Page 123
Lian Hua was satisfied; this little fool was quite amusing.
She nodded at him and said, "Oh my, why are you still kneeling? Stand up, we don’t do much kneeling here at Canglan Court.
" Having said that, she shouted toward the kitchen, "I’m hungry, Xiao Qing, Xiao Qing, where’s the food? I need to eat."
"Young Master, it’s coming, it’s coming," Xiao Qing’s voice came from the kitchen.
After Lian Hua had eaten, Zhang Qing came along with a few young eunuchs, all grinning and carrying something wrapped in bright yellow.
His Majesty got up earlier than usual today and went back to the Star Palace.
Last night, after going to bed, His Majesty got up while Young Master Lian was asleep and came out to order him to summon the Official of the Imperial Secretariat in the morning, then changed his mind and said there was no need, appearing as if he wanted to urgently draft a decree, but then again, not quite.
In the end, he ordered him to prepare cold water for a bath.
Zhang Qing couldn’t figure out why His Majesty would want a cold water bath in such chilly weather, especially since he had already bathed in the morning.
He tried to persuade His Majesty but couldn’t sway him and was puzzled—His Majesty seemed like a different person when with Young Master Lian.
This morning, before the early court session, he saw His Majesty personally return to the Star Palace, wrote a decree, stamped the great seal on it, handed the finished document over to him, and specifically instructed him to continue overseeing Canglan Court today, and to wait for the person to wake up before announcing the decree.
So in his hands, he held a sacred decree personally written by His Majesty—apart from Young Master Lian, who else had such immense honor and favor for His Majesty to personally pen a decree?
His Majesty’s exceptional treatment of Young Master Lian was no longer a surprise to Zhang Qing; he had grown numb to it.
So, after coming back from the Star Palace this morning, he placed a few people at the gates of Canglan Court to protect Young Master Lian on the one hand and on the other, to be promptly informed of any developments.
He himself found a pavilion not far away where he sat and waited, preferring to wait outside rather than in Canglan Court for Young Master Lian to wake up, for reasons he preferred not to articulate.
And so not long after Lian Hua had finished eating, he timed his arrival perfectly.
"Blessings to Young Master Lian, your servant greets you," Zhang Qing said with a slight bow and a look of happy anticipation.
"Steward Zhang, you’re so early. Have you eaten yet? If not, have some food with us. We’ve prepared too much for breakfast and can’t finish it all," Lian Hua replied with a smile. She had a fairly good impression of Steward Zhang; overall, he had been very good to her.
Was it really still early? Perhaps it was just because Young Master Lian got up a bit earlier than usual and thought it was early, right?
Zhang Qing suppressed the urge to look up at the sky, his expression unchanging as he smiled and said, "Young Master Lian is too kind. I have eaten already. Has the Young Master had a good meal?"
He had to confirm again just to be sure. His Majesty had drilled into him to wait until the person was free and comfortable before making the announcement.
"Mm-hmm, I’ve eaten well. Is there something you need, Steward Zhang?" She had long noticed the object that Zhang Qing was holding, and curiosity got the better of her. She couldn’t help but glance over again and again, too embarrassed to ask outright.
Zhang Qing’s smile grew even more fervent as he said, "I am here to congratulate Young Master Lian.
I have here a sacred decree from His Majesty for the Young Master, which I will read to you shortly.
When it is read, the Young Master should kneel to listen.
If you are tired or unwell, please wait for a moment, and I will make it quick. "
After finishing this long speech, Zhang Qing added, "Does the Young Master feel unwell now? If so, it is possible to postpone the reading."
Upon hearing it was a sacred decree from His Majesty for her, Lian Hua couldn’t help but be very curious. Why, on earth, would His Majesty want to give her a decree?
Could it be that His Majesty’s statement last night about sustaining Canglan Court had come to fruition, actually becoming a written guarantee?
This was the first time! If it’s in the decree, he couldn’t go back on his word... Oh, why am I thinking this about His Majesty?
Lian Hua cleared the nonsense from her mind and, thinking about His Majesty giving her a written guarantee, suddenly beamed with joy. Her lips curled up so high that not even her eight little pearly teeth could hide.
With joy written all over her face, she said to Zhang Qing, "Steward Zhang, I’m feeling great. Look how lively I am, I don’t feel uncomfortable at all. Read it quickly, read it."
She was simply too eager to wait.
Zhang Qing looked at Young Master Lian before him, his eyes curving into crescents from smiling, conveying such festivity that he couldn’t help but smile along, gesturing with an inviting motion, "Then Young Master Lian, please receive the imperial decree."
Lian Hua straightened her clothes and hairdo, corrected her demeanor, and, with a smile, led several people from Canglan Court to kneel and accept the decree together.
Xiao Qing, seeing the Young Master happy, was also happy. This was her first time hearing an imperial edict being read.
Xiao Jizi’s heart skipped a beat, thinking that the arrival must be His Majesty’s way of compensating and favoring the Young Master.
With this in mind, his blood boiled; he knew His Majesty wouldn’t let the Young Master down.
Look, here it came—after this, who in the Harem would dare to look down upon the Young Master?
The joy in his eyes couldn’t be concealed, and he trembled with excitement, kneeling alongside the Young Master in front.
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Daying Lian, since entering the palace, has abided by her heart, conducted herself with gentleness, respect, humility, and virtuous conduct.
.. is hereby promoted to Beauty Lian, and granted residence in the Main Hall of Canglan Court.
Moreover, as the Main Hall of Canglan Court has fallen into disrepair over the years, the Ministry of Works is hereby ordered to commence repair work immediately. Let it be known!"
After Zhang Qing finished reading the imperial edict, the people from Canglan Court were all uncontrollably joyful, with Xiao Jizi especially overjoyed, unable to hold back his tears as he knelt, his eyes welling up.
Lian Hua was a bit stunned. Was she really the person His Majesty praised in the imperial edict? It didn’t seem quite right.
Oh, that wasn’t the main point. The main thing was, wasn’t what was said last night written down? Did that still count?
Is it better to be a Beauty or to be maintained by His Majesty’s silver...?
"Young Master? Young Master?" Zhang Qing called several times, to no response.
He had finished reading the decree a while ago, but hadn’t expected Young Master Lian, no, Master Lian, to show no response at all, not moving an inch, showing no sign of accepting the decree.
He couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding. Just a moment ago, everything was fine, and Master Lian had even said she was well. How had she become like this after he finished reading...?
Something must have gone wrong. Could it be that she was stunned by the content of the imperial edict? That would be terrible; His Majesty would surely hold him accountable.
In fact, after reading the decree, he was also startled. He had originally thought at most she would be promoted two ranks to become a Talented Lady, but he never expected that Master Lian, once silent, would make such a splash.
In the current dynasty, among the Harem concubines’ ranks, the title of Beauty marked a watershed between the lower-ranked concubines and the higher-ranked ones.
A Beauty could occupy a principal position in one palace, above whom were Jieyu, Zhaoyi, Concubine, Noble Consort, Consort, Imperial Noble Consort, and Empress, while below were Talented Lady, Attendant, Daying, Cainv, and the like.
Unlike during the time of the Late Emperor, when the Harem was overcrowded, His Majesty, after assuming the throne and undertaking a major purge of the Harem, made a reclassification.
Concubines at the level of Beauty and above could occupy a principal position in a palace, while those below Beauty would reside in a side hall.
Before Beauty Li’s predicament, she had resided in the Main Hall of Driftfrost Hall; Beauty Zhao inhabited the Main Hall of Fangfei Hall, while Talented Lady Sun lived in a side hall of Fangfei Hall.
In the Harem, palace concubines such as Zhou Changzai had been waiting in place, accumulating seniority and hoping for promotion. Young Master Lian had leapfrogged them all, rising above them.
Could it be that she was so elated she became grief-stricken?
This thought caused Zhang Qing to break out in a cold sweat.
Young Master Lian, no, Master Lian, was truly his bane.
As the Imperial Chief Steward, he had weathered many storms, yet it seemed he always stumbled because of her; oh, the worry she caused him.
Xiao Jizi, hearing Steward Zhang’s call, was the first to come to his senses. Seeing that the Master had no reaction, he quickly tugged at her sleeve and quietly urged, "Master, hurry up and give thanks, quickly give thanks..."
Lian Hua turned her head and looked at Xiao Jizi; she had just been engrossed in mental calculations and found them a bit confusing.
Seeing Lian Hua respond, Zhang Qing breathed a huge sigh of relief, then continued in a gentle voice, "Beauty Lian, would you please accept the decree and give thanks?"
"Oh, right." Lian Hua turned back around, raising her hands high, and said, "I thank His Majesty for his great grace."
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123 (Reading here)
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235
- Page 236
- Page 237
- Page 238
- Page 239
- Page 240
- Page 241
- Page 242
- Page 243
- Page 244
- Page 245
- Page 246
- Page 247
- Page 248
- Page 249
- Page 250
- Page 251
- Page 252
- Page 253
- Page 254
- Page 255
- Page 256
- Page 257
- Page 258
- Page 259
- Page 260
- Page 261
- Page 262
- Page 263
- Page 264
- Page 265
- Page 266
- Page 267
- Page 268
- Page 269
- Page 270
- Page 271
- Page 272
- Page 273
- Page 274
- Page 275
- Page 276
- Page 277
- Page 278
- Page 279
- Page 280
- Page 281
- Page 282
- Page 283
- Page 284
- Page 285
- Page 286
- Page 287
- Page 288
- Page 289
- Page 290
- Page 291
- Page 292
- Page 293
- Page 294
- Page 295
- Page 296
- Page 297
- Page 298
- Page 299
- Page 300
- Page 301
- Page 302
- Page 303
- Page 304
- Page 305
- Page 306
- Page 307
- Page 308
- Page 309
- Page 310
- Page 311
- Page 312
- Page 313
- Page 314
- Page 315
- Page 316
- Page 317
- Page 318
- Page 319
- Page 320
- Page 321
- Page 322
- Page 323
- Page 324
- Page 325
- Page 326
- Page 327
- Page 328
- Page 329
- Page 330
- Page 331
- Page 332
- Page 333
- Page 334
- Page 335
- Page 336
- Page 337
- Page 338
- Page 339
- Page 340
- Page 341
- Page 342
- Page 343
- Page 344
- Page 345
- Page 346
- Page 347
- Page 348
- Page 349
- Page 350
- Page 351
- Page 352
- Page 353
- Page 354
- Page 355
- Page 356
- Page 357
- Page 358
- Page 359
- Page 360
- Page 361
- Page 362
- Page 363
- Page 364
- Page 365
- Page 366
- Page 367
- Page 368
- Page 369
- Page 370
- Page 371
- Page 372
- Page 373
- Page 374
- Page 375
- Page 376
- Page 377
- Page 378
- Page 379
- Page 380
- Page 381
- Page 382
- Page 383
- Page 384
- Page 385
- Page 386
- Page 387
- Page 388
- Page 389
- Page 390
- Page 391
- Page 392
- Page 393
- Page 394
- Page 395
- Page 396
- Page 397
- Page 398
- Page 399
- Page 400
- Page 401
- Page 402
- Page 403
- Page 404
- Page 405
- Page 406
- Page 407
- Page 408
- Page 409
- Page 410
- Page 411
- Page 412
- Page 413
- Page 414
- Page 415
- Page 416
- Page 417
- Page 418
- Page 419
- Page 420
- Page 421
- Page 422
- Page 423
- Page 424
- Page 425
- Page 426
- Page 427
- Page 428
- Page 429
- Page 430
- Page 431
- Page 432
- Page 433
- Page 434
- Page 435
- Page 436
- Page 437
- Page 438
- Page 439
- Page 440
- Page 441
- Page 442
- Page 443
- Page 444
- Page 445
- Page 446
- Page 447
- Page 448
- Page 449
- Page 450
- Page 451
- Page 452
- Page 453
- Page 454
- Page 455
- Page 456
- Page 457
- Page 458
- Page 459
- Page 460
- Page 461
- Page 462
- Page 463
- Page 464
- Page 465
- Page 466
- Page 467
- Page 468
- Page 469
- Page 470
- Page 471
- Page 472
- Page 473
- Page 474
- Page 475
- Page 476
- Page 477
- Page 478
- Page 479
- Page 480
- Page 481
- Page 482
- Page 483
- Page 484
- Page 485
- Page 486
- Page 487
- Page 488
- Page 489
- Page 490
- Page 491
- Page 492
- Page 493
- Page 494
- Page 495
- Page 496
- Page 497
- Page 498
- Page 499
- Page 500
- Page 501
- Page 502
- Page 503
- Page 504
- Page 505
- Page 506
- Page 507
- Page 508
- Page 509
- Page 510
- Page 511
- Page 512
- Page 513
- Page 514
- Page 515
- Page 516
- Page 517
- Page 518
- Page 519
- Page 520
- Page 521
- Page 522
- Page 523
- Page 524
- Page 525
- Page 526
- Page 527
- Page 528