Chapter 12 [12]
【12】
Soon, Lady Zhao, dressed in a Hunan-colored palace dress, slowly walked into the hall.
Lu Zhiwan sat in the main hall with his back straight. When he saw her come in, he didn't even look up, but just pretended to drink tea.
Concubine Zhao stood in the hall for a long time before she realized that Lu Zhiwan was deliberately putting on airs, intending to leave her hanging if she didn't say anything. Despite feeling deeply dissatisfied, Concubine Zhao clenched her palms and knelt before the person seated at the top, saying, "Concubine Zhao greets Concubine Lu. Best wishes to Concubine Lu."
"Oh, Miss Zhao is here." Lu Zhiwan was instantly immersed in the role. He was suddenly surprised, then smiled politely: "Look at me, I've been busy serving His Majesty these past two days, and I'm a little exhausted. I was so busy that I didn't notice Miss Zhao coming. Please don't take it to heart."
Seeing the person in the upper seat pretentiously calling her "sister", Concubine Zhao felt a surge of hatred. Wasn't it just a face of a vixen? No one is beautiful forever, and no flower is red forever. She wanted to see how long this little bitch could be so arrogant after getting in Concubine Gu's eyes.
However, she came here today not to make enemies with Lu Zhiwan, on the contrary, she came to show goodwill to Lu Zhiwan.
Thinking of this, Lady Zhao put on a smiling face, first presented the housewarming gift, and exchanged a few simple greetings. When the atmosphere was almost set, she began her performance.
She first took out a handkerchief and tucked her eyes, then said with a guilty look on her face, "I know I've done many wrong things in the past that hurt you, but I didn't mean to. You know, I was assigned to Concubine Hu's palace. She's the head of a palace, and I have to live under her wing. Every time she caused trouble for you, I privately advised her... But she's of a higher rank than me, and her father is an official in the capital. How could she take my words seriously..."
After shedding two crocodile tears, Lady Zhao slowly stood up, took off a jade bracelet of exquisite color from her wrist, and stuffed it into Lu Zhiwan's hand. "Wanwan, you and I are both from Yuezhou, and your father works under my father. The relationship between us is incomparable to others. Most of the women in the harem are from the capital, and they look down on us from Yuezhou. We should help each other."
Help? Lu Zhiwan looked at the priceless bracelet and found it funny. He thought he could ease the grudge with just a bracelet. He was dreaming.
However, if a bracelet is delivered to your door, you should not refuse it. Just consider it as a little compensation for the original owner's mental loss.
"Sister Zhao, you're so kind! You brought all those gifts and even gave me a bracelet. You're so generous, I can't let you down." Lu Zhiwan accepted the bracelet with a frown, then looked at Lady Zhao. "As for helping each other, let's be frank. How do you want me to help you?"
She was so straightforward that Lady Zhao was a little at a loss.
Under Lu Zhiwan's blunt gaze, Concubine Zhao hesitated for a moment before whispering her inner thoughts, "Your Majesty has always been averse to women. What methods did you use to please His Majesty, Wanwan? If you could teach me a thing or two, I would certainly remember your contribution when I receive your favor in the future."
Lu Zhiwan twitched the corner of his mouth slightly: "..."
She herself hasn't even slept with the emperor, so what's there for her to teach?
But then again, she still didn't understand why the emperor fell in love with her.
"Wanwan?" Seeing that she didn't speak for a long time, Lady Zhao thought she was unwilling, so she immediately pointed to the sky and the earth, and spoke a lot of repetitive words like "sisterhood", "mutual help", and "common honor and disgrace" in sincere words.
Seeing how excited she was, Lu Zhiwan was afraid she wouldn't leave if he didn't give her some information today. So, playing it safe, he told her that the emperor was a cat lover: "His Majesty loves cats the most. If you like cats too, you won't have anything to talk about when you meet His Majesty in the future."
Lady Zhao was also someone who was easily fooled. When she heard the news, she was overjoyed. She chatted with Lu Zhiwan for a few more words and then left happily.
When she returned to Changchun Palace, she told this story to Concubine Hu as if to take credit for it, quite proudly saying, "Lu Zhiwan was just lucky to have caught the eye of Your Majesty by accident, but she's such a shallow fool. With just a little gift and a few sweet words, she was completely swayed. Did she really think I treated her like a sister? Oh, she doesn't deserve it."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Hu couldn't help but raise her hand to rub her pounding forehead, and angrily scolded, "I think you are the idiot! His Majesty likes to keep cats, something you can find out with a little inquiry, is it worth you being so happy? That Lu Zhiwan is obviously perfunctory, and you still have the nerve to call her an idiot?"
Concubine Zhao was stunned. When she met Concubine Hu's sneer, she realized what was going on. Her pretty face flushed crimson. She clutched her handkerchief tightly in anger and gritted her teeth, "How dare this damned little bitch fool me!"
***
In the Lifeng Palace, after seeing off Concubine Zhao, Lu Zhiwan was not idle either. He had just moved into a new house and had a lot of trivial matters to deal with.
She was busy until dusk, and it was not until the palace maids held up poles and lit lanterns that Lu Zhiwan remembered something - it was already this late, and there was still no news of being summoned. Could it be that the emperor would not see her tonight?
On second thought, the emperor summoned his concubines, not a couple in love who needed to see each other every day. This was normal. So without thinking any more, he had dinner, strolled around the courtyard twice, and then went back to sleep.
Since the emperor had granted him amnesty, Lu Zhiwan didn't have to pay his respects to Concubine Gu in the morning. He slept happily until he woke up naturally. After waking up, he read a book, admired the flowers, drank tea, and felt leisurely and comfortable.
But after three days of such peaceful days, there was no movement from the emperor, and Lu Zhiwan began to panic.
Could it be that she has fallen out of favor?
Could it be that she had thrown herself into his arms that night, her intentions too obvious, and that the dog emperor had become disgusted? But that didn't make sense. If he didn't like her, why would he have slept with her all night, and the next day exempt her from paying her respects, and even granted her a new palace, acting like he was deeply patronizing her?
The more Lu Zhiwan thought about it, the more confused he became. If a man's heart is as deep as the sea, then the heart of this dog emperor is like a needle in the Pacific Ocean, impossible to fathom.
She was replaying the scene of their last time together, while others in the palace were waiting to laugh at her.
At noon on the fourth day, looking at the obviously plainer lunch, Lu Zhiwan said: "..."
She knew that the palace always flattered the weak and stepped on the powerful, but wasn't this too quick to change course?
Xia He was also very anxious. When no one was around, she secretly asked Lu Zhiwan what to do. Lu Zhiwan thought it was nothing, but pretended to be calm and comforted her, "Let's wait a little longer."
However, before she could hear any movement from the Yangxin Palace, she had an accident on her side.
The cosmetics she usually used were tainted by an insider, and her originally smooth and delicate face suddenly broke out in many red rashes, which looked horrifying.
Xia He was startled and hurried to see the imperial physician. Lu Zhiwan, enduring the itchiness on his face, stopped her and said, "Don't call the imperial physician yet."
Under Xia He's puzzled gaze, Lu Zhiwan found a veil to cover her face and went straight to the Yangxin Palace.
If you don’t cherish this good opportunity to show your pity, you will be doing a disservice to these red rashes on your face.
***
Xiao Jingting has been very upset recently about the implementation of the new policy. The court officials have been divided into two groups. Every day when they go to court, they are like black-eyed chickens, scolding and criticizing each other and arguing fiercely.
He sat on the dragon throne, watching them talk about benevolence, morality, and serving the country and the people, but in reality they were just concerned about protecting their own small piece of land from being invaded. He found it ridiculous. After laughing, he felt extremely bored. If it weren't for his father's "infatuation", leaving him as his only heir, he would be a leisurely prince, walking cats and playing with tigers every day, which would be better than sitting on the high platform and watching the court officials quarrel.
I slept through the whole morning with my eyes closed, and the court meeting was finally over.
He rode back to the palace, hoping to finally have some peace and quiet. Just as he reached the gate of the Yangxin Palace, he saw a figure of dusky color rushing towards him, crying out in a voice full of emotion, "Your Majesty, please help me!"
Xiao Jingting frowned and was about to call the guards, but when he looked closely, he saw a petite woman wearing a veil, revealing only a pair of black eyes filled with tears, looking at him pitifully.
That look was as if he was her lifeline, full of admiration and dependence.
What is this woman doing?
Seeing that he had a stern face, frowned, and looked in a bad mood, Lu Zhiwan groaned inwardly, thinking that it seemed that the timing of playing the victim was not right?
But now that he was right in front of her, it was too late to back out. She could only watch the man's face while regulating her crying: "This concubine did not mean to disturb Your Majesty. It is actually because I was harmed by someone. I am panicked and have no choice but to come to Your Majesty for help."
Xiao Jingting glanced at the veil on her face lightly, and guessed something. He rubbed her with his long fingers behind his back twice, and then he walked into the hall: "Come in and answer."
Lu Zhiwan was stunned for a moment, then he breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to catch up.
Xia He, who was accompanying her outside the palace, was stunned. Could this trick actually work? Then she thought, it seems His Majesty still cares about the master. If he sees the rash on the master's face later, he will definitely feel distressed and may even hold her in his arms and gently comfort her...
The little girl was imagining some sweet scenes of love between a man and a woman. Inside the magnificent palace, Xiao Jingting looked at Lu Zhiwan's face, which was as red as Guan Gong's after she took off her veil. He couldn't help laughing for a moment and let out his first laugh in the past few days.
Lu Zhiwan, who was about to cry, said: "......?"
Is this still a human being!
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