Chapter 27 After Marriage
The young man also attaches great importance to the talent show today.
Aside from his wedding, this was the first time Galo had ever seen the boy dressed so formally.
His bright yellow robe with eight dragon and cloud patterns accentuated his outstanding figure, while the lapis lazuli beads hanging on his chest further highlighted his imperial status.
He exuded the air of an emperor, but at this moment, his handsome face unexpectedly carried a hint of roguishness, making his originally scholarly appearance suddenly appear somewhat playful.
When Jialuo saw his appearance, she immediately felt a chill run down her spine.
She didn't want to think too much about it, after all, the Emperor didn't really like her that much.
But his current state, coupled with what happened a few days ago, made Jialuo think more deeply.
Could he be addicted to himself in some way?!
Thinking of this, Jialuo instinctively felt as if her back was being pricked by dense needles.
"Your Majesty, I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now."
After she finished speaking, she turned around and tried to leave, trying to walk around the boy.
"stop,"
The boy casually straightened his back and glanced at her.
But the corners of his mouth clearly held a smile of having successfully teased her.
Why does he have this habit of teasing people?
Jialuo, however, didn't want to engage in a "Are you kidding me?" conversation with the boy.
"Oh dear, I'm about to get angry!"
They get along under this kind of model.
She was not to his liking, so she pretended not to understand and looked at him innocently.
Sure enough, the playful look on Fu Lin's face gradually faded, and he said, "I see that the Empress has a very good appetite."
"??"
Jialuo didn't understand what he meant at all; she always had a good appetite.
Oh dear, could it be that I got caught secretly eating meat earlier?
She wasn't sure if the Emperor had seen her secretly eating meat, but she absolutely couldn't admit it herself.
She casually chimed in, "Your Majesty, I think the weather is a bit chilly today, but it's sunny, making it a perfect time for a barbecue."
"Is it tasty?"
The boy sat on the couch where Jialuo had been sitting and asked casually.
Jialuo was taken aback. The security guard beside him obviously understood and immediately took out the royal bowls and chopsticks that had been prepared and placed them in front of the emperor.
Jialuo then realized that the Emperor wanted to dine with her.
She sat in the same spot where Dong E had been sitting.
But his gaze once again fell on the boy's face.
Just now, he had such a gentle and refined demeanor when facing Lady Dong'e, but as soon as she left, he revealed that roguish attitude towards her.
Although he was young, he had been an emperor for eight years.
The heart of a ruler is truly unfathomable.
Jialuo had just given the two of them a chance to be alone, and Dong'e did not refuse. However, Fulin forbade her to leave, which led to Dong'e leaving.
She thought he didn't have much of an appetite for these things.
But now it seems he clearly wanted to eat barbecue too.
For some reason, ever since that night, Fu Lin seemed like a completely different person when it came to her.
She thought that Fu Lin, who had been so weak in front of her that night, would be unusually assertive and domineering when facing her, even transferring his incompetence to his disgust for her.
But unexpectedly, it turned into another extreme.
The boy ignored her and started eating his barbecue, even drinking a bowl of her mare's milk wine.
Jialuo withdrew her gaze and slowly ate the potato chips on her plate.
"Which palace does the Empress think would be better for Lady Dong'e to live in?"
The boy suddenly spoke up and asked.
His tone was somewhat casual, as if he were asking a question offhand.
But Jialuo dared not think that way.
It is true that Emperor Fulin himself liked Lady Dong'e.
However, Fulin himself was probably aware of Jialuo's lukewarm attitude towards Dong'e.
Jialu swallowed the potato in her mouth, took a small sip of mare's milk wine, and then said, "I have only been in the harem for a short time and am only familiar with a few palaces so far."
"However, I think Lady Dong'e is quite frail and would need to live in a palace that is warm in winter and cool in summer to take good care of her health."
The warm sunlight shone at her feet, and Galo was disturbed from her meal several times.
At that moment, I lost my appetite, and following the conversation, I naturally put down the cutlery in my hand.
"Yes, Your Majesty is absolutely right."
After saying that, he ate another plate of meat and a lot of vegetables before stopping.
He looked extremely relaxed.
"Alright, I'm leaving now. Your Majesty, please enjoy your meal. There's no need to see me off."
As if he had just arrived, Fu Lin departed in a hurry.
Only Jialuo remained, along with the yard full of baking equipment.
She hadn't eaten anything for quite some time, and the Emperor hadn't noticed at all.
Jialuo truly didn't want to see this inexplicable couple again.
But it's clear that since entering the palace, nothing is up to Jialuo anymore.
The day after the selection, the chosen ladies-in-waiting entered the palace.
Today I have come to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
Jialuo was supposed to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager every day, so the young ladies-in-waiting were spared the trouble of running around the palace.
Jialuo decided that she would simply pay her respects at the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace.
Five young women were selected to enter the palace this time, each of them a pretty and well-mannered girl.
Each of them came from an extraordinary background, but what surprised Jialuo the most was that her fifth sister was also among them.
But no one told her that her fifth sister, Angelama, had also come.
Angelama looks remarkably like their mother, with a face that carries the radiance of a woman from the Horqin grasslands, yet also possesses the gentleness of a young girl.
Even in Jialuo's view, she had an extremely contradictory personality and was too stubborn.
This made her appear somewhat different from the melancholy of other grassland women.
Another big problem is that Angelama has never really liked Garo since he was a child.
Because she always believed that Jialuo's birth caused Abu to "transfer his affections," and that she was no longer Abu's most beloved daughter.
I just hope that my fifth sister can get along well with her in the future and that nothing goes wrong.
There was another woman named Zhen'er, who was Dong E's younger sister. She was beautiful and had a simple and bright look in her eyes, like that of someone from the misty Jiangnan region.
The third was a Han Chinese woman, the daughter of Shi Shen, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. She had an oval face, a slightly plump figure, and gentle features.
The fourth was Niohuru, whose face was dignified and composed.
The fifth is also a woman from the Borjigit clan, and is Jialuo's cousin. She is only eight years old now.
She saw that Jialuo was obviously very happy, her big, bright eyes shining as she looked at Jialuo.
He's only eight years old!
As far as she knew, her uncle, Prince Khoshut Khan, did not want his youngest daughter to marry into the Qing Dynasty.
Jialuo looked at the concubines present, a kind smile playing on her lips.
But in her heart, she wanted nothing more than to tear Fu Lin's mouth apart, who had been eating her roasted meat with such smug satisfaction just yesterday.
He must have known at the time, yet he didn't tell her anything and even came specifically to remind her that Lady Dong'e was frail. What did he mean by that?!
Are they worried that the Borjigit girls will bully that Dong E woman?!
Jialuo's heart was burning with anger.
The Empress Dowager, sitting at the head of the table, said with a smile, "Yes, they are all good children, each one as beautiful as a flower."
"Your Majesty, look at these girls, they are all about your age. In the future, you will no longer have to accompany me every day in this harem, it's so boring."
Upon hearing this, Jialuo suppressed the anger in her heart.
She turned to the Empress Dowager with a smile and said in a gentle voice, "Your Majesty, I am happy every day with you, so how could I be bored?"
"I am even happier to have so many sisters here today. In the future, we sisters will be of one mind and serve our Empress Mother. We will have no worries about being happy every day."
At this point, the five girls who had been standing quietly listening to the two men bowed.
"Your Majesty, I am determined to serve the Empress Dowager and the Empress with all my heart."
"Yes, get up quickly."
After the Empress Dowager finished speaking with a smile, she turned to look at Jialuo and said, "The harem is going to be very lively now. The Empress should take charge of the harem now, so the arrangement of the concubines' palaces will be handed over to the Empress."
"Alright, there's plenty of time. Go on, don't linger here with me."
Jialuo stood up, and the five newly promoted concubines behind her also stood up, bowed to the Empress, and then left Cining Palace.
As soon as she stepped out of the palace, Jialuo turned around and smiled at the five people following behind her, saying, "My ladies, please return to your respective residences first. I will send someone to inform you of the specific palace assignments later."
"yes."
Galo's gaze swept over the crowd, but did not linger on any one person.
He acted as if he treated everyone equally.
After Galo turned around, her delicate and gentle face darkened.
The Emperor and Empress Dowager have clever methods.
Five concubines, two of whom were women from the Borjigit clan.
Most importantly, no one told her about this!
The more I think about it, the angrier I get.
She touched the bracelet on her wrist, gave a cold laugh, and entered Shou'an Palace.
After entering the palace, Galo sat angrily on the couch.
She had barely entered the palace when two women from the Borjigit clan were sent to her. Could it be that they thought she was incompetent?!
How could that be...
ah! !
yes! !
She really has no skills.
Jialuo suddenly realized that she never wanted to be a real husband and wife with Fulin in the first place, so wouldn't she have no children in the future?
If Fifth Sister could win the Emperor's favor if she came in at this time, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?
As the Empress, she was able to protect her fifth sister, and her fifth sister was able to live in harmony with her husband and give birth to a son, just as she had always wished.
Isn't this the best of both worlds?!
Why is she angry?
This is such a wonderful thing, why is she angry?!
As for Angel, she was too young. Jialuo felt guilty just thinking about her having to serve him in bed.
Having figured this out, Jialuo was no longer angry.
"Alright, I need to take a bath."
Jade and Agate watched as their master would become furious one moment and then beam with joy the next.
The two men exchanged a silent glance, not daring to say anything, and obediently served her as she changed and bathed.
……………
"My lord, this is the palace in the harem that no one has yet moved into."
Emerald placed the post containing the palace's name next to Gallo.
Jialuo was lounging lazily on the south-facing kang (heated brick bed).
The original kang (heated brick bed) was a bit narrow, so Jialuo specially asked the Imperial Household Department to widen it a little.
After that, a soft and comfortable pink-blue and silver cloud-patterned felt blanket was laid out.
Have Emerald widen and enlarge the backrest so that she can comfortably lean against the south-facing kang (heated brick bed) without her back being unsupported.
A light-colored quilt with a dragon motif covered her legs.
On the low table was a bowl of cheese, sprinkled with small fruits that Gallo liked.
Her hair was combed out, and her full head of black hair fell naturally down her back.
She had just finished showering, and there was still some moisture on her eyelashes and temples.
Jialuo reached out and took the invitation from Emerald's hand, then lowered her eyes to look at the palace name on it.
She looked stunning but not eerie; instead, she exuded a serene charm.
Emerald looked at her mistress. She had been very angry just now, but seeing her mistress's calm demeanor, she gradually calmed down.
Being by my master's side, I can only calm my restless heart and want to sit quietly beside her.
Agate, who was originally preparing her newly developed milk tea in the side room, stepped in and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Fifth Princess, Consort Shu, and Eighth Princess of Prince Heshuo Darhan, and Consort Ke have come to pay their respects."
Jialuo looked up, slowly closed the post she was carefully looking at, and handed it to Emerald.
"Since they're here, let them in."
"yes."
Agate went out again, and soon returned with Angel and Angel.
"This humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty live a thousand years!"
"Get up quickly, we're all sisters, why stand on ceremony?"
Jialu put on her soft shoes and personally bent down to help both sisters up.
Angrama stood up, a joyful smile on her beautiful face.
“When Abu told me to come to Beijing for the talent show, I didn’t want to come. But now that I’ve seen my sister for the first time, I’m glad I came. Otherwise, I don’t know how long it would have been before I saw her again.”
At this point, she looked Jialuo up and down with a sigh.
“Back in Horqin, I was always vying with my sister for Abu’s affections. I was so proud when you got married, thinking that no one would be able to compete with me for Abu’s love.”
"But I never expected that after you left, I would feel empty. Abu's love for me remains unchanged, and I will not fight for it anymore."
"My older sister says I'm weird. One minute I'm happy that Xinsa Ri got married, and the next I'm not so happy because you got married."
Upon hearing this, Jialuo looked closely at her fifth sister, whose expression was genuine and seemed sincere.
She was immediately overjoyed, and naturally, the sisters would fight over a pretty beaded flower at home.
Or perhaps it's Abu's favor.
But when they grow up, they will always be the closest sisters to outsiders.
Although it's a bit awkward now, after all, the sisters are sharing one husband.
But Jialuo thought that she and Fulin could only be considered partners, while her fifth sister could be a real husband and wife with the emperor.
"And me, Sixth Sister. Angel also misses you terribly. The day Abu sent me to the capital, I cried all night."
"It was my fifth sister who told me that once I entered the palace I could play with my sixth sister every day, and that's when I fell asleep holding the jade ruyi that my mother gave me."
There was also a hint of pride in her tone.
Jialuo looked at An Qi'er, feeling extremely distressed.
This is truly still a child.
She was willing to come because there was a sister she liked in the palace.
The three sat on the south kang (heated brick bed). Jialuo asked in a low voice about her fifth sister's family situation. When she learned that her fourth brother had just had twins, she was genuinely happy for him.
The group chatted happily until someone outside the door announced that the Emperor was coming. Only then did Angela rise, take Angel's hand, and take her leave.
"This concubine takes her leave."
Angrama bowed respectfully.
Meanwhile, Angel, who was standing to the side, had been chatting happily with her two older sisters.
Seeing her fifth sister bowing to her sixth sister, she seemed to vaguely remember something and hurriedly followed suit.
"Alright, where did you get so many gifts from, sister?"
Jialu helped the two up and made a gesture to escort them to the door.
“That won’t do. Abu and Eji specifically warned me before I left the grasslands that my sister is the empress in the harem.”
"Although I hold a high position, I also bear a heavy responsibility. As the elder sister in the palace, I must not be arrogant or lack manners just because I am the older sister of my sixth sister."
"The closer we are to each other, the more we need to follow the rules, so that our relationship can last."
Upon hearing this, Galo nodded to Angelama, expressing his complete agreement.
"Yes, Fifth Sister's bow is not to me, but to my status."
“We are sisters born of the same mother, grew up together, and are each other’s most important people.”
"But the more this is the case, the more we must prevent others from finding fault with us."
“Angel is the same. We are both sisters of the Borjigit clan. We grew up together and now we must support each other in this palace.”
"Many things in this deep palace are different from those in our Khorchin, so we must be careful."
Jialuo gently patted her hand.
Angrama and Angel both nodded.
Seeing that it was almost time, Angela smiled gently at Garo before leaving with Angel.
Jialuo was originally there to welcome the Emperor, and now she stood at the door watching the two leave.
It was already dusk, and the setting sun in the distance outlined the silhouette of a mountain like a ghost, making the mountain appear particularly eerie.
The red walls and green tiles nearby resemble an alley that seems to stretch on forever, deep and tranquil.
Jialuo stepped back into the threshold, just about to go back, when she heard a sound coming from the other alleyway.
Fu Lin strode forward, his brows furrowed with a thunderous rage.
Knowing that he had not seen him today, Jialuo had no reason to anger him.
She waited until the emperor walked up to her before bowing in greeting.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."
"Um."
The young emperor strode in and went straight through the gates of Shou'an Palace.
Jialuo glanced at the security guard, who looked serious and winked at her.
Jialuo: "?"
The security guards simply bowed to her and made no other moves.
She didn't understand Anbao's meaning, even though she knew that Anbao was the chief eunuch serving the emperor.
He absolutely cannot have any unnecessary entanglements with the harem.
She got up on her own and followed Fu Lin into the main room.
As soon as he entered, he saw that Fulin had kicked off his boots and was sitting cross-legged in the spot where Jialuo had been sitting.
Her hand rested on the cushion that Jialuo had sewn especially for her.
He leaned against Gallo's cushion with a hint of curiosity.
Then loosen your cross-legged position, bend your left knee, straighten your right leg naturally, and lean your back against the pillow.
He let out a comfortable breath and said in a neutral tone, "I knew it, you know how to enjoy yourself."
Jialuo silently sat down on the other side and said in a low voice, "If Your Majesty likes it, I will have the Imperial Household Department sew a cushion for you as well."
"No need, what you have here is enough."
After Fu Lin finished speaking, although his words were amiable, the anger shrouding his brows did not dissipate in the slightest.
Jialuo didn't want to meddle in other people's business. Seeing that it was getting late, she realized it was time for her to have dinner.
It was a good time to use the mealtime to pass the time spent with Fulin.
"Is Your Majesty ready for your meal?"
The boy didn't reply. He only glanced at Jialuo before turning to look at the books she had placed on the table.
The security guard crouched down and said respectfully, "His Majesty hasn't eaten much this afternoon, and he came directly from the Qianqing Palace to the Empress's Shou'an Palace without eating either."
Jialu glanced at Fulin's physique.
No wonder she's so thin; she's not much to look at.
Eating like this, of course you won't gain weight.
If she were Lady Dong'e, she wouldn't like someone who lacks masculinity.
But in the end, she wasn't Dong E Shi, so how could she know what Dong E Shi liked or disliked?
Jialuo then turned to Emerald and said, "Then let's serve the meal."
Seeing that Jade had left, she smiled and said to Fulin, "Your Majesty, I specially ordered the kitchen to make radish and crucian carp soup. It's the most delicious soup. You must have a bowl later."
Fu Lin didn't respond to her words and casually closed the book in his hand.
His expression shifted to a half-smile, and he asked, "What was the Empress looking at me for just now?"
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Author's note: Hehe... Lots, right?
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