Chapter 23 Serving the Pen and Ink
Liu Yuetang looked at his hurriedly leaving back, smiled faintly, and raised her hand to caress her tender lips.
At this time, Wanqiu had already brought over clean clothes.
She didn't know what was going on, but she stepped forward with a happy face: "My lady, when I came in just now, I met the emperor. He told you to go to the Qinzheng Palace tomorrow to serve as a clerk."
The Qinzheng Hall in Chengming Palace is where the emperor handles government affairs, and few concubines can enter on weekdays.
However, the emperor granted Liu Yuetang permission to come and go, which was a great honor.
As she spoke, her smile deepened.
"And this hand warmer. The Emperor said my lady's hands are cold, so he gave it to me specially."
"The Emperor must like you, my lady."
"Like?" Liu Yuetang smiled leisurely.
The emperor's love for women is no different from his love for cute kittens and puppies.
It’s not so much about liking someone, but rather the satisfaction a man gets after taking control.
The route she chose today was the only way for Xiao Heng to leave the court. With the help of the spy in front of the emperor, Xiao Heng would most likely come here.
So, she put on a good show.
High-end hunters often appear in the form of prey.
As a prey, she turned the initiative into passivity, and pitifully begged Xiao Heng to pity her and protect her.
At this moment, Xiao Heng must have thought that he was in control of everything and had captured the prey perfectly.
When Liu Yuetang stepped into Yaoyue Palace, she saw the broken vases swept out by the palace maids.
No need to think too much, it must be Jiang Cairen, oh no.
Jiang Baolin just vented his anger.
When the palace maid came out and saw Liu Yuetang, she was startled and bowed in fear.
For the first time, Liu Yuetang realized the importance of this favor.
No wonder everyone wants to climb up and gain the emperor's favor.
In the past, the palace maids around Jiang Baolin looked down on her and walked past her arrogantly. How could they now be so respectful and polite to her?
On the second day, Liu Yuetang went to the Qinzheng Palace as instructed.
The first thing that attracts men is appearance.
The freshness and refinement of the first encounter and the enchantment and charm of yesterday had already been seen by the man.
Now, it's refreshing.
So, Liu Yuetang dressed up carefully before going to the Qinzheng Palace.
The Qinzheng Hall is magnificent and golden. The main pillars in the hall are all red and engraved with swirling golden dragons, which are magnificent and luxurious.
As soon as Liu Yuetang entered the hall, she smelled an elegant and tranquil fragrance, which was extremely pleasant.
She bowed to Xiao Heng, who was reviewing the memorials, and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
Xiao Heng frowned, as if he had encountered a very difficult problem. He didn't have the heart to look at Liu Yuetang, and only asked, "Can you grind ink?"
Women from aristocratic families had their own maids to grind ink for them when they wrote or painted, so there were a few concubines in the palace who could write but the ink they ground was not soft and smooth.
Liu Yuetang had lived with brushes and ink since she was a child, so she was no stranger to them. She immediately agreed to grind ink for Xiao Heng.
The hall was silent.
Xiao Heng looked solemn, and Liu Yuetang stood quietly by the side, silent and collected.
After a long time, as the memorial was closed, Xiao Heng's brows relaxed and he turned to look at the woman beside him.
She was wearing a green dress, with her eyes slightly closed, her face as soft as a cherry, and she looked particularly pretty and pure.
Xiao Heng had never seen such a woman before. She looked good with light or heavy makeup.
She can be pure or charming, delicate or pretty.
"I don't like being disturbed when I'm reviewing memorials. You did a great job just now."
When Liu Yuetang came in just now, she didn't say a word or ask a single question.
Unlike other women, she would rub his shoulders one moment and serve him tea the next.
Liu Yuetang rolled her eyes in her heart. She didn't like being disturbed. Then why did he call her here?
Being a maidservant standing in the corner as punishment?
However, she had a bright smile on her face: "The Emperor is busy with state affairs and cannot be distracted."
Xiao Heng hummed and pointed at the table on the couch: "Do you know how to play chess?"
Liu Yuetang nodded: "I know a little bit, but I'm not good at chess."
Xiao Heng was good at chess. Even concubines with slightly better chess skills were no match for him. He had never thought that he would be able to enjoy the pleasure of meeting a worthy opponent in chess.
So, at first he was a little careless.
As the number of chess pieces on the board increased, Xiao Heng gradually discovered that the woman in front of him was quite skilled in chess.
Her white pieces already had the upper hand on the chessboard, and her black pieces were about to lose. Xiao Heng instantly straightened himself, looked at her jade-like hands, and said, "Is this what Liu Yu-nu meant by poor chess skills?"
As he spoke, he perked up and thought for a while before placing the black piece on the chessboard in the position that would turn the tide.
"My concubine, I am just lucky." Liu Yuetang picked up the white piece and put it down.
As time went by, Liu Yuetang, who was originally evenly matched in chess, gradually fell behind and fell into a dead end, where she could win with just one black piece.
But Xiao Heng was reluctant to make a move, his eyes fixed on the chessboard as if thinking about something.
Liu Yuetang reminded him: "Your Majesty, it seems that I have lost."
Xiao Heng raised the corner of his mouth: "It turns out that Miss Liu is not only an excellent chess player, but also a smart person."
Liu Yuetang looked at Xiao Heng in shock.
Xiao Heng opened his lips slightly and said, "You could have beaten me, but you didn't dare to win. Therefore, you deliberately chose a path that would lead to a loss, but not a terrible one. This is not something that ordinary people can do. Is Liu Yunu an expert in chess? Or is she a very thoughtful person?"
Rather than being delicate, it is better to say that he is deep.
Liu Yuetang lowered her eyes and pursed her lips slightly. She smiled bitterly: "Nothing can escape the emperor's discerning eyes."
"I grew up in a farm, with no relatives or friends around me, only an elderly nanny. So my daily routine consists of playing chess, reading, and practicing calligraphy. I have been playing chess alone for over ten years. Your Majesty, do you think my chess skills haven't improved?"
Liu Yuetang knew that the emperor's childhood was as miserable as her own.
Therefore, she had to arouse his resonance and empathy, narrow the distance between them, and gain his love.
"Why did you grow up in Zhuangzi?" Xiao Heng asked curiously.
There was a faint sadness and sorrow in Liu Yuetang's voice when she spoke: "The nanny who took care of me said that I was born with a disease, so my stepmother sent me to the manor, and I stayed there for nine years."
Xiao Heng's eyes seemed touched and dazed. He was gloomy for a long time before asking, "How is your relationship with your father after you returned home? Is there any rift?"
Liu Yuetang originally thought that she would say the following words on her own initiative.
But he never thought that Xiao Heng would take the initiative to ask about him.
It seems that the knot in his heart is much deeper than he thought.
Liu Yuetang stood up and knelt again: "Your Majesty, forgive me and my father for being innocent, so I dare to speak."
Filial piety is the most important virtue, and similarly, she must protect her father.
She is a very filial daughter.
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