Chapter 49 Pei Yunxi is worthy of the Empress's position
Chapter Forty-Nine: Pei Yunxi is worthy of the Empress's position
Inside Yongshou Palace, afternoon sunlight streamed through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the floor. Su Su, unusually in the mood, sat upright before the guqin, her slender fingers gently plucking the strings.
The music flowed from the fingertips, initially like a clear spring in a secluded valley, murmuring and soothing the soul; then it became like a nightingale singing in a valley, melodious and graceful, with a touch of lightness that was barely perceptible.
She lowered her head slightly, her long eyelashes casting a light shadow under her eyes. Her expression was focused and serene, as if she were immersed in a world constructed by music, temporarily forgetting the turmoil of the palace.
As the music drew to a close, its lingering notes still faintly present, Qiuju rushed in, her expression flustered and her steps hurried. Seeing that the Empress was playing, she dared not disturb her, and could only suppress her anxiety, standing uneasily to the side until the last note faded away, before hurriedly stepping forward and calling out, "Your Majesty!"
Su Su raised her eyes and, seeing Qiu Ju's appearance, was slightly surprised. She asked gently, "What has made you so panicked?"
Qiuju took a breath and hurriedly reported, "Your Majesty, at the morning court session this day, a court official submitted a memorial mentioning... mentioning the imperial concubine selection this year, requesting that His Majesty hold it according to precedent."
Su Su's fingertips, resting on the strings, stiffened slightly. The imperial concubine selection… yes, the triennial selection was indeed fast approaching. This meant that soon, another batch of young, vibrant women would flood into this deep palace, vying for the already meager favor and bringing new power struggles.
The thought of that scene sent a heavy, suffocating feeling through her, as if she were bound by invisible threads. She took a deep breath, suppressing the discomfort, and asked as calmly as possible, "What...did His Majesty say?"
Qiu Ju's face showed a strange expression as she replied, "His Majesty... His Majesty rejected it on the spot."
"Rejected?" Su Su could not hide her surprise. "Why?" This was illogical. The imperial concubine selection was not only to fill the harem, but also an important means of balancing the power of the court.
Qiuju said, "I heard that... His Majesty said that the number of concubines in the palace is now sufficient, and the war in the southwest has just ended. The national treasury should not be over-exploited for such matters. The priority should be to allow the people to recuperate and to take care of their strength."
Upon hearing this, Su Su paused for a moment, then a subtle, indescribable joy, like a new sprout breaking through the soil, quietly peeked out. No more women were coming in to vie for attention or stir up trouble—at least not for now—and she was naturally happy. Even though she understood this was only a temporary postponement, not a permanent cancellation, a few more years of peace and quiet were always welcome.
At lunchtime, Li Qianche came to Yongshou Palace as usual. He seemed to have developed a habit of constantly piling food into her bowl during meals, as if he was afraid she wouldn't have enough to eat, or as if he was determined to fatten her up.
Looking at the mountain of food piled up in her bowl, Su Su finally couldn't help but glance at him, her tone tinged with reproach: "Is Your Majesty trying to fatten me up so you can find an excuse to dislike me and go after other concubines?"
Li Qianche was speechless for a moment, feeling both annoyed and amused. He did this because the nightmare of that night in the cold palace was too vivid. The image of her thin and bony, gnawing on tree roots in the dream still made his heart pound. He wished he could immediately fatten her up and completely dispel the shadow brought by that nightmare.
But how could he explain the reason to her? He could only put on a stern face and pretend to be annoyed, saying, "Nonsense!" Then, as if he could see through her thoughts, he pinched her delicate cheek and said with certainty, "Are you jealous because you heard about the talent show? Don't worry, I have already rejected it. There will be no talent show."
Su Su's cheeks flushed slightly. She turned her head away from his hand and stubbornly said, "When did I ever mention the imperial concubine selection?"
Li Qianche didn't expose her, but smiled and asked instead, "How are you getting along with Pei Xuan's sister? I've heard that she is gentle and well-educated. I was afraid you would be bored in the palace, so I had her come to the palace often to keep you company and relieve your boredom."
Su Su nodded, her tone softening slightly: "Your Majesty is very kind. Miss Pei... is quite good." Thinking of the possible friendship between Pei Yunxi and her brother, a faint smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
"That's good." Seeing her happy expression, Li Qianche felt relieved.
After lunch, Li Qianche took her hand and they strolled slowly through the garden of Yongshou Palace to aid digestion. The early summer sun was warm and gentle. The two came to the small pond and watched the colorful koi swimming leisurely in the water.
Li Qianche gently embraced her from behind, his chin resting on the top of her head. In the distance, palace servants stood with their heads bowed, and the sunlight elongated their embracing figures, creating a tranquil and beautiful scene.
The atmosphere was just right, and Li Qianche seized the opportunity to bring up the old matter again, his tone tinged with a mixture of dissatisfaction and anticipation: "Susu, why was the purse you embroidered for me last time a dragon? I think it would have been better to embroider a mandarin duck instead."
Su Su leaned against him, chuckled upon hearing this, and deliberately said, "The dragon is the symbol of the supreme ruler, which is perfectly suited to the emperor's status. What's wrong with that?"
“I don’t care,” Li Qianche tightened his grip, a hint of roguishness in his voice, “I just want mandarin ducks. Embroider a pair of mandarin ducks for me, okay?”
Su Su just smiled, deliberately ignoring his words and pretending that her attention was completely drawn to the fish swimming in the water. Feeling the warm and reassuring embrace behind her and looking at the peaceful scenery before her, Su Su quietly thought to herself, if her days in the palace could be this peaceful, it seemed... quite nice.
However, this brief period of calm did not last more than a few days.
That day, Qiuju rushed in again, her face pale and her steps hurried. She even forgot to bow and cried out urgently, "Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!"
Su Su was embroidering the unfinished pair of mandarin ducks by the window when she heard this. Her fingertips trembled, and she almost pricked her finger with the silver needle. She steadied herself and asked, "What happened now?"
Qiuju said hurriedly, "This morning at court, when the emperor refused to select a consort, the ministers jointly submitted a memorial, saying that the position of empress has been vacant for a long time, which is detrimental to the country! They... they recommended Miss Pei Yunxi, the younger sister of General Pei Xuan, saying that she comes from a family of loyal and virtuous people, has a reputation for talent, and is virtuous and gentle, and is worthy of... worthy of the position of empress!"
The small embroidery needle in Su Su's hand came to a complete stop. The Empress? Her mind was buzzing, and her voice was dry, a ache she herself didn't even realize: "Your Majesty... what is your attitude?"
Qiuju was so anxious she was about to cry: "Your Majesty... His Majesty didn't agree on the spot, but... but he didn't object either! He only said that this matter is of great importance and that we should discuss it later!"
Neither agreeing nor objecting… Su Su's heart sank little by little. So, all that special effort he had made to bring Pei Yunxi into the palace to befriend her, all that thoughtfulness in finding her a companion to "relieve her boredom," was to let her get to know the future Empress in advance, so that she would be obedient and respectful in the future? Did he know that Pei Yunxi and her brother Su Jizhi were already in love?
Thinking of this, a bitter self-mockery appeared on Su Su's lips. Even if he knew, so what? He had always been most wary of the power of maternal relatives.
If his elder brother Su Jizhi marries Pei Yunxi, the Su family will become related by marriage to Pei Xuan, the newly meritorious General of Suiyuan who holds military power, and their influence will inevitably increase greatly. This is something he would never want to see. In order to maintain balance, bringing Pei Yunxi into the palace would be killing two birds with one stone. It would not only put an end to his brother's thoughts and suppress the Su family, but also find him an empress whose family background and appearance are sufficient to make her the mother of the nation.
Having figured out the key to this, Su Su felt a chill run through her body. Looking at the pair of mandarin ducks that were about to be completed on the embroidery hoop, symbolizing inseparable love, she felt utterly ironic.
She gently put down her needlework and said calmly to Chunlan, who was standing beside her, "If the Emperor comes, tell him that I am not feeling well today and I am afraid that I may pass on my illness to the Emperor. Therefore, I will not be able to serve him tonight."
The voice was calm, yet carried an unyielding sense of detachment.
As expected, when Li Qianche finished handling his official duties that evening and arrived at Yongshou Palace as usual, he found the palace gates tightly closed and the lights inside dim. No matter how kindly he spoke, or even with a hint of anger, no one answered or opened that familiar door for him.
For the first time in his life, he was firmly turned away at the gates of his concubine's palace.
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