The Job Of An Imperial Concubine

113

"Oh? Why aren't you speaking?" Zhuang Laoyan fanned herself with the fan in her hand. Sat down next to the stone table. Her voice proved cold as she said, "What's this about this palace clinging to His Majesty every day using my pregnancy as an excuse? Xiuyi Su, were these words grievances against His Majesty and this palace?"

Voice trembling, Xiuyi Su said, "This concubine doesn't dare." Without Noble Consort Shu's protection, she wasn't as brave as she had been before, despite her temper still being as bad as in the past. Her current appearance caused Zhuang Laoyan to recall how she had looked down on everyone previously.

After casting her a glance, Zhuang Laoyan shifted her gaze to Noble Imperial Concubine Yan. "A noble imperial concubine like you dares talk back to a xiuyi. Who gave you this courage?" Ever since Noble Consort Shu's influence fell, Xiuyi Su's days in the harem grew difficult. Nowadays, even Noble Imperial Concubine Yan made things hard for her on purpose. It was clear what kind of life Xiuyi Su had now.

To which Noble Imperial Concubine Yan blurted, "Your Highness, please see clearly. It was because Xiuyi Su's words had been impertinent toward your honored self that this concubine quarreled with her."

"Oh?" Zhuang Laoyan paused in fanning herself. Then she smiled. "This palace wasn't aware that Noble Imperial Concubine Yan cares about this palace so much."

Translated by Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com/ If you read it anywhere else besides Sleepchaser's wordpress, that copy was stolen.

Biting her lip, Noble Imperial Concubine Yan dared not defend herself. They had never shared a good relationship in the past. It was to the point that when Zhuang Laoyan's influence had fallen, she had hit the other woman while she was down. Now that Zhuang Laoyan had said such words, she genuinely could not refute her.

All of a sudden, the smile on Zhuang Laoyan's face retreated like the tides of a sea. "Servants, Noble Imperial Concubine Yan and Xiuyi Su do not respect the hierarchical distinction between superior and subordinate. Slap them thirty times."

"Yes!" Tingzhu stepped forward from behind her, leading a few palace maids. Regardless of how the two imperial concubines struggled, the palace maids slapped their faces with much force.

Listening to melodious slaps, Zhuang Laoyan suddenly called to mind the following: It seemed that when she had first arrived in this world, her body's original owner had been punished to slaps by the former Jieyu Ma. Now, everyone who had made things difficult for the original owner had already become old news in the harem. I wonder if anyone would try to cause problems for me in the future?

She averted her gaze from Xiuyi Su and Noble Imperial Concubine Yan. Using Yunxi's hand for support, she slowly rose to her feet. Left the pavilion. She gazed at a fluttering butterfly far away and stroked her abdomen. At that moment, laughter spilled from her lips. In this world, there was at least one person who truly lived because of her.

Perhaps imperial concubines and the emperor could share genuine feelings. But the majority was merely fake. Zhuang Laoyan did not know how much Feng Jin truly felt for her. Despite this, there was one thing she needed to be grateful toward him for. And that was that he spared no effort in protecting the child in her womb. Otherwise, even if she possessed countless schemes, there was no way she could protect her child.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

Zhuang Laoyan looked back. And she caught sight of Feng Jin approaching her. She turned her head and saw that Tingzhu and several other servants had stopped in their tracks. A smile on her lips, she said, "Why has Your Majesty come?"

"We were just passing through," said Feng Jin, supporting her. He glanced at the people kneeling in the pavilion. "What offense have Xiuyi Su and Noble Imperial Concubine Yan committed?"

"Just a while ago, when this concubine came here, this concubine heard the two of them quarreling. They even mentioned that this concubine used my pregnancy to cling to Your Majesty. This concubine was so angry and had the servants slap them." Zhuang Laoyan's expression proved poor. "Never had this concubine expected Your Majesty to come here."

"Since that is the case, then you servants can keep slapping them," said Feng Jin, looking at the pavilion with a detached gaze. He reached for Zhuang Laoyan's hand and slowly moved forward. "Laoyan, how do you feel about the empress?"

Never had Zhuang Laoyan imagined Feng Jin to utter such words. Caught in a daze, she looked at his serene expression. A good while passed before she said, "The empress is just in her conduct. She manages the imperial harem extremely well."

A long period of silence later, Feng Jin released her hand. Clasped his hands behind his back. "We understand."

Zhuang Laoyan fanned herself with the circular fan in her hand. Smiled. "Your Majesty is of the same opinion." This man was inconstant in affection. However, he wasn't so heartless to the point of not being human.

After Feng Jin had heard Zhuang Laoyan talking so bluntly for the first time, he felt somewhat surprised. He gazed at this smiling woman, emotions matchless in how complicated they were. Yet, he also felt unspeakably relaxed. "She married Us at fifteen years old. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed."

Zhuang Laoyan looked down, her line of sight aiming at the circular fan in her hand. On the fan was a picture that depicted a beauty leaning and sitting on a parapet. Although she wore splendid clothes and beautiful hairpins, she cut a lonely figure. "Her Majesty the empress is impeccable," said Zhuang Laoyan. Then she looked up at Feng Jin.

Their gazes met. In the end, Feng Jin looked away first. Once more, he held her hand. Sighed. "We will accompany you back to your palace. It will grow warmer soon."

In the eleventh year of the Chengxuan Era, Emperor Chengxuan seized some property from the empress' paternal family, the Zhao family, and demoted them to commoners. This was due to them committing many large crimes. However, on account of the love shared between the emperor and empress, the Zhao family were not beheaded, and instead were sent away to serve a penal sentence in the frontier. Emperor Chengxuan even famously said that after three generations, the Zhao family could participate in the imperial examinations again.

definitions

cleanse: As in get rid of Wanyi Qian's spirit by doing some ceremonies, reading Buddhist scriptures, etc