After the meal, everyone rinsed their mouths again, and the palace maids served tea and snacks.
The concubines rose from their seats, bowed in gratitude, and then sat down to enjoy the refreshments.
Emperor Jingxi also partook in some of the offerings before standing up to leave.
Burdened with state affairs, he naturally had no time to linger with the women of the inner palace.
He first bid farewell to the Empress Dowager, then turned to the Empress and said in a calm tone:
“The Empress is virtuous and capable, managing the inner palace for me. Since Lady Ning has just arrived and I have been preoccupied with state affairs, I ask the Empress to pay extra attention to her. If she makes any mistakes, please inform me first.”
His words were tactful, but the meaning was clear: My new concubine has just arrived.
As the primary wife, treat her well.
Even if she does something wrong, you must not punish her without first informing me and letting me decide.
Upon hearing this, everyone subtly glanced at the Empress.
The Empress, however, raised her eyes and smiled at Emperor Jingxi, responding respectfully and appearing gentle and virtuous.
Seeing no drama unfold, the others felt disappointed but had no choice but to let it go.
As the Emperor prepared to leave, the concubines all rose to see him off, and Awu followed suit.
In truth, Awu felt somewhat uneasy as Emperor Jingxi departed.
The palace was grand and exquisite, filled with rules and etiquette, and surrounded by strangers.
Emperor Jingxi was the only familiar presence to her.
She watched his retreating figure, but he did not look back, nor did he spare her a single glance.
Beside her, Lady Hui subtly touched the hem of Awu’s robe.
Awu, realizing her mistake, quickly averted her gaze, lowering her eyes and assuming a respectful and submissive demeanor.
Soon after, the Empress also left to attend to palace affairs, but before departing, her gaze deliberately swept over Awu.
Awu pretended not to notice.
Once the Empress was gone, everyone returned to their seats to chat and sip tea.
Some of the more prominent concubines joined the Empress Dowager in playing a game of leaf cards.
The Empress Dowager specifically asked if Awu knew how to play, but she did not.
Lady Hui then guided Awu from the sidelines.
After watching for a while, Awu still couldn’t grasp the game.
Her mind was in turmoil, and she had no interest in playing cards.
Moreover, the other concubines and noble ladies were subtly observing her, scrutinizing her, and speculating about her.
Lady Hui exchanged a few words with her and explained the rules of leaf cards, which prompted the other concubines to speak to her as well.
Only Lady Kang, with an ambiguous smile, kept glancing at her repeatedly.
Awu couldn’t stand it anymore.
She pursed her lips, widened her eyes, and stared back at Lady Kang with a particularly stubborn gaze.
Her sudden action drew everyone’s attention to Lady Kang, who was taken aback and visibly embarrassed.
It almost seemed as if she had been bullying Awu!
Lady Kang quickly covered her discomfort by saying, “I’m thirsty, I’ll have some tea.”
Only then did Awu look away.
She knew full well that as a newcomer, her position was precarious, and she should not provoke Lady Kang, the birth mother of Emperor Jingxi’s most beloved daughter.
But… Lady Kang shouldn’t push her too far either!
If anyone made her uncomfortable, she would make them equally uneasy.
After all, she was now a noble lady…
Sure enough, after that defiant stare, Lady Kang stopped looking at Awu, and Awu felt much more at ease.
When it was finally time to leave, everyone began to take their leave, each bowing three times to the Empress Dowager.
Fortunately, A-Wu was already quite accustomed to this ritual.
She quickly performed the three bows, and the Empress Dowager glanced at her before instructing a palace maid to reward her with gold and silver beans.
Gold and silver beans?
She didn’t quite understand, but soon a maid appeared holding a large lacquered box, inside of which were indeed gold and silver beans.
A-Wu promptly expressed her gratitude, receiving the gift with solemnity and appreciation.
By the time she stepped out of the Empress Dowager’s chambers, it was still early afternoon.
The sun was shining brightly, and as she looked around, she was struck by the grandeur of the imperial palace-its intricately carved beams, painted rafters, and the overwhelming sense of majesty.
Walking along the covered corridors, she took in the dazzling surroundings, feeling a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite put into words.
She was now officially a Noble Lady of the palace, and according to protocol, she was escorted back to her own residence, Langhua Hall, by the palace steward and maids.
She knew she would spend many years here, perhaps never leaving.
Yet, she didn’t feel particularly sad.
Even if she had stayed in Donghai, she wouldn’t have been able to reunite with her father and brothers.
Here, within the high walls of the palace, she had found a place to settle, at least sparing herself from a life of wandering.
Today, she had met the Empress Dowager.
Although the Empress Dowager didn’t seem to favor her status, A-Wu vaguely understood that Emperor Jingxi had made it clear in front of everyone-whether she was liked or not, she was to remain in the palace.
She would stay, even if it meant clinging on stubbornly.
For most people, such persistence would require thick skin, but A-Wu didn’t need that.
She would stay, no matter what.
The Empress Dowager might not like her, and the other concubines might not either, but as long as the Emperor wanted her here, that was enough.
As she walked along, lost in these thoughts, a palace maid suddenly stopped and whispered a reminder, “Noble Lady.”
A-Wu looked at her in confusion, then followed the maid’s gaze.
There, she saw Emperor Jingxi.
In front of the grand palace halls, beneath the endless red walls, stood a majestic and ornate carriage, surrounded by the Imperial Guards and eunuchs holding curved yellow umbrellas and embroidered dragon fans.
The carriage’s curtains were drawn back by the eunuchs, revealing Emperor Jingxi seated on the imperial throne, his profile cold and imposing, yet silent.
As if sensing her gaze, he turned his head to look at her.
The moment their eyes met, A-Wu felt as though something had seized her, and she couldn’t look away.
The corners of Emperor Jingxi’s lips curved slightly, and he offered her a subtle smile.
A-Wu’s heart fluttered.
She hadn’t expected him to still be here, watching her.
She thought he had left long ago, without a backward glance.
But he was smiling at her across the carriage, past the curved yellow umbrellas, beyond the guards and eunuchs.
His smile was refined, restrained, and yet warm, as if embodying the grace of a hundred and twenty years of the Great Hui Dynasty.
Before, A-Wu hadn’t understood, but now she did.
The palace had strict rules, and even the Emperor couldn’t always act as he pleased.
Yet, he was smiling at her.
The sunlight was perfect, and the crisp autumn breeze brushed against the palace walls, gently lifting the intricately patterned yellow curtains and the ribbons of the man’s crown.
Their gazes intertwined like silk, pulling apart, meeting again, and lingering in a tender, unspoken connection.
A-Wu’s cheeks gradually flushed.
She wanted to say something to him with her lips, but her mind went blank.
In the end, she simply pursed her lips and offered him a soft smile.
A faint smile, lighter than the breeze.
At this moment, the Dragon Guards and eunuchs around them all lowered their eyes, and the scene was eerily silent.
However, an ambiguous atmosphere seemed to subtly permeate the air.
Fu Tai had been keeping his head down, but in a fleeting glance, he noticed a faint blush at the corner of the emperor’s eyes.
He was stunned, almost unable to believe it.
Having seen all the beauties of the world and weathered countless storms in the court, the emperor, who stood at the pinnacle of power, had blushed like a young lad of seventeen or eighteen because of a seemingly casual smile from a young woman!
His Majesty, the emperor!
A’wu finally withdrew her gaze.
She lowered her head, pursed her lips into a smile, and slightly bent her knees, performing a distant bow to Emperor Jingxi.
Then, she walked forward with her head down.
Fu Tai secretly glanced over and saw that the emperor’s gaze was still following the young woman’s retreating figure, a smile lingering in his eyes until her slender silhouette disappeared behind the palace walls.
The smile in the emperor’s eyes gradually faded.
Red maple leaves drifted down onto the bluestone bricks.
A eunuch carrying a bucket for cleaning passed by under the palace wall, his head bowed.
The emperor’s profile, gazing into the distance, now exuded a sense of loneliness.
Fu Tai’s initially suppressed smile gradually turned into melancholy, and his eyes even felt a bit swollen.
As a eunuch, he did not understand worldly love, nor was he qualified to.
But at this moment, he tasted a complex mix of sweetness and bitterness.
A’wu knew that a gaze was following her from behind.
So, she walked very slowly.
But no matter how slow, this path had to be traversed.
After following the palace maid around a corner, the gaze that had been following her was finally cut off, disappearing.
A’wu knew that the road ahead would not be easy.
From the moment Emperor Jingxi spared her life and summoned her to the palace, it meant that he had staked his lifelong reputation on her.
If they were not careful, they would become a pair of adulterers, disregarding moral principles.
Of course, it was also possible that one day he might regret it, and she would become a sacrificial offering on the altar of his wise and heroic reign, using her death to cleanse his innocence.
At this thought, A’wu’s steps faltered for a moment before she continued walking.
From the Empress Dowager’s Shouchang Hall to her own Langhua Hall, the journey was not short.
Along the way, the grand halls and winding corridors made A’wu’s feet ache, but she finally arrived.
In front of her was a palace door with a diamond-patterned lattice window, with a barrel-tile roof and a green screen door above it.
A red square plaque bore the characters “Langhua.”
A female official was waiting there, welcoming Awu inside and explaining the layout of Langhua Hall and the arrangements for the future.
Having walked so much, A’wu’s feet were sore, and she could barely pay attention, only listening vaguely.
The female official naturally noticed her fatigue but still gave her a general overview of the upcoming arrangements.
She was now a noble lady, with a monthly stipend of fifty-three taels, known as the “flower money.”
If she held a position or duty within the palace, there would be additional allowances and rewards.
As a noble lady, she was entitled to two meals and one tea with fruits and snacks daily, all provided by the palace without charge.
Each month, vegetables, clothes, shoes, and handkerchiefs were supplied by the court according to the seasons.
In the noble lady’s hall, there were several servants responsible for cleaning, laundry, sewing, and tailoring.
All expenses for these palace maids and eunuchs were covered by the palace.
As A’wu listened to all this, she slowly began to process the information.
She then asked, “So, you’re saying I get fifty-three taels of silver every month, with free food, lodging, and maids, and I don’t have to spend anything?”
The female official was momentarily stunned, then nodded, “Yes.”
She quickly added, “Besides the fifty-three taels, there are also rewards, position stipends, and extra bonuses.”
A-Wu became more interested and asked curiously, “For example?”
The female official replied, “For instance, we are currently preparing for Princess Dening’s coming-of-age ceremony. If you are assigned a task by Her Majesty the Empress and take charge of some arrangements, you can earn a stipend.”
A-Wu immediately felt a headache coming on.
Trying to make money under the Empress’s watch would likely be extremely difficult.
Forget it, she thought.
She then asked, “What about the rewards?”
The female official explained, “Every month, female officials teach the imperial concubines and palace maids. If you excel in your studies and are well-versed in literature, you can be promoted.”
“With promotion, your monthly stipend naturally increases. Additionally, according to custom, Her Majesty the Empress and His Majesty the Emperor also give special rewards.”
“Studies? Literature?” A-Wu was increasingly surprised.
She looked at the female official and cautiously asked, “But I’m here to serve His Majesty, not to study.”
The female official smiled gently and respectfully said, “Your Ladyship may not be aware, but this has always been the rule in the imperial harem.”
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