On The Self-Cultivation Of A Favored Concubine - Chapter 4

Liu Qinglan looked up, her gaze meeting the Empress’s pair of shimmering phoenix eyes. Because of the talisman’s effect, the emotions in the Empress’s eyes were now so intense they resembled a thick, unmelting dark ink.

Feeling guilty for drawing the wrong talisman, Liu Qinglan’s heart fluttered. Her face flushed crimson, and her fingers subconsciously grabbed the sash at her waist, twisting her fingers as she stuttered out a random excuse: “I ate some chili before I left.”

“…”

Xie Xuanzhao was speechless for a moment. She drew her gaze back, looking at the complex pattern on the Persian carpet in front of her, composing her emotions. Then, she turned slightly and gave a look to her head palace maid, Yan Mo, who was standing nearby.

Yan Mo was a maid Xie Xuanzhao had brought from her family as part of her dowry. Having been raised by her since childhood, she was a trusted confidante.

Yan Mo took a small step forward and said, “Consort Yue has just entered the palace and is unfamiliar with the etiquette. From this day forward, she must study court etiquette for one hour every day.”

This was a long established rule in the Chenxin Palace. Some consorts were unwilling to be taught by the etiquette governesses and would be lazy or delay. Xie Xuanzhao would then send the governesses to their private quarters, recalling them only after the lesson was complete. After a few back and forths, these consorts could only suppress their dissatisfaction and accept the arrangement.

Liu Qinglan didn’t understand what she was supposed to do regarding this rule. She was currently only annoyed at herself for remembering the talisman incorrectly. It seemed she needed to review her studies; she was truly unskilled.

She stood to the side, silently scorning herself, completely still. She didn’t even notice the argument that started beside her.

As soon as Yan Mo finished speaking, several palace maids who had accompanied Liu Qinglan stepped forward to defend her. Lu Lu glanced at her mistress but, seeing no movement, had to brace herself and speak first: “Empress, His Majesty has specially permitted Consort Yue not to study these.”

The palace maids sent by the Emperor looked stern, their chins slightly raised, seeming a little arrogant.

The Empress’s maids were not to be outdone. Yan Mo stood tall, her voice brooking no refusal, “Dare you defy the Empress’s command?”

“We dare not. However, if His Majesty were to hold us accountable, we could not bear the consequences.”

The two sides of palace maids began to argue fiercely.

Xie Xuanzhao leaned back, slowly sipping her tea, not speaking, but her peripheral vision was fixed on Consort Yue, who hadn’t made a sound.

She was waiting for the new arrival’s attitude so she could manage and control her afterward. After all, with a vast inner palace, predicting people’s hearts was difficult, and managing it well was no easy task.

The Emperor could not give her what she deserved, so to survive in this inner palace, she had to secure her position and endure until she became the Empress Dowager.

Xie Xuanzhao’s mind tensed, her thoughts already drifting far away. The Emperor was destined to have no heir, making the choice of the new emperor crucial. But it was also possible that the Emperor might succumb to pressure and choose to have a child with a woman from the inner palace. In short, the future was full of uncertainties, and Xie Xuanzhao dared not relax for a moment.

Just a moment ago, when this Consort Yue approached her, the strange feeling made her raise her guard.

While thinking, Xie Xuanzhao continued to keep her eyes on Liu Qinglan’s fair, delicate face.

Because Liu Qinglan’s true form was a mass of pure white snow, when she transformed into human form, her skin was as white as snow, and her face was even paler than the average person. However, this white was not an unhealthy pallor but the quality of white jade clear and luminous.

At this moment, she stood in front of the flower stand, half her face bathed in sunlight, faintly gleaming, like a fully bloomed white magnolia.

Xie Xuanzhao’s heart unexpectedly skipped a beat again. Her gaze couldn’t move away, and a tender affection surged out uncontrollably. She actually felt the desire to be kind to this young girl whom she had only just met.

As for how to be kind, she wasn’t sure. She only knew she couldn’t get angry at her or scold her severely. Otherwise, given her brazen lateness just now if it were an ordinary day or another consort Xie Xuanzhao would have already ordered Yan Mo to scold and punish her to uphold the authority of the palace.

Why would she allow her to continue standing safely before her, looking so innocent!

Xie Xuanzhao felt a bit irritated, but when she spoke, her tone was still gentle, “Consort Yue, what is your opinion?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Xie Xuanzhao knew something was wrong. She rarely spoke to a consort so gently. After all, the status of the principal consort could not be undermined.

The underlying maids and consorts were astonished. The Empress was actually asking this young consort for her opinion! This was truly the sun rising from the west. Consort Kang, in particular, suspected the Empress might have taken the wrong medicine today.

Xie Xuanzhao realized that her question was indeed too gentle. Her original intention was not to ask for an opinion; regardless of whether Consort Yue agreed, this rule could not be broken.

Yan Mo should have backed her up at this moment, but she was hesitant, unsure of her own mistress’s meaning. So, she could only soften her tone and say, “Consort Yue, the Empress is speaking to you.”

Due to the Empress’s gentle demeanor, she didn’t dare to be harsh with Consort Yue either.

Liu Qinglan’s legs felt weak from the Empress’s tender voice. The terrible thing was that something behind her was stirring, eager to emerge.

She knew her tail was about to reveal its true form it was triggered by the stimulation. She took another step back, leaning against the flower stand to conceal the restless bulge under her skirt.

Her face was now flushed red, like a freshly cooked shrimp.

How… how could she want to reveal her tail at this moment!

Xie Xuanzhao narrowed her eyes slightly and asked again, “Consort Yue, what is the meaning of this?” The strange thing was that she didn’t feel a trace of anger. Had she changed her temperament, or was the weather nice today, improving her mood?

Liu Qinglan was so flustered that she completely forgot the task the Emperor had given her. “Empress, what did you just ask me?”

She blinked, looking utterly sincere, with a hint of servility.

Xie Xuanzhao repeated herself, “Studying court etiquette for one hour every day.”

“No problem!” Liu Qinglan answered very quickly. While suppressing the restless tail that threatened to emerge, she quickly racked her brain. “But can I… come here to study?!”

If she could spend an hour every day in Chenxin Palace, it meant she could stay near the head of the inner palace and absorb some of her spiritual energy.

Presumably, after years of accumulation, her own demonic power would increase considerably.

This was a shortcut. An auspicious person surrounded by spiritual energy was rare, and now that she had stumbled upon this great fortune, it made no sense to waste it.

Liu Qinglan made up her mind that she absolutely had to cling to this powerful figure, so her gaze at Xie Xuanzhao grew more fervent, like a starving wolf who had finally encountered a plump white rabbit.

Xie Xuanzhao felt uncomfortable being stared at by her. Moreover, she had just actively proposed coming to Chenxin Palace for practice. It was well known that the etiquette governesses here were the most severe, and consorts usually avoided them. Something abnormal was happening could there be some hidden conspiracy behind this…

“Sister, please, is that okay?” Liu Qinglan rubbed her little hands. Seeing that the Empress was slow to reply and had instead fallen into contemplation, she was afraid she would not agree, so she pleaded again.

Liu Qinglan pleaded in this manner because she had previously overheard maids talking about how Consort Kang ran to Chenxin Palace every day, asking to accompany the Empress, only to be chased out. She feared she would suffer the same fate, so it seemed she needed a legitimate reason for the Empress to receive her.

Xie Xuanzhao glanced at her fair and translucent little face again and said, “Then it shall be according to your wish; come to Chenxin Palace daily for practice. Since you have agreed, you cannot be absent without reason, or punishment will be inevitable. The rules here do not tolerate any favoritism.”

Liu Qinglan was delighted. “I will come every day, guaranteed, rain or shine. I hope the Empress will not be tired of me.”

Hearing this, Xie Xuanzhao, who had intended to look away, couldn’t help but glance at her again. A blush surfaced on her snow white face, white tinged with red, giving the impression of shyness and secret joy.

Xie Xuanzhao raised her hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, thinking to herself. Is this little girl perhaps in love with me at first sight?