The Job Of An Imperial Concubine

72

TJOAIC 72 – SCHEME

“Beloved Concubine is in high spirits today.”　　

At that moment, Zhuang Laoyan looked back. She stood underneath the sunlight, gazing at the emperor who stood underneath the shade of a tree. A bright smile lit up her face. She went forward and saluted. “This concubine greets Your Majesty.”　　

After the emperor relieved her from paying respects, Zhuang Laoyan pulled at the string of the kite, looking at the emperor with her head tilted. “If Your Majesty also wants to play with a kite, this concubine has another one. But this concubine doesn’t really like that kite. Perhaps Your Majesty would fancy such a bold and powerful kind.”　　

Full of interest, Feng Jin said, “Oh, what kind of kite is it?”

Fu Bao, who was attending to them on the side, hurried to present it. Feng Jin casually glanced at it, and broke into a laugh at once. Originally, he had thought it would be in the shape of a tiger or lion. Who would have guessed it would be a reddish-brown Ferghana horse?　　　　

“Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. Naturally, the Son of Heaven supervises the world. To steer an insignificant Ferghana horse should be of no difficulty,” said Zhuang Laoyan, laughing and pleased with herself. “Furthermore, the Ferghana horse this concubine is giving Your Majesty will fly. This is the celestial horse of the legends. The Son of Heaven with a celestial horse is precisely a match made in heaven.”　　 

 “This is the first time We have heard ‘match made in heaven’ used like this.” Feng Jing received the kite. Carefully looked at it. Somewhat disliking it, he said, “Which slave drew this? The horse’s belly is as round as pig’s.”　　

As soon as those words had left his lips, the expressions of Tingzhu and Fu Bao grew strange.　　

Catching a clue from their expressions, Feng Jin felt the corners of his lips twitch. He played with the kite’s string. Recalled the beautiful drawing of Consort Ning. This drawing of Zhuang Laoyan was truly a bit unpleasant for the eyes. Although he thought this, Feng Jin said, “It’s a bit fatter than usual, but still looks sturdy. As expected, celestial horses are different from the horses of the mortal realm.”　　　　

This time, Gao Dezhong was the person whose expression grew strange. His small eyes could not help but take a few more glances at that Ferghana horse. He sighed with emotion in his heart. Fortunately, Xianrong Zhao shamelessly called it a celestial horse. It’d be more appropriate to call it acelestial pig. No wonder Xianrong Zhao did not use this kite; she had found it ugly. In this way, the emperor could still find a way to console Xianrong Zhao about this drawing skill that was too horrible to endure. One would fear only the emperor had this ability.　

On a spring day with such lovely sunshine and the leaves of a willow stirring gently in the wind, a handsome man and a beautiful woman intimately basked in the sun as they set kites in the sky. It should be considered a beautiful scene. However, what flew in the sky were not a dragon and a phoenix, but a fine horse and a peacock. As such, others found it more natural.　　　　

“It’s falling, it’s falling! Your Majesty needs to run more, or the horse won’t by flying anymore.　　

“Faster, faster, run toward the left! There’s wind.”　　

Gao Dezhong watched in silence as Xianrong Zhao ordered the emperor around. And the emperor was actually smiling. In the end, Gao Dezhong could only slowly, slowly avert his gaze. He truly did not want to admit that the emperor was actually happy being ordered around by an imperial concubine.　　

If Zhuang Laoyan knew what he was thinking, she would tell Gao Dezhong that this was the contemptible personality of the legends. And some men, who hid this innate aspect of themselves, would see this aspect revealed once others hit them.