Chapter 355: Chapter 350: Imperial Concubine
Name: Ye Qiu
Merit Points: 70000
Skills Redeemed: Hacker God
Light of the God of Cooking Level 7
Body Forging Technique Level 8
Ten Times Luck Bonus (Six Remaining)
Emperor System (Achievements: Skin like Jello, Charming Eyes, Aroma, Voice Like a Pearl)
Poison Scripture, Medicine Manual
"Task completed, would you like to enter the next world?"
"No!"
"Incorrect choice, please make another selection, Host."
She knew it!
Ye Qiu stored Little Golden Crow into the space, then chose "Yes" again.
In the dim room, Ye Qiu began to receive information about this mission: In her previous life, she was the most favored Imperial Concubine by the Emperor, but it was not until her family was ruined and she was thrown into the Cold Palace that she realized she was just a shield, and her Ye Family was just an abandoned bow once the birds were gone.
In this new life, she would not let her deep affection be wasted again, and she would make the Emperor taste the bitterness of unrequited love and betrayal, Merit Points: 15000
"My Lady, it’s 7 a.m., Fang Pin and Consort Zhang have come to present their regards," the palace maid outside said respectfully while lifting the sky blue palace silk, followed by seven or eight other palace maids, some fetching water, others lighting lamps. Despite the number of people, everyone acted in an orderly fashion.
"Lady hasn’t come again?" Ye Qiu languidly got up, speaking carelessly with a tone that sounded somewhat spoiled and soft.
The palace maid Qing E sighed inwardly; their Imperial Concubine’s voice seemed even more pleasant to listen to. No wonder the Emperor adored her so much!
"Replying to my Lady, Lady hasn’t come. She might have overslept or got held up by something," Qing E replied.
"It’s only you, Sister Qing E, who would make excuses for her," said another palace maid dressed up, Lark, who stepped forward with a basin for Ye Qiu to wash her face and rinse her mouth, speaking somewhat petulantly, "This Lady has not been respectful to you for the first time due to having borne the Second Prince. In my opinion, my Lady, you’ve been too lenient. It’s time to punish her harshly."
"She’s the niece of the Empress Dowager, how am I supposed to punish her?" Ye Qiu stood up, letting the palace maids dress her.
"But my Lady, you are the Imperial Concubine whom the Emperor loves the most. Besides, the Empress Dowager isn’t the Emperor’s birth mother," Lark said somewhat dismissively.
"Slap her mouth." Ye Qiu suddenly glanced at Lark, "I don’t want to hear such words again."
"This servant knows her mistake." Ye Qiu unexpectedly got angry, leaving Lark somewhat bewildered, kneeling on the ground with a pale face.
Qing E frowned worriedly; she knew that Lark’s reckless behavior would get her in trouble one day, but since they had both been promoted to palace maid together, Qing E somewhat unwillingly pleaded for mercy to Ye Qiu, "Please forgive Lark this time, my Lady. She knows she was wrong."
Ye Qiu lifted her hand to organize her clothing and said to Lark, who was kneeling, "You are my palace maid, representing my status. You are not permitted to overstep like this ever again. Are the Empress Dowager and Lady matters you can discuss? Slap her mouth ten times, withhold her salary for a month, and return to duty in three days."
"Thank you, my Lady, for your grace," Qing E hastily said, pushing Lark a bit.
The skylark kowtowed in terror, "This servant thanks Her Ladyship, may Her Ladyship live for thousands and thousands of years."
"Go and accept your punishment."
"Yes."
"Qing E, from now on make sure to clarify the palace regulations to the servant girls and eunuchs below; what should be said and what should not must be made absolutely clear to them."
"Understood."
Qing E rose to continue her service to Ye Qiu, and as she looked at the beauty being groomed, she was momentarily stunned, feeling that the Imperial Concubine seemed even more beautiful after just one night.
Ye Qiu slightly curled the corners of her lips; of course, she would become even more beautiful, because for this task she chose the ’Conquer Emperor’ System skill, a system she had acquired from a favored concubine in some world. By the time it came into her hands, the system had already accomplished the achievements of ’Skin like Jello’, ’Charming Eyes’, ’Aroma Assailing the Senses’, and ’Voice Like a Pearl’.
For Qing E and the others who are women, these achievements don’t impact them much, but Ye Qiu still remembers that as an emperor back then, she nearly fell for that favored concubine’s trap.
"My Lady, which head ornament shall you wear today?"
Ye Qiu listlessly fiddled with the invaluable jewels in the jewelry box and said to the palace maid dressing her, "Didn’t my elder brother send over a set of South Pearl jewelry the day before yesterday? Wear that set!"
The palace maid, although surprised that Her Ladyship was not wearing the jewelry gifted by the Emperor today, was still delighted to bring out a complete set of South Pearl jewelry from the storeroom. This set of South Pearl jewelry included a necklace, two bracelets, two pairs of earrings, four hairpins, six hair clamps, and two ’step shakes’, each bead the size of a thumb, truly magnificent and dazzling. When Her Ladyship had them stored away, they thought that this set of beautiful South Pearl jewelry would gather dust with the other items, but didn’t expect Her Ladyship to decide to wear them today.
Her Ladyship, born with incomparable beauty, shone splendidly wearing such a set of South Pearl jewelry!
Today, Ye Qiu was dressed in a crimson-gold brocade palace dress, her hair coiffured into a ’Following Clouds’ style. A South Pearl ’step shake’ was casually yet luxuriously placed in her hair, and a few scattered hairpins inserted beside it. She didn’t wear all the jewels, and a consistently sized South Pearl necklace around her neck made her look like an Immortal Concubine.
"Our Lady is truly beautiful!" a palace maid, in a daze of admiration, couldn’t help but exclaim.
"What sweet flattery," Ye Qiu laughed lightly.
"Doesn’t Her Ladyship need to take breakfast?"
"Not necessary, Fang Pin and Consort Zhang have been here for a while, probably haven’t eaten yet, so let’s visit the Empress Dowager first and talk after returning."
"Yes."
Now, apart from the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, there are only four legitimate masters in the palace, including herself, all raised from the prince’s covert residence when the Emperor was still a Prince.
Ye Family has served the dragon with merit, so even without a son, she was still granted the title of Imperial Concubine. The Empress Dowager’s niece was granted the title of Lady, mother of the Second Prince. Moreover, there is Fang Pin who bore the Eldest Prince, and the former bed-warming palace maid Consort Zhang who was at the Emperor’s side.
Consort Zhang was slightly older, with only average looks; she was awarded the title amidst the favor, thanks to the past intimacy of serving the Emperor. As for Fang Pin, due to her exceptional beauty, she was quite favored by the Emperor. Even though her family background was not prominent, because she bore the Eldest Prince, she held some sway in the palace. However, this confidence had to be retracted in the face of the unparalleled favor of Ye Qiu.
"May Her Ladyship be auspicious," Fang Pin and Consort Zhang greeted Ye Qiu together.
"Rise, all of you. I don’t know if the Empress Dowager is up yet; let’s all go together to pay respects."
"Yes."
As Fang Pin got up, she couldn’t help but feel slightly bitter as she saw Ye Qiu, who was exceptionally radiant today; if only she possessed the remarkable appearance of the Imperial Concubine, wouldn’t she be the one favored by the Emperor?
However, she felt somewhat consoled; no matter what, she was the mother of the Eldest Prince, definitely in a better position than the Imperial Concubine who has no offspring. Perhaps she could look forward to the position in Cining Palace in the future!