TFSRITA Chapter 31

The Empress Dowager felt a chill at her back, realizing she had overstepped. She immediately explained and added, “Your Majesty, among the remaining candidates, there are several from official families. At this point, sending them back would likely cause an uproar among the officials. Even the censors might create trouble.”

She understood this emperor well.

She knew he was most afraid of trouble and that her words would hit the mark directly.

Ji Yecheng’s expression darkened slightly. Just as he was about to argue further, he felt a tug on his sleeve. The woman who had just expressed her reluctance now looked at him timidly, her watery eyes blinking twice, her long eyelashes fluttering like a small fan brushing against his heart. He felt a tightness in his chest, having never seen her like this before. Previously, she had always been haughty.

A sudden wave of sympathy rose in him, softening his demeanor. He asked gently, “What is it?”

Yan Qing, with a pure and innocent smile, replied, “We still need to hold the selection. Otherwise, if the officials protest, it won’t look good.”

She didn’t want to be the demon queen and especially didn’t want Ji Yecheng to order that, by this afternoon, several officials would petition to have her executed. Even her status as the Prime Minister’s daughter wouldn’t be of much help!

Ji Yecheng’s face darkened as he stared at her.

Wasn’t she the one who said she didn’t want more people around him?

Was she just teasing him?

But then he thought, perhaps this woman believed that the officials would dare to create a scene. Did she think the imperial guards were to be trifled with? If they dared to make trouble, he could easily have them carried out of the Golden Luan Hall horizontally!

Ji Yecheng wanted to coldly mock her for her overthinking, but looking into her eyes, he strangely felt a sense of satisfaction. He gave a reserved nod and said softly, “As you wish.”

However, a hint of doubt lingered in his heart. This woman seemed to have changed a bit. Although she was still quite likable, he still preferred the previous woman who was bold and intriguing to him.

The first day of the selection ended, and because of Yan Qing’s situation, Ji Yecheng remarked not holding the selection. The Empress Dowager was cautious and did not attempt any more schemes, honestly selecting ten beauties.

After sitting for a whole day, Ji Yecheng left his seat by noon and did not return, and Yan Qing followed his example and stayed away.

In this palace, life and death were in Ji Yecheng’s hands. As long as he didn’t kill her, the others were irrelevant.

Yan Qing remained arrogant in front of others, which made the Empress Dowager frown in displeasure the entire afternoon.

The next day’s selection began again.

It was a beautiful day. It had rained briefly in the morning, but after just a quarter-hour, the rain stopped, leaving the ground only slightly damp. The temperature turned cool, making ice and fans unnecessary. Sitting outside with a gentle breeze, a shawl was still needed.

Ji Yecheng, persuaded by Jiang Wende, looked much better today.

To avoid back and waist pain, he had even brought a bed.

Noticing Yan Qing watching him, Ji Yecheng smiled, “Does my beloved consort want to come over?”

Yan Qing replied, “… No need.”

With a stiff expression, she turned away, though she wanted to join him if it were her own choice.

Today’s candidates seemed to be more beautiful than yesterday’s.

Yan Qing was more interested and enjoyed watching the performances of the candidates. Whether they would be chosen or not, she didn’t care.

Marrying Ji Yecheng was also a disaster, but she kept quiet.

However, this caused delays in the process, so Yan Qing suggested increasing the number of candidates from three to five. After all, the venue was large, and five could be spaced out.

This suggestion was accepted without objection.

Just then, some commotion occurred at another entrance of the Imperial Garden.

A few people instinctively looked over and saw some eunuchs hurriedly blocking someone.

To explain, the Imperial Garden was the boundary between the outer court and the inner court. It was typically considered part of the inner court unless hosting a banquet, and no official dared to intrude. The other entrance of the Imperial Garden was on the outer courtside.

At this moment, someone had intruded boldly, startling everyone, and they all craned their necks to see.

The Empress Dowager scolded, “Who dares to intrude into the Imperial Garden? Don’t you know we are in the middle of a selection?”

“I’ll go check immediately,” Jiang Wende quickly ran over.

The young man, dressed in official robes and wearing a gauze hat, strode over confidently. When the eunuchs blocked him, he simply brushed them aside. The eunuchs, intimidated by his status, dared not act against him, allowing him to approach.

“Minister Song Yu, greetings to Your Majesty.” His clear, resonant voice announced his presence as he lifted his robe and knelt on one knee.

Yan Qing’s hand holding the fruit froze.

Song Yu?

The person her original self had been longing for, the male lead of the novel?

Her heart ached intensely, a painful void as if a piece had been hollowed out. The pain was so overwhelming that the apple she was holding fell to the ground.

It was so distressing!

She wanted to cry!

Yan Qing clenched her hands tightly in her sleeves, trying to suppress the urge.

She could not afford to seek death now; an affair between a concubine and a courtier was punishable by death!

But she couldn’t hold back the pain and began to tremble, her eyes reddening on their own.

Meanwhile, the man kneeling on the ground didn’t even look up, only his voice could be heard.

As soon as Song Yu appeared, Ji Yecheng looked at Yan Qing and saw her excited reaction. He ground his teeth, feeling a pang of bitterness, mostly anger.

This woman deserved to die!

How dare she still think about someone else?

Killing intent gradually formed in his eyes. Ji Yecheng did not attempt to hide his disdain, coldly staring at Song Yu. His lips slowly parted, carrying a cold edge as he said, “Minister Song should clarify your intentions. Otherwise, trespassing into the inner court is a death sentence!”

Yan Qing was startled back to reality by his voice, hurriedly wiping her tears with a handkerchief and sipping her tea to cover her emotions.

The pain remained but was now much more bearable than before, giving her some time to adjust her emotions.