To be a Virtuous Wife

Chapter Sixty Nine

Chapter Sixty Nine

"Your Majesty, are you going to flip a name tonight?" The taijian from the Department of Household Affairs, who was responsible for the daily life of the Emperor, presented the placards of the feipin to the Emperor. On the tray were the fish-shaped signs which represented the status of each concubine.

Qing De Emperor finished reading the message that lao er had presented. He didn't look at the signs and put the folder gently on the table, "Tonight, zhen is going to Zhong Jing Palace. Jing guifei has been worried about Duan Wang's wounds these days. She has lost a lot of weight recently, zhen has to go check on her."

"Yes," The taijian in charge of recording the life of the Emperor wrote down the Emperor's words and bowed as he left.

Qing De Emperor felt that even though the one he loved was Shu guifei, Jing guifei was a clever pearl and a satisfying confidant. When he was irritated, he liked to go sit at Jing guifei's palace. Thinking about the worry Jing guifei had gone through these past days, he felt bad.

Everyone had seen the heightened attentions the Emperor had given Duan Wang and Jing guifei recently. So when the Emperor went to Jing guifei's place, no one was surprised. It was only Shu guifei, after hearing of the incident, who reacted by smashing a cup.

"Wei shi, that slut," Shu guifei gasped for breath before speaking to He Yuan sitting below her, "Yuan'er, now that lao da has fallen, you have to take advantage of the opportunity and not let Wei shi and her son sneak in."

"Don't worry, mufei. Even if they wanted to, they have to see if fuhuang thinks they are worthy. Jing guifei has played so many tricks, but doesn't fuhuang still love you the most?" He Yuan condescended, "lao er always like to act as though he's so sanctimonious. Some always fall for it."

Shu guifei furrowed her brow: "You cannot underestimate Duan Wang. He is regarded as important by the Emperor. He must have some skill. Wei shi, that whore, isn't as favoured as me, but after so many years, the Emperor still hasn't forgotten her. Even her position isn't lower than mine. You have to be careful of that mother and son's tricks."

He Yuan finished listening and objected unhappily: 'As long as fuhuang isn't willing, it's futile, no matter what tricks they use."

Shu guifei opened and then closed her mouth. Even though she felt that, over the years, the Emperor had been using his heart to care for her, and because of her complaint, he hadn't allowed any other woman of the hougong to have children, she didn't know why she still felt very insecure deep inside presently.

"Tomorrow, you are holding a flower-admiration banquet at your fu. Get your wife to become intimate with Jin An Princess. She may not have actual power, but she is the Emperor's first daughter. The feelings are naturally different," Shu guifei raised the teacup to take a drink, "The year she married, the Emperor didn't care about the objections of the officials of the Ministry of Rites and gave her the title of Princess Royal. No one else can compare to this kind of favouritism from the Emperor."

In the Da Long Dynasty, the previous Princess Royals had mostly been the sisters of the Emperor. Almost none had been given to the daughter, but the Emperor gave it anyway. He had even posthumously titled Qin pin, who had given birth to He Gui Nian and died as huang guifei.[i] It could be seen just how important He Gui Nian was to the Emperor.

"Qin shi's conduct is too proud. This son really has nothing to say to her," Thinking of Qin Bai Lu, He Yuan unhappily complained, "If I knew she was this kind of woman beforehand, mufei should have let me marry Qu shi instead. She's better than an uninteresting woman like Qin Bai Lu."

"Ridiculous!" Shu guifei was proud, but even she knew that He Yuan's words were outrageous, "What is the position of Qu shi? What status does Qin shi have? Behind Qin shi is the Qin Family which is revered by many scholars. When you married her, you received the support of the Qin Clan. How could that fox-spirit Qu shi help you? Just the conduct of Chang De Gong Fu, if they didn't make any more trouble, it would be good fortune. And right now, she is your er sao, you cannot say this again!"