RPAGF Chapter 187 A Dream of Yellow Millet
Chapter 187 A Dream of Yellow Millet
That man, that supremely self-possessed and composed man, became so out of control the moment he saw that woman.
Wei Xiruo suddenly realized that years of marriage could not compare to the appearance of that woman.
Even though the woman was covered in mud and looked like a lowly commoner, at that moment, Wei Xiruo still lost, lost completely.
He took her back and disregarded all etiquette to make her a concubine. If it weren't for her frail health, he would have even given her the power to assist in managing the six palaces.
But what could Wei Xiruo do? She was just the empress, a woman in the harem. She couldn't control his thoughts, and she always had to pretend to be a sister with deep affection and magnanimity. That's what an empress should do.
At least, that woman doesn't look like she has many years left to live, and she can't have children, so she poses no threat to us.
It was just favoritism; which woman in the harem hadn't received favor for a day or two?
Having managed the harem for several years, Wei Xiruo had long seen through the fact that relying on beauty to serve others would not last, and that holding power was the most genuine thing.
She still carries the honor and favor of the entire Wei family, and in this position, she cannot do anything out of line.
But that woman, despite having endless pampering, was still not satisfied and wanted to have another child!
She had to get rid of a child who posed a threat to her son, her crown prince, just like she had done with Lady Luo!
A woman without any power base is destined not to live long in the harem. If Wei Xiruo doesn't need to take action, there are plenty of people who want to get rid of her.
But that man protected her too well, making it impossible for others to make a move. Wei Xiruo had no choice but to bribe the midwife who delivered the woman, so that she could make her move on the day the woman gave birth.
Only on that day will that man leave her side.
That woman was already in poor health, so it's understandable that she couldn't have a child. She was just a clown; once she died, she died.
So why is she now looking for another woman who looks exactly like that woman, and even making up such a flawless story?
Back then, she was just a legitimate daughter of the Wei clan, and she simply didn't have the power to wipe out the entire Luo clan. So she went to ask someone for help, and that person...
The Empress glanced at Wei Qing, who was looking at the woman and the Emperor with a meaningful gaze below, and her clenched hands suddenly relaxed.
……
I don't quite remember what happened that day, but I do know that I was kept in the palace and the emperor bestowed upon me the title of Consort Yun.
Later I learned that below the Empress was the Imperial Concubine, below the Imperial Concubine was the Consort, and below the Consort was the Concubine. There were several other ranks below me, but that was not something I needed to care about.
"Your Majesty, there is news about the matter you asked me to inquire about."
"Oh? How about it?"
"The Emperor's brother-in-law will be marrying General Zhi next month."
Next month?
I only heard half a month ago that Minister Wei asked His Majesty for a marriage decree, but I never heard of the date of the marriage. I never expected it to happen so quickly.
I stared at Tongguang Lake in a daze.
It's been a whole year already.
Before I knew it, someone else was standing behind me. I don't know how long that person stared at me, lost in thought, before finally speaking up: "Yun'er, what are you looking at so intently?"
I was startled to realize that all the servants around me had retreated, leaving only His Majesty standing behind me. I hurriedly stood up to bow to him, but he stopped me.
I then joked, "Your Majesty didn't even tell me you were coming, which made me feel impolite."
"Seeing that Yun'er was engrossed in watching, I didn't want to disturb her. Is Yun'er angry?"
"How could I dare to be angry with Your Majesty? Did Your Majesty just come over after the morning court session? I have prepared some snacks; would Your Majesty like to join us?"
Although I asked him beforehand, I still dragged him toward my residence, Qinxin Palace, regardless of whether he agreed or not.
He only patted my head affectionately and did not refuse.
In a year, I've grown to be like this with him, and I'm no longer as afraid of the aura he exudes as I was when we first met.
I know what kind of person he is, and I know what he likes.
Consort Duan left quite a few traces in the palace, but I don't want to become exactly like her.
She is very sensible and understanding, and doesn't like to argue. But I often act a little temperamental and try different ways to make her happy. She falls for it and stays at my place almost every day.
Having experienced poverty, one always finds the days of wealth all the more desirable.
No one in the harem has any say; only he, in the imperial court, has any say. That's why I tried my best to please him and hold him tightly.
As long as you are favored, you will be rich.
Even if those women in the harem wanted to harm me, they would have to think twice about their own worth.
Even after leaving the Imperial Brother-in-Law's residence, the poison in my body still flares up every three months, but it doesn't matter. There are many imperial physicians in the palace, and I have never thought of hiding it.
He was right beside me when the poison took effect, so I made up a random excuse to get rid of him and also managed to get him to find the best imperial physician to treat me.
But that person said that there was no cure for this poison, and even the best imperial physicians could not do anything about it, and could only concoct medicines to alleviate the symptoms.
This is exactly what I want.
It was just a one-night poisoning attack, nothing serious. In fact, it made the emperor feel even more sorry for me.
……
On the day Wei Qing and Zhi happy got married, in order to fulfill the friendship I had shared with them over the past few months, I also sent a small gift.
The emperor and empress were the ones attending the emperor's brother-in-law's residence; it had nothing to do with me, a mere concubine.
But on that day, I still locked myself up and got very drunk. Fortunately, the emperor wasn't there, so I could do whatever I wanted.
I thought this would be a complete farewell to the past, and that the days to come would surely be prosperous, peaceful, and long-lasting.
No longer do they have to toil under the sun and wind for a bite to eat, nor are they bound by the hardships of the past.
But I forgot that Tianhan Kingdom is just a small country here, its territory is not even one-fifth of Nan'an.
Six months after Wei Qing and Zhi happy got married, Da Liang and Qian Yue launched a joint invasion, and the emperor personally led the troops to fight them.
However, not long after the emperor set out on his campaign, the Xiaowu Battalion rebelled and marched straight to the gates of the imperial city. With no one in charge of the palace, chaos erupted both inside and outside the palace.
As the sounds of battle drew closer outside, the ministers and concubines under the Empress's command inside the tightly closed Renzheng Hall grew increasingly uneasy. The soldiers guarding the hall were also on high alert, all keeping a close watch on the entrance to the hall.
Today is the day the poison took effect. The palace had already prepared medicine to alleviate the symptoms, but I was brought here before I could bring it with me.
As dusk approached, my breathing became rapid, and my body gradually grew cold, but no one noticed my abnormality at that moment.
I desperately want to leave here. I absolutely cannot let so many people watch me have a breakdown here; that would be worse than death!
I tried to leave quietly from the back, but the door was suddenly broken open from the outside, and a group of soldiers in blood-stained armor rushed in.
"Ahhhhh!!!"
"Murder, murder!!!"
Chaos, bloodshed, and death—the pampered concubines had never witnessed such a scene before and were immediately terrified, scattering in all directions.
I was just about to take this opportunity to escape from this place when someone knocked me hard to the ground.
The onset of the poison made me dizzy and extremely weak. I struggled on the ground for a while but couldn't stand up. Suddenly, a blood-stained longsword appeared in front of me, pointing at me.
The person who possessed it was not wearing armor. All I could see was that the person's clothes were cleanly embroidered with patterns I couldn't understand, and even their shoes were spotless. They were so out of place with everything around them, reminding me of when I first met Thirteen at the Changqing Tower.
I slowly raised my head and saw the person I hadn't seen for a long time.
He always seemed to be on his deathbed, and only when he saw that person would his eyes light up with a different kind of brilliance.
Seeing him holding a long sword, looking down at me coldly, without a trace of his former warmth and tolerance in his eyes, I am not surprised to see him here.
"How pathetic, like a dog."
His words were as cold as ice, but I responded with a smile: "Really? Do I look terrible right now?"
Wei Qing was surprised that she remained so calm when she heard these words.