Qin Yunuan had fantasized many times how Imperial Concubine Jing would show up. In reality, she was more dazzling and graceful than expected.
In the distance, a blue-and-white sedan chair clustered around by maids and eunuchs was approaching. The transparent string beads hanging on the sedan chair were so glittering that people couldn’t help thinking that what a delicate and meticulous beauty was sitting inside.
Even vixenish Infanta Shuhua quieted down when hearing that Imperial Concubine Jing was coming. Full of girlish effeminacy, Infanta Shuhua greeted her immediately, “Your Highness, you finally come. I have been waiting for you for a long time. The lotus honey you gave me before is so delicious and I really love it. Could you give me more?”
Qin Yunuan looked askance at Infanta Shuhua who naturally acted like a spoiled child in front of Imperial Concubine Jing. They two must be close. Leng Changxi warned her to stay away from Imperial Concubine Jing. Although he didn’t explain why, she trusted him. After all, she knew this man wholeheartedly loved her and always thought for her.
“Your Highness,” Qin Yunuan saluted behind the bead curtain, through which she could see Imperial Concubine Jing’s figure. Her thin neck and high and elegant chignon. From these details, she knew this woman was unusual.
Imperial Concubine Jing was as exquisite as the beauty in a painting. She had a small heart-shaped face and big eyes, showing grace and elegance in every move. At the age of 25, she was shy and tender like young girls and also inexpressibly unworldly and elegant. No wonder the emperor doted on her, the one least favored concubine, and even made an exception to promote her to a higher rank.
This was the first time for Qin Yunuan to meet Imperial Concubine Jing. She had to admit that she was stunned by her beauty. However, after staring at her for a longer time, Qin Yunuan found her face looked unnatural. More importantly, it was said that Imperial Concubine Jing married the emperor when she was 16. Why did she just earn his favor nine years later? What happened during this period?
“Are you… the Third Miss of the Qin Family who General Leng proposed a marriage for in the royal court lately?” Imperial Concubine Jing slowly asked. The discerning eunuch standing aside opened the bead curtain to respectfully welcome her to come out. Under the sunshine, Imperial Concubine Jing’s peach lips, snow-white skin and long hair as black as the dark night were so charming that she immediately caught everyone’s attention. Even the doorkeeper, an emotionless monk, was enchanted and unconsciously set his eyes on her.
Unlike other people who deliberately mentioned “the daughter of a concubine” while greeting Qin Yunuan, Imperial Concubine Jing was rather polite by directly calling her Third Miss.
Thinking of Leng Changxi’s warning, Qin Yunuan simply smiled and nodded, “Yes.”
Imperial Concubine Jing wore a kind and amiable smile, “You are really comely and elegant. General Leng and I are acquaintances, so I know the girl he falls in love with won’t be ordinary.”
Qin Yunuan stayed calm and said, “Thank you for your praise, Your Highness.” But she well understood that Imperial Concubine Jing just wanted to lay stress on “acquaintances”. It seemed that for Leng Changxi, she had….
“All right. It’s getting late. We all come here to pray for Queen Mother’s health. It’s not appropriate to be late.” Imperial Concubine Jing smiled to ease tensions. Simply by a glance of how Infanta Shuhua looked at Qin Yunuan could she know her thoughts. She gently stroked Infanta Shuhua’s hands to comfort her and smiled, “Shuhua, you are already grown up. Why are you still like a child? Queen Mother, the emperor and I can dote on you now. But in the future when you get married, who will love you like us?”
Hearing this, Infanta Shuhua wasn’t angry. Instead, she shrugged in Imperial Concubine Jing’s arms, “You give me most care and love. So, only when you give birth to a baby will it be reassuring for me to get married.”
Imperial Concubine Jing gently poked at Infanta Shuhua’s forehead with her white finger. She smiled, “Fine. I know you just want to delight me to get the lotus honey. Xiao An, remember to check the inventory of our lotus honey after we go back to the palace. Give it all to Infanta Shuhua.”
Imperial Concubine Jing and Infanta Shuhua were chatting with each other and totally ignored Qin Yunuan. Infanta Shuhua was complacent, keeping her chin up and provocatively looking at Qin Yunuan at times. She was telling Qin Yunuan that she had a backer now and Qin Yunuan could not take advantage of her anymore. Qin Yunuan didn’t care and just stood aside quietly. Although she said nothing, Qin Yunuan clearly saw a flash of awkwardness and cruelness on Imperial Concubine Jing’s face when Infanta Shuhua spoke of giving birth to a baby.
“We are too indulged in chatting and leave Third Miss to stand here alone.” Imperial Concubine Jing indeed was a good icebreaker, “Third Miss, it’s already late. We’d better go back to our wing rooms to rest. In the following 49 days, we have to burn incenses and chant sutras every day. It must be tiring.”
Qin Yunuan curtsied, “We’re praying for Queen Mother so it’s worthwhile to spend so much effort.” Imperial Concubine Jing didn’t even think about prying into any of her true feelings. How could she say something like that in public?
Imperial Concubine Jing just smiled with a twinkle in her eyes and headed for the gate with her maids and eunuchs.
As a Royal Temple, Xiangguo Temple was the grandest and most magnificently decorated temple in the suburbs of the Royal City. There were wing rooms on the east side and also the west one. In the northernmost tip stood a forest. The temple faced south, bearing a good geomantic omen. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been chosen as the royal heaven worship temple.
Qin Yunuan, Infanta Shuhua and Imperial Concubine Jing, they three lived in brighter east wing rooms. Owing to her lower rank, Qin Yunuan had to live in the northernmost room, the worst one among all east wing rooms. Despite that, Tong and Maner still got surprised by the gorgeous decorations when they walked in to clean.
“This room is no worse than the one we live in the mansion of Grand Commandant. Third Miss, come in. Take a look,” Tong called Qin Yunuan delightfully.
“Look at you. You are too easy to get surprised. We are in a wolf den now, rather than our sweet home in the mansion of Grand Commandant.” Maner followed and reasoned with Tong with a smile.
Lowering her head and covering her mouth, Tong stopped talking.
Qin Yunuan wore a smile and had a look at Tong. However, when she walked in, she was shocked too. All items in this room, whether the large furniture or small decorations such as the folding screen, the tea table, the bed and tea cups, were perfectly placed. Qin Yunuan loved all of them.
Stroking the silky mattress, Qin Yunuan went into a trance. She didn’t know anyone in Xiangguo Temple. Who would be so considerate to furnish her room?
At the moment, a young monk came and stood outside the room. He saluted in a very polite manner and asked, “Benefactress, my master sends me to ask if everything in the room is fine for you.”
“Who is your master?” Maner fondled his head and tenderly asked a question that Qin Yunuan also wanted to ask at that time.
The young monk tilted his head and directly answered, “My master is Xuan Zhi. Have you heard of him?”
Xuan Zhi? Qin Yunuan turned around to look at the young monk. She still remembered it. When everyone panicked because of the unexpected crying Buddha in Wan’an Temple, it was Leng Changxi who invited Xuan Zhi, an eminent monk who liked to travel around, to give Dharma lectures to reassure them.
The considerate man was Leng Changxi.
Thinking of him, Qin Yunuan blushed immediately. She stood up and smiled brightly at the young monk, “Please tell your master that I really appreciate this and I will keep this in my heart.”
The young monk nodded happily and ran out of the room quickly.
At dusk, Qin Yunuan heard another piece of news that Li Weijun died. It was said that she died all of a sudden. She was all good while having dinner with her family. However, she died shortly after she finished an almond biscuit in her room.
Qin Yunuan knew exactly what happened. The almond biscuit Li Weijun ate was an award from Empress Chen who once had a private talk with her in the hunting field. Considering her personality, Li Weijun definitely would brag about the award Empress Chen gave. Therefore, even though everyone knew the almond biscuit was from Empress Chen, no one dared to accuse her of Li Weijun’s death. Insiders, of course, would understand that Li Weijun must have provoked Empress Chen so she was awarded with a poisonous biscuit. Others might just think it was a bad luck falling on the Li Family, an originally declining family. Now, this family faced a more miserable situation by losing their only hope.
The Li Family could only take this consequence and complained nothing.
Qin Yunuan got up early in the next morning. It was the first day to pray for Queen Mother. As required, she had to extend greetings to Imperial Concubine Jing first and then followed her to the Great Buddhist Hall to fast, bath, incense and pray.
When Qin Yunuan waited before Imperial Concubine Jing’s room, Infanta Shuhua also came and looked cheerful as if she were so happy to see Imperial Concubine Jing.
Imperial Concubine Jing must be very good at winning people’s favor. Even Infanta Shuhua, the most vixenish royal member, was so fond of her, which could be reflected by the different way she treated Imperial Concubine Jing from others..
Seeing Qin Yunuan, Infanta Shuhua hid her smile and lightly kept her chin up. She said in a reserved and complacent way, “How can you come later than me? I wonder why the Grand Commandant is not good at educating his children.”
Qin Yunuan smiled and replied, “Compared with those prestigious and noble families, my family is rather humble so, of course, our family education is not that good.” She implied that Infanta Shuhua, who sneered at the Qin Family’s education methods, had received no family education at all. Because she was an orphan.
As expected, Infanta Shuhua frowned. When she was going to scold, the wing-room door opened. Imperial Concubine Jing gracefully showed up.
