Volume 3 Linglong Dice An Red Bean 1438 Zi

  Weiyang Palace Gaomen Hall

  Ding Tong held a candlestick and came out of the inner hall.

  In the early days of the Han Dynasty, there were seven ranks for imperial consorts. Apart from the Empress as the emperor's legitimate wife, there were also the titles of Lady, Beauty, Good Woman, Eighth Rank, Seventh Rank, Long Messenger and Young Messenger. The current Emperor still cherishes old affections and has not indulged in women after ascending to the throne. Many of the ranked consorts in the harem are old acquaintances who followed him from his days as Crown Prince. Since Consort Zhao fell out of favor due to her arrogance, within the Weiyang Palace, apart from Empress Zhang, she and Wang Yong from the Qingliang Hall shared imperial favors equally.

  The concubine of the Son of Heaven can also be respectfully referred to as a lady. But in reality, she and Wang Tong were only eighth-grade officials with titles that were no more than fifth rank.

  "Niang Niang," asked Huaiyun, a maid who was only fourteen years old and full of energy, "the Empress Dowager is indeed biased towards Empress Zhang, just like Madame Wang said in the garden earlier. You're really not angry at all?"

  "Angry?" Ding Xiang smiled slightly, "Huiyun, everyone has their own destiny. The Empress is the Taohua's biological granddaughter, can't Emperor Lv not favor Empress Zhang and instead help us palace maids who have no relations? This world doesn't have fairness. If fate loses a trick, then we can only make up for it in other ways. Besides,"

  She sneered, "What a kind heart Wang Gong has, but she just wants to stir me up and join forces with me to deal with Empress Zhang. But has she forgotten that Empress Zhang, who is favored by the emperor, is only a 14-year-old girl, still in her youth, and doesn't even know about human affairs? Compared to my threat, Wang Gong, who is also one of the eight sons favored by the emperor, is far more threatening. If I really want to fight for favor, I should deal with Wang Gong first."

  "Ah." Huì Yún suddenly realized. She covered her mouth and whispered, "So that's how it is."

  "It's fine as long as you know." Ding Xiang and Xu smiled, "Hui Yun, when I chose you as my attendant, it was because I valued your loyalty. But in the future, you must also be cautious with your words and actions. Don't let others grasp your weakness. Things that should rot in your belly, don't say a single word."

  "Alright." Huì Yún bowed deeply.

  Ding Bot nodded satisfactorily and turned back.

  There were some things she didn't tell Huì Yún either.

  The emperor is kind and benevolent, except for a period of time in his youth when he indulged in women. He treats the imperial consorts in the harem with great care. Wang Gong fears that being favored by the emperor has blinded him, causing him to become arrogant, but he doesn't consider that if the emperor truly cared about these consorts, how could he be so heartless towards his own sister and niece, Empress Zhang?

  At the time of Shen, a eunuch from the Xuan Shi Hall came to announce an imperial edict, saying that the Emperor would come to rest at the Gao Men Temple tonight.

  Ding Xiang thanked him and raised his head, with a bright light shining in his eyes.

  Your Majesty has been traveling to Pei County, and along the way, you have been tired from the boat and carriage. With only Empress Zhang by your side, it's been over half a month since you've been with a woman.

  Back in Chang'an on the first night, he chose to be alone. As he thought, Ding Yu couldn't help but smile.

  Liu Ying arrived at Gao Men Dian when it was already half past nine.

  "Your Majesty," Ding Fu welcomed him in. He helped him change into casual clothes and asked, "Did Your Majesty feel tired from this trip to Pei County?"

  "Hmm." Liu Ying rubbed her forehead and nodded, "There are some."

  Ding Xiang smiled gently and said, "I used to learn some massage techniques from an old doctor when I was at home, may I serve Your Majesty for a while?"

  The night is getting deeper.

  In the Chang Le Palace, the palace maid quietly walked forward and placed fruit on the table. Empress Lü raised an eyebrow and asked, "This time returning to Pei Xiang, did Ah Yan have a good time?"

  "Uh-huh." Zhang Yan nodded heavily, smiling and saying, "I really like the customs of Pei County. This time when I went back to Pei County, Your Majesty even specially took my mother and me to Pei East to pay respects at the tomb of the Empress Dowager's parents. The tomb is located in the east of Pei County, the villagers keep it clean, and some locust trees are planted around it, growing as tall as a person."

  Lü Hou's heart was filled with joy, and she couldn't help but smile at the corners of her mouth. She said, "Your Majesty is filial and respectful, I have always known that."

  "However, you accompanied His Majesty all along the way, what's your relationship with him?"

  "What else can I do?" Zhang Yan lowered her eyes and said with a blush, "Your Majesty has always been very good to me. The Empress Dowager doesn't have to worry."

  She wasn't that anxious. After sighing, her foolish son wouldn't really do anything bad to Ah Yan, would he? She gazed at Ah Yan who was within arm's reach, whose figure had become even more slender than last year, with cheeks as white as snow and a delicate curve, although still a bit small, but barely passable.

  The emperor had a very tight grip on the people around him, and she only knew that after this winter, Liu Ying would stay in Zhang Yan's Pepper Chamber. However, as for the secrets within the bedroom, she couldn't be certain either.

  Have you ever been happy?

  Lü Hou opened her mouth, wanting to ask directly. However, knowing that Zhang Yan's face was thin, if there were hidden circumstances inside, she would hurt her heart again by asking so bluntly. Suddenly remembering what someone had said before, a virgin has eyebrows connected to the heart, lips as red as peach blossoms, and thicker ear hair, with the hairline at the back of the neck slightly lower. So she carefully observed Zhang Yan pouring wine with a smile, her eyebrow color like smoke, her lip color tender and red, and the hairline at the back of her neck also even with her ears. For a moment, she couldn't tell whether Zhang Yan and Liu Ying had gone to which step.

  "Empress Dowager," Zhang Yan drank the wine, her face slightly flushed, leaning in her arms, smiling and saying, "Anyway, Your Majesty won't come to my place today, so I might as well stay overnight at Changle Palace?"

  For a moment, Lü Wei softened and patted her hand, saying, "Alright. Let's have a good talk like we used to when we were young."

  Weiyang Palace Gaomen Hall

  Ding Wu had accompanied the Emperor to rest, when he suddenly heard someone speaking in a low voice outside the palace. Afraid of startling Liu Ying awake, he beckoned to Hui Yun and whispered, "Go see who is so bold, knowing that His Majesty is with me, yet still daring to make noise here."

  "Your Majesty," Huiyun entered the palace, furrowing her brow as she reported back, "it's a eunuch from the Qingliang Palace who says that Wang Furen has suddenly fallen ill and wishes for Your Majesty to go take a look."

  Ding Xiang was taken aback, and said, "Is Wang Kong bullying me because of my good nature? If he's ill, go ask the imperial physician, what's the point of coming to me with this? Tell his people that His Majesty is very tired today and has already retired."

  Huiyun led the way and left. After a while, the outside of the palace became quiet.

  Ding Xiang slept for half the night, and suddenly heard a clear voice of an imperial envoy knocking on the door. He opened his eyes to see that it was already past midnight. He couldn't help but feel annoyed, "What does Wang Xiang want to do today?"

  Huì Yún stepped out with the lantern and saw that this time, it was actually Shǐ Fāng, the eunuch closest to Queen Wáng of Qīng Liáng Diàn. Knowing that Queen Wáng had made up her mind to invite Your Majesty over, she felt extremely displeased in her heart. With a stern face, she asked, "Eunuch Shǐ, what is this...?"

  Shi Fang's face smiled benevolently, and he said, "Please trouble the lady official to go in and report. I am here to congratulate Your Majesty."

  This commotion finally startled Liu Ying awake. He sat up and asked, "What's going on outside?" His voice was still somewhat muffled.

  Ding Xiang wore a thin shirt and sat on the edge of the bed, smiling and saying, "I heard that Wang sister was uncomfortable at night. I wanted to ask Your Majesty to go over and take a look, but seeing that Your Majesty is tired and sleeping well, I couldn't bear to call out. I planned to tell Your Majesty again in the morning."

  Unlike Wang Zhi, she was known for her kindness and humility in the palace. At this time, she also did not want to let Liu Ying see the discontent in her heart.

  Liu Ying didn't think much of it. Because in the past, Wang Qian had never dared to disturb her rest at midnight, she thought she was seriously ill and couldn't get up, so she put on her clothes and came out, asking, "Have you gone to the imperial hospital to call for a doctor? How is Madame Wang's body?"

  "Congratulations to Your Majesty, felicitations to Your Majesty." Shi Fang smiled and knelt down, saying, "Since Your Majesty went on tour these days, Wang Baizi often lost his appetite for tea and meals, and couldn't sleep well at night. I thought it was just because he missed Your Majesty and didn't think much of it. Tonight, suddenly, he started vomiting nonstop, so we invited the imperial physician to diagnose him. The physician said that Baizi is already two months pregnant."

  "Oh?" Liu Ying was taken aback, and a delighted expression appeared on her face.

  The Emperor is now twenty-two, and his knees are still empty. After the death of the first crown prince's mother and child, he also observed a three-year mourning period for his father, which delayed things further. By the fifth year of Emperor Hui, descendants were still scarce. The rear palace had consorts who were pregnant, no matter what was said, it was all considered good news.

  "Just," Shi Fang quietly glanced at the emperor's face, then said, "Although the imperial physician has prescribed a calming medicine for pregnancy, Wang Niangniang is still somewhat unwell."

  "I'll go take a look." Liu Ying said, and suddenly thought of this kind of heart-wrenching thing, so he turned his head back and apologetically said, "Wait for a few days, I'll come over to see you again."

  Ding Xiang's face lit up with a joyful smile, "Wang sister is pregnant with the emperor's child, this is the best news. Your Majesty, please hurry over. I..." She gritted her teeth, "will be fine."

  Liu Ying grasped her hand and hastily came out. She stood in place, watching as the emperor's carriage hurriedly departed, before a gloomy expression fell over her face. "No wonder she dared to be so arrogant," she said. "It turns out that she has relied on having a child. But neither early nor late did she make it public, yet she chose to reveal it precisely when Your Majesty was resting in my Gaomen Temple. Wang Gong, you have gone too far in deceiving people."

  In the cool hall, Wang Cong lay on the couch, stroking his belly with a gentle and careful expression, but his face couldn't hide his joyful and triumphant smile.

  Liu Ying comforted her for a while and ordered, "Chang Ji, send someone to the Chang Le Palace to report the good news to the Empress Dowager."

  "Your Majesty," hastily advised Han Changyu, "look at the time now. The Empress Dowager is probably already asleep. Although the eighth son's pregnancy is a joyful event, it's not good to disturb the Empress Dowager for this reason, is it?"

  "It is." Liu Ying finally came back to her senses and sighed, "I was so delighted for a moment that I forgot about the time."

  On the second day, Zhang Yan woke up in Changle Palace, and after washing and dressing, she came out of the palace. Suddenly, she heard Empress Lü shouting loudly in the hall, "Oh? So, Wang Baizi is really pregnant?"

  "Yes." The eunuch's response was humble and fawning.

  With a "thud", the book in Zhang Yan's hand fell to the ground.

  "Your Majesty." The palace maid hastily came over to support her.

  "It's nothing." Zhang Yan smiled and bent down to pick up the book.

  So continue with Calvin.

  However, it seems like 1200 votes are almost here. I will remember to update more often. Hmm, hmm. Keep going.

  Continue to canvass for pink votes.

  What's the venue for the concert?

  Believe me, I am mom, mom, mom.