The Job Of An Imperial Concubine

21

TJOAIC 21 – ONE NIGHT (一夜)

Zhuang Laoyan’s vision had yet to clear when her sedan suddenly shook. Once the strong eunuchs carrying the sedan had lowered it to the ground, said eunuchs and the palace maids escorting her all dropped to their knees.

So-called beautiful women weren’t only beautiful in appearance. So were their bearing and manner.　　

Feng Jin watched the woman in splendid attire sway as she rose from the sedan, her eyes moist and hazy. She seemed tipsy and silly, giving off a different impression than she did typically. 　　

“This concubine greets Your Majesty,” said Zhuang Laoyan, performing the full ceremony. Lifting her head in a slightly drunk manner, she caught the moment that the emperor approached. He reached out and held her hand. She staggered, but did not conveniently fall into the emperor’s chest. After swaying for a bit, she found her balance. However, she seemed to squeeze the emperor’s hand without realizing it.　　

If she had conveniently fell into his chest, it would seem fake. But what she had done just now would appear sincere to this emperor who had interacted with many women in the past. At this moment, Zhuang Laoyan’s mind was still clear even though her body did not look it. “Your Majesty, this concubine has acted without propriety.” 　

“Beloved concubine is drunk.” Feng Jin smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. “We naturally will not find fault in you.”

The woman in his arms shook her head. Poked his chest. “This concubine is not drunk. It’s Your Majesty that is moving too much. This concubine cannot see your honored self clearly.”

“Do you not normally see Us clearly?” 

“Having a longer look is fine.” The woman shook her head again. Her tone now carried a trace of complaint. “This concubine has not seen Your Majesty for a few days.”

Oh my! This Chongyi Zhao was drunk to the point of forgetting propriety! The moment Gao Dezhong, who was standing behind the emperor, saw this kind improper scene, he quickly knelt. And so did the servants behind him. 　　

As his surroundings grew silent and still, Feng Jin suddenly broke out into a light laugh. He thrust an arm underneath the dazed beauty’s legs and lifted her in a princess carry. Then he spun on his heel and returned to his Imperial Palanquin¹. “Make for Taoyu Pavilion.”

At the start of this scene, Tingzhu and Yunxi had been sweating. Now, they let out a breath of relief, before rising to their feet and following along.

Right after the emperor princess-carried Zhuang Laoyan, she came to this conclusion: the scene in T.V. dramas where the male lead princess-carried the female lead was very reliable. She was surprised that an emperor who had enjoyed a luxurious life would actually carry person in such a way. 

Pretending that she was reluctant to leave his embrace, she rubbed her cheeks on the imperial robes, dragons embroidered into the silk with golden thread. Even after experiencing many women, he still possessed a great body. This emperor should have worked hard to maintain this.

“Your Highness, word has it that the tipsy Chongyi Zhao met the emperor on her way back to her residence,” Lingsha said to Noble Consort Shu once she had chanced on those news, not wasting time. “The emperor has already arrived at Taoyu Pavilion.”

“Today is her birthday. That His Majesty paid her a visit is normal.” Su Ruzi held a pair of scissors in her hand, trimming the leaves and branches of the plant before her. “Tonight, perhaps the person who will have the hardest time falling asleep is the master of Linyue Pavilion.”