CHAPTER 654: [648] QING CHUAN CHENG WANGFEI 17 (3 MORE UPDATES)

Mrs. Niu Gulu was truly the most powerful figure in Emperor Yong Zheng’s harem nowadays. Although she did not possess the legendary beauty that shocked the heavens, she was still bright, charming, and even though she was no longer young, her enticing figure alone was enough to secure the Emperor’s affection and favor.

Not only was it her first time seeing the Imperial Concubine, but it was also the first time the Imperial Concubine had met her. Since they were sisters-in-law, formalities like those observed by Mrs. Fucha were unnecessary, especially considering she was the main wife, and the Imperial Concubine, despite her noble status, was after all a concubine, so their greeting was nothing more than a brief handholding and exchange of pleasantries.

"You and Noble Lady Lian do not look alike at all, sister-in-law."

Xiyuan laughed and said, "Sister resembles our mother more, while I take after our father."

Mrs. Niu Gulu pursed her lips and chuckled, "Now that you mention it, you do have a likeness to Mr. Hai!"

When women gathered, they inevitably chatted about family matters, but due to unfamiliarity, most of the conversation was dominated by Noble Princess Consort Xi and her wife Mrs. Fucha, with her occasionally chiming in. Before long, Princess Consort He joined them too. Speaking of Prince He’s consort, she was a tigress born into a general’s family, forthright and unconstrained by minor details, which made her quite a match for Prince He, a man of eccentric behaviors.

At noon, she had a meal with Noble Princess Consort Xi, and by four or five o’clock in the afternoon, Little Yuanzi came to say that the Emperor had arranged for them to stay in Yuanming Garden that very night, as he planned to assess Prince Bao and the others on their studies the following day. Naturally, Xiyuan agreed to the arrangement.

That evening, she followed Little Yuanzi to Yun Mi’s residence in Qin Garden. Although Qin Garden could not compare to the cool breeze of Qinghe Garden, it had its own charm.

Firstly, bamboo surrounded the entire garden. When the wind blew, the rustling of the bamboo leaves was particularly pleasant to the ears.

The walls were adorned with paintings, and the house was filled with bamboo furniture, exuding a sense of refined elegance.

Upon entering the side room, she saw pearl curtains, ivory beds, cool bamboo mats, and to her surprise, the dressing table was covered with combs and rouge. Beside the black lacquered table with a glass bowl of colorful fruits, there was also a crystal tank on the desk by the window, with several goldfish swimming inside. Everywhere she looked, there were bamboo leaves green and refreshing, and Xiyuan instantly fell in love with the place.

"It’s really beautiful. Your husband has quite the taste for elegance, even arranging makeup and rouge here?"

Her tone shifted as she turned to Little Yuanzi, who could easily grasp the implication and hurried to explain with a laugh.

"Please do not wrong my lord, Princess. No woman has ever spent the night in this little courtyard since my lord moved in. These cosmetics were just picked up by me from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, along with brand-new clothes and jewelry. If you don’t believe me, Princess, please take a closer look."

Only then did Xiyuan crack a smile, "Where is your husband now? Didn’t he come back with you?"

"The lord was practicing horseback shooting this late afternoon and sweated profusely. Right now, he’s just gone for a wash in the bathhouse."

It wasn’t long before a refreshed Yun Mi came out. Seeing Xiyuan lying lethargically on the bamboo daybed, he couldn’t help but laugh.

"You really care less and less about your image in front of me. Can’t you stay a bit composed, like Princess Bao does all the time?"

Xiyuan weakly shook her head, "I can’t do it, it’s too exhausting. I have been composed all day today, and if I still have to be composed around you, it would be too tiring. Can we go back tomorrow?"

Yun Mi walked over, playing with her hand, "I’m afraid not, we might have to stay here a few more days. Why? I thought you liked it here?"

"I do like it, I just don’t want to socialize," she replied.

"If you don’t want to think about it, then just take a stroll around the garden on your own, but it’s quite hot outside, so make sure to stay in the shade."

Feeling touched by the concern in his words, Xiyuan sat up straight and shook his arm that she was holding.

"Prince, today I met Princess Bao and Princess He. They were show girls in the same selection as me and both are more beautiful than I am. Don’t you feel even a little bit resentful?"

Yun Mi gave a wry smile and glanced at her askance, "Resentful for what, can you return the goods?"

"No returns once sold!"

"That’s right; since the goods can’t be returned, all I can do is cherish them myself, right? Besides, looks aren’t the sole standard for everything. You’ve got your good points, and they have theirs. But, since you are my Princess Consort, naturally I’m going to be biased towards you."

Ever since they had consummated their marriage, Xiyuan had definitely felt that their emotional bond as husband and wife had improved compared to before. At the very least, the distance and formality were gone, and they were getting along more harmoniously. She didn’t know if this was the ’lubrication’ of sex, but privately, she hoped he would be won over by her personal charm. Fortunately, they were both still young, so there was plenty of time for that.

"Did you see your sister today?"

Xiyuan shook her head. "No, she didn’t leave the palace." If Noble Lady Lian had come, she would surely have gone to see her.

However, her sister’s fate, after Emperor Yong Zheng passed away, would be to become an Imperial Concubine, a woman not old, yet destined to live out her life in loneliness—an unfortunate end indeed.

It’s a pity that even so, there was no escape from the deep palace. Thus, the women of the Forbidden City were pitiable. Their fates were even worse than those of the palace maids, who could leave the palace after turning 25 and had all sorts of officials and nobles vying to take them as wives or concubines, which surely was better than the confined existence of the emperor’s concubines, right?

After bathing, Xiyuan was directly picked up by Yun Mi and lovingly embraced on the bamboo couch. After their pleasures and a snack of refreshments, because she felt uneasy in a strange place, Xiyuan, seeing it was only eight or nine o’clock, beseeched Yun Mi to take her out for a stroll.

Yet Yun Mi refused, with a simple reason: it wasn’t safe. As to exactly how it wasn’t safe, he didn’t elaborate, but he called Su Mei and Su He over to give them instructions.

"If you go out for fun tomorrow, do not head in the northwest direction. That’s where Master Zi Yang’s alchemy room is, and within a hundred meters, no one should enter—it’s very dangerous. Remember this, okay?"

Seeing the stern look on Yun Mi’s face, which didn’t appear to be joking, Xiyuan nodded and agreed.

But at midnight, when everyone was asleep, a piercing female scream suddenly echoed through Yuanming Garden, frightening Xiyuan into rushing into Yun Mi’s arms.

"What’s that loud noise? It sounds like a woman’s scream."

Yun Mi wrapped his arms around Xiyuan’s shoulders and patted her, "It’s nothing; don’t be nervous,"

However, the two of them who were saying they weren’t nervous stayed wakeful, facing each other, until dawn.

After breakfast and changing into his horseback shooting attire, Yun Mi reminded her once more before leaving: "Remember, don’t go in the northwest direction."

"Alright, alright, I’m not an old lady in her seventies or eighties; how could I forget? Off you go, don’t be late. Perform well and good luck!"

Yun Mi pinched her cheek and left with a helpless smile and a shake of his head.