EWRN - Chapter 28
Chapter 28: The Consort Selection Controversy (I)
Early one morning, a procession of carriages and horses made its way slowly back toward the imperial city, kicking up clouds of dust on the dirt road.
Two women sat inside a carriage. One was dressed in a snow-white long dress with a light gauze shawl. Her waist-length hair was styled in a bun, pierced by an exquisite, emerald-green jade hairpin. She sat with a dignified posture, like a young lady from a noble family. The other woman wore a red, close-fitting martial outfit with neatly cinched cuffs. Her jet-black hair was simply tied into a high ponytail that fell down her back. She sat casually, leaning against the carriage wall. If she weren't concerned about her public image—especially in front of her beloved—she might have been crossing her legs and chewing on a blade of foxtail grass.
"Miss Hua Ying, I am accompanying this Young Master. When do you plan to return home?" As if unable to bear the silence in the carriage, the woman in white spoke first.
"An'er, do you want me to leave that badly?" The woman in the red martial outfit looked extremely wronged and spoke in a pitiful voice.
"Not at all. It's just that your injuries are mostly healed, Miss Hua Ying, and you haven't been home in months. Your family must be worried sick. It's time for you to go home. Otherwise, where will you stay? It's dangerous for a young woman to be out on her own," Di An explained, genuinely concerned for Hua Ying's whereabouts and safety.
"But An'er, you yourself said my injuries are only mostly healed. Look, my left hand still can't move. You also said it's dangerous for a young woman to be alone, so why not let me stay?" Hua Ying said shamelessly. At the same time, she scooted closer to Di An and pitifully lifted her limp left hand with her right.
"But I already belong to the Young Master. I can't make this decision. Miss Hua Ying, you should return home as soon as possible," Di An said, feeling quite troubled. Her intention was still to have Hua Ying return home soon.
"I can be your dowry maid, An'er! How can the great Head Courtesan get married without bringing a servant? Please don't send me away, An'er, alright?" Hua Ying stared blankly at Di An, her large, tender eyes shimmering with unshed tears, as if they would spill over if the person before her said no. "I have nowhere else to go. Can you really bear to drive me away, An'er?"
Looking at Hua Ying's blinking, teary eyes, Di An was at a loss. This Hua Ying was clinging to her like a stubborn plaster that couldn't be peeled off. She had tried everything, from gentle persuasion to harsh words, to get rid of Hua Ying several times, all to no avail. Now she didn't know what to do.
"An'er, I can tell that Young Master is from a rich or noble family in the imperial city. Who knows how many wives and concubines are in his rear courtyard? I'm afraid that if you enter that courtyard, it will be like a lamb entering a tiger's den!" Hua Ying reached out and gently shook Di An's arm, wheedling. "If you have my protection, An'er, I definitely won't let those courtyard ladies bully you!"
A warmth passed through the thin fabric to Di An's arm, and a strange tingling sensation shot up her arm straight to her scalp. Striving to suppress this sudden, strange feeling, Di An spoke, "Since you insist, Miss Hua Ying, I won't say any more. But once your injuries are healed, it would be best for you to return home soon."
Seeing Di An finally relent, Hua Ying knew her wheedling had worked. She just wanted to stick close to Di An and never be separated. She didn't want to see some random person possess the one she liked—not even if that person was a woman!
For now, she had an excuse to stay by Di An's side. But she didn't know what she would do if Di An tried to send her away again after her injuries healed. Forget it. She would take it one step at a time. She'd cross that bridge when she came to it.
The carriage wheels rumbled on, and the imperial city was just ahead.
The procession arrived at the main west gate of the imperial city. Huo Jinyu, leading on horseback, showed her waist tablet and led the carriages directly into the city. Before entering, Huo Jinyu waved for the guards to return to the Baili Mountain stronghold. The carriage proceeded slowly along the city's main thoroughfare, passing countless vendors, merchants, and major residences, heading straight for the imperial palace.
"Whoa—" The driver pulled the reins, and the horses slowly came to a halt. The carriage stopped.
Outside, the sound of massive gates moving echoed, piquing the curiosity of the two women in the carriage. Normally, if the carriage stopped before a regular residence, they would have been called to alight and enter. But now, there was no call, only the sound of heavy gates. They were truly curious. They both lifted the curtains on their respective sides of the carriage and peeked out.
Before them stood towering walls, and a massive iron gate was slowly opening. Directly above the gate were two large, gilded characters: "Imperial Palace."
The two women pulled their heads back inside, both stunned. The gates opened, and the carriage slowly rolled in. Although Hua Ying knew Huo Jinyu was a member of the imperial family, she never imagined her status was so exalted. Someone of that age living in the imperial palace—who else could it be but His Majesty, the Emperor?!
Di An was also shocked. She had thought the Young Master was merely of high status, but never imagined he was the reigning Son of Heaven!
The two remained in a state of utter bewilderment as the carriage pulled them into the imperial palace.
Doesn't that mean… the current emperor is actually a woman! The thought struck Hua Ying with force, and she felt as if her brain had completely short-circuited. This was news that would shake the world!
Huo Jinyu calmly led the carriage into the palace. Her first task was to arrange lodging for Di An and Hua Ying.
The carriage wound its way through the palace and arrived at Yuzhe Palace, not far from Jinxiang Palace. The carriage stopped on the main path outside. The palace maids guarding the palace saw Huo Jinyu arrive on horseback and hurriedly knelt to salute. "Your servants greet Your Majesty!" the maids said in unison. Only then did the two women in the carriage slowly come to their senses. It really was His Majesty, the current Emperor Yuanjin!
Outside, Huo Jinyu bade the maids rise. The maids then approached the carriage in an orderly fashion and helped Di An and Hua Ying alight.
Huo Jinyu led the two into Yuzhe Palace. "From today on, Yuzhe Palace is yours. Although it has been unoccupied, the maids have kept it clean daily. I'll have the matrons bring new bedding shortly, and you can rest. There may be a new decree tomorrow, so you two should be prepared." Huo Jinyu explained, "For now, you can make do with the maids here. Tomorrow, I'll have the matrons bring new ones for you to choose from. If there's anything you want, just have the maids and matrons take care of it."
Seeing that they had both taken it in, Huo Jinyu turned to leave, but she saw Hua Ying's strange gaze. Huo Jinyu shot her a glare, reminding her of her oath, then turned and left. Di An found the atmosphere between the two strange, as if they were communicating in riddles, and felt bewildered. Seeing that Hua Ying seemed to be hiding something from her, a flicker of discomfort passed through Di An's heart, but she quickly suppressed it.
Huo Jinyu hadn't seen Yan Xi for two days, and she found herself thinking of her several times without realizing it. This wouldn't do. If she kept thinking about that person, she probably wouldn't sleep well tonight.
It was just after the midday meal. Yan Xi was in her own palace aiding her digestion when a person strode in—it was Huo Jinyu.
When Yan Xi saw Huo Jinyu enter, her expression turned three parts colder. "This consort greets Your Majesty." After a bland greeting, Yan Xi stood coldly in place.
"What's wrong, Xi'er? Are you in a bad mood today? Why are you calling me 'Your Majesty' again? When we're alone, just call me Jinyu. I've told you so many times, you don't need to be so formal with me. It's too distant." Huo Jinyu sensitively detected Yan Xi's discomfort. She was puzzled, not knowing what was going on. Xi'er had suddenly become distant. Could it be that she was too lonely? It made sense. Being alone in this vast palace would indeed be lonely. Unlike herself, who trained the army by day and could visit brothels at night to listen to music or play with the various strange trinkets in her private treasury.
Convinced this was the reason, Huo Jinyu spoke, "Xi'er, have you been lonely these past few days? It must be quite boring being alone, and I'm often not here to keep you company. It's been hard on you. On this trip, I found a companion for you and brought her back. She's in Yuzhe Palace, next to yours. If you're bored, you can go find them to play." After speaking, Huo Jinyu beamed at Yan Xi, like a child who had done a good deed and was waiting for praise.
After hearing Huo Jinyu's words, Yan Xi's face darkened. "This consort must truly thank you for your thorough consideration, Jinyu," Yan Xi replied coolly. So this person didn't care about her at all. He went to a brothel, spent a fortune to buy the head courtesan's first night, spent the whole night dallying with her in a room, and then even brought the courtesan back to the palace the next day! And now he had the gall to come to her palace to show off, even telling her to keep company with a courtesan. How ridiculous! And to think she had cared for him, worried he might get hurt, and even secretly sent people to protect him. This was what she got in return?
A few days ago, he had caused a huge stir, building the Star-Plucking Tower for the pregnant Noble Consort Bai, creating a city-wide scandal. And in the last two days, he brought someone back from a brothel. One had to admire Huo Jinyu's impressive vigor.
If Huo Jinyu knew what Yan Xi was thinking, she would surely spit out a mouthful of old blood.
It was clearly midday, yet a bone-chilling cold permeated Jinxiang Palace. Even a fool like Huo Jinyu could see that Yan Xi was angry. Huo Jinyu was completely baffled, unable to understand why Yan Xi had lost her temper. After a few concerned inquiries yielded no results, she made an excuse about court matters and hastily left Jinxiang Palace. It was best not to provoke an angry person. For some reason, Huo Jinyu had a strange feeling in her heart. She wanted to find out why Yan Xi was angry, because she couldn't bear to see her angry. She felt an inexplicable sadness but didn't know who to talk to. Perhaps she could ask Eunuch Wang or Eunuch Li?
In Jinxiang Palace, after Huo Jinyu had left, Yan Xi ordered a palace maid to go to Yuzhe Palace and gather information. After a while, the maid returned with the news: His Majesty had brought a total of two women to live in Yuzhe Palace that morning. Yan Xi's face turned completely black, and the chill emanating from her intensified.
You've done well, Huo Jinyu. Dallying with one head courtesan was one thing, but you had to go and play with two at once. And to think I liked him so much, always thinking of his well-being. As expected, she had been hoping for too much. This person, perhaps, was never meant to be hers.
She had been hoping for too much.
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