On The Self-Cultivation Of A Favored Concubine - Chapter 10

Yan Mo handed the box in her hand to Liu Qinglan, and without much further delay, she prepared to leave.

Lu Lu offered a perfunctory invitation, asking her to stay for a cup of tea.

“No, thank you. I still have to go to see Consort Yu. I’m busy and won’t be staying for your tea.” Yan Mo finished speaking, fanned herself with a handkerchief, and left in a hurry.

Liu Qinglan held the box. Hearing that Yan Mo was going to see Consort Yu, and recalling the ball of black mist she had encountered during the day, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

“Niangniang, hurry up and see what’s in the box,” Lu Lu quickly reminded her, seeing her lost in thought.

Liu Qinglan collected her thoughts and opened the box.

Inside lay quietly an emerald green hairpin, identical in style to the one the Empress had worn in her hair that day.

Liu Qinglan was a little surprised and delighted. She really sent it to me! She quickly reached out and picked up the hairpin. The moment she touched its empty aura, she knew that this was not the one the Empress had worn on her own head.

This was a brand new hairpin, never worn by anyone, and naturally lacked the spiritual energy that Liu Qinglan truly desired.

What the heck! I feel like I’ve been played.

Liu Qinglan held the emerald green hairpin, which contained nothing, and her cheeks puffed out in anger.

Lu Lu looked at her mistress with confusion. “Niangniang, this is a good thing. The Empress gifting you a hairpin shows that she is trying to show you goodwill. It proves that your presence has overshadowed hers.”

Liu Qinglan’s excitement had been for nothing, and she was listless. She crouched back on her chair to calm down.

The Emperor had not summoned anyone for the night, reportedly due to being busy with state affairs. But based on Liu Qinglan’s observations over the past few days, and her understanding of the Emperor, he was probably ‘doing something’ with a certain young and refined court official in the Imperial Study right now.

Late at night, Liu Qinglan fell asleep, but suddenly dreamed of that ball of black mist and woke up with a start.

Liu Qinglan sat up, feeling uneasy. She wondered what the Empress and Consort Yu had discussed during the day. Recalling the peach blossom petal that drifted down in her courtyard, Liu Qinglan decided to go and ask the Peach Blossom Spirit.

The palace lanterns hung from the eaves of the palace, their eight corners glowing. The glazed tiles shimmered, making the entire palace beautiful and exquisite.

A snow white cat deftly leaped over the roof tiles, finally landing softly on the lush peach tree.

In the night, a pair of wide open cat eyes resembled soaked jade, the pupils fully dilated.

She quickly found the weak-looking Peach Blossom Spirit nestled among the leaves.

“Peach Blossom Spirit, what’s wrong? Did that ball of black mist hurt you today?” Liu Qinglan anxiously poked her small head in, trying to lick the Peach Blossom Spirit’s wound.

The Peach Blossom Spirit flicked the furry cat head away with a hint of disdain. “I’m fine. Don’t worry, and don’t use your saliva to heal me.”

“Our Fei Fei saliva is a holy healing water. Are you sure you don’t want it?” Liu Qinglan wagged her tail. “Mine carries spiritual power.”

“I don’t need it,” the Peach Blossom Spirit said lazily, still lying on a small green peach.

Seeing that she truly didn’t need it, Liu Qinglan gave up. She moved closer. “Do you know the origin of that black mist?”

The Peach Blossom Spirit narrowed her eyes. “This is the Rear Palace. The yin energy is heavy, and since many beauties have died here, it’s normal for vengeful, strong yin spirits to become refined.”

She looked at Liu Qinglan, whose figure appeared somewhat translucent across from her. “You have been frequently using your demonic power since you arrived here. Haven’t you noticed that spiritual energy is extremely scarce here, unlike the forests outside?”

Liu Qinglan was a little discouraged. “I did notice.” That’s why, in order to continue cultivating, she had to absorb some spiritual energy from the Empress. Because that was where the spiritual energy was densest in this palace.

The Peach Blossom Spirit naturally noticed it too. The Empress was surrounded by auspicious purple energy, a continuous flow, which could be called a ‘spiritual spring.’

However, this spiritual energy was only useful for spirit beasts. For plant spirits like her, she needed the nourishment of heaven’s dew and sunlight, which was sufficient. So she did not share Liu Qinglan’s worries.

The Peach Blossom Spirit continued, “The palace is a place of solemnity and a hub of worldly power, so the coexistence of evil spirits and auspicious fortune is not strange. The ball of black mist today was maliciously released by a sorcerer.”

“A sorcerer?”

“Someone in the Imperial family is secretly keeping many sorcerers. The way of sorcery and witchcraft is prevalent, and they can manipulate evil spirits to do their bidding.” The Peach Blossom Spirit looked at the simple and naive Liu Qinglan. “That ball of black mist is an example.”

“Who wants to harm Consort Yue then?”

“That, I don’t know. Perhaps the target wasn’t Consort Yu, but someone else.” The Peach Blossom Spirit changed her lying position. “I can’t transform into human form and go out, so these matters have nothing to do with me. However, you often move around outside, and you are currently the Emperor’s favored consort. It might concern you, so be more careful in the future. If you have any confusion, you can come and consult me. For now, I’ll give you a few talismans. They can protect you from that black mist.”

As Liu Qinglan listened, she felt something was wrong. Wait, who was whose boss here!

“Your cultivation is inferior to mine. I should be the one protecting you,” Liu Qinglan puffed out her chest, trying to reclaim her position as the boss.

The Peach Blossom Spirit smiled. “Yes, yes, the little big sister should protect me. It’s just that someone seems to be unskilled and even drew a simple talisman wrongly.”

“You… you even know about that?!” Liu Qinglan’s jade green eyes widened in astonishment.

“Heh heh, you offered the Ruyi scepter as a gift to the Empress, but she didn’t value it and casually bestowed it upon a palace maid under her. Coincidentally, that palace maid is good friends with Tao Xi. She held the Ruyi and showed it off to her. I saw the talisman you drew on the Ruyi – the ‘Talisman of Tender Affection.’ Your little intentions are quite deep.”

Liu Qinglan’s young face immediately flushed with embarrassment. She had made a fool of herself.

The Peach Blossom Spirit blinked lazily. “I know that wasn’t your intention. You probably drew it wrong, didn’t you?”

“Fine, I humbly accept. I’ll learn how to draw talismans from you,” Liu Qinglan drooped her cat ears and stood timidly in front of the Peach Blossom Spirit.

Just before dawn, Liu Qinglan, holding the newly acquired talismans, darted back to her Moon Mist Palace.

When the time came, Lu Lu woke her up. She had to go to the Empress’s Chenxin Palace early this morning.

Lu Lu held the emerald green hairpin the Empress had gifted yesterday, intending to place it in Liu Qinglan’s hair.

Liu Qinglan recalled what the Peach Blossom Spirit had said yesterday: the Empress had actually casually bestowed the gift she gave to someone else. She looked at the emerald hairpin, feeling quite disgruntled. “I don’t want to wear this!”

In Chenxin Palace, Xie Xuanzhao specifically picked up the emerald hairpin and placed it in her hair with satisfaction. She thought of how she would soon see her little favored consort also wearing a hairpin of the same style, and a smile curved her red lips.