"Mmm~"
Jiang Xinyue was only pretending to sleep at first, but the Emperor's gentleness afterwards lulled her into a genuine slumber.
The next morning, as the Emperor prepared to attend the morning court, Jiang Xinyue, still sore all over, didn't rise. Instead, she sat disheveled on the bed, draped in a white outer robe, swinging her delicate, pinkish-white feet, and smiling at him.
She was bewitchingly inviting.
"Why not sleep a little longer?"
After the Emperor dressed, he sat back on the bed and tucked her exposed feet under the warm quilt.
Jiang Xinyue embraced his muscular waist, nuzzling in his arms, "Thinking about how long you'll be away from me makes it hard for me to sleep."
She was clearly being playfully coquettish, but her eyes reddened, and there was a hint of choke in her voice.
It led one to wonder, was she truly reluctant to part, but dared not express her true feelings, so she played the coquette, voicing her feelings in a joking tone?
The Xuanwu Emperor's heart ached. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Silly girl, I'll come back to you tonight. Don't be sad, okay?"
The beauty in his arms' eyes lighted up, sparkling with youthful radiance. She immediately rejoiced, "You said it yourself, Emperor. I'll be waiting for you tonight."
The Emperor chuckled, pinching her nose, "Yes, I said it."
This Concubine Jiang, her audacity was too great, daring to demand a promise from the Emperor.
Wang Dequan, who had served the Emperor for a lifetime, had never seen a consort as unconventional as her.
If she miscalculates and crosses the Emperor's line, a lifetime in the cold palace is guaranteed.
How does Concubine Jiang manage to dance so precisely within the Emperor's boundaries?
While the Emperor attended court, the women of the harem were not idle either. Early in the morning, before the sky was fully lit, they had to go to Yikun Palace to greet Empress Zhu.
Among the hall full of beautiful women, none could match the beauty of Concubine Li.
Consort Liang fingered the begonia in her hair, her gaze falling on Concubine Li's red nails. She chuckled, "I heard the Emperor was in Xihuo Palace last night. Quite unusual."
What was unusual was how in previous years, any new beauty who dared to challenge Concubine Li was sent to the cold palace by the Emperor. Why was Concubine Jiang different?
Or was it that Concubine Li had fallen out of favor?
Without batting an eyelid, Consort Jiang, sitting below Concubine Li, responded, "There's nothing unusual. Concubine Jiang is the most beautiful among the new consorts. Wasn't Consort Liang also favored for her beauty?"
But what happened later?
When she grew older, the favor faded before her beauty, and she spent her days leaning against the heated cage.
Angry, Consort Liang only sneered, "Who in the palace isn't beautiful? Is Consort Jiang ugly?"
Consort Jiang's beauty was not outstanding. Surrounded by beautiful women, she was just a small jade among them, and was very sensitive to attacks on her appearance.
Seeing a fight about to break out, Empress Zhu put down her tea cup, "Enough, it's a good thing to have another favored consort in the palace. Another sister to help continue the royal lineage is great. You who have been in the palace for a long time should also work hard, don't let the royal lineage wither."
Concubine Li gave a cold laugh. Empress Zhu, childless herself, was here uttering lofty words.
Perhaps the one least eager for concubines to bear children in this harem was Empress Zhu!
The Emperor was in his prime, his palace filled with the eldest princess from Consort Liang, the third prince and the second princess from the now deceased birth mother, and the fourth prince.
Empress Zhu had two princes in her early years when she was still living in the hidden residences as the wife of the fifth prince. Who knows if it's because she's done too many unjust things, but the two princes fell ill one after another and died young.
After the concubines dispersed, the Yikun Palace was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood. Fen Yun, serving Empress Zhu, helped her change out of her heavy palace attire. "Empress, do you want to probe for the truth about the one in the Xihuo Palace?"
Empress Zhu looked at her mature face in the copper mirror. More than a decade in the harem had worn away the light in her eyes, revealing a hint of aging.
She hid a strand of white hair among her black ones. "That illegitimate girl from the Jiang family has become arrogant after being favored for a few days. She became a pawn for others after a few words of instigation. What truth is there to probe? Just have someone send some congratulatory gifts. I'm afraid another Concubine will be added to our Yikun Palace tomorrow."
Fen Yun quietly gathered the fallen hair and tucked it into her sleeve. "Although she can't achieve much, she's still in Concubine Li's favor."
Empress Zhu chuckled lightly. "Concubine Li punished her to kneel in the Imperial Garden for so long, her dignity lost. She must be holding a grudge inside, and will pay it back sooner or later."
Not long after the Emperor left, the Xihuo Palace, which was the focus of the entire harem, welcomed a wave of rewards and a decree of promotion.
"Consort Zhen, you may rise now! This servant has to return to the Heart-Nurturing Hall to report."
"Thank you, Eunuch Wang."
Jiang Xinyue got up, not paying any attention to the silk fabrics and jewelry. Instead, she held her shiny fingers a bit shyly. "Eunuch Wang, will the Emperor really come tonight?"
Her bright and direct question left Wang Dequan wondering whether to call her naive or uninformed.
"The Emperor promised you, so he should come."
He didn't dare to be too affirmative. After all, the Emperor had already favored her many times, and he couldn't be sure whether the Emperor would change his mind tonight.
In the entire harem, only Concubine Li had the honor of being favored by the Emperor for three consecutive nights.
But...
The Emperor also had feelings for Consort Zhen.
Yesterday, when Concubine Chu came to the Xihuo Palace to assert her authority, the Emperor wrote the word "Zhen" for Concubine Jiang, signifying preciousness.
Wang Dequan thought the Emperor was afraid that Concubine Chu would bully Concubine Jiang, so he would grant a title after promoting Concubine Jiang to Concubine.
A titled Concubine is more noble than an untitled Concubine Chu.
Who would have thought that the Emperor would change his mind this morning, promoting Concubine Jiang directly to the rank of Consort Zhen, a full rank higher than Concubine.
With the Xuanwu Emperor coming tonight, Jiang Xinyue, eating the fresh dishes sent by the royal kitchen, was thinking about how to keep the Emperor interested in her.
Shuang Jiang lit the mugwort incense sent by the Internal Affairs Department. "My lady, the weather outside is excellent today. Would you like to go for a walk?"
Jiang Xinyue shook her head. "I'm just a living target now. Instead of going out and being plotted against, I'd rather stay in the palace and wait for the Emperor."
"The Empress is right to think so."
Xi Que served another adorable ice bowl: "Empress, please taste this. It's a new milk tea ice dessert developed by the Royal Kitchen, a gift from the Internal Affairs Department to the Empress."
The rich aroma of the milk tea is unlike the instant milk teas of the future, laden with various essences. You can taste that it is a genuine dairy product.
Jiang Xinyue sighed comfortably, her hard work in courting the Emperor was all for these carefree days of eating and doing nothing!
"Crash!"
In the Changchun Palace, Concubine Chu smashed a set of Ru kiln tea ware.
