On The Self-Cultivation Of A Favored Concubine - Chapter 30

Concubine Yu returned to her residence and saw that the censer in the center of the room was still emitting faint smoke. Her heart skipped a beat. She knelt down in front of the censer, leaned over for a closer look, her expression grave.

“Have you found any issues with that girl, Consort Yue?” a voice suddenly came from behind the screen, causing Concubine Yu to tremble slightly.

She looked up, saw Lin Yulang walking toward her, and quickly lowered her head, saying uneasily, “I have already given her the Exquisite Censer, but she is extremely cautious and refused to accept it directly. It’s unlikely she will use it. My biggest discovery this time is that she is immune to the Infant Spirit Energy.”

The Infant Spirit Energy was born from the vengeful souls of brutally killed fetuses in the palace. It had accumulated over time, gradually gaining consciousness and power. Lin Yulang, who practiced mystical arts, accidentally discovered this mass of dark energy in Concubine Yu’s palace. Seeing Concubine Yu tormented and haggard by it, he decided to use her to interfere with the succession of heirs in the inner palace.

Concubine Yu was also troubled by her own languor. She initially thought the Empress was tampering with her food and clothes, intending to slowly and subtly kill her. Later, she learned that a mass of dark energy was harbored in her residence, and because of her weak constitution, it had targeted her.

Lin Yulang intended to nourish this dark energy to strengthen its power, but now this energy was showing signs of having its own will and was beginning to slip out of his control.

“Do you think this Infant Spirit Energy has feelings?” Lin Yulang suddenly asked.

Concubine Yu was puzzled. “Why would you ask that?”

“Initially, I housed this energy within you, but it remained dormant. Now, I want to house it within Consort Yue, but it’s also resisting. I feel like it’s selecting a person it fancies, and is unhappy with our arrangements.” Lin Yulang frowned. “And I keep seeing it running toward the Chenxin Palace.”

“The one in Chenxin Palace…” Concubine Yu held her breath. The Emperor was extremely wary of the Xie family’s influence. If news of the Empress’s pregnancy were to spread, the Emperor would surely be furious.

“I heard that Xie Xuanzhao is currently contacting the Xie family head to choose a child from the imperial clan to raise as their own. This is their Xie family’s choice for the Crown Prince. His Majesty is already extremely displeased, which is why he specifically entrusted me with the important matter of the imperial lineage.” Lin Yulang’s expression was very poor. “Yet, I have been unable to produce a result for His Majesty.”

Concubine Yu placed her hand on her abdomen. No wonder Lin Yulang had been visiting her frequently lately for intimate encounters, but whether due to her or Lin Yulang, there had been no results.

“Yulang, does His Majesty know you are doing these things?” Concubine Yu couldn’t help but ask.

Lin Yulang gave her an annoyed look. “Why are you asking so many questions? The urgent matter now is to quickly produce an imperial heir!”

Concubine Yu lowered her head submissively, not daring to ask further.

In the Qinglan Palace, Lulu was chased out of the bedroom, clutching her medicinal herbs. She rubbed the back of her head, wondering what was so secretive.

Liu Qinglan dragged the bundle, like a thief, over to her quilt and eagerly opened it!

Inside were simple patterned undergarments, as well as everyday outer skirts. Liu Qinglan pulled them out one by one, until her slender, pale finger hooked onto the red fine ribbon she had glimpsed earlier.

With her movement, a red dudou (an embroidered Chinese brassiere) with an intertwined lotus pattern was pulled out.

These clothes had just been washed and collected. They carried the warmth of the sun and the residual sweet scent of the beautiful Empress a scent Liu Qinglan was very familiar with.

Therefore, she was absolutely certain that this bundle of clothes was indeed the Empress’s personal intimate wear!

It could definitely be called a “big gift package”!

Liu Qinglan touched her ticklish nose, and the tail hidden beneath her palace skirt was already wagging happily. She excitedly played with and admired all these garments, then transformed back into her original form, burrowed into the pile of clothes, cuddled and rolled around, fiercely inhaling the spiritual energy, completely oblivious that she looked like a little pervert right now.

She felt she was the happiest cat in the world. Meow~

For the next few days, Liu Qinglan stayed indoors, obediently resting to recover from her illness. She secretly stuffed the beautiful Empress’s things under her quilt, happily rubbing against them while pondering what kind of gift she should give in return.

Liu Qinglan initially wanted to return the favor by giving the beautiful Empress one of her own little dudous. However, looking at her “little bun” chest, she felt it was quite presentable. Firstly, the beautiful Empress didn’t need to rub against spiritual energy like she did. Secondly, her dudou was smaller than the beautiful Empress’s and she couldn’t wear it, so it would have no practical value as a gift.

Alas, Liu Qinglan sat on the bed, looking conflicted. She really couldn’t think of anything decent she owned to offer. This was the hardship of a poor mountain demoness~

In the Chenxin Palace, Yan Mo presented a roster. “Mistress, the Autumn Hunt Assembly is being prepared. This is the list of proposed escorts. Please review it.”

Xie Xuanzhao leaned against the chaise longue, took the list, and looked at it. It listed the accompanying court officials, the guard team, and the inner palace concubines.

“Add Concubine Yu’s name as well,” Xie Xuanzhao handed the roster back to her. “There’s no need to inform His Majesty. Just say that having Concubine Yu accompany the hunt was my idea.”

Yan Mo bowed and acknowledged the order.

“Will we still be going to Huoshan this year?” Xie Xuanzhao suddenly asked.

Yan Mo quickly thought back, remembering that Consort Yue was found by the Emperor in Huoshan. She smiled and nodded, “Precisely, we will still go to Huoshan. This mountain forest is richly endowed with nature and has many animals. All the nobles in the capital enjoy hunting there.”

Xie Xuanzhao curled the corner of her lips. This time, she was more expectant than usual, because she would get to see Liu Qinglan’s hometown.

Thinking of the little beauty, Xie Xuanzhao couldn’t help but stand up and say, “She should be well-rested from her illness by now. Yan Mo, let’s go to Qinglan Palace.”

“Yes, Mistress. But it’s getting late now. Shall we go quietly without alarming the palace staff?” Yan Mo suggested.

Xie Xuanzhao nodded, asked her to prepare a palace lantern, and the two of them walked together, not taking any other maids.

Lulu was sitting on the stone steps of the palace gate, dozing off. In her semiconscious state, she saw a palace lantern slowly approaching in the dark night, like a small boat drifting in the sea, swaying toward her.

She jolted awake, seeing the glazed embroidered ball palace lantern hovering right in front of her. Yan Mo’s gentle and beautiful face appeared from behind the lantern. “Where is your Mistress?”

It was a completely familiar tone, as if she already considered this place her own home.

Lulu quietly looked back and saw the Empress, draped in a cloak, her figure tall and elegant, her expression unclear. A certain aura emanated from her, making Lulu hesitant to speak much. She quickly made way. “Our Mistress is inside the house.”

She had originally wanted to ask what they were doing here, but after seeing the Empress, Lulu couldn’t squeeze out a single word.

The door curtain was lifted, and the beads chimed crisply.

Liu Qinglan, who was lying on the bed admiring the red dudou, quickly sat up when she heard the movement, her cheeks flushed, and hid the beautiful Empress’s intertwined lotus dudou.

A cat paw print was clearly visible on the embroidered lotus.

Xie Xuanzhao looked at her amusedly. “Why are you in such a hurry? What are you hiding?”

Little Demoness Liu cheekily said, “You know what it is, hehe,” and chuckled foolishly a few times.

Even though it was a gift from the person in front of her, it felt too embarrassing to play with it right in front of the owner… it was just too shameful!

However, Liu Qinglan looked at her shyly. “Empress Sister, you smell so fragrant!”

She was completely a little fanatic.

Xie Xuanzhao felt inexplicable, but seeing her smiling with a deep blush, her heart felt a pleasant itch, and she couldn’t resist sitting down beside her. “Has your cold completely gone?”

“Under Empress Sister’s thoughtful care, my illness quickly got better!” Liu Qinglan couldn’t resist rubbing against her again, her paws restlessly tugging at the beautiful Empress’s skirt hem.

Xie Xuanzhao leaned against her bed, playing with her long hair, watching the black strands slide through her fingers like flowing water. “I came today to tell you some good news.”

“What good news?” Liu Qinglan immediately sat up, her eyes shining as she looked at her.

“We will soon be leaving the palace for the autumn hunt. We are going to Huoshan, which is your hometown.” Xie Xuanzhao said with a smile. “I’ll get to see the home you used to live in and the place where you grew up.”

Liu Qinglan was very excited. She felt she had been away from Huoshan for a long time and genuinely missed that stretch of mountain forest. Moreover, as the boss of the mountain, wouldn’t she command a hundred responses upon her return? Then, standing on the mountaintop, she could let out a meow and show the beautiful Empress how beautiful her territory was!

Seeing her happy look, Xie Xuanzhao was also very pleased. “So, rest well these next few days, so you’ll have the energy to go out and play.”

After saying that, she looked at the Exquisite Censer still sitting on the windowsill. “How do you plan to handle this thing?”

Ever since Concubine Yu delivered the censer, Lulu had repeatedly suggested throwing it away, but Liu Qinglan had kept it.

She suspected it might have something to do with the mass of dark energy.

When no one was around, Liu Qinglan had once used her demonic power to form a barrier around her fingertip, then picked up the censer and carefully examined it.

Nothing unusual happened.

Later, she opened her cat eyes, and a green glow spread. Through the silver outer casing of the Exquisite Censer, she peeked at the inner mechanism.

This was a Qiankun (universal) container, connected by a hidden thread, with the other end capable of arriving here at any time.

She just didn’t know where the other end led. Liu Qinglan withdrew her gaze and quickly put the censer down. After waiting a few days, the censer still had no reaction, and the mass of dark energy had not arrived via the Qiankun container.

Liu Qinglan had previously sparred with the mass of dark energy and found them evenly matched, so she wasn’t afraid of the dark energy coming to her. At this moment, she even hoped it would come voluntarily. She wanted to solve the mystery as soon as possible.

But the dark energy seemed to have gone somewhere else. Even with the container placed right here, it refused to come over.

Liu Qinglan hesitated, not knowing how to explain it to the beautiful Empress.

Suddenly, she thought of her sister.

Her sister had also been affected by that mass of dark energy before, so perhaps the beautiful Empress knew about it.