The sedan chair swayed gently. Yan Qingshu rubbed her knee and a faint smile curled up on her lips.
A bit of the emperor's pity was enough for her to climb up the ranks.
When the sedan chair arrived at the Guanghan Palace, Zhuyao gave some silver coins to the young eunuchs who carried the sedan chair.
Yan Qingshu dragged her exhausted body back into the palace. As soon as she entered, she saw Yinqiao, the second - rank maid beside the Virtuous Concubine, waiting inside.
Seeing her return, Yinqiao said with a cold face, "This is the pregnancy - promoting medicine bestowed by the concubine. My lady, please drink it quickly."
Yan Qingshu stepped forward and silently drank up the medicine in one gulp. Only after seeing her finish did Yinqiao snort and turn away.
Zhuyao frowned and murmured a few words.
"Go and prepare some hot water for me to take a bath. I'm so sore all over." She slumped on the warm kang, feeling as if her whole body had been run over by a cart.
After a wash, Yan Qingshu was so tired that she fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.
——
A tree of pear blossoms had covered the crabapple. The next day, there was no more desolate sight of fallen flowers in the courtyard.
When Yan Qingshu woke up, the soreness had eased a lot.
[Host, fifty concubine - favor points have been credited. Do you want to convert them into mall points?]
Yan Qingshu nodded, and the system automatically converted the points.
Seeing her wake up, Zhuyao brought a copper basin to wait on her for washing.
After a good dressing - up, Yan Qingshu left the palace to pay respects to the queen in the Phoenix Cry Palace.
On the way, the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs were bustling around on the paths of the imperial garden. Silk, satin, jade, and jewels were flowing into the palaces of the concubines like a stream.
"My lady, I heard that the tributes from the Western Regions and the Western countries have arrived. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has distributed them according to the ranks and sent them to each palace."
"Keep a good eye on it. If there are any items that are not suitable for my rank, put them in the storeroom and don't take them out to show off." Yan Qingshu said with a lingering fear. Before getting the emperor's definite favor, she must never show off those ostentatious things.
"Yes." Zhuyao replied.
The mistress and the maid chatted casually as they walked. Finally, they arrived at the Phoenix Cry Palace.
There were quite a few concubines waiting outside the Phoenix Cry Palace. It seemed that the queen had not finished dressing up yet.
When they saw her coming, several concubines didn't even spare her a glance. The other ladies - in - waiting covered their handkerchiefs and whispered to each other, occasionally bursting into shrill laughter.
Yan Qingshu ignored them.
"The queen has finished dressing up. Ladies and concubines, please enter the palace." Qingzhu, the queen's personal maid, walked out and said.
Yan Qingshu silently followed the other concubines into the palace and took her seat.
Inside the palace, the queen sat majestically on the upper seat, looking dignified and elegant, showing the bearing of the mother of the nation.
The concubines gently curtsied, and the queen smiled tenderly and told them to rise.
Sitting in her seat, Yan Qingshu hung her head and said nothing.
Today, neither the Virtuous Concubine nor the Virtuous - Kind Concubine had come. The Virtuous Concubine had sent a sick note, and the Virtuous - Kind Concubine was a reclusive person who rarely went out.
"The emperor has been on the throne for three years, but there has been no heir in the harem. This is enough to be criticized by the world. Sisters, you should serve the emperor well and give birth to heirs for the royal family." The queen's gentle voice reached the ears of the concubines.
"Giving birth to heirs for the royal family is what we concubines should do. We will surely follow your orders."
Lady Lin, who was sitting opposite Yan Qingshu, echoed, with jealous and resentful eyes fixed on Yan Qingshu.
A few days ago, it should have been her turn to serve the emperor. But unexpectedly, the emperor met Yan Qingshu on his way back to the palace after having dinner in the Virtuous Concubine's palace. Then she was sent back to her palace by the eunuchs in charge of the emperor's bed - chamber affairs, and that night it was this bitch Yan Qingshu who served the emperor.
It made her a laughingstock.
And it was this bitch who served the emperor last night. Seeing the tired look on her face, Lady Lin's anger welled up.
"Not only I but also Lady Yan is eager to conceive the imperial heir."
"Lady Yan has served the emperor quite a few times, but why has there been no sign of pregnancy after drinking the pregnancy - promoting medicine every day?"
Yan Qingshu looked up, a smile on her lips, and said softly, "It's because I'm of low status and have little fortune. I can't compare with my elder sisters. I'm sure my elder sisters will soon bring good news."
Lady Lin scanned her up and down and said disdainfully, "It seems that Lady Yan has self - awareness. With your low status, don't blame the imperial heir for not wanting to take root in your womb."
"Indeed. How could a person of low status like you conceive the imperial heir? It would be a joke."
"Maybe the imperial heir would even cause a miscarriage in your womb?"
After saying that, Lady Lin and the other ladies looked at each other and laughed sharply.
These newly - entered concubines came from noble families and were all legitimate daughters. They knew exactly how Yan Qingshu had entered the palace. Naturally, they looked down on this humble concubine who had entered the palace as a child - bearing tool.
After taking the pregnancy - promoting medicine every day, there was still no sign of pregnancy. It seemed that she was really an unlucky person.
Yan Qingshu's face changed, and she said, "What Lady Lin said makes me terrified. If you talk like this, aren't you being disrespectful to the emperor?"
After saying that, she glanced at the queen.
Sure enough, the queen's face had darkened.
"Lady Lin has a sharp tongue. Such disrespectful words come out of your mouth so easily!"
Seeing the queen's angry face, Lady Lin remembered that the current emperor was born of a maid. In terms of low status, Yan Qingshu was not as low as a maid. The words she had just said had even scolded the emperor's mother.
"Your Majesty, I didn't mean it!" Lady Lin hurriedly knelt down to admit her mistake.
"Lady Lin, I usually just thought you were a generous - tempered person born into a military family when you spoke without restraint. But now that you have caused trouble with your words and involved the emperor, I have to punish you."
"Lady Lin, your monthly salary will be deducted for two months, and you will copy the Precepts for Women ten times and hand them in to me. If there is a next time, I will not let you off so easily!"
The queen's dignified face was filled with anger, and her stern eyes also fell on Yan Qingshu. She sighed with disappointment and said again.
"A person should respect herself. Once you enter the palace, you are a member of the royal family. How can you belittle yourself as soon as you open your mouth? If you want others to respect you, you have to respect yourself first!"
"I've learned my lesson." Yan Qingshu also stood up and curtsied, with a bit of sobbing in her voice.
The queen sighed in her heart. She was really a poor thing.
"Get up. Giving birth to heirs for the emperor is the responsibility of every concubine, regardless of status. If I hear such words again, I will not spare anyone!" The queen's warning gaze swept across everyone, especially those concubines who loved to gossip.
The concubines stood up and said, "We will surely follow your teachings, Your Majesty."
As usual, the queen told the concubines to give birth to heirs and chatted with them for a while before letting them leave.
——
In the imperial garden, the concubines in front crowded around the Third - Ranked Concubine Zhu, who was very much in favor recently, chatting and laughing merrily.
Yan Qingshu silently followed behind them, waiting to turn at the corner and get away from them to find some peace.
Lady Lin cast a resentful look at her and quickened her steps to bump hard into Yan Qingshu's back.
Yan Qingshu staggered and almost lost her balance. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the faintly visible black - and - gold hem of a robe among the blooming pear blossoms in the imperial garden.
Just then, the system had reminded her that the emperor was nearby.
Yan Qingshu let out a startled cry and fell to the ground, with tears welling up in her eyes.
The concubines in front heard the sound and looked back. Seeing her lying on the ground, their faces showed nothing but impatience.
Only Lady Tang beside Yan Qingshu was about to help her up.