Chapter 4: The True Face of Mount Lu - Yoona should treat this as a vicious dragon stealing a pearl...
A very soft, low laugh, tinged with amusement, revealed that the man had already seen through her clumsy little trick.
Even with her eyes tightly closed, Chu Yueyuan could still clearly feel the man's deep gaze falling on her face, and her eyelashes trembled even more violently.
Pei Muwei gazed at the little empress's tear-streaked face. Her eyelashes were still covered with glistening teardrops, trembling with moisture, like a butterfly struggling in a downpour, its wings wet with rain, yet desperately trying to escape the torrential rain.
He didn't take the Prime Minister Shen's sudden question in the main hall to heart.
Two hundred thousand Buddhist soldiers are besieging the capital. Tonight's palace coup will only allow the wise and sensible to survive.
No matter how the young empress dowager answers, she cannot change the fate that the Great Qi Dynasty is about to change.
However, the woman's cunning and sly reaction proved that she was not just a pretty face.
Pei Muwei shifted his gaze from the woman's pretty face, glancing indifferently at the chief eunuch beside him, his voice calm:
"Eunuch Wang, please escort Her Majesty the Empress back to her palace first, and then go to the Imperial Hospital to find an imperial physician to examine her pulse."
"This servant obeys."
The woman in his arms gradually relaxed, becoming as soft as a cloud, and her fluttering eyelashes calmed down.
The ministers watched the young empress leave. Prime Minister Shen frowned deeply, but he could not stop the unconscious empress to ask her what had happened.
This sudden palace coup ended abruptly after the young empress left, and as for the truth behind it, even the wise would pretend not to know.
———
At midnight, when all was quiet, the Qifeng Palace was still brightly lit.
Chu Yueyuan knew that a play should not be overdone, so after the imperial physician finished administering acupuncture to her, she slowly opened her eyelids and completed the rest of the play.
She sat up unsteadily, raised her hand to her forehead, and looked puzzled: "What's wrong with me?"
Imperial Physician Zhao immediately stood up and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty was emotionally agitated in the Hall of Supreme Harmony just now, and fainted due to a sudden attack of anger. I have prepared a calming and soothing medicine for Your Majesty, and Your Majesty should be fine after taking it."
"Then I will trouble Imperial Physician Zhao."
"This is my duty. Please take care of your health, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now."
After seeing off Imperial Physician Zhao, a maidservant of about fifteen or sixteen years old with her hair tied in double loops lifted the peony-embroidered gauze curtain, and the warm candlelight fell on Chu Yueyuan's face.
"Amitabha! The young lady has finally woken up. It must be the First Madam protecting her from heaven that allowed her to escape this calamity today."
No sooner had the maid finished speaking than another woman, around forty years old, with her hair neatly styled in a bun and wearing an indigo-blue palace gown embroidered with silver, entered the bedroom. She frowned and reprimanded:
"Jintong, how many times have I told you that after Her Majesty enters the palace, she can no longer call you 'Miss'? Be careful that others don't hear it and think that the palace servants under Her Majesty are unruly, and that they will look down on Her Majesty in the future."
Jin Tong stuck out her tongue guiltily, quickly raised her hand and gently slapped her mouth, nodding and saying, "Granny Xu is right. I was worried sick all night, and I was so excited and happy to see Your Highness wake up that I misspoke."
The imperial wedding ceremony was elaborate, so Chu Yueyuan entered the palace a month in advance to learn palace rules and etiquette. When she entered the palace, she only brought two trustworthy servants, Jin Tong and Xu Mama.
Many years ago, Granny Xu had served the Dowager Consort in the palace and had memorized the extremely complicated rules and regulations of the palace.
Three days ago, Crown Prince Xiao Yun ate a few more persimmon cakes because he was craving them, which caused indigestion and fever. Chu Yueyuan then asked Jin Tong and Granny Xu to stay in Fengqi Palace to take care of the young Crown Prince.
Fortunately, she made this decision, saving the two from bloodshed tonight.
After being rescued by Prince Yi, Chu Yueyuan witnessed the decapitated corpses of palace servants scattered all over the white marble bricks on her way to the Taihe Palace. The horrific scene of Avici Hell made her stomach clench uncontrollably.
Having narrowly escaped death, Chu Yueyuan finally saw someone she could trust, and her anxious heart felt much more at ease.
She looked around but couldn't see the little yellow rice ball. She frowned and asked, "Was Yoon-ah frightened tonight?"
Yun'er is the childhood name of Crown Prince Xiao Yun. He is the prince born to his sister for Emperor Shang, and also Emperor Shang's only heir.
Five years ago, Emperor Shang sought out a fortune teller from the common people. The fortune teller predicted that Emperor Shang would have a son and also calculated the birth date and time of the woman who would bear him a child.
Following the advice of a wise man, Emperor Shang selected Chu Wanxi, the eldest daughter of the Chu family, from among the noble ladies in the capital, and bestowed upon her the title of Consort Chun.
The fortune teller's predictions were incredibly accurate. Sure enough, a year after Consort Chun entered the palace, she gave birth to a healthy and chubby prince for Emperor Shang, and was subsequently promoted to the rank of Consort.
Consort Chun suffered a serious injury during childbirth and struggled on her sickbed for half a year. On her deathbed, she begged Emperor Shang to marry her younger sister and bring her into the palace to raise the crown prince.
Emperor Shang, grateful for Consort Chun's contribution in giving birth to a prince, tearfully made his promise.
This is why Chu Yueyuan, the daughter of a vice minister, was able to become the Empress of the Great Qi Dynasty in an unprecedented way.
Chu Yueyuan still hasn't figured out her sister's dying wish.
She and Chu Wanxi were not born of the same mother. Their relationship was usually one of fierce rivalry and irreconcilable conflict. She even suspected that Chu Wanxi made this request to Emperor Shang in order to ruin the marriage she had finally found.
Perhaps because of their blood ties, Crown Prince Xiao Yun did not feel unfamiliar with Chu Yueyuan when he first met her. He stretched out his chubby, white arms like lotus roots for her to hug, and even left a wet drool on her cheek.
Jin Tong brought a silk pillow and placed it behind Chu Yueyuan, comforting her, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, His Highness the Crown Prince has already gone to sleep in the side hall."
Recalling what happened two hours earlier, Jin Tong still looked shaken: "Tonight, thanks to Imperial Physician Zhao for taking the young prince's pulse, when the palace coup occurred, Granny Xu comforted the prince, and this servant and Imperial Physician Zhao worked together to pile up chairs and tables to block the palace gate, which delayed the arrival of the Buddhist army. Otherwise..."
Just then, Granny Xu brought in a bowl of eight-treasure porridge, interrupting their conversation:
"Leaving aside these matters, now that Your Highness and the young prince have escaped this calamity, they will surely be blessed with good fortune in the future. Before leaving Fengqi Palace this morning, Your Highness only ate a few pieces of Poria cocos cake. Please drink this bowl of porridge first to replenish your qi and blood."
Today is the grand wedding ceremony of the Emperor and Empress. Chu Yueyuan was woken up by the palace servants before dawn to do her makeup. Wearing a five- or six-pound phoenix crown, she was treated like a bright and beautiful dummy who neither eats nor drinks. She was tormented all day long, and she was already so hungry that her stomach was sticking to her back.
Granny Xu was an excellent cook. She could make a simple bowl of eight-treasure porridge by adding millet, glutinous rice, water chestnut rice, red cowpeas, and peeled jujube paste. The porridge was also garnished with candied fruits such as almonds, pine nuts, and raisins. The porridge was glossy, soft, and fragrant.
Even though Chu Yueyuan was extremely hungry, she still drank it down in small sips.
Looking at the well-mannered woman, Xu Mama's heart ached. The First Madam had passed away early, leaving behind a clever and sensible young daughter. It was a pity that fate was so cruel.
The woman was exceptionally beautiful and had a perfect marriage arranged for her. Unexpectedly, the emperor took a liking to her and brought her into the ruthless imperial palace. To make matters worse, a palace coup occurred on her wedding day, and she lost even the emperor, the only person she could entrust her life to...
As Granny Xu lamented her young mistress's unfortunate fate, her gaze fell upon the distinct dark blue scratch mark on the woman's jade-like neck. Her expression suddenly changed, and she anxiously asked, "Your Highness, what is the injury here...?"
Chu Yueyuan raised her hand to touch her neck, slightly stunned.
The King of Shu was angered by her feigned affection and struck her with great force. Even as she swallowed the eight-treasure porridge, she could still feel a burning pain in her throat.
With so many things going on, she didn't want to worry Granny Xu and Jin Tong, so she said casually, "The Prince of Shu tried to take liberties with me, but fortunately Prince Yi arrived in time and killed that beast with a single sword stroke..."
Jin Tong, who was listening nearby, was terrified. She regretted not being by the Empress's side at the time so that she could have dealt that lecherous beast, the King of Shu, a few more blows.
Upon hearing that it was the Regent who arrived in time to protect the Empress's innocence, she patted her chest and exclaimed, "The Regent is truly a good man!"
Chu Yueyuan lowered her head and drank her porridge, a bitter smile on her lips that no one could see.
Yes, from now on, in the eyes of the world, the Regent will be a virtuous minister who will protect the emperor and safeguard the only legitimate bloodline of the Great Qi.
Only she knew the man's true nature.
In traditional storytelling, those who know such astonishing secrets usually don't live very long.
After a quick wash, Chu Yueyuan ordered all the palace servants to leave and rest. However, Granny Xu insisted on staying to keep watch. Chu Yueyuan couldn't persuade her otherwise, and feeling sorry for the elderly woman, she decided to let Granny Xu sleep with her.
The once delicate and cozy boudoir bed has now been transformed into a spacious and magnificent rosewood phoenix bed inlaid with gold and jewels. Granny Xu stood beside the bed, smiling and shaking her head, reminding her:
"Your Majesty the Empress is now of noble birth and the mistress of the harem. Please do not act like a child."
Chu Yueyuan blinked her watery dark eyes and pleaded softly, "Just for one more night, Granny, please spoil me one more time."
The girl's voice was soft and sweet, with a lingering, sweet tone that made it hard to refuse.
Granny Xu had no choice but to extinguish the candles in the dragon and phoenix candlesticks, sit on the edge of the bed, and gently stroke the woman's black hair.
Chu Yueyuan, unwilling to give up, pulled Xu Mama down to lie down with her. She rested her chin on her hand, and suddenly recalled the debate among the officials in the main hall. Her bright black eyes shone in the darkness.
"Granny Xu, why...why are there ministers in the court saying that Prince Yi's bloodline is questionable?"
The bright moonlight shone through the carved window lattice and into the hall, covering the floor with a snowy white hue. Xu Mama's hand, which was stroking the woman's black hair, suddenly stopped.
Chu Yueyuan did not urge them, but waited patiently.
After a long while, a sigh rang out in the cold night, and Granny Xu's steady voice was tinged with a faint sadness.
"This old servant was born lowly, but has been very fortunate in this life. First, I met Consort Pei, and then I met Your Highness's mother. Both of them were pure and kind people, but unfortunately, their lives were full of twists and turns..."
Chu Yueyuan's eyes widened slightly in surprise. In the past, when Xu Mama was in the Chu family, she almost never mentioned her past in the palace. She never expected that Xu Mama had served Prince Yi's birth mother, Consort Pei.
Seeing that Chu Yueyuan was wide awake, and knowing she had just experienced a dangerous situation, Granny Xu decided to bring up old stories to ease her mind, and then said:
"Emperor Wu was a rare and wise ruler in the history of the Great Qi Dynasty. However, even sages make mistakes. It is said that during a spring hunting expedition, Emperor Wu fell in love at first sight with the wife of the Vice Minister of Revenue..."
"Later, this Vice Minister of Revenue was imprisoned for embezzlement. Following advice from his colleagues, he sent his wife to the palace. Soon after, his wife became pregnant..."
Upon hearing this explosive royal secret, Chu Yueyuan covered her lips, her dark eyes, which were peeking out from her palm, trembled slightly with tears, and she asked in a low voice, "That Vice Minister of Revenue's first wife... could it be... that Consort Pei?"
Granny Xu nodded and slowly said, "When Emperor Wu learned that the wife of the Vice Minister of Revenue was pregnant, he disregarded the objections of his court officials and resolutely brought the woman into the palace, bestowing upon her the title of Consort. Several months later, Consort Pei gave birth to a son and was further promoted to Consort, becoming the head of the four consorts. After giving birth to the Ninth Prince, Consort Pei insisted that the Ninth Prince take her surname, and Emperor Wu agreed. However, from then on, the Ninth Prince's parentage became a mystery in the palace, and rumors even circulated that the Ninth Prince was not Emperor Wu's biological son..."
"When Consort Pei gave birth to the Ninth Prince, her health was severely damaged. Emperor Wu summoned countless renowned physicians, but none could cure her. Consort Pei was bedridden for many years and finally passed away when the Ninth Prince was twelve years old. Emperor Wu, grieving for Consort Pei, fell ill and followed her within three years..."
When this past event, which had been deliberately erased by the historians, was brought up by Granny Xu, Chu Yueyuan couldn't help but recall the man's extremely cold and aloof eyes in the brightly lit hall.
"Then... who is Prince Yi's biological father, Emperor Wu or that Vice Minister of Revenue?"
Chu Yueyuan leaned on Xu Mama's shoulder and asked.
Granny Xu shook her head and sighed, "Only Consort Pei probably knows the truth about this matter. As for the Vice Minister of Revenue who offered his wife for personal gain, he was later sentenced to death by hanging by Emperor Wu for forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices. It is rumored that Consort Pei herself petitioned Emperor Wu for that imperial decree to order his execution..."
Chu Yueyuan was startled upon hearing this.
Granny Xu's gaze was complicated as she looked at the stunningly beautiful woman under the moonlight and said earnestly:
"This old servant tells Your Highness these old stories in the hope that Your Highness will understand the principle that it is better to rely on yourself than on others. If Your Highness wants to live peacefully in the palace in the future, you will ultimately have to rely on yourself and not believe anyone's promises."
She had served two masters, but both of them ended up injured because they were too sentimental.
Chu Yueyuan bit her crimson lips lightly, nodded emphatically, and said with a firm gaze: "Nanny is right. From now on, I will only believe in myself."
———
After several days of deliberation, the officials of the Ministry of Rites decided to hold the new emperor's enthronement ceremony, the empress dowager's investiture ceremony, and the regent's investiture ceremony on the same day.
The Imperial Observatory was forced to observe celestial phenomena and select auspicious days, while the Director of the Ceremonial Affairs Bureau stayed up all night reviewing classic texts and drafting regulations. The Inner Palace Attendants' Bureau worked feverishly to produce ceremonial robes and crowns.
As a result, the officials in charge of all matters, big and small, were extremely busy.
Everyone in the palace is shrewd. Although the investiture ceremonies for the new emperor, the empress dowager, and the regent are held on the same day, it is still important to distinguish which is more significant.
As the sun rose in the east, the young Empress Dowager carried the infant new emperor along the imperial path.
Along the imperial procession, the eyes of civil and military officials fell upon this woman and child of extremely noble status, and their eyes were filled with deep pity.
As dawn broke, the woman's jet-black hair, as black as brocade, was piled high on her head and styled into a noble and magnificent Lingyun bun. Adorned in her hair was a gold hairpin with a phoenix and pearls, with rows of milky-white pearls hanging down from the phoenix tail. With each sway, the shimmering light reflected off the woman's bright eyes and brows.
The woman tilted her chin slightly, walked forward without looking to the side, her exquisitely embroidered long skirt undulating on the white marble slab, the gold threads on the hem shimmering in the sunlight, like a brightly colored phoenix bathing in the morning light.
Under the watchful eyes of all the officials, Chu Yueyuan was extremely nervous.
The heavy little dragon cub in her arms made her arms ache, but she remembered what Granny Xu had said and tried her best to maintain a dignified demeanor. She kept her eyes straight ahead and stepped towards the dragon's tail. She then gracefully climbed the high platform and placed Xiao Yun on the dragon throne.
A bright yellow curtain fell, blocking the view of the officials in the hall.
Before Xiao Yun could even settle into his seat on the dragon throne, he eagerly reached out to Chu Yueyuan, pouting and muttering indistinctly:
"Mother...candy...candy..."
Chu Yueyuan smiled gently, took out a piece of malt candy from her sachet and put it in Xiao Yun's mouth. The little dragon immediately smiled with satisfaction, his eyes crinkling into crescent moons.
She quickly put her index finger to her lips, gesturing for silence, and reached out to rub Xiao Yun's head gently, her eyes softening: "Your Majesty, be good, watch the play with your mother for a while."
"Mother, what play is on today?"
The little emperor's lips were rosy from eating, his dark eyes blinked, his head tilted, and his tone was innocent and naive.
Chu Yueyuan chuckled helplessly. Through the hazy curtains, she looked up at the white marble steps, her voice as ethereal as smoke:
"Your Majesty, let's just treat it as a play about a wicked dragon stealing a pearl..."
A note from the author:
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