Chapter 1 Imperial Concubine 1
(Luo Xi has no memory.)
In a pavilion.
A beautiful woman in a light blue dress is playing the zither. Her slender, fair fingers gently pluck the strings, producing a tranquil and peaceful melody that calms the mind. Upon closer listening, however, one can sense a hint of longing and sorrow within the music.
Suddenly, she stopped what she was doing.
Luo Xi felt a little dizzy. She frowned, closed her eyes, and reached out her right hand to pinch her forehead...
Zhuzhu lowered her head slightly and waited beside Luo Xi.
The music stopped, and Zhuzhu looked up at Luoxi with a puzzled expression.
Seeing Luo Xi frowning in discomfort, she hurriedly stepped forward.
"Your Highness, are you feeling unwell? Should I go and fetch the imperial physician?"
Upon hearing this, Luo Xi opened her beautiful, clear eyes. There seemed to be something in her eyes, yet nothing at all.
Luo Xi said softly, "Zhuzhu, I'm fine, just a little tired."
Zhuzhu tentatively asked, "Your Highness, shall we go back?"
Luo Xi nodded.
Zhu Zhu was overjoyed and quickly reached out her hand. Luo Xi helped Zhu Zhu stand up with her hand.
Zhu Zhu helped Luo Xi back to Yuqiong Palace with a pained expression.
She was brought into the palace from the Empress's residence, and she knew many things about the Empress.
The Empress actually had someone she loved, Song Jingrui, the eldest son of the Duke of Zhenguo. The two were in love with each other. However, the Prime Minister, for the sake of power and status, forced the Empress to enter the palace and urged her to conceive an heir as soon as possible.
But the Emperor doesn't come, and the Empress can't conceive on her own! The Emperor has never visited Yuqiong Palace.
Because the emperor also had someone he loved, a young female physician.
Her mistress, ever since entering the palace, has been sullen and melancholy, eating very little, and growing increasingly frail...
Half a month ago, the Empress fainted while playing the zither, which gave her quite a fright.
The imperial physician said that the Empress fainted because she was overthinking and had a poor appetite.
For the past two weeks, she had frequently urged the Empress to eat more, but the Empress still ate very little, and her complexion was growing paler and paler...
Pilgrimage Hall.
Pei Zhiyan tapped the table and asked in a deep voice, "Is she still not eating or drinking?"
Female bodyguard: "Your Majesty, Miss Ning still refuses to eat."
Pei Zhiyan was a little irritated.
He explained to her that he would only ever want her in this life.
As for the Imperial Concubine, he will not touch her.
Bringing the imperial concubine into the palace was merely a means to stabilize the court.
Moreover, the Imperial Concubine also had someone she loved.
He had no idea what she was up to.
If you mind the Imperial Concubine, then there's absolutely no need to!
After the imperial concubine entered the palace, he never went to Yuqiong Palace.
Because he had already made an agreement with the Imperial Concubine.
He won't touch her; once the court is stable, he will release her from the palace.
Pei Zhiyan thought for a moment, then looked at An Xu who was standing to the side and said, "Go to Yuqiong Palace and ask the Imperial Concubine to come out of the palace and persuade her."
Eunuch An: !!!
Should the Imperial Concubine be sent to persuade Miss Ning?
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Jade Palace.
Luo Xi: !!!
She was silent for a moment, then asked softly, "His Majesty asked me to persuade Miss Ning to enter the palace?"
Eunuch An: "Yes, Your Majesty."
What's going on here! The Emperor actually sent his concubines to persuade another person to enter the palace.
Luo Xi thought for a moment and then said, "I am not familiar with Miss Ning, so why would His Majesty ask me to persuade her?"
Eunuch An was genuinely puzzled when he saw the Imperial Concubine.
"Your Highness, Miss Ning doesn't want to enter the palace because..."
Seeing that Eunuch An was looking at her hesitantly, Luo Xi asked, "Is it because of me?"
Eunuch An: "Yes, Your Highness, Miss Ning is concerned about the fact that there are concubines in the Emperor's harem, which is why she does not want to enter the palace."
Luo Xi:
So it turns out you wanted to be with only one person for life!
"Alright, I understand."
The next day.
A low-key yet exquisite carriage was parked outside a courtyard in the south of the city outside the palace.
Zhuzhu walked to the carriage and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, we have arrived."
Upon hearing this, Luo Xi took Zhu Zhu's hand and got off the carriage.
Luo Xi stood at the entrance of the courtyard.
A guard stepped forward and bowed to Luo Xi.
Then, he had someone open the gate to the courtyard.
After all, the Emperor had given instructions that the Imperial Concubine would be coming today, and they should not ask any questions but simply let her in.
In the courtyard.
Ning Zhirou sat at the stone table, carefully observing the courtyard, looking for any way to escape.
Suddenly, she heard a noise outside the door.
After a while, the door opened from the outside.
Then, she saw an unbelievably beautiful woman walk in.
Ning Zhirou: ? ? ?
The Imperial Concubine? What is she doing here?
Looking at the beautiful imperial concubine, Ning Zhirou felt an uncontrollable sense of inferiority.
Such a beauty?
How could the Emperor not like it?
Ning Zhirou stood up and walked up to Luo Xi.
She was about to bow
Luo Xi grabbed her hand in time.
"No need for such formalities."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Ning Zhirou asked in confusion, "Did the Imperial Concubine come to see me?"
Luo Xi nodded.
In the main hall.
Luo Xi took a sip of tea, and Ning Zhirou sat down next to her.
Luo Xi put down her teacup, looked at Ning Zhirou, and said softly, "Miss Ning, actually, I have someone I like, the eldest son of the Duke of Zhenguo. We were in love with each other, but because of my father, I had no choice but to enter the palace."
"The Emperor knows I have someone I love, so he told me that once the court is stable, he will let me leave the palace so I can be with the person I love..."
That's what the Emperor said to her, but she knew her father wouldn't let her leave the palace.
Every month, the prime minister would send a letter to the palace, urging her to serve the emperor as soon as possible, conceive an heir, and ideally, have the emperor make her empress.
Ning Zhirou: !!!
Luo Xi: "Miss Ning, the Emperor likes you very much, and you must like the Emperor too, right?"
"If you mind me being in the palace..."
Luo Xi thought for a moment and then said, "Then I will stay in the Jade Palace and try not to come out, okay?"
Ning Zhirou hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I... I didn't mind you at all."
"I...I just haven't thought it through yet."
Ning Zhirou gazed at the beautiful face of the Imperial Concubine.
The Emperor doesn't like the Imperial Concubine now? What about later?
Luo Xi spoke with Ning Zhirou for a while longer before leaving.
Inside the carriage.
Luo Xi looked indifferently at the pastries on the small table.
After a while, she reached out her right hand and stroked her delicate collarbone, where there was a red mark that looked like an ambiguous kiss mark, which Luo Xi had pinched herself.
She thought of Ning Zhirou's incredulous look just now, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.
"Return to the palace."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
In the courtyard.
Ning Zhirou froze, staring motionless at the entrance, tears streaming down her face unnoticed...
The Emperor touched the Imperial Concubine; she saw it. She saw the hickey on the Imperial Concubine's collarbone...
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