I quickly whispered to Lv Li: "Wipe your tears! Put on a smile please!"
She hurriedly bowed her head, rubbed her face, and then smiled like a blossoming flower.
I was a little stunned. Jesus! Lv Li, what a woman, whose about-face was quicker than turning pages of a book. When would I be able to get the hang of it!
In a blink of an eye, Qi Sheng had appeared at the door of the inner Hall, and only stood there silently looking at me with an uncertain look. After the night of the Lantern Festival, Qi Sheng never came to visit me again for over a month. Because last time he walked away abruptly when we were in bed, but for this time, we were meeting in a normal scene, I got myself in a dilemma, didn"t know whether I should make the pose of "feeling ecstasy" or "feeling wronged".
Lv Li was witty, she hurriedly came to help me to greet him forward, smiled: "The Emperor come just in time. Please comfort the Empress. After being told by Doctor Song that she was pregnant, she was crying, mixed with laughter, like a child."
I pondered for a second and hurriedly prop up my waist with two hands.
This scene was captured by Qi Sheng. His face, which was as still as the sinking water, suddenly became lively with a touch of smile on it.
I couldn"t get what was in Qi Sheng"s mind, so I could only respond to all changes by sticking to my previous att.i.tude.
Qi Sheng, however, stepped forward a few steps and took me from the hand of Lv Li. He held my arm with one hand and supported my waist with the other, and led me to the bedside while lightly confessed: "You should be careful these days, you and the baby"s health come first."
I was a little flattered by his move and unconsciously straightened my waist forward, but my lower abdomen was still flat. It was too early for acting like a pregnant woman. So I simply evaded Qi Sheng"s hand on my waist, and said with a smile: "It"s just the pregnancy. I am not that delicate."
Qi Sheng kept silent for a while, and slowly withdrew his hand.
Outside the Palace suddenly came the voice of the maid: "The Emperor and the Empress, Concubine Chen, Concubine Huang, Concubine Li and others were waiting outside the Palace, who come to congratulate the Empress."
I was surprised, secretly took a glance at Qi Sheng. Seeing that he wasn"t going to reply with his slightly drooping eyes, I cleared my throat, and replied: "Come in please."
A moment later there came the ring of fancy accessories. Many beauties in charming clothes walked in with graceful posture from the outside. Suddenly the concubines packed the inner Hall, each of whom was attractive in her own way, each had their own merits. One was more beautiful than the other and one was more delicate than the other. Although they sent congratulations to me by their mouths, their lovely eyes were all glued on Qi Sheng.
I couldn"t help being jealous. So many flower-like beauties just wanted to hang in the crooked neck tree, referring to Qi Sheng. Where was the justice on earth! Since he didn"t know how to coddle these beauties, it would be better to build his Palace wall a little lower which would be much more convenient for those beauties to climb over.
Qi Sheng was a little impatient, and sent away these beauties in a few words. Finally, he ordered the servant: "The Empress is just pregnant. Don"t let those concubines disturb the Empress and their morning greetings to the Empress are spared also."
I was frozen. Wails of grief occupied me. Fxxk you, that"s all the fun I had for everyday and you are taking it away from me! "Wait a minute!" I hastened to call out the servant who was going to retire and spoke to the Emperor seriously, "Rites mustn"t be abolished. Since I am the head of the harem, I have to take the lead in observing the rites. The daily greetings from concubines are unavoidable. I have to take them to send greetings to the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager."
Qi Sheng said nothing but looked at me in opaque expression.
I thought that since I had mentioned this topic, it would be better to further talk about it. So I sent the maid and the servants away, and took a deep breath. Then I said to him, "I have told you that it is better to speak openly and discuss things with each other than to live in a state of mutual speculation. Family Zhang holds much power now. If I"m having a son, I am afraid that the influence of my relatives will increase. The pregnancy is not what I ask for, and it is up to you whether you want it or not."
Qi Sheng showed a poker face, and even dropped his eyes, like a monk sat there still. I was quite anxious, for I could read his emotion from his eyes originally, but now, I could read nothing, all by myself guessing!
It had been said by a wise man that the best way to deal with smart people was to tell the truth, and you would only make him look down upon you if you do calculating. When dealing with the stupid people, you"d better tell him the truth too, or he would misunderstand you.
I considered that even if Qi Sheng was not a smart person, he could be more or less counted as a stupid one and it would be fine to be frank with him. After thinking for a while, I said: "To tell you the truth, I have known the one lived in Youlan Palace has pregnant. As you know, I have no intention of fighting for your attention, so I am not jealous of Jiang shi, instead, I only have sympathy for her. Although Zhao Consort was dead in name, many people in the Palace or outside the Palace have seen her for a few times. You have to wait for a few years before everyone forgets about this matter and then change her ident.i.ty and settle her down in the Palace in public. But her child cannot wait. He cannot be allowed to grow up in the Palace without proper ident.i.ty. So ... If you trust me, it may as well fall under my name, and take the t.i.tle of your eldest son. Then in the future, even if you want to pa.s.s the throne to him, it will be easier."
Quite a long speech almost dried my mouth up. I tried to reach a cup of herbal tea on the table, before I drank it, it was held by Qi Sheng, who commanded coldly: "Ask them to change a heated cup of tea to drink."
I didn"t finish my speech and had no intention to call anyone to come in to interrupt. I reluctantly put down the cup, licked my dry lips, and then tried to persuade Qi Sheng: "I know this is a cliché talk, and I hope my nagging wouldn"t bother you. Favoring Jiang shi alone is not ideal. Although Jiang shi is pitiable, aren"t other women in the harem pitiable? You just saw the scene. Have you seen the expectation in everyone"s eyes? Regarding to women, the most troublesome thing is to treat them unfair. You could spend the night with Jiang shi on Monday but please ask someone else to accompany you on Tuesday, whether it is Concubine Chen, or Concubine Huang, or Concubine Li. You are the Emperor, who ought to share your favors to the entire harem and Jiang shi should also understand it. How could a woman request an Emperor marry her only for a lifetime? Your exclusive love for her is quite enough, and other concubines in the Palace should also be favored more or less. Your favor should be shared equally... "
Before I had finished speaking, I heard a click. Qi Sheng was actually crushing the cup he had been holding in his hand.
Oh dear! I knew I nagged too much!
I hurriedly added: "You could look what I said just now as a joke and have your way with Jiang shi. And I will deal with the business in the harem by myself, I will make it!"
Qi Sheng stood up from the table without saying a word, looking at me for a long time with a gloomy face, and turned away.
I was stiffed to sit for a long time. I felt ashamed for Qi Sheng"s temper which was to expose his emotion in the face when something or someone failed him!
When Lv Li came in from the outside, she saw the broken porcelain pieces on the table. She jumped over with a scream, took my hands, looked at them carefully, and worriedly asking, "Are you injured? Why is there so much blood?"
Startled, I went to look at the porcelain pieces on the table, only to find that they were actually covered with blood, and the ground was stained with drops of blood.
I was suddenly so remorseful that I just wanted to hit the wall. Jesus, I was done. I must have offended Qi Sheng so much!
Lv Li looked at my hands over and over, trying to find am I injured or not.
I withdrew my hand, and said to her, "Hurry up, and get everything done I have told you before as soon as possible."
Although Lv Li"s thinking pattern was a little peculiar, her work ability was qualified. On the second day, the second lady of Family Zhang went into the Palace in the name of missing me so much.
Zhang shi"s grandfather, Zhang Sheng, though a cripple, was very good looking. Moreover, Zhang Sheng"s wife, Yan shi was said to be a beauty when she was young, so the two ladies of Family Zhang were good-looking. If Zhang shi was compared to a magnificent peony, the second lady could be compared to an elegant and beautiful white lotus.
Looking at the second lady bowing her head with shyness, I felt quite reluctant to hand over such a beauty to someone else. Alas! This was so cruel!
Sending away all the maids, and letting Lv Li guard outside the Palace, I signaling her, "Come and sit beside me."
She got up and sat down, still with her head slightly lowered, while her purple-red lips opened slightly and called out, "Your Highness."
Her greeting was like cool water pouring over my head, putting out the fire of my desire thoroughly.
I cleared my throat and asked her in a low voice, "Do you know General He Bingze?"
Her face turned red, quickly flashed a hint of panics.
I nodded to myself, so it looked like quite promising.
Last summer, when the previous Emperor went to spend the summer in Fuping palace, he invited several ladies as the candidates for Bathroom Lord to inspect and the second lady of Family Zhang was on the inviting list.
At that time, the Prince Qi Sheng was afraid Family Zhang would have any connections with Bathroom Lord, so he made a plot by arranging the young and handsome General Left Border He Bingze as the guard in case Bathroom Lord took drastic measures in the way.
Not expecting that before those ladies had been sent to the Palace, the previous Emperor suddenly pa.s.sed away. He Bingze turned halfway back to Sheng City and propped up Qi Sheng to seize the throne with his troops. It was only about half a year ago, so the memories were still fresh. Time brought great changes to the world. Last year, at Dragon Boat Festival, the second lady of Family Zhang was still bashful in front of Bathroom Lord. Now, she was flushed just because she heard He Bingze"s name.
It seemed that she and He Bingze really had an affair.
Alas! Women were the most fickle creatures in the world.