Chapter 3 Chapter 3
Shen Youyi glanced at the palace servant whose behavior and demeanor were impeccable. She was clearly trembling with fear, but she could sense the deep malice in him.
Hanxun used to be a domineering maidservant beside her, but because of a word from "Noble Concubine Wei", she fell into the ninety-ninth level of hell. This debt should be hers and has nothing to do with Yang Xiuyuan.
Shen Youyi took a deep breath. She didn't know whether the real Concubine Wei was satisfied with such a cruel punishment, but this was a good opportunity for her.
Seeing that the imperial concubine's chest was heaving, as if she was extremely angry, Tan Rui thought that the anger had reached its peak, so she quickly brought her a cup of soothing tea and reached out to comfort her. Just as she was about to scold the palace maid to take the thing away, the weight in her hand suddenly became heavier, and she fell heavily to the ground.
"Madam, what's wrong with you?"
In the empty hall, the sound of pearls, jade, hairpins and rings jingled, cups and glasses spilled, and faint echoes could be heard.
The gorgeous silk gown and skirt on her body were all stained with water marks. Shen Youyi's breath gradually weakened, as if a breath was stuck in her heart, and big tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes.
Tan Rui was horrified and tried her best to hold on to the imperial concubine's body. Just as she was about to call the palace servants in loudly, someone gently tugged at her sleeves a few times.
The imperial concubine, whose face was as pale as gold paper, half raised her eyelids, revealing a pair of cunning eyes, which weakened her sickly and timid charm.
"Go and ask the Queen to send for a female doctor, and tell her that I am ill..."
She opened her face, tilted her head and closed her eyes, but her heart felt much more open.
The struggles in the Eastern Palace are no different from those in the Imperial Palace, and the men are all the same.
She didn't know what kind of person Emperor Yuan Shuo was, but if she didn't know how to seduce her father, didn't she know how to tease the prince?
Since the tastes of the father and son are not far apart, would it be difficult for her to regain Concubine Wei's favor by using her body?
…
Thunder rumbled in the summer night, coming from far away and approaching. A gust of hot wind blew over our heads, and the heat did not decrease at all, but it made the palace lanterns sway left and right.
The Queen looked sideways at the gloomy sky outside the window, a little surprised: "Why is it already this late?"
Zhui Yu ordered the eunuch to close the window and jokingly said, "Your Majesty, while you are here playing chess with the Empress, the time in the Pepper Room will naturally pass more quickly."
The empress glanced at her in disapproval, then turned to the emperor, who was deep in thought, and said earnestly, "It looks like it's going to rain soon. Your Majesty, would you like to have dinner in the Pepper Room?"
After all, she was someone he had served for twenty years, so Emperor Yuan Shuo was not willing to refute the Empress's dignity. He nodded and said, "Thank you, Empress."
This was the first time Emperor Yuanshuo had come to the inner court since the Imperial Concubine had angered the Emperor. Zhuiyu was also somewhat proud of the Empress, but remembering the Empress' instructions, she lowered her head even further as she served tea and said softly, "Your Majesty, you've been playing chess for a long time. I've had almond tea prepared for you to moisten your throat first."
The palace's almond tea yogurt, often laced with molasses, was thick and fragrant. Emperor Yuanshuo had never been a fan, but he didn't show any displeasure. "Has the Empress changed her taste recently?"
"I originally thought it was just okay, but it was the Imperial Concubine who loved drinking it the most. She said that almond tea nourishes Yin and reduces internal heat, and it also softens the skin. She urged me to use it often, and later I got used to it."
The Queen's tone brightened as she recalled the past: "The recipes in the kitchen are all similar, but she likes this one the best. Every time she comes to pay her respects, she asks for two cups of tea. I really don't know whether she comes to serve me or to ask for tea."
However, when she looked up and saw Emperor Yuan Shuo's half-smile, her smile gradually faded, and she immediately stood up and bowed: "I've spoken out of turn."
Emperor Yuan Shuo looked at the fragrant milky white liquid in the cup, took a sip without commenting.
The kitchen of the Pepper Room caters to the Queen's taste, and the dishes are always light. The almond tea has a soft and smooth taste, and the rich aroma lingers between the teeth for a long time, sweet and lingering.
"It's just a cup of tea, why should the Queen be so cautious?"
The teacup tapped lightly on the table, making a crisp sound. Emperor Yuan Shuo stood up and helped her up, saying in a gentle voice, "A woman's chastity and tranquility are the most important things; beauty is only an external thing. The Empress has a weak spleen and stomach, so it's best for her to drink less."
Perhaps due to his many years of riding and shooting, Emperor Yuan Shuo, although noble as the emperor and father of the world, lived a life of luxury, still retained the spirit of the battlefield he had in his youth.
Although he was dignified and resolute, and had a quiet nature, and rarely talked or laughed with his concubines, he was always very generous to those who had served him for a long time, especially those who had children.
But the emperor holds the sun and the moon in his hands and has the power of life and death. Although it is just a very ordinary chat between husband and wife, his voice is gentle and clear, but it makes people feel the pressure of impending storm for no reason. The queen wants to say something, but the words are stuck in her throat and she can't say anything.
"I remember that I have some important memorials in Xuanzheng Hall, so I will not dine with the Queen tonight."
Upon hearing this, the eunuch hurriedly brought the outer robe and tied it on Emperor Yuan Shuo. The empress was startled and retracted her hand that was about to straighten Emperor Yuan Shuo's clothes. She just stood aside with a polite and gentle smile. However, Emperor Yuan Shuo seemed unaware of it. He only glanced at her hurriedly when he passed by, as if apologetically saying, "I'll come over to play chess with you another day."
The government affairs of the previous dynasty were always busy and would never be finished, so postponing them to next year would not be considered a breach of promise.
The eunuchs accompanying the Purple Palace held their breath as they filed out, their procession so majestic that even the faint trace of warmth was swept away. The Queen waited until the lingering scent of ambergris had completely dissipated before slowly rising and saying calmly, "Let's clean up and get back to normal. There's no need to close the room."
Zhui Yu was anxious: "Your Majesty, after Wei entered the palace, she has been enjoying all the emperor's favor. His Majesty finally had the opportunity to visit her once. Why did you anger His Majesty and drive her away again for the sake of the imperial concubine?"
She couldn't understand why, even if the Queen wanted to use the young and childless Concubine Wei to suppress Yang Xiuyuan, who had given birth to a prince, the Queen was ultimately doing it for the sake of Her Majesty and the future of the Second Prince. She had gone to great lengths to invite His Majesty today, but ended up pushing His Majesty away.
The Queen smiled lightly and sighed softly, "The power of Heaven is unpredictable. How can I possibly guess what Your Majesty is thinking?"
She could see that His Majesty was in a bad mood today and had no interest in chess at all. In the past, they were evenly matched and the game was hard to decide, but today, she had to secretly give in several times to barely maintain a draw.
I guess the next time the Holy Lord comes, he won't be able to remember how the chess game played today.
On the night when the imperial concubine fell out of favor, the emperor had many palace maids in Zhaoyang Palace beaten to death and forbade outsiders to discuss the reasons. When she hurried there late at night, she saw the imperial concubine slumped on the ground, her hair disheveled, but her expression was peaceful, as if her heart had died of despair.
It is really pitiful to see a beautiful woman covered in dust.
Your Majesty has easily won the love of women since he was young. Countless women have dreamed of marrying into a wealthy family, and she was no exception.
But such a man is only suitable to be admired from afar. Once you get close to him, you will realize that beneath the bright light like the sun and the moon lies a coldness and arrogance that chills one to the bone.
The emperor looked down upon the people and never truly cared about anyone, but he had plenty of patience. These concubines were merely entertainment after the political affairs. If they were well-behaved, even if they lost their novelty, the emperor would not be stingy in rewarding them with positions. However, if they were unruly and unruly, no matter how beautiful they were, they would be abandoned in one day and often be ignored for ten or eight years.
Just look at Yang Xiuyuan's current situation and you will know what the emperor likes and dislikes.
Zhuiyu thought of the imperial concubine who pretended to be sick in Tangquan Palace and hesitated a little. If the empress wanted to help the imperial concubine, why didn't she talk about it in front of Emperor Yuanshuo? However, the empress talked about almond tea for no reason.
"Speaking of which, in all the years I've served His Majesty, this is the first time I've seen His Majesty so angry. It's been so long, and I can't even mention it. I wonder what he's fussing over with a child."
Concubine Wei was about the same age as the two princes. The Queen thought of her daughter who had no destiny with her and felt a trace of pity for her. "After all, the Concubine is still young. Since she wants to return to the palace, I might as well give her a push. As for the Emperor's opinion..."
The Empress was also somewhat unsure of the Emperor's intentions. It was already difficult for her to speak in front of Emperor Yuan Shuo. After much hesitation, she decided to be cautious: "That is the Imperial Concubine's own fate."
…
The rain falls like a curtain under the eaves, the red doors are tightly closed, and it is almost time to lock them.
The once magnificent and luxurious Zhaoyang Palace was now dark and silent tonight, without even a single lamp on.
Chen Rongshou cursed the eunuchs guarding the palace for being lazy and sluggish, and carefully picked up a gilded and engraved octagonal lamp to lead the way for Emperor Yuan Shuo.
The warm candlelight illuminated the dusty flowers and birds on the screen, but behind the hazy gauze shadows, only the gauze curtains were fluttering.
Concubine Wei liked to burn four-harmony incense in her inner bedroom and fumigate the tent with rose water. After several months, there was still a faint lingering fragrance at the bottom of the tent, lingering around his fingertips, and even his heart trembled.
Such a bright and lively beauty, born timid and gentle, but eager to pester Your Majesty for love all the time, why is she so cold as ice and unwilling to understand and appreciate things?
In a trance, Chen Rongshou heard Emperor Yuan Shuo ask.
"What is she doing these days?"
Chen Rongshou quickly regained consciousness and reported, "Since my wife came to Tangquan Palace to reflect on her actions, she has been behaving herself to the best of her ability. She copies scriptures on time every month and spends most of the rest of her time indoors, only occasionally going to the garden to admire the moon and play the zither."
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Although Emperor Yuan Shuo had not asked the imperial concubine a single question during these days, he dared not ignore her every move.
The imperial concubine was so obedient when she was punished that it was a little frightening. As the Purple Palace became increasingly solemn, the emperor's attendants' requests to the imperial concubine Wei became less and less. They even stopped asking her to come up with some creative ways to make the emperor laugh. Even if she threw a tantrum in the palace and cried and repented, their lives might be better.
However, the imperial concubine had come to her senses these days, and when she did get angry, she happened to send back the people sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to serve her.
Fortunately, the imperial concubine only used an ordinary crime to punish the people, and the emperor forbade anyone to mention the imperial concubine in the Purple Palace. Otherwise, if the emperor knew that these close attendants had acted in this way in private, they might not be able to withstand the emperor's wrath.
In the eyes of outsiders, the actions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were the will of His Majesty. It was laughable that the emperor would order people to spy on the daily life of a disfavored concubine.
Emperor Yuan Shuo stroked the twin vases and, noticing Chen Rongshou hadn't said anything more, asked, "Is there nothing else?"
Chen Rongshou was a little embarrassed. The imperial concubine could eat and sleep well, so what outrageous behavior could she do?
He was just thinking about how to cover up for Concubine Wei so that His Majesty would be less angry, but a mocking laugh came from above his head.
The sound was brisk and short, but on this rainy night, it couldn't help but make people shiver.
"How many benefits have you received from her, and yet you still cover up for her?"
The pearl curtains collided, making a crisp and noisy sound. Chen Rongshou was startled and stole a glance at the emperor's face. Emperor Yuan Shuo's eyes were heavy, but his face was calm.
"Do I really need her?"
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