Chapter 18: Soft Moon and Soft Wind "Your Majesty, can't you wait any longer..."
The warmth of his palm, like a fine, tingling flame, burned the aching spot. Qing Zan didn't know if she shivered in pain or numbness.
"It still hurts. Your Majesty, can't you wait any longer?"
She was originally looking for speed and quickness, and she got what she wanted, so there seemed to be no need to be pretentious about it.
He had already punished the Queen slightly on her behalf, perhaps not insignificantly. For the Queen, power, position, and prestige were both important. It was just that she, and they, possessed so much. Toppling a building would take time, but every brick and tile that was broken would not be in vain.
Xiao Fang squeezed her palm and smiled vaguely: "I'm just afraid that you'll cry."
Qingzan was also afraid of crying. The eyes of the world are like a fountain of tears. The sadness in this world is always so simple. She cares so little about it, but she still can't keep it.
She tilted her head to look at him, and placed the hand that was not held by him and could still move freely across the emperor's shoulder. She asked with a somewhat foolish look, "Can I wait or not?"
Xiao Fang was silent, and took a deep breath: "If you continue like this, it will be hard to say."
Qingzan straightened her waist and half sat down, her lips grazing against the corner of his lips: "Your Majesty hasn't told me yet, which 'Ying' is it?"
Xiao Fang thought,
What the heart is obsessed with is also what the mind is filled with.
But he never expressed his likes and dislikes too easily, and he made an exception for her.
"I thought you wouldn't ask."
Qingzan naturally didn't want to ask that, but she was afraid that if she showed too little enthusiasm this time, what would happen if he treated her poorly in the future, regardless of his position and favors?
It’s not that she doesn’t want it, it’s that she wants too much.
Xiao Fang raised his hand to lift the hair that was blocking her face, and looked into her eyes clearly.
Now, the slender and thin figure is sitting in my arms, making me unable to let go, but at the same time, I can't help but feel a little scared because she is so fragile.
He couldn't help but think of the question he hadn't asked earlier today when she interrupted him with her cry of pain.
"If I don't go to Fengzao Palace today, what are you going to do?"
Qing Zan said pitifully, "How could this servant know? Your Majesty should ask the Empress what she would do to me if you hadn't come."
However, the next moment, she knew the emperor's purpose in tidying up her messy and frizzy black hair.
The emperor's thin lips pressed down without hindrance.
It fell on the most lovely and rosy part of that face as beautiful as plum blossom and jade.
The water gradually rose, and even after hearing the faint whimpering sound, it was still not satisfied and refused to let go.
Just like a hiker on a harsh journey in the desert, enthusiastically and indulgently drowning himself in a sweet spring.
Outside the palace, the moon was soft and the wind was gentle.
*
That night, Xiao Fang was kind enough to let the man go back to the side hall.
He didn't want to be a gentleman, but after all, she was still injured, and he was really afraid that he would hurt her without knowing the severity of the injury.
Rather than being stuck in a dilemma, it is better to wait.
He had plenty of patience with her.
*
After Qingzan returned to the side hall, she was sure that the emperor would not look for her again tonight, so she simply slipped out and went to accompany Suoying again.
Now it is inconvenient for Suoying to drink water. Although there are people in the imperial court to help take care of her, it is not as reassuring as taking care of her by herself.
Before I knew it, I fell asleep on the edge of the bed.
For the next few days, it seemed like the emperor was busy with state affairs and rarely summoned her. Qingzan simply had a set of bedding prepared next to Suoying's bed so that she wouldn't have to sleep on the floor again.
When she woke up that day and was about to go back to the side hall to wash up, she heard the palace servant say that Concubine Yang had come to Taiji Hall and wanted to see her.
Two days ago, Concubine Yang found out that the palace maid who was taken away from Fengzao Palace by His Majesty was named Qingzan. For some reason, she was not surprised at all.
Even she could not forget that face.
Qingzan met someone on the corridor.
At this time, the emperor had probably just finished his morning court session and had not returned yet. Concubine Yang certainly did not dare to enter the main hall or the back hall of the Taiji Hall without permission. However, when the palace servants heard that she was not coming to see the emperor but Qingzan, they showed her the way.
Seeing that the person came out from the direction of the lower room, Lady Yang breathed a sigh of relief unconsciously.
She smiled and teased him, "Your Majesty has hidden you very well!"
Fortunately, she is still somewhat favored now, otherwise it might not be possible to find out that it was her.
Qingzan bowed and greeted: "My beautiful lady."
Lady Yang took her hand affectionately and said, "No need to be so polite," "You saved me, and I haven't even thanked you properly yet. How dare I accept your gift?"
Lady Yang held her arm and walked for a while. After all, Qingzan was not yet a proper master, so although she was not used to it, she did not refuse on purpose.
"Yesterday, I heard that the Empress had tortured you, and I was worried for a long time. Now that I see you here, well and well, I realize that the rumors were just too exaggerated. I'm glad you're okay. Remember, we are friends. Not only will His Majesty help you, but I will too."
Qing Zan just followed the other person's words and asked, "How did the rumor spread outside?"
Concubine Yang remembered something, and her shoulders shuddered slightly. "What you said was shocking, full of assumptions and speculations, which is never good! And you even said you lost half your life, which is why His Majesty was so angry, even the Empress's power of leadership was frozen."
Qingzan originally wanted to invite Concubine Yang to sit in the side hall for a while, but when they walked to the front, they saw the emperor's carriage returning from court.
Concubine Yang paused, gazing intently at the emperor. Seeing her gaze toward the emperor's carriage, Qing Zan took a slight step back. When the emperor alighted from his carriage, Concubine Yang went to meet him, and Qing Zan followed slightly behind, like an ordinary master and servant, intent on stealing her limelight.
The emperor's gaze passed behind Concubine Yang and landed on her lively and delicate face. He curled his lips slightly and asked, "Why are you here?"
Lady Yang seemed a little embarrassed: "Let me... take a look at the green hairpin."
The fact that His Majesty personally went to Fengzao Palace to rescue someone and even left them in Taiji Hall showed that this palace maid was very special to him. She wasn't sure if she had the right position to come, so she waited for a few days. Seeing that no news of the canonization had been released, she finally dared to visit.
Remembering what she had heard about the empress abusing her servants, Concubine Yang followed the emperor to the main hall and called out in a delicate voice, "Your Majesty."
The emperor responded without any emotion: "What's wrong?"
Concubine Yang finally mustered up the courage to speak: "There are rumors everywhere now. Although Qingzan is just a palace maid, she saved me after all, and I care about her reputation. If Your Majesty doesn't know what to do with her, why not give her to me?"
The emperor narrowed his eyes: "What do you mean?"
Lady Yang always felt that his expression had become even colder, and she couldn't help but feel like retreating.
But if Your Majesty really wants to keep this person by your side, why not give him a position or an assignment?
She then gathered herself together and said in a coquettish and flattering manner: "Your Majesty knows what I mean, but you still ask deliberately. I am not as majestic as the Empress, and I will treat Qingzan very well. Your Majesty can rest assured in leaving her to me."
Xiao Fang didn't go any further, but stopped outside the main hall. Concubine Yang could only stop with him, and saw the emperor's sidelong glance at her:
"You mean, you want my concubines to live with you?"
Concubine Yang was suddenly unable to move: "...Concubine?"
Although it was a summer day, Lady Yang felt that the sunlight coming through the corridor was cold, which instantly made her embarrassment clear.
She bit her lip in embarrassment, trying not to lose her composure: "I was mistaken. Turns out it wasn't a rumor."
Xiao Fang: "I'm still busy."
Lady Yang knew that this meant she was asked to leave, so she tried her best to maintain her composure, respectfully bowed to the person, pursed her lips, and said nothing more.
Only after the emperor left did he turn around and look at Qingzan, who had never followed them, at the end of the corridor.
The shame and hatred in her eyes gradually sank and grew colder.
It turned out that this palace maid had really climbed onto the dragon bed a long time ago. Perhaps it was because she saved him that time that she had the opportunity to show herself in front of His Majesty.
Even if there really was something fishy going on, if she had just reminded her, she wouldn't have made such a big fool of herself in front of His Majesty.
It was all because she overestimated her own abilities and was too sentimental.
Qingzan looked back at her calmly.
Lady Yang was not one to hold back, so she walked up to her and said, "I take it back. We are not friends. We can never be friends with someone like you!"
After saying this, Lady Yang left angrily without any reluctance.
Qingzan sat down next to the beauty on the corridor, enjoying the warm breeze.
Looking at the back that left angrily.
...someone like her?
People like her.
Qingzan thought that she should sit cross-legged with her knees hugged, completely curling up in her shameful and embarrassing self. But she couldn't.
Her great hatred has not been avenged. From now on, she will no longer need any new friends. She only needs allies who are united for the sake of benefit and share the same hatred for the enemy.
*
On May 13th, it was the Empress Dowager’s 40th birthday, and the 1000th birthday of the Holy Emperor arrived.
After the Qianqiu Festival comes the ancestor worship on the summer solstice. The Queen Mother moves to the Hanliang Palace to escape the summer heat after the ancestor worship. Qingzan knows that the Queen Mother has chosen her to go with her, so she has simply packed her things in the past two days.
Originally, the Qianqiu Festival was jointly organized by the Ministry of Rites, Guanglu Temple and the Six Shangs, and the Empress was responsible for coordinating and supervising it. However, now it has become the Huifei who assists in the management of the six palaces who is in charge of the banquet, and the Empress Dowager has pardoned the Empress to attend.
Unless the Queen wants to continue recuperating behind closed doors after today, she will not refuse to go.
The queen and the concubine, the old power and the new power are bound to confront each other in public, and the scene must be lively.
The banquet was originally held in the Linde Hall, the largest of the Outer Court. The sounds of music and dancing seemed to echo a thousand miles away, so loud that Qingzan could hear them even from the Taiji Hall. Grand banquets had always been like this: an hour before the banquet began, red ivory sandalwood clappers, zithers, flutes, and pipa instruments, along with dancers with elegant hair and sleeves, would appear on stage to celebrate and entertain the guests from afar.
As Dong'er entered the side hall, she saw Qingzan standing in front of the window in a daze. She hurried over with a pile of new clothes and ornaments, and said, "Didn't His Majesty say that he would issue an edict to confer a title on Sister after the banquet? Why are you still here? Come back to your senses and get dressed!"
"It's still early." Qingzan smiled slightly.
Then, like a porcelain doll, she let Dong'er fiddle with her and let her undress and dress her.
But suddenly, Dong'er's movements stopped as if strangled by something, and the sound became extremely light at this moment.
Before Qingzan could turn around to look in doubt, a pair of strong and powerful hands came from behind to wrap around her slender waist, which was only covered with underwear.
Because of this embrace, the black sleeves of the most solemn and formal emperor's crown just covered a few inches below the brightly exposed snow on her shoulders and arms.
A few inches above, there is the extremely charming skin of a woman, which is reflected by the gold-woven patterns.
How domineering, dazzling and straightforward it jumps into people's eyes.
Xiao Fang originally just wanted to urge people to leave.
At this moment, his calmness and composure were greatly challenged.
The overwhelming breath was overwhelming, and when he relaxed a little, Qingzan could clearly feel that his shoulders were being stroked carefully, one by one, by thumbs with thin calluses.
She no longer needed to look back, and reminded in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, aren't you going to the banquet?"
"You're too slow." He laughed.
Xiao Fang's throat rolled slightly, and he swallowed. With a final effort of restraint, he said to Dong'er, who was standing there in a daze, "Get out and close the door."
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