Chapter 253 Testing the Emperor
In this vast expanse of snow, you can imagine how difficult it is to find a pair of pearl earrings.
On a snowy day, Lin An and Xiao Guizi were standing in the snow. I crouched down and bent over the ground, and my eyes were dazzled before I finally found it in the snow.
Lin An held it up and handed it over, his hands already red from the cold: "Your Highness, I found Miss Shen Fu's earrings."
Among the red hands caused by freezing, a pair of pearl earrings stood out particularly.
Chen Fu pretended to take it, and Lin An hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped it carefully, then handed it over with both hands.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Shen Fu was about to take it, but Xiao Yu took a step forward first.
"Your Majesty?" Shen Fu was stunned and her hand fell into nothingness. She raised her eyes and looked at His Majesty with a helpless expression.
He blinked his eyes as if he didn't know why the Emperor was like this.
Xiao Yu held the pearl earrings in his palm and rubbed them carefully.
But he still refused to give it to Chen Fu.
"I think one is enough." Xiao Yu looked at Chen Fu's face, his ink-black eyes filled with an uncontrollable heat.
When Shen Fu saw this, her cheeks turned slightly red. She turned her head slightly and asked in a puzzled manner, "Is one really beautiful?"
She lowered her eyes, and when she spoke, her trembling eyelashes quietly raised, and she looked towards him with a little uneasiness in her eyes.
Xiao Yu nodded calmly.
"Then," Shen Fu looked at the palm of His Majesty again. She could see that His Majesty did not want to return it to her.
She deliberately asked: "Your Majesty, I, your concubine's things..."
Shen Fu stepped forward and stretched out her hand to take it.
Xiao Yu raised his hand and calmly put the earring into his palm.
He looked at Shen Fu's slightly stunned eyebrows, the corners of his lips slightly raised, looking at Shen Fu with a smile, but his eyes were burning:
"Only treasures can match beauty. How can this earring match you?"
The pearls on Shen Fu's earrings are beautiful, and they don't seem special at first glance, but when worn on Shen Fu's earrings, they instantly seem to be overshadowed.
Xiao Yu smiled gently at Chen Fu, then turned to look at Lin An beside him.
"I remember I still have a box of Western pearls. You can go find them later and personally deliver them to the Hehuan Palace."
When Lin An heard this, he looked up in surprise.
Western pearls are not ordinary things. This box of Western pearls is the private collection of His Majesty.
His Majesty never rewarded Concubine Rong. Now this whole box has been given to Miss Chen Fu?
Lin An was extremely shocked, but when he looked up at Miss Shen Fu in front of him, he felt that it was nothing strange.
Yes, only Miss Shen Fu has this honor.
Lin An glanced at Chen Fu and felt that it was nothing strange.
Lin An naturally did not dare to delay and immediately bent down to look for Xizhu.
Xiao Guizi, who was standing by, was very perceptive. As soon as she saw Lin An leave, she quickly crouched down and retreated to a corner.
There was no one around.
There were only two people standing together, one in front and one behind. Although there was no wind, there was a lot of snow, and occasionally some snow fell.
"Are you cold?" Xiao Yu glanced at Chen Fu and touched her cheek with his fingertips.
"I'm not cold." Chen Fu blushed quietly.
She opened her eyes and glanced at His Majesty, her face turning red quietly.
Not only did she not hide, she also rubbed her cheek against the Emperor's fingertips, her face full of attachment.
The fingertips that Xiao Yu stretched out gradually became stiff.
He felt it carefully, but was reluctant to accept it. But his eyes suddenly became much dimmer.
"Shen Fu!"
Xiao Yu looked at Chen Fu and called out softly, but his voice had become hoarse: "I'll take you back."
Chen Fu lowered her eyes slightly and looked down, but her heart was filled with panic.
She just wanted to show her face, not to lure the Emperor to the Hehuan Palace.
Xiao Guizi was right. His Majesty had originally said that he would go to Concubine Rong’s palace today. If she went to Hehuan Palace halfway, wouldn't she be blatantly slapping Concubine Rong in the face?
To be honest, Shen Fu was really unwilling in her heart.
She was already surrounded by rumors, and if she became the enemy of the entire harem because of this incident.
Isn't that just asking for trouble?
Is she crazy? Shen Fu was unwilling.
"Your Majesty." Chen Fu deliberately reminded: "Rong Guifei is still waiting for Your Majesty. If Your Majesty wants to send me back, wouldn't Rong Guifei be waiting in vain?"
When she mentioned Concubine Rong in this way, Xiao Yu seemed to remember this person.
His eyebrows twisted subconsciously in annoyance, he pinched them, and then asked:
"Do you want me to go to Concubine Rong's palace?"
In fact, if you count carefully, he should have been there for several days in a row. If he didn't go today, it wouldn't be noticeable.
However, Xiao Yu kept these words in his heart and never told Shen Fu.
He was just testing Shen Fu's reaction: "Do you really want me to go to Concubine Rong's palace?"
His Majesty asked this carefully, yet with a probing tone.
Those eyes looked at Shen Fu without even blinking. Under his sharp and fierce gaze, all of Shen Fu's movements could not escape his eyes.
"My concubine..." Chen Fu knew that His Majesty was looking at her, and she also knew the importance of this sentence at this moment.
If she said she didn't want to, and His Majesty went to the Hehuan Palace, she would have the legitimate right to cut off Concubine Rong's beard today.
If Concubine Rong wanted to attack her in the future, she would not be able to escape with her current status.
But if you don’t want to…
Shen Fu couldn't help but raise her head and look at the person in front of her.
His Majesty is as tall as jade, with an upright and tall figure. Although he was just standing in front of her, Shen Fu knew the state of His Majesty very well. His Majesty's voice just now was obviously aroused...
Chen Fu looked down at her belly. Now that she was pregnant, she didn't dare to do anything rash.
But if His Majesty were to go to the Hehuan Palace in this situation, how could Chen Fu refuse?
Chen Fu sincerely didn't want His Majesty to go to the Hehuan Palace, but she also... didn't want His Majesty to think that she didn't matter and let everything today go to waste.
"Of course I thought so." Chen Fu stretched out her hand, took a few steps forward and reached out to pull His Majesty's sleeve.
Before His Majesty could respond, she changed the subject and said, "But, I cannot do that."
"Why not?" Xiao Yu lowered his eyes and looked at the hand on the dragon robe.
Shen Fu's palms were slender, and her fingertips were as tender as white jade. She grabbed his sleeves with such force that marks were left on them.
From the time he ascended the throne until now, only Chen Fu has grabbed the dragon robe, and only Chen Fu dared to grab it.
Xiao Yu's eyes flashed with helplessness. He bent down, leaned in front of Shen Fu, and asked in a low voice, "Give me a reason."
"Your Majesty has promised Concubine Rong to go to her place today."
Chen Fu bit her lip lightly, looking as if she was thinking for him: "I can't let Your Majesty accompany me just because of my own selfish desires."
She said this, pretending to be concerned about him.
But she seemed to blame him for going to Concubine Rong, and she glared at him boldly with resentment.
"You wait." Xiao Yu lowered his head and whispered in Shen Fu's ear:
"I'll be back soon."
Changchun Palace
The wind was howling outside the window and the fire was burning brightly in the hall. In the small red clay stove in the corner, the tea was bubbling loudly, and the house was filled with the fragrance of tea.
Concubine Rong sat on the couch and turned sideways to glance at the person beside her.
She really didn't expect that the Emperor would come.
As soon as Chen Fu walked out of the Hehuan Palace, she received the news.
Concubine Rong thought that based on His Majesty's past behavior, he would definitely not be able to see His Majesty today.
But unexpectedly, the Emperor came after all.
Is this because Concubine Shen has lost her allure?
Or does His Majesty really want to come to her?
Concubine Rong's originally determined heart suddenly became wavering.
The water in the stove was bubbling. Seeing that Concubine Rong hadn't moved, Nanny Qin stepped forward silently and coughed softly.
"My lady, the water is boiling."
After being reminded like this, Concubine Rong suddenly came to her senses. She lowered her eyes to hide the distraction in them.
He looked down at the boiling water below and immediately made a cup of tea and handed it over: "A new batch of Snow Mist has arrived, please have a try, Your Majesty."
Concubine Rong held the teacup in both hands and respectfully handed it to His Majesty.
Xiao Yu was lying on the bed, and when he heard this he stretched out his hand: "Mist in the snow?"
"This tea has a very elegant name." He said, bowing his head to take a sip, "The tea smells good, but the name is vulgar."
"Your Majesty has always only drunk Longjing tea before the rain. It's rare for such an unknown tea to catch His Majesty's eye."
Concubine Rong was standing beside him, and she was obviously happy when she saw His Majesty drink it.
"Although I have never heard of this tea's name before, I seem to have tasted this tea before." Xiao Yu held the teacup in one hand and looked at Concubine Rong with a raised eyebrow.
"Your Majesty really has a good memory." Concubine Rong spoke without changing her expression.
"This tea is Tianshan Snow Green, which can only be produced on the high mountains after it snows every year. Only the first batch picked in time can be eaten. If it is picked too late, the taste of the tea will change."
Concubine Rong held the teacup and smiled, "As for the name, I just think Tianshan Snow Green is too complicated. This tea has such a great origin, and only a little can be picked every year after the snow."
"When the sun comes out, the tea disappears like the mist. So I named it 'Mist in the Snow', which seems more appropriate."
"It's a very fitting name."
Xiao Yu lowered his head and held the teacup in his palm, not knowing what he was thinking.
It was Concubine Rong who deliberately said while holding the teacup: "Speaking of this tea, I think of Lingyun Mountain."
She looked into the distance, her eyes fixed on the icy eaves outside the window. Slender icicles hung from the bluestone eaves, and fist-sized oil-paper lanterns swayed slightly in the wind.
"The peak of Lingyun Mountain is the highest and the steepest."
"There was a heavy snowfall in Kyoto, and it reached Lingyun Mountain. The situation in the mountains was…" Concubine Rong lowered her head and sighed slightly, "I wonder how the Empress Dowager is doing there."
The room seemed to become quiet in an instant, and even the air seemed to freeze.
The sound of a needle falling can be clearly heard.
Ever since Concubine Rong said that, she has not dared to look up. She stood there, not even daring to look His Majesty in the eye.
I don't know how long I waited before the person on the couch moved.
The hand holding the teacup was playing with it leisurely. Xiao Yu lowered his eyes slightly, making it impossible to detect the expression on his face.
"Why do you think of the Queen Mother?"
When Concubine Rong heard the sound, she felt even more uneasy.
She didn't dare to reveal it, but just tried to test it out: "There has been no news from the Empress Dowager for so many years. I just thought that the New Year will come in a few days, and the Empress Dowager is alone..."
Before he finished speaking, a teacup fell onto the rosewood table.
The colorful enameled flower teacup shattered into pieces in an instant. The warm tea flowed all over the table along the tea stains.
Although His Majesty did not show it on his face, his eyes were filled with a hint of anger.
"I deserve to die." Concubine Rong knelt down quickly, and the nanny behind her knelt down as well when she saw it.
Suddenly, the room was filled with people kneeling on the floor.
"I once said that some things cannot be mentioned." Xiao Yu stood up from the chair and his eyes fell on Concubine Rong.
His eyes were cold, without any emotion: "Empress Rong, I don't like to be tested."
"I deserve to die!" Concubine Rong's face became paler and paler. She knelt on the ground with her head lowered, looking extremely humble.
"Tea is delicious, but people's hearts are not necessarily the same." Xiao Yu smiled sarcastically, without even looking at Concubine Rong, and left.
Concubine Rong knelt on the ground until she saw the figure of His Majesty disappear from her sight, then her body softened and she fell backwards completely.
"My queen!"
Nanny Qin was startled and immediately reached out to take her.
"Empress, what happened to you?" Nanny Qin was busy asking someone to call the imperial physician.
Concubine Rong shook her head: "Madam, I shouldn't have done that."
When she thought of the Emperor's disgusted look, she felt completely panicked.
Holding Nanny Qin's hand, she said, "I shouldn't have tried to test Your Majesty."
"I have made so many mistakes before, but His Majesty has already forgiven me. If this incident makes His Majesty angry again, and he completely ignores me, what should I do?"
"You did the right thing, madam. Besides, even if His Majesty is angry, he will not be angry with you."
The nanny took Concubine Rong's hand and comforted her, "Besides, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is probably going back to Beijing. Look at His Majesty's attitude just now, I'm afraid he is sure of this."
When Concubine Rong thought of the look in His Majesty's eyes just now, she became more certain.
Her mind sank. “Tell me, who told you this news?”
The Empress Dowager returned to the capital, and even she couldn't find out about such things.
How would others know?
"It's Miss Zhou."
"Concubine Zhou?" When Concubine Rong thought of Concubine Zhou, she had a strange feeling in her heart.
She had seen His Majesty pay attention to Concubine Zhou many times before, and thought she would have a bright future. At least he could take away Shen Fu's favor.
But the Emperor met her several times, but he never showed her any favor.
And this Zhou Meiren, although she looked calm and indifferent, could not hide her ambitions at times: "How did she get the news?"
How could it not be dangerous if Concubine Zhou knew this news that even she couldn't get in the harem?
A hint of murderous intent flashed in Concubine Rong's eyes.
But Nanny Qin said, "Lady Zhou said she dreamed about it."
She thought of something and spoke again: "Lady Zhou also said that if Your Majesty believes, she has important news to report to Your Majesty. Would Your Majesty like to see her?"
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