Concubine Xian didn't think this move would cause trouble for Shen Zhixiu and Su Qingyu. With Shen Zhixiu's power, it was only a matter of time before he took a concubine. She said this, which was like doing Shen Zhixiu a favor.
She had seen those two Western Yue women before; they were truly stunning beauties. If she were a man, she would have been captivated by them, too.
Moreover, those two were sent to the palace by the Second Prince, and she had been thinking about how to get them out these past few days. Today was a three-birds-with-one-stone move: not only did she feel relieved, she was able to get them out, and she could also show her goodwill to Shen Zhixiu.
But she was happy, but Shen Zhixiu was filled with anger. He and his wife had just played the song "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix" to please the emperor and to express his love to Su Qingyu.
Just when she was in a good mood, the virtuous concubine was talking about rewarding beauties. No matter how beautiful the beauty was, what did it have to do with him?
At this time, the couple had stood up and stood in the middle of the hall, facing Emperor Xuande.
Su Qingyu's expression remained the same, and there was no change in her expression because of Concubine Xian's words.
Shen Zhixiu would naturally be able to deal with such situations.
She didn't think that if she spoke at this time, she would be able to say something better or more appropriately than Shen Zhixiu.
The two of them have a tacit understanding of how to cooperate in any situation.
Shen Zhixiu spoke with deep trepidation, "Your Majesty, be careful what you say. These two women are saints from Western Yue, unlike ordinary tribute women from foreign nations. They represent Western Yue's submission to the monarch of the Great Zhou. Such people can only serve Your Majesty. How dare I overstep my bounds?"
Shen Zhixiu's reasoning was so righteous that many people nodded solemnly. This was especially true for the old-school court officials who were so strict about observing the rules. The emperor's authority was certainly not to be flouted.
The emperor's favor for these two people is not only a matter of the harem, but also means that the Great Zhou has suppressed Xiyue.
The virtuous concubine's face changed, and she quickly knelt down to apologize, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, that is not what I meant."
Emperor Xuande hummed calmly and motioned for Concubine Xian to stand up. Although he didn't blame her, he didn't offer any words of comfort either.
Seeing the solemn atmosphere, Concubine Rong smiled and said, "Sister Xianfei, you are really something. Lord Shen is newly married, please don't make such jokes."
“Everyone knows that Lord Shen is henpecked. Even if Madam Shen is virtuous, he would not want her to suffer any injustice.”
Rong Fei was like handing over a ladder, and Emperor Xuande said.
"What Rong Aifei said makes sense. I can't let Chen Qing go back and make things difficult for her. I'll just give the pair of jade ruyi that the foreigners brought into the palace to them as a reward for their good intentions."
Shen Zhixiu and Su Qingyu knelt down to express their gratitude, then sat back in their seats.
The virtuous concubine glanced at the emperor's expression and chuckled, "I was too impressed by those two beautiful women from Western Vietnam and made a joking mistake. Your Majesty, please forgive me."
Emperor Xuande didn't mind. "It seems my beloved concubine has the same taste as mine. The two sisters are indeed incredibly beautiful."
He had never favored her since she was brought to the palace. But just by looking at her appearance, he was already looking forward to it. The women of Western Yue looked different from those of the Central Plains, and this was the first time he had seen such a beauty.
Li Chaoyun suddenly looked at Princess Yongjia not far away, and the mother and daughter looked at each other.
Princess Yongjia understood what he meant and suddenly smiled sweetly, saying, "Your Majesty, what you said has aroused my curiosity. I have heard that the women of Western Yue are good at singing and dancing. I wonder if I would be interested in meeting them?"
A foreign woman, no matter how beautiful she was, was just a plaything. Even if she was given the title of concubine in the future, her status in the palace would not be very high.
In fact, Princess Yongjia was not the only one present who was curious, but others did not dare to speak up.
When Princess Yongjia mentioned this, many people showed expressions of curiosity and anticipation.
Emperor Xuande ordered Hu Lu, "Go and bring the person here."
Su Qingyu also looked towards the outside of the hall curiously and teased.
"The Saintess of Xiyue? She's even been praised by His Majesty as being beyond compare. You won't regret seeing her later, Third Master?"
Shen Zhixiu was drinking with his head down. Upon hearing this, he tilted his head slightly and looked at Su Qingyu with resentment.
"Qingqing, you can't be so unfair to me. Heaven and earth can bear witness to my feelings for you."
He leaned closer and whispered, "Qingqing, don't worry. I only want you in this life. Forget about the Saint of Xiyue. Even if it's a fairy who came down to earth, I won't even look at her."
Mr. Shen, who is always taciturn outside, does not change his expression when talking about love.
Su Qingyu glanced at him, but couldn't help but smile. In the past, Shen Zhixiu only talked about these things in bed. Lately, he's been saying them regardless of time or place, sometimes making her blush and her heart skip a beat.
At banquets like this, Shen Zhixiu always attracted a lot of attention. The expressions on their faces while they were talking were also seen by many people.
Although they couldn't hear what they were saying, they could clearly see Elder Shen's expression that showed a good mood.
The previous rumors about Elder Shen being henpecked were now somewhat confirmed.
Soon, a eunuch came in to report that the Western Yue Saints Vasha and Vali were already waiting outside.
Emperor Xuande signaled for people to come in, and then the sound of drums was heard outside the hall.
The tune is different from that of the Central Plains songs, and the rhythm is more cheerful.
The sound of drums came from far away, and then two graceful figures walked into the hall to the beat of the drums.
Whether it was the royal family, court officials, or the ladies of the various clans, all of them had seen the world. They had seen many beautiful women, as the capital was not short of beautiful women.
But when these two holy ladies from Xiyue came in, everyone was still stunned with astonishment.
Even Su Qingyu was stunned for a moment.
The two women looked about eighty to ninety percent similar: both had delicate, oval faces, prominent brow bones, and deep eye sockets. Their straight noses and cherry lips made them appear brighter and more charming than the women of the Central Plains.
Both of them were wearing bright red dresses and brocade belts around their waists, showing off their graceful figures.
Each of them has a small drum hanging on their body, and their hands move constantly while dancing, so that the dance moves and the sound of the drums become one.
While spinning and jumping, every move is full of charm.
Su Qingyu suddenly understood a little. No wonder Concubine Xian wanted to send the person to Shen Zhixiu. She probably didn't want these two people to serve the emperor. If such a person entered the harem, he would probably be the exclusive favorite.
The Second Prince is stationed in the Western Frontier, and these two people might have some relationship with the Second Prince, which makes Concubine Xian even more wary.
After the dance was over, everyone slowly came back to their senses. Although they didn't dare to cheer loudly, they all praised it privately.
Emperor Xuande gave them rewards and told them to leave.
Li Chaoyun suddenly spoke up, "Uncle Emperor, you know I love music, especially drums. Could you please let these two sisters stay in the side hall for a moment? I'd like to ask them about this piece."
Emperor Xuande naturally agreed to such a small matter and ordered someone to take the two of them to a side hall to rest.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
