Chapter 232: Capable of Charming Minds
Why?
Concubine Yu looked at the secret decree from the Empress, and she became more and more angry. She was the Empress's party from the beginning to the end. She and the Empress had poisoned Jiang Xinyue together.
Why...
why did the Empress always help their common enemy and never mentioned her at all?
Emperor Xuanwu had no intention of understanding how much resentment Concubine Yu had. He still kept Concubine Yu because she was stupid. She was so stupid that every time she schemed against others, she suffered the loss.
If it weren't for the fact that she was the biological mother of the eldest princess...
Concubine De was also caught off guard by this secret decree.
Although the promotion and demotion of the harem was all based on the Emperor's own wishes, it would be unjust and unreasonable without the consent of the Empress.
The emperor is in charge of the front court, and the empress is in charge of the harem. This is a rule that has been established since ancient times.
Just like a man in the folk takes a concubine, he also needs the consent of his wife.
The emperor doesn't care whether the empress agrees or not, because he is different from ordinary men after all, and the empress dare not disobey his wishes.
But if the empress disagrees, the emperor insists on making Jiang Xinyue the imperial concubine. Everyone in the harem will be dissatisfied, and the front court will also be dissatisfied with the emperor's actions.
Now, Jiang Xinyue has the secret order of the empress in hand and the protection of the emperor. Who can say that she is unworthy?
The emperor and the empress agreed that she was competent for the duties of the imperial concubine, but you said no. Isn't it obvious that you want to be the imperial concubine?
The remaining concubine found that once she could not stand on the moral high ground to accuse the emperor and Jiang Xinyue, she could not find a point to attack Jiang Xinyue.
Is she really so kind and has never done anything to harm others?
No!
Concubine Yu even thought that it was because Jiang Xinyue was very skilled and had done bad things in secret without being discovered.
"Your servant... also congratulates the Royal Concubine..."
Jiang Xinyue listened to Concubine Yu's gritting teeth and became more alert. This moth was trying to fiddle around again.
"Young Master Xie? Young Master Xie?"
The servant called out several times in a row before calling back Xie Chenghuihun who was in a daze at the window.
The handsome boy turned his head blankly, the blush on his face had not faded yet, and his mind was full of the amazing glimpse he got in Chengqian Palace today.
"Young Master Xie, did you get heatstroke while painting under the scorching sun today? Why is your face so red? You look listless."
Painter Li, who was walking quietly behind him, groaned, "A funeral painting is such a big project, and a young boy like Painter Xie will definitely not be able to do it. But he has a background. His father is a first-rank scholar in the Hanlin Academy. He will enter the inner cabinet in the future, so naturally he will push his son to the position. Alas... We little painters don't have a hard time, it's just that our fate is hard."
Seeing Xie Chenghui looking at him, he pretended to have just seen him and said in a frivolous tone, "Hey! Young Master Xie is still here? What's the matter? Do you want to wait for us little painters with no background and invite us to the Yihong Tower to have some fun?"
There is no scholar who doesn't visit brothels.
They didn't necessarily go there to play with girls. Sometimes they would paint their portraits or compose music for them, and the fees were very high.
Others went there to spend money, but they went there to make money.
Xie Chenghui had only heard of Yihonglou and had never been there, but every time he heard Painter Li and others discussing how charming and enchanting a girl was, he would blush and feel at a loss.
He bowed to Painter Li to show his respect for his senior, and Painter Li looked at the other painters with a smug look.
See!
She's from a famous family! Even after
being treated so harshly by him, she still didn't dare to say a word.
Who knew that after Xie Chenghui bowed politely, he walked directly to Painter Li and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner: "My father is a first-rank academician of the Hanlin Academy, but he entered the Hanlin Academy on his own merit. It was an official position appointed by the emperor after he recognized his ability. I was able to enter the painting academy because of the emperor's favor, which is enough to prove my ability. Painter Li always says that I have a good life and you have a hard life. We are all painters, and I don't think I have a good life, nor do I think you have a hard life. Those who can enter the painting academy are all talented calligraphers and painters in Dayan. If you think it's hard, I will help you speak up when I go to paint the emperor's portrait tomorrow, and ask the emperor to grant you retirement and return home, so that you won't suffer anymore."
"You...I...when did I say that I have a miserable life? I'm doing a good job as a court painter, don't ruin my job!"
He said as he retreated with a guilty conscience: "Really, I still have to go paint a portrait for Concubine Yu! It's all your fault that you delayed me."
The book boy snorted coldly and packed up his things: "You are a bully who only bullies the weak and fears the strong."
Xie Chenghui sighed tiredly: "Let's go! It's time to go back."
The next day, the imperial edict that Jiang Xinyue was named Imperial Noble Concubine spread throughout the six palaces. Some people were not convinced and felt that Concubine De and Concubine Yu were more suitable to be the Imperial Noble Concubine. After all, the two were the oldest, had the most seniority, and had better family backgrounds than Jiang Xinyue.
If a lowly concubine like Jiang Xinyue could be an Imperial Noble Concubine, why couldn't they?
But when they knew that even the Empress had secretly ordered the Emperor to make Jiang Xinyue the Imperial Consort, they were never convinced of Jiang Xinyue, but became curious and admired.
It was not a big deal to be able to conquer the Emperor. If they had Jiang Xinyue's beautiful face and charming figure, they could also fascinate the Emperor.
But the Empress was a woman.
How could she be so generous to her rival in love?
Could it be that Jiang Xinyue was really a vixen who could not only fascinate men's minds, but also make women obedient?
Whether Jiang Xinyue was a vixen was still debatable, and the daily greetings could not be avoided.
After becoming the Imperial Consort, Jiang Xinyue could not hide away.
The concubines were not convinced by her in the first place. If she was not more diligent, some people would not take her seriously.
Concubine Xiao stood behind Concubine Yu and whispered to the people around her: "Did you hear it last night? I don't know where the screams came from, I was scared to death."
"Young master heard it too? I thought I was the only one who heard it! I was really scared to death."
Concubine Yu turned around: "What are you guys whispering about?"
Concubine Xiao leaned over flatteringly: "Your Majesty, I and Shuxiang are talking about the screams we heard last night. Could it be a ghost?"
Concubine Yu flicked her handkerchief and wiped her lips: "There are so many dead people in the palace, it's not surprising to have ghosts."
If someone like Jiang Xinyue could become an imperial concubine, the first person to crawl out of the underground and complain would probably be her sister Jiang Yutong.
Yu Fei whispered, "When the treacherous concubine is in power, wild ghosts are crying."
Xiao Meiren and Shuxiang looked at each other and laughed secretly.
"The Imperial Concubine has arrived--"
All the beautiful women in the room knelt down, "Greetings to the Imperial Concubine."
"No need to be polite, stand up."
Jiang Xinyue put on the imperial concubine's court dress of the same color as Emperor Xuanwu's dragon robe, solemn and majestic, "What were Yu Fei and Xiao Meiren laughing at just now? Tell me too."