She walked out of Guanju Palace and saw the imperial carriage parked at the door. The palace maid said respectfully:
"Your Highness, the Emperor has specifically instructed that you ride in the imperial carriage to Yijing Garden."
Sheng Xiyan felt warm in her heart, rubbed her hands together and said with a sweet smile: "Xuan Lang is so good to me."
When they arrived at Yijing Garden, Mingyue and Ziling carefully helped her walk inside.
The scenery in late autumn and early winter is breathtaking, with leaves falling under the ginkgo trees like golden rain.
The sound of melodious music came from the pavilion in the distance. Sheng Xiyan quickened her pace, but felt a little uneasy in her heart.
When I got closer, I saw Xuan Ling sitting in the main seat in the pavilion. Below her was a beauty playing the pipa, another beauty was playing the guqin, and another beauty was dancing gracefully.
Sheng Xiyan stood under the ginkgo tree, watching the emperor admiring her with great pleasure, her long fingers still tapping the rhythm.
Her face darkened instantly, and she whispered to Mingyue, "The one playing the pipa is Concubine Min, the one playing the guqin is Concubine Cui Zhaoyi, and who is dancing?"
"My Lady, the one dancing is Princess Xueqiong."
Sheng Xiyan stamped her feet in anger and gritted her teeth, "I'm not going. I want to go back! What's this about enjoying the scenery? It's clearly about accompanying him to admire the beauty! A pervert!"
She turned around to leave, but Eunuch Fu came over and stopped her.
Eunuch Fu smiled apologetically and said, "My Lady, please go over there quickly. The Emperor has been waiting for quite some time!"
Sheng Xiyan held the enamel and gold-painted heater in her arms and said proudly, "I'm tired and don't want to go!"
Mingyue advised, "Your Majesty, you still don't know what's going on. The weather is nice today, so why not go and sit with the Emperor?"
Sheng Xiyan took a deep breath, barely suppressed the anger in her heart, and slowly walked towards the pavilion.
Xuan Ling saw her coming from afar, and seeing her cheeks puffed up with anger, he couldn't help but smile.
Sheng Xiyan walked to the pavilion and bowed: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
Xuan Ling nodded lightly, but his eyes fell on Xue Qiong. He smiled and said, "Princess Xue Qiong's dance is as graceful as a startled swan and as graceful as a swimming dragon. I admire it very much."
Xue Qiong smiled shyly upon hearing this, stepped forward and pulled Xuan Ling's sleeve, saying coquettishly:
"Your Majesty, thank you for your praise. Xueqiong is only slightly skilled in dancing. It would be a blessing for her to win your favor."
Sheng Xiyan stood aside, clutching the handkerchief in her hand angrily, cursing in her heart: Vixen! And she's from a foreign land.
She suppressed her anger, sat aside, picked up a grape, but squeezed it too hard and the juice splashed everywhere.
Xuan Ling glanced at her, a smile flashing in his eyes, but he pretended not to know, and turned to Cui Zhaoyi and said:
"Consort Cui plays the guqin beautifully. I will reward you with a cup of ginseng tea."
Cui Zhaoyi hurriedly thanked her and took the ginseng tea, but she looked at Sheng Xiyan's pregnant belly with a complicated look.
She felt indignant: Did you return to the palace for the sake of your child? Why couldn't you be brave enough to stay with Qi Yan forever?
She knew in her heart that she was just playing along with the emperor, but for the sake of her family, she could only fulfill her duties as a concubine.
Xuan Ling looked at Sheng Xiyan again and deliberately asked, "Noble Concubine, I would like to give Cui Zhaoyi ginseng tea. Do you have any objection?"
Sheng Xiyan forced a smile and snorted coldly, "Your Majesty is rewarding Sister Mi'er, how could I have any objection?"
Upon seeing this, Cui Zhaoyi stepped forward, knelt before Xuan Ling, and gently massaged his legs.
Concubine Min was not willing to be outdone, so she also stepped forward to massage Xuan Ling's back, but was pushed away by Xue Qiong.
Xue Qiong said in a delicate voice, "Your Majesty, Xue Qiong is here to massage your back."
Xuan Ling smiled and nodded, but his eyes were always vaguely on Sheng Xiyan.
With a half-smile, he said, "My concubines are all very sensible, Your Majesty, what do you think?"
Sheng Xiyan was so angry that she almost cried, but she forced a smile and said, "My two sisters are so considerate. The emperor should reward them by sleeping with them tonight."
Xuan Ling raised his eyebrows in surprise when he heard this: "Your Highness is right, I have the same idea."
Upon hearing this, Xue Qiong immediately knelt down, took Xuan Ling's hand, and said in a delicate voice, "Your Majesty, Xue Qiong is here to marry. When will you take her into your harem?"
Sheng Xiyan's heart tightened, but she deliberately smiled and said, "If the princess sleeps with me, she will be canonized the next day."
Xue Qiong was delighted when she heard this and she pulled the dragon robe and begged,
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine is truly virtuous. She supports Xue Qiong in serving Your Majesty..."
Xuan Ling: “…”
He narrowed his eyes slightly and observed Sheng Xiyan's expression. He saw that although she was pretending to be calm, tears were already flashing in her eyes.
I was secretly happy and added fuel to the fire:
"As an emperor, I shoulder the heavy responsibility of continuing my lineage. I will treat everyone equally. The more princes and princesses I have, the happier I am."
Sheng Xiyan curled her lips and rolled her eyes. "What a joy! This is just your dragon nature, right? And you're pretending to be so affectionate!"
It’s a waste of my regret and self-blame before!
Xuan Ling observed Sheng Xiyan's expression with his dark eyes - she frowned in thought,
I was sure she took my words to heart, because I saw her subconsciously reaching out to touch her lower abdomen.
Bad girl, I have to make you realize the crisis today so that you will stick to me and go back to the Yangxin Palace to take care of your pregnancy.
No, I can't let other women snatch this dragon away, otherwise the princes and princesses I give birth to will be neglected! This favor must be fought for, and it must be the only one I love!
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