Shoutout to Tachibanaswife for the commission!
In the following days, I rarely saw Qi Sheng. It was said that he was often kept by his imperial father to attend him. Thus, gossip began circulating again, that Crown Prince Qi Sheng had regained imperial favor and was deeply trusted and relied upon by the Emperor.
When Luli came back and told me this, her eyes were practically shining with excitement.
But I didn’t take it seriously. Trusted and relied upon by the Emperor? Give me a break. If the Emperor truly trusted Qi Sheng that much, would he bring along the vice ruler of the nation just to go on vacation? He would’ve left him at home to temporarily manage court affairs!
These things couldn’t be explained clearly to a little maid anyway, so I didn’t bother. I simply lay in the carriage with my eyes closed, pretending to be dead.
These past two days my body had been extremely uncomfortable, cold hands and feet, sore waist, weak legs, and a bloated, aching lower abdomen… as women would put it, that is, Lady Zhang’s “auntie*” had arrived.
* slang term for period
I hated this sudden visit from “auntie”!
Luli came over and gently tucked a small hand warmer into my arms.
I opened my eyes and asked Luli, “Tell me, before this ‘auntie’ comes, couldn’t she give some advance notice? Say something before showing up? Could she come less often, maybe once every half year? Even if she stayed longer each time, that would still be fine!”
Luli looked completely confused. “Niang Niang, who are you talking about? Which aunt is coming?”
Huh? Isn’t it called “auntie”? Did I remember wrong? Could it be called “second aunt”?
Luli probably thought I was delirious from the pain. While wiping the sweat from my forehead with a cloth, she softly advised, “Niang Niang, when we return, you should take some Bazhen Yimu Pills to regulate your body, so you may conceive an imperial heir soon.”
The moment Luli mentioned “imperial heir,” my heart twitched, and Qi Sheng’s face kept flashing before my eyes.
Forget it! Better to let this “auntie” come often after all!
After drifting along the road for another ten days or so, we finally arrived at the summer retreat palace in Fuping.
The Fuping Summer Retreat Palace was built in the early years after the founding campaigns of the Chengzu era. It stood against the mountains and beside the water, with a very pleasant environment. However, it was said that when Chengzu chose this location, it wasn’t for the scenery, but because it faced the Wan River and was separated by only one river from Taixing, the largest city north of the river.
I had just settled in and hadn’t yet had time to wander around when the long-disappeared “fighter jet” Comrade Yang Yan suddenly appeared again.
Lowering his voice, Yang Yan spoke mysteriously, “Hey, how about I take you across the river to Taixing for a stroll? There’s a jewelry shop run by Persian merchants over there, lots of interesting little things.”
Oh, so he was inviting me on a one-day trip to Taixing.
I ignored him and simply examined him coldly. Go to Taixing with you? What, do you think I’m stupid?
“My home is in Taixing, I know the place well. We’ll go early and return early. We’ll definitely be back before the palace gates close at night. Don’t worry, the Crown Prince absolutely won’t know,” Yang Yan continued persuading me.
I turned and asked Luli softly, “Luli, are the osmanthus cakes finished steaming yet?”
Yang Yan froze. He immediately couldn’t sit still, stood up, and said seriously, “On second thought, it’s better not to go. Your health hasn’t fully recovered. Let’s wait until you’re completely well.”
I quickly nodded. “That’s true. We’ll be staying here for quite a while anyway. We can go later.”
Yang Yan nodded as well. “Exactly. Then rest first, I’ll take my leave.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the hall entrance.
I pretended to rise and stop him. “Don’t rush off, I had them steam osmanthus cakes. They’re about to be ready.”
“No need, no need, I’ll eat them next time!”
Although he said that, his feet moved like the wind, and in moments he disappeared.
Seeing no one around, Luli hurriedly knelt before me, anxiously urging, “Niang Niang, you absolutely must not go out privately with him! If the Crown Prince finds out, we won’t be able to explain ourselves even if we have a hundred mouths!”
When Luli mentioned Qi Sheng, something suddenly occurred to me. Yang Yan inviting me to Taixing was obviously not without ulterior motives, there would likely be further actions afterward. As the general manager’s life assistant of Branch One of Imperial City Co., Ltd., shouldn’t I also report today’s matter to General Manager Qi Sheng?
“Go invite the Crown Prince over,” I instructed Luli.
Luli instantly burst into relieved joy. “Niang Niang, you’ve finally come to your senses?”
Honestly, listen to this girl, as if I’d always been confused.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Luli continued, “Niang Niang should’ve softened toward His Highness long ago. If not for your stubborn temper, not only would you have already conceived an imperial heir, even the young prince might already be running around!”
My mouth stayed open for a long time without closing.
Hey, Luli, do you work at a maternity hospital? Why do you bring up childbirth every three sentences?
Forget it! You’d better not go, come back.
I called Luli back, but she moved faster than Yang Yan. I had only said the word “don’t,” yet she had already disappeared.
I suddenly felt nervous, like returning to my student days entering an exam hall, just three meters after leaving the restroom, the urge to urinate would strike again…
Luli went quickly and returned quickly as well. In only the time it takes to burn one stick of incense, she was back.
I leaned out to look, eh? Qi Sheng hadn’t come! Instantly, the urge disappeared.
Luli kept her head lowered and said nothing.
I found it strange and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Luli lifted her head, revealing a bright yet sorrowful expression.
I quickly gestured a pause sign. “Stop! Either bright or sorrowful, don’t do both at once. That’s too difficult for you.”
Luli immediately said indignantly, “A foreign state presented several dancing girls to the Emperor. The Crown Prince happened to be attending him, so the Emperor gave two of them to the Crown Prince.”
I froze.
Hey! That father-son relationship is really solid, sharing beauties together! Which foreign land sent them? European-American style or Japanese-Korean style?
The moment I thought this, all the blood in my head seemed to rush downward… but then, finding nowhere to go, it surged right back up.
My chest burned, my face flushed, it was like my meridians had reversed and my blood flowed backward.
Suppressing my excitement, I asked Luli, “Did you see those two beauties? What do they look like?”
Luli seemed frightened by my flushed face. She stared at me for a moment, then hurried forward to support my arm. “Niang Niang, please don’t be anxious! I spoke poorly, actually, the Crown Prince only brought the two foreign women back to Chunhao Residence. Nothing happened.”
Ah! He already brought them back to his bedroom and still says nothing happened, who’s he trying to fool!!!
My hands trembled as I grabbed Luli. Two at once! And foreign beauties! Qi Sheng is going for heavy tastes! Heavens! Star Lord of Fate! Why didn’t you let me transmigrate into Qi Sheng instead!!!
I stared at the ceiling at a forty-five-degree angle, tears streaming inward…
Luli’s eyes reddened anxiously. “Niang Niang, the Crown Prince truly didn’t touch them! He even disliked that their chests were too exposed and had people bring clothes for them to change into!”
Ah, if they dared to expose themselves, they must have the goods! Those without wouldn’t dare!
Exposed chests? So they’re European-style?
Oh Qi Sheng, Qi Sheng! How could you make beauties like that wear robes and skirts! The highlights are the chest and hips! If you wrap them up so tightly, what’s left to look at!
Qi Sheng, Qi Sheng! You’re hopelessly uncultured, you only deserve to be with Lady Jiang, that dry stick!
I wanted to beat my chest in frustration, but lacked the strength.
How could Luli understand my suffering? She kept chattering on: “Niang Niang, although His Highness cannot come now, he did say for you to take good care of yourself. In a couple of days, when he has time, he will come see you!”
I only mourned my two “foreign beauties.” If they were still in the Eastern Palace, how nice that would be. After all, I’ve been around for more than half a year; I’m familiar with things now. And since the beauties fall under my management, I might at least take advantage a little.
But this is the summer retreat palace! My first time here!
I don’t even know where Qi Sheng’s Chunhao Residence is!
“Hey, Luli, do you think Qi Sheng will bring those two beauties back to the palace?” I suddenly asked.
“No!” Luli answered firmly and decisively. As if afraid I wouldn’t believe her, she even patted her chest and guaranteed, “Niang Niang, rest assured, those two shameless women will absolutely not return to the palace with us! Think about it, they’re merely dancing girls presented by a foreign state, lowly people without noble background, and foreigners besides. How could His Highness bring such people back to the palace? Not even the Emperor would. Our palace has never had foreign concubines!”
Luli’s words filled me with grief and indignation. So after Qi Sheng enjoys them, he’ll just toss them aside here? I won’t even get a little benefit?
I stayed depressed for two full days, giving myself endless self-consolation. After splashing around in the pool with a group of palace maids for most of a day, I finally let go of the matter of those foreign beauties.
Then suddenly, Qi Sheng arrived.
I was still soaking in the pool behind the hall with several maids.
Luli ran in briskly from outside, both surprised and delighted. “Niang Niang, the Crown Prince has arrived, he’ll be here any moment.”
Everyone in the pool froze. I reacted first and immediately shouted, “Get dressed! Quickly, get dressed!”
The palace maids all rushed over at once. Without another word, they supported me and led me toward the poolside. Luli came forward holding a gauze robe as thin as cicada wings.
I panicked inwardly, wrong, wrong! I meant you all should quickly put on clothes, don’t let Qi Sheng see any spring scenery!
And Luli, `what are you holding? Mosquito net fabric?
