CH 21

Translated by: Jellylynn

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Names mentioned in this chapter (which can also be found in the glossary):

-廖青青(Liào qīngqīng)- Liao Qing Qing, the female lead. 

-曦嫔(xī pín)-Imperial Concubine Xi, Liao Qing Qing’s current designation

-景礼帝(jǐng lǐ ​​dì)- Emperor Jing Li, the male lead.

-荷香(Hé ​​xiāng)- He Xiang, the female lead’s maidservant

-福生(fú shēng)- Fu Sheng, the emperor’s chief eunuch. 

–梁贵妃(liáng guìfēi)- Noble Consort Liang

–德妃(dé fēi)- Virtuous Consort

Current Ranking: Noble Consort Liang → Worthy Consort + Virtuous Consort → Imperial Concubine Xi →  Lady Li of Graceful Ceremony → Noble Lady Liao + Noble Lady Jiang

Liao Qing Qing exclaimed in dissatisfaction, “Your Majesty!”

Her voice was raised slightly.

When he heard that, Emperor Jing Li looked at her and saw that Liao Qing Qing was fuming and glaring at him. He couldn’t suppress his laughter and burst out laughing.

Liao Qing Qing, “…”

Emperor Jing Li kept laughing.

He had never met an imperial concubine like Liao Qing Qing before.

No. To be more precise, he had never seen someone as entertaining as Liao Qing Qing in his twenty years of life.

Liao Qing Qing suppressed her anger and asked, “Your Majesty, what are you laughing at?”

“It’s nothing.”

“???” Crazy!

“Let’s go. We’re not playing the flute anymore.”

“What are we going to do?”

“Sleep.”

Emperor Jing Li held Liao Qing Qing’s hand and walked towards the bed. He said, “Fine. Since you like to grow vegetables, I[1] will reward you with a hundred mu[2] (66,667 sqm/6.667 hectare) of fields later. You grow your vegetables properly, alright?”

“That’s so tiring.” Liao Qing Qing added, “This imperial concubine[3] can’t grow that much.”

Emperor Jing Li suggested an idea for Liao Qing Qing, “You can find someone to grow it.”

Liao Qing Qing said truthfully, “This imperial concubine can’t find anyone.”

“I will bestow someone to you.”

“Is that alright?”

“How’s that not alright?”

“It feels like this imperial concubine is a demon concubine.”[4]

“You aren’t.”

“Isn’t that so?”

“A demon concubine is more beautiful than you!”

“…”

This Emperor acts too much like a straight guy![5]

If he were in the 21st century, he would definitely be a bachelor!

It wasn’t known if it was due to the clear and refreshing autumn weather, but she didn’t really like Emperor Jing Li sleeping next to her before. However, she was used to it now.

And as she thought about the promises he made to her, Emperor Jing Li seemed to be not bad.

She turned her head to look at Emperor Jing Li, who had already shut his eyes.

The faint moonlight of mid-autumn fell on the veil through the half-open window lattice.

She was able to see Emperor Jing Li’s silhouette.

He possessed a grave and stern appearance with a high nose bridge. Even while he was sleeping, he gave off a difficult to understand and unapproachable feeling. But the long and thick eyelashes made him appear more affectionate.

What a handsome man!

She stared at him.

Just at this time Emperor Jing Li suddenly turned his head to look over, and their eyes met.

Liao Qing Qing, “…” It feels as if I am caught red-handed for stealing food.

Emperor Jing Li asked, “Why are you looking at me?”

“Not looking at you.” Deny, must deny. Otherwise, it would make me feel like I’m lustful.

“Then are you thinking about something?”

“Yes. Yes.” Liao Qing Qing quickly admitted.

“What are you thinking about?”

Liao Qing Qing thought about it and quickly came up with an excuse, “I’m thinking that since Your Majesty didn’t go to Noble Consort Liang’s place tonight, Noble Consort Liang is bound to be angry. Tomorrow, she may…” She may make her life difficult. That’s a high possibility.

“You are afraid of her?” Emperor Jing Li asked.

“She is a Noble Consort. This imperial concubine is a concubine and naturally has to be respectful to her.”

“Beloved concubine is right, but Beloved concubine doesn’t need to be afraid.”

“???”

“I will protect you.”

“…” As if I will believe you!

“Go to sleep.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t secretly look at me.”

“???” I have nothing to say.

At this moment, Emperor Jing Li spoke, “Forget it. I’ll sleep with you while holding onto you, so that you won’t miss me and look at me.”

“???” Who misses you? How can you be so full of yourself?

Emperor Jing Li stretched out his long arms and brought Liao Qing Qing into his arms.

Liao Qing Qing instinctively struggled.

Emperor Jing Li said in a low voice, “Don’t move. I’m tired.”

Liao Qing Qing did not dare to move again. She thought about Noble Consort Liang and thought about how everything in this world had changed after she transmigrated. She could no longer be a salted fish[6] like the original owner.

Presently, Emperor Jing Li was openly coming to spend the night with her on the fifteenth day of the month and Mid-Autumn Festival.

Isn’t that the same as offending Noble Consort Liang?

Isn’t that the same as instigating a harem intrigue?

F*ck!

I wonder how Noble Consort Liang will strangle me to death.

To rely on Emperor Jing Li?

Has there ever been an emperor who joined the harem intrigue for the sake of an imperial concubine?

With her scant knowledge of history, there had not.

What is she going to do?

Is her tiny life at stake?

She couldn’t help but worry, and fell asleep worrying.

When she got up the next morning, Emperor Jing Li had already gone to the imperial court.

She washed up before she remembered that Emperor Jing Li spent the night with her last night.

She couldn’t help feeling a little worried.

She also didn’t know what Noble Consort Liang was like.

She took He Xiang to Linhua Palace. As usual, she paid her respect to Noble Consort Liang and stole a look at Noble Consort Liang’s expression. But she did not see anything different from Noble Consort Liang.

It was just that the other imperial concubine looked at her a little different.

Emperor Jing Li is to be blamed for all of this!

She pretended not to notice anything and lowered her head as if she could be invisible.

She thought that Noble Consort Liang would not spare her and would definitely take action.

As expected!

The next thing she heard was Noble Consort Liang saying, “Mid-Autumn Festival has passed. Next month, there will be the Double Ninth Festival.[7] His Majesty abides by filial piety the most. 9-9 also has a meaning of ‘everlasting’. Every year, it is a festival to respect the elderly in our dynasty.”

At this time, Virtuous Consort asked, “Your Highness, Noble Consort, could it be that the Empress Dowager is coming back from the private courtyard this year? She has also been recuperating for three years in the private courtyard.”

The Empress Dowager?

Liao Qing Qing had heard of this Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager was Emperor Jing Li’s birth mother. It was said that she contracted an illness three years ago and removed herself to a private courtyard to recuperate. Since then, three years had passed. Emperor Jing Li visited several times and often sent various items to the private courtyard.

It seemed that Emperor Jing Li was very respectful towards the Empress Dowager.

Noble Consort Liang said, “The Empress Dowager isn’t willing to come back.”

Virtuous Consort then stopped talking.

Noble Consort Liang continued, “Whether this elderly woman was willing to return to the palace, as a person of the younger generation, we should honour filial piety.”

The imperial concubines immediately agreed in response.

“Bengong[8] would like to do the same as usual this year. Sisters, let’s put our hearts into praying for the Empress Dowager?”

The imperial concubine nodded.

Virtuous Concubine spoke again, “So is it still the usual embroidery and copying of scriptures as in previous years?”

“No, all of you worked hard every year. It’s time to give the newcomers a chance to perform.” Noble Consort Liang looked at Liao Qing Qing and said, “Imperial Concubine Xi, I heard that your needlework is mediocre?”

Liao Qing Qing, whose name was called, hurriedly raised her eyes and answered, “Replying to Your Highness, Noble Consort, this imperial concubine is ashamed.”

Noble Consort Liang said with a smile, “In that case, then you should copy the scriptures.”

“Yes,” Liao Qing Qing answered.

Then, Noble Consort Liang began to assign who to do embroidery, write blessings, and so on.

After the distribution was done, the imperial concubines’ eyes darted towards Liao Qing Qing.

At first, Liao Qing Qing did not understand what it meant. But after a while, it occurred to her that all the embroidery and blessing writing were done by several people together.

How come she was the only person to copy the scriptures?

How many scriptures are there?

Did Noble Consort Liang do it deliberately?

Deliberately handing her the scriptures to tire her out?

Or picking out her mistakes in copying the scriptures?

When she raised her eyes to look at Noble Consort Liang, her eyes met Virtuous Consort’s.

Virtuous Consort looked at her with a thoughtful gaze. Just when she was about to plead to Noble Consort Liang, Noble Consort Liang said, “Sisters, this is how it will be divided. You must be attentive. This is an important matter for the Empress Dowager.”

She directly interrupted Virtuous Consort’s words.

The other imperial concubines responded in agreement one after another.

When Liao Qing Qing was about to inquire, she heard another shrill cry from the doorway, “His Majesty has arrived—”

Emperor Jing Li was here.

Liao Qing Qing looked at Noble Consort Liang.

Noble Consort Liang’s face stiffened slightly. Then, she composed her expression. She slowly got up with a smile to receive Emperor Jing Li.

[1] 朕(zhèn)- I (imperial) or we (imperial use).

[2] 亩(mǔ)- Classifier for fields. Unit of area equal to one fifteenth of a hectare

[3] 嫔妾(pín qiè)- This imperial concubine. It is a self-appellation that can only be used by Lady of Talents (才人), Noble Lady (贵人), etc to the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

[4] 妖妃(yāo fēi)- Demon concubine is usually beautiful and it refers to a consort that brings disaster to the country.

[5] 直男 (zhí nán) – Straight guy. In this case, it is describing that Emperor Jing Li has traits that most heterosexual men do. In modern context, he would like women that wear black stockings, unable to differentiate between women who wear makeup or no makeup, like women who have big breasts, long legs, and long straight hair, etc.

[6] 咸鱼(xiányú)- Salted fish. There are several meanings. Firstly, it is a Cantonese metaphor for “dead”. Secondly, it is a Cantonese metaphor for “people who don’t want to move.” Thirdly, it is Internet slang for “people without dreams.” Fourthly, it is an online game term for “a player who does not or rarely spends energy and time participating in activities to improve oneself”. Lastly, it is a self-deprecating phrase on the internet “I’m a salted fish”.

[7] 九九重阳节(Jiǔjiǔchóngyáng jié)- Double Ninth Festival is observed on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar. It is a traditional Chinese holiday. According to the I Ching, nine is a yang number; the ninth day of the ninth lunar month has too much yang (a traditional Chinese spiritual concept) and is thus a potentially very auspicious date. Hence, the day is also called “Double Yang Festival”. It is customary to climb a high mountain, drink chrysanthemum liquor, and wear the zhuyu plant, Cornus officinalis. (Both chrysanthemum and zhuyu are considered to have cleansing qualities and are used on other occasions to air out houses and cure illnesses.) On this holiday, some Chinese also visit the graves of their ancestors to pay their respects.

[8] 本宮 (Běngōng) – I, the one who owns this palace. Such as the queen will call herself ‘the palace’, and the princess with the official title can also call herself ‘the palace’.

Translator’s Note: The update schedule for this novel will return as per normal. See you next Sunday!