The Beloved Imperial Consort - Chapter 60

During the period of Mu Xi Yai’s convalescence, Zhong Zheng Lin went back to the barrack, training army consecutively for a month. Afterward, he returned to the capital to report on his duty and take over the charge of military inspection unit of Shengjin and its area. At this point, the sixth prince Zhong Zheng Lin has laid a foundation in Ministry of war, paving his way for the upcoming war in Mobei.

When Zhong Zhen Lin has again stepped into Dangruo courtyard, Cheng Qing was already one month and eight days old. The little guy’s face has completely opened up1. He was quite sturdy. His little arms and legs were dancing cheerfully at the moment. Zhong Zheng Lin took Chong Qing from Mu Xi Yao’s arms and carefully examined his black phoenix eyes. He looked more and more like him. Zhong Zheng Lin patted his little bottom. The little guy reached his hand to pull at the strand of Zhong Zheng Lin’s hair at the temple, absent-mindedly sending them to his own mouth.

Mu Xi Yao went over to pick the child, taking out Zhong Zheng Lin’s hair from his mouth. She used one hand to hold Cheng Qing and the other one to pat him lightly to coax him to sleep.

Babies always slept a lot. In a while, his zeal died out. He lifted both of his hands and placed them next to his mouth. He fell in sleep while having his lips slightly closed. Mu Xi Yao handed Cheng Qing over to wet nurse before going back to arrange food for Zhong Zheng Lin.

After the two used meal, Zhong Zheng Lin took Mu Xi Yao’s little hand and took her to sit down on the couch bed that was before the window. He hugged her waist and slowly caressed the long hair that was draped over her shoulders.

“In two days, there will be people entering the estate.” Zhong Zheng Lin nonchalantly explained.

“Entering the estate?” Mu Xi Yao immediately understood.

Zhong Zheng Lin actually took initiative and disclosed that there would be people entering the estate? Could it be he took a fancy of some unusual woman? The Jianan Emperor from the previous lifetime was, in reality, unmoved by all those unique and alluring women.

Seeing the little woman dazing, Zhong Zheng Lin tapped her forehead, “Don’t make random guesses. They are dancers sent by the first brother.”

Yesterday, the first prince Zhong Zheng Chun used the pretext of holding a welcoming dinner for Zhong Zheng Lin to stuff him with two good-looking dancers, saying that they were for his amusement. How could Zhong Zheng Lin not know about Zhong Zheng Chun’s intention? He just wanted to put some nails on his path. If they could disturb his inner yard, even better.

Zhong Zheng Lin refused him in a rather cold manner. Later, everyone started to kick up a fuss. Zhong Zheng Lin understood he stood out too much these days and has attracted the anger of many. He hung down his lids for a while and subsequently nodded, giving his assent. What’s more, he looked at the first prince to thank him politely. Only, what he planned inwardly, others didn’t know.

He told these things to Mu Xi Yao now so that she would know the background of those women and understood what was going on.

Mu Xi Yao was very bright. She turned up her nose at stuff like giving each other beautiful concubines as a present, putting spokes at their wheels and stirring the inner yard. Only sorts like the first prince who had brawn but not brain would do such a thing.

“Dancers are good. Qie likes the most “appreciating dances and viewing flowers.” That enchanting and seductive gaze made Zhong Zheng Lin’s forefinger jump2.

After capturing the person in the study, he didn’t even hurry to return to the main house. Instead, he has, right away, pressed Mu Xi Yao against the table and engaged in intimacies with her. Zhong Zheng Lin has waited for Mu Xi Yao to recover. His patience was completely used up. So, he naturally won’t easily let her off.

The two lingered and rolled in the study until the third geng3 before taking a break. Fortunately, Mu Xi Yao has seen that the tide had turned against her and thus pleaded him persistently and has also promised him many benefits. Zhong Zheng Lin finally called it a day with reluctance then and carried the person to take a bath and go to sleep.

In the following day, two well-dressed women with graceful figures were led by the chief steward to Danruo courtyard to kowtow to cefei and mistresses of each courtyard.

Mu Xi Yao looked at the people kneeling below. Not only didn’t they have little bit of the seductress’ air, in addition, they were also well-mannered.

Their etiquette was faultless. Their replies were polite and modest, completely different to the enchanting appearance and seductive behavior Mu Xi Yao has anticipated. Even their names were elegant – Yu Ning and Yu Yan.

Mu cefei was very displeased by the fact that a red peony insisted on pretending to be a white lotus. If they wanted to act as tragic figures then they should aim for a flower4 that overturns countries. How can they be this half-hearted, ignoring their proper duties?

Tang Yi Ru and other women were throwing them hostile glances. It clearly wasn’t sending dancers but bed-climbers. A murderous glint flashed through little lady Tang’s almond-shaped eyes. She obviously disliked greatly the two.

Mu Xi Yao sat highly on the head seat, looking at the two’s demeanor. Well, just mere dancers yet they have trounced the imperial prince’s concubine. There was no doubt that they came here to grab the land and seduce the lord.

To her surprise, that barbarian the first prince was actually able to find ones in million and train such exceptional two. It must have been tough for him to sacrifice his own interest for other people after making such painstaking efforts.

Mu Xi Yao understood the situation, thus she didn’t mind. In addition, she was truly unwilling to pass on the responsibility of handling the women who had their eyes set on the inner yard to others.

Everyone subsequently saw the woman lift her crystal gold nail guard, pointing at those Yu something. The words that came out from her mouth stupified all the people in the room. “As a dancer, how are you going to seduce people if you had such a virtual character?”

Mu Xi Yao’s beautiful eyes cast them a sidelong glance. Her tone carried a disdain, “So dull, unsophisticated and insensitive. How can you pique a man’s interest in this way?” Watching the two people below, Mu cefei repeatedly shook her head, her expression full of contempt. She clicked her tongue and made a tsk tsk sounds.

Seeing the two being stunned by her into a dumbstruck appearance, Mu Xi Yao lifted her fingertip and began to trace it in the air.

“Your gaze isn’t enticing enough. Your figure is not adequately slim and lithe. The clothes aren’t exposing enough. You need to reveal both that shoulder and willow waist. In the future, you shall choose half-exposing, see-through kind of muslin skirt to wear every day.”

Mu Xi Yao cared not that other people were looking at her like at a ghost. She leaned her body a little forward and narrowed her eyes to seize them up carefully. After a moment, she swung her handkerchief and sneered.

“As dancers, if you acted so pure and noble, how can you make a man put his hand on you? Go back to figure it yourself in front of the mirror. When you are able to make people see an alluring woman in you by a glance would be when you will be able to present a dance before his Highness to liven up his mood.”

After she finished, she called for the chief steward who was towering at the side with head drooped down to arrange courtyard for the two so they could “mend their ways”. Then, she stated forthrightly that if they made no progress, they will need to train assiduously instead of musing on how to “disgrace themselves” before his Highness.

All the women in the room were greatly embarrassed by cefei’s outspokenness. Could it be that, in the private, cefei also acted like this hence she was able to intrigue his Highness and make him favor only her?

Then, there were those dancers. Though they were just a plaything, they weren’t as indecent as cefei said them to be. How come when words came out from cefei’s mouth, these dancers were no different to those lowly wenches from brothels?

Seeing Tian Fu Shan take the red-faced5 people down, Mu Xi Yao has again resumed to her usual amiable and reasonable mistress cefei. Her sharp-tongue and harshness from before were nowhere to be seen.

“Rules must be set in the estate. Otherwise, if people were to mistaken these playthings for his Highness’s inner yard, it would be a disgrace.”

When words were put this way by Mu Xi Yao, who knew how many people below muttered inside the heart: the one who was berating now was, probably, as well the one who was the most misbehaved in the estate.

Mu Xi Yao was disinterested in other people’s thoughts. At the moment, she felt pleased with the first prince’s muddle-headed move.

Using the position of an elder brother to send to little brother two filthy things, moreover, believing that she, Mu Xi Yao, wouldn’t kick them out?

Nowadays, it was well-known behind the closed doors of the palace that she, Mu cefei, was the sixth Highness’s favored concubine. For her to act unreasonably and drive a person out was a completely common thing.

Women. They can act unreasonably and also afford to be jealous. It was their forte.

Mu Xi Yao carefully tasted Mo Lan’s newly cultivated scented tea. Her whole body languidly leaned against the back of the chair, very satisfied.

The women underneath all felt unbearably upset as they looked at the increasingly beautiful face of cefei.

Recalling her like-a-changed-person behavior, each of her word harsh and ruthless, they only felt that Mu cefei wasn’t someone to mess with. Maybe her usual self was all just a pretense. Today, she showed her true face in order to cement her favor.

However, when they recalled those two dancers’ pale faces and indignant expressions, their hearts felt a bit more at ease.

Cefei’s moves were indeed precise. Each of her words drew blood. She had skinned them alive, tearing away their last semblance which was no different as to humiliate them in the face. It was truly harsh of her.

Translation notes: 

[1] Open up face means the child’s face has matured

[2] Make one’s forefinger jump is a Chinese idiom meaning that a person has a strong craving for a certain kind of food

[3] The third geng is third of the five night watch periods 23:00-01:00; midnight

[4] Flower in this context means a woman

[5] Red-faced means in this context someone who is stifling anger