueyuan over to watch it together.

"Mother, why are the birds outside the palace so gray? Their feathers aren't bright at all."

"Why is the road all yellow dirt, full of potholes, instead of being paved with blue bricks like in the palace?"

"The houses at the foot of the mountain are so small, they're not even as big as a small side room in the palace..."

"But Mother... the sky outside the palace is so vast!"

Chu Yueyuan peeled the orange, scooped out a segment and stuffed it into Xiao Yun's chattering mouth, her eyebrows curving into a slight smile: "Yes, the sky outside the palace is vast."

The warm sunlight shone on her, making her hair shimmer like fine silk. Her skin, free of makeup, glowed with a delicate sheen, and her dark eyes, clear as a mirror, reflected the mountains and rivers outside the window.

Outside the palace, there were no birds carefully selected by the Bird Master to display their bright plumage, no clean and smooth stone-paved roads, no towering pagodas or magnificent palaces. The branches of the trees were not pruned, and the wildflowers by the roadside bloomed and faded, blooming again and again. All things grew and thrived.

But looking at it, it makes people feel exceptionally comfortable.

Xiao Yun peered out the window for a long while, then pouted, "Xiao Yanzi said we'll see black bears, wild boars, and leopards this time we leave the palace. I've only ever seen them on plates, never in person..."

He turned his little face away, looking aggrieved: "But I've been looking the whole way, and all I've seen are sparrows. Mother, is Xiao Yanzi lying to me?"

Jin Tong brewed a pot of honey water and handed it to Chu Yueyuan, who was sitting by the window enjoying the scenery. She smiled and said, "Even if Xiao Yanzi had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to deceive the emperor. The wild animals that the emperor wants to see are all kept in the hunting grounds."

Xiao Yun's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly tugged at Chu Yueyuan's sleeve, his eyes full of anticipation: "Mother, after we offer incense, can I go to the hunting grounds to hunt leopards?"

Chu Yueyuan smiled helplessly: "The beasts in the hunting grounds are all fierce and dangerous. Let's wait until His Majesty is older before we go."

"At what age can I go hunting?"

"When His Majesty learns to ride a horse and can draw a three-stone bow, he can go hunting with Commander Lin."

Xiao Yun pouted: "I don't want to go hunting with Commander Lin, I want to go with the Regent!"

Chu Yueyuan blinked her bright eyes in surprise: "Is Your Majesty not afraid of the Regent?"

Xiao Yun tilted his tiger head and thought for a while before truthfully saying, "I'm afraid, but the Regent is even more powerful! Commander Lin has only hunted wolves and leopards, but I've heard that the Regent has hunted such a... big striped tiger!" As he spoke, he waved his chubby little hands, making a face like a tiger baring its teeth, which made Chu Yueyuan and Jin Tong giggle.

The journey was filled with laughter and joy, a truly pleasant and leisurely experience.

Silence fell over the carriage that followed.

As Lin Sizhou listened to the woman's cheerful, bell-like laughter, his brows furrowed even deeper, and he secretly clenched his hands on his knees.

Upon learning that the young empress dowager had thrown all the scrolls of paintings of noble ladies that he had painstakingly selected into a bamboo basket, he flew into a rage and rushed into the carriage.

Has Your Highness been blinded by beauty? How can you tolerate that young widow's outrageous behavior!

The women of marriageable age he selected were either the legitimate daughters of prominent families, the daughters of newly rich officials in the court, or even the beloved daughters of the Duke of Shen. The regent would take them as his queen or concubines, firstly to stabilize the situation in the court, and secondly to use the influence of these women's families to ascend to the throne as soon as possible.

Throughout history, every monarch who ascended the throne has been backed by a powerful maternal and paternal clan.

Since the regent has no maternal clan, he needs a powerful wife's clan even more.

Moreover, these women admired the prince's handsome appearance and willingly hired painters to submit their portraits and names to the Ministry of Revenue.

Lin Sizhou remained kneeling, his voice choked with emotion: "This humble official has overstepped his bounds, acting without consulting Your Highness, and has taken it upon himself to decide on the selection of concubines with the Ministry of Revenue. I beg Your Highness to punish me!"

Pei Muwei sat by the window, holding a military book in his hand. His long eyes were lowered, and he sat there quietly without saying a word. However, his relaxed and cool aura gave people an invisible sense of pressure.

Lin Sizhou's fair complexion grew even paler. He stubbornly said, "This humble official is indeed wrong, but the Empress Dowager's interference in the Prince's selection of concubines clearly has her own selfish motives. I beg the Prince not to be deceived by the Empress Dowager's clever words and flattery."

Pei Muwei's slender fingers gripped the spine of the book, and he turned a page with elegant movements, his tone calm: "Then tell me, what is the Empress Dowager's ulterior motive?"

"The Empress Dowager is in love with the Prince, and she wants to have him all to herself!" Lin Sizhou said without hesitation.

Pei Muwei's dark eyes flickered slightly.

It wasn't just his imagination; even those around him could see what the woman was thinking.

Lin Sizhou then said indignantly, "The Empress Dowager, who is enjoying her old age, is far less noble than the Empress, who is the mother of the country. In the harem, the Empress's Phoenix Seal holds the highest position, followed by the Empress Dowager's Seal. Since the Empress Dowager has tasted the Phoenix Seal, how could she be willing to give it away?"

He was in a hurry to arrange a concubine selection for the regent because he had heard rumors circulating in the court about the regent and the young empress dowager.

Silence fell over the car again. Pei Muwei did not raise his eyebrows, nor did he turn a single page of the military book in his hand.

Lin Sizhou's eyebrows were almost furrowed, and his voice was earnest: "I urge Your Highness to appoint a princess as soon as possible, so as to cut off the Empress Dowager's delusions and also take the opportunity to win over my heart."

Pei Muwei closed the book, glanced at him indifferently, and said in a calm tone: "Emperor Shang has nearly a thousand concubines in his harem, most of whom are daughters of court officials. On the night of the palace coup, did you see a single official speak out for him?"

Lin Sizhou's pale cheeks flushed red, and his hands clenched into fists.

"Your Highness is a man of great talent and unparalleled ability; how can he be compared to a foolish emperor like Emperor Shang? General Yunhui has followed Your Highness since the time of the Northern Court, serving you faithfully and loyally. His youngest daughter has waited patiently from sixteen to twenty-one. If Your Highness does not wish to establish a principal wife, you could first establish several secondary wives or concubines to appease her..."

A military treatise was casually placed on the desk, and Lin Sizhou immediately fell silent.

The man's calm voice revealed no emotion: "I recall that Si Zhou is already twenty-five years old (by Chinese reckoning), and you are still unmarried. Now that you hold a high position, your age is indeed a good match for the daughter of General Yunhui..."

Lin Sizhou's face immediately turned a different shade of red, and he stammered, "Your Highness, before the overall situation is settled, I have no intention of starting a family. I only hope to do my best to assist Your Highness in ascending the throne."

Pei Muwei tapped the table lightly with his long fingers, the white jade handle on his thumb gleaming with a beautiful sheen.

"Like Si Zhou, I do not wish to take a wife before the situation is settled. If I were to take the daughter of General Na Yun as a concubine out of consideration for our years of friendship, and then marry another newly noble woman as my principal wife later, who knows if he would harbor any resentment?"

His tone was slightly somber: "Children are not military merits, so their importance cannot be measured."

Lin Sizhou fell into deep thought, and the next moment, he suddenly realized something and looked ashamed.

It was his shortsightedness and gullibility that led him to believe the rumors and gossip, and his unauthorized decision to organize the selection of concubines with the Ministry of Revenue nearly sparked a conflict between the prince's old subordinates and new nobles.

"This humble official is foolish and stupid; I humbly beg Your Highness to punish me!"

"Considering your loyalty over the years, I will temporarily deduct your salary for one year. If there is a next time, your position as the chief minister will be replaced by Xiao Yanzi, who serves by the Empress Dowager's side."

Lin Sizhou understood that the Regent was implying he wasn't as clever as the little eunuch running errands for the Empress Dowager.

He was so ashamed that his face turned as red as Guan Yu's, and he covered his face and left.

The car fell silent again. Pei Muwei picked up the military treatise on the table with a calm expression and glanced at it.

A gentle, warm breeze carried the woman's cheerful laughter to the window.

His dark eyes momentarily lost focus, then quickly regained their cool and composed expression.

Long fingers slowly lifted the blue-green gauze curtain, revealing a slender, fair wrist emerging from the window of the jade carriage ahead. The woman gently raised her wrist, her wide sleeves billowing in the wind, like a fluttering butterfly.

It makes one want to pinch her gorgeous yet delicate butterfly wings.