Chapter 58 Chapter 58 “The five of us spent our days…
The emperor did not come alone, he was followed by Qingyao, and behind Qingyao was a series of palace maids.
It looks very grand.
Li Shuyao walked out of the bedroom and was stunned when she saw this scene.
She watched helplessly as twenty or thirty people filled her little room.
The light in the room suddenly dimmed.
Seeing her standing there motionless, Tian Jiarou quickly coughed lightly.
Li Shuyao finally woke up from her trance, pursed her lips, lowered her head with mixed feelings, put her hands on her waist, and knelt down to salute the emperor and Qingyao, "Your servant greets the emperor, greets, Concubine Yi." When she said the last few words, she paused imperceptibly.
The emperor's voice was still gentle, "Get up."
After saying that, he extended a hand to help her.
Qingyao saw their actions from behind, and couldn't help but curl her delicate and beautiful eyebrows and smiled playfully at Li Shuyao.
Li Shuyao felt relieved immediately. Qingyao was still the same Qingyao, she hadn't changed!
So he responded with a silly smile, his pair of watery and moist apricot blossom eyes brighter than when he just came out of the bedroom.
Anyone who came could see the joy in her heart.
The palace maids all lowered their heads, and the emperor was so busy bending down to help her up that he missed the contact between their eyebrows.
Seeing her smile as soon as she stood up, he mistakenly thought she was smiling at him, so he pinched Li Shuyao's wrist with his big hand and said with a smile: "Why are you so happy?"
Li Shuyao stole another glance at Qingyao, then nodded happily. "Well, the Emperor and Concubine Yi are here to visit me. I'm naturally happy."
After saying that, he turned around and happily asked Tian Jiarou and Yue Shu to go out and bring some tea and snacks.
Qingyao also took this opportunity to send away the palace maids following her one by one.
There were only three of them and Eunuch Liang left in the room.
It seems a bit redundant.
Li Shuyao murmured quietly in her heart, it would be better if Qingyao was the only one coming.
Oh no, it’s Qingyao and Lingluo, just the two of them will be fine.
She would probably feel more comfortable, and wouldn't have to drag her body, which is still menstruating, to be served carefully.
——She could easily pull Qingyao directly to the bed, chat with her under the same quilt, come down to eat when she was hungry or thirsty, and then go back to bed after eating.
How beautiful...
While thinking, Li Shuyao led the emperor and Qingyao to the side room, gave them the seats on the couch, and found a round stool and moved it over to sit on.
Putting her hands in her pockets, she glanced at Qingyao first, then turned her head and asked with bright eyes, "Why did the emperor have time to come here today?"
The emperor twirled his ring leisurely, "Come here to check your homework."
The ending tone of the last word was slightly raised, obviously imitating Li Shuyao's tone.
Li Shuyao was completely unaware of this and felt that the emperor was very approachable. He did not have the terrifying aura that he had when they first met.
She replied excitedly, "Then how does the emperor want to check?"
The emperor pondered for a moment and asked Li Shuyao if she had finished reading the Thousand Character Essay.
Li Shuyao nodded, indicating that she had not only finished reading it, but had also memorized it verbatim.
The emperor was a little skeptical, so he randomly recited a passage. He suddenly stopped mid-reading and signaled Li Shuyao with his eyes to continue. Li Shuyao recited it fluently, reciting it until the last word. Then, with a beaming face, she said to him, "Your Majesty, please take a look. Have I made any mistakes?"
Not really.
Did you actually study hard?
The emperor turned around and asked about the Analects of Confucius that had given Li Shuyao a headache before.
Li Shuyao answered questions fluently.
The emperor was silent for a moment, then began to ask Li Shuyao how her calligraphy was going.
Li Shuyao stood up and ran to the study room opposite. She took out all the large-character paper she had been copying recently and spread it all over the table. Then she said confidently, "It's all here. Your Majesty, please feel free to take a look!"
If she works hard, she can get into a 985 university.
What's so difficult about writing big characters? Can it be as difficult as function derivatives, linear algebra, and solid geometry?
The emperor noticed the complacency on her face and knew that she had been practicing really hard during this period.
So he didn't try to make things difficult for her, but just casually flipped through a few pages of rough paper. After noticing that her handwriting had improved significantly compared to before, he praised her generously.
Qingyao, who was standing next to him, smiled gently and came over to flip through Li Shuyao's calligraphy. She then said to the emperor in a lively tone, "Your Majesty, I have won. How do you plan to reward me?"
Win, reward?
Li Shuyao was stunned.
He realized belatedly that the Emperor and Qingyao were most likely making a bet with him.
The bet was probably about whether she had studied seriously during this period.
And Qingyao won... In other words, the emperor didn't believe that she would study hard before?
When she thought of this, Li Shuyao's eyes suddenly widened, and a feeling of betrayal and anger rose in her heart.
How could the Emperor do this?!
She puffed out her cheeks and was about to angrily ask the emperor why he looked down on her like that.
Unexpectedly, the emperor took out a very delicate mutton-fat jade pendant from his waist with a helpless expression. The pendant was carved with a dragon or some auspicious beast, and handed it to Qingyao.
Qingyao pinched the jade pendant and smiled at her with a smile on her face, as if saying: We are rich!
Really, you really made a fortune?
Li Shuyao instantly forgot her displeasure. As if her body had regained self-awareness, she leaned towards Qingyao without a second thought. She casually took the jade pendant from her hand, looked at it in the light outside the window, and asked softly, "Is this mutton-fat jade?"
Qingyao nodded, "Fine mutton-fat jade."
Li Shuyao exclaimed "Wow" and asked, "Is it very valuable?"
Qingyao thought about it and continued to nod, "It's very valuable, the kind that is hard to find in the world. After all, it was worn by the emperor."
Li Shuyao asked again: "Will everything the emperor has worn become valuable?"
Qingyao glanced at her directly: "What do you think?"
"...That's true." Li Shuyao replied thoughtfully, then lowered her head, picked up the purse hanging from her waist, and asked Qingyao in a low voice, "So, Qingyao, if I let the emperor hang this purse for a few days, will it also become very valuable?"
Qingyao took a look and said, "The emperor probably won't die."
"Why?" Li Shuyao was a little unconvinced.
The purse around her waist was made by her own hands.
I've been working on this for more than a month, how come it's not worth anything?
Qingyao said, "Because your purse is embroidered with jujube flowers, it's suitable for women to wear, so how can you give it to the emperor? If the emperor wears it outside, I'm afraid he will be laughed at."
To make someone laugh is about the same as to get into big trouble.
Li Shuyao had to put aside her fantasies and reached out to touch the lustrous jade pendant in Qingyao's hand.
He whispered in her ear, "Now that you have this jade pendant, will you wear it?"
"This is a gift from the emperor. It should be kept and displayed." Qingyao's voice gradually became filled with a sense of disappointment.
Only then did Li Shuyao finally wake up from her money-obsessed mentality.
Then I realized that I seemed to have subconsciously ignored someone...
Her eyes drifted away, and her expression unconsciously became a little stiff. She didn't dare to lean on Qingyao anymore. She put a little force on her toes and stood up straight.
She...how could she have forgotten that the emperor was here?
Just at this time, Tian Jiarou and Yue Shu came in to serve tea and snacks.
Li Shuyao pretended to be busy and went forward to help Tian Jiarou lift the tray. After placing the plates and tea, she pretended nothing had happened and quietly returned to her stool to sit down.
After admiring the jade pendant, Qingyao returned it to the emperor with a reluctant look in her eyes.
The emperor said nothing, took it calmly, and hung it around his waist.
Li Shuyao:?
Li Shuyao:!
Wasn't this the jade pendant she had helped Qingyao win as a prize? Why did Qingyao just take a look at it and then return it unopened?
Is it true that “taking a look” is the reward itself?
...Ah, isn't this emperor too stingy?
It’s just a jade pendant, why can’t you bear to part with it?
Li Shuyao suddenly became angry again.
Her expression was clearly written on her face, and the two people opposite her knew what she was thinking at a glance.
Qingyao sighed again, but the emperor's expression became more smug.
This made Li Shuyao very confused.
It was as if the two people in front of her had a little secret that she didn't know about, and were unwilling to tell her.
She felt very uncomfortable.
So she bit her lip, trying to hold it back, but couldn't help herself. She asked with a somewhat depressed tone, "Your Majesty, didn't Your Majesty give this jade pendant as a reward to Concubine Yi? Why, how come Concubine Yi only glanced at it for a few seconds, and Your Majesty took it back?"
Qingyao was a little uncomfortable with the respectful title she used, so she frowned and told her that she could just call her the same as before in private.
Li Shuyao glanced timidly at the emperor beside her. The emperor nodded without saying anything and said to her, "There's no need to be so restrained in private. Just call yourself 'I' as before."
As soon as he said this, Qingyao immediately raised her eyebrows and looked at her with a teasing smile.
Li Shuyao's cheeks felt slightly hot.
She...she has been serving the emperor in bed for such a long time, so she should have some benefits in front of the emperor, okay?
It wasn't much, though. She could just order whatever she wanted when she was sleeping with him, and she could have the people from Yannian Hall come and take care of her skin. And, in private, she didn't have to call herself "slave" anymore...
That's all!
It's totally disproportionate to the hard work she put in.
...This shows that the emperor is still very stingy.
Thinking of this, Li Shuyao snorted somewhat unhappily and asked the same question again.
The emperor remained silent.
It was Qingyao who spoke up to explain it to her, "It's because I made a bet with the Emperor. I bet on whether you have been obedient, studied hard, and written well during this period."
"Yes, yes, I worked very hard. You could almost say I worked myself to death... Well, hanging my head from the beam is a bit of an exaggeration. Anyway, I worked very hard. I seldom left the house and seldom ate snacks. Jiarou and Yueshu can testify for me!" Li Shuyao nodded repeatedly.
As if afraid that the two wouldn't believe him, he reached out and pointed at the large-printed paper on the table on the other side. "I might be lying, but these large words can't lie, right?"
"If that doesn't work, how about I write a few words for His Majesty to see?"
As he said this, he went to the study to get pen and ink.
Qingyao stopped him and said, "Wait, be patient and listen to my explanation."
"Then tell me." Li Shuyao stopped gloomily and stood there, pinching the hem of her clothes.
He looks like a child who has been misunderstood and felt wronged.
Qingyao didn't like seeing her so sad and lost, so she quickly explained the whole thing, "The Emperor wanted to make a bet. I originally refused because I was afraid you would be angry after you knew the truth, but the Emperor said you wouldn't be angry."
"Not only will he not be angry, he'll probably be very happy, because you helped me win this jade pendant from the emperor. I'll only be proud of it. How could I not be happy?"
"So there are two bets between the Emperor and me..."
"The second bet is about me? My reaction?" After listening to Qingyao's explanation, Li Shuyao pointed at herself in disbelief.
His expression was very confused and helpless.
It seems that he doesn't understand how there can be such a person in the world...such a bet.
What's the point of betting on her reaction?
Is it because there were too few memorials from the previous dynasty, or is it because the harem was too comfortable?
Is the emperor free?
Li Shuyao held her breath and sat back down in a sullen mood.
There was deep anger in her dark almond-shaped eyes.
Even my favorite snacks started to look unpleasant to me.
The emperor did not notice her reaction like this. After a moment of surprise, he was deeply stunned.
Weren't you angry just now?
...Why does this young lady's mood change so quickly?
Qingyao probably realized that Li Shuyao was really angry. She hurriedly got off the couch and walked to her side. She put one hand on her shoulder and poked her puffy cheek with the other hand, asking, "Are you really angry?"
Li Shuyao nodded: "Yes."
"You'll still reply when you're angry?" Qingyao was a little surprised.
Li Shuyao: "If you don't reply and don't explain clearly, how do you know I'm angry?"
"If I get angry and don't tell you and the Emperor, wouldn't that be a waste of anger? What would I gain then?"
And she is still in her period.
Even for the sake of her own health, Li Shuyao couldn't do such a stupid thing as sulking alone.
After she finished speaking, she put her hands on her hips, puffed out her cheeks, first glanced at the emperor, then looked at her best friend standing very close to her side, snorted, and continued, "So, you and the emperor, why don't you come and coax me?"
Qingyao: "..."
emperor:"……"
They just don't have enough experience.
This is the first time in my life that I have seen someone express anger in such a straightforward and unconcealed way.
While being angry, he offered the ladder.
I was so angry that I felt justified and at ease...
Why does it look so cute?
The hearts of both of them softened at the same time.
Qingyao simply hugged Li Shuyao and whispered many nice words in her ears. She first praised her magnanimity, and then praised her for her kindness, intelligence, and perseverance. She said she would study hard and she really studied hard for more than a month.
She is a great woman who stands tall and proud!
Li Shuyao quickly smiled when she was praised.
Finally, she looked to the other side with sparkling eyes at the emperor who was still silent, and blinked her almond-shaped eyes, full of suggestive meaning, as if saying, what about you, have you thought about how to praise me?
To be honest, the emperor really hasn't figured out how to praise her.
Perhaps it was because Guo Luoluo's words were too exaggerated, and he couldn't say a single word.
After thinking about it, he decided to focus on practicality. "How about this, I will give you the Changchun Palace."
"Just, don't be angry, okay?"
Um?
Changchun Palace?
This name sounds familiar.
Li Shuyao blinked and looked at Qingyao again.
Qingyao was overjoyed and tapped her forehead lightly, "Are you stupid? Why don't you thank me quickly?"
Oh yes, be thankful.
Li Shuyao stood up obediently and bowed to express her gratitude.
Then he turned his head to look at Qingyao and asked her, "Which palace is Changchun Palace? The East Six Palaces or the West Six Palaces?"
Besides, didn’t the lockdown just end?
The emperor suddenly wanted to give her the Changchun Palace... Does this mean he wants to promote her individually?
Wouldn’t the ladies in the harem be particularly unhappy?
Li Shuyao remembered that in the original novel, the heroine Uya seemed to have been promoted to Depin alone, but the timeline was not so fast. She was canonized as Depin by the emperor through the mouth of Concubine Tong of Chengqian Palace after she successfully gave birth to the royal heir.
The other one is Concubine Ping.
The cousin of the late Empress Hesheli was only a child of ten years old when she entered the palace. She also endured the position of concubine for several years before she was promoted to concubine Ping.
However, this Concubine Ping did not have many scenes.
When she was conferred the title alone, it was during the period when Uya and the emperor were having a disagreement.
She rarely appears in the later part of the book. I don’t know if the author forgot about it, or if her role in the character design is just a simple tool...
Li Shuyao couldn't tell whether she had picked up the heroine or the concubine Ping.
There was no talking for a moment.
Qingyao was so immersed in joy that she didn't notice her abnormality. "It's the West Six Palaces, right next to my Yikun Palace. Did you forget?"
"Didn't you come with me to see the palace when I moved it that day?"
Qingyao tapped her head twice in annoyance.
Li Shuyao came back to her senses. "Oh, it's the palace next to Yikun Palace." She paused. "Doesn't that mean we can be neighbors again?"
Qingyao nodded, "Yes, yes, it would be great if you weren't in the East Six Palaces. If you were in Changchun Palace, I could always find you to play with me."
If neither of them is in the emperor's bed, maybe they can even sleep together.
The current palace rule is that the keys must be locked at night, and only someone needs to stay in the palace to lock the doors. Who would care whether the queen is resting in her own palace?
Li Shuyao and Qingyao obviously had the same idea.
The two held hands, whispered a few words happily, and started jumping up and down again.
The emperor who was watching quietly from the side: "..."
He finally realized something was wrong. Why did these two people always ignore me when they talked?
*
The emperor and Qingyao stayed with Li Shuyao for a full half day before leaving.
Looking at the backs of the two people leaving hand in hand, Li Shuyao held her face with both hands, a smile on her lips, and a sparkle in her eyes.
Tian Jiarou originally thought that Li Shuyao would be disappointed that she could no longer serve him in bed, but she did not expect that she would act even happier than when she served him in bed.
I couldn't help but wonder, "Won't the young master feel lost?"
"Lost, what are you lost for?" Li Shuyao sat in front of the dressing table and started to take off the hairpin without waiting for Tian Jiarou and Yue Shu to do anything.
Then she looked at the bronze mirror again. She didn't wear any makeup today. She only put on a little lip balm before the emperor and Qingyao came in. She rubbed it vigorously with the back of her hand a few times to wipe off the bright color on her lips. Then she stood up slowly.
He waved to Tian Jiarou and Yue Shu and said, "Don't worry, I'll take a shower later. Let's rest here today."
Tian Jiarou nodded, turned around and went out to instruct the eunuch in the yard to prepare hot water for her.
After returning to the room, she persevered and returned to the previous question, "That is, my lady, seeing Concubine Yi and the Emperor standing together, would you feel a little sad?"
"No!" Li Shuyao replied in a clear voice, playing with an extremely exquisite mutton-fat jade pendant in her hand - this was a reward given to Qingyao by the emperor, and Qingyao asked for the emperor's consent in front of the emperor before giving it to her.
After all, she was really angry at that time.
Therefore, the bet between Qingyao and the emperor cannot be considered a complete loss for her.
After hearing her reasons, the emperor thought calmly for a moment, and generously did not argue any further. Instead, he took off the jade pendant hanging around his waist and handed it to Qingyao in keeping his promise.
Qingyao was so touched that she gave it to her and whispered in her ear, "Please keep it well. This jade pendant is worth a fortune."
Li Shuyao played with it for a while, then carefully locked the jade pendant she had won with great difficulty into a velvet box.
He planned to pass it on to Qingyao's next child, the fifth prince Yinqi.
Calculating the time, it’s almost time for this cub to be born.
As her aunt and godmother, she had to prepare a big gift.
After locking the jade pendant, Li Shuyao went into a room used to store out-of-season clothes with a mysterious expression. She bent over and dug around inside, wondering which box she had locked the velvet box in.
She walked out again, tilted her head and asked Tian Jiarou again, "Why do you think I'm angry?"
Tian Jiarou's expression was hesitant: "After all, you have been accompanying the emperor during this period..."
However, as soon as the enthronement ceremony was over, the emperor couldn't wait to summon Concubine Yi to sleep with him...
Tian Jiarou was always worried that Li Shuyao would think too much.
However, it turned out that Li Shuyao was incapable of thinking too much. She didn't even understand why Tian Jiarou would feel so worried.
"But wasn't it Qingyao who went to sleep with the Emperor first?"
"I am a latecomer and have gained the upper hand."
"Qingyao isn't angry, so why should I be angry?"
"Besides, I'm still living a simple life and I'm not feeling well and can't sleep with you. You don't think that the emperor will remain, uh, chaste for me, right?"
It was a close call, I almost said the word "keep chastity".
Fortunately, I read a lot of books during this period, so I was able to convert the words into "guarding one's body like jade" in time.
After Li Shuyao finished speaking, she continued, "Besides, the emperor has already decided to give me Changchun Palace to live in, which shows that the emperor still has me in his heart."
"So all I'm thinking about now is you, Yueshu, and me. The three of us should live our own lives well. That's more important than anything else!"
*
A few days later, Li Shuyao sat in Qingyao's Yiku Palace with an embarrassed expression.
She brought up what she had said a few days ago and repeated, "That's not what I meant. What I meant was that you, Jiarou, Yueshu, and Lingluo, the five of us, should live our lives well. That's more important than anything else!"
She really didn't mean to forget Qingyao!
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