"Luoshiyu looked at her own little master's indifferent appearance and felt both admiration and worry in her heart."
She admired her master's ability to maintain such a calm state of mind in the complex world of the palace, but also worried that her future would be filled with uncertainty due to the new women entering the palace.
"Madam, are you really not worried that once Lady Liu Mengyan gains the Emperor's favor, it might be harmful to you?"
Luoshiyu eventually couldn't bear it and asked softly.
Yu Yao gently put down the tea cup and shook her head slightly: "Luoshiyu, in this palace, favor or disfavor is just a matter of an instant. If I worry about these all day, how can I concentrate on nourishing my pregnancy? Moreover, let's not say if that Liu Mengyan will truly be favored for a long time. Even if she receives grace, I have my own way to survive."
A gentle breeze swept through the window, blowing her hair strands as her gaze remained steadfast and composed.
Days passed by one by one, and the talent show was quickly over.
In the imperial study, the sun's rays streamed through the carved window frames, adding a warm touch to the ancient and simple interior.
The air was filled with a faint scent of ink and dragon's saliva.
King Jing wore a bright yellow dragon robe, with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes. He was exceptionally handsome, lounging lazily against the back of the chair, exuding the majesty and elegance of a king. He was casually flipping through the memorials.
The empress came forward in her splendid phoenix robe, her posture elegant and her steps light, with a beautiful face.
She slightly bowed, her lips softly parting as she spoke in a gentle tone, "Your Majesty, I have prepared a list of the rank and accommodations for the newly admitted concubines, please Your Majesty take a look."
King Jing put down the memorials, reaching out to take the list, and carefully examining it one by one.
When his eyes fell on the three words "Liu Mengyan," he paused slightly, an image of the seemingly goddess-like beauty from the talent show suddenly popping up in his mind.
"Liu Mengyan, the daughter of the governor of Suzhou, seventeen years old, her rank is tentatively set as a beauty, to reside in the back hall of Yihe Palace."
King Jing saw the notation "back hall of Yihe Palace," and a faint wrinkle appeared on his forehead.
Yao'er lives in Yihe Palace and is pregnant. The Empress arranges for Liu Mengyan, whose beauty is outstanding, to live there. She says there is no hidden agenda, but he doesn't believe it.
He looked deeply at the empress, "Is this a case of sitting on the mountain to watch the tigers fight?"
That's quite a good calculation.
"The Empress has arranged everything very carefully, but. . . "
King Jing's tone carried a subtle hint of depth, "Liu Mengyan's residence in Yihe Palace is not quite appropriate."
Upon hearing this, the empress's heart tightened. However, she kept her composure on her face and slightly bowed, speaking softly: "I also considered the spaciousness and tranquility of Yihe Palace, the majestic and noble position of the concubine, and the kindness of the concubine. I had not expected"
Liu Mengyan was certainly deliberately arranged to live in Yihe Palace. The purpose, of course, was to dilute the favor of concubine Jieyu.
Both of them possess unparalleled beauty and will live together. It is inevitable that they will compete for favor in the future.
Regrettably, the emperor doesn't seem to agree with this.
"The location of Yihe Palace is too remote, how can such an exquisite beauty like Liu Mengyan live so far away?"
King Jing's eyes flickered with a deep meaning, and he grinned again: "I remember that the side palace of Guifei's Guanju Palace is still vacant. Let Liu Mengyan move there to live. It will also make her cousin a companion. In addition, let's change this position. Promote her to a concubine and grant her an honorific title of 'Shu', to show favor."
Calling her "Mengyan dear" one after another, it almost made the empress feel sick to her stomach.
Changing the position and granting an honorific title before she has been bedded with the emperor, this is already quite favourable. If she were to be bedded, it would be even more so.
The empress's heart grew increasingly despotic towards Liu Mengyan. Thinking about Liu Mengyan being arranged to live in the Guanju Palace of Concubine Yu, her mood improved considerably.
Unfortunately, she failed to make the concubine Jieyu sick, but it was good to be able to disgust the cheap concubine Yu Guifei.
"As for Su Wan'er, who is also a southern talented lady, let's grant her an honorific title of 'Wan', as a talent concubine, to reside in Yingyue Palace of Concubine Lu."
King Jing said again in a low voice.
Concubine Lu is the original concubine who had her title stripped away, the Concubine Li.
The empress was slightly taken aback, not expecting the emperor to make such arrangements. She couldn't gauge the emperor's intentions and thus remained silent. Instead, she respectfully said: "Yes, Your Majesty. I will immediately make the necessary arrangements."
After the empress bowed and left, the imperial study returned to its tranquility.
King Jing leaned against the dragon chair, slightly closing his eyes, and his thoughts couldn't help but drift to the various factions in the rear court. A mocking smile appeared on his lips.
Then, he continued to deal with the memorials.
Guanju Palace.
Upon hearing that the breathtakingly beautiful Liu Mengyan was being arranged to live in her palace, Yu Guifei was filled with anger, and her eyebrows were raised in fury. Her face was very uncharacteristically ugly.
She fiercely slapped the table and swore angrily, "This Liu Mengyan is so favored without even being bedded, and the old hag of an empress has arranged for her to live in Guanju Palace. This is obviously intentional to make my life difficult."
She only thought it was the empress's intention to disgust her, never suspecting that it was the emperor's will.
The palace maid Empress Chun advised, "Please calm down, Your Highness. Liu Mengyan is just a newly appointed concubine. She certainly would not dare to offend Your Highness lightly."
Yu Guifei snorted coldly: "Hmph, she had better behave herself. If she dares to show any disrespect, this palace will not spare her."
In Yingyue Palace, Concubine Lu's expression was very unpleasant when she learned that the southern talented lady Su Wan'er had been arranged to reside in her palace.
"The empress is clearly trying to suppress me. She first ignored me, then stripped away my title, and I am already in a difficult situation. Now she has added a talent concubine, clearly to disrupt the tranquility of this Yingyue Palace."
Concubine Lu paced back and forth, her anger unabated.
Yu Yao didn't know how the Guanju Palace and Yingyue Palace were feeling, but as long as the Yihe Palace didn't have any new arrivals, she was rather content.
The new arrivals were gradually admitted to the palace and settled into their respective residences, starting to get familiar with the rules and daily life in the palace.
The old concubines were also secretly observing these new faces, but most of them were focusing their attention on Liu Mengyan and Su Wan'er.
Especially Liu Mengyan, who, upon entering the palace, attracted the attention of many and became the focus of discussion among the rear court concubines.
Some concubines envied and resented her, while others were thinking about how to ally with her, to jointly establish a foothold in this rear court.
On the first night after entering the palace, King Jing summoned the beauty concubine's, that is Liu Mengyan's, name. Indeed, men are all visual creatures.
This night was destined to have many people unable to sleep.
Yu Yao guessed that Concubine Yu was one of them.
It's unclear what the dog emperor is thinking, but he has arranged for Liu Mengyan to live in the palace of Concubine Yu.
She originally thought it was the empress's arrangement. It was only later that she learned it was the emperor's intention after chatting with the system.
Concubine Yu is after all the emperor's cousin and a super beauty. It's easy to imagine how uncomfortable Concubine Yu would be with Liu Mengyan, sent to her palace, just using one's toes to think about it.
She has to watch Liu Mengyan and the emperor, the dog, being affectionate every day, which must be frustrating for her.
However, none of these concerned Yu Yao. She slept very soundly that night.
With the new concubines entering the palace, the dog emperor would go through them one by one, which would at least take a month to cycle through all of their names.
They would never even think of the old concubines in the rear court.
The next day, when she went to Fengyi Palace to pay respects, she saw the beauty concubine Liu Mengyan.
Indeed, as the rumors had said, she possessed a stunning beauty, with an extraordinary appearance. Her eyebrows were like distant willow leaves, and in the play of her eyes was hidden affection.
Her delicate nose was high and curved, her lips were red and rosy. Her skin was as white as snow, her long hair was as black as ink, and her figure was elegant and slender, resembling the moon goddess Chang'e descending from the celestial palace.
Her temperament was cool yet full of sentimentality, and every frown and smile could captivate one's soul.
Yu Yao slightly stunned, such a beautiful and celestial woman would not be strange in the cultivation world, but in a human kingdom, such a beautiful and ethereal woman was indeed rare.
Although her beauty was not inferior to that of Liu Mengyan, as part of her own family, she knew her own situation. She had eaten the beauty pill that made her look like this.
unlike Liu Mengyan, who is naturally beautiful.
As soon as Liu Mengyan stepped into Fengyi Palace, she attracted everyone's attention.
However, due to Yu Yao's beauty coming before her, while the crowd was shocked by Liu Mengyan's beauty, they could still accept it. However, jealousy was inevitable.
Wen Zhao Yuan quickly began to mock, "The beauty concubine truly deserves her reputation as the number one beauty in Suzhou. To be so favored upon entering the palace is indeed something to envy."
While a smile was on her face, her words were filled with jealousy.
Ning Zhao Yi also chimed in, "Yes, the beauty of the concubine, only Jieyu can compare. But I wonder if she has the ability of Jieyu."
Yu Yao slightly furrowed her brow, looking at Ning Zhao Yi, "Why do you keep picking on the concubine Liu Mengyan? Is there some reason for it?"
Liu Mengyan's eyes really turned to Yu Yao. She actually didn't know who Jieyu was, but with one glance around the hall, she could tell who was the most beautiful.
Her gaze turned towards Yu Yao, and her eyes flickered with a hint of inquiry.
Yu Yao calmly returned her gaze, her eyes showed no signs of emotion.
Wen Zhao Yuan saw that Liu Mengyan's eyes fell on Yu Yao, a cold smile curved at the corners of her lips, and she continued: "Concubine Shu, this Jieyu is the apple of His Majesty's eye. The emperor even goes to her palace when she has her monthly bleeding. Concubine Shu just entered the palace, and she must seize the opportunity."
