The sky is clear and the wind is gentle. The sunlight shines through the branches and leaves and reflects on the ground, forming patches of light. The breeze blows and the peach blossoms fall one after another like butterflies dancing.
Yun Mengqing was lying on the recliner, sleeping soundly. Her face was beautiful and graceful, like a fairy descending to earth, with peach blossoms falling in her hair and body, making her even more charming.
“Miss, why are you sleeping in the peach grove again? You need to take care of your body that just recovered.”
Since the beginning of spring, Yun Mengqing has loved the peach grove behind her residence, Luohua Pavilion. She comes here to take a nap from time to time, and even lets Qing Yuan set up a recliner when the weather is nice, which makes it very comfortable.
The woman who had just appeared so pure and delicate with her eyes closed slowly opened her almond-shaped eyes, and her eyes were full of charm.
Qing Yuan, who was approaching, was dazzled even though she spent everyday with her.
Her young lady was so beautiful. Although Qing Yuan could read, she had not studied much and so she couldn’t find the words to describe the young lady’s beauty at this moment. She could only say that even the most beautiful lady in the harem, the imperial consort, was not as beautiful as her young lady!
“Dear Qingyuan, the sun is shining brightly now. it’s no big deal to just let this mouldy body dry out in the sun.”
Yun Mengqing’s body, which was originally lying on her back, was now half lying on her side because of Qingyuan’s arrival. Her green jade-like hands supported her head, and her long black hair hung down like a waterfall on her chest.
It was still the golden autumn when Yun Mengqing first came to QiKingdom. Half a year had passed in a blink of an eye, and now it was spring with flowers in full bloom. Yun Mengqing had also celebrated her 15th birthday. Was it time for this delicate flower to bloom too?
After half a year of care, her current body is almost 90% similar to her previous one.
Except for one place, she looked down and saw, well, there was a C, which was not bad.
“Qing Yuan, since you are here, please accompany me to walk around the peach forest.”
She got off the recliner and straightened her skirt.
Today, she wore a light-coloured top and a light blue long skirt, with the hem flowing like drifting clouds. A ribbon was tied around her waist, showing off her slender waist, which was as slender as a willow branch.
Qing Yuan followed behind her on the right, looking at her young lady’s swaying figure in a trance. Unknowingly, her young lady had grown into a stunningly beautiful woman.
“My lady is so beautiful. If His Majesty sees you, he will definitely like you.”
She smiled slightly, knowing that Qing Yuan was eager for her to receive the emperor’s favour as soon as possible.
“Whether His Majesty will like me, I don’t know. However, I do feel that you quite like me.”
Qing Yuan is no different from her modern die-hard fans.
“Miss, please don’t talk nonsense.” She was so embarrassed, how could she answer?
“Peach blossoms are beautiful, but their blooming period is only a few short months. You should appreciate them while you can! Don’t let your mind wander to impure thoughts. Do you understand the saying, ‘What is destined to happen will happen, and what is not meant to be should not be forced’?
“Miss, I know. I admire the peach blossoms every day!”
In the past six months, Yun Mengqing’s few pleasures have been teasing Qing Yuan. She wondered if she would still have such peaceful days in the future.
But…she doesn’t believe in fate!
I have to start preparing for the encounter with the emperor these days and I can’t be lazy any more.
She looked up at the peach blossoms on the tree and couldn’t help but think of a poem by Wu Rong.
“The entire tree is ablaze with bright, delicate red blossoms, with countless branches bathed in fiery spring hues.”
No matter which world one is in, one must live a wonderful life, just like the peach blossoms on the tree, so gorgeous that they seem to melt the spring. She also wants to melt the heart of a cold-hearted and arrogant emperor.
Challenging things are fun, aren’t they?
Emperor Shengwu selected thirty-eight women to enter the palace. During his ten years on the throne, countless beauties were presented to him by the previous dynasty and the inner palace. When he was the crown prince, he had five concubines and three maids in his residence.
Currently, among the women of higher status in the imperial harem is Empress Wang, who was once the Crown Prince’s consort. She is the daughter of a first-rank military commander, gentle and virtuous, and has accompanied the emperor for twelve years. Apart from the first and fifteenth days of each month, the emperor generally does not visit the empress’s palace.
Lin Guifei, formerly the prince’s concubine, is the daughter of the General of Cavalry. She is the most beautiful woman in the harem, enchanting and stunning. She has borne the Crown Prince’s eldest son, who is now six years old, and has been favoured for ten years.
Shu Shufei, the emperor’s tender refuge, a flower that is eloquent, is one of his favourite concubines.
Also holding the title of consort are De Fei and Rong Fei, who each bore the second prince and the eldest princess respectively, and receive little favour. However, for women in the harem who have had children, favour becomes less important.
Below the position of consort are Zhang Zhaoyuan, Li Guipin, Liang Pin, Hu Jieyu, Zhu Jieyu, Ding Meiren, Gao Meiren and An Meiren who pushed the original owner into the water. [1]
An Meiren had been in the palace for more than half a year, was promoted from Guiren to Meiren last month and was the most favoured among the latest batch of concubines.
In the following months, those who were favored included Ren Cairen, Ji Da Ying and others.
After that, there were several other ranks such as Baoliin, Yunu and Cainu.
Of course, she didn’t get this information by asking around. 001 introduced it to her before he left, so that she could have a preliminary understanding of the situation in the harem.
What Yun Mengqing didn’t realise was that while she was thinking about the affairs of the harem and admiring the beautiful scenery of the peach forest, she also became a beautiful scenery in the eyes of others.
Today, Emperor Shengwu visited the eldest prince at Lin Guifei’s quarters and had lunch there.
After coming out of Changning Palace, I didn’t want to go back to Qianqing Palace to deal with political affairs. Instead, I was thinking about the recent political reforms, and I walked into this remote peach grove without realising it.
It had indeed been a long time since he had seen such a large peach forest. This peach forest was remote, and if he had not been irritable today, he would not have come here for several years.
The scenery here made him feel much better, so he stayed a little longer, but he did not expect to overhear a conversation between a master and a servant.
Emperor Shengwu, who had practised martial arts since childhood and was keen of hearing and sharp of sight, could even hear from a hundred metres away. He was curious to see how beautiful a woman could be to win his favour.
As the most powerful man in the world, it is undeniable that he loves beauty.
At this moment, Emperor Shengwu was behind a peach tree, accompanied only by Liang An.
Liang An did not expect that His Majesty’s casual stroll would lead him to encounter a concubine. He wondered if this lady might be someone destined for special favour.
Yun Mengqing and her servant were chatting and laughing. When they were about to reach the peach tree that blocked Emperor Shengwu’s way, they saw the woman suddenly turn a corner.
“Qing Yuan, the peach blossoms over there seem to be more beautiful. Let’s go there and take a look.” There was a patch of densely blooming peach blossoms in the direction of her finger.
Hearing the woman’s sweet voice and preparing to leave, Emperor Shengwu wanted to sit back and observe but failed, so he frowned.
Having served the emperor for many years, Liang An understood that accidentally stepping on a dry twig was particularly noticeable in the open peach grove.
“Who!” Qing Yuan exclaimed softly.
Yun Mengqing and Qing Yuan turned towards the sound at the same time. Qing Yuan blocked her very carefully fearing that someone would disturb her.
Emperor Shengwu cursed Liang An inwardly, his eyes dark, and came out from behind the peach tree. Liang An touched his whisk [2] and said, “Isn’t this for your majesty’s romantic encounter?”
Upon seeing the figure in the bright yellow robe come out, Qing Yuan was startled and immediately knelt down.
“This servant greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed with good health.”
Yun Mengqing, who was behind Qing Yuan, was also very surprised at this time. She actually met the emperor by chance. It was really a piece of cake.
I had been thinking of spending some money to find out the emperor’s whereabouts in a few days, but now I have saved some money.
“Your humble servant greets Your Majesty. Your Majesty, I have met you. May your Majesty be well and safe.”
The woman bent her knees slightly and lowered her head. Her long black hair fell to her chest. She had a slender waist, exquisite curves, and fair skin. Even without seeing her face clearly, she was a rare beauty.
“Stand up.” His voice was low and powerful, and even a simple call made people feel his supreme authority.
Is this the emperor above everyone else?
Yun Mengqing stood up and slowly raised her head. Qing Yuan also stood up silently and stood behind her.
When Emperor Shengwu looked at her, she couldn’t help but look at him.
His face was handsome, with perfect features, and his waist was long and straight. Beneath the dragon robe, one could faintly see well-developed muscles,full of power.
His thin lips were tightly closed, exuding an inviolable majesty.
Yun Mengqing has grown a lot taller in the past six months. When she first came, she was only about 160cm tall. Not sure if it was because her body grew taller or because her previous body was 168 cm taller, but this body also grew to 168 cm in just six months.
Even so, it only reached the shoulders of Emperor Shengwu, so this emperor was probably over 190cm tall.
Are all the men in Qi State so tall?
She was stunned for a moment.
“Do you know that looking directly at the emperor is disrespectful?”
When the cold voice of Emperor Shengwu came, Yun Mengqing was frightened. This was an era where imperial power was supreme, a place where one could be sentenced to death if not careful.
She knelt on her knees, her voice trembling, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was stunned for a moment.”
Emperor Shengwu stared at the woman kneeling on the ground. Her slender waist was gently curved, her long hair was hanging down, her clasped hands were as white as jade, slender and white, and her thin and long neck was smooth and white.
Even in a kneeling posture, she appeared charming to him.
He walked forward, bent down and lifted her chin. She looked up, afraid that the tears in her eyes would fall.
Yun Mengqing didn’t dare to look at him again. Her eyelashes were trembling, and water droplets hung on her thick eyelashes. There were also traces of tears on her beautiful face. She looked so pitiful, and made people tempted to tease her.
Emperor Shengwu never thought that there would be a pearl in his harem. The look he gave her was dark and determined.
“Why are you crying?” Are you so timid?
Yun Mengqing’s drooping eyelashes were filled with tears, “I have behaved inappropriately in front of the emperor.Your Majesty’s anger and authority are daunting. I am a little afraid of this dish [3].”
Emperor Shengwu released his girl on her chin, stood in front of her, and said condescendingly: “Get up.”
Yun Mengqing slowly stood up, not daring to look up at him, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Which palace are you from?” Emperor Shengwu’s voice was indifferent and ruthless.
Yun Mengqing had no choice but to respond politely, “Your humble servant is from the Yun family, my father is the Minister of Rites. I was selected into the palace last year and currently reside in Luohua Pavilion.” Her voice was soft and carried a hint of tears.
Emperor Shengwu really did not show his emotions on his face. She had no idea what he was thinking.
Could it be that her invincible beauty failed in front of him?
Without waiting for her to continue guessing, Emperor Shengwu wiped away the tears on her face with his fingers. His fingers were calloused and they hurt her delicate face a little.
Yun Mengqing frowned slightly and bit her lower lip, her willow-like eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and she was angry but dared not speak.
“I have nothing to do today, so I’ll go to your Luohua Pavilion and take a look.” After saying that, he walked towards Luohua Pavilion, and Yun Mengqing had to follow him.
No conversation along the way.
Luohua pavilion [4]
Emperor Shengwu entered this remote pavilion and took a quick look around. The place was clean and tidy, but really simple.
Perhaps because she was in her own territory, Yun Mengqing felt at ease.
If she wants to seduce the emperor, she has to take the initiative.
She smiled and said, “I don’t have any good tea here, Your Majesty, please don’t despise it.” Her eyes, washed by tears, were pure and bright, and she respectfully served him tea with both hands.
However, Emperor Shengwu’s attention was not on the tea. Instead, he was attracted by the white and slender little hand handed to him. The fingers were slender and the nails were pink. He couldn’t help but stare in amazement.
Then he said, “It’s okay, sit down.”
Yun Mengqing sat down on the couch [5], with a low table between her and Emperor Shengwu. After taking a sip of tea, Emperor Shengwu set the cup down and didn’t move it again.
She knew that Emperor Wu of Wu was not used to the tea she drank here.
Does an unfavored concubine still want to drink good tea?
She rested her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands, her big eyes showing the fear she had just been frightened by him, and now she didn’t dare to look at him.
There are so many rules in the palace. The person in front of me is obviously the one I want to seduce, but now it is illegal to even look at him. I am so angry!
She bit her lower lip and asked courageously, “Your Majesty, can I see you now?”
Emperor Shengwu was slightly startled. It seemed that he had frightened her just now. At this moment, there were only two of them in the room, and he would not always put on an imperial demeanour in front of his concubine. “Look if you want.”
Yun Mengqing’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she began to admire him without hesitation. He was indeed the protagonist of the world, and his appearance was impeccable. In addition, he had been in a high position for many years, and he had a majestic aura.
When Yun Mengqing looked at him, Emperor Shengwu’s eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s, and he looked back at her.
The closer he looked, the more Emperor Shengwu marvelled at the woman’s beauty, which was rare in the world, especially her pair of sparkling eyes, which were like stars on her bright and charming face.
His heart trembled involuntarily, and he asked in a low voice: “Do I look good?”
Yun Mengqing smiled and replied softly, “Your Majesty is very handsome.”
“Are you not afraid of me now?”
Yun Mengqing moved her face closer and said in a soft and tender voice, “When your majesty is angry, I am still afraid, but now your majesty is much more approachable, so I am not afraid anymore.”
The face that was brought to his front was without any makeup, and it looked soft, tender, white and smooth. Emperor Shengwu couldn’t help but pinch it.
Beautiful, very beautiful, extremely beautiful.
He originally thought that Lin Guifei was an unparalleled beauty, but he didn’t expect that someone could surpass her. Even the slightest detail of this face seemed to match exactly what he had envisioned in his heart.
Seeing that Emperor Shengwu was staring at her without saying a word and pinching her face, she said coquettishly: “Your Majesty, my face hurts. I know I am beautiful, but this is for viewing, not for pinching!”
Emperor Shengwu was amused by her words, “You praise yourself without blushing?”
She tilted her head, smiled charmingly, and looked straight at him with a pair of eyes full of smiles and affection, “Don’t you think that I am the most beautiful woman in the world, the most stunning beauty in the world?”
Emperor Shengwu was not a talkative person. When he visited the concubines, it was either at bedtime or mealtime, and they would always find topics to chat with him. After listening to them so much, he became bored.
However, it was quite interesting to talk to her at this moment.
He bent his index finger and gently lifted her chin, following her words and carefully examining her stunning beauty.
Seeing that he was looking at her seriously, Yun Mengqing took the initiative and asked, “Can I bear it? [6]” with a sly smile in her eyes.
Emperor Shengwu’s eyes were filled with admiration, “My beloved concubine is so beautiful that it is natural that you are worthy of praise.” Even though Lin Guifei was young, she could not compare to the resplendent spring pine-like beauty [7] in front of him.
I used to think that claims of ‘unmatched beauty for all eternity’ and ‘a face that could topple nations and cities’ were exaggerations, but I was shallow and had never seen such beauty before; now I have witnessed it.
The smile on Yun Mengqing’s face never faded. Which woman doesn’t like to be praised for her beauty, especially by an emperor like Emperor Shengwu who had seen many beautiful women.
What she just said was somewhat presumptuous and casual, but the Emperor clearly enjoyed it. She prepared to be even more forward.
She got down from the couch and walked over to sit next to Emperor Shengwu.
“I haven’t seen Your Majesty for a long time since I entered the palace. Now that Your Majesty has finally come to Luohua Pavilion, I want to be closer to Your Majesty so that Your Majesty will remember me.”
Yun Mengqing sat down and held Emperor Shengwu’s hand with both of her own, scratching it gently as she spoke.
This was the first time he had seen such a bold concubine, and also the first time he had seen someone vying for favour so sincerely, saying directly that she wanted him to remember her. Even if other concubines wanted the emperor to remember them, they would not say it so directly.
Emperor Shengwu raised his eyebrows and said calmly, “Compared to just now, you are a little bolder.”
Yun Mengqing lowered her head shyly and said softly: “Your Majesty is the supreme ruler of Qi State. I am just a mere concubine. You are in charge of the affairs of the world. How can I not be afraid? It’s just that the harem is a place for you to relax. Since you are here, I, as a concubine, I just want to make you happy and comfortable.”
The girl’s sincere answer comforted Emperor Shengwu. He originally thought she was weak and timid, but unexpectedly she was bold, sensible, and cute. He thought he had picked up a treasure today and she was lovable.
As he got closer, he could smell the subtle fragrance from her body, and his hand was tickled and pinched by the woman’s delicate little hand.
When Emperor Shengwu looked down, he could see a plump bundle beneath the chest-high skirt [8], revealing part of the woman’s snow-white skin, which was soft and attractive. When the woman looked up, her pretty face and eyes were full of admiration.
For the first time, he couldn’t control himself, his eyes dimmed slightly, and he regretted that it wasn’t late at night.
“My beloved concubine is sensible, but I still have government affairs to deal with. I will be sleeping in Qianqing Palace tonight. I will wait for you.”
After saying that, Emperor Shengwu got off the couch and returned to Qianqing Palace.
………….
I have made a list of the ranks that have been mentioned in Chapter 1 and 2. Not sure if it is very accurate.
[1]
1.Empress (皇后; huánghòu): Empress Wang
2.Noble consort (贵妃; guìfēi): Lin Guifei
3.Pure Consort (淑妃; shūfēi): Shu Shufei
4.Consort (妃; fēi):De Fei, Rong Fei
5.Noble Concubine (貴嬪; guìpín): Li Guipin
6.Concubine (嫔; pín):, Liang Pin
7.Lady of Handsome Fairness (婕妤; jiéyú): Hu Jieyu, Zhu Jieyu
8.Lady of Beauty (美人; měirén): Ding Meiren, Gao Meiren, An Meiren
9.Noble Lady (貴人; guìrén): Use to be An Meiren
10.Lady of Treasure (寶林; bǎolín): 3 positions
11.Lady of Talent (才人; cáirén): Ren Cairen
12.First Class Attendant (常在; chángzài):Yun Mengqing, 1 other position
13.Second Class Attendant (答應; dāyìng): Ji Daying
14.Lady of His Majesty (御女; yùnǚ):
15.Selected Lady (采女; cǎinǚ):
[2] In the context of the paragraph, “whisk” (拂尘; fúchén) refers to a ceremonial object used in ancient China. It is a tool with a long handle and a brush or tassel at the end, often used by officials or scholars for sweeping away dust or as a symbol of authority and refinement.
[3]The phrase “嫔妾这菜有些害怕” (pínqiè zhè cài yǒuxiē hàipà) literally means “this dish makes me a bit afraid.” Metaphorically, it expresses feeling nervous or intimidated by a person or situation.
[4] LuoHua 落花阁 – Falling Flower Pavilion.
[5] The character for couch is 榻. Since it can vary I am not too sure on what type of couch they are sitting on. It could be something like this:
[6] The sentence “Can I bear it?”
In this context, “嫔妾担得否？” (píniè zhāndé fǒu) translates to “Am I worthy of it?” or “Can I live up to it?” The phrase “担得” (zhāndé) means “to bear” or “to live up to.”
Here, 云梦卿 (Yunmeng Qing) is playfully asking if she is deserving of the praise and admiration she is receiving.
[7] “华茂春松” figuratively means “a flourishing and resplendent spring pine”
“华茂” (huá mào) means “flourishing and resplendent” or “radiant and luxuriant.”
“春松” (chūn sōng) means “spring pine,” referring to a pine tree that is vibrant and thriving in spring.
[8] also known as: 齐胸儒裙 Qí xiōng rú qún
but since it said there was a ribbon on the waist, then it should be similar to this one:
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