Lu Yu eyebrows went up. What was Zhou Xi doing? Didn’t she abandon him in the past? Even though Lu Yu would be mixed up with women all year round, he actually knew little about women.
He looked at Zhou Xi’s face which had a faint blush of resentment. He concluded she was thinking about him.
Zhou Xi admitted that she knew Lu Yu’s feelings for herself and did not disguise this in front of him. She frankly announced: “Luo Ran has a good face, but she is a slave and smells like a cheap slut. She won’t be able to get rid of it. She has become the Emperor’s woman but still tries to hook you. Such a slut!”
She said all this before Lu Yu could speak. Zhou Xi pursed her lips; she knew that the man was going to say nice things about that woman, but she didn’t want to lose face. She pulled back her anger, taking a look at the peony at her side, her cheeks and ears flushed a little more. “Bengong remembers how well you treated Bengong in the past.”
Lu Yu understood her meaning and immediately felt a chill in his heart. Although he liked beauty, he knew that it was most difficult to accept the kindness of a beauty, not to mention this beauty was still someone else’s wife.
The gap between their attitudes was large, but he didn’t say this because he used to pamper her. When his brother was very fond of her, he never saw her saying he was good to her. Now, only when his brother is fond of someone else did she remember the past.
Saying someone else was a slut, Lu Yu chuckled and a flash of sarcasm flit through his eyes. Compared to Luo Ran’s calmness after being seen through by him, Zhou Xi’s behaviour was both appropriate and effective.
“What is Imperial Concubine’s meaning? Benwang doesn’t understand.”
Lu Yu blankly looked at Zhou Xi with an innocent face, as if he did not understand what she meant.
Zhou Xi bit her lower lip, her face flushed bright red, and she left behind an awkward sentence: “Bengong knows what you want.” After saying that, she took her handmaid and turned to leave, seemingly shy.
Behind her, Lu Yu raised his arm and looked at it. Suddenly he shook it and reached out to rub the goosebumps on his arm.
Zi Fu took Zhou Xi to Liuli palace, she had gritted her teeth and endured for quite a while, but she couldn’t hold back anymore. She covered her eyes with her head down and asked, “Madam, what do you mean by what you said to His Highness Xian Wang today?”
Zhou Xi’s face was still slightly flushed, but it turned bright red again. She took a handkerchief and gently covered her mouth, blocking the extent of her involuntary sigh. Her eyes were slightly proud.
Wasn’t Luo Ran just relying on her face? She climbed into the Emperor’s bed, took his favour, and she still wanted to seduce Lu Yu now? Seems like it never occurred to Luo Ran that Lu Yu liked her.
At this thought, Zhou Xi felt relaxed physically and mentally, even her previous anger at Luo Ran completely disappeared.
She didn’t care about Zi Fu’s question so she said airily: “Nothing.”, and sent her away.
Zi Fu lowered her head and clenched her tongue.
She had served Zhou Xi from an early age, and met Lu Chen, when he was just a young lad— in her eyes, the Emperor was a heavenly and noble figure. She, as a slave, was not worthy of him.
However, Luo Ran’s example was before her eyes. Her mind had been wavering, but because both master and servant were so affectionate, she didn’t want to lose Zhou Xi. However, what Zhou Xi said to Lu Yu completely aroused new thoughts, her eyes twinkled and she found an excuse.
How could an Imperial Concubine like that stand next to the Emperor?
In the royal study, Lu Chen did not deal with government affairs but lay on the lounge chair behind the screen. Luo Ran laid on his side. She was petite, so Lu Chen could fully hold her while he caressed her hair. Lu Chen asked her:
“What were you doing with Xian Wang?”
Luo Ran turned around, faced him, she looked up at him and said, “Your Majesty asked me to wait for you, but you didn’t come for a long time, so I went to see the flowers.”
This was just a preface. Then, Luo Ran frowned and acted a little puzzled: “His Highness Xian Wang said to me, ‘Imperial Concubine Luo is actually so skilful that she could get brother to marry Benwang off’. Your Majesty, what does His Highness Xian Wang mean? Does the fact that he is going to be married have something to do with me?”
“No.” Lu Chen answered her after remembering what happened that day. She didn’t know about it, so now she should be at a loss if Lu Yu said that to her.
Lu Chen closed his eyes, reached for a pastry, paused, and then asked carelessly, “What did you say?”
“I said that the Emperor was worried, and that no one knew what was going on with him, and that the Emperor should not be blamed for his kindness. Your Majesty, can I say this?”
Luo Ran looked up at him, her eyelashes trembling shyly and timidly, with some anticipation on her face, wanting his praise.
Lu Chen accidentally squeezed the cake too tightly and loosened it after, only to find that the cake was turned to crumbs. He picked up a piece and fed it to her; it seemed to be a reward. After that, he gently poked the tip of her small nose and smiled warmly: “Very good, Ran’er spoke very well.”
With his praise, her face brightened and she buried herself happily in his arms.
Lu Chen hugged her, knowing that she felt inferior because of her identity. Thus, she would always be careful all the time, always worry if she did something wrong or say something wrong. There was a bit of pity in his eyes. She was favoured by him. She shouldn’t need to be so careful. She should live freer.
After this day, Lu Chen often sent rewards to the Luoyun Palace for seemingly no reason at all. It seemed as if he couldn’t wait to send everything from his private storehouse to her. The people in the palace were slightly surprised. In the past, the Emperor was pampering but never like this. This Imperial Concubine Luo had climbed up the branches to become a phoenix.
“Madam!”
Luo Ran was trying the clothes that Lu Chen had just sent when Qing Ru rushed in with a look of joy and sadness on her face. It made Luo Ran pick up her eyebrow. She waved her servants out, and turned around to ask her, “What’s the matter? Why do you look like this?”
“Madam, today Zi Fu from the Liuli palace went to the imperial study to send food to the Emperor, but the Emperor sent her out.”
Luo Ran sat down on the soft couch and glanced at her slightly. Knowing that she had more to say, Luo Ran was in no hurry to open her mouth.
Qing Ru pursed her lips and lowered her voice, but still gloated: “I heard that when Zi Fu was thrown out, she seemed to be dishevelled.”
Luo Ran remembered that in the original plot, Zi Fu was interested in the Emperor, but she did not act. Instead, she had been helping Zhou Xi fight for favour. In the book, she had an inferiority complex and thought Lu Chen and Zhou Xi were a match made in heaven.
But now, could she have been stimulated by Luo Ran? Coupled with the ruined feelings between Zhou Xi and Lu Chen, did she learn from herself in recommending herself as a pillow? However, Zi Fu just didn’t expect that painting a tiger would turn out worse than a dog.
(画虎不成反类犬 [Huà hǔ bùchéng fǎn lèi quǎn] = trying to paint a tiger but the painting turned into something worse than a dog; a metaphor for unrealistically seeking too high of a goal, so high and far away, no success, and then turn yourself into a laughing stock.)
Luo Ran tilted her lips. Lu Chen, as the male lead, naturally would not be a person with a weak mind. She had only taken advantage of her face. What’s more, when Luo Ran licked her lips, she could also make her eyes seem somewhat enchanting and exciting.
“Does Concubine Zhou know about this?”
Luo Ran wiped her thoughts, lifted her eyes and asked Qing Ru.
Qing Ru nodded: “Of course she knows. I heard that Imperial Concubine Zhou was hit hard by this and was crying in the palace.
She paused and added, “Moreover, the Emperor seems to be angry with Imperial Concubine Zhou, blaming her for not taking care of her own palace people.”
Luo Ran had started it. In fact, many other people in the palace were tempted, but now Zi Fu, made them give up the idea. It was not so easy to climb that bed.
“Madam, what should we do now?”
Luo Ran knew what she meant. She asked if she should add fuel to the fire. Luo Ran waved gently: “We don’t need to do anything. Just wait. His Holy One will come here soon.”
Qing Ru looked at her in surprise. Now that this has happened, will the Emperor still want to come to the Luoyun Palace?
Luo Ran sensed the look in her eyes but smiled silently.
Lu Yu eyebrows went up. What was Zhou Xi doing? Didn’t she abandon him in the past? Even though Lu Yu would be mixed up with women all year round, he actually knew little about women.
He looked at Zhou Xi’s face which had a faint blush of resentment. He concluded she was thinking about him.
Zhou Xi admitted that she knew Lu Yu’s feelings for herself and did not disguise this in front of him. She frankly announced: “Luo Ran has a good face, but she is a slave and smells like a cheap slut. She won’t be able to get rid of it. She has become the Emperor’s woman but still tries to hook you. Such a slut!”
She said all this before Lu Yu could speak. Zhou Xi pursed her lips; she knew that the man was going to say nice things about that woman, but she didn’t want to lose face. She pulled back her anger, taking a look at the peony at her side, her cheeks and ears flushed a little more. “Bengong remembers how well you treated Bengong in the past.”
Lu Yu understood her meaning and immediately felt a chill in his heart. Although he liked beauty, he knew that it was most difficult to accept the kindness of a beauty, not to mention this beauty was still someone else’s wife.
The gap between their attitudes was large, but he didn’t say this because he used to pamper her. When his brother was very fond of her, he never saw her saying he was good to her. Now, only when his brother is fond of someone else did she remember the past.
Saying someone else was a slut, Lu Yu chuckled and a flash of sarcasm flit through his eyes. Compared to Luo Ran’s calmness after being seen through by him, Zhou Xi’s behaviour was both appropriate and effective.
“What is Imperial Concubine’s meaning? Benwang doesn’t understand.”
Lu Yu blankly looked at Zhou Xi with an innocent face, as if he did not understand what she meant.
Zhou Xi bit her lower lip, her face flushed bright red, and she left behind an awkward sentence: “Bengong knows what you want.” After saying that, she took her handmaid and turned to leave, seemingly shy.
Behind her, Lu Yu raised his arm and looked at it. Suddenly he shook it and reached out to rub the goosebumps on his arm.
Zi Fu took Zhou Xi to Liuli palace, she had gritted her teeth and endured for quite a while, but she couldn’t hold back anymore. She covered her eyes with her head down and asked, “Madam, what do you mean by what you said to His Highness Xian Wang today?”
Zhou Xi’s face was still slightly flushed, but it turned bright red again. She took a handkerchief and gently covered her mouth, blocking the extent of her involuntary sigh. Her eyes were slightly proud.
Wasn’t Luo Ran just relying on her face? She climbed into the Emperor’s bed, took his favour, and she still wanted to seduce Lu Yu now? Seems like it never occurred to Luo Ran that Lu Yu liked her.
At this thought, Zhou Xi felt relaxed physically and mentally, even her previous anger at Luo Ran completely disappeared.
She didn’t care about Zi Fu’s question so she said airily: “Nothing.”, and sent her away.
Zi Fu lowered her head and clenched her tongue.
She had served Zhou Xi from an early age, and met Lu Chen, when he was just a young lad— in her eyes, the Emperor was a heavenly and noble figure. She, as a slave, was not worthy of him.
However, Luo Ran’s example was before her eyes. Her mind had been wavering, but because both master and servant were so affectionate, she didn’t want to lose Zhou Xi. However, what Zhou Xi said to Lu Yu completely aroused new thoughts, her eyes twinkled and she found an excuse.
How could an Imperial Concubine like that stand next to the Emperor?
In the royal study, Lu Chen did not deal with government affairs but lay on the lounge chair behind the screen. Luo Ran laid on his side. She was petite, so Lu Chen could fully hold her while he caressed her hair. Lu Chen asked her:
“What were you doing with Xian Wang?”
Luo Ran turned around, faced him, she looked up at him and said, “Your Majesty asked me to wait for you, but you didn’t come for a long time, so I went to see the flowers.”
This was just a preface. Then, Luo Ran frowned and acted a little puzzled: “His Highness Xian Wang said to me, ‘Imperial Concubine Luo is actually so skilful that she could get brother to marry Benwang off’. Your Majesty, what does His Highness Xian Wang mean? Does the fact that he is going to be married have something to do with me?”
“No.” Lu Chen answered her after remembering what happened that day. She didn’t know about it, so now she should be at a loss if Lu Yu said that to her.
Lu Chen closed his eyes, reached for a pastry, paused, and then asked carelessly, “What did you say?”
“I said that the Emperor was worried, and that no one knew what was going on with him, and that the Emperor should not be blamed for his kindness. Your Majesty, can I say this?”
Luo Ran looked up at him, her eyelashes trembling shyly and timidly, with some anticipation on her face, wanting his praise.
Lu Chen accidentally squeezed the cake too tightly and loosened it after, only to find that the cake was turned to crumbs. He picked up a piece and fed it to her; it seemed to be a reward. After that, he gently poked the tip of her small nose and smiled warmly: “Very good, Ran’er spoke very well.”
With his praise, her face brightened and she buried herself happily in his arms.
Lu Chen hugged her, knowing that she felt inferior because of her identity. Thus, she would always be careful all the time, always worry if she did something wrong or say something wrong. There was a bit of pity in his eyes. She was favoured by him. She shouldn’t need to be so careful. She should live freer.
After this day, Lu Chen often sent rewards to the Luoyun Palace for seemingly no reason at all. It seemed as if he couldn’t wait to send everything from his private storehouse to her. The people in the palace were slightly surprised. In the past, the Emperor was pampering but never like this. This Imperial Concubine Luo had climbed up the branches to become a phoenix.
“Madam!”
Luo Ran was trying the clothes that Lu Chen had just sent when Qing Ru rushed in with a look of joy and sadness on her face. It made Luo Ran pick up her eyebrow. She waved her servants out, and turned around to ask her, “What’s the matter? Why do you look like this?”
“Madam, today Zi Fu from the Liuli palace went to the imperial study to send food to the Emperor, but the Emperor sent her out.”
Luo Ran sat down on the soft couch and glanced at her slightly. Knowing that she had more to say, Luo Ran was in no hurry to open her mouth.
Qing Ru pursed her lips and lowered her voice, but still gloated: “I heard that when Zi Fu was thrown out, she seemed to be dishevelled.”
Luo Ran remembered that in the original plot, Zi Fu was interested in the Emperor, but she did not act. Instead, she had been helping Zhou Xi fight for favour. In the book, she had an inferiority complex and thought Lu Chen and Zhou Xi were a match made in heaven.
But now, could she have been stimulated by Luo Ran? Coupled with the ruined feelings between Zhou Xi and Lu Chen, did she learn from herself in recommending herself as a pillow? However, Zi Fu just didn’t expect that painting a tiger would turn out worse than a dog.
(画虎不成反类犬 [Huà hǔ bùchéng fǎn lèi quǎn] = trying to paint a tiger but the painting turned into something worse than a dog; a metaphor for unrealistically seeking too high of a goal, so high and far away, no success, and then turn yourself into a laughing stock.)
Luo Ran tilted her lips. Lu Chen, as the male lead, naturally would not be a person with a weak mind. She had only taken advantage of her face. What’s more, when Luo Ran licked her lips, she could also make her eyes seem somewhat enchanting and exciting.
“Does Concubine Zhou know about this?”
Luo Ran wiped her thoughts, lifted her eyes and asked Qing Ru.
Qing Ru nodded: “Of course she knows. I heard that Imperial Concubine Zhou was hit hard by this and was crying in the palace.
She paused and added, “Moreover, the Emperor seems to be angry with Imperial Concubine Zhou, blaming her for not taking care of her own palace people.”
Luo Ran had started it. In fact, many other people in the palace were tempted, but now Zi Fu, made them give up the idea. It was not so easy to climb that bed.
“Madam, what should we do now?”
Luo Ran knew what she meant. She asked if she should add fuel to the fire. Luo Ran waved gently: “We don’t need to do anything. Just wait. His Holy One will come here soon.”
Qing Ru looked at her in surprise. Now that this has happened, will the Emperor still want to come to the Luoyun Palace?
Luo Ran sensed the look in her eyes but smiled silently.
