Chapter 4
Before dawn, Wu Shiyan got up. Qi Yu noticed the movement, opened her eyes, and followed him out of bed.
Wu Shiyan glanced at her but said nothing.
Palace maids filed in, carrying clothes to dress and comb Wu Shiyan's hair, and adorn him with clothing and accessories. Qi Yu stood to the side, handing things over.
After kneeling to see Wu Shiyan off, Qi Yu asked Jin Rong and learned that she didn't need to go to see the Empress Dowager so early, so she went back to bed for a nap.
When Jinrong saw Qi Yu sleeping in the bed, with the two blankets on the bed like the Chu River and Han Border, she felt a strange feeling, but wisely she didn't ask anything.
Qi Yu woke up again when Jin Rong gently patted her awake.
Once everything was settled, he led the palace servants out of Zhaoyang Palace as dawn was just breaking.
The Empress Dowager resides in Changxin Palace. Qi Yu walked along the long palace path from yesterday and encountered Zhou Miaoyin, Lü Shu, and Deng Yuehuai in front of Changxin Palace.
The three women bowed to Qi Yu. They had specifically inquired about the news from Zhaoyang Palace and naturally knew that Qi Yu had been granted the title of Imperial Concubine. Not only did she have a title, but His Majesty had also stayed at Zhaoyang Palace the previous night.
However, since they had just entered the palace, they didn't yet have a real sense of where His Majesty was going.
He was jealous of Qi Yu, but more so because of her position.
Zhou Miaoyin asked the palace maids around her and learned that, in addition to the vast difference in their allowances, some valuable items could only be worn by the Noble Consort, while it would be considered inappropriate for a Beauty to wear them.
Moreover, as a Noble Consort, Qi Yu could occupy a palace all by herself, while the other beauties could only squeeze into the Pixiang Palace.
Qi Yu said "Rise" and asked them, "Would you like to come with me to see the Empress Dowager?"
Deng Yuehuai nodded: "The younger sisters are here to wait for the Empress to come along."
She seemed much more relaxed than yesterday; her pent-up frustration must have dissipated.
After Zhou Miaoyin stood up, she could clearly see Qi Yu's appearance today. It was as if she was an illusion that Qi Yu was dressed in coarse linen clothes just a few days ago. Just a few days ago, she was someone who could be joked with by everyone while sitting in a carriage. Now, even the most inconspicuous embroidery thread on her body was shining. Her whole demeanor was extraordinary, and she looked unapproachable.
His gaze only fell on Deng Yuehuai briefly after she spoke.
A look of confusion flashed in Zhou Miaoyin's eyes—was this still the Qi Yu she knew?
When Qi Yu entered Changxin Palace, the Empress Dowager, dressed in purple, walked out from behind the palace.
Qi Yu led the three women to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager looked at her carefully. Perhaps she had received the news beforehand, so when she saw someone who looked so similar, she was surprised, but she concealed her surprise well.
Zhou Miaoyin and the other two did not notice the Empress Dowager's special gaze towards Qi Yu.
"Consort Yu, please rise. The three beauties may also rise."
The Empress Dowager looked at Fangzi. Aunt Fangzi had been silently observing the Empress Dowager since Qi Yu came in. She had seen Madam Pei off yesterday, so she was naturally well aware of everything.
She truly hadn't expected that among the beauties she'd met yesterday, a phoenix would actually emerge.
The Empress Dowager is probably also troubled at this moment, wondering if His Majesty has truly given up on Lady Pei, or if the fake is just a fake and he still can't forget Lady Pei.
The Empress Dowager was unsure, but Aunt Fangzi understood perfectly. After all, who would grant a fake the title of Imperial Concubine? What if Madam Pei entered the palace later? Wouldn't that be deliberately causing trouble for someone?
Upon receiving the Empress Dowager's signal, Aunt Fangzi stepped forward to help Qi Yu to her seat.
Since we can't figure out His Majesty's intentions, we can't afford to offend either Consort Yu or Lady Pei.
Suppressing her shock, the Empress Dowager casually inquired whether Qi Yu had encountered any inconveniences upon entering the palace.
Qi Yu smiled and answered them one by one.
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "I'm relieved that there's nothing wrong with the palace servants. Did His Majesty stay in Zhaoyang Palace last night?"
Qi Yu lowered her head shyly: "It's in Zhaoyang Palace."
The Empress Dowager's smile remained unchanged as she praised Qi Yu and prompted her to reveal some details about her interactions with the Emperor.
All morning, the Empress Dowager focused her attention on Qi Yu. Feeling that she had found out about everything, she asked Zhou Miaoyin and the other two a few questions as usual.
Zhou Miaoyin and the other two met the two most honored people in the world for two consecutive days, and they were very flattered. Therefore, when the Empress Dowager asked questions, they all carefully made noises to coax her.
When they took their leave, the atmosphere in the hall was harmonious and joyful.
After leaving Changxin Palace, Qi Yu politely declined Aunt Fangzi's request to see her off. Only after seeing Fangzi return to the Empress Dowager's side did she regain her shy demeanor.
He then parted ways with Zhou Miaoyin and the other two.
Qi Yu naturally knew the Empress Dowager's intention in testing her earlier, so she didn't care. In any case, the Empress Dowager would find a balance between her and Zhao Wanyi, a balance that wouldn't offend the Emperor.
After having breakfast at Zhaoyang Palace, Qi Yu gave Jin Rong the reward money from the previous day. Instead of taking over the accounts of Zhaoyang Palace, she asked Jin Rong to find a female master who could teach others.
Although every character in Da Yan's writing looked familiar to her, she couldn't actually identify them.
Moreover, recognizing it isn't enough; you also need to be able to write it.
Qi Yu didn't want her handwriting to be considered unattractive, so finding a female teacher was an urgent matter.
Besides, the luggage she left on the carriage was sent to Zhaoyang Palace yesterday. She didn't have time to deal with it yesterday, but she can finally take the time to tidy it up today.
Qi Yu's bundle wasn't heavy; it contained mostly clothes and a wooden box.
She took out the wooden box, opened it, and found the 1,000 taels of silver notes, which had been exchanged for 100 taels of gold, still inside.
Seeing this, Jinrong quietly left. When she returned, she was carrying a red lacquered carved wooden box, which was much more elegant and refined than the one Qiyu was carrying. Moreover, the lock was ingenious and difficult to break.
Aunt Jinrong said, "Your Majesty, use this wooden box to pack it."
Qi Yu took the box and said as she looked at it, "Auntie is so considerate."
She immediately exchanged the banknotes for this box and put it away; this was her private stash of money.
Although she would be able to return home soon after leaving the palace, money is something that one can never have too much of.
Not long after, Li Chang went to Zhaoyang Palace to request an audience with her.
Qi Yu had someone bring Li Chang to the warm pavilion, while she arrived there first.
The warm room is small, so you don't have to worry about being overheard when you speak here.
When Li Chang saw Qi Yu, he first said, "This servant greets Consort Yu, may Your Highness be well!"
Qi Yu personally brewed two cups of tea and said, "Please rise quickly." Then she had someone hand the tea to Li Chang and bring him a stool.
The person who is a favorite of His Majesty is no small figure. Although it is not necessary for the Imperial Concubine to personally greet her, why not give her some face?
Li Chang felt relieved and immediately explained his purpose: "Your Majesty, what that young Li Zi did was indeed unethical. This servant has already compiled a ledger of the bribes he received. Your Majesty, please take a look and see if you have any questions?"
Qi Yu took the ledger and flipped through it. It showed that Xiao Li Zi alone had gone to the countryside to select beauties and had plundered five thousand taels of silver from the beauties and other places.
Qi Yu was utterly shocked.
Little Li was merely a eunuch favored by Li Chang.
Of course, some of these gifts were given voluntarily by the beauties. Zhou Miaoyin alone not only gave him her entire hundred taels of gold, but also eight hundred taels of silver. Other beauties gave less, but still no less than a hundred taels.
No wonder Little Li spoke up for Zhou Miaoyin in the side hall yesterday, and no wonder her carriage was moved to the very back even though he knew she was special.
In comparison, Qi Yu felt that she was a real miser.
However, Leonardo DiCaprio's downfall can also be attributed to the fact that even though their identities had been reversed, he still acted as if he was fearless.
Even without Li Chang's intervention, Qi Yu would have personally found out Li Chang's mistakes.
Li Chang's visit today was not to show Qi Yu how much money Little Li had made, but rather to say, "Your Majesty, I have already exchanged the five thousand taels of silver for silver notes, and now I present it all to you. Little Li will also receive the lesson he deserves. What do you think of this matter..."
Li Chang neatly stacked the silver notes on the table.
Qi Yu didn't look at the table, but smiled and said, "Of course it's settled, thank you for your trouble, sir. But you should take these silver notes back."
Li Chang stood up, not looking at the silver notes either, and took a step back: "Your Majesty, please accept them without worry. These silver notes are nothing."
After saying this, he took his leave, not giving Qi Yu a chance to refuse. Qi Yu had no choice but to have a palace maid escort Li Chang for a while.
She looked at the banknotes with some worry.
Qi Yu pondered for a moment and then instructed, "Leave these silver notes here and don't collect them. Tell people not to come to the warm pavilion unless necessary, and don't spread the word about what happened today."
The palace maids agreed.
Within two days, Jinrong had found a female master, and Qiyu made full use of all her free time in the mornings and afternoons.
Jinrong said that she could only play with the swing and kite after she had learned most of the characters.
The Empress Dowager is just the Empress Dowager; Qi Yu and the others do not need to pay their respects to her every day.
Therefore, even though the Empress Dowager summoned Lady Pei to the palace, Qi Yu did not meet with her.
However, they would not meet during normal greetings, as the time for greetings was just before dawn, and female relatives would only arrive in the morning.
Wu Shiyan hadn't come to Zhaoyang Palace for several days. Jinrong noticed this and was worried. She secretly sent someone to find out the emperor's whereabouts.
That day, Qi Yu was practicing calligraphy when Aunt Jin Rong came in and said, "Your Majesty, His Majesty just went to Changxin Palace. Would you like to go and visit the Empress Dowager?"
Qi Yu shook her head.
It's likely that Zhao Wanyi entered the palace, otherwise Wu Shiyan wouldn't have gone to the Empress Dowager's place.
If she goes, it will be so lively!
Qi Yu asked, "Are there any other people in Changxin Palace?"
Jinrong said, "The Empress Dowager summoned Madam Pei to the palace. Your Majesty, you may not know this Madam Pei..."
Qi Yu listened with a smile as she recounted Zhao Wanyi's story.
"Although I have never met Madam Pei, I have heard that she is extremely beautiful, but in my heart, no one can compare to Your Highness."
Qi Yu's heart melted completely: "Auntie is the best auntie too."
No sooner had she finished speaking than a palace servant announced that Pei Jiu had returned.
Pei Jiu was led into the hall. Qi Yu looked her over from head to toe and, seeing that she was alright, asked her a few more questions. She learned that after leaving outside the greenhouse hall with a eunuch that day, she had been handed over to an aunt to learn palace rules and had not suffered any hardship, so she was relieved.
Pei Jiu looked up at Qi Yu.
Pei Jiu felt that she had changed a lot; she had become much more composed and no longer acted so loudly. But when she met Qi Yu, she realized that her changes were still relatively minor.
Qi Yu handed Pei Jiu over to Jin Rong to take care of.
After all, she had been following her outside the palace, and Pei Jiu had no family. If she were released from the palace, who knows where she would end up as a slave. It would be better for her to be the head maid of Zhaoyang Palace, so that even outside Zhaoyang Palace, people would still give her some respect.
When Qi Yu saw Pei Jiu, she felt that the stack of silver notes in the warm pavilion could be brought into the open, so she said to Aunt Jin Rong, "Aunt, His Majesty has left Changxin Palace. You can send someone to invite His Majesty to Zhaoyang Palace in my name."
Jinrong smiled so hard her eyes crinkled, and quickly agreed, not giving her mistress a chance to change her mind.
She most hoped that the Imperial Concubine would have a heart vying for the Emperor's favor.
Pei Jiu followed Aunt Jin Rong away. Before leaving, she noticed that Qi Yu was surrounded by silence, with the palace maids trying their best not to make a sound.
Before she could even ask, as soon as she left the palace, Aunt Jinrong pointed out to her, "Her Majesty prefers quiet and dislikes idle chatter."
Pei Jiu blinked, vaguely understanding why Qi Yu had been ignoring her and the other beauties along the way.
The selected girls would receive a hundred taels of gold for nothing, a blessing they had accumulated over several lifetimes. Naturally, they couldn't contain their excitement and loved to chat with others.
Qi Yuruo prefers quiet, so it's no wonder she wouldn't pay attention to them; it's only because she's so well-mannered that she doesn't lose her temper.
No, she should be called "Your Majesty" now.
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