Chapter 23 Chapter 23 [VIP]
Qixi Festival is a festival for women. The queen would hold a banquet in the Forbidden Garden and worship the Weaver Girl together with her concubines and princesses. They would tie ropes around their wrists, write their wishes on them and hang them on trees.
Millions of red silks covered the century-old green shade, carrying the heavy and beautiful wishes of the women in the palace. However, this festive and warm color was only bright on this night. By the next day, it seemed a little out of place. The people in the palace were busy, rushing towards the next festival in July.
Although Shen Youyi had an appointment with Emperor Yuan Shuo on the Qixi Festival, she couldn't treat the empress lightly. One of them determined her current wealth and glory, and the other might very well determine her future.
The noble lady worked hard, and she was in her twenties, which was the prime of her life. Many concubines were still giving birth to daughters at this age, but she pushed Wei's daughter to the emperor.
She trusts the man's conscience too much. Isn't she worried that he will replace her one day?
The queen has lost some weight recently, and her thin shoulders are so pitiful that one can tell at a glance that she is a dignified and quiet beauty who does not like to play. She is like a jade statue enshrined in the shrine in the temple.
But he lacked energy when speaking. Although he was in charge of the huge inner court, he was like a sick Xi Shi who felt tired after the slightest movement.
She fiddled with the ice bowl, took a bite, and put it on the table. She stood up and watched Shen Youyi write a prayer on the silk strip.
"I thought you wouldn't come."
The Queen sighed softly and said, "But it's good that you can think positively."
Shen Youyi blew away the ink marks on the silk strips and said with a smile, "I don't want to attend any Qixi banquet, I just want to sit with the queen for a while."
The Queen smiled, gently tapped her brow with her fingertips, and said gently, "How has His Majesty been treating you lately?"
Shen Youyi was rarely silent. Now, everyone she met, regardless of gender, would ask her questions that could cost her life.
She was about to go out with her husband in half an hour. She held her chin in her hand and said sadly, "I'm sorry to make you laugh, Your Majesty. I can't say whether it's good or bad. With Your Majesty's favor, the food is more delicious than before, but Your Majesty always thinks I'm unruly and often lectures and punishes me..."
He also beat her, and hit her hard!
The Queen sighed softly, "His Majesty is very fond of you. No other lady is as favored as you."
Shen Youyi agreed with this point, but her understanding was very different from that of the Queen.
——If the emperor didn't use those means and temper, he wouldn't give anyone a word, let alone travel with her.
However, the emperor had to maintain his own dignity and decency. Although he was obviously very fond of her, he still had to hypocritically scold her for not being dignified enough and despising the women of the guilty ministers for not being able to bear an heir to the throne.
She thought angrily, if Emperor Yuan Shuo knew that she was a so-called conscript, would he still feel that he had soiled himself?
Don't let her get so angry that she dies, otherwise her name will really be recorded in history books.
The Queen noticed that she still had some temper. Her eyes fell on the red silk and she said helplessly, "How old are you? You're already thinking about spending your retirement in peace?"
Shen Youyi still believed these things when she was seven years old, but she is no longer old enough now.
She cares more about who will see the things she writes.
There was no point in writing flattering words in front of the empress. She said, "No flower lasts forever. Your Majesty's favor will eventually fade. I, a dodder, can only cling to a woman like you. Who else can I rely on? Only that you give me more houses and land so that I can live out my life in comfort and solitude."
The Empress shook her head. She didn't quite understand the passive nature of the Imperial Concubine's optimistic nature. "Even if Your Majesty is willing to let go of such an interesting woman like Ah Zhen, I can't bear to let you go. If Zi Yan... doesn't have the blessing of staying in the capital, wouldn't it be better for you to come with me to his fiefdom?"
Shen Youyi was a little surprised. She had never heard of the previous emperor's empress accompanying the prince to the fiefdom in this dynasty. She said softly, "Your Majesty, you are joking. The Second Prince has noble character and is loved by the ministers. Are you afraid that there will never be such a day?"
"With his condition, I can't bear to force him. Even if it doesn't work out, let him be."
There were many cases where the Empress's legitimate sons were unable to inherit the throne. Seeing that the Eastern Palace's position was secure, even if she wanted to compete, that son-in-law, who was obsessed with Taoism and medicine, might not be able to do so. The Empress said calmly, "However, how can a small corner of the country compare to the imperial capital of Chang'an? If Ah Zhen wants to live with me in the future, you must live frugally."
Shen Youyi tried to distinguish the truth from the Queen's words. Perhaps Concubine Wei could see it, but she found it difficult to be sure.
However, the Queen's attitude of taking on so much is very similar to that of Emperor Yuan Shuo. Most of the Wei family's relatives are in Chang'an. Wouldn't it be great for her to buy a few houses in the capital in the future?
If she teaches the Second Prince to be filial to her, she might die early one day.
She was an extremely ambitious woman and could not understand the Queen's methods of controlling her subordinates. Wei had already set her foot halfway on the Second Prince's boat. Others did not know the relationship between the Crown Prince and Concubine Wei and would only think that she was in a clique with the Queen.
It is certainly comfortable to be with the Queen, but no ally would be happy to hear such discouraging words, even if she is not the real Janice Vidal.
The prince's biological mother is not kind. Secondly, both families' relatives are of high birth. If they don't fight for it at this time, do they have to swallow their anger and try to please her?
Emperor Yuan Shuo lost his spirit when he saw her.
He is gentle.”
Shen Youyi changed into a sky-blue dress, a plain white shawl, and a single ornament on her bun, which highlighted her light and graceful beauty.
She had only slept with the emperor for the past two days. It was not known whether it was because the emperor was old or because he was afraid that she would not be in good spirits while she was away, so he had not asked her to sleep with him. This made her feel a little restless.
"Won't you blame me if I don't go now?"
When people are unhappy, they inevitably want to satisfy some low desires. Shen Youyi was somewhat tempted. In fact, there was nothing wrong with celebrating the festival on the couch.
If he was angry, he could hit her, but it would be better not to hit her harder than last time.
Emperor Yuan Shuo held her lightly, lowered his eyes and said, "No."
Shen Youyi was a little surprised. She thought the emperor was going to blame her for being willful again, so she asked curiously, "Why?"
“Come with excitement, leave with excitement.”
Emperor Yuan Shuo said, "There's nothing wrong with this."
She was a person who would rather be soft-hearted than hard-hearted, and she felt a little guilty when she heard him say that. Sometimes it was okay to be a little willful, but it was not right for her to agree with her and then go back on her word.
"Then let's go."
Shen Youyi cheered up a little and said with a smile: "I didn't say I didn't want to go."
Emperor Yuan Shuo looked at her for a moment and said, "Ah Zhen, you did it on purpose."
Shen Youyi shook his head: “How could Your Majesty think so badly of me!”
The emperor had changed into a silver-white robe today, with a jade ring hanging on his sash. Even though the patterns of the sun, moon and stars had been reduced, he still looked dignified and majestic. Even though his expression was gentle when he looked at her, one could still glimpse his identity.
The carriage was spacious, with enough space for two or four people to lie down inside. Shen Youyi didn't really want to ride a horse, so the emperor went along with her. However, this inevitably slowed down the journey.
Emperor Yuan Shuo was used to maintaining a proper posture whether walking, sitting or lying down. Shen Youyi lay lazily on his bent knees, listening to the sound of the carriage galloping on the official road, feeling a little drowsy.
What's more, there was a hand gently caressing her face. She closed her eyes, smelled the fresh and elegant fragrance in his clothes, and took the initiative to rub it on the hand, indicating that she wanted more.
How wonderful it is that the owner of the palace would sneak out with her at night to enjoy the joy of the people.
Emperor Yuan Shuo combed her hair for her. She snuggled comfortably in his arms, making it almost impossible to take your eyes off her.
It is hard to imagine that a beautiful peony would grow in the mountains and reach this age in the wind and rain.
"Azhen, is there anything you want to buy?"
Emperor Yuan Shuo's voice was soft, but Shen Youyi herself was not sleeping soundly. She just felt a little weak and could not open her eyes. She could only be hugged softly. She said vaguely: "Maybe there will always be some interesting things?"
There are all kinds of good things in the palace. Even if it costs some money, I don’t think it will cost much.
Even in Chang'an, she rarely had the opportunity to wander around the market town, let alone when she lived with her father in his apartment.
It was already a great achievement for a local official to reach the fourth or fifth rank, unlike the common doctors and generals in Chang'an City.
The Shen family would select fixed merchants over a period of time, and have jewellery, various fabrics, and the four treasures of the study for the gentlemen sent to the inner house. It was like the inner court and the imperial merchants, except that there were not so many rules.
If she likes something, she can keep it. If she doesn't like it, she can keep it as a reward. Anyway, there will be new ones delivered next month, and her parents will not treat her unfairly.
The emperor wanted her to go to the street, wasn't it just to have some fun?
Emperor Yuan Shuo said, "Azhen must have been used to it when she was in her boudoir. I wonder if they would be able to recognize you when they see you."
Shen Youyi was mostly awake.
Even she doesn't go out for a stroll casually. Wei Lanzhen is of noble birth, so how could she recognize the people living near the palace?
Don’t the Duke of Yan and his wife restrain her?
She slowly opened her eyes, only to hear Emperor Yuan Shuo ask, "Since your father and mother passed away, has Azhen been taken care of by them?"
The hunters in the mountains cannot be completely self-sufficient and always have to come down the mountain to exchange for something.
For example, salt, books, and cosmetics that girls love.
Surrounded by mountains, this bustling town was the perfect choice for her family.
The couple who found her must have taken very good care of her.
Compared to Shi Heng, who had lost her, the emperor was more inclined to recognize this couple as her parents.
It’s a pity that the couple passed away before she got married, so she was unable to enjoy the blessing and glory brought by her daughter L.
No matter how slow Shen Youyi was, her thoughts were already collected, and she realized that the emperor was not talking about the Duke of Yan and his wife.
And... they are a couple who are extremely mismatched with the Wei family background.
It allowed her to show herself in public and make friends with neighbors and relatives in her early years, and her parents, whom she still doesn't recognize.
Wei Lanzhen is familiar with many more people than just those in the palace.
Emperor Yuan Shuo, however, was quite interested and asked her about the interesting things that happened when she was a prostitute at home: "Were you as naughty as you are now? Didn't your family find a good marriage for you?"
Most women in the common people would arrange their marriages early, so it is hard to say that she had no other lovers before she met Marquis Lingyang.
She closed her eyes and curled up closer to the emperor, leaning on him very much, but she said in a muffled voice, "Of course."
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