Li Yang panted and turned around to see the Imperial Guard Captain Xia Zixi emerge from the shadows of the Imperial Avenue. Annoyed, he said, “What are you doing here?”
Although it was Xia Zixi who had personally brought him and Concubine Wan back to the palace years ago, Li Yang had never liked the way Xia Zixi looked at him.
Always condescending, with a strange sense of control.
He was the esteemed Crown Prince after all, while Xia Zixi was just a lowly Imperial Guard captain. How dare he question him in such a doubtful tone?
Xia Zixi frowned unhappily. “Has Your Highness forgotten where this is? This is beneath the Son of Heaven’s feet. His Majesty’s eyes and ears are still in the palace. For His Highness to throw such an open tantrum, if word reaches His Majesty’s ears, how will you account for yourself?”
Li Yang’s expression immediately darkened. He glared angrily at Xia Zixi and said, “With Mother Concubine here, what is there to fear? I will go see Mother Concubine right now!”
With that, he strode away, leaving Xia Zixi standing alone, his eyes cold.
...
Concubine Wan was somewhat surprised that her son would have a day where his romantic feelings were stirred. Half-reclining on her noble consort’s couch, looking at her son’s anxious face, she laughed incredulously.
“What a pity. Of all the great beauties in this world that you do not want, you have set your sights on stealing Zhao Prince’s beloved?”
Li Yang said derisively, “What is Zhao Changdu worth? He is just a lapdog of my Li family.”
Concubine Wan gave him a look. “Yang’er, do not speak such outrageous words.”
Given Zhao Prince’s character and abilities, not to mention his current power, it would not be an exaggeration to say he was at the height of his glory. With border clashes happening every year, His Majesty valued the old Duke Zhao, and was relying on the Zhao family at this time. Let alone her son trying to steal a woman from Zhao Prince, even if he tried to steal Zhao Prince’s dog, it was uncertain whether he could succeed.
But after the morning court session tomorrow, when Zhao Changdu would be granted an official title and promotion, seeing the Zhao family’s aggressive momentum would surely be unpleasant.
“No matter what, Mother, I only want Gu Ying in this lifetime. You must think of a way for your son.”
Seeing her son speak so adamantly, Concubine Wan unusually assumed a serious expression. She sat up from her noble consort’s couch, leaned her right hand on the grand bolster, and lazily said, “What magic does a maid from the second branch of the Dongping Earl Manor have to bewitch your soul away? Yang’er, do you not remember what Mother has taught you before? As a royal man, you must never become emotionally entangled with a woman, much less expend effort and thought on one. Have you been disregarding Mother’s words?”
Li Yang knelt by Concubine Wan’s knee and said earnestly with red-rimmed eyes, “Son was immature and unmotivated in the past. If Mother can obtain Gu Ying for son, son will strive his utmost for the crown prince position!”
Concubine Wan scoffed at him. “Do you think the crown prince position is so easily striven for? I’ve taught you for so many years yet you’ve never taken it to heart. But now, for the sake of Gu Ying, your fighting spirit is ignited?”
His Majesty has doted on her for so many years. Based on this bit of favor, her unmotivated and incompetent son had always taken the crown prince position for granted. He let his underlings bully people by relying on his status, liked to claim credit for positive things but not take responsibility for negatives. There were already officials dissatisfied with their mother and son pair in the court.
But how could he know that the struggle for imperial power was not so simple? He was only an unfavored eldest son no matter how much he was doted on. Empress Su and the main Li family line had deep roots and a huge clan to rely on in Bianjing. They were far stronger than her, a woman without any support. Those imperial clan members and hundreds of court officials - which one did not ridicule her for having no foundation yet daring to want to become empress dowager?
“But Mother... son is serious this time!” Li Yang swore unrelentingly and pursed his lips. Raising his hand to swear, “From now on, son will obediently do whatever Mother orders!”
Only then did Concubine Wan look deeply at Li Yang. She thought to herself that it was rare for her son to be so persistent about wanting something for the first time. It would be good if it motivated him to fight for dominance. After all Gu Ying was just a woman. Once the crown prince position was in hand, she could dispose of a woman however she wished.
“Very well, Mother promises you to definitely find a way to seize Gu Ying for you. But you must also obey Mother in everything.”
Li Yang immediately bloomed into laughter and bowed at Concubine Wan’s knees. “Son thanks Mother!”
Concubine Wan smoothly conveyed her series of demands to him in this opportunity. Finally she earnestly said again, “Recently, His Majesty has been in poor health. I don’t know which wrong medicine Li Hao has taken, he runs before His Majesty every day. If you are willing to listen to Mother, go wait upon your Father and ask after his health every day.”
How would Li Yang not agree? Excitedly he said, “Alright, son will go tonight!”
After Li Yang left, Concubine Wan dismissed all the palace maids and eunuchs in Yilan Hall. A shadow slowly walked out from the dark palace garden corridor. Pushing open the doors, he entered the inner hall.
“Well, what did Yang’er say?”
Imperial Guard Captain Xia Zixi skillfully sat down on the rosewood chair and picked up the teacup Concubine Wan had just drunk from. He slowly drank a mouthful of the hot tea, narrowed his eyes meaningfully, and said, “Fragrant.”
“He came to ask me for help for the sake of a woman. My son has grown up and is feeling the stirrings of love.”
“There is no shortage of women in his prince’s manor.”
“None of those women could capture his heart. Haven’t you noticed that after so many years, he doesn’t have any children in his manor? He is deliberate about not letting women he does not like bear his children.”
Xia Zixi slowly gazed over. “In this respect, his character is somewhat similar to mine.”
Concubine Wan did not reply. She smiled charmingly as she got up and leaned into the man’s embrace, smelling the strange scent on him. Finding it unpleasant, she moved away from his embrace and asked, “What smell is that?”
Concubine Wan had a keen sense of smell that could detect any odor.
Xia Zixi glanced down at Concubine Wan’s fair chest. His large hand was already moving under her clothes as he said, “Probably the smell of red peonies. The Qing Festival is in another half month. I went to Qingyun Temple first.”
Qingyun Temple had a large area planted with sophora. The flowers would bloom every year around this season and exuded an awful odor that could make one throw up overnight rice.
Concubine Wan’s sister’s memorial tablet was enshrined in Qingyun Temple. Every year she would seek His Majesty’s permission to leave the palace to go worship her sister who had died young, and conveniently stay at the temple to meditate for her sister’s salvation over three to five days.
The Tianqi Emperor had always doted on her. For matters of worshipping her family, he turned a blind eye to give her space.
“Mm...” Seeing his movements become more unbridled, Concubine Wan pulled his hand out from her clothes and glared at him coquettishly. “This is the imperial palace. What do you think you’re doing?”
“Don’t I also come and go freely in the imperial palace?”
“Don’t fool around. Big brother Xi, we have to be more careful, lest we don’t grasp any handles to use against Empress Su’s faction, but they catch us by the tail first instead.”
Xia Zixi stopped his movements and just used his deep and searing eyes to look her up and down.
Concubine Wan felt that the most captivating thing about this man was his amorous gaze. Just looking at her like this was like stripping her bare, igniting her heart.
