Chapter Eighty Six Our Hougong
"What did you say, Duan Wang succeeded the throne?!" Liang shi stood in front of a black bricked farmhouse, face pale as she looked at her nephew. To her, the news was the worst possible. She muttered disbelievingly, "Why is it Duan Wang, what about Rui Wang? Rui Wang?"
Liang Hong looked at gumu's state and sighed: "Rui Wang, due to making a fuss in xiandi's mourning hall, caused everyone's dissatisfaction. Thankfully, the Emperor was merciful and didn't punish him heavily, just sentenced him to kneel in the morning hall to reflect.
"Wasn't Rui Wang the most favored by xiandi, why is it like this?" Liang shi staggered, and a beat later, she started to cry, "Then what about Su'er, what should she do?" Now that Rui Wang couldn't become the Emperor, Su'er was still a qie, what good life would she have in the future?
Liang Hong saw how violently gumu was crying and didn't know how to comfort her. In the beginning, he hadn't been in favor of biao mei becoming a qieshi. Now that Rui Wang Fu had lost power, biao mei as a qieshi, would she even have a comfortable life in the future?
He looked at the brick farmhouse behind gumu and couldn't help but think of the three biao mei of Chang De Gong Fu. The eldest biao mei married Duan Wang. Now that Duan Wang succeeded the throne, eldest biao mei was certainly going to become the Empress. She had to wait for the immediate mourning period to pass before she could be formally titled. Er biao mei might have been a shu daughter, but after the Qu Family fell, there was a prosperous xui cai that married her. In the end, it was san biao mei who had been birthed and raised by gumu who became a shameful qie.
Was this all because gu fu disregarded everything in order to marry gu mu? Liang Hong took out a small pouch of silver: "Gumu, our entire family is planning on moving back to the old home in Xi Jun. Take this silver." He saw Liang shi standing woodenly and pushed the silver into her hands, "Now that the new Emperor is ascending to the throne, he would pardon some people. I already got someone to find out, gufu will soon be released from the prison. When the time comes, you should try to live a good life. I will bid farewell to you here."
He had lived in the fu of the Qu Family for a significant amount of time. Now that the entire family was leaving, the only thing he could leave behind was just this small pouch of silver.
"Biao ge is leaving?" Qu Wang Zhi walked out of the room. He was wearing a dusty sackcloth robe, his hair dishevelled. His overall appearance was very sorry.
Liang Hong looked at the state of his biao di and with some pity, he raised his hands to bid: "Good bye, take care."
Qu Wang Zhi looked at the figure of biao ge as he left, the terror in his heart growing. By this time, even biao ge's family was moving away, and the da jie who had been abused by his mother was going to become the Empress. Would his family even be able to make a living? He suddenly felt resentment towards his mother. If mother had treated da jie better, they wouldn't have fallen this low.
Liang shi looked with discontent in the direction of the Imperial Palace. When she turned and saw the sorry figure of her son, she couldn't breathe and fainted. Before entering the darkness, she saw her son's panicked and helpless eyes.
By now, the hougong was a mess. The consorts of xiandi all had to move out of the places they had been living in. It was fine for those who had been favored and had children. They only had to move towards the place in the hougong for the taifei.[i] Those that didn't have children and weren't fei could only move to a makeshift palace in the Jing suburbs to live out the rest of their lives.
Qu Qing Ju looked at the list of xiandi's taifei and took a count. There were twenty-something that held a position. Other than those of high position or had children, there were twelve who had to move to the outside palace. As to those who had been favored by xiandi but didn't have a position, according to the traditions, they were going to be sent to a monastery in the Jing suburbs to become nuns with no hope of leaving for the rest of their lives.
Qu Qing Ju sighed and closed the list in her hand: "According to the traditions, do the favored women have to be sent to the monastery?"
Qian Chang Xin looked at the list that niangniang had folded up. He bowed as he replied: "Niangniang, that was the usual method. However, it isn't required to send the women that had been favored into the monastery to become nuns."
"If that's the case, then arrange for these people to move to the auxiliary palace in the Jing suburbs. That palace might not be as comfortable as the Imperial Palace, but it would be better than a destitute monastery," Qu Qing Ju furrowed her brow as she continued, "There will be more people, and even though it would mean more spending each year, with only these women, it wouldn't be a big expenditure." A monastery with only nuns had no sources of income. Going there, it's the same as prison. As a woman, she didn't have the habit of making things difficult for other women.
Qing De Emperor had ruled for several decades and only favored this number of women total. In this kind of era and dynasty, he really couldn't be considered to be lustful.
"Niangniang is kind, nucai will order for it to be carried out," Qian Chang Xin received the list and took out a blueprint, "Taihou niangniang has already moved from Kui Yuan Palace to Chang Ning [ii] Palace. This is the blueprint for the renovation of Kui Yuan Palace. Does niangniang require any place to be changed?" This Muhou Huang Taihou [iii] had moved out, the new owner was this person in front of him.
Qu Qing Ju took the blueprints to take a look and became dizzy looking at the straight and perpendicular lines. She responded: "I'll look at the blueprints, it's not likely that there would be any major problems."
Qian Chang Xin didn't say anything and announced that the Emperor was coming over for the evening meal before retreating.
Qu Qing Ju stood at the window of the back hall of Tian Qi Palace. She could see Kui Yuan Palace located in the same center meridian as Tian Qi Palace. These two palaces were the only palaces that were constructed in the center. The two palaces were also the closest to each other, but the previous owners of these two palaces were like strangers, full of mutual respect between them and until death there weren't any feelings.
She had heard Jin Zhan narrate what had happened when xiandi had passed. Jin Zhan's storytelling abilities were good and when she narrated, it was as though she was there. Because of that, Qu Qing Ju felt that it wasn't easy being a person in the hougong.
The Empress' calm intelligence, Shu guifei's loss of composure and Jing guifei's heartbreaking grief, as well as Wen guipin and An guipin who couldn't even enter the gate of Tian Qi Palace.
Qing De Emperor held Jing guifei's hand when he died. Some said that he was smiling when he left. Qu Qing Ju didn't understand. Wasn't Qing De Emperoro's true love Shu guifei, but why, at the very end, he was only concerned with Jing guifei?
And that"Chan'er" or "Chan'er" [iv] who was it, Jing guifei or another woman?
The day that xiandi was buried, Qu Qing Ju and He Heng wore mourning clothes as they guarded Qing De Emperor's corpse all the way to his tomb. And then it was kneeling west and kneeling east. When He Heng recited the lament, Qu Qing Ju knelt with the other people underneath as they sobbed. After the funeral finished, she felt that her legs weren't legs anymore and her eyes were a line. The hemp mourning clothes so wet, water could be wrung out.
When she finally made it back to the palace, it was already deep in the night. Qu Qing Ju soaked in the bathtub until she felt herself be revitalized. When she just finished dressing, she saw He Heng walk in wearing a light-colored silk robe.
When He Heng entered the room, he saw Qu Qing Ju looked tired but wasn't harmed by the scorching sun, and his heart was relieved. He took the towel from Mu Jin's hand and started to dry Qu Qing Ju's wet hair for her: "It was hard for you these days." He sighed, "A few more days, and the people of the fu have to be received. Their positions, do you have any thoughts?"
According to protocol, other than the wife, the other women of the new emperor must wait at least twenty-seven days after xiandi's passage before they could enter the palace. The official titles could only be bestowed after three months. But no matter what, what had to be arranged needed to be arranged. Even if they couldn't be instantly titled, but the rank they would receive and where they would live had to all be finalized.
Qu Qing Ju snatched the cotton cloth from He Heng's hands, slowly rubbing her hair herself, "They are Emperor's feipin, I can't decide."
Seeing the other's distant eyes, He Heng felt slightly bitter inside. He sighed, and pinned down the hand Qu Qing Ju was using to dry her hair, "They are just the feipin in the hougong, you are my Empress, the woman who is going to accompany me my entire life. Naturally, you are the one to decide such matters."
Qu Qing Ju suddenly smiled. She threw the towel to one side, looking at He Heng with a smile, asking: "Emperor, is that a promise?"
Even though Qu Qing Ju's tone was joking as she said the words, but He Heng felt that the other was especially serious when she asked it.
His heart shook. Gazing at her as he solemnly nodded his head, he leaned over to kiss her forehead, "What I say is true."
Qu Qing Ju silently lowered her face. Following that, her eyes changed and she smiled as she replied: "Since Emperor has said it, then I will decide the ranks of the women in the hougong in the future." Since she had already decided to live each day like it was her last, she wouldn't change anything now.
How long He Heng could tolerate her, that was how long she would run rampant. When it came to the day that He Heng couldn't tolerate her, the worst was just death.
Who never died since the beginning of time, it was just dying in pleasure or in hardship.
Detecting that the other had strangely become energetic, He Heng didn't understand why she would change so fast, but that bit of dejection in his heart instantly disappeared. He smiled as he took up the towel to start drying Qu Qing Ju's hair again.
"Jiang shi's birth might not compare to Feng shi, but she is a very steady person and understands her bounds. Why don't we promote her to fei and let her reside in Yu Ping Palace? Luo shi is of few words but a docile person. She would be perfect for a third-grade guipin. The first person to serve you was Han shi. But since she was of low birth, how about she gets granted a fifth-grade liangdi?[v] As to Feng shi, she has a good birth, but she was demoted to shiqie from ce fei. I don't have any good feelings towards her. So Emperor, you can decide her rank." Qu Qing Ju straightforwardly expressed her likes and dislikes. As to what He Heng thought, she was too lazy to care so much.
He Heng truly didn't think Qu Qing Ju would blankly tell him that she didn't like a certain shiqie. Seeing her look as though she didn't care what he thought, his mood was light as he responded: "The others, we'll do according to you. As to Feng shi, since you don't like her and I don't like her, she'll be a seventh-grade cairen. No matter what, she has been in the fu for a significant amount of time, it wouldn't be appropriate if it was lower than seventh.
As to He Heng's last sentence which seemed like an explanation, Qu Qing Ju glanced at him from the corner of her eye: "This is what Emperor decided, it has nothing to do with me."
"Didn't I say I didn't like her, it has nothing to do with you," He Heng touched her hair and found it was almost dry. He reluctantly stood, "It's late, and you were out the whole day, have an early rest."
Because it was the hot mourning period, they couldn't even spend much time together, even in private, much less have any relations. Qu Qing Ju smiled as she watched him leave the back hall. She reached to pluck at her hair, the smile on her lips becoming more evident.
The thirty-fourth year of Qing De, Qing De Emperor of Da Long Dynasty passed away. The second imperial son succeeded the throne. Because of xiandi's death due to illness, the new emperor was struck with grief, indicating that for the year, the era name would still be kept as Qing De, and he would observe mourning for three years. His officials were moved by the Emperor's filial piety, but due to the Emperor's position being a busy yet honorable one, observing mourning for three years would damage the dragon's body and not beneficial to the country. So after the entire Royal Court pleaded numerous times, the new Emperor finally agreed to substitute years with months and observe mourning for three months.
Due to this matter, the new Emperor spoke of his unfilial conduct and made atonements many times in the mourning hall of xiandi and visited to light incense every day. His actions received the praises of the scholars in the world, and many wrote stories and told tales to express the filial piety of the new emperor.
Regardless of what happened at Royal Court, one month after the passing of xiandi, Qu Qing Ju finally sent the order to receive the shiqie of Duan Wang Fu into the palace.
Of course, other than He Heng and some of the personal servants, no one else knew that the positions of the shiqie weren't decided by the Emperor, but decided by the Empress.
[i]太妃: consorts of a deceased emperor
[ii]长宁: 长 is long, forever 宁 is peaceful
[iii]母后皇太后 literally means Mother Empress Grand Dowager Empress
[iv] The first "chan" means beautiful, the second means cicada
[v]良娣: imperial consort, middle rank
Chapter Eighty Seven Stupidity
The master and mistress of Duan Wang Fu might have already entered the palace but there were still guards at this place. The people passing by knew that this compound was the home of the new emperor before he ascended the throne and was extra careful as they passed by.
By now, even the paternal families of the qieshi of Duan Wang Fu's status were elevated in status. Even though not many went to deliberately fawn over them but they were now much more courteous.
For the qieshi of Duan Wang Fu, the fact that wang ye succeeded the throne, it was a great and joyful surprise. How could the shiqie of a wang fu be compared to being a niangniang in the palace? Even more so, they had served before the Emperor ascended the throne so their ranks wouldn't be very low. By that time when the Emperor wouldn't favor them, their ranks would still be passable enough that they would be written into the history books. If they were just shiqie of a wang fu, who would remember them after their death?
But very quickly, their exhilaration disappeared. Wang fei had been sent for to enter the palace the night the Emperor entered. After that, no Imperial Decree came. Even though xiandi's body was sent to the tomb and the Emperor held the Ascension Ceremony, still no one came to receive them to enter the palace.
Feng Zi Jin and Han Qing He were frantic inside. They discussed it before going together to find Jiang Yong Yu. At this time, Jiang Yong Yu held the highest position among them. But when the two went into Jiang Yong Yu's resident, they stilled. The two of them had been burning with anxiety but this one was sitting under the willow reading a book. A cup of cold tea was placed in front of her, a yahuan fanning her from behind. She looked very idle.
Feng Zi Jin, who had always looked down at her calm attitude, moved forward to comment: "Jiang ce fei is really restrained. At this time, you still aren't anxious."
Jiang Yong Yu closed the book. She looked at the two, "Meimei, please sit. Such a hot day, why have you come to my place?"
The yahuan brought over two stools to place behind the two of them. Han Qing He was also impatient but knew that Feng Zi Jin's words were inappropriate. She gave her thanks, smiled and sat down: "These days, Emperor and niangniang both aren't in the fu. I found it boring and thought to come to jiejie's place to chat."
Jiang Yong Yu knew Han shi was impatient about entering the palace. Even though her words were prettier than Feng shi, her thoughts weren't any less than Feng shi. She raised a teacup and responded: "These are the tea leaves that niangniang especially had someone deliver a few days before. With one sip, it keeps the heat away. Meimei should have a taste."
Raising the teacup in front of her to take a sip, Han Qing He felt that the tea was slightly bitter but after swallowing, she really did feel the heat inside slightly dissipate. She put down the teacup, smiling and complimenting: "The things that niangniang has bestowed, it's really great. We can see how niangniang cares for jiejie." Of the four shiqie in the wang fu, Qu Qing Ju wasn't close to anyone but she treated Jiang Yong Yu slightly better. Thinking about it, Han Qing He was slightly regretful. If she had copied Jiang Yong Yu in the beginning and sided with Qu Qing Ju, then even if the Emperor didn't favor her in the future, with the Empress at her back, her days would be much better.
Hearing the meaning in Han shi's words that tried to flatter her, Jiang Yong Yu gave a slight smile: "Niangniang treats us all the same. Meimei must be joking." Finishing, she looked at Feng Zi Jin, "Did meimei also come here to chat with me?"
"I'm not going to beat around the bush with you. I'll just ask, do you know when we are entering the palace?" Feng Zi Jin didn't look at the tea on the table and impatiently waved the fan in her hand, "Don't say anything false, are we going to be ignored by niangniang like this?"
"The time we enter the palace, that's to be decided by Emperor and niangniang. How could I know?" Jiang Yong Yu looked at the fan in Feng Zi Jin's hand. Painted on the fan were large blooms of red peonies. She curled her lips, remarking, "By now, there must be many matters in the houyong. It hasn't been a month since the passing of xiandi. Both Emperor and niangniang must be grieving. Should we try to add even more trouble for Emperor and niangniang?"
Feng Zi Jin glanced at the smile on Jiang Yong Yu's face, snorting: "Jiang ce fei has great composure. Since that's the case, I'm leaving." She stood, sneering, "If you're able, then don't enter the palace." Finishing, she rushed furiously out of the ce yuan.
Han Qing He gave a dry laugh as she held a teacup. She looked at Ping Ji Zin's shadow, "Feng yianiang's personality is still the same."
"Entering the palace with such a personality, there's more waiting for her," Jiang Yong Yu was used to Feng Zi Jin's conduct and calmly turned to say: "We are experienced people that have served at the Emperor's side. Sooner or later someone will come receive us to enter the palace. There's nothing to be impatient about. Everything in the palace is changing. The mistresses of each palace have to move. We aren't the wife, do we have the qualifications like niangniang to enter the palace early?"
"Jiejie is a rare clear-headed person, meimei has learned," Han Qing He smiled as she responded, "Niangniang is virtuous and will certainly arrange everything." She might have been the first woman to serve wang ye, but in front of Jiang Yong Yu, she could only call her jiejie. Thinking about how she would soon be entering the palace, she was apprehensive. She didn't know what rank the Emperor would give her. She held the lowest position of the four at the moment and her future position would be the lowest as well.
Thinking about it that way, her excitement instantly halved. She remarked to Jiang Yong Yu: "Between the four of us, my birth is the lowest. Even Luo meimei had a jiujiu that died at his post. I don't have anyone." She thought of her father's eighth-grade position. It was an official position but in reality, it couldn't even compare to the gatekeeper of the wang fu.
"Why does meimei think that way? We all serve Emperor, does the Emperor rank us according to our paternal families?" Jiang Yong Yu comforted, "You can't think that way."
Han Qing He instantly realized. Niangniang didn't even have a paternal family anymore. She couldn't say such things. Thinking quickly, she followed: "It was me that strayed off the road."
"That's right. As long as people can think, there is no challenge that can't be overcome," When Jiang Yong Yu finished speaking, she saw a steward of the wang fu run in, his full of joy. Seeing them, he came up and bowed, reporting, "Mistresses, the Emperor's Imperial Decree has come down. It's to receive all the zhuzi to enter the palace."
Jiang Yong Yu counted the days. Today was the thirty-second day since the passing of xian di. To enter the palace now, it was the perfect time.
She looked in the direction of the Imperial Palace and sighed. She had packed everything, and was just waiting for this Imperial Decree to come down.
Because of the death of xiandi and the succession of the new emperor as well as the good weather, no one tried to disgust He Heng with any matters. The only thing that made him unhappy was that at this time, there was an imperial censor at court who said that Qu Qing Ju's status wasn't fitting to be the Empress.
He sat with a grave expression while listening to the imperial censor's words. Then he smiled coldly and responded: "According to what you say, then all the men would abandon their wives if their wife's paternal family did something wrong. Then how is there "the chaff wife cannot be divorced?" Or is it that, in the heart of Imperial Censor Qin, your wife can be voluntarily abandoned." He slammed his hand down on the dragon chair, pointing angrily at the imperial censor, shouting, "Such a ruthless and unscrupulous person, how can you act as an imperial censor of my Da Long Dynasty? If the imperial censors of the world were like you, my Da Long Dynasty won't even have any virtues!"
"Emperor!" Imperial Censor Qin didn't think the Emperor would speak so severely. His legs softened and he knelt down, "Emperor, wang fei might be your wife, but she has such unprincipled elders, how can she mother the world?"
"Is Qin da ren accusing my Tian Family's daughter of being unprincipled?" Tian Jin Ke stepped out, tone wounded as he argued, "Emperor, this official's meimei might not have been a talented woman but she was of careful speech and good conduct, intelligent and virtuous. Even though she lost her life due to the unscrupulous actions of others, she was never unprincipled. Please, Emperor, give this official's meimei justice!"
Everyone knew that Imperial Censor had been focusing on the former Duke of Chang De and Liang shi. But Tian Jin Ke's sister was wang fei's birth mother. Imperial Censor Qin had exposed the hole in the argument into the other's hand.
"Emperor, this official thought that because wang fei's birth mother had been once praised by Xiao Ci Gong Empress, and had been taught from childhood by the Marquess of Xiang Qing, as a person she is extremely generous and virtuous. She is also Emperor's wife and the only choice for Empress. The crimes that the Qu Family committed, wang fei was a victim. Imperial Censor Qin has no sympathy but tries to slander wang fei's reputation, it is really outrageous. This official earnestly request Emperor to severely punish this person and give Tian da ren justice." Luo Chang Qing's face was also grave as he walked out. Xiao Ci Gong Empress had been xiandi's deceased muhou. Luo Chang Qing mentioned her to elevate the status of Qu Tian shi.
"This subject seconds!" Wei Wen Guang stood out.
"This subject-di agrees!" He Ming followed in stepping out.
"This subject agrees!"
All of the senior officials present could see the affection of the Emperor towards wang fei. Even more, Duan Wang Fei still had the Tian Family at her back. This Imperial Censor Qin was a member of the educated and literary family Qin Clan, but he had done such a stupid thing.
"Come, take away this person's post, he cannot be used in this lifetime" He Heng icily looked at Imperial Censor Qin whose complexion became terrible. In a deep voice, he announced, "Scholars should first learn their morals. Otherwise, no matter how many books they read, it's useless if they lose their emotions. The matter of the Empress is settled, zhen will only establish Qu shi as Empress, and no other!"
The words at the beginning were good, but everyone paused when they heard "no other". Following, they all knelt down: "Emperor is caring and benevolent, us subjects will follow the example."
Looking in satisfaction at the court officials kneeling under him, He Heng stood, announcing: "End of court!"
The people knelt as they watched the Emperor leave before slowly standing up. Many started to praise the virtues of the Emperor. After today, it was likely that in Da Long Dynasty, there would be less men that would favor a qie and neglect their wife. Men that would respect their wives would increase in number.
Even Tian Jin Ke didn't think that the Emperor would make such a promise such as this in front of all the officials. He didn't seem to be able to believe it, that the Emperor had decided to only have his niece as his only Empress this entire life.
"Virtuous son-in-law, shall we walk together?" Luo Chang Qing smiled as he walked in front of Tian Jin Ke, reaching out to pat his shoulder.
"Father-in-law first," Tian Qin Ke raised his hands and made a motion of request, dropping half a step behind Luo Chang Qing.
Luo Chang Qing didn't persist with him. The two slowly left the Great Hall. He remarked: "I heard long ago that niangniang and Rui Wang Fei's relationship wasn't good. From the looks of it today, it really isn't a rumor."
Tian Jin Ke jerked his lips, "Father-in-law is right."
But the Qin Family was too obvious and ham-fisted this time. He smiled happily. No matter what, the fact that the Emperor would care for his niece so, his deceased sister could rest in peace.
"Emperor," Qian Chang Xin looked at the terrible expression on the Emperor's face and cautiously held out a cup of tea.
"Qin shi!" He Heng pushed the teacup to throw the tea back, declaring, "It seems that there still isn't enough people serving in zhen's san di's fu."
Chapter Eighty Eight Crowned Empress
Several plain carriages entered through the side door of the Imperial Palace's main gates. The guards protecting the doors watched as the carriages slowly moved away. This procession, compared to when the Empress niangniang had came into the palace, was drastically lacking.
Right now, the Emperor hadn't officially crowned the Empress, but due to the fuss at Royal Court, who in the palace didn't know that Qu shi was the unofficial Empress? They didn't know how many palace maids and taijian in the Department of Household Affairs were currently breaking their backs trying to get a chance to serve the Empress. It was a pity that the Emperor had personally picked the servants for Empress. Just the amount of care that the Emperor was taking was enough to let everyone in the palace understand very clearly that, in the heart of the Emperor, those shiqie of Duan Wang Fu added up together couldn't even compare to one finger of the Empress.
"Stop!" The long thin voice of a taijian sounded from outside the carriage. The carriages simultaneously stopped. The taijian in command looked at the carriages behind him, and announced in a loud voice: "Please, mistresses, get off the carriage and proceed to the step-carriage."
Jiang Yong Yu held Ai Lu's hand to get off the carriage. She saw that there were four step-carriages not too far away, one of which was grander than the others. Before she could react, the taijian who had been speaking walked in front of her, smiling as he greeted: "Greetings to niangniang, nucai is Yu Ping Palace's chief steward He Shou. Please, come this way." He reached out his arm to usher Jiang Yong Yu to the finest step-carriage.
As she supported Jiang Yong Yu, Ai Lu's heart leapt in joy. This taijian dared to call her mistress niangniang, didn't that mean the Emperor was going to give her mistress a high rank?
After Jiang Yong Yu settled on the step-carriage, the taijian raised a hand: "Up." He didn't care about the other three and walked away with Jiang Yong Yu.
After Jiang Yong Yu's step-carriage started moving, another taijian came up to call the other women and ushered them onto the remaining step-carriages to follow behind Jiang Yong Yu.
These shiqie had to first greet the Empress after entering the palace. After they travelled a certain distance, near the back hall of Tian Qi Palace, the step-carriages were lowered and the four had to proceed on foot.
He Shou walked to the entrance of the back hall and said to the taijian guarding the door: "The people of Duan Wang Fu have been received into the palace. Can I trouble gonggong to report?"
The taijian guarding the door wasn't as highly ranked as He Shou but his post was at Tian Qi Palace. He saw that He Shou was very polite and naturally didn't make it difficult for him. He raised his hands to He Shou: "So it's He gonggong. Please wait, this one will go in to ask."
"Thanks, thanks!" The smile of He Shou's face became even friendlier. Seeing the other go in to investigate, he turned to walk next to Jiang Yong Yu, informing in a small voice, "Niangniang, because the renovations of Kui Yuan Palace are quite extensive, the Empress is temporarily living in the back hall of Tian Qi Palace. The Yu Ping Palace you will live in isn't far from Kui Yuan, so it is very convenient for you to give morning greetings to the Empress in the future."
Jiang Yong Yu realized why this one called He Shou was the chief taijian steward in her palace. She quickly examined him. Seeing his conduct and awareness of boundaries, he didn't seem stupid. She nodded, "The Empress is of the highest position. It's natural that it would take more effort to renovate her residence."
He Shou gave a smile, releasing a breath inside. Originally, he was worried that he would have to serve a stupid mistress. Taking a closer look now, this one was a smart person indeed. She should be one. Out of the four shiqie, only she was made a fei. Even her residence was the Yu Ping Palace, which wasn't far from Kui Yuan Palace. That, at least, made it clear that the Empress was closest to her.
It wasn't clear whether the Emperor liked her or not. But if even the Empress didn't like her, how would he live in the future?
Feng Zi Jin stood behind Jiang Yong Yu, her expression ugly. From entering the palace until now, these people were overly and secretly flattering Jiang Yong Yu. Was it that she would be the highest-ranked out of the four of them in the future?
She had the highest birth of the four, but why was the highest now Jiang Yong Yu?
Luo Yin Xiu and Han Qing He docilely stood nearby. They didn't dare to even raise their heads to look at the door to the back hall, and just waited for the Empress' summons.
The four stood for a while before the taijian who had been guarding the door came out. His face was full of smiles as he announced: "The Empress invites zhuzi inside, please." Jin Zhan came out and bowed to the four people, "Honorable mistresses, please follow nubi."
"Thank you for your trouble, Jin Zhan guniang," Jiang Yong Yu smiled at her and lifted her foot to start walking towards the inside.
"Nubi is not worthy," Jin Zhan retreated to the side and made an inviting motion, ushering the four inside the hall.
"Niangniang, the honourable mistresses have come," Huang Yang reported in a small voice. By now, everyone in the other parts of the palace called Qu Qing Ju the Empress, but the people who attended Qu Qing Ju still called her "niangniang." That was because it hadn't formally come down so it was inappropriate to call her Empress.
Qu Qing Ju opened her sleepy eyes and saw the four walking in. They simultaneously knelt down, did a three bow, nine kowtow full greeting.
Qu Qing Ju kept her face up as she was bowed to by the four of them. After they finished, she gave them each a seat. She examined the four women. They were dressed tastefully, it seemed they had put some effort in their appearances to enter the palace.
"It's been a long time since we saw each other, is everyone fine?" Qu Qing Ju raised a teacup to take a sip, slowly waving the fan in her hand, "We wanted to welcome you into the palace earlier but there were several reasons for the delay. One was that the residences hadn't been prepared and the second was that it hadn't been long after the passing of xiandi. A few delays and the days became more than a month."
"Thanks, niangniang, for thinking of us, pinqie is perfectly fine," Jiang Yong Yu answered, "It's just that pinqie were all worried about niangniang who was tired by the affairs of running the hougong. So we didn't send any messages to you. After seeing you today, it does seem that Empress is thinner."
It was a lie that Qu Qing Ju was thinner, but since she was wearing a white robe, she did seem weaker than she usually did in the fu.
Jiang Yong Yu secretly examined the other. She didn't know if it was her false perception but she felt that the Empress' appearance had changed from when she had just married into the fu. But after thinking about her silent and dull personality when the Empress had just married, she attributed the changes to her dressing differently.
Appearances originated from the heart. The core had been changed so there were some changes in looks. Qu Qing Ju had looked at herself in the mirror and hadn't found much of a difference. She smiled and responded, "It must be that more sweat flowed under the hot weather of the summer which has caused the thinning."
"That's so true, this summer is the hardest to endure," Han Qing He carefully took over, "Niangniang also has to take care of the numerous matters of hougong, how would you not thin?"
Not long after they came in, they saw He Heng walk in wearing a soft brocade robe embroidered with dragons. He walked very quickly, not looking at the shiqie sitting to the side and raised the cup that Qu Qing Ju had been drinking tea from to take a mouthful. Then he sat down on the other chair at the front, "The days are becoming hotter. Just coming in from the front hall was a struggle."
"Greetings to Emperor." Jiang Yong Yu and the others hastily stood and bowed. If He Heng didn't call for them to stand, they didn't dare straighten.
"En, you entered the palace today?" He Heng glanced casually over the four people. He frowned slightly, "Since you have finished the greetings, return to your residences." He waves his hands, clearly not wanting too many people to remain here.
"Qie asks to be excused." Jiang Yong Yu and the others bowed and left. Coming out of the doors to the back hall, they saw some taijian holding long bamboo sticks with a cloth bag catching summer cicadas. They couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"
He Shou, who had been waiting outside, quickly answered: "Just now when the Emperor came, he heard the sounds of the cicadas and said that the Empress hadn't rested properly these days. He ordered the servants to drive away the cicadas so the Empress could take a good noon nap."
Jiang Yong Yu looked at the scattering cicadas. No wonder the Emperor was in a hurry to send them away. He had been annoyed with them for disturbing the Empress' noon nap.
Walking at the back, Feng Zi Jin jerked her mouth but didn't dare say anything. She felt that the care that the Emperor took with Qu Qing Ju was becoming over the top.
On the second day after the shiqie entered the palace, He Heng sent down the decree which bestowed the titles for the hougong.
The Empress of xiandi was made Mu Hou Huang Tai Hou[i] and was to reside in the eastern Chang Ning palace. He Heng's birth mother Jing guifei was made Sheng Mu Huang Tai Hou [ii] and her residence was the western Fu Shou [iii] Palace. An guipin was promoted to gui taifei, Shu guifei to gui taifei. According to the old traditions, both could be received by their sons to live outside the palace. The other feipin of xiandi were also promoted. But some had to move to the auxiliary palace while others stayed in the palace.
"Zhen's wife Qu shi, praised by xiandi to be full of good fortune to be especially decreed in marriage to zhen. Qu shi entered the fu at fifteen years, gentle, excellent and perceptive, kind and virtuous, spirited and elegant, peerlessly intelligent, a rarity in the world. She serves zhen personally in all matters, and is the epitome of a woman and the mother to the world. Zhen has such a wife, it is the blessing of the Heavens. Today, this decree is sent to the world to crown her as the mother of the world.
– By the Emperor"
This Imperial Decree, which later historians believe it to be evidence of the great love He Heng held for his Empress, was recited like so in front of all the officials. After one recitation at court, they had to recite it again in front of the Empress. Afterwards, the Imperial Astronomers calculated an auspicious time to proceed with the full crowning ceremony for her to receive the gold seal and gold book, before it was truly over.
When Qu Qing Ju heard the first-rank palace maid recite the Imperial Decree crowning her Empress in Tian Qi Palace, she was suspicious that this wasn't really a decree crowning her empress, but a love letter that He Heng wrote to her and broadcasted it to the world. What was "spirited and elegant, peerlessly intelligent, a rarity in the world"? And that "zhen has such a wife, it is the blessing of the Heavens?"
Had he never heard a phrase called, "show your love, die even quicker"?
"Congratulations Empress, congratulations Empress." The palace personnel in the room all gave their congratulations, the smile on their faces even brighter than Qu Qing Ju's.
With both hands, she took the Imperial Decree from the female official before she stood. Qu Qing Ju looked at the Imperial Decree in her hands. She knew He Heng's writing. The words on this Imperial Decree had been personally written by He Heng, and not by the imperial assistant.
"Congratulations, Empress," The female official performed a full greeting to Qu Qing Ju.
Qu Qing Ju let someone reward the female official. After the official left, she saw the servants in the room were all brimming with joy and remarked: "Why is it that you are all happier than I am?"
Mu Jin bent slightly as she replied; "Empress' happy occasion is nubi's good occasion. Why wouldn't nubi be happy?"
Qu Qing Ju smiled as she shook her head. She rewarded everyone in the back hall who had served her. After the people that had nothing to do all left, she read the Imperial Decree in her hand again. A long time later, she sighed: "Mu Jin, lock it up."
In Zhuo Jing Zai, Feng Zi Jin looked in disbelief at the Imperial Decree in her hand. She couldn't believe that the Emperor only made her a small minor seventh-grade cairen.
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor has spoken: "The daughter of the Feng Clan served zhen in the house. Today, is made a cairen and given the title Ping [iv]."
Ping, what sort of title was this?
After the better part of an hour, Chun Yu who went out to gather news came back. Feng Zi Jin put down the Imperial decree in her hands, asking: "Did you find out what the other people's ranks are?"
Chun Yu trembled and shrank into her shoulders as she responded: "Zhuzi, nubi …… nubi found out. Jiang ce fei was promoted to Heng[v] fei, Luo yiniang promoted to guipin, Han yiniang …… was promoted to liangdi."
"Even Han Qin He was given a fifth-grade langdi?" Feng Zi Jin's face paled and she fell back into her chair. She looked dispiritedly at the Imperial Decree on the table. Did the Emperor dislike her this much?
[i] Mother Empress Grand Empress Dowager
[ii]圣母皇太后: Holy Mother Grand Empress Dowager
[iii]福寿: happiness and longevity
[iv]平 means peaceful, flat, calm.
[v]贤: worthy, virtuous
Chapter Eighty Nine The New Kui Yuan Palace
After the people of the hougong were titled, it was then time to give new titles to those who did service in the Royal Court. Of course, these new titles weren't like cheap lettuce that everyone could get a bite of. The first ones to be rewarded were the clans of the two Empress Dowagers in the two palaces. The paternal clans were all people of leisure. So He Heng only bestowed a noble title, full of glory but no real power.
And then it was senior officials who served He Heng. They were promoted, and bestowed things. As for the people who had sided with He Yuan, sorry, go stand to one side, it's a miracle that you were being demoted.
Of all of the rewards, the most spectacular one was given to Tian Jin Ke. His family already had a hereditary marquis title but in Jing where marquises were everywhere, his present position had all been due to his own efforts. Now the Emperor waved his hand and made his hereditary marquis elevated to a hereditary first-rank duke, and bestowed the title Zhong Yi.[i]He also rewarded down five thousand taels of silver to the Duke of Zhong Yi to construct the compound and generously personally wrote "Zhong Yi Gong Fu" on the plaque for the compound to bestow upon Tian Jin Ke. His imperial favour was enormous.
Zhong, it was naturally referring to his loyalty to the Emperor. As for Yi, some thought that it was the Emperor remembering the care Tian Jin Ke gave to the Empress as well as his call for justice for his sister, Tian shi, so he was given the character Yi.
When they compared the honored Duke of Zhong Yi to the fallen Qu Family, many sighed. It could be seen that people had to accumulate virtue. Karma really did come back to bite you.
The Duke of Zhong Yi might not have a good daughter, but he had a good niece. That was his life, they could only admire it.
When Qu Qing Ju heard He Heng had elevated her jiujiu to first –rank Duke of Zhong Yi, she wasn't surprised. She had earlier detected that He Heng admired jiujiu and clearly enjoyed his personal conduct. Now that he was in power, he needed people like jiujiu to work for him. Rather than saying that he was rewarding jiujiu, it was better to say that he was telling the world just how much he admired talented people who were loyal to the throne.
Ming He entered the back hall and bowed in front of Qu Qing Ju, mentioning Kui Yuan Palace that was still in the process of renovation, "Empress, the construction of Kui Yuan Palace is almost done. Why don't you take a look to see if there are any places that are not to your liking so it could be changed. Then the decorations can be moved in."
The renovation of Kui Yuan Palace was the biggest project in hougong. Over the past month, there were three shifts of people working day and night in order to renovate the palace according to the blueprints. Because they were afraid that the new paint would crack since it was being applied in the summer, blocks of ice were specially placed in all the areas a few days before painting commenced. It was obvious the amount of importance the Emperor had placed on this matter.
Qu Qing Ju looked at the sky outside. Today was shady and it wouldn't be too sunny to go outside. Ming He must have deliberately picked this kind of weather before he opened to speak. She nodded, responding: "Today there is a lot of shade. It will be good to take a walk. It's been suffocating for ben gong to stay inside all day."
Because Tian Qi Palace and Kui Yuan Palace were very close, Qu Qing Ju didn't ride the phoenix carriage. She, along with her entourage, walked on the main road of the palace that led straight to Kui Yuan Palace. As she entered the palace, she found that the inside was quite different to when she had first seen Kui Yuan Palace. At that time, Kui Yuan Palace had been spacious but felt quiet. Also, at that time, she had only been a wang fei who was going to see the Empress. Now, she was the owner of this palace. The attitude wasn't the same.
The house, the garden and the trees in her view had already been meticulously turned over, so that when one entered, it would look tasteful yet bright. This was the so-called "easy on the eyes." The flowers, grasses, and the fake mountain in the outside gardens were in the Jiang Nan style so that from a glance, it would feel extremely elegant. Inside was the main hall. The doors and windows of the main hall were all new. A dragon and phoenix were carved on the door, and other designs had been carefully chosen for the windows.
The main hall was the place where Qu Qing Ju would live. She found that every part of the main hall was in great taste, and she could see just how much effort the designer had put in. She couldn't pick out any place that was lacking.
Ming He saw the Empress wearing a satisfied expression and spoke: "The Emperor heard that some paints are damaging to the body and specially ordered them to use paints made from natural materials. Empress, take a sniff. The paints all have a fragrance."
When Qu Qing Ju entered the room, she had detected a faint fragrance. Hearing Ming He's words, she smiled, responding, "The Emperor took a lot of trouble."
"The Emperor said that it's all good as long as the Empress likes it," Ming He retreated a step to the side, "Niangniang, please follow nucai to the western side hall for a look."
When the door of the western side hall was opened, Qu Qing Ju was stunned. Because inside was a very large white jade bath. On all four sides of the bath, there were two dragon heads, the wide gaping maws of the dragon clearly were the places for introducing the water. Beside the bath was a place enclosed in silk coverings. Qu Qing Ju brushed aside the silk and saw that inside was a very large couch. Beside the window there was a table and two comfortable recliners. From a look, it made one feel the impulse to lie down.
She hadn't thought that He Heng would actually remember that she had wanted a swimming pool. She came out from under the silk canopy, walked to the pool and reached down to touch the warm and clear water. A long time later, she said: "Ben gong likes it very much."
Ming He smiled. He pointed at the two dragon heads at one of the sides: "The dragon head with the sapphire inlaid is cold water, the dragon head with the ruby is the hot water. If niangniang likes it, then soak often. The Emperor has already asked the dean of the Imperial Hospital. Appropriate amounts of swimming is good for the body."
Qu Qing Ju stood and, for some reason, thought that for this big pool, it really wasted water and physical labor. Cold water in the summer was good, but if it was hot water, how many people were needed to boil water in order to fill the entire pool?
"Does the palace have a source of water?" Qu Qing Ju straightforwardly asked. She liked to enjoy herself but wasn't so wasteful to have people labor just so that she could swim.
Ming He smiled, explaining: "Don't worry, Empress. This place uses water from underground. It was actually a coincidence that there is a hot spring in the palace. The Emperor ordered for the water to be transported here."
Qu Qing Ju felt relieved. Looking at the night luminous pearls encrusted on the pool, each the size of an infant's fist, she wondered what this place would look like at night.
When the palace maids and taijian that served Qu Qing Ju stepped into Kui Yuan Palace, they were already shocked stupid. Mu Jing was deeply moved. She had always thought "a surprise around every corner" was an exaggeration but today, she found that there was a place like that. This Kui Yuan palace wasn't all covered in gold and white jade but it felt unspeakably beautiful. Thinking about it, she felt suspicious. From the time the Emperor ascended until now, it hadn't been even two months. What kind of genius could plan out the renovation in such a short amount of time and leave so much time for the craftsmen to work?
Or was it that the Emperor had people working before he had succeeded the throne …… her heart shook. Mu Jin slightly furrowed her brows, sensing that she was thinking of something she shouldn't have and turned to put her attention on the Empress.
As she came out of the western side hall, Qu Qing Ju toured the eastern side hall. It had been changed to a place for writing and painting. The back hall was now her personal storage.
After a tour of the entire Kui Yuan Palace, Qu Qing Ju had only one thought. After all the furnishings were moved in, her Kui Yuan Palace would most likely become even more magnificent than Tian Qi Palace.
"Are the Imperial Gardens located behind the back hall?" Qu Qing Ju pointed in the direction of the back hall. She had come to the palace multiple times, but the roads in the palace twisted and turned. She wasn't familiar with the major roads, and wasn't clear about the structure of the hougong.
"Empress, as you come out of the back hall and go through a bamboo forest, there is a lotus pond located at the corner of the Imperial Gardens. When you go through the corridors over the lotus pond, you'd see the Imperial Gardens." Ming He meticulously explained.
Qu Qing Ju nodded. She didn't have the desire to go tour the garden. The passing of xiandi wasn't even two months ago, and if the Empress of the new Emperor went to tour the garden at this time, it wouldn't be right if the news got out.
"Ben gong has finished looking, the halls are very beautiful," Qu Qing Ju thought of the white jade pool. She smiled and added, "After seeing the enormous effort the Emperor has put in, ben gong likes it very much."
Upon hearing this, Ming He raised his hands and replied: "It is good that the Empress likes it. Nucai will leave now to report on the completion of orders. Nucai asks to be excused."
Qu Qing Ju nodded. As she came out of Kui Yuan Palace, she stepped on the clean black stone path and looked at the roses blooming on both sides of the path. Many butterflies were flying in between the flowers. For some reason, she suddenly felt that she was the Cinderella in a romance novel and He Heng was the rich CEO.
When He Heng finished listening to Ming He's report, he couldn't help but smile. He remarked: "If it was any other, they would have already praised it. But she had to care about where the water came from." He helplessly shook his head, "It seems very hard to get on the good side of zhen's Empress. Luckily, there is a source of water. Otherwise, the pool that zhen had specially constructed for her wouldn't have been used."
These words expressed helplessness but Ming He had attended to He Heng for more than a decade so he knew that the Emperor was happy. He bowed and served a new cup of tea: "Emperor, nucai feels that niangniang doesn't want the people to work too hard. How can other women compare to the Empress? With an Empress who mothers the world like this, it is the good fortune of the world."
"En, you're right," He Heng nodded. He took the teacup for a drink and started to annotate the memorandums on the table, a sliver of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Two more hours passed before Ming He saw the Emperor stand. At a glance, he saw a dark colored pouch embroidered with the character of luck hanging at the Emperor's waist. The Emperor liked to use the pouch the Empress had embroidered for him, and scorned even the pouches made by the palace embroiderers from Jiang Nan.
He Heng looked outside and noticed that the sky had darkened. He was going to ask for the time but then he saw a flash of lighting. Then, thunder started to rumble and the fierce wind blew so hard, the windows shook.
"To the back hall." He strode quickly towards the outside, clearly not caring that it was going to rain soon.
Ming He and a bunch of younger taijian held lanterns that were protected from the wind as they followed. He looked at the sky and saw another flash of lightning. A rainstorm was most likely going to come down this night.
He looked at the Emperor's slightly rushed figure. Was the Emperor worried that the Empress was afraid of thunder?
[i]忠 zhong is loyal, devoted. 义yi is friendship, justice, righteousness
Chapter Ninety The Composure of a Queen
When the first roar of thunder occurred, Qu Qing Ju had started consuming her evening meal at the table. Because she had toured Kui Yuan Palace in the afternoon, she had taken a nap when she got back. When she woke up, the evening meal had to be delayed.
The mushroom slice she had in her chopsticks almost fell to the table. She listened to the roar of wind outside, and put down her chopsticks, frowning as she asked: "It's going to rain?"
"It must be." Mu Jin and some of the other palace maids firmly shut the windows in the hall. She walked next to Qu Qing Ju to gently fan her, "There wasn't any sunshine today, but it was humid. It's not strange that thunder will occur."
Qu Qing Ju nodded. The common people liked to use the days of the sixth month to describe a baby's face. It could be seen just how quickly the summer weather had changed. This moment, it was raining, the next, the sun could come out.
She picked up her chopsticks again. When she just picked up a piece of tofu, there was another clap of thunder. But her adaptive abilities were high and she calmly placed the tofu into her mouth. A short time later, she heard the sound of rain falling. From the sound, the rain seemed very heavy. If someone was walking around the outside corridors at the moment, with that wind and the rain, they would definitely become a drowned rat.
The hand that Mu Jin was holding a fan with stopped moving. She looked in surprise when the Emperor, drenched in water, appeared at the doorway. She retreated to one side and with the other servants, knelt down.
"Emperor?" Qu Qing Ju put down the chopsticks in her hands. She walked quickly to He Heng and touched his soaked clothing. Turning, and from a quick-witted Jin Zhan, she took a cotton cloth, wiping him down as she led him towards the inner room, "Such heavy rain. From the front hall to here, it's an entire circle around, what are you doing coming now?!"
As she reproached, she reached out to take down the dragon and pearl coronet in He Heng's hair. She took out a clean robe and reached to untie the other's belt.
He Heng looked at the palace maids and taijian that had followed in and used his eyes to order them to leave. He turned, smiling, as he explained: "I just heard the thunder and was worried you would be afraid. Just wanted to take a look, but didn't expect that the rain would come down halfway."
"With this weather, the rain comes down whenever it wants. There's so many people keeping me company, I won't get scared. Running out like this, it makes people worry," Qu Qing Ju peeled off his clothing, and poked at the muscles on his chest, "How are the servants attending you, don't they know to have an umbrella to block the rain for you."
He Heng smiled, he didn't say that he left so abruptly that the servants didn't have the time to prepare. He gathered the other in his embrace, the muscles on his chest feeling her warm breath: "Just a few drops of rain, it's nothing."
Qu Qing Ju glared at him and pinched at his waist: "Change first."
Helplessly releasing the person in his arms, He Heng stripped himself bare in front of Qu Qing Ju. Seeing her teasing look as she examined him up and down, he asked: "What is it?"
Qu Qing Ju rubbed her chin, and then came forward to caress his muscles: "Such a handsome beauty, why don't you let xiao ye have a kiss? If you follow xiao ye, you'll get to drink and eat well." Finishing, she went on tiptoes to kiss He Heng's chin and then quickly stepped back. She saw He Heng's little brother stand up spiritedly.
Standing up this easily? Qu Qing Ju raised an eyebrow and smiled as she took another step back. In a regretful voice, she said: "It's hot mourning right now. This servant has no way to serve Emperor, such a pity." Finishing, she pretended to wiped her tears away.
He Heng took a large step forward and captured the other in his arms. He turned and put her down on the large bed, fiercely pressing down on Qu Qing Ju and kissing multiple times before panting as he declared: "People say the fox spirits enchant people, yet I didn't know what was a fox spirit. Today, I know that one as tempting as Qu Qing Ju is a fox spirit." Finishing, his hand rubbed at Qu Qing Ju's chest, smiling as he teased, "Is Beauty happy with the service of xiao ye?"
Qu Qing Ju reached to slide her hand from He Heng's shoulders to his waist, the tip of her tongue swiping across the corner of her mouth, "Why is beauty so eager and so naked to throw yourself into an embrace, it's really making xiao ye embarrassed."
He Heng's entire body was burning from Qu Qing Ju's actions. His hands pulled and he spend a long time on her body before in a raspy voice, he promised: "After these three months, watch how I sort you out." Finishing, he pulled her hand and slowly moved it down.
In the end, He Heng finally extinguished the fire with Qu Qing Ju's help. He pulled a blanket to wrap around the two of them, his nose rubbing at Qu Qing Ju's fragrant and smooth shoulder. Hearing the rain outside, he said: "With Qing Ju, I feel that all the women in the world are just so. A thousand of them cannot compare to one of Qing Ju."
Qu Qing Ju smiled as she wrapped an arm around his neck, permitting him to play around at her chest, but she didn't speak. After He Heng ascended the throne, except in front of outsiders, he had never called himself "zhen" in private with her. His attitude towards her was the same as when they had been at Duan Wang Fu, and it was even more intimate now.
She wasn't a cynic, so she wouldn't retreat out of fear because of He Heng's attitude. From a certain perspective, she enjoyed the good He Heng gave her, and she would return the same to He Heng. If He Heng really had feelings towards her, she would be delighted. If He Heng had no feelings for her, she wouldn't be heartbroken. And she had the confidence that before she would die in exhilaration, she would dig a hole for He Heng.
Love wasn't essential in life. But if there was love to flavor her life, she wouldn't reject enjoying it.
In the novels, the women tortured themselves because of love. But she wasn't the female protagonist, she didn't have to walk the road they did. She wasn't even scared of death, would she be scared of this thing called love?
Qu Qing Ju's smiled coquettishly. Her right hand moved up and down his back. Just when He Heng became totally distracted, she kicked He Heng aside, grabbing He Heng's robe to wrap around her body and flipped off the bed. She stood beside the bed, looking from high up down at He Heng, "The fact that the Emperor could say such things, it's that you have seen a thousand ships. But it's a pity that qie only has Emperor as the only man and doesn't know which man is better. So sorry to disappoint."
He Heng had suffered a kick from Qu Qing Ju but he couldn't find one bit of anger. He sat up against the headboard, looking at Qu Qing Ju who had a raised chin and narrowed eyes, and laughed out loud.
Why was it that when Qu Qing Ju was clearly wearing his robe, but he felt she was still inexplicably attractive?
He Heng didn't know that the thing that attracted him, it had a special name. It was the "composure of a queen".
The palace attendants outside heard the laughter of the Emperor coming from inside the room. Their expressions didn't change. They had never seen the Emperor come and be in a bad mood when he left.
By midnight, the thunder had stopped, but there was still a shower of rain. He Heng took advantage of the light from the night luminous pearls to look at Qu Qing Ju who was deeply asleep. He quietly and softly made his way out of the bed. When he put on the robe, he found from the pile of clothing the pouch that Qu Qing Ju had embroidered for him, and didn't even tie his hair before quietly leaving the inner room.
Ming He, who had been waiting outside, saw the Emperor was holding his socks and shoes as he walked out barefoot. He quickly knelt in front of the Emperor to help him put on his socks and shoes before asking in a small voice: "Emperor, return to the palace now?" Right now, it was the hot mourning period. If the Emperor stayed for the whole night at the Empress' residence, even if no one dared to say anything, it still wouldn't look good.
"En," He Heng nodded. He looked behind him and left with his attendants.
Inside the room, Qu Qing Ju was sleeping happily.
After finishing the matter of Duan Wang Fu's shiqie, Qu Qing Ju finally had the time to go to the two palaces of the two Dowager Empresses to sit. The past few days, she had made her greetings before leaving. Now that her title was established and she had finished off much of the matters in the hougong, it was time to exchange feelings with the two popo.
Muhou Empress Dowager wasn't very chatty. She spoke with Qu Qing Ju for a short while before letting Qu Qing Ju leave to rest. On the second day, Qu Qing Ju headed towards the residence of Sheng Mu Empress Dowager.
Empress Dowager Wei's Fu Shou Palace was on the western side of the palace. Qu Qing Ju had to travel for a significant period of time on the phoenix carriage until she reached the gates of Fu Shou Palace. From the names of the palaces for the two Empress Dowagers, it was possible to see the Emperor's intentions. Muhou Empress Dowager had eternal and peace. When it got to Sheng Mu Empress Dowager, it was good fortune and long life.
It could be seen that the best children were your own.
Coming into Fu Shou Palace, Wei Empress Dowager got Qu Qing Ju to sit. Her treatment of Qu Qing Ju hadn't changed. Even when she mentioned He Heng's announcing of crowning her Empress that was more like a love letter, Wei Empress Dowager wasn't unhappy, just smiled and said: "After aijia[i] heard the Imperial Decree, it caused aijia to laugh for a long time. The Emperor set his heart on you, that's a good thing." She sighed, "Don't think too much. Aijia knows you are a good child. If there is someone stupid in this hougong, you are the mistress of this hougong, just severely punish them."
This was blankly telling Qu Qing Ju she wasn't going to touch the affairs of the hougong.
This gave Qu Qing Ju a new understanding of her popo. According to the old ways, after a woman, riding on the success of her son, became the Empress Dowager, she would try to enjoy the taste of being high up, but why was her popo worried for her like she wouldn't be able to control the hougong?
"Muhou, don't worry, erxi understands," She looked at the surroundings and found that the decorations were not brightly colored due to the mourning person but they were finer than the original Zhong Jing Palace, "Does muhou have any place that needs something to be added? Erxi will get them to do it immediately."
"With you and the Emperor on top, aijia won't lack for anything here. Whenever something good comes out of the Department of Internal Affairs, you and Emperor always rushed to let them deliver it to aijia's here. If you get them to send more, there would be no room in this palace," Empress Dowager Wei smiled and patted her hand, "If you have any idle time in the future, come more often to sit at aijia's palace. Any other things, aijia would have more than you."
Empress Dowager Wei was speaking the truth. She was the Emperor's mother. The Emperor was a filial son. The Empress wasn't an erxi that would oppose her at every point. Every day, she was being fawned over by the taifei. She occasionally would summon Shu taifei to chat about life realizations. If there was time, she would summon the artists from the palace department to tell stories to her. Her days were very comfortable.
What she wanted had all came true. Her son was the Emperor, she had a good relationship with her erxi. She didn't want to be a female emperor. Trying to fight for the control of the hougong with her erxi rather than living her good days, was she stupid?
Even more, there were two Empress Dowagers in this palace. If she entered into the affairs of the hougong, the other Empress Dowager would naturally have reason to enter. Her own son's harem, would she let others meddle?
So Empress Dowager Wei felt it was good right now, nothing had to change.
Qu Qing Ju managed to bum off a noon meal off of Empress Dowager Wei. The poxi also talked about the events of He Heng's childhood before she left in satisfaction.
Walking out of Fu Shou Palace, Qu Qing Ju said to Mu Jin: "Muhou is probably the woman I admire the most." This kind of woman, in any place, was worthy of admiration. The only pity was that she didn't meet a good man.
Mu Jin knew that the muhou the Empress meant was Sheng Mu Empress Dowager. As a palace maid, she couldn't comment, but she agreed in her heart. She was also relieved. If Sheng Mu Empress Dowager liked to control everything in the hougong, it would be very worrisome.
When the phoenix carriage passed the Imperial Gardens, Qu Qing Ju unexpectedly found He Heng was standing beside the lotus pond. Kneeling in front of him as a young girl dressed in a green girdled dress.
Her brows furrowing, Qu Qing Ju indicated for the phoenix carriage to stop.
Mu Jin looked towards the lotus pond, her brows also furrowing. Was that one of the female candidates left over by xiandi?
In the beginning, they had picked a few hundred candidates to enter the palace from across the country. In the end, only twenty something people had remained. But after xiandi passed, the candidates could only live in Tuan Fang Hall and couldn't move freely. Running to the Imperial Gardens, that was breaking protocol!
Qu Qing Ju stepped down the carriage, smiling as she said: "Mu Jin, let's go take a look."
"Yes," Mu Jin carefully held the Empress' hand, and the palace maids and taijian followed behind.
He Heng's face was so dark, ink could be squeeze out. He was going to speak but saw Qu Qing Ju heading in his direction. His expression changed slightly, and he took a step back to increase the distance from the kneeling candidate.
Qian Chang Xin reported in a small voice: "Emperor, Empress is coming over."
"Zhen knows," He Heng glared at him, "Stop blabbing!"
Qian Chang Xin silently lowered his head and started to examine the patterns on the Emperor's shoes.
The expression of the girl kneeling on the ground changed, and she buried her head deeper.
[i]哀家: literally grieving person, how Empress Dowagers refer to themselves.