Li Yue wrestled with that pile of clothes for half a day before he barely managed to hang them all onto himself. He didn’t know whether anything was wrong, but anyway, it looked like it more or less made sense.
It was now June, scorching sun like melting gold and flowing stone, the sun climbing higher and higher, the weather hotter and hotter. Hua Xiaoling waved a fan, tiptoeing and straining to look into the room, but could see nothing.
She asked the maid Qingping at the door again, but she only said Madam was changing clothes.
Changing clothes—how could it take this long? Could it be that Madam was deliberately tormenting them?
But Madam shouldn’t be that kind of person. Hua Xiaoling’s hand fanned harder and harder. She wanted to find someone to vent her inner anger on, then remembered how Madam had scolded them not long ago. Even someone like Hua Xiaoling who usually feared neither Heaven nor Earth felt timid. Her brain wasn’t much, but her intuition was especially sharp—she could always steer away from harm with great precision. So it was now—she silently swallowed back the words that had reached her lips.
After another 15 minutes, Li Yue finally told Qingping to let the maidservants and concubines into the room. He sat in the main seat, watching this group of brightly-dressed young girls come in from outside. His just-now-relaxed eyebrows furrowed again—who the heck were all these people!
Which bastard with no upbringing married this many little wives for fun? What a scumbag.
Before he had even counted how many people there were, Qingping glanced toward the door and said again: “Concubine Qu is here too.”
Then a woman in blue walked in from outside. Her features were delicate, her facial features a bit plain, but her tall figure and cold temperament made up for it.
This was Qu Hanyan, the one most favored by Xie Wenzhao in the residence.
As soon as Hua Xiaoling saw Qu Hanyan, she didn’t wait for Madam to speak and immediately got riled up. Her voice sounded like someone was choking her, sharp and thin: “Yo, isn’t this our long-sickly Sister Qu? Been in the manor for so long, and today your body’s finally well enough to pay respects to Madam? Truly not easy, huh.”
However, Qu Hanyan didn’t even spare Hua Xiaoling a glance, as if even one extra look would lower her status.
Hua Xiaoling hated this fake lofty attitude of Qu Hanyan the most. Coming from a brothel, what was she even pretending for? Even their Madam didn’t act so high and mighty.
Qu Hanyan’s expression was cold. She walked to stand in front of Li Yue, bowed slightly with a graceful curtsy, gave her greeting, and then said:
“This concubine heard yesterday from the Lord Marquis that Madam, being kind-hearted, knew that this concubine’s eight characters Bazi clash with other courtyards in the residence, and was willing to give up the Jixue Courtyard to this concubine. This concubine is endlessly grateful and came today especially to thank Madam.”
She actually didn’t want to come see Meng Fu. It was Xie Wenzhao who, after listening to her play the qin, specifically instructed her to do so.
“Madam, are you really giving her the Jixue Courtyard?” Hua Xiaoling asked in a sharp voice.
Without waiting for Li Yue to speak, Hua Xiaoling thickened her skin and continued:
“Then Madam, I think the courtyard I’m in also clashes with my eight characters. I’d also like to change to another courtyard. I think the Lingxiang Pavilion is quite nice.”
She paused, then added: “It really suits my name.”
Most importantly, that courtyard was closest to Xie Wenzhao’s. She’d had her eye on it for a long time.
Among the three concubines, only Sun Yulian hadn’t spoken yet. She understood in her heart: if only Qu Hanyan was given a courtyard change, Hua Xiaoling would definitely not let it go. But if both of them got to move, with Madam’s personality, she would feel bad leaving her empty-handed. Even if she couldn’t get a new courtyard, she would still be compensated in some other way.
In this way, she definitely wouldn’t lose out.
And once the Old Madam found out about this matter, she would surely scold Madam.
The concubines were playing their little mental abacuses so loudly one could almost hear the clacking, but their Madam didn’t say a word. Her left hand tapped the table twice, while her right supported her chin, striking a thoughtful pose.
How would Madam handle this matter?
Not long after, Li Yue put down his hand. Everyone thought this meant he had figured out how to arrange things. But immediately after, they heard him ask:
“Marquis? Which Marquis?”
With utter righteousness.
What kind of damned question is that?
The concubines and maidservants present all looked at each other, momentarily not understanding whether there was some hidden meaning in those words. Only Hua Xiaoling, who lacked a brain, immediately said:
“Of course it’s our Lord Marquis, the Xuanping Marquis.”
Xuanping Marquis?
Li Yue turned that title over in his mind and said: “Xie Wenzhao, huh.”
His ending tone stretched slightly—so it was that brat who’d gone astray.
Back when the late emperor was still around, Commander of the Imperial Guards Xie Ping rendered meritorious service by saving the throne and was granted the title Xuanping Marquis. Later, as the late emperor grew gravely ill and the Crown Prince died young, the imperial sons all used their own methods to vie for the throne. Xie Ping chose the wrong side in the struggle. That wasn’t a big deal though—after all, ninety percent of the ministers in court at the time picked the wrong side; the remaining ten percent were those who didn’t take any side.
After Li Yue ascended the throne, he did not pursue the matter with them. Unfortunately, Xie Ping himself had a weak mental constitution—he lived every day on edge, paranoid and uneasy. In the winter of the second year of Xihe, he fell seriously ill and never recovered. In the end, he submitted a memorial requesting that his legitimate son Xie Wenzhao inherit the marquisate.
Thinking of this, Li Yue nodded to himself and thought: well, that’s good. His own people hadn’t left the imperial capital. There was still hope.
Right now, there was a high chance that Xie Wenzhao’s wife had become “him.” He didn’t know what kind of woman she was.
How could he get into the imperial palace to have a look?
“Madam, please say something,” Hua Xiaoling urged.
Li Yue snapped out of his thoughts, rubbed his chin, and tilted his head to ask Qingping:
“Did I say yesterday that I was going to give her that Jixue Courtyard?”
Qingping suppressed her resentment toward both Qu Hanyan and Xie Wenzhao, and answered:
“You said you’d think about it.”
Li Yue wasn’t familiar with the Xuanping Marquis residence. If he gave this courtyard to this girl, where would he go? As for what their Madam had originally planned, that was not within his consideration for the time being. He leaned back and said: “Then I’ve thought about it.”
A shallow smile appeared on Qu Hanyan’s face. She knew Meng Fu would definitely agree with her. Since she had entered the residence, she had gained some understanding of Meng Fu—unless something truly violated rules, most of the time she would not refuse Xie Wenzhao’s requests.
This matter could be seen as big or small. Seen small, it didn’t touch any formal rules—after all, there was no regulation that said the main wife must live in Jixue Courtyard.
When Qu Hanyan came, she had surveyed the Jixue Courtyard—it was very much to her liking. She had already planned what areas to renovate after moving in.
“This won’t do,” said Li Yue. “Also, when you see Xie Wenzhao, tell him not to be so superstitious. What ‘eight characters clashing’—if you’re sick, go see a doctor. Don’t mess around with those crooked, shady paths.”
However, thinking of his own current situation, Li Yue felt a bit guilty as he said this.
Qu Hanyan’s smile immediately stiffened at the corners of her mouth. She had never imagined she would be mercilessly rejected by Meng Fu in such a setting. She withdrew her smile and said:
“If you say this, I’m afraid the Marquis will not be happy.”
“I’m also not happy,” Li Yue said faintly.
Qu Hanyan didn’t want to give up so easily—especially not in front of the other two concubines. Since she entered the Marquis Residence, this was the first time she had faced such an awkward situation. She could practically feel Hua Xiaoling watching her with a gloating look.
Qu Hanyan steadied herself and lifted her chin, saying to Li Yue: “If the Marquis learns that Madam is this fickle, he will surely be disappointed.”
Li Yue—he would be afraid of disappointing Xie Wenzhao? Xie Wenzhao married so many little wives, and he’s the one disappointed?
He didn’t take Qu Hanyan’s words to heart at all. He stood up and stretched his arms, casually replying:
“Then let him come back and tell me in person.”
Qu Hanyan parted her lips, seemingly wanting to say more, but was interrupted by Li Yue.
“Enough, if you’ve got nothing else, just leave.”
The others exchanged glances, bowed, and departed one by one. Staying here wouldn’t change anything, and Qu Hanyan could only leave in hatred.
When Xie Wenzhao returns, she would definitely file a formal complaint. Meng Fu, a Madam who wasn’t even favored, really thought she was something? Let’s see how the Marquis will deal with her when he gets back!
After everyone left, Li Yue, sitting at the table ready to eat, was a little troubled. He stared blankly for quite a while without picking up his chopsticks.
The legitimate wife of Xie Wenzhao had a soft temperament. Otherwise, those concubines wouldn’t be making a ruckus in her courtyard early in the morning, and she definitely wouldn’t be giving up space to a concubine as the main wife. If she really had become him now, then the merit assessment matter—there’s no way it could be handled anytime soon.
What was even more deadly was: if this Madam got bullied by the ministers under him and ended up crying in court—then what would he do!
That would really be game over.
In the center of the rear hall of the Zichen Hall, the incense burner was burning Penglai incense, its light flickering on and off. Not long ago, a small jade pendant recovered by the secret guards lit up faintly within its pitch-black box, then dimmed again.
“Your Majesty? Your Majesty? It’s time to rise.”
Meng Fu heard a strange man’s voice gently calling by her ear. She wondered why there would be a man in her room, and even more strangely, why he was calling her Your Majesty.
But she felt her body was much better today. Perhaps in a few more days, she would recover completely. She opened her eyes and saw a middle-aged man with a pale face and no beard standing by her bedside. The man looked somewhat familiar—she must have seen him before. The environment around her, however, was completely unfamiliar. Hanging above the bed were dark curtains, and embroidered on them with golden thread were numerous dragon patterns.
Gao Xi saw that their Majesty was staring at the dragon embroidery on the curtains and hadn’t spoken for a long time. He asked worriedly, “Your Majesty? Your Majesty, what’s wrong? Should this servant summon the imperial physician for you?”
He secretly sighed in his heart. Last night, His Majesty really shouldn’t have gotten so angry—in the end, it only harmed his own body.
“Your Majesty? Your Majesty?” he called again. Today’s Majesty was really off. On any other day, if he had called Your Majesty this many times, he’d definitely have been scolded for being noisy.
“Your… Ma-jesty…” Meng Fu softly repeated Gao Xi’s form of address.
Gao Xi was so startled by Meng Fu’s Your Majesty that he gave a shiver. He quickly said, “This servant had better go fetch the imperial physician to come check on you.”
This feeling was very wrong—better let the divine physician take a look.
Meng Fu didn’t speak. She sat up and extended both hands from under the blanket. Looking down at them, she saw that the palms were wide and thick, the fingers knuckled and prominent, and the tiger’s mouth [虎口, the space between thumb and index finger] was covered in thick calluses from years of martial training.
These were not her hands. These were a man’s hands.
She touched her chest, then carefully examined the clothes on her body. After a while, she lifted her head and looked at Gao Xi again. In just that moment, she remembered who this person in front of her was—this was the close-serving eunuch by the Son of Heaven’s side, Eunuch Gao.
Connecting everything she saw with the way this Eunuch Gao addressed her, a thought both bizarre and extreme suddenly surfaced in her mind—but it might also be the only possible explanation right now:
She had become the current Emperor.