Old Dream
As soon as the imperial concubine left, Gao Yun rolled her eyes, turned around and went upstairs. The shopkeeper opened the door again to welcome guests, and the light shone into the room, which made the originally rich fragrance of osmanthus fade away.
Gao Yun and Wang Shi were not able to buy the jewelry they wanted. The peace buckle they had been looking forward to was snatched away by the Imperial Concubine, which made them even more unhappy. They only bought a few earrings and left.
Only Jingwan was happy.
When Jingwan went to see Qin Ziyou that evening, she accepted all the silver the young man gave her, saying, "Come on, I'll treat you to noodles."
They often ate noodles made by an old man who ran a stall at the Dongqiao Night Market. He would pour beef broth that had been simmering for several hours over the noodles, and also buy a small bowl of pickled vegetables and a small bowl of chopped pig's head meat. In the evening, as the summer heat dissipated, they would eat a mouthful of noodles and feel completely satisfied.
The old man was a straightforward businessman. A bowl of plain noodles cost five copper coins, and if you added beef, it would cost another five copper coins. This attracted many people from the surrounding area who did business at night to come here to eat.
Jingwan swallowed the noodles, looked up at him and asked, "People from the Central Plains all have black eyes, have you ever seen anyone with blue eyes?"
The blue eyes of the imperial concubine during the day had truly shocked her.
Jingwan wasn't unfamiliar with blue-eyed people. Often, Hu people came to the Northwest to trade, and they all had blue eyes. There were also some Rong people who had blue eyes.
However, these people's appearances were different from those of the people of the Central Plains; they had high noses and deep-set eyes, and it was easy to tell at a glance that they were not of our kind.
But this imperial concubine had a genuine Central Plains appearance, with stunning beauty. Even as a woman, she was captivated by her at first sight. No wonder she was the sole favorite in the six palaces!
Qin Ziyou was slurping his noodles when he heard her say that, and he laughed: "Are you asking about Consort Dong?"
Jingwan looked at him in surprise. How did he know that?
Qin Ziyou understood immediately from her expression and explained, "In the entire capital, only this lady has blue eyes."
Since the matter involved the royal family, he deliberately lowered his voice, leaned closer, and continued, "It is said that the Emperor favors the Consort because of her blue eyes. However, the Dong family considers itself to be of noble lineage for generations, and all their in-laws are prominent families in the Central Plains. The Consort's blue eyes have made the Dong family have many doubts about her bloodline and background."
After finishing the last bite of noodles, he took Jingwan's hand and led her towards the riverbank, where there were fewer people and it would be more suitable for them to talk.
When Jingwan heard that the Dong family suspected the imperial concubine's background, she felt inexplicably worried for this royal concubine she had only met once.
In the Jade Pavilion during the day, although she was the one who was impolite, the Imperial Concubine did not pursue the matter. The light laugh she gave as she left was mostly well-intentioned. She had a feeling that the Imperial Concubine was a good person. However, she did not expect Qin Ziyou to say, "This Imperial Concubine has a bad reputation among the people. She is considered a femme fatale. The Emperor is sixteen years old, and the Imperial Concubine is seven years older than him, yet she enjoys his exclusive favor. The people say that the two of them are 'like-minded,' which is why the Imperial Concubine wins the Emperor's favor."
“West of Pingdu, there was a royal garden that was once called ‘Deer Garden.’ Later, the imperial concubine released a tiger into it, and it was renamed Tiger Forest. Anyone who angered the imperial concubine was thrown into the Tiger Forest to be fed to the tigers. This practice was cruel, no different from the scorpion pit of the Shang Dynasty. A minister advised that the tiger should be killed, but he was thrown into the Tiger Forest to be fed to the tigers.”
"It is said that the emperor would throw prisoners into the forest and gamble with the imperial concubine on who could come out of the tiger forest alive. If they could survive, no matter how serious their crimes were, they would all be released."
Jingwan couldn't believe it; how could someone so beautiful have such a vicious heart?
Seeing that her face had turned pale with fright, Qin Ziyou quickly tried to salvage the situation: "I only heard these things from others. Don't take them seriously. Just listen to them as strange tales."
He took out a handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat from Jingwan's palms. He then blamed himself for telling her such a frightening thing. A young lady in her boudoir would have nightmares just thinking about being bitten by a tiger and bleeding profusely. He quickly told her a lot of funny things to comfort her.
The two left the night market and were strolling leisurely along the main road when they heard a series of footsteps, which gradually grew louder and more uniform, along with the sounds of horses' hooves and the clash of weapons.
Two men were running quickly to clear the way on both sides of the main road. Only when you got close could you see the armor they were wearing.
Qin Ziyou pulled Jingwan to a side alley, and the two watched quietly as a long column of soldiers passed in front of them, heading straight for the palace.
Only after the last rank of soldiers left did the people hidden in the streets and alleys emerge in twos and threes. Qin Ziyou looked at the departing troops and said, "The soldiers of Pingdu are all stationed in the East Camp. Unless there is an emergency, they would never dare to enter the city on their own. Judging from their clothes, they are not dressed as imperial guards."
He looked at Jingwan, only to find that she was even more engrossed in watching than he was, still staring intently even after everyone had disappeared from sight.
Qin Ziyou found it amusing that a young girl wouldn't know anything, so he deliberately snapped his fingers in front of her, only to hear Jing Wan mutter to herself.
Qin Ziyou didn't hear clearly, so he bent down and leaned closer: "What did you say?"
Jingwan snapped out of her daze, took his hand, and walked forward, saying, "I said let's go home!"
The next day, Qin Ziyou made a special trip to Yuying Pavilion.
The shopkeeper beamed and told him that Consort Dong had come to the shop yesterday and bought a peace buckle that Qin Ziyou had given him.
"The Empress liked it very much. Before she left, she instructed that if the craftsman who made the safety buckle made any new products, they should be saved for her. Sigh, I say, Young Master Qin, who exactly is this craftsman of yours? Why don't you recommend him? If he is truly talented, I will definitely hire him at a high price."
So it was bought by the Imperial Concubine. No wonder she suddenly asked about it.
Qin Zi was polite and declined the shopkeeper's offer, saying that the master had asked him to sell these trinkets to earn some travel expenses to return home. Now that he had enough, he was also preparing to return home and leave Pingdu.
The shopkeeper exclaimed that it was a pity.
Just as he was about to leave, Qin Ziyou asked again if anyone else had come to the shop yesterday, besides the Imperial Concubine.
Yu Ying Pavilion is a famous shop in the capital, with many customers. Originally, it would have been a pointless question to ask, but yesterday, before the Imperial Concubine arrived, only the young ladies from the Xu and Gao families had come.
Qin Ziyou knew the Xu family's young ladies; they were General Xu's twin sisters, and they looked quite alike. The Gao family's young ladies were less familiar, but he didn't know which Gao family they were from.
"They belong to the second master of the Gao family. Madam Gao brought two young ladies with her yesterday. One is Miss Gao, and I don't know the other one, but she is really beautiful and doesn't look like Madam Gao at all."
The Duke's Mansion? Mentioning the Gao family, Qin Ziyou recalled that his grandmother intended to form a marriage alliance with the Gao family, wanting his brother to marry the eldest daughter of the deceased Duke.
He had briefly seen that legitimate daughter in his own residence, but it wasn't Jingwan.
But she must have some connection with the Gao family.
Qin Ziyou didn't ask any more questions. He left Yuying Pavilion and leaned against the bridge as he went outside, wishing he could beat his chest and sigh.
It's his fault. He only wanted to get a good price for Jingwan's things, so he found the best shop in the capital. He never thought that Yuying Pavilion had close ties with the Imperial Concubine. Her jade carvings were so beautiful that it was possible that the Imperial Concubine had taken a liking to them. He never expected it to be such a coincidence!
It wasn't that he was being overly worried; the palace was a complex place, and even a small jade ornament could be used by someone with ulterior motives to frame someone. He didn't want Jingwan to be dragged into it, but unintentionally, he became the one who fueled the flames.
I hope, I hope the Imperial Concubine only likes it for a day or two, I hope the Imperial Concubine gives it away to someone else.
Jingwan didn't think as much as Qin Ziyou. After returning home that night, she had a long dream. When she woke up, she was staring blankly with her messy hair.
In dreams, many things are indistinguishable between reality and illusion.
A young girl, wielding a silver spear, rode a fine horse and thrust her spear into the heart of a Rong man… She screamed in terror, only to be pulled into a warm, familiar embrace. She vaguely saw herself sleeping in a tent, a flickering candlelight casting a soft glow. Then the scene shifted; she was now sitting on a horse, a little boy leading it, and she was pointing him in the right direction… As they walked, a ferocious tiger appeared and swallowed her whole…
Jingwan leaned against the wall, wrapped herself in the blanket, closed her eyes to rest, and had a very tiring dream!
The city got cold overnight.
That year, the weather was abnormal. After the Great Heat, the wind blew at night, and the leaves flew wildly. The next day, it was cold, and even the clouds were thick.
But the weather changed suddenly, and the palace remained bustling. The palace edict set by Emperor Taizu of Wei, which forbade noise after 9 PM, had long been forgotten.
During the day, the emperor sleeps soundly, but it is nighttime when he can enjoy himself. At a set time, the emperor summons several of his beloved concubines, the palace lights are lit, and the sounds of string and wind instruments fill the air.
Recently, Gaochang sent over several exotic beauties. The sixteen-year-old emperor was not yet interested in beauties. When the eunuch told him about these stunning blue-eyed beauties, the emperor hugged his concubine tightly and laughed, "If we're talking about blue-eyed beauties, who can be more beautiful than my sister?"
He glanced at Consort Dong and the concubines below him, and suddenly had a whimsical idea: "I find the clothes of those beauties quite interesting. Why don't you all change into one and show it to me?"
As soon as the words were spoken, the concubines, who had been sitting with their heads bowed like clay statues, exchanged glances.
The concubines were all from noble families, and they were taught the precepts for women and the rules of etiquette. Although they were sent to the deep palace for the benefit of their families, they had to maintain the reputation of their families in every word and deed.
However, upon entering the palace, he immediately noticed that the emperor was muddle-headed and violent. It was common for him to beat and scold people. He dared to lay a hand on not only eunuchs and maids, but also concubines. In his eyes, women were no different from crickets that he could play with and fight. Not to mention that the emperor rarely entered the harem. In the three years since he entered the palace, he had not seen any of the concubines become pregnant.
The Western Region beauties sent to the palace dressed daringly to please the emperor, revealing a large expanse of their white chests with only a small piece of cloth covering their upper bodies. Even their slender waists were on full display. Their skirts were slit, and if one wasn't careful, one of their legs would be exposed. Their jade-like feet were bare, without even socks, as they walked naked on the carpet.
Not to mention that it's still so cold tonight, wouldn't dressing like this make them catch a cold? Moreover, as women, they would blush with shame just by looking at them. If they dressed like this, what difference would it make from losing their chastity?
The concubines were unwilling, but dared not offend the emperor, so they lowered their heads even further.
The young emperor, who had been smiling kindly, immediately changed his expression, his face darkening as he scanned the concubines below. His eyes were already long and narrow, and this made him appear even more gloomy, lacking the youthful vitality of a sixteen-year-old.
Seeing that no one listened to him, he randomly pointed to a concubine and said, "Take off your clothes and change them right here for me to see!"
The concubines quickly looked up, and seeing that they hadn't been pointed at, they felt a huge weight lifted from their hearts, wishing they could bury their heads in the ground. The unfortunate little concubine, however, was in a terrible state, trembling all over and unable to speak clearly: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."
She didn't even dare to cry out loud; the last person who cried out had their tongue cut out on the spot.
Yang Fujin, who was serving behind the emperor, knew what to do next just by looking at the emperor's expression. He gave a signal to the eunuchs beside him, and two eunuchs went up. One grabbed the person and the other started to take off her clothes. Her outer clothes were completely torn off, and the concubine's two fair shoulders were exposed.
Unable to bear the humiliation any longer, she struggled free from the eunuch's grasp and smashed her head against a palace pillar, dying instantly.
Blood splattered everywhere; he died with his eyes wide open in disbelief.
Yang Fujin gave another signal, and the other eunuchs swiftly carried the body away and quickly wiped the pillars and floor clean.
It was as if nothing had happened.
The emperor leaned back on his throne with a gloomy face: "Boring!" He then began to scan the people below, preparing to pick a few more.
The concubines trembled, and some even had a puddle of fluid flowing from their genitals.
At this moment, a pair of delicate hands clasped together on the emperor's chest, and Consort Dong rested her chin on the emperor's shoulder, looking completely trusting.
Her red lips parted slightly, revealing her pearly teeth, and she whispered in his ear, "Your Majesty, not only do I look beautiful, but I also dance beautifully. Would you like to see me?"
The unique fragrance of osmanthus belonging to Dong Qingying was quite strong at this moment, and when it entered the little emperor's nose, it was as intoxicating as drinking wine.
He loved playing with Dong Qingying the most, and she was the only one who would always play with him.
Dong Qingying quickly changed her clothes and came out. She was extremely fair-skinned, and the red dress made her look even more stunningly fair.
She wore golden bells on her ankles; as she danced the Whirlwind Dance, the bells jingled, and the dance circle spun faster and faster. The golden hairpin that had been holding her hair back was thrown to the ground, and her hair...
Completely relaxed, she jumped and laughed, seemingly completely absorbed in the performance. The entire palace echoed with her laughter. With a twirl, she deliberately turned into the emperor's arms, laughing wildly with him. She didn't care that a slender leg was exposed from her red dress, displaying her beauty to everyone.
The danger of being stripped naked and humiliated on the spot had passed. The concubines listened to the voices of the wicked emperor and the treacherous concubine, and exchanged glances, their expressions full of contempt.
The Gui Palace was too small and obviously couldn't provide enough fun for the emperor and his concubines. Ignoring the sudden cold wind, the emperor led everyone out of the Gui Palace and arrived at Qingyun Terrace. There, he had a new idea—he suddenly wanted to eat roasted meat and decided to make it himself.
The eunuch quickly set up the table and oven as requested, while several other people cut mutton, skewered it with iron skewers, and placed it on the oven for the emperor to roast himself.
Dong Qingying leaned back seductively in her chair, her jade-like legs still exposed, simply because the emperor said it looked good. Even with the stove warming her, she was still cold dressed like this. A cold wind blew in gusts, and goosebumps rose on her exposed skin. If it weren't for the lip rouge, her lips would have been pale and bluish. She couldn't let the emperor notice her coldness, so she simply placed one hand behind her back, seeking some warmth.
Just then, a series of orderly footsteps sounded outside Qingyun Terrace. Dong Qingying quickly looked up at the source of the sound, her eyes shining like flames.
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