CH 26.2

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.

–梁贵妃(liáng guìfēi)- Noble Consort Liang

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

–谢绎(xiè yì)- Xie Yi, a given name of Xie manor’s third son, also known as General Xie and Xie Zi Xing. He was the person Liao Qing Qing went on a blind date with. 

-廖贵人(Liào guìrén)- Noble Lady Liao, the female lead’s paternal elder cousin. 

–蒋贵人(Jiǎng guìrén)- Noble Lady Jiang, the female lead’s “best friend”

–万岁山(wànsuì shān)- Wansui Mountain, also known as ten thousand years mountain. 

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

Soon after, Emperor Jing Li strode in with large strides and asked, “Have you taken your medicine?”

Liao Qing Qing replied, “Yes.”

“Then let’s return to the palace,” Emperor Jing Li said.

“Your Majesty is not going to eat here?” Liao Qing Qing asked in surprise.

“No, let’s go.”

Emperor Jing Li walked up to Liao Qing Qing, and once again picked up Liao Qing Qing.

When they were in the ravine, Liao Qing Qing didn’t have any thought about being princess carried because she was preoccupied with other thoughts. At this moment, she was being carried again; those television series about falling in love inexplicably came to mind. The flowers in her heart uncontrollably bloomed.

Seeing Liao Qing lowering her head, Emperor Jing Li asked, “What’s wrong?”

Liao Qing Qing hurriedly returned to her senses and said, “Your Majesty, this imperial concubine[1] does not need to be carried.”

“Can you walk?”

“He Xiang can carry this imperial concubine.”

Just now, while washing up, everything was handled by He Xiang.

He Xiang might appear delicate but she was not feeble.

“You are unwilling to let me[2] carry you?” Emperor Jing Li asked in a low voice.

Liao Qing Qing said with some embarrassment, “It’s just… not too good.”

“How is it not good?”

“Because your honoured self is the Emperor.”

“The Emperor can’t carry his young wife?”

“… They will say stuff when they see it.”

“Say you are a favoured concubine?”

“Mm. This seems to be acting without propriety, right?”

“Propriety is set by people. If I, the Emperor, don’t even have this freedom, why should I even become an Emperor?” Emperor Jing Li did not give Liao Qing Qing a chance to speak and carried Liao Qing Qing out of the backyard in direct eyesight of others.

Just now, Emperor Jing Li carried Liao Qing Qing out of the ravine because it was forced by the situation.

Right now, he is carrying Liao Qing Qing… he must really like her, right?

His Majesty likes Imperial Concubine Xi!

Many imperial subjects were dumbstruck.

Noble Lady Liao and Noble Lady Jiang couldn’t believe their eyes.

Noble Consort Liao also didn’t trust her own eyes. Emperor Jing Li just so openly carried Imperial Concubine Xi. Isn’t he afraid of imperial subjects discussing and the imperial concubines’ jealousy?

Right!

He’s not afraid!

Although Emperor Jing Li was only in his early twenties, his cognitive abilities were higher to those of ordinary people and even incomparable to the late Emperor.

Back then, the Empress Dowager and the State Uncle were defeated by his hands.

He has always been behaving in an unscrupulous manner!

So is it true that he really likes this woman, Liao Qing Qing?

The hands in Liao Qing Qing’s sleeves clenched tightly. She suppressed the anger in her heart and put on a calm expression towards Emperor Jing Li and Liao Qing Qing.

Just like that, Emperor Jing Li sent Liao Qing Qing to the carriage as if there was no one present.

Liao Qing Qing stood with the support of the carriage’s edge.

Emperor Jing Li turned his head to several imperial subjects and said, “The day before yesterday, a happy rain nourished everything. Crops were able to sprout. Imperial Concubine Xi wanted to find a vegetable to grow for me, and accidentally hurt her foot.”

The people listened quietly.

Without changing his expression, Emperor Jing Li continued, “I think this is the ordeal given to Imperial Concubine Xi by Wansui Mountain. I believe that in the future, Imperial Concubine Xi will be successful in growing vegetables and also benefit the common people. Therefore, for the sake of Imperial Concubine Xi’s loyalty, I will grant Imperial Concubine Xi as Lady of Refined Countenance.”

???

What is ‘grow vegetables’?

What is ‘being happy with the common people’?

What is ‘going through a difficult time’?

What is ‘benefitting the common people’?

You are just seriously spouting nonsense?

Liao Qing Qing’s face was filled with confusion. Is she that elegant and classy?[3]

She jumped into the ravine because she was desperate. How did it become a benefit to the people?

She is even given a promotion?

This, this, this… She could not understand Emperor Jing Li’s intentions.

Her eyes turned to look at Noble Consort Liang, Noble Lady Liao and Noble Lady Jiang.

The three of them had different degrees of paleness on their faces.

They originally wanted to defeat Liao Qing Qing at Wansui Mountain, so that Liao Qing Qing could never rise again.

From then on, Emperor Jing Li would never think of Liao Qing Qing again.

Instead of defeating Liao Qing Qing, they had helped Liao Qing Qing get promoted.

This simply made them want to vomit blood.

Especially Noble Consort Liang.

Noble Consort Liang was already afraid of Liao Qing Qing’s speed of getting promoted. In her heart, she was afraid that one day Liao Qing Qing would surpass her by virtue of Emperor Jing Li’s favor. Therefore, she sensed danger.

She was anxious to get rid of Liao Qing Qing.

After going through the important events of Liao Qing Qing’s past, she discovered that Liao Qing Qing was a harem woman who acted according to convention, and could not find any black spots at all.

She tried to rope Liao Qing Qing in.

But Liao Qing Qing seemed to be naive and incompetent. She was truly born with an exquisite heart with seven holes.[4]

She simply didn’t fall for this trick.

Only then did she set her eyes on Noble Lady Liao and Noble Lady Jiang. She had a  breakthrough as Liao Qing Qing and Xie Yi previously had a blind date.

Having a blind date and being engaged could not be a black spot.

However, if it was discovered that Liao Qing Qing still thought of Xie Yi while sleeping next to Emperor Jing Li, Liao Qing Qing would absolutely never be able to recover again.

She had already planted a seed for Noble Lady Liao and Noble Lady Jiang.

This “private meeting” matter was too easy to do.

Who would know that Noble Lady Liao and Noble Lady Jiang would fail?

Stupid!

Stupid!!

What was more unexpected was that Liao QIng Qing actually had so much courage to jump directly into the ravine, turning the situation around.

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Not only did she not suffer from this “private meeting”, but she was promoted to a higher position!

Listening to Emperor Jing Li’s made up story, he was actually giving a proper reason for Liao Qing Qing, preventing Liao Qing Qing falling into the criticism of others!

It was evident how much Emperor Jing Li doted and cherished Liao Qing Qing!

Noble Lady Consort’s back teeth were almost about to break from her gnashing.

Originally, Liao Qing Qing was a small character with a name. Now, people knew Liao Qing Qing as Lady Xi of Refined Countenance and were also aware that Lady Xi of Refined Countenance could grow vegetables.

Grow what damn vegetables!

In the future, when Emperor Jing Li was successful in his research, he would give Liao Qing Qing the credit.

This thought made Noble Consort Liang so angry that she could hardly breathe. She wished she could strangle Noble Lady Liao and Noble Lady Jiang. These two good-for-nothing things couldn’t even take down a little bitch!

But she could not strangle them now, but also had to manage her expression properly.

She restrained herself and looked at Liao Qing Qing with a smile on her face.

Liao Qing Qing was promoted to a higher position, so naturally she had to thank the Emperor.

Just after she thanked him, all the imperial subjects and guards knelt and congratulated her. Anyway, they talked about great matters. What an abundance of grains for a thousand generations, causing Emperor Jing Li’s honoured face to be very happy.

Then, he ordered He Xiang and the others to quickly support her to the carriage.

When Emperor Jing Li was about to get onto the carriage, he glanced at Xie Yi.

Xie Yi once again lowered his head and did not speak.

Emperor Jing Li and Noble Consort Liang got into the carriage.

Just like how they arrived, Emperor Jing Li, Noble Consort Liang and Liao Qing QIng were in the same carriage.

Emperor Jing Li asked, “Lady Xi of Refined Countenance, how are you feeling?”

With Noble Consort Liang present, Liao Qing Qing spoke in moderation and softly replied, “Replying to Your Majesty, this imperial concubine just drank the medicine. Maybe the effect of the medicine hasn’t kicked in yet, so this imperial concubine’s foot still hurts a little.”

“Then let it continue hurting!”

“???”

Liao Qing Qing looked at Noble Consort Liang.

Noble Consort Liang was like a living statue and ignored the two of them.

If Liao Qing Qing was going to survive the imperial harem in the future, she couldn’t let Noble Consort Liang possess her weakness. So she also sat upright.

Just like that, they rode in the swaying carriage and finally entered the imperial palace.

[1] 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.

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

[3] 高大上(gāodàshàng)- It is a slang which means high-end, elegant and classy.

[4] 七窍玲珑心(qīqiào línglóng xīn)- A rare heart with seven holes. Legend has it that such a person has a delicate heart in his body. Ever since birth, they could hear the voice of everything and communicate with anything, which could be considered as gifted. The seven holes refers to the seven apertures of the  human head: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and one mouth. It is a metaphor for a girl that is clever, sensible and rational.