Double Queens GL - Chapter 34

Chapter 34

“You just scanned everyone in the hall; why is it that you only avoid looking at me?” Liu Hening asked directly. Did she really loathe her that much?

In the palace, people usually understood things without saying them aloud, yet Liu Hening had a way of naturally pointing out the very things that caused the most embarrassment. This bluntness left Ye Guichen momentarily at a loss.

“Hening is so beautiful that I feared if I took one look, I wouldn’t be able to turn away,” Ye Guichen replied with a smile, weaving a lie she didn’t even believe. She didn’t deny her intentional avoidance, but hearing such “ghost stories” come out of her own mouth made her feel a chill.

“Huachao, you are truly as clever as you are lovely. You always manage to phrase things so perfectly,” Liu Hening laughed. Though she didn’t get the answer she wanted, Ye Guichen’s response provided a different kind of surprise. She thought to herself: If Huachao actually put her heart into it, she would be much better at coaxing people than I am.

“Still, I can’t compare to your spontaneity. You live so freely; it’s truly enviable,” Ye Guichen countered politely.

“You don’t envy me at all. If you did, you wouldn’t lock yourself behind so many layers, hiding like a precious gem in a box,” Liu Hening said softly.

“If one is a gem, one must be kept secure, lest one be taken and cheapened by just anyone. Don’t you think?” Ye Guichen parried.

“You’re right. Not everyone knows how to cherish such things.”

Liu Hening suddenly fell into a pensive silence. She thought of how Junshen didn’t truly understand Huachao, nor did he cherish her enough. Huachao deserved better. But as a woman married to the Emperor, there was no possibility of her ever finding someone else. Was this “precious jade” destined to be locked in a box forever? The thought made Liu Hening feel a pang of sadness; it was a waste of a beautiful soul.

Ye Guichen didn’t know that Liu Hening was currently mourning her lack of future romantic prospects. She was just glad the woman had finally shut up, giving her a moment of peace. Every time she spoke with Liu Hening, her scalp felt tingly with the fear that the other woman would accidentally peel back a part of her soul she wanted no one to see.

Though silent, Liu Hening continued to lean her body quite naturally against Ye Guichen’s. This baffled the Eastern Empress. Personally, she would never lean on someone she didn’t trust completely. Yet here was Liu Hening, behaving as if she were totally defenseless. To have someone you dislike and distrust act with total vulnerability toward you is a bizarre feeling, Ye Guichen thought. She began to wonder: If Liu Hening isn’t purely hypocritical, then she must be purely innocent. I don’t believe anyone can be that pure, but her hypocrisy doesn’t feel ‘real’ either.

…

Across the hall, Zhang Qingyu watched their intimacy with a sour taste in her mouth. She realized that while she had been proud of her friendship with the New Queen, Liu Hening seemed to be “best friends” with every woman in the palace. However, seeing the two Queens together, Zhang Qingyu realized that Liu Hening’s favorite person wasn’t her—it was the Eastern Empress.

The Emperor loves the Central Queen, the Central Queen loves the Eastern Queen, and the Eastern Queen… well, she seems to dislike everyone right now. Zhang Qingyu decided she would move Liu Hening down on her own internal list of priorities.

But while Zhang Qingyu was just sulking, someone else was courting disaster.

When Ye Guichen had ordered the concubines not to wear the “Empress-style” jewelry gifted by Liu Hening, it had been seen as a power move against the Central Palace. Lady Sun, thinking that the Central Palace held the higher rank and that Liu Hening would surely protect her to save face, decided to defy the order. She wore the prohibited ornaments to the banquet, wanting to experience the thrill of looking like an Empress for one night.

Halfway through the feast, Lady Wang, sensing an opportunity for chaos, spoke up. “Your Majesty, don’t you think Lady Sun looks particularly radiant today?”

Yang Zhao glanced at Lady Sun. Initially, he hadn’t noticed anything, but upon closer inspection, his smile faded. Even if Hening had gifted those items out of ignorance, Lady Sun should have had the sense not to wear them on such a formal occasion. It showed a complete lack of discretion.

The hall went quiet. Censors began to eye Lady Sun’s headgear, noting the breach of protocol. Liu Hening frowned; she had intended to give gifts out of kindness, but she realized now her lack of foresight had caused a mess. This palace was not a “normal” place.

Ye Meng, meanwhile, was gloating internally.

Ye Guichen saw Liu Hening’s worry and felt a cold amusement. Spontaneity is a luxury the palace doesn’t afford, she thought. Lady Sun was a fool for thinking the Central Queen could shield her from a direct violation of protocol.

“The fault is mine,” Liu Hening spoke up immediately, taking the blame. “Do not blame her.”

“Your Majesty,” Ye Guichen interrupted smoothly, addressing the Emperor, “The Central Empress has only just arrived and is unfamiliar with the strictness of our protocols. It is an understandable oversight. The fault lies with me for not ensuring everyone followed the guidelines correctly. I will ensure this does not happen again.”

Yang Zhao was pleased with this show of harmony. “This is a matter for the inner palace. You and Hening are both Empresses; I leave the handling of this to you. I trust Huachao will manage it well.”

Ye Guichen bowed, but her heart was cold. He leaves it to me so the officials stay happy, but he mentions Hening so I don’t hurt her feelings. He wants me to please everyone. Being the ‘virtuous’ Eastern Empress is a thankless job.

…

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble,” Liu Hening said sincerely to Ye Guichen once the tension subsided.

“It isn’t your fault,” Ye Guichen said flatly. “I issued a direct order to all halls forbidding these ornaments for tonight. Lady Sun chose to defy a direct command.”

Liu Hening realized that Lady Sun’s crime wasn’t just a fashion faux pas—it was open rebellion against the Empress in charge of the harem.

“How will you punish her?” Liu Hening asked.

“How do you want me to punish her?” Ye Guichen parried, watching her closely.

Liu Hening hesitated. If she begged for mercy, Ye Guichen would likely be lenient to save the Emperor’s face, but it would destroy Ye Guichen’s authority. If Lady Sun defied the Eastern Palace and got away with it, everyone would think the Eastern Empress had no teeth.

“She was in the wrong,” Liu Hening said firmly after a pause. “I will not interfere with how you punish her. You are the one who truly manages the palace; I cannot allow anyone to undermine your authority.”

Ye Guichen looked at her in genuine surprise. Liu Hening understood the power dynamics perfectly, yet she chose to uphold Ye Guichen’s power over her own popularity.

“Are you sure?” Ye Guichen asked. “If you don’t protect her, the other beauties will think you aren’t a reliable patron. All that goodwill you’ve built up… aren’t you afraid it will go to waste?”

Liu Hening turned to her with a wide, bright smile. “Huachao… are you worrying about me?”