Chapter 45 The Nature of Man
After the winter solstice, the year is coming to an end.
When Yang Manyan got up today, he saw a thick layer of snow piled up in the yard outside the window. He couldn't help but think of his father who was surveying the land outside.
Just as she was about to write a letter home, Queen Mother Jiang suddenly sent someone to the Eastern Palace to summon her to the Cining Palace.
Yang Manyan was full of doubts, but he had no choice but to set off.
The sky and earth seemed to be surrounded by haze, and everywhere the eyes looked was gray.
The wind and snow were howling and running wildly. Although the palace servants had cleared the snow in advance, the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair still walked very slowly and could only move forward bit by bit against the wind.
After getting off the sedan chair, Yang Manyan specifically ordered that hot ginger tea be distributed to the palace maids who had just cleared the way and the eunuchs who carried the sedan chair, and also gave them an extra half month's salary as a reward.
She was so generous, of course, because the prince had recently handed over the keys and accounts of the East Palace's treasury to her, and as a Shangyi she also had a salary.
The fire inside the Cining Palace was burning very fiercely. As soon as I stepped inside, I was hit by a warm breeze. A woman with heavy makeup was already sitting on the sandalwood couch waiting for me.
Queen Mother Jiang wore a maroon long coat with a cross collar and a hundred blessings pattern, and a crimson skirt with a horse-faced skirt pattern. In her hands, she held a pure white long-haired Linqing lion cat.
After the ceremony, Yang Manyan asked cautiously, "I wonder why the Queen Mother summoned me here?"
"I heard that Shangyi is an excellent chess player?" Queen Mother Jiang stroked the fur of the lion cat in her arms, her phoenix eyes slightly raised.
Yang Manyan said with an embarrassed look on his face, "Your Majesty, I only know a little bit, not a master."
Queen Mother Jiang said calmly, "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you are proficient or have some knowledge. I know nothing about chess, but I am very curious. Why don't you let Shangyi teach me?"
Yang Manyun was unsure of what she meant, so he had to agree, "It is my honor to serve the Empress Dowager."
As soon as he finished speaking, a senior palace maid brought in a chessboard made of rosewood inlaid with silver threads and black and white chess pieces made of Hetian jade.
Yang Manyan stood in front of a small table, explaining the basic rules of the game in a gentle voice, and then placed one black and one white chess piece on the board to indicate.
The more she spoke, the more interested she became, and her eyes seemed to be sparkling.
There was smoke curling in the hall, and the Boshan furnace was burning with the soothing Buddha's hand agarwood incense, which, coupled with the girl's soft and sweet whispers, made people feel drowsy.
Queen Mother Jiang felt as if her eyelids weighed a thousand pounds, and she quickly raised her hand to rub her temples.
She didn't really want to learn chess, so she shifted her focus to her granddaughter-in-law who came from a poor family.
I saw that she had a gorgeous face and a voluptuous figure...
Even so, she doesn't appear vulgar at all, but instead exudes a sweet, pure, and innocent aura. No wonder she can make men so bewitched.
Queen Mother Jiang believed that she knew the nature of men very well.
In the past, Emperor Wen claimed that he deeply loved the weak and graceful Imperial Noble Consort Tang, but wasn't he unable to let go of her every time he visited her?
They think those who are too coquettish are vulgar, and those who are too simple are tasteless. There is probably no man in the world who can handle such a gorgeous, dazzling, innocent and romantic beauty.
Yang Manyan naturally realized that Queen Mother Jiang didn't listen to her explanation at all, but she still explained it diligently and played chess on her own.
By noon, Queen Mother Jiang was so sleepy that she could not stand it any longer, so she was sent back to the East Palace.
Only after completely leaving the Cining Palace did Yang Manyan breathe a sigh of relief.
But she didn't expect that Queen Mother Jiang would summon her every day for several days, either to ask her to teach her how to play chess or to recite Buddhist scriptures.
Fuling, the senior maidservant beside the Queen Mother, smiled and said, "The Queen Mother usually has trouble falling asleep. Since Shang Yi has been coming here regularly, the Queen Mother's sleep has improved a lot."
Yang Manyan was surprised. He didn't expect that he could have the effect of hypnosis and calming the nerves.
From then on, every time she came to the Cining Palace every day, she was no longer as restrained and nervous as she was at the beginning, and she got along with Queen Mother Jiang with ease.
As New Year's Day approached, the lion cat that Queen Mother Jiang held in her arms and stroked her fur every day disappeared.
There was a great uproar in the Cining Palace, and finally the Empress Dowager's favorite was found in a corner of the deserted rear side hall.
A well-behaved little kitten with a snow-white body without a single spot of other colors was being held under the body of another fierce black cat that looked very strong for mating, and it was making soft howling sounds.
When Queen Mother Jiang heard this, she couldn't help but spit, "It's not even spring yet, but cats and dogs are already going wild."
For some reason, Yang Manyan felt a sudden pang in his heart.
Queen Mother Jiang suddenly looked at her again, "You have been in the East Palace for four months, right? Is there any movement in your health?"
"Your Majesty, not yet..." Yang Manyan's cheeks flushed instantly. Her menstruation had just stopped yesterday.
Except for the one month she didn't want to recall, she and the prince slept together every day and had sex very frequently, but her monthly menstruation was still very regular.
Queen Mother Jiang nodded thoughtfully, lowering her eyes to look at the bright red nail polish on her fingertips.
After a moment's silence, she continued, "Shangyi will take a nap in the side hall of the Cining Palace today. I would like you to copy a few volumes of scriptures for me in the afternoon."
"Yes." Yang Manyan had no other thoughts and just agreed obediently.
After lunch, Fuling, the Empress Dowager's maid, personally led her to the east hall of the Cining Palace.
The hall had been lit with earthenware dragons in advance, and on the table in the center stood a gilded incense burner in the shape of a lotus, emitting a unique aroma that was rich and fragrant but not pungent.
With the help of Xingyun Suyue, Yang Manyan took off his outer shirt, leaving only his soft satin undershirt and trousers, and then lay down on the bed.
Half asleep and half awake, she suddenly felt a chill on her body, but she couldn't open her eyes.
The unique masculine aura of the man was overwhelming, and she trembled unconsciously.
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