Chapter 21 Chapter 21 [VIP]
His Majesty did not agree to allow the imperial concubine to enter and leave the study at any time again. The eunuch guarding the door was a little embarrassed, but he still agreed to the imperial concubine's wishes and bowed to invite her in.
The prince looked at the beautiful figure disappearing through the door, his heart pounding, his blood seemed to freeze, and he could only hear the sound of the palace door closing.
Although the imperial concubine looked well-made up and appropriately dressed, her plump and soft skin, the slight tiredness on her face, and the faint fragrance on her body when she walked over made it hard not to think of her experience last night.
What's more, he was a man who had tasted her, so he naturally knew how much intense pleasure she could endure.
The fists under his sleeves gradually tightened. He had heard A-niang complain that ever since Yi-niang entered the palace, the concubines in the six harems rarely saw her, and her favor declined. He really didn't know where she came from, a fox spirit who had been reborn into the mortal world.
The Crown Princess probably also thought that Yi Niang had bewitched him.
He has always scoffed at such jealous remarks from his wives and concubines. His father is the emperor, and he can favor whomever he wants. How can a weak woman like Yi Niang stop him?
She was a person who took good care of her body. She knew in her heart that their relationship was not to be made public. She came with him five or six times a month at most, and each time she had to bathe for an hour before she could feel at ease. If her father wanted to favor her, there was nothing she could do.
Shen Youyi didn't expect the prince to appear in Qingping Palace at this time. Although she was the emperor's concubine, he looked her up and down and suddenly felt guilty.
It was as if he was a husband who caught his wife cheating on him and was just waiting there.
...Fortunately, it is forbidden to carry weapons when meeting the emperor, otherwise she would not know what the young man would do in his impulse.
She only wanted to save her own life, so she said a few perfunctory words to him and didn't want to really get involved with him unless he became emperor tomorrow.
But this is unlikely.
She thought that it would be best if the prince could quietly part ways with Concubine Wei after discovering the emperor's love affair with her, and not bother her again.
There are so many beauties in the world, he can sleep with any of them he wants.
She was a little depressed...the marks on her body were well covered by her gorgeous clothes. Compared to her outbursts of ecstasy, the emperor was obviously much more restrained.
What Emperor Yuanshuo saw when he returned to Qingping Palace was... a subtle scene where the crown prince, wearing a robe with precious flower patterns, stood at the bottom of the stairs, respectfully waiting for him to summon him with his hands lowered, while his concubine stood in his study, leisurely teasing a parrot to talk.
He was about to reprimand the prince when the prince caught the emperor's favored woman being so indulgent that she could enter and leave the study at will.
But just as he ordered the prince to wait in the side hall, determined to teach her a lesson, the woman who falsely conveyed the imperial edict guiltily stuffed half of the cake in her hand into the parrot's trough, lifted her skirt and threw herself into his arms.
"There is no morning court today, so why did Your Majesty get up so early?"
All the eunuchs accompanying the emperor retreated, and the door closed with a slight sound. The people in front of the emperor were quite aware of the current situation, but they were also too smart for their own good.
Emperor Yuan Shuo caught her, but he was not fooled by her embrace. He said calmly, "When will I summon you to my study?"
As expected, as soon as he arrived, he wanted to accuse her. Shen Youyi raised his head and said innocently: "Your Highness, what do you think I should say when you ask me? Should I just say that I want to see you and don't want to care about the rules?"
She was just such a stubborn person. Emperor Yuan Shuo frowned, but the prince must have thought too much about it.
"Even the Crown Prince behaves well in front of me, but you are so audacious and shameless that you lie without a blush!"
He squeezed her hand hard and said, "Since you want to come in, you should tell the Crown Prince to wait for me in the side hall. Otherwise, I don't know what he will think."
Shen Youyi was a little unhappy. Men always feel sorry for their own children. "His Highness is so well-behaved. How can I take care of him on behalf of His Majesty? If you are really unhappy, I will wait for you obediently at the bottom of the steps with His Highness in the future. Let the sun give me some spots. Are you satisfied?"
No matter how good a woman's foundation is, she still needs to take good care of it. But there's nothing wrong with men sunbathing. The emperor doesn't need them to sleep with him, so why should they keep their skin so white and tender?
Emperor Yuan Shuo laughed for a moment and sighed softly, "Where do all these twisted theories come from?"
Shen Youyi fed the parrot for a while, but couldn't teach it a complete sentence. She pointed at it and said, "Its fur looks beautiful, why can't it learn human language?"
On the shelf was the white parrot presented by Lin Dong. Emperor Yuan Shuo smiled slightly and said, "It would speak a few words when the envoy presented the treasure, but it stopped speaking when it was around me. I didn't ask anyone to train it."
When ministers and vassal states presented living creatures as tributes, unexpected things often occurred. After all, it was a filial gesture from the ministers, and the emperor rarely made a fuss about it. However, she was a little disappointed: "That's really a pity."
Emperor Yuanshuo understood the meaning of the music and said calmly, "I will ask the animal garden to select a few well-behaved and clever ones, train them well, and then send them to Yaoguang Palace."
Shen Youyi was almost moved. She wanted to kiss him a few times. She was still very happy that a man was so generous to her, but she did not come here today to ask the emperor for another parrot.
"I came here only to have dinner with His Majesty."
The beauty is shy, perhaps it is a dream come true, a reward, I love it very much, you treat me so well. "
Although she didn't do anything, she knew she couldn't spoil the emperor's interest.
Emperor Yuanshuo wanted to ask her what strange dream she had that night, but remembering the Crown Prince who was waiting for her, he told her to go to the compartment first: "I have something to discuss with the Crown Prince. If you are hungry, you can eat first."
The prince, and especially the imperial concubine, are even closer to the queen.
Any signal from the center of the empire will be sensitively captured by outsiders and interpreted layer by layer.
...What's more, although she is a concubine's mother, she is still too young. He privately does not want her to know about the family affairs of the Eastern Palace, and he is curious about whether the prince is capable.
Although he thought so, his voice was so gentle as if he was coaxing a child.
The emperor wanted to govern and didn't allow the concubines to sit in on him. Of course, she couldn't think of any other reason to object, but Shen Youyi had some bad intentions. She moved closer and pecked Emperor Yuan Shuo on the face, but the touch was immediately broken, and she complained: "You always have so many things to do, but it's so boring for me to eat alone."
Although Emperor Yuan Shuo often did things silently at night and would not kiss her, judging from the kiss in the morning, he might not reject her approach.
Maybe I just feel that it is unnecessary and not practical to dwell too much on the details.
Sure enough, Emperor Yuan Shuo just took out a handkerchief and wiped it lightly a few times, scolded her for being naughty, but also smiled and asked someone to send her out.
Shen Youyi also liked to inspect the other party's territory, as if breaking into a new world, not only the study, but also the more secluded inner bedroom.
If she wants to keep hiding from the emperor for a long time, she must know some of her preferences.
Her legs were still a little weak, and Shen Youyi did not hide it, and asked the maid to help her out.
This should have been a silent compliment to the man, but Emperor Yuan Shuo's smile faded a little.
The physical understanding between men and women does not require any special memories. She is as charming and addictive as ever, but her reaction last night was too immature and she could not control her body at all.
It was like he was experiencing the same pain for the first time. He was so uncomfortable that he often felt so uncomfortable that he needed someone to calm him down and comfort him for a while, otherwise he would look like he was about to faint, but he was also very greedy.
Her temper remained the same, but there were subtle changes that were a little strange.
It's like a thorn hidden in the flesh, not noticeable, rarely painful, but it's there.
Emperor Yuan Shuo shook his head. After being with this imaginative woman for a long time, he would even start to fantasize about some trivial things one day. There were imperial guards guarding inside and outside these palaces, and there were many eunuchs and palace maids around the imperial concubine. No one could have cheated on him under his nose.
As for the theories about ghosts and gods, he never believed in them.
While the prince was waiting in the side hall, the eunuchs served him tea, but his heart was boiling with anxiety and he couldn't drink a sip.
When the emperor passed by him, he did not stop, but only ordered someone to lead him to the side hall. This seemed to show that the emperor valued and favored him, but when he walked a little further, the door of the study was closed.
His heart also became heavy and sour.
A beautiful woman in a golden house is nothing more than this.
As far as he could remember, A'niang was no longer in favor, but there was no other woman in the harem who monopolized her beauty. His father was busy with campaigns, and the empress was a docile and dull woman. There were few disturbances in the inner court, and most of the positions were based on seniority.
He thought he would follow his father's example, but he didn't expect that he and his father would meet Yi Niang one after another.
The longer the time passed, the more he couldn't help but guess.
My father ordered the palace door to be closed, and now he is doing something with Yi Niang.
Will you be like him, eager to kiss her and want to put everything behind her?
Fortunately, it only took a cup of tea for Hong's attendant to come in and invite him in with a smile.
The emperor was half leaning on the throne, his expression was not gentle. He only raised his eyes when he saw him come in.
He bowed and saluted: "Aye summoned me, is there something you want to tell me?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo said calmly, "Which master taught you to fill the inner court with my people?"
Most of the ministers hoped that the monarch would refrain from searching for beauties among the people. This was naturally the Crown Prince's own idea, and he was not one to shift the blame onto others. He lowered his head and said, "My son simply wanted to please you, and there was no other intention."
"If you really have this filial piety, you should have a legitimate son with the Crown Princess sooner rather than later."
Emperor Yuan Shuo recalled the report from the Crown Prince's Palace officials and said solemnly, "I heard that you've been married for five years, but your concubines rarely get close to you. Do you find these old ones unsatisfactory, or have you set your sights on someone else?"
The previous emperor had seven sons, but he only had two sons. As for the prince's lineage, he only gave birth to the Prince of Hengshan.
He remembered that last spring, his son was still thinking about asking the Imperial Medical Bureau to send a few more female doctors to the Eastern Palace, probably to regulate the health of the female family members. There were also officials promoted by the Eastern Palace who wrote a letter saying that the royal offspring were few and that more concubines should be appointed for the emperor and the crown prince to expand the royal family.
The Empress Dowager had mentioned jokingly before that the Crown Prince intended to add a new person to the Eastern Palace, but nothing had happened yet, and the Emperor did not take these trivial matters of his children to heart.
The crown prince let out a bitter smile and said, "If I find a lady I like, will your Majesty allow me to marry her?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo was slightly surprised and said slowly, "If she is from a good family, it's not a bad idea."
It is certainly not a good thing for his son to have many concubines, but he is not interested in women and even the Crown Princess, who treats him with respect, has been neglected for a long time, which also makes him unhappy.
If it were in the past, he would have scolded the prince for being blinded by women.
However, after he brought her back from Duke Yan's Mansion, he could now understand his son's feelings.
All things in the world are interdependent and mutually exclusive. Throughout history, rulers have had countless beauties, but there are always one or two women who are the most beloved in their lives.
He met such a woman when he was over thirty, and he experienced all kinds of feelings. He did not regret making exceptions for her again and again.
Ah Zhen was probably born to be a demon that could defeat him, but the world was at peace and the country was prosperous, so the king was still able to subdue and support a fox spirit.
Even a man from a royal family would inevitably be trapped by love one day. He could understand the young man's throbbing feelings, but he felt a bit of resentment towards this woman.
The prince was silent for a moment. He had thought twice about bringing Yi Niang to his father.
The first time, she entered the palace as a girl from a good family to participate in the selection. A Niang did not like her very much, so he could only ask the Empress Dowager in a roundabout way, and then use his father's approval to pressure A Niang.
The second chapter is about the rehabilitation of the Shen family. Unfortunately, it is not easy for her to "come back to life" in the household register, so they intend to teach her to change her appearance and return to the Eastern Palace as a concubine.
The second chapter was after Archer's death. He had informed the Duke of Yan in advance and wanted to use the opportunity of the banquet to introduce Yi Niang, who was of noble birth, to his father. The Crown Princess had not given birth to a grandson for several years, so he would have an excuse to ask for a divorce.
Unfortunately, none of them worked out as planned.
His father, the emperor, spent the whole night with the woman he loved and doted on her without limit, but then he came to teach him a lesson for not being able to comfort the inner chambers and for putting his mind in the wrong place.
The fire of jealousy burned more and more fiercely in his heart. The prince rarely wanted to contradict his emperor and father, but the faint fragrance of the woman in the palace aroused even greater malice in his heart: "She is the wife of a criminal who was banished to the imperial court. My son wants to promote her to the position of Liangdi."
Emperor Yuan Shuo's expression instantly turned cold. He looked at the stubborn and obstinate prince, his brows furrowed slightly, and the words he uttered seemed to be filled with coldness.
"Do you know what you're talking about?"
Most of the relatives of criminals who were able to meet the prince were slaves in the palace, serving as servants. Even if they were beautiful, how could they be worthy of becoming concubines and continuing the royal bloodline?
Emperor Yuan Shuo gradually tightened his grip on the imperial desk. He did not approve of using whips and canes to discipline the prince, but at this moment he still felt a little disappointed with his son.
He is the crown prince, and there are so many carefully selected girls from good families in the Eastern Palace, but he actually falls in love with a criminal slave.
The Crown Prince had a half-smile on his face, but his tone was respectful: "My feelings for her are just like your love for Concubine Wei. Why can your father reward Concubine and Concubine Wei as he pleases? My son just wants to take a concubine, what's wrong with that?"
The fire burned away the insurmountable pressure in his heart... It was obvious that his father was also obsessed with women, but he was extremely harsh on the daughter of the criminal he loved. They were actually the same person, and the only difference between Yiniang and him was an identity.
But it was that girl who lived with the man, not her father or brother. How could the daughter of Duke Yan become a noble concubine, while the daughter of Shen would be reprimanded by his father for even being a concubine?
The prince couldn't understand it before, but now he can see it clearly - the emperor is not as wise as the sun and the moon, and his words have two levels of standards. The one who is wrong is not Yi Niang, but him.
His mistake was that he was second only to the emperor, so he could not tell the world about his love for her.
Chen Rongshou felt something was wrong when he heard this, and sure enough, a cup of hot tea was poured all over the prince's head. The emperor suddenly stood up with a gloomy face, as terrifying as a lion before biting a person.
"presumptuous!"
Emperor Yuan Shuo scolded, "The Imperial Concubine is your mother, born into a noble family, gentle and docile. No matter who that man is, he is not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the Imperial Concubine!"
Chen Rongshou quickly picked up the broken porcelain on the ground and came out in a hurry to find the imperial concubine.
Shen Youyi was looking through every trace left by the emperor in the inner chamber. The books that the emperor often read recently should be "The Book of Lord Shang" and "Records of Traveling to Famous Mountains". There were also some articles and historical books that were not stained with dust, such as "The Theory of the Extinction of Gods" and "History of the Northern Dynasties".
The chalcedony incense he usually used was rich, elegant, and lingering in fragrance, while the imperial incense used by the emperor in autumn was often mixed with agarwood and tulip.
The furnishings in the palace were not overly complicated, but they showed the king's luxury and taste everywhere. Shen Youyi took a general look around and was feeling satisfied when he was suddenly invited back to the study by Chen Rongshou.
The prince was still inside, and the emperor would definitely not allow her to enter at this moment. She looked at Chen Rongshou suspiciously and heard the prince's voice through the window lattice.
"I am in love with her..."
Shen Youyi was almost scared to death. She regretted letting the prince see her delicate and charming look after receiving the prince's favor. She just wanted to provoke the prince, but how could it cause such a big thing!
If the Crown Prince didn't want to live and was planning a rebellion, there was no need for him to bring her along. Why did he bring up their affair in front of the emperor?
The emperor has only two sons, so of course he will not die, but the same may not be true for her and Wei.
Her palms were almost covered in cold sweat. She made up her mind and rushed in crying without waiting for the imperial attendant to report.
From the outside, it seemed like the situation in the hall was tense, but as soon as she rushed in, she realized something was wrong.
The prince knelt on the ground, a hint of surprise appeared on his young and handsome face, and blood seeped out from both sides of his knees. Emperor Yuan Shuo stood with his hands behind his back, his expression extremely cold.
But someone suddenly broke in, and the attention of the emperor and his son fell on her.
Shen Youyi was a little stunned and also very embarrassed. It was natural for the emperor to scold his son. She appeared here as if she was deliberately eavesdropping and waiting to see the prince make a fool of himself. But since she had run over, she still bit the bullet and threw herself into Emperor Yuan Shuo's arms, like a young swallow flying into the forest.
"Your Majesty, there's a snake in the grass outside!"
Her voice trembled, as if she had experienced a great fright. The palace was built in the mountains, so it was normal to have snakes, but they rarely appeared in the bedroom.
Emperor Yuan Shuo was still furious. Seeing her frightened and anxious, rushing towards him for comfort, he couldn't help but think of the worst: "Did the snake hurt you?"
Shen Youyi shook her head and lowered her eyebrows, saying, "It just stuck out its tongue at me and swam away from me. It was so scary. Feel it. I was so scared that I was sweating all over and I couldn't breathe..."
She hid in the emperor's arms, trembling, seeking his protection, but her eyes fell on the prince, praying that he would keep his mouth shut and not say anything earth-shattering.
The Crown Prince compared her to a lowly criminal slave who had died young, and even a beating in the court would not be excessive. When Emperor Yuan Shuo touched her hand, it felt icy cold. Her tears washed away his thoughts of arguing with the Crown Prince. He said softly, "Tell a few eunuchs to search every bush and house in the palace, and sprinkle some sulfur to fumigate the rooms. It won't hurt anyone."
Shen Youyi responded softly. She sobbed for a moment before she calmed down in the emperor's arms. She seemed to have just discovered that the prince was kneeling there covered in dust and dirt. She asked in surprise, "What happened to your highness? Why did you make His Majesty so angry?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo frowned. The prince was still grieving over a palace slave who had died long ago, and even dared to compare him to the imperial concubine.
Although it was just a childish impulse and she might not really remain a virgin for that person for two years, it was still embarrassing enough.
Seeing that Emperor Yuan Shuo remained silent, she quietly tugged at his sleeve: "If the mistake is not serious, it is better for you to ask the masters to take care of it than to get yourself hurt by anger. But what if the mistake is serious..."
Shen Youyi turned to look at the prince and blinked: "If you are beaten with a small stick, you will be beaten with a big stick. Your Highness has read the books of sages, so why don't you know when to run?"
Every time the imperial concubine sleeps with the prince, the prince becomes extremely jealous. Even if he is really the imperial concubine Wei's adulterer, he should not risk her life!
The prince knelt there in a daze, momentarily lost in thought. The palace maid who he said had died early from the plague was nestled in his father's arms, begging for love and affection, and her eyes kept signaling to him to leave quickly.
Since he has promised to remain a virgin for her, and there has been no new baby born in the Eastern Palace for a long time, this matter cannot be hidden, so it is better to make it clear in front of the emperor first.
A woman died, and he suffered some physical pain. At most, his father would be angry with him for a while, but he would still suppress it.
But her sudden appearance disrupted his preparations and made his heart pound.
No matter how cold she appeared, she still cared about his every move in private.
Emperor Yuan Shuo's anger had almost subsided by now, so he naturally couldn't just run away. He lowered his eyes and said, "Thank you, Mother Wei, for your kindness."
Emperor Yuan Shuo noticed that the beauty in his arms seemed to be feeling somewhat guilty, so he didn't care much about the snakes and insects. He called out and glanced at Chen Rongshou, "Send the imperial physician to the crown prince for a check."
The broken porcelain pieces had pierced quite deep, so the eunuchs of the Eastern Palace carefully helped the prince back down, and the palace maid in charge of sweeping and cleaning carefully cleaned the bloodstains on the carpet.
Shen Youyi breathed a sigh of relief. If the prince had said anything, she would not have been able to stand here peacefully.
She was indeed a little too sensitive, to the point of being paranoid. What if the prince fell in love with someone else and was ready to ask the emperor for permission?
Emperor Yuan Shuo's gaze lingered on the corner of her curved lips, and he pinched her cheek gently, "Why did you think of pleading for the Crown Prince?"
"Your Majesty requires me to have the self-awareness of an elder, so of course I cannot bear to see you punishing His Highness to the point of harming his health."
Shen Youyi thought about it, and finally used the emperor's words to prevaricate, and complained softly: "Your Highness is still a child, and he is the crown prince of the East Palace. What did this handsome child do that you had the heart to do it?"
A Jianzhan teacup filled with tea soup could be used as a hidden weapon, and it was quite lethal. She was still apprehensive and looked up, saying, "If the crown prince is disfigured, someone might think I was secretly instigating you and His Highness."
Emperor Yuan Shuo listened to her cautiously pleading for the prince, and although she was unusually sensible and well-behaved, he was not pleased.
In his arms, she was genuinely worried about another man, and even though it was not out of love between men and women, it was unbearable.
Even that person might not appreciate it. Instead, he used her as an example to try to justify their fleeting romance.
"The prince is older than you, so he can't be considered a child."
Emperor Yuan Shuo calmly corrected her, then suddenly frowned and smiled: "Which young and ignorant child would advise their father to enrich his harem?"
His concubine was indeed startled, almost jumping up, and when she spoke again, there was a hint of gnashing of teeth: "When did I ever offend Your Highness?"
She was the only favored one in the harem, so the prince's targeting was too obvious.
Or did he really take her words seriously?
Emperor Yuan Shuo looked at her leisurely. It was always troublesome for the emperor when women got jealous and fought endlessly, but sometimes he didn't hate this kind of trouble at all.
Even have some secret thoughts occasionally.
It was like he was back to the age of the prince, hoping that she would only have him in her eyes, with no room for other men, and unable to share her love with others.
He said lovingly and viciously: "Do you still think Zihui is pitiful and handsome?"
Young girls not only admire the strong, but also sympathize with the weak.
What's more, because of the relationship with Lingyang Hou, they have known each other for a long time.
When she was unaware, she had already experienced the story of the farmer and the snake, the Zhongshan wolf and Mr. Dongguo. Shen Youyi knew that the emperor was hiding something from her. She closed her eyes and nodded, as if she had made a great decision: "Jun is still Jun. If you are still angry, call His Highness back and make him kneel for an hour. It's just a piece of broken porcelain. Kneeling won't break it. How can he be so bullying!"
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