Chapter 1 The Harem is a Battlefield
"You should at least learn from others. Last month, Li Baolin met the emperor in the imperial garden. Now he is very favored. He has served him three times this month." Zi Rui muttered.
"Why should I learn from her? Dancing in the imperial garden in such hot weather? I'm afraid of getting heatstroke." Shen Chuliu spoke softly, looking like she didn't care.
"Then you can learn from Lu Baolin and make some embroidery for the Empress, and ask her to sleep with you several times."
"Don't you know that I'm not good at embroidery? It's so tiring. I'm going blind from embroidery." Shen Chuliu still didn't care.
"Then you should learn from Ning Cairen, who has beautiful handwriting..."
"Okay, okay, the time is almost up, hurry up and comb my hair." Shen Chuliu sighed: "How can you repeat the same thing every day without repeating it? I didn't serve you much, but I am still Baolin, right? Why are you in such a hurry?"
"But you have been in the palace for more than a year! It was Baolin when you entered the palace, but you were better than all of them. Now they have caught up!" Zi Rui said, but her hands moved a little faster.
"There are so many people in the emperor's harem, am I going to surpass them all? I was an eighth-rank official when I entered the palace, why should I be in such a hurry?"
"That's because of family!" Zi Rui was anxious.
Shen Chuliu smiled softly: "You still know this. You have such a calm personality. How come you are impatient after more than a year in the palace? I was better than them when I first entered the palace, and I will not be worse in the future. Why are you in a hurry?" Shen Chuliu saw that she was ready to dress up, and put on a pair of earrings: "Let's go, it's important to pay respects to the Queen."
Because they lived far away and could not ride in a sedan chair, Shen Chuliu could only walk with her maid Zirui.
When she went out, she met Yao Baolin, who came from the imperial harem. She was the oldest concubine in the harem, two years older than the emperor. She was already 26 years old this year.
Although twenty-six seems okay, but in the harem, no favor, no children, and no support from your natal family, this is the outcome of your life.
After the two men greeted each other, they went to the Queen's Palace together.
Fengzao Palace is on the central axis of the Imperial Palace, but Cuiyunxuan where they live is in the southeast corner of the Imperial Palace's harem, so it is really not close enough to pay their respects.
"Did you hear, sister? There was a scene last night." Yao Baolin said with a smile.
"What's the matter? I slept very soundly last night and didn't hear it." Shen Chuliu was curious.
"Didn't the emperor stay at Li Jieyu's Bailu Pavilion yesterday? In the middle of the night, Concubine Cao called the imperial physician, saying that she had abdominal pain and dizziness. After checking, it turned out that she was pregnant, so she called the emperor to Qiushui Pavilion in the middle of the night. This made Li Jieyu very angry. Just wait and see, there will be drama when she pays respects this morning."
Shen Chuliu smiled: "That's really a good show, and Lady Cao is also blessed."
"That's right, but the feud between Concubine Li and Concubine Cao has been formed." Yao Baolin said with a smile.
Shen Chuliu didn't say anything and nodded.
Yes, although pregnancy is a big deal, being intercepted is also a big deal in the harem.
Jieyushi was of the fourth rank, Meiren was of the fifth rank, and both could live in a pavilion of their own.
But beauties are of a lower class after all. Even if she is pregnant, she would not disturb the emperor in the middle of the night. This is probably because she is spoiled by the emperor and did it on purpose.
However, the emperor has very few children in his harem. Now that Concubine Cao has a child, as long as she can give birth to the child, she can be promoted to a higher position. By then, she will be a concubine and have children, so she won't be too sad.
It’s just that Concubine Li was favored, while Concubine Cao didn’t serve the emperor much.
"Come to think of it, Concubine Yi has always been favored, but she is not pregnant." Yao Baolin whispered.
Shen Chuliu nodded. That's right. Concubine Yi is the emperor's favorite concubine. Although she is only a second-rank concubine, she was given the title after he ascended the throne.
The two arrived at Fengzao Palace. It was neither early nor late, as there were still people behind them who had not arrived yet.
The two of them were just Baolin and not favored, and they were not the protagonists today, so everyone just greeted them politely, accepted gifts when they should, and returned gifts when they should, and that was it.
The fun only started when He Xiuyi and Song Xiurong, who were among the nine concubines, arrived.
He Xiuyi was a talkative person, and Shen Chuliu had always suspected that the emperor treated her indifferently because she was too talkative. Otherwise, she had given birth to the eldest princess, and the eldest princess was fine, but she was just one of the nine concubines. Not even the head of the nine concubines.
"Oh, I'm not late today." She said with a smile.
Everyone stood up and greeted her.
"Concubine Li, did you sleep well last night?" He Xiuyi asked one of the protagonists of today as she sat down.
This is really a case of bringing up something that is not related to the topic. No one was directly provoking her, so she just asked directly.
However, no one who arrived just now had a higher status than Concubine Li, so no one dared to say it directly.
"Thank you for your concern, Empress Xiuyi. I'm fine." Concubine Li looked down on He Xiuyi.
Speaking of which, among the three most favored ones in the harem now, the first one is Concubine Yi. She is the only second-rank concubine with a title.
The second is Concubine Li, and then Concubine Ning.
Compared to He Xiuyi, who has not received the emperor for thousands of years, Li Jieyu is not inferior at all.
"The Concubine Shu has arrived." Someone said.
Everyone stood up and greeted.
Concubine Feng Shu was the female member of the harem second only to the Empress, and held the rank of First-Rank Concubine. Of the four ranks of Noble, Virtuous, and Virtuous, there was only one such person.
However, her status is different, and she is the emperor's only son, the second prince, so naturally it is impossible for her not to hold a high position.
But when it comes to pampering, she is not as good as He Xiuyi.
Soon after, Concubine Yi arrived.
Concubine Yi was naturally extremely beautiful, with autumn-water eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, a figure as delicate as a willow in the wind, and skin as white as snow and jade. She was both charming and seductive.
In particular, she is very good at playing the piano and has a nice name, Hu Nanfeng.
Well, to be honest, Shen Chuliu criticized it the first time he heard it, but the emperor thought it sounded nice.
So he chanted the line 'The south wind knows my mind, it blows my dreams to the Western Zhou Dynasty', and said that the south wind and my mind were in tune with each other, so he gave me the title: Yi.
Shen Chuliu has been thinking, since they are so connected, why not call it a connection? Ahem, but to put it simply, this is indeed a beauty with outstanding looks and talent.
Her only shortcoming is her poor family background, otherwise she would have been one of the four concubines of the first rank.
Everyone paid their respects to Concubine Yi, and Concubine Yi paid her respects to Concubine Feng.
The queen also came out, and everyone paid their respects to her.
"Please sit down. Today is not the first or fifteenth day of the lunar month. There is no need to go to the empress dowagers' palace. Just sit here in my palace. Concubine Cao had fetal discomfort last night, so she asked for leave." said the queen.
Everyone looked at each other, oh, the other one didn't come.
"In theory, Concubine Cao's pregnancy is a happy event, but it is ignorant to make such a shocking scene in the middle of the night," said He Xiuyi.
Just now she was making fun of Concubine Li, and now she started talking about Concubine Cao. This is also the reason why she is unpopular.
No one likes someone who is two-faced and talkative.
[A few routine words. First of all, those who want to see a one-on-one and a clean pair can quit. Secondly, I don't abuse. Thirdly, this is a fiction, so don't compare it with history. Some of the positions of the harem are taken from the Sui and Tang dynasties, and there are also changes. Finally, are there any old readers left? Those who are in the first book, raise your hands so I can see it? ]
A new book has been published, love you guys.
(End of this chapter)
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