Yaoji was still wearing a gauze dress today. Her hair was braided in a style completely different from that of the Central Plains, and there was a string of purple tassels hanging on her forehead.
Since she was not a concubine in the palace, no one would question her clothing and makeup. So she always dressed like a woman from the Southern Neighboring Country.
"The former Princess Yaoguang, may I ask what brings you here?" Dongfang Yi asked.
The fact that Yaoji had been enfeoffed as a princess was well - known. At first, Dongfang Yi couldn't believe it.
She couldn't believe that Helian Qi actually allowed such a beautiful woman to stay in the palace but made her his younger sister.
But the matter was already a foregone conclusion. For a moment, she had a different view of Helian Qi. Maybe he wasn't a man who was greedy for beauty. Maybe there were some misunderstandings about the things between them.
"Your Ladyship, Yaoji has something to discuss with you. I wonder if we could find a quiet place." Yaoji said.
After hearing this, Dongfang Yi turned her head and glanced at Concubine Shun who was still sitting in the corner. She thought she would talk to her later when she had time.
Then she reached out her hand to Yaoji, indicating that they could go and talk in the bedroom.
Soon, the two of them arrived at Concubine Shu's bedroom.
The bedroom still had a simple style.
Dongfang Yi then asked again, "Princess, what is it that you want to discuss with me?"
Just as she asked, she saw Yaoji suddenly kneel on the ground. Her eyes looked pitiful, and it seemed that tears were about to drop.
"Your Ladyship, Yaoji has suffered from her father's torture since childhood. Now that I've grown up, I've been sent here. But the Emperor didn't take me. Yaoji deeply feels that she is so useless." She said.
She was really crying and looked so pathetic that one couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
Looking at the woman in front of her like this, Dongfang Yi couldn't help but think to herself, how could such a good - looking woman be so self - deprecating? Did all beautiful women dislike themselves now?
But she wasn't stupid. She knew that no woman in this harem was a kind - hearted person, and Yaoji was from the outer court, so she couldn't let down her guard.
Then she replied, "Yaoji, why do you belittle yourself? In my opinion, you are so beautiful. How could you be a useless person?"
Yaoji slightly raised her head. Her big eyes were already red and swollen from crying.
"Your Ladyship, is it really a good thing for a woman to be too beautiful? Moreover, I was born into a royal family." She said.
There was a great deal of helplessness in her tone.
After hearing this, Dongfang Yi stared at the woman in front of her intently. She knew that what Yaoji said was very reasonable. In this era, men dominated everything. How could it be a good thing for a woman to be too beautiful? She would just become a more valuable bargaining chip.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic towards the woman in front of her. But she also realized that Yaoji must be asking something of her, so she asked, "So what do you want me to help you with?"
Dongfang Yi was certainly not naive enough to think that Yaoji just came to complain to her. She must have a request when she came to talk to her.
Yaoji didn't expect the woman in front of her to be so direct. So she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and replied, "I want freedom. I want to control my own life."
Her determined look made Dongfang Yi stunned. She didn't expect that the woman's purpose was to seek freedom. Then she couldn't help but sneer.
But in this era, and they were in the harem, it was easy to get anything, except freedom. Freedom was the most difficult thing to obtain.
Then she said to the woman in front of her, "I can't help you with this. I can't even control my own life, let alone help you."
She thought of the way she was forcibly brought back from outside the palace by Helian Qi. At that time, she also yearned for freedom so much. But what was the result? Wasn't she just like this now?
Thinking of this, she stared at the woman in front of her and said, "Since you're already in the harem, why still crave for freedom?"
There was helplessness in her tone, but her heart was desolate. Since she was here, she had to survive at all costs and stand at the highest position to overlook the entire harem.
Then she was about to walk out of the bedroom. She had heard all of Yaoji's words and knew that she was unable to help her. So it was better not to continue talking.
Just as she was about to step out of the bedroom door, she suddenly heard a voice from behind.
"If I give you a chance of freedom now, will you choose it?" Yaoji behind her said.
Dongfang Yi turned around after hearing this.
She saw the woman who was speaking standing against the light, making it impossible to see her expression clearly.
She always felt that Yaoji seemed a bit different, but she couldn't tell exactly where.
Thinking of her words, she gave a cold smile but didn't answer and walked out of the bedroom.
Yaoji stared intently at the back in front of her. The pitiful look just now had completely disappeared, replaced by a sly smile on the corner of her mouth.
As if in a whisper, she softly said, "I'm afraid whether you can be free or not is no longer up to you."
After Dongfang Yi walked out, she wanted to look for Concubine Shun again, but she couldn't find her anywhere.
She also found this banquet very boring. After all, it was just a bunch of women surrounding a bead.
So she said to Concubine Shu beside her, "I'm a bit sleepy. I'll go back to my palace first."
Then she walked out with Donghua.
On the way, Donghua asked curiously, "Your Ladyship, what did Yaoji want when she came to you just now?"
Hearing her question, Dongfang Yi turned her head and asked playfully, "Are you asking this so that you can tell Helian Qi?"
After hearing this, Donghua frowned unconsciously and replied, "After all, Yaoji is from the Southern Neighboring Country. She's not safe!"
Actually, she was a bit angry in her heart, thinking that she was just concerned about her.
Seeing her reaction, Dongfang Yi couldn't help laughing out loud. She reached out and scraped Donghua's nose and said, "I know. I won't let down my guard."
Donghua also saw that the woman in front of her was joking with her. She couldn't help but sigh helplessly.
Sure enough, she still didn't look like a queen at all.
Soon, the two of them returned to the Queen's Palace.
As soon as they entered the bedroom, they saw Helian Qi. He was sitting on the couch in front of the bed, reading a book.
The dim yellow candlelight outlined his facial features very softly, and it seemed that one could even see the glint in his eyes.
Hearing the sound, he slowly raised his head. After seeing that it was Dongfang Yi, he hooked the corner of his lips into a smile, and even his eyes were bent with the smile.
Dongfang Yi suddenly felt her heart skip a beat. It seemed that something in her chest was about to break out forcefully.
The most terrifying thing about this man was that he rarely smiled. He always looked cold and unapproachable.
But when he smiled, it was as if one could see spring.
It also made people instantly understand what it meant by "The man on the street is as gentle as jade, and the young master is peerless in the world."
Thinking of this, the corner of Dongfang Yi's mouth also unconsciously curved up. As if being bewitched, she walked towards the man not far away.