On a dark, windy night, all was silent, yet within the Duke Qin's mansion, a clamor of noise and bustle filled the air. Qin Huaian's face twisted into a ferocious, terrifying expression, his usual gentle demeanor gone. His hair stood on end in fury, and he roared at the Duke Qin, "Father! How could things have come to this? Why would the Emperor suddenly appoint Jiang Meiyu as his virtuous consort? Everything we carefully planned has been completely disrupted... I must ascend to the throne of Crown Prince!"
Duke Qin looked calm and composed, as if he had already prepared a plan. He gently soothed Qin Huaian, "My son, please be patient. Your father has carefully considered this matter. Although this marriage has not been successful, you can still marry Wei Shuyao, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Wei. The Wei family commands a large military force and possesses immense power, and they will still be a valuable aid to you."
Qin Huai'an was unwilling to accept this, but in order to fight for the supreme imperial power, he had no choice but to accept this arrangement. However, whenever Wei Shuyao's face appeared in his mind, a feeling of nausea arose spontaneously, making it almost impossible for him to suppress it.
Qin Huaian thought of Jiang Meiyu's stunningly beautiful face again, and couldn't help but feel a surge of resentment. He gritted his teeth and thought to himself, "Jiang Meiyu, oh Jiang Meiyu, when I ascend the throne, I will definitely kill that abominable dog emperor, and then you will definitely become my woman!"
At this moment, Emperor Wu of Yan suddenly fell into a strange dream. The woman in his dream had long hair cascading like a waterfall, a face as beautiful as a finely carved white jade plate, skin as white as snow and as delicate as silk, eyebrows as slender as silkworm cocoons, eyes as bright as stars, and lips as luminous as blooming flowers. Her graceful figure was especially striking, as if she were a fairy descended from heaven, and her smile outshone the starry sky.
Just as Emperor Wu of Yan was immersed in this wonderful dream, he heard the gentle voice of Eunuch Wang calling out to him: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty... Your Majesty, it's time to attend court."
Emperor Wu of Yan was awakened by Wang Youquan's voice, deeply displeased at having his sweet dream interrupted. His eyes widened in anger, and he roared at Eunuch Wang, "Eunuch Wang, slap yourself twenty times!"
Eunuch Wang did not dare to hesitate for a moment and immediately responded, "I obey your order." Then he raised his hand and slapped himself hard. The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the palace.
Eunuch Wang was completely bewildered, completely baffled. He muttered to himself, "This servant seems to have done nothing wrong..." He couldn't understand why this had happened, but he didn't want to dwell on it any further. After all, as someone serving the emperor, he knew that serving the emperor was like living with a tiger, and this master was even more unpredictable and moody.
Jiang Meiyu, meanwhile, had been living a leisurely life of eating, sleeping, and eating again for the past two days, keeping herself in excellent shape. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the third day, and the palace carriage had already stopped in front of the Prime Minister's residence.
The emperor sent Eunuch Wang to welcome Jiang Meiyu into the palace. With tears in her eyes, Jiang Meiyu bid a heartfelt farewell to her father and mother, repeatedly admonishing them: "Father, Mother, you must take good care of yourselves! My brother is serving in the frontier army and will not be home for long. And now I, too, am entering the palace. I only wish that you, Father and Mother, can live in peace and health."
Mrs. Jiang knew that after this separation, she didn't know when they would meet again. Tears flowed uncontrollably. She held her daughter's hand and repeatedly warned her, "Yu'er, the hearts of people in the palace are unpredictable. You must be careful and cautious at all times and protect yourself. If you encounter any trouble or difficulties, remember to send a message to your father in time."
"Don't worry, Mom." Jiang Meiyu gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and nodded in response.
Qiuping carefully helped her young lady onto the carriage. With a shout from the coachman, the carriage slowly started and headed towards the palace.
Along the way, Jiang Meiyu was full of thoughts. When the carriage finally arrived at Yongning Palace, she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down, ready to face the upcoming challenges. Qiuping helped Jiang Meiyu get off the carriage and followed Eunuch Wang into Yongning Palace.
Yongning Palace is a magnificent palace with an ornate and exquisite interior decoration that is breathtaking. No other concubines live here, only Jiang Meiyu enjoys this tranquility and luxury alone.
When Jiang Meiyu entered the palace, she brought only her personal maid, Qiu Ping, with her. The rest of the servants were arranged by the palace, including six maids, two chief eunuchs, and twelve ordinary eunuchs.
When Jiang Meiyu stepped into Yongning Palace, everyone knelt on the ground in an orderly manner and shouted: "Greetings to the Consort Xian, may your Majesty live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years!"
Jiang Meiyu smiled and said softly: "Everyone stand up!"
Everyone answered in unison: "Thank you, Madam!"
Jiang Meiyu then said firmly, "From now on, everyone serving in Yongning Palace will be a part of it. Remember to be careful with your words and actions. Never use your power to oppress others at any time or in any place. I will share your honor and disgrace. If anyone dares to betray me and seek personal gain, I will not forgive them easily!"
Hearing this, everyone secretly thought that this virtuous concubine was indeed from a prominent family. Not only was she extraordinary in appearance and bearing, but she was also so intelligent, wise, and generous. They decided to serve the Yongning Palace wholeheartedly and swear allegiance to her until death.
Jiang Meiyu turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on the court maid beside her who lowered her eyebrows and looked pleasant. "What's your name?"
Upon hearing this, the maid knelt and kowtowed. "Your Majesty, I was previously responsible for cleaning duties at Yongfu Palace and didn't have a specific name. Others in the palace usually call me 'Xiaoyi'. I beg Your Majesty to grant me a name."
Jiang Meiyu carefully examined the clever girl before her, thinking that she was someone who could be of use at a time when she needed someone. So, she said softly, "Alright. In that case, from today on, you and Qiu Ping will serve me. Hmm... let's name her Qiu Ling!"
Qiu Ling was overjoyed and thrilled upon hearing this. In the past, she had been nothing more than a lowly maid, sweeping the floor; now, fortunate enough to follow her new master as a personal servant, she felt deeply overwhelmed by this grace and trust. She secretly resolved to serve the Empress with all her heart and soul, swearing loyalty until death.
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