A Mistaken Marriage Match: Mysteries in the Imperial Harem

Chapter 63: Sounding Out

"With the acceptance of the Mandate of Heavens, the Emperor has decreed that Imperial Concubine Qing from the family Qing, has respectful, harmonious and respectful virtues and is warm, charming, and virtuous. Zhen is comforted that the Imperial ancestral are pleased and she had gave birth to a son. Today, my son is full month old, the name: Zhi and Chu Xiu Palace are bestowed upon him. By the Emperor himself."

In the third quarter of Sishi (modern timing: 9 – 11am), the morning court has ended and the Imperial Decree was immediately sent into Qing Feng Hall. As the eunuch from Imperial household affairs read out the Imperial Decree in his sharp voice, the main mistress just froze there motionless as she knelt on the floor, unsure if she was overjoyed or was not even listening.

Ru Yi knelt behind Qing Feng and hearing not a single movement for quite some time, she quietly looked up and saw her own Mistress staring at the floor and not the Imperial Decree or thanking for the honour. The steward gonggong from the Imperial household affairs held the decree out but did not dare to call her and gave a perplexed look on how to proceed. Ru Yi tookd a small step forward and softly advised, "Your Ladyship?"

Qing Feng was slightly startled and quickly recovered to her senses and took a while before speaking, "Thanking the grace of the Emperor. May the Emperor long live."

Qing Feng replied dispiritedly but fortunately she had said her thanks. Wu Gonggong gave a sigh of relief in his hard and quickly passed the decree to Qing Feng's hands and knelt down to greet, "Congratulations to Imperial Concubine Qing. Congratulations to Prince Zhi."

Ru Yi supported Qing Feng to the living area to sit down at the main seat. Qing Feng placed the Imperial decree casually by the side table and coldly said, "All withdraw."

"Yes." After giving a bow, Wu Rong immediately exited the house. He has been working in the Palace for almost all his life and had served many mistresses but this Imperial Concubine Qing was the most bizarre one he had seen. Today it's the big day of the Emperor's bestowment but she had a cold and lethargic expression. It would seem that this was a Mistress that was hard to serve.

When the roomful of people withdrew, only Shen Yao was left in the inner chambers coaxing the Little Prince. Qing Feng was still uncommunicative and just sat that with a unusual cool expression. Her Ladyship had sat overnight, was she not tired? Seeing the Imperial Decree on the side table, Ru Yi lightly smiled and said, "Your Ladyship, the word 'Zhi' that the Emperor bestowed is good. It must be meant 'true love' (pronounce as Zhi Ai)!"

Qing Feng's dark expressing eyes slightly raised and her lips slightly arched but it was not like a normal smile. Thinking back on the past few days, he did not even come over to take a glance at both mother and son. True love? Why be so pretentious. Zhi... It also has the meaning of "seizing", who really knew what his heart was thinking. The most difficult thing to guess was a monarch's mind and now she did not want to guess. She was waiting. Waitng for Fu Ling to give her an answer.

"Your Ladyship..."

"Bengong wants some peace. You go in and take care of the Little Prince."

Ru Yi still wanted to say more things to make her happier a little but Qing Feng's cold voice interrupted her words, so Ru Yi can only quietly retreated back to the inner chambers. When she just entered, she saw Shen Yao feeding the Little Price. As Ru Yi was still an unmarried young lady, she immediately turn her face the other side and naturally did not see Shen Yao placing something quietly back to her sleeves.

Qing Feng never knew that the greatest suffering in the world was actually waiting. Facing with the eagerness to know the answer yet also scared, as the time pass, she felt more fear. Not even that night in the Imperial Prisons or the attempted suicide at the ruined temple had she felt that life was so difficult.