eurekapd Chapter 40 Rumors
Chapter 40 Rumors
Chu Qingyin's long eyelashes trembled, then she looked bewildered and blinked, "Your Majesty, what are you saying? I've been here since last night."
Her sweet, coquettish tone almost instantly brought people back to reality.
Pei Yuanling felt that he was going crazy.
Between his deceased lover and a similar substitute, he is beginning to lose sight of the past and the present.
Just as the air grew still and tense, a eunuch's voice came from outside: "Your Majesty, it's time for court."
Pei Yuanling swallowed hard, and after a long pause, said in a strained voice, "Deliver water."
Soon, a palace maid brought in a hot water towel.
Chu Qingyin also got up and helped Pei Yuanling change his clothes.
Her movements were both respectful and practiced, as if she were born to stand in this position.
Pei Yuanling looked at the busy Chu Qingyin, his heart filled with complicated emotions. What should he do with her?
Should I continue to approach her, deceiving myself, or... keep my distance from her to avoid being fooled by her again?
"Why does Your Majesty look at me like that?" Chu Qingyin straightened his belt, and when she looked up, she found the man staring at her with a gloomy gaze.
He's been staring at her like that more and more lately, and she guesses that he's probably starting to have doubts.
But there was nothing she could do about it. After all, they had spent five years together, day and night, and some of their habits and details could not be hidden from their loved ones.
Pei Yuanling gazed intently at the delicate, snow-white face before him, offering no explanation, but gently brushing her hand away: "I must go to court now. If you are still sleepy, go back to sleep."
Chu Qingyin: "I'm not going to sleep anymore. I still have to go to Fengyi Palace to pay my respects to the Empress later."
Pei Yuanling then remembered that ordinary concubines had to pay their respects to the Empress every day.
The reason why the former imperial concubine did not have to be exempted from daily duties was also due to a separate favor he bestowed upon her.
Pei Yuanling had no intention of bestowing this favor upon Consort Qiao, so he simply hummed in agreement: "In that case, you may go."
Chu Qingyin bowed respectfully: "Yes, Your Majesty."
*
The morning breeze carried a slight chill. Chen Zhongliang followed behind the emperor, carefully observing his expression.
He noticed that the emperor's face was rosier than usual and his eyes were no longer tired, so he couldn't help but smile and flatter him, saying, "Your Majesty looks exceptionally good today, truly radiant."
Pei Yuanling raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this.
He slept exceptionally well these past two nights at Diecui Pavilion. If he can continue like this, his previous insomnia should gradually be cured.
However, this Diecui Pavilion is rather small, and the beds are not as comfortable as those in Zichen Palace and Lizheng Hall.
Just as she was thinking of having Chen Zhongliang change Chu Qingyin's residence, she suddenly remembered that even a bracelet could bring disaster, so she had to put the idea aside for the time being.
Let's talk about it later.
The emperor gazed into the distance, lost in thought.
This silence made Chen Zhongliang dare not say anything more, and he simply followed behind silently.
*
His Majesty stayed overnight at Diecui Pavilion for two consecutive nights, and the inner palace was in an uproar.
The concubines were all discussing this matter in private, some with envy, some with jealousy, and some even began to plot how to deal with the rising Consort Qiao.
Empress Wang sat on her phoenix throne, listening to the reports from the palace maids beside her, and simply shook the round fan in her hand: "No need to rush. Some people are getting impatient before us. We can just sit back and watch the show."
The palace maid, upon hearing this, was somewhat puzzled: "Your Highness means..."
The Empress smiled, a shrewd glint in her eyes: "She's just a concubine, why should I bother with her? Just wait and see, there'll be a good show soon."
*
"That little bitch Chu Qingyin, what makes her compare to me? Why does she receive such favor?"
Hearing that His Majesty had stayed at Chu Qingyin's residence for two consecutive days, while she herself had been punished with a reduced salary and forced to copy documents, Lu Mingzhu felt filled with resentment. She picked up a teacup from the table and smashed it forward fiercely—
Yu Xiu, who had just entered from outside, was caught off guard and felt a sharp pain in her chest from the impact, but dared not utter a sound.
She immediately knelt down and said obsequiously, "Consort Qiao is naturally no match for Your Majesty's beauty. This servant thinks she must have used some kind of seductive trick to gain such favor."
Upon hearing this, Lu Mingzhu lowered her eyes slightly: "You also think there's something fishy about her?"
Yu Xiu nodded repeatedly, "How could there be such a similar person in this world? Not only do they look seven-tenths alike, but I've also heard that their speech and mannerisms are similar to that one..."
A sudden gust of wind stirs, and everything is understood without words.
Lu Mingzhu raised her eyebrows slightly, as if she had thought of something, and her beautiful face immediately smiled like spring.
Inside the side hall, Qiao Qingling saw the uninvited guest and quickly stepped forward with a smile: "Sister Lu, what brings you here?"
Lu Mingzhu looked around the rather plain bedroom and then saw Qiao Qingling's subservient manner, her heart filled with disdain.
But thinking of the purpose of her visit today, she softened her smile and took Qiao Qingling's hand affectionately, saying, "Ling'er, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but as concubines in the harem, your situation is truly worlds apart from yours."
Qiao Qingling naturally didn't believe that Lu Mingzhu had come to care about her situation, since she had previously looked down on her in every way.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Lu Mingzhu chose a square wooden chair in the hall and sat down: "What? Is Chu Qingyin so heartless? We are sisters, and she is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor, yet she won't even give you a hand?"
Qiao Qingling could naturally tell that Lu Mingzhu was trying to sow discord.
However, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Thinking of this, Qiao Qingling immediately stopped smiling and put on a sorrowful expression: "Sister Lu, you don't know, my elder sister is always proud and does not want to have anything to do with me, a concubine's daughter. Why do you have to tease me?"
As she spoke, Qiao Qingling became somewhat emotional, picked up her embroidered handkerchief and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, a fleeting look of resentment in her eyes.
Seeing her like this, Lu Mingzhu couldn't help but feel angry at her lack of self-control: "You are too soft-hearted, not as good as your sister. She has endless seductive tricks and has bewitched His Majesty. It's really infuriating."
Upon hearing this, Qiao Qingling's eyes couldn't help but show a hint of jealousy.
“That little slut only has a face that resembles the Imperial Concubine, otherwise why would His Majesty favor her? She seemed unassuming before, but I never expected her to be such a ruthless person.” Lu Mingzhu became angrier as she spoke, her beautiful face contorted with anger: “If I find any dirt on her, I will definitely not let her turn the tables so easily.”
Upon hearing this, Qiao Qingling suddenly had an idea. Her father had told her not to cause trouble for Qiao Qingyin, but he hadn't said anything about not letting others cause trouble for her.
She looked up at Lu Mingzhu, a little nervously, and said, "Sister Lu, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."
“Between you and me, sisters, what is there that we shouldn’t talk about?” Lu Mingzhu said.
Qiao Qingling then leaned forward: "Sister Lu, you don't know, my father originally didn't want my sister to enter the palace, but ever since she fell into the water and woke up, not only has her personality changed drastically, but she even took the initiative to beg my father to send her to the palace. I don't know what kind of evil spirit she's been possessed by..."
Is this true?
Qiao Qingling noticed the calculating glint in Lu Mingzhu's eyes and immediately assured her sincerely, "Of course I wouldn't dare to lie to you, Sister Lu. Father was terrified at the time and even had to invite a master to perform a ritual to exorcise the evil spirits for you." "If that's the case, then it makes sense..."
Lu Mingzhu murmured softly.
Rumors had already spread throughout the palace that Chu Qingyin had gained the Emperor's favor because she bore a striking resemblance to the Imperial Concubine...
Qiao Qingling naturally knew what she was planning. She calmly picked up her teacup and took a small sip, thinking to herself, "Sister, don't blame me for being heartless. Blame yourself for being too high-profile and getting in the way of too many people."