Chapter 70 The Imperial Concubine: "You should live in his shadow."...
Since Ruan Yang assumed the position of Empress, it just so happens that the imperial harem will hold its selection of concubines once every three years. However, on such an important day, Ning Xian is too busy with official duties to spare any time. As the Empress, she should do her best to ensure the continuation of the royal family. Therefore, she and the Empress Dowager will decide the fate of the noble ladies in this selection.
In the warm spring sunshine, with gentle breezes, pear blossoms drifted down, carpeting the path where the young ladies would be walking.
At the eunuch's command, several women were led to Ruan Yang by Granny Lan Rong.
Ruan Yang lazily raised her eyes, and every glance she took made her eyes light up. Whether they were charming or elegant, they were all stunningly beautiful.
She was lost in thought, wondering what kind of woman Ning Xian would like. With so many women around, why had Ning Xian set his sights on her?
Is controlling someone really that fun?
Lan Rong asked, "Your Majesty, are any of these women suitable?"
Ruan Yang subconsciously shook her head, and then another batch of women were brought up.
“Ji Changhuan, the younger sister of the Duke of Zhenguo, is seventeen years old.”
Upon hearing this name, Ruan Yang suddenly opened her eyes. Ji Changhuan...
She remembered that when she was demoted to Lizhou in Ningxian, after the Ji family's usurpation failed, Ji Changhuan, the young lady, was sent to the border to become a military prostitute.
Now that Ning Xian and the Ji family have made a comeback, it's not surprising that she was able to return unharmed.
But many years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Ruan Yang has not seen Ji Changhuan's face for a long time. Her appearance has not changed, but her once sharp eyes now hold a hint of indifference as she looks directly at her.
If it weren't for her interference, Ning Xian would be her husband, and the position of Empress, the mother of the nation, would also be hers.
Without a doubt, Ji Changhuan must hate her to the bone. Keeping her here would be like inviting a wolf into the house.
But after a moment's thought, Ruan Yang did the opposite and asked the eunuch in charge of ceremonies to leave her a handle on the ruyi: "Keep this."
"yes."
The new master of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is Ji Changhuan's elder brother. When the army was defeated in the fifth year of Longchang, Ji Changlin fled to the north with the remaining troops and secretly colluded with Ning Xian, who was then the deposed crown prince.
These two were originally close friends who had gone through thick and thin together, but as the saying goes, it is easy to share hardship but difficult to share happiness.
Ji Changlin's repeated attempts to place his sister into the harem may have had ulterior motives.
Since that's the case, Ning Xian, who was wary of the woman, decided to stay for him.
Ji Changhuan was surprised to learn that she had been allowed to stay. She accepted the ruyi, hesitated for a moment, and then knelt down to express her gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress."
The Empress Dowager heard that the beautiful young woman in front of her had a lovely appearance, but her voice was not sweet and clear; instead, it was dry and hoarse.
She kindly said, "You must be tired after waiting for so long. Why don't you get Madam Ji a pot of tea to soothe her throat?"
Ji Changhuan smiled and said, "Thank you, Empress Dowager. This is because I caught a cold before and couldn't get treatment, which is why I have this chronic throat ailment."
The Empress Dowager said regretfully, "It's such a pity..."
As they were talking, with a "crash," the teacup that Ji Changhuan had just used spun in the tray before falling to the ground, scattering porcelain shards everywhere.
The damp tea leaves were stuck to Ji Changhuan's pearl-embroidered shoes, making her look quite disheveled.
"Please forgive me, Madam Ji! I didn't mean it..."
It turned out that the new maid had accidentally dropped the teacup.
Ji Changhuan's fingers involuntarily curled, but he stood still without saying a word, and the scene remained tense for a moment.
Ruan Yang found the voice somewhat familiar. She stood up and slowly walked to the panicked girl: "What's your name? Where do you serve? How old are you? Raise your head."
“This servant is called Yanluo. I serve in Chonghua Palace and am fifteen years old this year.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Yanluo slowly raised her head. The spring light was so bright that it was hard to open one's eyes. The moment their eyes met, Ruan Yang's pupils trembled, and the sunlight pierced her eyes like fine silver needles.
Yanluo had the exact same face as Lu Yan. Not only that, but their voices and the fingernail-sized birthmark on their necks were also identical.
I considered that Lu Yan might escape this calamity by running away from home in a fit of pique, but I also considered that Lu Yan might disappear and her fate might be unknown.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yan was tricked by Ning Xian into becoming a slave in this dangerous place. What made her even more panicked was that Lu Yan was completely ignorant and clueless. She did not recognize herself, nor did she remember her brother who died unjustly.
She might even consider Ning Xian her savior!
Ruan Yang said in a trembling voice, "In Chonghua Palace, were you Ning Xian's personal... maid?"
Yanluo nodded timidly.
Close-fitting.
Ruan Yang gasped. She already knew what Ning Xian would do to Lu Yan.
"What's all this commotion about?"
"His Majesty....."
Ning Xian waved his hand, walked over and took Ruan Yang's wrist, as if the threats and warnings he had given Ruan Yang a few days ago had never happened.
Ruan Yang abruptly pulled her hand away, glaring angrily at Ning Xian in front of everyone, showing him no mercy whatsoever.
Ning Xian's smile froze on her face. When she caught sight of Yan Luo, she frowned and coldly rebuked, "It's you? Get down here now."
Yanlu pouted, looking somewhat aggrieved: "Yes..."
Ning Xian said, "Your Majesty has worked hard. The selection of concubines is canceled today. Everyone may leave."
The others gradually left, leaving only Ruan Yang standing there in a daze.
Ning Xian looked at her and sighed, "Yangyang, you've misunderstood. I've said it before, you're the only woman I'll ever have in this life."
Ruan Yang trembled with anger, completely losing her temper and confronting him: "Don't try to be all sympathetic with me, tell me who Yan Luo is?!"
"Ning Xian, you can favor any woman you want, but not her!"
Ning Xian cupped her face in his hands, narrowed his eyes, and said coldly, "Look, you still don't believe me. When did you see me touch Yanluo?"
"Why should I believe someone who has lied to me? Tell me, what do you intend to do by kidnapping Lu Yan and bringing her back to the palace?"
After speaking, Ruan Yang chuckled and said, "It can't be because you've been plagued by nightmares lately, and you're trying to atone for your sins, can it?"
Ning Xian gritted her teeth and said coldly, "Atoning for sins? That beast surnamed Lu deserved to die. I wish he would die ten thousand times and never be reincarnated! It's because of him that we are suffering so much!"
Ruan Yang shook her head, her tone pleading, and said, "Lu Yan has just come of age; she doesn't understand anything yet. You can't ruin her."
Ning Xian hated Ruan Yang's tears because they always made him feel pity. He said wearily, "If I said I didn't know why Lu Yan was here, would you believe me?"
After saying that, he suddenly frowned and smiled, "Yangyang, don't worry, in this life, I will only cling to you and never let go."
"You seem so angry, are you jealous?"
Ning Xian silently moved closer to Ruan Yang, his large hand gripping her shoulder tightly, wanting to suck on her rosy, full lips.
During that long, lingering kiss, he longed to turn Ruan Yang into a puppet, into a mindless corpse, to be manipulated at his mercy.
He really didn't want to be separated from Ruan Yang for even a second longer.
Ruan Yang struggled to breathe, and she slapped Ning Xian's face hard: "Aren't you disgusting?"
"Your Majesty, please don't..."
Yanluo closed her eyes tightly and stood in front of Ning Xian.
She glanced at Ning Xian: "It will hurt a lot."
Ruan Yang fought back tears: "Your name isn't Yanluo, it's Lu Yan. He's lying to you. This man killed your brother. Yan'er, I'm going to take you away from here."
Yanlu shook her head and shrank behind Ning Xian: "I don't want to go..."
"This servant has always admired Your Majesty. I do not wish to serve you day and night, but only to admire you from afar."
As Yanluo spoke, her cheeks flushed.
"Are you insane?! You're willing to submit to the bedside of your blood feud? How can you face your brother?"
Yanluo said, "Your Majesty, I do not know that traitor surnamed Lu, nor do I have any connection with the Lu family. Your Majesty is willing to take me in. Whatever your other purpose may be, at least you can ensure that I have enough to eat and wear."
"Did you hear that? I didn't force her."
Ning Xian said, "Ruan Yang, what's the use of Lu Wenjin being so wonderful in life if even Heaven won't help you? After death, won't you still end up being betrayed and abandoned by everyone? What's the point of your persistence if you're a woman whose life is in the hands of others?"
Ruan Yang smiled and said, "The meaning of persistence is to be a thorn that will always be in your heart, Ning Xian, so that you will know that there are people in this world who will always remember Lu Wenjin's kindness."
"He will not be forgotten; he is immortal."
"You love a dead person that much?"
“Yes.” Ruan Yang said firmly, “You are not even a fraction as good as him. Every night we were intimate, it felt like swallowing a fly.”
Ning Xian clenched his fist, glanced at Yan Luo, and said to Eunuch Liang, "Inform the Directorate of Ceremonies that I wish to bestow the title of Beauty upon Yan Luo."
"Empress Nguyen has committed a heinous crime and is hereby ordered to go to Lu Ting Prefecture to reflect on her actions. She is not to return to the palace without an imperial edict."
"yes."
Luting Prefecture was a place outside the imperial city where important criminals of the court were imprisoned. Although the name of the place was beautiful, it was a barbaric land that devoured people without spitting out their bones.
Ruan Yang had heard that most of the former officials who were imprisoned, as well as the deposed concubines and their servants, would collapse and go insane within three months.
Her Wen Jin was also tortured to death by Ning Xian in that place.
Inside the warm pavilion, Dieyi packed Ruan Yang's clothes. Seeing how haggard she looked, she was genuinely afraid that Ruan Yang would lose her life if she went to that kind of awful place.
"Your Majesty, why don't you go and apologize in person?"
Ruan Yang turned his head away and remained silent.
Are you really planning to never come back?
Ruan Yang forced a smile: "You'll find a good place, don't worry about me."
The Lu family suffered a bloodbath because of her, almost to the point of extinction, yet she has survived to this day, moaning softly every night on her enemy's bed.
She felt ashamed before the entire Lu family and should have gone with her husband and children...
Ruan Yang sighed, "Tell Ning Xian that I have gone to Luting Prefecture and that he does not need to send anyone to escort me."
...
Upon receiving the news from Ruan Yang, Chonghua Palace followed her wishes and did not send anyone over.
Inside the main hall, Consort Li was kneeling before Ning Xian, looking at everything in front of her with fear. She came from a humble family and her appearance could only be described as that of a girl from a modest family. As for the emperor's favor, that was even less of a concern.
This was the first time she had ever seen Ning Xian's true face.
She only glanced at it briefly before immediately lowering her head.
"Was it you who appeased this little beast that day?"
Li Meiren was stunned for a moment before she realized what Ning Xian meant by "little beast".
She glanced at the cradle, at the baby who was only a month old.
It's so pretty with its pinkish-red color. It's not crying or fussing now, just smacking its little lips and sleeping soundly.
Li Meiren smiled as she looked at the baby, and then said, "Yes."
Ning Xian said nothing more: "Alright, from now on you will be the mother of this child. If you can raise her obediently, I will not treat you unfairly."
Lady Li didn't know where the child came from, but she noticed that the child was dressed in fine silk and satin, and the bedding he slept in was soft and fluffy.
It's clear that His Majesty likes her very much; he calls her a little beast, but he's probably all bark and no bite.
Overjoyed to have a lovely child by her side, Consort Li kowtowed and said, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty. I will certainly raise the little princess to adulthood..."
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