Treacherous Living in the Imperial Harem

Chapter 94 - Mao” meant to be diligent and was sounded similar to 'mao” (cat)



In the evening, when Yun Fenghuang was yawning, Emperor Chunjia came late.

“My Majesty, is the dessert made by Aunt Zhu delicious?” When she heard a maid’s report, she put on silk shoes and went out to greet him with her long hair falling down. “If it’s delicious, I will go to the Imperial Kitchen to ask for similar ones.”

The Emperor glanced at her, frowning slightly, “Look at you now.”

“What’s the matter?” Yun Fenghuang took a strand of long hair around her fingertip, and looked innocent. She said, “My Majesty, do you mean that I do not bind my hair? This is because it’s so late. I thought that you would not come. Hearing the report of your coming, I am so happy and excited that I couldn’t wait for tidying up my appearance.”

She was beautiful, with fair and smooth skin. Her black long hair was falling down to her knees. Perhaps because she just washed her hair, the Emperor could smell her freshness when she got close.

Because of this freshness and her black eyes, it seemed that she had been infiltrated by the mountain spring water. She was refreshing, bright and beautiful. She seemed to be warm, but actually she was cunning.

Emperor Chunjia stopped. He remembered the cat he teased on the roadside two days ago. It was also very cute. With jewel-like eyes, the cat proactively came to him, letting him touch and hug. It called softly. However, after eating the two pieces of pastry carried with him, the cat pretended not to know him and then left indifferently.

With a smile in his plain eyes, he suddenly stretched out his hand and ruffled her hair.

Unexpectedly, Yun Fenghuang turned her head subconsciously to hide him, smiled and asked, “What are you doing, My Majesty?”

“Is there any tributary rose hair oil?” The Emperor did not answer her, but asked Yan Yin who was following him.

Yan Yin bowed his head and said, “There are still some.”

“Take half of it to Pin Yun.” Emperor Chunjia nodded, “Do it later.”

Then Emperor Chunjia walked into the inner room first. Yun Fenghuang was stunned. She checked her long hair and confirmed that it was smooth. There was no problem. She took several deep breaths, and resisted her desire to ask him that was her hair so bad that he gave her hair oil on the spot?!

“… He must be jealous of me!” She thought to herself.

She thought angrily, grinding her teeth before walking in. She smiled and said, “My Majesty, may I help you to take off your crown?”

Taking the opportunity to take off his crown, she grabbed the Emperor’s hair and touched. She was even angrier to find that his hair quality was not worse than hers.

It just did not make sense!!!

This must be false!

This must be impossible!

Yun Fenghuang let down the Emperor’s hair and was about to continue to pretend to be gentle and virtuous. However, the Emperor asked lazily, “I just awarded you. Why are you unhappy again?”

“I am happy!” Yun Fenghuang looked up and saw the Emperor looking at her from the mirror. Apparently, the Emperor saw the scene clearly and completely. She curled her lips and then said hypocritically, “My Majesty, I am so glad that you can come to see me. Therefore, I am reluctant to put your hair down. I have to force myself to make up my mind.”

Then she smiled to the mirror with no sincerity. Before the Emperor could see it clearly, she was instantly expressionless.

The Emperor sighed and said, “If you didn’t meet me, I am afraid that you, as a concubine, would be killed.”

“You just think that I have a good temper and I do not punish you for various reasons, so you act boldly.” He thought.

“My Majesty, you are wrong.” Yun Fenghuang reminded him, “If you were not is in place, perhaps I would not be lucky enough to join the Imperial Harem!”

“If you were not so incapable, I would not even need to join the Imperial Harem.” She thought to herself.

Emperor Chunjia thought with a straight face, “Well, Sure enough! Pin Yun is still that Pin Yun.”

“… It hurts.”

“I want to kill her.”

“My Majesty, is Mr. Deng your trusted follower?” Perhaps she was aware of his resentments, so she suddenly smiled, fell on his shoulder, and sweetly asked.

Emperor Chunjia glanced at her, and said, “Why do you ask about this? Do you want to remind the Empress?”

“It is impossible!” Yun Fenghuang swore, “I love you deeply. Am I the person who will betray you?”

When she said that, she thought, “Yes, I am!”

“Of course, I am!”

“You are!” The Emperor said without hesitation, “You’ve been trying to sell me out since you joined the Imperial Harem.”

Yun Fenghuang sighed, “It was because I didn’t know anything when I was young…”

Emperor Chunjia was angry but also felt delighted, “May I ask you how long you have been in the palace?”

“Missing you one day is like being separated for three autumns.” Yun Fenghuang once again refreshed his awareness of her shamelessness. She said reasonably, “I had been grounded in Small Ying Zhou for several days. My Majesty, you can count that how many years I have spent in the Imperial Harem.”

“… Why do you ask about Deng Yueting?” The Emperor said nothing for a moment, reached out a hand and pinched her face lightly. He coughed and changed the topic, “You asked his jade pendant last time. I haven’t questioned you about that. Now you want to push your luck, right?”

Seeing that Yun Fenghuang was about to speak, he set his face against her and said, “Do not say that jade pendant is hidden by Xi Le.”

Yun Fenghuang said sorrowfully, “This is… a big thing. I’m worried that if he is unreliable, he will spill the beans…”

After all, Ji’s Family suffered such a big loss this time, and failed to prevent the Emperor from taking over the reins of government. If Ji’s Family knew the truth, even if Yun Fenghuang indirectly gave the Emperor a false testimony without knowing the truth, Ji’s Family would definitely not let her go!

If it were not for her to be calm, perhaps she would be exposed when she was in Yan Fu Palace.

Therefore, there was no way. Like the Emperor, Yun Fenghuang now also hoped that the death of Duchess Ye would not be related to him.

He chuckled, “You do not believe him? Actually, I don’t believe you.”

“Therefore, he will never betray you. My Majesty, is that right?” Yun Fenghuang straightened her body slightly, supporting her cheeks with one hand and leaning her elbow on the Emperor’s shoulder, rolled her eyes, and smiled, “Then I am relieved. After all, I’m so worried about you, My Majesty.”

Emperor Chunjia grabbed her arms with a spurious smile, pulled her to let her sit on his lap. He reached an arm around her waist, then raised her chin, and softly asked, “What do you worry about me, huh?”

“I am worried that you will not like me anymore!” She said. Of course, she was worried that he could not control Deng Yueting. If Deng Yueting revealed the truth, she would be implicated by him! Yun Fenghuang said good words easily, “I am still worried that when you see other concubines, you will forget me!”

The Emperor could not help laughing, “I thought that it is a pity for you to be a female. Now I changed my mind. I think you’d better be a woman. If you were a man, I am afraid that you would hurt many girls because you talk glibly.”

Yun Fenghuang immediately said, “Of course! Fortunately, I am a woman. After all, if I were a man, I would not be able to serve you, My Majesty.”

“Pin Yun is really devoted to your duties. If the concubines are all like you, I will not be troubled.” Looking at her expression that “she tried hard to please the Emperor and be a perfect concubine”, he smiled and thought that if so, he would have died of anger and the dead man certainly was not be able to be troubled.

When he noticed that Yun Fenghuang was about to say more, he rubbed her head and said, “Okay, let’s sleep.”

They were passionate to each other for the whole night. It was almost dawn when they woke up.

The Emperor who had already taken over the reins of government could not get up as slowly as before. He got out of bed and wore earlier than Yun Fenghuang.

This made Yun Fenghuang, who was rubbing her sleepy eyes and trying to get up, a little more comfortable. But then, she thought that the Emperor went to the court to accept the worship of civil and military officials, while she had to pay respects to the Empress and Queen Mother Ji…

… She felt sad.

Fortunately, if everything went well this morning, there should be good news.

“Pin Yun has been wronged these days. There are still many high-grade vacancies in the Imperial Harem, which should be stressed.” After a long while, in Chong Chang Hall, the Empress, after a day of rest and dressing up, was rejuvenated and glanced at the concubines. She said slowly, “Therefore, I intend to promote her to Jie Yu. Do you agree?”

Concubines looked at each other. For a while, Noble Consort Shu smiled gently and bowed slightly on the seat, “My Highness, on behalf of my sister Yun Fenghuang, thank you for your grace.”

“Since you all agree, she will be evaluated with Jie Yu Wei in two days.” Empress Ji had always decided concubine’s promotion by herself. Occasionally, when being interfered by Queen Mother Ji or Empress Dowager, she would try to show her power. Therefore, she did not mean to take other concubines’ opinion. She said after hearing Noble Consort Shu’s words, “By the way, His Majesty sent someone to give Pin Yun a title. Now she is Jie Yu Mao.”

Looking down at Yun Fenghuang who was about to express gratitude for this favor, Empress Ji said, “‘Mao’ in Chinese means to be diligent. You should hold it up as an awful example. Don’t live up to His Majesty’s expectations. Do you understand?”

“Yes!” Yun Fenghuang was slightly stunned when she heard these words. She didn’t believe Emperor Chunjia would have good intentions. She noticed that the other concubines were as envious and jealous as before when they knew Yun Fenghuang was the first one to get a promotion. She understood that Emperor Chunjia wanted her to be the target of public criticism.

After careful consideration, she knew that he also wanted to separate her from the Empress… He was really spiteful!

However, if he thought that she would accept her fate, then he would be disappointed!

She thought to herself, expressed gratitude respectfully, and sat happily on the seat… which was closer to the Empress beside Jie Yu Wei, Jie Yu Lu and Jie Yu Jia.

Although she just got the promotion of Jie Yu, because the Emperor gave her an additional title, she was senior than those consorts in the same grade who had no title according to the palace rules!

Even if these three Jie Yu got the promotion earlier than her and Jie Yu Lu and Jie Yu Jia had been serving the Emperor for many years, they had to be ranked behind Yun Fenghuang too!

… It seemed that the Emperor’s action was not so annoying.

Yun Fenghuang thought, “Then I will hate him a few minutes later.”

Um, a few minutes later, she would continue to curse the Emperor that he became bald as soon as possible!

The narrow-minded Pin Yun, no, Jie Yu Mao touched her hair on the temples, making sure that every hair was shiny and glossy. Then she got relieved.

At the same time, she secretly looked at the consorts sitting beside her who lived a comfortable and luxurious life. She thought that since now she was Jie Yu Mao and her grade was not lower than them, she would find an opportunity to touch their hair…

She absolutely did not believe that her hair quality was the worst in this Imperial Palace!!!

Well, perhaps she could start by asking if the Emperor gave the hair oil to them.

When Yun Fenghuang, who sat at the Chong Chang Hall, was distracted for the first time, the Emperor, who was listening to the argument of two officials loyal to Prince Regent and Ji’s Family respectively without expression, was also absent-minded. He thought, “Yun Fenghuang should hear the title sent by me now. ‘Mao’ sounds like ‘mao’ (cat). I do not know if she can find my good intentions.” His heart danced with delight.