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墨書 Inktalez
The repeated defiance astonished everyone, even the Emperor. He looked at the stubborn and delicate young woman before him, curious about what kind of man could possibly compare to his son.
Zhu Qingluan, I wonder how you will meet your end! Lin Ya felt a mix of envy and resentment, thinking that Zhu Qingluan was being ungrateful for daring to reject the Consort's goodwill. Yet, she also felt relieved; as long as Zhu Qingluan persisted in her resistance, she would eventually anger Consort De. Hmph, let's see if she can still smile then.
The other young ladies were gossiping and mocking Qing Luan's ignorance.
"Zhu Qingluan, you have quite the audacity," someone nearby couldn't hold back any longer and wanted to draw attention to herself. She shouted, "How dare you defy the Consort's orders! You, a lowly Merchant's Daughter, should be grateful that the Consort has given you the position of a side consort. Are you not satisfied? Do you wish to become the First Wife of the Second Prince?"
Such righteous words drew disdainful glances from others, leaving Qing Luan both amused and exasperated.
"The one who wishes to become the Second Prince's First Wife is you," Qing Luan retorted without hesitation, her sharp gaze locking onto the aggressive and jealous woman before her. With a cold smile, she continued, "I have sworn not to be a concubine nor enter the Marquis Residence. I seek only a lifelong partner. Tell me, can the Second Prince provide that?"
The girl who had spoken first was immediately silenced by her piercing gaze and dared not speak again. Qing Luan's words elicited laughter from the crowd; they were all nobles accustomed to a life of multiple wives and concubines. What man wouldn't want to embrace many women? Her statement seemed utterly ridiculous.
"Zhu Qingluan, don’t think that just because I favor you, you can take advantage of it. Let me tell you, having multiple wives is completely normal for men. If you can prove that any man would promise you a lifelong partnership, then I won’t ask the Emperor for a marriage arrangement and will even grant you a generous dowry!" This foolish girl had actually defied her goodwill right to her face; it was simply outrageous.
Perhaps Prime Minister Huang was right; this girl truly could not be allowed to remain.
Seeing Consort De’s dismissive expression, Qing Luan revealed a sweet smile and calmly said, "I do not need the Consort’s gifts nor do I require an imperial marriage. One day, you will understand my desire for a lifelong partner." When Xuanyuan Rui returns, she would know; by then, would she still be as arrogant as she is now?
"Your Majesty, look at this girl; she is simply too arrogant! I implore Your Majesty to punish her," Consort De abandoned any thoughts of reconciliation and sought to use the Emperor’s hand to eliminate her before she became a future threat.
The Emperor did not respond immediately but instead focused on the young woman standing tall with unwavering resolve. A flicker of interest crossed his eyes as he sipped his tea and asked lightly, "You... truly do not wish to enter the palace?"
"I do not wish to!" The answer came swiftly, her eyes shining with unwavering confidence.
"Why?" He was genuinely curious about her. Was she really as unique as Nishang claimed? For an emperor, promises of lifelong partnership seemed absurd; yet she spoke with such seriousness that her bright eyes made one yearn for that kind of life.
In truth, as an emperor, although he had multiple wives and embraced many women, each relationship was fraught with intrigue and ulterior motives. No one was sincere with anyone else—including him and Consort De—merely using each other for appearances. Yet this clever girl saw through it all; disdain and mockery occasionally flickered in her eyes.
"There's too much scheming and plotting; it's exhausting!" This was the truth. Even ordinary people had their share of red and white faces, let alone in this treacherous palace.
Her words darkened everyone's expression, including Consort De's. Everyone knew that the palace was a place of deceit, where one misstep could lead to death. Yet, everyone still rushed to enter, so her words offended them all.
"Little girl, there is scheming in the harem, but can you guarantee that if you marry into a common family, there won't be any of this?" The Emperor's words struck at the heart of the matter, leaving Qing Luan silent with pursed lips.
Indeed, where was there no scheming? Even if Xuanyuan Rui returned and she had a relationship with him, wouldn't that mean she was entangled with the entire royal family?
She wanted to distance herself but found it impossible to untangle from the situation, leaving her speechless.
"Your Majesty," Consort De protested with a twist of her waist, dissatisfied that the Emperor showed no intention of punishing her. "If she acts so recklessly, what will others learn from it? Where is the authority in that?"
"And how do you suggest I punish her?" The Emperor cast a profound glance at her and asked indifferently.
"Um..." Consort De was momentarily taken aback by the counter-question.
"Father," Yunlin originally thought Zhu Qingluan had some value for use and felt pleased. However, seeing her consistently defy his mother's wishes and embarrass him in front of everyone, he furrowed his brows and suggested, "Regardless of whether she agrees or not, as long as Father issues an imperial decree, if she refuses, it would be considered defiance, and we could annihilate her entire clan..."
Seeing Yunlin's disgusting demeanor, Qing Luan couldn't help but curl her lips in cold disdain—they truly were relentless until they reached the end.
"Is this also your opinion, Consort De?" The Emperor neither agreed nor disagreed but looked at Consort De to gauge her thoughts.
"It's entirely up to Your Majesty!" Consort De was clever enough to sense something amiss and decided to go along with his words without pressing further.
The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
"If I were to issue an edict, what would you do?"
"Uh?" Taken aback by such a question, Qing Luan felt frustrated. Was this Emperor really so bored that he was playing games with her?
"Defy the decree!" Qing Luan did not respond; it was Sister Yun behind her who spoke up.
Sister Yun's words shocked everyone, including Qing Luan.
"How dare you! Who do you think you are to be so brazen before the Emperor?" shouted a Eunuch nearby, his voice shrill. "Take this audacious servant girl away..."
"Sister Yun," Qing Luan had not expected Sister Yun to speak for her, and she felt a wave of panic. She stood up, allowing Sister Yun to stand behind her, and looked at the Emperor. "This has nothing to do with her; she only knows what her sister needs and has no intention of offending."
"A lowly servant dares to call Miss Zhu 'sister'? How ridiculous!" someone sneered, while others mocked in agreement.
"Exactly, a lowly person is still lowly at heart; that cannot be changed."
The snobbish young ladies knew that Zhu Qingluan had offended both the Emperor and Consort De, and there would be no good outcome for her. They began to take pleasure in her misfortune, especially since she had just made them feel envy and resentment.
"Why aren't you moving?" Consort De, seeing everyone stunned into silence, screamed an order. Her earlier gentleness vanished, revealing the ferocity of a man-eating tiger, making her appear terrifying.
The Eunuchs and guards surrounding Qing Luan slowly closed in...
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