Luo Ran thought Zhou Xi would endure for at least two months before starting to make a different plan. But she broke very quickly, which was somewhat different from her old style.
Just two days after receiving her monthly stipend, Zhou Xi stopped Lu Chen while he was heading to Luoyun palace. She bit her lip, her eyes red, and stood in front of Lu Chen’s procession. She looked to have suffered a great injustice and she complained to Lu Chen while sobbing.
Lu Chen listened to her complaining and only gathered his eyebrows. His heart was actually slightly relieved. Luo Ran was too delicate. He was worried that she would be bullied if he left her alone. She was sensitive, if she was wronged she would never tell him. He had been worried that she would be too patient with people and and end up suffocating alone. However, it seemed as if she learned to fight back and no longer put up with others, Zhou Xi reassured him that he didn’t have to worry too much about Luo Ran.
Zhou Xi looked at Lu Chen and thought that even if he was not angry, he should at least frown because Luo Ran was not as kind as he thought she was in his heart. But, he had on a calm face, with relief in his eyes, which made Zhou Xi even more angry and hurt.
Why wasn’t he even a little surprised?
Zhou Xi blushed and wept. Zhou Xi was not able to see herself. She had never tried to fake cry before. No one knew when she had begun to consciously try and imitate Luo Ran’s temperament and appearance.
However, with Luo Ran’s genuine appearance for comparison, Lu Chen naturally did not like her fake appearance, and even his previous feelings for her disappeared with her posturing.
Lu Chen led Zhou Xi to Luoyun palace.
When Luo Ran heard his voice, she ran out. Seeing Zhou Xi beside him, she stepped forward and looked somber for an instant. After saluting Lu Chen, she hung her head and stood aside.
Lu Chen was sitting in his seat when he saw her head hanging down and hands clasped together in front. His heart felt weak and he called, “Ran’er, come here.”
Luo Ran heard his voice and raised her head instantly. Her eyes were gray and wet with mist. She bit her lip at Zhou Xi and moved towards Lu Chen carefully.
It was not until she arrived at Lu Chen’s side and Lu Chen had taken her hand, gave her a reassuring look that Luo Ran smiled and looked as bright as a peach.
Seeing her smile, Lu Chen’s eyes warmed: “Sit down.”
Zhou Xi had always occupied the position on the other side. Qing Ru brought a low stool and placed it next to Lu Chen. Lu Chen took her hand and didn’t loosen it even after Luo Ran sat down.
Zhou Xi saw this action, bit the tip of her tongue and reminded, “Your Majesty…”
Lu Chen glanced at her and his eyes were as dark as a lake. Zhou Xi paused and swallowed her words.
Luo Ran knew what they came for but tried to show a smile on her face. Her eyes were puzzled: “What is it, Your Majesty?”
She asked carefully, fearing that she had made a mistake that would displease the Emperor.
Lu Chen clenched her hand and said flatly, “Imperial Concubine Zhou said that you embezzled her palace expenses and asked me to judge.”
Luo Ran was worried and defended, “Your Majesty, I didn’t!”
“I believe you.”
Lu Chen pulled her to her feet with excitement. He believed her. On the way, he thought it might have been her who did it, but after seeing her, he felt that she was still the little girl who needed his protection.
Luo Ran sat down with Lu Chen, but Zhou Xi suddenly stood up and shouted in disbelief, “Your Majesty!”
After Lu Chen’s words, Luo Ran stopped talking and fell atop Lu Chen’s knees, letting Lu Chen stroke her hair. she looked sideways at Zhou Xi with a sarcastic smile in her eyes.
Zhou Xi was infuriated by this look, and disregarding reason, said: “Your Majesty, everything this concubine said is true, and every monthly service in the concubine’s palace is recorded. If Your Majesty doesn’t believe me, you can read it.”
Lu Chen ignored her and said to his eunuch nearby, “Go to the internal affairs office.”
When Zhang Gonggong arrived, he repeated what he said to Luo Ran last time.
Lu Chen listened to his words, but there was no change on his face. However, Zhou Xi’s face instantly changed. She looked at Luo Ran, but saw Luo Ran sticking to Lu Chen. Her eyes were smiling. Seeing her shock, her smile deepened.
Zhou Xi put her hand in her sleeve and squeezed it tightly, slightly trembling.
Luo Ran suddenly changed her expression and stood up from her stool. She was embarrassed and said timidly, “Your Majesty, Zhang Gonggong told me about this, but I didn’t handle it properly. It was my fault. I’m sorry.”
“I don’t blame you, this is the first time you have come into contact with such matters. What’s more, you didn’t do anything wrong and so don’t need to apologize.”
Lu Chen interrupted her, unable to see her timid look. She had been spoiled by him for so many days, he assumed she must have became even more delicate. He watched her listen to his own words, and saw the corner of her eyes unconsciously show joy. Lu Chen’s lips overflowed with a smile. Her charming soft appearance, looking at it made him happy.
Zhou Xi felt pain in her heart and knew that she was trapped by Luo Ran again. Since she already knew what the matter was about, why didn’t she say so earlier? If Luo Ran said she wasn’t waiting for this day to happen, Zhou Xi wouldn’t believe her!
However, Luo Ran did not want to end it this way. Facing Zhou Xi, she hesitated and said, “Imperial Concubine Zhou, if you are not satisfied with the current monthly stipend, then you may as well get as much as before.”
Zhou Xi could not say that she was not satisfied now. However, before she could open her mouth to refute, Lu Chen’s indifferent voice was heard: “No, you did a good job. You didn’t discriminate between palaces. Everything was done according to the rules and it was a very good job.”
Listening to Lu Chen’s two consecutive sentences, Luo Ran blushed quietly and sat down beside Lu Chen. She tenderly took his hand and put her delicate hand in his own. When he looked up, she smiled at him with curved eyebrows.
Zhou Xi bit the tip of her tongue and let herself endure this injustice. She had been in charge of the harem for a year and had taken care of all the affairs properly. When did she ever get a compliment from the Emperor? Luo Ran had only just picked up her wisdom and was already able to get him to praise her.
Zhou Xi took one look at the two hands holding each other, and only felt a stabbing pain in her eyes. She didn’t want to stay any longer. She bowed her body and said firmly, “Today, I didn’t know the truth. I’ve been unreasonable. I will retire!”
Luo Ran seemed to just ‘realize’ that there was another person here. She pulled out her hand, stood up straight, quivered her eyelashes, leaned toward Zhou Xi, and lowered her voice: “Imperial Concubine Zhou, take care.”
In an instant, he was left without jer softness in his hands, Lu Chen frowned slightly and looked coldly at Zhou Xi, and saw that she had turned a blind eye to Luo Ran’s salute. He knew that Luo Ran felt guilty about Zhou Xi, but now that they were equal in status, she did not need to be humiliated by Zhou Xi.
Although Luo Ran recommended herself to him in the beginning, it was also a conscious decision made by him, but now Zhou Xi was dissatisfied with him?
Lu Chen looked cold and glanced indifferently at Zhou Xi, and said, “Imperial Concubine Luo is saluting you.”
Zhou Xi did not understand what he meant for a moment, so she did not react until she looked into his deep eyes, and her face turned pale instantly. No matter what she told herself, now, she and Luo Ran had the same status, but she had always looked down on Luo Ran in her heart.
Zhou Xi was pressured by Lu Chen’s stare, so she bent over, saluted to Luo Ran, clenched her teeth, and squeezed out her voice from between her teeth: “Imperial Concubine Luo doesn’t have to be polite.”
Luo Ran stood up, nibbling her lip, took one look at Zhou Xi and another at Lu Chen. Under Lu Chen’s gaze, she finally summoned up her courage to stand up straight and receive Zhou Xi’s curtsy.
After Zhou Xi left, Luo Ran leaned limply against Lu Chen’s arms. Lu Chen lovingly touched her and smiled, “Dummy.”
Luo Ran disagreed, but she also knew Lu Chen was right. She hung onto his neck, her face was red, her soft lips next to his cheek. Her voice was soft like dripping with water: “It’s nice to have the Emperor here.”
Lu Chen buckled her waist and looked at her, as if to imprint her image deeply into his eyes. He said word by word: “Ruo’er, you have to stand up for yourself. There are always things I can’t take care of.”
Luo Ran’s eyes were instantly red. She tenderly leaned close to him, to let him see the tears in her eyes. She spoke without hesitation: “I don’t want to. Ruo’er can’t protect herself, so Your Majesty must not have anything that cannot be taken into consideration.”
Lu Chen only felt something warm flow in his heart, and his eyes showed even more compassion. He could only promise her: “Okay, I will protect you.”
Luo Ran instantly smiled through tears, and the palace eunuchs retired. Luo Ran hooked him, her eyes were soft and fawning. She approached him, and a light kiss fell on his face, lower, and lower.
Lu Chen let her toss about on his body, often during such times, she would always be so dazzling that he could not take his eyes away. He felt something wet and soft slip onto his neck. Lu Chen’s eyes were deep, and his adam’s apple bobbed up and down, it turned into a toy for her to find something fun to do with.
She stopped there, with white teeth gently grinding, she stretched out the tip of her tongue and tentatively licked. Lu Chen breathing instantly became heavier. He pulled her over, and saw her eyes innocently looking at him. Lu Chen’s heart felt hot, close to her ears, he whispered with a dark hoarse voice:
“Don’t cry.”
Luo Ran hooked his neck and bit his lip, boldly but also bashfully.
Gauze was taken down and plainclothes were taken off. That night, even when Luo Ran tenderly begged for mercy, with a crying hoarse voice, Lu Chen did not let her go.
As soon as Lu Chen stepped out of Luoyun Palace, his palace eunuchs whispered into his ear: “Your Majesty, I heard that the Empress Dowager wants to see Imperial Concubine Luo.”
Lu Chen seemed to have a spring in his step, and his mood didn’t change at all. Only when no one could see him, did he frown slightly. His mother never wanted to see his concubines before, why did she suddenly think of seeing Ran’er?
Luo Ran thought Zhou Xi would endure for at least two months before starting to make a different plan. But she broke very quickly, which was somewhat different from her old style.
Just two days after receiving her monthly stipend, Zhou Xi stopped Lu Chen while he was heading to Luoyun palace. She bit her lip, her eyes red, and stood in front of Lu Chen’s procession. She looked to have suffered a great injustice and she complained to Lu Chen while sobbing.
Lu Chen listened to her complaining and only gathered his eyebrows. His heart was actually slightly relieved. Luo Ran was too delicate. He was worried that she would be bullied if he left her alone. She was sensitive, if she was wronged she would never tell him. He had been worried that she would be too patient with people and and end up suffocating alone. However, it seemed as if she learned to fight back and no longer put up with others, Zhou Xi reassured him that he didn’t have to worry too much about Luo Ran.
Zhou Xi looked at Lu Chen and thought that even if he was not angry, he should at least frown because Luo Ran was not as kind as he thought she was in his heart. But, he had on a calm face, with relief in his eyes, which made Zhou Xi even more angry and hurt.
Why wasn’t he even a little surprised?
Zhou Xi blushed and wept. Zhou Xi was not able to see herself. She had never tried to fake cry before. No one knew when she had begun to consciously try and imitate Luo Ran’s temperament and appearance.
However, with Luo Ran’s genuine appearance for comparison, Lu Chen naturally did not like her fake appearance, and even his previous feelings for her disappeared with her posturing.
Lu Chen led Zhou Xi to Luoyun palace.
When Luo Ran heard his voice, she ran out. Seeing Zhou Xi beside him, she stepped forward and looked somber for an instant. After saluting Lu Chen, she hung her head and stood aside.
Lu Chen was sitting in his seat when he saw her head hanging down and hands clasped together in front. His heart felt weak and he called, “Ran’er, come here.”
Luo Ran heard his voice and raised her head instantly. Her eyes were gray and wet with mist. She bit her lip at Zhou Xi and moved towards Lu Chen carefully.
It was not until she arrived at Lu Chen’s side and Lu Chen had taken her hand, gave her a reassuring look that Luo Ran smiled and looked as bright as a peach.
Seeing her smile, Lu Chen’s eyes warmed: “Sit down.”
Zhou Xi had always occupied the position on the other side. Qing Ru brought a low stool and placed it next to Lu Chen. Lu Chen took her hand and didn’t loosen it even after Luo Ran sat down.
Zhou Xi saw this action, bit the tip of her tongue and reminded, “Your Majesty…”
Lu Chen glanced at her and his eyes were as dark as a lake. Zhou Xi paused and swallowed her words.
Luo Ran knew what they came for but tried to show a smile on her face. Her eyes were puzzled: “What is it, Your Majesty?”
She asked carefully, fearing that she had made a mistake that would displease the Emperor.
Lu Chen clenched her hand and said flatly, “Imperial Concubine Zhou said that you embezzled her palace expenses and asked me to judge.”
Luo Ran was worried and defended, “Your Majesty, I didn’t!”
“I believe you.”
Lu Chen pulled her to her feet with excitement. He believed her. On the way, he thought it might have been her who did it, but after seeing her, he felt that she was still the little girl who needed his protection.
Luo Ran sat down with Lu Chen, but Zhou Xi suddenly stood up and shouted in disbelief, “Your Majesty!”
After Lu Chen’s words, Luo Ran stopped talking and fell atop Lu Chen’s knees, letting Lu Chen stroke her hair. she looked sideways at Zhou Xi with a sarcastic smile in her eyes.
Zhou Xi was infuriated by this look, and disregarding reason, said: “Your Majesty, everything this concubine said is true, and every monthly service in the concubine’s palace is recorded. If Your Majesty doesn’t believe me, you can read it.”
Lu Chen ignored her and said to his eunuch nearby, “Go to the internal affairs office.”
When Zhang Gonggong arrived, he repeated what he said to Luo Ran last time.
Lu Chen listened to his words, but there was no change on his face. However, Zhou Xi’s face instantly changed. She looked at Luo Ran, but saw Luo Ran sticking to Lu Chen. Her eyes were smiling. Seeing her shock, her smile deepened.
Zhou Xi put her hand in her sleeve and squeezed it tightly, slightly trembling.
Luo Ran suddenly changed her expression and stood up from her stool. She was embarrassed and said timidly, “Your Majesty, Zhang Gonggong told me about this, but I didn’t handle it properly. It was my fault. I’m sorry.”
“I don’t blame you, this is the first time you have come into contact with such matters. What’s more, you didn’t do anything wrong and so don’t need to apologize.”
Lu Chen interrupted her, unable to see her timid look. She had been spoiled by him for so many days, he assumed she must have became even more delicate. He watched her listen to his own words, and saw the corner of her eyes unconsciously show joy. Lu Chen’s lips overflowed with a smile. Her charming soft appearance, looking at it made him happy.
Zhou Xi felt pain in her heart and knew that she was trapped by Luo Ran again. Since she already knew what the matter was about, why didn’t she say so earlier? If Luo Ran said she wasn’t waiting for this day to happen, Zhou Xi wouldn’t believe her!
However, Luo Ran did not want to end it this way. Facing Zhou Xi, she hesitated and said, “Imperial Concubine Zhou, if you are not satisfied with the current monthly stipend, then you may as well get as much as before.”
Zhou Xi could not say that she was not satisfied now. However, before she could open her mouth to refute, Lu Chen’s indifferent voice was heard: “No, you did a good job. You didn’t discriminate between palaces. Everything was done according to the rules and it was a very good job.”
Listening to Lu Chen’s two consecutive sentences, Luo Ran blushed quietly and sat down beside Lu Chen. She tenderly took his hand and put her delicate hand in his own. When he looked up, she smiled at him with curved eyebrows.
Zhou Xi bit the tip of her tongue and let herself endure this injustice. She had been in charge of the harem for a year and had taken care of all the affairs properly. When did she ever get a compliment from the Emperor? Luo Ran had only just picked up her wisdom and was already able to get him to praise her.
Zhou Xi took one look at the two hands holding each other, and only felt a stabbing pain in her eyes. She didn’t want to stay any longer. She bowed her body and said firmly, “Today, I didn’t know the truth. I’ve been unreasonable. I will retire!”
Luo Ran seemed to just ‘realize’ that there was another person here. She pulled out her hand, stood up straight, quivered her eyelashes, leaned toward Zhou Xi, and lowered her voice: “Imperial Concubine Zhou, take care.”
In an instant, he was left without jer softness in his hands, Lu Chen frowned slightly and looked coldly at Zhou Xi, and saw that she had turned a blind eye to Luo Ran’s salute. He knew that Luo Ran felt guilty about Zhou Xi, but now that they were equal in status, she did not need to be humiliated by Zhou Xi.
Although Luo Ran recommended herself to him in the beginning, it was also a conscious decision made by him, but now Zhou Xi was dissatisfied with him?
Lu Chen looked cold and glanced indifferently at Zhou Xi, and said, “Imperial Concubine Luo is saluting you.”
Zhou Xi did not understand what he meant for a moment, so she did not react until she looked into his deep eyes, and her face turned pale instantly. No matter what she told herself, now, she and Luo Ran had the same status, but she had always looked down on Luo Ran in her heart.
Zhou Xi was pressured by Lu Chen’s stare, so she bent over, saluted to Luo Ran, clenched her teeth, and squeezed out her voice from between her teeth: “Imperial Concubine Luo doesn’t have to be polite.”
Luo Ran stood up, nibbling her lip, took one look at Zhou Xi and another at Lu Chen. Under Lu Chen’s gaze, she finally summoned up her courage to stand up straight and receive Zhou Xi’s curtsy.
After Zhou Xi left, Luo Ran leaned limply against Lu Chen’s arms. Lu Chen lovingly touched her and smiled, “Dummy.”
Luo Ran disagreed, but she also knew Lu Chen was right. She hung onto his neck, her face was red, her soft lips next to his cheek. Her voice was soft like dripping with water: “It’s nice to have the Emperor here.”
Lu Chen buckled her waist and looked at her, as if to imprint her image deeply into his eyes. He said word by word: “Ruo’er, you have to stand up for yourself. There are always things I can’t take care of.”
Luo Ran’s eyes were instantly red. She tenderly leaned close to him, to let him see the tears in her eyes. She spoke without hesitation: “I don’t want to. Ruo’er can’t protect herself, so Your Majesty must not have anything that cannot be taken into consideration.”
Lu Chen only felt something warm flow in his heart, and his eyes showed even more compassion. He could only promise her: “Okay, I will protect you.”
Luo Ran instantly smiled through tears, and the palace eunuchs retired. Luo Ran hooked him, her eyes were soft and fawning. She approached him, and a light kiss fell on his face, lower, and lower.
Lu Chen let her toss about on his body, often during such times, she would always be so dazzling that he could not take his eyes away. He felt something wet and soft slip onto his neck. Lu Chen’s eyes were deep, and his adam’s apple bobbed up and down, it turned into a toy for her to find something fun to do with.
She stopped there, with white teeth gently grinding, she stretched out the tip of her tongue and tentatively licked. Lu Chen breathing instantly became heavier. He pulled her over, and saw her eyes innocently looking at him. Lu Chen’s heart felt hot, close to her ears, he whispered with a dark hoarse voice:
“Don’t cry.”
Luo Ran hooked his neck and bit his lip, boldly but also bashfully.
Gauze was taken down and plainclothes were taken off. That night, even when Luo Ran tenderly begged for mercy, with a crying hoarse voice, Lu Chen did not let her go.
As soon as Lu Chen stepped out of Luoyun Palace, his palace eunuchs whispered into his ear: “Your Majesty, I heard that the Empress Dowager wants to see Imperial Concubine Luo.”
Lu Chen seemed to have a spring in his step, and his mood didn’t change at all. Only when no one could see him, did he frown slightly. His mother never wanted to see his concubines before, why did she suddenly think of seeing Ran’er?
