Chapter 61 The Beauty Kidnapped by the Empress 02
His Majesty summons Consort Qing to serve him in bed. This is the imperial decree.
"It's alright." Wan Qiyan Jing reached into his medicine box, took out a bottle of wound medicine, poured it onto the tooth mark, then wrapped it with a strip of cloth, gathered his sleeves, and lifted the carriage curtain, making as if to get out.
She paused, glanced back at Jiang Yiqing, and then strode into the sunlight with her long legs clad in silver combat boots.
Jiang Yiqing turned to the female doctor and said, "It hurt so much just now that I accidentally bit Her Majesty. I hope she won't be angry?"
The female doctor gave Jiang Yiqing a pitying look and said, "Has no one told you yet? If you take advantage of your injury now and act recklessly again, His Majesty will tolerate you. But once you return to the capital, you'll know what's really going on."
So what exactly do they mean?
Jiang Yiqing noticed that the female subordinate and the female doctor were both acting strangely, as if they looked at her more pitifully than a prisoner. What was even stranger was that it seemed like all the high-ranking people here were women!
"Sister, are you married?" Jiang Yiqing asked the female doctor.
"Isn't it normal to get married at this age?" The female doctor looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you asking this?"
Could you please tell me about your personal situation?
"I don't know how many concubines you've taken in the Di Kingdom, but in our Qin Kingdom, you should give up on that idea. You're just a female ruler in Her Majesty's harem."
Although it differed slightly from the question she asked, she received the answer to the question she wanted to know. However, the answer was so shocking that Jiang Yiqing stared at her blankly.
The female doctor continued to look at her with a pitiful expression and said, "His Majesty has already bestowed upon you the title of Consort Qing and proclaimed it to the world. From now on, you are no longer Princess Anxu of the Di Kingdom, but Consort Qing of His Majesty of the Qin Kingdom."
Jiang Yiqing understood; this was indeed a matriarchal world!
Unfortunately, when she arrived in a matriarchal world, she was a princess, but she ended up becoming someone else's concubine!
Where is the original Princess Anxu? Please come back! I don't want to live like this anymore!
Her expression was one of utter astonishment. As the female physician applied medicine to her wounds, she said coolly, "You should be thanking your lucky stars that His Majesty spared your life. Didn't you agree in front of everyone? What more could you possibly want?"
"..." Jiang Yiqing tried her best to comfort herself. Being a concubine, to put it bluntly, is just lying flat, only the place to lie flat has changed.
She should feel fortunate that she was neither a female soldier fighting on the front lines nor a poor soul selling her labor on the streets. Her first thought after transmigrating was to live, to live no matter what, right?
Seeing that she looked like a salted fish who had lost all her ideals, the female doctor didn't rub salt into her wound. She carefully applied medicine, bandaged the injury, and then carried her medicine box out.
On one hand, she was injured, and on the other hand, she was too shocked. From that day on, Jiang Yiqing fell into a semi-conscious state. Fortunately, apart from the bumpy ride in the carriage, no one disturbed her. When she regained consciousness, she heard a commotion outside the carriage.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
The shouts and kowtows were like a tsunami or a landslide.
Then came a woman's clear voice—"His Majesty personally led the expedition, wiping out the enemy in one fell swoop, and his might shook the four seas. This is truly a blessing for the people and a fortune for the nation!"
"We, the officials, kowtow in gratitude to Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, the True Phoenix Heavenly Maiden, congratulations on your triumphant return!"
...
Jiang Yiqing was dizzy from hearing countless praises. After a while, she heard the empress speak. Even without a loudspeaker, her voice seemed to be right next to her ear. It was so distinctive that it gave her a sense of being the center of attention and possessing supreme majesty.
"Now that I have returned victorious from my campaign and displayed my might over the Di Kingdom, this is not the achievement of one person alone. All my ministers have defended the country for me, and all the people have protected me. I shall reward those who have contributed and grant a general amnesty."
"Your Majesty is wise!!"
"There is one more thing. I captured this woman on the battlefield. She is Princess Anxu of the Di Kingdom. I have now bestowed upon her the title of Consort Qing and brought her into my harem."
As soon as she finished speaking, the curtain in front of Jiang Yiqing was suddenly lifted. Before she could react, the woman grabbed her and hugged her, holding her like a trophy in her arms, and brought her into everyone's sight.
Jiang Yiqing was so embarrassed that she buried her face and refused to let anyone see it.
All the onlookers saw was a woman dressed in red silk, her long hair flowing freely over Wanqi Yanjing's gleaming silver arm armor in the sunlight. Though her face was obscured, her graceful, supple figure was enough to ignite countless fantasies. Her abdomen was wrapped in a white veil, with faint traces of blood visible through, giving her an air of wounded fragility that aroused both deep sympathy and a certain unspeakable desire. Beneath her skirt, her slender, jade-like ankles and pearly feet were revealed, trembling slightly in the winter wind.
"As expected of His Majesty, to have captured such a stunning beauty, we are utterly impressed!"
"When the Di Kingdom finds out, they will surely be terrified and will henceforth fear the might of our dynasty!"
"Your Majesty's reputation is revered by all, and Consort Qing will surely remember it and be grateful for Your Majesty's mercy in sparing her life!"
"Haha." Wan Qiyanjing couldn't help but laugh out loud when he heard the last sentence.
Jiang Yiqing was furious. These people not only praised the Empress, but they also had to slander her. Did they not treat her like a human being?
She felt Wan Qiyan Jing tighten his grip on her arm and look down at her. Jiang Yiqing had no choice but to stare into her dangerous phoenix eyes: "Why don't you cheer up, Consort Qing? I have already promised you that I will spare your life."
Jiang Yiqing glared at her.
Wan Qiyan Jing reached out and grasped Jiang Yiqing's feet. Her cold feet trembled even more violently in the warmth of his palms. Wan Qiyan Jing lightly tickled the soles of her feet, and seeing her blushing face, he smiled with some satisfaction.
"I see you've been lying down for days, come out and get some fresh air," Wan Qiyan said in a voice only Jiang Yiqing could hear, as he carried her onto the horse.
The tall horse marched majestically along the imperial road. Jiang Yiqing secretly raised her head from her chest and saw the neat streets and markets stretching endlessly on both sides. She also saw the people bowing on both sides of the imperial road, the civil and military officials on the imperial road, and the ceremonial guard welcoming His Majesty back to court.
—It is quite impressive, from the Empress's perspective.
Jiang Yiqing, as a mascot returning victorious, was taken to the deep palace. The ancient royal palace with its golden glazed tiles, the long streets paved with white marble, and the auspicious beasts were all vividly presented before her. Midway, the Empress separated from her. She was placed in a sedan chair and taken to a palace, where she was then placed on a bed.
"Your Highness, my name is Qiuyu."
"My name is Qiuxue."
"We are the head maids of this Guerlain palace."
"Welcome back to the palace, Your Highness." Qiu Yu stepped forward and said with a hint of reassurance, "We know that you were of noble status before, but being a concubine of the country is still an honor that is beyond measure. Ordinary people can't even dream of becoming one."
"Which one of her three thousand concubines am I?" Jiang Yiqing asked, pursing her lips.
"...Just you."
"What?!" Jiang Yiqing couldn't believe it.
Seeing her practiced attitude and actions, Jiang Yiqing thought she had definitely been targeted by an ancient version of a female player, and she was even preparing to mourn her tragic fate. But then the palace maid told her—
She was the only one in the harem.
Seeing that she didn't believe her, Qiu Xue said, "Your Majesty, it's true. Our Emperor has been busy with state affairs since he was a child, and he has never asked about matters of the heart. The harem has always been empty, and the court officials are very worried. You are the first person he specifically asked to be brought into the harem."
—Something unusual must be going on.
Jiang Yiqing was not comforted at all; instead, her expression became even more bitter. She said, "Is your emperor a pervert?"
"..." Qiu Yu reached out and covered her mouth, saying, "Your Majesty, be careful what you say."
“If you say that, we’ll be the ones losing our heads.” Qiu Xue’s expression turned as bitter as Jiang Yiqing’s: “You’d better serve His Majesty well, or we’ll all be in deep trouble.”
"What do you mean, I guessed right?" Jiang Yiqing had a bad feeling.
"..." The two hesitated for a moment, then said, "When Her Majesty was still a child, her father arranged for her to take in concubines. At that time, he found a bunch of men and placed them in Her Majesty's Eastern Palace, but Her Majesty dragged them all out and beheaded them."
"..." Jiang Yiqing thought to herself, "In modern times, this would definitely be considered an extremely heinous murderer."
“Since then, no man has appeared in Her Majesty’s palace, and no one can figure out her temperament,” Qiu Xue said. “Now more than ten years have passed in the blink of an eye, and everyone thought that Her Majesty was not interested in this matter, but now she has suddenly taken a concubine.”
"So if you don't serve her well, you might end up the same way—we'll all die too."
What a tyrant!
A deeper analysis suggests that the Empress's actions must have underlying family background and psychological reasons, but Jiang Yiqing is unaware of these at the moment. All she knows is that this person is very bad, in every sense of the word.
However, she has already entered the heavily guarded Forbidden City. How will she escape?
She escaped, but where will she go? Will the Kingdom of Zhai still want a princess who has already married their emperor as a concubine? They already couldn't tolerate her, and if she goes back now, won't she be thrown into prison and persecuted at any moment?
"Your Highness, please receive the imperial decree!"
A chanting sound accompanied by music came from outside. Qiu Yu said hurriedly, "Your Majesty, let's hurry and receive the imperial decree."
What's going on? Although Jiang Yiqing was unwilling, she still had to get out of bed.
But before her feet could even reach the embroidered shoes in the palace, the person entered and said, "His Majesty has specifically instructed that Consort Qing, whose injuries have not yet healed, need not descend from her throne to receive the decree—"
“…Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.” After Jiang Yiqing finished speaking, she asked the two of them, “Am I right?”
"Your Highness, please receive the imperial decree."
Jiang Yiqing looked up again, and the female official had already walked up to her.
Seeing her serious expression, Jiang Yiqing had no choice but to remain obedient and extend her hand.
"Today is an auspicious day, auspicious omens abound, and heavenly joy is bestowed upon us. His Majesty summons Consort Qing to serve him in bed. So be it—"
Jiang Yiqing stared blankly at the female official, somewhat taken aback. She needed to think carefully before she could understand their sometimes literary sentences.
The female official placed the imperial edict in her hands, and seeing that she was still staring blankly, asked, "Your Highness Consort Qing?"
"...Your Majesty, I accept the imperial decree."
The female official then smiled and said, "Very good, I will go and convey this to His Majesty immediately."
"..."
Watching her leave, Jiang Yiqing opened the imperial edict and looked at the handwriting and the seal of the imperial seal. The paper used for the edict was even engraved with orchid patterns and smelled fragrant. Everything was wonderful—but she didn't want this blessing.
Jiang Yiqing threw the imperial edict on the table, lay back on the bed, and began to lament, "Why, why does God have to play such a cruel joke on me? I've only been in this world for a short time, do you know how hard it's been for me? I'm an older single woman who hasn't even held a hand yet, and you come here with an unequal marriage, and you want to execute it immediately?!"
"Your Majesty, what are you saying?" The two looked at her, somewhat unable to understand her language.
Speaking of marriage, Jiang Yiqing recalled something, but she had never even met her arranged marriage partner. She didn't know why, without Jiang Yiqing even nodding in agreement, he had become another woman's concubine.
It's good that she doesn't have to share a wife with another man, but—the idea of doing anything to survive is just empty talk. As the saying goes, a wise man submits to circumstances; to really make her comply would be impossible—
Now put a knife to her neck.
But does it really have to be this cruel?
Waaaaah, God has been so unfair to me!
"Oh no, distance makes the heart grow fonder, don't you know that?" Jiang Yiqing muttered to herself. "I do find the Empress somewhat attractive, but what you're doing is really ruining her image. But seriously, I don't think there was such a thing as free love in ancient times?"
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