Chapter 2, Concubine Li
What does a grand wedding matter, what does it matter to be an empress, when the emperor still rests with me... Thinking of this, Consort Li felt extremely pleased and fixed her gaze on the items held in Su Yue's hands
Puff--
The other concubines were willing to watch Xi Pin publicly provoke the Empress and Li Fei, without intervening. Before the Empress entered the palace, Li Fei had been dominant in the harem, and few dared to offend her; now, even fewer were willing to provoke her. Only Xi Pin, with a bit more courage, hurriedly stood up to express her stance, aiming to both prick Li Fei's arrogant demeanor and also to demonstrate her loyalty to the Empress. However, it seemed that the Empress had no intention of engaging, focusing solely on watching the spectacle.
In the study, Ji Wujiao was so angry that he laughed. Dare to say that I "sold myself to save the country"? And also "greatly admire"? ... This woman is truly ... truly ...
It is the duty of a servant to alleviate the Emperor's worries, and I shall certainly not fail in this mission
Li Fei's smile suddenly froze, "Your Majesty, what does this mean?"
Ye Zhenzhen's expression was devoid of emotion, her phoenix eyes slightly narrowed as she scanned the faces of those present. This seemingly ordinary action carried an innate nobility and authority, causing those who were met with her gaze to involuntarily feel a sense of solemnity
Li Fei's expression changed once again
"Your Majesty, this servant would rather die a thousand deaths than deceive you!" The young eunuch was greatly frightened by Ji Wujiao's reaction, his body trembling slightly. Moreover, the content of his earlier report was indeed quite embarrassing for the Emperor, as if he knew too much...
In the imperial study
Although it is not easy to express on the surface, others do harbor a certain degree of schadenfreude in their hearts
Ye Zhenzhen interrupted her with a smile, "Lady Li need not feel guilty; I have plenty of such things, and there is no place to put them."
What the queen has no place to put, you, the noble consort, treat as treasures. Does this not clearly indicate to others that you, the noble consort, are petty and have not seen much of the world? Moreover, do not think that just because the emperor favors you, you have truly become a phoenix perched on a branch. When it comes to the queen, she can just as easily dismiss you with things that have no place to be stored.
The toad sat steadily in the center of the tray, its eyes glowing with a red light, resembling a living creature. Li Fei felt her skin on her arms gently tremble, as if a layer of goosebumps had formed. ... She had an illusion that this malevolent creature was staring at her, perhaps ready to leap onto her face at any moment ...
"What a clever tongue," Ye Zhenzhen commented, her expression filled with admiration, as if this were the focal point of her attention
At last, her gaze rested on Lady Li. She did not actually want to pick a fight, but since Lady Li had arrived late today, Ye Zhenzhen felt that she should give her a chance to explain herself
Ye Zhenzhen replied, "Does Lady Li not know? The toad is known for its many offspring and its ability to attract wealth and prosperity. Since ancient times, it has been regarded as a symbol of good fortune and celebration. Today, I present it to you, which is most fitting."
"Did she really say that?" Ji Wujiao calmly took the handkerchief presented by Feng Youde and wiped his mouth
Su Yue and Su Feng are both her maidservants who accompanied her as part of her dowry, serving her closely before her marriage. Su Yue is cautious and meticulous in her actions, while Su Feng is clever and resourceful, known for her quick wit
Zhuang Pin opened her mouth, genuinely unsure whether this could be considered a compliment or a satire. She prided herself on her intelligence, yet at this moment, she could not gauge the temperament of this Empress.
Li Fei's brows were relaxed, and her smile seemed to make the flowers tremble lightly. "Indeed, Sister Zhuang is absolutely right. I had no idea that the servants in the palace could be so thoughtless, nor did I know that His Majesty cared for me so much." Her words subtly reminded everyone of Ye Zhenzhen's scars.
Su Yue sighed, "The most important thing for now is to keep the Emperor. The reason why Consort Li is so arrogant is also due to her immense favor. Your Highness, you..."
The palace maid Suyue gently massaged her shoulders, while another palace maid Sufeng presented a cup of tea. Ye Zhenzhen took a sip.
Ye Zhenzhen thought to herself, so what, I was already greatly disrespectful yesterday
Seeing her own lady in such a disappointing state, Su Feng felt somewhat anxious, "My lady, you cannot allow yourself to be bullied like this."
Yesterday, the Emperor had the imperial physician examine me carefully, and there is nothing serious. I appreciate your concern, sister.
"The elder sister is injured, yet there is no rush to summon the imperial physician; instead, one first reports to the Emperor. Such caution in action is truly remarkable," said Consort Xi, casting a sidelong glance at the Empress seated nearby, only to find her eyes downcast, her face bearing a faint expression of indifference.
Su Feng seems to find this reason somewhat difficult to accept, "Then the Emperor..."
Indeed, Lady Li began to explain, "I am unwell, which is why I arrived late and have neglected Her Majesty the Empress. I ask for Your Majesty's punishment."
On the second day of her grand wedding, Ye Zhenzhen still had many matters to attend to. She had to pay respects to her ancestors, meet with the Empress Dowager, and afterwards lead the concubines of the harem in bowing and paying their respects to the Emperor. By the time she returned to Kun Ning Palace, she was exhausted, her shoulders ached, and she felt a dull pain in her lower body, overall quite uncomfortable
Below the rank of consort, there are three second-rank concubines: Zhuang Pin, Hui Pin, and Xi Pin; three third-rank Jie Yu; two fourth-rank Zhao Yi; and several fifth-rank Mei Ren and those of lower ranks
Alright, everyone can go down now
These concubines are each beautiful in their own way, leaving one dazzled. It seems that Ji Wujiao has a diverse taste.
In theory, it would be ideal for a concubine to receive a good luck charm symbolizing many children after serving the emperor at night. However... why a toad? Is the empress implying that the children born to her beautiful concubine are all toads?
After a brief rest, the various palace concubines came to formally pay their respects to the Empress. From now on, they would also come daily to greet the Empress, who would then lead them to the Cining Palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager
Since the first meeting between the two last night, Ye Zhenzhen has been making things difficult for him. Thinking of her disdainful expression when she drank the wedding wine yesterday, Ji Wujiao suddenly felt a surge of frustration in his chest. He is the emperor; he can disdain any woman he chooses, yet now there is a woman who dares to disdain him.
Several exquisite pieces of jewelry reveal the queen's exceptional taste. In addition, there is also a toad made of mutton-fat white jade
Ye Zhenzhen replied perfunctorily, "Lady Li need not be so reserved; it is all for the service of His Majesty, what guilt could there be."
Ji Wujiao found himself unable to find a suitable word to describe Ye Zhenzhen's behavior; it seemed she had surpassed the understanding of an ordinary person. In the end, he suddenly slammed the table and exclaimed, "This is truly seeking death!"
Su Feng curled her lips and said, "That Lady Li has such audacity, relying merely on a bit of the Emperor's favor, to actually provoke you, Your Highness. It is truly an overestimation of her own capabilities"
Li Fei gritted her teeth in anger, her beautiful face now appearing somewhat fierce. She stood up, her voice slightly trembling, "Thank you, Empress, for your grace"
Because Ji Wujiao said, "Let’s all go down," Feng Youde wisely retreated as well, carefully closing the door behind him. Just as he secured the door, he heard a loud, sharp sound of porcelain crashing to the ground from inside.
Ye Zhenzhen shook her head and said, "The reason why Concubine Li dares to be so arrogant is that her father, General Su, is currently stationed in Dunhuang, fighting against the various tribes of the Western Regions"
"Your Majesty, this can be considered as selling oneself to save the country. I must say, it greatly impresses me," Ye Zhenzhen said.
"Your Majesty rested at the Luhua Palace yesterday," Su Yue said
Xiping suddenly felt a bit awkward, yet she had to maintain a facade. At that moment, Zhuangpin, who had always followed Lifi's lead, spoke up: "Sister Xiping, you may not be aware that the Emperor specifically instructed the eunuchs and palace maids of Luhua Palace to report immediately if there were any matters concerning Lifi. I was present at the time, so I am aware of this. It is likely that the eunuchs of Luhua Palace acted on this imperial will last night without much thought and reported to the Emperor first. As for the Emperor arriving even before the physician, it is because Luhua Palace is close to Kunning Palace, and also because the Emperor was concerned about Lifi's injuries, which is why he hurried over."
Li Fei could not see any trace of disappointment or anger on Ye Zhenzhen's face, which left her somewhat surprised
Li Fei truly could not suppress her laughter any longer; in fact, she felt that not rolling her eyes at this moment was already a sign of great decorum. She looked at the small bumps on the toad's back, her face displaying a look of great difficulty, "But such a precious treasure, how could I possibly be worthy of possessing it? Perhaps..." Perhaps it is better left for Your Majesty, the Empress, to keep for yourself!
Ji Wujiao is only twenty years old this year, so the number of his consorts is not particularly large, and those of high rank are even fewer. Among his consorts, there are only two of the second rank: the Li Fei and the Xian Fei. The Li Fei is the illegitimate daughter of General Su, who originally served as a talent in the Eastern Palace. After Ji Wujiao ascended the throne, she gradually rose to her current rank. The Xian Fei is the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue, Fang Xiuqing, who entered the palace yesterday along with Ye Zhenzhen. According to the ancestral system, when the emperor marries and enshrines the empress, he must also enshrine one to two consorts. These consorts can either be promoted directly from the existing concubines in the harem or brought in from outside the palace. The Xian Fei belongs to the latter category.
Indeed, every person with the surname Ye deserves to be dealt with
The Empress said, "The favored Xi Pin covered her mouth and giggled, her beautiful eyes glancing towards Li Fei, 'Sister, I heard that you accidentally fell yesterday. Are you feeling any better now?'"
Excessive favor? A joke. If Ji Wujiao truly cherished her, he would not allow her to make enemies throughout the harem. The more little braids she has now, the more obedient her father will be in the future. Currently, the situation in the Western Regions is unstable, and even the places that have submitted are being stirred up, causing unrest among the people. The border is in urgent need of capable individuals; although General Su is not a renowned general, his abilities are still quite remarkable. It is easy to find a thousand soldiers, but difficult to find a general. It is essential to pacify the situation well, and what better way to appease a minister than through the favor bestowed upon his daughter. The border is in urgent need of capable individuals; although General Su is not a renowned general, his abilities are still quite remarkable. It is easy to find a thousand soldiers, but difficult to find a general. It is essential to pacify the situation well, and what better way to appease a minister than through the favor bestowed upon his daughter.
Hmm," Ye Zhenzhen replied, neither affirming nor denying.
Oh
The toad, about the size of a fist, is entirely snow-white, with lines carved in a smooth and delicate manner, appearing lifelike. Because of its lifelike quality, the bumps on its back are also presented in a very realistic manner, making one feel a wave of nausea upon seeing it. The toad's eyes are set with two rubies the size of red beans, radiating an eerie glow
Upon hearing the cautious report from the kneeling eunuch, Ji Wujiao could not help but spray the tea he had just sipped all over the table. The brown liquid splattered onto the open memorial, which contained a heartfelt discussion by a certain censor regarding the question of "which woman the Emperor should have slept with last night"
Her words made the other two burst into laughter. Su Yue unconsciously paused her actions, supporting Ye Zhenzhen's shoulder, and while laughing, she said: "Your Majesty, oh Your Majesty, how can you still be the same as before? You must not do this. Please do not say such things in the future, be careful of eavesdroppers. If it reaches the Emperor's ears, you might be accused of great disrespect!"
It seems that the Emperor is extremely angry, Feng Youde shook his head
I understand. You have done well; in the future, be more cautious in your actions and do not let the Empress find out.
Ye Zhenzhen was somewhat impatient. She did not respond but slightly raised her chin. Su Yue was very perceptive and immediately brought over the items that had been prepared in advance, walking up to Li Fei. According to custom, the queen would reward some items the day after serving the emperor's consort.