Chapter 21: Finally Soft-Hearted
At the morning meeting the next day, Wen Yao was the first to arrive and Jiang Shuyi was the last to arrive.
Concubine Jin snorted coldly: "People are just different. Some people, after being favored, love to show off and disrespect the Empress. Look at Concubine Wen, she is also sensible and knows the rules."
Everyone knows who these “some people” are referring to.
Wen Yao glanced at Jiang Shuyi and saw that her eyes were slightly dark and she looked tired, as if she didn't sleep well last night, so she lightly withdrew her gaze.
"Noble Wen has only received a favor once, so she is not considered favored, right?" Concubine Rou chuckled disdainfully: "Oh, I forgot, maybe to Concubine Jin, Noble Wen is already favored."
Concubine Jin was so angry that her face turned red. She was about to scold her for being Concubine Jiang's running dog when Concubine Lin suddenly spoke timidly, "I beg you ladies, please don't quarrel, otherwise you will be reprimanded by the Queen again..."
Everyone still remembers vividly the Queen's display of power.
Concubine Jin subconsciously glanced at Concubine Wu, who had been slapped yesterday and looked gloomy today, and finally gritted her teeth and swallowed her words.
What no one expected was that His Majesty also came to the morning meeting today.
The emperor and empress entered the palace together and sat down at the top. After everyone had paid their respects, Pei Yan looked down at them and said in a deep voice, "In half a month, it will be my mother's birthday. She has been feeling unwell for a while and has been feeling depressed. I am very worried and cannot sleep well. So I hope you can follow my example and prepare the birthday banquet and gifts with all your heart. Whoever can win my mother's favor this time will be rewarded handsomely."
Most of the concubines were shocked when they heard this.
Your Majesty is a filial son. This is a great opportunity to win your favor!
Jiang Shuyi glanced at them and thought they were a bunch of fools.
They still wanted to please the Empress Dowager, but Wen Yao was there, so it would be useless even if they presented flowers.
This was the case in the previous life. The concubines all showed their magical powers and took great pains to prepare birthday gifts. Jiang Shuyi also stayed up for several nights and embroidered a longevity picture before the birthday banquet. As a result, the empress dowager had a stern face from beginning to end until Wen Yao came on stage. The empress dowager smiled before she even said a word.
Well, when I think about it, I am also a fool.
Pei Yan was busy with government affairs, so he left after giving the instructions.
The Queen led all the concubines in kneeling and saluting: "Farewell, Your Majesty!"
Pei Chen walked down the jade steps, and when he reached Wen Yao, he suddenly stopped.
Wen Yao lowered her head, and her breathing suddenly stopped when she saw the dragon boots stopped in front of her.
"Lady Wen."
A familiar and warm voice came from above my head, with a hint of teasing: "Did you catch a cold last night?"
The concubines' eyes widened. If it weren't for etiquette, they would have looked over there at the same time.
Wen Yao blushed with embarrassment. She knew that the emperor was asking whether she had caught a cold last night because she slept on a low couch in the outer room and the bedding was not thick. But inexplicably, she couldn't bring herself to speak in public.
She could only whisper softly: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I, I am fine..."
Pei Yan chuckled and said, "Let the imperial physician take a look. I will feel more at ease."
Wen Yao agreed with a red face.
Pei Yan was about to leave when his eyes inadvertently swept over Jiang Shuyi.
She also bent her legs and lowered her head, revealing a neck as white as jade. Because she was far away from him, she looked like a lonely branch of flower that was about to break in a corner where no light could reach.
Pei Yan suddenly remembered that when he was young, every time the Shangshufang was dismissed, his mother would always wait outside the palace in advance. When she saw his third brother and him coming out, she would immediately smile and greet him, hugging his third brother in her arms, rubbing his head and saying, "Are you tired? Today, I brought your favorite chestnut cake. Tell me what you want to eat tomorrow morning so that I can prepare it for Chen'er in advance."
Pei Yan watched quietly from the side. The third prince lay in the arms of the queen mother and acted coquettishly. The queen mother smiled and pinched his cheek. The mother and son laughed for a while before they decided to return to the palace.
He followed them holding the book box, and occasionally when his third brother looked back at him provocatively, he looked docile and obedient.
Does Jiang Shuyi at this moment have the same feelings as he did when he was young?
Pei Yan didn't know why, but when he thought of this, he felt inexplicably happy.
But he always couldn't help but soften his heart.
Finally, he called her gently: "Princess Jiang, follow me out."
The shyness on Wen Yao's face froze a little.
Jiang Shuyi had already heard the conversation between Pei Yan and Wen Yao. Her heart felt aching and stuffy, and she was caught off guard when Pei Yan called her. When she raised her head in surprise, Pei Yan had already turned around and walked out.
He only saw Wen Yao staring at him straight, and there was a hint of hostility in those eyes which were always indifferent.
Jiang Shuyi couldn't help but wonder, what did Pei Yan ask her to do? Didn't he already have a new favorite? Oh, he wanted to warn her again not to bully Wen Yao, right?
The thought of this possibility made her feel so aggrieved that she almost cried. She took a deep breath to hold back her tears, glared at Wen Yao, and then went after Pei Yan.
Outside Kunning Palace.
Pei Yan had already sat on the sedan chair and the eunuch had just lifted him up.
Jiang Shuyi hurried forward, then remembered what she had been taught yesterday, and quickly stopped, kneeling and saluting to him from two steps away: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Pei Yan was a little surprised by her rules, but when he saw her slightly red eyes, he understood.
"Sad?"
He asked gently.
Jiang Shuyi felt that he was asking even though he knew the answer. Which concubine wouldn't be sad when she saw that the emperor had a new favorite?
Thinking about this, it seems that she was not sad in her previous life.
Maybe she was too busy. She devoted all her attention to her son and had to prepare birthday gifts for the Queen Mother. Jiang Wanqing would come to her from time to time to cry about being bullied. She was so busy that she had no time to be jealous.
By the time he had almost had enough of his son and began to pay attention to the concubines at the instigation of Jiang Wanqing, Wen Yao had already committed suicide because of her father's actions.
Seeing Jiang Shuyi bowing her head and saying nothing, Pei Yan sighed and tapped the armrest with his fingers: "Jiang Fei, come to me."
Jiang Shuyi collected her wandering thoughts, obeyed Pei Yan's words as usual, and walked to the side of the sedan chair.
The top of his head was rubbed gently, and Pei Yan smiled and said, "I remember that you like to eat milk cakes. I will ask Cheng Shouzhong to ask the imperial kitchen to make some and send it to you."
Jiang Shuyi raised her head and looked at him with some confusion.
She is not the kind of person who is well-behaved and sensible and doesn't like to bother others. If she wants to eat, she will definitely ask someone to go to the imperial kitchen to get it.
Why are you suddenly saying this?
Could it be... that he was coaxing her?
Jiang Shuyi's eyelashes trembled twice, and the complicated emotions in her heart surged again, and her eyes felt a little sore.
It's not that she doesn't understand the truth. As an emperor, it is normal for all the concubines and the imperial courts to be treated equally. Pei Yan has been good enough to her and is partial to her.
Jiang Shuyi was sad because her love for the emperor had increased by ten years, but the emperor's love for her had decreased by ten years.
The affection she now expressed was seen as presumptuous and disrespectful by the emperor.
Pei Yan saw mist in her eyes, which instantly became a pool of autumn water, reflecting the morning sun, and rippling with ripples.
It seems like I'm extremely aggrieved.
When I got closer, I realized there was a faint dark circle under her eyes. I don't know why she tossed and turned in bed last night and cried until dawn.
Pei Yan watched quietly for a long time, and suddenly felt that this seemed not bad.
Let Jiang Shuyi depend on him wholeheartedly, cry because of him, feel wronged because of him, smile because of him, just like a delicate silk vine that cannot survive without him.
It's quite interesting.
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