Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"That's nonsense!" Although Mu Fengyan said this, he did not insist further. He simply stated, "In the future, if anyone in the palace bullies you, just show them the gold medal I gave you. Let's see who dares to defy the imperial decree!"
Yin Luo smiled and replied, "Your Majesty, please don't take it so seriously. That will only bring trouble upon yourself and make the situation even more uncontrollable."
Mu Fengyan glanced at her and said, "As the emperor, if I can't even protect my only friend, what is the point of being emperor?"
Yin Luo smiled back, "Precisely because you are the emperor, there are so many things beyond your control. You carry the burden of the world on your shoulders!"
Hearing this, Mu Fengyan's gaze darkened as he looked at the beautiful autumn scenery in the Imperial Garden. "The Exiled Nation has been established for three hundred years now. The stability of the past is long gone. Now, various countries are eyeing the Exiled Nation with envy, waiting for any flaws to appear in our court so they can take action. I am now walking on thin ice."
Yin Luo looked at him and then gazed into the distant sky, gently squinting her eyes. "So Your Majesty must act decisively. Once you move, you must strike to win without giving anyone a chance to react. This way, you can quickly stabilize the situation, quell internal strife, and suppress Zhou Kingdom."
Mu Fengyan's eyes brightened. "Exactly, a decisive victory!"
Li An De brought in tea leaves, and Yin Luo personally took the utensils to brew the tea.
She wasn't particularly skilled in tea brewing; it was just a little technique she had learned when she first entered the palace and was not very proficient—she could only manage it clumsily.
However, Mu Fengyan clearly enjoyed the tea she brewed and drank several cups before turning to return to the imperial study.
He busied himself with state affairs in the study while Yin Luo attended to him nearby, with Li An De keeping watch outside.
He had already noticed the relationship between this palace maid and the emperor, especially since he had guessed something when he first saw her come out of the inner hall that night in disheveled clothing.
Now, as he spent time with the emperor, Mu Fengyan had repeatedly sent him away, which was unspoken but clear in its implications.
Li An De was perceptive; since the emperor had his thoughts, he naturally did his best to support him.
Mu Fengyan and Yin Luo spent the entire afternoon in the imperial study. When they returned to the palace for dinner, after finishing their meal, he brought out the selection board as usual. Noticing Mu Fengyan's impatience, he emphasized, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is watching. If you don't choose someone to serve you soon, it will probably be the Empress Dowager who comes in next!"
Mu Fengyan frowned, scanning the names on the board for a long time without making a decision. Finally, his gaze landed on the name of the newly entered palace maid, Huairui. He reached out and flipped the board randomly, saying, "Let's go with her, so you all stop arguing."
Li An De immediately smiled and said, "I will notify them right away."
As night fell, Huairui's palanquin was brought in.
Yin Luo personally stepped forward to assist her and took Huairui's hand, saying, "Congratulations, Huairui."
Seeing her there made Huairui both happy and shy. She replied, "I didn't expect Jinghao to have the opportunity to serve the Emperor now. You don't need to call me Huairui; just call me by my name as before. We entered the palace together, so I cherish this bond."
Yin Luo smiled and escorted her to the palace door, saying, "Please enter, Huairui!"
Huairui shyly glanced at her before stepping inside slowly.
The hall was naturally vast and empty; however, Yin Luo did not wait outside but returned to her own room early to practice.
The next morning, when she went to serve again, the scene in the hall was chaotic. Yin Luo couldn't help but tease Mu Fengyan, asking, "Did Your Majesty sleep well last night?"
Mu Fengyan glanced at her and then looked around at the other servants present. Clearing his throat, he shot her a sidelong glance and replied, "Of course I slept well; with a beauty in my arms, how could I not?"
As soon as he said this, the servants attending him turned red-faced. Yin Luo smiled slightly and joined everyone in helping him change into his court attire before sending him off to court.
Another long morning court session followed. Since she didn’t have to serve during this time, it was a good opportunity for her to rest.
She had practiced late into the night and was just about to lie down for a moment when she heard a knock at the door from outside. She wondered who it could be so early in the morning.
Yin Luo put on her clothes and went to open the door. A palace servant was knocking, and behind her stood a group of people, with none other than Consort Jin at the forefront.
Yin Luo paused and hurriedly bowed, saying, "This servant greets Consort Jin."
Consort Jin nodded and slowly entered her room. She looked around and said, "It is said that the new Jinghao beside the Emperor is favored by him. It seems to be true. This room may be small, but it is well-equipped. I suppose you know how to win the Emperor's favor."
Yin Luo stood to the side, not panicking upon hearing this. She stepped forward and bent slightly at Consort Jin's back, replying, "Although this place is well-furnished, most of it was left by the previous Jinghao. As for the new additions, there are only a few. Your Highness must not misunderstand; even if I am favored by the Emperor, I am merely a maidservant. I seek nothing more than a quiet place to reside in this Harem."
Consort Jin was examining a bottle when she turned her head to look at Yin Luo and said with a half-smile, "You truly are perceptive. Before I even spoke, you have already explained everything, leaving me momentarily speechless."
Yin Luo responded, "Your Highness is too kind. Who doesn't know that Consort Jin has a clever mind? In this Harem, you are known for being the most generous and understanding, which is why after so many years in the palace, the Emperor still favors only you."
Nian Yunshang chuckled and said, "You are quite well-informed."
She sat down on a rosewood round stool nearby. Yin Luo hurriedly approached with tea and said, "This is all I have; I apologize for any inconvenience to Your Highness."
Consort Jin picked up the teacup and sniffed the fragrance of the tea, saying, "The tea smells good; it's just a pity that the water used is not right, which has diluted its aftertaste."
Yin Luo quickly replied, "Your Highness has a keen eye; I am not skilled in tea preparation and apologize for any shortcomings."
Consort Jin looked at her. Although her eyes were smiling, they made one feel uneasy. Yin Luo was naturally not intimidated by her gaze but still showed some nervousness to comply. After observing her for a while, Consort Jin suddenly smiled and said, "You need not be so tense. I have heard that you have recently gained the Emperor's favor, so I came today with something for you to do. Jinghao must not refuse."
Yin Luo lowered her head and said, "It is my great fortune to serve Your Highness."
Upon hearing this, Consort Jin's smile widened even more. She glanced at her palace servant, who immediately brought over a food box and said, "Inside is lily porridge personally made by the Empress Dowager. However, recently there has been tension between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Whenever he hears anyone mention the Empress Dowager's name, he gets angry. I originally intended to deliver it myself but thought better of it after angering him yesterday; thus I came to entrust this task to Jinghao."
Yin Luo smiled lightly as she accepted it: "Such a small matter can be entrusted to Jinghao without worry. In a moment, I will say it was sent by Your Highness. As for the Empress Dowager's side, I will do my best to find an opportunity to speak well of her; whether the Emperor listens or not is beyond my knowledge!"
"Consort Jin" smiled as she held her hand and said, "Whether you can listen or not is not a matter. Given time, the Emperor will naturally let it go; after all, they are mother and son!"
Her eyes sparkled like the surface of a lake shimmering in the light, making one feel at ease.
"Yin Luo" nodded in agreement, and "Consort Jin" then left slowly with her attendants.
"Yin Luo" looked around her room and felt that it was indeed eye-catching. However, fortunately, although some items in her room were not befitting her status, they were not excessive; at most, they only showed that she was a favored person by the Emperor. As for the rest, they did not prove anything.
After sending off "Consort Jin," she rested for a moment before welcoming "Mu Fengyan" after court.
However, he seemed quite busy today because several new envoys from different countries had arrived and would be coming in a few days. "Mu Changqing" was discussing subsequent matters with him, including the purpose of this envoy's visit. Although he had little say in the matter, as the Emperor, he naturally had to participate.
"Yin Luo" instructed someone to heat up the porridge so that "Mu Fengyan" could eat when he had time, while she waited nearby to serve him.
The discussions lasted for over an hour. As usual, she waited outside. When officials came out, "Mu Changqing's" gaze unintentionally flicked over to her. It paused on her face for a moment, and his footsteps suddenly halted.
"Mu Fengyan" was right behind him. Seeing this, he inwardly cursed himself; "Mu Changqing" had already spoken up: "Your Majesty, are you satisfied with this newly assigned maid?"
"Mu Fengyan" stepped out quickly and glanced at "Yin Luo," casually saying, "She suits my taste; it's just that she speaks too little and is rather dull."
"Mu Changqing" pressed his lips together and replied, "Your Majesty loves to play around all day; having someone who talks less is good. At least there’s someone quiet by your side, which is beneficial for you."
"Mu Fengyan" was taken aback and looked at "Yin Luo," unsure of what "Mu Changqing's" true intentions were.
After "Mu Changqing" finished speaking, his gaze lingered on "Yin Luo's" face for a moment before he strode away.
Once he left, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"You come in."
Mu Changqing instructed Yin Luo.
After entering the inner hall and seeing Yin Luo close the door, Mu Fengyan immediately approached her: "Luoluo, do you think the Emperor has noticed something?"
Yin Luo raised her head to glance at him and lowered her voice, "Is the Emperor really flustered? How afraid are you of Prince Jin?"
Mu Fengyan's expression stiffened for a moment, then he replied after a pause, "You have no idea!"
He sat down at the imperial desk beside her, took a deep breath, and said, "The Emperor never shows mercy in his actions. He only treats me like an emperor when necessary; otherwise, it's not like that at all!"
He looked at Yin Luo and continued, "Do you remember that night? The second time I met you, he truly had murderous intent. You could see it in his eyes!"
Yin Luo naturally remembered that day clearly. She walked towards Mu Fengyan and reassured him, "Don't worry, he won't discover me so quickly. Besides, this requires your cooperation."
"Today, Consort Jin came to see me. She clearly has some doubts about why the Emperor and I are so close. Therefore, for now, it's best for us to maintain some distance. After all, our identities are that of master and servant. If we get too close, it will eventually give others something to talk about—especially Prince Jin. Who knows if he has planted spies around the Emperor? The way he spoke today was as if he knew everything. I'm worried that if we continue like this, he might trace back to my identity. If that happens, we'll lose everything!"
Upon hearing this, Mu Fengyan felt she made sense and nodded in agreement. "So what do you mean?"
"From now on, if the Emperor needs anything, let Li Gonggong come to me. I will only appear when it involves me. This way, it won't raise any suspicions."
Mu Fengyan nodded thoughtfully and realized this was indeed the best plan they had overlooked!
The next day, everything returned to normal, and for many days thereafter, everything proceeded in an orderly manner!
Yin Luo had more time to do her own things while Mu Fengyan spent half his day in the study. During the rest of the time, he played just as he always had.
Everything seemed to be going according to plan.
Winter had arrived, and Yin Luo asked Mu Fengyan for a fast token to leave the palace for a while.
It was snowing heavily outside. She changed into casual clothes, donned a thick cloak, and exited the royal palace.
There was someone waiting for her outside the palace, a young servant who helped her into a carriage. After that, they headed straight into the city. Once in the eastern part of the city, she switched to another carriage and traveled for about half an hour before stopping at a courtyard on the outskirts.
The yard was covered in a layer of snow, and the gate was tightly closed.
Yin Luo stepped forward and knocked on the door. Someone quickly came to open it. Upon seeing her, they were taken aback and hurriedly welcomed her inside. "It's cold outside, miss. Please come in and sit down. You look much thinner; I wonder how you've been over there?"
Yin Luo lifted her gaze, accepted the hot tea offered to her, took a sip, and said, "I'm doing well; everything is going smoothly. Where's my father?"
The woman replied with a smile, "Your father took the child to the temple early this morning to pray. He heard that the charms there are effective, so he went specifically to ask for one. Since he was worried you might return at any moment, I stayed here to wait."
Yin Luo lowered her gaze and replied lightly, "I took a day off; I'm afraid I won't be able to wait for Father to come back. Please take care of things for me."
The woman quickly agreed. At this point, Yin Luo took out a pouch of money from her bosom and placed it on the table. "This is some silver; please keep it well. If anyone asks, just say I came in for a drink of water."
Comment 0 Comment Count