After that day, every day Lu Chen comes to the harem and goes to the Luoyun Palace, one is to appease Luo Ran, the other is to touch the delicate flower. The others became dull.
After two months, Zhou Xi could no longer contain herself and took her entourage to the royal study. The Emperor had not visited her Liuli palace in three months. Plus, after that day, he promoted Luo Ran; that damn maid, to be his concubine. She did not know why the Emperor was blaming her.
There is a bit of humiliation in Zhou Xi ‘s eyes. Relying on her friendship with the Emperor when she was young, she ascended to the position of a concubine in just one year after entering the palace, and even took a letter from the Emperors name as her title. In this harem, who wouldn’t yield to her to some degree? But now, a maidservant climbs the dragon bed in her own palace!
(TNote: During an Emperor’s reign, usually taking the same letter in his private name as your own name or title is considered disrespectful and offensive; unless the Emperor himself gives it willingly. This does not extend to people who get the same pinyin in their name before he was enthroned.)
Now all the people in the harem are laughing at her. She feels wronged, but she has nowhere to say it. The Emperor only gave her some treasures as compensation at the beginning, not even going to her palace even once.
Arriving at the royal study, Zhou Xi was stopped by Xiao Lizi, and De Gonggong was serving the Emperor inside. Outside, he could hear Xiao Lizi, and Xiao Lizi naturally knew what Imperial Concubine Chen was doing. Thinking of these past few days, the Emperor stayed at Luoyun palace all night, this Imperial Concubine could not sit still.
(Gong Gong/ 公公 = appellation for an imperial eunuch, usually a senior eunuch. Juniors are usually called by their names or ‘Xiao’, but it is a formal title for eunuchs.)
“Imperial Concubine Chen, Madam. Please halt.”
Zhou Xi footsteps halted, she always looks gentle and soft in front of the imperial people, and it’s still the same this time. Even with a lot of emotions in her heart, she still smiles gently, and said softly, “What’s the matter, Xiao Li Gonggong?”
Xiao Lizi bowed a little and his eyes went dark. He also saw the red marks on Luo Ran’s face that day. He said respectfully but not obsequiously: “Imperial Concubine Chen, the Emperor is calling in the ministers at this moment. He may not have time to see you.”
The smile on Zhou Xi’s face became somewhat cold. She glanced towards the royal study and then at Xiao Lizi. Her eyes were rather cold: “How do you know the Emperor has no time to see Bengong before you go in and tell him?”
Xiao Lizi smiled a little and did not pay attention to her anger. He was the right hand of the Emperor. Even if Imperial Concubine Chen was angry, she would not be taken seriously: “In that case, then I will go in and tell the Emperor.”
Zhou Xi watched Xiao Lizi walk into the Royal Study, her hand that was holding Zi Fu’s hand, couldn’t help but tighten. Just now Xiao Lizi’s eyes were careless, and she also saw them. She just didn’t see the holy face in three months, and these slaves dared to disrespect her!
Nobody knew what happened inside. Soon Xiao Lizi came out: “Imperial Concubine Chen, the Emperor said that he doesn’t have time to see you now.”
Zhou Xi’s face turned white. The Emperor had never slapped her pride so openly. She had not been to the royal study in the past. Why was it so difficult to enter? Zhou Xi’s eyes were filled with more grievances and her heart was filled with more resentment towards Luo Ran.
She steadied herself reluctantly and kept a smile on her face: “Since the Emperor has no time now, Bengong will wait for the Emperor here!”
She is willing to wait, Xiao Lizi would naturally not drive her away. He smiled, “please, Imperial Concubine Chen.” After he said that, he returned to stand at the royal study’s door.
Zhou Xi didn’t know how long she had been standing outside. There was no movement in the royal study. Near noon, a woman suddenly came up in front of the royal study. Zhou Xi looked at her and was already in an impetuous mood. When she saw the new comer, she felt even angrier.
Xiao Lizi also saw her, stepped forward and asked with a smile: “Miss Qing Ru, why are you here? Is there a problem with your Mistress?”
Qing Ru also saw Zhou Xi standing next to her. After bending over to salute her, she spoke to Xiao Lizi with a smile: “Li Gonggong, the little Mistress asked this handmaiden to invite the Emperor to lunch at Luoyun palace. I wonder if Li Gonggong can pass on a message for this handmaiden?”
“Okay, Miss Qing Ru please wait a moment.”
Zhou Xi watched Xiao Lizi treat the handmaiden with a very different attitude from her. Her face suddenly changed and he looked coldly at Xiao Lizi’s back. Although she did not speak, her eyes showed a dense cold light.
At one side Qing Ru glanced at Zhou Xi; her heart was still wondering why the Mistress had asked her to invite the Emperor these days. Now, it seems, the Mistress has calculated well.
Qing Ru is waiting, Zhou Xi is also waiting. The Emperor just said he didn’t have time to see her. How could he have time to go to Luoyun palace for dinner now?
The door of the royal study was opened, Lu Chen came out. The moment she saw Lu Chen, Zhou Xi’s eyes were filled with tears, leaning slightly against Zi Fu behind her, looked at Lu Chen with a tinge of hurt.
Lu Chen stepped forward and looked at her indifferently: “What is it?”
Zhou Xi gathered her sights and knew that the Emperor hated seeing concubines crying, triggering the corners of her mouth to pull out a forced smile. However, she did not know that Lu Chen hated seeing Luo Ran crying the most and she loved bullying Luo Ran to tears.
“I haven’t seen Your Majesty for many days, and I have brought your favorite pear cake …” Zhou Xi, like in the past, showed a considerate appearance, and didn’t show any dissatisfaction because of Lu Chen not visiting her during this period of time.
But as soon as she was halfway through, Lu Chen interrupted her: “I have work to do. Concubine Chen should go home first.”
Is there anything else? What else is there to do? It’s just to accompany that base maid for dinner! Zhou Xi’s smile faded. When Lu Chen passed by her, she suddenly grabbed Lu Chen by the sleeve, without considering that this was in public. Zhou Xi blushed and admitted to Lu Chen, “Your Majesty, Xi’er knows she is wrong, please don’t get angry with Xi’er.”
Hearing Zhou Xi’s words, Lu Chen’s sights move a little. He was just about to turn around to see her. Qin Ru, on the side, saw it and bowed her head and said, “Your Majesty, little Mistress is waiting for you.”
(TNote: Luo Ran is called ‘little master/mistress’ because everyone’s actual master is the Emperor.)
Zhou Xi glared coldly at Qing Ru while gesturing with her hand. Lu Chen turned around and saw her like this. Then he remembered that Luo Ran’s injury that day was a sign of compromise. His heart was cold and he shook off her hand. “I know.”
When the words fell, Lu Chen went over with his ceremonial followers. Zhou Xi stood behind him and looked at him who didn’t look back. She only felt the bitterness in her mouth, spreading to the bottom of her heart. However, how did she and the Emperor get to this point in just three months?
As soon as he entered the Luoyun palace, he saw Luo Ran greet him. In the past, her eyes were always covered with mist. She suddenly raised a smile. Lu Chen only felt hot in his heart. He forgot Zhou Xi and accompanied her to eat. He watched her sleep before returning to the royal study.
Not long after he left, Luo Ran woke up. Qing Ru was holding her own hand on one side. Envy flashed in Qing Ru’s eyes. That a pair of jade hands were delicate and white, as if they were full of a gentle wind, and still indulged in a delicate touch. She heard her soft and waxy voice: “How long has the Emperor been gone?”
Listening to her voice, she didn’t have the slightest timidity that she showed in front of the Emperor. Qing Ru bowed her head: “Half an hour.”
Luo Ran casually withdrew her hand and leaned against the bed. She seemed to think of something interesting. The smile from the corner of her eye leaked out and gently lifted her lips: “I’m afraid I won’t see the Emperor for a while.”
Qing Ru was stunned: “Why? With the Emperor’s thoughts on the little Mistress, he will come again tonight.” In the end, Qing Ru’s face was also stained red. Every night, the gentle panting and singing from Luoyun palace would not stop until midnight.
When she finished speaking, Luo Ran’s smile grew stronger and her eyelashes quivered slightly. “Wait and see,” she said.
After that day, every day Lu Chen comes to the harem and goes to the Luoyun Palace, one is to appease Luo Ran, the other is to touch the delicate flower. The others became dull.
After two months, Zhou Xi could no longer contain herself and took her entourage to the royal study. The Emperor had not visited her Liuli palace in three months. Plus, after that day, he promoted Luo Ran; that damn maid, to be his concubine. She did not know why the Emperor was blaming her.
There is a bit of humiliation in Zhou Xi ‘s eyes. Relying on her friendship with the Emperor when she was young, she ascended to the position of a concubine in just one year after entering the palace, and even took a letter from the Emperors name as her title. In this harem, who wouldn’t yield to her to some degree? But now, a maidservant climbs the dragon bed in her own palace!
(TNote: During an Emperor’s reign, usually taking the same letter in his private name as your own name or title is considered disrespectful and offensive; unless the Emperor himself gives it willingly. This does not extend to people who get the same pinyin in their name before he was enthroned.)
Now all the people in the harem are laughing at her. She feels wronged, but she has nowhere to say it. The Emperor only gave her some treasures as compensation at the beginning, not even going to her palace even once.
Arriving at the royal study, Zhou Xi was stopped by Xiao Lizi, and De Gonggong was serving the Emperor inside. Outside, he could hear Xiao Lizi, and Xiao Lizi naturally knew what Imperial Concubine Chen was doing. Thinking of these past few days, the Emperor stayed at Luoyun palace all night, this Imperial Concubine could not sit still.
(Gong Gong/ 公公 = appellation for an imperial eunuch, usually a senior eunuch. Juniors are usually called by their names or ‘Xiao’, but it is a formal title for eunuchs.)
“Imperial Concubine Chen, Madam. Please halt.”
Zhou Xi footsteps halted, she always looks gentle and soft in front of the imperial people, and it’s still the same this time. Even with a lot of emotions in her heart, she still smiles gently, and said softly, “What’s the matter, Xiao Li Gonggong?”
Xiao Lizi bowed a little and his eyes went dark. He also saw the red marks on Luo Ran’s face that day. He said respectfully but not obsequiously: “Imperial Concubine Chen, the Emperor is calling in the ministers at this moment. He may not have time to see you.”
The smile on Zhou Xi’s face became somewhat cold. She glanced towards the royal study and then at Xiao Lizi. Her eyes were rather cold: “How do you know the Emperor has no time to see Bengong before you go in and tell him?”
Xiao Lizi smiled a little and did not pay attention to her anger. He was the right hand of the Emperor. Even if Imperial Concubine Chen was angry, she would not be taken seriously: “In that case, then I will go in and tell the Emperor.”
Zhou Xi watched Xiao Lizi walk into the Royal Study, her hand that was holding Zi Fu’s hand, couldn’t help but tighten. Just now Xiao Lizi’s eyes were careless, and she also saw them. She just didn’t see the holy face in three months, and these slaves dared to disrespect her!
Nobody knew what happened inside. Soon Xiao Lizi came out: “Imperial Concubine Chen, the Emperor said that he doesn’t have time to see you now.”
Zhou Xi’s face turned white. The Emperor had never slapped her pride so openly. She had not been to the royal study in the past. Why was it so difficult to enter? Zhou Xi’s eyes were filled with more grievances and her heart was filled with more resentment towards Luo Ran.
She steadied herself reluctantly and kept a smile on her face: “Since the Emperor has no time now, Bengong will wait for the Emperor here!”
She is willing to wait, Xiao Lizi would naturally not drive her away. He smiled, “please, Imperial Concubine Chen.” After he said that, he returned to stand at the royal study’s door.
Zhou Xi didn’t know how long she had been standing outside. There was no movement in the royal study. Near noon, a woman suddenly came up in front of the royal study. Zhou Xi looked at her and was already in an impetuous mood. When she saw the new comer, she felt even angrier.
Xiao Lizi also saw her, stepped forward and asked with a smile: “Miss Qing Ru, why are you here? Is there a problem with your Mistress?”
Qing Ru also saw Zhou Xi standing next to her. After bending over to salute her, she spoke to Xiao Lizi with a smile: “Li Gonggong, the little Mistress asked this handmaiden to invite the Emperor to lunch at Luoyun palace. I wonder if Li Gonggong can pass on a message for this handmaiden?”
“Okay, Miss Qing Ru please wait a moment.”
Zhou Xi watched Xiao Lizi treat the handmaiden with a very different attitude from her. Her face suddenly changed and he looked coldly at Xiao Lizi’s back. Although she did not speak, her eyes showed a dense cold light.
At one side Qing Ru glanced at Zhou Xi; her heart was still wondering why the Mistress had asked her to invite the Emperor these days. Now, it seems, the Mistress has calculated well.
Qing Ru is waiting, Zhou Xi is also waiting. The Emperor just said he didn’t have time to see her. How could he have time to go to Luoyun palace for dinner now?
The door of the royal study was opened, Lu Chen came out. The moment she saw Lu Chen, Zhou Xi’s eyes were filled with tears, leaning slightly against Zi Fu behind her, looked at Lu Chen with a tinge of hurt.
Lu Chen stepped forward and looked at her indifferently: “What is it?”
Zhou Xi gathered her sights and knew that the Emperor hated seeing concubines crying, triggering the corners of her mouth to pull out a forced smile. However, she did not know that Lu Chen hated seeing Luo Ran crying the most and she loved bullying Luo Ran to tears.
“I haven’t seen Your Majesty for many days, and I have brought your favorite pear cake …” Zhou Xi, like in the past, showed a considerate appearance, and didn’t show any dissatisfaction because of Lu Chen not visiting her during this period of time.
But as soon as she was halfway through, Lu Chen interrupted her: “I have work to do. Concubine Chen should go home first.”
Is there anything else? What else is there to do? It’s just to accompany that base maid for dinner! Zhou Xi’s smile faded. When Lu Chen passed by her, she suddenly grabbed Lu Chen by the sleeve, without considering that this was in public. Zhou Xi blushed and admitted to Lu Chen, “Your Majesty, Xi’er knows she is wrong, please don’t get angry with Xi’er.”
Hearing Zhou Xi’s words, Lu Chen’s sights move a little. He was just about to turn around to see her. Qin Ru, on the side, saw it and bowed her head and said, “Your Majesty, little Mistress is waiting for you.”
(TNote: Luo Ran is called ‘little master/mistress’ because everyone’s actual master is the Emperor.)
Zhou Xi glared coldly at Qing Ru while gesturing with her hand. Lu Chen turned around and saw her like this. Then he remembered that Luo Ran’s injury that day was a sign of compromise. His heart was cold and he shook off her hand. “I know.”
When the words fell, Lu Chen went over with his ceremonial followers. Zhou Xi stood behind him and looked at him who didn’t look back. She only felt the bitterness in her mouth, spreading to the bottom of her heart. However, how did she and the Emperor get to this point in just three months?
As soon as he entered the Luoyun palace, he saw Luo Ran greet him. In the past, her eyes were always covered with mist. She suddenly raised a smile. Lu Chen only felt hot in his heart. He forgot Zhou Xi and accompanied her to eat. He watched her sleep before returning to the royal study.
Not long after he left, Luo Ran woke up. Qing Ru was holding her own hand on one side. Envy flashed in Qing Ru’s eyes. That a pair of jade hands were delicate and white, as if they were full of a gentle wind, and still indulged in a delicate touch. She heard her soft and waxy voice: “How long has the Emperor been gone?”
Listening to her voice, she didn’t have the slightest timidity that she showed in front of the Emperor. Qing Ru bowed her head: “Half an hour.”
Luo Ran casually withdrew her hand and leaned against the bed. She seemed to think of something interesting. The smile from the corner of her eye leaked out and gently lifted her lips: “I’m afraid I won’t see the Emperor for a while.”
Qing Ru was stunned: “Why? With the Emperor’s thoughts on the little Mistress, he will come again tonight.” In the end, Qing Ru’s face was also stained red. Every night, the gentle panting and singing from Luoyun palace would not stop until midnight.
When she finished speaking, Luo Ran’s smile grew stronger and her eyelashes quivered slightly. “Wait and see,” she said.
