Li Zhu faintly sensed someone calling her name.
She drowsily opened her eyes to see Hong Yu.
With a hoarse voice, Li Zhu whined, "What is it, Sister Hong Yu?"
"Get up quickly to receive the imperial decree!"
"Receive paper? What paper? I don't need to use the restroom."
What nonsense is this! Hong Yu simply pulled Li Zhu up by force.
"His Majesty has issued an edict. Hurry and get ready! Eunuch Ji'an is waiting outside!"
In a daze, Li Zhu was dressed and had her hair styled.
"By the decree of heaven and the emperor's mandate: Wanyi of the Li family, gentle and virtuous, is hereby promoted to Zheng Si Pin Gui Pin, and shall reside in Huaqing Palace."
Li Zhu felt as if she were still dreaming, not fully awake. For a moment, she remained motionless.
Hong Yu gently nudged her, reminding her to express gratitude for the imperial favor.
Eunuch Ji'an also urged, "Gui Pin Li, please receive the decree and express your gratitude!"
"Thank you for His Majesty's great kindness."
Hong Yu helped the still-dazed Li Zhu to her feet, while Ji'an smiled warmly.
"Gui Pin Li, Huaqing Palace won't be ready until tomorrow. I'm afraid you'll have to endure staying here one more night tonight."
Ji'an was excessively polite, his tone even carrying a hint of flattery, which made Li Zhu extremely uncomfortable.
"It's no hardship, no hardship at all."
"Then, Gui Pin, please rest. This servant will take his leave."
"Eunuch Ji'an, please take care on your way." Li Zhu's mouth moved faster than her brain.
Ji'an reminded her, "That won't do. You are now Gui Pin Niangniang. There's no need to use honorifics for me."
After Ji'an left, Hong Yu began offering congratulations. "Congratulations, Gui Pin Li."
Li Zhu keenly sensed a slight distance and increased respect in Hong Yu's tone, with less of the previous familiarity.
A single imperial decree had drawn an insurmountable gap between her and Hong Yu.
Li Zhu wasn't sad, but she didn't feel entirely comfortable either.
Xiuyu stood to the side, not daring to make a sound, though inwardly she was seething with frustration!
What she had dreaded most had come to pass—Li Zhu had actually become an imperial concubine.
And a Zheng Si Pin Gui Pin, no less!
Not some lowly Xuanshi or minor talent!
Watching Li Zhu accept everyone's congratulations with a smile, Xiuyu could only suppress her bitterness and step forward to offer a few pleasant words.
Finally, after seeing everyone off, Li Zhu returned to her room for some peace.
Heavens, that damned emperor was actually serious!
Then, Li Zhu burst out laughing.
Being an imperial concubine was wonderful! Meals served without lifting a finger, clothes handed to her, and with the emperor impotent, no need to bear children!
The only thing Li Zhu worried about was Shufei.
But if Shufei pushed her too far, Li Zhu thought, she would find a way to eliminate her!
~~
The first benefit Li Zhu experienced as Gui Pin came with the midday meal.
Though it couldn't compare to the emperor's imperial feast, it was still quite good.
The sound of the night watchman's clapper echoed through the palace streets. Li Shengyuan lay on his bed, unable to sleep.
He had forgotten that since he had enfeoffed Li Zhu as a concubine, she no longer needed to stay up late reading to him.
Li Shengyuan felt a twinge of regret. If he had known, he wouldn't have been in such a hurry to enfeoff her.
And that woman Li Zhu was surely sleeping soundly! The thought made Li Shengyuan feel unbalanced again.
Why should she be so happy?
"Ji'an!"
Soon.
"Your servant is here. What are Your Majesty's orders?"
"Go summon Li… Gui Pin to get up and attend to my reading!"
"But Gui Pin Niangniang must already be asleep…"
"Wake her up!"
"Yes."
Ji'an complied, ruthlessly rousing the soundly sleeping Li Zhu.
Li Zhu felt murderous.
"Gui Pin Niangniang, His Majesty summons you to attend to his reading."
She still had to read!
Wasn't she already a Gui Pin?
What a lunatic!
That damned emperor truly has a screw loose!
After stewing in her frustration for a while, Li Zhu reluctantly followed Ji An to the bedchamber.
"Your Majesty, may you be at peace."
"Rise."
Li Shengyuan sat on the bed with one leg crossed and the other propped up.
[Heh, this damned emperor really has long legs!]
Li Shengyuan shot Li Zhu an exasperated glance, full of disdain.
"Being conferred as Gui Pin, are you pleased?"
"Your Majesty, this slave… your concubine is very pleased."
She wasn’t lying—the roaring laughter in Li Zhu’s heart nearly deafened Li Shengyuan’s ears.
It seemed she was genuinely delighted.
"I expect you to strictly abide by the virtues of an imperial consort from now on—free from envy and jealousy."
"Yes, your concubine will heed your instruction."
[Hehe, it’s not like I’m jealous anyway.]
Li Shengyuan felt irritated again. "It had better be so. Read your book."
Li Zhu opened the book and looked up to find Li Shengyuan still sitting there.
"Your Majesty, won’t you lie down?"
"Read your book."
[Reeaad~ yoour~ booook~]
Li Zhu mimicked him sarcastically in her mind and curled her lip.
Ignoring him, she calmed herself and began her "work."
The last day.
It should be the last day… right?
Li Shengyuan had initially closed his eyes to listen, but perhaps because he was sitting, drowsiness didn’t overcome him.
When he opened his eyes, Li Zhu’s earnest face filled his vision.
Bathed in the candlelight, the woman’s face appeared slightly blurred, like a goddess veiled in mist.
Her serious demeanor carried an air of untouchable sanctity.
Li Shengyuan’s gaze lingered for a long time.
So long that he didn’t even realize it himself, so long that Li Zhu lifted her head.
The next moment, Li Shengyuan met Li Zhu’s eyes.
The room was dim, yet Li Zhu’s clear, bright eyes were astonishingly vivid.
Li Shengyuan heard the sound of his own heartbeat.
"Your Majesty?"
Li Zhu looked at the man on the bed, puzzled.
"Nothing. Continue."
Li Zhu noticed a huskiness in Li Shengyuan’s voice but didn’t dwell on it, lowering her head again.
Li Shengyuan also drew the bed curtains and lay down.
He couldn’t understand the fluster he had felt moments before, nor could he fathom why those eyes had been so captivating.
When the time was about right, Li Zhu set down the book and quietly slipped away.
Li Shengyuan heard the faint rustling beyond the curtains and knew Li Zhu was leaving.
He wasn’t asleep, yet he didn’t call out to stop her as she prepared to depart.
~~
At Huaqing Palace, dozens of palace maids awaited the mistress of this hall.
Li Zhu had risen late today and arrived tardily.
"Guì Pín, may you be at peace."
A chorus of greetings and bowed heads.
Li Zhu truly grasped that she was now a royal consort.
"Rise," Li Zhu replied, her expression unchanged.
An auntie, roughly thirty years of age, stepped forward.
"Guì Pín, this humble maid is surnamed Qi. I am the supervising auntie assigned by the Directorate of Ceremonial."
Li Zhu nodded. "Auntie Qi."
Auntie Qi smiled and bowed, then gestured to the palace maids behind her.
"Guì Pín, these palace maids are named Zhi Zi, Fo Shou, Su Xin, and Hu Po. They were also selected by the Directorate of Ceremonial."
The named palace maids curtsied once more in greeting.
"Please bestow new names upon them, Your Highness."
Li Zhu was terrible at naming, and she thought the maids’ names were quite lovely already.
"There’s no need to change their names."
"As you wish."
Auntie Qi added, "Zhi Zi, Fo Shou, Su Xin, and Hu Po are all accomplished young ladies, each skilled in her own craft, and their etiquette is naturally impeccable. Your Highness may choose two to serve as first-rank palace maids."
Li Zhu quickly tapped through the exclamation marks above each of their heads.
Zhi Zi and Fo Shou had almost no significant issues—only trivial matters.
But Su Xin was different; she was a spy planted by Consort Xian!
Hu Po was even more complicated. On the surface, she appeared to be Shufei's person, but in reality, she served An Zhaoyi.
Li Zhu couldn't help but sigh—such a small temple, yet so many sinister winds!
Li Zhu remained calm and composed. For now, the enemy was in the open while she stayed hidden, so there was no rush to deal with Su Xin and Hu Po.
"Then let Zhi Zi and Fo Shou serve as first-class palace maids, with Su Xin and Hu Po as second-class."
"Thank you, Gui Pin."