Chapter 174: The Beauty
In the end, Xu Nian still did not agree to let Luo Jin'an enter Fengyi Palace. If she let him off easily this time, she didn't know what he would do next time.
It was a rare sunny day, and the sunshine felt warm on my body.
Xu Nian led the palace maids towards the viewing pavilion. She didn't know why she always felt sleepy recently. She was afraid that if she continued to sleep, she would sleep herself to death, so she took them out for a walk.
Unexpectedly, he was blocked by Luo Jinan halfway. Mo Yan looked at the empress with his eyes shining as he held the medicine jar.
Xu Nian felt somewhat uncomfortable being stared at. No wonder the two maids, Yanfu and Yanrong, kept begging for mercy. They were probably afraid of Manager Mo.
"Mo Yan, pour the medicine—"
"Your Majesty, please—"
The sound of "gulp gulp" was heard, and Xu Nian's mouth twitched slightly. Why did the behavior of this master and servant look so childish?
This time, Luo Jinan did not leave after applying the medicine. Instead, he stuck on like a dog-skin plaster.
"Nian Nian, do you want to take a walk? I'll accompany you."
"Nian Nian, are you thirsty? I brought your favorite rose water."
"Nian Nian, are you hungry? Here is the white jade lotus cup that Chef Yu has just researched. Try it."
“Nian Nian…”
Xu Nian felt a buzzing in his ears, and a sense of irritation inexplicably surged in his heart.
"Your Majesty, are you so free? Do you have no government affairs to attend to today?"
Xu Nian's voice was cold, which made Luo Jin'an feel a little relieved. It seemed that Nian Nian was still angry.
"Has Nian Nian still not forgiven me? I really don't dare to do that anymore. I will take my medicine on time from now on. I swear."
"Your Majesty, there is no need to do this. I said that day, if you..."
Luo Jin'an didn't care that this was a busy palace corridor, and held Xu Nian's face to stop her from saying the next words.
Mo Yan covered his face and turned his back along with the palace ladies.
"Nian Nian, stop saying those angry words. It makes me feel uncomfortable."
Xu Nian steadied his breath and pursed his lips, "I didn't say that in anger."
"Is this what Nian Nian really said? Is it also about finding a lover?"
Xu Nian's throat choked. This was indeed what she said in anger, but she would not admit it.
Seeing that the other party did not answer, Luo Jin'an leaned close to Xu Nian's ear and whispered, "Don't be angry, Nian Nian, I will be the concubine of the Empress, okay?"
The hot and humid breath sprayed in Xu Nian's ears. Her eyes widened and she looked in disbelief at Luo Jinan, who was standing in front of her with his head lowered and his ears red.
"Mad, crazy."
Luo Jinan stood there in a daze as he watched the person fleeing, but when he remembered the other person's rosy face, he excitedly chased after him.
"Quickly, quickly, move the Fengyi Palace."
Mo Yan was so happy that he almost set off two strings of firecrackers. Finally, he didn't have to accompany His Majesty in the cold wind every night.
In the viewing pavilion, Yang Wanqing covered her mouth and looked at the empress dowager in surprise as she watched the group of people walking away. She saw the empress dowager sipping her tea leisurely, as if she was accustomed to this scene.
"Aunt, was that the Empress just now?"
The Queen Mother smiled kindly, "Apart from the Queen, who else can make Your Majesty be so humble?"
"But...but outside the palace, it is said that the Queen is virtuous and kind. It is said that the Queen agreed to this selection only after repeated admonitions from His Majesty."
Yang Wanqing could not help but lower her head, her fingers twisting the embroidery nervously, but she saw clearly just now that the Queen did not even take His Majesty seriously, so there was no way for them, the concubines who entered the palace, to survive.
"Aunt, why did you insist on letting Wanqing participate in the selection of concubines this time?"
The Queen Mother glanced at the path the Emperor and Empress had taken, then looked at Yang Wanqing and said softly, "Aunt has had a shallow marriage, and Xihe doesn't want to be involved in love again. I just hope that your wish can be fulfilled."
Yang Wanqing was shocked and puzzled, but the empress dowager did not try to explain it to her.
A month later, the concubines were selected. They were Xia Mingluo, the second daughter of the general's mansion, Yang Wanqing, the granddaughter of the Cheng'en Marquis' mansion, and Zhao Wenhe, the only daughter of the deputy director of the Ministry of Works.
Just when the awards were about to be distributed among the palaces, His Majesty suddenly fell seriously ill and was bedridden.
The originally happy event was shrouded in a cloud of gloom, and the officials of the previous dynasty were even more panic-stricken.
The doctors were helpless and finally had to ask Qin Tian to predict good or bad luck. All the officials in the court waited outside the Zhaixing Pavilion with worried faces.
Now that the border is stable and new grain has been produced, the dynasty is thriving. Unexpectedly, the king suddenly fell ill. How could they not be afraid?
There was a muffled sound from the door of the Zhaixing Pavilion, and then Supervisor Qin Tian walked out with his head raised.
"Your Highness, we have observed the movement of the stars and the flow of the earth's energy. According to the astrological signs, your majesty's disaster this time is closely related to the harem."
"The stars show that in the current situation, a full harem may lead to imbalance of yin and yang, and disharmony between heaven and earth. It may disturb Your Majesty's dragon energy, harm the health of Your Majesty, and be detrimental to the prosperity of the country and the stability of the country."
As soon as the chief supervisor finished speaking, all the ministers began to talk in panic. The officials who were originally frustrated that their daughters were not selected to enter the palace now felt a little more fortunate.
Some even looked sympathetically at the general, the Marquis of Cheng'en and the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Works.
Because of their daughter, His Majesty has fallen seriously ill. I am afraid that His Majesty will hardly use them in the future.
The general and the Marquis of Cheng'en were fine, at least their complexions looked normal and nothing could be seen. However, Lord Zhao, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Works, had trembling hands and a pale face.
If he had not been unable to persuade his wife, he would not have sent his daughter to the palace for selection and suffered such a misfortune.
The three young ladies in the Palace of Young Ladies were also feeling uneasy. The rumor had spread throughout the palace that it was because of them that His Majesty's dragon spirit was disturbed.
Zhao Wenhe cried bitterly because she lost the election because of a small mole on her hand, which made her mother furious.
This time it's even worse. If I were sent back home, I don't know how my mother would treat me.
Xia Mingluo was upset by the crying and could not help but scold: "You just cry all you want. If it were you, Your Majesty, you are not in good health and need to exercise! Look at me exercising in the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter. Normally, even a cold wouldn't come near me."
One of them was crying while the other was still talking about his or her secret to staying fit. Only Yang Wanqing was sitting quietly by the window, lost in thought.
She couldn't help but think of the scene she secretly saw that day: the noble emperor bent his waist, lowered his head, and whispered to his sweetheart. She was surprised and envious when she saw it through the mottled green leaves.
A white jade ring lay in the palm of her hand, and she couldn't help but think of someone who was even colder than the white jade. She also wanted to be coaxed like that for once.
The rumors that were rife in the imperial court and the harem were quelled by an imperial edict. No one had expected that the emperor would arrange marriages for the three beautiful girls.
Xia Mingluo, the daughter of a great general, was betrothed to Prince Chongli, the youngest grandson of Prince Fu.
Zhao Wenhe, the daughter of a member of the Ministry of Works, was married to the son of Shen Qingsong, the chief assistant.
Yang Wanqing of Cheng'en Marquis's Mansion was arranged to marry Zhao Mubai, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple.
When the imperial edict reached Xiu Nu Palace, Zhao Wenhe burst into laughter. She heard that Lord Shen's son had passed the spring imperial examination and had been sent out. She could finally get rid of her mother's control.
Xia Mingluo was flipping through a military book. She heard that Prince Chongli was very weak, so in order not to be a widow, she decided to train him well after marriage.
Yang Wanqing was still sitting quietly by the window, but a few tears fell on the white jade ring in her palm, adding a little more warmth and brightness.
Her wish finally came true!