Test Shi Yan to be promoted to Noble Consort
Li Yanzhang said, "Of course I will do my best to protect her safety. However, she has always been aloof since childhood, cold-hearted and icy, and knows nothing about emotions. The jealousy in the deep palace is completely absent in her. She will only stand out in the palace. I wonder if she will become a target because of this?"
Ji Xi paused for a moment after hearing this, then said bitterly, "Perhaps, but someone like her will be trapped in this grand palace forever, never to leave. Even if her face is always cold, even if she doesn't understand, I want her to be happy at least for a moment..."
Li Yanzhang looked at him and slowly said, "She... is already married and will be buried with His Majesty in the future. Whether she understands emotions or not, she knows what to do. Perhaps she is just not good at expressing her feelings, and she can't express her emotions..."
Upon hearing this, Ji Xi looked at Li Yanzhang with some agitation and said, "I know, but she didn't smile when she got married, nor did she show any reluctance. She was like a puppet, letting herself be manipulated. I want to know what she was thinking, and I wonder if she would marry anyone who wanted to. Doesn't she have any of her own thoughts? What if it were me...?"
Ji Xi knew that this was the emperor's choice, and Li Xingyi would not refuse under any circumstances. However, he saw that Li Xingyi was completely unmoved by the marriage and remained as cold as ice.
He couldn't help but wonder if Li Xingyi would refuse him if he were to marry her. Even if she didn't love him, as long as they got married, their feelings could develop slowly, and then Li Xingyi would belong to him.
Upon hearing this, Li Yanzhang immediately grabbed Ji Xi's shoulder and said, "Ji Xi, wake up! She knows everything, but love is something that can't be explained, especially since she herself doesn't like feelings!"
After regaining his composure, Ji Xi said, "I'm sorry, I just feel a little sad because she clearly knows my feelings for her, but she doesn't understand anything and doesn't react at all."
Li Yanzhang, who grew up with him since childhood, understands him best. He said, "I know how happy you were when you found out she knew you liked her, and I know how sad you were when you saw her expressionless face, and how painful it was to see her get married and even send her off to her wedding."
Ji Xi smiled bitterly and said, "What's the use? She's already...married. I...have no chance anymore."
Li Yanzhang comforted him, saying, "There are so many good girls in the world, you'll always find someone who makes your heart flutter."
Ji Xi shook his head and said, "No, no one can replace her."
After hearing this, Li Yanzhang said, "No one can replace anyone else. Just because she got married doesn't mean that her final destination is definitely her husband's family. There are so many divorces in the world. You can't be without another destination after a divorce. Your destination is up to you. Marriage is a mysterious thing. Some people go through many hardships and still may not be there in the end. So you have to grasp your own destiny and find your own happiness."
Ji Xi was stunned. He couldn't believe Li Yanzhang would say such a thing. Then he looked at Li Yanzhang and said sadly, "I... I understand. I won't do it again."
Seeing this, Li Yanzhang said, "Well, let's go take care of our business first."
Ji Xi hummed in agreement, and then the two of them went to prepare the medicinal herbs.
As soon as Shi Yan walked through the corridor, she saw Shun Hua who had been waiting for a long time. She hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Hello, Aunt Shun Hua. It's my fault for making you wait for so long."
Shunhua quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Miss Shiyan, you are too kind. I haven't been waiting for long. Please come to Cining Palace with me, Miss Shiyan. The Empress Dowager and the Empress are waiting."
Upon hearing that the Empress was also waiting, Shi Yan quickly said, "Then please lead the way, Aunt. Don't keep the Empress Dowager and the Empress waiting."
Shunhua then led Shiyan to Cining Palace.
Since Shi Yan is entering the palace today, Li Xingyi, as the Empress, should go to bestow a title upon her. Although it should be the Emperor who should determine her title, Qi Dou sent Eunuch Zhao to say that he was busy with many affairs and that the matter of bestowing the title should be left to the Empress. After all, the Empress is the head of the harem and is in charge of the harem.
Li Xingyi arrived at Cining Palace early. After paying his respects to Shi Hui, he sat down to the lower right of her. The entire Cining Palace was then completely silent; you could hear a pin drop. The palace maids could only stand upright, trying their best not to make a sound.
Instead of waiting for Qi Dou, Zhao Hongxing, the eunuch, arrived with those words. Li Xingyi wasn't bothered; she had only recently ascended to the position of Empress and indeed needed an opportunity to demonstrate her majesty as Empress, especially to let Shi Hui know. However, this would also attract someone's hatred.
Li Xingyi lowered his eyes and pondered.
Didn't he have a good relationship with Shi Hui? Why was he unwilling to personally bestow titles upon her niece?
Upon hearing those words, Shi Hui gripped the armrests of her chair tightly, clearly furious. After all, what they meant was that the Empress was the true ruler of the harem, and these matters should be left to her; no one else needed to worry about them.
Shi Hui didn't show that she was angry; she simply said to Zhao Hongxing, "I understand."
Li Xingyi merely watched indifferently, and Zhao Hongxing bowed and said, "This servant takes his leave."
Before leaving, he winked at Qingyi, who was puzzled by his gesture.
What are you doing now? How come things have turned out like this so soon after we reunited?
The room then returned to quiet.
Upon arriving at Cining Palace, the people at the gate saw Aunt Shunhua leading a young lady and realized that this was probably the Empress Dowager's niece. They quickly called out, "Miss Shiyan has arrived!"
Seeing this, Shunhua led Shiyan and Furong inside. As soon as Shiyan stepped into the room, she saw Shihui and Li Xingyi looking at her. She slowly and deliberately performed the kneeling ceremony and said, "This subject Shiyan greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty live a thousand years!"
Upon seeing this, Furong quickly followed suit and bowed as well.
Li Xingyi praised it in his heart after hearing this.
Shi Yan was indeed clever; she knew that by kneeling and bowing to both of them, she could offend neither of them.
Seeing this, Shi Hui didn't say anything, but simply nodded and said, "Get up!"
Shi Yan was then helped up by Fu Rong.
Shi Hui looked at Li Xingyi and said, "Empress, isn't my niece quite clever?"
Li Xingyi looked at Shi Hui and replied calmly, "Of course she is intelligent. After all, she is the Empress Dowager's niece, and she must have inherited her mother's wisdom."
Shi Hui said noncommittally, "Yes, Yan'er is my favorite child. It's been a few years since I last saw her, and she has grown into a beautiful young lady."
She then said to Li Xingyi, "Empress, now that the Emperor has entrusted you with the power of bestowing titles, what rank do you intend to give Yan'er?"
Li Xingyi knew that Shi Hui was hinting at him. This was her niece, and no matter what, she couldn't be given a title that was too low to make her unhappy.
Li Xingyi didn't care about Shi Hui's gaze, but looked at Shi Yan and said slowly, "Mother, I would like to test Miss Shi Yan before making a decision, so as to avoid others saying that Miss Shi Yan's rank is not commensurate with her."
That makes sense. Some people might accuse Shi Yan of being given such a high rank because she is the Empress Dowager's niece, saying that she is not worthy of the position and that the Empress Dowager is using her power to put people into the harem with ulterior motives.
Thinking this through, Shi Hui relented and said, "Alright, Your Majesty, you may begin the test!"
Yan'er is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting; you can't possibly stump her.
Thinking of this, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly.
Li Xingyi asked, "Shi Yan, what talents do you have? Would you be willing to demonstrate one or two?"
Shi Yan replied, "This humble woman is skilled in playing the zither. I can play a few pieces. I wonder if Your Majesty could lend me a zither?"
Li Xingyi said, "Of course, Qingyi, have someone bring the zither over."
Upon hearing this, Qingyi bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."
After a while, Shi Yan looked at the zither placed in front of her, walked over and sat down. She calmed herself down and said to Li Xingyi, "Your Majesty, I will play a piece called 'High Mountains and Flowing Water'."
Upon hearing this, Li Xingyi nodded and said, "Yes."
Shi Yan then began to play, the rhythm sometimes slow and sometimes fast, rising and falling, continuous and lingering. Then the music gradually turned into a beautiful and bright style, like many lines of flowing water, flowing slowly down with the chirping of birds and the chirping of insects, smooth and delicate, making people intoxicated.
After Shi Yan finished playing, she stood up, bowed, and said, "This humble woman has made a fool of herself."
Shi Hui smiled and said, "Yan'er, you played very well. There's no need to belittle yourself."
Li Xingyi agreed, saying, "Shi Yan's zither skills are indeed superb. One last question, Miss Shi Yan, why did you enter the palace?"
Shi Hui was slightly displeased upon hearing this and was about to mention Li Xingyi when Shun Hua stopped her. Shun Hua whispered in her ear, "Your Majesty, you mustn't get angry! This is a question that's often asked during the selection process. Let's hear what Miss Shi Yan has to say first!" Only then did Shi Hui fall silent.
To everyone's surprise, Shi Yan was stunned when she heard the question. She didn't know how to answer because she didn't want to enter the palace. She only knew that her aunt hoped that she would enter the palace to give birth to a prince for the emperor and revitalize the Shi family.
But this is not what I wanted.
She stammered for a long time, unable to speak. Seeing this, Li Xingyi asked, "Shi Yan?"
Seeing her like this, Shi Hui finally couldn't help but say, "Alright! Your Majesty, you've finished your exams. Hurry up and bestow your titles. It's almost noon; it's time for your meal."
Li Xingyi knew she was trying to exonerate Shi Yan, but he didn't expose her. He simply said calmly, "Since that's the case, then let Shi Yan be conferred the title of Noble Consort of the Fourth Rank, with the title 'Duan', and reside in the main hall of Yonghe Palace."
Upon hearing this, Shi Yan slowly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you."
Shi Hui then said with satisfaction, "Now that the investiture has been completed, I will not keep the Empress for dinner. I would like to catch up with Yan'er. I hope the Empress will not mind?"
Li Xingyi knew that Shi Hui was trying to get rid of him.
Even without you saying so, I wouldn't stay. If it weren't for the matter of the investiture, I wouldn't have come here to invite trouble.
Li Xingyi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I take my leave."
After Li Xing left, Shi Hui had Shun Hua dismiss all the palace servants. She looked sharply at Shi Yan and said, "Yan'er, have you forgotten what I taught you?!"
Shi Yan lowered her head and replied, "Yan'er hasn't forgotten."
Shi Hui, suppressing her anger, asked, "Then tell me, why did I bring you into the palace?"
Shi Yan replied with a somewhat sorrowful expression, "Yes... in order to revitalize the family, to give birth to the emperor's eldest son, so that he can sit on the throne as the crown prince and become the next emperor."
Upon hearing this, Shi Hui couldn't help but get angry and said, "Then why couldn't you answer that earlier? You could have just said that you entered the palace because you admired the Emperor and wanted to have children for him, couldn't you have done that? If it weren't for my help, how could you have been successfully granted the title?!"
Shi Yan didn't speak, not because she didn't know what to say, but because she couldn't. She couldn't tell her aunt that she didn't want to enter the palace or become the emperor's woman, because she was already the emperor's Consort Duan. Saying it would only give her a handle to use against her.
Moreover, this was her aunt's order after all. If she told the truth, her aunt might try to get her into the emperor's bed. So she could only keep her head down and not speak, and dared not look at Shi Hui's face.
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