CHAPTER 25: CHAPTER 25:

Xie Zhixing shivered upon hearing those words.

It’s here, the test from the fairy has arrived, waiting here for him.

Fortunately, he was prepared.

"I want to show you something."

Xie Zhixing took her hand and led her to a double-sided screen nearby. The side facing the bed was embroidered with the usual scenes of lakes and mountains. She had glanced at it before without paying attention. Only upon seeing the other side did she discover a hidden world. On the other side, there was an embroidered woman covering her heart, her Liu Mei slightly furrowed, alongside a poem by Luoluo Chang. The writing was exceptionally beautiful and exquisite, full of praise.

Before this, Xie Zhixing had never pursued a woman.

He pursued power, a stronger nation, and the well-being of its people.

So he tried one thing after another.

To avoid arousing Yun Jiao’s suspicion, Xie Zhixing had to patch up his behavior, explaining his sudden favoritism.

And this screen and beauty poem were his "patches."

He fell in love with her at first sight, thinking of her madly.

Hence, a piece composed by the Emperor himself, with his aide polishing, emerged.

And the picture of the beauty was crafted by a court painter.

"Uh..."

To modern people, such art was too old-fashioned, so Yun Jiao did not immediately understand.

But seeing a woman painted, along with the poem full of "beauty" characters, based on her experience in guessing classical Chinese in elementary school, she realized it was a poem praising a beauty.

Combining her years of experience reading literature about idealized features, she understood.

Thus, Yun Jiao lifted her face, solemnly.

"Emperor, I understand your meaning."

Xie Zhixing looked down at her, their gazes meeting: "I adore the girl in the painting. It’s good that you understand my intentions."

Understand, she truly understood.

As a tenth-level fan of "Legend of Zhen Huan" and a seasoned reader of literature about stand-ins, Yun Jiao understood very well. The Emperor favored her so because she resembled the girl in the painting: "I understand, this is indeed my fortune."

Yun Jiao didn’t mind being a stand-in.

She just felt she gained a lot; the former planted a tree, and she enjoyed the shade. Though she lost the Emperor’s love, she gained the ability to eat, drink, and live well!

"I was originally worried you might feel resentment..."

After all, from a traditional perspective, to fall in love with a woman at first sight and have her painted and embroidered on a screen, along with such a poetic and passionate poem, was quite bold. Keeping this in mind, aides made the terms in the poem more reserved, subtly comparing Attendant Lady Xi to the Nine Heavens Goddess of dreams, a bright moon that can be admired from afar but not touched.

Yun Jiao: "Why would I? I am very pleased."

Great, their hearts were in sync!

Beforehand, Xie Zhixing had thought of many things.

But he never considered that the fairy would not understand the content of his poem.

-------------------------------------

After last night, the Emperor summoned Yun Jiao for five consecutive days.

Previous privileges and favors were superficial, but now she was fully favored, even the previous dynasty heard that Attendant Lady Xi of Xianfu Palace was deeply appreciated, and Lady Shufei was overshadowed.

The previous dynasty couldn’t reach the harem, so the Yun Family became a hot topic.

Father Yun was a Secondary Seventh Grade Imperial College Chief Clerk, typically handling trivial tasks and exams at the Imperial College. Because he wasn’t good at networking, he had little presence at the Imperial College, but now, due to his daughter, he became prominent in the official scene.

After all, matters of the harem should not be blatantly investigated by officials.

However, official ladies had no such concerns, extending invitations to gatherings that Lady Yun would never have been invited to, discussing Attendant Lady Xi. The invitations made the Yun Mansion bustling, giving Lady Yun mixed feelings, happy for her daughter yet worried: "Jiaojiao is naive, deeply favored in the palace, surely becoming a target. I never taught her about the matters of the inner courtyard... I never expected her to come across such great fortune."

"What use is it to say now when you didn’t teach before?"

"Did I not want to teach? As the legitimate daughter of a Secondary Seventh Grade official, she couldn’t marry into a high family anyway; she would become the main wife without needing to fight, just keep the household in order. You say, why didn’t you teach your daughter how to handle others’ schemes? There should be some experience in the clear and covert conflicts in officialdom."

Lady Yun’s words silenced Father Yun.

After a moment, he muttered: "My colleagues at the Imperial College wouldn’t harm anyone."

"That’s because you hold a low position, have no benefits, don’t stand in anyone’s way, and people treat you kindly to show courtesy to a subordinate. Now that Jiaojiao is successful, her path blocks the daughters of Third Grade officials, consider that."

After discussing, the family concluded not to rely on their daughter’s success for their own benefits, just to avoid causing trouble for Jiaojiao.

A girl with no family background venturing into the harem alone was too difficult.

Their concerns were valid, Yun Jiao gained favor in the harem, momentarily there seemed no way for those concubines wanting to bring her down, leading them to think of undermining her family.

For the harem concubines, while a strong family might make the Emperor cautious, family troubles risk causing setbacks.

Some tried vigorously to label Yun Jiao as the daughter of a disgraced official, finding it rather challenging.

Because Father Yun held an unimportant, idle position.

The less power, the less responsibility, not allowing him to make big mistakes.

There is no peaceful palace time, it’s all about the family enduring hardship, adding a touch of stormy weather to Father Yun’s already unfavorable career. Concubines feared causing unrest before the Qiu Lie, upsetting the Emperor’s mood and being dismissed, even Yanxi Palace kept quiet.

Once the list for the autumn hunting expedition was released, the Six Palaces breathed a sigh of relief.

The tension finally eased!

...

On the list, both the Empress and Lady Shufei would go, while Princess Consort Jing stayed at the palace.

The Concubine position surprised everyone; only Concubine Li was included, with Concubine Feng not being favored wasn’t mentioned, but Concubine Wei was cited "The Princess is still young, shouldn’t be subjected to the troubles of traveling, it’s proper for her mother to accompany her in the palace," thus she couldn’t go.

Consort Ji, traveling along as well, was considered Lady Shufei’s achievement.

In the entire list, the lowest-ranked Attendant Lady Xi brought no surprises—

The Emperor personally went to Xianfu Palace to coax her, what surprise could there be unless Attendant Lady Xi herself met with trouble!

This thought occupied the minds of a small group.

Three days before departure for the autumn hunting expedition, a little eunuch from Consort Ji’s side, taking advantage of no one being around, intercepted Xue Ya on her way back to Xianfu Palace:

"Miss Xue Ya, Madam Ji asked me to relay a message."

"Do not go to places where people are scarce, be careful and cautious in everything."