“Huh?” At this moment, fragments of how I might die flashed through my mind. But the survival instinct of humans is infinite. Meanwhile, my muscle memory kicked in automatically, making the most correct choice. “Your Majesty, what are you talking about?”
Song Jiaye didn't expect me to answer like this. He looked at me, his sharp eyes filled with a bit of doubt and scrutiny.
There's a chance! I quickly continued, “Sorry, just now I was only focused on whether I should leave or not. I didn't hear a single word you talked with the general. By the time I came to my senses, the general had already left, and you were very angry.”
Song Jiaye looked at me skeptically. He probably didn't believe that I hadn't heard a single word. But in the end, he didn't blame me. Suddenly, he smiled. His smile was even scarier than when he was angry.
“You're quite smart.”
I was just about to express my gratitude, but then I thought better of it and quickly kept silent.
“Alright, stop kneeling. Get up.”
Having just escaped from the gates of hell, my heart was still pounding. I supported myself on the table and got up. Just as I was about to quickly bid farewell and slip away, unexpectedly, he suddenly asked me, “Since you've heard everything, then tell me, how should I deal with General Li?”
My legs went weak.
Come on, weren't people in ancient times all about male superiority? Song Jiaye, you're not a very typical ancient person!
Moreover, at that moment, the image of the woman wielding a sword under the ginkgo tree flashed through my mind. I knew that Song Jiaye was extremely angry. At this moment, I should flatter him and follow his wishes, suggesting that he punish the Li family.
But if so, the Empress would be too miserable.
Actually, General Li's decision was the right one. The Empress, locked up in the harem, was truly underutilized. Didn't the Emperor think it was a waste? A person like the Empress was born to gallop in the mountains and fields, wield swords and guns in the desert, and stand in front of the common people to defend the country.
However, I also knew that I couldn't say these words.
I was just a favored concubine with no power or influence. Although seemingly favored, I had no say. If I lost the Emperor's favor, I would lose my means of survival. Even the Empress, with such a prominent family background, couldn't leave the palace, let alone me.
Sorry, Your Majesty the Empress.
To protect myself, I could only make the safest decision.
“Your Majesty, the harem should not interfere in politics.”
Hearing this, Song Jiaye smiled and said, “You're quite self - aware.”
“This is my only virtue, Your Majesty.”
“Alright, stop being so formal. Accompany me to have lunch.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Song Jiaye returned to his gentle and easy - going self. Indeed, most of the time in the harem, he was easy to talk to. He would look at people with a smile. He didn't have a very sharp appearance. Among emperors, he was considered good - looking. His complexion was fair, and his facial features were soft. Recently, probably due to great pressure and his advancing age, he had obviously started to gain weight. He was like a smiling Buddha.
After this incident, I probably established a good image in Song Jiaye's mind as someone who could keep secrets. From then on, he no longer avoided me when there were things, and even occasionally asked for my opinion.
For example, the matter of whether to reward Li Qiyu.
After all, Li Qiyu had saved the Emperor's life. Although on the surface everyone said it was Concubine Yu who had saved me and the Emperor, everyone knew that it was actually the Empress who had risked her life.
The half - burned face of the Empress was the best proof.
But the credit was taken by Concubine Yu. At first, when I heard this news, I thought the Emperor was blind and couldn't even tell. After being forced to be a background figure in the imperial study for a long time recently, I finally understood the Emperor's thoughts.
This credit couldn't be given to the Empress. The Li family was too powerful. The Emperor was busy suppressing them. How could he possibly reward them?
However, Song Jiaye, who usually didn't care about anything and treated the death of a concubine as casually as the withering of a flower or grass, was rarely in a dilemma. I watched him unable to eat for several days because of this matter. He paced back and forth outside the Empress's palace several times. Whenever something good was tribute from the local areas, the first person he thought of was the Empress.
“Send it to the Empress.”
But before the palace servant who was delivering the edict had left, he called the person back.
“Forget it. Concubine Xiang, you take it.”
I, whose main job was to pick up “leftovers” and whose side job was being a favored concubine, although disgusted in my heart, still had to maintain the basic professionalism of a “worker” on the surface and quickly thanked him, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
So, gradually, some people in the harem started to speak ill of me behind my back. They said that Concubine Yu had stolen the Empress's credit, and I had stolen the Empress's rewards.
I didn't care what others said about me. In fact, I really hoped that the Empress would also stand up and say something about me.
It might sound masochistic, but I really hoped that the Empress wouldn't be so magnanimous. If she was jealous of me and came to scold me or suppress me, it would actually make me feel better.
You see, I would be hurting someone who wasn't so perfect, so it would be okay for me to hurt her.
But she didn't.
Once I heard her chatting with her maid. Her maid complained that the Emperor had given the rewards and credit to others.
She just said sadly, “It's bestowed by His Majesty. How could they refuse?”
“But it's clearly yours, Your Majesty.”
“Nothing is inherently mine. I didn't save him for these rewards in the first place. If he doesn't appreciate it, giving me more rewards is useless. Besides, it's not easy for anyone who enters this palace.”
I felt so uncomfortable listening to them from behind, so ashamed.
How could she understand me? It made me seem like more of a jerk.
Song Jiaye probably also thought he was a jerk. He was holding back a lot of anger and didn't know where to vent it. These days, he had favored many concubines, and soon it was my turn.
This was actually the part I hated the most. Although I told myself in my heart that I should just think of it as free service, Song Jiaye's performance in this regard was really mediocre.
After all, he was the high - and - mighty emperor. Even in this aspect, he had to be superior. Every time, he would just mechanically finish the deed. Although his figure looked okay when he was dressed, once his clothes were off, one could see his loose skin hanging down and his slightly protruding belly. In modern times, he would definitely be classified as an oily middle - aged man.
I don't know if it was out of fear or disgust, but he never went to the Empress's palace. But when he was asleep, he would mumble Li Qiyu's name.
If he liked her, why did he hurt her? What kind of love was this?
I couldn't figure it out.