TJAIP Chapter 21

Zhuang Luoyan had not fully realized what was happening when the palanquin beneath her wobbled slightly and then fell to the ground. The palace maids and strong eunuchs around her immediately knelt.

A beauty is not merely defined by her appearance, but also by the grace and charm she exudes through her actions. It is this combination that truly makes a woman captivating.

Feng Jin watched the beautifully dressed woman stagger as she stood up from the chair, her eyes still hazy with a soft, drunken gaze. She appeared foolishly intoxicated, but there was a new flavor to her compared to her usual self.

“Your servant greets Your Majesty,” Zhuang Luoyan said, bowing gracefully. Slightly tipsy, she raised her head and saw the emperor standing before her. When he grasped her hand, she wobbled but managed not to fall into his arms. She steadied herself, though her hand unconsciously tightened around his.

If she had fallen into his embrace, it would have seemed somewhat fake, but her current reaction, steadying herself and not pretending, made the emperor, who had seen countless women, believe that she was genuine. Zhuang Luoyan felt mentally clearer than physically at this moment. “Your Majesty, I’ve lost my composure,” she said.

“My beloved consort is drunk,” Feng Jin smiled, reaching to support her shoulders. “I naturally won’t hold it against you.”

The woman in his arms swayed slightly, then reached up and poked his chest. “I’m not at fault, Your Majesty. Don’t sway, I can’t see you.”

“Have you not seen me enough, usually?” Feng Jin asked with a smirk.

“It’s always good to look at you more,” she shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of complaint. “I haven’t looked at you properly for a few days.”

Oh dear, it seemed like the consort was quite drunk and behaving somewhat improperly. Gao Dezhong, who had been behind Feng Jin, saw the inconsiderate gesture from Zhuang Luoyan and immediately knelt, followed by the other servants behind him.

As the room fell into an awkward silence, Feng Jin suddenly chuckled lightly, effortlessly picking up the dazed woman and turning to board the imperial carriage. “Take us to Taoyu Pavilion.”

Both Tingzhu and Yunxi, who had been nervously sweating, sighed with relief, quickly rising to follow.

When Feng Jin lifted Zhuang Luoyan in a horizontal embrace, she concluded that the scenes from idol dramas where the male lead picks up the female lead in his arms were quite plausible. Even an emperor, accustomed to luxury, could easily carry a woman like her.

She pretended to lean affectionately against his embroidered robe, admiring his still-good physique despite being surrounded by so many other women. This emperor wasn’t as easy to deal with as he seemed.

“Your Majesty, I heard that the drunken Zhuang Luoyan encountered His Majesty on her way and that the emperor has gone to Taoyu Pavilion,” said Ling Sha, Zhuang Luoyan’s maid, as she reported to Shuguifei.

“Today is her birthday, so it’s natural for the emperor to visit her,” Su Ruizi, Shuguifei, said as she trimmed the leaves of a flower in front of her. “But I suspect the one who will have trouble sleeping tonight is probably the one at Lin Yuexuan.”

“What’s Lin Yuexuan to compare with? She was born less noble than you, and yet she imitates your ways, only to fail miserably and look foolish,” Ling Sha said, catching the trimmed branches. “You’re a noble consort, and she’s just a lowly concubine. Now, even Zhuang Luoyan, who has been in the palace for less than a year, has surpassed her. Let’s see how she behaves in the future.”

Su Ruizi, born into a prestigious family and skilled at earning favor, naturally held no affection for Yan Guiyi, a concubine of lower birth who also excelled in dancing. However, she didn’t have any particular fondness for Zhuang Luoyan either. She adjusted the flowers in the pot and remarked, “Zhuang Luoyan probably isn’t an easy character either. Didn’t the Lin family’s son end up ruined by her hand? A perfectly fine Yuyanfei was demoted to Lin Pin. If Zhuang Luoyan didn’t have a hand in that, I wouldn’t believe it.”

“Snip!” She cut off an unnecessary branch, handing the scissors to Ling Sha. “Don’t make an effort to inquire about Taoyu Pavilion from now on.” She glanced at the branch she had just cut. The emperor didn’t like women with long arms. If one was too eager, it could become unappealing.

In the beauty’s curtained chamber at Taoyu Pavilion, Feng Jin’s mind was far from scheming. As a man, he naturally had a wild side, but as an emperor, there were limits to what he could do. Even his concubines, though of low birth, were daughters of county magistrates, and in bed, their allure was missing a certain wildness.

However, tonight, in the intoxicated Zhuang Luoyan, he experienced a different kind of pleasure. Her soft waist, delicate skin, and the intense dependency and affection she showed lit a fire in him. The passion was so tight and fiery that her long legs wrapped around his waist, clutching his soul.

They entwined in madness and excitement, and Feng Jin felt an ultimate satisfaction until their intimate moment ended. Even then, the woman in his arms didn’t let go of his waist, as though holding onto everything she had.

It had been a long time since he felt this free, and as he brushed the damp hair from Zhuang Luoyan’s forehead, his gaze softened. But she was still drunkenly hazy, burrowing into his arms as if not wanting to leave a single gap between them. “Your Majesty, Your Majesty.”

Feng Jin’s gaze darkened as he gently patted her back, a motion resembling that of a father soothing a child to sleep.

“Your Majesty, I…” Her drunken words were filled with affection and dependency. Though her slurred speech was unclear, the fire inside him was reignited, and he pushed her back down under him. Occasionally indulging in such moments was harmless. Even if this woman called herself “I” in front of him, even if she wasn’t a woman of great intellect or beauty compared to others in the harem, she had given him what no other consort had.

In the morning, Feng Jin woke to find the woman in his arms still fast asleep. Even when he moved her hands and feet, she didn’t react. Seeing the marks left on her body, he gently pulled up the blanket to cover her, leaving only her head exposed.

Hearing movement in the room, Gao Dezhong immediately entered, bringing the servants to assist the emperor with his grooming and washing. Seeing that Zhuang Luoyan was still asleep, he discreetly signaled for the others to kneel quietly, then respectfully greeted the emperor before stepping forward to attend to him.

A man who had been greatly satisfied in one aspect would be in a good mood, so even though the incense pouch chosen by the servants wasn’t to his liking, he simply had them remove it without showing any dissatisfaction.

Gao Dezhong didn’t dare to look at the beauty behind the curtains, only glancing at the incense pouch being taken away. He breathed a sigh of relief. Today wasn’t the turn of the attendant on duty, and yet they made such a mistake. Didn’t they know that the emperor’s mood often worsened in summer? Thankfully, today the emperor was in a good mood.

After Feng Jin left the inner room, he instructed the attendants waiting outside, “Let your mistress sleep a little longer. If she doesn’t wake up soon, she can skip her morning greeting to the Empress. Zhuang Luoyan was drunk last night, and the Empress is understanding.”

Tingzhu and Yunxi hurriedly knelt to thank him, their faces lighting up with joy once the emperor left.

Zhuang Luoyan had certainly had a thrilling night. When Feng Jin left, she barely regained consciousness. Looking at the marks he had left on her body, she mused, that even the most composed of men could be as beastly as any animal at certain moments.

She had the attendants help her bathe and dress in a new robe. Looking at the beautiful reflection in the mirror, her pink cheeks and fair skin, she lazily yawned, then glanced at the soup sent by the eunuch. Smiling, she drank it down. Taking the silken cloth Tingzhu offered to dab at her mouth, she remarked, “It’s time to greet the Empress.”

“Your Majesty, I just heard from Jingyang Palace that the Empress says you were drunk last night and that you don’t need to go for your morning greeting today,” Yunxi quietly informed Zhuang Luoyan.

Zhuang Luoyan smiled and handed her hand to Yunxi. “Let’s go.”

At Jingyang Palace, Zhuang Luoyan still greeted the Empress with the proper respect. The Empress gave her some gifts, and from what she was presented, it seemed the Empress had no real displeasure with her.

“This palace thought you were drunk last night, so I excused you from the morning greeting. But here you are. Are you feeling unwell?” The Empress greeted her with a dignified smile, the same as ever.

“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I’m fine. It’s just that I indulged in drinking last night, and I caused you worry. It was my fault,” Zhuang Luoyan said, bowing. “You are kind to me, Your Majesty, but I should not take advantage of your kindness and forget the rules.”

The Empress smiled, clearly pleased with Zhuang Luoyan’s response. After offering her a seat, a eunuch came to announce the arrival of Shuguifei, Su Xiuyi, and Roufei.

The Empress glanced at Zhuang Luoyan, who was sitting properly. Zhuang Luoyan had gained favor last night, but she had arrived earlier than the other three consorts. Was it because she came too early, or were the others too slow?

She sipped her tea, noticing that today’s Junshan Silver Needle tea seemed to be lacking a bit in flavor.