Bai Susu looked at the jewelry in the box. Most of them were silver or agate, with few gold and jade ones, and the styles were also ordinary.
After all, she was only a lowly maid, and her allowance was just that. She casually pointed at a cold emerald jade pearl hairpin and a silver beaded hairpin, and said lazily, "Just use this."
Nanchun nodded in agreement and quickly put the hairpin on her master's head. Once the cold green hairpin was put on, Bai Susu looked even more elegant and refined.
The bright colors and coolness intertwined together, coupled with the laziness of just waking up, made Nanchun stunned.
Nanchun suddenly felt that her previous thoughts were a bit redundant. After all, her master was so beautiful that even if she wanted to be low-key, she probably couldn't. No matter how dazzling the jewelry she wore, the first thing others saw was her face.
Bai Susu looked at herself in the mirror, quite pleased with her appearance. After all, who doesn't like beauty? She didn't deliberately show off, but she also didn't hide her beauty. She dressed herself beautifully within the rules, which was a pleasure to watch.
Therefore, Bai Susu put on light makeup for the first time today to cover up her slightly pale complexion.
When Manxia brought dresses for Bai Susu to choose from, she picked a light green Liuxian dress, which diluted her overly charming temperament and added a bit of freshness and elegance to her whole person, like a green lotus, gorgeous but not coquettish.
Nanchun and Manxia looked at Bai Susu infatuatedly, once again amazed by her beauty. Their mistress was so beautiful that even the most favored Consort Hui couldn't compare to her. With a mistress like her, how could she not be favored by the Emperor?
Changchun Palace was located in the southwest corner of Qixiang Hall, not very close. Concubines of lower status didn't have sedan chairs, so they had to walk. When Bai Susu and the others came out, the morning light was dim, and the air was filled with moisture and the scent of green grass. Although it was summer, the sun hadn't risen yet, making the air unusually refreshing.
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Inside Changchun Palace
The Empress hadn't even come out yet, but most of the concubines had already arrived. According to custom, the concubines were to pay their respects to the Empress daily, but the Empress was generous and, given her poor health, only allowed them to come on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month. Furthermore, even the concubines who had just entered the palace had to pay their respects to Changchun Palace the following day.
If the Empress Dowager was in the palace, the Empress would lead the concubines to pay their respects to the Cining Palace, but the Empress Dowager was praying in Jing'an Temple at the moment and was not in the palace.
Yesterday was Bai Susu's first time to serve the emperor in bed, which also meant that she had truly become the emperor's woman and was therefore qualified to pay her respects.
Today, Changchun Palace is so lively that the concubines all got up early and looked forward to it, because everyone wanted to see who Bai Susu is and how she could make the emperor ejaculate three times.
You must know that the current emperor is diligent in government affairs and does not care about desires. Although he does not neglect the concubines because he wants to continue the royal heir, it is just a routine matter and he treats them equally. But the disadvantage is that everyone's favor is limited.
That is the Zhaoyang Palace of Concubine Hui. The emperor went there more often because Concubine Hui gave birth to the emperor's only child, Princess Baohua.
And what right did that Bai Changzai have? She called for water three times in one night! This was unprecedented, and it was clear how much His Majesty loved this newcomer.
When Concubine Lin thought of this, she felt a pang of jealousy. Looking at Concubine Jing who was sitting beside her, she said bitterly, "I heard that Concubine Bai lives in my sister's side palace. She even met the emperor in my sister's palace yesterday and slept with him that night. I wonder what kind of person she is to be so alluring."
When Concubine Jing heard Concubine Lin's sarcastic tone, she couldn't help but clench her hands in the dark. She knew that this group of people would make fun of her today and hate her for giving Bai Susu the opportunity to meet the emperor!
But she didn't know that the emperor would go to her palace yesterday. If she had known earlier!
"You'll see what she looks like later." Although Jingpin was angry at Lin Guiren's sarcasm, Lin Guiren was the Queen's sister after all. The Queen's father was the Grand Tutor, the Emperor's teacher, and a loyal minister who assisted the Emperor in ascending the throne. She didn't want to confront her yet.
However, Jingpin secretly curled the corners of her mouth. Although Lin Guiren was quite beautiful, she was empty-headed and looked like a fool. The Queen and the Emperor were in harmony, but she was old after all. Except for the first and fifteenth days of the month, the Emperor often visited the Queen, but he rarely stayed overnight.
The queen had no children, and seeing that Concubine Hui was in dire straits, in order to preserve the status of the Lin family, she was willing to send her young daughter into the palace this time.
However, Jingpin lowered her eyes, fiddled with the tea bowl with the tea lid a few times, and thought to herself: The emperor would not like this kind of woman, and the Lin family's plan would probably fail.
Seeing that Jingpin was as quiet as a piece of cotton and had no reaction, Lin Guiren suddenly felt bored. She curled her lips and stopped talking.
The queen came out of the inner room and saw that most of the concubines had come. She had a faint smile on her face: "Why are so many of you here today?" The queen was generous. Although she required daily greetings, if anyone was unwell, she could let the palace maids report it and the queen would allow them to rest.
No one asked for leave today, and everyone came in full force. Only then did the queen ask.
When they saw the queen come out, the concubines all stood up and greeted her.
The empress was wearing a cinnabar-colored warm satin palace dress with plum-shaped branches. The golden tassels on her bun were shining brightly. She was only one year younger than Emperor Xuan Jing. There were traces of time on her face, but she was beautiful and had a graceful and elegant temperament that no one else could match.
After the Empress excused herself from the formalities, Concubine Lin couldn't hold back her anger and said, "Your Majesty, I missed your wonderful tea here, so I woke up early and wanted to have a few more cups." After all, she was her sister, so she dared to speak to the Empress so intimately. Although everyone in the palace had their share of food, clothing, and other expenses, Concubine Lin wouldn't be tempted by a cup of tea; she was just saying it to cheer her elder sister up.
Looking at her lovely younger sister below, the queen smiled even more deeply and pointed at Concubine Lin and said, "Could it be that the people in Zhaochun Palace have been short of your tea? You bring this up as an excuse, which shows that you are a greedy person." She said it in a teasing way, and Concubine Lin acted coquettishly and refused to obey, and everyone laughed along.
"After all, she is the Empress's sister, and her words are so endearing. A group of new people have entered the palace. When I look at this group of bright colors, I feel that time is like flowing water, and I am like a pearl that has lost its moisture and has lost its luster." Concubine Ning smiled and stroked the side of her face with her jade-white fingers, as if lamenting how quickly time passed.
In fact, her appearance was truly remarkable. Although she had entered the palace early, she had maintained herself well, showing no trace of the ravages of time. Furthermore, her skin was as delicate as porcelain, and her eyes, as sharp as water, seemed to speak, revealing a quiet and elegant temperament.
She was also an old hand in the palace, and her words sounded like she was praising Concubine Lin, but in fact, she was mentioning the newcomers who had been selected to enter the palace.
As expected. As soon as the topic came up, someone couldn't help but say, "Speaking of newcomers, why is Bai Changzai, who served in the emperor's bed yesterday, still nowhere to be seen? Could it be that she's become spoiled after just one night in the emperor's bed? She's even late for paying her respects to the Empress!" The person who spoke was Xi Liangyuan, one of the new concubines in the palace. She was wearing a light blue palace dress, with a pretty and fair face and lively eyes. At this moment, her face was filled with anger and she looked indignant.
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