The emperor held Li Wan in his arms and had a sweet nap smelling her fragrance.
He gave the order and no one dared to come in and disturb him.
Li Wan lay there and fell asleep unknowingly.
When the bed curtains are drawn, the bed becomes a separate little world.
When the emperor woke up, it was dark inside the bed curtains and there was a faint fragrance in the air. Li Wan was nestled in his arms, sleeping soundly.
He didn't rush to get up, just lay there looking at Li Wan's sleeping face.
The skin on her face is fair and delicate, and feels warm and soft to the touch. She has thin eyebrows, her eyes are closed, and her eyelashes are thick and black, densely covering her eyes. Her nose is small and straight, and her rosy lips are naturally pouted, as if asking for a kiss.
The emperor couldn't help but touch her slightly pouting lips with his fingertips, gently, his eyes were a little blurry, and after that, he couldn't help but lean over and kiss her.
My heart couldn't help but start beating fast again.
The breath he exhaled was hot.
Not wanting to wake her up, I restrained myself from kissing her once and then moving away, then just watching her sleep intently.
It was just that face, but he could never get tired of looking at it. Just by looking at it, his heart felt warm and soft.
He gently rubbed Li Wan's cheek with the back of his fingers and murmured softly: "You are not allowed to lie to me. You must stay with me in the palace for the rest of your life... If you lie to me, I will never forgive you..."
…
The rain continued for several days and finally stopped.
The palace maids in the main palace did not breathe a sigh of relief as usual. Because of the continuous rainy days, the emperor was in a good mood.
The palace servants all knew why the emperor was in a good mood.
The palace servants were all very happy to see Li Wan being favored. Compared with other masters in the palace, Li Wan was the most amiable. Although he was favored, he would still get together with them to talk and laugh as before.
Moreover, ever since Li Wan became favored, the emperor's mood seems to be getting better day by day. When the master is in a good mood, the servants under him all feel relaxed.
No one wants to work with a nervous ache and tension all day long.
Therefore, the palace people were also full of gratitude towards Li Wan.
After Li Wan got close to the emperor, her life became very easy. The emperor required her to read to him and coax him to sleep every night. She either read or talked to him. In short, Li Wan could not return to the West Palace until he fell asleep.
Therefore, the emperor exempted her from having to get up early to serve, and she could sleep until she woke up naturally.
However, this day was the day the emperor had agreed to summon her mother and brother to the palace. She got up early, had breakfast, watched the palace maids prepare everything, and was about to go out for a walk when she saw Cuizhu hurried in and said that the palace maids from the Clothing Bureau were here to measure her size.
Cuizhu couldn't hide her excitement and said, "It is said that the emperor ordered to buy riding clothes for the master!"
Li Wan stood up and walked to the outer room. Three palace maids from the Clothing Bureau bowed to her and called her Miss Wan.
"The Emperor has ordered that two sets of riding clothes be made for Miss Wan. They should be prepared for the autumn hunt next month. Congratulations, Miss." A palace servant from the Clothing Bureau said with a smile.
The Yuan Dynasty was conquered on horseback, and the founding emperor required that royal children must be good at riding and shooting, so every October they would go to the royal enclosure outside Kyoto for autumn hunting.
Not everyone is qualified to go for the autumn hunt, especially concubines in the harem, who only have two or three spots each year.
Last year, the emperor brought Concubine Yi and Concubine Li with him. Concubine Li shot a deer and received a reward from the emperor. She was proud of herself for the whole year.
The competition in the harem is also fierce this year.
Li Wan naturally went there as the emperor's attendant, but attendants did not have to mount horses. Instead, the emperor specially called people from the Clothing Bureau to make riding clothes for her, obviously not considering Li Wan as an attendant.
Only palace officials from the Clothing Bureau would say words of congratulations.
In response to their congratulations, Li Wan just smiled.
The palace maids from the Clothing Bureau measured the dimensions and said it could be made within seven days. When leaving, Li Wan specially asked Cuizhu to give him a few pieces of silver.
Send away the palace maids from the Clothing Bureau.
Xiao Qianzi came over with a happy face and told Li Wan that her mother and brother had just entered the palace and were heading towards the main palace.
Li Wan smiled and gave Xiaoqianzi a few taels of silver, then took Cuizhu to meet her.
Li Wan's father was only a fifth-rank official with little real power. In Kyoto, a place full of nobles, he was not well-known.
The Queen Mother was the legitimate daughter, but Li Wan's father was only her half-brother. When the Queen Mother was still in the boudoir, she was not close to Li Wan's father. If she had not taken a fancy to Li Wan this time, she would have looked down on this relative.
The Li family has no power or influence, but the Li parents are a rare loving couple in Kyoto. Li's father has only one wife and no concubines. Mrs. Li gave birth to two sons and one daughter. Li Wan is the second daughter. She has an older brother who is three years older than her and a younger brother who is ten years younger than her.
Before entering the palace, Li Mu was repeatedly told by his parents to abide by the rules. This was his first time in the palace, and the high red walls gave him a great sense of oppression, making him feel breathless. He had been following Mrs. Li obediently, not daring to make a sound. But after seeing Li Wan from afar, he felt a little shy, and walked over with his mother, shyly glanced at Li Wan quickly, and then quickly moved away.
Mrs. Li's eyes were filled with tears. She held Li Wan's hand and said, "Wan'er." She was already choking with sobs when she called out "Wan'er."
Li Wan felt a pang in her heart, thinking back to how her whole family felt that she was entering a fire pit before entering the palace. During that period, Madam Li cried every day, and Li's father even went to ask her stepmother for help, but the Queen Mother was too powerful, so in the end they had to send her to the palace.
After Li Wan entered the palace, Madam Li could not sleep well every night. When she heard that Li Wan fell ill after being punished to kneel, she felt heartbroken.
She was living in fear every day, and now she looked much more haggard than before Li Wan entered the palace.
Li Wan tightened Mrs. Li's hand and called softly, "Mother."
Cuizhu bowed and said, "I am Cuizhu, your servant, and I pay my respects to the Madam and the Young Master."
Li Wan said: "This is the little maid who serves me in the palace."
Madam Li knew that the maid that Li Wan brought to pick her up must be someone she could trust, so she smiled kindly and said, "Get up."
Cuizhu then got up.
Li Wan looked at Li Mu who was standing aside awkwardly, bent down, and patted his head: "Mu'er, why don't you call me sister? It's only been more than three months, and you've already forgotten about your sister?"
Li Mu's pretty face flushed slightly, but his voice was small: "No."
Madam Li said, "Mu'er was so happy to know that he could come to the palace to see you. He even said that he wanted to show you the boxing he had learned recently."
Li Mu's face turned red and he glared at Mrs. Li, blaming her for saying that.
Li Wan pinched his little face, then said to Madam Li: "Mom, let's go to my place first."
Mrs. Li knew that this was not an easy place to talk, so she nodded quickly.
Li Wan thanked the eunuch who led the way and took Madam Li and Li Mu back to the West Palace.
All the palace people he met along the way were very respectful.
Mrs. Li felt a little more at ease.
When we arrived at the West Palace, the palace servants had already prepared tea and snacks.
Madam Li looked at the exquisite snacks on the table and the various arrangements of the West Palace, and was slightly surprised. Could it be that what was said before was true? Did Li Wan really win the emperor's favor? Was she going to be an empress?
Cuizhu smiled and said, "Madam, young master, please sit down."
Only then did Mrs. Li sit down at the table.
Cuizhu continued, "Young Master, try this chestnut cake. It's the master's favorite. Knowing that the young master and the lady would be coming today, the master specifically asked me to go to the imperial kitchen and order it. It has just been delivered and is still hot."
Madam Li was a little surprised: "The imperial kitchen?"
The imperial kitchen only prepares meals for the emperor.
The concubines in the harem all have their own cooks in their palaces.
Not to mention the palace servants.
But Li Wan has pastries from the imperial kitchen.
This really had to surprise her.
In fact, being able to invite both her and Li Mu into the palace was already a great blessing.
The concubines in the harem only have two opportunities a year to see their family members outside the palace.
Li Wan asked all the palace servants to leave, leaving only Cuizhu.
Only then could Mrs. Li take a good, careful look at Li Wan.
When she saw him just now, she felt that Li Wan was different.
Li Wan had been in poor health since childhood and was always sick several times a year. Sometimes she would need to rest for ten days or half a month. In addition, she was introverted and not the kind of girl who loved to laugh and make noises. She also didn't have any close friends and had always been depressed since childhood.
But when she saw Li Wan standing in front of her today, how could he look depressed or sad at all?
Her brows were relaxed, her almond-shaped eyes were dark, moist and bright, and her complexion was even slightly rosier than when she was outside the palace. She was also slightly... a little fatter.
It’s just that Li Wan is slender and a little fatter, which makes her look a lot more comfortable.
Madam Li took Li Wan'er's hand and said, "Wan'er, outside the palace, rumors are spreading back and forth, and I never know how much is true and how much is false. I feel relieved after seeing you today. Tell me how you are doing in the palace? ... How does the emperor treat you?"
But he didn't mention at all that Li Wan had fallen ill as a result of being punished by kneeling.
Li Wan said in a gentle voice: "Don't worry, mother. Everything is fine in the palace. Look, haven't I gained some weight?"
She has been eating well and sleeping well recently, and has indeed gained weight.
Madam Li nodded: "I just saw you, and you look better than when you were outside the palace."
Cuizhu had something else to say: "Madam, you don't know that the emperor gave the young lady a lot of precious medicinal tonics and asked the kitchen staff to stew them for her every day. How could her complexion not be good?"
Because of Li Wan's warning, Cui Zhu did not dare to tell others about the favor Li Wan had received. Today, when her family came, she could finally speak out.
Madam Li was surprised: "The emperor treats you so well? How come mother heard before that the emperor doesn't like you and often punishes you? Your father couldn't even eat after hearing those words."
Li Wan turned to Cuizhu and said, "Cuizhu, take Mu'er out to play for a while, and don't let anyone in."
Upon hearing this, Cuizhu knew that the mother and daughter had something private to say, so she took Li Mu out. They didn't go far, but stayed outside the hall and guarded the door for Li Wan.
......
After the emperor left the court, he returned to the Gandong Palace and called Xiao Qianzi to question him.
"Your Majesty, Madam Li and Young Master Li have already arrived at the West Palace, and are now talking to Miss Wan."
The emperor hummed and sat behind the table reading the memorials. After a while, he suddenly stood up and said, "I'll go over and take a look."
Cao Yu was startled, and then he tried to dissuade her, "Your Majesty, Miss Wan and Madam Li must have a lot of private conversations to discuss right now, so why not wait until after lunch?"
He said this without any selfish motive.
When the emperor heard this, he sat back down. He was used to seeing Li Wan after court session.
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