Chapter 7: Who are you showing off to?
"Hmm~"
Su Ci proudly lifted her long hair and said, "You have good taste."
This appearance and figure that bring disaster to the country and the people, and her pretentious green tea heart.
It's a perfect match made in heaven.
Aunt Lan looked hesitant: "...Yanyu, you go guard the gate and don't let anyone in."
"yes."
After Yanyu left the room, Aunt Lan pulled her daughter to sit down, frowned slightly, and reached out to help her straighten the collar of her shirt.
"Ci'er, you are indeed very beautiful in this outfit, but isn't it a bit inappropriate to go to the emperor like this? Well, wouldn't it seem a little inappropriate..."
"Auntie, I entered the palace to be a concubine, not a queen."
Su Ci lowered her eyes to admire the pair of delicate, pink hands, and spoke softly, "Your Majesty has been on the throne for almost five years, and he's only twenty-five or twenty-six this year. The Empress was his first wife before he ascended the throne, and he has only a few concubines. Only last year did he select some new ones."
"When a new emperor ascends the throne, he must win over the court officials. Almost all those chosen to enter the palace are the daughters of current ministers. Although the position of the Four Concubines is still vacant, there are many beauties and talented women among the Nine Concubines below. They are all well-educated, well-mannered, dignified and elegant ladies."
"Father will definitely be promoted this time, but compared to those daughters of first-rank prime ministers or second- or third-rank officials in the palace, I, a mere concubine, am so insignificant. Who can I show my dignity to?"
"...Ci'er, Auntie doesn't understand what you mean."
Aunt Lan held her daughter's hand with a worried look on her face. "Since you knew there were so many powerful women in the harem, why did you still choose to enter the palace?"
"Because I want to live, live well."
Su Ci smiled and rubbed her hand. "Auntie, I don't want my fate to be controlled by Zhao Yu. Now, apart from relying on our father's love, we don't have any confidence or ability to resist."
"So I need to find a more powerful backer, one that Zhao Yu and the others can't do anything to me."
Aunt Lan bit her lip: "Aunt, I understand. I'm just worried about you. Like you said, there are so many concubines of noble birth in the palace, and you are a concubine. If you are bullied, then your father and I can't save you..."
As if you could save me at home...
Su Ci blinked: "Auntie, what do you think the concubines in the palace rely on most?"
Aunt Lan was stunned for a moment: "Of course it's the grace of His Majesty, and the offspring."
"Auntie is right."
Su Ci chuckled softly, her posture charming. "Then can the emperor's favor and offspring be obtained simply by being dignified? Then why is there only one prince born to the queen in the palace now?"
Aunt Lan thought for a moment and replied, "It is said that since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has been busy with numerous border and court affairs. He has been busy from morning till night, working day and night, and is extremely diligent in his work. He has a myriad of affairs to attend to, so he has little time to visit the harem."
"wrong."
Su Ci smiled and shook her index finger. "Your Majesty, at your age, no matter how busy you are, you can't neglect the harem. It's just that he's tired. It's not the tiredness of handling state affairs, but after handling state affairs, he has to go to the harem and face those dignified and proper concubines who are full of poetry, songs, music, chess, calligraphy and painting."
“…”
"Auntie, take father for example. He was born into a family of scholars, well-read and knowledgeable. But you came from a peasant family and are illiterate, let alone able to write poetry, compose fu, play the zither, chess, calligraphy, or paint. Why did father favor you for over a decade, while he couldn't get along with Zhao Yu, who came from a family of scholars?"
Aunt Lan blinked in surprise.
"It seems so. Your father rarely talks to me about things I don't understand. He prefers to talk to me about daily life and likes to listen to me talk about country gossip, folk stories, etc..."
"Yes, that's the crux of the matter."
Su Ci raised her eyebrows and chuckled, "Why do men have three wives and four concubines? Firstly, for offspring, and secondly, to make themselves comfortable and happy."
"Think about your father. A civil servant is tired of following the rules and regulations every day outside. Would he be willing to speak in a flowery manner to his obedient wife when he gets home?"
"Your Majesty is also a man, a prince born into a royal family. How many dignified, elegant, and talented women has he seen? He's so busy with all sorts of memorials and books every day that he's exhausted when he arrives at the harem. How can he have the leisure to play chess or recite poetry with his concubines?"
“…”
Aunt Lan tilted her head and stared at her daughter for a long time without saying a word.
"Ci'er, how do you know all this?"
Su Ci blinked innocently: "Of course I learned this from watching you and father being so loving since I was little."
“…Don’t make fun of your elders.”
Aunt Lan's cheeks flushed slightly as she patted her daughter's hand, pursed her lips and sighed, "You've always been more opinionated than me since you were little. After hearing what you said today, I feel much more relieved."
"Although I was heartbroken and cried for several days when I heard your father say he wanted to send you to the palace, but you and your daughter are smarter than me, so I will just listen to you."
Su Ci didn't say anything else, but just smiled at the gentle beauty in front of her who was only in her early thirties.
Aunt Lan has been in the Su Mansion for seventeen years and has suffered Zhao Yu's anger for seventeen years, but she has also received Su Yan's unchanging love and care for seventeen years, and her mind is still as pure and gentle as before.
Time seems to have left no trace on her, but has added a bit more charm to her.
I don’t know whether this is unfortunate or fortunate.
However, her greatest strength as a mother is her willingness to listen to advice.
…
At noon, two long teams of imperial guards lined up in front of the Su family's gate, holding spears in one hand and shields in the other, with their backs straight and majestic.
The onlookers could only watch from afar.
Zhao Yu and his men stood behind two rows of eunuchs to welcome the emperor, and looked at Su Rong with a frown.
"That girl hasn't come out yet?"
Su Rong lowered her voice, "Don't worry, mother. I've already told someone to get the girl dressed up. She might be seriously ill, and if she goes out into the open air, something might go wrong. Besides, Third Sister isn't out yet, so it wouldn't be good for the girl to go out on her own."
"Thinking of Yin'er, my heart is frying in oil. That little bitch from Shuiyun Pavilion is so lucky..."
Su Li, standing next to her, frowned slightly and said, "Mother, elder sister, there are several maids accompanying us this time. Fourth sister is different now. Please remember not to offend me when addressing her, or else we will give her a handle."
“…”
Zhao Yu had no choice but to shut up, while Su Rong lowered her eyes and twitched the corners of her mouth.
What do you mean things are different now? She just sent someone to Shuiyun Pavilion to take a look, and it was quiet and there was no joy at all.
Whether that little bitch can make it to the day she enters the palace is still unknown...
Da da da.
A bright yellow dragon carriage appeared in front, surrounded by officials, eunuchs and palace maids who followed closely.
Perhaps the emperor has not returned to the palace yet, and is still in disguise, so the eunuch in front did not call for him to come.
The carriage stopped, and the Su family members followed the eunuch in front and knelt down, but everything was silent.
Su Yan, who was accompanying him, bowed and saluted: "Your Majesty, this is my humble abode."
"Um."
Only a faint word was heard.
But he has an innate majesty.
The eunuch lifted the curtain, stepped off the footstool in a pair of black boots, and then walked up the stairs inside. Su Yan led a huge team and followed closely behind him.
Zhao Yu tilted his head slightly, only to see the tall and majestic young king's back, secretly gritting his teeth and sighing.
That little bitch got such a good deal!
In the back, Su Yin, who was wearing a maid's uniform, huddled behind two old women, staring at the majestic and cold emperor with wide eyes, her heart beating like thunder.
She wants to enter the palace, she must enter the palace!
…
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