The Promotion Record of a Crown Princess

54- 60: Princesses

Lv Li, who had been waiting by the lamp, was very much surprised when she saw me coming back alone. When she heard about me turning down the bet proposed by Qi Sheng, she was beyond disbelief and exclaimed like a teacher reprimanding a dim-witted student, "Your Majesty, don't you get it? That's not a bet. That's his commitment to you!"

"Yeah, I thought so, too," I nodded and raised up my leg so as to enjoy Lv Li's massage, "So what? Would you have believed him?"

Not knowing how to answer that question, Lv Li thought for a while and decided to change the topic, "You Majesty, are you serious about choosing beauties for the Emperor?"

I was jolted out of my thought when I heard this and with a thud on the bed, I exclaimed, "Of course. I am dead serious."

Lv Li replied, "Your Majesty, I think it's a waste of time. We won't be able to pick anyone good, other than a few vixens sent over by the Empress Dowager who might want to take this opportunity to plant someone in here to spy on us. People from other palaces are worse than our kitchen maids."

I was struck dumb by this remark, "Really? Surely they won't  send over unpresentable ones to serve the emperor, right?

Lv Li didn't answer and simply curled her lips.

Unsurprisingly, a group of candidates sent by the Empress Dowager came to my palace first the next day. There were roughly seven or eight of them, and all of high quality. Some of them were as plump as porcelains and some of them were thin as willow trees, and they all lined up in front of me.

The senior maid who brought them here gave me a flattering smile and said, "The Empress Dowager said that you could choose whoever you like."

I was in a good mood and with a wave of my hand I commanded, "They all look fine. I shall keep them all."

The senior maid was overwhelmed with joy and started complimenting me in whatever ways she could think of and then left, looking pleased.

Then came a succession of "beauties" sent from other palaces that looked nowhere near the word "beautiful". And that Concubine Huang even went as far as sending over the ugliest maid she could find.

I could not help but feel impressed by how unyielding a woman Concubine Huang was.

Lv Li, on the other hand, was greatly offended; she gritted her teeth and said, "Your Majesty, what does she want? Why would she do that?"

Sensing her anger, I turned around and consoled her, "Calm down. When they send over the pretty ones, you felt angry, and when they send over the ugly ones, you still take offense. Why?"

Lv Li took a deep breath as if she was trying to rein in her anger.

Xie Yi who stood nearby was obviously enjoying this and she quickly cut in, "Your Majesty, this is never about appearances. This is about Concubine Huang being disrespectful towards you!"

I cast a displeased look at Xie Yi, "Well, being a professional spy that you are, I would expect more from you than a useless attempt to fan the flames. Better save your energy and take more trips to the Youlan Hall if you are so bored."

Upon hearing these words, Xie Yi's face turned ashen and immediately dropped to her knees. She pleaded with a crying face and kept kowtowing to me, "That's not fair, Your Majesty! I'm wronged. Ever since I came here, I have never once set foot outside this palace! I have changed. I swear! I am loyal to you, Your Majesty!"

Well, though she kept crying, tears gushing out of her eyes, she made herself quite clear. It seems that she has got the trick of acting from Lv Li. And with this thought, I turned to Lv Li and said, "you are such a great teacher."