The First Empress - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Benevolence And Calamity
Three days later, Bu Linglong deliberately left early in the morning and evening to calm down. She handed over the “female lecture” to the Empress.

The Empress casually flipped through it and saw that the handwriting was graceful and dignified. She was somewhat surprised, “Bu Cairen’s handwriting is really good.”

Bu Linglong’s face was filled with a respectful smile, “The Empress praises me absurdly. How could this concubine’s petty skill enter the Empress’ noble eyes?”

The Empress smiled faintly, “This palace is not only interested in your elegant handwriting, but also in your modesty and solemnity. I will remember every word that this palace has said in my heart. Thus, although Concubine Rou’s position in Zhaoyang Palace that day was far higher than yours, this palace is willing to protect you and reprimand Concubine Rou for you.”

How could Bu Linglong not understand what the Empress meant? She immediately knelt down and said loudly, “It is a great blessing for me to have the Empress’s protection.”

‘”Pei Lan, hurry up and help Lord up.” The Empress’s pair of beautiful willow leaf eyes circled around Bu Linglong Fu’s body. She spoke in a much warmer tone than before. “Why does a beauty like her sister’s flower kneel on this ice-cold floor tile?”

It was as if Bu Linglong, who had been humiliated in front of everyone in Zhaoyang Hall three days ago, was no longer the “flower-like beauty”.

Bu Linglong stood up and acted as if she had completely forgotten the past. She said gratefully, “Thank you, Your Highness, for your concern.”

The empress ordered her maidservant to look at her makeup carefully in the bronze mirror. As she flicked the dust off her complicated phoenix robes, she said unintentionally, “Bu Cai Ren also knows that Blue Beauty has been waiting on her bed for three nights.”

Bu Linglong suddenly froze, forcefully suppressing the sadness in her heart. She continued calmly, “Blue Beauty is full of pet, and I envy her.”

“Is it just envy?” The Empress rolled her eyes and suddenly put down the jade comb in her hand. Her slender and plain hand raised Bu Linglong’s chin without warning. “My sister is elegant and beautiful, and she is young. Isn’t she a bit different? Why is she so much weaker than Concubine Lan?”

“Blue Beauty comes from a noble background. Her concubines are humble, so she is much weaker.”

“But when the Japanese Palace said that,” the Empress smiled, her dark eyes carrying a deep meaning. “The women in the palace serve the Emperor, regardless of whether they are big families or small families.”

Bu Linglong felt her heart beating faster and her cheeks were boiling hot. She guessed what the Empress meant. This meaning was already very clear. She did not need a very superb brain to comprehend it. However, she still did not understand why the Empress wanted to say these words to her.

It was easy for Chen Chongyi to understand that Chen Chongyi wasn’t favored at all. Being able to become the ninth concubine was only because of her seniority and the birth of Princess Baoluo. In this situation, she didn’t have much choice to protect Princess Baoluo and herself. The concubines who had a higher attachment status than her but were younger than her were still embarrassed and would not receive much attention. Only by personally nurturing a lowly young woman could they not forget the benefits of Chen Chongyi after that woman succeeded in gaining favor. They could rely on each other and rely on each other. Among the concubines of the younger generation, she was not familiar with the newcomers to the palace. Only Bu Linglong had some friendship with her in the palace, so everything she did was reasonable and there were traces to follow.

But the Empress was completely different.

The Empress was only twenty-five or sixteen years old this year, and she was still as beautiful as a flower. Even though they weren’t married to the Emperor, they raised their eyebrows and respected each other like guests. They didn’t lose their favor to the Emperor. Hearing what the Empress said, she first showed her willingness to reprimand Imperial Concubine Rou for protecting Bu Linglong, and then encouraged her to sit on equal footing with Concubine Lan, who came from a wealthy family. Such a grace was too gracious for the Empress, who was in charge of the entire harem.

And Bu Linglong admitted that she didn’t have anything special about her current self that made the harem lord flatter her so much.

Any invitation from someone else, if too sweet and beautiful, could not help but be reminded of a trap for beasts. Beneath the alluring delicacy, there was a sharp and deadly weapon hidden deep within. If he didn’t pay attention, his skin would be torn open and blood would flow everywhere.

However, for the current Bu Linglong, this invitation from the Empress of the Central Palace was a huge temptation.

In almost an instant, countless faces appeared before her eyes uncontrollably. She remembered the arrogant and charming Concubine Rou, Concubine Lan, who had just entered the palace and served for three consecutive nights. If one day, she could really be like them …

She remembered Princess Baoluo, who was always chasing after her in the palace and calling her “Sister Bu”, That child has the purest eyes and the whitest cheeks in the world. If she can help her in a few years, the emperor will give the decree to marry her to a gentle young genius. She will be peaceful and beautiful for the rest of her life, without the slightest hassle, just like the life she once yearned for but would never be able to get again …

She remembered her parents, who were thousands of miles away. Her father had been a rank eight county commandant in a remote county in Jiangzhou for more than ten years. Her mother was only forty years old, but she had already given birth to Chinese hair. The noble ladies in the capital, even if they were forty years old, were still dazzling and elegant due to their proper maintenance. If she could … the so-called’one person attains the Dao, chickens and dogs ascend to the heavens’, this principle had always been most vividly embodied in the golden harem.

Finally, she thought of him.

How wonderful would it be to be able to see him from now on?

There was no need to be in the side pavilion of the palace Within the empty inner hall of Qixia Palace, Day after day, After a long and pointless wait, She could laugh happily beside him, pour wine for him, cloth vegetables for him, and do all the trivial things that little girls did for her husband. She would gradually get used to the heavy ambergris between his sleeves … Unknowingly, she slowly immersed herself in it, and a hint of a young girl’s bashful blush quietly climbed up her cheek.

“Bu Cai Ren, what are you thinking? You’re so distracted.”

Bu Linglong was suddenly shocked. Her panicked gaze coincided with the Empress’ interested smile. She suddenly realized that the Empress was still waiting for her answer.

She found that she had to use all her strength to resist the great temptation. It was as if a cup of rich and mellow dove wine was placed beside her lips, and she warned herself over and over again that, at least, she could not drink it immediately.

“This concubine is very grateful to the Empress for her teachings. However …” She deliberately said in a timid tone, “This concubine is used to being humble. I wonder if I can afford the Empress’s nurturing …”

The Empress gave her a sidelong glance. “No problem, Concubine Bu can go back and think about it. Anyway, I’m not in a hurry.” Perhaps it was Bu Linglong’s illusion, but she seemed to hear the Empress deliberately bit down on the word “Ben Gong”.

The Empress stood up and was supported by two palace maids. She had the most noble makeup and the most complicated palace attire. This woman from a famous family who was in the middle palace indeed had an extraordinary aura of dignity.

“Follow me to the outer hall, Bu Cai Ren. It’s time for morning and evening to calm down.”

After dawn and dusk, Bu Linglong sat in a small sedan chair and slowly walked back. Just as she was chatting with the accompanying Qin’er on some trivial topics, she saw the eunuch of the Qixia Palace, Xiao Nuozi, running over breathlessly.

Bu Linglong’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she couldn’t help but ask, “What happened? Why are you so flustered?”

Xiao Nuo Zi respectfully said to Qian’er, “If you want to return to Little Master, please hurry back to Qixia Palace. Princess Bao Luo has come. She has been waiting for you for a while!”