Chapter 477 Humble, Concubine Qin’s Worry
“It’s true. My Lady, His Highness loves you so deeply that he will not cheat you. Just relax. The women in the backyard all came to the manor earlier than you. If any of them has an affair with His Highness, she will not wait until now. My Lady, even if you don’t believe those women, don’t you believe in the heart that His Highness gives you?”
Mo Lan was clever and understood Mo Xuetong’s thoughts immediately, so she persuaded to Mo Xuetong’s ear in a low voice.
Mo Xuetong let out a long breath to exhale the depression in her heart and cleared her mind gradually.
It’s true. How could she doubt Feng Yuran? He was a person with strong endurance, but never had a tender heart for women. He even overlooked the first beauty, Ling Fengyan, let alone the concubines in the manor. It was not a big deal indeed. Nothing but a concubine came to stall Mo Xuetong, while the other came to seduce Feng Yuran.
Clearly, nothing would happen. But it still made everyone worried.
If this matter spread out, Mo Xuetong would be laughed without a doubt. Moreover, she was supposed to rectify Feng Yuran’s backyard these days. How could she be defeated by such a trifle?
“I’m fine. Perhaps I drank too much iced watermelon juice. I’m fine now. Don’t be flustered. Mo Ye, go to see which concubine went to Jinwei Pavilion. If it is Concubine Lian, or Concubine Ming, just take them here. If it is Concubine Qin, leave her there to see how His Majesty will deal with her.”
Mo Xuetong actually tended to believe that it was Concubine Qin who went there. After all, she had a higher status than any other concubine in the manor. She was the right person to go there. With her proud temperament, she would not behave timidly in front of Feng Yuran, but speak normally to him.
Mo Xuetong arranged rationally. Her calm expression was totally different from what she was in a panic with red eyes before. Seeing this, Mo Lan finally heaved a sigh of relief.
It was getting dark outside.
In Jinwei Pavilion, the guards were on sentry duty in every entrance. When Concubine Qin was allowed to come in, she was first brought to the second floor.
It was the first time that Concubine Qin had come to Feng Yuran’s bedroom. With merely a glance, she was astounded.
As layers of gauze curtains were raised, a super collection of gold and jade porcelain, blue-and-white vases with dragon design, and the screen painted with beautiful women could be seen behind the curtains. Although Duke Wanping was also influential and wealthy, the decoration there was totally not at the same level as Feng Yuran’s, which made Concubine Qin get more excited.
Even though she always held herself aloof from the worldly affairs and looked down on the concubines around her, thinking that they were too inferior to be presentable and acceptable, she had to admit this time that the magnificence and wealth in the King Xuan’s Manor were far beyond her family’s. Through the screen, a gauze curtain embroidered with beautiful women, she faintly saw a figure on the grand bed who could make her blush and heart fast by only a glance.
He still looked like what he was in her memory. On his rare handsome face in the world, his beautifully cut facial features were so striking to combine together, tempting and charming. His lips curled up slightly into a half-smile, and he watched Concubine Qin being brought in front of him.
He was as noble as a god!
Just a glance made Concubine Qin’s nervous heart beat more wildly. The face that appeared in her memory day and night showed up really in front of her. It was not a vague and untouchable image. The man was the very one who could match her. How was there any other woman in the world good enough for him?
He seemed to just get up, his long hair loose casually. After hearing the eunuch’s report, he raised his head a bit and looked at Concubine Qin with a half-smile. He looked intrigued with sarcasm, as if it were the first time that he had seen her.
His eyes right now were utterly different from what they were in Concubine Qin’s memory!
A eunuch shouted. “How dare you! Why not kneel down in front of His Highness?”
Frightened by the eunuch, Concubine Qin felt her legs weak involuntarily and knelt down. She bowed her head respectfully with an inexplicable uprush of sorrow in her heart.
When she had met him for the first time, he was a beautiful boy with attractive eyes and distinguished bearings, while she was also an elegant and talented girl in the capital. If the thing had not happened, she might not have come to this end that she became one of his concubines as those women with humble origins.
But if not, how could she link to him?
Her pride was now even despised by herself. Therefore, since she entered the manor, she behaved like a transparent person, and never took the initiative to approach Feng Yuran. She was so aloof and distant, as if getting close to Feng Yuran was an insult to her.
But now, she suddenly felt cold. In such a hot summer, his distant smile was as strange as if they just met for the first time, and coldness rose from her heart.
“Let her sit.” Feng Yuran shifted his attention back to the book lazily, no longer concerned about Concubine Qin’s presence, which made her feel less pressure and relieved.
The eunuch brought a flowery small stool. Concubine Qin was surprised to find that the satin was made of exquisite brocade. She had once seen this kind of brocade in her family manor. The imperial consort granted the mother a piece of brocade of its kind, and the mother was too fond of it to put it down and said that the brocade would be her dowry when she got married.
At that time, other sisters in her family were so envious and said that it expressed good luck, indicating that Concubine Qin would marry into a wealthy family and have the material comforts. But beyond her imagination, the brocade was just used to make a common stool in the King Xuan’s Manor. Looking at the splendid decoration here, she could not help thinking her own room in the manor, where paints on the furniture had peeled off, and the curtains had been discolored and outmoded. What’s worse, it was unbearably muggy there in summer. In a word, her room was a complete contrast to the room here.
Concubine Qin hesitated, raised her head, and did not sit down. She said in a pretty manner, “In front of Your Highness, I dare not overstep the line. It is okay to stand.”
She was just a humble concubine without proper status, so how could she have any position in front of Feng Yuran?
Feng Yuran did not insist politely but said distantly, “Just stand up as you want.”
The little eunuch came and took the stool away. Concubine Qin wanted to make way for him, but blocked it instead. Seeing the eunuch coming up on the left, she hurried to the right. Unexpectedly, the eunuch had the same idea as her. The two tried to get out of the way, but failed. Then, Concubine simply stood still and could finally give way to the eunuch. Looking at the eunuch’s impatient eyes, Concubine Qin said with an embarrassed look, “Your Highness, please excuse me being out of line.”
Feng Yuran raised his head to look at her and said indifferently, “It’s okay to be out of line, but not to be out of the calculation.” His handsome eyes looked rather calm.
Concubine Qin did not believe that Feng Yuran would speak like this. Although she was ready to be humiliated, she was still stunned at that moment, and immediately her eyes were brimmed with tears. She looked at Feng Yuran tearfully and bitterly, her lips trembling, and felt too heartbroken to say a word.
“Out with what you want to say. Don’t cause any trouble to disturb everyone. Her Highness is waiting for me for dinner later.”
Tears rolled down from her eyes to her jade-like face. Delicate and aloof, she took on an aggrieved and touching beautiful image in front of Feng Yuran. Her eyes silently conveyed tenderness and sadness, and just gazed at Feng Yuran dazedly. Everything lay in silence.
“Nothing to say? Well, if you have nothing to say, just go down. I am about to get up.” Feng Yuran put down the book in his hand carelessly and shot a glance at her.
“Just go down like this?” Concubine Qin froze, not knowing what to say at that moment!
Before coming here, she thought a lot, believing that as long as she lowered her head, Feng Yuran would treat her differently, otherwise why was she allowed to bring her own maidservant to the manor while the other concubines were assigned the maidservants in the manor? If she had not belittled herself and felt too ashamed to talk to him after entering the manor, and she had not distantly avoided him every time seeing him, how could she have no title or position now?
How could the woman have the chance to get to the position?
The position of a king’s consort should be hers clearly!
In terms of status, she was the eldest legitimate daughter of a duke, far beyond Mo Xuetong. In terms of looks and talents, she was the famous talented woman in the capital, even Ling Fengyan had to swallow the pride to ask for advice. Therefore, with her status, couldn’t she match King Xuan? Why? Why did she have to become a concubine while the woman became King Xuan’s consort?
How could she reconcile herself to the fact?
Looking at Feng Yuran’s handsome and gloomy expression, Concubine Qin was filled with mixed emotions, but knew that the opportunity should not be missed… Anyway, she could not afford failure this time.
Concubine Yun was right. If she couldn’t grasp such an opportunity, she would never have any chance after that.
“Your Highness…” Concubine Qin knelt down suddenly, lowered her lofty head, knelt over to hug Feng Yuran’s leg, and continued to say, “Your Highness, for the old time’s sake, don’t you forget the poetry meeting where you and I versed in antiphonal style? I am too dull to fawn on others. If I once offended your Highness, please spare me for the sake that I was born in an influential family and it was hard for me to bow my head.”
As she said, she cried pitifully and raised her bright eyes to look at Feng Yuran entreatingly, begging for his tender love. Concubine Qin also disliked how she behaved now. But she had no other way, as she had to survive in the manor. When Mo Xuetong did not come to the manor, Concubine Qin still believed that Feng Yuran treated her differently.
All she needed to do was to bow in homage!
But she did not yield to it. She was a daughter of a duke and enjoyed high status. Why could Feng Yuran pay no attention to her? Shouldn’t he enter the palace immediately and ask for His Majesty to grant the marriage with her? Shouldn’t he give her an admitted and just status? Why did she have to live with those humble women in the manor to beg for his favor?
But now things were different. She was itching to get Feng Yuran’s special treatment to her…
When Feng Yuran came to the capital, he also participated in some poetry meetings where noble gentlemen and ladies would take part. And he made his acquaintance with Concubine Qin in a poetry meeting where they versed in antiphonal style.
Feng Yuran’s eyes finally fell on her. Looking at her, he asked lazily, “What do you want?”
“What do you want?”
So straightforward! But Concubine Qin did not know how to answer the question. Her face blushed suddenly, and she fell into silence.
Feng Yuran asked frigidly, “Tell me, what’s your intention? Why not dutifully be a concubine of the King Xuan’s Manor, but run here? Don’t you think I will be cheated by you again as before?” His chilly attitude, along with the mocking looks of the two eunuchs, seemed to tell that she was so filthy and shabby.
Her heart hurt as if being stabbed by a needle. She could not breathe with some trembling panic. She wondered why Feng Yuran asked her that and whether he had known the truth of the matter, or he just mentioned it casually.
“Your Highness, I… I don’t have any vain hope. I just, just… ” She sobbed in a low voice. Her beautiful face carried with the hope and inexplicable affection, and her soft eyes exuded tenderness and love.
Any man who saw a beautiful lady kneeling in front and crying so miserably would not have the heart to reprimand her.
Chapter 478 Depressed, A Concubine was Promoted Newly
“Do you want to stay in my manor?” Feng Yuran’s cold voice rang above.
Concubine Qin raised her head suddenly, and met right with the strikingly charming eyes. But she could not see any changes in the black eyes, and not understand the color in it. His inky eyes set his handsome look off to extreme, and he was still as enchanting as what he used to be in her memory. Such an attractive man should not exist in the world, and no woman could resist his bewitching eyes…
“Your Highness, I…”
Feng Yuran suddenly gave an evil smile and asked, “Don’t you want to go back to your Duke Wanping’s Manor and become the first miss and the talented lady in the capital?”
Concubine Qin felt her heart beating faster and opened her mouth, unable to say a word. She just felt dark in front of her and clenched her fists to her dress tightly, as if only by doing so could she have the strength to stand there. She had never known that this handsome and enchanting man would be so sharp.
She felt great miserable, but how could she go back?
Since she had made the decision, she had no turning back in her life. But pity that she had not straightened out her thinking on the fact, but still held the vain hope that this handsome man in front would take the initiative to admit mistakes to her and love her tenderly. Contrary to her expectation, she had entered the manor for a few months, but she was unable to approach him. Wasn’t it her sorrow? Didn’t she bring trouble to herself?
“Unfortunately, you have been staying here for so long, and are unable to go out even if you want!” Feng Yuran’s sigh sounded more like a mockery, which shocked her heart almost to jump out of her chest.
But did she stay here and spend the rest of her life like that? Being a humble concubine without any title or status? She was unwilling to accept it. How could she be willing? But the most important thing was to seize his heart. As long as she was able to win the man’s heart, she would have chances in the future, and would not be an unknown concubine forever…
But how about her pride! Even if she loved the man deeply in the heart, she still had her own pride, but what if she was unwilling to put down her pride? Just seeing him leaving further and further away from her? As Concubine Yun said, Concubine Qin still had chances. That’s right. Concubine Qin thought she did have opportunities and would not let the man in front fall to the woman’s arms easily.
Concubine Qin’s mind was crammed with various thoughts, making her hard to make a decision, but her hands were still holding Feng Yuran’s legs unswervingly, showing no intention to loosen her hands.
In fact, her heart had made a choice ahead of her, just as what it had been at the beginning!
“Just let it be,” thought Concubine Qin sadly.
“Now that you have made a choice, why bother to do so now? It was the case, and it is the same now,” Feng Yuran gave a cold smile and continued, “since you don’t want to go, just stay.”
The words sounded familiar, just as casual as the sentence that he had said when she entered the manor, “Since you want to enter my manor, then stay!”
Just with a small sedan, she was carried into the gate of King Xuan’s Manor without any ritual that could match her distinguished status as the eldest legitimate daughter, the same as those prostitutes that were said to be brought from the brothel by him. With her position, how could she be convinced to receive the same treatment as those women?Read latest chapters at L istnovel.com
But now, she found that she could not even express her resistance at all. His eyes were brighter than the lantern. Even for a moment, she felt she was transparent in front of him, and he could see through her completely.
“I, I… am willing to stay here to serve Your Highness.” She knelt down on the ground lowly to cover her burning face.
Feng Yuran moved his legs to motion for her to loosen her hands. Concubines Qin shrank her hands immediately and saw Feng Yuran stand up, turn around and walk inside. Concubine Qin blushed, looked at Feng Yuran’s back, and said prettily, “Your Highness, let me serve you.”
After speaking, she held the side of the couch and stood up with a red face. Concubine Yun said, no more chances if Concubine Qin did not take the initiative this time. Concubine Qin firmly believed that Feng Yuran was different to her. As long as she took a step back, she would win Feng Yuran’s favor undoubtedly so that she could compete with Mo Xuetong.
But out of her expectation, she looked up, only to see the bead curtain swaying in front and the two eunuchs looking at her contemptuously. The simple contempt seemed to tell her that she came from a filthy place, like those dirty and shameless women. Concubine Qin felt choked, unable to breathe.
A eunuch came up and said expressionlessly, “Concubine Qin, His Highness said you can have the supper here before going back.” He pointed at the small stool put aside and said in an odd way, and his jeering eyes seemed to look at a pile of dirty things…
It smashed her self-esteem that she had always been proud of. Yes, she could not go back! She could not go back!
When Concubine Qin was sent back to the backyard where the concubines lived, the evening lanterns were just lit. The concubines in the backyard had already received the message, and they gazed at Concubine Qi coming back under the escort of the two eunuchs. The moment they arrived at the gate, Aunt Xianglan who was in charge of the backyard also reached the gate.
A eunuch took two steps forward, bowed slightly, and said, “Aunt Xianglan, His Highness said Concubine Qin was beautiful and tender, decent and soft, so from now on, she is the official Concubine Qin, and then will move to the garden beside.”
“Yes.” Aunt Xianglan was surprised, and then nodded.
The two eunuchs went back. Concubine Qin’s maidservant helped to pack things, and Xianglan sent two more to help her.
She was the first concubine in the manor granted the official status. All the other concubines were so shocked that they stared at Concubine Qin with astonishment and envy.
“Doesn’t Concubine Qin look down upon currying favor with His Highness? Why did she do it so skillfully today?”
Concubine Ming could not help sneering first.
“That’s right. Concubine Qin, don’t you usually despise our seductive means? Why did you do it so shamelessly, even better than us? A dog that bites does not bark.”
“That’s right. Don’t you know Concubine Qin’s identity? Those means are not something that we can learn in the brothel.”
Concubine Qin blushed with shame and anger, but did not know how to answer back. She used to hold her aloof, thinking that she was above those concubines, so she often sneered those concubines who tried to ingratiate Feng Yuran. But now, jeered by others, she could not even say a word to refute.
So she simply pretended not to hear their words, returned a salute to the eunuch, and said, “Thanks for sending the message.”
The eunuch turned sideways and said indifferently, “I can’t afford it.” After finishing the words, he did not take a look at her but just led the people to go back without looking at her respectfully. Since Concubine Qin had been living in the backyard for some time, she did not show any displeasure on her face, but just raised her head and stood straight.
Concubine Yun stepped forward and said meaningfully with a smile, “Sister Qin, you have got what you want this time. Don’t forget me.” But a deeply hidden bitterness flashed in her eyes.
Concubine Qin gave a bland smile as a response to her and nodded calmly. Then, the deep bitterness in Concubine Yun’s eyes turned into a smile, and she did not talk to Concubine Qin much and went back to the crowd of the concubines.
“Concubine Qin, let’s go. And the room over there had been cleared up. Concubine Qin, please go there.” Aunt Xianglan arched her eyebrows and swung her hands to the crowds. “Concubine Qin could be promoted because she had the ability to attract His Highness’ attention.”
The words seemed ironic and sarcastic, making a big laugh among the concubines. Then, they went back to their own rooms in groups, and even no one came forward to congratulate Concubine Qin. Although there were some, they were stopped and pulled away by others. The whole yard seemed unusually calm and cheerless.
“Lady, let’s go there together.” Hexiang, the maidservant pointed at Aunt Xianglan who was walking in front of her, and nudged the dumbed and disappointed Concubine Qin.
“Okay, let’s go.” Concubine Qin put away the bad mood and led Hexiang to walk to the front. Being Promoted, Concubine Qin would have a different status from others, and deserve a good yard with some good decoration. She wondered if Mo Xuetong would come to niggle her.
Concubine Qin thought, if Mo Xuetong found fault with her, did she go to find His Highness to cry aggrievedly and weakly, as Concubine Yun had suggested?
But the problem was even until now, Concubine Qin could not figure out why she was promoted as a concubine officially, because His Highness did not give a pleasing, benign face…
When Feng Yuran entered the door, Mo Xuetong was having dinner alone. Hearing the voice “His Highness”, she just raised her eyes, showing no intention to stand up. Feng Yuran entered the room, took a glance at her, and found her face was rather calm without a trace of anger and blame.
Mo Xuetong put down the bowl and chopsticks, looked up, and asked, “Your Highness, have you had a meal?”
“Not yet.” Feng Yuran answered directly, and waved his hand to signal Mo Lan to give him a bowl of rice. He sat down and gobbled up the dinner. After finishing it, he asked Mo Lan to add one more, totally unaware of the anger that flashed in Mo Xuetong’s blinking clear eyes.
“Your Highness, you are really tired today. How about asking the cook to make more dishes and sending a few dishes over there?” Mo Xuetong wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and felt no appetite at all.
“Alright, Mo Ye, ask people to send two dishes there and pass the word that I think she is tired and should take a good rest.” Feng Yuran nodded while eating elegantly.
Unexpectedly, Feng Yuran followed her words, which made Mo Xuetong angry, and she bit her lips and said angrily. “Your Highness favor Concubine Qin a lot. Well, just deliver some there.” After finishing the words, she went into the room alone, lay down on the couch, picked up a book, and read it casually before Feng Yuran finished the dinner.
Seeing the bead curtain waving violently, Feng Yuran raised the corners of his mouth and felt good!
“Tong’er is jealous.” Feng Yuran’s handsome eyes gleamed complacently. He swallowed the food in the bowl, rinsed the mouth with the tea, and waved his hands to signal the maidservants in the room to go down. Then, he stood up and raised the bead curtain into the inner room. Mo Xuetong was leaning to one side and reading a book. He knew that she had sensed his coming, but just ignored him.
“Well, are you really angry?” Feng Yuran smiled, narrowed his eyes wickedly, walked to the couch, and sat down. He stretched his hand to hold her into his arms.
Mo Xuetong didn’t refuse, but let him hug her at will. She just pouted her pink lips slightly and said in displeasure, “I’m not, but just want to know what you think.”
She jabbed her finger hard at his chest.
Feng Yuran heard the meaning of her words, and his eyes lit up immediately. He laughed and asked, “Don’t you think I really like Concubine Qin?”
“You won’t.” Mo Xuetong cast a sideways glance at him and thought that if he really liked Concubine Qin, he had fallen in love with her before and would not have let Concubine Qin stay with those women any longer.
Pleased by Mo Xuetong’s firm tone, Feng Yuran laughed more heartily and gave a soft kiss on her ear. Watching her delicate ear turn crimson slowly, he felt his breath uneven unconsciously, so he hurried to turn his head aside and said in a constant tone, “Concubine Qin is Duke Wanping’s eldest legitimate daughter. She tricked me so that she could enter the manor.”