readytorunbook Chapter 24 Paying Homage to the Empress
Chapter 24 Paying Homage to the Empress
Today, Lu Mingzhu wore a magnificent brocade gown, the hem embroidered with exquisite peony patterns, so lifelike they seemed to bloom from the skirt. A shimmering gold hairpin adorned her hair, swaying gently with her movements, adding to her alluring charm. Her delicate face was lightly powdered, her lips a touch of red, her eyebrows like distant mountains, giving her a noble and elegant appearance; she truly possessed remarkable beauty.
In contrast, Qiao Qingling appeared much more plain.
She wore a light blue silk satin dress, simple in style yet well-tailored, perfectly outlining her petite and delicate figure. A white ribbon was tied around her waist, fluttering in the wind, adding a touch of ethereal beauty. Her hair was styled in a simple bun, adorned with two pearl silk flowers at her temples, and a few strands of hair fell on either side of her face, making her appear even more gentle and charming.
At this moment, she lowered her head, not daring to meet Chu Qingyin's gaze, looking timid and submissive, as if Chu Qingyin were some kind of monstrous beast.
Qiu Zhu's voice was just right in Chu Qingyin's ear to remind her: "Your Majesty, these two are Consort Lu and Lady Qiao, who were newly appointed yesterday."
The rank of a fifth-grade concubine is indeed fitting for the Lu family, given their current status in the court.
As for Qiao Qingwan, her rank of seventh-grade beauty was just right, perfectly fitting.
After a moment's thought, Chu Qingyin roughly understood why these two had been selected.
Lu Mingzhu's success is due to her family background, while Qiao Qingwan's is most likely another of Empress Wang's old tricks, a wolf in sheep's clothing hiding a sharp edge.
I won't harm you, I'll just disgust you.
As I pondered, a head palace maid's voice came from behind the screen: "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived—"
As soon as the words were spoken, the once noisy flower hall immediately fell silent. The concubines, of all ranks, lined up on both sides according to their positions and bowed in unison to pay their respects: "Your Majesty, we, your concubines, pay our respects. May Your Majesty enjoy peace and happiness."
The sounds were clear and resonant, echoing throughout the palace.
Chu Qingyin also lowered her head and greeted him, but her eyes kept glancing upwards out of the corner of her eye.
Behind the screen depicting phoenixes and the rising sun, Empress Wang slowly walked over, surrounded by a group of palace maids.
Today she wore an incomparably magnificent golden phoenix robe, the phoenix feathers shimmering with iridescent light, contrasting beautifully with the deep red silk. The collar and cuffs were inlaid with pearls and gemstones, which sparkled brilliantly as the empress moved, like twinkling stars in the night sky.
Beside the Empress were several familiar figures. Upon seeing them, Chu Qingyin's eyes flickered slightly; they were all old acquaintances.
Consort Shu, Consort De, and Consort Ning.
Of these three, Consort Shu had betrayed her, causing the death of her personal maid, Jinzhu. Her other personal maid, Yinping, died due to Consort Ning's schemes... As for Consort De, she appeared to be a Buddhist, vegetarian and devout person, but in this ruthless harem, truly virtuous people had long since died, so how could she have remained peaceful until today?
"Be flat."
Empress Wang sat gracefully and elegantly in the main seat, her gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present. Her expression seemed calm and composed, yet it also seemed to contain endless majesty and scrutiny.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Chu Qingyin stood up along with the other young ladies-in-waiting, her movements respectful.
Even though she had lowered her head and tried to keep a low profile, she could still sense the cold gazes cast upon her by Consort Shu and the other concubines.
Those gazes were sharp and piercing, filled with undisguised scrutiny and suspicion. I imagine they must have had a sleepless night last night.
"My dear sisters, please don't stand on ceremony. Now that you've entered the palace, we'll all be family from now on."
Empress Wang gestured for the eighteen new concubines to take their seats, and then nodded to the head palace maid beside her: "Present the gifts I have prepared and bestow them upon you sisters."
After he finished speaking, a group of palace maids filed in, carrying all sorts of exquisite gift boxes, and presented them to the newly arrived concubines one by one.
The new concubines were all flattered, but Empress Wang smiled solemnly and said, "Today is the day of celebration for all of you sisters as you enter the palace. As the head of the harem, I naturally want to express my gratitude. These gifts are not very expensive, but I personally selected them and hope they will suit your tastes."
She took a sip of tea and continued affectionately, "May you sisters live a good life in this palace, get along well with the other sisters in the harem, serve His Majesty well, and have children and offspring for our dynasty as soon as possible."
The new concubines all rose to express their gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Please sit down, don't be shy."
After presenting the gifts with a smile, Empress Wang instructed the head maid to explain the rules of the harem to the new concubines in detail. Finally, she said, "I hope that you will all be careful in your words and deeds. If you do anything that violates the rules of the palace, do not blame me for being cold and ruthless."
Gift-giving is a sign of favor, while palace rules are a sign of authority. It must be said that Empress Wang was very adept at using both favor and authority.
Today was the first time Chu Qingyin had met these old acquaintances, and she only wanted to see their reactions and attitudes. So she kept a low profile and always maintained the proper etiquette and demeanor of a "new concubine".
But while she wanted to keep a low profile, some people didn't want her to.
No sooner had Empress Wang finished displaying her power than Consort Ning, dressed in a purple palace gown, spoke to Chu Qingyin: "Is this the Qiao sister who just entered the palace yesterday and was summoned by His Majesty? Why is she keeping her head down? Lift your face and let me see what kind of beauty she is that could make His Majesty, who hasn't set foot in the harem for many days, so unforgettable?"
In one sentence, Chu Qingyin was thrust into the eye of the storm.
Chu Qingyin remained calm, bit her lip, and rose shyly to curtsy, "Your Highness is too kind. I am but a humble woman, how dare I boast before you ladies?"
As she spoke, she slowly raised her face and looked at Consort Ning.
Consort Ning was suddenly startled.
Was it her imagination? Just now, the moment Consort Qiao raised her eyes, the cold disdain in them was exactly the same as that of the arrogant and domineering Noble Consort in the past!
She clutched the handkerchief in her hand, and looked again. The young girl in front of her looked shy and obedient, as if that glance from before had never happened.
Consort Ning's expression changed slightly. She realized that she was probably being paranoid, but looking at that face, she felt a strange sense of fear.
She had never been unlucky enough to fall victim to Chu Qingyin before...
Even though that person is dead now, it's still creepy to think about.
He then fell silent, only saying indifferently, "Indeed, he has a handsome appearance. No wonder His Majesty chose him at first glance. Even I am tempted by him."
Upon hearing this, Chu Qingyin adopted an even more embarrassed expression, lowering her eyes and remaining silent.
Seeing that she didn't respond, Consort Ning had nothing more to say, and waved her hand, telling her to go back and sit down.
After a short while, Empress Wang inquired about the well-being of each of the new concubines, showing particular warmth and concern for Lu Mingzhu, the sister of the Grand Secretary. This made Lu Mingzhu noticeably proud, as if she had become the most outstanding among the new concubines.
Chu Qingyin remained unmoved, silently sipping her tea and thinking, it seems that not all members of the Lu family are as shrewd as Lu Zhiheng. How could that man have agreed to let Lu Mingzhu, such a fool who is easily flattered to death, enter the palace?
The concubines stayed in the Phoenix Palace for about half an hour before the Empress Wang dismissed them.
Chu Qingyin slowly left Fengyi Palace with the crowd, still feeling strange that her first time paying respects was so calm.
The thought had barely formed when a sharp, clear voice rang out behind me.
"Sister Qiao, wait a minute."