The Job of an Imperial Concubine

Lately, the emperor liked paying Xihe Palace nightly visits. But not every night did they roll around in the sheets. Thus, Zhuang Laoyan realized that Emperor Chengxuan was an emperor with a lot of self control.

When they were not making love, he would tell her about some insignificant matters that did not involve the court. Sometimes, he would even discuss all sorts of monsters from the “Classic of Mountain and Sea.” Zhuang Laoyan thought, The emperor probably realized that discussing poems and songs with me was like playing a lute to a cow. And that chatting a bit about mythology, monsters, and other supernatural things would interest me instead.

“Within the crooked mountain lay a beast. It was shaped like a horse with a white body and a black tail. At the front of its head sprouted a horn. Its claws were akin to a tiger’s. Its voice was akin to the banging of a drum. This beast was called Bo. It ate tigers and leopards, and could be used like an army for battle.”

After hearing those words, Zhuang Laoyan couldn’t help but say, “It’s so difficult to be born with that kind of appearance. It looks like a horse, yet has the claws of a tiger. With such a body, it shouldn’t be too fast when it runs, so how could it hunt and eat the quick leopards?”

“That’s why this is only a legend.” Feng Jin smiled at her disdain toward it. “If there really was such a strange thing in this world, one would fear that every emperor would strive to raise one. Who wouldn’t like a mythological beast capable of fighting in battle?”

“If that’s the case, whichever country Your Majesty finds an eyesore, we won’t have to do anything. Just throw a drought-causing feiyi or flood-causing changyou at them. Wouldn’t that save us a lot of trouble?” Zhuang Laoyan yawned. “They’re just stories to trick children.”

Everyone revered the spirits and demons. But as the emperor, Feng Jin did not like the commoners revering the spirits and demons to an excessive degree. What a pity that this had already been etched into the commoners’ bones. And so he took advantage of and exploited these popular sentiments. Now that a woman from his harem disdained these legendary mythological beasts so frankly, he felt unspeakably moved at once.

Sometimes, how much knowledge one possessed had nothing to do with how much they studied. Not all of the court officials Feng Jin used were top three scorers of the Imperial Examinations. Yet, they had immense ability.

“That’s why these are only myths.” Feng Jin laughed, stroking Zhuang Laoyan’s hair. A light sigh left his lips. “It would be great if it was that easy to govern the world. It’s getting late. Sleep.”

Hearing the emperor’s sigh, Zhuang Laoyan sighed with emotion. Sure enough, every ambitious emperor would not believe in legends and myths, merely exploiting these spirits and demons for their own agenda. They didn’t even think twice about it.

When Feng Jin woke up early in the morning, he saw Zhuang Laoyan nestled against his chest. He lay back down for a moment. Then, he let the palace servants who were waiting outside the drapery come in. Once he was fully dressed, he turned his head to look in the direction of the bed. The person lying on it opened her eyes in a daze, one hand reaching toward him unconsciously. Afterward, she slowly came to her senses. Opened wide her moist and hazy eyes.

“Your Majesty is awake?” said Zhuang Laoyan, as if she never expected that she would sleep so heavily. In a rather awkward manner, she sat up, pulling at the hair by her chest. “This concubine slept a bit deeply.”

“It’s not your fault. We chatted with you for a long time last night.” Feng Jin raised his head, letting a palace maid adjust his collar. “Have a good rest. Tomorrow’s trip to the farms will be exhausting. The Bureau of Astronomy said that it will be sunny tomorrow.”

Zhuang Laoyan climbed off the bed and had the palace maid retreat to the side. She personally adjusted the emperor’s ornaments and the lower corners of the lower helm of his clothes. In a half squat, Zhuang Laoyan attached an unremarkable sachet to his waist. Gazing up at him, she said, “Your Majesty, this sachet is really fitting for you.”

Feng Jin looked down and saw a dark red sachet, a dragon flying upward swiftly that was embroidered with golden string. Moreover, scarlet “fortune” characters were scattered all throughout the background. Indeed, it really enhanced by contrast the majestic presence of his dragon robes.

Reaching out to lift Zhuang Laoyan’s chin, Feng Jin suddenly bent down and kissed her. Smiled. “Beloved Concubine’s sachet is the most suitable for Us. We are very fond of it.” Following that, he turned around and left Xihe Palace.

“Respectfully sending off Your Majesty.” Zhuang Laoyan watched as the emperor’s back figure disappeared from the door. Slowly, she stood, touching her lips. Looking down, she smiled in a soft manner. “Servants, help this palace bathe and change clothes.”

With care, Yunxi supported Zhuang Laoyan to bathe and helped her put on a brocade gown. She attentively massaged her fine black hair with perfumed oil. Noticing Zhuang Laoyan preoccupied, Yunxi could not help but say, “Your Highness, Noble Lady Qian will be among those going on the trip tomorrow. This slave thinks this Noble Lady Qian is not simple at all.”

Zhuang Laoyan closed her eyes. “There are no simple women in the imperial harem. What is Noble Lady Qian even? The most frightening thing in the harem are those women favored by the emperor.”

Hearing her master’s words, Yunxi immediately thought of Anqing Palace’s Noble Consort Shu. She could not help but feel awed. No one was as favored as Noble Consort Shu in the imperial harem. Although Noble Lady Qian was the most beautiful among them, she was worse at everything else compared to Noble Consort Shu. To use one’s appearance to serve the emperor in the harem was merely a moment of glory.

After Grain Rain, it was time to transplant the seedlings. Zhuang Laoyan sat upright in the carriage, touching her hair that had been wrapped in cloth, somewhat uncomfortable as she wriggled her body.

After living out so many days in luxury, she became accustomed to wearing clothes made of damask and satin. Now that she was suddenly wearing coarse clothes and hemp garments, she really felt uncomfortable, body itching.

Once they reached the farmlands, Zhuang Laoyan disembarked from the carriage with the support of a palace maid. She looked all around. And she only saw layers upon layers of soldiers guarding the area. Commoners crowded the surroundings to the point of overflowing, bursting with noise and excitement. As long as a tree was tall enough, there would be people on its branches. On hills, there would be numerous people densely packed as well.

Sure enough, since time immemorial, it was human nature to want to join in on the fun. In a natural and unrestrained manner, Zhuang Laoyan made for behind the empress, using large strides to do so. By coincidence, she caught sight of Noble Lady Qian scratching at her arms incessantly. It seemed she really could not get used to her coarse cotton clothes.

There would inevitably be such people in the world; they would eat the things the commoners grew, yet found themselves noble and virtuous, holding farmers and laborers in contempt. What a pity they were unaware that they and everyone in the world weren’t any different: they all held feces in their large intestines.

At the start, Zhuang Laoyan had thought that although Noble Lady Qian seemed like she thought herself as noble and virtuous, she at least did not flaunt herself as that and looked down on the common folk. Now, it was clear that Zhuang Laoyan had given her too much credit.

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“If Noble Lady Qian is feeling unwell, then you should have stayed in the carriage,” said the empress, calm and collected as she looked at how Noble Lady Qian was acting. Now as they stood there in front of everyone, every word and action of theirs represented the image of the imperial family. Who was Noble Lady Qian putting on that appearance for? Did she want the emperor to know that her skin was tender and delicate? Or was it to let the commoners present think that the imperial family could not take a bit of suffering, and only knew how to enjoy riches and honor?

The moment Noble Lady Qian had heard the empress’ words, her complexion changed. She could only press her body prone on the ground to request forgiveness, exposing her fair neck under the sun. It gave off a somewhat pitiful appearance.

“His Majesty and this palace did not bring you here today so that you can enjoy yourself. Since you already know your wrongs, don’t show such a weak appearance.” In the imperial harem, no matter how the imperial concubines pretended or acted, as long as it wasn’t too excessive, the empress wouldn’t punish them so easily. However, in today’s situation, as the master of the harem, she could not be a bit lenient.

From start to finish, the emperor, who stood next to the empress, did not open his mouth. Nor did he spare Noble Lady Qian a glance. After the empress had finished reprimanding her, the emperor held the empress’ hand. The two reached the altar together. They worshipped the heavens and earth, the winds and rain. Beseeched the heavens to bless the country with good weather for crops.

Zhuang Laoyan and the other imperial concubines knelt behind the empress. They did not have the qualifications to be before the altar, and could only be behind the two, leading servants along. And commoners as far as the eye could see knelt in back of them, sincere in praying to the heavens.

After they had finished offering sacrifices, the emperor rolled up his pants legs and stepped into the fields. He seemed to be a veteran at this, holding a bundle of seedlings and planting them along the already-designated rows.

Rice paddy water in April was somewhat cold. After Zhuang Laoyan had followed the empress into the water, she shivered. Immediately, she rolled up her sleeves and inserted seedlings into the earth.

Although Zhuang Laoyan’s movements were not practiced, they were still acceptable. As she slowly became used to the actions, a cry rang out all of a sudden. It startled her into looking back. And she saw Noble Lady Qian’s terrified appearance, the other party retreating back ashore. Who would have known that she would stumble and fall into the field? In a flash, an originally beautiful woman transformed into a clay figurine. When two strong eunuchs saw this situation, they rushed forward to support Noble Lady Qian onto the footpath between paddy fields, in order to avoid the commoners seeing this embarrassing sight.

“What happened?” Feng Jin frowned, tone carrying a trace of increasing impatience.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, a leech bit Noble Lady Qian’s leg,” said a eunuch who rushed forward. “There is already an imperial physician treating her.”

“Since Noble Lady Qian feels unwell, support her to the carriage.” Feng Jin flung the water from his hands. “The sun is bright today. Don’t let her come out.”

For a delicate woman to be bitten on the leg by a leech was truly a cruel and bloody event. Zhuang Laoyan sympathized a bit with Noble Lady Qian. She had just stepped onto the field yet came across such a good thing.

Once they had finished planting the seedlings, the emperor, empress, and imperials concubines returned to the embankment. With her sharp eyes, Zhuang Laoyan noticed a disgusting leech on the emperor’s lower leg. Before anyone else noticed it, the emperor swatted at his lower leg without blinking, then scraped off the round-as-a-ball leech using a dagger with force.

Zhuang Laoyan’s scalp went numb. This emperor was indeed a ruthless person; not only was he ruthless to others but to himself as well.

In a flash, eunuchs brought over stools and clean water. At this moment, none of the masters needed anyone to serve them. They all hastily washed off the mud from their legs using the copper basins. Then they followed the emperor in touring the other commoners’ fields.

Because there was ample rain and sunshine, the seedlings had grown excellently before the transfers. The farmers tied up the seedlings into bundles, then carried the bundles to paddy fields that had already-fertilized soil, their movements more skillful than those of the imperial family.

Looking at the neat and tidy rows of seedlings, Feng Jin felt slightly moved. “Hopefully this year’s harvest will be better than the last.”

“Your Majesty is benevolent,” said the empress. “The whole world is governed by you, and there has been excellent weather for crops. The livelihood of the common folk has grown better and better. And they all love and respect you.”

Feng Jin did not have much of a reaction to the empress’ praise, and only replied in an indifferent manner, “We only wish to have a clear conscience.” He turned his head and caught sight of Zhuang Laoyan standing on her toes, trying to look over him and the empress at the farmers transplanting rice seedlings. The corners of his lips rose. He looked away from her and back at the empress. “It’s getting late. We all should return to the palace.”

Even when the emperor boarded his imperial sedan to return to the palace, he did not mention Noble Lady Qian. As if that person had never appeared.

Noble Lady Qian’s carriage was right behind Zhuang Laoyan’s. So as Zhuang Laoyan boarded her own, and turned her head to look at the carriage of the other woman, she could hear faint sobs coming from it. Slightly, she arched a brow. Then she finished boarding with a normal expression.

“That Noble Lady Qian truly has good luck. After just entering the field, she’d encounter such a disgusting situation.” Yunxi knelt before Zhuang Laoyan, carefully wiping her lower leg.

A smile graced Zhuang Laoyan’s lips. At first, she had thought that when Noble Lady Qian started scratching herself right after disembarking from the carriage, she was just being unreasonable. But now, she understood. As stupid as Noble Lady Qian was, she wouldn’t do something so inappropriate in such a situation. That was, unless she was itchy to the point of it being unbearable.

Even if she was able to endure the itch, there was still the leech situation waiting for her. So someone had schemed against her.

When this news broke out, one would fear the harem could witness another good show.