Bai Fuxue never expected that Xiao Shizhi would actually have her go to the Purple Palace Hall to play the qin.
Bai Fuxue felt her soul shatter on the spot.
Song Luo joyfully said, “Your Highness, quickly thank His Majesty for his grace!”
As Mr. Lu Xun wisely said, human joys and sorrows are not shared.
Bai Fuxue dazedly bowed in gratitude, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s appreciation.”
Li Dequan inwardly marveled never before had a concubine been allowed to accompany the emperor in the Purple Palace Hall.
Such an honor had not even been granted to the Empress.
Xiao Shizhi smiled faintly, “Li Dequan, bring Consort Bai’s qin.”
Following Xiao Shizhi back to the Purple Palace Hall, Bai Fuxue was already on the verge of collapse. She was seated at a small table beside the imperial desk.
It looked exactly like the small desk placed next to a teacher’s podium.
Commonly known as the seat for underachieving students.
The news of Bai Fuxue going to the Purple Palace Hall instantly spread throughout the harem, leaving countless concubines grinding their teeth in envy.
Noble Consort Rong threw her hairpin to the ground,
“That wretch! She only knows how to use those lowly tricks to seduce His Majesty!”
Noble Consort Rong’s eyes were nearly red with fury.
“Ever since Bai Fuxue was released from the Cold Palace, His Majesty hasn’t spared a single thought for anyone else!”
On the other side, the Empress’s hand trembled slightly as she held her teacup.
On the table lay the daily letters sent by Prince Su.
The Empress said coldly, “How long has it been since Bai Fuxue paid her respects to me?”
A palace maid beside her replied, “Your Highness, Consort Bai has not come since her release from the Cold Palace.”
The Empress sneered, though her expression remained dignified, “I suppose it’s only natural. Consort Bai was a concubine of the late emperor. By seniority, I should be the one paying respects to her.”
The palace maid immediately knelt on the ground, cautiously saying, “It is Consort Bai who lacks propriety. As the rightful empress, Your Highness has every right to discipline her properly.”
As the saying goes, some rejoice while others grieve.
Bai Fuxue, as the one who benefited, felt no joy. The others in the harem felt no joy.
Even Xiao Shizhi herself seemed to feel no joy.
This was quite the problem.
The female official stood beside Bai Fuxue, patiently explaining, “Your Highness’s finger technique is incorrect. It should be like this.”
Bai Fuxue: “…”
The qin emitted a mournful, wailing sound, like the cries of ghosts in the dead of night.
Xiao Shizhi sat upright, reviewing memorials, her temples throbbing with pain.
A drop of vermilion ink dripped from her brush onto the paper.
Even the large cat that had returned from hunting was too frightened to come home.
Heaven have mercy.
Xiao Shizhi said with difficulty, “What piece are you playing?”
Bai Fuxue replied, “Your Majesty, it is ‘The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate.'”
Xiao Shizhi: “What kind of playing is that? Anyone who didn’t know would think it was two wronged ghosts weeping at a grave.”
Xiao Shizhi set down her brush and said with a complicated expression, “How long have you been teaching her?”
The female official knelt on the floor with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly, “I have been teaching Her Highness for three days. Your Majesty may not know, but Her Highness has already made great progress.”
Bai Fuxue murmured, “Your Majesty, the female official taught very diligently. It is I who am foolish.”
Indeed, quite foolish.
Xiao Shizhi waved her hand, signaling her to continue playing.
Xiao Shizhi resumed reviewing memorials as the mournful, funeral-like qin music continued to fill her ears.
Two hours later, Xiao Shizhi placed the last memorial aside.
She looked at Bai Fuxue with a complicated expression.
Xiao Shizhi said, “Bai Fuxue, you are very diligent.”
She had expected Bai Fuxue to cry and fuss, refusing to put in any effort. Instead, she practiced tirelessly without pause.
Bai Fuxue smiled shyly, her fingers never ceasing their movement.
Xiao Shizhi’s eyes flickered with a trace of confusion she didn’t know what she was after.
Why keep Bai Fuxue by her side? Why bring her out of the cold palace? Why take a midday stroll just to run into her?
Slender fingers plucked the strings of the zither. Under the lamplight, the beauty’s lips curved into a faint smile, her delicate form soft and charming beneath the silk fabric, the bite mark on her collarbone still visible.
Xiao Shizhi finally relented, a throbbing pain pulsing at the back of her head. “Stop, stop playing.”
Hearing this melody made her want to cry the more she listened, the more despairing she felt.
Bai Fuxue smiled. “Your servant has improved quite a bit. Has Your Majesty noticed?”
The young empress’s lips moved as if to speak, but she held back, glancing at the palace maid who had already given up resisting.
The maid was already planning her retirement in her heart.
Xiao Shizhi forced out the words against her conscience, “Not bad, not bad at all.”
“You played very well. Just don’t play it again tomorrow.”
Outside, Li Dequan heard Consort Bai’s zither music and suddenly realized that this must be the emperor’s favor.
Her Majesty actually adored Consort Bai to such an extent.
Li Dequan stood at the door and saw Noble Consort Rong approaching from afar.
He quickly bowed in greeting. “Greetings, Noble Consort.”
By then, the zither music had ceased, and the air fell into silence once more.
Noble Consort Rong smiled. “The summer heat hasn’t yet dissipated. I specially prepared some chilled mung bean porridge to relieve the heat and came to see Her Majesty.”
She carried a basket, dressed in vibrant, embroidered robes, her hair adorned with glittering jewels that shimmered in the candlelight.
As she lifted the curtain, she saw the empress seated before the imperial desk, with Bai Fuxue beside her, preparing to play the zither.
Bai Fuxue was about to rise and bow, but Xiao Shizhi waved her hand, signaling her to remain seated.
Noble Consort Rong felt a pang of displeasure at the sight.
With practiced grace, she placed the food box on the empress’s desk and said sweetly,
“The night is deep, Your Majesty. You’ve been working diligently and must take care of your health.”
Bai Fuxue: “…”
It’s only seven in the evening.
In the real world, she wouldn’t even be off work at this hour.
Amusingly, she lived at the company, the concept of “off work” didn’t exist for her.
Bai Fuxue suddenly felt overwhelmed by her own workaholic tendencies and let out a soft chuckle.
Noble Consort Rong & Xiao Shizhi: “…?”
Noticing their gazes, Bai Fuxue murmured, “Your Majesty truly works hard.”
Xiao Shizhi replied with mixed emotions, “You work hard too.”
Bai Fuxue nodded.
Noble Consort Rong: ?
Bai Fuxue was naturally a quick learner and not entirely unskilled in music.
As the saying goes, if you act useless, no one will expect anything from you.
Under Noble Consort Rong’s attentive service, Xiao Shizhi opened the food box to reveal a bowl of clear, chilled mung bean porridge.
Noble Consort Rong smiled triumphantly. “Sister, have some as well. I made this with my own hands.”
Bai Fuxue accepted a bowl and took a small sip.
The mung beans were smooth and melted in her mouth, carrying the distinct sweetness of rock sugar. Scattered within were translucent pieces of lychee flesh, floating among ice cubes. One sip was incredibly refreshing.
Bai Fuxue’s eyes lit up it was delicious!
Noble Consort Rong shot a challenging glance at Bai Fuxue, though her words remained sisterly.
“What does Sister think of the taste? I’m rather clumsy it took me several attempts before it was barely passable.”
Bai Fuxue completely missed the underlying meaning.
“It’s delicious, Your Highness! You’re so skilled. I could never manage this.”
Noble Consort Rong: “…”
Xiao Shizhi cast a deep glance at Bai Fuxue, her eyes seeming to say: This is the standard a consort should present.
Bai Fuxue: “…”
After finishing a bowl of porridge, Consort Rong looked at Xiao Shizhi with grievance and said:
“Your Majesty hasn’t visited my palace for a long time. Without Your Majesty’s company, I cannot sleep.”
Xiao Shizhi placed the jade bowl on the table with a sharp clatter.
Consort Rong immediately fell silent, carefully making no further sound.
Xiao Shizhi was already with Bai Fuxue and couldn’t accept intimate contact with anyone else.
If she wanted children, she could simply use both their blood to create a medicinal pill consuming it would suffice to conceive.
This vast harem held no temptation whatsoever for Xiao Shizhi.
After Consort Rong left, only Bai Fuxue remained in the Zichen Hall.
Before departing, the look Consort Rong gave Bai Fuxue was fierce enough to devour her whole.
Xiao Shizhi wearily rubbed her temples and murmured to herself:
“The military generals are dwindling. Aside from the Bai family, there are few capable individuals…”
Xiao Shizhi sketched and wrote on paper with a charcoal pencil.
What should be done about the Northern Court?
Bai Fuxue leaned against her, thinking this question could be answered, the original host came from a military family, so knowing this wasn’t surprising.
Bai Fuxue said, “Why doesn’t Your Majesty send people to investigate places with fierce but impoverished customs? There are many parentless children there, as well as strong young adults struggling to survive. With some silver, they can be taken away.”
Bai Fuxue’s hands had already climbed onto Xiao Shizhi’s shoulders, their posture extremely intimate.
Though her voice was soft as she nuzzled against Xiao Shizhi, her words were entirely serious.
“Your Majesty currently only has the Bai family to rely on, but they’ve been suppressed by several families from the previous court to the point of ruin.”
Bai Fuxue continued, “Why doesn’t Your Majesty gather a team, temporarily assign them to the Bai family for training, select a head instructor you trust, and gradually remove the Bai family from the military system ”
By then, the people would be trained and loyal to the emperor.
Xiao Shizhi’s eyes darkened, her fingers pressing against the back of Bai Fuxue’s neck as she said:
“Aren’t you from the Bai family? What kind of talk is this?”
Bai Fuxue said charmingly, “But I am Your Majesty’s person.”
Xiao Shizhi’s heart stirred, holding her even tighter.
That night, Bai Fuxue slept in the Zichen Hall, her voice hoarse from crying out, weeping with extreme grievance.
Every time Xiao Shizhi heard her cry, her heart softened.
The delicate beauty would shrink into her arms at the slightest touch, never attempting to escape.
Xiao Shizhi’s shoulders were bitten until they bled, while no part of Bai Fuxue’s body was left untouched.
The next day.
Bai Fuxue completely couldn’t get out of bed.
After Xiao Shizhi returned from morning court, Bai Fuxue still hadn’t woken, softly sunk into the bedding.
Xiao Shizhi helplessly kissed her forehead and instructed Li Dequan:
“Tell the female officials not to come today.”
Li Dequan: “Yes.”
Xiao Shizhi chuckled wryly, “Reward each female official who taught Bai Fuxue fifty taels of silver. They’ve worked hard.”
Xiao Shizhi returned to busy herself with court affairs, thinking that with no one supervising Bai Fuxue, she would languish in bed like a salted fish.
She had already prepared herself not to see Bai Fuxue all day.
Xiao Shizhi successively met with members of the Bai family and several officials from the Ministry of War, following Bai Fuxue’s suggestion to search for children and strong young adults in remote, fierce regions.
Xiao Shizhi recalled scenes from her modern world when she inspected factories and took inventory in warehouses.
That group of people had bulging muscles like bulls, each one brimming with martial prowess. If Xiao Shizhi hadn’t been protected by her guards, she would have been cut down in minutes.
They truly dared to take action.
Perhaps it’s true that the environment shapes the character.
After a busy morning, Xiao Shizhi had little appetite at noon and ate very little. By afternoon, she was already hungry.
At this moment, Bai Fuxue still hadn’t gotten up.
As the sun set, Xiao Shizhi genuinely wondered if Bai Fuxue had died otherwise, how could someone sleep for so long?
Had she never slept in her entire life?
Just as Xiao Shizhi was about to call for dinner, she saw Bai Fuxue gracefully approaching, carrying an exquisite food box in her hand.
The delicate beauty slightly bowed and said in a coquettish tone, “Your Majesty, I’ve personally prepared some sweet drinks. Would you like to try them?”
Xiao Shizhi raised an eyebrow and smiled curiously, “You know how to cook too?”
Bai Fuxue opened the food box and placed it before Xiao Shizhi, while Li Dequan also leaned in to look.
Inside was a light brown soup base with floating taro balls and chunks of turtle jelly. Upon closer inspection, there were also some sweet red beans.
The aroma of milk was rich, and the black tea helped cut through the richness.
Bai Fuxue giggled flirtatiously, “Your Majesty, please taste it and tell me does Consort Rong make better food, or do I?”