Chapter 10, Empress Li Huang
"Young Master Shao." A middle-aged man in his forties, with a simple and honest appearance, walked into the study and offered his greetings
"Not bad, what a good poem. I wonder who wrote it, hehe." Emperor Qianwen said this, clearly not believing that it was composed by Shen Ao. Like Empress Zhao, he thought it must have been prepared in advance by some renowned poet, merely recited by Shen Ao to elicit a smile from Empress Zhao.
The young lotus has just revealed its pointed tip, and already a dragonfly is perched atop it. Emperor Qian was repeating this beside him, at this moment he seemed to envision a mischievous little dragonfly standing on the delicate young lotus.
After the morning court session, Emperor Qian went straight to the palace of the Imperial Noble Consort, accompanied by a group of eunuchs
Shen Xing did not disappoint Shen Ao; he even refrained from asking what needed to be done and simply nodded decisively, "Please give your orders, Young Master Shao."
In less than half an hour, I returned to the side of Empress Li. At this moment, I was enveloped by a subtle and elegant fragrance. Up close, Empress Li's nose twitched slightly, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face. "Not bad, this will do. From now on, let us use this for bathing. By the way, Chengchan, go and take a few pieces to the concubines I am familiar with, and also inform them that this item comes from the Juhua Palace"
The spring's silent water cherishes the gentle flow, the shade of the trees reflects on the water, loving the soft brightness.
Duke of Loyalty's Residence
Empress Zhao also shares this sentiment. While it may be acceptable to attribute the emergence of soap to Shen Ao, it is absolutely impossible to create poetry without a certain period of accumulation in time.
Having recently acquired two hundred taels of gold, Shen Ao entrusted the entire amount to Shi Lei, instructing him to purchase raw materials and deliver them to the Zhao family workshop. "Remember, you may also buy some items needed in the residence. It is imperative that you do not purchase more than one type of item at the same location"
The Great Qian Imperial Palace
"Haha, my beloved consort, please rise quickly." In terms of attitude, he was much more enthusiastic than towards Consort Zhao, as Emperor Qianwen stepped forward with a smile to assist Empress Li.
Seeing the imposing aura in Emperor Qian's eyes, Yan Fu involuntarily trembled. "This servant is guilty; it must be those little monkeys below who have been negligent in their duties. This servant will go down to investigate right away"
"Excellent." Emperor Qianwen laughed heartily and took his seat on the main throne with great authority
After waiting for a while in the study, Shen Ao was visited by Shen Xing, the steward of the Duke of Zhongguo's residence
Speaking of this Li family, she is not only the biological mother of the current Crown Prince Tang Xin, but she is also the younger sister of one of the powerful vassal kings—King Jin. At that time, the Li family contributed significantly to Tang Qingshan's successful ascension to the throne
"Go, and provide me with an explanation after the next court session." After Emperor Qianwen left these words, he strode away, leaving Yan Fu to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. Subsequently, he beckoned, and a young eunuch stepped forward; after a brief whisper, he quickly left the palace.
After everything was tidied up, Emperor Qianwen finally left the Gathering Lotus Palace. On the way to the Tai Chi Hall, Emperor Qianwen's previously cheerful demeanor changed as he turned to the Chief Eunuch Yan Fu, who was following closely behind, and asked: "Yan Fu, why was this matter not reported?"
After sending off Shi Lei, Feng Xun was called forward again. "You go investigate the situation of the Hu family and their son. If there are any relatives, take them all into custody and secretly send them out of the city. It is imperative that the location remains unknown. Also, purchase some essential supplies; do not let them suffer. Go now, and also call the steward over."
Shen is a servant of the Shen family, which signifies that he has completely become a servant of the Shen household, and is essentially half a member of the family. Shen Xing and Shen Ao still have a great deal of trust in him; he is the elder that their father left behind before his departure. For the past fifteen years, he has accompanied them and has cared for them as if they were his own children.
Leaning into the embrace of Emperor Qian, although no longer young, the skin of Imperial Concubine Li remains as radiant as ever due to her good maintenance, especially her voice, which possesses a charm that no man can resist, "Your Majesty, you are quite strong indeed"
After laughing, Emperor Qian noticed the packaging of the goat milk soap. Looking at the four large characters, he couldn't help but smile and said, "Is this the handwriting of Duke Zhongguo? It actually looks quite good."
One must always be wary of others. Shen Ao understands the importance of patents better than anyone in this era. In order to prevent the Hu family from being exploited, he can only act in this manner
According to Shen Ao's previous memories, there should be three people he trusts the most in this world. They are his uncle Shen Yunyi, his aunt Zhao Yingying, and the steward Shen Xing
Last night, I rested at the residence of Lady Zhao. Today, I went to the palace for breakfast. This is the way of balance, also known as equitable distribution of benefits.
In less than half an hour, after having breakfast, Emperor Qianwen left the Yaohua Palace and headed directly to the Yangxin Hall to begin a day of work. Before leaving, he left ten pieces of goat milk soap right in front of Empress Li.
As Emperor Qianwen spoke these words, no one noticed that Yan Fu, standing behind him, slightly trembled for a moment before quickly returning to a normal state
Upon hearing the words of Empress Zhao, it immediately piqued the interest of Emperor Qianwen, who exclaimed, "Oh, the Duke of Loyalty can write poetry as well?" Clearly, this was somewhat beyond his expectations
"Your Majesty." Upon hearing this, Consort Zhao let out a playful huff, her face instantly flushed with embarrassment, which in turn elicited a hearty laugh from Emperor Qianwen.
Chongchan is a female official by the side of Empress Li, and she is also a trusted confidante. With a slender figure and a pleasing appearance, she appears to be around twenty years old. Upon hearing the news, she immediately responded with an affirmative and then took a piece of goat milk soap before disappearing without a trace
As he looked at the Empress Li, who had fallen into his embrace, Emperor Qianwen's eyes flashed with a sharp glint, yet he smiled and said, "My beloved consort, I am hungry; let us dine first." With that, he gently adjusted the Empress Li's posture.
In order to prevent others from prying into the secrets of the goat milk soap, Shen Ao must take some measures for concealment, thereby enhancing the confidentiality of the secret formula
The Great Qian Dynasty did not have an empress
Noticing Yan Fu's unusual behavior, Empress Zhao turned to Emperor Qianwen and nodded, "Your Majesty, Duke Zhongguo has grown up. Recently, he has stopped his childish antics and is diligently studying poetry and literature at home. What Your Majesty may not know is that today he even composed a poem about the lotus flowers in full bloom."
Shen Ao was not aware of the events occurring within the palace; he believed that Consort Zhao would certainly handle the situation well. Aside from increasing the production of goat milk soap, his current task was to find a suitable partner.
... ...
On the way to the Empress Dowager Yaohua Palace, Yan Fu quietly reported the information he had just learned. "Your Majesty, the Duke of Xia... has not been doing anything lately except visiting the Zhao family workshop, and he hasn't encountered any suspicious individuals or anything unusual. It seems that this goat milk soap must have been produced in the Zhao family workshop."
In the Yao Hua Palace, it was already known that the Emperor would come for breakfast, and exquisite dishes had long been arranged on the dining table. Upon seeing the distant figure of Emperor Qianwen, a woman nearly forty years old, yet still possessing an enduring charm, displayed a smile of joy on her face, slightly bending her body as she offered her greetings of longevity.
The young lotus has just revealed its pointed tip, and already a dragonfly is perched upon its head
It was merely a question that arose, and the Yaohua Palace had arrived. The expression on Emperor Qianwen's face transformed as if by magic, gaining a hint of a smile. With the loud announcement from Yan Fu beside him, "The Emperor has arrived," he had already stepped into the palace of the Imperial Noble Consort.
Or it can be said that there were some in the past, but they have since passed away, and thus have not been conferred titles again. Currently, the main figure in the imperial harem is the Imperial Noble Consort Li.
The next morning, he had to attend court early. At the fourth watch, Emperor Qian was assisted by Consort Zhao in changing his clothes and getting out of bed. "My beloved consort, I am going to court now. You may continue to rest if you have nothing to do. Also, I would like to thank you on behalf of the Empress Dowager for the goat milk soap you sent; she will surely be delighted when she sees it later."
Understood, have your people keep a close watch. Emperor Qian walked at a normal pace, his face showing no signs of disturbance. However, doubts had already arisen in his heart, Could it be that she has returned
... ...
If a ranking must be established among the three individuals, Shen Xing is undoubtedly in the first position. This is because the other two, apart from themselves, have family members and cannot devote all their love solely to themselves. On the other hand, this Shen Xing, being a single man, has yet to start a family, let alone have any offspring.
"We are all sisters; this is what I should do as a servant." The noble Consort Zhao humbly stated, not daring to claim credit.
Upon hearing these words, Emperor Qianwen burst into hearty laughter and reached out to touch Consort Zhao's face, saying: "My beloved consort is always so understanding, it brings great comfort to my heart"
Is this the goat milk soap?" Emperor Qianwen smiled, reached out to take it, and held it gently to his nose to sniff. Indeed, there was a subtle and elegant fragrance, and he nodded in understanding, "Not bad, it smells very pleasant, but it still cannot compare to the body fragrance of my beloved minister, which intoxicates me even more.
The long-prepared dinner was served, and everything proceeded as a matter of course. After the meal, Emperor Qian remained in the Juhe Palace. It was also destined that the matter of the goat milk soap would spread throughout the entire imperial harem by tomorrow morning
The consort Zhao, who intended to gain favor with the Emperor on behalf of Shen Ao, quickly nodded and then proceeded to recite "The Little Pond" once again.
Looking at the ten exquisitely packaged square boxes adorned with the four large characters "Goat Milk Soap" in a lively and elegant script, Consort Li also retracted her previous seductive demeanor. She extended her jade-like hand to pick up a piece. Bringing it gently to her nose, she inhaled lightly and said, "Hmm, it does have a hint of delicate and elegant fragrance. Chun Chan, you should go ahead and try it first to see if the effects are as the Emperor described."
"Uncle Shen, there is an important matter that I need you to handle," Shen Ao addressed Shen Xing with a term of respect reserved for elders. This was not without reason; it was due to the unwavering loyalty and dedication Shen Xing had shown over the past decade, managing the entire Duke's residence with meticulous care, which warranted such a form of address.
The passionate Consort Li, having been politely declined, appeared to be completely unconcerned and showed no signs of embarrassment, lightly laughing as she said: "Very well, let me serve His Majesty during the meal"