Chapter 217
**Chapter 215: The Shuxi Palace**
The eunuchs hurriedly set down the palanquin.
Li Yuanjing surveyed the dilapidated palace walls; this was the Xiangyun Hall. Years ago, Liu Qiao'er had angered him and was demoted to Qiao Pin. She now lived here with her two children.
As a palace mistress, Qiao Pin's courtyard walls were surprisingly worn. If the envoy from the Yue Kingdom saw this, they might gossip behind closed doors about the poor treatment of the concubines in the Qing Kingdom.
The emperor had arrived, and the palace maids knelt on the ground.
The two children in the courtyard, upon seeing Li Yuanjing, stammered in fear, “F-Father Emperor, we pay our respects to you.”
Li Yuanjing waved them over. “Come here.”
The two children shuffled forward hesitantly.
Li Yuanjing's gaze fell upon them; their clothes were not new, their frames thin, and they were timid as quails. Upon seeing him, they trembled, their eyes cast down, not daring to meet his gaze.
So cautious, so lacking the demeanor of royal offspring.
Li Yuanjing's brows furrowed.
The stipend for a concubine was substantial, enough to ensure the children were well-fed and clothed. Yet why were these two still in worn garments?
“Your servant pays her respects to the Emperor.” Inside the room, Liu Qiao'er, who had been embroidering, hurried out in a fluster.
She hadn’t expected the Emperor’s sudden visit. Dressed in old clothes, her face devoid of makeup, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes were starkly visible.
She even looked a bit haggard.
At first glance, Li Yuanjing almost didn’t recognize the once-beautiful Liu Qiao'er. Now, she appeared aged and rough-skinned, resembling an old laundry maid rather than a concubine.
Li Yuanjing was puzzled. “Has the Empress cut the stipend for Xiangyun Hall?”
Liu Qiao'er, trembling with fear, quickly shook her head. “No, no. It’s just that I don’t like extravagance, nor do I care for cosmetics.”
She had always been low-key, never stirring up trouble. The Empress looked down on her, and those in the palace followed suit, dismissing Xiangyun Hall. Qiao Pin’s monthly stipend had been slashed by more than half.
But she dared not speak out. If she resisted, it would likely provoke the Empress’s ire.
Plain meals were enough; survival was all that mattered.
Li Yuanjing fell silent.
Even if she didn’t care for makeup, she could at least maintain her appearance a little. A concubine in her twenties should not look like a woman in her forties.
It was a disgrace to the royal family.
Li Yuanjing ordered De Shun, “Send someone to renovate the outer walls of Xiangyun Hall. Have the Shangyi Bureau prepare five sets of new clothes for her.”
After a pause, he looked at Liu Qiao'er’s sallow face. “And send some rouge as well.”
De Shun respectfully accepted the command.
Li Yuanjing inquired about Qiao Pin’s son, Li Chengxuan, who was already receiving his early education at the Anguo Temple.
However, as soon as Li Yuanjing asked, the child stuttered in fear, unable to form a complete sentence. When Li Yuanjing pressed further, the child even burst into tears.
Li Yuanjing immediately lost interest. This child was so timid and weak; he turned and left.
Liu Qiao'er stood at the palace gate, respectfully seeing off Li Yuanjing, her eyes lingering on the emperor’s palanquin.
“The Emperor still cares for me,” Liu Qiao'er revealed a faint smile, her gaze tinged with sorrow.
These days, the favored Shen Wei had been basking in glory, capturing all the attention. The Emperor spent every night in Yongning Palace, never stepping into the chambers of other concubines.
Yet today, he had come to her, inquiring about her well-being. Deep down, he had not forgotten the bond they shared as childhood sweethearts.
“Your Majesty, I dare not hope for your favor,” Liu Qiao'er sighed deeply, not wanting the tragedies of her past life to repeat.
The images of her family’s downfall and her children’s deaths haunted her, becoming a nightmare that spanned her past and present.
Only by avoiding favor could she survive in the harem.
Shen Wei, Shuxi, Lan Pin, the Empress... let them continue their struggles. Perhaps in the end, they would have nothing left.
Maybe, just maybe, Liu Qiao'er could remain humble and live out her days in peace.
...
On the other side, Shuxi, Lu Xuan, received word that the Emperor would visit her tonight.
Lu Xuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed the Emperor was growing tired of Shen Wei.
In this harem, no woman could hold the Emperor’s exclusive favor for long. Whether it was Shen Wei or Shuxi, they could only watch as the Emperor’s affection slowly faded away.
Only by bearing children could one barely hold onto the Emperor’s heart.
“Xiao Qin, set up the chessboard. Tonight, I want to play chess with the Emperor,” Lu Xuan, skilled in the arts, recalled how Li Yuanjing had once loved playing chess with her when she was the most favored.
As she prepared in front of the mirror, she meticulously adorned herself.
With her stunning beauty, only Mei Fei could rival her in the harem. A little makeup to cover the fine lines at the corners of her eyes, and she radiated vitality.
She donned a precious double-butterfly cloud-patterned skirt, adorned her hair with a jade hairpin, dotted her brow with red, and applied rouge to her lips. While dressing, Lu Xuan asked, “Which palace did the Emperor visit today?”
The maidservant attending her replied, “After handling court affairs, the Emperor first went to see Qiao Pin, bestowing her with clothes and silver. Then, he came here to our Changxin Palace.”
Lu Xuan paused in her application of rouge, deep in thought. “Qiao Pin…”
Though Qiao Pin had always kept a low profile, she was, after all, a former member of the Yan Wangfu and had borne a pair of children.
She was a potential threat.
In the future, she must be eliminated.
In this vast harem, no one could remain unscathed.
Outside, De Shun’s voice announced, “The Emperor has arrived.”
Lu Xuan joyfully rose, checking her reflection in the bronze mirror once more to ensure her makeup and attire were flawless before stepping out to greet him.
As dusk fell, the walls of Changxin Palace were adorned with blooming roses, like clouds of sunset. Lu Xuan, accompanied by her maidservants, stepped forward to welcome him, kneeling as she said, “Your servant pays her respects to the Emperor.”
Her etiquette was impeccable, with not a single flaw to be found.
Raising her beautiful eyes, Lu Xuan gazed at the tall figure in dark robes, her heart warming.
Li Yuanjing entered the room.
The imperial kitchen sent in the evening meal, a feast of delicacies, all of Li Yuanjing’s favorites. Lu Xuan accompanied him at the table, eating slowly, adhering to the rule of silence while dining.
After the meal, Li Yuanjing went to the adjacent room to check on their one-year-old son. Lu Xuan had taken excellent care of the child, who was chubby and sound asleep in his crib.
Li Yuanjing gazed at the sleeping child and said, “You manage the harem alongside the Empress during the day and still care for our young son. You’ve worked hard.”
Lu Xuan’s cheeks flushed, and she replied softly, “It’s no trouble at all to ease the Emperor’s burdens—The chessboard is ready; would you like to play a game with me?”
Li Yuanjing, intrigued, nodded in agreement.
In the elegantly arranged study, the chessboard was set, and the fragrance from the gilded incense burner wafted through the air. Li Yuanjing took the black pieces, while Lu Xuan took the white, and they began to play.
Among the concubines, Lu Xuan was the best at chess.
However, Li Yuanjing noticed that during their games, Lu Xuan always seemed to deliberately let him win.
This took away the joy of playing.
Li Yuanjing thought of Shen Wei. Back when he was in the Yan Wangfu, he had spent days teaching her how to play chess, and gradually, she had picked up some basic strategies.
Though Shen Wei’s skills were poor, she never let him win. Whenever it looked like she was about to lose, she would take back her moves or blatantly steal pieces, which was quite endearing.
Later, when Shen Wei grew tired of chess, he had to coax her for a while before she reluctantly agreed to play a game with him.
Playing chess with Shen Wei was always filled with fun and laughter.
Playing with Lu Xuan, however, was dull and tedious. Lu Xuan wouldn’t cheat or take back her moves; she was always trying to read his thoughts, carefully letting him win.
“Your chess skills are exceptional, Your Majesty. I’ve lost again,” Lu Xuan gently placed her piece down, her beautiful eyes looking over at him. “Would you like to play another game?”
Li Yuanjing lost interest. “No need.”
Lu Xuan felt a pang of disappointment.
She could clearly sense that Li Yuanjing’s feelings for her were waning. Despite her efforts to please him, she could only watch helplessly as he drifted away. This feeling was truly tormenting.
As night fell, the bright moonlight spilled into the courtyard, casting a thin veil over the roses. Li Yuanjing strolled in the garden, with Lu Xuan obediently following behind him.
Everyone knew the Emperor loved roses the most.
Lu Xuan’s courtyard was filled with roses, which she had the gardener tend to with great care, making her roses the most beautiful in the palace.
Lu Xuan’s voice was gentle. “Your Majesty, the roses have bloomed beautifully these past few days. If you come to see them during the day, you will surely love them.”
But since Shen Wei’s return, Li Yuanjing had lost his fondness for roses.
He had only taken a few steps when his robe got caught on a thorny rose bush.
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