Ji Fei had agreed not to touch Ye Qiu during the day, but he didn’t leave Changchun Palace and seed determined to stay overnight.
"Lady, the bath is ready," Qing E happily announced. Although the Emperor has been visiting the Imperial Concubine frequently over the past two months, he didn’t favor her even once. Now that new concubines have entered the palace, who knew what could happen next? It was best for the Lady to conceive as soon as possible.
Ye Qiu understood why the palace maids were excited, although she herself was indifferent. However, she didn’t plan to tell them about it. If Ji Fei wanted to stay overnight, let him stay; after all, she wasn’t really going to serve him anyway, and right now she still needed the honor he provided for her endeavors.
That night, Ye Qiu stayed awake, but Ji Fei lying beside her with closed eyes seed very excited, his face unusually flushed - it was unsure what he dreamt about.
"Your Majesty, it’s ti to get up and attend court," Ye Qiu called softly from beside his bed.
"What ti is it?" Ji Fei asked groggily.
"It’s 5:45 AM."
"Then it’s ti to get up." Ji Fei’s voice sounded slightly exhausted, and there were dark circles under his eyes, but his eyes glead with excitent as he spoke to Ye Qiu, "beloved princess, you must be tired from last night too, you don’t have to wake up this early in the future."
With a shy smile, Ye Qiu said, "Your Majesty is teasing again."
Struggling to get up, Ji Fei fondly pinched her hand, expressing his regret as he went to wash and dress with the help of the palace attendants.
Changchun Palace was festive today. It wasn’t long before the entire harem knew the Emperor had spent last night at the Imperial Concubine’s quarters and sent generous gifts early in the morning.
In Chuxiu Palace, Qiao Qingyue stood in front of a callia tree, its pink-purple flowers torn woefully apart by her.
He had promised her, promised that he would favor no one else before her elevation, but he broke his promise.
The atmosphere around Qiao Qingyue turned even colder, and the other concubines distanced themselves further from her.
Her days in Chuxiu Palace had been neither good nor bad. To avoid suspicion and ostracism, Ji Fei deliberately didn’t give her any preferential treatnt, while Qiao Qingyue always maintained a cool, aloof deanor that made almost everyone think she was just going through the motions.
She couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. During a quiet afternoon, Qiao Qingyue managed to pass a handkerchief to a little eunuch that Ji Fei had ntioned before. The handkerchief had nothing but a moon embroidered on it.
This handkerchief soon reached Ji Fei’s hands, and at that mont, he regretted favoring Ye Qiu the previous night even more. How could he have been so impulsive and uncontrollable?
Ji Fei imagined Qiao Qingyue looking dejected after hearing about his night with the Imperial Concubine, and he felt imnsely guilty.
"An Fu, any progress on the matter I asked you to investigate?" Ji Fei did not believe he was bewitched by Ye Qiu; he’d rather believe she used so special drug or thod to confuse him.
"Your Majesty, this servant has inquired with the palace maids around Imperial Concubine and the Palace Bureau attendants, and there’s nothing unusual," An Fu answered respectfully.
Hearing this, Ji Fei frowned deeply, suspicious, "Then do you think it could be so form of witchcraft..." He stopped halfway, imdiately dismissing the idea. After the witchcraft debacle in the previous dynasty led to a massive purge in the harem and signs of dynastic decline, this dynasty strictly banned such practices. Even Taoists and Monks were suppressed. There was no way for the Imperial Concubine, who had absolutely no contacts in these forbidden arts, to be involved.
"Your Majesty, have you ever considered that you might have feelings for the Imperial Concubine?" An Fu ventured cautiously.
"How is that possible?" Ji Fei instinctively denied it.
An Fu saw Ji Fei’s unhappy expression and tily shut his mouth, thinking that those involved are often confused and oblivious while the bystanders can see clearly. Is the Emperor not deeply fond of the Imperial Concubine as he ponders over her day and night?
Although Ji Fei denied what An Fu said, he started to have doubts in his heart. He knew well that he only used Ye Qiu, and that his beloved was his Little Moon. How could he have feelings for Ye Qiu?
He shook his head, feeling that it would be wiser to see her less until he figured out the peculiarities about Ye Qiu.
"Sister." Ye Mu was on duty today, and after his shift, he ca to Changchun Palace as per Ye Qiu’s wish.
"What exactly did you find out? Grandfather said he understands your intentions and told you not to worry too much." There was no one else around today, so Ye Mu straightforwardly voiced his deep concern.
The family initially did not agree to their sister marrying the man who was then the Second Prince, but she was smitten and adamant to marry none but him. The Ye Family, having only this daughter, could only pamper her. When they saw that the Emperor treated her well and she appeared happy, the Ye Family felt reassured. Even when the Second Prince got involved in the struggle for the throne, they helplessly supported him.
But why would his sister, who has always protected the Emperor, suddenly warn him to be wary of the Emperor?
Ye Qiu gave a self-deprecating smile, though her face showed no sign of sadness, "I just found out that the Emperor is a man of great ambition. To him, it seems our Ye Family poses too great a threat."
Ye Mu furrowed his brow, seeming to not understand Ye Qiu’s words, "Sister, do you want Father to relinquish military power?"
"Why would you think that?" Ye Qiu stared at him speechlessly.
Ye Mu looked a bit innocent. Hadn’t it always been like this? Whatever was good for the Emperor, his sister would try every ans to achieve it.
"What if I said I want to start a rebellion?" Ye Qiu said, gazing into Ye Mu’s eyes.
"Sister, are you joking..." Ye Mu’s words were cut short as he gazed into Ye Qiu’s serious eyes and suddenly fell silent, "Did you really an what you just said?" His voice turned hoarse, then nervously looked around, fearing soone might hear them.
"No one will hear us," Ye Qiu affird confidently, her gaze sharp, "If n can be Emperors, why can’t won? I will prove it to everyone."
"What do you need to do?" Ye Mu didn’t ask her reasons or plans, his first reaction was to support her.
Ye Qiu looked at him and chuckled lightly, "Don’t be too nervous, this is just a thought of mine. You just need to relay this to Grandfather, and do nothing else for now, not even tell Father or Uncle."
Ye Mu was silent, looking at Ye Qiu, but then felt a mix of excitent and pity.
The excitent stemd from his sister preparing to undertake a great endeavor, and the pity from the thought that the Emperor must have wronged her deeply to cause such a drastic change in her deanor.
Ye Mu went back and relayed the matter to his grandfather as instructed by his sister, but all his grandfather said was: I know. He then went back to taking care of his pony.
"Grandfather, aren’t you worried about Sister?" Ye Mu asked anxiously.
In Ye Xing’s murky eyes, a glint of sharpness flickered, "Once your sister was the smartest among all the children, although she beca foolish for a while, fortunately, she has finally co to her senses."
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