Chapter 7: Yang Liuqing, a palace maid in Xianning, was casually rejected by him...
Yang Liuqing's face turned awkward for a moment after being casually rejected by him.
Although I am indeed dark-skinned, the main reason for my dark skin is malnutrition...
Never mind. She sighed.
Footsteps approached rapidly from outside the wall. Combined with the shouts from the doorway earlier, it wasn't hard to tell that some formidable figures had arrived.
Yang Liuqing lowered her eyes, trying her best to cover them with her long eyelashes to avoid meeting Yan Dibai's gaze, who was still scrutinizing her.
"Your Majesty!" The two imperial concubines rushed over, lifting their skirts, though they refrained from entering the inner palace out of consideration for Yan Dibai's presence. But with two icy gazes fixed upon her, Yang Liuqing was clearly not allowed to speak.
Wo Xue rushed over, bypassed them, and stopped. She ordered the dragon carriage to land at the door and said urgently:
"Your Majesty, I am late in coming to your rescue! Are you alright?"
The words had barely left his lips when two beautiful women followed closely behind him, side by side. Seemingly unwilling to be beaten to it by the eunuch, they opened their mouths as if to say something caring, but when they saw the little palace maid with her head bowed and her chin being held by the high and mighty emperor, their beautiful eyes widened in unison.
Yan Dibai ignored him and stubbornly continued to pinch his chin again.
This is bad. Yang Liuqing's forehead twitched. Wo Xue, after seeing clearly, was also stunned, as if she had seen a ghost in broad daylight:
"This, this, this?" After searching for His Majesty all day without success, he knew that His Majesty had most likely left the palace. His Majesty loved to play hide-and-seek with them, and if they satisfied His Majesty's competitive spirit and found him later, he might be in a better mood and spare his life.
So Wuxue deliberately planned to send someone out of the palace at nightfall, but unexpectedly, His Majesty, in his quest to punish them, didn't wait there; instead, he climbed over the wall to the Inner Palace himself. A dignified emperor… climbing over the wall is one thing, but to do it with the lowest of palace maids…
This palace maid, Wo Xue frowned, feeling she looked familiar. Then, looking at His Majesty, Wo Xue felt a chill run down her spine.
A sky-blue palace robe, a black gauze hat… this time they were wearing the robes of eunuchs. That would have been fine, but why were they inappropriately wearing embroidered dragon-patterned shoes with upturned toes?!
As dawn broke, he pretended not to notice and stole glances at that beautiful face. Seeing the white powder smeared on her face, he could only be thankful that His Majesty had such a strange fondness for red makeup, so that the lowly commoners outside the palace could not see the emperor's true face.
However, since His Majesty was still examining the inconspicuous maid with great interest, Wo Xue was speechless and dared not make a move.
Lady Yue Rong, who was at the back, covered her mouth with her handkerchief, her beautiful eyes filled with astonishment.
She had seen that maid before. Calling her ugly wouldn't be an exaggeration. How could His Majesty flirt with such an ugly creature?
This is absolutely absurd!
She was about to speak up to stop her, but the words caught in her throat as she suddenly calmed down. She glanced at the beauty on her right.
Lady Yue Rong suppressed her anger, leisurely observing the beauty who had been basking in her smugness for some time. She saw the woman bite her red lips, looking resentful. Lady Yue Rong smiled inwardly, covered her mouth, and remained silent.
Before long, the beauty beside him could no longer bear it and cried out in a soft voice:
"His Majesty!"
That voice, tinged with a hint of reproach and dissatisfaction, coupled with her melodious, flowing voice, was intoxicatingly beautiful. Yang Liuqing felt a chill run down her spine. She thought to herself: This must be Lady Hongzhu.
Yang Liuqing was sweating profusely. He was afraid he'd be lucky to escape with his life today, if not killed.
The concubine's call finally moved Yan Dibai, who had been wandering around for a while.
The young man's indifferent gaze swept over the slightly trembling eyelashes of the palace maid before him, then he abruptly withdrew his hand, releasing her chin. He rubbed his fingertips against her body, disgusted.
Yang Liuqing lowered her head immediately and silently pursed her lips.
Yan Dibai turned around, and Madam Hongzhu's face immediately lit up with joy, which quickly turned into a hint of grievance:
"Your Majesty! I heard there are assassins causing trouble, and my heart is in great turmoil, fearing for your health!" She stepped past the displeased Wo Xue, lifted her skirt, and walked a few steps to Yan Dibai's side. Her soft, slender white hands clung to the young man's arm, her head gently resting on his left shoulder. She looked up, her eyes brimming with tears:
"I'm so glad you're alright."
Yan Dibai's expression shifted slightly, but he remained expressionless as he looked at the tear-streaked concubine. Lady Hongzhu's tears trembled, and she spoke in a trembling voice:
"His Majesty…?"
His Majesty occasionally revealed this seemingly calm yet chilling expression, which was initially alarming. However, when she called out to him in a sweet voice, His Majesty came back to his senses and continued to play with her.
It works every time.
Yan Dibai indeed looked at her, then crossed his arms over his waist, a half-smile playing on his lips:
"My beloved concubine has suffered."
Lady Hongzhu, with tears in her eyes, nestled closer to the boy's embrace:
"How could that be? I am overjoyed that Your Majesty is alright, and I do not feel tired at all."
Wo Xue glanced sideways, unable to bear it any longer. She then looked at the palace maid standing obediently and suddenly said:
"Your Majesty, this palace maid?" He paused.
Yang Liuqing, who was silently listening to their sweet nothings, immediately tensed all her muscles and held her breath.
I don't feel good...
Yan Dibai narrowed his eyes, glancing away from the concubine, "Hmm?"
Wo Xue clenched his right fist, clapped his left palm, and suddenly realized:
"This palace maid once tried to catch a sparrowhawk for food, but you caught her in the act and then made her a clown in the theater!"
Yang Liuqing's heart immediately jumped, and Wo Xue shook her head repeatedly, saying:
"No wonder. I saw her hiding in the Empress's palace last time, and now I've run into Your Majesty again! Your Majesty, how could such a coincidence happen so many times? She has ulterior motives and is coveting Your Majesty!"
All eyes turned to her, and the invisible whip of those gazes made it hard to breathe. Her eyelashes trembled. She almost broke the rules and blurted out an explanation, but then Lady Red Pearl smiled:
"Such a treacherous person! The assassin has just been killed; who knows if there are any remaining accomplices in the palace? Your Majesty, if it weren't for Lady Woxue pointing this out, we would have been completely deceived by her!"
Yang Liuqing gritted her teeth.
If Lady Hongzhu didn't speak up, Yang Liuqing felt that finding an opportunity to survive might still be possible. But most of the concubines in the palace had to compete, eliminating dissidents and all possibilities—it was probably a subconscious reaction.
Having ambition is a sin.
She had been a thorn in the side of the two concubines since their arrival, even though she was inconspicuous and lacked beauty.
They were initially relieved that Yan Dibai had forgotten about her. However, Wo Xue's words were like handing them a knife, accelerating their efforts to remove the thorn in their side. The newly favored Lady Hongzhu was even more intolerant of any dissent.
Yang Liuqing really had no confidence in escaping this predicament.
She closed her eyes.
Lady Yue Rong moved the handkerchief to her lips, a subtle glint in her eyes. She silently observed the young emperor's actions. Lady Hong Zhu raised her head even higher, her soft skin gently caressing Yan Di's white arm, and whispered:
"His Majesty?"
Yan Dibai gazes at Yang Liuqing.
He felt a vague, inexplicable annoyance, but didn't show it, only slightly furrowing his brow.
The concubine beside him was urging him to hurry up and kill the maid. He glanced at her again and again out of boredom, and slowly began to remember her.
I also encountered a black firewood like this when I was strolling around the palace last time.
Back then, his mind was in turmoil, and his mood fluctuated. Unlike now, when he has drawn many leaves and is filled with compassion.
Oh, this black chai also wants to eat his bird.
Yan Dibai has his own way of judging things—if he thinks something is good, then it's good. If he thinks something is bad, then it's bad.
Although this approach is often hated by various parties, he doesn't see any problem with it.
Because he was the emperor. And a tyrannical and cruel emperor at that.
Then he remembered the song that Kuroshiba had sung so cautiously earlier.
…Sure enough, he was plotting to become a concubine and enjoy wealth and honor.
Yan Dibai scoffed, having made her decision:
"Do you recognize the woman surnamed Yang?"
"Your Majesty—" Lady Hongzhu truly hadn't expected Yan Di to give a mere lowly maidservant the chance to explain. She wanted to speak up to stop him, but after seeing his cold glint in the corner of her eye, she choked back her words and obediently shut her mouth.
Wo Xue asked in surprise, "Your Majesty, what is the matter? She is merely a palace maid from the Inner Palace."
Yan Dibai glared at him, and Wo Xue immediately shut up, folded her hands and stood obediently, staring at Yang Liuqing.
Yang Liuqing was even more surprised than the previous two. Her face was full of astonishment, her heart was pounding, and she looked at Yan Dibai with hesitation.
Yan Dibai urged, "Hurry up."
Yang Liuqing knelt down on the stone bricks with a thud, raised three fingers to the sky, and said, word by word:
“Your Majesty is wise and surely knows that my rescue today was truly a coincidence. I am a commoner from the capital, with only my disabled father and sick mother at home. A simple investigation will reveal my background. I swear to Heaven that I am absolutely not a spy.”
After saying that, he slammed his forehead against a stone brick, nearly wincing in pain.
Unexpectedly, Yan Dibai said, "That's all?"
Yang Liuqing, puzzled, looked up despite the red mark on her forehead.
The boy narrowed his eyes: "So you're lusting after me—"
"Absolutely not!" Yang Liuqing immediately shook her head vigorously, her words sincere:
"I swear, Your Majesty, I have no right to say that! I know I am ugly, how could a toad possibly eat swan meat?! My greatest wish is to have enough to eat, to have less work, to be a little steward and do my part for the palace, to serve Your Majesty and the ladies well!"
The skinny, dark-skinned girl had sharp eyes:
"If I utter even the slightest lie, may I be struck dead by lightning, burned alive by fire, and never be reincarnated!" Yang Liuqing was a modern man. His oaths were like farts to him. However, in the context of ancient times, they still carried some weight.
So Yan Dibai was speechless. What was wrong with him?
Wo Xue flicked her whisk and pursed her lips. But she didn't add fuel to the fire.
Lady Hongzhu glanced away, clearly displeased, carefully observing Yan Dibai's expression. Yan Dibai, already somewhat tired and unwilling to waste time in this wretched place, gave a forced smile:
"You don't want to stay in the Yeting Palace anymore?"
The words were a bit direct. But Yang Liuqing tacitly agreed.
"Heh." Yan Dibai snorted and casually closed the board: "Transfer me to work at Xianning Palace."
Stretching, the young man casually strode onto the dragon carriage, closed his eyes, and leisurely dozed off.
It was so quiet that you could tell who was taking a deep breath.
After a long while, Wo Xue asked, "Your Majesty?"
Lady Hongzhu: "Your Majesty?!"
Lady Yue Rong, who served as a background figure throughout, seemed lost in thought.
However, the young man in official robes on the imperial carriage lowered his head and fell asleep.
Having not rested all night, the pampered Yan Dibai couldn't take it anymore.
Wo Xue glared at Yang Liuqing and ordered his men to lift the sedan chair and head back home.
Then came a series of cold sneers, and the group of people who had almost filled the Yeting Palace were quickly evacuated. Lady Hongzhu followed closely behind the imperial carriage, turning back to glare at the rickety wooden door of the Yeting Palace.
Yang Liuqing knelt alone on the ground in the courtyard, still somewhat bewildered.
Suddenly, a group of people rushed out of the bedroom. Deng Mengnu, who had been trembling with fear for a while, grinned widely and grabbed Yang Liuqing, shaking her violently by the shoulders:
"Great! You're such a quiet person, I never knew you'd been doing so much behind the scenes! And it actually worked! Xianning Palace, that's His Majesty's Xianning Palace! You don't have to do laundry anymore, you don't have to fight for food anymore! Qingqing, you've struck it rich!"
The girls in the inner palace had been waking up one after another since Yifu arrived, and they hadn't missed a thing about the commotion outside, but none of them dared to go out.
Deng Mengnu was secretly delighted: "We chatted and ended up waiting for His Majesty! Who would have thought he would leave this way? Qingqing, you've hit the jackpot! I was going to take you with me, but you're more capable than any of us, showing your face directly in front of His Majesty! As the saying goes, when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven, so don't forget me!"
"Yes, Qingniang, I even shared half a cake with you before!"
"I am Chen Yueniang. I left the door open for you once!"
"Qingniang, good Qingniang, how did you manage to meet the Emperor? How could you be so lucky?"
This scene was like a fresh splash breaking out in stagnant water that had been calm for a long time.
The fish, no longer dazed and confused, had hope and were eager to get ashore.
Yang Liuqing was surrounded by chattering people; some hugged her, others pushed her, and Deng Mengnu kept shaking her.
She paused for a moment, then a helpless and distressed smile tugged at the corners of her lips:
"Sisters, don't worry..."
"Yes, what's the rush?" Sister Wu's voice suddenly rang out, instantly dampening the enthusiasm of everyone.
Deng Mengnu also let go. Yang Liuqing stood up and saw Sister Wu wearing a coat, just looking at her. Her heart tightened.
Sister Wu suddenly burst out laughing:
"Qingniang, what are you afraid of? You got a good job, do you think I'd be unhappy?"
Yang Liuqing breathed a sigh of relief, but for some reason, she was a little afraid to look her in the eye:
"How could that be? If I were fortunate enough to be granted a position, I would certainly make sure everyone leaves the Yeting Palace." She meant it sincerely.
Spending too much time in the inner palace can make one lose their mind.
Deng Mengnu immediately cheered: "I knew it! Qingqing is the kindest girl ever!"
The girls were overjoyed, and seeing this, Sister Wu stopped talking. She smiled, turned around, and went back to her room.
After the commotion subsided, there was still an hour before they had to get up and start working. Yang Liuqing noticed that Aunt Liu was not there. However, she was exhausted and just wanted to catch up on sleep, but Deng Mengnu kept bothering her with questions.
Helpless, she could only offer perfunctory responses to get a little time to rest.
Just as I drifted off to sleep, "ding ding ding—"
[Successfully collected the initial Emperor Qi of Tyrant Yan Dibai, value is 5.]
The Emperor's Aura Collection System is officially launched. Collection methods include, but are not limited to, assisting Yan Dibai in benefiting the people and promoting integrity and love for the people.
Reaching certain values allows you to exchange for certain items (currently hidden).
The mission is on track; please keep up the good work, host.
Then, several blind box items with question marks flashed through my mind. The mechanical voice faded away.
Yang Liuqing paused for a moment, then remembered.
There's also the matter of collecting imperial aura.
【Has the aura of an emperor (but not much)】means you start with 5 initial values, which accumulate as you complete tasks. Whoever accumulates the most is most likely to conquer the world.
She silently bit her lip.
But how is this supposed to be a gift? I didn't give anything when I first met Yan Dibai, did I?
That's weird.
Never mind, getting some sleep is the priority.
A note from the author:
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