Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 98: Sharing the Same Bed, Different Dreams

Her ear was softly licked, gradually growing hot and tingling. Wei Yingluo struggled desperately, but her hands and feet were pinned down—she couldn’t move at all.

“Your Majesty!” In a flash of inspiration, a fawning smile suddenly bloomed on Wei Yingluo’s face.

“Actually… everything this slave said just now was completely against my true feelings. This slave has long wished to be close to Your Majesty, but with so many beauties in the harem and this slave’s lowly status, there was never an opportunity. So I deliberately provoked you—taking a dangerous gamble! Now that Your Majesty has taken a liking to this slave, I am overjoyed! This slave is willing to serve Your Majesty… however…”

The licking at her earlobe paused. Hongli slowly sat up.

“What do you want to become?”

“This slave…” Wei Yingluo licked her lips, deliberately putting on a greedy expression. “This slave wants to become a Noble Lady. I don’t want to remain a mere palace maid any longer!”

How could Hongli bear to look at her like this?

His expression instantly turned icy cold.

“Your ambition is quite large. So you were waiting here for exactly this!”

Wei Yingluo assumed a soft, alluring demeanor and deliberately drew closer.

“Your Majesty… will you agree…?”

Hongli suddenly reached out and shoved Wei Yingluo off the bed. She let out a yelp and landed in a sorry heap on the floor.

All the desire in his chest was extinguished by her words in an instant. Hongli looked down at her from above, suddenly losing all interest. His face grimed as he said:

“A filthy woman like you is not fit to touch my bed!”

Wei Yingluo’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“Your Majesty!”

Hongli:

“Get out!”

Wei Yingluo quickly stood up and retreated toward the door, trembling.

Hongli:

“Stop!”

Wei Yingluo froze, thinking he had changed his mind again. But before she could put on another ridiculous expression, she heard him say from behind her:

“From this day forward, you are nothing more than an ordinary servant in Changchun Palace. Serve the Empress well. Do not harbor any more delusions. I will never want a woman with ulterior motives!”

“Yes.” Wei Yingluo responded with an appearance of disappointment. Once she stepped out the door, her footsteps quickened. As she walked, she scrubbed hard at the rouge and powder on her face. Suddenly her steps halted. She looked ahead—not far away was Changchun Palace, and approaching it with difficulty, leaning on a cane, was a certain figure.

“Niangniang.” It was Ming Yu’s voice. She supported the person and said, “Why come out personally to meet her in such heavy snow…?”

“I wanted to be the first to see her.” The person smiled, her voice as warm as a spring breeze. “I wanted to tell her… you’re back.”

Tears suddenly filled Wei Yingluo’s eyes. She wiped them away with one hand and ran quickly toward the figure.

“Niangniang, I’m back!”

The Empress turned her head to look at her. A flash of joy passed through her eyes. Leaning on two canes, she hurried toward her—but because she was still unfamiliar with the crutches, after only two steps she stumbled and fell toward the snow.

“Be careful!” Wei Yingluo rushed forward to catch her. Looking at the fallen canes on the ground, tears of sorrow streamed down her face.

“Niangniang… your legs…”

“I’ve been lying in bed for too long.” The Empress said lightly, “But the imperial physician said that as long as I practice diligently, one day I’ll be able to stand again… Even if I can’t stand, don’t I still have you?”

“Yes… yes…” Wei Yingluo choked out through tears, “If you cannot stand, Yingluo is willing to be your crutch for the rest of my life.”

The Empress was momentarily stunned. She suddenly closed her eyes, and tears fell abruptly.

Ming Yu’s eyes also reddened: “Don’t forget me—I want to stay with Her Majesty too!”

Wei Yingluo had once harbored unpleasant feelings toward Ming Yu, leaving a knot of resentment in her heart. Though they had worked side by side serving the Empress, their relationship had never been close. But with those words, all the old grudges vanished in an instant. Holding back tears, Wei Yingluo smiled at her: “Well said. Come—let’s both support Her Majesty back together.”

Snow and wind filled the sky. Wei Yingluo and Ming Yu supported the Empress from left and right. The warmth of their three bodies pressed together felt like spring even in the depths of winter.

Days rose and set, time flew by. The jasmine flowers in Changchun Palace bloomed and fell, fell and bloomed again. In the blink of an eye, spring had arrived.

A line of palace maids entered Chengqian Palace carrying trays.

On the trays were various small delicacies: wind-dried chestnuts, tofu-skin buns, yam cakes, and more. Noble Consort Xian selected a bowl of sugar-steamed milk custard. The bowl had a rim of celadon blue like distant misty mountains, while inside lay a mound of smooth custard as white as snow in the hills.

Yongcheng lay draped across Noble Consort Xian’s lap, staring longingly at the custard in the bowl.

“I heard you visited Changchun Palace a few days ago.” Noble Consort Xian held a long silver spoon, scooping up half a spoonful and feeding it to him. “How was it? Can the Empress walk yet?”

Yongcheng opened his little mouth wide, smacking his lips as he ate. In no time, a ring of milky white circled his mouth. Consort Chun, watching from the side, was lost in thought for a long moment before realizing Noble Consort Xian had been speaking to her. She replied: “There has been some improvement, but without crutches she still cannot walk more than a few steps.”

A palace servant approached and set a tray of snacks on the table beside her: a plate of chestnut cakes, a plate of rose crisps, a plate of yam cakes. Consort Chun picked up a piece of rose crisp. Seeing Yongcheng look at her with eager, hopeful eyes, she tentatively offered it to him. The child snatched it lightning-fast and began nibbling like a little hamster, quickly acquiring another ring of sugar around his mouth.

The way this child ate was extraordinarily cheerful. Watching him, Consort Chun couldn’t help but smile. Then Noble Consort Xian’s laughter suddenly sounded in her ear: “Sister, you are still so young—you should think more about yourself.”

Yongcheng was a considerate little boy. After eating half, he held the remaining half up to Noble Consort Xian’s mouth, mumbling in his childish voice: “Eat… eat…”

“Palace life is lonely. Having an older brother—no, even just a little sister—would make the days much happier.” Noble Consort Xian took a gentle bite from his hand, then let him finish the rest himself. “The moment you wake up each day, you hear a child’s cries and laughter, and the vast palace instantly becomes lively and warm.”

Consort Chun gazed at Yongcheng in a daze.

“I know that in the past, you avoided favor for the sake of the Empress. But times have changed.” Noble Consort Xian sighed. “The Central Palace is empty of heirs, and Her Majesty the Empress…”

Consort Chun frowned: “What about the Empress?”

Noble Consort Xian: “Physician Zhang said that Her Majesty’s body was injured, and bearing children will be difficult from now on.”

This was the first Consort Chun had heard of it. After all, the two of them had grown up playing together and entered the palace together to serve the Emperor as close friends. After so many years, it was impossible to have no feelings at all. Though a rift had formed because of Fuheng, hearing this news now still made her feel sorrow on the Empress’s behalf.

“Look at me—why did I bring this up and needlessly worry you!” Noble Consort Xian suddenly smiled brightly. With an almost imperceptible push of her right hand behind Yongcheng’s back—

Yongcheng’s feet touched the ground. Pushed gently, he took two wobbly steps toward Consort Chun.

Seeing him totter, Consort Chun quickly reached out. The child showed no stranger-shyness; he grinned and stretched his little hands toward her. Once she lifted him into her arms, he curiously reached up to touch her elaborate hairdo, accidentally messing it up. Consort Chun didn’t mind at all; instead, she fondly stroked his head: “The Fourth Prince is truly so lively and adorable.”

Noble Consort Xian handed the bowl to Zhener: “You may take Yongcheng away for now!”

Zhener: “Yes.”

With neat and orderly footsteps, all the palace servants attending the meal withdrew. Even Yongcheng was carried out by Zhener. In the room, only Noble Consort Xian and Consort Chun remained.

Noble Consort Xian walked to the dressing table and beckoned to Consort Chun: “Your hair is a bit disheveled. Come, let me fix it for you.”

A beauty like a flower, years flowing like water.

Her long hair was let down. The horn comb glided through it from root to tip. Holding the comb herself, Noble Consort Xian stood behind Consort Chun: “So many years have passed, yet little sister’s appearance is still as lovely as ever. If you’re willing, everything can still be salvaged.”

Consort Chun gazed at the delicate reflection in the mirror; her willow-leaf brows, faintly tinged with sorrow, drew slightly together.

“What? Even now, at this point, are you still willing to continue to side. with the Empress?” Noble Consort Xian smiled. “You’ve followed her for so many years—what have you gained? Nothing but wasted time and fading youth. Look…”

She actually found a single white hair on Consort Chun’s head, gently plucked it out, and placed it on the table.

“Little sister, you already have white hair.” Noble Consort Xian sighed. “You’re still young now, still beautiful. But what about when you grow old?”

In the past, Consort Chun would have let such divisive words blow past her ears like the wind—she would have heard them and forgotten them. But just as Noble Consort Xian had said, times had changed. A rift had already formed between her and the Empress, so every word, every syllable, sank deep into her heart.

“There will only be more and more women in the rear palace… but men—there is only one.” Noble Consort Xian’s voice was gentle, as though every sentence was spoken purely for her benefit, seductive and bewitching: “Raise a son to provide for your old age—even the eunuchs in the palace understand this principle. When old age comes, adopting a son or daughter to rely on for protection… yet you still can’t see it clearly?”

“I…” Consort Chun’s mind was in utter turmoil.

“There.” The hair was now neatly arranged. A golden phoenix hairpin was inserted into Consort Chun’s updo. Noble Consort Xian leaned slightly forward, placed both hands on the other woman’s shoulders, and her smiling face appeared in the mirror opposite—radiant like a flower. “Little sister, you’ve been lost in a long dream. It’s time for you to wake up.”

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