Blood-Sucking Empress

“King Consort, you can get up.”

“….Empress? Did Your Majesty agree?” Luo Weiqing raised his head abruptly, but because he had stood up too fast and his body was currently very weak, he staggered back and forth two times before sinking to the ground once again. He had knelt for a day and night, abstaining from food and water. Luo Weiqing"s current experience was really a bit too miserable-looking.

“He has been arranged to stay in the Cold Palace and zhen has allowed him to keep the child. As for whether the child will be safely born into the world, zhen does not have an answer for you.” Leaving this one sentence as a warning, Qianhe Liyou entered into his quarters.

Luo Weiqing stayed in place, a dignified expression on his pale face with traces of surprise, as well as disbelief. He tried to get up, but his weakened body seemed to ignore his attempts. Some of the more quick-witted palace attendants cleverly lifted him up and escorted him to one of the side halls to rest.

“Empress, Your Majesty is back. This consort greets the Empress.” As soon as Qianhe Liyou had entered her quarters in Qin Palace, he was greeted by a timid and startled voice. Following this dignified and polite voice, Murong Xuanhe"s delicate face appeared before her.

Seeing the surprised smile on Murong Xuanhe"s face, Qianhe Liyou stared back in slight confusion, incredulous at the sight in front of her. This child had still been absolutely terrified of her yesterday, how could a person"s personality change so drastically in one night….wasn"t he afraid of her?

“Aren"t you afraid of zhen?” She questioned, gently using her hand to raise the boy"s chin so she could see the boy"s eyes more clearly.

"Ah, this consort dares not, this consort just thinks that your, Your Majesty…”

“What about zhen?”

“Your Majesty has become better, everyone says so. This consort has also felt that this is true. Please forgive this consort"s lapse in decorum, this consort is merely speaking nonsense.” Murong Xuanhe eagerly explained, feeling like he had never been this inarticulate.

Qianhe Liyou said nothing but sighed in her heart. This Murong Xuanhe was really just a little boy. Not was he honest and outspoken, not thinking before he spoke, but after last night he even felt that she, the Empress who had once abused him, had become better. He also had a naive and simple smile on his face, leaving her speechless, leaving her wondering what she should say.

“Have you used breakfast?” She had woken up early today, and by the time she had gotten back, it just so happened to be time for using breakfast.

“Not yet.” He hadn"t seen the Empress when he had woken up this morning. He had gotten up in a hurry but hadn"t dared to leave without permission.

“Feng Ying, go and order the servants to arrange breakfast. An guifei is to dine with zhen.”

“Yes!”

The two dined together for breakfast. Murong Xuanhe"s joyful and upbeat mood could be clearly seen on his face, but his movements were still cautious and timid, making Qianhe Liyou feel like the boy in front of her was quite cute. She felt that he was quite adorable and decided to keep him by her side to serve her.

“You are to stay here and serve zhen for a few days.” For the next few days, she didn"t want to see Luo Weiqing, nor did she want outsiders like Feng Ying serving her. Although Murong Xuanhe was still a child, he still belonged to her.

“Yes, this consort obeys.” Murong Xuanhe answered, looking a bit flabbergasted. Although he was puzzled by the sudden order, he didn"t dare to ask for clarification.

“Empress, Official Long requests an audience.” Qianhe Liyou had been in the middle of reading a book when Feng Ying reported.

“Granted.”

"This minister greets the Empress, long live the Empress, long live the Empress.”

“Rise, what is it?”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, this minister has made a tentative draft of the examination material to be tested for each vacant position. All relevant and important information should be included in this report, please look over it.” Long Xizhao carefully observed the Empress" complexion. When she had been escorted into the palace, she had been informed by the palace attendants that the Empress had pardoned the Enchanting guifei and that the Imperial Consort was pregnant with a dragon heir. She could not understand the Empress" intentions, not knowing if it was good or bad. She had also heard that the King Consort had angered the Empress. The King Consort had been punished to kneel for an entire night and now An guifei was personally serving the Empress. It made her feel that the harem seemed to be getting messier and more chaotic, making it very interesting.

Guifei: Imperial Consort of the highest rank and is below the Empress

“En, zhen will look over it, anything else?”

“This…Empress, we made an appointment to take a shopping trip outside the palace on the seventeenth of this month. Tomorrow will be the seventeenth. The minister has come to inquire about the Empress" intentions.” Long Xizhao"s words said that this was a "shopping trip", but that merely masked the true purpose of this so-called casual trip.

Listening to Long Xizhao"s reminder, faint memories came into mind. Simply put, outside the palace, Zhaixing* Pavilion was rumored to have recently obtained an immortal fairy cast down from the heavens, an outstanding beauty. As the Empress, the previous her had wanted to go out and have a look, hence this is why the appointment had been made.

*TN: this is a euphemism for a brothel or a courtesan establishment, it literally means "plucking stars"

“….Of course, this appointment will proceed as scheduled. Tomorrow, you will wait outside the palace for zhen .” Since she had transmigrated, she hadn"t had the opportunity to explore the world outside of the Imperial Palace yet. Since there was a previous appointment, she might as well take the opportunity to go out and have a look.

“Yes.”

In the evening, just after dinner, the King Consort entered Qin Palace. Just as he entered, Murong Xuanhe was standing directly beside the Empress" desk, preparing to grind the ink for her, the place the King Consort had been standing in for the past few days.

"This consort greets Your Majesty.” Although he had taken a day"s rest, Luo Weiqing"s complexion was still not up to par with his usual healthy, vibrant countenance.

“En.” Qianhe Liyou"s expression wasn"t very good, but she softly responded nonetheless.

“Xuanhe greets the King Consort.” Murong Xuanhe was currently acting like a kid who had done something wrong, looking nervous and awkward as he clutched his hands tightly together. He concernedly watched Luo Weiqing.

Luo Weiqing acknowledged the greeting with a slight nod and softly said: “Since the Empress has An guifei here to serve Your Majesty, this consort is relieved. This consort will not disturb the Empress" rest any longer, this consort retires for tonight.” He had never been irreplaceable, a fact he had understood from the very start.

Qianhe Liyou didn"t stop Luo Weiqing from leaving, but coldly watched as that lonely figure left, step by step. Luo Weiqing"s body was relatively frail and he indeed should have a good few day"s rest.

On the second morning, after morning court, Qianghe Liyou and Long Xizhao left the palace, one after the other. Two lively and strong horses had already been prepared, the two stallions waiting outside the palace gate. Long Xizhao led one horse to the shade, waiting for the Empress to arrive. She and the Empress had always gone out like this.

Soon, two people and two horses crossed the periphery of the heavily guarded Imperial Palace, making their way towards Zhaixing Pavilion.

“Master You, the establishment is just up ahead. This minister has already sent my people to arrange everything in advance.” Long Xizhao had always called the Empress this way whenever they left the palace.

“There seem to be fewer pa.s.sersby along this road.” Along the road, the scenery had not been nearly as prosperous as she had recalled from her fragmented memories.

“Recently, the Imperial court was in turmoil and the common people were in a panic. Fewer people are leaving their residences, but this is only temporary. Once the recruitment list for filling court vacancies is posted, the Imperial capital will be twice as prosperous and busy as it is now.” Long Xizhao said this with a confident air. She was confident in the Imperial court"s new administration policies. The recruitment of talented individuals would lead to not only needed Imperial reforms, it would also drastically transform the entire empire.

“En, let"s go in.” The pair had already reached the entrance of Zhaixing Pavilion, a group of delicate and pretty looking young boys looking at them with bright eyes.

“My lord, this servant has already arranged everything, please come with this servant.” Two attendants saluted Long Xizhao, leading them into a semi-enclosed private room in the pavilion, a bead curtain covering the opening in the room. This allowed those who were in the private room to gaze upon the stage below. Today, the rumored number one beauty in Zhaixing Pavilion was to be revealed. The pavilion was packed to the brim with expectant visitors, making it very lively and crowded. Only a few people noticed the group"s appearance.

Qianhe Liyou took a seat, drank a sip of fragrant tea, and began to observe her surroundings. In this small establishment, there were many hidden dragons, crouching tigers. There were many celebrities present: high-ranking court officials, notable Jianghu heroes, and wealthy trade merchants, all well-known figures in their respective domains. It seems that no matter how the dynasties shift and change, the kind of livelihood practiced in this establishment would always endure.

hidden dragons, crouching tigers: an idiom stated that there are many talented individuals in hiding).

Jianghu is a fantastical place of rivers and lakes, a place where a section of society operates independently of mainstream society, out of reach of the law. This is often the "world" in which wuxia tales play out.

"Master You, the fairy will appear on stage soon…”

“En.”