The First Empress - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Qixia
On the 18th day of the 3rd month of the 1st year of Ningde, the sky was high and clouds were dim. The Warbler Flying Grass grew long, and it was an auspicious day to celebrate a joyous occasion.

The first draft after the new emperor of the Great Calendar Dynasty ascended to the throne began in an orderly manner on this sunny day.

At dawn, Outside the Yong’an Palace of Ming Zi Palace, who had chosen to watch the beautiful women, there were already neatly lined up women of the right age from all over the country, All of them wore beautiful makeup and smiled like flowers. They only hoped that the beautiful appearance they had worked hard to create would slightly affect the heart of the current Sage. In this way, they would be able to leave behind a token and become one of the concubines in this enormous harem. They would ascend to the heavens step by step and enjoy endless wealth and glory.

At the same time, the atmosphere in the other palaces in the harem was as cold as ice today-after all, every woman chosen in this draft would one day compete for the kindness of their current concubines, and they were undoubtedly younger and fresher, like the first blooming flowers in an imperial garden, so easily capturing the emperor’s unfathomable heart.

The current Emperor was the third prince of the previous Emperor, Huiqi. He was thirty years old when he ascended the throne. When the Emperor was the Prince, he had many pet concubines. These concubines had already fought heaven and earth in the Prince’s Mansion. Now, the outcome of the battle in the Prince’s Mansion was still undecided, but many new beauties were about to pour in. How could they not make the concubines of the various palaces itch with anger?

Qixia Palace, Yunluan Palace.

Qin’er carefully helped her master to the courtyard and admired the well-opened Western Palace Haitang in the corner of the courtyard. After a moment of silence, Qin’er couldn’t help but whisper, “Little Lord, today is the big day of the talent show.”

Bu Linglong pursed her lips and said indifferently, “So what?”

Qin’er glanced at Bu Linglong. Seeing that her expression was calm and did not seem to be unhappy, she was bold and puzzled, “I heard that … the empress of the various palaces are very angry. The Emperor has only been on the throne for three months, and yet such a large-scale talent selection has taken place. Isn’t Little Lord … angry?”

Bu Linglong’s gaze was still fixed on the blooming flower Haitang. After a long silence, Fang Cui sneered, “Qin’er, anyone in the palace can be angry, jealous, or even run to the Emperor to play coquettish and foolish. Only I can’t.” I’m the only one who doesn’t have the qualifications. Look at them. Which one of them isn’t from an aristocratic clan and has the friendship with the Emperor in the palace. So, they all hold the position of Palace Master. They have sealed the position of Madam, Consort, and at worst, the position of Ninth Concubine. Even if the new beautiful woman enters the palace, she will not pass them for a while. But what about me? I only entered the palace a year before the death of the previous emperor. I am just a concubine of the last rank. I am not liked by the emperor, and my family background is poor. They don’t even bother to look for me when they are fighting-even a maid serving the emperor for the night is more important than me. What right do you think I have to be jealous? ”

Qin’er’s expression suddenly changed. She hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed to Bu Linglong repeatedly, “Little Lord, forgive me! It’s all my fault. This servant’s words made Little Lord feel uncomfortable. Please don’t take it to heart …”

“Don’t be afraid. I’m not angry. If you weren’t my personal maid, I naturally wouldn’t have told you this. Qin’er, you grew up with me. Father and mother are thousands of miles away, and the road to the palace will be difficult in the future. You’re the only one beside me.” Bu Linglong raised her eyebrows and helped Qin’er up.

Qin ‘Er blessed her body and cried, “Little Lord treats Qin’ Er well. Qin ‘Er will definitely return the favor to Little Lord.” After thinking for a while, she cautiously comforted Bu Linglong, “Actually … the Emperor also has a Little Lord in his heart. Although he only granted the position of a talented person, he still gave the Little Lord the right to live in Qixia Palace alone. Even though the Little Lord does not have the title of Palace Lord, he truly holds the power of a Palace Lord!”

Bu Linglong smiled bitterly, not knowing that Qin’er was racking her brains to comfort herself. Qixia Palace, where the sunset glow rests, It doesn’t sound like an auspicious name. It’s even more remote in the southwest corner of the harem. Moreover, she’s only a rank six genius. It’s not a good name to be in charge of a palace. If any of the newcomers can be favored and become ninth concubines or above, I’m afraid she’ll have to obediently give up Cloud Phoenix Main Hall and retreat to live in a remote palace …

But these words were not good to say to Qin’er anymore. Bu Linglong pondered for a while, and her mood became even more depressed. Even the blooming Haitang could no longer arouse the slightest bit of interest in her. She felt depressed in her heart and said to Qin’er, “I’m tired of watching flowers. Follow me to the hall to rest for a while.”

“Imperial Concubine Chong Yi has arrived–”

Bu Linglong was shocked and hurriedly went out to greet the woman on the carriage. She bowed to the woman and said, “Concubine greets Consort Chongyi.”

The woman on the carriage smiled and helped the eunuch out of the carriage. She said affectionately to Bu Linglong, who was deeply blessed, “Little sister, quickly get up. Our friendship will stop making these false articles.”

After saying that, he scolded the palace maids and eunuchs who were serving beside him, “All of you, wait in the courtyard. This palace has a conversation with the younger sister of the talented.”

This imperial concubine who came to visit Bu Linglong was surnamed Chen. She was not dressed luxuriously. She was only dressed in an ordinary palace dress that conformed to the etiquette. She was also dressed in the most ordinary Suiyun bun in the palace. Her appearance was no longer young. In her thirties, she was exactly the same age as the current Emperor. Although there wasn’t anything wrong with her hair bun, her words and actions made people feel somewhat dispirited.

After entering the Cloud Phoenix Palace, Chen Chongyi and Bu Linglong sat down at the main seats respectively. After Qin’er served tea, she left knowingly. The entire palace was quiet to the point of emptiness.

After a long time, Chen Chongyi took a sip of tea and faintly said to Bu Linglong, “Concubine Bu, listen, the Ming Zi Palace is so lively.”

Actually, Qixia Palace was very far away from Ming Zi Palace. No matter how much joy Ming Zi Palace had, it would not be able to spread to Qixia Palace in the slightest. Bu Linglong naturally understood what Chen Chongyi meant. She lowered her eyebrows and said, “Your Highness, after the emperor ascends the throne, this kind of liveliness will come sooner or later.”

“Yes.” Chen Chongyi smiled solemnly. “Little sister, I still remember that when you first entered the palace a year ago, you were only seventeen years old. Alone, you brought along a maidservant and a bag of luggage and were carried to the side door of the palace in a small sedan chair by the people in the palace.” I looked at you the other day and thought that my Luo’er was already twelve years old, not much younger than you. Luo’er was still a naive child who didn’t understand anything, but you were already sent to this courtyard and couldn’t be free for the rest of your life. ”

Bu Linglong’s heart ached, and she forcefully endured the tears that were gradually spreading in her eyes, “Your Highness, you’re joking. Princess Baoluo’s golden branches and jade leaves are rich in blessings, and I, a concubine concubine, am not comparable to you.”

However, Chen Chongyi did not seem to hear Bu Linglong’s compliments. He continued, “A year ago, in the previous Imperial Draft, all the beautiful ladies who left behind their tokens were accepted into the palace. Only you were given to our Emperor as a concubine, and our Emperor happened to be …” She paused for a moment. A light flashed in his pitch-black eyes, “At that time, everyone was secretly laughing at you, saying that you were blessed, saying that you were mediocre, so much so that the previous emperor left you a token and regretted it …”

“But look at now!” Her tone suddenly changed, and her voice suddenly exploded in Bu Linglong’s ears like a thunderclap!

“Look at this, no one expected the previous emperor to control Bin Tian without warning, and no one expected our emperor to ascend to the throne smoothly. “You are currently living in the Qixia Palace, Concubine Bu personally sealed by the Emperor. However, the girls chosen with you at that time have already moved to the Shouning Palace and become widowed concubines. Think about how many eighteen-year-old concubines there are in the Shouning Palace!”

Bu Linglong suddenly raised her head and stared fixedly at the high-ranking concubine beside her, who was no longer young. Her words were almost like a bucket of cold water pouring into her pocket, causing her to suddenly become enlightened, instantly dispelling all the self-pity in her heart.

Bu Linglong trembled and said, “Your Highness …”

Chen Chongyi took a sip of tea and put on a faint smile, “Does little sister still feel sad for herself?”

Bu Linglong stood up solemnly and bowed to Chen Chongyi in a big bow, “Thank you so much, Your Highness, for bringing up this matter. It is a blessing to be relied on, and a blessing to be hidden. Compared to the concubines in Shouning Palace, concubines and concubines do not dare to feel sad.”

“Good boy, that’s right.” Chen Chongyi touched Bu Linglong’s dark hair and pondered for a moment before shaking a golden hairpin to her hair. “You’re only eighteen this year. You’re as old as a flower. Even compared to the newcomers, you’re no different. Sister is old and can’t keep the Emperor. Sister wants you to do this for Sister, okay?”

“But …” Bu Linglong stammered, her cheeks flushed red. “Back in the palace, the emperor didn’t like me …”

“At that time, the Emperor was too busy. It was normal for him not to pay attention to you.” Chen Chongyi said, “It’s different now. Your temperament is quiet and docile, and your appearance is outstanding. As long as you dress up properly, how can the Emperor not like it?”

“Besides” Chen Chongyi’s gaze fell into the distance. In an instant, Her eyes couldn’t help but turn red. “If the emperor is only a prince for the rest of his life, I wouldn’t force my sister to fight for favor, But the Emperor is now the Son of Heaven, Luo’er also became a princess, In the previous dynasty, there were too many princesses who were ignored and married far away to barbarians at the age of marriage, I don’t want my Luo’er to end up like that in the future … “Her voice gradually became choked with a trace of fear for her future fate, as well as a sense of helplessness towards herself.” I am a mother’s incompetence, “I can’t be spoiled by the Emperor, so I have to think selfishly. If my sister gets spoiled in the future, at least I can protect Luo’er a little …”

Bu Linglong was silent for a long time. If Chen Chongyi’s previous words were meant to restore Bu Linglong’s confidence, then her final words were sincere words from the bottom of her heart. She was determined to nurture Bu Linglong, not because of her status and glory, nor because Bu Linglong was ignored and looked at pitifully. She was just an ordinary mother who planned for her only daughter.

In that year, only little Baoluo didn’t discriminate against Bu Linglong. She was so naive, She was like Bu Linglong’s younger sister at home, playing behind Bu Linglong every day. Bu Linglong couldn’t watch as this little girl, who was as pure as sheep’s fat jade, married away and suffered the devastation of the wind and sand for her entire life. At the same time, she couldn’t watch as she was like the concubines of the Shouning Palace. In her most beautiful years, she was destined to die silently without anyone’s attention …

She can’t.

So she smiled, her smile gentle like a quiet full moon: “Concubine, I am very willing to do my best for Princess Bao Luo.”

A satisfied expression appeared on Chen Chongyi’s face, “Little sister, rest early. This palace will leave first. There will be a long time to come, and there will still be many times when you are tempted.”

Under the setting sun, Chen Chongyi’s figure gradually disappeared into the afterglow of the setting sun. The sunset glow on the horizon winded and lingered, merging with the 30m tall palace wall on the ground. It was as bright red as blood, covering up countless plots and killing intent within the red wall.