After Ming Xian was done with his business, he excused himself from the study. He strode on with nary a word for a while.
Is it really fine without saying anything?
Li Yong, his subordinate, whispered when they reached a deserted corridor.
What do you an?
About the girl that was in the clinic.
Li Yong chose his words carefully, but the corners of Ming Xian lips lifted in a smirk.
Really, why on earth did that girl decide to co here?
Ming Xian was reminded of the court lady he saw at the clinic, and he gave a strained laugh.
The girls hair was novel, with its marvelous tinge of midnight-blue. Also, the hue of her eyes was the noble blue.
She said she was nad Yui i, because she was a girl born on a rainy day. She even sulked, saying that she wished her parents gave it a bit more thought when they nad her.
If It was just the hair color, then there must be others who have sothing similar. It was the sa for the eye color. The noble blood could also be inherited, even if it was far down the lineage.
However, possessing both qualities was a different matter altogether; moreover, she was also nad Yui i. It was definitely not a coincidence.
Even if the na Yui i was helplessly perfunctory, it was still a na bestowed by Zhi Wei to that infant.
According to Yang, the person who managed all the court ladies, Yui i was a maiden recruited from the border regions. If it was the borderlands then it would be the location of the nunnery where Lady Zhang, one of the Beauties, was banished.
Lady Zhang was the victim who bore the brunt of the power struggle.
Indeed. Kind and calm, such an unfortunate person.
At Li Yongs words, Ming Xian casted his eyes down as he recalled the past.
In order to strengthen her power and control, the empress dowager forced her niece on Zhi Wei to beco his empress, just as she did to Ming Xian. Unfortunately, Zhi Wei did not have the power to resist her at that ti.
The empress dowager was the one who gave birth to the emperor, so her pride was extrely high. That trait of hers was also inherited by her niece. Despite her great beauty, the empress was quick-tempered and highly irritable, so Zhi Wei finally found it unbearable.
Therefore, Zhi Wei planned to be husband and wife with her only for appearances sake. However, being the birth mother of the emperor was far more important in the Inner Palace, more than being the empress. The empress dowager kept on pestering them for a child, to the point that even their intimacy was monitored by her.
Zhi Wei had no intention of letting the empress bear his child, so he devised a plan. He fed the empress with sleeping pills in order to pull through the situation. The empress, who was raised as a sheltered lady, fell for that puerile trick. She thought that nightly activities were conducted like that.
Due to the savage circumstances, It was only natural that the emperor would seek out respite among the tranquil concubines.
And it was to Lady Zhang the emperor gave his heart to.
At that ti, he also had a son, Ming Xian, from another concubine, so he felt he was relieved of his duty, since he already had an heir apparent. Shortly after, Lady Zhang bore the dragon seed in her womb, and she gave birth to a princess.
On the other hand, the empress fretted over the turn of events.
The other concubines gave birth, but the empress still did not have a child. It was only natural, since nothing happened between her and the emperor. However, it was enough to breed malicious rumours that the empress was infertile.
In order to dispel those rumors, the empress planned to secretly obtain seed from the emperors relatives. She then conceived and gave birth to a male child, and she claid that child as the crown prince.
Unexpectedly, Lady Zhang also gave birth at this ti.
However, the emperor made a huge ruckus by stating that it would be impossible for the empress to conceive, as they never did the act. A man who frequently visited the Inner Palace in secrecy was also identified, so things escalated to the point of censure, thus the empress dowager interfered.
My maid saw that man co out of Lady Zhangs chambers.
By the empress dowagers command, Lady Zhangs residence was searched, and an object that purportedly belonged to a man was found.
I never saw that man, much less that item!
However, they turned a deaf ear to Lady Zhangs words.
Lady Zhang did not have any backing, so even if Zhi Wei wanted to shield her, she did not have a chance against the empress dowager. In the Inner Palace, the empress dowagers words carried more weight than the truth.
Adultery by imperial wives was a capital cri, punishable by death. That was the desire of the empress dowager, but Zhi Wei vehently protested, thus she escaped death by a hairs breadth. However, Lady Zhang was eventually driven out of the Inner Palace, and along with the new born princess, they were forced to live in the nunnery located in a remote region.
Afterward, news ca that Lady Zhang took her own life. Since there was no news regarding the baby, they thought the infant died with her.
The empress, who was the true perpetrator of adultery, was still in the harem, due to the protection of the empress dowager. However, Zhi Wei fervidly refused to acknowledge her child as the crown prince, so the boy left the Inner Palace last year when he turned fifteen.
However, the empress continued to sche to make her son the crown prince, so she tried to poison Ming Xian countless tis, and she even sent assassins after him ti after ti; it was a restless life. Thanks to that, she did not have the ti to bear an heir, so she remained childless.
The stalemate continued, and sixteen years had passed. Who would have thought that such an existence would be mixed among the maidens of marriageable age gathered for the Inner Palace.
Ming Xian had the opportunity to hold Lady Zhangs child just once. He rembered how those blue eyes the sa as his had stared straight at him.
It would be boring if he were to know about it so easily, Ming Xian muttered.
What in the world was Yui is purpose for returning to the Inner Palace?
Along with anxiety, Ming Xian felt exhilarated. It was as if a lovable, boisterous bird wandered inside a place where the atmosphere was stagnant since the wind stopped blowing.
If the identity of Yui i, who had no support, was revealed, then Lady Zhangs history might repeat itself.
It was not certain whether Yui i knew this, but she did not assert her birthright, and she was working as an ordinary low ranking court lady. According to Yang, she was an industrious person. Initially, he thought she was working at the clinic, but surprisingly, she was just a housekeeper. What a waste of ability. Moreover, she could read. She even explained the origin of her na when asked the other day. From that alone, it could be surmised that she could write, and she knew the aning of those letters. Yang did not notice that Yui i could read, but this might be her own unsubstantiated assertion.
She doesnt want to be conspicuous.
Ming Xian also decided not to say a word about it to Yang. In addition, without scheming for it, she obtained Lady Wangs request to clean her residence, which forrly belonged to Lady Zhang.
The residences of so of Shi Weis residences were neglected, and were in a terrible state, but there was no move for improvent. All of these concubines were daughters from families belonging to the faction opposing the empress dowager.
The empress dowager pulled strings to send useless workers. Her repeated interference, and the shortage of laborers due to the epidemic, caused even Yang to struggle. The empress also regarded Lady Wang as her enemy, since she reminded her of Lady Zhang, who was also a forr court lady.
It must be destinys hand that Yui i was the one who saved that Lady Wang. It was also Lady Wang who started the trend of placing bowls of hot water in the room, and it beca popular among the concubines. Apparently, it was also Yui i who taught her those things.
Creating a trend would boost ones position in the inner harem. In the midst of concubines shaking in fear of the curse, Lady Wang and the other concubines, who were suppressed by the empress dowager, were slowly gaining their foothold. In the garden of won, one rumor could trigger an avalanche, for better or for worse.
If the identity of Yui i, who was living unobtrusively, was brought to light, then the empress dowager and empress would definitely find a way to either expel her, or capture her.
If Yui i was acknowledged as a princess, then the empresss adultery would also be judged.
Thats why, Li Yong, observe Yui is condition regularly.
HuhWhat?
Li Yong answered reflexively, and he looked befuddled.
Did you an?
Indeed. If it was anyone else, then wouldnt a misunderstanding occur?
If speculations that Ming Xian was trying to summon Yui i arose, then Yui i would be in an unfavorable spotlight.
Ming Xian intended to observe Yui i, and then report her true motive for entering the Inner Palace to Zhi Wei.
Revenge against Father is also a likely reason. After all, it is plausible that a child would harbor resentnt against the father who abandoned her in a nunnery.
More than anything, it was urgent to know the extent of Yui is knowledge and her views regarding herself.
I am also currently in a precarious situation, though.
I leave it to you, Eunuch Wang Libin, said Ming Xian to Li Yong, who was looking sullen.
Libin was Li Yongs work na. Li Yong also had his own struggles.
Oh, things are getting busy now.
Contrary to his words, Ming Xian looked like he was enjoying himself imnsely.
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T/L Thoughts: rry Christmas, everyone! We have a triple release for today! Bonus chapter for Kof-fi, and another as my gift to you guys. I also released them earlier than the scheduled ti, while Im still free. Hope you enjoy reading them. Please leave a rating in NU, if you do ?
I did not expect Yui is mother would be the one true love of the emperor. It was truly unfortunate that though she escaped the death penalty, she did not escape death. Maybe we can do a fanfic with her as the protagonist, so she can be reborn and take revenge against the empress Rebirth and Revenge of the Calm Concubine. Lol. Well, the harem drama explains why the emperors concubines were not gorgeous beauties like the shrewish empress, but plain won who exude tranquility, like Lady Wang.
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