The emperor’s words are no jest, his words to A wu were already a promise from a monarch, and he had already broken many conventions for her.
He had been emperor for eighteen years, during which he had issued seven imperial selections for palace maids and female officials, each selection was heavily guarded, with numerous applicants, resulting in only five or six women being selected out of hundreds.
This selection involved background, education, facial features, skin, posture, demeanor, temperament, and cultivation.
Someone like A wu would likely be filtered out in the first round, never even seeing the palace gates.
However, A wu found this extremely amusing.
His meaning was clear, if she didn’t cry and make a scene, desperately clinging to him to enter his household, he could reluctantly take her back.
She then asked:
“A wu is asking about your original intentions, what were your original intentions?”
Emperor Jingxi:
“In my opinion, I would find a secluded villa in Nanqiongzi, settle you there, and I would visit you when I have time.”
A wu understood, that meant being a mistress.
Kept outside, even less than a concubine.
She could at least get a concubine title with the crown prince.
One man is worse than another.
But it was also expected.
Emperor Jingxi looked at A wu, she showed neither surprise nor disappointment.
He continued:
“But rest assured, I will arrange everything thoroughly, and you won’t be wronged.”
A wu nodded: “Hmm, I know.”
Emperor Jingxi looked at A wu’s quietly lowered eyes, and fell silent.
He had many ways to make this little woman submissive and obedient, but her current quietness gave him an indescribable feeling, perhaps guilt?
He actually found himself explaining:
“I come from a prominent family, my residence has strict rules, there are elders above, children below, and many wives and concubines”.
“If you follow me back, you might not withstand the complicated etiquette, and be constrained everywhere. I don’t want to make things difficult for you.”
A wu: “Enough, you don’t need to explain!”
She propped her chin, indifferently saying:
“What’s the point of explaining so much, you might as well directly say that I come from a humble background, and not from a decent family, I’m not fit to enter your household, just keep me outside, feed me, and let you sleep with me a few times a month!”
Emperor Jingxi frowned, looking very disapproving:
“What nonsense are you talking?”
A wu snorted: “Where am I talking nonsense!”
Emperor Jingxi:
“If that’s the case, then come back with me, lest you grow resentful outside, as if I’ve abandoned you after playing with you.”
A wu, however, raised her chin: “Who cares!”
Emperor Jingxi: “Oh?”
A wu was indeed somewhat disappointed,
this man seemed to dote on her, but in reality, it was only fondness on the bed, not much heartfelt affection.
In terms of genuine feelings, he was streets behind the crown prince.
But that was fine, she could understand, her most urgent task now was to gain this man’s protection, to safely evade the crown princess and Lu Yunjian.
If she really followed him back, that would be dangerous, she might expose herself to Lu Yunjian at any moment.
Now, hiding like this, being an unseen mistress, was actually the best.
So she said:
“Actually, I didn’t want to follow you back anyway.”
Emperor Jingxi: “Why?”
A wu: “You said before, your family has big business and big rules, if I follow you back, being your most insignificant concubine, I might have to serve
tea to your principal wife, stand by your side, and your children, I have to be careful with them too, I can’t handle such suffering!”
Emperor Jingxi slightly pursed his lips, not saying anything.
What he didn’t want to tell her was, if she really entered the palace with him, it wouldn’t just be serving tea to the principal wife, the palace’s many
complicated rules would weigh down on her, and she probably couldn’t handle it.
He didn’t want her to become a cold name on a green head plaque.
A wu said:
“Your arrangement is actually very good, keeping me outside, I get good food and drink, many maids to serve me, and you give me a lot of money!”
Emperor Jingxi: “Alright.”
A wu added: “I want a house, spacious and quiet!”
She started making demands.
Emperor Jingxi watched A wu’s eyes without turning away, those eyes clear and bright, full of anticipation.
He found no trace of disappointment or
dissatisfaction.
After looking at her for a long time, he
finally said: “Alright.”
A wu, seeing him like this, tilted her head, smilingly asked:
“Third prince, since you dote on A wu so much, can A wu have anything she wants?”
Emperor Jingxi looked at A wu, like spring peach blossoms:
“Of course not.”
A wu: Bah!
Emperor Jingxi:
“But what I can give you, will definitely be more than you think.”
A wu discovered that the third prince was very busy.
After resting at her place, the two shared some intimate moments, then a servant came to report that there was urgent business, the servant seemed hesitant.
The man comforted her a few words, told her to rest well, and left.
A wu lay alone on the bed, feeling like a floating dandelion, drifting and landing somewhere, not knowing where she would be the next moment.
At this time, a maid came to ask her how she wanted the newly arrived cow’s milk prepared.
A wu was curious: “Cow’s milk?”
Maid: “Yes, it just arrived.”
A wu’s heart stirred.
Cow’s milk wasn’t something ordinary people could just have, to have cow’s milk required raising cows, but Dahui had regulations on cattle raising and usage, such as not easily slaughtering them, let alone getting cow’s milk, which was even harder, requiring long-term raising of specialized dairy cows.
After following the crown prince, A wu learned about cow’s milk cake, and occasionally had some.
Because she liked it, she mentioned it to the crown prince, who then allowed her to have it, after which the little nanny nagged, saying even within the inner court, the enjoyment of cow’s milk was regulated, such as inner court consorts could have cow’s milk, princes and princesses and their consorts could have milk cake, others simply had no right to have cow’s milk or milk cake.
So… cow’s milk?
A wu suppressed her thoughts, carefully asking:
“What can be done with this cow’s milk?”
The maid respectfully replied:
“It can be cooked with fermented milk, made into milk dishes, added with white sugar, mint, and vinegar, or mixed
with egg white to steam milk custard, it depends on what the lady wants.”
A wu remained calm: “Then cook it with fermented milk.”
The maid took the order and left, A wu walked alone in the room, carefully observing the room’s furnishings.
Although she had seen them before, it was just a glance, now looking carefully, she discovered a large mirror screen by the hanging curtains, made of red lacquered wood inlaid with copper, almost as tall as a person.
Ordinary households only had small bronze mirrors, such a large bronze mirror, inlaid with red lacquered wood, with fine and exquisite carvings, it
was clearly not an ordinary item.
The key was the red lacquer… that wasn’t something ordinary people could use.
Her heart raced, pretending to be casual, but actually paying close attention, then she saw a red lacquer and gold five-drawer cabinet, the whole body painted red lacquer, with cloud and dragon patterns painted all over, the dragon’s eyes were black lacquer, the dragon’s fins and cloud patterns were filled with black color, even the hinges and handles were decorated with cloud and dragon patterns, magnificent and complex, finely crafted.
The more A wu looked, the more scared she became, the more she felt something was wrong.
She knew that cloud and dragon patterns had some regulations, how many claws the dragon could have, she felt the cloud and dragon patterns here were more exquisite, more noble, more imposing than those at the crown prince’s place?
She couldn’t say for sure, but she vaguely felt wrong!
She looked around randomly, then discovered various abnormalities in inconspicuous places.
For example, the officials and people of Dahui were absolutely not allowed to use golden wine vessels, screen wooden partitions could only use variegated lacquer decorations, absolutely not red and gold, and the bed curtains, which A wu had slept in at the crown prince’s place, so she hadn’t noticed.
She suddenly remembered, ordinary commoners, no matter how wealthy, could only use silk and cotton cloth, officials of the third rank and above could use gauze, silk, and brocade, as for the current bed curtains’ silk gauze and embroidered brocade, as well as the ochre yellow dragon and phoenix patterns, forget commoners, even ordinary officials probably couldn’t use them casually!
Wrong, ordinary royal relatives couldn’t use them casually!!
The crown prince wasn’t this luxurious!!
She opened her eyes wide looking at these usurping items, overwhelming fear gripped her neck, her legs went weak, her breath became difficult.
A guess had already vaguely surfaced, but because it was too absurd, she didn’t dare to think about it.
But soon, those guesses stubbornly forced their way into her mind, glaringly obvious, making it impossible for her to ignore.
When the emperor visits Nanqiongzi, who can enjoy the hot springs here so freely?
Who could so openly use the cloud and dragon patterns?
And who could make Lu Yunjian wait and stand in his presence?
Speak!
Lu Yunjian is the younger brother of the Empress.
Who would dare to be so audacious in front of him?
A’Wu swayed unsteadily, almost unable to stand.
If it really was the person she suspected, then, then, then…
She didn’t know, completely didn’t know.
Her mind was filled with snow, endless snow!
At this moment, a voice came from outside the window, a male servant’s voice.
Although it was very low, she could still hear its sharp, thin quality.
A sharp, thin voice…?
For some reason, a title flashed into her mind: eunuch.
In an instant, many details she had overlooked resurfaced.
Futai’s voice was sharp, like the sea ducks she had once raised at home.
But perhaps, he wasn’t born that way.
Was it because he became a eunuch that he spoke like that?
This Third prince never told her his surname, only his given name, Ze.
He said this character was not one that ordinary people could use, so why could he use it?
Because his status was extraordinary?
He also said that there was nothing in this world that he couldn’t handle.
He even said,
“Whatever you desire, I can give it to you.”
Who would dare to speak such arrogant words?
And, from the very beginning, A’Wu had felt that his voice was familiar.
She had indeed heard that voice before.
He resembled the Crown Prince in appearance!
A’Wu’s body trembled uncontrollably.
How could she believe that such a thing could happen in this world!
If it really was that person, she felt that there was no way out for her, and she would surely die without a place to be buried!
She looked around the room in fear and inadvertently saw something that seemed to have fallen beside the low couch.
Was it a silk pouch?
A’Wu rushed over in a flash and quickly grabbed the silk pouch to examine it closely.
The pouch was woven with six-colored silk threads, embroidered with dragon and flame patterns. Inside was a jade pendant, double-layered and openwork carved, depicting a dragon.
A’Wu counted the dragon’s claws One, two, three, four, five-there were five!
Five dragon claws!
A’Wu was utterly despairing.
She knew that the only person in the world who could so casually use a five-clawed dragon was–
He truly was, truly was that person.
She could no longer hold on, her legs giving way, and she collapsed onto the couch.