Zhaoyuan Palace
Xue Zining looked at the kneeling youth, memories of her past life flashing through her mind.
Li Chenxuan, the legitimate son of the Censorate Grand Official Li Shengming.
He was a dissolute young man, but when she was cornered by Xue Zixuan, he stepped forward and accused Xue Zixuan of his malicious ambition.
Pierced by an arrow from Xue Zixuan.
She still remembered the young man looking back at her, as if to say, Your Majesty, do not be afraid…
In this life, she brought Li Chenxuan into the palace, hoping that the events of the past would not repeat themselves, and that keeping him close was the safest option.
However, she dared not look at the young man, as it would remind her of the past.
Now, the youth knelt at her feet, humble and submissive.
“Young Master Li, what is the meaning of this?” the maiden’s red lips parted slightly, and she asked.
Li Chenxuan’s body stiffened slightly. The maiden’s voice was so cold that it sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.
But, he still braced himself and looked up, meeting a pair of eyes as clear as water.
Utterly pure, transparent to the very bottom.
Under these clear eyes, it was as if all his sordid thoughts were laid bare.
This made him feel ashamed.
But, why did it feel so familiar?
Had he seen her somewhere before?
“Hmm?” the maiden raised an eyebrow and asked.
Li Chenxuan lowered his gaze, daring not to look into the maiden’s overly clear eyes.
He couldn't help but regret speaking those words for no reason.
He was merely an abandoned person, yet he had boasted to his elder sister, claiming that His Majesty doted on him greatly.
As a result, his elder sister had asked him if he could invite the Empress to the flower banquet they would hold the day after tomorrow.
This way, his father and the others in the mansion could see that their siblings were also useful people.
In a fit of impulsiveness, he had agreed, but afterwards, he regretted it. He hadn’t even seen the Empress’s face, let alone spoken to her once, so how could he possibly invite the Empress to their residence?
He was truly indulging in wishful thinking.
But, he did not want to disappoint his elder sister.
Although he and his elder sister were the legitimate son and daughter of their father, because their mother was not favored by their father, they were actually abandoned in the mansion, left to be bullied by their father’s illegitimate children, and left to fend for themselves.
Ever since his mother passed away, their father had always wanted to elevate Concubine Qiao, but due to the restriction of not being able to hold weddings within three years of the former emperor’s death, this matter had been temporarily put aside.
Now that the three-year period had ended, his father had once again entertained this thought, but it just so happened that he was summoned into the palace by an imperial decree, making his father afraid to act rashly.
Since Lin Yanzhi and Yan Zhao had successively gained the Empress’s favor, and he had never shown any progress, his father likely realized that he was merely a discarded pawn.
For his elder sister and his mother’s status, he had to take a gamble.
After inquiring, he learned that Yan Zhao was directly sent to Zhaoyuan Palace by the Regent. His mind began to stir, but now it seemed like a clumsy imitation. He lacked Yan Zhao’s breathtaking beauty, and Lin Yanzhi’s delicate illness.
He was useless.
Just as his father said, what could Li Chenxuan possibly do?
Xue Zining sensed that the youth seemed to have gone from being ambitious to gradually becoming dejected.
“Young Master Li.”
Li Chenxuan sighed inwardly, lowered his gaze, and said, “Your Majesty, this commoner is alright, it’s just that…”
He couldn't even lie, what else could he do?
“Don’t be afraid, just say what’s on your mind,” Xue Zining tried to soften her tone. How had the dissolute youth of her past life become so timid?
“This commoner will take his leave!” Li Chenxuan knelt and kowtowed, then hurried out.
Xue Zining: …
Was she a flood or a fierce beast? So terrifying?
“Feng Yu, go find out who Young Master Li met with today?”
“Yes.” Feng Yu left.
A moment later, Feng Yu returned, “Young Master Li met with the eldest daughter of the Li residence, Li Fanghui, in the afternoon.”
Xue Zining was slightly taken aback. She had some impression of Li Fanghui; she was a talented woman known in the capital as one of the twin beauties.
“Did they say anything?”
Feng Yu replied, “Miss Li is hosting a Hundred Flower Banquet the day after tomorrow and hopes that Young Master Li can invite His Majesty to their residence.”
Xue Zining suddenly understood. She vaguely recalled the past life; there seemed to have been a Hundred Flower Banquet in her past life as well, but that banquet had gone very poorly. Li Shengming had promoted an姨娘 (concubine) in his residence during that banquet.
Li Chenxuan and Li Fanghui, as the legitimate son and daughter, instantly became illegitimate children.
Li Fanghui could not accept the reality and jumped into a lake to commit suicide that night.
After this incident, Li Chenxuan became even more extravagant, becoming one of the truly dissolute young men in the capital.
Thinking of the youth’s slight stubbornness just now, she realized that he hadn’t been so dissolute in the past.
It was the sudden change in circumstances that had turned him into that person.
Yet, such a person, considered dissolute by many, had accused Xue Zixuan of his malicious ambition when she was in distress.
How rare was such a character?
The day after tomorrow?
Xue Zining’s eyes flickered with a trace of unusual light.
Li Chenxuan returned to his room dejectedly, sat on the bed, and remained silent.
The attendant Changbai couldn’t help but ask, “Young Master, did the Empress agree?”
Li Chenxuan started, looked up at Changbai’s expectant gaze, then quickly lowered his head, remaining silent.
Changbai said in a low voice, “Young Master, the Eldest Miss side…”
“Don’t tell Elder Sister for now. She’s already having a difficult time in the mansion, I don’t want her to be disappointed,” Li Chenxuan said, biting his lower lip.
Changbai sighed, “Young Master, what should we do the day after tomorrow?”
Upon hearing this, Li Chenxuan suddenly stood up, clenching his fists. “I will return to the mansion, and I will not let them bully Elder Sister.”
Changbai shook his head. The attitude of the young masters and ladies in the mansion was not important; what was important was the attitude of the adults.
The adults’ tacit approval was the sorrow of the young masters and ladies.
However, he could not say these words. The young master’s life was already difficult enough.
“Changbai, pack some essentials, and then go to Yan Palace to tell Young Master Yan that we will return to the mansion tomorrow,” Li Chenxuan said.
Changbai nodded, “I understand.”
Among the many people in the harem, only Young Master Yan had received a sleeping chamber, so now everyone went to tell Young Master Yan if they had any matters.
They also knew that the Empress currently favored Young Master Yan, and moreover, Young Master Yan had the Regent’s support behind him.
Barring any accidents, the Mistress of the Harem would undoubtedly be Young Master Yan.
After all, would the Regent allow anyone else to ascend to the position of Mistress of the Harem?
Li Chenxuan sighed. In the end, he had let his elder sister down. He wondered if his elder sister would be very disappointed when he returned to the mansion tomorrow.
He dared not think about it. Lying on the bed, he closed his eyes, and a maiden’s face appeared in his mind.
Her beauty was unparalleled, and her eyes were clear to the point of transparency; once you looked at her, you couldn’t forget her.
If, if he could be by the Empress’s side, he would never disappoint her.
However, he gave a self-mocking laugh; it was merely the delusion of a fool.
Sleepless night.
Xue Zining sat there with a pale face, staring at the medicinal soup in front of her. Just the smell of it made her want to vomit.
But, she could not stand by and let a youth leave her sight.
How could she bear it?
After all, Lin Yanzhi was someone she had brought into the palace.